On Partition and Two-Nation Theory
.. In 1951, the Pakistani borders were closed for the Muslims of India under the pretext that Pakistan cannot bear the burden of all of them. Now the question arises that as to why this fact was not disclosed before the creation of Pakistan ... By closing the Pakistani borders for the Muslims of India, the rulers have themselves negated the two-nation theory.
The formation of nation on the basis of religion is fundamentally wrong. If religion was the foundation of nationhood, then more than 45 Muslim nations would not have been the members of the United Nations as separate and independent "sovereign states".
The slogan of two-nation theory was raised to deceive the Muslims of the Sub-continent. It was preached at that time that Hindus are a separate nation having their own religion, culture and social values, which are different from those of the Muslims. Hence, the Muslims cannot live together with the Hindus. Furthermore, it was preached that as the Hindus are in majority, after the withdrawal of the British, the Hindus would dominate. Therefore, the Muslims need a separate homeland where they could freely live according to their religion, culture and social values ...
Ironically the two-nation theory has rendered the patriotism of the Muslims of the Sub-continent doubtful. The Muslims of India are considered as Pakistani agents and Muslims who migrated to Pakistan are considered as Indian agents. It is propagated that since the relatives of Mohajirs live in India, therefore under this cover, the agents of RAW come to Pakistan. Similarly, Mohajirs going to visit their relatives in India are (suspected). The patriotism of Mohajirs as a nation has become doubtful ...
The two-nation theory has rendered the Muslims of the Muslim minority province of the undivided India destitute. Na Khuda hi mila na wisal-e-sanam - Na idhar ke rahe na udhar ke rahe. I am ready even today to accept the two-nation theory with open-heart on the condition that the 'champions' of the two-nation theory and its custodians reopen the borders of Pakistan for the Muslims of India without any further delay and allow the stranded Pakistanis (in Dhaka) to return to Pakistan ... If they ... cannot succeed in opening up the border for the Muslims of India and bringing the Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh back to Pakistan then it is their moral duty ... that they should accept the two-nation theory as biggest fraud played upon the Muslims of India. (Source: The Young India, 26 August - 1 September, 2000)
On Partition and Future of Pakistan
The division of the Indian sub-continent was the biggest blunder in the history of mankind ... "The Titanic of the Islamic ummah (community) is now sinking". "It's time for everyone to play their role," "Do you know the sinking process of the Titanic? Did you see that film? The Titanic did not sink suddenly. It sank slowly. They shot off distress flares. But nobody came. In the end it sank. And this is not a film, it is a fact."
... There are more Muslims in India than in Pakistan."So far, I have been writing to Pakistan leaders. My next letter will be to Indian Muslims. I will tell them what is happening to us in Pakistan ... ""We did not want to hear the truth in 1971 and Pakistan broke. Now if you want to treat us like slaves, a time will come when we will get independence, and you will be without slaves." ...
"None of us wants to dismember Pakistan; we want to strengthen Pakistan and make a prosperous Pakistan: But there cannot be a Pakistan where Punjabis are considered faithful and Sindhis, Mohajirs, Baluchis and Pakhtoons are considered traitors."
"If Pakistan breaks, then it is not Sindhis, Baluchis and Pakhtoons who will be the losers; the loser will be Punjab." ... (Source: The Times of India, 19 September, 2000)
Saeed Naqvi On Ethnic Upsurge in Pakistan
In London's Acton Town Hall ... on September 17. For the first time, leaders of the Mojahirs, Sindhis, Baluchis and Pakhtoons came together on the same platform to declare the death of the Two-nation theory ... (It demanded) full provincial autonomy to the minority provinces and involving them in every national endeavour, including the formulation of foreign policy, which would dictate friendship with all neighbours, including. India ... .
The consequences of how the Indian establishment responds to Acton will be more far reaching than most people have begun to realise. What Acton is demanding of India is a fundamental shift in policy towards Pakistan or, at least, a total reappraisal -- assuming, of course, that those who congregated at Acton are long distance runners ...
... Hostility to India is a project in perpetuity for the ISI, the Pakistan army and the Punjabi ruling elite. It is simplistic to conclude that a pampered army needs an image to keep itself in power. That is only partially true. After the independence of Bangladesh ... Pakistan's ruling elite finds itself bereft of a cohesive ideology to justify the Islamic state. In this situation the manufacture of a double-and triple-distilled Islam, disengaged from the civilisational pull of the subcontinent, Arabised and distinct, is the extremists prescription for cohesion ....
... For New Delhi, even in response to Pakistan's worst behaviour, a stable Pakistan has always been an article of faith, not for decorative reasons but in India's own national interest.
Now comes this call from Acton. Are these progressive impulses worthy of India's support even though they threaten Pakistan's stability? ... A soft belt around Punjab would come in handy for retaliation against Pakistani mischief in Kashmir. But this short-sighted view is unlikely to have many takers ... It is India's restraint in every situation, including Kargil (that led to) Pakistan's diplomatic isolation ... Then what must New Delhi do? Nothing ... In fact the hope must be to see Acton as the pressure point to democratise Pakistan, dismantle its feudal, fundamentalist edifices.
