Frank Palmer Semantics PDF
Frank Palmer Semantics PDF
Frank Palmer Semantics PDF
TAKATOO
ISSN: 2075-5929
E-mail: [email protected]
iii
1. Prof. Dr. Syed Waqar Ali, Chairperson History Department, Quaid-I-Azam, University, Islamabad.
2. Prof. Dr. Nasrullah Jan Wazir, Director, Pashto Academy University of Peshawar
3. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Jan Abid, Chairman Pakistani Languages, Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad.
4. Prof. Dr. Zubair Hassarat, Director Pashtoon Khwa Study Center, Bacha Khan University, Khyber
Pashtoon Khwa.
5. Dr. Ali Kumail Qazal Bash, Assistant Prof. Govt. Degree College, Zoab
6. Dr. Altaf Yusafzai, Assistan Professor, Department of Urdu, Hazara University Mansehra, Khyber
PashtoonKhwa.
7. Dr. Barkat Shah Kakar, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pashto, University of Balochistan, Quetta.
8. Dr. Noor Ul Basar Aman Basar, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pashto, University of Malakand, Khyber
PashtoonKhwa.
9. Dr. Himayet Ali, Assistant Prof. National Institute of Historical Reasearch, Quaid-I-Azam University,
Islamabad Pakistan.
vi
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The prime objective of the Research Journal "TAKATOO" is to provide a forum for the scholars engaged in the
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viii
List of contributors:
1. Raj Wali Khan PhD Scholar, Islamia College, University of Peshawar
2. Faisal Faran PhD Scholar, Pashto Academy UOP
3. Dr. Badshah-I-Rome Assist. Prof. Dept of Pashto, University of Malakand.
4. Muhammad Nawaz Khan Lecturer, Pakistan Studies, Shaheed Benazir University Shringal KPK
5. Dr. Zubair Hasrat Director, Pakhtunkhwa Study Centre, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda
6. Dr. Adil Zaman Kasi Assist. Prof. Dept. of Political Science, UOB
7. Abdul Manan Kakar Assist. Prof. Dept. of Political Science, UOB
8. Mumtaz Baloch Assist. Prof. Dept. of Political Science, UOB
9. Zahida Razzaq M.Phil. Scholar, Dept. of Brahvi, UOB
10. Dr. Barkat Shah Kakar Assist. Prof. Dept. of Pashto, UOB
11. Dr. Naseebullah Seemab Prof. Dept. of Pashto, UOB
12. Dr. Muhammad Sadiq Zarak Assist. Prof. Govt. Degree College Quetta
13 Habibullah Kakar PhD Scholar, International Islamic University, Islamabad
14. Abdul Rehman Kakar Lecturer, Dept. of Pasho, UOB
15.Dr. Nazar Abid Assist. Prof. Hazara University, Khyber PashtoonKhwa
16. Dr. Altaf Yusafzai Assist. Prof. Dept. of Urdu, Maserah University, KPK
17. Abdul Khalil M.Phil. Scholar, Dept. of Media & Journalism, UOB
18. Dr. Faizullah Khan Prof. Dept. of Pashto, UOB
19. Abasin Yusafzai Chairman Dept. of Pashto, Islamia College, UOP
20. Atta Ur Rehman Lecturer in Pashto, Govt. Post Graduate Jahanzeb College Swat
21. Imran Khan M.Phil Scholar, Dept. of Pashto, UOB
22. Muhammad Naeem M.Phil. Scholar Dept. of Pashto, UOB
23. Faqir Muhammad Lecturer, Pakhtunkhwa Study Centre, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda
ix
Contents
(English Portion)
5 Dr. Adil Zaman Kasi afghanistan: people, land and its geo- 55
strategic relevance
Abstract:
Introduction:
Muted group theory was originally developed by Edwin and Shirley Ardener, a
husband and wife team from Oxford, England. This theory examines how dominant
*
PhD scholar (English Linguistics) ,Isamia College University Peshawar ,Lecturer in English
NUML (Peshawar Campus), Email: [email protected],
†
PhD scholar, Pashto Academy, University of Peshawar, Khyber PashtoonKhwa.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 11 July- December 2015
The French feminist writer Simone de Beauvoir while explaining the hierarchy of
sexes has expressed that: ―This has always been a man‘s world‖, (Beauvoir, 1997,
p.93) and has claimed the fact that woman is considered weak and of inferior
productive capacity because she has remained in bondage to life‘s ―mysterious
processes and so man has failed to recognize in her a being like himself. Beauvoir
observes: ―One is not born a woman but becomes one‖. (Beauvoir, 1997, p.301) and
with this, she tried to emphasize that sex and gender are two different things. While
sex is determined biologically as early as the time of conception, it is the gender that
serves as the fore-ground for various interacting phenomenon. Society creates and
recreates this gendered discriminative phenomenon in the world.
According to muted group theory, males are part of a dominant culture, whereas
females develop in a subordinate culture. Dr. Deborah Tannen from the University of
Georgetown studied miscommunication between men and women and found that the
problems usually stemmed from ―habitual differences in their interactive styles‖
(Maccoby, 2000). Men and women spend much of life learning or working in semi-
separate atmospheres and this causes communication differences,
Lakoff (1972) argued and put forth that ‗women have a different way of speaking
from men -- a way of speaking that both reflects and produces a subordinate position
in society‘. Women‘s language, according to Lakoff, is rife with such devices as
mitigators (sort of, I think) and inessential qualifiers (really happy, so beautiful). This
language, she went on to argue, renders ―women‘s speech tentative, powerless, and
trivial; and as such, it disqualifies them from positions of power and authority. In this
way, language itself is a tool of oppression‖ -- it is learned as part of learning to be a
woman, imposed on women by societal norms, and in turn it keeps women in their
place.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 12 July- December 2016
Language is the most powerful tool that makes it possible to demarcate and define
women as a separate beings and strengthens and maintains the cultural stereotypes of
male dominance in the world. As Kramarea .C. (1999) advocates that language is
man-made construction and explains,
―The language of a particular culture does not serve all its speakers equally,
for not all speakers contributes in an equal fashion to its formulation.
Women (and member of the subordinate groups) are not as free or as able
as men are to say what they wish, when and where they wish, because the
words and the norms for their use have been formulated by the dominant
group, men.‖
In most of the societies women are considered inferior, and devalued. They are
restricted to only household activities and for the look after of the kids. When they
try to break these shackles they are pushed to the peripheries in the world and labeled
as a knowledge-less, witless creatures or have no sense of humour. These differences
are very much clear in purposes of communication of both the sexes. As wood (2005)
advocates that “the masculine community uses speech to accomplish tasks, asserts
self and gain power. The feminine community uses speech to build relationship,
include others and show responsiveness.” As language is the tool that makes these
difference meaningful but the meaning is assigned in specific culture that is ‗a web of
significations, system of shared meaning. (Pacanowsky and Geerts 1999) Leeuwen.
v (1999) supports that meaning belongs to culture rather than to language‟ (Van
Leeuwen, 1996, p. 33.). Culture always tries and retries to support the dominant
views and higher class ideology. Terry Eagleton calls culture as „the system and
signification of control over the lower classes.‟ So it is the culture that construct and
reconstruct the differences between the men and women, because gender is culture
production not biological in nature. Wood (1999) considers that „gender is a system
of meanings that sculpts individuals‟ and with different types of expectations.
Culture not only controls the lower strata of society but also provide the power to the
higher class/ men to label and define them in given space and culture. According to
wood and Kramarea (1999) ―people at the top of the societal hierarchy are the ones
privileged to define what it means to a female or anything else in given culture. In
short the definition belongs to the definers (men/ higher class- not the defined
(women/ lower class).
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 13 July- December 2015
Patriarchy is one of the most powerful facet of culture used by men that initiates,
strengthens and enforced the power division in the society. Patriarchy (Mcleod 2010,
173) has been defined as a term that ―refers to those systems—Political, material and
imaginative—which invest power in men and marginalize women. It manifests itself
in both concrete ways (such as disqualifying women a vote) and at the level of
imagination‖ The patriarchal society enforces ‗the ideal womanhood‘ concept on
women which has to be attained in any condition or circumstance either with
violence or with killing and blood shedding of the fair sex. It is the women who are
bound to follow the ideal concept and in a sense, it leads the men to suppress the
women. It is very clearly visible from the Novel very clearly as Nana says to Mariam
“learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: like a needle that points to north, a
man‟s accusing fingers always finds a woman” (TTSS.7).
Another aspects that works as the dominating force for the male in the society is
religion. It is used to control, to other and less privilege the fair sex, though religion
itself does not provide any special power to the men. As yulina, N (1993) criticize the
male dominating culture,
According to Van. Vuuren (1973), women have been historically subjugated by the
Judeo-Christian institution, in which many churches, played the role to ―impose a
conviction of male supremacy and superiority on Western world women,‖ and
labeled those who sought empowerment from this oppression and spoke against it as
witches and/or, ―sexual consorts of the devil‖ (p. 249).
