I'm posting a link to a summary of the interesting annual Pew public opinion poll conducted in Pakistan this year before the floods.
This may have been posted here while I was away, but I shall risk it in any case.
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1683/pakist ... harsh-laws
There is a link to the full report that all the serious Pakistan watchers here will appreciate
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1683/pakist ... harsh-laws
Going through the methods section they are candid that the nature of their data collection methodology means that this is more likely to reflect urban rather than rural attitudes, and that significant parts of Khyber-Pakhtunwa were off limits.
Still, it seems to capture the deep confusion that exists in Pakistan - on the one a strong majority think there is a struggle between fundamentalists and modernisers, and say they support the latter. On the other a strong majority *also* say they are in favour of laws like strict gender segregation and the hudood laws not just for violent crime, but for adultery and apostasy as well. Most seem to agree that there isn't nearly enough Islam in public life.
A majority seem to think India is the greatest threat to Pakistan, but the majority also want better relations and closer ties with India. This may have to do with the public's severe pessimism about the country's economic prospects, and dissatisfaction with governance.
A strong majority in most provinces (especially Khyber Pakhtunwa) strongly dislike the Taliban and Al Qaeda, not because of what they stand for, but because of their methods. Pakistan now has one of the strongest disapproval ratings for suicide bombing anywhere in the Muslim world now that its up there with Iraq in the number of attacks. What is interesting is that the LeT has a 35% disapproval rating, although that was not broken down by province. This number is *far* higher than I would have expected given that it has never attacked Pakistanis and does quite a lot of charity work.
The PA has an 84% approval rating, but Kiyani's approval ratings appear to be basically even with the Prime Minister Gilani and the Chief Justice, which suggests that the PA's behind the scenes manipulation of the political landscape continues to work.
In short it looks like Pakistan, and Punjab in particular at the time of this snapshot was ready for another round of top-down, army-driven Zia-style Islamisation. Even KP's cities like Peshawar are full of refugees from the Taliban, who are counting on the PA to protect them.
How have the floods changed things? We shall have to wait and see. For one thing the cities are going to see some changes, with permanent settlement of refugees who can not and will not return to the city. Will this have the same effects in Sindh as in Pakjab?
.
Sorry to quote the whole post. I am afraid I am going to have to put an end to your triumphalism some time. None of this would have occurred if India had solved Kashmir. So before you make fun of Pakistan look at your own country. 
