{"title":"VBL AD June 2026 - History","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"circular-history-of-pakistan","title":"CIRCULAR HISTORY OF PAKISTAN","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"van-product-description\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book's central thesis is that our cyclical political history is, in fact, like a short movie clip, set on a time-loop, that creates a perpetual déjà vu for those in the theater. Every political scene has been enacted before and is being re-telecast repeatedly. We are stuck in circular time and history and have not found our Nirvanic moment to follow the alternative trajectory of linear growth and development.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first part of the book, 'Our Circular History', recounts our political journey of a recurring, predictable, painful, and vicious decade-long Samsara of cyclic birth and death of order and freedom. This bird's eye view shows how the same episodes keep happening with mind-boggling regularity, and how each of our institutions is responsible for our entrapment in circular time and history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe second part of the book, 'Chronicles of our Times', narrates what is currently happening in our polity. Our circular political past primarily shapes contemporary events, but we also mimic what is currently happening in other parts of the world, where new weaponized and micro-targeted social media has facilitated the trend of cartoon-history and political jokers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe last part of the book, 'Future Panoramic Realities', uses a broad angle lens to view developments in the Indian subcontinent, in Eurasia, and in the wider world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e We cannot escape our Malthusian dilemmas, without redefining our national priorities, our Hobbesian snare. Without that shift away from geo-rentals and geo-politics, we may not be able to escape our entrapment in vicious cycles, or even downwards spiral.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe key to an endless growth cycle is investment in innovation, knowledge, people, and creativity. That is the only real virtuous cycle: without that, there can only be one-off spurts of growth. Only by investing in geo-economics, people, knowledge banks, and critical technologies can we join the virtuous growth and development cycles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Vanguard Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42613259108388,"sku":"9789694026411","price":2245.0,"currency_code":"PKR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0739\/4823\/3764\/files\/9789694026411-1.jpg?v=1757659142"},{"product_id":"lahore-partition","title":"LAHORE @ PARTITION","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"van-product-description\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book provides a comprehensive perspective on violence, distinguishing it from prior literature that often leans towards assigning blame to one of the involved parties.\n\n— Muhammad Iqbal Chawla —\n\nUniversity of the Punjab, Lahore\n\nWith a deft utilization of archival sources and a seamless integration of secondary materials, the author crafts a narrative that stands distinct from any previously explored. A particularly intriguing facet of this research lies in the foregrounding of indigenous voices, shedding light on how the people of Lahore navigated the turbulent aftermath of partition.\n\n— Tahir Kamran —\n\nBeaconhouse National University, Lahore\n\nWith a comprehensive exploration of the city's journey through Partition, the tumultuous communal conflicts, and subsequent regeneration, this work stands as a significant scholarly contribution. The author's in-depth analysis illuminates the complex dynamics of violence during Partition, migration, and socio-political change, painting a vivid portrait of Lahore's resilience in the face of adversity.\n\n— Hussain Ahmad Khan —\n\nInstitute of Global and Historical Studies, Government College University, Lahore\n\nThere are two main strengths of the research study; first, the use of local sources, like FIRs, revenue records and vernacular literature and, second, a common man’s perspective.\n\n— Faraz Anjum —\n\nUniversity of the Punjab, Lahore\n\nThe author’s forays into the processes of “cross migration” and “patterns of migrant settlement” lend further depth to the study. On top of this, the non-partisan approach of the author will make it worth reading for general readers and scholars across South Asia.\n\n— Irfan Waheed Usmani —\n\nHistory Department, GCU Lahore\n\n\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Vanguard Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42613481308196,"sku":"9789694026664","price":2245.0,"currency_code":"PKR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0739\/4823\/3764\/files\/9789694026664-f.jpg?v=1757663311"},{"product_id":"the-punjab-bloodied-partitioned-and-cleansed","title":"THE PUNJAB BLOODIED, PARTITIONED AND CLEANSED","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 1947 Partition of India stands as the largest forced migration in history, involving around 14 million people, with 10 million hailing from the Punjab region. This book, a holistic examination of this pivotal event, sheds light on the first major post-World War II ethnic cleansing. Drawing from confidential British reports, it shares poignant accounts from eyewitnesses, survivors, and participants in the violence on both sides of the border. Offering a balanced narrative, the book emphasizes that peaceful coexistence isn’t hindered by religious differences unless exploited by divisive forces. Interviews with those who experienced the violence provide candid revelations, making it compelling for anyone interested in recent Indo-Pak history. The third edition includes