Failed state? Try Pakistans M2 motorway

[Mirage2000]

Failed state? Try Pakistan’s M2 motorway​

By Alistair Scrutton
Wednesday, 16 Dec, 2009



For sheer spotlessness, efficiency and emptiness there is nothing like the M2 in the rest of South Asia. –File Photo


ISLAMABAD: If you want a slice of peace and stability in a country with a reputation for violence and chaos, try Pakistan’s M2 motorway.

At times foreign reporters need to a give a nation a rest from their instinctive cynicism. I feel like that with Pakistan each time I whizz along the M2 between Islamabad and Lahore, the only motorway I know that inspires me to write.

Now, if the M2 conjures images of bland, spotless tarmac interspersed with gas stations and fast food outlets, you would be right. But this is South Asia, land of potholes, reckless driving and the occasional invasion of livestock.

And this is Pakistan, for many a ‘failed state.’ Here, blandness can inspire almost heady optimism.

Built in the 1990s at a cost of around $1 billion, the 228-mile motorway — which continues to Peshawar as the M1 — is like a six-lane highway to paradise in a country that usually makes headlines for suicide bombers, army offensives and political mayhem.

Indeed, for sheer spotlessness, efficiency and emptiness there is nothing like the M2 in the rest of South Asia.

It puts paid to what’s on offer in Pakistan’s traditional foe and emerging economic giant India, where village culture stubbornly refuses to cede to even the most modern motorways, making them battlegrounds of rickshaws, lorries and cows.

There are many things in Pakistan that don’t get into the news. Daily life, for one. Pakistani hospitality to strangers, foreigners like myself included, is another. The M2 is another sign that all is not what it appears in Pakistan, that much lies hidden behind the bad news.

On a recent M2 trip, my driver whizzed along but kept his speedometer firmly placed on the speed limit. Here in this South Asian Alice’s Wonderland, the special highway police are considered incorruptible. The motorway is so empty one wonders if it really cuts through one of the region’s most populated regions.

‘130, OK, but 131 is a fine,’ said the driver, Noshad Khan.

‘The police have cameras,’ he added, almost proudly. His hand waved around in the car, clenched in the form of a gun.

On one of my first trips to Pakistan. I arrived at the border having just negotiated a one-lane country road in India with cows, rickshaws and donkey-driven carts.

I toted my luggage over to the Pakistan side, and within a short time my Pakistani taxi purred along the tarmac. The driver proudly showed off his English and played US rock on FM radio. The announcer even had an American accent. Pakistan, for a moment, receded, and my M2 trip began.

Built in the 1990s by then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, it was part of his dream of a motorway that would unite Pakistan with Afghanistan and central Asia.

For supporters it shows the potential of Pakistan. Its detractors say it was a waste of money, a white elephant that was a grandiose plaything for Sharif.

But while his dreams for the motorway foundered along with many of Pakistan, somehow the Islamabad-Lahore stretch has survived assassinations, coups and bombs.

A relatively expensive toll means it is a motorway for the privileged. Poorer Pakistanis use the older trunk road nearby tracing an ancient route that once ran thousands of miles to eastern India. The road is shorter, busier and takes nearly an hour longer.

On my latest trip, I passed the lonely occasional worker in an orange suit sweeping the edge of the motorway in a seemingly Sisyphean task. A fence keeps out the donkeys and horse-driven carts.

Service centres are almost indistinguishable from any service station in the West, aside perhaps from the spotless mosques.

The real Pakistan can be seen from the car window, but in the distance. Colourful painted lorries still ply those roads. Dirt poor villagers toil in brick factories, farmers on donkey carts go about their business.

Of course, four hours of mundane travel is quite enough.

Arriving in Lahore, the road suddenly turns into South Asia once again. Dust seeps through the open car window, endless honks sound, beggars knock on car windows. The driver begins again his daily, dangerous battle for road supremacy.

As Pakistan unveils itself in all its vibrancy, it is exciting to be back. But you can’t help feel a tinge of regret at having experienced, briefly, a lost dream.

‘Motorway good — but Pakistan,’ Noshad said at the last petrol station before we entered Lahore.

‘Terrorism, Rawalpindi,’ he added, referring to the latest militant attack on a mosque in the garrison town which killed dozens. —Reuters.

 

[jaunty]

For sheer spotlessness, efficiency and emptiness there is nothing like the M2 in the rest of South Asia.

