Open Letter To Dina Wadia

Ahmadzai,

``Now the fundoo Indoos may be resenting her visit to Pakistan, the only fact
is that she visited her MAYKA as an Indian citizen, was treated as as a state guest,
was not glorified in any manner, returned to her Susraal``

Trust me, no Indian is resenting anything about Dina Wadia`s visit. Most people don`t
even know who she is; her only reference point in India would be Nusli`s mother.

But tell me, how does someone raised and married in Bombay think of Karachi
(or was it Lahore she visited) as her ``mayka`` ?

Dina Wadia should be welcomed by all Pakistanis.

But she cannot be used as a symbol of nationhood via genetics.

The Quaid helped to create a country but it was the people that accepted it.

It is THEIR children that need to make it work.

Nostalgia is nice but drinking water is better!


Ras

Romair

(But I have an in-built dislike for people who gain a certain status, through ancestory)

It is part of our South Asian culture that if the Father or Mother has done some good - we feel in gratitude to the siblings as well, in fact to the family. And like to show our emotions and good wishes for them.

Good or bad - this is how we are. It is a good cultural trait, is quite selfless and is in good faith provided it is kept within limits. This is what makes the East different from the West.

Only at times, we do go overboard and even make Prime Ministers out of them.

About the lamentation on the state of idealism in PK:

We are floundering in ideals and idealism. I believe the Pakistani nation`s eternal quest for identity and a need to determine the ultimate Pakistani Dream is too much of a good thing gone bad by its very excess.

It is true that we need a direction and a strategy, but it`s also infinitely better to focus on positive actions (which can be determined by common good sense) rather than remain in an eternal futile search of ideals.

Wa-Allah Aalim

(#1- #18)
Gentlemen:

Be good. Why make a poor lady who was visiting Pakistan for personal reasons the playing-out field for our emotions?
Other things that I have to say:
Why do we have to drag in the Hindu-Muslim factor in to everything? Most of Pakistan`s issues (such as entrepreneurs and corporations not reaching the $1bn mark) are independent of Islam or anything like it. And they can be dealt with by keeping religion out of the picture. I do not mean that religion/ faith system can ever be kept away from the normal business of life, but let`s focusing on issues of life by keeping religion constant. No one`s religion prevent them from being successful entrepreneurs, nor MAKES them successful entrepreneurs, so let`s put an end to those nonsensical arguments.

Second, Ms. Wadia must certainly have emotional feelings about Pakistan and her father... who are we to dictate a ruling for or against that? Everyday in life, thousands of persons take decisions that take them away from their families, the families` traditions and beliefs, and even countries of residence. There must be scores of the same on Chowk who are residing in foreign lands and marrying inter-faith, inter-culture against the wishes of their families. Should anyone go on about deciding that these persons have betrayed their countries or have no more feelings for their families?

On the other hand, it is also fair that if they ever return, not much should be expected from them. Ms. Wadia`s visit was non-committal, non-emotional at least for the public. What her personal feelings were, we do not know, and we must not decide. But as a public figure, the fact is that she gave nothing to Pakistan except revive a memory of their father. she didn`t talk to our press, she didn`t address the nation. Nothing`s in us for her, or in her for us.

So, logically: her only significance is that she is a living reminder of her father, and let`s shed a few tears when we look at her face so similar to the Quaid`s - and then leave it at that. The lady never made any committment to Pakistan, it is a fact. Let`s accept it. We will fail our own expectations if we set them wrong and high. Let`s focus ourselves elsewhere.

Good to have you over, Lady Wadia. And thank you for the glimpse of Quaid in you.

Ref Romair #15

[His daughter never bothered much about Pakistan. Nor apparently about her own father (and I guess the feeling was mutual). That is her own personal choice and business. But, I think one needs to do something for a country, or be a foreign state dignatary to gain a state guest status. One cannot just do it through a membership of the, ``lucky sperm`` club.]

Forked tongue again, I see. Aren`t you the guy who was willing to let a cum-bucket like Sonia become prime minister of India (don`t make me dig up your post but I will if I need to) but now is against a member of the lucky-sperm club staying for a few days as a state guest?

arjun at # 16:

1. That there are few billionaire`s in India and none in Pakistan proves that Indian wealth is concentrated in few hands while in Pakistan there is more equal distribution of whatever we have. This is something acknowledged by National Geographic when it covered the untouchables of India.

2. On Premji, read Farzana`s contention.

3. Premji most surely would like to deal with Pakistani companies once peace process moves ahead. If he is Agha Khani, then there is 100% probability that he will deal with Pakistani counterparts of his bratheri. I remember the news that few Indian companies are already interested in collaborating with their Pakistan counterparts.

However, in response to this post, I expect you to highlight two of my posts that I challenged you to quote (cricket interactive board). Nothing more, nothing less

plat8 @ # 17:

My hard luck. I am always stuck with responding to you with an explanation ;-)

The last time I responded to you on Pakistan not being torch bearer of all Muslims, I am still stuck on that topic with Sadna.

All I meant to say in the lighter vein was that Pakistan is Wadia`s Mayka, while India is Susraal.

Also that more Indians leave messages like arjun at # 16, more it proves how extremist Indians resented her visit.

Shoosh man!

nazarhayatkhan #19: ``It is a good cultural trait....

