Stuck in the blame game mindset

The successive resignations of Supreme Court judges test the resilience of the judicial system, pre-election disputes strain the inner cohesion of political parties, and stagflation pushes the endurance levels of the working masses. While the country slowly moves forward despite daunting challenges with the support of donors, the GDP gap not only persists but has likely been growing. The GDP gap, signifying the disparity between actual and potential GDP over a long-term trend, is a globally tracked metric. Given its substantial potential, why is the GDP gap not closing? The private sector in Pakistan and the government engage in trading blame for this gap. Certain experts point to the archaic mindset prevailing among leadership (both in the public and private sectors) and the management team conditioned to operate within a protective, patronage-centric environment as crucial factors contributing to economic underperformance. According to them, these elements often lack the readiness to compete in the global market and display reluctance towards risk-taking.