India-Kashmir-Pakistan: Perceptions on the History of Partition

http://www.dailystarnews.com/200104/19/n1041909.htm#BODY1

It is in the back of Pakistani mind that if it can hold on to another decade this desperate group would also be melted in the all absorbing monsoon of Bangladesh. The dilution of the Pakistan Resolution is a thought out plan but the message is not overlooked. According to some diplomats, ``Pakistan prefers a Government in Dhaka that would not take up the irritating point with Islamabad.`` Through re-writing Resolution Islamabad also wish to forestall possibility of Muslim immigration from India. The other fact is that Pakistan feels natural affinity to Kashmiris over her nationals in Bangladesh. Libyan Foreign Minister Omar Mustafa Montassar once asked me, ``Being an ambassador of neighbouring country what do you think about the Kashmiris voting to join Pakistan?`` In my unofficial response I mentioned that in such an eventuality the Kashmiris probably would take the following in to consideration [a] the status of the Muhajirs in Pakistan since 1947, [b] the fate of the stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh, [c] the state of power sharing between the heartland and the outlying provinces, [d] Soviet Union was dismembered without war and in the wake thirteen Independent Republics on distinct Nationality and Territorial line came up in the neighborhood of Kashmir. Kashmiris can not be immune to the change of season. Pakistan is well aware of the fact that not all Islamic countries support her position on Kashmir. It is neither a secret to the Indian and the Pakistani leadership that Col.Gaddhafi favours an independent Kashmir. The Libyan leader offered his best services to that end. He has considerable following in the Sub-Saharan Islamic countries.

If the intentions described below are followed-through with actions, and a perceptible reduction in the terror imposed by the jehadis, then India has an obligation to earnestly resume discussions with Pakistan to resolve all differences peacefully:

http://www.indian-express.com/ie/daily/20010213/iin13043.html

Pak vows tough measures against jihadis

Agence France Presse

Karachi, Feb 12: Pakistan`s military regime today announced tough measures against religious extremists including restrictions on raising funds for jihad (holy war) by Muslim militant groups.

``No one will be allowed to display arms whether he belongs to a jihadi or religious group or force people to give donations for the purchase of weapons in the name of jihad,`` Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider said.

Hinting at a crackdown against Islamic militants, he said: ``There is no jihad going on in Karachi or in Pakistan that these organisations be allowed to do whatever they like to do. I am giving clear orders to the police that if they see anyone displaying arms, stop them, warn them and if they don`t listen just shoot them,`` he said.

Haider, who chaired a high-level meeting on law and order following recent sectarian violence told reporters he had ordered that banners on display in the city about jihad fund-raising be removed. The government will ensure strict enforcement of the ban, he said.

Pakistani authorities are under pressure from the US to rein in extremists and militant outfits.

Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.

Recent letter to the editor of The Hindu:

Proud of being Indians

Sir, - The menacing anti-India posture of the Pak.-based militants is truly getting out of hand and embarrassing every true, right-thinking Muslim in India. The recent threat that dead bodies will be returned if the Indian cricket team visits Pakistan and that the `Jehadis` would rest only after the liberation of all Muslims from India, however, takes the cake and fills one with the utmost revulsion (``Dead bodies will be returned if cricket teams visits Pak.``, The Hindu, Feb. 7). Whatever gave them the notion that we Muslims in India are a subjugated lot, appealing for liberation? How could they so brazenly jump to the conclusion that we would want to identify with their bloodcurdling, barbarous sentiments?

The Islamic community in India should rise as one and distance itself from these self-proclaimed leaders of Islam, who are misinterpreting and distorting the holy Quran and spreading the message of hatred, merely to suit their ends. Contrary to what the Pak.-based militants would like to project, we being the second largest Islamic community in the world are a contented lot who enjoy the freedom of expression and secularism that India offers. I am thankful to my grandparents for having made the right choice of opting to stay in India and I know for sure that the same cannot be said of some of my relatives who migrated to Pakistan during partition. They are a disgruntled lot today and being immigrants from India, are stoically bearing the discrimination meted out to them. Tales of sectarian-rift being quelled brutally reach us now and then. Except perhaps the hardliners of the majority community who are the counterparts of the `Jehadis,` we face no discrimination whatsoever in our day-to-day life. Being a democratic country, we are actually at an advantage because political parties vie with each other to woo us and appease us for votes. Can`t we proudly claim that two of India`s Presidents were Muslims? In which other country does one have Heads of State from minority communities? How can we overlook the fact the father of India`s nuclear bomb is a Muslim who is proud of his Indian heritage?

