Partition of India

This has reference to letter by Kamran Akhter (Dec. 27) questioning the need to revisit the partition of India.
Every historian and columnist has a right to analyze historical facts and introspect them in retrospect. Syed Shahabuddin did exactly the same and rightly questioned the wisdom of the Muslim leadership who got blinded by the greed for power. Further unless one studies the consequences or the results of a decision, it is not possible to arrive at a fair conclusion. Therefore, it was essential to examine the true situation on the ground after 60 years of partition. It is not a question of an Indian questioning the existence of Pakistan nor was the writer’s contention that the existence is the root cause of the problem.
I would certainly not have mourned partition if that had not resulted in uprooting hundreds of thousands of families from their homeland. I would not have shed tears if the partition had not involved mass migration from both sides of the border that witnessed a large-scale killing, violence and destruction.
Each and every national has full right to be proud of his motherland and Pakistanis are no exception, yet, none can change the fact that the nation was created out of a partition which had turned out to be very painful for those who migrated from both the sides whether voluntarily or forcefully and also for the ones who bore the brunt of revenge.
The Indian Muslims too are proud to be a part of a country whose democratic and secular foundation have stood the test of all times and they will continue to prosper and progress by integrating more and more in the mainstream.
Safi H Jannaty
Dammam


I read the articles of Syed Shahabuddin on partition of India with interest and the subsequent letters to the editors. A lot has been said about partition. But unfortunately, so many facts were intentionally or due to lack of knowledge concealed, highlighting just one side of the picture. Mohammad Ali Jinnah has been wrongly blamed for the partition of India, not mentioning the harsh reality that forced him and millions of Muslims all over India to take his path.
Mohammad Ali Jinnah worked really toward bringing about Hindu-Muslim unity, which he rightly considered “the most vital condition of Swaraj.” However, the Hindus mainly because of Nehru, failed to accept the genuine demands of the Muslims and Jinnah’s efforts came to naught.
The Congress’ blank refusal to accept Muslim demands represented the most devastating setback to Jinnah’s life long efforts to bring about Hindu-Muslim unity, it meant “the last straw” for the Muslims and “the parting of the ways” for him, as he confessed to a Parsee friend at that time. Jinnah, was not left with any option but to quit All India Congress.
Babar Mumtaz