@Shamain Nice to see you. You made some great points. I opened this thread to destroy the title by giving insight to various aspects of Pakistan. Of course thanks to Shan this thread has now gone to the point of no recovery so I won't bother with No.2 etc.
Notwithstanding the self serving claims of 'failed state' Pakistan is no where near a 'failed state'. The definition itself is subjective however the state as a structure is intact. Absolute sanction in the form of 600,000 man military is intact and other state structures are operating.
The example of BISP income support shows this because this can only happen within a stable structure. Over $1 billion is paid out annually to 40 million poor across the length and breadth of the country. This itself blows any such notions of 'failed state' because it shows that the state can still institute systems to take care of it's millions of vulnerable.
In a failed state those millions would being killed or starving. I know for a fact that along the system some money is being lost or used wrongly. There are probably some claimants who do not deserve it. However these type of schemes in fact involve resource redistribution. The rich, the well connected already milch the state by getting their children jobs in plum positions of government or juicy contracts.
When the poor have no stake in the state that is exactly when a state begins to 'fail' because that group feels left out and has no interest in perpetuating a order that shows no sympathy or concern. How do you know you belong to a family? You know because when you are in trouble they help you. They care for you and show concern. That is what binds you to your family.
A state can have all the guns and tanks but if it does not enjoy the support of loyalty of the citizens it will remain weak and liable to collapse at the slightest provocation. BISP shows to the ordinary poor that they belong to a country that cares. That little BISP card is proof of that we the collective called Pakistan care for our weak.
That I salute. I take pride in that my poor countrymen are recieving some money that reminds them of our collective concern for their welfare. In short Pakistan Zindanad is not just a slogan. Millions of transactions are made on those BISP debit cards and the Rs1,500 is recieved in the hand of poor.
As the poor claimant walks away that is expression of "Pakistan Zindabad". I for one take enormous pride in that. BISP debit card is manifestation of our duty to our weak and poor. That makes us great.
Edit: BISP more than our nuclear weapons, our much vaunted F-16s, Thunder Jets, our ballistic or cruise missiles, our elite SSG prove that Pakistan is strong and functioning because it shows it cares for it's weak. In fact this shows we as a society are strong.