Pakistan in Search of Identity
The author has taken pains to investigate the multifarious ideological crises of Pakistan. Without subscribing to any preconceived notion, he look into the issues of ideology and identity purely from historical and political points of view. His approach is objective and rational and he looks into the issues of state formation in Pakistan and Pakistan’s quest for nationhood in a scientific manner underlining the socio-economic causes operating behind the political events. He begins with the examination of the emergence of the Muslims’ consciousness about their identity in the socio-cultural environment of pre-partition India. He then moves on to examine how the issue of identity resurfaced in Pakistan after its independence. He examines the various trends, both secular and religious, which continued for years to combat each other. The policies of the state, its efforts in securing legitimacy through employing religious propaganda, the construction of an official religious ideology and the implications of all these moves also come under critical scrutiny. The author also endeavors to analyse the integrating as well as separating aspects of the co-relation between religion and politics. He also sheds light on the political economy of Islamisation and explains how in a growing environment of commercialization, the politicization of religious affiliations impacts the society in a negative way.
The views expressed in this book would certainly invite debate and would encourage others to build up on what has been concluded here or, while contesting this, come up with better arguments and better explanations of the issues addressed here.
Mubarak Ali, a renowned historian and a leading intellectual of Pakistan, has authored more than sixty books on various topics of history as well as on historiography. The distinguishing aspect of his work has been his pro-people approach toward history. Instead of approaching historical themes from the point of view of the ruling dynasties and the dominant classes, he has put the spotlight of his enquiry on the general masses, communities, social attitudes and popular cultures. He has also adopted a particular style of writing that is quite simple and free from jargons. It has made his writings comprehensible for general readers, political workers and social activists, apart from a wide segment of students.
Born in 1941 in Tonk (Rajasthan), he migrated to Pakistan in 1950s, did his M.A. in History in 1963 from the Sindh University and was appointed lecturer in the same university. In 1976, he did his Ph.D from Ruhr University (Bachum) in Germany. After returning to Pakistan, he continued teaching in the Sindh University but was later compelled to resign in 1989. For a brief period he also served as the Director of Goethe Institute, Lahore.
Dr. Ali is prolific writer who writes in both English and Urdu. He is also the founder editor of quarterly Tareekh, Lahore.