Re: Pakistani Civil Society, where is it?
FG: Student politics in Pakistan are effectively dominated by gun politics and patronage from political groups..they aren't nowadays really independant or in anyway have a system of internal democracy (they used to in the 80's and 90's when the groups knew they had to contest elections, now they have turned into tools of their parties and the administration). Trade Unions the elss said the better..the last time a Trade Union defied the government was the PTCL Unions over the PTCL sale ( i personally thought that opposing the sale was wrong but thats another issue) ..and the resources employed to break the movement were again stick and carrot.
As for the Judciary, I agree..from the Maulvi Tazimuddin verdict to ZAB's execution to the whole PCO/LFO farce..the judicial system effectively defends wrongful acts when needed and condemns them when forced to (a la Asma Jilani and the SC declaring Yahyas martial law illegal).
Economic freedoms don't make nations free or develop civil society ..and neither does it make a nation stable..in paksitans case you had Ayub Khans stint as an example..Pakistan had double digit growth between 59-64..yet when the economy slowed down there was masisve social upheaval..the reason being ..economic inequality and discrimination.