Lecture series on culture, politics in South Asia

The breakup of the subcontinent into two centers of power was not an accident but a choice. This was said by Ayesha Jalal, renowned historian, political analyst, author and Mary Richardson Professor of history at Tufts University, while addressing a lecture series, on "Culture, Politics and Change in South Asia" here at Mohatta Palace on Saturday.
She said that the new country came into being under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of nation, purely on the bases of the choice of the Muslims living in the subcontinent.
Jinnah, who believed in centralism, had also talked about the rights and power sharing with the provinces, she said, adding that to strengthen the voice of the Muslim minority in India Quaid-e-Azam wanted "a sovereign Pakistan within India."
While identifying Jinnah's real political aims, the reasons why he was reluctant to bring them into the open, and his success or failure in achieving them, she said that "Quaid-e-Azam, through out his life changes tactics but not his goal".
Praising the devotion, principle and discipline of Jinnah, she said that the nation's father educated the supremacy of law throughout his life. To a question she said in the last over 62 years the perception that Kashmir will be included into Pakistan after the resolution of dispute between the two neighbouring countries, has been changed.
In reply to a query that whether the Kashmir issue should remain first in future between the two countries for improving relations, she said "Kashmir would be first for us but for Pakistan the country itself is first." But, the water issue, which was also a sensitive subject correlated with the dispute of Kashmir, should be resolved earlier, she said adding that the breakthrough in the Indo-Pak relations was very important.
To another question, she said that though the name of Islam and religious aspects were there to attract the Muslims towards the political goal for achieving separate nation, but the real reason for the break up was a strategic one.
Besides all other reasons, the most important aspect behind the independent move under the Quaid's leadership was the formation of a new state, she added. In reply to query that whether the decision of making Urdu as the national language, despite the majority speaking Bengali, was right, Ayehsa said that Jinnah had made mistake in this regard but it was very sensitive decision taken by him.
To another question, she said, Jinnah's daughter should have the right to own the property of her father. The lecture series was attended by a large gathering of scholars, retired civil servants, journalists and others.