Submitted on 2011/02/14 at 9:53 pm
I can’t remember the name of British politician who suggested couple of years back that most of the current political problems in the world have been cause by the Britain in early 20th century. Partition of India on religious ground was one of them. Even it was not popular demand of Muslims. In 1940s Muslims of subcontinent were divided in three political ideologies:

• Secular, unionists and nationalists
• Muslim leaguers (with vague ideology but clear on the agenda to protect the economic interests of elite class of Indian Muslims
• Pure religious Muslim groups

Majority of Muslims were a part of secular, unionists and nationalists but when Muslims League under Mr. Jinnah start getting momentum in early 40s then number of British loyalists also went to strengthen Muslims league (e.g. Unionist Party of Punjab). Here some historians believe that it happened because of hidden backing from British establishment. Although on that time religious political groups of Muslims were very small but still they were also against the partition of India.
I am in an opinion that the partition of India was a part of greater plan of British Empire’s new world order. They knew that Congress party under Gandhi and Nehru is very close to socialist ideology and they will go towards socialist block but newly created nation on the basis of religion would be their front line defense against communists. Every country has their social fault lines and India was not exception either even more complicated in terms of religious and ethnic contradictions. But the way British Empire exploited that religious fault lines to protect their long term interest was cruel and coldhearted decision. Immediate effect 12.5 million people displaced and close to one million people slaughtered and lot more other atrocities associated with that political decision. That was immediate effect and what we are looking now in region and especially in Pakistan and in Indian Kashmir and in Baluchistan is long term effect of that wrong diction of partition. The question now is how to stop this chain reaction?

I would add, Urdu has been the language of Muslims of Indo-Pak. The majority speaker of the langauge resides in India no doubt, but this is the laguage of Punjabis, Pukhtoons Sindhis, Balochis and Kashmiris of Pakistan. The native Urdu speakers of Karachi now are hijacked by liberal facists. Such facists has really created anarchy amoungst the rest of the ethnic groups in Pakistan. Otherwise, only the religious groups represents the whole Pakistan. If the secular goups were not that racists and facists Pakistan would have been a secular state now. So, beside religious groups Urdu is the only hope for the united Pakistan.

She is wonderful to listen to – and it’s great conversation. Chris, you have done many other programs, and on Pakistan. You often manage something much better than the ordinary, and this was one of those…..thank you.