The concept of a nation-state was born out of the era of nationalism, and multiple national states were established as a result of the nationalist movements. In the colonial era, European powers drew borders according to their strategic interests, where ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and religious divisions were given importance. Consequently, multiple post-colonial states inherited boundaries that did not necessarily correspond with pre-existing cultural or ethnic boundaries.
In the process of decolonization, post-colonial states attempted to create a national identity that would separate them from existing ethnic, linguistic, and cultural divisions. A plan was made to establish a common language, history, and culture with the aim of uniting different groups within a national state. However, this process was not entirely successful.
Post-colonial states continue to face conflicts and tensions between different ethnic or cultural groups, and these conflicts are more often based on local or regional grounds rather than national ones.
Britain left weak institutions, incomplete infrastructure, weak governance, and economic underdevelopment as a legacy of colonialism. Pakistan continues to face these issues in its struggle for post-colonial statehood, particularly in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Punjab, where there are challenges to linguistic and cultural identity. It is essential to understand the roots of political instability and conflicts in Pakistan in the context of post-colonialism.
In Pakistan, the parliamentary government, judiciary, military, police, revenue, education, and other sectors all face challenges as a post-colonial state. To overcome these challenges, it is necessary to liberate the state from its colonial roots and engage in a battle with these challenges. Akmal Sumroo, Lahore.
