Pakistan is the sixth most populous nation on Earth, behind China, India, the US, Russia, Indonesia and Brazil,. with 165 million. It is the size of thre UK and France together and is divided into five ethnic groups: Punjabi, 44.7%, Pashtuns, 15.4%, Sindhis, 10.5%, Mujahirs, 7.6%. Balochis, 3.5%, and about 5% other. It is the second most populous Muslim nation after Indonesia, and has the second highest number of Shia's, 20% of the population. Average income puts it at 169th of 229 political entities, with a per capita income of $2,600 per year.
The people of the eastern part of the country, which is largely flat (the Indus valley) are Punjabis and Sindhis, which tend to be moderate. The country became more fundamentalist when General Zia Al Haq deposed Ali Bhutto and had him hanged, and cooperated with the US in a jihad in Afghanistan against the Russians. I suggest you check out the Wikipedia listing on Pakistan. I doubt that most of our media are really very knowledgeable about Pakistan.
It doesn't look like the US could actually invade Pakistan even if it wasn't fighting in two other countries as it is.
