This is in response to the letter “No need to mourn partition” (Dec. 27) by Kamran Akhtar. As a Pakistani, he is justified in shedding light on the predicament of Pakistanis and their mindset, which is distinct from that of Indian Muslims. While the problems that Muslims face in India, especially the bigotry from the extreme right Hindus who spare no opportunity to humiliate Muslims there, the partition cannot be blamed for their situation forever. Both in India and Pakistan, the Muslims, those who chose to remain and those who decided to move for better opportunities, have had to face challenges and find ways to overcome them. Pakistan needs to be credited for still being in existence 60 years on, despite a spate of bombings, insincere leadership, corrupt system and poor economy. At the same time Indian Muslims also need to be given due credit for maintaining their identity in the country. Either way, one cannot blame the other. After all, decisions of partition or reunions are not done at the behest of the masses but by powers beyond the reach of the common man. The public has no recourse but to go with the flow. So while Syed Shahabuddin may be right on many points, to say that the partition was a mistake for Indian Muslims, he should perhaps consider the viewpoints of people of his generation who felt that there couldn’t be a greater blessing.
Pakistani youth are a vibrant community, well aware of their situation both within Pakistan and their place on the global map. Despite the bad press concerning Pakistan, they carry themselves with dignity and are proud of being Pakistanis. — Ozma Siddiqui, Jeddah
Don’t blame it on partition
