Pervez Hoodbhoy seminar given as part of the Modern South Asian Seminar series in October 2023 What had been a relatively small gap in 1947 between Pakistan and India is turning into an ever widening chasm. Given the common origins of these two countries what essential differences led to the present situation? Or were the trajectories predetermined? After discussing historical similarities and differences, I will explore whether Pakistan can now choose a different future for itself.

Pervez Hoodbhoy taught physics at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad (1973–2021) as well as other Pakistani universities for nearly five decades. He was visiting professor at MIT, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Maryland, and a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Washington. His book “Islam and Science – Religious Orthodoxy and the Battle for Rationality” was translated into 8 languages.