Endless wait for a miracle

PAKISTAN celebrated its 79th Independence Day a couple of days ago. Once again, the anniversary arrived wrapped in the optimism that perhaps the next year will be different and bring some relief to ordinary citizens. The source of this optimism is the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. Walls have been covered with graffiti, while stre­ets have been decorated with buntings, flags and pictures of the leaders of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. Pakistan’s streets witnessed similar enthusiasm just over a decade ago, when the country’s power elites sold the nation the dream of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Though the Makkah Agreement is different from CPEC in essence, as the…