Year of unmet challenges

Maleeha Lodhi - Dawn - 17/12
Public optimism was in short supply at a time of political turmoil and economic stress.

2024 saw intensifying political tensions and turmoil in Pakistan, which sharpened polarisation in the country and made political stability elusive.

The year was marked by democratic regression and increasing autocratisation as the government resorted to repressive measures to suppress the opposition and stifle criticism. Public optimism remained in short supply. An Ipsos poll at year-end found nearly 80 per cent of people felt the country was headed in the wrong direction.

The outgoing year left many unresolved challenges for 2025. They include an unending government-opposition confrontation, resurgence in militant violence, and a fragile economy yet to make the transition from tenuous stabilisation to sustainable recovery and growth.

The year began with a disputed general election whose repercussions reverberated throughout the year. Hopes that the February election would lead to political stability didn’...
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