By D.P. Sinha
Can Pakistan be trusted? There are two categories of Muslim majority countries. One, whose governments are run on Islamic principles as laid down in the Quran, Hadith, etc, and are declared Islamic countries, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc. Most Muslim majority countries fall in this category. The other consists of those countries, which inspite of being Muslim-majority countries, declare themselves as ?secular?, such as Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, etc.
The holy Quran lays down that Muslims can break their vows or agreements any time, provided it is in the interest of Islam. In this context the following verse of the Quran is relevant: ?Allah has already ordained you for (O men), the dissolution of your oath (in some cases) and Allah is your protector and is full of knowledge and wisdom.?(66.2)
The Islamic government of Pakistan has been violating and breaking all agreements made with India during the last 58 years. When negotiations were going on for the partition of the country?, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, had assured the British government and the Congress party that in Pakistan, all citizens would be treated equally and there would be no discrimination against Hindus and Christians on the basis of religion.
Only four days before the division of the country, he had made a declaration to this effect on August 11, 1947 in the Constituent Assembly. But as soon as Pakistan came into existence, these assurances were thrown to the winds. Pakistan was cleansed of Hindus and Sikhs and other non-Muslims. It is estimated that more than two million people were killed. Countless non-Muslims were converted to Islam and the rest were pushed out of Pakistan into India.
The reasons are the American pressure, American guns and the American dollars. General Pervez Musharraf is a picture of humility. His utterances are honey sweet. Once again, he is trying to befool Indian leaders.
The ethnic cleansing by Pakistan can only be compared with the killing of Jewish people in Nazi Germany. In August 1947 Hindus constituted 23 per cent of Pakistan'spopulation, but today there are hardly 1.5 per cent. Jinnah did not even for one moment hesitate while going back on his assurance because the holy Quran permits all Muslims to do so anytime.
Under the ?India Independence Act-1947?, all Indian Princely States had the option either to declare themselves independent or to merge with either of the two dominions?India or Pakistan. Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir could not take an immediate decision in this regard. He needed some more time. Therefore, he sent a proposal to the governments of India and Pakistan, for a ?stand-still agreement? with them. In effect it meant that till such time, the Maharaja takes a decision in this regard, the two countries will maintain status quo. Pakistan responded positively and signed the ?stand-still agreement? with the Maharaja.
After the ?stand-still agreement? with Pakistan, the Maharaja became sanguine that Pakistan would not attack Kashmir. The Maharaja did not know that as an Islamic country Pakistan has religious permission of the holy Quran to unilaterally break off the agreement any time and Pakistan did exactly that. On October 24, 1947 it invaded Kashmir.
After invasion of India in 1965 and 1971 that resulted in a humiliating defeat for Pakistan, peace treaties were signed between India and Pakistan, with the latter committing to non-aggression against India. But soon Pakistan cast the document into the dust-bin and reverted back to its anti-India stance. The ?Simla Agreement? between Indira Gandhi and Bhutto (The then prime minister of Pakistan) was especially in news. Butto assured Indira Gandhi at a personal level of the bonafides of Pakistan. It was felt that it was the beginning of a fresh chapter in Indo-Pak relations. But no such thing happened. Pakistan refused to honour and abide by the agreement. It had religious sanction to not do so.
When the BJP government was in power at the Centre, Atal Behari Vajpayee took the initative to mend Indo-Pak relations and visited Lahore. In an atmosphere of bon-homie and cordiality, there were huggings, promises, assurances aplenty, but all in vain. Even before Vajpayee could return back to India, Pakistan invaded India. It was to happen. Pakistan had divine right to dissolve its oath given by the holy Quran.
Pakistan was cleansed of Hindus and Sikhs and other non-Muslims. It is estimated that more than two million people were killed. Countless non-Muslims were converted to Islam and the rest were pushed out of Pakistan into India.
When Prophet Mohammed took shelter in Medina after escaping from Mecca, in 622 AD he entered into an agreement for mutual support and defence with three Jewish tribes Banu Quaynuqa, Banu al Nadir and Banu Qureza. At that time, the Muslims were refugees and powerless; therefore they had to accept all the conditions imposed by the Jewish tribes. Later, when Muslims became powerful, they did not take much time to abrogate the treaty made with them, while killing, converting and expelling them. The Quran enjoins, upon every Muslim to follow and imitate the deeds of the Prophet: ?You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the praise of Allah.? (Quran 33.1)
Allah'sProphet had himself broken the agreements. Following his role model, it became the religious duty of Mohd. Ali Jinnah, Ayub Khan, Zulfi Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif to break the treaties made with India.
Today indo-Pak relations are being reinvented. The reasons are the American pressure, American guns and the American dollars. General Pervez Musharraf is a picture of humility. His utterances are honey sweet. Once again, he is trying to befool Indian leaders.
Can a country, which calls itself an Islamic State be trusted? Would Musharaf while following the role model of the Prophet not go back on the promises being made to India, the way the Prophet had snapped the treaty made with Jewish tribes in Medina? What could be the lifespan of any agreement made with Pakistan? Indians should know it.
There could be nothing better then Indo-Pak concord. The peoples of India and Pakistan are basically one people. The walls separating the two can collapse any day, the way the Berlin wall disappeared, but this is possible only when there is a ?secular Pakistan? and not an ?Islamic Pakistan?.
(The writer is a retd. IAS officer and can be cantacted at B-255, Sector-26, Noida-201301.)
