We do not have to thrash our heroes in order to look good in the eyes of “modern” people.

Aurangzeb was a pious Muslim and the greatest of all Mughal rulers. The efforts he made for the prosperity and happiness of his subjects have no comparison in medieval history.

As I read your comments my heart gets filled with despair about future of Pakistan.

You make one after the other erroneous statements without bothering to check facts. Let me start with your claim about Pakistan’s political identity. To the best of my knowledge, Pakistan was never conceived as a theocratic state. Rather our nation was conceived as a Muslim majority secular state. It is the nexus of mullah-s and generals that overturned the people’s will and converted “Pakistan” into “Islamic Republic of Pakistan”.

You claim that the Mughal empire was ruled by sharia. May I know which sharia you are talking about? Did it have anything to do with Talibani sharia? Could it have been possible for them to rule such a diverse land for such long time without winning over the goodwill of their subjects, which were largely non-Muslims? Please read some non-Pakistani texts of medieval history to get a very different perspective of the Mughal rule. (I suggest A.Eraly or William Dalrympyle). Mughals won over the goodwill of their subjects through a very liberal and tolerant religious policy, not Talibani sharia. Contrary to what is taught in our history text books, the only Mughal who tried to give an unimaginative push towards Talibani style sharia (Aurangzeb) actually ended up becoming the root cause of the demise of the Mughal empire.

I do not know from where you got the idea that rape crimes are least in Saudi Arab. However, going by the logic of following, it may be true that rape cases are least *reported* in Saudi Arab:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/17/saudi.ra pe.victim/

Is this the type of sharia we want in Pakistan?

Being rich is different from being human and productive. If Saudi system is so superior why don’t we see their contribution in any of the fields of human endeavor?: physics, sociology, anthropology, economics, law, arts, where do you see their contribution?

My sincere request to you is that you stop living in your utopian dream world. Sharia or no sharia, there will never be generation of ‘pious’ and ‘morally pure’ rulers to take Pakistan into prosperity. Mature nations do not depend upon piety and benevolence of their rulers to get their due. They enforce it through institutional checks and balances.

Thank you.