Opinion | Pakistan in Chaos, Pakistan’s double standards on Terrorism have pushed it into deeper crisis

Pakistan today finds itself in a difficult and dangerous moment. What began as a political crisis has bled into economic fragility and renewed violence across several provinces, creating a feedback loop that feeds instability and erodes public trust. The sources of turmoil are not single or simple. They range from the bitter contest between political parties and the country s security institutions to long standing grievances in the periphery and the heavy burden of external debt. Together these trends make governing harder and ordinary livelihoods more precarious.

The political rupture that has shaped recent years continues to cast a long shadow. The confrontation around the arrest and repeated court battles of former prime minister Imran Khan sparked waves of street protests that at times turned violent and that have fundamentally reshaped Pakistan s political landscape since 2022 and 2023. The polarisation between Khan s supporters and his opponents is not merely electoral. It has created competing narratives about the legitimacy of state institutions and has weakened the space for compromise. The episodic violence around mass demonstrations and the heavy handed responses by security forces have left scars on urban centres and rural towns alike and have encouraged political actors to rely more on confrontation than on democratic contest.

The economic story deepens the crisis. Years of fiscal deficits and dependence on short term borrowing left Pakistan vulnerable to shocks. For successive governments the International Monetary Fund programme has been both a lifeline and a source of public pain. Recent engagements with the IMF and conditional disbursements have helped stabilise macroeconomic indicators but have not erased the structural pressures of debt servicing and balance of payment fragility. Even as staff level agreements and tranche approvals have unlocked vital funds they come with tough conditions and little immediate relief for those suffering the highest cost of living. The strain of servicing external debt and paying interest has absorbed resources that might otherwise have been used for infrastructure and social services.

Security challenges in the periphery have added another layer of instability. Insurgent and separatist groups in Balochistan and in parts of the west have stepped up operations, targeting infrastructure and security convoys and at times taking hostages. Attacks against transport and energy projects complicate the government s ability to attract outside investment and to protect strategic projects. At the same time militant networks in other regions exploit political distraction and state weakness to regroup. The violence is not confined to one geography and the human cost is measured in lives lost and families displaced. The spike in militant incidents in recent months underlines how quickly security gains can be reversed when political focus shifts away from sustained counter insurgency and governance reforms.

Beyond headline events there are longer term social and institutional consequences. Human rights organisations and press freedom monitors have documented increasing pressure on journalists and civil society actors. When the space to criticise power narrows, trust in institutions withers and grievances fester. The perception that investigative and judicial processes are selective undermines the rule of law and erodes confidence that citizens will receive equal treatment. Restoring credibility will require transparent investigations, meaningful protections for civic space and a willingness from political leaders to accept scrutiny rather than suppress dissent.

The consequences of instability are tangible in daily life. Inflation and job insecurity strain household budgets. Investment decisions are postponed and trade flows slow. Rural areas that depend on remittances and agricultural markets feel the pinch as prices rise and support systems fray. Even where macroeconomic indicators show signs of stabilisation the average family experiences the lag in policy transmission as higher prices and uncertainty at the market level. These hardships feed political anger and make social cohesion harder to sustain.

What, then, are the pathways out of this dangerous spiral? First the political class needs to rediscover compromise. Polarisation benefits no one over the long run and the urgent tasks of governance demand cross party solutions on economic reform and basic service delivery. Second a serious effort at economic management is necessary that pairs fiscal discipline with targeted social protection so that reform measures do not fall disproportionately on those least able to absorb them. External partners can help but domestic ownership of reform is essential for credibility. Third a renewed focus on security and justice in restive provinces must couple law enforcement with development and political inclusion so that grievances are addressed through institutions rather than explosives. Finally the space for civil society and the press must be preserved so that accountability can function without fear or favour.

Any exit from crisis will require leadership that places national interest above short term partisan gain. The last decade has shown how quickly institutions can be stressed and how long the recovery can take. Yet history also shows that periods of acute difficulty can catalyse meaningful reform when political and social actors embrace responsibility rather than recrimination. Pakistan s challenges are serious but not immutable. With pragmatic politics, credible economic policy and a commitment to the rule of law, the country can begin to reclaim stability and set a foundation for more inclusive growth. Also the country need to stop spreading terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

For readers outside the region the temptation is to reduce Pakistan s problems to a single cause. The reality is messier and more human. Families who fear for their children s safety and shopkeepers who worry about the next price spike do not care for debates about elite fault lines. They want schools that teach and hospitals that heal. Addressing instability therefore means delivering tangible improvements to ordinary lives while rebuilding trust in the institutions that are meant to serve them.Pakistan’s double standards on Terrorism have pushed it into deeper crisis.

The choice before Pakistan is stark. It can slide deeper into transactional politics and chronic uncertainty or it can undertake the hard work of reform and reconciliation. The cost of delay will be measured in lost opportunity and human suffering. The price of action will be political compromise and sustained effort. For the sake of millions of citizens either option demands courage.

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