The people of Pakistan are generally unaware of their indigenous history. Foreign invaders are glorified, while the native population is portrayed as backward and insignificant in our history books. This allows outsiders to misappropriate our past, as we remain unaware of the truth. The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) serves as a prime example of this.
The IVC was one of the three early civilisations, along with Mesopotamia and Egypt. It was the earliest civilisation to feature urban planning, drainage systems and technologies unknown in other parts of the world. It is said to have laid the foundation for modern civilisations.
The IVC was also several centuries older than both the “Indo-Aryan migration” and the arrival of Vedic traditions (the earliest form of Hinduism) in South Asia, meaning it had an entirely independent origin. Nevertheless, certain nationalist groups with vested interests attempt to portray the IVC as a “Vedic civilization”, even going so far as to forge data to support this thesis.
Academics widely accept that we know little about the people of the IVC, as its script, found at sites such as Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, remains undeciphered. No linguistic link between the Indus script and Sanskrit has been established, despite repeated attempts by these groups. While the IVC likely influenced later cultures that evolved into Hinduism, it had a distinct origin and developed independently.
Unfortunately, the government has been unsuccessful in educating our people, preserving our history and protecting it from malicious outsider appropriation. False narratives about the IVC are still spread freely on the internet without any academic backlash. The IVC is only part of a bigger picture; other civilisations, such as Gandhara and Mehrgarh, have yet to be discussed in mainstream media.
Yazan Aamir
Lahore
