The Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture Series on Pakistan is named in honor of Mahomedali Habib (1904-1959), one of the leading figures in the history of the Habib family.
In addition to successfully guiding the Habib family’s transition from India to Pakistan following independence in 1947, Mahomedali Habib laid the foundations for the House of Habib, a group of powerful business and financial companies. The group has a long-standing history of philanthropy and social service and is currently leading the establishment of Habib University, a liberal arts and sciences university, in Pakistan which aims to bridge the gap between global academia and Pakistan. Toward honoring the legacy of Mahomedali Habib – who was distinguished by his love for Pakistan and his deep commitment to education and philanthropy – the Habib family has decided to endow an annual lecture series in his name. Through this lecture series, the Habib family aims to improve and diversify conversations about Pakistan in the United States as well as create opportunities for US and Pakistan-based scholars to dialogue.
The Mahomedali Habib Lectures
April 20, 2024 | Faisal Devji: A Prophet Disarmed | The 11th Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture |
December 1, 2022 | Matthew A. Cook: Sindh, Graphic Pluralism, and Sufism - Script and Culture | The 10th Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture |
December 9, 2021 | Osmund Bopearachchi: Gandharan Art Revisited - What is New and What is Next | The 9th Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture |
September 16, 2020 | Salima Hashmi: Rumours of Spring - Some Reflections on Pakistani Contemporary Art | The 8th Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture |
October 25, 2019 | Atif Mian: What to do about Pakistan's Economy? | The 7th Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture |
November 15, 2018 | Raza Rumi: Democracy and its Discontents - Project Naya Pakistan | The 6th Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture |
October 19, 2017 | David Gilmartin: Pakistan's Creation and the Contested Grand Narratives of 20th Century History | The 5th Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture |
November 6, 2016 | Jonathan Mark Kenoyer: The Indus Civilization - Changing Perspectives on Regional Origins, Diverse Character and Complex Legacy | The 4th Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture |
November 15, 2015 | Christophe Jaffrelot: The Pakistan Paradox | The 3th Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture |
October 26, 2014 | Ayesha Siddiqa: Religion, State, and Society in Pakistan - Searching for Identity in an ex-Colonial State and Elite Circulation | The 2th Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture |
October 8, 2013 | Asma Jahangir: Democratic Transitions in Pakistan and its Impact on Human Rights | The Inaugural Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture |