evelopment Pathways: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh. 1947-2022, authored by Ishrat Husain with contributions from Sarah Nizamani, Shagufta Shabbar and Masood Siddiqui, provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of the economic and social developments in the three countries since their independence.

The book features neat, colourful graphs. However, it seems rather expensive, considering the paper is of newsprint quality. While Ishrat Husain is a seasoned economist and practitioner, books with contributions from authors of varying levels of experience often present diverse worldviews, which, while enriching, may also pose conflicting viewpoints.

The book is divided into three parts, each offering a deep dive into the socio-economic evolution of these nations. Part I, authored by Ishrat Husain, provides a historical and comparative analysis of their distinct and shared economic development trajectories since independence, in a clear but somewhat isolated country-specific narrative.

Part II, written by Masood Siddiqui and Shagufta Shabbar, systematically explores key economic policies such as growth, fiscal policy, external trade and foreign direct investment, emphasising detailed analysis and empirical data. It could benefit from a more integrated cross-referencing.

Part III, also by Nizamani and Shabbar, addresses critical social issues like poverty, inequality, human development, employment and social protection, showcasing the interplay between economic policies and social outcomes.

The first chapter sets the stage by contrasting the dire conditions at independence — marked by extreme poverty, illiteracy, and underdevelopment — with the significant policy shifts towards liberalisation, deregulation and privatisation from the 1990s onwards.

Husain employs economic theories such as import-substitution industrialisation and structural adjustment programmes to contextualise these changes. The subsequent chapters provide country-specific narratives, starting with India’s........

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