Adil Najam
This picture is carried today by both Dawn and Daily Times. Dawn’s title is “Still Heroes” and the caption reads: “Bronze statues of Quaid-i-Azam, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Allama Iqbal put on display at the Science and Technology Expo-2007 being held at National Memorial Museum in Shakarparian in Islamabad.”
A visit to the Museum is on the top of my ‘To Do’ list when I return to Islamabad end of the month. I hope they are still there.
My first thought on looking at the picture was to note how both Jinnah and Iqbal are wearing suits here (this penchant of ours - me included - to dress up these guys in the garbs of our desires has been has been quite a remarkable historical see-saw!). My second thought was to wonder what the folks at Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa might have to say - or do - about this. I hope there is significant security against vandalism here.
But even more than that, I wonder what these three men are sitting there thinking about what is happening today in the country they helped conceive. Late at night when the museum is closed and the statues come alive and walk about, what is it that they sit together and talk about?
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Hunhhhhh?????? I am lost now. Would someone please translate this for me?
Adnan Siddiqui is exactly right.
Putting a picture of Allama Iqbal, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and Quaid-i-Azam is clearly a sign of a “leftist/secularist/qadyaniat” agenda.
Just read the post, this is exactly what Adil is writing about here!
Same people, same topics, same arguments.
Does any one care that half of the nation can not read or write. Does any one care that most of the people are malnourished and live on less than two dollars a day. Does any one care that masses do not have access to health care, clean water, shelter and basic human needs
mr.Alvi i will not disagree with you but you are not clear that whether you are throwing your frustration out on readers or [authors & ATP Managment]? Will it not sound stupid if Adil or some other friend of him make a religion related post and all of us start talking about Shazia Khusk that how well she dances? Come on give us a break mr.alvi! Instead of attacking on readers, why don’t you have courage to send a mail at **@tufts.edu and express your concern to stop making this forum a leftist/secularist/qadyaniat hub?
wait a minute… I think you believe in Kahin pey nigahain kahin pey Nishana ?
Or may be Quaid is saying to Iqbal, “Dr. Iqbal, I think we should stop calling Pakistan your “dream” and start calling it your “nightmare”.
Yes thank you Harris for pointing out, I think I mixed the very first sentence with the rest of the post. Hmmm Have to slow down while scrutinizing the posts.
As far as the thread is concerned, here is another master piece. Condi Rice in a recent interview said:
“I have to use stick and carrot to activate Musharraf.”
Our ’statued’ forefathers above must be wondering how the ‘commando’ resident of the presidency dare allow this despicable slur.
Jabir,
You really failed to understand my above two comments. In no way shape or form did I say anything against the freedom of speech or right of expression. I am actually a huge fan of the concept. All I said was that the thread deviated from its original purpose.
The post specifically asked for readers’ ideas about the “thoughts” of the statues and look where we are now.
I dont know who is revising history here? Did you have the honour of driking ‘non-qevha liquid’ with them in person, in their last years? If this is not the case then kindly note you are also relying on third hand accounts as well.
Sincere leadership demands that you fullfil the role model. That is to say the role model demanded was Islamic in substance. Hence their transformation. If you have any doubt about their sincerety, kindly carry on.
Jabir, please go revise history elsewhere. Iqbal and Jinnah drank (and I don’t mean qehva) till their last days. Both of them wore western dress throughout their lives. Jinnah was a secular man and wanted a secular Pakistan. The country was made in order to give muslims a homeland, not to impose a Taliban regime!!! The fear was that India would become a sansritized, RSS-controlled Hindu state where muslims would be quelled, killed and destroyed once the British left. Pakistan was a reaction AGAINST radicalization of religion, not an invitation to it.
Jinnah sahib, please forgive Jabir, for he does not understand!