The demolition of the Babri Masjid was no doubt a dastardly act carried out by irrational elements of the Sangh Parivar and deserves to be condemned. But then the saner voices from the majority community - of which there are many - are also raising their voices in protest.

It is time the Jehadis became aware of the fact that we are proud to be Muslims - but we are proud to be Indians as well.

Nazima Wahid,

Kochi (Kerala)

The story that the letter writer is referring to is available at:

http://www.indiaserver.com/thehindu/2001/02/07/stories/02070002.htm

wherein it states:

``The Jaish-e-Mohammad chief, Maulana Masood Azar, was quoted as saying that ``dead bodies will be returned if the Indian cricket team visits Pakistan````

Two recent reports on how the Kashmir jehad is receiving institutional support from within Pakistan:

http://203.200.89.68/website/full.asp?fodname=20000925&fname=cover%5Fstory&sid=1&pn=1

http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/2001/0205/kashmir_sb1.html

Shammi #257

The report might have mistakenly identified Karachi.

Please note the error.

The following is from CIA`s Global Trends 2015 Report available in summary form at BBC`s website

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1160000/1160245.stm

or in the original from the CIA at:

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/globaltrends2015/#link13b

``While the two sides (India and Pakistan) were taking tentative steps to lower the level of mutual animosity, the peace process was still fragile because neither side has yet agreed to direct and unconditional talks.``

``The situation was made more complicated by Pakistan`s weak economy which left the military leadership with little room for manoeuvre.``

``Mr Tenet (Director, CIA) said that Pakistan`s military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, was also having to contend with increasingly active Islamic extremists.``

``Because India was overwhelmingly superior to Pakistan in almost all areas of conventional warfare, Mr Tenet said that Islamabad was relying more and more on nuclear weapons for deterrence.``

``Widening gap``

``The director`s comments follow on from the recent publication of a CIA report, Global Trends 2015.``

``The report says the threat of nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan - and the widening strategic and economic gaps between the two countries - will overshadow all other regional issues during the next 15 years.``

``It says that India will be the unrivalled regional power with a large military equipped with nuclear capabilities.``

``The report warns that the gap between the military and economic strength of the two countries could be destabilising.``

``The CIA briefing says that Indian democracy will remain strong, even though there will be a marked difference in economic performance between different states.``

``Pakistan`s concerns``

``Overall it says that the Indian economy is likely to achieve sustained growth.``

``It has a competitive advantage in the global economy because it has the largest English speaking population in the developing world.``

``But despite this progress the report says that half a billion Indian continue to live in dire poverty.``

``The report warns that Pakistan will be more fractious, isolated and dependent on international financial assistance.``

``It says that the country will not recover easily from decades of political and economic mismanagement combined with lawlessness and corruption.``

``It predicts that in the years ahead, the central government`s control will probably be reduced to the Punjabi heartland and what it calls the economic hub of Karachi.``

CIA report

Strategic and economic gap between India and Pakistan will grow

India will be unrivalled regional power

Indian democracy will stay strong

0.5bn Indians will remain poor

Pakistan will be fractious and isolated

It will depend on international financial aid

Islamabad will lose control over the regions

Mr Amrit vijay on one hand claims that he likes Pakistanis, but on the other hand constantly keep on finding faults with Muslims, especially the Pakistani Muslims. He does not talk about Hyderabad where the ruler wants to join Pakistan, with the Hindu majority population, and was annexed by India, anyways. Kashmir as we all know has the opposite scenario, Hindu King, Muslim majority, and still annexed by India. Mr Amrit also doesnt talk about the religious riots, that occur in India every year, and where thousands of Muslims r butchered by extremist Hindus. Yes we r brothers, but even brothers can live peacefully in separate houses, instead of fighting each other in the same house.

