Pakistan, at the moment, is in dangerous territory where the two sources of power—the people and the army—may be on a collision course. Regardless of who comes out ahead, the country would be the loser. This suggests Pakistan is suffering from a serious illness.
The question arises: can the illness be cured? The simple answer to the question is: yes, but it is highly improbable. Let me explain. I use the medical word “cure” because, in medicine, cure follows “diagnosis,” which is what we need to understand to determine what has gone wrong with the country.
A correct diagnosis can help determine whether the disease is curable. If it can be, it can also inform us about the medicine required to cure it. In an effort to diagnose, I spent many years researching Pakistan’s history to write my novel Islamabad: A Tale of War and Love , recently published by Mascot Press, USA, and available in paper and digitally on Amazon .
Why write a novel , rather than an academic book on Pakistani history? Because a celebrated author once said that there are some harsh realities of life that can only be communicated effectively through fiction. Fiction allows us to feel for the characters affected by those who control a country’s fate, and communicate more effectively what is really at stake. Citing Precedence: Lawyers Urge Top Court To Take Up Draft Constitutional Amendment In my diagnosis, there are two fundamental structural flaws afflicting Pakistan.
Continuing with the medica.