LOST in the cacophony of politics over the Panama Papers and other political fights in the country is a simple imperative: governance.

While Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif dashes across the country to urgently inaugurate various development projects, there are several other fundamentals that appear to be going unattended.

Foremost among those other neglected priorities — if only because of the time frame — is the upcoming federal budget.

In a matter of weeks, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is set to make the fourth budget speech of the present government, but, despite the latter’s insistent pledges that it holds the finances of the state and economy front and centre, there has been virtually no debate about what measures ought to be taken and which economic decisions could help put this country on a more stable growth path.

It already appears to be an eternity away when the incoming PML-N government declared that development, education and health expenditures would be priorities. Few now believe its initial promises.

Matters have also moved on politically. What was acceptable in 2013 has become that much less acceptable in 2016.

Several sections of the electorate have indicated that politics cannot be business as usual — past political practices, especially in terms of the wealth of elected representatives and campaign expenditures, need to be rationalised.

While it is true that the current leadership needs to progressively be made more accountable and transparent, the longer-term goal ought to be about lowering the barriers of entry to politics.

In today’s Pakistan, there are only two kinds of candidates who can contest elections: independently wealthy individuals or less-well-off candidates who ingratiate themselves with the party leadership.

A political system with virtually insurmountable barriers to entry — even if those inside the system are deemed clean and accountable — impairs the quality of democracy the country can have.

Unhappily, democratic debate inside Pakistan far too often appears to be a private competition between political parties. In truth, democracy ought to be about the people and their evolving choices.

The PML-N is right in arguing it has a mandate from the people. But legitimacy can surely never be based on past events alone.

The Panama Papers have raised new questions about the prime minister’s political credibility — questions based on thus far unproven allegations. The longer those questions go unanswered, the more the government’s legitimacy will be eroded.

It is simply no longer enough for the government to rely on the legitimacy of the 2013 general election to defy its critics. It also ought no longer to be enough to simply fight politics with politics.

The transition to democracy must surely be about improving the quality of democracy further.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2016