A photo showing Jinnah's residence in Ziarat in its former glory. PHOTO: APP
The residence of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah at the idyllic hill station of Ziarat, which was considered a national heritage, was razed to the ground in a bomb attack claimed by an outlawed Baloch separatist group, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) early Saturday.
“The wooden house at Ziarat was a symbol of slavery as it was built for the colonial British officer Sir Robert Groves Sandeman who ruled Balochistan until his death in 1892,” Akram Shah, the general secretary of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), told The Express Tribune.
“The house always reminded the Baloch and Pashtuns of the long period when they were the slaves of British Empire in Indian subcontinent,” Shah added. “For us, it’s no more than the house of the then agent to the governor general [of India], Sir Sandeman.”
Shah’s shocking statement prompted scathing criticism from a fellow politician from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
“Akram Shah has hurt the feelings of millions of patriotic people in Balochistan and of those who had an emotional attachment with the historic building [Ziarat residency},” Anwarul Haq Kakar told The Express Tribune. “The PkMAP leader should behave like a responsible politician and not forget that his party is a coalition partner in the Balochistan government.”
Kakar said that the terrorists who destroyed the ‘symbol of the federation in Balochistan’ deserved a befitting reply from the entire nation, particularly from the peace-loving people of the province.
PkMAP’s Akram Shah was also unhappy with the visit to Ziarat by two federal ministers -- Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Pervaiz Rashid. The ministers should have instead attended the funeral of the victims of Saturday’s attacks in Quetta claimed by the banned sectarian extremist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2013.
COMMENTS (109)
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Akram Shah's clarifies his statement on Quaid e Azam's residency: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=140119952850917&set=vb.578261948860453&type=2&theater
@AASIA SOHAIL: you are pointing to the symptom, not the root of the problem. Just like a malignant tumor, the roots lies not where the bulge appears.
@ASQ: Pak govt has already initiated that.
The Baloch are their own worst enemies. Note the little progress there despite the sardars taking crores in payoff from gas production and exploration companies as "protection" money. Why is that money not being spent on Balochistan's development ? It's not for the sardars to keep. All the Baloch sardars do is play the victim.
@Reality check:
Jaipal actually overthrew the Brahmin dynastry and established his own. He most probably belonged to Potohar Plateau, and according to inscriptions, he was a descendant of Pandavs of Mahabarat. Pandavas were the ancestors of many Rajput clans like Tomars, Jarrals etc. And even if he was a Brahmin "Hindkowan" as your pseduo-history says, that doesn't mean he was a Pashtun or an Afghan as Hindko is just a dialect of Punjabi like Dogri and Potohari is.
Jaipal is described as "the last Punjabi king of Punjab before Ranjit SIngh" by many historians. But you can keep on believing your distorted history. And Afghanistan was always a territory of Persians or Turks, and it was known as Khurasan to the Persians.
The day we start giving more importance to human lives than we do to houses & heritage, will be the day these attacks and killings will stop!
If Pakistan destroys Baloch's heritages and homes, than it's heritages will not be safe.
@Randomstranger: Jaipal was not "Punjabi Rajput", he was from brahmin lineage probably a hindkowan.
Jinnah and his ideas were destroyed the day people of Bangladesh asked for Independence. In context a mere house where he ocassionally stayed means nothing, even to the Great man himself.
Irrigation system was built by British, so lets invite BLA to destroy it and remove this symbol of slavery. While we are at it, we should also also destroy the government buildings(all over Paksitan)constructed by British.
Since we are talking about slavery, what about the slavery imposed by Baloch sardars on their people leaving them uneducated, backward and economically deprived ? It really amuses me to see the Pakistan federation blamed for what is essentially a Balochi cultural mindset i.e. tribalism and subservience to tribal sardars.