Javed.

I think what Vikram has to say must be thought about as we as pakistanis,rarely get a chance to hear the other side of the story.But the only reason for so many misconceptions to develop is because of poor communication channels between the people of Pakistan and India.An effort must be made to allow plenty of interaction between the two.I think both sides are tired of the Kashmir issue, but then Kashmir or no Kashmir,we need to improve our relations. I would also like to send my sympathies and grievances to the people of India who are suffering from the disastrous earthquakes and quoting Bush, earthquakes have no political boundaries.

Wisecomments Reply to #194

Thank you for reading and responding to my post, I`m sorry for the late reply.

This reply deals with generalities, it will not satisfy those seeking specifics. however, I believe, as dangerous as generalities can be, that this is a better starting point, in that it will lead to specifics.

Also, please remember that using words such as ``Pakistanis`` and ``Indians``, I am refering only to those of us who read and write more than one language, can afford to live as if in the 21st century; far, far away from the rest of our kith and kin.

Pakistanis percieve themselves to be a part (a very important part) of the larger Muslim Ummah. They percieve themselves as being a key element in the mission of the Ummah to lift itself out of the stupor and helplessness it has lead itself into. Inherent in this awakening, this mission, is a sense of self, crafted by ideology, the experience of the Mughal/Muslim rot, the maginalization of Islam in what is now India, and in the world at large and colonialism. Coupled with this is the influence of the intense debate within and ouside the Ummah about the nature, details, effect and the conflicting responses to this debate within the Ummah and the world at large.

The Pakistani sense of self was also formed in a large measure, by the agony of it`s creation, it history of (unending?) suspision, fear and confict with India.

These influences have crafted Pakistanis to view themselves as unique (as in different from), as special; not better than, just different from.

That we (Pakistanis and Indians) share kinship is not in dispute, that Islam was and is the choice of conscience and heritage for a large number of persons in the subcontinent is also not disputed.

Isn`t identity very much like personality? both are creations (some even conscious). Both infer a uniqueness, a definition.

If I have understood the opinions of many Indians, they feel it is our free choice to build upon, develop and craft an identity seperate from that of a majority of Indians, that is the source of consternation, concern to them. This strikes me as an unresonable and closed minded posture.

Many Indians who think of themselves as educated and reasonable, seem to want nothing more than to have Pakistanis think of themselves as Indians, or former Indians or converted Indians or something Indian. Why, is beyond me. Indians will find this a frustrating waste of time.

Whatever happened to ``U B U``? Civilizational self confidence in India will not suffer, rather it will be enhanced by acknowledging similarities and differences within India and it`s neighbors.

Disrespect for this difference effects our lives in truly hurtful ways. It robs us our dignity and humanity. We become objects to act upon and not full, different persons to interact with. No longer do we feel the awareness to treat each other with care, we are not conscious of differences. It`s not that we should forget about all that binds us, and there is a lot that does just that, but that the differences are at the very core of who and what we percieve ourselves as.

Just as a ill person who is in denial about his or her illness cannot take the road to wellness, so we, cannot begin to bring ourselves closer to each other unless we first agree that we are different.

Indians and Pakistanis almost invariably hold up mirrors to each other, so that they can see the warts, the confusion, the contradiction, the irrationality, the SENTIMENT of injustices done/suffered, the good and the awful (and I thought these were the joys of being alive). Lost in this fruitless effort are ordinary lives that will miss the chance to connect with another life, a different experience. Friendships that will never be formed, liasons that will never happen, the experience of our glorious selves caged.

Pakistanis and Indians may never share a deeper and intimate understanding of each other, I would like to encourage them to treat each other with civility and remember that we need not use language as if it were a blunt object or a sword.

