Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future

by Pervez Hoodbhoy

This book is an accessible, comprehensive, and nuanced history of Pakistan. It reflects upon state and society in Pakistan and shows they have been shaped by historical forces and personae. Hoodbhoy expertly maps the journey of the region from many millennia ago to the circumstances and impulses that gave birth to the very first state in history founded upon religious identity. He documents colonial rule, the trauma of Partition, the nation's wars with India, the formation of Bangladesh, and the emergence of Baloch nationalism. The book also examines longstanding complex themes and issues - such as religious fundamentalism, identity formation, democracy, and military rule - as well as their impact on the future of the state of Pakistan.

Drawing on a range of sources and written by one of the foremost intellectuals of the region, this book will be indispensable for scholars, researchers, students of history, politics, and South Asian studies. It will be of great interest to the general reader interested in understanding Pakistan.

Genres: History, Pakistan, Nonfiction

454 pages, ebook

Published March 24, 2023

About the author

Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy (born 11 July 1950), is a Pakistani nuclear physicist, essayist and political-defence analyst. He is currently tenuring as the visiting professor of Physics at Lahore University of Management Sciences where he is working on topics in theoretical applications in the topological insulators, various Hall effects and Graphene. He was the professor of nuclear and high-energy physics, and the head of the Physics Department at the Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU). He graduated and also received PhD from MIT and continues to do research in Particle physics. He received the Baker Award for Electronics in 1968, and the Abdus Salam Prize for Mathematics in 1984. He has authored various scientific research papers in peer-reviewed journals.

Hoodbhoy is also a prominent environmental and social activist and regularly writes on a wide range of social, cultural and environmental issues. He is the chairman of Mashal, a non-profit organization which publishes Urdu books on feminism, education, environmental issues, philosophy, and modern thought. Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy is a strong and avid supporter for peaceful use of nuclear technology in Pakistan, nuclear non-proliferation, and nuclear disarmament; and criticizing the United States, Israel, Pakistan's and India's nuclear program in many national and international forums.

Reviews

[Ranjit Powar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review – Pakistan, Origins, Identity and Future. Pervez Hoodbhoy
In the present self-delusional times that both India and Pakistan are passing through, floundering to reshape and redefine not only their identities but parentage, too, Hoodbhoy’s book is a redeeming narrative. Starting with the early settlers of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, the author traces the entire trail of later invaders and settlers, resulting in a rich, syncretic civilization. Hoodbhoy blends in this book a study of objective history gleaned from heaps of chaff, a keen analytical perspective of the key players who shaped the destiny of the sub-continent and an inimitable, effortless style of telling! In his unique style, Hoodbhoy gives us an account of evolving history which is not a documentation of history alone. It is an unbiased analysis of interactive socio-political dynamics as they played upon the Indian Subcontinent at different stages, unearthing and deducing facts distorted beyond recognition or simply blacked out. Even if the book were not the work of outstanding writing that it is, I would recommend it highly for its utter honesty and brutal confrontations with truth for whatever risks it may involve!

[Sherdil Shehbaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Undoubtedly, reading this book has been a rollercoaster ride. It has helped me dispel the false consciousness instilled by the state-controlled curriculum and offered a clear and pragmatic view of our history. History is a complex subject, and remaining ignorant of the truth can lead one to live in darkness. It requires courage to confront reality. Therefore, to gain a more accurate understanding, everyone needs to read this book.

For a full review:
https://timesglo.com/book-review-of-p...

[Zain Bin Amjad · Rating 5 out of 5]

TW: Will eviscerate your orthodox beliefs
A must read for every Pakistani and this is not an exaggeration. This book explores not only just the seven decades of Pakistan but also charts the territory of how the subcontinent was ultimately divided into two dominant groups of Muslims and Hindus. Also some very popular 'narratives' are debunked superbly by examining their origin in great detail and explaining their history and context such as Iqbal being regarded as a rational 'thinker' however his words clearly indicate his Islamic supremacist mindset. This book should be taught in our high schools instead of the rubbish that the Pakistani state insists on.
We also get what Dr Hoodbhai refers to as a manifesto of making Pakistan compatible with the modern world and I cannot agree with it more. In order to progress it's time for the Single Nation Theory to be widely accepted and implemented. It's time for Pakistan to grow up and get rid of delusions which continue to haunt our nation.

