Communism in Pakistan ― Politics and Class Activism 1947-1972

Pakistan today stands at a critical juncture in its short history of existence. While much has been written about Pakistan, little is known about Communism or left-leaning politics in the country post-Partition which played a key role in shaping Pakistani politics today. Kamran Asdar Ali here presents the first extensive look at Pakistan’s communist and working class movement. The book critically engages with the history of Pakistan’s early years while paying special attention to the rise and fall of the Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) from Partition in 1947 to the aftermath of Bangladeshi independence in 1971. Shedding light on a vital and little-researched aspect of Pakistani history, this book shows that military coups, Islamic radicalisation and terrorist activities do not constitute the sum total of Pakistan’s history; that it, too, has had a history that included the activities of communist intellectuals and activists.

Kamran Asdar Ali is Associate Professor of Anthropology, Middle East Studies and Asian Studies and Director of the South Asia Institute at the University of Texas, Austin. He is the author of Planning the Family in Egypt: New Bodies, New Selves and co-editor of Gendering Urban Space in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa and Comparing Cities: Middle East and South Asia. He holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins University.