I think that Akram Shah needs a reality check, and quickly too. The symbolic value of the Ziarat residency for the Pakistani people was clearly not due to the fact that it was built by some British Governor General. It was as everyone knows, the last residence of our country's founder before his death in Karachi and was hence a symbol of the Pakistani Federation which he created. The attack on the residence was hence an attack on the idea of Pakistan as a federation. It is this fact that must be urgently addressed by the government, the fact that many in our largest province find the idea of staying within a Pakistani Federation intolerable to the extent that it has become necessary to destroy the very symbols of the state. How this will be addressed when our politicians are too busy making ridiculous statements for the sake of cheap publicity is beyond me.
@Aghanyar
Oh, so Jaipal and Ashoka were Pakhtun/Afghans? Good sense of humor...Jaipal was a Punjabi Rajput, who happened to rule Afghanistan and Ashoka's origins are vague. Talk about real history and not the pseudo-history written by Zia-ul-Haq.
In Mughal era, majority of nobles and generals were actually Hindhu rajputs. And being a governor doesn't mean being a "ruler of India". Yes, Lodhi and Suri were Pashtuns, but their rules were unstable and short-lived. Lodhi lost almost all central/east India to Rana Sangha of Mewar. As far as Mohammad Ghori is concerned, he was a Tajik and not a Pashtun. Yet you still didn't answer my question, name one Pashtun ruler of Afghanistan before Abdali.
even if this building belonged to british, why to burn it. PLEASE WAKE UP DEAR PAKISTANIS AND COME OUT AND SAVE YOUR COUNTRY FROM POVERTY, ILLITERACY AND IGNORANCE.PAKISTAN ZINDABAAAAD
Pakistan belongs to Pakistanis. Not to Mr. Jinnah.
How ironic then to destroy one of the memorials to the man who led people of sub-continent including the Baloch to independence. Without Jinnah, the Baloch tribes would still be paying homage to the British rulers. Perhaps that is what they deserve.
Shah got everything right apart from the fact that it reminds baloch of pakistani slavery rather than british slavery.
The Baloch really respected Mr Sandeman for who the house was originally built and also Jinnah who brought development and dignity to Balochistan. These people don't represent the views of Pashtuns but of cavemen who need to go to school and learn to appreciate things!
How about other 'symbols' such as the infrastructure for Rail-track, mass communication system, Bolan Tunnel, and many other good deeds which the British rule had left behind? Do they too deserve to be taken as symbol of slavery, and subsequently dealt with as is the case with Ziarat Residency?
The blast on Jinnah's residence may have different meaning for different people and provinces. However, Akram Shah's statement reflected some true sentiments that existed among majority of the Baloch and beyond but fear of retribution hardly allow people express their real feelings. Balochis sentiments needs to understand in historical perspective who including Hasil Bazinjo and even present Chief Minister Dr. Malik would be sharing the similar sentiments about Pakistan's discriminatory rule. First, forced annexation of Balochistan with Pakistan itself was controversial issue for Balochis that had been opposed by both Balochistan's upper and lower houses of representatives. Second, they undertook militant resistence when political opposition was forcibly put to an end. Third, when Baloch nationalist leaders tried to reconcile with Pakistan they were never treated equally and respectfully that forced them again to recourse to unconventional method of getting their rights and respect back. Those, who express anguish over Jinnah's residence should pay attention of living Baloch miseries and their decades of deprivations caused by Islamabad. Brute power can never make them pro-Pakistan albeit just approach and justice can help them to review their politics.
@Sindhi Pakistani: You have same level of intellect as that of Shah. The Quaid lived here. It was a heritage, why burn it?
@ASQ:::Have patience,they are doing it,with great precision.Btw.if the said building was a symbol of slavery and had to be despised,then why our great freedom fighter chose to make a short stay there,during his last days?Boggles me
Mr. Shah may not understand history and he may wish to demolish the railroads, hospitaL, buildings, universities or homes made by the British but the history still remains- whether Pakistanis wish to acknowledge or not, the region was ruled by British colonialists who treated the natives badly and destoryed what remained of Muslim rule in the region. Jinnah may have stayed at Ziarat during his dying days and Mr. Sandeman may have lived ther before but people like Mr. Shah do nothing with such comments.
