Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University, Washington DC - June 2020
Welcome to the first installment of NESA’s South Asia Interview series with NESA Distinguished Professor Hassan Abbas. We will interview practitioners, politicians, diplomats and scholars from South Asia. These engagements will include NESA alumni from the region as well as US South Asia experts.
Welcome to the first installment of NESA’s South Asia Interview series with NESA Distinguished Professor Hassan Abbas. We will interview practitioners, politicians, diplomats and scholars from South Asia. These engagements will include NESA alumni from the region as well as US South Asia experts.
Hassan Abbas: What are the three biggest governance challenges faced by Pakistan today?
Azhar Nadeem: The authoritarian mindset in conjunction with the patronage system which has led to the emergence of extractive institutions in Pakistan is the root of all problems. The second plague Pakistan suffers from is the larger than life presence of the garrison and theocracy in the corridors of power and influence.
A direct consequence of these ills is the chaos in the education, health and justice systems. In education, there is a disconnect between the curriculum for the elite and the common man. Healthcare is fraught by problems leading to complete depravation of essential services in rural areas. The justice system is in shambles, where the influential and the rich can go scot free.
Hassan Abbas: The civil-military tensions have remained a permanent feature of Pakistan’s political landscape. It appears that it is somewhat resolved for the time being with the rise of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Do you believe a permanent solution to civil-military rivalry for political power has been achieved?
Azhar Nadeem: The civil-military power struggle has been the main problem of this country since its inception. Those who are under oath to protect and preserve the constitution have been responsible for frequent constitutional abrasions for the last 5 decades. Having PM Imran Khan at the helm of affairs does not offer a permanent solution to the problem, rather it exacerbates the situation where the military appears to be calling the shots in all important affairs.
From a constitutional perspective, the military should have no role in king making. The permanent solution calls for a national debate to ensure that all state institutions, including the military, stay within their constitutional parameters. However, the civilian leadership should give serious consideration to the proposals of the armed forces in defense matters.
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