Part 2 > From Post#2
I can already see our neighbours on the east are getting convulsions. I am not here to explain anything to them. I am here to try to explain my thoughts to Iranian's because of the importance I attach to that country. In doing so I understand we have had difficult times post 1979 but we should look beyond that. We should have our eyes set on the horizon.
I want to remind the Iranian's here to please look through your own (Persian) perspective. Do not please look through the Western perspective including the use of the word "India". As I said before if my name is "
Cyrus" that does not make "
me" Cyrus. Labels are not important. What they mean is important. Since the first "Cyrus" came along there have been many called "Cyrus" but non have been the "Cyrus" that you think in history.
This confusion over just a name is used by some people to create false histories and fabricate all sort of rubbish. If I can't frankly explain to the Persian's who wrote most history in this part of world I might as well give up right now.
The fact is Persia has had direct contact and relationship with what is now Pakistan from the dawn of time. Names change but we are talking about the history of our peoples and land. I ask Persian's to go to your own history books and your records to see the truth.
Achaemenid Persians had satrapies in South Asia. What were they called? Where we they? Lets look into this in detail. I have already posted a map of Achaemenid Persia where it is clear that what is now Pakistan is part of the Persian Empire. Let us look at exactly what
Persian Behistun inscription,
Nakshi- i-Rustam records say.
"King Darius says: These are the countries which are subject unto me, and by the grace of Ahuramazda I became king of them: Persia, Elam, Babylonia, Assyria, Arabia, Egypt, the countries by the Sea, Lydia, the Greeks, Media, Armenia, Cappadocia, Parthia, Drangiana, Aria, Chorasmia, Bactria, Sogdia, Gandara, Scythia, Sattagydia, Arachosia and Maka; twenty-three lands in all."
The Satrapies of the Achaemenid Persians
Darius' Behistun list includes 23 locations
- Persia,
- Elam,
- Babylonia,
- Assyria,
- Arabia,
- Egypt
- the countries by the Sea,
- Lydia,
- the Greeks,
- Media,
- Armenia,
- Cappadocia,
- Parthia,
- Drangiana,
- Aria,
- Chorasmia,
- Bactria,
- Sogdia,
- Gandara,
- Scythia,
- Sattagydia,
- Arachosia, and
- Maka
Some of these Satrapies were divided into smaller regions.
Great Satrapy Harauvatiš/Arachosia was split into:-
- 6.1. Central Main Satrapy Harauvatiš/Arachosia. #22
- 6.2. Main Satrapy Zranka/Drangiana. #14
- 6.3. Main Satrapy Maka/Gedrosia.
- 6.4. Main Satrapy Θatagus/Sattagydia. #21
- 6.5. Main Satrapy Hinduš
You need to then figure out where were
Maka, Hindush, Sattagydia and Gandara. When you do the research you will find out that all these occupy what is today's Pakistan. This means most of Pakistan's ( about 6% are( Mohajirs ) migrants from India ) ancestors lived in one of those four satrapies. So when you hear Western historians talk of Persia and India they actually mean Persia and Maka, Hindus, Sattagydia and Gandhara and you can see on the map in the previous post where they are.
Gandhara - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maka (satrapy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sattagydians - Livius
Hindush - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Achaemenid invasion of Indus valley is the
Achaemenid military conquests of territories of
South Asia of
Indus river in 6th century BC, consisting mainly of modern-day
Pakistan.
[1] Achaemenid penetration into the modern
Pakistan occurred in stages, starting from northern parts of
Indus river and moving southward.
Achaemenid Provinces during the rule of
Darius I showing Hindush, Gedrosia, Sattagydia and Gandara all now in Pakistan today.
Of course if you choose to call "Hindush, Gedrosia, Gandara "Indian" today that your choice but from the map you can tell which land these were, what that land is called today and more importantly which peoples live there today.
Although Arabs invaded Sindh ( Hindush ) in 7th century but they did not go beyond Sindh. Rest of what is Pakistan today remained free from Arab rule. However over the next few centuries the majority population of Indus Valley had converted to Islam. This change was brought about by Persian speaking Sufi saints whose shrines are scattered all over Pakistan and continue to attract huge number of followers.
