Pakistan has been ruled by the nation's military for about half of its existence since independence from Britain in 1947. The experience and data from the civilian and military rule has often been the subject of debate in Pakistan. Here are some of the key points of this debate:
1. What are the origins of modern political thought and democracy? What did Thomas Hobbs, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and other Enlightenment thinkers say about the underlying social contract, natural rights of the people and the role of the state? Are security and safety not pre-requisites for rule and law and democracy? How do these ideas apply to Pakistan?
3. Could the loss of the eastern wing of the country have been prevented in 1971 if the military did not rule Pakistan? Who contributed the most to the rupture? Was it the military or the politicians?
4. Is it fair to argue that India has never been ruled by he military when there are large parts of India with millions of Indians living under virtual martial law? Is it fair to say, as Arundhati Roy puts it, that Indian government has been perpetually at war with people it calls its own in Kashmir, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Talangana and elsewhere?
Please view this debate in Urdu in two parts below:
Pakistan is the 5th largest motorcycle market in the world after China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. With 7,500 new motorcycles being sold everyday, Pakistan is also the among the world's fastest growing two-wheeler markets. Passenger car and motorcycle sales in Pakistan are both soaring at rates of over 20% a year. …