Pakistan Historical Society

About Pakistan Historical Society

The Pakistan Historical Society (PHS)(Estd. 1950) is a democratically structured organization. Its office bearers and members of the Executive Committee are elected for a three years’ term. The Society promotes historical research by means of publication of research monographs, editing and publishing of original sources, and their authentic translations.

For this purpose, it has a good reference library. Since 1953 it started publishing a quarterly research journal, now known as the Historicus. It is in the 68th year of its existence with regular publication without a single break and has become a recognized and well-established international forum on the history, particularly of South Asia. It is an internationally recognized, indexed, and abstracted journal. This peer and blind refereed journal is available online through the ProQuest Research Organization. The journal is recognized by Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Y category.

The Society has so far published 88 books in English, Urdu, and Persian. Another field of the Society for promoting historical studies, exchange of ideas, promoting interactions among the historians, and attracting the younger generation to History, was conceived through holding History Conferences. The first conference was held in 1950 in K.G.A Hall, Karachi which was inaugurated by the Governor-General Khawaja Nazimuddin. So far 26 international History Conferences have been held under the banner of the Society in Karachi and other cities of Pakistan. These conferences were held with strong support and collaboration by Hamdard Foundation Pakistan and relevant universities.

Pakistan Historical Society is endeavoring to coordinate, organize and disseminate high-level academic research pertaining to the history of South Asia, especially Sub-Continent and the Muslim World and in sha Allah its magnificent academic voyage would be continued.

Legal Status

On 7th March 1951 registered under the Joint Stock Companies for Sind Karachi Act XXI of 1860 with No. SIND 310 OF 1950-1951.

History of Pakistan Historical Society

The Colonial masters, later followed by the chauvinistic Hindu writers and historians tried to present the Muslim period in the darkest possible colors. Since the time of the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference led by Sir Syed and his colleagues tried their utmost to negate and rectify these distortions.

When Pakistan came into being the pioneer fathers felt the urgent need to present a revised correct version of our history. Keeping this in view, all the leading historians of Pakistan led by Mr. Fazlur Rahman, the Federal Educational Minster, at first created a History Board to prepare a History of Freedom Movement in 1949-50. Soon it was realized that it requires better organization not only for this History of Freedom Movement but also for other periods of History.

Hence the History Board was converted into the Pakistan Historical Society (PHS) in 1950 which was properly registered. The first president of PHS was Mr. Fazlur Rahman while Dr. S. MoinulHaq was the General Secretary.