Making progress for any nation is almost impossible unless there is national consensus on the major issues confronting the country. Perhaps there’s never been a more suitable time in the history of the nation than today when Pakistan needs a “Grand National dialogue”.
Unfortunately, national consensus continues to evade us on two of our biggest challenges: the resurgence of terrorism and a crumbling economy facing a grave prospect of defaulting on foreign obligations. The PDM coalition government and the PTI-led opposition, both representing almost the entire political leadership of the country, seem to be concerned about personal political gains even if the situation is seriously threatening on both economic and law and order fronts.
Voices are being raised at different levels and by different segments of the society for a national consensus to deal with them. The security establishment, another major player in the country, has attempted to raise alarm as the two aforementioned challenges grow more precarious by the day. General Asim Munir, the head of the armed forces, stated that Pakistan is passing through one of her most critical junctures. He called for national consensus by all stakeholders to sail through the confronted challenges of economy and terrorism.
The Army Chief’s call comes as a local think-tank publishes a paper saying that of the 376 terrorist acts that occurred in Pakistan in 2022, December was the deadliest month with more than two dozen incidents of terrorism. Moreover, the US, UK, Australia and Saudi Arabia have issued advisories, asking their nationals to restrict movement in Pakistan and avoid non-essential trips.
The call for consensus also came at a time when the State Bank of Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves dropped below $5.8 billion, hardly enough to cover one month’s worth of imports, for the first time since April 2014.
Extraordinary circumstances demand extraordinary decision-making, and it can only be carried out when there is a wider consensus among political leaders. The Army Chief’s request for consensus must be taken seriously, and an urgent grand dialogue must be initiated in order to find an agreement on key issues. A political cease-fire will undoubtedly aid in identifying a solution to the country’s dire problems. There should be a detailed discussion among all stakeholders regardless of their party affiliations and political leanings. Political stability will send a positive message and help address our economic issues as well as those related to security.
