The writer is a visiting lecturer at the NED University in Karachi. He tweets @shakirlakhani
However, amongst the many reasons given to me by such individuals for Pakistan’s creation being a mistake, one of the most widely quoted one is that had India not been divided, Muslims today would have been the largest religious group in the subcontinent. Such statements are misguided as these people are misinformed.
Currently, the population of Muslims in the subcontinent is 510 million, with roughly 180 million each in Pakistan and India, and another 150 million in Bangladesh. Had Partition not taken place, the subcontinent’s total population would have been 1.7 billion.
This would mean that Muslims would have been only 30 per cent of the total population. In Pakistan and Bangladesh today, Muslims are more than 90 per cent of the population in both countries.
My father, when he was alive, often used to tell me of the hardships Muslims had to endure in pre-Partition India. Most restaurants were out of bounds to Muslims. Thus, when my father and his friends desperately wanted to eat at such restaurants, they would walk in and ask: “You’re sure Muslims are not served here?” The owner would reply: “Muslims and dogs are not served here.” And my father and his friends would then dine at such eateries, pretending to be non-Muslims.
In geography textbooks of those times, prescribed for schools in Kathiawar (present-day Indian Gujarat), regions comprising present-day Pakistan and Bangladesh were described as having climates which were “unsuitable for industrialisation”, because they were Muslim-majority areas. Hence, non-Muslims would set up textile mills in Ahmedabad and jute mills in Calcutta, even though cotton was produced in West Pakistan and jute in East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh).
Muslims were thus condemned to be peasants, and this would not have changed even if India had remained undivided.
Therefore, did Mr Jinnah make a mistake in almost single-handedly creating Pakistan? Perhaps it may appear so to some, particularly those who had to leave everything behind in India and flee to the new country to save themselves and are still suffering. But, on deliberation, and keeping facts in mind, I personally believe that the emergence of a new country for the Muslims of the subcontinent was perhaps the best thing to have happened in recent history.
Looking at the current pitiable condition of Muslims in India (not every Indian Muslim shares the same fate as that of Shahrukh Khan or Salman Khan), I believe that my parents took the right decision in 1947 in migrating to the new country. Had they stayed in India, they would surely have been killed by wild mobs, who were indulging in indiscriminate killing of Muslims.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2013.
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COMMENTS (131)
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ET, please allow me to respond.
@KHZ: Pakistan is fait accompli. No amount of wishing is going to change the ground reality, it cannot be undone. You may feel that the Hindus (like Vallabhai Patel) wanted to rid India of Muslims, but rather we say the Muslims gained a country. Most of the Hindus, even today, reject the Partition and attempt to tell us Pakistanis that we are similar to them, which is factually incorrect in many ways.
Seeing the situation of India's Muslims today, I feel as if the Muslim Indian leadership after Partition failed miserably. No matter how "religious" you may claim to be, it is no excuse not to go for education and social upliftment. In Pakistan, we don't have this issue where any group is relegated to substandard schools, but we have quotas for all minorities to be a part of the general education of the country. The fact is that in India, the Hindus have seized all positions of power, influence, and educational opportunities mainly at the expense of a leaderless and helpless Muslim minority.
The lack of unity among Muslims in the subcontinent is due in large part to hatred directed against Pakistan by the Indian propaganda machine. Instead of keeping contacts and relations with Pakistan, Indian Muslim have largely neglected this. The result is that Indian Muslims are left without their strongest asset (Pakistan), and have to rely on the Hindu majorities for their rights. Note that Pakistan has been advocating Kashmiri's cause for 66 years now, and by and large Kashmiris have continuously availed Pakistan's help in the international arena.
@ajeet: Interesting:)
@Rashid Haider: While not dis-agreeing to the purpose for creation of Pakistan, I feel Muslims of the sub-continent have definitely lost unity among themselves and also without any religious competition, have also lost faith in their religion or are deviating from religious norms. :(
Isn't this a bigger loss than having a separate so-called homeland? Even if it is true that majority of Muslims in India today are in a pitiable conditions, at least they are more religious than those Muslims living in other parts of the sub-continent and are more united amongst themselves against Hindus. If Muslims in pre-partition India had set backs, it was all their doings, like not learning English or not studying in English institutions while the non-Muslims were availing all these facilities. So who is to be blamed. I think it were the stupid so-called Muslim religious leaders of that time who were discouraging Muslims for this.
Due to these reasons, I believe that India's partition should not have happened. In fact as someone once wrote it was a trap by certain extremist Hindus of the time who laid a trap for Muslims to seek a separate land so that they can get rid of them and the Muslims fell for it.
Thank Allah swt for Pakistan. There is no price too steep for freedom and independence. Alhamdulilah.
@Shakir Lakhani
"...not every Indian Muslim shares the same fate as that of Shahrukh Khan or Salman Khan."
You very conveniently choose to ignore, that not every Indian Hindu shares the same fate as that of Shahrukh Khan or Salman Khan either. It's another matter, if you think it is incumbent upon the Govt. of India to make a Shahrukh Khan, or a Salman Khan out of each and every Indian Muslim to prove its secular credential.
