Anybody reading or read this? I must say I find it absolutely ****ing brilliant. I just finished the chapter on Punjab and its finally good to see someone who understands the geo-politics of the provinces and how they feed into the national and regional politics.
I however am a little perturbed by his whole focus on the sectarian issue and how much it influences politics. Oddly enough he makes contradictions when he speaks of SSP and LEJ in Southern Punjab and yet speaks of the peaceful and non-sectarian influence of pirs and sufi saints in the same breath.
Haven’t read the book but I listened to this talk of his when I was reading up on the arguments about Pakistan being a failed state (which according to him miss the profound sources of resilience in the country). He did make sense most of the times.
As for the contradictions you speak of, CM, he admits that the book is full is paradoxes but so is the Pakistani society (15:50).
I read it like a year ago, the book is a piece of shyt. It get annoying and stays annoying.
I will suggest reading, Playing With Fire: Pakistan at War with Itself.