'Economy: the speech we won't hear'

This is apropos a Business Recorder op-ed "Economy: the speech we won't hear" carried by the newspaper yesterday. The writer, Shabir Ahmed, has articulated a highly informed argument about the performance of PTI government. Not only is he objective, he is also full of advices for this seemingly beleaguered government. According to him, for example, "Still, all is not lost. PTI's support base may not be the same as it was eighteen months ago but it is not quite the day of reckoning yet. It can pick up the pieces if it overhauls its narrative; a narrative that is less venomous and more truthful, that recognises the pitfalls of governance and seeks to bring the nation together." It is true that the PTI ministers like to talk big and act tough. But that is not enough. They must perform actions consistent with their claims.

In my view, however, the government needs to come clean about rising inflation and lack of new job opportunities or growing joblessness in the country without any further loss of time. For how long will they not act in a way that agrees with the things they say?