Simply we can say that religion is also a strong weapon for the males in the society to
use and reflect for the prominence of their power and control in the society and
specially the women folk. All these tri-parted nature (culture, patriarchy, and
religion) are powerful weapons for the mutedness and silence of the women in the
Khalid Hosseini novel ―A thousand splendid suns.‖
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 14 July- December 2016
Literature review:
Muted Group Theory was first proposed by anthropologists Shirley Ardener (1975),
and Edwin Ardener (1978), in order to look at established social hierarchies within
societies that favor some groups over others. Ardener (1978), posits that groups
operating at the pinnacle of the social order/power largely regulate the
communication system of the entire society, leaving relegated groups essentially
voiceless and ignored since their lived experiences are not epitomized and embodied
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 15 July- December 2015
in the dominant structures of this system (Orbe, 1998). This theory was later
implemented by communication scholars to focus on the experiences of women
(Kramarae, 1981) and African American men (Orbe, 1994). These scholars also
scrutinize that how affiliates of muted groups use communication practices to prevail
over efforts to render them inarticulate (Orbe, 1998). Kramarae (2005) suggests that
in many situations women are more watched over in their communication than men,
including what they can say and when, and with the reactions they bring to an
interaction. She further adds that men have been the prime architects of accepted
language practices fashioned to convey their experiences, leaving women guarded
and constrained. Kramarae (2005) acknowledges that similar issues exist for other
groups in society that experience asymmetrical relationships. Muted Group Theory
(Kramarae 2005) proposes that marginalized groups have little power to share their
ideas without being chastised, silenced or discriminated, and their speech is
disregarded and disrespected by those in dominant groups. Furthermore, their
experiences are not represented accurately in mainstream culture and are interpreted
to them by others (Kramarae, 2005). Wood (2005) compares Muted Group Theory
from Feminist Standpoint Theory, writing that the aim of the former is to call
attention to the muting of women‘s voices and their experiences as a result. She also
describes how it is concerned with the restructuring of language so that women‘s
experiences and practices, from their perspectives, can be accurately represented
(Wood, 2005). Similarly, Standpoint Theory is situated within the work of feminist
scholars, and examines the experiences of persons in subordinate positions, from
their angle (Orbe, 1994). Meares, Oetzel, Torres, Derkacs, and Ginossar (2004) cite
Kramarae‘s (1981) Muted Group Theory as a framework for understanding silencing
and muzzling in the workplace. They argue that conversations about mistreatment
and expliotations are frequently muted at work. They also speculate that power is not
exclusive hierarchical in the organization but is also influenced by gender, race, and
socio-economic standing. These findings suggest that similar processes of muting
marginalized groups occur within other societal institutions.
The purpose of this research is to see that how does culture in the form of patriarchy,
language and religion try to control, subjugate and mutes the feminine voice in the
novel and enforced hegemonic masculinity in the society. The culture of Afghanistan
is much similar to Pakistani culture in general and particularly with Pashtun in K P
province. So the researcher will try to dig out the impacts and effects of these above
mention terms in the silencing and the muting of female character in the novel ―A
thousand splendid suns‖
The researcher will try to analyze the novel in term of patriarchy, language and
religion. The researcher will also see the role of these tree cultural linchpins in
oppressing, dominating and controlling the women folks.
Patriarchy and its concept is not new in the world. From the inception of the globe, it
is enforced and reflected in the human life in general and women in particular in
different shapes and methods.
The novel ―A thousand splendid suns‖ is the story of two affected and victimized
women (Marriam and Laila). The Pashtun culture is the catalyst for the
marginalization and othering of the female. The signs of patriarchal victimization are
very much evident from the start of the novel when Nana tries to explain the nature
of men to Marriam.
“Learn this now and learn this well, my daughter: Like a compass needle
that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman”(ATSS.7)
Again in the novel, Nana is the first speaker that reflects the oppressive and baseless
masculine power in the pashton society and culture, as she utters about the day
dreaming of Marriam,
"Rich man telling rich lies. He never took you to any tree. And don‟t let him
charm you. Hebetrayed us, your beloved father. He cast us out of his big
fancy house like we were nothing to him. He did it happily.”(ATSS.6)
In the next few line Nana explores and pinpoints towards dominating nature of Jalal
(sign of masculine power) while committing a mistake (illicit relationship) by man
(Jalal) always blames women as Jalal does:
“You know what he told his wives by ways of defense? That I forced myself
on him. That it was my fault. Didn‟t? You see. This is what it means to be a
woman in this world.”(ATSS.6)
Most of the men in the book are rigid and uncompromising (dominating), especially
where women are concerned. On the other hand, the females of the novel—Mariam,
Laila, and Aziza—embody the ability of women to change and adapt the men
hegemonic rules that always try to oppress the female as Jalal and Rasheed do in the
novel. As Nana pinpoints to Mariam:
“Mariam wondered how so many women could suffer the same miserable
luck, to have married, all of them, such dreadful men. Or was this a wifely
game that she did not know about a daily ritual.” (ATSS.59-60)
Furthermore how these acts of dominance and control help the men to exploit and
manipulate the women folk to oppress them. As Rasheed forced here to chew pebbles
in the mouth after the miscarriage of the child by Mariam;
“Put these in your mouth…..His powerful hands clasped her jaw. He shoved
two fingers into her mouth and pried it open, then forced the cold hard
pebbles into it…..Through the mouthful of grit and pebbles, Mariam
mumbled a plea. Tears were leaking out of the corners of her eyes” (ATSS.,
94)
It can be comprehended that through these acts and reacts, the men folk try to mute
theme and make theme silent in the Pashtun patriarchal culture. This concept of
mutedness is clearly seen when Rasheed enforced Marian to chew pebbles of stones;
These enforced acts by men on women are skills that men try to practice for the
preferred and powerful position in the society to main the narrative alive in the
world. They oppress the women with force and punishment in patriachical prone
structure of society.
and peripheries inside the communications. Power, in other words, is not simply
something held by a ruling class of society and imposed upon those below them, but
is at work in all interactions, conflicts and communications: ‗Power is everywhere;
not because it embraces everything, but because it comes from everywhere . . . It is
the name that one attributes to a complex strategical situation in a particular society‘
(Foucault 1984: 93). They considers them as the toys to play with or insignificant to
be equal in status and power in the world. All these performances, acts and reacts are
made possible by them to the medium of language. Lakoff (1973, p. 45) argued that
`the marginality and powerlessness of women is reflected in both the ways men and
women are expected to speak and the ways in which women are spoken of. She
further explains that language reflects men's power and social advantage and it also
reflects women's relative lack of power and their social disadvantage. Feminist
language researchers (Wheatherall. A, 2002) established that men's power was
manifested in language in a number of complex ways. Spender (1980) identified one
of these when she argued that in the past men have had control over language (as
philosophers, orators, politicians, grammarians, linguists, lexicographers and so on),
so they encoded sexism into language to consolidate their claims of male supremacy.
According to Weatherall (2002) language not only reveals and perpetuates gender but
language constitutes gender and produces sexism as a social reality
“A fellow at the politics table, a Pashtun, had called Ahmad Shah Massoud
a traitor for “making a deal” with the soviet in the 1980. The kebab man, a
Tajik had taken offense and demanded a retraction. The Pashtun had
refused. The tajik had said that if not for Massoud, the other man‟s sister
would still be “giving it” to Soviet soldiers (ATSS.154)”
Rasheed explains to Mariam shortly after their marriage the attitudes and fashion in
the city of Kabul which is progressive, and women, especially women (professional)
and those of the upper classes, felt free to not cover themselves in public. Rasheed
stresses and warns Mariam that women must cover their bodies with a burqa when
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 20 July- December 2016
they leave the home they must be unaccompanied by a man. He claims that he wishes
to protect his wives, but really he aims to dominate and control them
“I have customers, Mariam, men, who bring their wives to my shop. These
women come uncovered, they talk to me directly, they look me in the eyes
without shame. They wear makeup and skirts that show their knees.
Sometimes they even put their feet in front of me […] for measurements, and
their husbands […] think nothing of a stranger touching their wives‟ bare
feet! They think they‟re being modern men, intellectuals, on account of their
education, I suppose. They don‟t see that they‟re spoiling their own
nang and namoos, their honor and pride.”( ATS..63)
It definitely indorses that how the male controlled language is used for emphatic
purposes by male.
They not only utter the rules but also enforced them on women folk to act and follow
them in soul and spirit.
