My New Letter Series – Dear Pakistani Intellectual, I Know You Don’t Hear This Often, But Some Of Your Statements Are Brilliant

Pakistani Intellectuals are masters at self-flagellation without even knowing it

June 4, 2022

Dear Pakistani intellectual, do you really know what you’re talking about?

Talk to any Pakistani intellectual, like you, and people of Indian descent hear one complaint (you hear more than one, but this is the topper): “India ne hame kabhi tasleem nahi kiya! (India has never recognized us)! This tells one the intellectual level of these so-called intellectuals!! The last time I checked, India played Pakistan in a Cricket Test Series; I don’t see Lahore or Karachi (or as you like to call it, Krachi) playing Ranji Trophy, but then you’re intellectuals so I assume you know what you’re talking about.

You also talk about how the USA used Pakistan in the war against the erstwhile USSR (in Afghanistan) and, once the war was over, abandoned you. This misreading and misinterpretation of history are NOT uncommon in Pakistan. When the king of Afghanistan was overthrown in the early 70s, the then general of the Afghan armed forces, Mohammed Daud Khan, took over as the President. Daud had the backing of communists and the Soviets. Your then Prime Minister, Z A Bhutto, another intellectual from the Sindh area, figured, that if Afghanistan was close to the Soviets, and the Soviets were close to India then it stands to reason the Afghans were close to India. In order to short circuit any Indian involvement, he started a cell of the world’s best intelligence agency. No, not the CIA but the fearsome ISI. Yes, the same ISI that, with all modern-day inventions, still can not protect its hapless citizens from attacks from within your country. Anyways, that cell was the reason the Afghans absolutely love you. I mean just love you to death! They’d rather see you dead than walking! You know what I’m talking about!! Yep, that same ISI, you call the world’s best. I don’t know how you can call them that, but..you got it, you’re intellectuals so I assume you know what you’re talking about.

You claim that “hamne dehshatgardi ki jung me 70,000 jaane qurban ki aur America Hume lift nahi karta” (we fought the war on terror and lost 70,000 people, but the USA doesn’t respect us). How could one forget the war on terror that you talk about? The one where we (the USA) found and killed the most famous inhabitant of Abbottabad, no thanks to you nor your armed forces. But you still claim that, so we have to assume you’re intellectuals and know what you’re talking about.

Remember, you also talk about how India has not adhered to the UNSC “diktat” about Kashmir. Your claim is that there should be a plebiscite; you conveniently forget the first two points in that diktat, those being Pakistan’s army has to vacate Kashmir while India would have a force there to ensure law and order. In that very order!! You, for some reason, believe the plebiscite is applicable ONLY to the Indian side, but then you’re intellectuals so I assume you know what you’re talking about.

Over the years, intellectuals from your country (it’s an oxymoron to say “Pakistani intellectuals”) have made some statements that are, frankly, befuddling…I mean confusing. There, is that easier to comprehend? Err, understand. In any case, for any economic progress, India makes, you have one standard statement: India ki abadi itni hai ki who badi markeet ban jati hai!! (There is a big population in India making it a big market). You forget that China’s population is more than India’s, and yet, organizations are leaving them to go to India. But then, you’re intellectuals and probably know what you’re talking about.

One of the funniest things is you compare yourselves to India. Why? We DID NOT gain independence together, let’s get that straight! Your country was born a few hours before India regained its independence. Look at Bangladesh, which was born in 1971. Now, compare yourselves to them and feel the burn! The Taka that you used to make fun off is now worth more than twice your currency. But, you still insist on comparing yourselves to India. You must see something I don’t but then, you’re intellectuals and know what you’re talking about.

You also claim that you won the war in 1965. Let’s get this right. You’ve been fighting to get Jammu and Kashmir. If you won the war in 1965, why does India still have J&K? The last time I checked, and much to your chagrin, J&K was still a part of the Indian territory. Now, you claim that India is killing its minorities in that area; can I ask just one simple question? What happened to the minorities in your country. There used to be at least 15% of your population (and I’m grossly under-quoting) that were Hindus. What happened to them? Rather than talk about that, you bring up fictitious accounts of mayhem among minorities. If that were really the case, how’s it that India’s minorities still exist in healthy numbers? But you still claim that, so I have a question for you.

Do you really know what you’re talking about?

Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

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