Window of opportunity

The decision by the opposition bloc to respond positively — albeit conditionally — to the government's offer of dialogue is a welcome thaw in an otherwise frozen political landscape. After months of recrimination, courtroom battles and rhetorical warfare, the willingness of TTAP to engage provides a rare opening to recalibrate a system that has been running on fumes.

The consultative huddle in Islamabad, attended by a spectrum of leaders from Mahmood Khan Achakzai to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Asad Qaiser, signals that the opposition understands the gravity of the moment. By empowering Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas Jafri to lead negotiations, the alliance has attempted to streamline what has too often been an incoherent and reactive response to the government's overtures.

Consensus, however, must be rooted in constitutional supremacy and the restoration of democratic processes. The opposition's insistence on transparency regarding Imran Khan's health and access to due process is emblematic of a deeper trust deficit that has paralysed governance. Without credible confidence-building measures, the dialogue risks becoming another headline rather than a historic reset.

Yet the case for talks transcends individual grievances. Pakistan's internal security environment is deteriorating at an alarming pace. The surge in terrorist attacks in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan demands a comprehensive national counterterrorism strategy. Security cannot be managed through fragmented provincial responses or ad hoc federal pronouncements. It requires a unified political voice and an agreed doctrine that balances force with political outreach. The recent kerfuffle with Afghanistan and escalating border tensions further emphasise this urgency. Diplomatic signalling toward Kabul will lack credibility if Islamabad speaks in discordant tones at home.

The economic argument is even more compelling. Investors — domestic and foreign — are not swayed by press conferences but by predictability. As long as questions linger over political legitimacy and governance continuity, capital will remain cautious and growth anaemic. This is why acceptance of talks must be seen as the first step toward restoring democratic normalcy. A functioning democracy, underpinned by constitutional clarity and institutional restraint, is the bedrock upon which sustainable economic reform can be built.

The treasury benches and the opposition now face a test of statesmanship. Dialogue must not be reduced to negotiating relief for individuals alone, nor should it devolve into score-settling. The moment calls for a broader compact of calming regional tensions through unified diplomacy and charting a long-term economic roadmap insulated from electoral cycles.