Religion is another aspect which is inculcated in the minds of the women in the novel
to let them bare all those troubles that were enforced or happened due to the men. As
women role is very restrictive and controlled in the society. The religion and its rules
are mostly exploited to dominate the female in a culture, as the action of witnessing
is concerned Rasheed exclaims with certainty that
“God has made us differently, you women and us men. Our brains are
different. You are not able to think like we can. Western doctors and their
science have proven this. This is why we require only one male witness but
two female ones.”(ATSS.115)
In novel Taliban and Mujahedeen believe that proper social order relies on the
curtailment of female rights. As both the parties has announced the rules regulation,
not only for male but very strongly and seriously for female rights defilement in
Kabul.
“Attention women:
You will stay inside your homes at all time. It is not proper for women to
wander aimlessly in the streets. If you go outside, you must be accompanied
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 21 July- December 2015
by a mahram a male relative. If you are caught alone on the street, you will
be beaten and sent home. You will not under any circumstance, show your
face. You will cover with burqa when outside. If you do not, you will be
severely beaten.”(ATSS.248)
Even these people so called themselves the torch bearers of Islam and its leaders
were in in the favour of schooling for the females. They strictly forbidden the girls
from going to schools. Even the women were not allowed to work for living. As the
Taliban advocated that “Girls are forbidden from attending the schools. All schools
form girls be closed immediately.
This is not only the case of women but men were also controlled and manipulated by
these deceitful masked Islamic theologians and fighters in the country. Religion is
something which was used as the yard stick for judging someone behavior and life
but extremely an untrue and baselessly by these factions in the Kabul. They closed all
the parks, forbade to wear modern and decent clothing, music were banned, jewelry
and cosmetics were not allowed for women.
“Cosmetics are forbidden. Jewelry is forbidden. You will not wear charming
clothes. You will not speak unless spoken to. You will not make eye contact
with men. You will not laugh in the public. If you do, you will be beaten. You
will not paint your nails, if you do, you will lose a finger.”(ATSS 248)
As Rasheed proclaims his masculinity and control over his wife Mariam while
manipulating Islamic teaching.
Conclusion:
To make the long story short it is concluded that in Afghanistan and in Pashtun
culture women folk are repressed, marginalized and othered. These are made possible
with the help of patriachical control, lack of knowledge especially religious and
already established demarcated gender roles supported, enforced and maintained by
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 22 July- December 2016
References:
Beauvoir Sde. (1997). The Second Sex (Vintage Classics ed.). (Parshley HM,
Trans.) Vintage Classics. Hosseini K (2007). A Thousand Splendid Suns.
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc London.
Burnett, A., Mattern, J. L., Herakova, L. L., Kahl, D. H., Tobola, C., &
Bornsen, S. E. (2009).
Theory, 8, 1-26. Retrieved October 17, 2016, from Communication & Mass
Media Complete database.
Yulina. N (1993) ―Women and Patriarchy‖ women study forum vol 16. No 1,
Pregmon press USA p 57-63.
divergences. Woman and Language, 28, 61-64. Retrieved July 17, 2016, from
Communication & Mass Media Complete database
Khaled Hosseini's second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, is a story of two women
and their lives in Afghanistan over the past 40 years. Mariam was born as an illegal
child and was forced to marry Rasheed, an abusive husband at age 15. Rasheed is an
ugly, cruel man inside and out. Her husband broke her spirit with his abuse and was
forced to wear a burqa against her wishes, while Laila is an attractive girl who lives
just up the street. She was born to educated, liberal parents and enjoyed the
freedoms Mariam was restricted from. During the wars of the 1980's and 1990's, a
rocket destroyed Laila's home with her parents in it. This tragedy and an unexpected
pregnancy forces Laila to become Rasheed's second wife. After an initial rivalry,
Mariam and Laila become best friends.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 25 July- December 2015
Abstract:
The history of the world is full of epic stories of such heroes and heroines
who by their glorious deeds have left remarkable marks in the annals of
the world. They waged crusades against the forces of darkness and
tyranny for the peaceful and honorable future of their people. Like other
nations, the history of Pashtun is also full of such heroes. But
unfortunately majority of these heroes are anonymous. The World and
even Pashtun do not know about their struggle against the imperialistic
powers. Malalai of Mewaind can also be classed with the rank and files
of those greatest anonymous heroine of the World who drunk the cup of
martyrdom for the freedom of her country Afghanistan against the
imperialistic designs of the British. This research paper will highlight her
sacrifice against the British imperialism. The research will be focusing to
bring the achievements of Malalai of Mewaind into the knowledge of the
people specially Pashtuns.
Key words:Forward school of thoughts,Masterly Inactivity, British
Imperialism, Malalai
The relations of Great Britain with Russia remained strained during the first half of
the 19th Century. Both the super powers found themselves on the opposite camps on
the problem of ―Eastern Question‖ Russia were desirous to push her interest towards
the Balkans and Turkey but her attempt was foiled by Britain. That‘s why Russia
diverted her attention towards East and increase pressure on Persia and Afghanistan
near the border of the British India. The ever-increasing pressure on the frontiers of
British India forced the British Government to chalk out a comprehensive policy
regarding to Afghanistan to curtain the influence of Russia there. (Sharma and
Mahajan, 1998).During this era of tension there developed two schools of thoughts in
Britain to check the influence of Russia in Afghanistan.
1. Forward school of thoughts
2. Masterly Inactivity
*
Assistant Prof. Dept. of Pashto & Oriental Languages, University of Malakand
†
Lecturer in Pakistan Studies, Shaheed Benazeer Bhutto University, Shringal Upper Dir, KPK
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 26 July- December 2016
The supporters of forward school of thoughts were convinced that Russia was
seriously planning to attack India through the border of Afghanistan. Therefore the
think tank of the said policy advised the British Government to check her advance at
the border of Afghanistan. For this purpose theGovernment should make treaties with
the Amirs of Afghanistan. Therefore, it was deemed urgent that the Amir of
Afghanistan should either agree to such treaties or if he did not act according to the
wishes of the British Government, he should be replaced by one who abide by the
dictates of the British. For that if necessary, the British should interfere in the affairs
of Afghanistan or even impose war on her. The supporters of the said policy,
pleadedthat at any cast the Amirs of Afghanistan, be helped financially and
militarily, befriended, asked to enter into treaty and manage both its internal and
foreign policies. The Conservative party followed this policy which resulted in two
Anglo-Afghan wars (1839-42), (1878-80) (Forbes, 1892)
The throne of Kabul was not a bed of roses. Dost Muhammad Khan captured the
throne of Kabul in 1826 as a result of the war of succession among the members of
the royal family.On accession to the throne,Dost Muhammad Khan found himself
surrounded with both internal and external threats. Qandahar and Herat were under
the occupation of his brothers, Ranjit Singh had captured Peshawar, Shah Shuja,and
the exiled ruler of Afghanistan was trying to recover the throne with the assistance of
Ranjit Singh and the English. When Dost Muhammad Khan was fighting against
these difficulties, Afghanistan fell into the prey of the politics of Britain and Russia.
Russia had gradually extended her territory towards Central Asia, which was felt by
Britain as dangerous for the security of her Empire in India. In 1830s Lord
Palmerston, the Foreign Minister of Britain who was a staunch advocate of the
forward policy took serious notice of the new developments. He appointed Lord
Auckland in 1830 as a Governor General to materialize his mission. In September
1836, Lord Auckland deputed Alexander Burnes to Afghanistan to find out the
possibility of some settlement with the Amir and the Russia sent Captain Vitkevitch
as a reciprocal. Dost Muhammad was first more inclined towards English and
warmly welcomed Burnes because he wanted the recovery of Peshawar with the help
of English, but at the same time he also showed his inclination towards Russia to
pressurize the English to meet his dream. In 1837 the political situation of
Afghanistan further worsened when Persia attacked on Herat with the help of Russia.
The British put diplomatic pressure on Persia under which she left the siege of Herat
on 9 September, 1838. But however, Dost Muhammad Khan did not bow before the
British Government and wanted to retain the independence and sovereignty of
Afghanistan (Chris, 2004)
When Auckland failed to accomplish forward policy through Dost Muhammad Khan,
he determined to oust him and place the fugitive Shah Shuja on the throne of Kabul
who was in exile in Ludhiana. For this purpose he managed tripartite treaty between
the English, Ranjit Singh and Shah Shuja in June, 1838 which precipitated the First
Anglo-Afghan war (1839-42). In 1839 the British army called the Army of the
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 27 July- December 2015
Indusattack Afghanistan under the command of Sir John Keane and Mr. Macnaghten
was appointed the principal advisor of Shah Shuja.Initially the British Army
succeeded in occupying of Qandhar in April, 1839 and Ghazni in July, 1839. Dost
Muhammad Khan fled from Kabul in August, 1839 and Shah Shuja entered Kabul on
August 7, 1839. In November, 1839, Dost Muhammad Khan submitted himself to the
English who was sent to Calcutta as a prisoner of war. Six British regiments were left
in Kabul under the command of Elphinstone and the rest of the army returned to
India. Shah Shujawas not a popular figure in Kabul and was widely seen as nothing
more than an agent of the inviders.could not retain himself on the throne of Kabul for
long time. On 2 November, 1841, a serious revolt broke out in Kabul commanded by
Akbar Khan, a son of Dost Muhammad Khan. Soon the revolt spread far and wide
which forced Mr. Macnaghten to sign a treaty with the Afghans on 11December,
1841.
