Chequered Past, Uncertain Future

This comprehensive history of Pakistan sets as its tragic and acute frame the tension between democracy and religious ideology in the country … the best recent political history of the country, with a well-judged narrative of its crisis of legitimacy and sharp portraits of its major actors. – Pratap Bhanu Mehta * Foreign Affairs *Ambitious in terms of its breadth and depth, this book provides a welcome assessment of Pakistan’s political journey, combining historical insight with penetrating observations on recent developments in the country. * Sarah Ansari, Professor of History (South Asia), Royal Holloway, University of London *Pakistan’s history is one of many twists and turns. It is a history of a new country, shaped by distinctively modern, nineteenth- and twentieth-century political trends, yet one also of great historical depth and considerable cultural diversity. As Tahir Kamran shows in this important new book, Pakistan’s story illustrates the contradictions between considerable internal cultural dynamism and persistent structures of neo-colonial dependence, reflected in the political domination, through many political changes and upheavals, of interlocked bureaucratic, landed and military elites. Chequered Past, Uncertain Future is a sweeping history that examines the most recent crises shaping Pakistan’s political landscape. * David Gilmartin, Distinguished Professor of History, North Carolina State University, and author of Blood and Water: The Indus River Basin in Modern History *

Laced with occasional witticism, Kamran’s voluminous 565-page tome is a delight to read on many counts. Covering ancient India to the present PDM government, the book’s scope spans over centuries and mirrors the author’s grip on history. Building on original research besides existing literature, his analysis is informed by a pluralist approach that takes into account the multiplicity of discourses. However, theoretical debates do not render the text inaccessible to a non-specialist readership … One should acknowledge the important contributions Kamran’s book makes. The mere sweep of the book, encapsulating centuries of history, inspires awe.

Tahir Kamran is head of the Department of the Liberal Arts at Beaconhouse National University, Lahore, director of the Khaldunia Centre for Historical Research, and the editor of the Pakistan Journal of Historical Studies. His books include Colonial Lahore: A History of the City and Beyond.