A Case of Exploding Mangoes: A Post-Colonial Analysis

Subject: Post-Colonial Literature and Theory

Submitted by: M Ans Ali

Submitted to: Dr. Saeed ur Rehman

SAP ID: 70139403

Grade: MPhil English Literature (Sem-1)

Session: 2022-2024
Abstract:

This research is about the political situation and other changes that were happening during Zia's

regime. Muhammad Hanif in "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" has narrated instances during

Zia's regime. Muhammad Hanif satirizes Zia's dictatorship. This study aims to draw analysis of

A Case of Exploding Mangoes as postmodern fictional work. This study shows that whatever

people do in their life they do to get personal benefits٫ political advantages and economic power.

From postmodern point of view it shows influence of US in Pakistan and it's politics.

Key words: political situation, dictatorship, satirizes, postmodern, economic power.

Introduction:

Mohammad Hanif satirizes the problem of political control in the country by Armed

forces. M. Hanif criticizes corrupt governmental system of Pakistan. The elements of satire and

irony set a lighter tone to novel. A Case of Exploding Mangoes is based on the life of military.

Hanif narrates the politics at a personal level, social and military level. M. Hanif’s novel “A case

of Exploding Mangoes” is based on life of Military and General Zia’s plane crash. Hanif shows

the politics at personal social and military level. Ali Shigri is an Air Force Pilot and is pursuing

the revenge of his father’s murder.

General Zia during his military rule in Pakistan Islamized the society for his own political

motives, empowered the religious factions and trained the mujahedeen in alliance with USA to

counter the Russian invasion in Afghanistan. Zia’s politics for his own benefits disturbed the

social and political situation in Pakistan. The novel also explores the poor residing situations of

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the low working class and their preference for a change in the country. Zia's efforts to Islamize

the Pakistani society, his relationship with American leadership and his involvement in the

Afghan resistance against Russia have ended/resulted in the religiously radicalized, ethnically

divided Pakistani society.

Generals Zia uses Islam to manipulate masses' support, strengthen his authority and

control over army generals to justify his decision to become an ally of US in order to support the

Afghan mujahedeen. Zia's religious nature had great influence on the lives of people of the whole

country. The USA had been one of the main sponsors in establishing Militant religious groups in

Pakistan to strengthen its control in Asia. The US provided financial support to the Taliban and

made their the biggest threat to the world. A case of exploding mangoes highlights that all assets

are not given to mujahedeen. Millions are occupied somewhere else to people with great

influence. It was Zia who permitted the shipment of American arms and allowed the border

region of Pakistan to be used as training base. In return the got his benefits.

General Zia’s rule saw the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan, as the state empowered and

funded various religious and political parties and used them as a recruitment base for preparing

mujahedeen to counter the Russian invasion in Afghanistan. A cause of exploding mangoes

highlights the influence of USA in Pakistani politics, financially and morally corrupt Pakistani

military and poor living conditions of the low working class. Zia policies resulted into the

emergence of many religious military groups in the country which have played a great role in

destabilizing the social and political condition of Pakistan. General Zia used Islamic reforms to

divert nation’s attention from the political and economic crises and ensure his illegitimate rule

and to gain financial support from other states.

largest time period is the reign of general Zia-Ul-Haqq almost 11 years. Whenever elected

governments interfered in internal affairs or tried to politicize the army officers, the army took

over and removed the elected prime Minister as Zia did in 1977 by overthrowing the political

government of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto the elected prime Minister of Pakistan. The close relationship

established with the US in the 195Os within the framework of cold war military alliance played

an important role in sustaining the military's ascent to power.

Hanif has discussed understanding of political situation of country and the deep meanings of the

things being practiced by army Zia Ul Haq has been the most powerful person of the country

being the dictator and the chief of army staff of Pakistan. Hanif has given a deep insight of

changes which were taking place in the history especially the political setup of the country. In

this novel Mohammed hanif has tried to highlight the global politics and its consequences on the

third world countries especially Pakistan look at following lines:

"I the imperialist Eagle, swooped down on Obaid’s Third world Dove; he fought back and for

the finale sat on my chest drawing blood from my neck with his cardboard beak"(Hanif

2008,p.17).

