India
and Pakistan: 60th anniversary section
Suicide bombers in the capital, rebellion on the borders, lawyers on the
streets, and a military ruler clinging to power – this is not the Pakistan
that Muhammad Ali Jinnah envisioned.
When he declared Pakistan’s independence 60 years ago today, the
British-trained barrister dreamt of a democratic, moderate Islamic state
based on the principles of unity, faith and discipline. “I am sure that with
your support and cooperation I can look forward to Pakistan becoming one of
the greatest nations of the world,” he told the first Parliament.
Six decades on Pakistan is in crisis – caught in a simultaneous struggle
between democracy and dictatorship, and moderate and extremist Islam, that
threatens its very existence.
Just last week President Musharraf considered imposing emergency rule to quell
the biggest political crisis he has faced since seizing power in a bloodless
coup in 1999. It seems now to have been a bluff – government officials (who
leaked the idea) said that he rejected it and was committed to free and fair
elections.
But the episode reflects the atmosphere of tension, uncertainty and
disappointment in which this nation of 165 million people marks its 60th
birthday. Across the border India is celebrating its emergence as a major
economic power and a beacon of democracy in the developing world.
For those who campaigned alongside Jinnah, however, today will be a day of
mourning for the lost ideals of their generation. “We need to teach people
about the sacrifices made for the attainment of Pakistan, and about why this
movement started,” said Rafiq Ahmad, 80, a veteran of the independence
movement.
He was a 13-year-old student in 1940 when Jinnah launched his campaign for a
homeland for India’s Muslims. He remembers listening to the radio on the
roof of his university in Lahore on August 14, 1947, unsure whether the city
of his birth would be included in India or Pakistan. He found out when the
newsreader announced that the station had changed its name from All India
Radio Lahore to Pakistan Broadcasting Service.
In the following days he helped to clear the bodies of thousands of Muslims
slaughtered as they fled India by train. “Lahore was on fire,” he recalled.
Today, Dr Rafiq and other veterans run a summer school teaching Pakistani
boys and girls about Jinnah’s ideals. “We want to create a sense of unity,”
he said after a ceremony at which children sang patriotic songs and read
from Jinnah’s speeches.
Faisal Javed, a 38-year-old accountant, said that he brought his four-year-old
son, Hashim, to learn from the last survivors of the independence movement.
“Pakistan is not fully democratic,” he said. “The Government doesn’t teach
this in schools. Here they learn how far we have to go.” The answer is: a
long way.
Jinnah died in 1948 and Pakistan suffered its first military coup in 1956: it
has had military leaders for 35 of its 60 years. The third, General
Ziaul-Haq, introduced Shariah and Islamicised the military while helping
America to back the Mujahidin fighting Soviet forces in Afghanistan.
The latest is General Musharraf, 64, a former commando who is helping America
to fight many of the same jihadis in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He wants to
be reelected by the current Parliament in October and to remain army chief.
But he now faces unprecedented opposition on three fronts. Moderates are
incensed by his attempt to sack an independent-minded chief justice this
year. Islamists loathe his post9/11 alliance with the US. And many in
Washington have criticised his failure to root out militants using remote
tribal areas to launch attacks into Afghanistan and Talebanise other areas
of Pakistan.
A poll yesterday found that 55 per cent of voters wanted General Musharraf to
quit – a huge turnaround from his 60 per cent approval rating a year ago.
Against this backdrop, General Musharraf has opened negotiations with
Benazir Bhutto, the former Prime Minister who fled into exile to escape
corruption charges in 1999 .
She held secret talks with him in Abu Dhabi last month and now says that he
has agreed to drop the charges, and let her return for parliamentary
elections due before January.
While both sides continue to posture, the consensus is still that there is a
deal to share power – with her as Prime Minister and him as President,
possibly still in uniform.
Some see that as the best potential outcome – given that the alternative could
be a state of emergency.
But for many veterans of 1947, such a deal would once again compromise
Jinnah’s founding principles.
“Because of the takeover by the military, Pakistan has not been what it should
have been,” said Majid Nizami, 78, whose brother was a close friend of
Jinnah. “The only solution is to have real elections,” he said. “Bhutto is a
political poodle, and Musharraf is a poodle in uniform. Together they would
be utterly bad – disastrous!”
Midnight’s children
Why was British India divided into two countries?
Britain tried to devise a constitutional formula that would preserve the unity
of India while offering safeguards for its large Muslim minority. Gandhi
also favoured a single, secular, nation. Both failed to convince Muhammad
Ali Jinnah, the head of the All India Muslim League
Why do India and Pakistan mark their independence on different days?
