A.A…I m a new member of this forum and having problem to post any mssg…I wanted to paste this letter in the thread of Renaming NWFP as Pakhtunkhwa,but failed.
Admin and moderators can help me to allowed me for posting.
thanx
THIS is in reference to Bilal Tanoli’s letter on the above subject (June 19). Most of the contentions of the writer are based on frivolous grounds.
First, the word ‘Hazara’ is a controversial word as no administrative setup exists under this name anymore in the NWFP.
Second, Hindko (a dialect similar to Punjabi/Potwari) is spoken by 30 to 35 per cent of the population in the five districts that Mr Tanoli would like to see secede and form a separate province. Two districts out of the five do not have any Hindko-speaking population at all.
The remaining three districts have a mixture of Pushto, Hindko and Gujri-speaking populations. Besides, the aggregate population of these five districts is about 20 per cent of the total population of the province instead of 30 per cent as claimed by Mr Tanoli.
As for the Tarbela Dam, it seems that Mr Tanoli has forgotten that a river has two banks. The population lying on the other side of the River Indus, i.e., the people living in Swabi and Buner districts, have also suffered equally or more due to the construction of the dam.
Reference to the referendum of 1947 is quoted out of context as the Hindko-speaking population of the five districts referred to by the writer is insignificant to have any impact on the final outcome of the referendum, and had it not been supported by the Pakhtun population, its result would have been different.
The Muslim League never won any elections held in Punjab prior to partition and it always voted for the Unionist party which was a pro-united India party. However, no one has ever referred to it as a point against the patriotism claimed by the Punjabis for Pakistan, whereas the opponents of Pakhtuns have always referred to the referendum of 1947 for scoring a point against them.
Let me ask a few questions from Mr Tanoli about the patriotism of the Hindkis. Why have they not changed the names of three of their cities, i.e., Haripur (named after Hari Singh, a Sikh general), Mansehra (named after Man Singh, another Sikh general who defeated Syed Shaheed Barelvi and Ismael Shaheed at Balakot in 1835) and Abbotabad (named after a British colonial officer).
Why did they not take part in the war of Kashmir during 1948 which was single-handedly fought by the Pakhtuns who suffered huge casualties for the glory of Islam and Pakistan.
Nearly 50,000 Pakhtuns crossed into Kashmir through their areas for a fight with the regular, highly equipped Indian army during 1948 but no Hindki (the claimants of Pakistan patriotism) joined them.
Not a single inch of Pakhtun land should be allowed to be taken away from them.
SHAHZEB AHMAD