Just wondering. So many presidents and prime ministers in the last 50+ years, were any of them not sunni?
Re: Has Pakistan ever had non-sunni president or prime minister?
Bhutto family is shia.
Bhutto family is shia.
How did that never come up during elections? Mullah party didn't beat the drums?
Re: Has Pakistan ever had non-sunni president or prime minister?
Wasn't Mushrraf shia too?
Re: Has Pakistan ever had non-sunni president or prime minister?
Honestly, it doesnt matter what sect they are, but luckily no one has ever made an issue out of this. As far as I can recall even Jinnah, the founder of the nation was not a Sunni. Zulfi Bhutto, and his daughter werent sunni either, as per Wolpert's book. There were some few others in the 50s who werent sunii either I believe.
How did that never come up during elections? Mullah party didn't beat the drums?
Why should it come up? Most Pakistanis including the "mullah party" accept that Shias are Muslim; it is only a fringe that rejects them.
The "mullah" parties in Pakistan have always accepted that Shias are Muslim. Indeed, the main religious alliance that formed to oppose Musharraf, the MMA, consisted of both sunni and shia parties.
By the way, Yahya Khan, the ex-military dictator, was Shia too.
Between Yahya Khan, Zufikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir and now Zardari, for almost half of Pakistan's existence either the Prime Minister or the President has been Shia - sectarianism has no place in mainstream Pakistani politics.
Re: Has Pakistan ever had non-sunni president or prime minister?
Don't forget Jinnah (technically a governor general, but the post was essentially equivalent to president), Iskander Mirza, and Liaquat Ali Khan.
Wasn't Mushrraf shia too?
Musharraf wasn't shia. abb her bongay banday ko shia tu na bana do yaar...:D
Re: Has Pakistan ever had non-sunni president or prime minister?
I'm shocked by the ignorance of this question. Bhuttos are Shias. BB's mother Begum Nusrat is Iranian Shia origin.
Our first President Iskander Mirza was a Shia (descendant of Mir Jafar), Gen. Yahya Khan who was also President was a Qazalbash Shia.
Muhammad Ali Bogra who was PM was a Shia and a descendant of Bengali Nawabs.
Musharraf is a Sunni.
All that said, it is shocking that a Pakistani believes that there is a sectarian bias in our top levels. I'm one of the biggest critics of Zia's sectarian agenda and the Wahhabi/Deobandi mafia that has since tormented Pakistan but Shia-Sunni differences are no factor in our politics.
Re: Has Pakistan ever had non-sunni president or prime minister?
Quaid was a Shia by most accounts but our muddied religious politics has caused each group from MQM to the Mullahs to portray him as everything from a Secular liberal to a maulana without beard.
I'm shocked by the ignorance of this question. Bhuttos are Shias. BB's mother Begum Nusrat is Iranian Shia origin.
Our first President Iskander Mirza was a Shia (descendant of Mir Jafar), Gen. Yahya Khan who was also President was a Qazalbash Shia.
Muhammad Ali Bogra who was PM was a Shia and a descendant of Bengali Nawabs.
Musharraf is a Sunni.
All that said, it is shocking that a Pakistani believes that there is a sectarian bias in our top levels. I'm one of the biggest critics of Zia's sectarian agenda and the Wahhabi/Deobandi mafia that has since tormented Pakistan but Shia-Sunni differences are no factor in our politics.
Of course sectarianism is bad at the top level. Shias are muslims too but what Zia wanted was to shape the policies as per Saudi Arabia's. As a muslim country, why are we afraid of Sharia law. A part of Nigeria, many African countries and most of the successful Gulf states have that. I know many Shias in the top posts in the Punjab.
Re: Has Pakistan ever had non-sunni president or prime minister?
Shukar hai Shia/sunni issue was never brought up in Politics + higher echelons.
I second that.
And I wonder why would someone want to bring this issue up in a thread here? Kya aur maslay kam haiN Pak maiN? :aq:
Re: Has Pakistan ever had non-sunni president or prime minister?
