Marshal Race

Sitting with my neighbour yesterday, we were talking about what else, political situation in Pakistan. He was adamant that Lahore is the political capital of Pakistan and I didn't doubt it as being a Karachiite, we have our own issues and usually care less about political landscape of the rest of country. MQM has ensured that we keep to ourselves. Islamabad has always been 25 minutes from Pakistan and Quetta is a different territory altogether.

Anyway, the topic drifted to Armed Forces and how the Marshal Race of Punjab has filled it.

My neighbour being a Punjabi himself gave me an interesting perspective. He said that his father says that British didnot favor Punjabis because of their valiant skills. Rather they needed brown Sahibs to carry out their command without questions. And since Punjab has a history of being conquered by anybody from anywhere: North, East, West and probably South as well; they have beaten down so many times; this has made them malleable. They only need someone in a position of authority to point them towards a direction, they will follow like sheep. And thats why they make good army men. They are good at following orders.

I don't subscribe to this point of view but still an interesting insight.