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?
I guess I should have forestalled Jabir bhai bringing up the Gujarat riots by mentioning it myself, first. I should have known. Say anything even neutral about India, you get smacked with the Gujarat riots.
Gujarat riots were not started by government order, although I don’t believe the response and follow up was appropriate. But in India, what’s new about that?
This one incident in sixty years does not prove a government led persecution of Muslims. It just doesn’t.
And since when is a govt. of India report given such high status in your eyes? Govt. reports from any country can be misread or inaccurate or simply wrong. Sometimes you have to believe your common sense.
When all this hulla gulla about lying and proofs starts creeping into the thread, it means people are running out of meaningful points of argument. And as for divided loyalties, lots of people have them, it’s not a sin. We are all trying to work out our place in this world.
Freemasons, yeah sure… where is the proof (and, please, PROOF… not some propaganda drivel claiming it is so because ..
Go ahead say these are not your words. talk about sufaid jhoot.
By the way, I had also asked what the Islamic punishment is for spreading lies and defaming without proof?
You mean to ask what is Islamic punishment for a person who first asks the existence of freamasonary and then changes his mantra as soon as he is caught lying?
Phone lal masjid, if you are so interested in knowing the punishments. They will gladly deliver it to you.
Now you are changing you position. Adnan noted the same thing. Not a very noble thing to do.
tina this report was commisioned by the Govt of India itself. Are you saying Indian Govt is lying?
Just like meeting some upper class affluent Indians does not mean that lower class hindus and their plight do not exist. By the same token the have-nots of Muslims in India are suffering at the hand of the same system, they live in a world apart from well to do muslims. Again, I will put emphasis on the report commisioned by the Govt of India itself.
Thank you for acknowledging Kashmir issue. Lets not forget what happend to Gujrati muslims as well in 2002. Hundreds of thousands of them were displaced and many have not been allowed to retuen. And 3000+ killed during that ethnic cleansing have not seen the light of justice till todate. Or maybe it didnt happen in the first place?
bibi badaam khaya karain. haafzay kay liya achay hotay hain!
Your personal life account tell you have split loyalties and it is rather hard for you to handle them rationally.Sometimes I wish I was resident of this Nerverland of your’s, where everything is so perfect, nice and trouble free.
Thank you for giving me an ear (though I realy want to twist it this time around)