I am not aware of a poor Indians ever saying that creating India was a mistake! Poverty has nothing to do with this. Most poor hindus would deem it as their "karma" i think. Perhaps poor muslims in India would feel marginalized and feel they would have been better off in Pakistan but looking at Pakistan's economic situation today, i doubt if such doubts ever arise in their minds. Those who are more educated are trying to change their fortunes. In today's India, even housemaids are educating their kids in private schools, paying hefty tuition fee with the hope education may change their fortunes. Education has become a game changer. I see this kind of discussion only in Pakistani newspaper and media. Sometime ago, i saw an interesting discussion in one of news channels about the prophecy of Maulana Azad (as narrated by Saurish kashmiri in his article) that Pakistan may not survive in the long run. I was amazed as to why such things are shown in Pakistani news media. It seems Pakistanis are their own worst enemies! India has lot of faults but the course she has set herself on cannot be changed. She will remain a secular, democratic republic despite many hiccups. There is really no debate on this. Debate is as to what should be the economic model so as to have an "inclusive" growth. India seems to be lagging behind here after making a good start 2 decades ago.
@Vinod: Islam is the basis for Muslims in all walks of their lives. History attests to this fact, as throughout the centuries Muslim rulers governed and sought legitimacy on the basis of Islam. Muslim nations to this day rely on Islamic credentials to govern. The Islamic nation's founder is Muhammad (saw). This is what united all Muslims from all over the world, regardless of the differences of ethnicity, race, or language. This is the very strength of Islam.
Why do the Hindus feel it is their duty to deny Pakistanis the right to identify themselves as a sovereign nation? We are Muslims, Pakistanis, continuous to the Muslim heartlands of the Middle East and Central Asia. Our culture, civilization, and social mores are the same as any Muslim nation from Morocco to Indonesia. Why does it bother the Hindus so much that they need to deride us on a Pakistani website? What's with the unhealthy obsession? Pakistan is fait accompli. Accept it and move on.
@Raj USA: You should not worry about who I am, as the comment was not directed to you but the website staff. You assume Afghans and Pakistanis are mutually exclusive to each other. It is not the case at all. We are one people, and have been for a long time in our history.
The late response is due to my previous comment being censored yet again. There doesn't seem to be this restriction on the Indian Hindus here who abuse Pakistan and Islam daily.
@Vinod: In the end of the day, there is not much difference between Afghans, Pakistanis, and Kashmiris. Eventually history tells us, this region with a shared culture, heritage, and religion will become one. No matter what India believes. We love our Muslim brothers in Pakistan always.
@Sher Afghan: "Creation of Pakistan is a crucial step towards the inevitable merger of the Islamic world." Sir, If wishes were horses. I am not referring any particular religion but history teaches us that religion has never been the foundation of nationhood. If so Europe will be Christian world and will be many other majority christian areas. wake up and as they say "smell the coffee"
@Shakir Lakhani: There have been no Muslim leader as PM in India because they think like you. They think of themselves as a Muslim first and an Indian later. We want a person who think of himself as an Indian first and keep his religious identity later. This is called Secularism which does not exist in Pakistan.
@aqib: Jinnah died of TB.
Creation of Pakistan is a crucial step towards the inevitable merger of the Islamic world. I cherish one day, Afghanistan and Pakistan will be one nation of brothers, In sha Allah. Love from Afghanistan, to Pakistan.
@Iqbal: No country but India and no religion but Hinduism could have given birth to a Gandhi.,,, plz dont say that,,,,gandhi is a man whose religion is not hinduism,,but humanity,,,our founding fathers preached all religions are equal !!!we are proud of our gandhi!!!!and we are proud of our india
@Shakir Lakhani: why has India never had a muslim prime minister? Remember, the most powerful post in India is that of P.M., as well as president of ruling party, not president of India. Sonia Gandhi may have been born a Christian, but I understand she converted to Hinduism years ago, when she dipped her feet in the Ganges in a religious ceremony. OMG!!!!i dont know abt ur age,,,,ur really childish,,,,,pathetic state of pakistani religious education,,,,(ur saying like why didnt muslim became a PM of our country,,,next time we all indians will pick a lottery among muslims and will select one for every five yrs to become our PM,,to satisfy pakistanis),,,it's just ridiculous!!!
This article has made sleepless our neighbours :)
@aqib: You appear to want to follow people's quotes who knew India very well. You will agree with me that Lord Mountbatten who knew more about India then Lord Pethick Lawrence would have more precedence. This link gives a lovely insight of Mahatma Gandhi: http://library.thinkquest.org/26523/mainfiles/quotes.htm Note Lord Mountbatten's quote: Gandhi's life may inspire our troubled world to save itself by following his noble example How true it is today with the mess in the Islamic countries. No point in saying it is a conspiracy of CIA, RAW, MOSSAD or even KFC. What touched me is the final quote in the link:
The above was an editorial in The Times of London. You and I now have to ask whether there will ever be a quote which will say: "No country but Pakistan and no religion but Islam could have given birth to a ......." We will search for that for next 1000 years and there will be no one. I have previously given a link of Jinnah's religious belief but ET decided not to print it.
@Falcon:
This is usual one sided rant by the author, like so many others in the past. How is it interesting ?
Its better to read this article after watching Zaid Hamid .Gives one the right perspective
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: 'Most of the Hindus in the newly formed Pakistan were in the Eastern wing, and most of them were expelled during the Bengali revolution" Yes I agree with your statement.Most of them were expelled to after life.This is a new euphemism for killing humans.Previously it was "Collateral damage"
@Shakir Lakhani: "why has India never had a muslim prime minister?"
