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Joe Shearer Sir, your posts whether pro or against are enjoyable. My reply that you have highlighted was meant for the Thread starter and seeing that he has chosen to identify himself as a Pakistani, chances are that he understood me.
Sadly, in a public forum, an unendorsed post is seen to be for general consumption. As you must already be aware, the protocol for drawing an individual's attention, or the attention of a group of individuals, is by listing them by name, preceding the name with an @ sign.
Even then, the matter is effectively in the public domain, without the cover of privacy. It is then vulnerable to any nasty old man fed up of inexactitude and of slurred over definitions and categories that all run into one another, who might then pick on this perfectly innocent post and maul it. Consider yourself collateral damage, if that is any consolation.
I feel obliged to explain the meaning of my post since it does seem cryptic to you. Pakistan was carved out of British India, and our founding generation felt compelled to explain to later generations as to why that happened and why it was inevitable.
This is increasingly looking suspect to me, as I progress through the course of re-learning that I have set myself. I believe that scholars and analysts such as Khaled Anis Ansari and Afroz Alam have it right, although their analysis is contemporary and does not attempt an historical retrospective view. Partition happened, but it looks more and more that it was not inevitable, and even more that it swept under the carpet vital actions and steps, and insights into south Asian society, that would have helped the entire region immeasurably.
Before going further, let me intone in the most solemn tones that I can assemble from within my diaphragm that I am not a Hindutvavadi, or an irredentist, and I do not deny the legitimacy of Pakistan. On the contrary, to place it on record, I believe that Pakistan is a viable state, and should, and will do well, once it has de-wormed itself.
It is to other, deeper issues relating to identity that I refer. These issues have already overtaken Pakistan, more than once, on two past occasions in conditions of peculiar horror, in the present in conditions that go beyond horror. These issues are mounting rapidly in India, and I expect that they will turn acute before democracy evolves a solution - that is my hope, and it may be belied - so we are in the same boat. If you prefer the vernacular, "Hammam mein sab nangey hain." So dispel any notion that this is intended to denigrate Pakistan in particular. It is intended to point to the fundamental faults within nation-states in the south Asian region. Please note that I have tried to word my description with the utmost care.
In my experience, Indians have a better appreciation of the freedom struggle, while Pakistanis are better able to explain why and how of Pakistan's creation. That is due to the curriculum that is followed in India and Pakistan respectively. Typically Indians use a pretty simple shortcut which goes something like "It was the damn politicians that divided us". The first time one finds this bewildering and uncomfortable and hearing it a few more times does hint at a lack of appreciation across the board.
I too find it bewildering and uncomfortable. Is this the impression that Indian textbooks give you? That would be a matter for considerable worry. That is not a good basis on which to build tolerance, more, acceptance of a neighbouring state. Even an enfuriating and contumacious neighbouring state.
A second generation Pakistani like myself appreciates the need to explain the process of Pakistan movement, particularly since my grand father was a part of it. Third generation Pakistanis, like many here on PDF, have different sensitivity upon this matter. That is good. Also, I find that most Indians have seemingly come to accept Pakistan as a reality. That is even better. With this younger generation there is hope.
"Let me count the ways."
There is a section (1) of Indians who believe that partition was a mistake,that it was a concession to a racial and cultural enemy, that it should be reversed and that it should be reversed, and the racial and cultural differences wiped out as quickly as humanely possible. They may number in the thousands, because the nature of the Indian demographic is such that a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the population mounts in number into the thousands.
There is a section(2) of Indians who agree with the rabid first category, but believe that the natural instability and proneness to inflict self-inflicted injuries upon the country is strong enough to expect to gain their ends peacefully. A natural and inevitable collapse of Pakistan is what they expect; They are larger in number than the first, several times larger, and they are to be seen on this forum as well. I am troubled about their mental health, but feel helpless in terms of their obduracy and intransigence. Perhaps lobotomy should not be peremptorily ruled out.
There is a section(3) of Indians who do not necessarily start with any strong feelings about Pakistan, but view it in much the same light as the neighbourhood kid with a rich father and a powerful bike without mufflers, who comes into his own around midnight, and takes great pleasure in racing up and down empty streets. This section prays nightly for an opportune (from their point of view) rock in the road, dreams wistfully of thin cords across the road, or of a dramatic descent by the police to lay the lout by the heels. This view may disconcert the mature and grown-up reader, but will delight another section which is likely to give Peter Pan a run for his money.
There is a section(4) of Indians who don't much care, but wish the government of India would do something - anything - to stop nuisances from that country. So long as there are no bomb blasts or terrorist attacks, Pakistan may go about its business so long as it does not let off explosive devices in our bakeries. This number is perhaps the largest, and numbers in the millions.
Then there are those who generally wish everybody well, not just Pakistan and the people of Pakistan, and wring their hands in anguish when a nasty incident takes place. This is the Why_can't_we_all_just_get_on_together? school of thought.
Finally, there are those who wish Pakistan to prosper, her people to do well, including the liberals, and for the country to be a happy place, but even they sometimes despair of that country ridding itself of its clinging parasites. These are small, very small in number, and approximate the number of Pakistani liberals, into six.
More later. My vitiated health does not permit very long hours.
I feel the best course of action is to have a slow, but sure and steady process of normalization of ties between India and Pakistan with a view to achieving friendly relations like USA and Canada, while emphasizing our identity and equality. Liberals on the other hand seem an unbalanced lot. Particularly the ones who are feted, well received, and well appreciated in India. These fools would rather rush the tricky process and consequently invite backlash. My problem is with these fools. If we were to rush things, India would doubtless take advantage and Pakistanis may come to regret the outcome. Something like that happened in 1999. We had Lahore process, Kargil, Coup.
If there is something sinister in our curriculum, I would want it to be removed. If someone wishes to remove material that tells my children as to why they have the identity of being a Pakistani, I would be against any such venture.
You are in some sense right that the drive is based on insecurity. How can it be not? Just look at our neighborhood!
PDF is a bit of a Pakistan - India circus now, but people like me visited this site to get defense related news and analysis. That in some sense says what sort of thinking we have on PDF. You are already working with a biased sample sir. By trying to correct me what would you accomplish sir?