1. The English would leave Afghanistan as soon as possible.
2.The English would set free all Afghan prisoners, includingDost Muhammad Khan
3. Shah Shuja could live in Afghanistan or could go to India with English (Dalrymph,
2013)
Under this treaty the English army was permitted to leave Kabul for Jallalabad but
treaties and agreements meant nothing to the tribal men of Afghanistanand they were
attacked by the Afghans on several places on the wayto Jalalabad. Elphinstone,
Lawrence and Pottinger were made hostages, one hundred and six armed men who
were sick were arrested and the rest of the army was killed on the way by the brave
and freedom loving people of Afghanistan. Only one man Dr. WilliamByrdon
reached Jallabad alive on 13January who transmitted the news of this
disaster.However, General Nott and Colonel Sale protected Qandhar and Jalalabad
respectively. Auckland was deeply disturbed, when the news of the disaster reached
India. He immediately sent reinforcement under the command of Colonel Pollock,
but before Pollock reached, Auckland was replaced by Lord Ellenborough, who
assumed the office on 28 February, 1842. Having assumed his office, he determined
recall the English army from Afghanistan after the restoration of it‘s the prestige.But
when he heard the sad news of the defeat of General England at Hakalzai and
Commander Palmer at Ghazni, he decided to withdraw the army, but his order was
ignored but Colonel Pollock and General Nott and they decided to fight till the
restoration of the prestige of the British Army.Pollock forced his way to Kabul after
relieving Jalalabad. General Nott destroyed the fortification of Ghazni and met
Pollock at Kabul, where all the British Prisoners were released, Kabul was occupied
on 15September, 1842 and the British Army returned India (Johnson, 2011)
The first Afghan war ended in failure and the British Government failed to install a
friendly person on the throne of Kabul. The British puppet Government in
Afghanistan quickly collapsed and Shah Shuja was assassinated in April, 1842.Dost
Muhammad Khan, who had been freed by the English under the treaty between
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 28 July- December 2016
Akbar Khan and Macnaghten, again captured the throne of Kabul and ruled over
there till his death 1863.Dost Muhammad Khan kept himself free from the British
influence. From 1842 till to his death in1863, the British Government pursued the
Forward Policy but failed to bow down Dost Muhammad Khan (Tanner, 2002)
The first Anglo-Afghan war ended in failure and brought no advantage to the
English. Lord Lawarance (1864-69) followed the policy of Masterly Inactivity and
refused to interfere in the fratricidal war among the sons of Dost Muhammad Khan.
He clearly declared that the British Government would recognize whichever claimant
capture throne of Kabul. Eventually, Sher Ali succeeded in the war of succession in
1868 and Lord Mayo acknowledged him the dejure Amir of Afghanistan. Lord Mayo
(1869-72) also pursued the same policy of Masterly Inactivity. Lord Northbrook
(1872-76) who succeeded Lord Mayo also embraced the same policy despite the fact
that Russia had reached nearer to the frontiers of Afghanistan. Sher Ali under the fear
of Russia sought the assistance of the British Government but Brook refused to
change the policy of the Government. But he could not continue this policy because
of the shift of power from Liberal Party to conservative party. The conservative
Prime Minister,Disreali followed the policy of forward school and directed
Northbrook to ask the Amir to accept a British resident at Kabul but he turned down
his advice and preferred to resign. Disraeli deputed Lord Lytton (1878-80) to
implement his policy in Afghanistan. Thus the policy of Masterly Inactivity ended
and Lord Lytton pursued the Forward Policy which resulted in the second Anglo-
Afghan war in 1879 (Barfield, 2010)
After the declaration of war, the English army attacked Afghanistan from three side
and defeated the Afghan army easily and Sher Ali, the Amir of Afghanistan took
refuge in Russian Turkmenistan and his son Yaqub Khan was forced to sign Treaty
of Gandamak on 26 May.1979by which the British Government accepted Yaqub
Khan as the Amir of Afghanistan who would receivean annual subsidy of six lacs of
rupees and military assistance in case of foreign aggression. In return for this the
Amir agreed to receive a British resident at Kabul and to conduct his foreign affairs
on the advice of the viceroy (Ghani,1989). Under this treaty the British Government
deputed Mr.Cavagnari as an ambassador to Kabul and peace remained there for some
time but the freedom loving Afghans were not pleased with the new settlement and
soon raised a standard of revolt on 3 September, 1979and killed the British envoy on
his arrival at Kabul.This incident led to the assumption of war. The English took
immediate steps to suppress the revolt. Kabul and Qandhar were captured by the
English forces and Yaqub Khan sought English shelter. He surrendered all his claims
over the throne of Kabul and he was sent to India under the English protection. The
British was confused about the fate of Afghanistan. They were in search of a puppet
ruler with whom they could settle the issues easily but failed. They themselves were
not in a position to hold it for long and Lord Lytton decided to disintegrate
Afghanistan by placing a chief at Qandhar but the change of Government in England
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 29 July- December 2015
led to the resignation of Lord Lytton. Lord Ripon was sent as a new Viceroy with
instructions to carry out the policy of Masterly Inactivity (Ewan, 2002)
Malalai of Maiwandwas a brave teenage heroine who turned the tide of a crucial
battle during the Second Anglo- Afghan war and her action led to the defeat of the
mightiest British forces. Malalai of Maiwand, popularly known as Malala or Malala
Anna is a national heroin of Afghanistan who infused a new vigor and courage in
local Afghan fighters against the British troops at the Second Anglo-Afghan (1880)
at Maiwand (Charis, 2004).She is known as ―The Afghan Jeanne D‘Arc and as ―The
Afghan Molly Pitcher to the western world.This great heroin and pride of Afghan
nation was born in the house of an Afghan shephrd in 1861 at a small village
―Kheig‖ about three miles away to the South East of Maiwand in the Southern
Qandahar province of Afghanistan (Qazi,)
During the second Anglo- Afghan war, Afghanistan was occupied by British- Indian
forces and was attempting to colonies the area and annex to the British India. The
main garrison was situated at Kandahar closest to the town of Maiwand. The military
of Afghanistan led by commander Ayub Khan, son of Afghan Amir Sher Ali
Khan,was fighting against the mightiest force of the world with full courage.
Malalai‘s father and her fiancé also joined Afghan Army. Malalai was among those
Afghan women who were there to help the wound and provide water and spare
weapons to the soldiers.(Johson and Jolyan, 2004).In July 1880, a fierce battle began
between the British- Indian forces and Afghan Army at the battlefield of Maiwand.
Afghan Army was fighting against the mightiest force of the world with courage and
bravery but during the course of war the Afghan Army lost morale and was about to
face defeat. (Abdullah, 2010).A young Afghan virgin Malalaiappeared in the battle
field and uttered the following Landai which infused a new spirit in Afghan fighters
to redouble their efforts
With a drop of my sweetheart's blood,
Shed in defense of the Motherland,
Will I put a beauty spot on my forehead,
Such as would put to shame the rose in the garden
―Young love, If you do not fall in the battle of Maiwand,
By God, someone is saving you as a symbol of shame‖(Okkenhaug and Flaskrud,
2005).
After hearing the Landai uttered by Malalai, the Afghan fighters began to fight with
new spirit and during the course the leading flag-bearer was killed and Malalai came
forward and held up the flag.
SibaShakibWrites in her book‖ She used her veil as a flag‖(Shakib, 2011)
Malalai turned the tides of war and the Afghan forces conquered Maiwand in the
result of huge causalities and sacrifices and Malalaiwas herself struck down and
killed by British troops. She drunk the cup of martyrdom for the sake of her native
land but saved her soil from the chain of slavery.They had three times as many
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 30 July- December 2016
casualties as the British, but the foreigners were forced to retreat to Kandahar.During
the retreat a number of British soldiers became incapably drunk after raiding the
officers‘ stores and had to be left behind to be slaughtered by the pursuing Afghans,‖
said one account. (The backstory of Dr. John Watson, Sherlock Holmes‘s fictional
sidekick, said he was wounded at the Battle of Maiwand, and his injuries forced his
return to London.The veteran Pashtun poet AjmalKhattak express his emotions about
Malalai in the following lines,
My Malalai is living, and they praise others beauty.
