CM
July 12, 2012, 2:32am
56
Re: Pakistan’s contribution to Higgs boson
CM,
Your assertion that somehow all the persecution, discrimination, harassment against Ahmadis happened when Zia flipped a switch and turned on a green light is naive at best. Ahmadis have been discriminated in the society since a century ago when Mirza Sahib claimed to be the Messiah. Heck my own grandfather was discharged from the British Indian army because his Muslim supervisor said that he questioned his loyalty. 53 riots were not started by Zia nor were the Ahmadi social by-cot of 74.
You are right that he was honored in Ayub’s era by Ayub but then Ayub didn’t care what sect you were. Many of Ayub’s generals were Ahmadis. This doesn’t mean that Ahmadis were not persecuted or discriminated against in the 60s. The difference before the constitution of 74 is that the state at least on it’s books had not institutionalized the discrimination, it didn’t mean the streets were heaven for Ahmadis.
Salam was from Jhung, which is right next to Rabwah (oh excuse me Chanab Nagar) & Jhung has been & continues to be the epicenter for Anti-Ahmadiyya movement from the time Rabwah was established in 47. The other part of his life he spent in Lahore, which was a site of 53 riots.
What you failed to mention was that he left the country earlier too. In 54 after the first Anti-Ahmadiyya riots of 53. At the time he was “honored” as the president of the football club at Pubjab University. There was no funding for science & all his efforts to start something in Pubjab university failed to yield results (which probably can be blamed for petty politics rather than his Ahmadi faith).
Anyway, long story short what I take an issue with is this:
He took a political stand and left because of that. How is that the countries fault?<<<
It’s country’s fault when it’s elected representatives as a decree of law ostracize an entire community paving the way for more discriminatory laws. And the ‘silent majority’ continues to back it up. Not only that his stand was justified, history has proved it right that the society of the country has gone down the drain ever since.
He didn’t leave Pakistan for the laws. He left Pakistan for Physics. The scientist of his caliber could have easily gone on to research in US even before the 50s. It is to his credit that he came back & did whatever he could for Pakistan. If he really wanted, as a “political stand” he could have taken his Nobel prize as a different nationality but he chose not to. He could have revoked his Pakistani Nationality, even till his death bed he didn’t. He could have chose to be buried where he didn’t fear one day his grave might be desecrated but he chose Pakistan.
So it is down right bigotry to question his loyalty to the people of Pakistan.
He for the longest time, up until Bainazir & Nawaz’s time wanted to create a “Islamic Science Foundation” with a grand scheme of raising $1 Billion dollars to enchace science in Muslim countries. Saudi Arabia refused to fund it as long as it was his idea & other oil rich nations were happy to send their scientists to ICTP rather than create a new institution. (Want proff? Google Hoodbhoy & Islam Science Foundation)
And my question if you have lived a life of a Ahmadi in Pakistan is very relavent. It is so easy to question someone’s actions when you don’t have to walk in their shoes. 99% of the people reading this thread don’t have a clue what life for an Ahmadi in Pakistan has become. The local government brought down the minarets from the mosque in Kharian yesterday because it was hurting the feelings of fellow Muslims & the PTCL has blocked the offical Ahmadiyya website from it’s network and that’s just the news in last 4 days.
So which is it. Did he leave the country due to the laws or did he leave due to Physics? Because you say both.
No its not. Its like saying you have to be a black man to understand racism in the US. After all your first statement said it all.
"You don’t need a law degree to figure out persecution when you are on the receiving end of it. Just like you don’t need a psychology degree to figure out you are talking to a crazy person. "
Now I don’t deny that Ahmadies are discriminated against. They are. Nor do I accept that fact. I think the laws are unislamic and not fit with life as it is today. Esp. considering how Muslims ***** about discrimination in the US. However I have yet to see any proof of Abdus Salam facing any form of discrimination that is recorded and substantiated.