Lodhi analyses ‘polycrisis’, offers solutions

Says Pakistan faces a number of critical challenges due to poor governance and squandered opportunities

ISLAMABAD:

Dr Maleeha Lodhi, the country’s well-known diplomat and political scientist, noted on Monday that the country’s top leadership has failed to take a long view and outline a vision for the country and its consequences have now come together to create a moment of truth for the country.

Dr Lodhi, said that Pakistan faces a number of critical challenges, saying a ‘polycrisis’ that comprises political, constitutional, economic, security, geo-political, demographic and ecological challenges is the cumulative consequence of decades of poor governance and squandered opportunities whose convergence creates a formidable, overall challenge.

She was expressing her views at the launch of the book titled “Pakistan Search for Stability” at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) on Monday. Lodhi has edited the book. Apart from her, Dushka H Saiyid, Salman Akram Raja, Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Khurram Husain, Murtaza Syed, Ishrat Husain, Adil Najam, Tariq Banuri, Muhammad Amir Rana, Khawar Mumtaz, Jamil Ahmed, Zeba Sathr, Riaz Mohammad Khan, Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Sadia Sulaiman and Zahid Hussain have contributed to the book.

In her speech, Lodhi while lauding all the contributors said that the chapters dealing with economic issues are the core of the book as they suggest how Pakistan can come out of the mess that it currently is in. Commenting on the chapter authored by PILDAT president Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Lodhi said that it encompasses the chequered parliamentary history where there is more heat than rationality, saying the trajectory should change now.