Ismaili Community in Pakistan: Its Doctrines, History and Present Makeup

Abstract

During the recent months, Ismaili community of Pakistan has come in the limelight, particularly creation of the Aga Khan University’s Examination Board at the national level has made the community a target of malicious propaganda carried out by certain political and religious circles. They have expressed doubts that the community is bent upon secularizing the national curriculum. The federal minister for education and the AKU management have responded to the situation. Though the community is a separate entity, nothing to do with the examination board, but nevertheless, it has suffered an affront and preferred to remain quiet. At this juncture one is supposed to know the origin and the long history of about fourteen hundred years of the community. The knowledge about its role in the Pakistan movement and later its contribution in the development of Pakistan may help in removing unnecessary doubts about the community.