Cause no Indian Muslim has been deserving enough. How come India has had a Sikh Prime Minister (even smaller minority than muslims). Yes Manmohan Singh is at times powerless but he still represents India at all international forums and is the leader of the nation. Please dont pass comments that dont have any basis. Its not that India is not ready to have a muslim prime minister. In the last 65 years no muslim candidate has been dynamic enough, or been an economist or a leader of the nation to deserve the right. Further unfortunately in India there is dynastic politics. The most powerful women in India isnt even Indian and Hindu by birth. The only reason she didnt become prime minister cause its shameful in India that after having a population of 1 billion people we still need a foriegner to come and govern us. The irony is that Sonia Gandhi is still making many major decisions in the country by remote control. If she was a muslim marrying into the Nehru Gandhi family do you think it would have mattered. NO.
Wake up and smell the coffee. If someone can provide solutions to Indias problems of poverty, corruption, universal healthcare and education, jobs, economic growth, social services etc. etc (or unfortunately be part of the nehru gandhi family), that person could be blue, black, white, brown, pink, hindu, muslim, christian, sikh, jewish, buddhist, jain etc etc and the people will not care. Thats how India works good or bad.
Indians got over partition long back thats why articles such as this in India are a rarity. Its Pakistan that has an identity crisis. Going on and on about a topic that has no relevance now is the reason Pakistan is in the situation it is in now. Look forward thats all thats needed cause many Pakistanis dont have it in them to look back in history and be critical. Trying to justify the creation of Pakistan on the basis of the current situation in India is futile cause many many more muslims have been oppressed, killed by other muslims in Pakistan than the so called "evil hindu mob" in India. ET please let this comment go through.
@aqib: jinnah died of tuberculosis while gandhi was killed by hindu nationalist because he was pro muslim
I fail to understand why my fellow Indians rush to comment on such write-ups. We must recognize that Pakistan, since its very formation, has been struggling to find its identity and this column, instead of sorting that issue, confuses it more.
@Rashid Haider: In reply to you I have just to say that let the gates be opened, visa regimes withdrawn and people visit freely. then and then only the reality will come out. then and then only people will know what is the truth. seeing is believing. regards
I am sincerely and honestly surprised by this article and that too by a visiting professor. Sir I am a product of undivided India and today I am 82 years of age. I have seen all shades of partition. may I humbly request you that some thing like "“Muslims and dogs are not served here.” is pure simple imagination... a product of hate and has been coined on the lines of sign boards posted in front of all the railway 1st. Class waiting rooms and clubs and eateries in the area of civil lines where these white rulers of India lived. And the sign board was "Indians and dogs not allowed" Please ask any old man of your locality. The truth is that if not divided then in a democratic set up in India, today Bengal, Up, Bihar, CP might be having Muslim chief ministers and cabinet. And 180+180+150 Muslims were a force to shape the destiny of this subcontinent on the map of the world. ,
(Most restaurants were out of bounds to Muslims. Thus, when my father and his friends desperately wanted to eat at such restaurants, they would walk in and ask: “You’re sure Muslims are not served here?” The owner would reply: “Muslims and dogs are not served here.”) Not sure what the author is trying to say here. If restaurant owners were hindus and were turning away muslims, that is plain stupid. They were losing business! My father used to say that sign posts on major roads in Delhi would read "Indians and Dogs not allowed". That was put up by the British during the days of imperial hubris. A musilm in India has equal opportunities. A muslim born to a fisherman could aspire high and become the president of India. Yes, i am talking about APJ Kalam. Eveyone must read his book "My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Action" where Kalam talks about his humble origin in a village down south in Rameshwaram. He started out as a boy distributing newspapers to households before going on to complete his engineering degree. India gives you the opportunity. You have to grab it. Most muslims of India (especially in the North) live in self-made "ghettos". Those who joined the mainstream have benefited immensely. So, was Pakistan a mistake? Not to the present generation Indians. Such questions do not torment them. The fact that such questions are being asked in Pakistan even 60 plus years after Pakistan's inception shows something is wrong.
Yaaaaaaawn!!
@Iqbal; Lord Pethick Lawrence was a Secretary of State for the British Empire in India(also one of the three members responsible for the Cabinet mission plan)so he had knowledge of the local terrain, while Einstein-did he ever travel to India, and meet others?
@ hamza: why has India never had a muslim prime minister? Remember, the most powerful post in India is that of P.M., as well as president of ruling party, not president of India. Sonia Gandhi may have been born a Christian, but I understand she converted to Hinduism years ago, when she dipped her feet in the Ganges in a religious ceremony.
@Sudhindra: my mistake, combined muslim population of Pak &. BD is 330 million and this should be India's Muslim population today.
creation of pak and india was the best thing that had happened to the international weapon MERCHANTS....................how many billion dollar of weapons did both buy and improved the GDP of sweden,france,america,russia,china and switzerland etc.............
You criticize India, with closed eyes. 1 You say that if Muslims were left in India they could be killed. While fact is that they are in India, and Growing at the same birth rate of other Muslim nations. And their Population increase from 9-10% to 15-16%. 2 Every Muslim dont have same fate like Sharukh and Salman, some like Abdul Kalam, Azim premji have even much better. If there forefathers have migrated then Sharukh, Salman could be at most some Comedian and coming to India for earning. So called Hindu Fundamentalist parties elected Abdul Kalam as President. If he was in Pakistan, he could be sharing fate with AQ khan. Pakistanis have been always taught wrong history. and fed with hate..
