The Man they Called Mum&Dad

Re: RR

You wrote:

``arrogant, ``sons-of-soil`` can understand the frustrations of the people of Karachi. I bet they can`t. With an attitude that downplays even the great accomplishments of Karachiite cricketers, it just shows how much they despise perhaps even the very existence of Karachiites.``

The real arrogance comes form having a misogynous point of view and an attitude of hate towards anyone not like you. And then associating all sorts of evil nefarious schemes to them.

Everone can divide their sphere into a maller one and cast aspersions on the ones that fall outside - Let us start with the following logic that you seem to be falling victim to:

I, RR, am a Pakistani and we are victims of India`s expansionist thoughts. One level lower, I RR am a Karachiite and all the Punjabis have willfully tried to * * * * me. One a yet lower level, you might be from Liaqatabad and all the people from Defense may have trampled upon your resources and then even people from your mohallah do not give yourself and your brothers the space that thye richly deserve and then your brothers are taking advantage of your wonderful generosity - where does it end but within you and what you have left but a persecution complex of monumental proportions. Get over it and be positive.

Do you sincerely believe that each and every one in karachi is a saint and that each and every one in the Punjab or NWFP is the devil? Obviously even you would say no. There are both good and bad in Karachi and elsewhere in Pakistan. What has to be avoided is to generalize and put the blame for the wrongdoing of individuals on a whole group - in this case a province.

Coming back to the matter at hand - the article that you posted was obviously written from an antagonistic point of view. Like somebody was trying to stir things up, without being even from the same country to understand. Let me give you an example -

``Even in batting, he was once deprived of breaking the highest run record in one inning. In that memorable innings of 280 runs, when Miandad was likely to break the highest run record in an inning against India and the whole of Karachi was cheering for him, Imran Khan declared the innings. Even then, most Karachiites felt that it was done only because Miandad was from Karachi and nothing else.``

Firstly, all of pksitan was cheering for him and not just Karachi. That innings was declared to get a win. Not anything about preventing Miandad to get the 365 * - as was the highest score at that time. I remember Imran declaring once, in another match, in the nineties to force a win, Border at 99 * once decalred to force a win, Taylor declared at 334 * to get a win. You see it is all about these great captains wanting to win above and beyond their, or their teammate`s, individual accomplishments. Nothing to do with or without Karachi. It is Pakistan that wins not Imran or Minadad or Karchi or Lahore.

It is sad that Miandad did not play those two years, but it had to do with individuals - and not millions of people hatching a conspiracy against someone they love and hold as a national hero, and from what I understand, he also reciprocates, in that he lives in Lahore and has his susral there.

Let us calm down a bit and not count how many people in the team are from Karachi or from Lahore. In fact the great thing about this cricket team is that more and more players are from places others than Karachi and Lahore - Pehawar, Rawalpindi etc. which bodes well for the future of cricket in Pakistan - for one or two cities do not a country make.

Above all, inspite of the propaganda of the ones that use divisiveness for their own power play, most poeple in Karachi, Lahore, Pehawar, wherever, do not think in these myopic terms - Thank God for small mercies.

Waqas

RR:

I was born in Karachi. Having been a member of the Pakistan military, I moved around all over Pakistan. You should visit some of the remote areas of Punjab, and NWFP. I have lived in many of these areas. You will realize that despite all its problems, Karachi is still by far the wealthiest, most educated, and economically well-off areas of Pakistan. That is why people migrate to Karachi, and not away from Karachi. The only ones who move out of Karachi do so because of security reasons.

The average Punjabi, Pathan, Baluchi, and Sindhi is uneducated. Only the average Karachiite is educated. The average Punjabi lives in a village which barely has running water and electricity. He has no interest in exploiting

someone form Karachi. Simply because he has too many problems of his own. Believe me, having lived everywhere in Pakistan, including Karachi, the average Punjabi(I am talking about the average Punjabi, and not Nawaz Sharif) has a lot more problems, and is a economically a lot worse off, than the average Karachiite.

Unfortunately, anyone who comes to power in Pakistan surrounds himself/herself with his/her own personal friends. In Nawaz Sharif`s case they are all Punjabi. Had he been from MQM, they would have been all Mohajirs. Ethnically anyone who comes into power exploits people from other communities. This is not limited to Punjabis.

Find out how the average Punjabi (the villager) lives, and your views will change.

