Pakistan has actually been a dysfunctional state continuously from its inception. Without billions upon billions in aid from the United States over the decades and without it’s partnership with China, Pakistan would have ceased to exist before now.
Very true! From personal experience, I spent some time there.
The Pakistani government only (sort of!) governs the major cities. Otherwise its a loose conglomeration of tribes, Islamic ideologies, smugglers\gray market crime groups all somewhat overlapping. The Army is the only institution that has national respect & allegiance. (Again that is sort of!) The only thing that’s common across all groups is their hatred of India.
Our ill-fitting “alliance with Pakistan goes back to “Cold War” days. Why? Because India allied itself with the USSR. That goes back to Nehru being a socialist. A Fabian Socialist but still a socialist. Also Nehru had absorbed the upper-crust English distaste for the “socially crude” (In their minds!) USA. The USSR thought they could “leverage” this socialism. The Indian Communist party was very large and very active in the old COMITERN. Stalin’s daughter married an Indian communist. To make a long story short over time India moved toward the free market. Someone there noticed outside of India, Indians are very entrepreneur and do very well outside of collectivism\socialism. They have been moving toward the free market ever since in spite of the drag of the ancient culture & leftover socialism.
India is the future in that region and partner against the PRC. The only reason for any USA engagement with Pakistan is its nuclear weapons. I am not sure that’s even worth it.
India is not going to conquer and rule Pakistan. Absorbing more Muslims is not in its best interest. Pakistan’s best chance ended with the death of Jinnah their Founding Father (Who was an atheist. Something Pakistan conveniently forgets in their reverence for him!)