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A major new investigation into the Bhutto family, examining their influence in Pakistan from the colonial era to the present day "Fluently written, impeccably researched and never short of extraordinary insights, this is a landmark publication."--Farzana Shaikh, Literary Review The Bhutto family has long been one of the most ambitious and powerful in Pakistan. But politics has cost the Bhuttos dear. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, widely regarded as the most talented politician in the country's history, was removed from power in 1977 and executed two years later, at the age of 51. Of his four children, three met unnatural deaths: Shahnawaz was poisoned in 1985 at the age of 27; Murtaza was shot by the police outside his home in 1996, aged 42; and Benazir Bhutto, who led the Pakistan Peoples Party and became Prime Minister twice, was killed by a suicide bomber in Rawalpindi in 2007, aged 54. Drawing on original research and unpublished documents gathered over twenty years, Owen Bennett-Jones explores the turbulent existence of this extraordinary family, including their volatile relationship with British colonialists, the Pakistani armed forces, and the United States.
[Written] with admirable clarity' Literary Review 'Excellent . . . concise and chilling' Independent An authoritative, fresh, and vividly written account of the Kashmir conflict?from 1947 to the present. The India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir is one of the world’s incendiary conflicts. Since 1990, at least 60,000 people have been killed?insurgents, civilians, and military and police personnel. In 2019, the conflict entered a dangerous new phase. India’s Hindu nationalist government, under Narendra Modi, repealed Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomous status and divided it into two territories subject to New Delhi’s direct rule. The drastic move was accompanied by mass ar...
Argues that the decline of Pakistan is deeply entrenched -- with roots in its original national foundations
Sudden Justice explores the secretive history of the United States' use of armed drones and their key role not only on today's battlefields, but also in a covert targeted killng project that has led to the deaths of thousands.
THE PHENOMENAL BESTSELLER 'Fantastic, timely, eye-opening' Armando Iannucci, New Statesman, Books of the Year 'Captures a collective sense of anger and awakening' Matt Haig, Observer, Books of the Year Behind our democracy lurks a powerful but unaccountable network of people who wield massive power and reap huge profits in the process. In exposing this shadowy and complex system that dominates our lives, Owen Jones sets out on a journey into the heart of our Establishment, from the lobbies of Westminster to the newsrooms, boardrooms and trading rooms of Fleet Street and the City. Exposing the revolving doors that link these worlds, and the vested interests that bind them together, Jones show...
A memoir of Victoria Schofield's thirty-year friendship with her Oxford contemporary, Benazir Bhutto. 'Fascinating and moving' Lord Owen 'Abounds with behind-the-scenes gems' Spectator 'Sheds light on the human side of a courageous politican' Financial Times 'Brings unique insights into the life and times of Benazir Bhutto' Lyse Doucet In the summer of 1978, Victoria Schofield travelled to Pakistan to join her friend Benazir Bhutto, whose father, the former prime minister, was facing a charge of conspiracy to murder. In the fevered context of Bhutto's appeal against the death sentence, their university friendship grew into a lifelong bond, ending only with Benazir's assassination in 2007. Schofield's memoir sheds light on the recent history of this turbulent region, and affectionately charts Benazir's transformation from Oxford undergraduate to one of the most charismatic and controversial figures in South Asian politics – a woman whose life and career were defined by tragedy.
A reappraisal of the tumultuous Partition and how it ignited long-standing animosities between India and Pakistan This new edition of Yasmin Khan’s reappraisal of the tumultuous India-Pakistan Partition features an introduction reflecting on the latest research and on ways in which commemoration of the Partition has changed, and considers the Partition in light of the current refugee crisis. Reviews of the first edition: “A riveting book on this terrible story.”—Economist “Unsparing. . . . Provocative and painful.”—Times (London) “Many histories of Partition focus solely on the elite policy makers. Yasmin Khan’s empathetic account gives a great insight into the hopes, dreams, and fears of the millions affected by it.”—Owen Bennett Jones, BBC
In the land of Volstov, Owen Adamo, the hard-as-nails ex–Chief Sergeant of the Dragon Corps, learns that Volstov’s ruler, the Esar, is secretly pursuing plans to resurrect magically powered sentient robot dragons—even at the risk of igniting another war. Though Adamo is not without friends—the magician Royston and former corpsman Balfour—there is only so much he and his allies can do. Adamo has been put out to pasture, given a professorship at the University. Royston, already exiled once, dares not risk the Esar’s wrath again. And Balfour, who lost both his hands in the war, is now a diplomat—and still trying to master the metal replacements that have earned him various nicknames . . . of which “Steelhands” is the least offensive. But sometimes help comes where it’s least expected. In this case, from two students: Laurence, a feisty young woman raised by her father to be the son he never had, and Toverre, her brilliant if neurotic fiancé. When a mysterious illness strikes the university, Laurence takes her suspicions to Adamo—and unwittingly sets in motion events that will change Volstov forever.
Among the USA’s allies in the war against terrorism, Pakistan cannot be easily characterized as either friend or foe. Nuclear-armed Pakistan is an important centre of radical Islamist ideas and groups. After 9/11, the selective cooperation of President General Pervez Musharraf in sharing intelligence with the United States and apprehending Al-Qaeda members led to the assumption that Pakistan might be ready to give up its long-standing ties with radical Islam. But Pakistan’s status as an Islamic ideological state is closely linked with the Pakistani elite's world view and the praetorian ambitions of its military. Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military analyses the origins of the relationships between Islamist groups and Pakistan's military, and explores the nation’s quest for identity and security. Tracing how the military has sought US support by making itself useful for concerns of the moment—while continuing to strengthen the mosque–military alliance within Pakistan—Haqqani offers an alternative view of political developments since the country’s Independence in 1947. This new edition of this classic work includes data updates and an Epilogue by the author.