Populism divides societies between “the people” and their enemies. However, to understand which social groups populists target for inclusion in “the people” and exclusion to the “anti-people” camps, we must first comprehend the historical forces that have created and defined these social groups. The chapter provides that essential historical context for Pakistan, mapping the evolution of key social cleavages and competing articulations of Pakistani identity. Starting from pre-independence revivalism and democratic movements, it follows the evolution of identity discourse in the country during the military rules of Ayub KhanKhan, Imran and Zia-ul-Haq, the democratic interlude of the 1990s, the liberal dictatorial regime of Pervez Musharraf into the contemporary political landscape dominated by religious populist discourses.