Let us be a normal country

Pakistan's future lies in being a 'normal country' operating within the expected norms of governance and societal structures. A stable government requires a functioning political system with established institutions and a degree of continuity in leadership transitions.

Normal is where there is a legal system that enforces laws fairly and consistently ensuring rights and accountability for its people; where there is respect for human rights, upholding basic freedoms of speech, religion and equality; where people pay their taxes routinely and do not hoard money secretly and do not flout traffic rules brazenly.

Normal is a country with a stable economy with manageable inflation, employment and access to goods and services.

For the last seventy-seven years we in Pakistan have been struggling to achieve these basic goals. Ongoing challenges such as political instability, security concerns and economic volatility make it a country that is still grappling with significant internal issues.

The perception of Pakistan's normalcy largely depends on the perspective and standards being applied. It will not be wrong to assume that we are no more aware of what is normal. Or even more relevant is the question whether the civilian and military leadership is serious about steering the country towards being normal. If that be so then they will have to conduct themselves strictly in accordance with the dictates of the constitution and abide by the norms of democratic governance.

Regrettably, the political leadership has strayed away from following this course. As a result, the army leadership and bureaucracy are playing a major role in policy formulation and conducting the affairs of the state. To correct course the political leadership has to assume its constitutional responsibilities and conduct government affairs with competence to win back the confidence of the people.

Pakistan's image and standing in the comity of nations has suffered due to its internal weaknesses. It has given relatively a free hand to India to project Pakistan in bad light and continue to suppress the legitimate demands of the people of Kashmir.

In essence there is a lot that Pakistan is losing, with its people suffering due to poor governance and failure to abide by the constitution. And regrettably, this realisation is not there. However, what gives hope is that there is earnest effort on the part of certain leaders to correct course. The finance minister and his team are making sincere effort to place the economy on the right course. Provincial leadership is trying to improve the security situation, but challenges remain. As a consequence, the economy suffers as investment shies away.

The conflictual politics is another major drag on the country's progress and stability. The suppression of the PTI and the imprisonment of Imran Khan reflect adversely on the country. Pakistan's politics has yet to achieve maturity that inspires confidence in its future. The conduct of national and provincial assemblies is far from satisfactory and remains mired in verbal duels. Serious issues involving major economic and financial issues are rushed through.

This reinforces the fact that there is a strong synergy between politics and the economy.

The low tax-to-GDP ratio has contributed to the multifaceted crisis that the state is facing. Low salaries to government employees lead to despondency and corruption. When inadequate resources are allocated for critical areas such as education and health, the country seriously suffers. It worsens prospects for employment, reduces people's efficiency and promotes criminal activity. Moreover, to fill the gap in resources, the governments have to rely heavily on IMF, World Bank and friendly countries for assistance. Seeking assistance from these entities does help prop up the dysfunctional economic and fiscal system but it cannot continue to be a recurring feature.

So how and when will the situation turn for the better and is their realisation and commitment on the part of leadership to bring about the change? Things can change by focusing more on trade. But this requires improvement in the quality of products. Pakistan's exports have not increased significantly over the last few years as compared to other countries in the region. The range and quality of products has to improve for increasing exports.

These weaknesses reinforce the fact that for the people to have a better future the government should seriously focus on expanding the education base and bring about quality and depth in it in order to remain competitive. It must balance its budget between public education, health and defence. Improvement in these sectors will reduce poverty and strengthen civil society. We need a larger middle class. It is also important that the press, courts and civil society focus on fighting corruption and give importance of the rule of law that is ingrained in the political culture of the country.

Matters related to foreign policy and relations with major powers are left to the discretion of the Foreign Office. Fortunately, we have very capable and experienced diplomats who are managing foreign affairs ably. Nonetheless, political direction and support is necessary to lend weight to policies. India takes advantage of these weaknesses to project Pakistan in bad light.

Moreover, serious developments are taking place in the Middle East. In addition to Gaza, Lebanon is now deeply engulfed in conflict with Israel. International law and UN Charter are brazenly violated and the Secretary General's urgings for peace and dialogue are not given the weight these deserve. The major violator Israel enjoys the full backing of the US. It only reinforces the fact that principles and international obligations are set aside when it does not suit major powers. However, it is clear that the policies Israel is pursuing with the US support may give it the upper hand but will keep it entangled and mired for generations. Pakistan provides moral and political support and in the present circumstances this is the best it can do.

These long- and short-term measures are essential if Pakistan has to make a headway and shed its dependence. We need a leadership that is sensitive and focused on these fundamental issues. It should be a matter of concern that we are still groping with fundamental issues.