Pakistan:a Hard Country

I wonder if the author is indeed a native masquerading under the guise of an anglicized name a la headley. He is really bending over backwards to paint this flattering picture of a soon to be failed state by drawing parallels with India and countries in the neighborhood. Let us see how much more

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nonsense this guy has to dish out in the remaining pages.

This book has very interesting commentary on the various forces that are in play such as the various political parties, the PPP, PML, MQM, ANP etc. Surprisingly enough some of these parties have very strong ideologies and disciplined cadres, the MQM for instance who want to tranform Karachi into the Singapore south Asia. The Army seems to be the strongest, most disciplined and the saving grace for the country due to which it's existence is even possible. When all else is lost and things seem utterly hopeless, it is the Army that has to step in and save the day for everyone. It is very much a true statement is one says that Pakistan is an Army with a country.

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A good book. discusses structures of the pak state, justice (by tribal dictate in Balochistan and pathans, and bribery and contacts in the rest of the country), religion ( shia, sunni ,jamaat islamia(moderate-middle class),extremism- northern parts of Punjab around Multan, karchi (more clashes

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between sindhi,pathan and MQM(indian muslims), pathans around peshwar were the taliban influence is max)-however the arguement is that extreme muslim religion will not catch on because of network of kinship and different beliefs within Islam), The Military- only funcioning efficient body, treated as a world different, will step in if required and run the country eg Ayub Khan, Zia ul haq (punjabi), Muzzaraf (Indian), Politics dominated by the PPP (Set up by Bhutto), pakistan muslim league (PML(N)- Nawaz Sharif (Punjabi), MQM (Indian settlers- sind &parts of punjab) and other smaller parties(ANP-Pathan).
Regions- Punjab 56% pop, lahore to layallpur to multan, business class, manu sports goods, cotton etc. linked with powerful families(kinship)), Sindh except for Karchi powerful rural landowners, bhutto family very big, whole areas vote as the powerful landowners say, karachi tension from different settlers, sindi, pathan, Indian migrants,punjabi, Hindu, christian.,
Balochistan Quetta tribal headship heridaerty, head has power to wantonly kill subject, poorest areas of pak new port planned at qawder may open up region being resisted, Pathan-peshawar, tribal but head not heridary and not absolute, even the Durand line (seperating Afganistan and Pakistan noted that the grazing lands cannot be sacroscant and grazing can be on both sides, therefore a lot of commonality between afganistan and pathans, so a lot a sympathy for the taliban.
The author believes the strength of kinship and ethnic differences will ensure pakistan is not broken . The only thing that unites them is hatred for The US (as anti muslim) and even more hatred for INDIA.

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This book is a truly illuminating study of modern Pakistan, a very large country about which far too little seems to be generally understood by U.S. analysts and policymakers. Pakistan is too often dismissed as a "failed state", and/or analyzed purely in terms of its value (or lack of value) to the

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U.S. as an ally in the "War on Terror". Instead, it is a highly complex amalgam of many different societies, where strong divisive pressures strain against powerful unifying forces. One of those is a broad anti-Americanism among the Pakistani people, due in large part to U.S. policies since 2001. In regard to Pakistan, Lieven argues, those policies should be reconsidered, given the long-term risks of increasing Pakistani instability.

Anatol Lieven is admirably qualified to deal with the topic: he is both a journalist (reporting on Pakistan and Afghanistan for the London Times) and an academic/thinktank scholar. His book combines the readability and color of good journalism with the thorough research of scholarly work. It is also based on extensive interviews with many Pakistanis from all walks of life, and all regions of the country, which gives it an engrossing human dimension.

The book starts off with an overview of the Pakistani system, which he describes as "weak state, stong societies". He examines the critical role of kinship and patronage relationships, from an anthropological as well as a political view. And he briefly reviews Pakistan's history since Partition. Here, I found myself turning to Wikipedia etc. to fill in missing links, since the author's review assumed more knowledge than I had -- possibly because I'm an American, a British reader would probably be more familiar with this material.

Next, he turns to the basic structures of modern Pakistan -- justice, religion, politics, and above all the military -- devoting a chapter to each. Then, in a section which I found most useful, he devotes a chapter to each of Pakistan's provinces -- the Punjab, Sindh (and Karachi), Balochistan, and the Pathans (that is, the North West Frontier and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas). In each, he looks at the social and ethnic differences within and between regions, and at how that is reflected politically.
The final section is on the Taleban -- the Afghani Taleban, the Pakistani Taleban, and the attitude of Pakistan's people and government to both.

In his conclusion, Lieven says that "it has been above all the US-led campaign in Afghanistan which has been responsible for increasing Islamist insurgency and terrorism in Pakistan since 2001". Earlier, he has established that insurgency as perhaps the most critical problem facing Pakistan's government. U.S. policy with affect the way in which this plays out.

All in all, I found this a very informative, interesting, and readable book, which I would strongly recommend to anyone interested in South Asia, or, indeed, in US policy.

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Excellent and profoundly revealing book about Pakistan. Investigates the country very thoroughly from many angles (ethnic/regional, religious, military, political, economic, environmental, and the relationship with the Taliban).

Analyzes the diverse ethnic groups and demystifies them - their

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concerns are only too familiar. Many deep-seated problems are shown here, but also the peerless endurance and strength of will of the people itself. Required reading for anybody who has an interest in current events.

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Reading this book must be eaqual to attending to a scholarship in asian studies - how to understand a non-european world. The corruption, the weak state, the river, the feudal,personal power, the rural reforms - all this gives us pieces from a rather complicated and streneous puzzle.