Walk through the streets of any Pakistani city or town, and the reality is bleak: a state struggling to meet the most basic needs of its people. Roads crumble, healthcare collapses, schools underperform, and opportunities for a decent quality of life and employment are scarce. Corruption has seeped into every institution meant to safeguard citizens, while the poor remain trapped in deprivation.

Nearly half the population lives below the poverty line, while a small elite enjoys privileges with impunity. This is not the result of misfortune or circumstance; it is the cumulative effect of decades of political opportunism, weak governance and leadership that have consistently placed personal or partisan interests above the nation's welfare.

When Muhammad Ali Jinnah envisioned Pakistan, he imagined a state governed by law, followed by democratic norms and inclusive of all its citizens. He made it clear that Hindus, Muslims, Christians and other communities were equal stakeholders in........

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