LAHORE: There is a critical need to correct historical narratives and understand the region’s past through a modern lens rather than a monarchical one, said speakers at the book launch and discussion on “Punjab Di Vel,” authored by Aamir Riaz.
The event, hosted by Rashid Rehman, brought together prominent intellectuals and writers, including Ameer Hamza Virk, Anwar Chandio, and Sughra Sadaf, to discuss the book’s significance in documenting Punjab’s history from 1799 to 2025.
Speakers praised the book as a unique and comprehensive work on Punjab’s history, geography, sociology, and culture. Mr Virk highlighted the difficulty of writing a book in the current climate, noting that the culture of reading declined significantly after Zia-ul-Haq’s martial law. He commended the author for including 50 appendices and over 100 pages of citations in the Chicago Style, making it a rigorous academic contribution.
“The way Aamir Riaz has articulately discussed Lahori ports, trade corridors, and river routes, I haven’t read anywhere else,” Mr Virk remarked, adding that the author’s engaging style made the reader feel as if in a conversation with him.
He also emphasised that the Lahore Darbar was not a Sikh government but a “Punjab government” with a nationalist approach that collaborated with the British. He noted that Muslims actively participated in the War of Independence against the British and highlighted the book’s detailed account of the Anglo-Afghan War, pointing out that Punjab did not grant passage to the British.
Anwar Chandio commended Aamir Riaz for writing the book in Urdu script, making it accessible. He argued that any language written in Taxila is essentially Punjabi, describing Punjab as a great land that has existed for thousands of years. He clarified that the book aims to correct historical inaccuracies rather than promote nationalism.
Chandio pointed out that Punjab and Sindh were the only two nationalities in the world that had co-existed for thousands of years without historical records of their rulers capturing each other’s territories. He stated that the book represented a Punjab understood by Baloch, Sindhis, and Pathans alike. “We are the heirs of this world’s greatest civilisation,” Chandio declared, adding that the book is “the Voice of Punjab” and stressing the need to maintain ‘Punjabiyat and Sindhiyat’.
Author Aamir Riaz stated that his main objective was to advance the conversation. He argued against judging monarchies by modern standards, stating that while geography and sovereignty were central to a nation-state, monarchies operated differently. “Our main problem post-20th century is that we view history through today’s perspective,” he explained, adding that “hero worship and villain making are the same thing”.
Riaz clarified that he was not a nationalist and advocated for understanding people’s history through research on trade. He discussed Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s era, highlighting the existence of 15 departments and describing the government as one built on modern principles. He chose to start the book from Ranjit Singh’s era to shed light on traditional society.
Riaz heavily criticised the British for their unprecedented actions regarding languages and their misuse of religion to create extremism and division. He argued that linking languages, culture, and civilisation to religion was a flawed perspective. He also highlighted that the presence of individuals from various backgrounds, such as Pindi Das, Talayi Khan, and Balti sardars in the Lahore Darbar, proved that it was a government built on modern principles of unity and diversity.
Sughra Sadaf challenged the flawed narrative that “Punjab eats everything,” pointing out that Punjab itself was a victim of exploitation, with millions of children out of school. She emphasised the importance of promoting the Punjabi language.
During the Q&A session, Riaz addressed why Ranjit Singh used Persian in his court, explaining that the concept of a national language was a feature of a nation-state, not a monarchy. When asked why the book’s cover highlights the period from 1799, he clarified that the atrocities occurring before that period had been discussed multiple times within the text. He reiterated that the British distorted languages and history, sowing hatred between urban and rural citizens.
Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2026