Mr. Lakhani,
It is great that you feel so strongly positive about the creation of Pakistan. Goof for you. But, being a Mohajir yourself, can you explain why Altaf Hussain, in his speech to the Indian Parliament a few years ago, publicly admitted that the creation of Pakistan was a mistake and beseeched the Indian government to take back the 20+ Million Muhajirs?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMSVYTgFIPA
http://www.paklinks.com/gs/pakistan-affairs/21360-partition-of-india-was-a-huge-mistake.html
http://www.siasat.pk/forum/showthread.php?74934-Altaf-appeals-India-for-asylum-to-Mohajirs
@Iqbal: There are only a few Muslim personalities who the Western world is familiar with. Since the Crusades, there has always been a bias against giving Muslims credit for all they have done in politics, science, mathematics, and civilization. We cannot expect any Westerner or Hindu to be as familiar with our own Muslim heroes as we are. Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is honored not only in Pakistan, but there are places named after him in Iran, Turkey, and other Muslim countries.
"Islam gave the Muslims of India a sense of identity; dynasties like the Mughals gave them territory; poets like Allama Iqbal gave them a sense of destiny. Jinnah's towering stature derives from the fact that, by leading the Pakistan movement and creating the state of Pakistan, he gave them all three. For the Pakistanis he is simply the Quaid-i-Azam or the Great Leader. Whatever their political affiliation, they believe there is no one quite like him." - Akbar S. Ahmed
Jinnah and Gandhi are both my heroes. Gandhi for giving India freedom from the English and Jinnah for giving us the freedom to live. The creation of Pakistan was a stroke of genius. In one swift move, the majority of the aggressive population were shipped out of India. If Pakistan is a haven for violence, it is no accident. It is probably an inherited trait. (Perhaps a preponderance of XYY chromosome in men?)
@Shakir Lakhani
"There are 510 million Muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh, but 180 million Muslims in India."
And in ur main article u write:
"Currently, the population of Muslims in the subcontinent is 510 million, with roughly 180 million each in Pakistan and India, and another 150 million in Bangladesh."
Up till now, reading articles of various Pakistani columnists, I was of the opinion that history is distorted in Pakistan. But going by the two statements u make, it seems math has taken a hit too ...
@Shakir Lakhani
Therefore, did Mr Jinnah make a mistake in almost single-handedly creating Pakistan?
Single-handedly??
Are you sure? It would seem the British had something to do with it. Read on.
On April 12, 1940, Lord Linlithgow. the Viceroy of India wrote to the Secretary of State for India:
“Upon my instruction Zafarullah wrote a memorandum on the subject. Two Dominion States. I have already sent it to your attention. I have also asked him for further clarification, which, he says, is forthcoming. He is anxious, however, that no one should find out that he has prepared this plan. He has, however, given me the right to do with it what I like, including sending a copy to you. Copies have been passed on to Jinnah, and, I think, to Sir Akbar Hydari. While he, Zafarullah, cannot admit its authorship, his document has been prepared for adoption by the Muslim League with a view to giving it the fullest publicity.”
Thank God, luckily in India "Muslims" are not busy killing Muslims!
Ignorance has no limits and it seems from the comments that ignorance is in abundance in the neighbour of Pakistan. Indians frustration and complex is visible in their statements on this blog.
@Shakir Lakhani: Most of them converted.
Also, Jinnah's daughter (Dina Wadia) who was born to non-Muslim wife and her kids later on preferred to be as Indian Citizens. They never moved to Pakistan and identified them as Pakistanis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dina_Jinnah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nusli_Wadia
The hateful Indian comments on this article ironically justify the article. Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad. Pakistan Zindabad
@Rashid Haider: Currently, the most poor religious community in india is muslim. Sikh at top then hindu. India media portray the muslims as worst community. Much discrimintaion can be observed there.
If 2% Sikhs can do a good job what is stopping Muslims from progressing. Media only portrays what it sees. In Countries like Pakistan media is blinded by religion. How did Jinnah achieve such prominence as an India.
Jinnah's daughter chose to stay In India.
Muslims in Pakistan are killing each other in mosques, funerals, at check points, while Muslims are living in peace among themselves and in peace with non-Muslims.
Study history to know what Muslims invaders did to India.
Excellent article.
The broad range of Hindustani responses is pretty standard - most of them are disparaging remarks about Muslims, and the remainder are deluded celebrations of Hindustan's secular successes. No doubt the irony of that is lost on most Hindustanis, but it wasn't lost on Jinnah.
The recent assaults in Hindustan's main cities simply add to the country's culture of backwardness and brutality; nobody who comes from a nation which still celebrates female infanticide deserves to live life without a sense of profound shame. Mercifully, thanks to the efforts of Quaid-e-Azam and our ancestors, we do not have to associate ourselves with this barbarism.
In ten years we have lost approximately 50,000 innocent people to terrorism - compare that to the 500,000 female babies killed of EVERY YEAR across Hindustan and do the maths for yourself. God bless Pakistan.
