Cut the Head to Cure the Headache: Pakistan’s Approach to Every Problem

CHITRAL: In Pakistan, a strange approach to solving problems is often adopted: instead of removing the cause of a problem, we make life more difficult for everyone. It is like cutting off the head to cure a headache!

Consider a terrorist attack. Instead of improving security and catching the terrorists, authorities sometimes restrict access to the affected area for a long time. Ironically, the terrorists themselves may avoid that area for fear of being caught, while ordinary citizens continue to suffer from restrictions.

The same approach can be seen at the Lowari Tunnel. If an accident occurs inside the tunnel, travel may be further restricted, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers. Yet, if traffic congestion and delays contributed to the accident, making travel even more difficult hardly seems like a sensible solution. The real answer lies in better traffic management, enforcement of safety rules, and timely emergency response.

The economic situation offers another example. When corrupt officials or influential individuals misuse public money and damage the economy, the burden often falls on ordinary citizens through higher taxes, inflation, and reduced public services. Instead of making the entire nation pay for the wrongdoing of a few, the government should investigate, recover stolen money, and punish those responsible.

Then there is politics. When politicians become corrupt or fail to perform, military intervention is sometimes presented as a solution. But replacing one set of rulers with another does not automatically solve the underlying problems of corruption, weak institutions, and poor governance. .. CN report, 18 Oct 2026