Pakistan: The Search for Stability

by Maleeha Lodhi

Pakistan is facing a multitude of critical challenges, a ‘Polycrisis’ arising in many areas at once—political, constitutional, economic, security-related, geo-political, demographic and ecological. These systemic predicaments are the cumulative consequence of decades of poor governance and squandered opportunities, whose convergence now creates a formidable existential threat. 

Maleeha Lodhi holds that Pakistan’s governmental leaders, both civilian and military, have failed to take a long view and to outline a vision for the country. They have spent much of their time in power operating in crisis management or power preservation modes, postponing meaningful reform and looking for expedient short-term ‘solutions’. The consequences of those sins of omission and commission are now coming together.  

In this new volume, Lodhi has brought together eighteen chapters by experts in a variety of fields, including Murtaza Syed, Zahid Hussain, Riaz Mohammad Khan and Adil Najam, to analyse Pakistan’s various grand challenges and to suggest prognoses. This important compilation of rigorous, compelling essays will be essential reading for those who seek to understand what is at stake for Pakistan, both in terms of present-day crises and in terms of future trends. 

472 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2024

Reviews

[Khurram Gardezi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Maliha Lodhi, a renowned author and think tank, has skillfully crafted a comprehensive guide covering the crucial facets of nation-building, including politics, economy, society, and foreign affairs. Dr. Lodhi has compiled insightful articles from leading experts in each field. These analysts have thoroughly examined Pakistan’s critical fault lines, providing in-depth analysis and actionable policy recommendations. By implementing these guidelines, Pakistan can effectively steer its course out of the current challenges and toward a more stable future.

[Zahir Nabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pakistan is the proverbial grasshopper who does nothing unlike ants working hard in summers and collecting food for winter. Winter has come. And winter is long. But Pakistan didn't prepare for its crises, that are, oftenly men-made. Decades of summers wasted, democracies and constitutions overturned, and game of thrones played by powerful elites, we indeed are in the land of crises.

Great essays compilation from Maam Maleeha Lodhi 💯

[Aqeel Haider · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝙋𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣 𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 by 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙝𝙖 𝙇𝙤𝙙𝙝𝙞
A great scholaristic Work by Maleeha Lodhi after her Book Pakistan : Beyond the crisis state in 2011. Multiple academics took part in the composition of book. They highlighted multiple crisis that 2024 Pakistan face's.
Editor divided book into 4 parts Politics, The Economy, Society and foreign policy.
Part 1st revolves around Constitution struggle of Pakistan by salman akram Raja, Governance failures by maleeha lodhi, parliamententary politics by Ahmed Bilal mehboob and Military role in hybrid democracy by Uzair yunas...each one way forward.

Part 2nd is related to economy.... Rising from Ashe's By salman shah, bailout and debt by Khurram hussain, Catch-23 by Murtaza Syed and enhancing economic competitiveness by Ishrat hussain.informative and dense part of book.

Part 3rd is lengthy and present pelothera of Crisis with way forward.notable name and their writers are moment of youth by adil najam, rescuing education by Tariq banuri, Threat of religious extremism by Amir rana, Women rights by khawar Mumtaz, Environmental crisis by Jamil ahmed and the population challenge by Zeba Sattar. This part is most interesting in my opinion.

Part fourth is about foreign policy of Pakistan...4 important countries covered in this part. Pakistan and china by Riaz Mohamed khan, india by Aziaz ahmed Ch, Pakistan-USA ties by Sadia Sulaiman and last The Taliban and Pakistan's Afghan dilemma by Zahid Hussain.


Covering this book review in few paragraphs is insurmountable challenge for me..there is some to know about. A must read every Pakistani. At least we should know where we are heading....

[Targeted Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book edited by Maleeha Lodhi encompasses the insightful contributions of 19 well-known contributors ranging from Politics to Economy to Society to Pakistan’s Foreign Policy.

In the first of total four sections, the authors lay down the parliamentary politics as to how they have evolved pver the course of time. It answers various questions as to why we overcame delays in constitution making and having crafted one after another through thorough deliberations, what necessitated to abrogate the constitutions and subsequent takeovers by the unelected individuals.

In the second section which pertains to the economy of country, the contributors have thrown light on the lack of economic growth in country, its causes and ramifications followed by the way forward. The major take aways in this section and a common thread among all the contributors is to bring about extensive reforms in the economic sector starting from broadening the tax net to improving the exports and lessening the imports.

The third section relates to the society and the societal problems such as youth bulge, population growth, environmental crisis and extremism are laid down.

The final section lays down the foreign policy as to how Pakistan shall emerge as regional power through collaborating with its neighbours and key superpowers through adopting various measures.