Pakistan: The State In Crisis

Why does Pakistan, despite its powerful institutions, seem locked in a cycle of perpetual crisis? In this penetrating analysis, Khaled Ahmed - a former diplomat and one of Pakistan’s most respected journalists - asks the difficult questions others avoid. Pakistan: The State in Crisis is not a chronological history; it is a fearless dissection of the fundamental contradictions at the heart of the state’s power structure and national identity.

Unraveling the Paradoxes of Power
Ahmed challenges every comfortable assumption. If the military is all-powerful, why are its chiefs vulnerable? If the ISI dictates security, why are its heads dismissed? If the state makes policy, why do non-state jihadis operate with impunity? This book methodically investigates the gap between the state’s formal institutions and the informal, often conflicting, sources of authority that truly drive its decisions on security, religion, and relations with India.

Gain Clarity on Pakistan’s Most Pressing Questions:
Through a uniquely qualified lens - bridging insider knowledge and independent journalism - Ahmed explores:

• The Fragility of Authority: The unresolved tension between the army, the government, and intelligence agencies.
• Security vs. Emotion: How national security policy is often driven by sentiment rather than cold strategic interest.
• The Nuclear Paradox: The troubling questions surrounding Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence and safety in comparison to India’s.
• Faith & the State: How Islamic ideology influences governance, the bureaucracy, and the scientist’s worldview.
• The Future Trajectory: A clear-eyed projection of what Pakistan might look like in the next 25 years, based on its current structural failings.

Why Trust Khaled Ahmed’s Analysis?
With a career spanning the Foreign Service and the pinnacle of Pakistani journalism (The Friday Times, The Nation), Ahmed combines diplomatic insight with investigative rigor. He is a founder of the Track-two Neemrana Dialogue, giving him deep understanding of both internal Pakistani dynamics and its fraught relationship with India.

This Book is For You If:

• You are tired of superficial political commentary and seek an understanding of Pakistan’s deep structural flaws.
• You are a student, researcher, or analyst of South Asian politics, security studies, or state failure.
• You are a journalist or policymaker who needs to grasp the underlying reasons behind Pakistan’s recurring crises.
• You are a concerned citizen of Pakistan or the region who wants to comprehend why the state seems unable to break its own destructive patterns.

Authoritative Hardcover Edition:
This durable hardback preserves a crucial and courageous piece of political analysis. It is a book for reflection, debate, and reference - a work that will remain relevant as long as the questions it poses remain unanswered.

Confront the uncomfortable truths about power, faith, and security. This book provides the intellectual toolkit to understand why Pakistan’s state of crisis is not an accident, but a condition.

Order the Hardback Today. This essential critical analysis is available for delivery across Pakistan. Purchase securely online with cash on delivery available.