If the same Pakistani population felt so much for the people of their country being killed on a daily basis, as they feel for this Ziarat Building, the issue of terrorism would have been settled long back...
However, one should know that there is no value for human life in the "land of the pure". The building is more precious than 50,000+ human lives.
DEMONS may show more compassion towards a human life than the people of this land of the pure.
@antanu
There is no "SAFFARON GROUP" in India... Are you referring to your neighboring country India or some other place?
Anyway, Ignorance is Bliss for Pakistanis!
Don't forget the universities/collleges and hospitals that were built in the colonial era. What do you have to say about them
@Aghanyar
Ashoka(Mauryans), Ghurids were not Afghans, they were Indian and Tajik repsectively
Rest of them never ruled on all of Sub continent but only a part of it mainly Northern Sub Continent. Jaipal didn't even ruled on Punjab let alone all of South Asia
Interesting take by Akram Shah.
I look forward to a proposal by him on the floor of the assembly to change the name of Sandeman tangi, the village near Ziarat which has that beautiful waterfall.
Everybody should understand first then pass their comments, Mr. Akram Shah khan Secretary General of PMAP did not means to destroy the historical places, he means, there are more burning issues in balochistan to be solved immediately, target killing of innocent people, bomb blasting, kidnapping for ransom has become the daily routine, no one is ready to understand the law and order situation of the province. The fact is the people of the province are facing to lose their beloved sons, druthers, fathers, sisters and brother and properties but the establishment are diverting the minds of the people of the country despite of understand and resolve the root causes of insurgency.
@Mirza: sir, that someone who passed away 50 years ago is not some ordinary guy. He is Quaid e azam, the father of our nation. How would you feel if someone destroys the belongings and memories of your father out of animosity??? The bomb attacks in quetta are equally bad... But point of discussion here is ziarat residency....
@Sindhi Pakistani: . You stated : I think Akram Shah makes sense. Jinnah went there when he was sick and the house really belonged to a British officer. Anyway rebuilt house is not going to be like the original thing . I only hope that the RE-BUILT HOUSE reflects Eastern preferably Islamic Architecture and not remind the Pakistani People of the "Agent to the Governor General" of India.
Cheers
One person's hero is other persons villain. If all are happy no one will want independence/freedom when things go wrong people suffer, people part ways and would want to be independent/free example - India,Pakistan,Bangladesh,Kashmir,Baluchistan,Sindh,KP. India gained freedom from British calling them Tyrants,Pakistan's Muslim League leader Jinnah called Indian National Congress as Tyrants,Bangladesh Mujibur Rehman called Pakistan as Tyrants,JKLF Yasin Malik & All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Ghani Bhat calls Indian government as Tyrants,Baluchistan Akbar Baguti called Pakistan as Tyrant,Sindh leader GM Syed called Pakistan as Tyrants and similarly KP leader Khan Abdul Gafar Khan called Pakistan as Tyrant.
PkMAP statement is a proof of PAKISTANI (Aged 45+) state of mind. Most of the elders are second or third generation of colonial era feudal's and even today their mindset is beating about COLONIAL BUSH.
It is these confused and colonized leaders that have kept their constituents illiterate and educated their kins at universities in UK/USA etc.... Which shows how much they care about PAKISTAN and SLAVERY.
Was this statement given in a day light?.... If not then he may have something else in his stomach because the statement makes no sense. Otherwise he wouldn't have taken his oath as the senator of Pakistan under beloved Qaid e Azam portrait. It doesn't seem a statement of Pashtoonkhwa it is his own.
