Pakistan today is the victim as well as the source of terrorism, and its political stability is of critical importance to the rest of the world. In fact, it is five countries in one: part Saudi Arabia, part Iran, part Turkey, part Afghanistan and part India, and sometimes gives the impression of being a viable state only when it has a military regime and American crutches. But paradoxically these very two factors undermine its viability whenever they come together – Washington loves Pakistan’s army and hates its politicians! M. Ziauddin, the special correspondent and former editor of the leading English language Pakistan newspaper ‘Dawn’, will discuss the political situation and its implications for global peace.