As a journalist, my passion for reading often leads me to explore a variety of books. However, I always find myself drawn to works on Pakistan’s history. For any journalist committed to their craft, understanding the history and dynamics of their country and region isn’t just a professional obligation – it’s a responsibility. It’s through this knowledge that we can tell stories that matter and shed light on the narratives shaping our nation.
Recently, I have been conducting a comparative study and research on ‘The Arab Conquest of Sindh by Muhammad bin Qasim’, one of the most significant topics in the history of the subcontinent. To aid this, I am studying several books, that is ‘The Sultanate of Delhi’ by Vidya Dhar Mahajan, ‘The New History of Indo-Pakistan’ by Professor K. Ali, and Professor Mrs. Azra Ali, and some books of World Times written by recognised writers like Mian Azmat Farooq and Shamshad Ahmad, which provide valuable insights into this crucial historical event.
While going through these books, I found some facts mentioned similarly in all of them, which I or anyone can relate to the situation of Pakistan today, particularly its political instability and chaos.
Before moving forward, we must set aside our religion and nationality (Great respect for both) and look at everything from an objective political perspective, only then will we be able to fully grasp the imminent threats we are facing at the present moment as Pakistanis.
Historian V. D. Mahajan writes in Chapter One of his book ‘The Sultanate of Delhi’ that ‘On the eve of the Muslim invasions of India in the beginning of the 11th century, India was divided into a large number of states. There was going on a struggle for supremacy among the heads of those states. They were so jealous of one another that they could not put a united front against the foreign invaders. The lack of a sense of unity among them was responsible for their defeat.’ Reading this paragraph, any discerning individual can draw a striking comparison between the events of that time and what is unfolding in Pakistan today. The power struggles and rivalries among political parties and their leaders over control in Pakistan are eerily similar to the dynamics witnessed during the Arab conquest. Today, we see our political parties and their heads embroiled in bitter conflicts for power and the institutions such as the media, military, establishment, security agencies, police, judiciary, often at odds with one another, and the entire system is in disarray. Each entity is fighting for supremacy, and the resulting fragmentation and discord are reminiscent of the turbulent period that marked the Arab conquest of Sindh.
And a similar paragraph can be found in Part Two, Chapter One of Professor K. Ali’s book ‘A New History of Indo-Pakistan’, where he writes that; ‘The Indo Pakistan sub-continent presented a chequered picture of warring dynasties and of small kingdoms hostile to one another on the eve of Arab invasion. During the first half of the seventh century A.D. when the successor of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were rapidly subjugating the neighbouring countries, Harsha Vardhan of Qanauj was laying the foundation of a great empire in Northwest India. On the death of Harsha Vardhan, the last great Hindu ruler, his empire had fallen to pieces, followed by a scramble among the pity princes for supremacy in the land. Political confusion of the worst type prevailed in this part of more than 50 years. The remaining part of the country was parcelled out among many independent monarchs of varying degrees of power and prestige. There was no central government in the country. All these states enjoyed complete independence and sovereignty. This paragraph can also be related to the previous one. Additionally, it provides us with further insight; just like, after the death of the Harsha Vardhan, small states began to emerge across the region, leading to political confusion, a similar situation unfolded in Pakistan. After the death of the founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, just one year after the creation of the country, Pakistan has experienced a continuous cycle of governments and rulers forming and breaking down, with an ongoing political confusion that persists to this day.
Muhammad Ali Charagh, in his book ‘Tareekh-e-Pakistan’, writes that some historians believe the Brahman Hindu rulers of Sindh had little interest or empathy for the local population. This, they argue, is why the local communities allied and cooperated with the invaders. The same situation exists in Pakistan today, where the leaders are fighting among themselves, and there is neither space in their hearts for the people nor any compassion for them. Should we blame these people if, in the future, they rebel against their government and leaders, seeking help from foreign powers to act against their own country? The current situation in Pakistan is a result of our weak political system, and if foreign powers, particularly IMF, are interfering in our internal affairs, it is also due to our own shortcomings and flaws.
Apparently, the rulers of the Indian subcontinent were also oppressive and divided, consumed by envy and hatred towards one another, and their relations with the public were far from good. The people, too, were suffering from discrimination and inferiority complex, seeking justice. It was then that they allied with foreign invaders – none other than Arabs and Turks. Through their efforts, the movement for the creation of Pakistan eventually took shape, and we attained our beloved Pakistan. However, the story does not end here. The point is that history always repeats itself. If we repeat the mistakes that the Hindus made by succumbing to the Arabs and Turks, we may one day face an invasion, putting our state at risk.