Though they have eyes, they are blind(HaqHaqmal, 2008)
When the Mewaind was conquered in the result of huge causalities and sacrificesand
Afghan conquerors were going to bury their martyrs, Ghazi Sardar Muhammad Ayub
Khan asked who was this girl who caused Afghan Army emotional and courageous
in such a sensitive and tender situation by his Landyas. One of the soldiers replied:
She is Malala: the daughter of a shepherd, the resident of Mewaind, she is very
brave, so she could be buried along with other martyrs. Ghazi Sardar Muhammad
Ayub Khan replied in positive and she was submitted to soil along with other soldiers
with pray from Allah Almighty to bless the soul of martyrs.(Wanger, 2012).
The people of Afghanistan viewed Malalai of Mewaind as a heroine of Afghan
nation with great reverence. Many schools, hospitals and other institutions have been
erected in Afghanistan in her memory and Malalai is a very famous girl‘s name in
her native land. The stories of her bravery and courage are told in the Afghan school
text books. Many poems have been written in her name.MinariMewaind has been
built at Kabul by His Majesty King Zahir Shah in 1959 in the commemoration of the
battle of Mewaind. The landay uttered by Malalai in the battle of Mewaind has been
inscribed on it.
"Ka pa maiwandkishaheednashway..
Garanalalaya, be-nangi ta di sateena!"( Momand,2010).
Conclusion:
In the preceding pages an attempt has been made to highlight the part played by
Malalai of Mewaind in the second Anglo- Afghan war. The Afghan forces were at
the verge of defeat when young Malalai appeared in the battle field and uttered the
Landay
―Ka pa maiwandkishaheednashway..
Khudaygolalaya, be-nangi ta di sateena!‖
Which infused a new spirit and courage in Afghan forces which resulted in their
victory and led the defeat of the British Army. Though Malalai drunk the cup of
martyrdom but she saved the Afghan nation from the chain of slavery.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 31 July- December 2015
References:
1. Sharma, L. P. and Mahajan, V. D. (1998).History of British Rule in India
(1707-1947), 4th Ed, Lahore: Carrier Publishers, p.147
2. Forbes, A, (1892).The Afghan Wars (1839-42) and (1878-80), New York:
Hard Press Publishing, p. 176
3. Chris, J. (2004), Afghanistan: The mirage of peace. Zed Book, p.171
4. Dalrymph, D. (2013). Return to King: The Battle of Afghanistan, 1839-42.
New Yark: Knopf, p.110
5. Johnson, R. (2011).The Afghan way of war: Culture and Pragmatism: A
critical History. London: Hurst, P.67
6. Tanner, S. (2002). Afghanistan. Boston: Da Capo Press, p.321
7. Barfield, T. (2010). Afghanistan: Cultural and political history. New
Jersey: Princeton University, p. 56
8.Ghani, A. (1989). A brief political history of Afghanistan. Kabul: Najaf
Publisher, p.200
9. Ewan, M. (2002), Afghanistan: A short history of its people and politics.
New Yark: Harper Perennial, p.89
10.Wanger, Erich. (2012). "The Bones of the British Lying in Maiwand are
Lonely." Marine Corps University Journal. Volume 3 (1) spring 2012. Page
46.
11.Qazi, A. Afghan Women‘s History.
12. Johnson, Chris; Jolyon Leslie (2004). Afghanistan: the mirage of peace.
London: Zed Books. p. 171
13. Abdullah,Qazi. "Afghan Women's History". Afghanistan Online.
Retrieved 2010-09-12.
14. Okkenhaug, Inger Marie and IngvildFlaskerud (2005). Gender, religion
and change in the Middle East: two hundred years of history. Berg Publishers.
p. 191
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 32 July- December 2016
Abstract
With an overview of media communication theories, the sociological
perspectives of media‘s impact on society and religious responses to
media, this study focuses one of great Muslim thinker Alija Ali
Izetbegovic‘s views of media. Investigating within his whole
framework of two antagonistic aspects of man‘s life; the culture and
civilization, the study analyzes his views of man-mass to be much
similar with postmodern critique of technology on the behalf of the
―self‖ instead of these sociologists and religious thinkers.
Introduction
The impact of Mass Media on the society is remained under the discussions of
various academic fields. The history of its support and critique goes back to its very
beginning, when a German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg succeeded in the
invention of first printing press device in around 1440. The occurrence of human
communication from society to society and state to state for the religious and
political propagation is much older, which Denis McQuil terms as process to the
invention of actual media.†
McQuil sees media in medieval ages as a sacred or at least political activity of the
church dependent on her will. The birth of actual media in the form of printing press
according to him was an independent revolt. The authority of church and state as
Mcquil narrates ―reacted with alarm at the potential loss of control that this
represented and at the opportunities opened up for disseminating new and deviant
ideas.‖ffi The newly invented print media if could not be considered as the basic cause
cause of the first religious communal war in Europe but it played a significant role in
*
PhD scholar, Dept. of Islamic Studies, International Islamic University, Islamabad
†
Denis McQuil, McQuil‟s Mass Communication Theory Sixth Edition (London: SAGE Publication
Ltd, 2010), 28.
ffi
Ibid.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 34 July- December 2016
the circulation of such deviant ideas which compelled the Church to lose her
authority.
The latter development in the communication theories could be reduced to these two
approaches, where the researchers through improved methodologies conduct various
empirical and analytical studies for the justification of one of the above mentioned
approaches.†† In 2011, Russell Neuman and Lauren Guggenheim while reviewing
most important works from 1956 to 2005 on media effects theories in the field of
communication extended the history of communication theories into the mentioned
below six stages.
*
Michael Gurevitch, Tony Bennett, James Curran and Janet Woollacott, Edit., Culture Society and the
Media (London, New York: Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005), 06
†
Ibid.
ffi
Ibid., 07
§
W. Russell Neuman and Lauren Guggenheim, ―The Evolution of Media Effects Theory: A Six-Stage
Stage Model of Cummulative Research‖ Communication Theory 21, (2001), 171.
**
Stanley Baran and Dennis Davis,Mass Communication Theory: Foundation, Ferment and Future
(Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009), 155.
††
W. Russell Neuman and Lauren Guggenheim, ―The Evolution of Media Effects Theory: A Six-
Stage Model of Cumulative Research‖ Communication Theory 21, (2001), 172.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 35 July- December 2015
Persuasion theories.
Active Audience Theories.
Social Context Theories
Societal and Media Theories
Interpretive Media Theories
New Media Theories
Our aim here is not to go in depth of these theories but the point what we see in the
story of the history of evolution of the communication theories as Russell Neuman
and Lauren Guggenheim narrate is that, the nature of information in media is not
mere informative. It is more complex than what is being commonly observed. Many
communication theorists, sociologists, anthropologists and religious thinkers had
tried to explain this complexity of mass media.
Sociological Perspectives
If we ask people a simple question that, ―how he or she looks at media‖, each answer
to this question would be already discussed in a systematic sociological study. For
example, if he or she is conservative, he/she would consider the media and its
contents liberal, damaging the traditional values. On contrary for the liberal
progressive it would be a tool in the hands of state for manipulating public. For
someone it would be the source of change towards global mass culture but for other it
could be the only effective tool through which the class system, soico-racial
discrimination, gender and political injustices are sustained.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 36 July- December 2016
―The consciousness of human beings does not determine their existence; nor does
their existence determine their consciousness. Between the human consciousness and
material existence stand communications, and designs, patterns, and values which
influence decisively such consciousness as they have.‖ffi
*
James A. Anderson and Timothy P. Meyer, ―Functionalism and the Mass Media‖ Journal of Broad
Casting 19:1 (1975), 11-13.
†
Andrew Edgar and Peter Sedgwick, Cultural Theory: The Key Concepts (London: Routledge Taylor
and Francis Group, 2008), 59.
ffi
Robert S. Fortner and P. Mark Fackler, Edit., the Handbook of Media and Mass Communication
Theory (Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2014), 76-75.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 37 July- December 2015
Media therefore remains as a subject of studies for interactionists to evaluate the role
of media in the creation and interpretation of such symbols through which the
individuals interact with each other. Not like functionalists and conflict theorists to
look at society on a large scale, the interactionists rather interpret it at micro level. As
a nature of meaning of symbols through which people interacts with each other is
subjective, the study of interactionist approach would therefore look at the effects
which these symbols have on people.
Moreover, here if we want to combine both the mass communication theories which
were mentioned earlier and these sociological approaches, the best way to this
combination would be the McQuail‘s categorization. McQuail distinguishes the
theoretical approaches into two Media-Centric and Society-Centric variation. Then,
each of them is further divided into two categories of culturist and materialist as the
below table describes.
