Kashmir in Conflict: India, Pakistan and the Unending WarThe Most Dangerous Place: Pakistan's Lawless Frontier

摘要

All the major cities, political and economic centers, and the vast majority of Pakistan's 178 million inhabitants are concentrated in the plains. In contrast, the mountain areas in the northwest and northeast of the country only play a marginal economic role and host only 5% of the country's population; however, they have become infamous worldwide as regions of political struggles and violent conflicts, thus being responsible for Pakistan's questionable international image and difficult relations with its neighboring States. The Frontier Areas in the west of Pakistan play a key role in the Afghanistan conflict, being said to be the major recruiting and regrouping area of the Taliban and a refuge for Al-Qaeda and Islamic extremists, whereas disputedKashmir is the pivot for a decades-long cold, and sometimes hot, war between Pakistan and India. Most of Pakistan's huge army is stationed in these 2 areas, and no other region of Pakistan, even of South Asia, stands as much in the political focus as these 2 mountainous areas.