Thought-provoking article on fall of Daka

[haviZsultan]

No place for a Nationalist​

It all began on a night in the year of 1971. It is a beautiful room full of rugs and mahogany furniture. Shirmeen is in a nightgown and reads a digest in the light of a table lamp. Safdar is in the bathroom and the child has gone to bed. Dhaka is at peace and so is Pakistan.

But there is a screeching of tires and a vehicle without number plates comes to a halt outside the white-washed walls of her home. Her heart takes a leap. She is cognizant of her husband's opposition to the war which the family recognizes could be the catalyst to the breakup of the nation. Safdar knows the Indians will not let such an auspicious opportunity pass.

But before she can even think someone is pounding at the door. Ultimately the hinges break loose and the great engraved, mahogany door that has stood for years at the entrance of Dhaka Mansion fall's with a crash. There are multiple footsteps now. Plainclothes policemen and soldiers are climbing the stairs. Shirmeen puts her book down and puts her pregnant body before the bathroom door. "I won't let you take him," she protests adamantly as the first of the soldiers appear in the room.

But the army is being used against the people. The police have become a tool for an authoritarian regime. The soldiers have forgotten the fire of valiant patriotism in their hearts and remember only the steely, icy strength of the Kalashnikov rifles they carry. Yet Safdar has promised to die in their name, in the name of the same army which has become a tool for an autocratic regime. "He is a Pakistani citizen who has done nothing but serve his country all his life. I will not let you take him," she screams.

There are hands attempting to pull her away. Some of them awkwardly traverse over her body as they struggle in an effort to control her. A soldier points a gun to her head and another holds her by the waist. The rest bash the bathroom door open. A prim looking Safdar raises his hands. He is sitting on the flush. They do not wait for him to wear his shalwar. They drag him through the door. Her son wakes up to the vociferous shouts of policemen. He sees his father being dragged into a police van parked outside, his shalwar missing, an ultimate disgrace for an army officer who gave up his uniform in protest against the army being used against its own people. The child, only five years old tries to stop the policemen but his protestations are ignored and when he struggles he is slapped and beaten by the policemen. Some of the soldiers feel guilty but it has been drilled into them by their officer that they must obey orders.

Shirmeen screams but there is no one to hear her pain in a world of cruel men where hearts have become cold as ice and force is the only language known. She vows not to scream again so her oppressors do not see tenderness of her civilian heart, the softness of her civilian breathe. She heads to comfort the child as their father is pushed into a van without number-plates which speeds off in the darkness.

Today this is what I saw in my dream. When I woke up from my slumber I felt restless. The residue of the dream is still in my heart in the form of overwhelming dread and a looming certainty that history is repeating itself. That the Nationalist today is being victimized again only and only because he does not fear when he raises his voice and is a vocal defender of Pakistan.

That was the first night when a person within Pakistan had to pay a price for claiming loyalty only and only to Pakistan and it was the beginning of the end for East Pakistan.

On that night in Dhaka the foundations of the Pakistani Nationalist Movement were laid. I am Sarfaraz Safdar and with my toil and blood I built what we had lost to salvage a broken Pakistan. Never in history had such an atrocity been committed upon my nation but this loss was self-inflicted.

I sit today in the Central Jail of Rawalpindi for my spontaneity to criticize, to raise issues my fellow countrymen wish to ignore and for my opposition to a regime controlled by foreign interests. I was 16 when they began doubting my loyalty to my nation on account of my father. I served Pakistan without question, I served the poor and built houses for them with my own sweat. I built schools for them and taught them what a son raised without a father could teach another. I built hospitals and roads in our areas.

But I refused to stop questioning, stop challenging the status qou... and they came for me too at the behest of America. Now my home is the lonely solitude of these prison walls. In them with a crayon I write the words Pakistan Zindabad over and over again. My crime they say is opposing the American war on terror. I do not deny it but am I a criminal to support Pakistan's independence? Am I a criminal if I remember that the Americans did nothing to stop the division of my Bengal in 1971? Should I also support the atrocities committed in the name of the War on terror? The drone attacks? The children killed?

Today they come for me... they call me a terrorist, an Anti-Pakistani element, a dissident. I am none of these. I am only a Nationalist, a pure Pakistani, secular Nationalist opposed to religious dogmatism in my land. I just wish they did not dishonour me with such allegations before murdering me.

