Oxford University Press (OUP), Pakistan, would launch 'Crossed Swords' - Pakistan, its Army, and the Wars Within', written by Shuja Nawaz. The ceremony will be held at OUP Head Office here on May 15.
Based on 30 years of research and analysis, this definitive book is a profound, multi-layered, and historical analysis of the nature and role of the Pakistan Army in the country's polity and as its turbulent relationship with the United States.
The author, Shuja Nawaz, examines the Army and Pakistan in both peace and war. Using many hitherto unpublished materials from the archives of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the General Headquarters of Pakistan Army, as well as interviews with key military and political figures in Pakistan and the United States, he sheds light not only on the Pakistan army and its US connections but also on Pakistan as a key Muslim country in one of the world's toughest neighbourhoods. In doing so, he lays bare key facts about Pakistan's numerous wars with India and its many rounds of political musical chairs, as well as the Kargil conflict of 1999.
He then draws lessons from this history that may well help Pakistan end its wars within and create a stable political entity. Shuja Nawaz was a newscaster and current affairs producer with Pakistan Television from 1967 to 1972 and remained associated with World Health Organisation, International Monetary Fund, International Atomic Energy Agency and the World Bank. He has written and spoken widely on military and politico-economic issues. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.