[Manraj Sohi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book by a sane voice from inside Pak. He advocates that Pak need to shelve its TNT; mellow down on Kashmir; army to go back to barracks and give new Pakistan a chance. He has given very balanced and well researched information on the nation; its founders & how has been its journey so far. Must read.

[Ahsan Aslam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bold, brilliant, and thought-provoking examination of the past, reflection on the present, and contemplation of the future of a crisis-laden country. This bold write-up effectively presents a true analysis of Pakistan's history to examine what and how Pakistan was made, what went wrong, and why things could not have been put on the utopian path imagined by the makers of Pakistan. Analyzing the two nations theory, an outcome of the British policy of 'divide et impera', something which has already been argued by different scholars, Hoodbhoy comes up with a different claim; there had been not a single nation in India, nor a national consciousness before, let alone two nations. Next, the book presents new, unread aspects, hitherto disguised from the people, of the founder(s) of Pakistan: Sir Syed, Jinnah, and Iqbal. It then contemplates two angularities: Bengal and Balochistan. Lessons learned and mistakes committed in the case of the first angularity need to be made public, and corrected, to not let the second angularity meet the same fate as that of the first. The next chapter raises questions to provoke the consciousness of the reader, while reading the outline of the winners and the losers of the partition, one naturally concludes that Pakistan was made for the elite, landlords, military and salaried classes; the rest of the population was doomed to failure and chaos in perpetuity. It explores what is the identity of a common "Pakistani" while emphasizing revisiting the ideology and our identity to direct the nation in the right way. Praetorian characteristics of Pakistan are analyzed and criticized while emphasizing the real job of the establishment. The second and the third last chapters, which explore our future, present such an abysmal picture from where the path of a return seems to be a lofty acclivity; the pessimistic depiction of the future seems appalling until the reader reaches the last chapter wherein a sparkle of hope becomes visible, provided that the ruling lessons gain their consciousness and set the things right before its too late.

[Dylan · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is much to appreciate about Hoodbhoy's study of Pakistan. He is a smart and well-read author, and he's unafraid to take positions that may offend some of his countrymen. But despite nods to Benedict Anderson's Imagined Communities, Hoodbhoy seems to be in search of the authentic Pakistan; a nation repressed and buried by colonialism, militarism, and elitism. He seems unwilling to consider the idea that "Pakistan" a place of great diversity with little shared sense of community; a material and social condition that has only been compounded by decades of post-colonial corruption and inequality. Indeed, the word "post-colonial" does not appear in the book.

Hoodbhoy doesn't give sustained attention to the problem of landlordism, jagirdars, or the lack of land reform. He has very little to say about inequality and poverty, and only some basic remarks on the plight of women and girls. Thus, he doesn't engage with structural inequality in the form of class warfare or patriarchy. Indeed, capitalism is scarcely mentioned in the book. Nor do we learn about militarism or religious fundamentalism. And what of debt? Debt forges the chains of rural Pakistanis, slum dwellers, and the country itself. And yet, debt is given almost no attention whatsoever. Absent from the book is any discussion of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, or China's lending.

So, Hoodbhoy comes across as a liberal who'd like things to change, without really grasping the degree to which the rich, the military, and patriarchy thwart any redistribution of rights and income; or the degree to which these elite interests are invested in ignorance, fundamentalism, and jingoism.

[Dr Nouman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book which every Pakistani should read. It tells the history of creation of Pakistan and its founding fathers like never told before. It shatters the image of the so called idols who are romanticised and glamorised in textbooks. Provides solid references. Must read. The writer Parvez hoodbhoy needs no introduction. He has been included in top 100 global thinkers by Forbes magazine

[Auran · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tragically hopeless country is the image that comes out of this book.

[Manraj Sohi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Book. Sane Voice