Islamic Charities and Human Security in Pakistan, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 12 May 2010

EXCERPT: "Pakistan, insists Christopher Candland, is neither a failed nor a failing state. Key institutions'such as the military, judiciary, and legislature?are all strong and growing even stronger. However, the Pakistani state is failing to provide basic services to its 180-million strong population?one in which, according to Candland, 32 percent subsist below the poverty line and more than 65 percent 'struggle to survive' on or below $2 a day. Speaking at a May 12 Asia Program event, Candland, a 2009-2010 Woodrow Wilson Center Fellow, argued that Pakistan's Islamic welfare associations?charitable organizations motivated both operationally and financially by the Muslim faith?play an important role in providing for the country's most needy. In fact, these charities make a major contribution to Pakistanis' human security (a term Candland described as 'the capacity of the individual to protect oneself from harm,' which requires access to quality health care and education). [...] Candland described three categories of Islamic welfare associations in Pakistan. One is state-based. [...] The second category of Pakistani Islamic charities is partisan. It is comprised of both Islamic political parties (such as the Jamaat-i-Islami) and political parties that feature Islamic welfare systems. [...] While these partisan associations mainly focus on education, Candland stated that the third category of Islamic charities?nonpartisan associations?mostly emphasize health care."

Read the full summary.
Watch the video of the event.

Related articles:
, Foreign Policy // The AfPak Channel, 24 June 2010
Pakistan: The Lost Generation - Fixing Pakistan's Schools [article & video], PBS // Frontline, 23 February 2010

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New controls on militant charities stifle Eid fundraiser, 8 December 2009
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Lack of basic education fuels rise in Taliban, extremism, 9 November 2009
Education system and links to extremism, 3 November 2009