Pakistan, a nation for only fifty five years, has had a turbulent history. Ruled by the military for half its existence, it has seen three wars with India and the loss of much of its territory. The combination of political instability, deep-seated economic and social problems, and access to nuclear weapons has made it one of the most strategically sensitive countries in the world. The recent war in neighbouring Afghanistan has placed it at the very centre of global attention and projected its military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, onto the world stage. Musharraf has become the first Pakistani leader in thirty years to dare to confront the country’s Islamic extremists. In this riveting history of Pakistan from 1947 to the present the author describes many fault lines in Pakistani Society. While most Pakistanis have a moderate, tolerant vision of Islam, the country’s central institutions are so weak that the military region may prove incapable of rescuing the ‘failed state’ of Pakistan. The book therefore, merits attention of experts on Asia, diplomats and policy makers of the developed countries.
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