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Men are from Mars
The survivor of Michni Post WITH reference to Mustansar Hussain Tarar’s column, The survivor of Michni Post (May 23), the last remaining survivor, Dr William Brydon, of the slaughtered 16,000 strong British army, arrived at Jalalabad Garrison, not the Michni Post. The mistaken link with Michni Post is quite recent, possibly inspired by a newly installed inscription on the site that erroneously associates Dr Brydon with the post. Another correction needs to be made regarding the Sikh victories in battles against the Afghans. Although the Sikhs did manage to extend their rule up to Jamrud, at one time taking advantage of the internal feuds within the ruling Afghan dynasties. But it is not accurate to portray that the Sikhs ever ‘captured Afghanistan’. The Sikhs could not venture beyond Khyber and after the deaths of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Hari Singh Nalwa (who was killed in a battle near Peshawar) they lost their hold over the region forever. DR ALI JAN Peshawar Scientific ideas in Iqbal’s poetry WITH reference to the article, Scientific ideas in Iqbal’s poetry (April 25), the influence of western-civilization on Iqbal’s mind is easily traceable when he was in Europe for the pursuit of higher education and this tendency lasted throughout his poetic career. To portray Iqbal as a copier of western-civilization is to undermine his poetic worth on one hand and the pan-Islamic influence on other hand. Iqbal, unlike other westernized persons of the East, who were dazzled by the glamour of western civilization, could see all its bad points and instead of being an admirer of western influence, became its critic. His study of western nationalism totally changed his views on the subject. He became its opponent and an exponent of inter nationalism and pan-Islamism. In this connection his two famous Persian poems, Payam-i-Mashriq (the message of the East) and Javed Nama, universally acknowledged as his masterpiece. Therefore, it is justified to say that it was Islam, rather than western civilization that opened new channels in the area of science. SHAFQAT CHACHAR Pano Akil, Ghotki Groping in the dark WITH reference to the article Groping in the dark and the associated interviews, (May 9), it seems that the three veterans of labour movement and Left politics are either too optimistic or away from the realities. Optimism is a good thing. But to be optimistic and shy away from the realities are two different things. Although they have recognized the gravity of the situation, none of them accept the lack of organization and helplessness of the Left oriented politics in the country as well as on the global level. They either present the solution in the form of NGOs or applying the laws of physics on the social phenomenon. The leaders of the anti-globalization movement are themselves not clear about the course to be taken in case the globalization process is reversed. Thus this movement is just a force united on the basis of showing its reaction on some event or the other. This is the reason due to which the movement is losing its steam as the globalization process itself in crisis due to the engagement of USA and other capitalist countries in the war against terror. Also, it is time that the Left realized and admitted that they have failed miserably in assessing the current situation and providing the people proper platform guidance. RAUF NIZAMANI Karachi | ||
WITH reference to the article, Men are from Mars (May 9), at the beginning of marriage, men frequently say that ‘Wife is life’ and after some years they say ‘Wife cuts life’.|
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