Chequered Past, Uncertain Future: The History of Pakistan

Spanning thousands of years, a wide-ranging history of Pakistan from the Bronze Age to partition and beyond.

This book takes us on a sweeping journey through the ebbs and flows of Pakistan’s history, from the ancient Indus Valley Civilization to contemporary times. Chequered Past, Uncertain Future uncovers influences from Turkey, Persia, Arabia, and Britain that have shaped Pakistan, as well as showcases the region’s diverse and rich tapestry of peoples, and its pluralistic, multicultural society. The book also describes the post-1947 shift--following the partition of India and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan--as the country became more religiously conservative and autocratic, intensifying sectarian and ethnic divisions. For most of their history, the people of Pakistan have found themselves under the control of military dictators who suppress civil liberties and freedom of speech and action--a trend that persists today.

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.