History Taught In Pakistan

[acharya]

History needs to be re-written, says expert
But, whose history?

Quote:
History needs to be re-written and we need to re-write history based on people’s perspective; particularly our literature on partition needs to be vigilant in terms of ideology, doctrine and prejudice <!--emo&:lol:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='laugh.gif' /><!--endemo--> .

It was stated by senior research associate at Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Ahmad Salim, and Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director of SDPI at the launching ceremony of SDPI’s recently completed re-writing history project, conceptually and financially supported by Heinrich Boll Foundation Pakistan-Afghanistan.

The research project focuses primarily on the personal experiences, feelings, and understandings of aged people in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India about the events of 1947 and 1971. Ahmad Salim observed that the history is not an isolated or alienated subject rather it has a strong relevance with our present and future. He lamented that our history, including the historiography of 1947 Partition reflects one-sided accounts, divergent ideologies, biased and inaccuracies. Atleast, he is admitting the puukistani version is one-sided.

He said that the history of partition in Pakistan and in India was based on official record, oral accounts, autobiographies and one-sided violence-specific stories. “Our history of partition is riddled with prejudice, inconsistencies and huge knowledge gaps, in which the element of humanism is ignored; this missing link must be considered and people’s oral accounts should be recorded” he underlined.

In addition to full of violent episodes and stories, which dominate our literature in both Pakistan and India; there are many humanitarian stories as well. “Let our generation know the real truth rather than a single, officially ordained and sanitised truth. We need to correct false information and perspectives, which are based on mistakes and wrongdoings of the ruling elite,” he said. <!--emo&:lol:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='laugh.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Dr Abid Suleri said that it was very unfortunate that soon after the partition of 1947 and that of 1971 the historical context, facts, and realities got fictionalised. He said that three histories of partition exist in our part of the world, the one that is told and taught in Pakistan, the other that is told and taught in India and/or Bangladesh, and the third that is the real version. He said that this partially happened to serve the vested interests of certain classes who are using the manoeuvred history to gain the maximum benefits.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=173564