P.S. For those who are interested in seeking answers to questions like: ``Why does capitalism seem only to generate wealth in Western countries?`` and ``How can capitalism generate wealth in non-western countries?`` ANSWERS may be found in ``THE MYSTERY OF CAPITAL - Why Capitalism triumphs in the West and fails everywhere else`` by Hernando de Soto

Where one end of the rainbow begins in India and the other in Pakistan

Where clouds come from India and rain in Pakistan

Where winds blow from India and take the fragrance of flowers to Pakistan

Where the Jhelum flows from India and quenches the thirst in Pakistan

Where the birds glide in India and sleep in Pakistan

Where the mountains divide India and Pakistan

Where enmity begins in both countries and ends nowhere

http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jan/25inter.htm

Interview with Baba Amte

Shammi#

Are all Indian duffers or they only assign duffers to this site.

taikonaut,

{{Gurv say kaho hum Bharati hain (unless we are ashamed of being called Bharati)}}

You end all your posts with this statement. If youre trying to make a point, pray explain to this uneducated gawar what it is?

shammi #: 248

You did it again. Congratulations for cutting and pasting one more idiotic blabbering. Are you just looking for some itsy bitsy straw to hang on to? Do you really need every little stupidity for bashing our brothers across the border? You didn`t even care to read the pasted article by yourself. Huh?

Did you ever question where were these I Hassans when Ayub Khan was destroying the country? Wait wait, where were these guys when Iskandar Mirza was busy in his shenanigans? How come these I Hasans were shoving Urdu down the throat of Bengalis? Was HR report necessary to understand what army rule is doing to his country?

Look, Here is an excuse:



when the Hamoodur Rehman Commission held its final sittings in 1974, I was living in England where very little of it, if any, was being reported



Living comfy in Vilayat is good reason for being an ignorant rascal. Thugs burned the then East Pakistan and you did not even know? What kind of free lancer journalist you are?

Then he talks about Japs:



I have experience of the Japanese having occupied Malaya. There was no murder, no grabbing of everything except that Japanese soldiers had a weakness for watches. If one parted with one`s watch without fuss there was no problem.



Why did he stop at Malaya? What about Philippines and other Far Eastern areas? Tell me if they remained ``interested`` in watches. There are doubts but there is a lot of controversy about what happened in Nanjing. How can he be so ignorant about the facts, while he claims to have lived that time? Dementia may be?

Another easy cop out, bring in the Nazis:



The enormity of the crime committed against humanity does not fall short of what the Nazis did to the Jews.



Ride on the backs of poor Jews, it is so easy. The murderers themselves should not waste sacrifices of peaceful Jews. Punajbi, Muhajir and few other educated-butchers are ready now to hang on and enjoy the popular wave. Heck you go back just one and half year and these same idiots were inviting army. Suddenly they see the HR report and they figured out army is bad? What a miracle? God is great!!!

One more jewel by I Hasan:



Then Benazir Bhutto`s government had to protect the name of ZA Bhutto. What is not understandable is why Nawaz Sharif continued to suppress it for he was in no way even remotely connected with it.



So our ``I Hasan`` thinks General Niazi smuggled HR copies to India Today?

ZA Bhutto was already hanged when BB came to power. He was the first to be lynched immediately after 1971 by Punjabi-Muhajir educated-robbers. What kind of name protection are you talking about?

Nawaz Sharif had the sword hanging on his head thanks to educated bureaucrats and the generals. I Hasan thinks it was child`s play to publish reports. Man! What kind of idiotic world he lives in?

As long as they had their plates full with blood and guts, I Hasans didn`t care about the army. It is only now that they want to fight a WWF-style wrestling match with the generals. I am asking again, where were these I Hasans when Liaqat Ali Khan was importing their brethren by the droves? Well, I guess Hasans were giving watches to the Japanese, while Sindh was being plundered by the ``educated elite``.

So Shummi, please read and understand before cutting and pasting. Will Ya? As Confucius said ``He who learns but does not think is lost; he who thinks but does not learn is in danger``.

Gurv say kaho hum Bharati hain (unless we are ashamed of being called Bharati)

From The News (Jang Group)

January 21, 2001

Cleanse the body politic

I Hassan

Reading the Hamoodur Rehman Commission Report, I am aghast at how horrendous were the crimes committed by the Pakistan Army in the then East Pakistan over a period of nearly a year. The reason it comes as a shock and surprise to me is that at the time of those most reprehensible happenings and subsequently when the Hamoodur Rehman Commission held its final sittings in 1974, I was living in England where very little of it, if any, was being reported.

