ever under the Communist Party name. In fact there were no elections in Pakistan in 1960. Without exception every women and Pirpai wore burka in 1960

pirpiai does infact have a literacy rate above 90%. Having said that, it still is hardly different from other villages in NWFP. The people share the same social outlook as they always have.

where is the letter that stands for Bengali,

If that was the case, you may not have had a Bangladesh now, would you. Though I doubt how much Pakistan has learned – look at Sindh, look at Balochistan, FATA. And in latest news, more marines are being deployed for Afghanistan as the situation there is getting worse.

I’m not sure I understand your point. The way the Pakis have much internal disputes and civic unrests, it’s possible that the name ‘Pakistan’ will one day become ‘Tan’, since no Punjabis, Afghanis (Pasthuns), Kashmiris, Sindhis, etc. live there.

“Tan” – now that would be a real nice name for a Desi country.

If that was the case, you may not have had a Bangladesh now, would you. Though I doubt how much Pakistan has learned – look at Sindh, look at Balochistan, FATA. And in latest news, more marines are being deployed for Afghanistan as the situation there is getting worse.

About Pakistan’s name, I think that the fact that the word “Pak” means ‘holy,chaste,pure’ in Urdu may also have played a part in the naming of a Muslim nation. Later on P for punjab K for Kashmir etc. may be used to “explain” it. My Pakistani friends (all either from Lahore or Karachi) have always mentioned MWFP as “sarhad” as in ‘border’ in Urdu. So I am not sure about the explanation of A for Afghan. Besides until the election (rigged by the muslim league) in NWFP, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan wanted to either stay Independant or join India or join Afghanistan. Due to his urging Pathans boycotted the referendum in NWFP and 80% people did not vote and from a rigged election finally NWFP was awarded to Pakistan.

There is something about the term “Land of the Pure” which strikes me as an ethnically cleansed land. Perhaps I’ve read too much from some Indian nationalist websites.

Another thing, if PAK stands for “Punjab, Afghania, Kashmir, Sindh, and Baluchistan”, where is the letter that stands for Bengali, since this was the single biggest province when Pakistan was formed in ’47?

What is so obvious that as soon as the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan in early 1989, the trouble in Kashmir started. I dont know why the “experts” are not able to connect these simple dots.

You make an excellent point. Furthermore, did you know that the Kashmiri violence became drastically reduced after 9-11?

Without exception every women and Pirpai wore burka in 1960 too.

Read: Without exception every women IN Pirpai( pirbhai) wore burka in 1960 too.

I don’t know how much anecdotal evidence is worth, but consider this: I was recently reporting from Pirpiai, a village about 20kms from Nowshera. This is PPP leader Naseerullah Babur’s home district, has a literacy rate of over 80% and a majority of the population speaks English. In the 1960s, the Communist Party of Pakistan was the second largest party in the province. Without exception, every woman in the village now wears a bhurka. And I saw a barber shop that had the sign “No Shave” written in English, Urdu and Pushto. It was really spooky.

May I ask where this anecdotal evidence from? any link? There is no town in NWFP with 80% literacy rate not now and not in 1960. The Communist Party in Pakistan was banned in 1951 and it did not contest any elections in Pakistan ever under the Communist Party name. In fact there were no elections in Pakistan in 1960. Without exception every women and Pirpai wore burka in 1960 too.

Vinod — Wretchard is an idiot. The piece is not only strategically misinformed, it is has basic factual errors. Don’t waste your time. Some examples.

Boom boom dishoom dishoom.