LSE Editor’s Note: This is the text of the Plenary Lecture by Mr Justice Athar Minallah at the LSESU Pakistan Development Society’s annual ‘Future of Pakistan 2024’ conference, delivered at LSE on 3 February 2024. Editorial changes are marked with [square brackets]; all hyperlinks have been added by the Editor per usual practice for the convenience of the reader. A video-recording of the lecture is available here.    It has been rightly assumed that there is a constitutional crisis [in Pakistan]. Is it a recent phenomenon? The answer is an emphatic ‘No’. The unpacking of the co ..read more

National elections in India — the world’s most populous country — is a logistical marvel, and the most important event in its political life. Beginning later this week, India’s elections will happen over 6+ weeks, with results being declared on 4 June. Pranav Gupta looks at various issues at play, what survey data reveals and public polls predict, in what, after all, is just another ‘normal’ election. (Interested readers should also read ‘India Goes to the Polls 2‘ , published simultaneously.)      With more than 900 million Indians registered to vote in the national elections ..read more

Political parties in Hindu-majority Nepal are increasingly demanding the (re)establishment of Nepal as a Hindu state (rastra). Narendra Thapa looks at how there is a growing presence of Hindu identity politics in Nepal, moving away from its secular Constitution.     The forthcoming national elections in India are important not just for India but also for Nepal, whose political profile is undergoing important changes, potentially molding the trajectory of secular governance and cultural identity in the country. Nepal is currently witnessing a surge in support for the idea of a Hindu ..read more

What role and value do archives of local and community histories have in the study of transnational and global events, especially in the pre-internet era? In this unique post, Michele Benazzo discusses some such documents relating to the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, and how it enlightens us about the engagement of the diaspora Bangladeshi population in the United Kingdom at the time. This post is part of our continuing series of blogposts highlighting LSE Library’s archives relating to South Asia.    The East End in London is now home to the largest Bangladeshi community in th ..read more

Healthcare in India is a critical sector, now being the most populous country in the world. Government initiatives and investment play a central role in providing both affordability and access. Vrinda Gupta examines the latest figures of the National Health Accounts, and analyses the possible causes that lie behind them.     The latest National Health Accounts (NHA) estimates (2019–20) indicate a significant drop in Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) on healthcare in India, from 64.2 per cent of Total Health Expenditure (THE) to 47.1 per cent between 2013–14 and 2019–20. This dec ..read more

Damage to Myanmar’s environment has been constant and incremental under decades of military rule. Averse to international aid and assistance — which has not been particularly high in any case — the junta has been ploughing the country’s natural resources for revenue. Declining law and order and political control has led to further illegal activities — with devastating impact for the population. Htet Myat Aung looks at the various aspects of environmental degradation, and hopes for Myanmar’s beleaguered future.     The military coup in Myanmar in February 2021 has given rise to ..read more

Clean cooking lies at the heart of clean air for the people. In this post, Bishal Bharadwaj considers the challenges to the adoption of clean cooking in Nepal, the prevalence of traditional practices, the challenges of uneven development and insufficient infrastructure, and how some of it may be mitigated through customised policy and investment to achieve developmental goals.    Nepal’s diverse topography presents a unique challenge for ensuring access to energy. Since the establishment of democracy in 1951, three policies have significantly reshaped Nepal’s socio-economic context ..read more

As Bangladesh emerges as a growing economy, its political challenges are getting more complicated. The recent victory of the Awami League comes, once again, at the cost of wider electoral participation. Shafi Md Mostofa discusses the fragile trajectories of her democratic profile, and the increasing prominence of Islamist politics in the country.          The recent electoral victory of the Bangladesh Awami League, securing a fourth consecutive term after a controversial election that sidelined the Opposition, underscores the nation’s complicated political l ..read more

The implementation of forest rights in India has been a complex, and occasionally successful, enterprise. In this post, Tejendra Pratap Gautam examines details of one such successful exercise where community enterprise meets state policy to make it work for communal good, underlining the importance of a ‘political economy’ intervention in development at the grassroots level.    Formal and informal institutions play a pivotal role in controlling, managing and conserving forests and forest resources in India. Whether traditional or state, institutions have actively shaped forest gover ..read more

A ..read more