Inaugural session: ‘Our history has been written for kings only’

THAAP opening session discusses the need for diverse narratives

LAHORE:

“History has always been written from a particular perspective,” said Rt Rev Alexander John Malik at the inaugural session of People’s History of Pakistan, a conference organised by the Trust for History, Art and Architecture Pakistan (THAAP).

Quoting activist Rubina Saigol, he said teaching of state ideology through madrassahs had allowed hate and violence to spread to areas where these seminaries could not have hoped to reach. “This promotes hatred towards minorities,” Malik said.

He praised the THAAP for providing a different narrative. “They have provided a narrative that takes into account diversity in the country,” he said. Recounting his own experience, he said, “It is not easy to be a bishop in Pakistan.”

He said that during nationalisation of schools by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a large number of schools controlled by the church had been taken over by the government. “When I asked Ziaul Haq to return these schools to the church, he said it would be difficult. Instead, he said, the church should instead open more schools,” Malik said.

He said at that time the Christian community had opposed his move to open up schools to all children. “They wanted the schools to be reserved for Christians.

I refused saying that I stood to serve the entire nation,” he said. It is important to promote unity and cohesiveness, Malik said.

Punjab Higher Education Commission Chairman Muhammad Nizamuddin spoke about the importance of introducing curricula that discussed diversity in the region. “History has been written for kings… the state and narrative of the common man is missing from it,” he said.“Our narrative is about the Islamic State of Pakistan only. Our textbooks miss some crucial phases in the subcontinent’s history, including the Indus Valley Civilisation,” Nizamuddin said.



He said over the past few years textbooks had been extensively analysed and discussed. “Despite this, it has been impossible to bring about any change in the curricula. School textbooks cannot be touched,” he said making a case to improve the curriculum at colleges.

“How can we use research presented in conferences like these to change the syllabi in colleges? The answer is by organising more functions.”

THAAP CEO Sajida Haider Vandal introduced the audience to the organisation. She said the THAAP, founded in 2006, had been holding annual conferences since 2010. She talks were also organised each month. Throughout the past year, she said, the organisation had hosted talks on people’s history aimed at looking at the country’s history through the lens of ordinary individuals.

Pervaiz Vandal, convener of the conference, explained the theme in detail. He said history, particularly in Pakistan, had been written by the ruling class – be it kings or politicians. He said the conference aimed to look at alternative viewpoints in history.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2015.