four poems depicting the partition’s tragedy and additional oral histories, each offering a unique perspective. The book underscores the theoretical aspect of governments in East and West Punjab collaborating to expel unwanted minorities, emphasizing the ethnic cleansing goal during the partition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vanguard Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42613623750692,"sku":"9789697347384","price":2370.0,"currency_code":"PKR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0739\/4823\/3764\/files\/9789697347384-f.jpg?v=1757664810"},{"product_id":"pakistan-historical-legacies-contemporary-issues","title":"PAKISTAN HISTORICAL LEGACIES CONTEMPORARY ISSUES","description":"","brand":"Vanguard Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42613626470436,"sku":"9786277706029","price":1435.0,"currency_code":"PKR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0739\/4823\/3764\/files\/9786277706029-f.jpg?v=1757664891"},{"product_id":"idea-of-pakistan-in-colonial-punjab","title":"IDEA OF PAKISTAN IN COLONIAL PUNJAB","description":"","brand":"Vanguard Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42613632008228,"sku":"9789694026817","price":2245.0,"currency_code":"PKR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0739\/4823\/3764\/files\/9789694026817-f.jpg?v=1757665109"},{"product_id":"the-indian-mutiny","title":"THE INDIAN MUTINY","description":"","brand":"Vanguard Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42613648293924,"sku":"9789693518344","price":28800.0,"currency_code":"PKR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0739\/4823\/3764\/files\/9789693518344-f.jpg?v=1757665876"},{"product_id":"the-delayed-line","title":"THE DELAYED LINE","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eIn the summer of 1947, borders were drawn in haste — who paid the price.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e From sealed files to survivor testimonies, this is the story of Partition that power preferred to forget. Behind the headlines of freedom lay a web of political intrigue, betrayal, and mass displacement — revealed here in full. What really happened when British India was divided? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eThis investigative narrative\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e unearths the hidden negotiations and human costs. Eyewitness accounts, secret letters, and overlooked maps — this book traces how a subcontinent was split with chilling precision.\u003cbr\u003eHow political calculations, secrecy, and selective justice shaped one of the most violent divides in history. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eBehind every border drawn in 1947 was a hidden deal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e A gripping investigation into the real decisions, distortions, and denied voices that defined Partition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eWho drew the lines?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Using declassified records and forgotten testimonies, this book rewrites the story of British India’s division. Beyond borders and bloodlines, this book uncovers the untold truths of Partition — voices silenced, deals struck, and lives rewritten. Not just a story of independence, but of betrayal, broken promises,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand the cost of drawing lines on a map.\u003cbr\u003eThis groundbreaking investigation reopens the buried files of 1947 to reveal the hidden political intrigue behind the Partition of British India. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eCombining archival research, eyewitness accounts, and suppressed records, the book exposes how maps and power shaped the destiny of millions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Essential reading for scholars, journalists, and anyone seeking the untold truths of South Asia’s most contested moment.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vanguard Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43184094019620,"sku":null,"price":1620.0,"currency_code":"PKR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0739\/4823\/3764\/files\/9786277972011.jpg?v=1768995749"},{"product_id":"history-of-sham-elections-in-pakistan-1971-2024","title":"HISTORY OF SHAM ELECTIONS IN PAKISTAN 1971-2024","description":"\u003cp\u003eElections stand at the heart of democratic governance, offering citizens the constitutional means to choose their representatives and determine the direction of the state. Yet elections are not merely polling days; they are complex political processes shaped by legislation, delimitation, electoral rolls, alliances, state institutions, campaign strategies, and the broader social environment. History of Sham Elections in Pakistan (1971–2024) undertakes a comprehensive historical and analytical study of this entire process in modern Pakistan, examining how electoral practices evolved—and at times were manipulated—within shifting political contexts.\u003cbr\u003eThis volume constitutes the second part of a broader research project on the history of electoral politics in Pakistan. It offers a continuous and comparative account of the country’s electoral developments from 1971 to 2024. Drawing extensively on primary sources—including archival materials, first-hand reports, parliamentary debates, election laws, and official records—the book addresses a significant gap in existing scholarship by presenting a systematic and comprehensive historical narrative of Pakistan’s electoral trajectory.\u003cbr\u003eOrganized chronologically, the book traces elections under civilian and military regimes alike: from the turbulent polls of 1977 and the controlled experiments of the Zia era, through the managed democracies of the 1990s, the electoral engineering under General Musharraf, the contested transitions of 2008–2018, and the controversies surrounding the 2024 general elections. By situating each electoral episode within its legislative and political framework, the study offers a nuanced understanding of how procedural mechanisms, power struggles, and institutional dynamics have shaped—and often distorted—Pakistan’s democratic process.