Pakistan is complicated.

Submitted by Michael S, Nov 8, 2016 at 00:31

Pakistan is indeed complicated. It has at least five major regions: (Western) Punjab, the largest; Sindh, the northwest Pushtun territories, Baluchistan and (Western) Kashmir. Religiously, it is mostly Sunni; but has substantial Shi'ite minorities, and even some Christians and a handful of pagans. Historically, it was largely Buddhist before the Islamic takeover, hence, the giant, irreplaceable Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban. Various waves of Muslims swept through the country: most notably the Turko-Persian Dehli Sultanate, then the Mughals.

The British began moving in, in a big way, after the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857. The culture today is primarily Turko-Persian, with considerable British influence.

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