With or Without Musharraf – A Mohajir’s Perspective

#19 by jang on April 11, 2007 7:34am PT
{``i think the article simply ignores realities``}

Jang,
...and the mountain is so high, and the valley is so deep, and the river is so swift, and the ocean is so big, and the moon is so far away, and the ... :)

#20 arjun2 {``
...ironically, the ``root cause`` of your problem...You thought militant Islam was your super weapon that would win you Kashmir...you are seeing is blowback from the islamization of your society...something your government did...It`s just like your army...you spent more on your army than on your education in the hopes that it would win you kashmir...``}

Arjun,
It`s a good thing that you were not pointing the finger at me and poking me in the chest for every you and your. :)

Do all of us Pakis look alike to you? :(

Netizen #21 {``but comparing them to turks in the midst of WWII is too far-fetched.
...do you think whether pak remains islamic or ultra-islamic (eyes rolling icon here) is dependent on you or urdu speakering mohajirs of karachi. i don`t. ``}

Netty,
The reference to Ataturk and Inonu concerning WWII was an attempt to show how staying out of others` conflicts can be the right course of action - I was not comparing Mohajirs to Turks in anyway whatsoever. :)

No, the future of Pakistan DOES NOT depend on Urdu-speaking Mohajirs, but the future of Mohajirs VERY MUCH depends on how they react to Pakistan`s upcoming calamity. :)

#22 Makora {``Mohajiron di shaan Salim Chauhaan``}

Hardly. :) but thanks for the attempt anyway. :)

#23, Dost Mittar {``Singapore is prosperous because it is globally competitive; Karachi, on the other hand, is prosperous because it is the commercial hub of Pakistan. Karachi without Pakistan would be like Mumbai without India``}

DM Sahib,
Yes I am a Mohajir - in answer to your question. :)
What does that Army slogan say ``AIM HIGH?`` :) We can try can`t we? If we want to descend to Mumbai`s status - we can certainly try that too. :)

If Lahore can be mistaken for Singapore, why can`t Karachi attempt to emulate Singapore?

Ally #18 {``...but was it not your language, Urdu that is enforced on the rest of Pakistan? The Punjabi people have given up too much for Pakistan, the worst thing we gave up was our language, and that was our stupidist mistake...``}

Ally,
No one, especially the weak Mohajirs, ever FORCED you or your people to speak or use Urdu. After observing the way you butcher that language, I suggest that you abandon Urdu and reverse the stupidity you committed in giving up Punjutalk.

In fact, I would suggest to Mohajirs to preserve Urdu for cultural reasons, but to adopt English as the official and state language of Karachi and Hyderabad. :)

Bulleya #15 {``There are five inaccuracies in this article.......``}

Bulleya,
Only five! ... thank you kind sir. :)
Please stop trying to promote Sindhi/Mohajir animosity. We have enough problems with the Pakistani Punjabis hating us and wishing us drowned and dead in the Arabian Sea. :)

Most of the advantages you attribute to Mohajirs are grossly outdated. The future is grim if Mohajirs don`t take some positive actions to reverse the demographic outlook, repeal quotas, bring the ``stranded`` Pakis home, and fight for autonomy for provinces and even cities within provinces. :)

#24 by zeemax on April 11, 2007 9:15am PT
{``Ok Salim I read it. ``}

Somebody give Einstein a door prize. :)

#24, Zeemax,
Your reaction was predictable. Thank you for being as merciful as you were. Relationships between Mohajirs and Sindhis, Mohajirs and Baluchis, Mohajirs and Pathans have been evolving - mostly for the good. :)
MQM is even successful in elections in Kashmir - go figure that.

My point is that Mohajirs better act before the demographic bomb replaces the ``nukular`` bomb as the biggest threat facing our corner of the world. :)

#50 by Salim_Chauhan on April 11, 2007 12:06pm PT


Do all of us Pakis look alike to you?


Ok..I`ll give you a pass..

but if you were told that, statistically, 1 in 100 rattlesnakes is not poisonous, would you go playing with the next rattlesnake you saw or treat it as poisonous?

HP #28 {``An article should never be a post. An article needs at least some research and some logic to it. Like Salim’s many posts on this site, this article is basically a half baked rant and is not based on facts as they are in Karachi or in Pakistan...Here is the problem with Salim. He is a reasonably intelligent person but lacks the knowledge of issues and grabs pieces of information out of the blue from different sources of media and builds his case like Alan Dershavitz does.``}


HP,

Thank you for turning this into a discussion of my numerous handicaps. :)

I guess the rest of your rhetoric is similarly based on personal observations about the personality of the person with whom you disagree!

As for some glaring mistakes in your own response:
Unlike your stupid assertion, most of Kidwai`s family is still in India. This fact alone, should send all of your other unsubstantiated lies into the waste basket. Most of Jinnah`s immediate family didn`t come to Pakistan either. :) A lot of Zakir Hussain`s family members are still in India. In fact, the overwhelming majority of Indian Muslims stayed in India.

As for using references and statistics, both Arjun and Gujju have provided plenty of both, but people like you refuse to believe them. Perhaps truthful opinions have a better chance against your bigotry that is obviously based on lies and fabrications.

If Mohajirs are only 48% of Karachi`s population, why does MQM carry the overwhelming bulk of the seats allocated to that area? Either you are lying or your people ain`t voting or maybe Mohajirs are voting early and voting often. :)

It`s funny how, when it suits your purposes, Liaquat Ali Khan from Karnal becomes a Mohajir. At other times, Pakistani Punjabis claim him as a Punjabi. What was that about your cake and your appetite?

