Syed Mansoor Hussain is a columnist in “Daily Times”, a Pakistani newspaper. He has practiced and taught medicine in the US. This article, “Proud to be a Punjabi” was published in the Daily Times on the fifth of February, 2014. In the article, the author has described the role and significance of Punjab in the history of Pakistan. In addition to this, he has tried to prove that Punjab is not responsible for everything bad happening in the other provinces. The author has described the role of Punjab before and after independence in the Pakistani politics. The author also says that whatever happens in other provinces, Punjab and Punjabis are held responsible for it. In the end, the author has highlighted a few cultural aspects of Punjab.
The article seems to be biased about Punjab and the arguments are not so convincing. The language is not consistent, as it is persuasive in the beginning and informative later on. The overall article is a bit biased and the paragraphs are not so connected to each other. The writing style is a bit informal.
The writer states that “Without Punjab’s support for the All India Muslim League… Pakistan would not have happened” (para 1), but reality is a bit different. Even today, a political person needs only the support of the landlords to get the votes, and at that time, people were not even as literate as they are now. According to Q. Abid and M. Abid, “In the 1937 elections the Unionist party was able to win a heavy mandate of the Muslims of the Punjab. On the other hand the Punjab Muslim League was able to win only two seats in the Punjab Assembly.” Jinnah had to make an alliance with the Unionist party to gain seats in Punjab in 1945.
In Para 2 and 3, the writer talks about the post partition situat...
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...econd last paragraph, writer has cited an incident from his life but has not concluded anything from it. Similarly, the last paragraph and the ending is abrupt. In the last few lines, the author has discussed the reactions to his previous articles and that the people have changed their opinions with time for an “unknown” reason that only Allah knows. All this was by no means related to the topic and for the last sentences of the article, one can only say that nobody sticks to the same opinion for the whole of their life. At some point in their lives, they have to change their opinions and there is nothing strange about it.
Works Cited
Abid, Q., and M. Abid. "Unionist – Muslim League Relations And Punjab Administration." J.R.S.P 45.2 (2008): n. pag. Pu.edu.pk. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.
Major newspapers around the world wrote about Masih’s story, even though it was often demoted towards the end of the newspaper. It was not long before both the media and the public disregarded it. A little less than seven thousand miles away from Pakistan, however, another 12-year-old boy in Thornhill, Canada devoted Masih’s story to memory, an undertaking that signified the beginning ...
The autobiography I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai begins with the scene of young pakistani education and women’s rights activist Malala being shot in the head. Her school bus had been stopped by the Taliban who, after asking which of the girls was Malala, put a bullet into her head. Malala ends the powerful prologue with the words “Who is Malala? I am Malala and this is my story” (9). Malala then rewinds to the story of her birth and how in Pakistan, no one congratulated her parents when she was born because she was a girl. Pakistani culture pushes for the birth of a boy as an islamic majority country. However, her father saw the potential in his daughter as a great leaser and named her after one of the great female leaders in Pakistan- Malalai of Maiwand who inspired the Afghan people, who were losing hope, to spur the army to victory against the British/Indian forces. Malala describes life in Mingora, Swat Valley, Pakistan. She outlines the Indian- Pakistan revolution and the shift of the Pashtun people into the Swat Valley. Malala’s father grew up in Shahpur but struggled to get his education in the town where he met Malala’s mother. They married and his dream of building a school, Khushal Public School, became reality when they moved into Mingora.
Throughout the history of storytelling, there have always been storybook characters that inspire and motivate young readers to become more engaged and knowledgeable about the struggles that some people go through. Reading has always been a pastime of mine; while reading I collect new friends in wonderful places that otherwise I could only dream of. Each of these characters that I have befriended and connected with over the years, has shaped my personality in some way or another, and choosing just one seems an impossible task. Although women’s rights have skyrocketed in the past century, overall the world is still predominately male-orientated, but the world of books has no bounds for inspirational women. Countless authors have written books with strong female leads, most of them fiction, but nonetheless inspirational. When choosing the most influential to me, I could start by writing about the character that first allowed me to immerse myself in the world of the written language, Nancy Drew. Or I could write about the character that allowed me to feel comfortable with being unique and intelligent, Hermione Granger. But I won’t go into those clichés, the book character that has inspired me more than the heroines starring in the hundreds of books that I’ve read is real life Super Girl, Malala Yousafzai.
...n of the Sikh led province. The best government policy for the Sikh province would be a democracy, because the Sikh religion shares the philosophical theories of utilitarianism; the best action is one that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Since the Sikhs believe that everyone is equal in the eyes of God, regardless of religion, race, or sex, the rights of other religions will be respected. The Untouchables of India’s caste system will even be seen as equals to Sikhs, unlike how they are seen in India, which is poor and uneducated. The Sikhs are responsible for much of the wealth in the Punjab. This is because they have an advanced irrigation system, successful crops, and soaring land values. This will be the main economic focus in the region, and even people of different religions will be able to be a part of this booming economy.
