Pakistan is engaged in an undeclared civil war. The people are terrorized by state repression, sectarian violence, and the militarization of politics, primarily targeting the Pashtun and Baloch ethnic nations.

Pakistan on the Brink critically examines Pakistan's internal conflicts, highlighting the military and intelligence agencies' pervasive interference in politics, human rights violations, and the militarization of governance, particularly targeting Balochs and Pashtuns. In this volume, Musa Khan Jalalzai and Kalim Ullah Kakar present a critical analysis of Pakistan's volatile political and security situation. They show how the military and intelligence agencies interfere in the country's governance, and they cite atrocious human rights violations including enforced disappearances, torture, extrajudicial killings, and a "kill and dump" policy, especially in regions like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The book highlights specific cases, such as the rape of Dr. Shazia Khalid by an army officer and the targeting of activists like Dr. Mahrang Baloch, to illustrate the collapse of civil space and the suppression of dissent.

Mr. Jalalzai and Mr. Kakar also examine the political turmoil surrounding the fall of Prime Minister Imran Khan and the rise of Nawaz Sharif, illustrating how these events relate to the military's influence over democratic processes. The October 2024 protests played a prominent role, both reflecting and accelerating the surge in public awareness and resistance to state oppression despite a brutal crackdown involving mass arrests and media censorship.

The development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), and the failure of military courts to provide fair trials also influence Pakistan's trajectory. Ultimately, the book serves as a call for reforms to strengthen democracy and protect human rights.