Federalist Solutions to Pakistan's Political Crises

Book excerpt: Federalist Solutions to Pakistan's Political Crises investigates the transformative potential of communal democratic norms within Pakistan's politico-economic sphere. Analyzing the current consociational structure, which inordinately predicates federal organization on ethnic identity, the book reveals the particular challenges facing Pakistan, exacerbated by the imposition of neoliberal norms on its society and economy. Advocating for a localized centripetalist model, Sikander Ahmed Shah proposes leveraging power sharing to counter the prevailing hegemonic trends and to foster greater sociocultural cohesion within Pakistan’s diverse polity. This model entails dividing Pakistan’s federal provinces into smaller, diverse entities more reflective of their particular constituent demographics, while integrating key democratic principles such as distributive justice, grassroots democracy, minority protections, and multiculturalism into its governance structures. The book explores Pakistan's civil-military asymmetry, emphasizing the influential role of the military establishment and its intertwined relationship with preexisting inter-ethnic tensions. The analysis also extends to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), examining its impact on Pakistan's federal structure, socio-economic fabric, and civil-military dynamics within the context of China's distinctive economy. Throughout, the work seeks to provide locally relevant and indigenously viable solutions for positive and equitable outcomes, challenging historical power imbalances that have marginalized certain groups in Pakistan.