Pakistan: The Fault Lines

About the Monograph

Pakistan is passing through one of the most difficult periods in its history. There appears to be no easy solution with regard to the multifaceted crisis in which the nation finds itself entangled. The societal fabric is being torn apart along ethno-linguistic and politico-religious lines. Prominent state institutions no longer follow the constitutional rulebook and often overstep to violate the established system of checks and balances. Some home-grown radical Islamic and religious extremist outfits are threatening to overthrow the existing state apparatus to establish an Afghan Taliban-style emirate in the country. Against this background, the present study identifies and analyses five distinct fault lines in the country that Pakistan has miserably failed to manage effectively. The study offers an in-depth analysis of the existing and emerging fault lines and contextualises them in light of recent developments in the country.

About the Author

Dr. Ashish Shukla is an Associate Fellow at MP-IDSA, New Delhi. Prior to joining MP-IDSA, Dr Shukla was associated with Amity University, Noida, where he taught courses in Defence and Strategic Studies. He has also been a Research Fellow at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), New Delhi. Dr Shukla received his MPhil and PhD from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His research interests include South Asian affairs, regional security in South Asia, Af-Pak dynamics, and internal political and security-related developments in Pakistan. He has a number of publications to his credit, including two single-authored books, one edited book, several chapters in edited books, and peer-reviewed journal articles.