Your charge that Mohajirs brought anti-Hinduism to Pakistan is totally false. The massacres of Hindus and Sikhs were carried out by Pakistani Punjabi Muslims and not Mohajirs. The expulsion of Sindhi Hindus from Karachi, Hyderabad, and the interior of Sindh was not the work of Mohajirs. Mohajirs came from living among Hindus in India and as a matter of habit celebrated Holi, Dasayra, and Deewali with their former countrymen. Since 1947 they have been the overwhelming majority of visitors and tourists to India.

I can say clearly to you - ``I like India and love Hindus.`` Most Mohajirs, who have not been brainwashed by the BS curriculum about Gandhi being a racist, Nehru being an ``enemy`` of Muslims, and Jinnah being a messiah, have a very soft corner for Hindustan and Hindus. :)

Lastly, why should Mohajirs want to become Brahmins, when they are already the Shurfa or Ashrafi Muslims of Pakistan? :)

Great article – Being a mohajir growing up in Karachi I totally related to everything you said. But I also know that every Punjabi on this website will shout against it and try to prove it wrong. You can actually read the responses and see who is a Punjabi and who is not.
Zeena, term Mohajir there because people who migrated and now live in Karachi will call themselves Karachiities once they get the respect they deserve. They were the most educated people in Pakistan. They turned Karanchi into the Karachi you see. They were rediculed by the same Punjabis who were in the forefront of destroying this country by going against Jinnah etc. They unlike Punjabis actually wanted a Prime Minister from East Pakistan. Unlike Punjabis they were not scared to lose thee power is a Prome Minister elected was Bengali.
I really wanted to read what others said but once again seeing a Punjabi mullah zeemax and his posts is certainly NOT very refreshing. Once again coming up with retarded points having no knowledge of what is behind the true problems; he is hiding his own lack of wisdom.
“Saying that there was no injustice to Mohajirs” is incomprehensible. Zeemax must be living under a rock or a member of the army to NOT know what went on in Karachi. Maybe he did not go through the humiliation of Mohajirs at not getting the job in Karachi (even though they deserved it based on their education), repeatedly being made fun of by Punjabis in Karachi, young kids getting beaten up by the PSA (Punjabi Student Association) at every institution in Karachi, not getting any job in civil services or for that matter any government agency being a mohajir - all stopped only after MQM came into power. Not that I love Altaf (I think he is a moron) but I do think that this Punjabi Bastardization stopped after that. Maybe in a mind of a close-minded Punjabi like zeemax, mohajirs lost more after the creation of MQM but if you ask those Mohajir people, whose travel documents were ripped apart at Karachi airport by Sindhis, or who were ridiculed for applying for jobs, or whose life was miserable during the BB + army action on Karachi and Hyderabad (where 1200 people lost their lives – zeemax will probably disagree but I was actually there) will disagree. Zeena, now you also probably now why we call ourselves Mohajirs and not Karachiites. Maybe, one day when Punjabis are no more or at least when Punjab as a province is broken into smaller provinces to end its hegemony and people start getting their rights, we will start calling ourselves Karachiites.
People who say that Mohajirs were not oppressed by Punjabis (they are no longer – at least in Karachi and Hyderabad after MQM), should look at stark realities rather than opening their mouth and looking foolish (zeemax ;)). I don’t even have time to elaborate on this comment. I can if someone wants proof but that will a debate for another day.
Regarding # 30 – Zeemax PLEASE DON’T WRITE ANYMORE – PLEASE!

Urstruly, Zeemax, HP, Ally, etc...

All the ``Pisser-e-Zameen`` coming together in a circle. :)
Not one of them represents the Mohajirs, yet each one of them insists that Mohajirs have it so good, they shouldn`t complain, they are lording it over everyone else. :)

I love it when the POW camp commanding officers proclaims that the inmates are all well fed, well cared for, and totally happy with their incarceration. :) Any questions to the prisoners should be sumbitted in writing so that the right answer can be provided. :)

#32 aquaris {``70% of the migrant from minority provinces choose, Karachi and Hyderabad as their destination of choice, ``}

Aquaris,
As someone pointed out a while ago on Chowk FP, the arriving refugees from India were directed by the Punjabi authorities based on their linguistic traits. Punjabi speakers were welcomed in Lahore and vicinity. Urdu-speakers were directed to trains waiting to take them to Karachi.

The rest of your comments are self-contradictory. First you minimize the Urdu-speaking Mohajirs` numbers, then you complain about the massive hold they have on Pakistan`s government, military, bureaucracy, and economy. That is very nonsensical. Are you the type who looks for a Jew under every rock and an Ahmedi on every tree?

Re: # 33
huh! Do you really want people to reply to this rant. What kind of an idiotic post is this. Is calling Punjabis morons that bad or is calling Mohajirs good getting to you. In either case Shut Up!
Regarding Karachi demographics, the so-called big wigs from a certain province have been trying to change it for a long time. Everyday almost 100000 people come into Karachi and are accomodated by this Punjabi Land Mafia to change the demographics of this city. Unfortunately for them, now the Karachi government belongs to Mohairs which is fighting these elements tooth and nail. So just one message to all the Punjabis out there. ``Go Back to your holy land - and fight with the burqa walis.`` Karachi will take care of its own.

Re: # 61

I didn`t say Mohajirs `have it so good`; au contrair I said MQM (and by virtue of MQM most of Mohajirs) are going to get the raw deal in case of the hypothetical scenario of an all out civil war between Fidayeen-e-Mustafa and corrupt ruling class breaks out. MQM leadership has brought Mohajirs into this conundrum that they cannot remain neutral, as you suggest. And no matter what side they take, they will get shafted.