Karachi: Historian and political economist Akbar S. Zaidi has dismissed “the victory myth” regarding the 1965 Pakistan-India war, saying that can be no a bigger lie, as Pakistan lost terribly.
According to the Dawn, Zaidi’s comments came during his thought-provoking lecture titled ‘Questioning Pakistan’s history’, just two days away from observing Defence Day and marking the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war in the country.
He said that the history that is taught in Pakistan is not focused on the people of the country, but rather on the making of Pakistan.
Zaidi began the lecture by thought provoking questions such as “what is Pakistan’s history and is there a need to question Pakistan’s history. And when was Pakistan formed? Aug 14, 1947 or Aug 15, 1947”.
Zaidi read out an excerpt from a Pakistan Studies textbook in which it was claimed Pakistan came into being in 712 A D when the Arabs came to Sindh and Multan. He exclaimed “This is utter rubbish!”
He said the first interaction with Muslims and Arabs occurred in Kerala in South India for trading purposes.
Zaidi also said that the 1940 Pakistan Resolution called for the recognition of Muslims within Hindustan and not for a separate entity.
He also criticised how history in Pakistan is taught to students.
It is focused on rulers and generals and not on social history, he said.
The event was organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Karachi University. (ANI)