Trouble at home

PAKISTAN has been in the international limelight for its successful mediation efforts in bringing the US and Iran back to the negotiating table. The weekend summit between the two warring sides at the Bürgenstock Resort on Lake Lucerne, jointly hosted by Pakistan and Qatar, produced a breakthrough that raised hopes of cementing a permanent peace deal. Pakistan’s civil and military leadership were rightly commended for their efforts. Bringing the two sides to agree on the Memorandum of Understanding, which provided the framework for lasting peace and an end to the war, was certainly a painstaking process that spanned several months. It is indeed a proud moment for the country. However, this foreign policy success should not be used to divert attention from some critical problems at home. Success in foreign policy cannot yield long-term dividends in the absence of economic and political stability — and, unfortunately, the country lacks both. The prime minister and deputy prime minister are spending more time on foreign trips than on domestic governance. There is no concept of sharing responsibility, as both top officials are mostly together, and the army chief accompanies them as well. It’s quite unprecedented. Their absence during the budget session was particularly noticeable. The lacklustre debate in parliament on the critical finance bill reflects a troubling lack of interest in economic issues. An economy that is still not completely out of the ICU, remains dependent on external financial support and has 41 per cent of its population living below the poverty line cannot sustain its diplomatic prominence for long. There are several critical economic issues that need to be resolved on a priority basis, and the main question is whether the government is fully prepared to address the spillover effects of the war in Iran on our economy. The current budget is nothing more than a patchwork that cannot take the country out of the morass. Success abroad won’t yield long-t