NATION BUILDING PARADOXES IN INDIA AND PAKISTAN

The governing political elites in South Asia have failed to establish an ‘inclusive society’, at a time of profound global transformation and power shift. Even more unfortunate, Pakistan and India are bracing for yet another ‘lost era’ with their third generation gearing up for conflict. The chances of ‘sleepwalking’ into another conflict will always remain there. May be this time, both countries will walk into it, with their eyes wide open, but helpless. The ordinary people in South Asia have remained condemned to hope by those, who should have instead provided ‘solutions’ to them. India’s protracted struggle for geo-political domination, massive arms imports, resumption of threats and coercive diplomacy are ‘bad omen’ for South Asia’s future. The continuation of misery, poverty, extremism, intolerance and hate in South Asia is not only baffling, but is a matter of serious concern to all of its inhabitants, and the international community at large. In his book, Ambassador Hasan Javed