Hasan
@Raj - USA: No native Pakistani questions the creation of his or her nation. Yes there are some Urdu speakers whose families originally migrated from India who have this discussion but among native Pakistanis you will not see anyone questioning their nation. It's our soil plain and simple and we are proud of our land. I hope Muslims in India are doing well but it has nothing to do with me as a Pakistani nor does it matter in my consideration of Pakistan's creation. Save the exhausted debate about partition for Indian Muslims and Muhajirs who left their homes and feel a need to justify the move or compare with relatives in India- for the majority native Pakistanis it's a done deal and we don't question it. Despite all the challenges in Pakistan, at least we can forge our own destiny.For me India is as foreign as Burma and Sri Lanka which were also British colonies.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan:
You are lamenting that ET has rejected some of your comments and only one of your earlier comment was published. The reason could be that in your comment on the other column you are claiming to be an Afghan (link: http://tribune.com.pk/story/600580/murdered-indian-diarist-sushmita-banerjee-shot-dead-in-eastern-afghanistan/) , whereas, here in this column you are claiming to be a Pakistani.
Great piece of historical writing. I am desperate to see my comment in print.
Jinaah saved India by making pakistan.
this news paPER cant do buisness if it says creation of pak was a mistake & would be demoralising for pakis
Only one of my comments was published. Therefore I want to repeat what I wrote earlier. You allow such negative comments from Hindus and Indians against Islam and Pakistan, but censor Pakistani comments. This is really unacceptable.
I must thank the writer as this is the first opinion piece on this website which I feel represents the common view in Pakistan. May Allah swt reward him for saying the truth, and continue to honor Quaid e Azam and Allama Iqbal for all they have done for us. Freedom was worth all the sacrifices we went through.
@Shakir Lakhani:
There are 510 million Muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh, but 180 million Muslims in India. This leaves 330 million Indian Muslims unaccounted for. Assuming that some more Indian Muslims migrated to Pakistan later, it still doesn’t explain what happened to the remaining Indian Muslims, unless you assume that they were forcibly converted (which was the greatest fear among Indian Muslims before Partition). Perhaps some Indians reading this can explain this mystery.
The mystery is that there is no mystery.
A. Population of India in 1947 stood at 345 million. Today it stands at 1170 million. The population has grown by a factor of 3.39 times.
http://www.populstat.info/Asia/indiac.htm
B. West Pakistan on the other hand had a population of 31 million. Now it stands at 180 million. The population has grown by a factor of 5.80 times.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2075591/
C. Bangladesh had a population of 42 million in 1947. The current population stands at 153 million. The population has grown by a factor of 3.72 times.
http://www.populstat.info/Asia/bangladc.htm
It seems Indians and Bangladeshis are not as prolific producers as the Pakistanis. Or Bangladesh has a large chunk of missing Muslims too.
@observer: the best comment
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: What do you have o say about Karachi which had 51% Hindu population as per census of 1941?
@Shakir Lakhani: So your basis of statistics is from a statement that you remember Sardar Patel as saying? Do you know of something as analyzing with empirical data? I pity your students...
"Looking at the current pitiable condition of Muslims in India (not every Indian Muslim shares the same fate as that of Shahrukh Khan or Salman Khan)"
How you forget to mention Zakir Naik.......I believe he is not in a pitiable condition.........
This article is a biggest mistake!!
@viru; summarized quite well.
Tell me you did not intend to tease us by saying: "Had they stayed in India, they would surely have been killed by wild mobs, who were indulging in indiscriminate killing of Muslims"
Are you sure............how many Muslims did Hindus kill and how many we have killed here in Pakistan in ethic and sectarian conflicts.
Pakistan was a mistake .is a mistake will b a mistake ...better Pakistan merge with India to progress
Well my take is like this.
No Pakistan = No Agha Waqar
No Agha Waqar = No Water Car
No Water Car = No Divine Laws of Thermodynamics.
Yes, creation of Pakistan has liberated all of us of the shackles of 'man made' laws of Thermodynamics.
Jiye Pakistan.
Creating Pakistan and Bangladesh for muslims of this subcontinent is an excellent thing to have happened to india .
@Author
Had they stayed in India, they would surely have been killed by wild mobs, who were indulging in indiscriminate killing of Muslims.
I don't really know, but people tell me that a great number of Pakistanis were killed in East Pakistan by 'mobs who were indulging in indiscriminate killing of Bengali Muslims'?
Can you throw some light on this, PLEASE?
And while you are at it, Please also tell us how many have been killed in India by such mobs?
At last someone writes unapologetically about this matter.
Just some clarifications to some of the comments: Most of the Hindus in the newly formed Pakistan were in the Eastern wing, and most of them were expelled during the Bengali revolution for massacring Bihari, Assamese, and religious Bengali Muslims who supported the Pakistani army. The Bengali revolutionaries were mostly Hindus, secularists, and communists funded by India and the Soviets.
Also, there was no way for India to occupy Bangladesh, because of its own propaganda nurturing them for revolution. India knew that in any case, they would face a backlash from the frenzied Ethnic Nationalists who ruled and ethnically cleansed Bengladesh of Non-Bengalis. Even today, relations between Bengladesh and the neighboring states of India are poor and often come to violence.
@ Shakir Lakhani "Perhaps some Indians reading this can explain this mystery." Possibly Indian muslims have better things to do then incessant breeding. Anyway even India cannot match Pakistan's record in slaughtering Muslims.
