Not a failed state

The ‘failed state’ debate about Pakistan needs some serious review and debate. Plenty of material has accumulated on this subject since the term came into academic and policy debate with destruction of states in Afghanistan and Somalia. Failure of a state is linked essentially to civil wars that might be caused by progressive decay of state institutions, external interventions or emergence of parallel structures of authority replacing the state in some regions.

Widespread corruption by the elite and their joining with criminal gangs for mutual benefit is another important factor leading to state failure, as it de-legitimises the political authority and the state. Such corrupt elites are not bothered about de-legitimisation, as their hearts and minds are not in the countries that they rule. They plunder the vulnerable societies and move their assets and families to other countries by acquiring citizenship.

Our country does show some of these symptoms; actually no developing country is immune from either corruption by the predatory ruling elite or security services of the state losing monopoly on the means of violence to militant groups. It is true that the state apparatus of Pakistan has been constantly on decline, resulting into weakness, in some areas more than others. Pakistan today resembles many of the weak states and has acquired some of the characteristics of failing states, but it retains some vitality and effectiveness. About four decades back, by the end of Ayub Khan era, Pakistan was one of the robust states, fast developing, stable and growing almost in every area of national life. Even in later decades, state institutions, like bureaucracy, was fair and oriented towards public service. The police and the lower judiciary were not as corrupt as they are today.

The politics of confrontation is an old problem of Pakistan, an elitist political game that they love to play to oust one another or stay in power. And this self-destructive political game goes on in the worst national circumstances and in the face of challenges that can pull us all down.

The Foreign Policy magazine lists 12 negative factors in ranking of state failure. These are: demographic pressure, refugees, group grievances, human flight, uneven development, economic decline, de-legitimisation of the state, public services, human rights, security apparatus, factionalised elites and external intervention. The sad fact is that we have all these problems with us.

Pakistan is not anywhere close to total paralysis; rather it is a constant downward slide that carries with it the danger of collapse. The military governments destroyed democratic institutions, by subverting the constitution, the judiciary, the electoral process and the natural growth of political party system. The last military ruler did more harm than any other in our history, leaving the state almost crippled.

Unfortunately, our democratic governments have not succeeded or even seriously attempted to make the necessary repairs to state institutions, and some of their actions have further weakened it. We know what is harming Pakistan. It is widespread corruption, weak institutions of accountability, criminalisation of politics, disarray and conflict among institutions and conventional personalised rule.

A nuclear power state in a conflict-ridden region with a long war next door is in a perilous situation. Peoples and the society have resilience, but it may not matter much if the ruling groups continue doing what they have been doing without resistance. What can be done? We need better civic engagement and sustained struggle for true democracy; constitutionalism with the objective of making the democratic governments accountable and responsive. There are no shortcuts to a successful state or society. We can get there through modern values of personal integrity, rule of law, hard work and achievement. But most important among all is our resolve never to allow our ruling groups to fail us by getting away with their wrongs against the state and society.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2010.