3 Review(s)

There is no god but god. But in Pakistan, is it truly god and Islam which drives political extremism? Vying For Allah's Vote is a book on Pakistani politics which discusses the situation in Pakistan and the factors which divide ordinary from the extremist. Summary of the Book Pakistan's politics has forever been plagued with extremist events. Why does a nation threaten its own survival because of a religion it calls its own? Are the reasons really related to religion in the first place? The murders of Salmaan Taseer and Benazir Bhutto prove again that religion, policy and politics are part of one giant jigsaw puzzle in Pakistan. Unless we understand this puzzle, it will become difficult to understand why terrorism prevails in Pakistan. Drawing from his large body of research, Haroon Ullah explains a new topology for understanding the the discourses put forth by the parties in Pakistan, discussing the origins, ideologies and supporting pillars for the plague of extremism in Pakistan. In doing so, he reveals how the West can better handle the situation, and how Pakistan can improve its situation through benefactory reforms rather than violence in the name of a God all of them believe in. About Haroon K. Ullah Haroon K. Ullah is an international scholar, United States diplomat and field researcher who specializes in South Asia and the Middle East. Currently part of Senator Kelly's Policy Planning Staff at the United States State Department, he focuses his work on public diplomacy and countermeasures against extremist violence. A graduate of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, Dr. Ullah obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. A William J. Fulbright Fellow, a Harvard University Presidential Scholar, a National Security Education Program Fellow and a Woodrow Wilson Public Service Fellow, he has also written Bargain from The Bazaar and blogs regularly through his WordPress site.