As one recounts Pakistan’s chequered political history, it becomes obvious that military has always projected itself as the only viable alternative to the civilian leadership. It is a crude reality of Pakistan that whenever political leaders have failed, the Generals were emboldened to upsurp political power and retain it for long under the pretext of restoration of “true†democracy. The experience of the preceding decades confirms that democratic dispensations were also not permitted beyond a point. That is why Pakistan has been categorized as “Praetorian Stateâ€. The Fourth Military takeover by Gen. Musharraf also conforms the patterns of Pakistans political reality. Islamic ideological overtones notwithstanding, the nation state of Pakistan manifests deep-seated socio-cultural contradictions and cleavages. Religion has proved to be a weak instrument to cement and integrate the diverse socio-cultural setup. Pakistan’s economic system largely depends on foreign assistance. The ailing economy requires effective and positive measures to fulfill the basic needs of the common man. The essays contributed by erudite experts in the present volume seek to highlight crucial issues and trends prevalent in Pakistan’s socio-econo political system.
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