Haqqani's upcoming book to reimagine the idea of Pakistan

One of Pakistan's most prominent public intellectuals and a renowned author, Husain Haqqanis upcoming book will take stock of the contemporary situation in the country and will attempt to reimagine its concept in a progressive way.

Titled "Reimagining Pakistan: Transforming a Dysfunctional Nuclear State," the book will release coinciding with the 70th anniversary of Pakistan's formation, this August. Harper Collins Publishers India has acquired the world rights to publish the book.

"Salman Rushdie described Pakistan as a 'poorly imagined country'. Given the country's myriad problems I thought it was time to reimagine the idea of Pakistan, as one that takes the country forward rather than staying mired in a mythical past," Haqqani, who was also Pakistan's former ambassador to the United States, said in a statement here.

In his new book, Haqqani examines the causes of Pakistan's perennial crises and attempts to answer the question: "Can Pakistan transform itself into a modern, functional state - and if so, how?"

Udayan Mitra, Publisher -- Literary, HarperCollins India, described Haqqani as one of the most astute and perceptive commentators on Pakistan today.

"It is an absolute privilege for us to be able to announce his new book Reimagining Pakistan which we'll publish in time for the seventieth anniversary of Pakistan's formation, this August. Pakistan and India share a mutual history and there are key lessons to be learnt from what has happened in our neighbouring country over the last seven decades, as we chart the way forward for the subcontinent. Ambassador Haqqani's book will have deep resonance both in India and elsewhere in the world," added Mitra.

"Reimagining Pakistan" looks at the internal contradictions and fault lines of Pakistan's last seventy years to lay out the course for a future other than the balkanization often predicted by critics. According to the publisher it is going to be "less of a forecast and more a description of policy choices" the country must make to prove sceptics wrong.

--IANS

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