@Aghanyar
Mughals were Turks, with mainly Turkic administrators, Afghans were their adversaries, who fought Mughals for "independence". Yes they had some Afghan nobles but they also had Hindu Rajput nobles and military generals, does that mean that Rajputs also ruled during their era?...lame theory of yours.
in my mind one thing arises. why we always quarreling with each other. this is a matter of the whole nation how to stop terrorism. no one is in position to say truth.it is fact This residency was an identity of Ziarat valley. burning this residency means burning ziarat heritage. and it will also encourages the activities of so called LEJ & BLA. we muslims of asia are alwys blaming USA for Every misdeeds in the region. but where we stands??. i really shocked by Akram shah's statement. the will do no thing for next five years.
shame on akram shah. If you want to abolish all british monuments then you should burnt it with your own hands. Quaid residency was only abolished because it was affiliated with the Quaid. I am myself a pashtun and feeling shame that this statement comes from a nationalist party PkMAP. Achkazai should issue you s show cause notice.
@Aghanyar
1.Ashoka the great dynasty 1. Jaipal dynasty 2. Ghori dynasty 3. Lodhi dynasty 4. Suri Dynasty 5. During Mughal era 80% governors of subcontinent wwere Pashtuns 6. Bhuphal Afghan Dynasty
1 Ashoka was not an Afghan, Mauryans were from Magadha in eastern India, their capital was Pataliputra, modern day Patna. 2 Ghori was a Tajik not an Afghan 3 Jaipal only ruled on Pakhtun areas of Af-Pak. 4 Lodhi and Suri only ruled on North India and Pak for some time, not the whole Subcontinent.
If that logic is true, Mr Akram what about Tunnels, railways and so many other facilities developed by the Britisher these also have no cause to exist.. An innocent looking structure for which the people have no idea who built but remember for being Quaid's rest place before he died, was never used for torture and confinement even by Britishers. remeber all these facilities were created by the Britishers from our own money and not with funds .brought in by them.We are only damaging our own heitage. when we are bent upon doing it ourselves, we do not need enemies from outside.
Stop playing cricket, drinking tea, using english language etc, coz they are all "symbol of British colonial rule"
Thinking what would the reaction of Pakistan if any leader of MQM said this??
* This is insult to injury.Shame on Shah.*
Speak the truth and see the unsettling behavior of 'Angraizo ke Ghulam'.
Why are we such a nation of whimpering sissys? "Oh my God, this building/the name of this park/this road reminded me of the british rule - I can't take this, lets either destroy it or change its name". What an immature and retarded attitude.
We should be PROUD of our history and where we come from. So what if the British ruled us once upon a time? The important thing is that we struggled for our independence and got it- that we achieved something great as a nation. Next thing you, people will be trying to wipe out all our real history and will start telling the next generation that we were always independent from India. pathetic.
@RPN: "WE" has very broad meaning.Recent election had shown that majority of Pakistanis have kicked hard tose who preach a vulgar firm of islam....intolerance and hate.by accusing all we are doing injustice to majority of people .....How we would feel if all of us are blamed as intolerant...preacher of hate due to insane ideology of SAFFARON GROUP in india?
It wasnt a symbol of slavery. It was a symbol of our failure. This is y we burned it so that v r not reminded of our faults. v are losing as a nation and as a human being. sick. ashamed to our grate leaders who built this country with devotion and so many sacrifices.
with out any doubt this house is a symbol of slavery and slave minded people not only equalize and but some also gave more importance to it, then the lost precious lives of those students who were targeted by religious fanatics.
@Randomstranger: 1.Ashoka the great dynasty 1. Jaipal dynasty 2. Ghori dynasty 3. Lodhi dynasty 4. Suri Dynasty 5. During Mughal era 80% governors of subcontinent wwere Pashtuns 6. Bhuphal Afghan Dynasty
I am not surprised by the statement issued by a PkMAP leader. PkMAP is an organization of pashtun supremacists. PkMAP's allegiance is more with kandahar and kabul (afghanistan) than to islamabad pakistan. I will not be surprised if the intelligence agencies found elements among PkMAP who are helping afghanis to cause trouble and destablization in balochistan pakistan.
