BRIEFS

Books for peace

Two books launched on Jan 27, 2012 aim to create greater understanding and bridge the divide between India and Pakistan

"Warriors after War"

"Warriors after War" (published by Peter Wang), co-authored by Tahir Malik, Tridivesh Singh Maini and Richard Bonney was launched in Pakistan at the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA), Lahore on Jan 27, 2012.
Speaking at the occasion, former Foreign Minister Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali said that Pakistan needs to focus on economic development rather than engaging in disputes, in order to gain a respectable position in the comity of nations.
Former Head IB Brigadier Muhammad Yusuf (Retd), Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ameer-ul-Azeem and senior journalist Khaled Ahmad also spoke on the occasion.
The consensus at the gathering was that war is no longer an option for either India or Pakistan as both countries have nuclear weapons.
One of the authors, Lahore-based journalist Tahir Malik, said that the book was based on interviews of 26 retired Indian and Pakistani army officials who had actively engaged in wars between India and Pakistan. One of the interviewees, former Lieutenant General and Vice Chief of the Indian army Viijay Oberoi was born in Jhelum. He lost a leg in the 1965 war but continued to command a battalion.
The interviewees include Lt. Gen. Oberoi, who believes there are two ways of mitigating the Pakistan army's influence within the political system. The first prerequisite for this is a strong and vibrant civil society, and secondly, the Pakistani educational curriculum that perpetuates hatred against Indians and non-Muslims needs to be revamped.
Former Major General of Pakistan Army, Syed Wajahat Husain, born and educated in Aligarh, India, who told the authors that there is a need to condemn religious bigotry and obscurantism, as Mr Jinnah continuously emphasised a liberal, tolerant and outward looking Pakistan and advised us to guard against religious fanaticism which is also against Islamic values.

"Partition and Locality"

"Partition and Locality: Violence, Migration and Development in Gujranwala and Sialkot, 1947-1961" (Oxford University Press Pakistan) by Dr Ilyas Chattha, was launched in Lahore on Jan 27, 2012.
According to the author's research, the violence of the 1947 partition of the Punjab was 'highly calculated' and 'organised', involving politicians as well as law enforcement officers, said Dr Chattha, speaking at the event.
There was massive police involvement in robberies at that time, including the house of Oberoi, a famous business tycoon, "robbed under the supervision of a police officer," said Dr Chattha, who is currently based at the Centre for Imperial and Post-Colonial Studies at the University of Southampton and is carrying out research on the impact of partition on Punjabi Christians in Pakistan.
Speaking at the occasion, Yaqoob Khan Bangash of Oxford University Press, said the book was written in simple, easy to read language. The groundbreaking research in this book includes the FIRs registered at that time, he said.
Dr Chattha has recorded how Gujranwala and Sialkot emerged as two industrial units, observed Prof Imran Ali of LUMS. He said that the book provides additional information on the local history of partition, including how police looted Hindus and Sikhs.
This book is a huge contribution to history, said Prof Iqbal Chawla of the University of Punjab. He said that Dr Chattha has dealt with issues of rehabilitation as well as loss of assets, and visited 20 police stations in Gujranwala and Sialkot to gather the record of FIRs registered at the time.

Thursday, February 02, 2012

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