The situation demands for stakeholders to sit together and try to find a middle way. The priority should be to set the economy, restoring market confidence, and taking up a stringent reforms plan.
The political episode after General Elections – 2018, which started with a string of events like a hung parliament and polarization on multiple societal levels, does not seem to be dissipating anytime soon, even after the Vote of No-Confidence that was brought in to de-seat the former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in the National assembly by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
It has already been more than 8 months since the new prime minister, PDM’s candidate Shahbaz Sharif, took seat but the situation, especially in terms of economy, has exacerbated further. The matters stretching from energy, agriculture, politics and especially the economy have gone from worse to seemingly-irreparable.
Pakistan is already facing an external financing problem to the tune of $73 billion for the next three fiscal years and it would not come as a surprise if the country declared default on its external financial obligations.
The situation demands for stakeholders to sit together and try to find a middle way. The priority should be to set the economy, restoring market confidence, and taking up a stringent reforms plan. And that could only be achieved by immediately calling free and fair elections. Anything besides that is a recipe for disaster. It is hoped that better sense prevails, eventually.
Sumaiya Bashir
Larkana Sindh
