Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider’s assertion that political stability in Pakistan can only be achieved through dialogue is less a statement of opinion than a reminder of an oft-ignored political truth. At a time when confrontation has become the default language of politics, the governor’s remarks stand out precisely because they resist the temptation of theatrics and return to first principles.

Pakistan’s recent political history offers ample evidence that coercion, exclusion, and zero-sum politics have........

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