Media-Centric Society-Centric
Media-Culturist Socio-Culturist
Media-Materialist Socio-Materialist
According to McQuil‘s Media-Centric theory, mass media is the center and prime
mover of society.* On contrary, for Society-Centric approach, society is the center
while media only reflects or perhaps reinforce the already existing values. The
second distinction between culturist and materialist is of those theorists whose
convictions lie in values, culture, ideas and those whose interest is in material
forces.†
Before coming to the second part of our study, to describe Alija‘s approach in the
light of these theories, a glance to some religious reactions to media of other religious
fellows will make us more capable to analyze the resemblances of his approach as
well as to know how he differs from these reactions.
*
McQuil, McQuil‟s Mass Communication Theory,19.
†
Ibid,.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 38 July- December 2016
While interviewing to BBC on a passed recommendation that, ―a man can beat his
wife‖, when the BBC anchor Shaimaa Khalil asked the chairman of Pakistan‘s
Islamic Ideology Council, Mawlana Muhammad Khan Sherani that, ―this particular
recommendation has created a huge controversy within the Pakistani society, if he
could change his mind?‖ Mawlana Sherani simply replied, ―The media is not
society‖.*
For Mawlana Sherani as well as many other religious fellows the contents of media
are actually biased by liberal or secular means. In India, for the Hindu rightists of
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtria Swayamsevak Sang (RSS) the media is the
agent of pseudo-secularism. While criticizing the dual policy approach of Indian
media and secularism to the expulsion of Hindu pundits from Kashmir and Gujrat
riots, Indian Air Marshal RK Nehru writes; ―Expulsion of hundreds of thousands of
Kashmiri pundits is projected as sign of vibrancy of Indian secularism. It is non-
event for the media, which like to serve a monthly fare to Gujrat riots.‖†Nehru
further criticizes media and writes, ―The onslaught is generally led by media
mughals, who are all high priests of secularism.‖ffi
Similar voices could be heard from Jewish religious side of criticism of media. It was
not just a political statement that, ―the anti-Semitism lay at the heart of the media,‖§
given by a Non-Jewish author and speaker David Wyman but reveals a significant
truth about common Jewish attitude towards media. On Wednesday, 24th of August
in 2016, Israel Today news paper published an article under the title, ―Anti-Semitism
in the Media‖, considering the anti-Israel agenda as politically correct attempt
covering up anti-Semitism and the hatred of Jewish people and their existence.**
As the Jews consider anti-Semitism to be at the heart of the media, same is the case
with many Muslims about Islamphobia. Along with being heterogeneous
communities with having different ethnicity and races, a new type of racism is being
emerging against Muslims in the West. Describing the representation of Muslims as
*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXFTIIKz8AQ, Accessed on, 06-11-2016.
†
Air Marshal RK Nehru, Hinduism and its Military Ethos (New Delhi: Lancer Publication &
Distribution, 2013), 141.
ffi
Ibid,.
§
Mark Silk,Unsecular Media: Making News of Religion in America(Chicago: University of Illinois
Press, 1998), 110.
**
Israel Today Stop, ―Anti-Semitism in Media,‖ Israel Today August 24, 2016.
http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/29913/Default.aspx, Accessed on, 07-11-2016.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 39 July- December 2015
―alien other‖, Amir Saeed considers the notion of Islamophobia to be deeply rooted
in British media.*
However to look at the very nature of these kinds of criticism, it actually looks to be
the critique of the contents of media not media itself. That is because we see the
various uses of media for religious means. Not even such anti-media views of the
above mentioned critics are reached us through media but they used media for it. The
famous sample of using media for religious means could be considered the famous
saying of Swiss Christian theologian and preacher Karl Brath. Stressing on the use of
newspaper in an advice to a young theologian Brath told in interview with the Time
magazine, ―take your Bible and take newspaper, and read both. But interpret
newspaper with your Bible.‖†
Here in the light of Brath‘s saying, we can say that not only religious minded people
like Brath but also the critics of media would consider media by its very nature
neutral. It is its contents which commonly determine the fate of media to be good or
bad. But definitely, it is not the case with everyone. Some culturists and religious
thinker do not see the technological objects of media as soulless and neutral as the
other objects like rocks and mountains are. Criticizing religious approaches
considering the material of media objects and to be neutral Robbert H. Woods Jr. and
Paul D. Patton assert these objects to be biased by the very biased and subjective
nature of its human inventors.ffi According to them, not only the contents of media or
or the language used by their human operators, the very language of technology itself
has a unique way of capturing and presenting reality to the audience. For instance,
radios have a specific way capturing attention then of what a television has. ―Theater
requires a different kind of acting than film or television does.‖§
Moreover, televisions value images and pictures over hearing and reading, which
make us think sometime to believe that ―seeing more than reading and hearing is
believing‖** This ―faithful criticism of popular media‖ of Woods and Patton seems
to be more spiritual than the above mentioned religious approaches towards media.
**
Amir Saeed, ―Media, Racism and Islamophobia: The Representation of Islam and Muslims in the
Media,‖ Sociology Campus 1/2, (2007), 444-456.
†
Derek J. Tidball, Brian S. Harris, Jason S. Sexton, Edit., Revisioning, Renewing, Rediscovering the
Triune Center: Essays in Honor of Stanley J. Grenz (Eugene: Wipf and Stock, 2014), 383.
ffi
Robbert H. Woods Jr. and Paul D. Patton, ―Faithful Criticism of Papular Media and Technologies‖
Virtual Lives, (Waco: The Center for Christian Ethics, 2011), 30.
§
Ibid,.31.
**
Ibid,.32.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 40 July- December 2016
As it is not just a critique of media but the very tune of the contents of their views
goes in the depth of analyses of technology. From this point of ―spiritual analysis of
media and technology‖ we would move to the second part of our study to describe
Alija Izetbegovic‘s position in the light of communication and sociological theories
mentioned earlier.
The culture is therefore man‘s contemplation on his space in the nature, while
civilization is the product of his intelligence over nature. Religion, rituals, creed,
poetry, mythologies, fear and love to nature are thus the result of that contemplation
which value man and therefore develops certain ethical, moral and legal codes in his
respect to create human. The intelligence of man over nature rather fulfills his bodily
desires and needs. That difference between intelligence and contemplation is just like
the difference between education and meditation. Attained through learning,
education is the feature of civilization. Civilization educates people, making them
able for understanding nature and overcoming her to change the condition of
*
Alija Ali Izetbegovic, Islam between East and West (Oak Brook: American Trust Publication, 2012),
2012), 43.
†
Ibid,.
ffi
Ibid,. 44.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 41 July- December 2015
The contemplation on contrary is meditation, ―the internal effort to know one‘s self
and one‘s place in the world.‖ * The difference between the achievements of
education and contemplation is of the difference between prosperity and happiness.
The former is the good fortune relates to the material goods in financial and
economic means while the latter to the man in internal and spiritual respects. Hence
Izetbegovic considers civilization to be ―the effect of intelligence on nature and
culture as the influence of man‘s influence on himself.‖† That is this dualistic flex of
of human life in material and spiritual of civilization and culture, where for former
society is bearer and man as bearer for the latter, Izetbegovic views mass culture
from quiet a different perspective.
*
Ibid,. 47.
†
Izetbegovic, Islam between East and West, 45.
ffi
Ibid., 53.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 42 July- December 2016
In every cultural event like rite, dance and ritual the spectators are the performers and
vice versa. But in mass culture Izetbegovic believes, ―the people are strictly
separated into producers and consumers of cultural goods.‖† Here the spectators are
the consumers. Being manipulated by the mass cultural norms the spectators are in
complete passive position. They have no ability to change these norms or at least to
contribute something different to them. It is either the tools and instruments of mass
culture that are limited to some specific numbers of people or the people are already
manipulated, so their contribution could be considered the effect of that
manipulation.
*
Ibid,.
†
Izetbegovic, Islam between East and West, 54.
ffi
Ibid., 54.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 43 July- December 2015
Horikava, Izetbegovic writes, ―In a simple way, television has replaced literature and
thinking.‖ He considers the solutions for all problems in life offered by media to be
ready-made. He further writes,
―Our time offers examples of how mass culture media, being a government
monopoly can be used for a mass delusion of worst kind. There is no need for brutal
force to rule people against their will. That can now be attained in a legal way by
paralyzing the people‘s will, by offering them cut-and-dried truths, and by preventing
them thinking and arriving at their opinions of men and events.‖*
Izetbegovic further argues the paralyzing of people‘s free will to be also proved by
the mass studies of psychology. As psychological studies show that the persistent
repetition of something mythical makes it possible to be believed as real. These
studies also carry arguments about the media as being subordinating not only
conscious, but the instincts and emotions of the people; hence the people begin
thinking about the contents of media as their own opinions.†Explaining the use of
TV and its impact on people‘s thinking in totalitarian societies, he considers media as
a threat to freedom more dangerous than what states use for controlling people in
form of police, prisons, and gendarmes and so on.
