The Pakistan Cauldron: Conspiracy, Assassination & Instability

352 Pages·2011·1.2 MB·English

by  James P. Farwell

THE
PAKISTAN

CAULDRON
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THE
PAKISTAN

CAULDRON
Conspiracy,
Assassination
&
Instability
James P. Farwell
Foreword by Joseph D. Duffey
Potomac Books
Washington, D.C.
Copyright © 2011 by James P. Farwell
Published in the United States by Potomac Books, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this
book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the
publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Farwell, James P.
The Pakistan cauldron : conspiracy, assassination & instability / James P. Farwell ; foreword
by Joseph D. Duffey.—1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-59797-982-5 (hardcover : acid-free paper)
ISBN 978-1-59797-983-2 (electronic edition)
1. Communication in politics—Pakistan. 2. Political leadership—Pakistan. 3. Khan, A. Q.
(Abdul Qadeer), 1936–. 4. Bhutto, Benazir, 1953–2007. 5. Musharraf, Pervez. 6. Pakistan—
Politics and government—1988– I. Title.
JA85.2.P3F37 2011
954.9105—dc22
2011014001
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper that meets the American National
Standards Institute Z39-48 Standard.
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Drive
Dulles, Virginia 20166
First Edition
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Dan Devlin
Pakistan
CIA World Factbook 2011
Contents
Foreword by Joseph D. Duffey ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xv
Part I: Muzzling the Scientist
1 The Curious Case of A. Q. Khan 3
2 Removing Khan from Play 12
3 Conspiracy Land 26
Part II: A Woman of Courage
4 The Mysterious Encounter 39
5 A Life Rooted in Blood and Turmoil 49
6 The Populist Aristocrat 54
7 The Years Harden Hostilities 68
8 Prime Minister at Thirty-five 73
9 Musharraf Battles to Survive 93
10 Cutting the Cards 99
11 The Red Mosque 109
12 Bhutto and Musharraf Reach an Agreement 117
vii
Contents
13 Karachi 123
14 The State of Emergency 131
15 Liaquat Bagh 135
16 “Busharraf” of Pakistan 141
Part III: Dealing with the Assassination
17 The Campaign of Influence 149
18 The Fallout 193
19 Who Killed Benazir? 206
Part IV: A Nation on the Brink
20 The Aftermath 225
21 Quo Vadis? Where To? 227
22 Resetting the Terms of Cooperation Amid Public Paranoia 240
23 Looking Ahead 259

Notes 265
Selected Reading 319
Index 323
About the Author 331
viii
Foreword
A
senior U.S. diplomat was asked recently, “How are we doing in Paki-
stan?” He replied, “It’s a very complicated issue. . . . It’s not how ‘we’
are doing at all. . . . The question is, ‘How is Pakistan doing?’”1 In a recent
article, Deepak Chopra and Salman Ahmad wrote that “Pakistan is a war zone
but its battle is far more cultural than military.”2 The fact is, Pakistan’s fortunes
are central to stability in Central and Southwest Asia. How it addresses its
tough challenges affects the war in Afghanistan, the battle to discredit and
marginalize violent extremism, and U.S. national security. For those who seek
a greater understanding of what makes Pakistani politics tick, this book is
required reading.
James Farwell has advised the Department of Defense and Unified Com-
batant Commands (COCOMs), such as the U.S. Special Operations Com-
mand and the U.S. Strategic Command, for nearly a decade. His background,
understanding, and gift for narrative based on carefully researched and docu-
mented sources yield important and relevant insights. Farwell carries no ideo-
logical candle. He avoids “selling” a point of view as to decisions of any White
House administration. His focus is on history and today’s Pakistani leaders.
He writes as an informed analyst and historian with the expertise of a vet-
eran information strategist and internationally respected political consultant.
The Pakistan Cauldron spells out what we know and should understand about
Pakistani politics based on public sources as well as a significant number of
ix