Since partition every generation has confronted the question of what kind of nation Pakistan should become and how it will get there. Pakistan today faces political instability, economic distress and social fragmentation, therefore revisiting the strategies and choices for nation building has become more important than ever. It is crystal clear that the struggle to build a cohesive, prosperous and inclusive nation continues, and the urgency of this task has only intensified with time as new challenges and pressures continue to emerge. Soon after independence Pakistan had to face a unique reality: a country carved out on an ideological basis but composed of diverse ethnic, linguistic and cultural identities. The political leadership had to build a common national identity while also managing regional diversity. In this background, Pakistan’s early choice to adopt excessive political centralization proved consequential. No doubt the intentions were clear to promote unity yet centralization often left provincial identities feeling overlooked and underrepresented, which over time fueled mistrust and feelings of political marginalisation. Pakistan’s later shift to decentralisation through the 18th Amendment was a wise step, though it proved ineffective in many respects due to lack of implementation, weak administrative capacity and resistance from entrenched interests who feared loss of control. More importantly, Pakistan’s persistent lack of........

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