The subsequent rule of Muslim dynasties involved Persian language, Persian culture, Persian architecture infuse into South Asia and as Pakistan was the first point of contact it recieved the infusion the most. Being Muslim dominant Persian culture was indicator of high society. Persian continued to be the official language until the British removed it.
In 1849 most of what is now Pakistan was conquered by the British and merged into their colony which they named "British India". Two battles that resulted in most of what is Pakistan falling under British control were:
The ancient Achaemenid provinces of Sattagydia/Punjab -http://
Battle of Gujrat | Second Sikh War | Britannica.com
The ancient Achaemenid provinc of Hindush/Sindh was captured by the British at the Battle of Miani -
Battle of Miani | Sind-British conflict | Britannica.com
After 1900 the Muslim consciousness revolved around religion - Islam and culture which in this case was Persian or Persian hybrid. This can be seen in everything. The Muslims started to revolving around
Urdu and the Hindu around
Hindi. Both languages have the same
core but the differance is the Muslims push toward Persian and Hindu toward Sanskrit. In other words the division. This divergence applied to everything.
Urdu uses using Persian derived
Nastaʿlīq. Culture, art, clothing. Similar to how the Western world adopts Latin or Greek in particular the high culture in the same way the Muslims adopted Persian and everything connected like food as "high culture". The Hindu did the opposite and pushed toward Sanskrit. This process still continues even today as Hindu fanatics try to erase anything the Muslims might have brought. In this case Muslim invariably equates to Persian as those invaders mostly had Persian culture.
Post 1920s as the Muslim movement for Pakistan took off it very appparent that Pakistan's founding fathers were heavily steeped in Persian traditions. This is not surprising as
Persian was seen as the thing for Muslim's to
differantiate them from Hindu culture. To be Muslim you added Persian words or culture. To be Hindu you tried to remove Persian words or culture to make it more pure Hindu.
This can be seen in most of the famous figures being conversant in Persian. Many wrote books on Islam or poetry or other subjects in Persian.
Allama Iqbal the
Mufakkir-e-Pakistan is man who concetualized the idea of Pakistan in 1930 with his famous speach:-
Allama Iqbal
Muhammad Iqbal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"India is a continent of human groups belonging to different races, speaking different languages, and professing different religions [...] Personally, I would like to see the
Punjab,
North-West Frontier Province,
Sindh and
Baluchistan amalgamated into a
single State. Self-government within the British Empire, or without the British Empire, the formation of a consolidated North-West Indian Muslim State appears to me to be the final destiny of the Muslims, at least of North-West India".
Allahabad Address - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
You can see in his speach he is in fact asking for the ancient satrapies of Sattagydia(
Punjab), Gandara(
NWFP), Gedrosia(
Balochistan) and Hindush(
Sindh) to be made into Pakistan.
Some of his works:-
The Secrets of the Self - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Message from the East - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Persian Psalms - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gift from Hijaz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pakistan's national anthem The
Qaumi Taranah (
Urdu: قومی ترانہ,
Qaumī Tarānah pronounced
[ˈqɔː.mi ˈt̪ə.rɑː.nɑ], lit.
"National Anthem"), also known as
Pāk Sarzamīn (
Urdu: پاک سرزمین is heavily Persianized Urdu.
Pāk sarzamīn shād bād
Kishwar-i ḥasīn shād bād
Tū nishān-i ʿazm-i ʿālī shān
Arẓ-i Pākistān!
Markaz-i yaqīn shād bād
Pāk sarzamīn kā niz̤ām
Quwwat-i Ukhuwwat-i ʿawām
Qaum, mulk, salt̤anat
Pāyindah tābindah bād!
Shād bād manzil-i murād
Parcam-i sitārah o-hilāl
Rahbar-i taraqqī o-kamāl
Tarjumān-i māẓī, shān-i ḥāl
Jān-i istiqbāl!
