The year 2013 was the ‘year of transition’ for Pakistan as three major posts saw change of guard. The election held in May 2013 paved the way for the first democratic transition, electing Nawaz Sharif as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The same year, General Pervez Kayani was succeeded by General Raheel Sharif as the Army Chief of Pakistan and T. Hussain Jillani succeeded Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as the Chief Justice of Pakistan. These developments with their cascading effects created an interest among scholars and policymakers across the world, particularly in India, in the direction Pakistan is moving.
In 2013, the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) constituted ‘Core Group on Pakistan’ (CGP) to develop deeper understanding of critical issues in Pakistan, which were vital for India`s interests. The objective of the CGP was to maximize policy options and enhance public awareness about relevant issues in Pakistan. The book titled `Insights into Evolution of Contemporary Pakistan` is the outcome of serious deliberations among well known scholars, diplomats and policymakers at meetings (total eight meetings from 21 June 2013 to 13 November 2014) of the CGP. Papers presented in these Core Group meetings have been thoroughly reviewed before publication and the editors acknowledge with gratitude these insightful contributions.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Satish Chandra
Satish Chandra (b. 1922) is among a select band of historians who helped to give a new shape to Indian history after independence. He was Professor of History, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Vice Chairman and Chairman, University Grants Commission (1972-81). He taught at the Universities of Allahabad, Aligarh Muslim, Delhi and Rajasthan. He was Smuts' Visiting Professor, Cambridge University (1971) and Associated with many national and international agencies. He was secretary and later President, Indian History Congress (1973), Council Member, United Nations University, Tokyo (1980-86), Associate Director of Research, Maison des Sciences de I'Homme, Paris; Member, Executive Board, International Congress of Historical Sciences, Paris, etc. He was also Chairman of the Committee to review Civil Services Examination in Delhi. He had written and edited many books on Medieval Indian History, and the Indian Ocean History and published a large number of research articles in national and international journals. Some of these have been brought together and published in three monographs. Presently, he is Executive Chairman, Maulana Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Calcutta and Secretary-cum-Treasurer, Society for Indian Ocean Studies. He is also the Secretary of the twelve volumes comprising History of India scheme prepared by the Indian History Congress.
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