You seem to be involved in a self-fullfiling prophecy. It is good to know that a majority of people in Karachi do not hold your views.

Re: RR

There is no doubt that Miandad was the best batsman that ever played for Paksitan and probabaly amongst top 10 of all batsmen to ever grace a cricket ground.

Miandad played for Pakistan not for karachi. Imran played for Pakistan not for Lahore. Those that make cricket - or for that matter anything- into karachi versus the rest (or lahore versus the rest) are basically hate-mongers. They should be called as such. Having lived a significant portion of my life in both Sindh and Punjab, it is my opinion that the Mohajir/Punjabi ruse is only utilized by people who have ulterior motives and espoused by the same or by those that are not capable of thinking totally for themselves.

As far as Minadad`s coaching being the primary reason for Pakistan`s successes this year - that is debatable. Coaches do not bat or bowl or field. They are supposed to get the players prepared. Through the first part of Miandad`s tenure - Pakistan lost to Australia and to Zimbabawe at home - not due to any fault of Miandad. Similarly, when Pakistan did wonderfully well in India and In Sharjah and Dacca - it was Miandad who was the coach but it was the performance of the players on the field that did the trick. Pakistan team has not been well coached for ever - with or without Miandad. Just a look at the ground fielding and running between the wickets forever and also throughout the last six months is a testament to that.

Miandad has been the smile on Pakistan cricket for ever - let us remember him for that.

Waqas

The following article dates back to when Miandad was recalled into the team after two years. Let`s see if Zeemax and other proud, nay arrogant, ``sons-of-soil`` can understand the frustrations of the people of Karachi. I bet they can`t. With an attitude that downplays even the great accomplishments of Karachiite cricketers, it just shows how much they despise perhaps even the very existence of Karachiites. After all, Ayub Khan once said that Karachiites could drown in the Arabian sea if they preferred. With a complete absence of any Karachi representation in the current political, economic, and in almost all decision-making apparatus, it is obvious that Miandad is nothing but just another Karachiite.

``Return of Miandad:

A Political Decision?

After about two years of absence from international cricket, Javed Miandad, the world class batsman from Karachi was recalled in the Pakistani squad for the upcoming World Cup. Unfortunately, the decision to call him back appears more political than a bona fide effort to strengthen the Pakistan team, and to do justice to this extraordinary, multi-talented, and the most experienced player Pakistan has ever had. The decision it can be speculated was made not by the Cricket Control Board but in the highest offices of the Benazir administration, as a goodwill gesture in an effort to reconcile with the extremely unhappy people of Karachi.

Home to more than ten million, mostly Mohajir population, Karachi claims to have more cricket teams and players than most of the country combined. It is home to some of the best teams in the domestic cricket; and due to good climate, cricket is played very extensively throughout the year. Historically, it has produced more world class players of great potential than anyone in the hierarchy would like to accept. And yet, when it comes to the selection of the national team, like all other matters of national importance or just plain importance, Karachi is conveniently ignored by the non-Mohajir personnel who hold most of the decision making offices in the country.

Hence, this has made the people of Karachi not only extremely unhappy, but has left them with a feeling of deprivation and frustration. It is believed that it was one of the many, many factors that caused the people of Karachi to vote for MQM in the elections, since its rise. Now that the years of clean-up operations, suppression of MQM, and general dissent among Mohajirs against the establishment has left Karachiites alienated from the rest of the country, perhaps the Benazir administration sees an opportunity in bringing back Miandad to the Pakistan national squad.

Evidently, the case of Miandad symbolizes the plight of Karachiites better than any other single event. They love him because he represents Karachi, something not really liked by most in the official quarters, and many non-Mohajirs. Even though an excellent batsman and a brilliant strategist as a captain, Miandad was deprived of captaincy most of his career. First, due to a players` revolt in the early 80`s when he was made captain prematurely to his disadvantage. And secondly, when he was used just as a temporary captain during the on and off appearances of Imran Khan in the mid and late 80`s.

Even in batting, he was once deprived of breaking the highest run record in one inning. In that memorable innings of 280 runs, when Miandad was likely to break the highest run record in an inning against India and the whole of Karachi was cheering for him, Imran Khan declared the innings. Even then, most Karachiites felt that it was done only because Miandad was from Karachi and nothing else.

