Tag: Jinnah

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Five myths about the partition of British India – and what really happened

Mohammed Abbasi

Navtej K Purewal, SOAS, University of London and Eleanor Newbigin, SOAS, University of London This August marks 75 years since the partition of the Indian subcontinent. British withdrawal from the region prompted the creation of two new states, India and Pakistan. The process of transferring power grossly simplified diverse societies to make it seem like dividing social groups and drawing new borders was logical and even possible. This decision unleashed one of the biggest human migrations of the 20th century when more than ten million people fled across borders seeking safe refuge. Anniversaries can be a critical moment to pause … Continue reading Five myths about the partition of British India – and what really happened

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How one atheist laid the foundation of contemporary Hindu nationalism

Mohammed Abbasi

Saba Sattar, The Institute of World Politics India’s position as a secular nation is under threat. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pro-Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, the country’s 200 million Muslim minority population has been increasingly targeted. Over the past … Continue reading How one atheist laid the foundation of contemporary Hindu nationalism

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Rediscovering the real ‘ideology’ of Pakistan

Mohammed Abbasi

More than six decades since its creation, Pakistan is still searching for its lost soul, the soul that went missing when Jinnah passed away. How many of the youth of today have had the chance to go through Jinnah’s speech to the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947? A reading of this masterpiece is a must for all Pakistanis. The Quaid said: “If we want to make this great state of Pakistan happy and prosperous, we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor…We should begin to work in … Continue reading Rediscovering the real ‘ideology’ of Pakistan

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Religion is manipulated and used by politicians to control – nothing else

Mohammed Abbasi

Religion has nothing to do with the matter While Jinnah had called for not being frightened by public opinion created in the name of religion, the country he founded is in a perpetual state of fear in the face of religious agitation. Yasser Latif Hamdani March 17, 2014 The father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, speaking on September 11, 1929, said: “If we are going to allow ourselves to be influenced by public opinion that can be created in the name of religion when we know religion has nothing to do with the matter, we must have the courage … Continue reading Religion is manipulated and used by politicians to control – nothing else

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General Ashfaq Parvez Kiani – Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC)

Mohammed Abbasi

Retiring Pakistan army chief set for key role By Syed Fazl-e-Haider  KARACHI – General Ashfaq Parvez Kiani, one of Pakistan’s most powerful men, has announced his retirement from the post of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) on November 29. With one stroke on Sunday, General Kiani put to rest speculation in the media that he would try to extend his three-year term for a third time. Some reports, however, claim that Kiani is lobbying to keep a key defense role.  Kiani is prepared to accept a position as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC), currently a largely ceremonial … Continue reading General Ashfaq Parvez Kiani – Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC)

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Do you know who was Allama Mashriqi?

Mohammed Abbasi

Legacy of Pakistani scholar lives onBy Nasim Yousaf  Allama Mashriqi was one of the founding fathers of Islamia College in Peshawar, Pakistan. His long association with the college, first as its vice-principal and later as principal, brought about a revolution in education and gave new dimensions to one of the most educationally backward provinces of British India, the North West Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).  Mashriqi’s 1913-1930 tenure with the government of British India’s education department, in different capacities – including as under secretary – is yet to be brought to light.  One hundred years ago (1913), Islamia College, established … Continue reading Do you know who was Allama Mashriqi?