The door to my gloomy prison cell opens. The executioner comes for me. It is the job of security forces and intelligence agencies to protect Pakistani citizens from harm. However if proving my loyalty to Pakistan means me taking a bullet from them I will take it in the name of Pakistani Nationalism.

It is no use pleading for my right. It is no use telling them I have done no wrong. My father died in prison saluting soldiers and kissing their hands. I kiss the hand of the guard tasked with taking me to the firing range. He is close to tears and scrutinizes me helplessly. I nod and pat his shoulder as a show of understanding.

I am a Nationalist and it seems my only future is suffering under the sword of oppression. But I do not err, I do not demand better because for my country I live and in its name I die. The firing squad gathers around me, the guns ominously and fiercely raised towards me. But I believe in Pakistan still...

*The dates when events occurred and the names of the characters have been purposely changed to protect their identities and families from persecution by the ruling Pakistan People's Party. All characters described in this narrative are fictional though this draws inspiration from certain events.

The author is not opposed to Pakistan's war on terror. He is providing an alternative view and speaking up for the innocents entrapped on false charges or killed in the war. Havi Z Sultan is also working on a book called Badal.

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This is one of my best articles written as yet. My strongest piece yet. The points I want to discuss here:
-Why do we treat the Bengalis as traitors?
-Question: Was Bangladesh our fault?
-What did we do to the patriots in Bengal? (The Biharis)
-Is there no place for a Nationalist anywhere, even his own nation?
-Afia was a patriotic person from what we know? Is the price of patriotism always suffering?
-Are individuals being purposely framed on false charges of terrorism?
-Has nationalism become a crime?

Keep these points in mind. About the article I used a process here where I mixed certain realities (events) with fiction (date, names, dramatization, kissing the executioners hands). Both events have been the most major in my Organizations history as they have been in the wider movement I used to serve. One was the fall of Bengal where we claimed Bhutto was lying and we should have let Mujib Ur Rehman rule. Second was the attempted framing of a Nationalist leader in Canada accompanied by harrassment of members including a major robbery attempt. I myself reviewed 8 cases of false framing of innocent Pakistanis.

I won't say more. Let the debate begin. And be generous. I want this article published so if you have a source in a newspaper do give me the details.

http://havisultan.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=139:-the-price-of-being-a-pakistani-nationalist&catid=73:nationalist-news-a-politics&Itemid=71

 

[haviZsultan]

Fall of Dhaka... something not one person wants to discuss. Should have written that. Just some points: This is fiction based on some events and realities. The officers quitting before the war, the fall of dhaka, stranded Pakistanis, the ancestors of those who lived for Pakistan and settled in west Pakistan... these are things covered in the article. The last part also brings nationalism...

What did we do wrong in Bengal. Big question!

 

[Contrarian]

If i may answer this :
What did Pakistan do wrong in Bengal?

Answer: Pakistan has constantly and consistently tried to promote and enforce one view of Pakistan. This starts right from being an Islamic state, to Urdu being the only national language, to one view that tall fair pakistani's are the real Pakistani's to trying to centralize the administrative system.

The reality however is that Pakistan is not a monolithic entity, it is far from it. And Pakistani's have over decades tried to not acknowledge it - which has changed recently.

Examples: Children are taught hate right from their younger years - when they are taught Hindus are the reason for breakaway of East Pakistan, or that Hindus are bad, only Muslims are good, only Muslims fought against the British.

These kinds of teachings have their effect - when there is only one view and everything else is considered anti-national.

To be honest this was done to promote or show how Pakistan was not India, or how Pakistan was different from India.

I can only give India's example as a country with diversity exponentially more than Pakistan-
1. India gave relative autonomy to states
2. So many languages - english was given the national language tag to be the link language.
3. Celebrate diversity - from the class 1 books - this is literally drilled in our head in almost every book - 'unity in diversity'
4. India has not enforced a uniform view of itself

Have you wondered why Pakistani's on this forum itself are so quick to tag one person or the other 'anti national', 'not patriotic' based on divergent views?
Now think about India, inspite of diametrically opposite views of members, not one would ever say that the other is 'anti-national' or 'not patriotic'. The arundhati roys do get blamed, but those are 1% of the cases. Even then -point is that difference of thought is accepted.

South Indians are completely different from North Indians. Both of them are completely different from East and North East Indians. But none has exclusive claims to be called 'Indian'.

 

[RazorMC]

Well written @haviZsultan. Really good writing skills too.

