If Pakistan could go back to 1947 and do it all over again.

[Silverblaze]

With nationalists and patriots - you have emotion. great decisions need cold hard logic, wisdom of knowledge and experience, empirical evidence, and a touch of finesse.


Yes. the feudals. I forgot about those bastards. No one can own more than 500 acres.
2 prime ministers and 1 president, I rather like it.
Would we accept Mujib ur Rehman as president? I would.

East Pakistan was the greatest blow to our existence perhaps even more than the fall of srinagar. Hence, east pakistan must always live in our memory as a lesson. Mujeeb was a leader of circumstances after Pakistan elite refused to pay attention to maulana bhashani and let mujeeb off the hook on agartala, this was expected.

Regarding feudals, i rate them as bad as the bureaucrats of this country. I wish there were completely eliminated in early 50s.

Only 5 acts were needed:
1.Abolish feudalism (most difficult to and one that has played a major hand in ruining the country along with dictators)
2.divide the provinces further
3.Urdu and Bengali both national languages

4.Sideline or make disappear all those who were not part of the muslim league directly. No unionists, red shirts or otherwise.

5. prevent immigration of all all those religious party leaders and key members who spoke against Pakistan. Their entry during the 50’s really destroyed the tolerance landscape.

Dont forget the bureaucracy sir. How can we forget ghulam muhammad and sikander mirza who brought utter instability to Pakistan. Changed 6 PMs in 7 years not counting the chief ministers in bengal.

 

[One_Nation]

1. I would never ally with the US or Soviet Union or Arabs or Iran or China or India. I would play them all against each other for our own benefit.

This is a lesson not learned. You cannot stay neutral when super powers are interested in you.
It would have been better if Pakistan leaned on USSR and provided them all the trade routes they needed and stay neutral with the west.
If everything else that you mentioned got implemented then we wouldn't need Saudis and their genocidal ideologies anyway.

 

[SkyWolf]

Only 5 acts were needed:
1.Abolish feudalism (most difficult to and one that has played a major hand in ruining the country along with dictators)
2.divide the provinces further
3.Urdu and Bengali both national languages

4.Sideline or make disappear all those who were not part of the muslim league directly. No unionists, red shirts or otherwise.

5. prevent immigration of all all those religious party leaders and key members who spoke against Pakistan. Their entry during the 50’s really destroyed the tolerance landscape.

Why urdu and bengali? this would alienate the beautiful pashto, sindhi, balochi and other languages... English would favor none AND be highly useful in the future globalization.

This is a lesson not learned. You cannot stay neutral when super powers are interested in you.
It would have been better if Pakistan leaned on USSR and provided them all the trade routes they needed and stay neutral with the west.
If everything else that you mentioned got implemented then we wouldn't need Saudis and their genocidal ideologies anyway.

I would let the Soviets build roads and trade routes but at the same time not go against US either.... Here I think Indians played the game well with their deceitful "Non-aligned" movement approach.

 

[SkyWolf]

Including Bangladesh in Pakistan and hijrat was the biggest mistake

if by hijrat you are referring to Muslims from India moving to Pakistan - I would disagree. Such chauvinism is the reason for Pakistan's current state of affairs.

Pakistan zindabad. All of it

 

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

With nationalists and patriots - you have emotion. great decisions need cold hard logic, wisdom of knowledge and experience, empirical evidence, and a touch of finesse.


Yes. the feudals. I forgot about those bastards. No one can own more than 500 acres.
2 prime ministers and 1 president, I rather like it.
Would we accept Mujib ur Rehman as president? I would.

zardaris, sharifs, mullahs and left wing liberals have 0 Pakistani nationalism and patriotism. Look at how corrupt they are and the damage they have done to Pakistan.

 

[Shehryar Ashraf]

I'd exchange East Pakistan for getting all of Punjab with Mountbatten.
let the bangladeshis enjoy hindu rule.

 

[Pandora]

Therefore - learn nothing from the past and expect different results in the future?