I remember one day Meraj Muhammad Khan said in his speech;'' We talk about Bal Thakeray Of India, Look at our selves , Find may be a Bal **Thakeray in side yourself.(Apnay graiban main Jhank kar dekho,, Andar Koi **Bal Thakeray na chhupa ho)-
And remember there was a day when India's prime minster and army chief were Sikhs and presedent was a** Muslim**.
We are talking here of Sheea Sunni,Both are Muslims
Of course sectarianism is bad at the top level. Shias are muslims too but what Zia wanted was to shape the policies as per Saudi Arabia's. As a muslim country, why are we afraid of Sharia law. **A part of Nigeria, many African countries and most of the successful Gulf states have that. **I know many Shias in the top posts in the Punjab.
Yes, look at the great success Nigeria is. From the gleaming sky scrapers to the first class medical and educational facilities available to their citizens, Nigeria is clearly a sign of success and envy in Africa.
I'm shocked by the ignorance of this question. Bhuttos are Shias. BB's mother Begum Nusrat is Iranian Shia origin.
Our first President Iskander Mirza was a Shia (descendant of Mir Jafar), Gen. Yahya Khan who was also President was a Qazalbash Shia.
Muhammad Ali Bogra who was PM was a Shia and a descendant of Bengali Nawabs.
Musharraf is a Sunni.
All that said, it is shocking that a Pakistani believes that there is a sectarian bias in our top levels. I'm one of the biggest critics of Zia's sectarian agenda and the Wahhabi/Deobandi mafia that has since tormented Pakistan but Shia-Sunni differences are no factor in our politics.
Considering mullahs bring up and start protesting for the silliest issues (religion on passport) and politicians leave no opportunity to throw mud at each other, is it not surprising at all that Shia-Sunni has never come up in Pakistani politics?
Re: Has Pakistan ever had non-sunni president or prime minister?
We also have Ahmedi interim PM, Moin Qureshi , Quad-i-Azam did not bother about these things, his funeral was lead by a Deobandi scholar Shabbir Usmani as he wrote in his will.
Shia sunni hip hops are neither in mainstream politics nor in any social,business,cultural or academia .armed forces side, top businessmen,top industrialist groups,media , some finest academia brains are shias. Nobody cares these things in Pakistan except few mad like Lashkra-i-Jhangvi or Talibans in FATA area.
Re: Has Pakistan ever had non-sunni president or prime minister?
Instead of this silly trivial topic, about which no body in Pakistan gives a hoot, and only can be seen on gupshup as another lame attempt by 'indian lobbyst' to statr shia-sunni conflict thread.
Luckly ! when it comes to kicking-azz of our indian friends there remains no shia-sunni difference in Pakistan. We love doing it to the Indians, its so entoxicating !!!
We also have Ahmedi interim PM, Moin Qureshi , Quad-i-Azam did not bother about these things, his funeral was lead by a Deobandi scholar Shabbir Usmani as he wrote in his will.
Shia sunni hip hops are neither in mainstream politics nor in any social,business,cultural or academia .armed forces side, top businessmen,top industrialist groups,media , some finest academia brains are shias. Nobody cares these things in Pakistan except few mad like Lashkra-i-Jhangvi or Talibans in FATA area.
Do you have any proof about Moin Qureshi being Ahmadi? It's a pretty big statement. Besides what do you know that I don't? You do realize that Dr. Qureshi is in the US and in the finance field, so some of us might know him more than an "interim PM."
I do agree that sectarianism has no place in politics. We need the best leaders that will allow us to move forward as a nation.
Yes, look at the great success Nigeria is. From the gleaming sky scrapers to the first class medical and educational facilities available to their citizens, Nigeria is clearly a sign of success and envy in Africa.
How about Saudi? Don't forget Nigeria has half non-muslim population too. Success is not just sky scrapper, medical and educational facilities. Success is when every citizen is able to live life of a respectable muslim in freedom, pray and raise kids as true momins. Western societies have evolved in the successful way as you talk about but how about happiness? Every other person has atleast one of the following: Depression, Anxiety, or even cancer