Militant Liberalism #299 by ranjit :

``Having a benign Pakistan on our west is good enough and that is what we should aim for.``

Ranjit, that is the whole point being made by Ahmad. We are not going to have ``Pakistan`` benign or otherwise on our borders. We may have smaller states, intrinsically unstable on our borders creating even more problems. Do nor forget that an independent West Punjab or Sind in trouble means India will have no choice but to be involved, leading to a messier situation. Rewind back to Srilanka, Ltte & IPKF and you will get the drift.

In the world of realpolitik, Might is Right and we need to focus on getting mightier not only economically but geopolitically too.

Trust me when I say this, the situation in Afghanistan will improve only when Pakistan ceases to exist. The Taliban who are still the honored guests of the Pakistan Govt and strut around in Baluchistan will be caught between a rock & a hard place when India, Afghanistan & USA zero in on them.

Prakash

Militant Liberalism #290 by haji004

Dear Ahmad,

I ned a clarification. Your assertion that;

In terms of cultural diversity Pakistan is much much more fortunate than India...

(i) It has lesser number of ethnic groups.
(ii) It has complete religious homogeneity

and most of all...This is the most important thing...

Its ethnicities are separated from each other by ``NATURAL FRONTIERS``...

How do you say that barriers either natural or man-made makes for a better nation-state?


Regards

Prakash

Militant Liberalism Re:Re:chennai#275 :

Ranjit, forget past history, forget Ghori and their ilk. In todays context the best scenario is a peaceful, stable and friendly Pakistan on our border. This seems highly unlikely, based on this excellent article by Mr Hayat and also strategic think tanks in Washington.

The next best is what I proposed,based on language & cultural affinity between Punjabis Sindhis, & Kashmiris. We do not need buffer states on our western borders; we most certainly do to the east where we have Nepal & Bhutan, in any case the concept of buffer states is dying out with modern warfare capable of surgical strikes.

Forget whether Punjabi Muslims should be some sort of a buffering fodder from maurauding Islamists. It will not happen since a Punjabi is a Punjabi 1st, a Muslim 2nd and lastly a Pakistani (Pun intended) and the days of horsemen coming into India thru the Khyber Pass is long gone(except in our movies)

More importantly, the sheer size of India would be a major deterrent followed by our economic might and cultural reach (Bollywood and other woods.)

I am given to understand that these events in Karachi over the past few days has made a section of the Pakistani religious establishment (notably deobandis) wants India (Read Maulana Wahiduddin Khan) to intervene and bring back sanity.

So much for the Two-nation theory or Two-Notion theory.


Re:#276 by Zeena:

Madam,

I need to get a visa today to visit your beautiful, peaceful and democratic country but in a few years I will not need one.

You, on the other hand have a wonderful future in India writing tear jerking movie/Tv scripts where the only criterion is liberal emotions & zilch logic.

Prakash

Militant Liberalism Re:#273 by ranjit`

Ranjit, its become very evident that Pakistan is going to collapse; the question is 2020 or earlier. The scenario that would emerge then is;

1) The states of Punjab, Sind, NW Province & Baluchistan once again form a loose confederation not different from the erstwhile Pakistan with more equitable distribution of power.

2) Punjab & Sind join India, NW Province joins Afghanistan & Baluchistan goes to Iran giving a cultural & linguistic linkup.

As to India not wanting a border with Afghanistan & Iran, traditionally India has been close friends of both countries and these ties would get cemented further.

The only area of concern is getting the populance of Punjab & Sind to understand the fundamentals of living in a Democratic setup as compared to an Islamic one and their obligations vis a vis their rights.

This solution is the most pragmatic one which provides lasting peace & economic prosperity for India.

Citizenship and Identity in Pakistan

``the centralised Indian identity proved itself to be intolerant of smaller communal and ethnic identities``

Factually incorrect my friend. Smaller religio-ethnic groups have been making India their home for a few thousand years. e.g,

THE JEWS OF KERALA
There is no consensus of opinion on the date of the arrival of the first Jews in India. The tradition of the Cochin Jews maintains that after 72 A.D., after the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, 10,000 Jews migrated to Kerala. A second tradition says that the Jews are the descendants of the Jews taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar and then released by Cyrus of Persia in the sixth century B.C. A third theory holds the view that they came to India
in 370 from Majorca where they were exiled by the Roman Emperor Vespasian. A fourth tradition, the Christian tradition, says that when St. Thomas the Apostle visited Muziris in 52 A.D., he stayed in the Jewish quarter. The only verifiable historical evidence about the Kerala Jews goes back only to the Jewish Copper Plate Grant of Bhaskara Ravi Varman of 1000 A.D. This docu-ment records the royal gift of rights and privileges to the Jewish Chief of Anjuvannam Joseph Rabban.

http://www.shelterbelt.com/KJ/khjews.html

These groups amalgamated themselves with the local culture which gradually rose into an Indian identity, as it exists today. These groups, notably the Jews & Parsees never went into converting locals to their religion and were noted for their community service.

Please do get your facts right before posting.

Militant Liberalism Re:

``#114 by cliftonbridge on May 11, 2007 10:57pm PT
arent you sweet chennai try offering indian citizenship to the gujrati and kashmiri muslims ``

Cliftonbridge, I cannot offer Indian citizenship to Gujarati & Kashmiris, whether Muslim or otherwise because most already happen to be Indians.

Hayat bhai, by virtue of this well researched & path breaking article has explicitly stated what the world already knows:

Pakistan will no longer exist by 2020; if not earlier:

For a pakistani to boldly say so in a public domain calls for sheer guts, which he has demonstrated he has, in addition to excellent analytical skills. He needs a secular democratic environment to flourish and therefore the offer of Indian citizenship.

Ps: I dont think you will get one if you apply now; 2012 it will automatically get conferred on you.

Militant Liberalism Re: # 77

Hayatji,

On the contrary my heartfelt desire has increased in offering you an Indian citizenship. Your article, more than anything else calls for sheer guts especially when there are so many bigots around this part of the world.

I feel 2020 is too long. Any suggestions on decreasing the timeline!

Regards

M D Prakash

Militant Liberalism A message to All Indians:

We need to offer Ahmed Akhtar Hayat an honorary Indian citizenship for his lucid article. How does one go about doing this? Do we petition Prez Abdul Kalam or the PM. Request help in the procedure.

Militant Liberalism ``That, come 2020 and there would not be a country called Pakistan can be a pretty safe bet.``

Very optimistic prediction considering that 2012 is the date by which analysts feel Pakistan would be khatam.

PS:Which passport would then be applicable for Pakistanis. I would certainly not want it to be Indian!

Fake Killings: People as Trophies The Supreme Court is doing the right thing by increasing its vigilantism against political big-wigs who always felt that they were beyond the law.

I recommend the death penalty for Modi,Shah, The IPs officers and all overtly or covertly connected with the murder of an innocent woman, once proven guilty.

Rahul Gandhi\'s Election Campaign We Indian`s are a priveleged lot; we have two Prime Ministers- The Right PM & The Real PM

India and the Cricket World Cup What an extrordinarily lucid article on some strange activity called cricket. The article, though small in content highlights one point brilliantly.

Betting is rampant amidst Indian & Pakistani Ambassadors alongside casks of imported liquor.