Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides an in-depth comprehensive coverage of certain key issues that are important when studying Pakistan: national identity and the creation of Pakistan, political institutions, social issues, Islamization, economy and development, and foreign relations. In 1947 Pakistan inherited a strong civilian bureaucracy and one-third of the Raj's colonial army. During the 1950s and 1960s Pakistan achieved fast economic growth and was seen by many around the world as a model economy. The educational curricula and government policies that championed Islam at home and pan Islamism abroad created an atmosphere over the years in which it became difficult for the government to act against groups who justified violence against the perceived enemies of Islam. The book analyzes Pakistan's ties with India, Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United States and China. The security apparatus use jihadi non-state actors for domestic politics and foreign policy.