I cannot believe that the writer is a visiting lecturer, such ignorance and innuendos are peddled here. Badly written article with sweeping generalizations made, " they would surely have been killed by wild mobs, who were indulging in indiscriminate killing of Muslims", what does this line even mean? don't we know that Muslims are as much to blame for the bloodshed as anyone else, weren't hindus kiled? weren't sikhs? But you will continue spreading hate and living in a make believe world, this article reeks of a closet jehadi mindset
if this is the level of lecturers in Pakistan then i pity pakistanis, what's even more disappointing is that this article is published in one of the maor dailies of pakistan !
@Shakir Lakhani:
"This means that the Muslims in India today should at least equal the number of Muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh, but this is not so. There are 510 million Muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh, but 180 million Muslims in India. This leaves 330 million Indian Muslims unaccounted for. Assuming that some more Indian Muslims migrated to Pakistan later, it still doesn’t explain what happened to the remaining Indian Muslims, unless you assume that they were forcibly converted (which was the greatest fear among Indian Muslims before Partition). Perhaps some Indians reading this can explain this mystery."
I don't know if this is someone else using your monicker or you are the author of this piece. If you are, then you are ridiculously childish.
You are trying to account for people that did not exist in the first place. To top that you are making the allegations of forcible conversions.
Forced conversion is only a part of new and insecure religions like Islam and before than Christianity.
Concept of forced conversion does not exist in Judaism, Hinduism, Jainism or Buddhism.
@Iqbal: @GP65,I visit Tribune to read some logical comment,out of hundreds I often find you too worth a rejoinder.It is no use try to change mind,I wrote you earlier.People want to believe what they want to.I no longer visit India anymore,why visit a place where from you wanted to escape,whose nightmare you still get?If India was that great why would I leave?Makes no sense.Rational,reasoned people do not behave that foolish.If Pakistan was prosperous,and life safe,all Indian Muslims would leave for the'Land of Pure" won't they?If UK Iqbal,,,you are a decent,fair and have a reasonable smart thinking brain,please, forget it ,do not struggle to convince others,it is waste of time,I could give several site where they can find facts,but those who want it ,already done.They say knowledge is not worth until it is distilled and matures to become wisdom,and it takes time for best of us.It is pleasure knowing this world of ours is not full of fools.There is still hope,for it dies LAST.No malice,take care .H.mani,usa.
Thanks for the entertainment ET. As some one has said you really want us "Indian trolls" to keep visiting you.
As a patriotic Indian I'm eternally grateful to Jinnah. Today if India is strong and optimistic in the global stage this is only due to the genius of Jinnah.
To the extent I propose printing Jinnah's picture in Indian currency notes. A visionary genius who ensured the safety of nearly 100% of non Muslims and heck 66% of Muslims.
@Raj - USA:
Exactly. I hardly see people talk about the partition in India. I don't understand why Pakistanis are still justifying the creation of their 'homeland' even after six decades.
The creation of Pakistan is a unique event in the history of world.It was the political sagacity of Quaid who a got seperate state for muslims otherwise we would have been crushed by majority. Now we have independence in every walk of life. The plight of indian muslims is witness of many miserable unltold stories.
Pity on ET to give space to this crap, it is worse than un-moderated comments in TOI. Come on ET even if you want to share anti India perspective search for some quality.
lol. you will make a good script writer for Lollywood.
Ask an Rich and Poor Indian Muslim whether Pakistan creation was a mistake he will say YES Ask an Rich Pakistani Muslim whether Pakistan creation was a mistake he will say NO. Rich Pakistanis leading a luxurious life feel Pakistan creation was a heaven to them but for the poor Pakistani it isn't. Similarly for the Poor Indians Indian independence doesn't matter.
Don't blame Hindus if Muslims are unemployed in India. More Muslims are unemployed compared to the rest of the population almost everywhere in the world. Check out the stats for the UK: http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/feb/20/race.immigrationpolicy (thanks to Iqbal)
Mistake? MIstake?? Pakistan's creation was the BEST thing that happened to India in its 4000 year history !!
@ Iqbal: I remember a statement by Sardar Vallabhai Patel some months after partition, in which he said, “The Muslims remaining in India are more than in the new state of Pakistan”. Remember, Bangladesh (East Pakistan) was part of Pakistan at that time. This means that the Muslims in India today should at least equal the number of Muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh, but this is not so. There are 510 million Muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh, but 180 million Muslims in India. This leaves 330 million Indian Muslims unaccounted for. Assuming that some more Indian Muslims migrated to Pakistan later, it still doesn’t explain what happened to the remaining Indian Muslims, unless you assume that they were forcibly converted (which was the greatest fear among Indian Muslims before Partition). Perhaps some Indians reading this can explain this mystery.
It's been more than 65 years since partition of India into India and Pakistan. We should now move away from mentality of justifying or not justifying it . The fact is we are two separate countries and its better we learn to live like matured nations.What has gone we can read in history books what matters is present and future. Education and more education should be priority of both the countries. The day we achieve 100 % literacy rate in both countries only then we can achieve peace till then keep on fighting and arguing .
It was the biggest mistake in the history of the subcontinent, and for the Muslims of the region as well...and it is proved with proofs on this page..
http://rationalinferences.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/independenceofpk/
Yes definitely and no-doubt Pakistan's creation was not mistake but unfortunately we have forgotten the objectives of creating Pakistan and efforts and struggles of Quaid-e-Azam regarding Pakistan's creation......
