Dead reform conversation

THE conversation about reform in Pakistan is dead. It has been for years. In Islamabad, the government is celebrating its diplomatic success in the war. These achievements are real and deserve recognition. Specifically, Pakistan has successfully brokered a ceasefire between Iran and the US and has since put in strenuous efforts to turn this into a comprehensive peace deal. This is potentially historic. If successful, it could remake the region in fundamental ways, altering the security architecture of the Middle East and Central Asia. This is a diplomatic feat of the highest order, and it should be lauded. However, this cannot become the basis for securing the next generation of economic growth. That growth must come from domestic reform — a conversation that is unsexy and unglamorous, but the only way Pakistan can stand on its own feet. The danger here is not just economic; it is a fundamental shift in how we conceive our national destiny. We must not fall into the trap of viewing every achievement of the government as something to be touted publicly. For example, a new type of debt taken or a rollover obtained are not achievements to be presented as markers of success. Worse, these successes are increasingly being used to justify a narrowing of the political imagination, providing a cover for further constriction of our already fragile democratic space. We are told that stability is a prerequisite for economic policy, and that the messiness of parliamentary debate is an obstacle to progress. This is a dangerous error. Democracy is a system for processing failure and making course corrections. By weakening democratic processes, we remove the tools needed to prevent mismanagement. Real reform is political. It requires building agreement for change and explaining the costs and benefits to the public. Look at the government’s approach to the economy. We have seen a clear abandonment of the long-standing agreement regarding the importance of broadening the tax base. In