However, for Izetbegovic the man in mass culture loses his individual freedom.
Being manipulated in the uniformity of mass culture the very action of a mass man
fulfills the needs of uniformity. Moreover, he considers mass culture the state of
mind and defines it with the term ―puerility‖, where a man behaves childishly in a
negative sense. The mass man thus according to Izetbegovic is the product of a
society in which the machines manipulate the men. It is the stage where the creative
and intuitive inner abilities are being demolished or at least hijacked by external
forces of technology.
Analysis
Here in the light of above discussion if we want to put his views in a communication
theoretical framework that would be obviously the ―Hypodermic theory‖, where the
media is considered to be the most effective tool for manipulation as well as for
indoctrinating people. The functionalist and interactionist approaches though do not
support his views properly, but being an activist and the victim of communist
*
Izetbegovic, Islam between East and West,54.
†
Ibid,. 55.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 44 July- December 2016
government policies his views must support the point of conflict theorists,
considering media to be an effective tool for powerful small group of the people.
In religious responses, the faithful criticism of media by Robbert H. Woods Jr. and
Paul D. Patton has much resemblance with Izetbegovic‘s criticism. As Woods and
Patton analyze the very nature of the technological devices of media, his views are
also concerned with technology and its use in media for transmission. But we see his
views much inclined in post-modern critique of the modern uniformity and its
assertion on self. To explain that, first we like here to mention the story of Kevin
Carter as an example related to our topic.
Now, we have various answers to the question to which Carter was subjected, why
did he not save the child? But if we want to look from Izetbegovic perspective the
answer though is simple but very different than the given answers. In the light of
above discussion Carter thus would be considered as the product of technological
society, where mass media had already paralyzed his inner-self, the self which was a
subject to spiritual and emotional response in such circumstances. If there had been a
*
Scott Macleod, “The Life and Death of Kevin Carter‖, Time Sunday, June 24, 2001.
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,165071,00.html accessed on 10-11-2016.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 45 July- December 2015
tribal man instead, he would had scared the vulture either or at least narrated the
story in a poetic tragic way to his fellows rather than to contribute an astonishing
picture to the media for material means.
This difference of responses to such a tragic event relies on the distinctive nature of
tribal man and man-mass. Being affected by television and technological devices,
man-mass as Woods Jr. and Patton assert, believes in images to be more effective
and impressive than hearing and reading. The behavior in aesthetics therefore
changes with the advancement in technology. The emotional attachment and
emotional experience of nature is now expressed in taking picture by cameras than
feeling, thinking, writing and drawing. Not only by McDonaldization of cultures, or
what Canadian anthropologist Edmund Carpenter believed that, ―media swallow
cultures,‖ Izetbegovic rather considers the very essence of technology to be a serious
threat to the ―self‖ of man, the source of thought, free will, art and humanity.
Conclusion
To go back to our hypothesis the above discussion thus evidently shows
Izetbegovic‘s critique of technology in his concept of man-mass to be much similar
with the postmodern critics of the uniformity of modernism. Like postmodern
philosophical tradition, Izetbegovic also emphasized on self and emotions on one
side while considers intelligence as the zoological aspect of man. Moreover, when
we encounter to the mass-man of Izetbegovic, paralyzed by technology and media,
we find him much similar to the picture of modern man in postmodernism and
existentialism.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 46 July- December 2016
References
Izetbegovic, Alija Ali. Islam between East and West. Oak Brook:
American Trust Publication, 2012.
Nehru, Air Marshal RK. Hinduism and its Milltary Ethos. New
Delhi: Lancer Publication & Distribution, 2013.
Poetic Imagery
Dr. Nazar Abid*
Dr. Altaf yusafzai†
Abstract
Imagery plays an important role in the creation and comprehension of
poetry. The poet portraits different actions, feelings and thoughts in his
words through imagery. Such poetic process helps the human senses to be
dynamic and eventually an artistic amusement takes place on the reader‘s
side. In this article, the writer explored the different sources which take
part in the creation of poetic imagery while presenting an analytical study
of some selected pieces of English poetry.
Introduction
The word ―image‖ has been derived from Latin word ―imagin‖ and French word
―imagarie.‖ This word presents the meaning of portrait, statue, the exact resemblance
of a person with another , the picture of an object being reflected in a mirror or
formed in the eye- ball , to explain a thing , scene or an incident in a dramatic way or
recalling of memories in mind. Well known critic and poet, Ezra Pound explains this
term as follows:
Several other words and terms have been derived from this word. For example
imageble, imaginable, imaginarily, imaginary, imagination, imaginative and
imaginativeness. The meanings of all these words present the formation of different
kinds of pictures in human mind. This process of human mind can be explained
through a term called ―imagery‖. This term has been defined by J.A Cudden in the
following words:
*
Assist. Prof. Department of Urdu, Hazara University Manserah, Khyber PashtoonKhwa.
†
Assist. Prof. Department of Urdu, Hazarah University Manserah, Khyber PashtoonKhwa.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 49 July- December 2015
Imagery plays an important role in poetry. The poet creates word pictures of different
objects, feelings, thoughts, mental and spiritual experiences. These images are
usually symbolic and metaphoric in nature. Elevated poetic images always appeal to
the senses of human beings. Keeping in view this aspect, the following images may
be found in poetry.
Visual Images (pertaining to sight)
Auditory Images (pertaining to listening)
Olfactory Images (pertaining to smell)
Tactile Images (pertaining to touch)
Gustatory Images (pertaining to taste)
Abstract Images (appealing to intellect)
Concrete Images (forming a solid picture)
Kinetic Images (pertaining to movement)
Kinesthetic Images (pertaining to movement and body language)
J.A Cuddon has also related the poetic imagery with the five senses of human beings.
He writes:
―An image may be visual (pertaining to the eye), olfactory (smell), tactile
(touch), auditory (listening), gustatory (taste), abstract (in which case it
will appeal to what may be described as the intellect) and kinesthetic
(pertaining to the sense of movement and bodily effort).‖ [3]
All such poetic images create sensuous poetry appealing different human senses.
Through his elevated imagination, the poet reflects his thoughts, feelings, sentiments
and emotions in the form of word pictures. The poet‘s intellect always relates itself
through his senses to the outer world. Then the creative observations of the poet
transform themselves in the poetic images.
The poet uses figurative language – language that appeals to the senses while
creating different types of images in poetry. This kind of language may also be called
as sensory language as it is well explained by the well known American author
Cornelius Eady in the following words:
The poet uses different figures of speech, like similes, metaphors, symbols and
personification while creating various images in his poetry. Sometimes all such
figures of speech become alternatives of image. So symbol, metaphor and image
often overlap each other in creative process of poetic imagery. The encyclopedia of
Americana also points out the same thing:
In all these figures of speech, metaphor has great importance. It is usually said that
each and every word is actually a doused metaphor. So the language is basically a
collection of various metaphors. Metaphor is known as the beginning of wisdom and
according to W.B Yeats, wisdom speaks first in images. While defining the poetic
image, C.D Lewis has also related it to the metaphor. He says:
All kinds of human experiences are usually expressed through some metaphors and
images. These metaphors and images express themselves through words. It is a fact
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 51 July- December 2015
that human psyche depends upon images or dreams to elaborate itself. According to
Freud, the poetry is basically the language of dreams and unconscious. In his
opinion, the poet is a day dreamer. He not only dreams himself but makes others to
dream as well. Freud relates all such dreams to human unconscious. His great
contemporary, Jung had introduced another theory of collective unconscious.
According to him all the common experiences of mankind are found in collective
unconscious in the form of Archetypes. Nicky Hayes explains Jung‘s theory of
collective unconscious in these words:
―Jung also believed that there was a further level to the unconscious mind,
which he referred to as the collective unconscious. The deepest levels of
the unconscious, Jung thought, were shared by all humans and date back
to our primeval ancestry. Although this is sometimes referred to as the
―racial‖ unconscious, Jung himself included all members of the human
race in his use of the term not just a sub-group within it.‖ [9]
Usually a poetic image affects a single sense of the reader. Mostly the visual and
auditory images are found in poetry because sight and listening are those human
senses which actively take part in the process of communication between human
psyche and the outer world. So both of these senses are the major sources of
knowledge for human being. That‘s why the human psyche usually expresses itself in
the form of visual and auditory images. Olfactory images pertaining to smell, tactile
images appealing to touch and gustatory images relating to taste are rarely found in
poetry.