Zia-Ul-Haqq was drawing blood from the neck of his public on one hand and from afghani's

on other. General punished the people for no mistakes just because of difference of opinion.

Baby o describes his opinion about the crime:

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"There is poetry in committing a crime after you have served your sentence. I do not have much

interest in poetry but punishment before a crime does have a Sing-song quality to it. The guilty

commit the crime, the innocent are punished. That's the world we live in"(Hanif 2008, p.4).

These lines interpret the political seen and emergence of multiple realities in this part of world.

The people of Pakistan were in such of real freedom. After independence there was only a

change of masters for the people of pakistan.US and Russia exercising the actual politics of the

world. Zia was the blue-eyed boy of America. Zia was engaged in war against Russia by

America. Another mask on the face of Zia was the mask of his religious bent of mind, being the

Mullah in General's uniform. Look at these lines from novel.

"The Generals who had called Zia a mullah behind his back felt ashamed at having

underestimated him: not only was he a mullah, he was a mullah whose understanding of religion

did not go beyond parroting what he had heard from the next mullah. A mullah without a beard,

a mullah in four-star General's uniform, a mullah with the instincts of a corrupt inspector”

(Hanif 2008, p.32)

The neo-colonizers were always busy to please their Western masters. They take

decisions and make policies according to will of their masters. They do not make decisions

independently because they lack self-reliance. For example, at the Nobel prize ceremony Zia is

confused about making a choice of language for the speech. The first possibility is Arabic that

will please Allah Almighty and Arab masters but them he has to go for English to please his

American masters. The novel's narratives run alternatively two levels. At one level narrative the

personal story of Air force junior under officer Ali Shigri, he tries to unravel the past the suicide

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of his father whom he thinks was a murdered. At the other level national plot moves with the

Zia’s regime with the close and significant ties with the US.

M. Hanif criticizes the misuse of religion through which power structures transmit certain

false ideology in the minds of people and exploit the people. M. Hanif raises the voice of

subaltern class such as the issue of blind Zainab who is sentenced to death in the case of adultery.

M. Hanif raises the voice of marginalized subaltern Zainab who is in fact raped by a gang of four

men but because of power structures in society suffers the pangs of undone sin which she did not

commit.

The ways in which Islamic decisions were made by Zia-Ul-Haqq actually were not

according to the teachings of Islam. During Zia regime people of the subaltern class were not

safe. They suffered during his regime. The secretary General of the sweepers gets imprisoned in

the fort because he was considered a threat to Zia-Ul-Haqq's life thus he suffered without any

mistake.

Politics in the name of love and welfare of people destroy trust and people become

confused Zia did politics by using the name of Islam and by introducing laws in country. Zia

exploited the people and destroyed their trust. The colonial empires strengthen their economies

by exploiting resources of colonized countries. General Zia-Ul-Haqq's personality and his rules

for the religious metamorphosis of Pakistani society has left a great effect on the country's social,

political and judicial system. A case of Exploding Mangoes explores the power structure and

various political conspiracies carried out in Pakistan by the Military during the rule of Zia-Ul-

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Haqq. The novel highlights the situation of Pakistan during a Afghan war, the influence of US in

Pakistani politics, financially and morally corrupt Pakistani military network/group.

The novel also explores the poor residing situations of the low working class and their

preference for a change in the country. Zia's efforts to Islamize the Pakistani society, his

relationship with American leadership and his involvement in the Afghan resistance against

Russia have ended/resulted in the religiously radicalized, ethnically divided Pakistani society.

Zia's Islamic laws were an attempt to gain political benefits. Many Islamic laws were misused

against woman who were punished for adultery even when they become victims of rape. Zia

insists on the misuse and exploitation through wrong interpretation and implementation of

Islamic principles.