In “My Two Lives” Jhumpa Lahiri talks about her hardship growing up in America coming from two different cultures. At home she spoke Bengali with her parents, ate with her hands. According to Jhumpa’s parents she was not American and would never be. This led her to become ashamed of her background. She felt like she did not have to hide her culture anymore. When Jhumpa got married in Calcutta she invited her American friends that never visited India. Jhumpa thought her friends would judge from being part of the Indian culture and isolate her.However her friends were intrigued by her culture and fascinated. She felt like her culture should not be hidden from her friends anymore, and that coming from an Indian-American culture is unique. Jhumpa believes that her upbringing is the reason why she is still involved with her Bengali culture. Jhumpa says“While I am American by virtue of the fact that I was raised in this country, I am Indian thanks to the efforts of two individuals.” Jhumpa means that she is Indian, because she lived most of her life and was raised here. In the story Lahiri explains that her parents shaped her into the person she is. Growing up coming from two different cultures can be difficult, but it can also be beneficial.
In this text Mohanty argues that contemporary western feminist writing on Third World women contributes to the reproduction of colonial discourses where women in the South are represented as an undifferentiated “other”. Mohanty examines how liberal and socialist feminist scholarship use analytics strategies that creates an essentialist construction of the category woman, universalist assumptions of sexist oppression and how this contributes to the perpetuation of colonialist relations between the north and south(Mohanty 1991:55). She criticises Western feminist discourse for constructing “the third world woman” as a homogeneous “powerless” and vulnerable group, while women in the North still represent the modern and liberated woman (Mohanty 1991:56).
The author is attacking a religious group called the Asharites throughout the writing on the basis of their views of religion. This attack throughout the article is evidence that there was split in the views of Islamic philosophers. The Asharites appear to have a less strict view on how the idea of God should be presented and about how perfect he has created the world. The author writes "They think that the creation does not lead us to the knowledge of God through any of His goodness, but through possibility, that is, the possibility which is found in all things...
The most threatening conflict between Hindus and Muslims is the province of Kashmir. This is where the decision to divide India into India and Pakistan seems to have been a terrible mistake. Kashmir, which is the only Muslim majority city in India, lies between the divided India and Pakistan. After India’s independence in the 1940’s, Kashmir had to choose to either unite with India or Pakistan. The Prince of Kashmir chose India but Pakistan invaded the province soon after and have occupied part of Kashmir since then. Controversy still surrounds the province today because naturally, Muslims want to control it. While many Muslims relocated to Pakistan and the Hindus to India, half of the Muslim population was left in India and their relations did not improve after being partially separated.
I have been somewhat critical of the author at times, but this is only because he opens the door for the reader to think. I would not be able to formulate opinions if he hadn’t questioned whether Muhammad was being a fair and effective leader. After all, he greatly changed the course of history as we know it. Cook’s objective way of looking at Muhammad’s life allows one to attain a clear view of just how deep of an impact he made.
"The Hindu : A View from Pakistan: Resolving Kashmir Now." The Hindu. Eqbal Ahmad, Nov. 1996. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. .
In the book Train to Pakistan, author Khushwant Singh recalls the brutal and unfortunate times when Muslims were being forced out of Mano Majra. They, along with the Hindu and Sikh population, were living in relative peace. But when there had to be change, chaos ensued. There were several key individuals that shared the total responsibility of the expulsion of Muslims from Mano Majra; Even though some had purer motives than others, they all took stock in the unfortunate process.
Before Pakistan seceded from India the Muslim population created the Muslim League of India led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, it was created because Muslims were concerned with living in a Hindu dominated country after India gained its independence at the end of World War II. Maududi and the JI were the leading voices for Islamic political order in the new Muslim state of Pakistan. However, Jinnah 's objectives for the new Pakistan was for it to be no more than a homeland for Muslims, but Maududi viewed the new Pakistan as an opportunity to build a strict social/political order. Maududi respected Jinnah 's views and ideas for creating the government and building a republic where the constituents played a big part, but Maududi wanted heavier Islamic influence. The first version of the constitution incorporated a lot of Jinnah 's ideas and it provided an outline to the divisions of government, and mentioned Islam but no more than in a symbolic context. The constitution did state that the leader must be a Muslim, and also included a clause that held no law could be enacted if it was in anyway contradictory to Islam. From 1955 to 1977 Islam did not have as strong of an influence in
McLeod, W. H. (2000). Exploring Sikhism: Aspects of Sikh identity, culture and thought. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Choudhry, Dr. Shabir. “Human Security and Protection of Rights of Kashmiri People under Pakistani Administration.” Counterurrents.org. N.p., 18 Mar. 2011. Web. 15 May 2011. .
...shown through Lenny’s point of view. Prior the partition, Lahore was a place of tolerance that enjoyed a secular state. Tension before the partition suggested the division of India was imminent, and that this would result in a religious. 1947 is a year marked by human convulsion, as 1 million people are reported dead because of the partition. Moreover, the children of Lahore elucidate the silences Butalia seeks in her novel. The silence of survivors is rooted to the nature of the partition itself; there is no clear distinction as to who were the antagonists. The distinction is ambiguous, the victims were Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims, and moreover these groups were the aggressors, the violent. The minority in this communal violence amongst these groups was the one out-numbered. This epiphany of blame is embarked in silence, and roots from the embodiment of violence.