Stats
People 97% Muslim Languages:
Official: Urdu (8%) Majority: Punjabi
(48%) Literacy: 50%
Economy GDP per capita:
$2500 (173rd in world)
Pop. below poverty line: 24%
Unemployment: 13.6% (+ substantial underemployment)
Agrarian
Government
parliamentary gov’t but alternate b/t civilian & military regimes
1999-2008: Pres. Pervez Musharraf (military coup)
2008: Pres. Asif Ali Zardari (civilian / election)
Musharraf Zardari
Kashmir Conflict
disputed territory (India vs. Pakistan)
India’s claim: Kashmir’s leader voted to join India in 1947
Pakistan’s claim: Muslim majority
India won’t give up Kashmir – fears more separatism
Islamic Fundamentalism
terrorists hide in the tribal areas
focused in N & S Waziristan
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATAS) residents are Pakistani
citizens but are more tied to their Pashtun identity
political autonomy Taliban gain leadership
US & Pakistan
US relies on Pakistan to help fight terrorists
After 9/11 Pakistan started assisting US goals, but there is some support in Pakistan for the terrorists Pakistan opened airspace to US military,
shared intelligence, and allowed US forces to stage operations from its soil