Most Karachiites then, like now, despised the monopolostic control of national cricket by the few decision makers, mostly from Lahore. It was not the fact that they were from Lahore or any place but Karachi, but the way they handled the selection and conducted the affairs of the national cricket, mostly ignoring Karachi. Most Karachiites saw it as the inherent bias of the officials for their own ethnic groups, in addition to intentional neglect and discrimination against most Karachiites due to their Mohajir ethnicity.

Therefore, now that Miandad is seen as a symbol of continous struggle of Karachiites to find a place in the national affairs, the Benazir administration it seems has decided to play the ``Miandad Card`` to try to calm down the frustration and anger felt by so many Karachiites over the current administration`s policies in particular, and national policies in general.

There is no doubt about the fact that Miandad is the most deserving player to be included in the national squad, purely based on merit. But the timing of his selection after so much ordeal suggests that the people of Karachi still have a very long way to cover before they will be fairly given their rightful place in the nation.``

Khawer:

Please forgive me for being totally off the subject, but are you any relation to the brothers, Sikander, Dr. Asif and Furrukh?

...SR

Zeemax,

Saeed Anwer, Moin Khan , Shaid Afridi all hail from Karachi. The question is not about ethnicity but about how well you play for your country, and loyalty.

You cant deny that Miandad was treated unfairly in his last days. He was a true fighter for Pakistan. Even Imran Khan has said this. Miandad never played the traditional book cricket and watching him play was an experience.

I used to be a strong cricket fan. But the Pakistani team has dissapointed me. No matter how well you play, no matter that you are the best team in the world. A team that can lose a match for money has no respect in my eyes. People may dispute match fixing allegations, but I dont remember any rumours prior to the 90s. Why is it that these rumours are only surfacing while wasim akram is the captain. Have people got a personal grudge against him??? I dont think so!!!

RR : Rehan #2

You say ``Finally, it has also been said that during his last days for him as a coach, the players, since most of them hail from Punjab, (surprise, surprise!) deliberately spoke in Punjabi with each other in front of Miandad.``

Shame on you for bringing provincial bias into this subject. Why should they not speak in Punjabi, their mother tongue ? What difference does it make if they`re in front of Miandad or Sir Gary Sobers ? In any event, name a single player from Karachi other than Javed Miandad who was any good. You may name Hanif Mohammad but his accolade was the slowest century in test cricket history (which still stands record) and his 365 was made against mediocre bowling by mostly blocking the ball with a straight bat.

Punjab has immense talent even in small villages (e.g. Burewala Express). Hockey greats all come from Pindi Bhattian ..So Long live Punjabi Sporting !

Thank you Khawer Rabbani for this exquisite chronology of Miandad. Somehow he never got his due. If he had been British he would have been knighted several times over ..

But I must warn you .. one of your namesakes (a Chowkwalla) hates cricket and any reference to it .. so beware of his WRATH !

Zeemax

Where have you gone Javed Miandad

Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you

Khawar:

A good tribute to the Little Maestro. Once Viv Richards was asked what one player he`d like to have in his team if he had to choose just one from the world, he didn`t have to think when he responded ``Miandad.``

Question: ``One wonders why always Miandad has to go like this, isn`t there any better way to say goodbye to the master.?``

Answer: Yes. But he`d have to denounce his Karachi background for that. In addition, learning to speak Punjabi would be a plus.

BTW rumour has it that he was mad at the players for losing the easy match against England, after Pakistan had qualified for the final. There was talk of match-fixing and most ``star`` players had united against him and hence the invitation to Richard Pybus from Wasim Akram. Miandad, after learning about Pybus AND Sarfaraz, simply had enough of these ungrateful bunch (including PCB) and so he got up and left.

There was also a rumour that players were complaining that he had not shared the gift money he had recieved from a friend. He denied that and said that he actually had one of his wealthy friends give the team a cash award as an ecouragement.

Finally, it has also been said that during his last days for him as a coach, the players, since most of them hail from Punjab, (surprise, surprise!) deliberately spoke in Pujabi with each other in front of Miandad.

I can hardly guess what motivates the Pakistan players when they do what they do, both on and off the field. I don`t know what to do with them as I have this love-hate relationship with the team. I did not miss a single match Pakistan played in this world cup. And yet, when it comes to their attitude, I can hardly forgive them for their erratic and irresponsible, not to mention greedy, arrogant, unethical and ungrateful behavior.

Rehan.