It is the " Irony of Fate" that a country capable of catering for its own self- sufficiency consistently finds itself dependent on foreign donors and international aid

Therefore, the gist of this book is that Pakistan is Janus-faced. The factors that make it resilient, such as its disciplined army and feudal society, have also contributed to its challenges. Funds that should be allocated to human development often go to the military. Additionally, the feudal system has plagued Pakistan’s political landscape with corruption and nepotism. Unfortunately, these factors are seen as necessary for its survival; without them, Pakistan might become disorganized and face potential breakdown.

Conclusion

If Pakistan eventually collapses, it will be not Islamist extremism but climate change _ an especially grim threat in the whole of South asia_ that finishes it off

Patronage and kinship form the basic elements of Pakistani political system.

Pakistani culture is characterized by feudalism, patronage and kinship, which are integral to its identity. Big feudal lords become part of the electoral process in Pakistan; they spend money, hijack it, and come into power through elections. They provide their supporters with lucrative deals and facilitate them.

Pakistani Society

Much Pakistani corruption is the result not of a lack of values (as it is usually seen in West) but of the positive and ancient value of loyalty to family and clan.

The West is worried that Islamist insurgents might hijack Pakistan’s political system and even its nuclear program. However, a writer stated that this is not possible. In 2011, FATA was under the influence of the Taliban, but only 5 percent of its population supported them. The people of FATA were loyal to the Pakistani state, its people, and its Constitution. This proved that the Taliban, or any other Islamist extremist group, cannot take over Pakistan

Pakistan is not going to be taken over by Islamist insurgents

This disciplined army also led to Pakistan’s downfall mainly because of its obsession with Kashmir. Despite being the most disciplined institution, it supports jihadi movements in Kashmir, hoping for liberation similar to Afghanistan. The Siachen and Kargil wars are pointless conflicts that bring no benefits to the Pakistani people. The funds spent on the army should be spent on human development instead.

Army Obsession With Kashmir

Additionally, Pakistan's resilience is upheld by its stalwart military. Throughout periods of democratic turmoil, the army has consistently emerged as a stabilizing force, coming to the nation's aid. In times of national calamity such as the 2005 earthquake and the 2010 floods, the military's constructive interventions have garnered widespread public approval and appreciation.

Army As A Savior

This book revolved around the principle of Janus faced (two faced). Janus-faced is a term used to describe something that has two sides, each having opposite characteristics. When applied to Pakistan, it refers to the idea that the attributes which give Pakistan's State its strength and resilience are also the same qualities that can lead to its downfall.

Janus Faced

Civilian governments themselves have often asked the military to step into aspects of government because of its greater efficiency and honesty.

Siachen war is possibly the most strategically pointless fight in the entire history of human conflict

This feudal system is counterproductive but necessary; without it, Pakistan cannot be integrated. If you want to create harmony and ensure integration in Pakistan, then these feudal lords, the caste system, and kinship that bind people together must coexist. If we eliminate them, Pakistan will break down into many pieces, fueling the rise of various ethnicities. This feudalism is so influential that it mobilizes large masses and binds them together, preventing any separatist movements from being successful in Pakistan.

Feudalism, Patronage And Kinship A Necessary Evil

The factors which makes Pakistan resilient are primarily Federalism and the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. NFC award is a constitutional mechanism in Pakistan designed to distribute financial resources between the federal government and the provinces.  It also crucially addressed the issue of power centralization that had plagued the country for years. This problem of excessive centralization of power was ultimately resolved after the NFC award and the 18th amendment, granting provinces their economic and political rights.

Power Decentralization

Pakistan is divided, disorganized, economically backward, corrupt, violent, unjust, often savagely oppressive towards poor and women and home to extremely dangerous forms of extremism and terrorism and yet it moves and it is surprisingly tough and resilient as a state and a society.

From a Western perspective, Pakistan is seen as politically unstable with economic crises, insurgency, terrorism, and national disintegration. Despite these challenges, Pakistan’s resilience prevents it from being classified as a failed state. Comparisons with Somalia, Afghanistan, and India highlight that while India faces similar issues, it has built a positive international image, unlike Pakistan. This leads to the perception of India strides towards becoming a developed country and Pakistan as a failed state, though this view oversimplifies the complexities.

Pakistan is not a Failed State

During the 2010s, Western media often labeled Pakistan as a failed, or a rouge state. However, Professor Anatol Lieven, in his book Pakistan: A Hard Country, argues that Pakistan is actually a resilient nation.

In the past decade Pakistan has become a country of immense importance to its region, the United States, and the world. With almost 200 million people, a 500,000-man army, nuclear weapons, and a large diaspora in Britain and North America, Pakistan is central to the hopes of jihadis and the fears of their enemies. Yet the greatest short-term threat to Pakistan is not Islamist insurgency as such, but the actions of the United States, and the greatest long-term threat is ecological change. Anatol Lieven's book is a magisterial investigation of this highly complex and often poorly understood country: its regions, ethnicities, competing religious traditions, varied social landscapes, deep political tensions, and historical patterns of violence; but also its surprising underlying stability, rooted in kinship, patronage, and the power of entrenched local elites. Engagingly written, combining history and profound analysis with reportage from Lieven's extensive travels as a journalist and academic, Pakistan: A Hard Country is both utterly compelling and deeply revealing.

ANATOL LIEVEN

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