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vanguard Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44124637986852,"sku":null,"price":5995.0,"currency_code":"PKR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0739\/4823\/3764\/files\/9789694027135.jpg?v=1777275256"},{"product_id":"state-insecurity-and-shadowed-elections-in-pakistan-1947-1971","title":"STATE INSECURITY AND SHADOWED ELECTIONS IN PAKISTAN 1947-1971","description":"\u003cp\u003eElections are designed to answer the most fundamental and contested question in politics: who should rule the state? Yet the electoral process is far more complex than the casting of ballots. It begins with legislation and extends through delimitation, preparation of electoral rolls, scheduling, registration of political parties, candidate selection, formation of alliances, scrutiny of nomination papers, allocation of symbols, campaign activities, polling procedures, counting of votes, announcement of results, and the adjudication of disputes. Each stage carries its own political calculations, negotiations, and contestations.\u003cbr\u003eA historian of electoral politics must therefore examine not only outcomes but also the intricate tactics and institutional maneuvers that shape the process from beginning to end. This book presents a comprehensive historical analysis of all elections held in Pakistan from 1947 to 1971, situating them within the broader political and social context of the country’s formative years.\u003cbr\u003eCovering parliamentary, presidential, and local government elections, the study explores pre-election developments, legal frameworks, political dynamics, and electoral outcomes. It also assesses how social cleavages, state structures, and political uncertainties influenced voter behavior and institutional design. Central to the book is the argument that both the theory and practice of elections in Pakistan during this period were deeply conditioned by the security anxieties of the ruling elite and the state. Ironically, the 1971 elections—intended to stabilize the federation—ultimately failed to preserve it.\u003cbr\u003eBased on primary sources, including official records, contemporary reports, and first-hand accounts, this work offers an authentic and critical historical account of Pakistan’s early electoral experience.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vanguard Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44124643590180,"sku":null,"price":5995.0,"currency_code":"PKR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0739\/4823\/3764\/files\/9789694027142-SateInsecurty.jpg?v=1777275907"},{"product_id":"the-end-of-empires-and-a-world-remade","title":"THE END OF EMPIRES AND A WORLD REMADE","description":"\u003carticle class=\"node node--type-book node--view-mode-full o-book\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"o-book__body\" data-body-tabs=\"data-body-tabs\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"overview\" class=\"o-book__body-tab o-blocks s-active\" aria-labelledby=\"overview_trigger\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-body-tab=\"data-body-tab\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmpires, until recently, were everywhere. They shaped borders, stirred conflicts, and set the terms of international politics. With the collapse of empire came a fundamental reorganization of our world. Decolonization unfolded across territories as well as within them. Its struggles became internationalized and transnational, as much global campaigns of moral disarmament against colonial injustice as local contests of arms. In this expansive history, Martin Thomas tells the story of decolonization and its intrinsic link to globalization. He traces the connections between these two transformative processes: the end of formal empire and the acceleration of global integration, market reorganization, cultural exchange, and migration.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe End of Empires and a World Remade\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eshows how profoundly decolonization shaped the process of globalization in the wake of empire collapse. In the second half of the twentieth century, decolonization catalyzed new international coalitions; it triggered partitions and wars; and it reshaped North-South dynamics. Globalization promised the decolonized greater access to essential resources, to wider networks of influence, and to worldwide audiences, but its neoliberal variant has reinforced economic inequalities and imperial forms of political and cultural influences. In surveying these two codependent histories across the world, from Latin America to Asia, Thomas explains why the deck was so heavily stacked against newly independent nations.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDecolonization stands alongside the great world wars as the most transformative event of twentieth-century history. In\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe End of Empires and a World Remade\u003c\/i\u003e, Thomas offers a masterful analysis of the greatest process of state-making (and empire-unmaking) in modern history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/article\u003e","brand":"Vanguard Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50898238668836,"sku":null,"price":6970.0,"currency_code":"PKR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0739\/4823\/3764\/files\/9780691254432.avif?v=1781518962"}],"url":"https:\/\/vanguardbooks.com\/collections\/vbl-ad-june-2026-history.oembed","provider":"Vanguard Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}