Re: Debate on MQM

"It is sad that Pak Punjoos are losing touch with Punjabi, it is a nice earthy language good for song and dance and comedy and of course unmatched for expletives!!!"

And the language of protest poetry too Maj dear!

Fresh from the partition of Pakistan, the nightmare of language roits in Karachi made the Establishment very paranoid of a domino effect. Balochistan, that had remained stable and peaceful during 1971-72 and whose only division was now a prisoner in India, suddenly erupted into a rebellion (NAP Betrayel). The intelligence thus began to toy with the idea of creating a counter force. Ironically, it was during Zia's time that the Mohajir Student Movement began to grow into a Mohajir Qaumi Movement.It was designed to eat into the PPP vote Bank. Ironically, it ate into the religious right.

Fresh from the partition of Pakistan, the nightmare of language roits in Karachi made the Establishment very paranoid of a domino effect. Balochistan, that had remained stable and peaceful during 1971-72 and whose only division was now a prisoner in India, suddenly erupted into a rebellion (NAP Betrayel). The intelligence thus began to toy with the idea of creating a counter force. Ironically, it was during Zia's time that the Mohajir Student Movement began to grow into a Mohajir Qaumi Movement.It was designed to eat into the PPP vote Bank. Ironically, it ate into the religious right.

majumdar,

No I don't think so at all. That would mean the backward rural areas would remain that and would become even more so. You can only have open merit if everything else is equal. That's why the Sindh jobs quota is divided into Urban & Rural because the difference in educational opportunities/standards is immense. Not so in Punjab/NWFP.

BTW, this Urban/Rural quota was designed for a specific period and supposed to have merged with Sindh rural uplift long ago. That never occurred and the quota continues.

Zee sahib,

Dont you think that the right approach would be have to open exams and selection on merit with quotas purely on grounds of discrimination etc.

Regards

Posted by majumdar,

Quota was not affirmative action. It was equitable distribution of Government jobs.

As the extract above notes, the pre-1973 distribution was a third of all Gov't jobs going to Sind (meaning Muhajirs) and in ten years it was a fifth. Given the provincial populations, that's roughly fair.

This redistribution was deliberately played up as 'pauperization' of Muhajirs because their elites lost their priviliged positions as concluded in this book.

Well, I think if Sindhi is a compulsory language in Sind and Mojos are clearing exams in Sindhi paper as well, then there is no justification for a quota for ethnic Sindhis.

It is sad that Pak Punjoos are losing touch with Punjabi, it is a nice earthy language good for song and dance and comedy and of course unmatched for expletives!!!

Regards

majumdar,

Sindhi is already compulsory in schools across Sindh (including Karachi and Hyderabad) and all those who go to school in Sindh learn it.

By comparison, Punjabi is not even taught at schools. The emphasis is always on Urdu and English in Punjab. We have now a generation of school kids who prefer to converse in Urdu and have lost touch with the Punjabi language.

I hope this addresses your question.

Zee sahib,

A question about affirmative action in Sindh. Now affirmative action is certainly a very contentious issue worldwide. As far as India is considered there certainly is a strong case given centuries old discrimination against dalits and isolation of tribals from the mainstream.

But how legit in your opinion are job quotas in Pakistan especially Sind. Can ethnic Sindhis lay claim to be a disadvantaged or discriminated group which would entail them to be given quotas.

Alternatively can it be argued that as Sindhi is the state language (pardon me if that is not the case), passing a paper in Sindhi be made obligatory for all govt jobs. Which wud oblige all Mojos to learn Sindhi as well.

Regards