AS Pakistan marks its Independence Day, 14 August should be more than a day of flags and celebration. It should also be a moment of honest reflection: Have we lived up to the ideals that inspired the creation of Pakistan, and are we prepared for the challenges ahead?

Pakistan’s geopolitical location has placed it at the intersection of competing regional and global interests. Great-power rivalry, shifting alliances, instability in our neighbourhood and the enduring India factor continue to shape our security environment. Yet, history also teaches us that external pressures become most dangerous when they intersect with internal vulnerabilities.

For decades, we have struggled to address our deep-rooted political, social and governance fault lines. Political polarisation, institutional mistrust, economic pressures, and weakening social........

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