There are moments in the life of a country that feel less like a sudden impact and more like the quiet, profound tremor of a truth finally being given voice. For us, here in Pakistan, such a moment seemed to arrive with the Thursday morning news. When the announcement came through of a historic partnership to develop our country’s vast oil reserves, the words might have been about economics, but the feeling they inspired was one of profound, long-awaited vindication. It was the feeling of being truly seen – not through the distorted lens of our neighbour’s relentless propaganda, but recognised for what we have always known ourselves to be: a nation of immense potential and quiet, unwavering resolve.

For decades, we have lived under the shadow of a carefully crafted narrative, the story of a ‘shining India’ that so captivated the world’s imagination. We watched this story unfold from across the border, always knowing it was more mirage than miracle. Whilst India projected an image of unstoppable growth to the international community, its foundations were brittle – a truth felt not in distant boardrooms, but in the queues and marketplaces, in the daily struggles of its own people.

So, when the American president described their economy as........

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