The Islamic Republic of Pakistan

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a nation located between the Indian subcontinent and West Asia. It is led by President Ayub Khan, an ambitious Army general turned dictator. Pakistan is a semi-fundamentalist republic whose origin lies in an act of resistance against the newly born Indian state, which would be dominated by Hindu politicians by sheer population. During World War II, its predecessor the Union of Tradition and Order fought against Gandhi's Indian Federation in a bloody civil war, allying with the southern secessionist princes. When the latter made a separate peace with Delhi, Pakistan saw its bloodiest fighting in 1947, holding off the experienced and well-equipped Indian Army, largely thanks to the United States' aid (they saw India as a potential Soviet ally). Today, though nominally neutral, Pakistan maintains better relations with America and China than it does with the other two superpowers.