Pakistan, Jan. 15 -- For millions of Pakistani households, the economy no longer feels like a crisis; it feels like a permanent condition. Prices rise predictably, jobs feel uncertain by default, and savings are treated as a luxury rather than a buffer. Against this lived reality, Pakistan's latest Consumer Confidence Index presents a paradox policymakers would be unwise to misread. Confidence has not collapsed, but neither has hardship eased. According to the D&B-Gallup Pakistan Consumer Confidence Index for Q1 FY2025-26, overall confidence fell to 86.4 from 96.2 in the previous quarter, a decline of 10.2 per cent. While this still represents an 18.5 per cent improvement compared to the same period last year, when confidence stood at 72....