They technically became independent at the stroke of midnight between August
14 and 15, 1947. So two ceremonies were held, one in Karachi on the 14th and
one in Delhi on the 15th, allowing Lord Mountbatten, the last British
Viceroy, to attend both
How was the border between the two countries decided?
The British Government commissioned Sir Cyril Radcliffe, a prominent lawyer
who had never been to India before, to determine the border. India was
roughly formed out of the majority Hindu regions and Pakistan from the
majority Muslim areas
Why did so many people have to switch sides?
Punjab and Bengal, the two most densely populated regions, were divided in two
– even though most districts in Punjab had a Muslim majority. From India 5.3
million Muslims moved to West Punjab, in Pakistan, while 3.4 million Hindus
and Sikhs moved from Pakistan to East Punjab, in India
What happened to Kashmir?
India’s 565 princely states, which were not ruled directly by Britain, were
allowed to choose which side to join. The Maharajah of Kashmir, a Hindu
leader in a Muslim-majority state, dithered until Pakistani forces invaded.
India sent its own troops in response, sparking the first of three wars over
the region, which both sides claim to this day
One canot compare Pakistan with India anymore. 60 years have seen so many differences that there is practically nothing in common (other than the border) between the two countries now.
For Pakistan to come out of the doldrum it will have to move away from a religious based state to a democratic and financial based state.
Can anyone name me a non-muslim person who got anywhere there in the last half a century? I am sure you will agree that it is not because non-muslims are not good enough.
So I feel that Pakistan has a lot more almost impossible tasks to change than India and it will always be an uphill struggle. Time is not on their side
Ghanashyam Master, London, UK
6) Joe (London) – “The fact is two countries that fight wars over a piece of mountain are both failed statesâ€. If you extrapolate this, one could argue that a country which went to war over Falkland Islands is also a failed state!! Are you really British or just live in London?
7) Shaffiq Mahmood (Halifax, West Yorkshire) – Despite all your rant, India has about the same number of muslims as Pakistan and most would rather die than live in Pakistan. India has had Muslim presidents, Cricket captains, Chief ministers, etc. The prime minister of India is a Punjabi (and a Sikh) and the vice president is a muslim. The owner and CEO of Wipro is also a muslim – or in your book a Bohra is not a muslim??
KM, London,
4) Shahzad Ahmed (London) – “India's emergence on the world stage as a major power is due to the west giving it assistance of disproportionate amounts†– What assistance and what amounts? This is complete news to me!! I quote from the US Department of State website “The United States pledged $3 billion for FY 2005 to FY 2009 in economic and military aid to Pakistanâ€. No mention of any assistance to India here!!
5) Abdul Khan (London) – “India is a bastion of democratic principles you can count that in the number of "untouchables" that commit suicide in the country every yearâ€. Suicides are also committed by the so called “upper caste†students who cannot get admissions into the IIT’s or IIM’s because of the quotas reserved for the so called “untouchables†and other minorities. What about KUFFARS or kafirs in any Islamic country? Are they treated as equals?
KM, London,
i dont agree with mr. Thakore's comments, pakistan is certainly not bankcrupt and Karachi's stock market was the fastest growing market last year and has done better than Mumbai this year. I agree that we lack true democracy at the moment, but that doesnot mean we are a failed state. India with democracy has had more communal violence and deaths than pakistan, so does that mean india is a failed state, also, in india there is the same problem of religious extermism in the form of BJP and shiv sena.Also, india and pakistan have the same problems like population, education, law and order. We are fighiting the so called war on terror so we have to bear the brunt. Pakistan is a strong country and will win this fight eventually.
Asad, London, UK
So India has no poor people, they all have food and water, no diseases, they have eliminated the caste system, female foetuses are allowed to continue to birth, women no longer throw themselves on their husbands cremation timbers, 700 000 troops have been removed from Kashmir, Rajiv and Indira work at Tesco, the RSS has become a peace movement, Calcutta homeless live in villas, all the Pakistan desks have been removed at Indian airports, Congress is led by Advani, Dalai Lama lives in China, Babri Mosque has been rebuilt, all the seperatists movements in the north and south now want to join the EU, Punjab loves India.
Shaffiq Mahmood, Halifax, West Yorkshire
Oh dear Vipul, you really are suffering from self importance syndrome. India is a democracy so long as you come from the upper castes. Vast majority of your politicians are gangsters or convicted fraudsters.
