Pakistan’s Policy Paradox: A Needonomics Lens on Terrorism, Governance, and Dependency

Prof Madan Mohan Goel Propounder Needonomics & Former Vice-Chancellor (Thrice)   

Needonomics School of Thought (NST) emphasizes value-based governance, ethical economics, and people-centric decision-making. From this perspective, Pakistan’s long-standing contradictions on terrorism, governance, and foreign relations provide a textbook case of how neglecting needs and pursuing greed-driven power politics leads to national decline.

Pakistan’s Double Standards on Terrorism: A Self-Inflicted Crisis
For decades, Pakistan has followed a dual policy toward terrorism—nurturing certain extremist groups for strategic depth while simultaneously claiming to be a victim of terrorism on the global stage. This contradiction undermines both its credibility and its internal stability.
Recent attempts to implicate India and Afghanistan for terrorist incidents inside Pakistan are viewed globally as misplaced blame. Instead of introspection, Pakistan often externalizes its problems, diverting attention from internal failures of governance, counter-terror strategy, and economic management. NST views this as a classic case of wasting resources on narratives instead of investing in the real needs of society.

Dependence on External Powers: A Cycle of Exploitation and Bailouts

A country that places its strategic bets based on power blocs rather than people’s welfare inevitably becomes dependent. Pakistan’s oscillating friend-ships—especially with China and the United States—reflect this pattern.
• With China, Pakistan seeks strategic partnership and financial support, even at the cost of long-term economic sovereignty.
• With the US, Pakistan alternates between cooperation and confrontation but consistently returns in search of bailouts, aid, or military support.

From a Needonomics lens, this dependency reveals a lack of self-reliant economic planning, transparent governance, and value-based diplomacy.
Instead of strengthening institutions and meeting the needs of its citizens, Pakistan repeatedly seeks external rescue, creating a vicious cycle of borrowed survival instead of earned stability.
Military Dominance: Neglect of People, Economy, and Institutions
A major roadblock to meaningful change in Pakistan remains the dominance of the military establishment over political, administrative, and economic governance. This imbalance prioritizes geopolitical ambitions over human development.

The Needonomics School of Thought identifies three major deficits:

1. People are ignored
   Public welfare services—including education, healthcare, employment generation, and poverty alleviation—are severely underfunded. Citizens remain trapped in inequality and economic vulnerability.
2. Economy is mismanaged
   Pakistan’s economy suffers from structural weaknesses:
   • depleting foreign exchange reserves
   • unsustainable debt
   • weak industrial base
   • minimal global competitiveness
   Policies often prioritize short-term survival rather than long-term stability—a violation of Needonomics principles of prudent, ethical, need-based economics.
3. Institutions are weakened
   Judiciary, bureaucracy, civil liberties, and democratic processes lack autonomy. When institutions are compromised, development becomes directionlessand crisis becomes perpetual.
   NST stresses that strong institutions, not strongmen, uplift nations.
   Needonomics Mandate for Pakistan: Reform Rooted in Needs, Values, and Ethical Governance
   If Pakistan truly seeks stability and progress, Needonomics offers a roadmap based on:
4. Prioritizing Needs over Narratives
   Stop externalizing failures and focus on domestic reforms—jobs, education, health, and inclusive development.
5. Ending Double Standards
   Adopt a consistent, value-based stance on terrorism—abandoning all forms of extremism without selective support.
6. Empowering People and Strengthening Institutions
   Democracy must be civilian-led, transparent, and accountable. Military dominance in governance has proven counterproductive.
7. Pursuing Self-Reliance
   Economic revival depends on building domestic capacity, reducing debt dependency, and investing in human capital.
8. Practicing Ethical Diplomacy
   International relations should rest on cooperation, transparency, and mutual benefit—not opportunistic alliances.

Conclusion:

Pakistan’s crisis is not merely political—it is a crisis of values, priorities, and governance. Needonomics highlights that no nation can thrive on double standards, external dependence, or military dominance. A shift toward people-centric policies, ethical economics, and strong institutions is not just desirable—it is essential for regional peace and progress.
By returning to the fundamentals of human needs and moral governance, Pakistan can escape its vicious cycle and rebuild itself as a responsible and prosperous nation without blame game and war of words against India.