FROM A DE-COLONIZED STATE TO A NEO-COLONIZED STATE: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MOHAMMAD HANIF’S A CASE OF EXPLODING MANGOES

Abstract

Mohammad Hanif’s A Case of Exploding Mangoes is a scathing critique of neocolonialism in Pakistan under the regime of General Zia-ul-Haq. In Hanif’s depiction, the emergence of neo-elites in the country serves as external agendas that lead to the deprivation of Pakistani people’s rights, the manipulation of religious and military institutions in the name of Islamization, and the subversion of democracy to fulfill the interests of the upper class. Using the postcolonial theory, particularly Kwame Nkrumah’s concept of neocolonialism, the paper examines how Zia’s regime illustrates ongoing domination by ex-colonizers through economic, political, and religious influence, often mediated through a class of neo-elites. By exposing these neocolonial strategies, the novel is a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggles in postcolonial nations.