LAHORE: Pakistan will continue to pass through a period of oscillation between the assertion of democratic impulse and authoritarian constraints for some time, says French author Christophe Jaffrelot.
In an informal talk at South Asian Free Media Association on Saturday, the political sociologist whose book ‘The Pakistan Paradox: Instability and Resilience’ has earned him critical acclaim, said Pakistan’s outlook is neither of a democracy nor of a dictatorship; neither of a secular state nor of an Islamic one. “Yet, political parties, media, civil society, lawyers and judiciary do offer rays of hope. And these assets make Pakistan stand apart from states such as Egypt despite certain similarities,” he added.
Jaffrelot said that he foresaw a bigger role for China in the region. “One scenario can be Chinese expansion and the other can be a positive one of taking the lead in ending regional conflicts.”
