Al Jazeera exclusive: What's really going on in Pakistan?
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has come under increasing pressure to step down after the Panama Papers revealed that his family owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement last year. Pakistan's Opposition leader, Khursheed Shah, said Sharif's resignation was necessary to restore people's confidence in the country's democratic system following revelations of corruption. Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder reports from Islamabad, Pakistan.
A journey into Karachi
Pakistan's largest city Karachi is now the center of international security attention. With increasing drone strikes and news stories covering the terror attack this week that killed two dozen people, Pakistan could not be more divided. The story of Karachi shows how terrorism and extremism are effects, not causes. Karachi has seen a few different major phases that offer insights into its future trajectory - or its lack thereof.
Karachi has always been a center for trade and industry, with periodic waves of migration in response to market demands as economic trends shifted. So it should come as no surprise that Karachi has been impacted by terrorist acts but is doing its best to remain true to itself.
The city can be divided into five phases. The first phase, from 1947-1971, was one of steady growth and development. In 1957 Karachi saw its first skyscraper erected - it went up 14 floors.
The second phase, 1971-1985, saw a huge influx of refugees fleeing events like East Pakistan breaking away and India starting their Sikh insurgency.
The rise of religious conservatism
Pakistan is a country that has been under a lot of socio-political and military pressure since the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. In the ensuing conflict, East Pakistan became Bangladesh and West Pakistan became today's Pakistan. This decision by the state, coupled with tensions with neighbouring India and Afghanistan, made religious conservatism rise due to the need for unity among Muslims. Political instability coupled with continual warfare with India from 1947 onward led to an isolationist attitude.
In 1974, a democratic coup d'état established Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as president and Pakistan was declared an Islamic Republic. Bhutto's time in power coincided with a new rise of Islamic fundamentalism. This was partly due to Iran 's Islamist revolution of 1979, and Pakistani Shia cleric Ayatollah Khomeini advocating for Islamic revolution and anti-American sentiment. This led to discontent among Pakistani Shias, who felt that Sunnis had too much political power in Pakistan. The tensions between Sunnis and Shias further deteriorated when General Zia Ul Haq took power through a military coup in 1977.
Political movements and assassinations in Pakistan
Both state and non-state actors remain politically active and commit assassinations in Pakistan. Assassinations targeting civil servants and politicians have been increasing since 2008, while terrorist groups also employ terrorist attacks to advance their goals of destabilizing the country. With such powerful interests at play, it is difficult to predict whether the security situation will improve or deteriorate.
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Losing trust in government
Pakistan is no stranger to political turmoil. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, as the nation is officially known, was established by Mohammed Ali Jinnah and the All-India Muslim League following the end of British colonial rule and partition of British India. Jinnah emerged as its first governor general, with Liaquat Ali Khan serving as prime minister. Since then Pakistan has been plagued by social upheaval and instability amid wars with neighbouring India and insurgencies within its borders.
The current political situation, however, is viewed as particularly dire. Following an attack on a school that killed more than 140 people - mostly children - Pakistan's prime minister and president both resigned, after facing heavy criticism for their perceived lack of action. Their successors fared little better. On Tuesday, Pakistanis watched with dismay as Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was ordered by parliament to appear before a judge investigating accusations that he lied about his assets.
A close ally of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Abbasi is not alone. Sharif himself was disqualified last year by a Supreme Court verdict over undisclosed assets; his party then lost an election to Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The current prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, was named after Khan refused to take up office following accusations that he lied about his assets. Pakistan watchers believe there is also evidence of electoral fraud during both recent polls, though it remains unclear if Khan will attempt to press charges. On Tuesday he told Al Jazeera that his party would never accept rigged elections.
Thoughts on what comes next
What do you think is next for Pakistan now that the Nawaz-government has been removed from power? What should be done to help ensure stability, or at least some sense of it, for the country. Share your thoughts with us and we'll work to get your input to the decision makers.
It is highly unlikely that Pakistan will become a failed state anytime soon. The fact that it still has so many promising democratic institutions and potential for economic growth - two important aspects to ensure national stability - means that it will be hard for both internal and external extremist groups to take control of the country. However, if Pakistan continues with its reliance on fundamentalists, just like what has happened during Nawaz-government, then there may indeed be trouble ahead for an already troubled country. Title: Al Jazeera exclusive: What's really going on in Pakistan? Second Paragraph: It is highly unlikely that Pakistan will become a failed state anytime soon.