Wishing for Britishers / Americans again...
In all over the world, particularly in America, people protect and respect their historical heritage, though their leaders used or not, British buildings are still existing in America, Mughhal palaces, Mosque are very much safe in India:, in Pakistan sick minded people may never know the importance of these places. They are sending very negative messages to the world, MPA's statement is very shameful it should be condemned and the Party action. Few people have do not have the right to abolish NATIONAL PROPERTY. These Baloch people should work for their people those are living and suffering with poverty
Akram Shah is right. It was just a building, the Ministers should have attended the funeral instead.
Does this mean we burn down Pakistan too? ause used to be a british colony? doesnt Pakistan remind you of this slavery and history?
It seems like Baluch are not very clever people. Stupidity at its peak.
Pakistan turmoil is now taking the shape of a cultural conflict and is likely to implode if it turns into a War of cultures. Those who support foreign intervntions and others who want foreign elimination, those who accepted colonisation and lived peacefully for two centuries, and those who resisted colonialists presence in cantonments and managed to keep most of their territory independent. The best solution would be to make idols of the building in wood for sale to the public and carve Pakistan leaders replicas on mountains, but please not in Baluchistan or KPK.
Rex Minor
lets finish all those roads, bridges, buildings which are occupied out of British Rules or Indians, lets do that,, they all eat westerns money, take refuge with at westerns country and then talk about this nonsense,,,
Area starting from Hindukush in west to jungles of Burma, has been symbol of British rule,, why doesn't Akram Shah leave and settle in Antarctica, which has never been under any rule. This is actually a state of hidden defiance, who places his ethnicity above state or collective sentiment of the nation. I am a Pakhtoon, and my heart is weeping over this incident. We failed to guard the heritage of our Qaid
Keep your heritage and slavery was part of our history.
@Uzair: I agree with you especially as PAksitani we do not have tolerance left for critically reflecting on our past and learning from our failure....we are impatience in almost anything that we face...be it a different faith, a different thought, or smthing diff than our believes.
The destruction of the Quaid's residence in Ziarat, and the bomb blast in the bus at university and many other similar terrorist acts are in fact parts of the same conspiracy hatched by the enemies of Pakistan.
Bugti house in dera Bugti had more historic importance but it was destroyed by the brave pak army. There was not any single news in Pakistani media about that. That house was used by the Baloch rulers and resisted the British invaders. It's hypocrisy from the Pakistani media. Thumbs up lala for showing the mirror to the people of Pakistan.
ET please dont censor my comment.
There is hue and cry over the destruction of a place where Jinnah lived for a couple of days which Shah seb rightly called a symbol of the British Raj. But nobody is bothered about the destruction of ancient sites at the hands of Taliban; sites that symbolize peace and better represent our history. There are thousands of other historical places which are neglected but Ziarat is remembered because Jinnah spent there a few days.
Actually, it is the PkMAP which is following the teachings of Quaid-e-Azam-- a secular Pakistan which should not be a theocracy and where minorities should have equal rights. This is the type of Pakistan PkMAP is fighting for. Mr. Nisar's PML(N) is in grief over the destruction of one of the houses of Quaid-e-Azam but his party is in alliance in Punjab with those religious extremists which the Quaid never wanted in Pakistan. His party should follow the teachings of Quaid-e-Azam as well.
@Tufan Agha:
Name one "Afghan" ruler of sub-continent... Oh, instead name one Pashtun ruler of Afghanistan itself before Ahmed Shah Abdali.
Jo huwa so huwa. Now a new building in the name of , "Pakistan Lodge" be constructed and make it unique view point to attract visitors from within and outside country. A police post may also be approved for the premises.
@ASQ: they are working at it, but since it is a much bigger target, it will take time ;-)
Perhaps the Governor Balochistan should now vacate Governor House.
