Ideology & Conflicting Views
S.M. Hussain, Woodland Hills, CA

It appears that some groups have recently launched a frenzied debate on the meaning and ideological basis of Pakistan. The charge emanating from the so-called secular circles led by the famous columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee is that Jinnah never intended Pakistan to be an Islamic state but just another separate “secular” state which happened to have Muslims as a majority.

Such a proposition sounds nothing less than preposterous to any honest person who has even a moderate amount of knowledge about the historical facts surrounding the creation of Pakistan and the major personalities who were associated with the freedom struggle. We all appreciate Cowasjee's hard hitting columns about the deep corruption that afflicts Pakistani politics and government. At the same time we also know him to be solidly pro-western and an enthusiastic purveyor of fond nostalgia about the British Raj and the Anglophile elite of Pakistan, who some refer to as Brown Sahibs or Kala Goras. It would be almost natural for someone like Cowasjee and his ilk to rail against any Islamic ideological basis for Pakistan.

Some self-styled “Muslim” columnists have also apparently joined the arguments voicing similar views Most of them belong to the English press lead by Dawn, and therefore their audience, mostly elitists like themselves, are a micro-minority. Nevertheless, this is where the true power in Pakistan resides. For those of us who may be feeling a bit overdosed with the Cowasjee anti-Islamic ideology tirade, which is primarily based on one single badly misinterpreted speech of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, there are a few sources of alternative or counter viewpoints. One such source is the powerful, perspicuous and fact-based commentary of Dr. Israr Ahmed. I have not yet heard more illuminating and inspiring talks on Jinnah, Iqbal, and the ideology of Pakistan than the speeches of the doctor. For those of your readers who understand Urdu, regardless of their ideology and religion, and desire to balance the “secularists” arguments that they normally see in your paper, I highly recommend Dr. Israr's commentaries entitled “Nazriya-i-Pakistan” (August 4, 2000), “Allama Iqbal and Quaid-i-Azam” (August 11, 2000) and “Basis of Pakistan” (August 25, 2000). These can be found on the internet web page  http://www.tanzeem.org/radio/.