Despite many challenges, there is no dire threat to the resilient state of Pakistan, but the ecological change is the long-term threat for the country.
This was stated by Dr Anatol Lieven, Professor at King’s College, University of London, and a former journalist.
Mr Lieven was delivering a lecture on his recently published book “Pakistan: A Hard Country” in Department of Strategic Studies (DSS), Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU). The lecture was a part of distinguished guest lecture series by the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Dr Anatol Lieven briefly described the topics of his book ranging from social, religious and political structures – their problems and challenges. “The book describes how Pakistan actually works, its political system and different section of society. It also explains about power, where it comes from, how it legitimatised and exercised. The book also depicts resilience of Pakistani society on the face of natural and man-made destruction”, said the author. Dr Lieven said Pakistan worked with its own ways which had become very persistent with time.
In Pakistan, power and law, most of the time, are not a matter of formal rules but a matter of negotiation between different sections of power, he added. He further said on one hand endless negotiations and compromises help to maintain stability and resilience of the state but on the other hand it undermined the development and positive change. The book also talks about the rise of Pakistani Taliban, their deep roots in the Pashtun tribal culture and threat of militancy. Dr Riffat Hussain, Department of DSS Chairman, (QAU), senior faculty members and large number of students attended the lecture.