Express Tribune Editorials 13th August 2026

Fatal healthcare

The consequences of a worsening economy and a gradually deteriorating country are not merely fiscal. When in conversation about how Pakistan's state has affected Pakistanis, people often wander around the topic of how difficult it is to put food on the table and pay for children's education. But these struggles have equally significant consequences on a person's mental health - which are currently reflected in the recent rising suicide rates in Faisalabad.

Within just seven months of 2026, as many as 28 lives have been lost to suicide in Faisalabad. These people left behind families, many of whom relied on them for bread and butter, with a lifetime of sizeable grief. Patterns and observations highlight some of the most obvious factors driving this tragic trend: unemployment, domestic discord and family disputes. On one hand, the weight of financial struggles clearly pushes people to the brink. On the other hand, Pakistan lacks all facets of a supportive mental health infrastructure: an understanding society, accessible mental health checkups, subsidised treatments. None of this is available to the common man. The result is, unsurprisingly, a disturbing statistic.

The most absurd part of all of this is that the weapon of choice for many people who choose to end their lives - pesticide tablets - are far easier to acquire than it is to set up an appointment with a mental health specialist. Despite a ban imposed by the Faisalabad commissioner, these poisonous substances remain readily available at retail outlets.

Twenty-eight preventable deaths for a single city is not a number that should be treated lightly. It's understandable that comprehensive national reforms take time, but the government can still make immediate progress by prioritising mental health infrastructure as a vital component of the country's healthcare system.

Growth at a crossroads

The government is growing increasingly concerned about the state of the economy due to the impact of the US-Iran war and the stress it is placing on energy prices and international trade. Though official growth targets are not being touched yet, the government has added enough caveats to make them effectively meaningless.

The State Bank's biannual monetary policy report says the economy should still grow between 3.5% and 4.5% this year, and that inflation should ease and stablise on the higher side of the existing full-year estimate. The current account deficit should be below 1% of GDP, the external account should be stable, and foreign exchange reserves should be over $20 billion at the end of the calendar year. But if even one estimate is off, things will fall apart like a house of cards.

While the government has gone to great lengths to factor in the estimated cost of the US-Iran war, with a strong El Niño expected to hit the country soon, rain alone could devastate the economy. Neither our farmers nor our government is prepared for yet another 'storm-of-the-century'. It is also notable that while the State Bank tries to temper expectations by placing most of the blame on circumstances beyond its control, careful observers know that lax flood preparedness, corruption and waste are all preventable concerns that could easily have been addressed at any point over the past several years. Unfortunately, the government would rather keep the cart moving rather than deviate from flawed plans.

This unwillingness to invest in critical issues such as young doctors while investing heavily in non-essential issues could come back to bite us, as fewer doctors are available in many parts of the country. Riding out the tide will require us not only to craft a prudent monetary policy, but also to undertake genuine structural reforms. Without such intervention, the recovery will remain fragile, at high risk of collapsing under the weight of even the slightest unwelcome economic surprise.

Right to justice

Judicial relief to former Prime Minister Imran Khan is overdue. The government has unnecessarily transgressed by keeping the PTI founder in solitary confinement for over eight months, thereby denying his fundamental rights and overriding the jail manual. The fact that Khan has no access to his family, lawyers and personal physicians, and is suffering from an eye infection, has thickened the plot on his well-being. Thus, the rumour mill on his indisposition is a cause for serious concern to his voters, sympathisers, as well as the party and family. The issue has repeatedly been flagged on the international media by Khan's sons who have valid reservations about the fact that their incarcerated father is being denied lawful access despite express court orders.

The least that the government can do is to provide clarity on his well-being by granting his aides an audience with him and shifting him to a private hospital for appropriate medical care. That, however, should not be seen as a favour, keeping in view past precedents for political leaders, especially one that is lawfully ordained. Rather, it should come as a goodwill gesture that can help lower the political mercury as PTI gears up for street protests on the completion of Khan's three years in prison. The crux, nonetheless, lies with the judiciary. It must uphold the law and the Constitution. A plethora of cases and appeals pending before the superior judiciary concerning Imran Khan and his spouse's relief must see the light of day. The assurance from the apex court registrar that the litigations will be on roll call next week is a positive development, and the court must now walk the talk.

The release of political prisoners and the initiation of a dialogue between the government and the opposition cannot be delayed any further. It is a sine qua non for ushering in political stability at a time when economic miseries are mounting amid an increasingly volatile regional order. Let Imran Khan be seen to have received justice.