No doubt,it might be a great road, but I don't agree to the bold part unless we have comparative data.

oh.. i got the answer from the lines quoted below. No more discussions. Enjoy M2...

It puts paid to what’s on offer in Pakistan’s traditional foe and emerging economic giant India, where village culture stubbornly refuses to cede to even the most modern motorways, making them battlegrounds of rickshaws, lorries and cows.

 

[BATMAN]

No doubt,it might be a great road, but I don't agree to the bold part unless we have comparative data.

I tend to agree because M2 was made in early 90's almost 20 years ago.
Yes, if we may have compare it with regional states 20 years ago than it was no doubt far advance in whole region.
recent terrorism has damaged lot of infrastructure and had hampered economy and further development.

 

[FreekiN]

I remember the first time I went on m2 on the way to Islamabad. They are CONSTANTLY cleaning it 24/7.

 

[Hulk]

Congratulations for having such good roads. I agree that India did a poor job with respect to infrastructure. Things changed after PV took over and then later AB started the golden quadrangle project which involved creation of excellent roads across country around 10000 k.m in length. This project is now almost complete and roads in India are not the same anymore. Mumbai-Pune is comparable to highways here in USA(built by US company).

I am nowadays typing from mobile, hence difficulty of posting links.

 

[Windjammer]

It may not be popular with transporters, but it certainly has benefitted the Pakistan Air Force for war time dispersal and deployment.

 

[Panditji]

A failed bank does not mean it does not have leather sofas, plush carpeting and wood paneled walls. These could as well be there. It just means the bank was so badly mismanaged, that those magnificent assets do not do justice to the financial state of the bank.

A failed state need not always resemble Somalia, Ethiopia or any other poor country stripped bare of resources. It just means that the financial, social and political aspects of the country were so badly mismanaged that the self governing structures in these areas cannot take the strain and give way to chaos and anarchy. By 1991, with all its nukes and military might, USSR was a failed state and had to fragment into its constituent states.

So M2 and a failed state are not really in conflict, you see?

By the way, I find it amusing that you guys need to publicly reaffirm that Pakistan is NOT a failed state. Not that it would hold you back from trashing India needlessly in the very same post. Some habits really die hard, isn't it?

 

[Windjammer]

A failed bank does not mean it does not have leather sofas, plush carpeting and wood paneled walls. These could as well be there. It just means the bank was so badly mismanaged, that those magnificent assets do not do justice to the financial state of the bank.

A failed state need not always resemble Somalia, Ethiopia or any other poor country stripped bare of resources. It just means that the financial, social and political aspects of the country were so badly mismanaged that the self governing structures in these areas cannot take the strain and give way to chaos and anarchy. By 1991, with all its nukes and military might, USSR was a failed state and had to fragment into its constituent states.

So M2 and a failed state are not really in conflict, you see?

By the way, I find it amusing that you guys need to publicly reaffirm that Pakistan is NOT a failed state. Not that it would hold you back from trashing India needlessly in the very same post. Some habits really die hard, isn't it?

The fact of the matter is it's mostly Indian nationals who are hooked on the American Prophecy clock of disintegration, however nothing amuses us more when every so often, the same Jotshis put the clock back a decade or so sounding a disappointing sigh from their Indian fans. Agreed we have our shortcomings, misgivings, misfortunes etc.
but at the same time, we don't have our farmers selling their wives, our soldiers committing suicides, world embarrassing us with our child sweat shops or rampant sex industry.
Difference is one generates a failed state while the other represents the same.

 

[New Shivaji]

This road M2 Motorway sure looks good - but the question is

Does one road 228 Mile long make a country a failed state or not ?

I for one dont believe that 1 road would make the country a success or a failure. There are n number of reasons for a country to be called a failed reason.

 

[SMC]

Failed state literally means if a government has control over its territory. For Pakistan, yes government has control for most part. Small areas such as in north west account for very little as it has very few people living nor does it have any economic importance.

Keep in mind that these failed states indices that keep coming out... those are all valued judgements based on information that is given in the media. Those indices themselves say that they use media articles to derive their ratings - an incredibly poor way of calculating their numbers. We know that media has biases towards certain countries and against certain countries and present news in that way. Not to mention that the panel who derives these ratings has indians on their panel.

Just to give you an idea, the media very rarely ever talked about the huge economic growth Pakistan had from 2002-2007. That would probably be not included in the ratings.

Additionally, if this wasn't enough, you need to check their ratings for 2006. Pakistan was rated below Afghanistan and some african countries. That was in 2006, when Pakistan's economy was booming big time and the situation in the country was pretty good. Really shows where these ratings are coming from.