@MakAchakzai: Rather u should say " Both were equally important "
@np: Sympathies from across the border.
Please accept my sympathies for the 6 year old girl boiled to death in water for begging the food across the border
With all due respect to Shah sb, if the buiding was a symbol of 'slavery', why it took more than 178 years to burn it down! The building was burnt down not becuase it was built by the British, but because it came to be associated with Mr Jinnah and Pakistan. Please also remember Pakistan and India have more than 200 years of colonial past. If we start burning down everything built by the British, imagine the list of structures we have to turn to ashes.
Akram Shah...I am sure the British granted your forefathers status and land when they ruled. Please return all the wealth to the people of Balochistan.
Symbol of Slavery? Majority of your Baloch leaders are enjoying their lives in UK. Why still living with your masters if you still hate their past rule? Our whole judiciary system is British including many other govt laws. Why you follow them? And you destroyed the house of the man who got rid you of that very slavery.
Its not a symbol of slavery but the symbol of freedom.
The culprits should be strictly raprimanded for traitorous act.
@Mirza: Voice in the wilderness. Sympathies from across the border.
This truly depicts the myopic mentality of the PKMAP. If Quide residency reminds him of slavery than how about the Railway,Colleges and hospitals built by the Britishers? Should they be blown as well? Its now crystal clear that the local parties of Baluchistan are not gonna do anything except for ruining the mentality and loyality of the baloch youth for pakistan.
i wish pti had worked harder in pustun areas of balochistan just like they did in kpk...
A shameful statement. PkMAP has moved much away from such politics. I think Akram Shah has once again lost his way.
@ASQ... I understand what you're saying, but pls don't give these idiots anymore ideas, we can't afford it!
The mental gap between parties representing provinces.
and the British built bridges, tunnels and constitution while we are at that.
@ASQ ..... dont you know they already did that and whenever they get the time damage the tracks ! .... they cant live with the fact that the british have left them alone !
What PkMAP says is true but the party never supported the attack and strongly condemns any attacks on historical sites. The story gives wrong impression.
than we might have to destroy lot of stuff in pakistan not only railway stations and tracks
Here comes another genius.
I am not from Balochistan but i tend to agree with pkmap. Why should we take pride in something built by British? Similarly why do we take pride in speaking English? It's the most embarrassing thing.
Is it not right that the building was built by the British and was a legacy of the colonial era? Quaid e Azam did spent the last days of his life in Ziarat but it was more because the then government dumped the founding father in those mountains instead of sending him to Europe for appropriate treatment. Lets be honest to ourselves and to each other.
This, however, in no way justifies the senseless burning of a historic building and PkMAP did condemn the attack in strongest possible words. They have held rallies in Quetta and Ziarat to protest against the burning of the residency.
Quoting PkMAP's statement without explaining the context is an attempt to misguide the readers.
Unbelievable, what a stupid approach, I think all systems made and established in Pakistan reminds us of British Rule so let us blast whole of the country. Such orthodox, mentally sick persons should be taken seriously. They are the real root of destruction.
How come the entire nation did not express similar shock when the Bamiyan Buddha statue was demolished?
I am a Sindhi PMLN supporter and that is just shocking. I thought Achakzai was a believer in Pakistan like I am. Jinnah gave us this country. United us in brotherhood. This was his residency its despicable that a democratic party's leader said this. This IS ALL OUR HERITAGE. Sindhi, Baloch,Pukhtoon or Punjabi. This was the Quaid's residence not some ignorant General's in a time when most people probably don't remember!
The British are long gone, destroying our history will not 'free' the Baloch. Monuments are there to remind us, lessons from days past. If you forget your history, you are bound to go in circles till eternity. Whoever used Ziarat residency in the past, the fact is that Jinnah used it at the end, and that is what's important to me as a Pakistani. Balochistan is, and will forever remain a part of Pakistan, get used to it.
