Challenges of human development in Neoliberal era in weak third world states: revisiting Pakistan

Neoliberalism has become dominant contemporary ideology affecting the lives world-wide. Despite the need for an effective state intervention in basic human needs, many states are trapped into the contemporary global setting of neoliberal ideas thereby, fail to fulfil the aspirations of their citizens. Within the states, there is growing fragmentation between the state and its larger populace over these agenda. Therefore, this article is an attempt to highlight the issue of human developemnt in a neoliberal era by arguing that state welfare function assumes prime importance in the Third World states. Secondly, the cut back of welfare functions as neoliberals suggest in order to promote more economic growth could possibly do more harm to the states. Therefore, the underlying question is how neoliberalism going to address these diverse issues of human developemnt in the Third World? As I explore these specific issues, I will make linkages of how neoliberalism is complicating those issues thereby producing some of the security challenges in recent times focussing on Pakistan, a classic example as a ‘weak state’ where state face a formidable challenge in all fronts and withdrawing of state from many of its welfare and social provisions in already struggling state like Pakistan will enabled the various sub-state actors to assume state responsibility thereby, filling the vacuum created by the state which will be serious challenge for her stability in the long run.