Sectarian and Ethnic Divisions as Drivers of Political Instability in Pakistan

Abstract

Despite historical, political, economic, and external factors that play into sectarian and ethnic divisions as contributing to the genesis of political instability in Pakistan, this article takes a deeper look at how sectarian and ethnic divisions have impacted political instability in recent history. While deep rooting understandings of the partition of British India are only exacerbating the latter effects of centralized governance, economic inequality and institutional neglect. Strong among the factors that have promoted sectarian polarization under external influences, which have been intensified, are the Iran-Saud rivalry and regional conflicts such as the Afghan Jihad, while domestic political strategies prey on ethnic identities, thus worsening unrest. The study uses a qualitative research methodology where secondary sources such as scholarly articles, books and government reports were used thematically to find patterns pertaining to governance, policy implementation and societal cohesion. The theoretical lens is Social Identity Theory which helps explains how in group favoritism and out group bias only reinforce fragmentation. Recommendations for inclusive governance, equitable resource distribution, institutional reforms and priority giving to national cohesion should feature prominently. Such challenges need a solution which should be holistic approach to deal with, it should provide a stable, unified and inclusive Pakistan.