ABSTRACT
Mariam Abou Zahab was born in France and became fascinated by Islam as a young woman travelling in South Asia, eventually converting to Shi’ism. Abou Zahab examines the Islamist scene in Pakistan through several lenses: religious belief and traditions; sociology; local and regional politics; and relations with the army. The major landholders are Shia, but those who work the land are often Sunni. India’s economic growth surged and millions were lifted out of poverty. India is now recognised as an important economic power. India’s foreign-policy leaders are painfully aware that they need the United States – and that once the US had normalised relations with China, Washington did not need Delhi as much as in the past. The remarkable transformation of US–India relations did not really start until 2000. China is still important in setting the context. But the role India seeks to play, and especially its capacity to shape the international environment, have both expanded dramatically.
