Apart from this, I want to know a few things about Pakistan:
1. What do general Pakistanis feel about the Indians?
2. How do the Pakistanis rate India as a country?
3. How are the other religions (apart from Islam1) treated in Pakistan? Are they given equal rights and freedom?
3. Is Pakistan that unstable as we see on various news channels and on internet, unstable as in daily there is a bomb blast somewhere or the other?
4. Why is the Pakistani Army the most respected institution of the country? What's the reason?
Please give me an honest answer because I have already read enough shits on the Internet.
Your general thesis is right that most Indian Muslims are not pro Pakistan. I have read a Pakistani scholar saying that it was the 1971 breakup of Pakistan which, finally, took away Indian Muslims from Pakistan. And I am fine with that. Let them be loyal to their country of residence.
And I am one of those few Pakistanis in this blogspace who even accept LoC=IB solution so long as Kashmiris are given full internal autonomy and Pakistan's water rights are protected. That does not endear me with my compatriots but that is what I have concluded.
As to your other questions, I will try answer them here but do note that I have not lived in Pakistan for over 20 years; though I an 'oldie' who grew up in Pakistan and keeps in touch with Pakistan regularly.
As to your other questions:
#1: What do Pakistanis think about Indians. I'd say in the past it was a lot of hatred. Communal (Hindu/Muslim). A lot of bad history around the Partition. Now the religion factor is probably much less. More is a fear of a large, powerful neighbor who is out to destroy Pakistan, choke off its water supply, bomb, blockade etc. Indians are viewed as stingy--the 'Bunya'.
#2: What do Pakistanis think of India. Hmmm. Till the early 90's--before I came to America--the perception was of a poor, ****** country. Now my guess is a hostile country which is 'progressing' and has more internal 'peace'.
(#1 and #2 have overlapped in my response--I am on a mobile device).
#3: Is Pakistan that unstable? Well, being away for so long, even I fear going to Karachi. Horror stories like being killed for a freaking cell phone on the streets of Karachi IF you resist are quite unnerving. But I'd say the vast majority of Pakistani population does not see violence as 'routine'. Even, speaking of Karachi: I just came became from a cruise to Belize City. Karachi--any part of Karachi--would be better than the 'poor' part of Belize City.
#4: The Pakistan army is respected because it has/had a history of denying India the power to gobble up the new and fragile country of Pakistan. The modern Indian may have given up on the 'Akhand Bharat' agenda but for the newborn Pakistan the PA was the only institution that stood up to India to ensure Pakistan's survival. Take out India from the equation then the PA would greatly reduce its appeal--despite the corrupt politicians.
Finally, as I see the world and the future, the destinies of India and Pakistan are joined together. Not necessarily as one country but very, very close allies and neighbors. Big question is: How much bloodshed will be witnessed before it sinks into our (or our childrens') thick heads?
