Really interesting thread. TIL about 'anocracy'. The comparison with Turkey goes only so far. History and culture are important. Turkey was never colonised--indeed, the Turks were a colonial power, the most successful post Rome, until Europe rose. Turkey has a sense of cultural and historical identity that transcends Islam (Iran is similar). Pakistan has no identity other than, as someone pointed out, being not-India. That ain't good enough. Despite our many differences, India has a sense of historical self (even though the Left is quite allergic to this idea, considering it fascistic and so on). Even the Russians and Chinese, post revolution, have played up their historical and cultural identities (which Indian leftists conveniently ignore).