Improving economy, uneasy politics

The resurgence of social and political tensions post-February elections is puzzling, especially when economic indicators in Pakistan are finally starting to improve. Despite navigating a very difficult year, where the country narrowly avoided default with the help of donors, the political climate has become increasingly volatile. The public, desperate for tangible benefits, is growing impatient and seems unwilling to wait for economic improvements to positively impact their daily lives. The state machinery’s mishandling of public outbursts in various parts of the country further underscores the government’s inability to understand social undercurrents and its insensitivity towards peoples’ struggles. For instance, the situation in several areas of Azad Kashmir and the peasant’s protests in Punjab highlights this discontent and the failure to address the public’s grievances effectively.