Seminar discusses how historians failed to give due respect to this proponent of Pakistan. PHOTO: ONLINE
Chaudhry Rehmat Ali, the man who coined the name, 'Pakistan', and is distinguished as one of the first proponents for the creation of a separate state for Muslims, has not been given due respect by historians. This was discussed by speakers at a seminar at the Arts Council of Pakistan on Saturday night.
The participants comprised political scientists, history experts and columnists who agreed on the notion of bringing back the remains of Ali's body from Cambridge, UK, to Pakistan and giving him a burial place in the Quaid-e-Azam's mausoleum. The seminar titled, "Quaid-e-Azam ka Pakistan aur Chuadhry Rehmat Ali ka Aizaz," was organised by the Chaudhry Rehmat Ali Memorial Society to commemorate the leader.
The speakers noted that despite his achievements and struggle for the creation of the country, Ali could not get the honour and respect he deserved. University of Karachi department of mass communication's chairperson, Dr Tahir Masood said that Ali not only coined the name, Pakistan, but also gave the idea of a separate state for the Muslims of India in his pamphlet, 'Now or Never'.
"The arguments put forth by Rehmat Ali for the case of creation of Pakistan in this pamphlet were the same used later by the Quaid-e-Azam to convince the British and the Congress," said Masood.
Quoting historian KK Aziz, Masood said that Quaid-e-Azam used several sentences from 'Now or Never' in his address on Pakistan Resolution Day, during the Muslim League session at Lahore. He added that Muslim League leaders had no new vision, argument or point in favour of Pakistan, besides those already presented by Ali. He was a visionary researcher and thinker and a true sympathiser of the Muslims of India.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2014.
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There is no mention of the word Pakistan in the Lahore Resolution or of Partition. It is a vague resolution; a series of unspecified concepts- units, regions, areas, zones and no time- frame. Pakistan was not the only word coined by Rehmat Ali, in his later work, he suggested changing the name of India to Dinia ( land of din or faith ) and that Pakistan was to be joined by other Muslim enclaves Bangistan ( Bengal ), Haidaristan ( Delhi ), Osmanistan ( Hyderabad ), Maplistan ( Malabar ) and so on.
I think the majority of people on this planet would find it laughable, if they only knew that Pakistan meant land of the pure. It is, rightly or wrongly, seen as a hub of international terrorism and, I reckon more Muslims have been killed by Muslims in Pakistan than in Hindu-Muslim clashes in India. Can anyone truthfully say that he or she is safe in Pakistan?
Thank you Chaudhry Rehmat Ali for your efforts for Pakistan. May Allah Bless you, Ameen.
dear Bruteforce google was not able find your mentioned reference of Columbia university "object not found" appeared instead under the link
Pakistan prefers to write its history books more as wishful thinking to suite their narrative. Facts are not of significance.
Chaudhry Rehmet Ali was quite extreme in his views regarding non muslims. He was off the view that muslims are a marital/noble race and thus fit to rule the hindus and other religions in India. This article mention KK Aziz but fails to mention that Mr Aziz has almost called Rehmet Ali a bigot because of his views on non muslims. I ask the readers to please read the pamphlet by Rehmet Ali and also the book on his life by KK Aziz to get a better understanding of his life. No one pushed him out of Pakistan he left the place himself as dejected because according to him Quaid settled for a lesser deal. Another point to be make is that Chaudhry Rehmet Ali called the new country to be named Pakstan not Pakistan and he also wanted an area in the middle of India called Osmania or Osmaniaabad which included the princely state of Hyderabad. He wanted a third muslim state which was suppose to include the areas around Bengal. Hence the name Pakistan does not include any reference to our Bengali brothers it only included the region of present day Pakistan.
Correction : He was not buried in Palestine. But, in England.
The narrative from the Pakistani side is that Pakistan was demanded ONLY AFTER Congress did not agree to the Cabinet Mission Plan.
This was never true. Rehmat Ali, the man in question, was asking for Pakistan since the 1930s, 1933 to be exact. So, did a lot of Islamists.
http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00islamlinks/txtrahmatali1933.html
Another interesting fact is : He was forced out of Pakistan by... Who? Answer : Muslim League. His remains are buried in Palestine, NOT Pakistan. Why? Because he wanted a larger piece of land, about the size of half of India, which thanks to Nehru rejecting the Cabinet Mission Plan did not fructify.
In the great poker game of the 1940s, Nehru called Jinnah's bluff.
Rehmat Ali was not a secular guy. The history books in Pakistan which say that due to the "betrayal by Congress" with CMP, Jinnah was forced to lead a movement for Pakistan is an obvious lie and Rehmat Ali is the biggest example of this.
Pakistan's real origins are not Secular, contrary to claims of Liberals in Pakistan and HIstorians.