Owing to its political instability and contemporary economic crises, many social media operatives and people with vested interests have questioned the very survival and viability of the state of Pakistan. This propaganda campaign is going-on against Pakistan since 2022. Nevertheless, Pakistan is continuing as a progressive and futuristic state against all odds and proving such narratives wrong and misperceived being the product of ill-conceived mindsets. This excessive and negative propaganda definitely influences the masses to debate the future of the state from many perspectives. One common debate was; whether Pakistan is heading towards a failed state. This debate had two dimensions; a) a deliberately initiated discussion with the motive to create a state of chaos and confusion among the wider Pakistani society so that people lose trust over the state and its institutions and b) a casual and unintentional debate, influenced by economic crises and existing political polarization. In either form, such debates create an element of despair, dejection, misperceptions and distrust about the state and its institutions. Besides, persistence of such views and debates ultimately form a public opinion which in either case create pessimism, anger and revulsion.
In reality, the existing political instability and economic crises cannot be termed as failure of the state, this will over in the days to come. A failed state is defined from three salient aspects; a) where government has become incapable of its functioning and discharging its responsibilities as per the constitution of the state, b) the state has failed militarily in defending the territorial frontiers of the state, and c) the government has failed to maintained law and order, provision of justice, education and basic facilities to its masses. Nothing of the above-mentioned factors can be truly applied over Pakistan which means, Pakistan is neither failing nor a failed state. It is just a phase which will be over very soon and the propaganda campaign against Pakistan, initiated by those having vested agenda will die-down accordingly.
Pakistan is not a failed state nor it is heading for any debacle, however, the current state of affairs is a consequence of repeated events of bad governance, demonstrated by successive governments in last one decade. The aspects of the bad governance must be substituted with good governance, which is being done by Government but, needs time to recover from all odds. Unfortunately, the successive governments have failed in bringing good governance model and economic management of the state. Indeed, this is the reality and the correct perspective about Pakistani state which should be known to masses especially the youth of Pakistan. The abovementioned aspects of the state, statehood and masses need a perspective of the state from international law and United Nations. From the perspective of international law, the state is defined as an entity with a defined territory having permanent population with a government in-placed and having the capacity to enter into international relations with other states. All these aspects of the statehood are applicable to the state of Pakistan and Pakistan qualifies to be a modern state, fulfilling all its obligations. It is in its international relationship through the instrument of its foreign policy with almost all states and recognized by United Nations.
There is yet another angle, the UN dimension of the state which says; Statehood” is an element of membership in the United Nations. Pakistan became the member of this world body from the very first day of its inception as an independent state on August 14, 1947. It very much adheres to all treaties and international obligations as an independent state under the laid-down internationally recognized norms. There are some of the basic qualifications for a state to be called as the legal entity of international system as “state” which Pakistan fulfilled in its over seventy-six years of history. Covering the operational aspects of an independent and sovereign state; right from its inception in 1947, the state of Pakistan has emerged as the most successful state of the world. Despite confronting a military campaign from its eastern neighbor over Kashmir, immediately after independence, Pakistan proved its existence and potentials from all aspects; political, economic, social and strategic. The economic and military assets of British India which were supposed to be proportionately divided among Pakistan and India were not done and Pakistan did not receive its share. Nevertheless, it maintained its steady growth and remained economically affluent and militarily strong throughout. In the process, it attained the capability of a nuclear state after exploding its nuclear weapons in 1998. Today, Pakistan is a nuclear power with a clear deterrence having created nuclear parity in South Asia against Indian brinkmanship with highly professional military and the resilient masses. It brought strategic stability in the region where India has been trying to undermine the sovereignty of all South Asian states.
Pakistan is a gift of Allah Almighty and most viable state on the map of the world. Indeed, its geopolitical location makes it as the most significant state, its economic potentials makes it as the promising economies of the world, its professional military makes its frontiers as impregnable and its resilient masses make it as the most responsible work force in the world. Army Chief, General Asim Muneer has a clear vision that, “Being an institution, we assured [government] of every possible cooperation for Pakistan’s economic progress. Allah Almighty has blessed Pakistan with many resources and we are a capable nation who has the potential to rise to the top.”
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
