On March 23, we launched a series of in-depth articles titled “Is There A Way Forward For Pakistan?” with contributions from distinguished writers including rights activists, feminists, lawyers, diplomats, parliamentarians, and academics.
The history of Pakistan is a series of crises. The country has been at odds with itself – in search of an identity – and with her neighbors, partly due to insecurities rooted in history. Pakistan is facing its worst crisis since 1971. Even after 75 years of its birth, it is politically unstable, economically poor, socially conservative, and internationally a perennial trouble spot.
Is there a way forward? This question has proved to be both controversial and elusive throughout history. And in 2023, this question has assumed existential importance. There is no dearth of solutions if one scans popular media or even according to some of its top economists. Pakistan’s media is very much an institutional participant of a corrupt and decadent status quo. Many individual journalists do an outstanding job and have helped create vibrant media that has played an important role in creating political awareness.
At the same time, myriad superficial and senseless TV talk shows – the staple of Pakistani primetime entertainment – continue to be the main platform for national political debates.
The electronic media is a microcosm of the power politics of the country’s venal ruling elites and is obsessed with political leaders and army generals in a rat race for revenues, which has left little room for serious or meaningful debate on national issues that are of relevance to the people.
Pakistan’s academic institutions of higher learning are not known for innovative research, academic freedom, or critical thinking. There are individuals who have distinguished themselves internationally but either research on national issues is not a priority for the universities or is of generally poor quality.
Given this context, we thought it would be helpful if some people who think, write, and care about Pakistan’s issues could pen down their thoughts and the collection of their articles could be published to generate and encourage debate on the issues that Pakistan faces.
Hence, we are publishing views of young activists, feminists, teachers, journalists, economists, doctors, lawyers, diplomats, and parliamentarians about Pakistan’s crisis. The main question they addressed was: Is there a way forward for Pakistan?
We believe that ideas matter and in the long run, intellectual capital if properly mobilized can make a difference.
The writer is former Citigroup Head of Emerging Market Investments, author and columnist. He worked with Benazir Bhutto during the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy during 1977-81 as a student union leader.
It is a very good effort. However there is a very strong tendency of most writers that they dewll into past. Most of the articles are about what happened, sounds more like a rhetoric. Reimagining Pakistan should be most part about recovery and way forward. Also industricalists and technologists should be included. There is no economy without industry. We cannot surive if we continue with this old school of manual low tech industry. We need automation, cncs and computer controlled machines. Not these hand made type inaccurate things that we make and than then beg countries to buy. We have to be competetive ..