Editorial
Data and evidence are the foundations of sound policymaking, yet in Pakistan, critical national decisions are too often shaped without serious reference to facts, demographics, or ground realities. This habit has come at a heavy cost. Pakistan is not a small, homogenous state that can be managed through centralised authority or coercive governance. It is a federation of nearly 250 million people, diverse in culture, language, economy, and political aspirations. Such a country simply cannot function sustainably under undemocratic or authoritarian arrangements.
Federalism in Pakistan is not a technical arrangement; it is a political necessity. From the federal government to the provinces and down to empowered local governments, the entire governance structure must reflect the spirit of devolution. Real democracy means representative governments that carry the genuine will of the people—not only as a collective national idea, but as the expressed will of each federal unit that forms the Pakistani federation. Ignoring this principle has repeatedly produced instability, alienation, and governance failures.
Running a large and diverse federation through coercive measures is neither practical nor sustainable. History, data, and lived experience all point in the same direction: pressure may create temporary compliance, but it cannot build legitimacy or long-term stability. Comparisons with countries like China are misleading. China is an ideological socialist state with a different historical trajectory and governance model. Likewise, equating Pakistan with smaller nations of 10 or 20 million people ignores scale, diversity, and constitutional complexity.
Pakistan’s identity as a federation predates its modern statehood and must be respected in practice, not just in constitutional text. Democratic federalism is not a weakness; it is the country’s only viable path forward. Only through devolution, representation, and evidence-based policymaking can Pakistan achieve social cohesion, political stability, and the economic growth its people urgently need.
