Pakistan and year 2023

In the outgoing year, Pakistan remained engulfed in socio-political and socio-economic turmoil resulting from political transitions, natural disasters and bad economic management. The coming year is the year of hopes and hurdles. By planning and implementing policies effectively, multiple threats can be curbed.

In 2023, the ecological crisis will have a major impact on the country. Harsh weather conditions and inconsistent rainfall patterns could destabilise the social and political situation in the Republic. In order to control climate change, countries are working on a green economy and producing pink hydrogen through electrolysis. India, for instance, has initiated a project to install eco-friendly solar panels on rooftops for renewable energy consumption. To prevent climate change and sustain economic and political growth in the state, it is essential to invest in the shift from oil-led energy sources to renewable energy resources. In 2023, our climate preference should shift to ecological preservation.

Pakistan is a country with a population that could easily believe in propaganda theories. Technology and social media have shifted the order, which sometimes puts institutional harmony at risk. A state’s social and political anomalies have been exacerbated by deep fakes and social boots. The use of technology to distort democratic and constitutional struggle is one of the major threats to consolidation of the societal fabric in the state. Propaganda has the potential to divide the population into different groups. The polarisation of society has already created inertia in the institutional efficiency of democracy. Because 2023 is the year of the general election in the Republic, policymakers must consider strategies to integrate the community. In 2023, digital political strategies and social networking platform factors should be incorporated into the design of governance policies. Through technology and artificial intelligence, we should harness the coming threats in terms of economic and social upheavals by processing data and statistics. The government should use big data and technology in policymaking at the state level. The use of technology for digital democracy and inclusive participation of the general masses should be on the agenda.

Covid-19 has dealt a major blow to the education sector in Pakistan which was already struggling with educational disparities. The crisis in the classroom will be a significant factor to be considered in 2023. Our educational policy should be designed so that future generations can create and innovate in new dimensions. In 2023, education policy should be formulated such that education can impart the modern requirements of the 21^st century to be relevant in the global arena. Education has the potential to deal with all kinds of wicked problems and avoid stagnation on the way to excellence.

Overpopulation has worsened the various challenges like unemployment, food crisis, urban sprawl, etc. Depopulation should be at the core of policymaking in 2023. This depopulation could integrate gender participation and gender empowerment. The birth rate can be controlled through women’s empowerment. Literate women understand the complexities of post-fetus issues and the economic investment in raising children, so women’s inclusivity, education and empowerment for depopulation could be integrated.

Last but not least, a lack of governance can halt administrative tasks. In 2023, the probable general election and recent change in the GHQ could be managed with the inclusive tilt of a civil-military oligarchy. We should design the coming year so that institutional inertia can be turned into vibrancy.

The year 2022 is marked by danger and paranoia. We must be committed at the state level to dealing with the life-threatening issues of climate change, overpopulation and digital political polarisation in 2023. After Covid-19, the global world is opening borders and markets. Pakistan has primary geopolitical and geostrategic importance in the region, so the coming year could be a year of opportunities and options to advance the economy, sustain the climate, and reinvent political preferences.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2022.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.