Reimagining Resistance: The Hudood Ordinance Through the Lens of A Case Of Exploding Mangoes

Abstract

Literature has long served as a powerful tool of resistance against oppressive legal structures, exposing the inherent contradictions and injustices within the legal system. This research paper examines Mohammad Hanif’s novel A Case Of Exploding Mangoes through the lens of Critical Legal Studies (CLS) to highlight how the novel serves as a critique against the Hudood Ordinance, 1979. By employing qualitative content analysis, the study highlights how Hanif’s satirical narrative deconstructs the legitimacy of laws - such as Hudood Ordinance – that reinforce state power and silence dissent. The novel’s portrayal of legal absurdity in Hudood Ordinance sheds light on the complicity of Hudood Ordinance in order to maintain the status quo. Through a close reading of A Case Of Exploding Mangoes, this research paper postulate that literature can challenge hegemonic discourses by reimagining resistance and exposing oppressive legislation. The analysis allude to the notion how fictional narratives not only reflect socio-legal realities but also offer substitute spaces for critique and resistance. By foregrounding the nexus of law, power, and narrative, this research paper highlights the role of literary discourse in contesting legal authoritarianism and a call for justice.