The Pakistan Paradox: Instability and ResiliencePakistan was born as the creation of elite Urdu-speaking Muslims who sought to govern a state that would maintain their dominance. After rallying non-Urdu speaking leaders around him, Jinnah imposed a unitary definition of the new nation state that obliterated linguistic diversity. This centralisation - 'justified' by the Indian threat - fostered centrifugal forces that resulted in Bengali secessionism in 1971 and Baloch, as well as Mohajir, separatisms today. Concentration of power in the hands of the establishment remained the norm, and while authoritarianism peaked under military rule, democracy failed to usher in reform, and the rule of law remained fragile at best under Zulfikar Bhutto and later Nawaz Sharif. While Jinnah and Ayub Khan regarded religion as a cultural marker, since their time theIslamists have gradually prevailed. They benefited from the support of General Zia, while others, including sectarian groups, cashed in on their struggle against the establishment to woo the disenfranchised. Today, Pakistan faces existential challenges ranging from ethnic strife to Islamism, two sources of instability which hark back to elite domination. But the resilience of the country and its people, the resolve of the judiciary and hints of reform in the army may open up new possibilities. |
Contents
1 | |
13 | |
Neither Democracy nor Autocracy? | 195 |
Islam Territorial Ideology or Political Religion? | 437 |
Conclusion | 631 |
What PostPeshawar Pakistan? | 643 |
Glossary | 649 |
List of acronyms | 653 |
657 | |
661 | |
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Abdul Accessed on September Afghan Afghanistan Ahmed Altaf appointed army’s attacks Ayub Khan Baloch Balochistan Benazir Bhutto Bengalis British cent Chaudhry Chief Justice Cited civil civilians Congress Constitution country’s coup Dawn Delhi democracy democratic Deobandi dini madaris elections elite ethnic Express Tribune FATA federal forces Ghulam groups Hindu Hussain Ibid Iftikhar Imran Khan India Indian Muslims Islam Islamabad Islamists Jama’at-e-Islami jihad jihadist Jinnah Karachi Kashmir Khan’s killed Lahore leaders Liaquat majority Malik Mariam Abou Zahab Maududi Maulana Mehsud militants military movement Muhajirs Muhammad Musharraf Muslim League National Assembly nationalists Nawaz Sharif North Waziristan NWFP officers organisation Pakistani army Pashtun pirs PML(N politicians president prime minister province Punjab Qaeda regime religious role seats sectarian September 15 Shah Shia Sindh social Sunni Supreme Court Syed Ahmad Taliban tion took tribal ulema Urdu violence votes West Pakistan Zardari Zia’s