There’s an uneasy tension in the air in Pakistan these days—one that blends optimism, exhaustion, and anxiety. On some streets, you see freshly paved roads, new health clinics, and solar panels glinting on rooftops. In others, however, there are demonstrations, water scarcity, and people merely attempting to stay cool. Pakistan feels like a country balancing between prosperity and stasis in 2025.
There is a cautious sense of resurgence in the economy. In order to avoid default and buy time for reforms, the administration was able to obtain a $1 billion loan from the IMF. For the first time in years, inflation has fallen below double digits, albeit still being high. Spending has resumed, albeit cautiously. Even if small businesses are enjoying an increase in foot traffic, particularly in metropolitan areas, many continue to suffer because to rising taxes and utility expenses that never keep up with the relief.
However, the reality on the ground is much more complicated, even though some graphs show upward trends. The gap between rural and urban areas has widened. Major health and road developments in Punjab, spearheaded by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, have generated excitement. In the last year, basic health facilities are being transformed into mini-hospitals, and more than 12,000 kilometers of roads have been constructed. But animosity grows in Sindh. Farmers’ fears that their water might be transferred led to protests around the region over the contentious Cholistan Canal Project. The federal government was obliged to temporarily halt the project in April due to widespread strikes and sit-ins, which exposed the deterioration of interprovincial trust.
Then there is the actual heat. It has been a cruel summer. Temperatures in South Punjab and Jacobabad exceeded 50°C. Heatstroke cases increased in hospitals, crops shriveled, and power outages became commonplace. Climate change is becoming a daily emergency rather than a far-off idea. Over two dozen people were killed when a run-down building fell during a heat wave in the Lyari neighborhood of Karachi. For years, locals had alerted authorities, but their requests were ignored—until it was too late.
Additionally, social tensions are erupting. The widely shared footage of a supposedly “honour” killing in Balochistan in July rocked the nation. Outrage across the country was sparked by the act’s savagery and the local authorities’ initial reticence. The episode once again revealed the disconnect between law enforcement and the public, particularly for women and minorities, despite the fact that arrests were eventually made.
The situation isn’t much better in the political sphere. The general elections in February 2024 are still fiercely contested. Widespread arrests followed accusations of manipulation, and a court only weeks ago sentenced more than 100 opposition members to prison for their involvement in the May 9 protests. Nowadays, a lot of people worry that democracy is turning into a front that just exists on paper.
Hope still simmers beneath the surface in spite of everything. With women spearheading relief efforts in flood-affected areas, students volunteering to teach in underfunded schools, and tech-savvy youngsters starting startups and e-commerce firms from their bedrooms, communities are coming together in new ways. Arts and music events have subtly returned to places like Lahore and Peshawar, demonstrating that culture endures even during times of adversity.
Pakistan’s current narrative is one of tension rather than hopelessness. Between what is and what might be. between commitments made and fulfilled. Between the oppressive heat of environmental and political collapse—and the unyielding optimism of a people who have endured more.One thing is certain as the year progresses: Pakistan is at a turning point. Its people—and whether their voices, not just their votes, are heard—will determine what happens next, not just its leaders.
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