From: ss733645@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu (Sohban Shahid)
Subject: Re: Pakistan
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 23:00:48 GMT
Reply-To: ss733645@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu
Organization: Colorado State U. Civil Engineering

In article <lj1vblINNo1j@pageboy.cs.utexas.edu>, hyder@cs.utexas.edu (Syed Irfan Hyder) writes:
|> In article <1992Dec17.055207.24892@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> aam9n@honi1.acc.Virginia.EDU (Ali Ahmad Minai) writes:
|> >
|> >Very well put. This is greatest Achilles heel of the whole Two Nation
|> >argument, which is why, in all the volumes of propagandistic "history"
|> >put out in Pakistan, there is hardly any mention of this issue. As
|> >Sumitro elegantly points out, if the Two Nation Theory had a basis
|> >in truth, Partition was exactly the *worst* thing to do, given the
|> >demographics of India. And it is precisely those who think in terms
|> 
|> This line of reasoning that uses
|> hindsight is actually most common in the younger generation
|> of Pakistanis. Most vocal opposers of the founding of Pakistan
|> are not only criticizing the founding fathers, but are in fact
|> trying to hide their own shortcomings and worthlessness. Most
|> Pakistanis indulge in this exercise in the following vein (not
|> Mr. Minai):
|> 
|> A father presented a second hand car to his son. The son turned out
|> to be a spoiled brat, who in his intoxication, and rashness rammed
|> the car in an accident, and lost his one limb. Then, 
|> he started criticizing his father for why having given him the
|> second hand chevette  in the first place. He conjectured
|> that had he been given a mercedes, he would not have lost
|> the limb because it is much more sturdier and strong!!!!

   Irfan, you tried to present this example in a laymen term 
   but it is not a very good example.  There are so many things
   and so many compromises that we (founding father and all those
   who have given their support) have made in the process of 
   getting independence,  which eventually has drifted us from
   the main cause.  No body is bound to say yes to his master, 
   its a will of a servent who likes to please his/her master that
   way.  Your mutilated history may not reveal the actual facts
   but truth never comes from the history books, so no complains
   on this, you really have to do some digging for it. 
|> 
|> As Mr. Minai puts it:
|> 
|> >
|> >Of course, it is much easier to philosophize with the advantage of hindsight,
|> >and I'm sure many of the political decsions taken in the 1940's were taken
|> >because the alternatives were politically impossible. Our task is neither
|> >to lament what happened nor seek to undo it, but to ensure that its benefits
|> >are maximized and its harm controlled. As I have said before, we must bury
|> >our petty prejudices.
|> 
|> The above is in essence the lesson.
   I second your voice.  We have to drop this curtain wall soon and
   have to come down of our high horses.  The sooner it takes place
   the better it would be for us. 
-- 
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SOHBAN SHAHID                
Civil Engg. Dept.                (303) 491 7710/8204 (work)
Colorado State University        (303) 224 0397  (home)
Ft. Collins, CO-80523

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