Herald | Talking Points: The fallacies in history textbooks - Pakistan

E-Paper | June 16, 2026

Nationalism and patriotism in Pakistan are contested subjects. What makes us Pakistanis and what is it that makes us love our land and nation?

The answers to these questions vary widely depending on who is being asked. A large part of our national identity stems from our sense of history and culture that are deeply rooted in the land and in the legacy of the region's ancient civilisations. Religion has also played a big part in making us what we are today. But the picture history textbooks paint for us does not portray the various facets of our identity and offers quite a convoluted description of who we are. The distortion of historical facts has in turn played a quintessential role in manipulating our sense of self. What’s ironic is that the boldest fallacies in these books are about the events that are still in our living memory.

Herald has invited several writers and commentators, well versed in history, to share their answer to the following question.

What is the most blatant lie taught through Pakistan history textbooks?

Dawn.com invites its readers to answer the question above. Selected comments will be published in the upcoming issue of the Herald. Click here to subscribe.

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Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

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avtar bachani

Jul 18, 2014 03:28pm

Pakistan's founding ideology. Nobody is clear as to what Mr. Jinnah wished for the country. The fact that he did not author a single book expressing his own genuine thoughts in his entire life is astounding as well as it makes it difficult for proponents of secular and religious ideologies to mark their claim on the official identity of the nation.

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Feroz

Jul 18, 2014 04:48pm

You want contributions from writers and want to get paid for having them published. I do not think many will bite the bait. Good Luck !

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Moiz Omar

Jul 18, 2014 11:30pm

Patriotism is good. Nationalism is bad. Our books teach nationalism. Which is bad.

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Abdur R.Jalalzai

Jul 19, 2014 01:27am

Do not have to go too far.The very name is a blatant lie.It is neither Islamic nor a republic.

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LIES.LIES.LIES

Jul 19, 2014 03:30am

Interesting topic! The lies have been so brutally embedded in our minds that even the truth will seem false.

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someone

Jul 19, 2014 03:59am

Instead you should have provided link to Tareq Fateh's youtube videos. He had already explained what lies are taught in Pakistani History books.

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Quratulain Basharat

Jul 19, 2014 05:26am

Our history book elaborates a dull and boring image of Pakistan, as it focus on nationalism more in compare with patriotism,,,,we cram just passed events,n do not know our country values through book, Our aims n our obligations, and i think the most blatant lie is that we are free now, the students from rural areas are ignorant of the current issues .the question is we are free but free from where,it does not highlight the key elements of a free and independent state,

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