We have become accustome to judging others based on our personal views and opinions. This is not unique to Pakistan, it happens everywhere. The problem is that these opinions are not merely personal, they are often carried into our internal and foreign policies which end in disaster.

I agree with Contrarian on this point at least; instead of accepting diversity into the folds of "being Pakistani", we have only learnt to disown it and hate it.

 

[Rafael]

If i may answer this :
What did Pakistan do wrong in Bengal?

Answer: Pakistan has constantly and consistently tried to promote and enforce one view of Pakistan. This starts right from being an Islamic state, to Urdu being the only national language, to one view that tall fair pakistani's are the real Pakistani's to trying to centralize the administrative system.

The reality however is that Pakistan is not a monolithic entity, it is far from it. And Pakistani's have over decades tried to not acknowledge it - which has changed recently.

Examples: Children are taught hate right from their younger years - when they are taught Hindus are the reason for breakaway of East Pakistan, or that Hindus are bad, only Muslims are good, only Muslims fought against the British.

These kinds of teachings have their effect - when there is only one view and everything else is considered anti-national.

To be honest this was done to promote or show how Pakistan was not India, or how Pakistan was different from India.

I can only give India's example as a country with diversity exponentially more than Pakistan-
1. India gave relative autonomy to states
2. So many languages - english was given the national language tag to be the link language.
3. Celebrate diversity - from the class 1 books - this is literally drilled in our head in almost every book - 'unity in diversity'
4. India has not enforced a uniform view of itself

Have you wondered why Pakistani's on this forum itself are so quick to tag one person or the other 'anti national', 'not patriotic' based on divergent views?
Now think about India, inspite of diametrically opposite views of members, not one would ever say that the other is 'anti-national' or 'not patriotic'. The arundhati roys do get blamed, but those are 1% of the cases. Even then -point is that difference of thought is accepted.

South Indians are completely different from North Indians. Both of them are completely different from East and North East Indians. But none has exclusive claims to be called 'Indian'.

India was the more difficult country to run off the twins that got independence due to its sheer size, population and diversity. But you guys pulled it off because you had better politicians, more professional generals, and an educated and vigilant civil society which we lacked. Hence this struggle for identity.

 

[Contrarian]

India was the more difficult country to run off the twins that got independence due to its sheer size, population and diversity. But you guys pulled it off because you had better politicians, more professional generals, and an educated and vigilant civil society which we lacked. Hence this struggle for identity.

We didnt have anything better than Pakistan. We had the same kinds of politicians - greedy and self serving.
The same kind of people - illiterate and easily inflamed.
The same kind of generals - those who thought that civilians were idiots and needed to be removed.

The only difference at the start of independence was that we had the right priorities.
We never had to enforce who is Indian and who is not.
What role does religion have in India.

Our priorities were simple :
Inclusive State - unlike Pakistan - who changed from being a Muslim majority inclusive state to an Islamic state
Socialist State
Industrialized State

And so we kept making more right decisions than wrong ones - like Land reforms, focus on education, etc, etc.

It is only over decades of time that there is today a big difference between politicians, people and generals of India and Pakistan, but at the time of independence they were almost the same.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Fall of Dhaka... something not one person wants to discuss. Should have written that. Just some points: This is fiction based on some events and realities. The officers quitting before the war, the fall of dhaka, stranded Pakistanis, the ancestors of those who lived for Pakistan and settled in west Pakistan... these are things covered in the article. The last part also brings nationalism...

What did we do wrong in Bengal. Big question!

Big question alright. But how many people have sought answers to it?
Or have even found the right answers?

 

[muse]

Big question alright. But how many people have sought answers to it?
Or have even found the right answers?

Not many - even now my do not understand what's going in Bangla now and what it may mean for what may be coming to Pakistan. But also I think that one the reasons many do not answer these questions is because Pakistani society at large is in a rejectionist mode - you will note that people use the "conservative" to describe themselves and society, as if they do not even realize or ask, whether that's a positive thing given the history of Pakistan -- It may be a very long time before Pakistanis can look themselves honestly.

 

[Sugarcane]

Change the spelling in title dude, I thought it's about Daka = Robbery

 

[illusion8]

Not many - even now my do not understand what's going in Bangla now and what it may mean for what may be coming to Pakistan. But also I think that one the reasons many do not answer these questions is because Pakistani society at large is in a rejectionist mode - you will note that people use the "conservative" to describe themselves and society, as if they do not even realize or ask, whether that's a positive thing given the history of Pakistan -- It may be a very long time before Pakistanis can look themselves honestly.

