A Turning Point
Adeel A. Shah

Mr. Adeel A. Shah, based in Washington DC, is a renowned Pakistani businessman and business professional. Mr. Shah completed his Masters in Business Administration from John Hopkins University. He is the founder of US-Pakistan Business Council which is currently affiliated with US Chambers of Commerce Washington, DC. Mr. Shah also has a very strong and close relationship on the diplomatic levels with both the US Officials and Pakistan Government officials in Washington DC because of his deep insight in the International and Pakistani political affairs.

A middle class, educated, and dynamic, political party from Karachi, mainly Urdu speaking, which was gearing up to take the people of the country from the clutches of feudal and landlords was conspired against teaming up with the people of Punjab. Since its inception, MQM has been portrayed as a violent and fascist political force and was constantly labeled as a separatist party by other political parties and agencies.

Whoever had formulated the policy of hyphenating the middle class Punjabis from MQM has done it with enormous success. They were able to create a huge gulf between the two and technically barred MQM from entering Punjab.

Before the partition of ’47, Delhi and Lahore were sister cities for the Muslims of the Sub-continent. The people had century old cordial relationship embedded in common social fabric and religious unity. This relationship was deliberately smashed and ruined. Any leading literary and prominent personality from Punjab including Allama Iqbal has either lived or spent considerable time of his or her life with the elites of Utter Pradesh (now labeled Mohajirs).

During partition, the Indian Muslim mainly knew about either Lahore or Peshawar. They all wanted to settle in Punjab mainly in Lahore. Urdu, the language, was not born in Punjab. But, when the question of deciding on a national language in Pakistan was raised, Punjabis were the first one to adopt Urdu as a national language. Had the Punjabis not adopted Urdu as a national language, Urdu would have died in Pakistan.

The natural chemistry between the Urdu speaking and Punjabis was well established over the centuries. Had Liaquat Ali Khan not been assassinated and Punjabi and Urdu speaking people were allowed to work together to carry out the Quid’s mission, both would have taken Pakistan forward along with the support of other provinces.

For Punjabis and Urdu speaking the time has come to recognize the dilemma and undo conspires against their union. They should work together to reassemble Pakistan and pool in all resources possible from all provinces to move forward and cover the losses of sixty two years, more specifically of 90s.

MQM’s best natural alliance is hard working, merit oriented, middle class, more specifically Punjabis from Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujarat, and Sialkot. Pakistan would remain an economically unviable state unless it expeditiously develops and sustain its middle class. At this point our middle class population is approximately 10% while India is 35% and US is 65%.

Nature runs through its own course. Agencies and the tribal-type politicians have done their bit to destroy MQM and keep them from entering Punjab. However, I envision MQM entering Punjab with much more dignity and strength. I am sure Punjabis would not only welcome them but join them in large numbers. They would join MQM to create bigger middle class to build stronger economy, peace, dignity, and prosperity for all. The sooner the Pakistanis rid themselves of the deadweight of centuries of tribal and clannish feuds the greater will be their chances of getting out of the rut of turning it into a failed state.