The socio-economic and political plight of Pakistan has worsened in recent years. Economically and mentally every Pakistani is down in the dumps due to the mounting inflation and sharp surge in the prices of commodities. What to speak of the common man under the clouds of unemployment more squeezed by electricity, petrol and utility billseven the elitists of the country for the first time are confronting hard times to meet their both ends. The entire Pakistani nation has become a victim of despair and depression at this stage of its history. The middle and lower middle classes are pulverizing whereas the elite class has also become helpless due to the depreciation of the rupee in relation to foreign essential engagements.
The political, individual and economic future is shrouded in uncertainty. It has become impossible for the middle class and lower middle class to meet their day to day expenditures. It is pertinent to mention here that when the future is uncertain and there is no hope, confusion arises which leads to further escalation of depression and desolation. In these circumstances, when I speak something of hope or perfection, the readers stare at me surprisingly.
Essentially we must remember that everything has both positive and negative aspects no matter how horrendously destructive or disturbing the negative aspects are, the positive aspects cannot be overlooked. I usually focus more on the positive aspects of a tragedy. The negativity has its own impact and magnitude which restricts a common man to see the other side of the coin and he remains pessimistic till the positivity is vividly vibrant. There is no doubt that our economic crisis is shoddier due to the deterioration in the political situation. Strong inflation caused by unyielding IMF conditions, a soaring dollar and a sharp hike in petrol prices has overwrought everyone.
Pakistan’s position among its neighbors is comparatively appalling, even when compared to Bangladesh and Afghanistan, where local currencies and economies are stable against the dollar. Since the independence of Pakistan, our natural rivalry and economic competition with India has been going on. Meanwhile, the stabilizing situation in Afghanistan and the rapidly developing economy of India have added to this overall national despair and depression.
In the visit of Indian Prime Minister Modi to America, American officials rendered extraordinary importance to India as the most important strategic partner, which was noticed by the whole world. While comparing the economic condition of Pakistan with the large reserves of Indian foreign exchange, Pakistanis suffer from a sense of inferiority, which is not unreasonable.
The echo of ongoing demonstrations regarding Pakistan’s political crisis around the world, including within premises, and the impression of Pakistani governments walking around the world to avoid economic difficulties filled the hearts of Pakistanis with distress regarding the future of their beloved homeland. The United States has been suffering from a downfall for the past few years, which in one way or another is following the policy of blocking China’s path. It is taking every step at the diplomatic, economic and political level to create obstacles for China, but the Ukraine-Russia war thwarted her efforts. The United States provided full financial and military support to Ukraine through itself and NATO, while China came forward to help Russia.
The United States and NATO thought that by imposing sanctions on Russia, they would force it to come to its knees economically and would disintegrate its unity, but this assumption also proved wrong. Despite the sanctions, Russia is becoming economically stable with the active support from China. On the other hand, the new bloc consisting of China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Afghanistan and the growing influence of BRICS has also become a niggling for the United States. Despite the fact that America has become India’s strategic partner compared to Pakistan, due to which Pakistan has gone into the background, but due to the current global political situation and Pakistan’s geographical significance, America cannot afford to lose Pakistan as well.
This is why it still wants to have better ties with Pakistan. Already the efforts to create a soft spot for America in the hearts of the Pakistani people by promoting the various works done by the American Embassies in Pakistan on social media have started. Until today, Pakistan has been exploited in world politics only because of its geographical position, now very rightly this geographical importance will be yielding a better future for Pakistan with the rise of new blocs. Because of this geographical importance, the emerging economic global superpower China cannot leave Pakistan alone due to its long-standing interest in Pakistan in the presence of competitors like America and India. A clear example of this is China’s Chahbahar port in Iran and to strengthen relations with Iran and Saudi Arabia and to play an important role in reconciliation between these two rival countries.
In the coming days, the political process will finally start again in Pakistan, when political activities will resume, the people’s elected government will gain power, and then eventually political stability will lead to economic development. Although the pessimism that has been going on since Covid-19 has gone on for a long time, the situation may get more tensed than it is now, last but not least, the dark night always follow the broad day light. When there is an opportunity to improve after the longest catharsis and bad situation, everyone loves to take full advantage of the right set of circumstances after the prevailing dispiritedness. The rising super power China has core interests with Pakistan due to which it will not leave Pakistan in the lurch.
When there is an opportunity to improve after the longest disappointment and bad situation, everyone takes full advantage of the opportunity after the worst disappointment. The people of Pakistan have been fed lies at every level so frequently in the last 75 years that this recline has penetrated to the lowest level. Usually, the state of prostration travels from the lower level to the top, but in Pakistan, on the contrary, it has become a part of our society, reaching from the leaders to the masses. This is the reason why, in the last two years, around one million educated skilled Pakistanis have left the country in misogyny. On the other side of the cave there is still the light of hope which we cannot see due to deep despondency so we are not ready to believe yet the fact is that despite these bad state of affairs I don’t think that we should be disappointed with the future of Pakistan or take this enduring nation for granted.
Thanks to its immense talent, natural resources and geographical importance, Pakistan is still a country with great potential and right set of circumstances. Long-standing relations with China, the emerging economic world power, mutual interests of Pakistan and China, and Pakistan’s position in the newly formed alliance block would finally lead Pakistan towards optimism.
In lieu of the important role of Pakistan in new partnerships, I see the coming days as completely different from this desperate situation. The lies that have been going on for the past 75 years have been exposed; the public has become aware and is looking for an opportunity to get out of the sustaining anguish. To sum up, I say that in the Pakistan’s negativity there is positivity and as soon as the people of this land find a chance they will not miss it under any occurrences.