Sāyah-yi Khudā-yi Ẕū l-jalāl
In his book
The Frontiers of Pakistan, Iranian scholar Dr. Mujtaba Razvi noted that, "almost without exception, Pakistan has enjoyed very cordial relations with Iran since its inception on 14 August 1947. Iran was the
first country to recognise Pakistan as an independent state, and
Shah of Iran was the first Head of State to come on a
state visit to Pakistan in March 1950".
[1] Since 1947,
Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the
Founder of Pakistan, had advocated a pro-Iranian policy, and was the main architect of the policy that Pakistan was to pursue with regard to Iran.
However what is amazing is the degree to which Iran supported Pakistan in her wars with India. By the old saying "good friend in need is a friend indeed" Iran came out at the top. This something we in Pakistan should not forget. Some the things Iran dis for Pakistan:-
* In 1965 war "Iran helped Pakistan like as if it was under attack" Paigham-Ilmroze.
* Under CENTO Britain and US refused to help however Iran and Turkey gave 100% support.
* Iranian foreign ministry reacted vehemantly against India crossing the Lahore sector
* Iran gave jet fuel, gasoline, small arms, ammunition and medical supplies despite US disapproval. Iranian nurses were dispatched and helped in treating the war wounded.
* After Indian protests Iran even formally accepted that they were helping Pakistan.
* Iran leased fighter aircraft to Pakistan.
* In 1971 war Iran offered full unconditional support to Pakistan.
* A joint Ir-Pak air exercise was used to transfer Iranian fighers to Pakistan.
* Reports that Iranian and Turkish C-130s were used to ferry troops to East Bengal.
* Iranian airbases were available to PAF if needed.
* Iranian foreign minister openly declared "Iran was 100% with Pakistan".
Please read full text here for details:-
Iran's Relation With Pakistan: A Strategic Analysis - Dr. Satyanarayan Pattanayak - Google Books
Iran, Pakistan and Nuclear Ambitions | Project Ploughshares
President Ayub Khan meets the Shah
Iranian stamp with President Ayub and the Shah
Pakistan stamp with Shah and the Queen
And Iranian stamp
Clearly Iran was the most allied of allied countries with Pakistan. The rupture began with 1979 and the revolution. Upto 1979 relations were governed by both countries interests with a secular outlook. However after 1979 religion entered the equation for the first time. When you start looking through the prism of religion the Shia/Sunni divergance begins to impact the relationship.
On top of this Pakistan joined USA and Saudia in the Afghan jihad. This in time would create more differances. In addition within Pakistan Saudi influence post 1980 began to increase and with that the Shia/Sunni issue bgan to impact internal politics. We are still suffering from that today evidenced by the attack on Punjab home minister.
Suicide attack in Pakistan kills Punjab home minister and at least eight others | World news | The Guardian
Today when I look Iran most will agree that Iran poses no threat to Pakistan. Iran would never allow it's land to be used directly or indirectly against Pakistan. I know we hear a lot about the much vaunted India/Iran alliance but the reality is it is lot of talk mostly by Indians. The reality is most of trade by Iran is with China. Indian trade is neglibible.
I think the wildcard is Saudia Arabia. If Saudia Arabia can be convinced to give up it's suicidal love of sectarian politics and hatred for Iran it would be a great thing. However unltimately it is for Pakistan to carve a balanced path between both Saudia knowing that it is the custodian of the holy places and Iran a neighbour we have had and known for the last 5,000 years and will do for the next 5,000 years.
I am certainly convinced that was we move forward over the next two decades our relations with Iran will go back to the way they were before 1979. 5,000 years of history is not about get erased by two decades.
The two neighbours, Germany and France who fought three wars, millions were killed on both sides can today be closest allies I can't see why we cannot have a similar future.
We will.
Please excuse me for any grammar or spelling mistakes.
@Serpentine @Daneshmand
Quick facts: At least 50 million people in Pakistan speak Iranic languages and belong to the ethnic Iranian group. These include Kurdish in Turkey, Ossetian in Russia, Persian in Iran, Dari in Afghanistan,Tajik in Tajikistan, Pashto and Baloch in Pakistan.
Pashto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Balochi language - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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