Renowned British journalist Anatol Lieven has undertaken extensive research in Pakistan to understand the diverse structure of its culture. In a conference arranged by the Oxford University Press at its bookshop on Monday, he discussed his recently published book ‘Pakistan: A Hard Country’. “I have made extensive studies of how Karachi is different from the rest of Sindh and how Punjab differs from other country”, he said. The discussion was based on Lieven’s detailed research based on all four provinces of the country, by interviewing hundreds of Pakistanis from different walks of life and drawing on the testimonies of people whose views were rarely consulted by western analysts. His work presents a profound and sophisticated analysis of Pakistan’s history and its social, religious and political structures. Lieven highlighted how far Pakistan stands from the ‘the failed state’ perception that is often portrayed in the media. Instead, the book refers to it as a viable and coherent state that does work, providing it works by its own regional standards and limits, rather than the West’s. Commenting on Pakistan’s political instability, he ruled out any possibility of an Iran like revolution in Pakistan. In response to a question about Baluchistan, he said a large population of the province was against the state. He stated that Pakistan could only be saved by tolerance because of its diverse culture. Anatol Lieven is Professor of International Relations and Terrorism Studies in the War Studies Department of King’s College, London.