As far as highway as a benchmark goes (asked by New Shivaji) - no it does not, however it is an indication.

 

[FreekiN]

Who even called it a failed state in the first place? Where did this crap start popping up from?

 

[Panditji]

We are just looking at the thread title, and see it relevant to discuss it. It must be at the back of the mind for the member who wrote that title when composing the starting post.

 

[ajpirzada]

this is the coastal highway which connects karachi with gwadar. not M2

 

[blain2]

A failed bank does not mean it does not have leather sofas, plush carpeting and wood paneled walls. These could as well be there. It just means the bank was so badly mismanaged, that those magnificent assets do not do justice to the financial state of the bank.

A failed state need not always resemble Somalia, Ethiopia or any other poor country stripped bare of resources. It just means that the financial, social and political aspects of the country were so badly mismanaged that the self governing structures in these areas cannot take the strain and give way to chaos and anarchy. By 1991, with all its nukes and military might, USSR was a failed state and had to fragment into its constituent states.

So M2 and a failed state are not really in conflict, you see?


By the way, I find it amusing that you guys need to publicly reaffirm that Pakistan is NOT a failed state. Not that it would hold you back from trashing India needlessly in the very same post. Some habits really die hard, isn't it?

So your answer is return in kind?

Pakistan has had trouble, but rest assured, Pakistan will not always stay in trouble and I say this because in Pakistan the public has realized that enough is enough and what they say and want matters and does make a difference. This awareness is the first of its kind and it has taught Pakistanis to ask tough questions and demand better. So when Pakistan does break out of this existing situation (I say when and not if because there is no doubt in my mind about it), there is no stopping her. There is immense potential that is being held back by useless leadership. The SC's judgment is bound to bring the fear of God in the hearts of some at least. Things are bound to improve.

A failed state need not always resemble Somalia, Ethiopia or any other poor country stripped bare of resources. It just means that the financial, social and political aspects of the country were so badly mismanaged that the self governing structures in these areas cannot take the strain and give way to chaos and anarchy.

Pakistan has never had a case where the aspects as you describe ceased to function. They were damaged, in some cases ran out of money, but were able to survive due to the resilience of the country and her systems. Despite Pakistan's financial woes, the country has never defaulted or asked debtors to wait till we are ready. The political system has suffered, but the moment it is allowed to get back on, thrives despite the individual shortcomings. The problem is that "failed" term is used without appropriate context. By Western standards, India has many "failed" aspects as well. However as a country, on the whole it continues to function. Pakistan is no different. The difference is the economic situation. Pakistan has a war going on in its neighbourhood and inside. There are bound to be economic ramifications from it, however this is a temporary phase. Eventually we will get over it.

 

[blain2]

This road M2 Motorway sure looks good - but the question is

Does one road 228 Mile long make a country a failed state or not ?

I for one dont believe that 1 road would make the country a success or a failure. There are n number of reasons for a country to be called a failed reason.

It takes a small turn of events for the West to start considering a country a failed state. Pakistan is nowhere near it and we are used to these doom and gloom stories ever since Pakistan went to pursue the nuclear capability.

Since most of the Indians cannot see through the point being made here, let me attempt to explain. The issue is not about the M-2, or a highway or a 6 lane road. Its about what else is there in Pakistan beyond what you see in the news.

Who knows about the polo tournaments being played at the race course ground attended by a whole bunch of citizens? Who knows about the insane turnout at the Eid prayers all over Islamabad, Pindi and Lahore despite the threats of suicide bombings? Who knows about the throngs of people who turned up at GC University's Art Exhibition in Lahore? Anyone heard of Gul-e-daudi floral show in Multan? Or the cultural show at the Indonesian embasssy in Isb? or that there was a meeting of Pakistan-UK Trade Investment forum in Karachi.

Nobody outside of Pakistan has a clue that life goes on and is fairly ok for most people. People are functioning, jobs are being worked, services are being offered and people and businesses are buying. There is nothing dysfunctional at this level. However at the same time there is a realization that militancy is a problem. Yet it does not cause Pakistan as a country or the government to fail.

So for those who really think that Pakistan is a failed state should get their heads out of their arses and see that fighting and bombings in a country of over 170 million people do not fail the state. Pakistan has been through worse and will certainly see this issue through as well as a united and progressive country regardless of what the naysayers/haters have to say.