Had they stayed in India, they would surely have been killed by wild mobs, who were indulging in indiscriminate killing of Muslims. This is the worst piece of journalism I have seen written on ET. The author has completely ignored the atrocities committed by the muslims. Has he ever asked himself whether the 1971 genocide committed by the then West Pakistan in Bangladesh would have happened if there was no partition. In his next article he should perhaps ask why the murder of up to 3 million people was necessary. I suspect he will not because it was committed by "muslims".
Author
".... Had Partition not taken place, the subcontinent’s total population would have been 1.7 billion.
This would mean that Muslims would have been only 30 per cent of the total population. ....+
Muslims would have voted en-bloc, others would have voted for 4 different parties and India would have become the Islamic Republic of India.
Thank you Mr Jinnah for saving us.
@Gp65: Though you may be correct about view of non - Muslims and Muslim minority sects of India about Pakistan. A great many followers of Maududi made Pakistan their true home and have had great political successes.
But I am sorry, I do not buy the larger premise that any community would have been less safe in United India than they are now. Greater diversity in a country usually serves as best check against majoritarianism and religious fundamentalism. Anyway now the deal is done, one must work with the reality.
Manufacturing facts and only telling one side of the story is a dangerous thing. Partition wrought havoc on three primary communities - Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs not just Muslims. And there was just a minority within one community that wanted it.
@Shakir Lakhani
Pakistan’s creation was not a mistake
Do we see Indians or Bangladeshis ever wondering about whether creation of India or BD was a 'mistake'?
If not, why not?
Ponder over this.
And next time also ask the Ahmadis, Christians, Baloch or at least Shias the same question.
Creation of pakistan had political reasons based on religious discrimination then. Jinnah knew with democracy, muslims would always remain under hindu predominance. He was right! As regards what is happening in Pakistan....we shall overcome the difficulties soon.
@someone: Yes point well made. Moreover unlike what the gentleman says, Pakistan's Rank by GDP is 44 not 28th as claimed by Mr. saeed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ListofcountriesbyGDP_(nominal)
Further the size of economy of united India would have been number 4 in the world. Of course none of these reasons are reasons for any one in India to consider that partition is reversed but just saying that the argument is a weak one for creating Pakistan.
One more thing, it is unclear why having an army that has lost all wars it started, which allows ongoing violation of its sovereignty by drones is such a matter of pride.
Great analysis, at the partition Author didn't mention about the minorities (Christian , Sikhs and Hindus ) ratio in the pre-indepence Pakistan and current Pakistan India should have forced all the muslim to Pakistan or Bangladesh , it would have been much better place to live .
A professor's logic and reasoning for the creation of Pakistan. Such logic, reasoning and rationale. Pakistan produces great thinkers.
Let whatever the fact be, all has happened due to the British. Undivided India was not matured enough at that time before the partition. The British took this advantage for their benefit. And due to our religious mindset Pakistan was created.
But have the divided countries prospered from this? We still are not matured. Western countries are much more ahead and in better position than us. Our politics is killing us. Undivided India, or rather India today, is bigger in area than entire Europe without Russia. Even Pakistan is bigger than any European Country. But what is the use? We both are still looked down by those small European Countries.
Can't say partition was needed or not. But it has certainly not done both of us any good.
I personally believe that the emergence of a new country for the Muslims of the subcontinent was perhaps the best thing to have happened in recent history.
Err.. It seems a vast majority of Muslims of India did not think so. They stayed put, instead of moving to the new paradise.
And what is even more intriguing is that a majority of Pakistanis decided to secede and created another country for Muslims of the sub-continent.
Of late, you see more and more such authors trying to convince that the creation of Pakistan was good for muslims. There is no such talk or discussion in India in either hindu or muslim section of its population. Is it because that many in Pakistan are now thinking that the creation of Pakistan as a country for muslims of India was bad? The author himself says that both India and Pakistan, each have 180 muslims and another 150 million live in Bangladesh that has separated from Pakistan. So, roughly 2/3rd of the muslims of the sub-continent have rejected Pakistan. Every Indian, hindu or muslim, is happy that Pakistan is a separate country because the bad elements have moved there. So are the Bangladeshis who now want a secular state and are going after the religious parties.
To a person who lost the route and stuck in a muddy hole, you are saying glad you are safe there otherwise some Tiger might have eaten you. Keep it up. The nation and Youth needs people like you. At this rate,Pakistan can't even catch Bangladesh also in future.
Author: Looking at the current pitiable condition of Muslims in India.
You are wrong there. As per Sachar report Indian Muslims per capita spending is marginally lower than that of Hindus. Following factors have not been accounted for by the Sachar committee: Less number of Muslims per family work. Muslim women almost do not work. Size of Muslim household is much larger than that of Hindus or any other religious group in India. The size is not marginally higher, it is significantly higher. In all Indian Muslims, on an average earn much more than Hindus. Their per capita spending is marginally lower, because of their much larger family size and less number of persons working per capita.@A.Saeed: Actually if you were part of India, you would have been doing better in all those fields. The Muslims in India can certainly boast about world's 3rd Largest army, 10th largest economy, 6th Nuclear power country plus 15th on energy generation by nuclear power. Now who do you think has been a looser ?
@Shakir Lakhani,
"Looking at the current pitiable condition of Muslims in India .... I believe that my parents took the right decision in 1947 in migrating to the new country. Had they stayed in India, they would surely have been killed by wild mobs, who were indulging in indiscriminate killing of Muslims"
Since you seem to care so much for the Muslims who stayed behind to get killed by the 'wild Hindu mobs' in India, would you advocate opening the gates of Pakistan for all Indian Muslims suffering a great deal at the hands of the Hindus who may want to emigrate to the happy Muslim land, Pakistan, that was created for them?