How can a country claim to be modern and forward looking when it practises this most reprehnsible social system.
Oh and tell the kids playing in the Bombay sewers that India is a on its way to being a world power. I am sure they will be ecstatic.
The fact is two countries that fight wars over a piece of mountain are both failed states.
joe, London,
Yes, India is a bastion of democratic principles you can count that in the number of "untouchables" that commit suicide in the country every year. And the number of slums that these people live in.
There is a massive inequality in India and a higher social class that runs the country and the one being trodden on.
Musharraf has bent over backwards to please the US. More so than any of the previous poodles but his attack on the Red Mosque crossed far too many lines for all legislators in Pakistan. No one wants to touch him now. No wonder now on his appeal to free and fair elections, whilst retaining his uniform! The moment he gives that up he knows the would be completely naked politically. Bhutto insists on this condition.
The US is building India up as a counter weight to China and Pakistan is fast going the way of Afghanistan before it as a playground for regional powers!
Abdul Khan, London, UK
Pakistan has squandered its chances of developing into a Democratic society . The economic development has not taken place due to political uncertainty. The country overburdened itself with defence expenditure as it wants to keep parity with India in defence capability. This has failed, but to keep its citizens happy the leaders keep on telling them that the country has impregnable defence. Who is fooling who. The money spent on defence could have been spent for other social development like education, health. Pakistan has to realise that they cannot keep pace with India which is ten times bigger. The country should get rid of the military rulers who have a vested interest in keeping the country in its present state. Some democracy is better than no democracy.
Hindupur Rajagopalan, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Pakistan isn't in such a bad state as the media would have you believed.
Go to Pakistan and you will see people live in much better condition than they do in India.
India with a population of 1.5billion might be becoming a world power but at what cost (child labour, poverty of more than 3/4 of its population which lives in squalor, daily income is in pennies compared). Only a hand full of the elite in India has power, money and status the rest just live and die.
India's emergence on the world stage as a major power is due to the west giving it assistance of disproportionate amounts, so that it can be used when the time comes against China (West’s next most wanted country).
Pakistan’s present situation is due to, it allowed its borders to be used as a shields against Russia, and became the front line for USA/West’s foreign policy.
If any one owes any thing to any one, it is the west, it owes Pakistan an undeniable gratitude for the demise of Russia.
India was Russia's closest ally
Shahzad Ahmed, London, UK
Mr Thakore,
India will never be a democracy till it shows its democracy in Kashmir. As for Pakistan, if we are a 'bankrupt state' why is it one of the fastest growing economies in asia? with foreign investmetn pouring in?
akram, London,
Thank you Mr Ron Harris for your positive comments. Indeed, such views are also voiced by the thousands of Indians who also visit Pakistan every year. The Indian independence celebrations were unfortunately not held in Kashmir where there was a shut down and despite India's economic growth, it looks as if the Kashmiris still prefer to part ways even after 60 years of a forced union.
asad, London, England
first time in my life i feel that the other people of the world can now feel the sufferings of the ordinary peop of pakistan.pakistan is and never been was a jihadist or war country.it is a country who always supported liberation movements of the world from palestine ,middle east countries as wel to help people in afghanistan to get rid from russia and now from taliban but in return got defame or notority.we have no enmity with israel but supported palestine.no enmity with russia but supported afghan people.it is largley discussed,pakistan is far behind india development.no,its not true.when pakistan created we had nothing even paper pin to staple.but now a nuclear power and booming economy.if any one visit pakistan and india he can clear spot pakistani people are prosperous than indian .no dought india is a large country so having more resources but having more poor in average.democracy can speed up the progress of pakistan and reduce the problems of the ordinary people.
ali afzal, london,
Unfortunately it seems that whenever Britain granted 'Independence' to it's colonies or Mandated Territories it left behind a "mess"! Whether the British hoped to be recalled and act as a 'Trustee' we will never know as those reponsible either will not talk or are dead. About one thing there is no doubt that this represents the policies of the Mandarins at theForeign Office, who thought they were the only ones to know how to treat the 'natives'. They started this in 1922 when they took 80% of the 'Palestine Mandate' to create "Trans-Jordan" to give a kingdom to Abdullah who had been driven out from Iraq and which they tried to control through the appointment of British officers like Glubb Pasha,
to set-up, train and command the Transjordan Legion. Like the conflicts in India, Pakistan, Burma, some African countries and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict are all part of the 'British inheritance' still being fought out 60 years after.
