Fingers crossed

This is the first time that a political party that has majority seats in parliament is ousted. The new government will be standing on the crutches of a coalition of multiple political parties – a unique experiment in our democratic dispensation. We achieved ‘independence’ in 1947 but not ‘freedom’. It seems that once Pakistan was created, only the faces changed. The colonial mindset remained unchanged. Democracy in our country has faced many challenges and repeated interventions – some organic and some inspired from abroad. Thus, genuine democracy has yet to find a strong foothold.

The nation must be prepared to endure more economic pain in the coming months, including a steep rise in inflation. It is yet to see whether the new government has a sustainable plan to rehabilitate the economy and curtail dependence on external sources. People are keeping their fingers crossed.

Arif Majeed

Karachi