Please read my comment again don't make your own assumptions.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

1- Evaluate the Map , and ensure the Natural Resources of Region are equally Divided in favor of Muslims
2- Pakistan gets large share of Forest and Water Rivers Share
3- Ensure Sufficient Military assets are provided to Pakistan and Treaty exist of no Military action with other party for first 5 years
4- Argue that United Population of Muslims = Hindu in Sub continent so SQ KM of land should be equally divided argued against the 70%-30% split which created West Pakistan - India - East Pakistan
5- Confiscate land greater then 10 acre from any Citizen , Impose Taxation on extra land
6- Urdu is great united East/West Pakistan from communication perspective
7- Constructed Dams to prevent East Pakistan Floods from India
8- Prevented Nawaz Sharif's birth with Abortion Pill
9- Hanged Bhutto a bit sooner
10- Laid the foundation of Auto Sector in 60's in Pakistan and Supported the Mega Auto Companies to grow locally
12 - Split all regions into 40 Administrative Zones , get rid of language based Provinces
13 - Presidential System for Nation
14- Bought land from UAE leaders in 50's specially Abu Dabi region and Oman
15 - Constructed Oil and Gas lines from Iran in 70's
16 - Negotiated Disney Land Expansion in Asia by being first country to host the theme park in 80's
17 - Create worlds Larges Book library in Islamabad - Karachi - Lahore - Quetta - Peshawar in 80's

 

[Ahmet Pasha]

Ahmedi

When you really peel away the Love for all hatred for none mantra. You will find just how deceitful and nefarious this group was from its inception. And still is to this day.

It is just as stupid as Louis Farrakhan and Elijah Mohammad's twisted ideologies.

If it were some mullah propaganda I wouldn't be here saying these things. The kazab i.e Mirza, his books, his sermons, books of his kin are enough evidence as to what this cult really was/is a cross between a personality cult and a circus.

 

[Rahil khan]

If i shall be given a chance to go back to 1947, would take whole bunch of drugs to cure tuberculosis and will hand over to Jinnah Sahab, will strongly advice him not to die till 1960s. Rest he will take care of mistakes and blunders we made....!

 

[Sage]

I would use lasers to pulverize the reproductive organs of the man that would go on to father Hussain Haqqani.

 

[Silverblaze]

I would let the Soviets build roads and trade routes but at the same time not go against US either.... Here I think Indians played the game well with their deceitful "Non-aligned" movement approach.

I would have disagree with you on US. Pakistan had no choice at that time. India was threatening Pakistan militarily especially in 1950. US help was the quickest way. But its our own weakness that we become too dependent and want US to carry us around while we ourselves want to do nothing.

 

[mikkix]

I'd exchange East Pakistan for getting all of Punjab with Mountbatten.
let the bangladeshis enjoy hindu rule.

I would exchange gujrat and rajasthan with whole of Punjab.

 

[Jungibaaz]

We cant have do-overs in life but it is interesting to contemplate alternate historical scenarios.