The enormity of the crime committed against humanity does not fall short of what the Nazis did to the Jews. According to the findings of the Commission, there was systematic pillaging, looting and killing. The behaviour of the army was worse than any foreign army having occupied a country. This was their own country, their own people. I have experience of the Japanese having occupied Malaya. There was no murder, no grabbing of everything except that Japanese soldiers had a weakness for watches. If one parted with one`s watch without fuss there was no problem. Here in East Pakistan army officers, according to the Report, were sequestering motor cars, refrigerators, air conditioners, all other electrical appliances besides other goods and transporting them to West Pakistan. The army was, according to the Report, told to live off the land which meant that they took all their requirements of food, clothing, transport and whatever else without paying for it.

The Army killed thousands with impunity, massacred intellectuals. Any suspect, whether genuine or otherwise, was ``sent to Bangladesh``. ``Send him to Bangladesh`` was a code word to kill the person who was despatched without trial. A written order was given to kill all Hindus.

The Commission analyses how this level of degradation was reached. It says that it starts with the Ayub Khan`s Martial Law when the Army was involved at all levels in civilian administration, and learnt the ways of all those who had become fat off the land. In this process the army lost its professionalism. The Commission specifically cites the example of General Niazi, whose indictment by the Commission is such that though known as `Tiger Niazi`, any cat would refuse to lend its name to him. According to the Commission, the general assumed that the Indians would not go beyond taking a few square miles of border lands for which assumption there was no ground. His deployment of troops was based on this assumption. When it became apparent to him that the Indians were advancing to Dhaka it was too late. He had already lost the battle.

The Commission indicts General Niazi of conducting a business of despatching ``pan`` to West Pakistan, of sexual philandering. The Commission recommends to the government that the general be tried in an appropriate court of law. He is not the only one. There are quite a few others.

The Army in East Pakistan committed great crimes but the greater and totally unforgivable crime has been committed by the successive governments by suppressing the report and refusing to act upon it. The first government that was seized of the matter was that of ZA Bhutto. It is understandable why he did not take any action.

He himself was so culpable that he dare not disturb this hornets nest. The next one, General Ziaul Haq depended upon his party, the Army, to wield power. He not only did not act against those culpable but instead gave free reign to the army which was once again engaged in every civilian activity with the consequence of its further erosion of professionalism and integrity. Then Benazir Bhutto`s government had to protect the name of ZA Bhutto. What is not understandable is why Nawaz Sharif continued to suppress it for he was in no way even remotely connected with it.

And now, once again, the Army has its finger in every pie. The corps commanders are law unto themselves. Even the governors of provinces despite being ex-servicemen, have little authority and a couple of them have resigned for this reason.

The chief executive has declared that we should forget and forgive. This direction is alone the same line as at the time of General Ziaul Haq. Regrettably, the consequences will be even worse than at the time of genocide in East Pakistan. With no restoration of morality, rule of law, the rule of the jungle will prevail even more. Nowhere in the world has such broad forgiveness being given. General Pinochet of Chile, 30 years after his crimes against his own people is about to be indicted by his own people. He having escaped charges of the Spanish government appears not to be succeeding in feigning illness. The same is the case in Indonesia of General Suharto, who after 30 years is being tried by a court of law.

The author is a former Broadcaster, Commentator, Foreign

Correspondent and a freelance columnist

Krashid #: 242

Thanks for the nice comments. Beware that Egalitarian_Brahmin is watching, and now he is going to accuse me that I am trying to get you on board my ``rickety bandwagon``.

Let`s not get into 1971. That is a painful year in the short history of Bharat-Pakistan feud. Many people lost their lives, their property and their dear ones. A lot of blood was shed for the ego of a few. No! the ruling elite do not consider it as defeat. Pakistani elite feels they are better off without those short dark people. Bharati elite feels elated that they were able to settle the score with those ``savage invaders``. Bangladeshi elite is doing the same tax based slaughter of the poor masses that was done earlier by the ``westerners``. No my dear chowki, 1971 was yet another defeat for the common man at the hands of the good old ``educated elite``.

Gurv say kaho hum Bharati hain (unless we are ashamed of being called Bharati)