Pakistan’s economy seems to be in a free fall and what is required is to arrive at a consensus economic agenda that should be followed regardless of who sits in the seat of government. The very notion of a specific economic philosophy being handed down by a specific government is not only obsolete, but also flawed because sound economic management requires continuity and consistency. Equitable growth and fair distribution of wealth, basic and sustainable support to citizens, and social and economic development of the society are pretty much givens, as the objectives of any modern day successful nation state. Thus, economic policies need to be shaped, evolved over time, persevered with, though continuously checked to ensure that at no stage they deviate from being people centric to favorable to certain individuals, interest groups, corrupt (yet) powerful mafias or political interests. In the wake of recent economic developments in the USA and Europe and the mess they find themselves to be in today, there is now a new debate gaining momentum that has, all of a sudden, raised new questions about the very role of democracy, capitalism and free market mechanisms. Full story