Pakistan Beyond the "Crisis State"

by Maleeha Lodhi (editor)

Bringing together an extraordinary array of experts, including renowned Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid, Pakistani American sociologist and historian Ayesha Jalal, and Zahid Hussain, author of several books on Islamic militancy in Pakistan, Beyond the "Crisis State" takes unique stock of the Islamic republic's fundamental strengths and weaknesses. Presenting a picture of the nation as understood by its people, this anthology assesses the political, economic, social, and foreign policies of an embattled government and its institutional challenges. Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic studies at American University, and Munir Akram, Pakistan's former ambassador to the United Nations, provide critical perspectives on Pakistan's future. Additional essays capture the complex interplay between domestic and external pressures, such as the variety of powers that continue to manipulate the country's behavior and outcomes. The contributors gathered here ultimately conclude that Pakistan is capable of transitioning into a stable modern Muslim state, though bold reforms are necessary. Offering a detailed and balanced agenda for such reform, Pakistan takes a bold step in reeling the country back from the brink of crisis.

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2011

Reviews

[Zarish Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent read would highly recommend it.
Mohsin Hamid essay "Why Pakistan will survive" was the most hopeful one and resonated with me. Reason being he wrote from a civilian perspective, our basic problems and differences and how a lot of thing we overcome everyday and something's we need to work on. Taxation thing he dared to discuss, we Pakistanis do hate taxes. "Education as a strategic Imperative" a very relevant observation and excellent solutions given by Shanza Khan and Moeed Yousaf on the conundrum that is our education system. How there is a class factor in our schools and how students attending different class school have their own interpretation of their country and obvious contempt for others classes because they go through whole of their lives with no interaction with each other. The disillusion between the youth and resentment built on unequal education which results in unequal opportunities.
" Why Jinnah Matters" by Dr Akbar Ahmed was simply an excellent observation and narration of a lot of beliefs that we Pakistanis have regarding the leader and partition. Jinnah would remain relevant as long there are people who own with pride their Muslim heritage despite the poor circumstances of today and would stand for dignity and rights of the oppressed irrelevant of who they maybe and that is relevance of his ideology.
Ayesha Jalal's essay probably was one the one I did not like not that it said something wrong but with amount of contempt I felt in her writing.
"Beyond the Crisis State" by Maleeha Lodhi was different. It had passion of true patriot someone who has been on the front seat of corruption by elite for too long. Someone who still believes in revival. It majorly focused in bringing together people from different classes. Removing the boundaries between classes and baradaris and all those thing we as a nation we let, separate us. The dilution of power onto lower governance was the main focus and the lack of it, is also the major reason of lose and ineffective governance in our country.
"Pakistan as a Nuclear state" by Feroz Hassan Khan was the most important essay to me. It's importance in moral of nation and strategic importance in military action. It took as from 1974-1998 to actually get the nuclear program online. 80s obviously were not a good time period for its fast paced progress with Afghan war and presence of US in region however we managed and got it in the end. The point is I believe, after partition it is one of the few things we all managed to agree upon and reason of it success can simply be that.
If only we start putting the same energy in our education sector. It would take time but that can be handled if the results are what we we managed with our nuclear program.
All essays were great but "Retooling institutions" by Ishrat Hussain was the one which offered more solutions than it outlined problems. Rehabilitation of our national institutions is a dire issue which people in power and our bureaucrats simply have ignored till it all has gone to brink of destruction. Someone needs to make this person head of this country not just state bank.

[Syed Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for Pakistanis

[Abdulwasi851 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to read some books of pakistan study

[Kamran · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise but productively elucidated insight into various functioning bodies with optimistic surmise in the end of every chapter. For perusing about Pakistan's multiple state-functioning bodies in a single book with authenticity of writers, Pakistan Beyond Crisis State is best to read, I reckon.