" May your blood turn to poison. May the worms eat your innards " (Hanif 2008, p.314)

These above lines show the injustice in the country. Poor class is forced to accept cruel

decisions. Poor people face many problems and they curse the ruler for their cruel laws. A case

of exploding mangoes also shows the effects of US in Pakistani politics and other affairs. As we

see the high ranked US officers are present and they influence the Pakistani politics and military.

Many US officials like Arnold Raphael, the US ambassador to, Bill Casey, appear in the novel.

When Soviet occupied Afghanistan in 1979. Pakistan under the dictatorship of General

Zia-Ul-Haqq became the logistical base for USA's war in Afghanistan Colonel Shigri, who was

father of Ali Shigri, worked as a liaison, between the Afghan Mujahedeen and ISI .He was

responsible for the transfer of finances from ISI to Mujahedeen. Colonel Shigri's dissatisfaction

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and frustration over Pakistan's role during the cold war between Russia and USA is obvious

when he says:

" The thing about these Afghans is that they are not it for killing. They fight but they want to

make sure that they are alive after the fighting is over. They are not in the business of killing.

They are in the business of fighting. Americans are in it for winning. And US? pimps and

prostitutes". (Hanif 2008, p.240)

The party on July 4, hosted by the US ambassador Arnold Raphael and his wife Nancy

shows the relationship between US and Afghanistan. But this party is hosted in Islamabad points

out to Pakistan as the geographical point in between. The guests in this party come to show

friendship of Afghanistan with USA As women come wearing burka and men come wearing

shalwar kameez. The " Afhan burka " is also a sign of gendered other through the racialization

of Islam. The burka has become the racist discourse about oppressed Muslim woman.

USA was using Pakistan for his own benefits. In Pakistan Islam was an ideological

vocabulary to justify the war against the Soviet Union. Mujahedeen is an Arabic word which

means does who struggle in the way of Allah. This word deployed in the war in Afghanistan by

USA and Pakistani government to encourage guerilla fighters. After the USA's victory against

the Russia in Afghanistan those Mujahedeen divided into many groups. Then these Mujahedeen

become a network of Militant groups which is known as Al-Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan

trained these Mujahedeen but later these fighters become responsible for a attacks on Pakistani

Hindus and Muslim minority communities such as shia, in Pakistan. Zia's step of training

Mujahedeen turned wrong for Pakistan. These fighters become dangerous for Pakistani people.

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Trust worthy companions come out to be the enemy of dictator. Look at these words by General

Akhtar:

" had an unfortunate accident " (Hanif 2008, p.314)

Zia dominated for 11 years till his subordinate army officials who desired that role and

power could not wait any more. They did politics to kill him and they succeeded however they

themselves also die with him. so, what politics Zia performed with others to take political and

economic power, others played with him. General Akhtar desired political and economic power

and all his life he had cheated his superiors to take personal benefits and also their position and

power. He played politics not only to cheat his superiors but also to create battles between

different countries.

Conclusion:

Since its independence in 1947 from the British colonial rule Pakistan has seen three

periods of martial law, has fought two major wars (1965 and 1971) with its neighboring country

India and has participated in another as a USA ally against Russia when it invaded Afghanistan

(1979 – 1989). Such an unstable political culture has resulted in a fragmented and radicalized

society and has given rise to a series of social and cultural crisis. A Case of Exploding Mangoes

(2008) focuses on the power structures and various political conspiracies hatched and carried out

in Pakistan by the military and intelligence agencies during the martial law regime of General

Zia-ul-Haqq.

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 Hanif belittles General Zia and his religious zeal by ridiculing his decisions and policies

as the head of the state and holds him responsible for empowering the religious discourse and

religious-political parties in Pakistan. The novel is a gripping re-telling and re-imagining of a

national history of Pakistan i.e. the Zia era with all its conspiracies, incidents and co-incidences.

Hanif re-visits this national past through the perspective of a common man, Ali Shigri, to

exorcise, understand, highlight and signify its effects in the present. Hanif challenges the

relationship of history and reality and consciously incorporates multiple motives which all

contribute in their own way towards an expected and desired conclusion of the narrative; death

of General Zia Zia-ul-Haqq in a plane crash.

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