Book Reviews Pakistan at Knife’s Edge

Abstract

M.B. Naqvi was Pakistan’s one of the most brilliant and astute journalists, who analyzed the national and international affairs for more than fifty years in the most influential newspapers and periodicals of the country. Contributing, in various phases of his career, for papers like The Indus Times, The Observer, Gulf News, Dawn, Times of India and Daily Star, and periodicals like Newsline, Globe, Herald, etc. Naqvi kept a peculiar identity of his own. He had always been thoroughly equipped with the knowledge of the subject he was dealing with and was highly objective despite being some one who had his own bent of mind and preferences. He was by his own admission a supporter of the liberal causes but he never let his persuasions interfere with the portrayal of a given situation even if it did not subscribe to his own personal views. In his last few years he wanted to write a book which could bring to light the essence of his life-long research and analysis about the state and society in Pakistan. He also wanted his study to be helpful in identifying the future course that Pakistan could possibly take. The present book is the outcome of that effort, yet while going through the pages of the book, one wonders if this actually is that definitive work that he aspired to produce.