Pakistan in Search of Identity

Description

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.