By Syed Haider Raza Mehdi*
With apologies to my Punjabi friends as this may hurt.
But to understand why Nawaz is still supported by a large number of people from Punjab, its important to understand some aspects of our dishonourable past.
This is the slavish thought which allowed foreign invaders to loot and plunder this land for thousands of years. From Alexander to the British.
For letting a small minority of 17% Sikhs lead by an illiterate and one eyed Ranjit Singh lord over a geography comprising 70% muslims, predominantly Punjabis.
Its the same mindset where Ranjit Singh’s army comprised a majority of Punjabi Muslims and converted the Badshahi Mosque into the Royal stables and munitions dump, guarded by punjabi muslim soldiers of the Khalsa Army!
The same thought because of which not a single punjabi Musulmaan unit of the British East India Company mutinied against their British masters, when everyone else mutinied, including hindu units and joined Bahadur Shah Zafar in May 1857 to fight the British.
The same mindset where 3/4 of the British Soldiery comprised Punjabi mussulman soldiers who raped looted and plundered Dehli after it was retaken from Bahadur Shah Zafar’s forces in September 1857. And mostly muslim women were singled out for rape by their punjabi muslim brethren!
The same mindset which ensured British rule till 1947.
And tragically it is still this same slavish, servile, spineless, disgraceful thousands of years old mindset, which continues to support a deranged and, treachorous criminal like Nawaz Sharif!
The objective is not to malign the Punjabis but to understand, and hope that our most populous province grows a spine and some self respect!
Look how the Kashmiris redeemed their honour, laughed at for centuries with the “thupp see thay thuss kursee” slogan.
Punjabis, its time to redeem your honour!
*- Haider Mehdi*
P.S.
A link to a more detailed insight on the subject, written earlier, is also attached if interested.
Our legacy, our democratic credentials and the Storming of the Bastille – 14th July- 1798