1. I would work with the other dominion -- the Republic of India -- to work together on an orderly transfer of population during the partition to avoid the deaths of millions.
2. At a minimum, I would ensure the security of non-muslim minorities in Pakistan.
3. Once India rolled the tanks in Hyderabad and Junagarh, I would ensure Pakistan's 1948 liberation of Kashmir was not botched and include the whole of Kashmir valley including Srinagar but not Ladakh.
4. Over time, once India gets over its Akhand Bharat fantasy, I would negotiate the extended LOC as the international border in exchange for peace and deem the Kashmir matter resolved. Result: No 1965, 1971, Kargil, Siachen.
5. I would still invest in a powerful professional army but ensure it does not creep itself into governance or commerce.
6. I would not impose Urdu on anyone certainly not in East Pakistan. (Disclosure: Urdu is my native tongue). Each province can have its regional languages. All languages would be celebrated. The lingua franca or official language would be English. Schools would be set up to learn English - the global language of business and diplomacy. Urdu would be just another lovely language in our national mosaic.
7. I would carve 24 provincial districts out of baluchistan, Sindh, Punjab, gb, kashmir, east pakistan. Each district would get a fair share of government funds to manage. I would ensure no province became "the internal hegemon".
8. I would emphasize the 1000 year Islamic heritage but also the 9000 year Indus heritage as the logic to Pakistan.
9. I would agree to a very loose federation with East Pakistan. The two wings would be Pakistan in name only. The separation would honor the struggle for Pakistan but be practical about a state being separated by 1000 miles of a hostile non-akhand Bharat. Bangladesh would run its own economy, politics, foreign affairs, defence etc. but the two wings would honor the memory of Quaid-e-Azam. If the Bengalis so desire -- we could perhaps be united in the olympics. Result: a friendly divorce. No 1971.
10. I would focus my energy on the western border with Afghanistan. Integrated infrastructure with Central Asia along with a heavily fenced and fortified Durand line.
11. I would ensure Baluchistan would get its share of natural resources and provide welfare and development directly to the people instead of the sardars.
12. I would strive for a zero-conflict foreign policy.
13. I would aim for a free trade agreement with India and a no-support to separatist policy in each other's countries.
14. I would never ally with the US or Soviet Union or Arabs or Iran or China or India. I would play them all against each other for our own benefit.
15. I would establish a constitution as soon as possible.
    1. It would ensure freedom of religion to all: Sunni, Shia, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and even Ahmedi.
    2. Discrimination on the basis of race, religion, caste, province, ethnic group would be outlawed.
    3. It would ask all religions be kept in each individual's heart and outside of government where it is subject to interpretation, corruption, and politicization.
    4. Pakistan would be renamed the Indus Republic of Pakistan.
16. I would not allow Saudi or Wahabist or Salafist influence to take root in Pakistan. (Full disclosure: I am a Sunni).
17. I would not support any extremist organization for political expediency.
18. Pakistan would not involve itself in any middle east war. It would only provide humanitarian relief to all sides of pan-Islamic conflicts and urge peace and reconciliation.
19. I would never speak up for Indian Muslims. (This would be India's internal matter).
20. Mullahs would not be allowed to run roughshod all over Pakistan. the 1960's culture of moderation would be maintained and encouraged but Bollywood and Hollywood influence would be highly curtailed in favor of local and regional arts.
21. I would highly discourage or mitigate the need for martial law. Martial laws would be seen as sedition punishable by death. result: No Zia-ul-haq (I am going to be raked by PDF now
22. Money saved in external security would go towards the development of education and internal security. Guns for civilians would be banned after some time.
23. Cultural exchanges would take place and be celebrated among all the beautiful people of Pakistan.
24. I would attempt to make Karachi the present-day Dubai. (Full disclosure - I am from Karachi but not a chauvinist)
25. I would still pursue the atomic bomb.
26. I would ban political associations in universities.
27. I would make football the national sport.
28. I would establish a non-corrupt NADRA much sooner to control illegal immigration.
29. I would use lasers to pulverize the reproductive organs of the man that would go on to father Hussain Haqqani.

What do you think? Would these be good decisions or bad? Insults my way are fine but I would prefer a critique. What would you differently?

Thx.

Agree with most points, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. And these are less "what I would have done", more about what went wrong, and what might have been better.

I'd summarise and say the few most disastrous policies, events and other phenomena in Pakistan's history, largely define the start of a lot of avoidable problems.

• Civilian dictators of the 1950s and Nazriya-e-Zaroorat (Doctrine of Necessity).
• Elite capture or retention of institutions, no land reforms. Ruling classes and land owners.
• One unit nation, wholesale denial of the rights of provinces and the promises made by Pakistan to its constituent nations pre-independence.
• Dictating Urdu be the sole national language. Nothing wrong with this but it's inflexible, and the effects are similar to the above point.
• Military dictators and the establishment of a class of opulent generals.
• Getting too deep in the US' camp, sure it had its benefits, but the costs were immense and hard to quantify. We can add to this US support of dictators.
• Too many failed attempts at military solutions to Kashmir, unpopular thing to say but that's my opinion.
• Bhutto era limited democracy and nationalisation.
• Bhutto and Zia era (and afterwards) radicalisation and the use of Islam as a political tool.
• Three words: non state actors.
• Repeated trampling of the courts, constitution, and media.

We can name more, but these were some of the most eventful and retrospectively egregious.

 

[Aesterix]

Pakistan needs more provinces. Half of the problems will be gone.