Truth is Beauty and Beauty Truth

By:  Dr. Maqsood Jafri (New York)

Plato wrote that beauty is the name of balance. Balance means that we must maintain a balance in our thoughts and deeds. We should avoid extremist approach in our thinking and behavior. We daily see in our lives that some people do not have decent conduct, and people avoid seeing them. It is all because we do not act upon reasonable norms and mostly cross the limits. When the waves of an ocean, in the tempestuous swirls dance out of its bounds and flow to the shores, crossing the limits, we see colossal damage. Anything crossing the natural limits is ugly and hazardous. It is aptly said by the British poet of beauty, John Keats, "Truth is beauty and beauty truth." It is incumbent on all sages to reveal the hidden truths and accept the bitter realities of life. If we close our eyes like a pigeon on seeing the cat, then our necks are not safe. We must accept the ground realities with open mind and seek their solutions. I am sorry to say that still the writers, poets, and scholars of the East are under the stone walls of fascism and priesthood and do not analyze the matters rationally. If we cannot speak the whole truth, let us at least, speak the half truth. But it is highly tragic that our sectarian, racial, and religious biases hinder us to reach the truthful goals. I want to give my honest opinion on a few issues that seek our immediate attention.

(a)  Quaid-e-Azam Day

We have celebrated 135th birthday of our leased the father of the nation, Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinnah on December 25, 2011. On this date, all over the world the Pakistanis observe this day with solemnity. The founding father of Pakistani nation was a barrister from Lincolns Inn, London. He was a great orator of the English language and a statesman of stupendous posture. So many people have written books on him. Two years back, in a meeting in Washington DC, I met with Dr. Stanley Wulport, an American historian, who wrote a marvelous book on Mr. Jinnah. I thanked him for paying glorious tributes to my beloved leader. He said, "He deserved that." Today, we need capable, honest, courageous and committed leadership. He is a role model for us. Some people try to find faults in his politics. Nobody is perfect. To err is human. But nobody can deny that Quaid-e-Azam was the most honest and true leader of the Muslims of the sub-continent. He was offered to be the governor general of the United India, but he refused all offers and said, "I am not a purchasable commodity." He desired to establish a modern Islamic welfare state in Pakistan. He was neither a communist nor an imperialist. He said that he wanted a Muslim state where democracy and social justice would prevail. He was a true democrat and believed in the fraternal and universal principals of Islam. He said Pakistan would not be a theocratic state. He rejected feudalism, priesthood and militarism. But, unfortunately, after his demise these three evil forces condemned by the Father of the Nation are ruling over us.

(b) The Death Anniversary of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto

On December 27, 2007, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was assassinated at Rawalpindi, after addressing a public meeting. She had twice remained the premier of Pakistan. As she was against the religious extremists, she was killed. Still, the nation wants to know about her killers. Some say that she was killed by the terrorists. Some opine that she was killed by the government intelligence agencies with the connivance of then the military ruler General Pervez Musharraf. The situation is still foggy. The workers of the Pakistan Peoples' Party are very anxious to see the fate of her killers and conspirators. The federal interior minister Mr. Rehman Malik has announced that the assassins of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto have been arrested and are under trial. The people ask them as to why they are not punished for the last four years. Who are they and who were behind them, are the questions that are still unanswered. The PPP government is ruling over the country and the head of the state Mr. Asif Ali Zardari is the husband of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Then why are the conspirators of the assassination still not taken to task? This shows the weakness, inability or political compulsion at the hands of the rulers who are enjoying the perks and privileges on her name. It is the dark and dismal side of the PPP government. The flies and the minnows have been caught, but the crocodiles and the whales are freely swimming in the ocean.

(c)  The Debacle of East Pakistan

Pakistan was dismembered on December 16, 1971. Hamouur Rehaman commission, appointed by Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, sheds much light on this issue. General Yahya Khan, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, and Z.A. Bhutto are accused of the dismemberment of Pakistan. Many books have been written on this tragedy. The other day, on the Express TV, a retired bureaucrat Roedad Khan and a retired army General Amjad were discussing the causes of the debacle of the East Pakistan. It is very unjust to approach these anti-Bhutto persons who remained government servants and are well known for anti-public stance. Roedad Khan is well known for being in the circle of another anti-Bhutto bureaucrat, Ishaq Khan, who was a crony of General Zia and maneuvered to be the president of Pakistan. This man twice finished the civilians' governments --once the government of Benazir Bhutto and then the government of Mian Nawaz Sharif. Roedad Khan blamed Bhutto to be one of the persons who played the role to dismembering Pakistan. In my book titled The Ideals of Bhutto, in detail I have discussed this issue and proved with facts and figures that it was Yahya Khan who wanted to remain president and marred the situation. Then it was Mujeeb-ur-Rehan who declared to make the constitution of Pakistan on the basis of his six points. The six points of Mujeeb-ur-Rehman were construed by the Indian intelligence agency RAW, whose implementation could have broken Pakistan. Mr. Bhutto did not agree with Mujeeb and asked him to review these points to save Pakistan. General Yahya Khan had obnoxious designs. He announced that within 60 days the constitution be made; otherwise, he would dissolve the national assembly. It was a sword hanging on the heads of the assembly members. For the approval of the unanimously agreed constitution, the two thirds of the assembly members were required. Mujeeb-ur-Reman had majority from East Pakistan, and Mr. Bhutto had majority from West Pakistan. But no party had two-thirds of the members. Hence, Mujeeb could not make the constitution with the support of the PPP. Mr. Bhutto flatly refused to support his six points and regarded them the points of dismemberment of Pakistan. It was preplanned between India and Mujeeb to break Pakistan. The military government provided ground to the secessionists and brought unprecedented miseries. The Pakistani army, under the command of General Tikka Khan and General Abaidullah Niazi, uncouthly massacred their own countrymen and raped the ladies. It was the height of foolishness and barbarity of Pakistani army. In reaction, the Mukti Bahni, supported by the Indian army, killed the non-Bengalis. This mayhem is the black blot on the face of our nation. The political issues should have issued politically, not militarily. Mr. Bhutto cannot be blamed for this debacle. His hands are clean. Let the military and civil retired bureaucrats like Roedad Khan not pass fake and false judgments and misguide the younger generation.