Why did Pakistan closed the door on them soon after the partition?
@author: " ... Had they stayed in India, they would surely have been killed by wild mobs, who were indulging in indiscriminate killing of Muslims. ... "
Muslims have this tendency of not wanting to discuss atrocities committed by themselves, but are quick to play the victim.
Which ever way one thinks, Pakistan's creation was not a mistake for muslims and Indians. Both like it. Why grudge
@Vikas The funny thing is that your comments justify this article.
Good that muslims got a separate country or countries as they couldn't stay United. If they stayed in India, they would have become majority with their aversion to birth control and India would have become another Pakistan.
@Rashid Haider: Dude, from the point you raised above you are saying that the whole world has been plotting against Muslims since the inception of Islam. This is as ridiculous as many Americans naively ask the question "What did we do that terrorists are attacking us". There is an old idiom and am sure you are far familiar with it. Its called "You can't clap with one hand". Question yourselves how really tolerant are you guys towards other religion, forget religion how tollerant are you to different sect in Islam ? Its a bitter answer I know so dont care to reply. Its far more clear than a crystal that inspite of teaching of Islam to be tolerant, Muslims (at least in Pakistan) are generally not. Also your rationale and logic bites the dust everytime by the fact that there are many prosperous muslims in India. And there are more poor Hindus in India vs the Muslims. But your media , just to justify the partition keeps on feeding you the Muslim poverty rate. Have they ever asked or analysed why they dont get white collar jobs. Your reply that "they are muslims" will be as ridiculous as a Jew in New York saying that he cannot get a job because he is a Jew. God or Allah whoever you want have given you brain to analyse, fingers to type and lo behold we humans gave you internet to do more research beyond the web servers hosted in your country. Fod god sake, read beyond your own walls.....or stay happy like the Frog in the Well.
Thank God for Pakistan. We Indians cant thank Jinnah enough.
Now coming back to what you said - Had they stayed in India, they would surely have been killed by wild mobs, who were indulging in indiscriminate killing of Muslims.
May I remind you Hindus have been killed in riots as well.
what a load of bull....The cotton mills were set up so they would be close to trading hubs like Surat and Bombay in India on the west and Calcutta on the east and these were also well known shipping lines back then.. You got what you aspired for I dont think in either country there is any heart burn anymore.. ..
childish article
Yes, over a period of time, people have emerged questioning two nation theory. But what ever point they bring on surface, this fact cannot remein untrue that creation of separate land for muslims of subcontinent was a major contribution of our forefathers. Today Pakistan standing is 6th largest Armed Forces, 28th in Economy (in terms of GDP as per IMP and CIA website), 7th Nuclear Power. This and much other could not have been happened in a united Hindustan.
Even after writing this you made a statement that
I dont know about the rest, but I will call it ironic.
"Had they stayed in India, they would surely have been killed by wild mobs, who were indulging in indiscriminate killing of Muslims." Explain to us why the muslim population in India has increased since 1947 but the population of hindus in Pakistan has actually decreased? A case of the pot calling the kettle black. No point in drawing SRK and SK in this debate. They have clearly said that they don't want anything to do with Pakistan. Furthermore, ask yourself if they were born in Pakistan would they have been as successful as they are? In some way the creation of Pakistan has been the biggest blessing for India. Remember, even Jinnah's daughter who is still alive today also disagrees with you.
"Gandhi died by the hands of an assassin; Jinnah died by his devotion to Pakistan"- Lord Pethick Lawrence (1948)
ET publishing rubbish.......to attract Indian trolls.......No advertisement available i think......
I will be forever grateful that my grand parents decided to migrate from UP in 1947. The vision of the generation of our grandparents should not be faulted, for what the current generation has done to the country now.
I think this is one thing on which there can be a broad consensus between a great majority of both Indians and Pakistanis. Infact the consensus is so strong that it is proving a big blockade for greater economic integration of SAARC. Indian Hindus nowadays see Pakistan formation as something that saved Hindus from 'being swamped' by Muslims and Pakistani Muslims see it as something that saved them from being swamped by Hindus.
A humanist like me can only pity the stinginess of the two majorities.
" (not every Indian Muslim shares the same fate as that of Shahrukh Khan or Salman Khan)," There are not many Hindus either who share "the same fate" as those. It is not "fate" but their talents and perseverance and efforts and grabbing the opportunities that has made them reach those stations. Those before him like Yousof Khan, Rehman, Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Suraiyya, Nasir Khan etc., etc reached those heights because of their talent. They are not there because of the likes of Sachhar Commission, nor because of quotas, reservations and set-asides which other Muslims are constantly begging for. They competed like any other Indian and because they were better than those others, they are enjoying the fruits of their labours. No one grudges them those fruits. Now, take a look at your own Lollywood. What do you find?
Totally agree with you Mr lakhani
A separate home land for Muslims was the best things that happened to Hindustan and Hindus. But the problem is that some of your brothers and sister stayed back. If they want to go their homeland, they are more than welcome to do so.
Interesting facts. Now get ready for a barrage of angry comments.
Where did you get your ideas about Muslims in India, I hope not Pakistan studies. :D Enjoy your day in Pakistan.
Well then, enjoy your paradise. Seems like a fun place for Muslims.