Many dramatic developments have taken place in Pakistan since the publication of the first edition of Oxfam’s Profile (Pakistan: Tradition and Change, 1996). This up-dated edition contains a supplement which summarises the internal tensions and external shocks that have created turbulence which is extreme even for a country that was born in a ferment of change:

* The erosion of democracy under civilian rule in the late 1990s
* The military takeover of 1999
* Strained relations with India, Afghanistan, and the USA
* An economy reeling from the impact of heavy foreign debt and huge defence expenditure
* The legacy of the religious fundamentalism of the 1980s, and its impact on state policies and practices
* Prospects for a return to democracy

The original text, which describes Pakistan’s history and rich cultural heritage, and self-help community schemes run by grassroots groups, is reproduced in full, with the original evocative illustrations; but the social and economic indicators and the resources section have been revised to bring the book up to date.