A Beginner's Guide To Pakistan

Sami Shah is one of Pakistan's most successful comedians, and he's been asked by BBC Radio 4 to give some insight into Pakistan's history, heritage and culture.

Is it all corrupt cricketers, flag-burning and nuclear stand-offs with India? Of course not! They have corrupt politicians, too.

From Benazir Bhutto to Malala Yousafzai, from Junoon to Vital Signs, from Imran Khan to Boom Boom Aridi - Sami rounds up the key things you need to know about the country which has supplied Britain with its fifth-largest ethnic group (there are more people of Pakistani origin in the UK than any other country apart from Saudi Arabia. And Pakistan, obviously).

Sami performed on Meera Syal's Asian Comedy Night, but he did that via Skype - this will be his first visit to the UK, where he will also be performing for a week at London's Soho Theatre.

He currently lives in Western Australia where he won Best Local Act for his show I, Migrant at the Perth Comedy Festival. He is still not sure if this was meant as a joke, as he had only lived there for six months.

In A Beginner's Guide To Pakistan, Sami travels to Birmingham - or, to give it its full name, the Islamic Republic of Birmingham - to give Radio 4 listeners a quick guide to the country which has directly and/or indirectly provided the UK with 1.8% of its population: Pakistan.