NAVIGATING THE COMPLEX LANDSCAPE: ANALYZING CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES AND THREATS TO FEDERALISM IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Pakistan's federal system has evolved over seventy-five years amidst achievements and challenges. This paper delves into Pakistan's federalism, analyzing its stages through constitutional mechanisms and navigating the complexities of its political climate. Despite diverse provinces and ethnicities, maintaining federal strength faces hurdles such as ethnic conflicts, economic disparities, and demands for provincial autonomy. Ethnic and linguistic diversity, aggravated by historical grievances, strains federal cohesion, with calls for more provincial autonomy intensifying pressure on centralized power. Economic disparities among provinces further strain federal relations, exacerbated by unequal resource distribution and development. External factors like security and geopolitics complicate matters. The study examines how political institutions exacerbate or alleviate these issues, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of evolving federal dynamics to promote effective governance and national unity amidst modern challenges.