Today we’re bringing you the latest episode of Breaking History, the podcast where I go back in time in order to make sense of the present. The last episode told the story of how comedian Lenny Bruce brought vulgarity into the mainstream of American culture. This week, in the wake of a shocking attack on Indian nationals, we’re diving into the history of Pakistan, a nation that empowers Islamists. Listen to the episode, which features voices from both the past and present, in the player above.
And, if you’re a paying subscriber, scroll down to read the companion essay. If you enjoy it, make sure to follow Breaking History on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts—and you’ll never miss an episode.
On April 22, a gang of Islamists armed with assault rifles approached a group of tourists in Kashmir, a mountainous region of India, and opened fire. It was a bloodbath. Twenty-six people were killed, most of them Indians on holiday. According to reports, some of them were shot after being asked to recite Islamic verses.
Within hours, the Indian government had blamed the incident on neighboring Pakistan. For most Indians, no evidence was really required. Pakistan has had deep ties for decades to Lashkar-e-Taiba , or LeT, an Islamist insurgent group in Kashmir. Although LeT did not take credit for the bloodbath, another group calling itself The Resistance Front did, and India’s assumption is that the Pakistani government has ties to this one, too.
The response was nearly a very dangerous war. Indian jets pounded nine locations in Pakistan (or the parts of Kashmir administered by Pakistan) on May 9, reportedly killing 36 people. Pakistan shot down at least one of those jets. The Trump administration helped broker a ceasefire. But who knows how long that will hold.