Imran H. Khan

(Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of posts – from different perspectives – we will carry on the events of 1971 and their relevance to Pakistan today.)

Today, is November 21.

November 21, 1971, was a day of infamy for Pakistan. On this day that Indian Air Force planes crossed the international borders in East Pakistan and attacked PAF planes flying ground support missions well inside the Pakistani territory. While Indian ground forces had been covertly supporting Mukti Bahini, this was the first act of aggression across international boundaries that was the actual beginning of hostilities between India and Pakistan. On November 21, 1971, what had been an internal conflict within Pakistan territory became an international conflict when India attacked Pakistan.

The saga of East Pakistan Air Force during the 1971 war written by the Air Office Commanding EPAF can be read at the blog Planet Earth. In this post, I wish to look at what we in Pakistan can learn today from the events of 1971. With all the bloodshed and mayhem going on in Pakistan, it may seem inappropriate to talk about the subject of the 1971 war. Still I think there are many lessons that we can take from that part of our history and hopefully not make the same mistakes twice.

Adil Najam

Today is the 25th death anniversary of Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Maybe we can remember him by sharing the verses from him that are most moving for us.

Pakistaniat readers are well aware of the aqeedat ATP has for Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Indeed, in some ways ATP started with a tribute to him and to the everlasting power of his words.

I think when we started this site my sentiment was “aaj baazar meiN pabajolaaN challo.” Today, more than three years later I find myself still engrossed in the same poem; but, maybe a little further into it, sometimes feeling like “phir humm he qatl ho ayeeN yaaro, challo.”

But that may just be the mood of the moment. What, in Faiz, are you thinking of dear readers. Share your favorite Faiz verse with us, please, and tell us what moves you about it.

Sophia Hasnain

(Editor’s Note: Professor Muhammad Nauman was a highly respected academic (Professor of Electronics) as well as a dedicated political and social activist. For more than 20 years he taught at NED University of Engineering, Karachi. He died on Nov. 15. One of his former students and colleague, Sohpia Hasnain wrote this memoir.)

Electronics II… Third year… NED… for me the teacher always had ‘hmmm bachooo’ look in his light brown eyes and a hidden smile… enough to make me crack light jokes in response to his questions, to which he would sometimes respond back with some encouraging sarcasm. Saba was too scared of him to do it and another friend was secretly in love with him. Electronics II was the only subject that I understood in all my four years.