PAKISTAN BEYOND THE HEADLINES: NARRATIVES OF A FAILED STATE, GROUND REALITIES, AND THE ENDURING SPIRIT OF THE NATION (2019–2024)

Abstract

This study critically examines the dominant international and domestic narratives that frame Pakistan as a "failed state," contrasting them with on-ground political, institutional, and social realities during the period 2019 - 2024. While headlines often portray Pakistan through the lens of extremism, political instability, and economic fragility, this research highlights the complexities, resilience, and enduring spirit that define the nation beyond these oversimplified labels. It investigates the roots of the "failed state" discourse shaped by geopolitical interests, media representations, and selective historical interpretation and juxtaposes these with evidence of democratic transitions, civil society engagement, youth political participation, and institutional reforms. Drawing from political communication theories, postcolonial perspectives, and political sociology, the study deconstructs myths and offers a nuanced narrative of Pakistan’s evolving identity. This research contributes to political science by broadening the understanding of state performance in postcolonial contexts and challenging monolithic portrayals that ignore the dynamic, often contradictory, political landscape of Pakistan.