Bangladesh is rising towards a new light -this is Bangladesh's spring. What will emerge out is a more minorities and rights tolerant society. It's a people's movement and one can see the perpetrators of war crimes engaging again in what they did in 71.

 

[somebozo]

India was the more difficult country to run off the twins that got independence due to its sheer size, population and diversity. But you guys pulled it off because you had better politicians, more professional generals, and an educated and vigilant civil society which we lacked. Hence this struggle for identity.

India made tolerance and education its main goal while we made religion and doctored history as our identity. Whatever is happening in Pakistan today is bound to happy in any religio-political society. Mullahs who opposed the creation of Pakistan found no place in India post parition and instead of granting them persona non-grata they became our national heros. Bangladesh on other hand has learned its lesson and doing well by awarded death penalties to Jamatis and eradicating this tumor forever!

Bangladesh is rising towards a new light -this is Bangladesh's spring. What will emerge out is a more minorities and rights tolerant society. It's a people's movement and one can see the perpetrators of war crimes engaging again in what they did in 71.

I only wish we had the same action on Pakistan today so we will not be forced to live with the menance of TTP, LeJ, JeM etc!

 

[RazorMC]

TTP and other violent groups seem to be a result of our GCC imported version of madaaris and the easy availabilty of drugs and guns in Pakistan.
Plus our close-mindedness on a lot of issues makes us blind to everything except that which we want to seee.

Armed and narrow-minded --> social TNT

Still... how do we go about improving our society? Any suggestions?

 

[Capt.Popeye]

India made tolerance and education its main goal while we made religion and doctored history as our identity. Whatever is happening in Pakistan today is bound to happy in any religio-political society. Mullahs who opposed the creation of Pakistan found no place in India post parition and instead of granting them persona non-grata they became our national heros. Bangladesh on other hand has learned its lesson and doing well by awarded death penalties to Jamatis and eradicating this tumor forever!



I only wish we had the same action on Pakistan today so we will not be forced to live with the menance of TTP, LeJ, JeM etc!

Education is very important to the issues. Only education equips individuals to assess right and wrong in matters that are part of their lives. By that; I do not necessarily mean a "formal education". Unfortunately Religion does not do so because it is largely man-made. We make one very gross mistake, we use Faith and Religion interchangeably. When in fact they are not so.

About Tolerance; it may arise from education but does always not do so. Hence Tolerance has to be sometimes mandated and enforced. That is the duty of the State. Which is why the Indian State mandated an official policy of Secularism. Which is intended to create conditions that will lead to Tolerance. And education can only help create the atmospherics for Tolerance. Therefore, Tolerance can only be achieved through what I'd loosely call a "carrot and stick policy" by the State. If the State does not pitch its weight on the side of Tolerance; it will only be staring at a "social disaster" in its face. No State can afford that. Especially a State in the South Asian milieu.

In comparison, People are more accepting of education; because they know of the consequent benefits that will accrue to them.

WRT, Tolerance; People usually need a "kick in the pants" now and then.

 

[GURU DUTT]

well the state in which Pakistan finds itself are deu to three reasons

1. Feudalism well its the root cause why nawabs of bengal & UP wanted pakistan and the poor muslims of east bengal had a totalli diff ideology and thats one of the main reasons for the Saqoot E Dhakka as trouble started when akistaniestablishment started distributuing hindu lands to Biharies and its genrals instead of bengalies which enraged the bengalies

2.Well most of the Indian Muslim elite almost 90% went to Pakistan and Pakistan had a very good irrigation and industrial setup before partition but the Beurocracy was not happy to give of its powers & share it with Bengalies and Paindoos as they called some ???

3.Pakistani Army from the day one was asking for revenge from the Hindoos and when they found British and Americans giving them endless wepons and dollar supplies they lost there focus and instead of takin there country towards economik progress they opted for Revnge based growth

and rest as they say is history

 

[RazorMC]

@Capt.Popeye , tolerance need not be enforced by anyone (incl. the government). Inolerance itself stems from making judgement about others based on personal beliefs and opinions (whether right or wrong).

If there was a way to somehow teach people to suppress these judgements, esp from an early age (kindergarten), and disapprove of children making remarks about others, I'm certain we can drastically reduce intolerance in the next two or three generations.