The Duel by Tariq Ali

Starts of well with good insight into the reasons why Pakistan was created. I liked the bits about Muslim League own history, as a feudal based conservative party created to garner relations with their British masters. I also enjoyed the piece on the way how the colonialists used to brand certain nationalities like the Pathans for their own nefarious purposes. How an image of a warrior and a always vengeful Pathan was pushed almost becoming the sine qua non of his profile; thereby justifying all punitive actions against them. I was able to link the two together; the Muslim League's reliance on the British/Americans and the sticking to the colonialist definitions of the locals [like Pathans] even after the partition because of their own weakness in community based politics in Pakistan, both East and the West.

The other strong odour from the book was nationalism; Pakistani nationalism was born after its creation while the Indian started way back in 1885. The Pakistani version before 1947 was based on partition from the Hindus instead. I think we have never successfully been able to separate the two successfully; nationalism and our hatred for the Hindu majority.