Islamabad - Post Report Question and Answers
Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
There are lots of books on Pakistan, including a fair number in English written by Pakistani authors. A Case of Exploding Mangoes and Pakistan: A Hard Country are probably the most frequently recommended but there are tons. I think understanding Partition and Pakistan's origins are important to understanding the current political and social dynamics, so I would spend some time on those topics. - Sep 2026
All the books of Tariq Ali (most were forbidden in Pakistan for some years). "Pakistan - a hard country" and the film The Reluctant Fundamentalist give interesting perspectives, too. - Oct 2023
The Nine Lives of Pakistan (Declan Walsh) A Case of Exploding Mangos (Mohammed Hanif) - Jun 2022
Magnificent Delusions (especially for Americans)
How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia
In Other Rooms, Other Wonders
A Case of Exploding Mangoes
The Wandering Falcon (especially for people working on KP/FATA) - Sep 2016
The best introduction to the country is "Pakistan: a Hard Country" (Anatol Lieven). - Sep 2015
- Feb 2014
Koran. - Aug 2011