An apt socio-political study of Pakistan
Syed Afsar Sajid
Title: ‘Pakistan — Search for Stability’ (443 pp)
Edited by: Maleeha Lodhi
Published by: OUP Pakistan
Maleeha Lodhi is a celebrated Pakistani journalist, diplomat, and political scientist. The instant book is a collection of some nineteen essays written by eminent native scholars and intellectuals of international repute, connected with history, diplomacy, journalism, social sciences et al.
The list includes, among others, such names as Maleeha Lodhi herself, Dushka H. Saiyid (history), Salman Akram Raja (constitutional law), Ahmed Bilal Mehboob (PILDAT), Salman Shah (finance and economic affairs), Murtaza Syed (macroeconomic research and policy analysis), Ishrat Husain (business and financial administration), Adil Najam (environmental research), Tariq Banuri (development economics), Muhammad Amir Rana (think tank), Ms. Khawar Mumtaz (women’s studies), Jamil Ahmad (environmental analysis), Zeba Sathar (demography), Riaz Mohammad Khan (diplomacy), Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry (diplomacy), and Zahid Hussain (journalism).
The book has been widely acknowledged as ‘an illuminating and comprehensive study of contemporary Pakistan’s mounting political, socio-economic, security, demographic, and environmental challenges’: Ian Talbot, Prof. of History at Southampton University, UK. Noted British author, journalist, and policy analyst Anatol Lieven says that it (the book) is ‘a vital contribution to debate on the reforms that the country (Pakistan) so desperately needs’.
Micheal Kugelman, Director, South Asia Institute at Wilson Center, Washington DC is of the view that the essayists in the book have tried to examine a critical question viz. How can Pakistan overcome the governance constraints that have held the country back for so long?’ Author and journalist Ahmed Rashid thinks that administrators in Pakistan, both civil and military, ‘have failed to take a long view and have spent much of the time in crisis management rather than build an infrastructure of ideas and introduce reforms’. This situation has created ‘a moment of truth’ for the country.
Besides a thoughtful introduction by Maleeha Lodhi and an illuminating essay on the relevance of history (in the Pakistani context) by eminent historiographer Dushka H. Saiyid, the book is subdivided into four parts viz. Politics, Economy, Society, and Foreign Policy. The first part includes essays on constitution, governance, parliamentary politics, and hybrid democracy. The second comprises essays on economic depression, debts and bailouts, pursuit of a new development paradigm, and expansion of economic competitiveness.
Essays in the third segment highlight Pakistan’s moment of youth, education, religious extremism, women’s rights, environmental scenario, and population crisis. The last portion is comprised of essays on Pak-China friendship, Pakistan-India troubled relationship, paradoxes in Pak-US ties, and Taliban and the Afghan dilemma.
Maleeha Lodhi’s introductory observations tend to sum up the intent, focus and scope of the book: ‘The issues discussed in this volume cover almost the entire gamut of challenges the country confronts and the opportunities they present that need to be seized. Topics such as governance, civil-military relations, economic revival, internal and external security, the youth bulge, human development, climate change, religious extremism, foreign relations, and the role of women are all examined along with ways to deal with them.
The common theme running through almost all the chapters is that a strong state, responsive to the people and not merely its privileged elites, will emerge only by implementing a reform agenda that addresses Pakistan’s systemic and fundamental challenges to guarantee its long-term stability.’
Jamil Ahmad’s essay on environmental crisis is an eye-opener in the context of the on-going multi-dimensional crises in the country and forewarns that the ‘environmental crisis carries the risk of degenerating into a deeper chaos if immediate measures are not taken. It warrants an emergency response with an all-hands-on-deck approach at home and through collaboration with international partners under regional and multilateral frameworks. This long-haul journey must begin now to secure a better future for its youth and future generations.’
Tariq Banuri, a leading Pakistani economist-cum-educationist, suggests an eight-point agenda to address the current educational crisis through good governance, proper funding, insightful planning, potent accountability, academic freedom, increasing reliance on technology, vigorous but planned research, and effective population planning.
In his essay on economic competitiveness, renowned financial wizard of Pakistan Ishrat Husain urges need for boosting the country’s economy by reclaiming lost market share, promoting economic growth, generating employment for the youth, and reducing dependence on external borrowing. Muhammad Amir Rana, Director, Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies, believes that reversal of extremism requires arduous but sustained efforts in the areas of societal transformation, democratization, and determination of state’s strategic priorities.
Essays by diplomats Riaz Mohammad Khan and Aizaz Chaudhry, and strategic studies expert Sadia Sulaiman focus on Pakistan’s relations with China, India and US respectively in relation to the prevailing geopolitical conditions besides underscoring the need for overhauling/resolving strategic issues by evolving mutual concern and consent with an element of constraint nonetheless. Eminent journalist Zahid Hussain has explored the future of Pak-US relations in the period after latter’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Eventually, this anthological volume is an appreciable effort to spotlight Pakistan’s problems in the divers fields of economy, politics, trade and industry, education, health, unemployment, and governance as a whole, and propose tangible solutions. The book is ‘essential reading for those seeking to understand Pakistan’s present day immediacies and trends into the future’ with an explicit stress on ‘governance connected to public purpose’.
