Book review - The Unravelling: Pakistan in the Age of Jihad

The Unravelling: Pakistan in the Age of Jihad

John R. Schmidt
Pan Macmillan
Rs.399

How did a nation which was founded as a homeland for South Asian Muslims following a tolerant form of Islam, become a haven for Al Qaeda and a rogues' gallery of domestic, jihadist and sectarian groups? This groundbreaking history of Pakistan's involvement with radical Islam places the blame on rulers of the country, who thought they could use Islamic radicals to advance their foreign-policy goals without having to pay a steep price.

But the government's plans began to unravel in the wake of 9/11, when the rulers' support for US war on terror caused many of their jihadist allies to turn against them. The book is a clear account of the complex relationship between the leaders of Pakistan and jihadist groups - and how the rulers' decisions have led their nation to the brink of disaster and put other nations at risk

Plus:
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