Only at times, we do go overboard and even make Prime Ministers out of them.``

I think this is a good trait at the family level. If I know you, then if I ever run across your son, I should assist him, if I can, even if I don`t know him. And vice-versa That is fine.

However, it should never be acceptable at the national level. If one is going to go that far, then why not give a a Nishan-e-Pakistan medal to Dina Wadia? Why not give her the key to Pakistan? Why not give a 21 gun salute? Why not put her picture on the 100 ruppee note?

Countries do not belong to any one person. Not even to their founders. And definitely not to the children of their founders. Specially if the children, themselves deliberately did not want to have anything to do with the country.

At a political level, this is Pakistan`s achille`s heel. Children take over from their parents as MNAs, MPAs, and even PMs. This is why the political system is a mess. This is why the more stable institutions, like Army, Civil Services etc. are the ones, where the son does not automatically step into the father`s shoes. Similarly the more stable political parties like Jamaat-e-Islami (like them or hate them) are the ones where the son does not automatically take over from the father.

However, the major parties, like PPP and PML, are all heridatory. I can make a 5 ruppee bet that Bilawal Bhutto will be the Prime Minster of Pakistan, and he will stand against Hussain Nawaz. Unless, of course, Dina Wadia comes and applies for the position.

harimau #22: ``Forked tongue again, I see. Aren`t you the guy who was willing to let a cum-bucket like Sonia become prime minister of India (don`t make me dig up your post but I will if I need to) but now is against a member of the lucky-sperm club staying for a few days as a state guest?````

There is a huge difference between Sonia Gandhi and Dina Wadia. Sonia Gandhi is the leader of the opposition of the second largest party in India. On top of that, she is an Indian citizen, living in India. She is a part of the state. She should get state privelages from India. And if she becomes PM of India, and comes to Pakistan, she should be a State Guest in Pakistan. Perhaps, even if she is leader of opposition. As should Vajpayee and Advani.

Dina Wadia is not even a citizen of Pakistan, nor in any kind of an official position in India. In addition, I have never heard of her doing anything for Pakistan. In fact, I do not know of anything Dina Wadia has done, other than being the daughter of a very successful man, and the wife of another successful man. Nobody would know who she was, if she wasn`t Jinnah`s daughter.

She has infact, gone out of her way to reject her father, and everything he stood for. I have no problems with that, it is her personal matter. But how in the world does that qualify her as a state guest?

If she were to move to Pakistan and become leader of opposition of Pakistan, then she should definitely get state privelages. If she were to gain an equivalent status in India, like Sonia Gandhi, then she should be one, also. But not in her present capacity.

Daler Mehndi deserves to be a state guest in Pakistan more than she does, since he does charity shows for a cancer hospital in Pakistan.

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rozaiba
//...Qaid-e-Azam opposed anything unconstitutional....//

That doesn`t explain my original contention - how does one change the status quo without challenging the existing establishment. How are you get freedom from oppression if you don`t challenge oppressors?

What constitution was he so fond of?

#28 by arjun_m on April 1, 2004 8:49am PT
//...I am enjoying every minute of the coverage of how Jinnah`s own daughter and grandson chose to live in India and made their fortune there...//

Exactly. That is one ``core issue`` that Pakis are hard put to explain. Why did Jinnah`s own progeny stayed back in the bad hindoo land ..... how come she and her family is so successful - better than any paki has ever been? How does this gel with Dad`s theory that muslims are going to be oppressed by bad old hindoos.

Isn`t it a sweet irony - that the daughter life`s achievements comprehensively invalidates Dad`s life`s work?

I think hindus should be ashamed of themselves and also those who call Quaid-e-Azam a constitutional dictator - its just height of arrogance and baysharmee.

Quaid-e-Azam was the man of law and he knew very well that only thing that whiteman is scared of is his own law. It is also the Achilles heels of the whiteman. On the other hand Gandhi was a charlatan in every sense of the world. The way he once tried to malign the good name of Jinnah thru conspiracy and skulduggery is a well known fact.

Once Quaid-e-Azam was travelling in a train from Bombay to Laknow when Gandhi sent a floozy into his compartment to tarnish the image of Jinnah. This woman screamed rape as the train stopped at the next railway station. Soon the compartment was flooded with police, reporters, and passengers while Jinnah calmly kept sitting and smoking his cigar. The gora police inspector asked Jinnah that he should come to the police station. Jinnah calmly asked ``For what?``

``This woman claims that you tried to rape her`` said inspector.

Jinnah replied ``Well, Inspector, are you looking at this cigar in my hand?``

Inspector nodded

``Well, can`t you see, half of it is in ashes and still intact? Would you please explain to me how can I attempt to rape this woman and still manage to keep the ashes intact``

The inspector realized that and apologized to Jinnah.

While inspector was dragging the floozy to the police station people heard him say `` O`blimey This godamned Gandhi will have me demoted someday ``

PS:

As for Romair`s commentary on Pakistan`s history ... as the old saying goes : Little knowledge is dangerous.

It is amazing that a few months ago this guy was jumping up and down at my article ` dislodging the dictator` because I had suggesting that Benazir needs to shape up to play a role similar to what Fatima Jinnah played against Ayub... but today he is drawing direct analogies between Jinnah himself and Benazir Bhutto.

... thank god we exported him to Canada.