The greatest ever shame,curse and woe be on you Akram Shah,the general secretary of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and this definitely proves and shows that on having/finding chance the ancient buildings made by the British empires during the British rule in Pakistan Armed Forces' usage may be destroyed by the BLA any where in Pakistan......
What a pathetic logic and somebody told me the brother of this party's head is governor Baluchistan! Blow up everything in the name of 'symbol of slavery'. Its about time the state acts against such vultures and acts hard.
Hypocrisy at its peak..! What happen next is we will forget this incident after few days like other major incidents of the past. We as a nation, love to be fooled again and again
Thumbs up Akram Shah Lala.
This govt and its coalition partners are ensuring that we don't miss PPP and its partners. Treading the same line of stupidity, foolishness, ineptness and apathy.
Don't all those innocent people who were killed in that bus explosion at the university in utter cold blood deserve more coverage and press, and statements of outrage, than the HOUSE of some one who passed away half a century ago, which can be rebuilt anyways?
I imagine the Quaid himself would be disappointed that we're showing more concern about his ancient residence. Aren't women going to university in Balochistan much more symbolic of his (and our) dreams and ideals for Pakistan than his cane and pictures and other memorabilia?
adding to my earlier comment........... Grow up Shah Sb.
I thought After 14.8.1947 it was our property and our Jinnah's residency .. anyway Shah saab where does Sandeman Provincial Hospital Quetta fit in .. under slavery or service ?
Akram Shah has showed the prejudiced, narrow minded mentality that PKMAP cadres have. Mahmood Khan should take a strong notice of this and ask Shah to apologize. PKMAP is no more a marginalized political entity, it is in the national mainstream and it should start behaving like mainstream party. People of Ziarat owed a lot to this residency, the amount of tourists it attracted every year and the money they brought with them improved public life standards for many decades.
Akram Shah has the right to say what we wants but he should be investigated to see if he has any connections with the militants. The British brought India into the 20th Century pretty quickly and did a lot of good. Residency was not a symbol of colonialism but someone's home at one time. It was a nice home.
I am anxiously waiting response over this statement from PML-N
This man has gone wonky. His own party's Governor is sitting in Governor House built by the British Empire. Morality demands that he should vacate the house. British Empire despite its illegal occupation (like the Afghans) of the Indian Sub Continent has a lot of contributions. The Rail, Road, Canal system , Infra structure, courts, Schools, rules, regulations, even the constitution of Pakistan is derived from 1919 and 1935 acts. On the obverse side Afghan occupants to whom I too belong had nothing more to offer than rule by force. I am not here to defend British occopation, but definately their contributions were much more than our own ancestors who too illegally occupied Sub Continent.
Oh God Help me, Please !! PKmap really ??
What an infantile mindset! Firstly, the house was only used by the colonist until 1892, 55 years before Pakistan's creation. More importantly, why destroy symbolic buildings? Even if someone considers Jinnah House a symbol of our colonial past instead of wishing to destroy it they should preserve it as a reminder of our history and past failure. But then again we Pakistanis are good at it is forgetting history (or distorting it), and never learning our lessons.
This minister should be fired for being a terrorist apologist; the bombers destroyed it not for a hundred year old reason but because they saw it as a symbol of the Federation. Obviously any citizen who believes in national unity will object to such a mindset.
We should respect the will of the local elected people and not impose our likes and dislikes on them. If a building has been a sign of slavery and colonialism then the facts cannot change. If Quaid had a brief stay in that building that does not wash its old history. If we love Quaid then we have to respect his principles and not where he had temp stay. When the elected rightwing leaders of Pakistan can talk to the killers of tens of thousands of Pakistanis why they cannot talk to Bloch nationalists?
I think Akram Shah makes sense. Jinnah went there when he was sick and the house really belonged to a British officer.
Anyway rebuilt house is not going to be like the original thing
attending the funeral was equally important.