The State and Civil Society in Pakistan

The state of Pakistan appears to have embarked upon a process of transforming itself. It faces a host of grave socio-political and economic issues which manifestly do not yield to the traditional style of governance. It has also realised that its decayed and outdated administrative system cannot enable it to discharge its social sector obligations even on the limited scale the population has become used to. Thus, on the one hand, it is availing of the opportunities afforded by the rhetoric of globalisation and market economy, and withdrawing from whatever social responsibilities to the people it hitherto recognised - in the areas of education, health, employment, communications, public utilities, etc. On the other hand, it is trying to reinforce its coercive powers through increased reliance on majoritarianism, authoritarian approaches to issues generally reserved for democratic decision-making, and short-circuiting of judicial processes.