tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post8646849701891517662..comments2024-03-19T09:06:21.507-04:00Comments on Irtiqa: Sinan's head revisitedSalman Hameedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-8496469582781047552011-01-24T16:23:40.522-05:002011-01-24T16:23:40.522-05:00Akbar,
Actually I agree with you that Musharraf c...Akbar,<br /><br />Actually I agree with you that Musharraf came out as a moderate. But the Lawyer's Movement was a reaction to his sacking of the Chief Justice and later in putting under house arrest several of the justices of the supreme court. Guess what? World is complex - and both of these things can be true (i.e. Musharraf as he came in, and the movement against him). Similarly, just because Lawyer's movement was more or less a progressive movement does not mean that the recent reaction of lawyers with Qadri was right. You seem to take any - and I mean any - critique of Pakistan as an attack on the whole Pakistani society, whereas that is not the case. And yes, Pakistan's vast majority may indeed be moderate (and probably are), but we (and that includes you too, my friend) need to speak up against intolerance in the society. This vast majority has to speak up - and speaking against acts of intolerance doesn't blame the society itself. And this is the point that I have been trying to make for the past numerous exchanges with you. Don't assume. Speak up against intolerance and discrimination against minorities.Salman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-41683126869551791682011-01-24T08:46:02.064-05:002011-01-24T08:46:02.064-05:00Look, why drag Pakistan in a post totally unrelate...Look, why drag Pakistan in a post totally unrelated? As far as Ataturk is concerned, Musharraf did provide a ray of hope for moderate people of Pakistan to gain some momentum, before he was dragged down by the very same lawyers who throw petals upon criminals. Here two points should be noted:<br />1. People in Pakistan are moderate in a vast majority. Why the intolerant minority gets heard over the masses is that they have power and a say over media. In Musharraf's time, the scores were settling in favour of the former group. It is past now (at least for the time being).<br />2. Why the intolerant minority has more power and influence over the government? The answer lies in the disasters like the abhorrent lawyers movements. When scores can be settled out there in the streets, that gives a message to anyone who has some 50000 men strength to sabotage peace on the road to get their demands fulfilled, be it the lawyers or the religious parties. <br /><br />The very foundations of reason and rationale was demolished by the keepers of the law themselves by setting the tradition of whoever shouts louder must get heard, then no one can shout louder than mullahs in the street.Dr. M. Akbar Hussainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-29734039454294821432011-01-24T00:06:34.871-05:002011-01-24T00:06:34.871-05:00Ha! Actually up until very recently, Ataturk was v...Ha! Actually up until very recently, Ataturk was viewed as a role model in Pakistan. As recent as Musharraf. In fact, some of the major buildings in Pakistan have been inspired by Turkish architecture - including the mausoleum of Jinnah - the secular founder of Pakistan, who died in 1948. But to make things complicated, the movement to save the Ottoman khliafat was also in pre-partitioned India :)<br /><br />On the flip side, when I was in Istanbul last October, couple of cab drivers were thrilled that I was from Pakistan. They had heard about Musharraf's positive statements about Turkey and seemed to be fond of him.<br /><br />But now I think Ataturk's stock is quite down now. The goose has very little chance...Salman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-42635858420089350802011-01-23T23:55:27.374-05:002011-01-23T23:55:27.374-05:00Ah Ataturk, well said. If he were alive he ought t...Ah Ataturk, well said. If he were alive he ought to head over to Pakistan and help save the goose Hoodbhoy is talking about.<br /><br />I read about about Mimar Sinan's ethnic origin on Wikipedia; such things are frequently a matter of lively debate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Mimar_Sinanemrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00931870864104747021noreply@blogger.com