Emanuel, Jerusalem, Israel
I have had the pleasure of knowing many descent Indians and Pakistanis in this country who have a profound respect of each other. I have also come across people like Mr Vipal Thakore who will take every opportunity to defame and malign Pakistan by misrepresenting the facts. One of the biggest surprises I had was when I visited Pakistan last year. Before the visit most of the knowledge was gleened from the media images of mullahs, anarchy and riots etc. Guess what, Mr Thakore my actual impressions were more positive than a visit I had made to India the year before. This is what majority of people say when the visit the country. Sure, Pakistan has had it's share of problems. When you take into account that this young nation had vertually no industry and infrastructure on Independence however still in the last 60 years have been able to compete in many things with it's far larger neighbour from economy to defence then that itself is no mean feat.
Ron Harris, Stoke , UK
Mubarak (Congratulations) may not be the way to extend my grettings to the people of Pakistan on 60 years of Independence. Since it creation it has been doomed to failure, but somehow despite all of the problems it has managed. Its position as a buffer state beween the worlds largest democracy (India) and an increasingly large central asian Islamicsization, must be an uneasy one. Is a free democracy possible in Pakistan? I doubt it and I don't see how democracy actually improves the lives of millions of ordinary Pakistanis. A stable country, improved health and welfare care and a sincere fight against corruption and much more helpful than the posturing of Benazir and Mian Sharif.
Michael West, Manchester, United Kingdom
This article nicely sums up the current state of affairs in Pakistan. However, it does not discuss the future probable scenarios, which are very grim from all angles. Religious extremism of any type is counterproductive and getting hung up on it is suicidal. Pakistan is the classical example! Pakistan has been exporting Islamic jihadi terrorism all over the world and many people for "better life" to US, Britain, Europe and others only to make those places worse off by their immigration. Pakistan has played double game and double-crossed the US and allies on containing Islamic extremism and Islamic terrorists, especially, in Afghanistan. These are going to be extremely costly. A bloody civil war along with disintegration into different nations is one possibility. Pakistan has many deprived regions and huge sections. It will take a paradigm shift for the US, Britain and Europe to move from the failed state, Pakistan to emerging power, India. However, it has to be done!
Krishna R. Kumar, Udupi, India
Jinnah was wrong. Religion is an extremely weak reason to start a state for. I doubt whether Pakistan has any change except of becoming a weak federation.
WM Roffel, Leiden, Netherlands
Heartiest felicitations to Pakistanis and friends of Pakistanis all over the world. Congratulations also to our eastern neighbour India.
Like any developing country Pakistan has its share of problems, some of its own making and some not. Anyway, I am certainly not going to indulge in mud slinging by handing out labels of "bankrupt and failed state".
Shahid Rashid, London, UK
The 'institution' that did not have any role in Pakistan's independance struggle the Military has bought Pakistan to the current state of affairs. The moment the Generals become "political' Ayub Khan 1958..the country saw a decline....
They were behind the break up of that country in 1971,behind the loss of territory in Siachin (1984) and the Kargil debacle in 1999. It was the civilian govermenst that had to bring Pakistan from the edge of distastersand save the blunders comitted by the Military and its Generals. The civilian Govermenst were not given the full freedom to strengthen the insititions..as schemes were hatched behind them to keep them weak and dependant upon military patronage . Well today Pakistan stands at a crossroads..with another "savior General potraying himself to be Pakistans benefactor talks about emergency rule so he could prolong his disastrous rule of 8 years. This country needs a LONG break from the Miltary and its puppets.
abrar, ontario,
Just goes to prove that we were messing up the middle-east well before the americans decided to get involved and make things even worse!
Rod Munch, Northampton, UK
The key in defeating terrorism is a prosperous and democratic Pakistan. Good luck!
Roberto, Roma,
Why doesn't our government extradite Benazir Bhutto back to Pakistan to face corruption charges. The reason democracy has failed in Pakistan is down the corrupt governments. It seems our government is doping it's bit in undermining the development of democracy.
Haider Gill, London,
Pakistan is nearly a bankrupt and failed state. Its the US and international assistance which keeps it afloat. It is the epic centere of global Islamic terrorism and nuclear proliferation under military dictatorship of Musharraf. Jinnah must be turning in his grave as today's Pakistan is a million miles away fron his dream.
India has its own problems, however it is the largest democracy on its way to become a world power, economically, politically and militarily.
We in the UK must use links with India for mutual benefits as the US, Japan and other countries are doing.
Mr Vipul Thakore, London, UK