Is change inevitable?

The economy has been brought to a standstill as the government no longer has the funds to service its mounting debt. Unable to finance its fiscal expenditure, the sovereign has been levying an increasing fare on lower segments of society while the ruling elite still remain largely exempt from tax. This economic meltdown - combined with overpopulation, exorbitant inflation and unemployment - has created acute civil discontent as vast sections of society have become disillusioned with the state.

While it may seem that I have just discussed the unfolding crisis in Pakistan, above is an account of the events leading up to the Storming of the Bastille in 1789. A common mistake the ruling class in Pakistan makes is assuming that Pakistan's ailments are 'unique'. Whether it's the French, American, Cuban or Russian Revolution, the underlying cause of these systemic upheavals is homogenous: a breakdown of the relationship between the people and the state.

The state in Pakistan has become a detested institution for the ordinary Pakistani. The fact that many educated Pakistanis do not believe in paying taxes - the most fundamental representation of people's trust in the state - is indicative of the extent of this breakdown.

The countrywide unrest in the wake of Imran Khan's arrest is only in part due to his prominent persona and much more due to him being a symbol of resistance against the status quo. Given that his popularity has been directly derived from the public's hatred for contemporary civilian and military institutions, his elimination from the political scene will unlikely result in a decrease in unrest. Add to this the looming prospect of default, and it is likely that all Pakistanis, regardless of their political affiliation, will take to the streets.

The model of governance that has characterised Pakistan for the last 70 odd years has been one of civilian and military disequilibrium. Political leaders and democratic institutions have never been strong enough to exert their authority over the military. Meanwhile, the military has never been powerful enough to persistently rule over such a large population and has required political leaders to provide itself with legitimacy. Such an unstable power dynamic has been the primary reason for Pakistan's turbulent political history with frequent transfers of power between military and civilian governments.

Such instability has always deterred foreign investment and prevented Pakistan from...