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Business Recorder
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
CPPG holds policy conference at FCCU
LAHORE: The Centre for Public Policy and Governance (CPPG) at Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), Lahore, successfully hosted a two-day conference titled 'Challenges and Transformations in Contemporary Pakistan' on May 21–22, 2025. Bringing together leading academics, policymakers, practitioners, and students, the conference featured dynamic discussions on various issues. Rector FCCU, Dr. Jonathan Addleton inaugurated the conference with his remarks on how such discourse is important in the present times. The event featured eight thematic sessions over two days, addressing topics such as governance and democratic transition, gender equality and social policy, urban development, social entrepreneurship, migration, terrorism and counter-terrorism strategies, climate change, and youth employability. Keynote speakers and panellists provided valuable insights into Pakistan's political, economic, and societal transformations. The conference also featured presentations by young researchers and field experts, encouraging cross-generational dialogue. Panellists comprised of researchers and experts from universities across Pakistan. Scholars from Iceland, UK and the US joined in online for the discourse. In his concluding remarks, Dr. Saeed Shafqat, Founding Director of CPPG, emphasized the importance of research-led policymaking and inclusive platforms for dialogue. The conference was widely appreciated for its intellectual rigor, diversity of perspectives, and relevance to Pakistan's contemporary challenges, reinforcing CPPG's role as a leading academic hub for public policy and governance in the country. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
News18
02-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
'Cunning, Greedy': How Pakistan's History Textbooks Vilify Hindu Rulers, Glorify Muslims
Last Updated: A study by a scholar affiliated with Forman Christian College, Lahore, reveals Pakistan's textbooks consistently glorify Muslim invaders while marginalising Hindu rulers. 'Scheming, cunning, greedy" – that is how Pakistan's history books have described Hindu rulers while Muslim invaders have been called benevolent rulers. A study titled – Portrayal of Invaders and Conquerors of Indian Subcontinent: Analysis of History Textbooks Studied in Pakistani Schools – conducted by Ashar Johnson Khokhar, a scholar affiliated with Forman Christian College, Lahore, published on the US Education Department website reveals Pakistan's history textbooks consistently glorify Muslim invaders while marginalising or vilifying Hindu rulers and indigenous Indian history. 'The textbook writers unified the Muslim invaders and rulers of the Indian subcontinent with the rulers of Indus valley civilization, and they shared the same social, cultural, religious, political values," the study says, adding, 'The master narrative of Pakistan's history trivialized the Hindu rulers, and the people of the Indian subcontinent, Hindus, their religion, culture, and values." The research paper has analysed history and social studies textbooks from classes 6 to 8, published by three Pakistani state textbook boards — Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The study says that the curriculum promotes a master narrative linking Islamic identity to national pride, positioning Islam as a unifying force and India/Hinduism as cultural and historical adversaries. The study unifies the Indus Valley Civilisation and Muslim rulers as positive influences, while minimising the Aryan period and Hindu rule. 'The textbooks… presented Muslims and Islam as the true successor of Indus valley civilization and Buddhists rulers," the study says. It highlights how Pakistani textbooks described Aryans as 'once refugees in the land, hungry and looking for shelter and food, cruel, ungrateful, unsympathetic, no civic sense, always fighting and quarreling with each other." On the other hand, the books described Hindus as 'scheming, cunning, greedy, against Muslims and Islam, no contribution in Sciences, literature, art, united by religion." The study also points out how the textbook writers suggest that Hindus converted to Islam 'because of the generosity, kindness, tolerance and equality shown by Muslim invaders and rulers." The study warns that this one-sided version of history could lead to young people learning a made-up story instead of a more complete and inclusive one. To correct this, the author of the study advocates for a curriculum recognising minorities' contributions for a more balanced perspective. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:
