ESL Blogs

The oldest civilization of Indian subcontinent, lies in the lower Indus valley basically. Its is called Indus valley civilization (most of the part lies in Pakistan today). Its the place where Hinduism was born. Its the place from where Veda were written. Indus is the river from where country derived its name India and remained integrated for the next 5000 years until partition happened on the name of religion. 

Mohd. Ali Jinnah an erstwhile secular person was the founder of an Islamic nation Pakistan (An irony that he later turned into a communal mind). Jinnah believed that Hindus and Muslims are two different people and their interests are in conflict (which are not). So they cant live together and he gave very famous "two nation theory" for partition of India. Partition is seen as the biggest blunder in the modern history of Indians. 

A partition that divided the two flourishing cultures of Punjab and Bengal. A partition that resulted in the mass refugee camps, a partition that took over a million lives, a partition that made India and Pakistan (earlier brothers) enemy forever. And eventually the false fear of Jinnah that Hindu and Muslims cant live together turn out to be true when the two countries fought 4 wars in last 60-70 years. What happened to be brothers once and fought the war of independence shoulder to shoulder are deadly enemies today.

Since the inception, Pakistan was made on fear. When north western Muslim majority areas were part of India they were taught that India will be Hindu majority country and in elections only Hindus will win. Muslims will be suppressed by the Hindu majority concept of democracy. And soon the existence of Muslims will come in danger (basically Islam was in danger). This fear was imbibed by the elite class of Muslims who was having voting rights and once after partition they also left the India for Pakistan. Leaving millions of poor/rural Muslim in India. Instead of fighting for them in a Democratic society, they chose to leave the country (to save Islam). 

I read Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. A real visionary man who was actually a cleric and knew Quran better than Jinnah (A hypocrite). Jinnah who did not know Gujarati and Hindi/Urdu and only knew English found Islam in danger but the biggest cleric of that time Azad clearly said that "Islam means brotherhood not nation hood". There must be some reason there are 22 countries in Arab/Gulf. And they are not a single country. No wonder now Shia minority is in danger in Pakistan and Jinnah was a Shia. Because when you define religion as basis of nation hood then you have to be specific, which religion, which sect what about others and why not others. He never gave a vision of Pakistan future.

Jinnah  founded a nation on the basis of religion. A nation whose more than 20% population was Non Muslims. What can happen in such circumstances? They had to leave or convert. And now the number of non muslims is less than 2% (I hope Islam is not in danger any more). Once theocracy comes in state power it becomes difficult for minorities to survive and that is what happened in Pakistan. One can imagine the level of intolerance as they are taught in this way only, like Islam is the best religion and rest of the others are enemies of Islam including the Indians, Jews, Americans, Shia, Liberals, Democrats and Secular (actually all). 

Jinnah got a separate nation but India was not an enemy of Pakistan until Pakistan broke stand still treaty with Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir is a diverse state with Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. The people of J&K were not radicalized at that time and asked for Indian help. After signing the "Instrument of Accession", they joined Indian Union and their demands were taken care in Article 370.

Now when Pakistan got an enemy (out of the way). It was necessary for them to protect them self. The time when all the nations were investing on industries and education, Pakistan was investing on arms and ammunition. Because they got an enemy who is many times bigger in economy and population. This idea of fear ruined their education standard and economic prosperity.

Punjab (half of Pakistan) happened to be one of the prosperous state of Indian subcontinent is now way lower than average Indian income (considering the fact that India got "bimaru" states like UP and Bihar). 

The fear that India wants Pakistan back was routinely haunting the people of Pakistan. It gave the military legitimacy that they can coup when ever they want. Because its the military that would save them from India. And an institute that was supposed to come under Civilian government became so monolithic that it can coup anytime it wants. And no one wants to decrease the power of ISI/Military as they perceive that India (their enemy) is not attacking them because of ISI (Its the perception, not the truth).

In all four wars Pakistani military lost the battle. But such battles keep reviving the legitimacy of Pakistani armed forces and they can increase their budget, defense expenditure, more power and more recruitment (one side of the coin), with more poverty, more illiteracy, more fundamentalism and more riots (the other side of the coin). Because the fund that is supposed to be in developmental projects is going in defense expenditure.

In the worry of war they even made Nuclear Arsenal. When Pakistan made nuclear weapon it was believed that now Pakistan will not invest too much on Army as they got a legitimate deterrent. But nothing changed and they are still where "Quaid-e-Azam" left them, in the state of fear. 

Since the theory of two nations was so flawed that it was impossible for Pakistani intellectuals to convince people that Hindus and Muslims cant live together. Given the fact that they were living for last 5000 years. Given that fact that India is a second largest Muslim country today and none of them is Al-Quaida (Because Indian muslims know that Islam is not in danger). Given the fact that India is worlds biggest and vibrant democracy and probably the most diverse country. 

In these circumstances when Bangladesh also separated them self from Pakistan and became a secular nation (not islamic), the only way left for Pakistani intellectuals is to distort the history. The innocent children of Pakistan are taught in this way that, "Hindus and Muslims were always enemies". But the fact is that Muslims ruled because of Hindus co-operations (eg Akbar and Rajputs.) and Hindus ruled because of Muslims co-operation (like Sivaji and Ranjeet singh). 

They are taught in school that "Hindus were ruled by Muslims for 1000 years". A totally flawed concept. First of all the rulers was a Hindustani ruler/ Indian ruler not a Muslim ruler. That is why people respected him. They never see Akbar and Mughals as Muslims but as an Indian ruler. Second concept the Muslims of India are basically Hindus who converted (by force or voluntarily god knows!). And the rulers were the Muslims who were invaders. So how can Indian (former Hindu and now Muslim) can take credit of Turks, Afgans and Persian victory?

No wonder Turks, Arabs and other Muslim countries do not give a damm! to Pakistani Muslims. Even though they made them self on the name of foreign religion, but the place where this religion was born do not care about Pakistan very much. Pakistan could not get the attention that it was seeking in Muslim world as well. In fact Muslim world is in itself so much fractured that they cant give attention to anyone else.

Now when this generation who grew reading "Mahummad Gauri, Quasim, Gaznavi" as their leaders (who were actually foreigners). After being taught hatred against Hindus and Jews. After reading distorted history, they are brainwashed. They are so radicalized that its almost impossible to talk to them on partition of India. 

They still live in fear and will continue to live in fear. Because fear is the ideology of Pakistan. And the day this fear will vanish there will not be any differences.