The Foreign Policy Journal in collaboration with an independent research organisation The Fund for Peace has issued the fifth annual Failed States Index, which ranks 177 states in order from most to least at risk of failure. This report has placed Pakistan at number ten in the index after Somalia, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan etc. If we analyse the situation, it comes out loud and clear that this is a set piece. All this is in line with the reports of certain pseudo-intellectuals and hacks who, being influenced by certain lobbies, are denominating Pakistan as a failed state. Before going into the detail, I request my readers to never think of me as a chauvinist as I will present my case in a logical manner and anybody may dissent with this on the basis of his arguments if any. First of all, let us find out that what constitutes a failed state. After going through many descriptions, the following features have been distilled as the distinguishing points of a failed state: the weakening of the central government to such an extent that it has little control over much of its territory and it fails to provide security functions; erosion of legitimate authority to make collective decisions; inability to interact with other states as a full member of the international community; sharp economic decline and non-provision of public services. Now let us discuss these points with reference to Pakistan in order to reach a certain conclusion. Firstly, Pakistan has full control over its territory. A little area had gone under Taliban influence but that has been regained by the army and the writ of the government has been enforced there. So this point does not apply to Pakistan. Moreover, if the loss of control over a certain area of the territory is any measure to go by, then why is the international community silent as far as India is concerned as her writ is becoming questionable. Editor Indian Defence Review, Bharat Verma, has disclosed recently that "New Delhi and the state capitals have almost ceded the government control over 40 percent of the Union's territory to Naxalites." Secondly, Pakistan is fully providing security to its citizens. Indubitably, law and order situation has deteriorated in the wake of terrorist incidents but that does not mean that the state apparatus has failed to provide security. The terrorism wave has taken a heavy toll because Pakistan is a major ally in the War on Terror and trying to help the world to get rid of extremists and not due to its internal weaknesses. Nothing daunted. Definitely problems come to nations that play an important role at the international level. Had Pakistan decided to carve out a limited role for itself, it would have no problems. But there is no need to worry the current problems will disappear. And we have the honour that at least the history will not be able to describe major events of the world without mentioning the name of Pakistan. The writer asks that if Pakistan is a failed state, then why every other day the US officials keep visiting this country in a bid to seek its help at various fronts. Unfortunately, the highly visible feature is that the state, whose help the 'sole superpower of the world' is obliged to seek in order to win its War, is being dubbed as a failed state. The writer is a foreign affairs analyst. E-mail: irfanasghar99@yahoo.com