NO one expected the PTI to accept the government’s invitation to sign a charter of economy; just as few expected the party to have a unified view of it. With its leader in jail, the rudderless party is visibly split. Although a part of it may be willing to engage with the government — albeit conditionally — the other views any dialogue with the ruling coalition as a betrayal of their core grievance over the disputed results of the last general election. One can hardly expect them to walk into Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer with one voice. Asad Qaiser’s counter-proposal for a charter of democracy tied to judicial independence, an autonomous Election Commission and political space for its leadership sits oddly alongside Latif Khosa’s blanket dismissal of any pact. This friction is not doublespeak; it reveals the divide within a party trying to figure out what engagement will actually cost them.

Partisan noises notwithstanding, the harsh reality remains: inflation, an unbearable tax burden and shrinking real wages do not care about which side of the political divide one is on. The people bearing the brunt of fuel hikes and squeezed purchasing power have no stake in whether it is the PML-N or PTI that is standing on higher moral ground. We are trying to survive a crisis that is hurting the common man the most. A genuine economic charter can only work if it is built on that shared reality, not on an exercise in point-scoring. This is why there is real pressure on the government. An invitation extended simply to corner the PTI into playing the spoiler will be read for exactly what it is and go nowhere. If the ruling coalition is serious about a charter of economy taking shape, it needs to show sincerity, not just gestures. That means conceding ground on the political grievances the PTI has tied to its acceptance of the offer. It would require treating the opposition as a stakeholder to negotiate with. The inclusion of the voice of the largest opposition party in economic policy would boost its credibility. If the government actually wants a working agreement, it has to cede some political ground first. The opposition must also understand that the acceptance of the offer may create some political space for it and its jailed leader. Unless both sides decide to play ball, we will be stuck in the same loop and the public will keep picking up the tab.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2026