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The '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''' is a country of south [[Asia]] created in 1947 as a state for [[India]]n [[Muslim]]s on August 14, 1947. It is bordered by [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]] and [[China]], and has a coastline on the [[Arabian Sea]]. Its capital is [[Islamabad]]; other major centres include [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]] and [[Peshawar]]. The nation is about 97% Muslim, as many [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s native to the region had to flee to India during communal violence in 1947 in which Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs suffered mass casualties.<ref>http://www.uh.edu/~sriaz/religion/index.html</ref>  Pakistan, a large poor country with a weak economy—but with nuclear weapons—is friendly to the U.S. but hostile to neighboring India, a much larger country. Pakistan has an unstable political system, with [[Taliban]] terrorists growing in strength in remote mountain regions, where they support the insurgency in neighboring [[Afghanistan]].

The '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''' is a country of south [[Asia]] created in 1947 as a state for [[India]]n [[Muslim]]s on August 14, 1947. It is bordered by [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]] and [[China]], and has a coastline on the [[Arabian Sea]]. Its capital is [[Islamabad]]; other major centres include [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]] and [[Peshawar]]. The nation is about 97% Muslim, as many [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s native to the region had to flee to India during communal violence in 1947 in which Muslims, and Hindus and Sikhs suffered mass casualties on the Indian and Pakistani sides respectively.<ref>http://www.uh.edu/~sriaz/religion/index.html</ref>  Pakistan is an important country geostrategically, with the world's sixth largest population and a military possessing nuclear weapons — but it remains prone to economic and governance challenges as a developing market. It is historically friendly to the U.S. but shares a conflicted relationship with its eastern neighbour, India. Pakistan's political system and security situation became unstable following the onset of the global War against Terror in the region, with [[Taliban]] insurgents growing in strength in remote mountain regions of the northwest, where they support the insurgency in neighboring [[Afghanistan]]. In recent years, the militant insurgency has waned considerably however.<ref>https://apnews.com/fca536aebf9b70141f22d99d4f94ba9b</ref> Pakistan is regarded as a major non-[[NATO]] ally of the United States,<ref>https://thediplomat.com/2019/08/no-india-isnt-a-major-non-nato-ally-of-the-united-states/</ref><ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/exclusive-pakistan-hires-republican-lobbyist-us-ties-1674127-2020-05-04</ref> and is viewed as a key powerbroker in Afghanistan, as part of efforts to end the War in Afghanistan and hold peace negotiations between the Taliban and Afghan government, a strategy which remains part of the United States's security interests.<ref>https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/trump-bets-pakistan-deliver-peace-afghanistan-0</ref>

==People==

==People==