Karachi: A thought-provoking discussion on the contested interpretations of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s political thought and Pakistan’s ideological foundations was organised by the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum (QAHM), where noted historian and academic Dr Ali Usman Qasmi examined the evolution of Pakistan’s historiography and the competing ideas surrounding the country’s identity.
Dr Qasmi, Professor of History and Director of the Gurmani Centre for Languages and Literature at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), delivered a talk and PowerPoint presentation titled ‘Whose Jinnah? Which Ideology? Debating Pakistan’s Foundational Ideas’ at the event.
The programme attracted a sizeable audience comprising academics, media professionals, members of civil society and others interested in the history and ideological evolution of Pakistan.
In his presentation, Dr Qasmi examined the ways in which Pakistan’s history and ideological narrative have been interpreted and reconstructed over the deca
des. He particularly focused on the relationship between historiography, state ideology and changing understandings of the country’s foundational ideas.
Referring to the growing contemporary interest in the Indus Valley Civilisation and its presentation as part of a specifically ‘Pakistani’ historical heritage, Dr Qasmi explored the ideological permutations of different and sometimes competing conceptions of Pakistan.
He noted that the country’s understanding of its own ideological and historical foundations had undergone significant debate and transformation, particularly following the separation of East Pakistan in 1971.
The 1971 rupture, he explained in the course of his discussion, created a new challenge for the state and sections of the intelligentsia as they sought to rationalise the loss of the country’s eastern wing while retaining the ideological content associated with the creation of Pakistan.
The discussion consequently went beyond conventional interpretations of the country’s founding narrat
ive and raised questions about how Jinnah’s political legacy, Pakistan’s history and the concept of national identity have been understood at different points in the country’s history.
The presentation prompted an engaging question-and-answer session, with participants raising questions about historiography, ideology, Jinnah’s political thought and the continuing debate over Pakistan’s historical and national identity.
The event began with a welcome address by Commodore (retired) Sadeed Malik, Secretary General of the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum Board. Ameena Saiyid, S.I., Member of the Board of Governors of QAHM, introduced Dr Qasmi and subsequently delivered the vote of thanks and closing remarks.
Among those attending the event were Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner Sakib Sadakat, Shahnaz Wazir Ali, former head of Pakistan State Oil Khalid Rahman, IBA Dean Dr Yaqoob Bangash, and Nadia Ghani, Publishing Director of Lightstone Publishers, besides academics, members of the media and civil society.