The Pakistan Paradox: Instability and Resilience (The Ceri Series in Comparative Politics and International Studies)

Pakistan was born as the creation of elite Urdu-speaking Muslims who sought to govern a state that would maintain their dominance. After rallying non-Urdu speaking leaders around him, Jinnah imposed a unitary definition of the new nation state that obliterated linguistic diversity. This centralisation - 'justified' by the Indian threat - fostered centrifugal forces that resulted in Bengali secessionism in 1971 and Baloch, as well as Mohajir, separatisms today. Concentration of power in the hands of the establishment remained the norm, and while authoritarianism peaked under military rule, democracy failed to usher in reform, and the rule of law remained fragile at best under Zulfikar Bhutto and later Nawaz Sharif. While Jinnah and Ayub Khan regarded religion as a cultural marker, since their time the Islamists have gradually prevailed. They benefited from the support of General Zia, while others, including sectarian groups, cashed in on their struggle against the establishment to woo the disenfranchised. Today, Pakistan faces existential challenges ranging from ethnic strife to Islamism, two sources of instability which hark back to elite domination. But the resilience of the country and its people, the resolve of the judiciary and hints of reform in the army may open a new and more stable chapter in its history. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents List of Tables Preface and Acknowledgements Maps Introduction Three Wars, Three Constitutions and Three Coups Between India and Afghanistan: Caught in a Pincer Movement? The Pakistani Paradox Part One: Nationalism Without a Nation—and even Without a People? 1. The Socio-Ethnic Origins of Indian Muslim Separatism: The Reform Phase (1857–1906) The Crushing of the 1857 Revolt and Reactions of the Muslim Elite From the Aligarh Movement to the Muslim League Muslimhood as a Communal Ideology 2. An Elite in Search of a State—and a Nation (1906–1947) Muslim Politics beyond the North Indian Elite Jinnah, the Congress and the Muslim-majority Provinces Majority Muslims versus Minority Muslims Jinnah’s Strategy The 1946 Elections: What Turning Point? 3. Islamic State or a Collection of Ethnic Groups? From One Partition to the Next Jinnah’s Nation-State: Between “The Poison Of Provincialism” and the Indian Threat Stillborn Federalism and the Unresolved Ethno-linguistic Issue Muhajirs and Punjabis, Founding Fathers of a Unitary and Centralised State Bengali Separatism: Mujibur Rahman, the Two-Economy Theory and the Centre’s Overreaction 4. Five Ethnic Groups for One Nation: Between Support and Alienation The Pakistanisation of Sindh The Baloch Self-Determination Movement The Pashtuns, from Pashtunistan to Pakhtunkwa Muhajir Militancy—and its Limitations National Integration through Federalism and Regionalisation of Politics? Part Two: Neither Democracy nor Autocracy? 5. Impossible Democracy or Impossible Democrats? An Initial Democratic Design Aborted (1947–1958) Democratisation, Separatism and Authoritarianism (1969–1977) Civilians under Influence—and Prone to Lawlessness (1988–1999) A Democratic “Transition” without Transfer of Power? (2007–2013) The 2013 Elections: What “New Pakistan”? The 2014 Crisis: Imran Khan, Qadri, Nawaz Sharif and the Army 6. Variable-Geometry Military Dictatorship Ayub Khan, an “Enlightened Dictator”? Zia: A Modern Tyrant Musharraf, a New Ayub Khan? 7. The Judiciary, the Media and NGOs: In Search of Opposition Forces The Judges: From Submission to Control? The Press: A Fifth Estate? The Opposite of Tocqueville: Democratisation without Civil Society? The Election Commission—a Work in Progress Part Three: Islam: Territorial Ideology or Political Religion? 8. From Jinnah’s Secularism to Zia’s Islamisation Policy What Islam, for What Policy? (1947–1969) Islamisation and the Politics of Legitimation (1969–1988) 9. Jihadism, Sectarianism and Talibanism: From Military/Mullah Cooperation to 9/11 The Rise of Sectarianism or the Invention of a New Enemy Within From One Jihad to Another: From Afghanistan to Kashmir and Back The Taliban: the Price of “Friendship” The 11 September 2001 Attacks: A Watershed Moment Musharraf and the Islamists: A Selective Break 10. Toward Civil War? The State vs. (some) Islamists and the Islamists vs. the Minorities The Islamists, a Social and Political Force The State’s Double Game in Pashtun Areas—and the Islamists’ Measured Response The Rise of Extremes The Army: Accomplice and/or Out of Its Depth? Punjab, New Land of Conquest? Minorities under Attack Conclusion One Syndrome, Three Contradictions The Fourth Dimension: Elites Backed by External Support After 16 December 2014: What “Post-Peshawar” Pakistan? Glossary List of acronyms Bibliography Index Pakistan was born as the creation of elite Urdu-speaking Muslims who sought to govern a state that would maintain their dominance. After rallying non-Urdu speaking leaders around him, Jinnah imposed a unitary definition of the new nation state that obliterated linguistic diversity. This centralisation -'justified'by the Indian threat - fostered centrifugal forces that resulted in Bengali secessionism in 1971 and Baloch, as well as Mohajir, separatisms today. Concentration of power in the hands of the establishment remained the norm, and while authoritarianism peaked under military rule, democracy failed to usher in reform, and the rule of law remained fragile at best under Zulfikar Bhutto and later Nawaz Sharif. While Jinnah and Ayub Khan regarded religion as a cultural marker, since their time theIslamists have gradually prevailed. They benefited from the support of General Zia, while others, including sectarian groups, cashed in on their struggle against the establishment to woo the disenfranchised. Today, Pakistan faces existential challenges ranging from ethnic strife to Islamism, two sources of instability which hark back to elite domination. But the resilience of the country and its people, the resolve of the judiciary and hints of reform in the army may open up new possibilities. Examines The History Of Pakistan From Its Creation By Elite Urdo-speaking Muslims Who Sought To Maintain Their Dominance To The Current Rise Of Islamists And Ethnic Separatists. Nationalism Without A Nation, And Even Without A People? The Socio-ethnic Origins Of Indian Muslim Separatism : The Reform Phase (1857-1906) ; An Elite In Search Of A State, And A Nation (1906-1947) ; Islamic State Or A Collection Of Ethnic Groups? From One Partition To The Next ; Five Ethnic Groups For One Nation : Between Support And Alienation -- Neither Democracy Nor Autocracy? Impossible Democracy Or Impossible Democrats ; Variable-geometry Military Dictatorship ; The Judiciary, The Media And Ngos : In Search Of Opposition Forces -- Islam : Territorial Ideology Or Political Religion? From Jinnah's Secularism To Zia's Islamisation Policy ; Jihadism, Sectarianism And Talibanism : From Military/mullah Cooperation To 9/11 ; Toward Civil War? The State Vs. (some) Islamists And The Islamists Vs. The Minorities. Christophe Jaffrelot ; Translated By Cynthia Schoch. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 657-659) And Index.