two nation theory

A Nation Overloaded with Religion

Frequent assassinations of Pakistan People’s Party leaders have not only shaken the ideology of this country but left a clear cut message for Government to avoid any confrontation against strengthening religious lobby in Pakistan.

The Tehreek e Taliban and Al Qaeda backed groups in Pakistan especially in Punjab are after the ruling party and eradicating its moderate forces one by one.  As a result the PPP systematically takes back seat, and gets blackmailed by the religious forces.
Government’s evident policy shift from the party manifesto of ensuring religious harmony among all faiths in the wake of doctrine of necessity further pushes nation in the hands of extremists.

From the assassination of Benazir Bhutto to Shehbaz Bhatti, the message is clear. Let Taleban pursuit their agenda of violent Islam and whoever comes in between will become history.

In such horrific circumstances when even the ruling party leaders are not safe how unarmed liberal forces would dare voice their opinion seems to be a big ask.  As a result the clouds of insanity steadily prevailing  and a common man is reluctant to counter them not because of being blithe but for his own safety resulting mass surrender of journalists, civil society, liberal political forces and minority rights groups against religious forces.

A common Pakistani despite wanting to express deep displeasure is suppressed by the bearded gun totted black sheep who are gelled up in the society to take necessary ‘religious measures’ against those who prefer humanity over religion.

Salman Taseer’s assassination by his own security guard Mumtaz Qadri and the subsequent showering of rose petals by lawyers’ community is one of the shocking examples of deep rooted religious fanaticism within our society.  Be it media, armed forces, politics (not to mention the historical speech of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Shareef during which he proudly endorsed the agenda of Taleban), judiciary, education or even sports.

In my view the traces of religious terrorism can be found back during partition campaign when the voices of independent ‘Muslim Land’  were on rise.

At that time some of the Muslims might had opted the idea of migrating to separate land due to vested interests  but by and large it was the dominating  religious sentiment that caused  division with the objective of turning Pakistan into the “Fort of Islam” comprised by majority of Muslims.

Two- Nation Theory which clearly rejects any of idea co existence of Muslims with Hindus is a true depiction of Pakistan’s current situation where Muslims are unable to coexist with other sects let alone religions and ethnicities.

Today, I being a moderate Muslim who is deeply concerned about his country’s image foresee not only the bleak future of Pakistan but raises the doubts whether creation of Pakistan was really an apt approach.

Touching on Taboo | Partition a Blunder

Lahore: “MQM chief Altaf Hussain has said the Partition of India in 1947 weakened Muslims, as it divided their power. In an interview with Najam Sethi on Duniya News, Altaf said there would have been no Partition had the Congress accepted Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s 14 points. Altaf said few people knew that even Allama Iqbal had not demanded a separate Pakistan in his famous Allahabad address in 1930. “He had, in fact, demanded the creation of Muslim states in the Muslim-majority areas,” he said, adding that Iqbal’s  son justice (retired) Javed Iqbal could confirm this”. [Duniya News]

If we view partition from the perspective of Muslim unity it was indeed one of the biggest blunders in the history of mankind since it divided Muslims however it benefited tiny percentage of Muslims who were already settled in the land of pure, who never had to migrate at all. For rests it’s no better than India where everybody has to struggle hard for his basic rights.

Was partition blunder or not it is still a debatable topic but I would like to explain MQM leader Altaf Hussain’s comment’ who in his recent interview justified his disputed statement in which he called partition of the subcontinent a blunder. Lots of hue and cry being heard mainly from our not so conversant population of Pakistan, anti MQM factors across the country are also spicing up the issue and trying to capitalize their politics.

In my opinion no one can give expert opinion on Partition than the ones who have witnessed pre-partition situation and experienced the bloodshed during migration however I would like to clarify under which circumstances MQM leader has called partition a blunder.

In Today’s Pakistan Muslims are fighting and killing each other on the basis of tribal and linguistic affinity, sectarian strife is worse than ever before. Mosques and Madarssas are flourishing businesses. The advocates of Jihad are killing followers of the faith as they leave places of worship, we are the only country who can always legally kill other Muslim who has different beliefs than our version of Islam.  A truism reiterated in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. For further evidences let’s look at the plight of 300,000 Stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh for four decades in their passage to the chosen land — Unwanted by both Bangladesh and Pakistan, led by an unknown destiny. Who suffered? MUSLIMS

So where Muslim of sub-continent stands today — What Pakistani Muslims have achieved? Pakistani Muslim is competing with Indian or Bangladeshi Muslim in poverty, illiteracy, and religious hatred. In fact Pakistan is step a head in terms of sectarian enmity. Moreover, the rights of the people who migrated to Pakistan from Muslim Minority Provinces of the Subcontinent were usurped and they had to face highhandedness and injustices in Pakistan. Even today they are directly or indirectly branded as “Indians” when they raise voices for their rights. Talk about the Muslims of Balochistan, they are spending miserable life since the very creation of Pakistan but no Govt paid heed on their basic problems. Again “MUSLIMS”

In the light of above facts if some leader merely “criticizes” partition and comment on disintegration of Muslims he’s called traitor and advised by our so called patriots that Altaf Hussain should immediately leave Pakistan. Interestingly these advices come from the ones who and their forefather never experienced migration. Their idiotic reason for being patriotic is since their ancestors living in Pakistan since ages that’s why they are “Pure Pakistanis”

Right after questioning partition on the basis of provided facts Altaf Hussain said:  “since it happened we now need to live peacefully with each other” but no one noticed that part.

IMO A leader must not misguide his people for whatsoever reason. Altaf’s statement in anyway doesn’t go against interest of Pakistan and Pakistanis, rather it’s a matter of concern for the “establishment” to realize their mistake and give due rights to rest of the Pakistanis so that they don’t have to question creation of Pakistan again.

The spirit and essence of Altaf  Hussain statement is that we must accept the ground reality without blinkers.

In the end I would suggest those Pakistanis who are calling Altaf Hussain traitor or Indian to use their common sense, stop being patriotic to an abnormal extent and try to digest the fact that partition of subcontinent is a debatable issue. Pakistan is our very own country hence its our right to criticize or praise it. No one has the right to curb our freedom of speech.
