Revolution: Will Asia Be Next?

Pakistan: Why it Couldn't

However, the constellation of forces and ideas in the country would still make it difficult to realize revolution, at least among the elite classes who read English daily newspapers. Although the common problems experienced by many Pakistanis could have formed the basis for a united front against the government (or others who have held power in Pakistan), the debates on the nature of Pakistan’s identity make it difficult for a coherent movement to form that could follow the Middle Eastern model. This isn’t to completely rule out such a possibility, but the obstacles are greater than the possibilities.

Samina Yasmeen is Director of the Centre for Muslim States and Societies and lectures in Political Science and International Relations in the School of Social and Cultural Studies at the University of Western Australia in Perth.

Photo: Farhan