Sometimes the poet creates such kind of poetic images which affect more than one
human senses at a time. Such type of poetic imagery may be called as mixed or
compound imagery. This is actually a complicated form of poetic experience under
which one human sense becomes substitute of another sense. For example, the
fragrance transforms itself into light and colors. While the light and colors become
intonation of music. Such kind of poetic imagery makes the poet as magician of
words.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 52 July- December 2016
The poet is to be very careful while creating any kind of imagery as it plays an
important role for the comprehension of his poetry. He has to pay special attention
towards the selection of words, idioms and phrases so as to make the image quite
clear and comprehensive. In this regard, the great critic Ezra Pound advised the poets
in the following words:
―Don‘t use such an expression as ―dim land of peace.‖ It dulls the image.
It mixes an abstraction with the concrete. It comes from the writer‘s not
realizing that the natural object is always the adequate symbol.‖ [10]
Now some selected pieces of poetry are being analyzed here on the basis of poetic
imagery presented in the same as to understand the importance of poetic imagery in
the creation and comprehension of poetry.
In his poem ―Driving to Town Late to mail a Letter ― Robert Bly says:
Now a few lines from a poem ―Temperature Normal‖ written by Arun Kolatkar:
I lean back in the armchair
And Bombay sinks
The level of the balcony parapet rises
And the city is submerged [12]
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 53 July- December 2015
In this stanza, the shadows of the elevated buildings are shown in deep water of
ocean in such a way that a visual image of a drowning city is emerged.
Timothy Steel, in his poem, ―Waiting for the Strom‖ has created a series of images
affecting different human senses.
All these basic discussions about poetic imagery and the above analytical study of
some selected pieces of poetry reveal the utmost significance of the poetic imagery in
the creation and comprehension of the poetry.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 54 July- December 2016
References
ABSTRACT:
Afghanistan, a completely landlocked country, is located in the heart of
South Central Asia. Afghanistan‘s physical geography has had a profound
impact on the country‘s history and culture. The complex set of mountains
that lie at the heart of the country is one of the most obvious features. The
local tribes or ethnic divisions are the outstanding social feature of life in
Afghanistan. The important geo-strategic location of Afghanistan plays an
important role in the region which connects South and Central Asia and
Middle East. Because of this strategic location, Afghanistan has been
targeted by various invaders. It has also been a source in which the local
powers invaded the neighboring states to establish their own empires.
Besides, the strategic location of Afghanistan was the central point
responsible for the intense rivalry between Britain and Russia during the
nineteenth century. It was on August 19, 1919 that Afghanistan regained its
independence from Britain following the third Anglo-Afghan war. Since the
late 1970, the land of Afghanistan has been under turbulence due to civil
war among various Afghan war- lords. This was further intensified by
foreign occupation, first by USSR in 1979 and then by the US in 2001 in
order to topple the government of the Taliban.
INTRODUCTION:
*
Assist. Prof. Department of Political Science, University of Balochistan, Quetta
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 56 July- December 2016
(1). One of the important features of social life in Afghanistan is its ethnic divisions
or local tribes. People show their utmost loyalty to their own ethnic group, tribe or
kin which is commonly known as qawm in their language. Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks,
Hazaras, Turkmens and Aimaks are the prominent ethnic groups in Afghanistan.
Comparatively, rural Afghanistan is the best example tribal loyalty where ethnic
groups take dominancy over the people (2).
PEOPLE
In Afghan war, which was one of the deadliest conflicts of the twentieth
century, nearly 2 million people were killed along with 15 thousand Soviet soldiers
and approximately 2 million were wounded(3). In this war, more than 6 million
Afghans migrated to Iran and Pakistan in order to save themselves from the wrath of
war. This Afghan migration is considered as one of the world‘s largest refugee
population since the 1981 (4). Therefore, it is estimated that at least 50% of
Afghanistan‘s local population (which was approximately 15 to 17 million people at
the beginning of war, now the present population is 22 million) has been killed,
wounded and homeless (5). There would hardly be any region of Afghanistan which
was not touched by war.
The present population of Afghanistan is of a mixed nature, and consists of
distinct groups – tribes or communities – each preserving its own blood and
traditions, and avoiding marriage with other tribes as far as possible. We may divide
them first into Afghans and non-Afghans. The Afghans (including those who call
themselves Pukhtoons) exist almost everywhere in the country, but principally in the
south of the Hindu Kush under various tribal designations, as Durranis, Barakzais,
Sadozais, Achakzais, Usufzais, Ghilzais etc., together with the different tribes
inhabiting the slopes, pockets and valleys of the Suleiman Range, which are now
known collectively as the Frontier tribes (6). The non-Afghans consist of Tajiks,
Turks, Hazaras, Uzbegs, Turcoman, Hindkis, Arabs etc., with Kizilbashes (Shias)
and a sprinkling of Hindus and Jews. The non-Afghans are chiefly found in the north
of the Hindukush; the Jews mostly in Heart; the Kizibashes in Kabul; and the Hindus
in the chief towns (7).
Few scholars agree on the intricate details of Afghanistan‘s population
statistics. Approximately eighty percent of them are Sunnis and the remaining twenty
percent belong to the Shia sect (8). Kabul, which had a population of one million at
the time of the Russian invasion, now has over 3 million people in it. Only 25 percent
of the village population is now outside the major towns (9). The more powerful
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 57 July- December 2015
tribes compete for power and are often hostile to each other. They speak 20
languages, though most of them understood two – Pushtun or Pashto and Dari which
is a special variation of Persian.
Demographically, the Pushtuns represent the largest of the Afghan ethnic groups and
form at least 40 percent of the population of the country. They are Hanafi Sunnis
except for the Turis who are Shias. The Pushtuns have dominated over the rest of the
Afghans ever since Ahmad Shah Abdali- a Durrani pushtun – formed a confederation
of Afghan tribes in 1747. The Durranis ruled over the country for over two hundred
years occupying all the important positions in the civil and military establishment.
This has been resented by the ethnic minorities in Afghanistan. In matters of day to
day life and in their reactions with others, the Pushtuns strictly follow their own tribal
traditions and customs the most well known being the Pashtunwali (10). Pashtunwali
is the tribal honor code of Pashtuns which is unwritten and for centuries governs the
Pashtun way of life. Basically, these sodes are followed by the Pashtuns of
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Pashtun refugees all around the world. The elements of
Pashtunwali are strongly observed in the Pashto-speaking areas. Even it is impossible
to find a child in those areas, whether male or female, who are not aware with the
main codes or principles of Pashtunwali. The key codes of Pahtunwali are melmastia
(hospitality), badal (revenge), nanawati (asylum or refuge) etc. Thus, Pashtunwali
through these codes lays down rules of conduct for the Pashtuns (11).
The Tajiks are the second-ranked ethnic group, comprising about 20 percent of the
population. The 3.5 million Tajiks claim Iranian descent. They are mostly Hanafi
Sunnis. Some are Ismaili shias (12). Most of them are agriculturists or petty traders
leading a settled life unlike the Pushtuns who are mostly nomadic in character.
The Uzbeks were mostly driven into Afghanistan from Uzbekistan in central Asia
central Asia when the Soviets pushed their communist ideology southwards. There
are about one million Uzbeks in Afghanistan (13). They have not played any
significant role in the Afghan polity. They inter marry freely with their Tajik
neighbors but rarely with the Pushtoons, who consider them somewhat less than
social equals.
About 870,000 Hazaras (14) live in the inhospitable Hazarijat area in central
Afghanistan. Their mongoloid features confirm their descent from the hordes of
Chengiz khan who swept the land astride the Hindu Kush in the 13thcenntury. Most
of them are lmami Shias and gain strength from the moral support they receive from
the Iranians. Some are Ismailis and a few of them are sunnis (15). They are relatively
poor and are mostly engaged in menial jobs. In the earlier times they were taken as
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 58 July- December 2016
slaves by the Pushtuns and even today the are at the bottom of the social pile (16).
The other Afghan tribes are the Aimaks (800,000) who are Hanafi Sunnis living
close to the Iranian border. They speak a dialect of Dari. Also along the Iran-Afghan
border are found Farsiwan (600,000). They belong to the Ismaili faction of the Shia
sect. The Brohi (200,000) are Hanafi Sunnis inhabitinhg the desert area of
southwestern Afghanistan. The Turkomen (125,000) are found in the northwest. The
Baluchis (100,000) are also Sunnis. They are a nomadic people moving between
Siestan and Heart. The Nuristanis (100,000) are Sunnis who are living in the
mountainous, terrain in the northeast opposite the ‗Kafir‘ valleys of Chitral in
Pakistan (17).
Afghanistan covers an area of 796, 095 sq. km which is smaller than Pakistan but
slightly bigger than France in size (18). Stretches 1,300 Km from South west to
Northeast, Afghanistan has a total width of 600 km. The British carved the narrow
stretch of territory in Afghanistan known as Wahkhan Corridor in order to prevent
the former Soviet Union having direct access to their possessions in India.
Afghanistan has a dry weather, with an overage rainfall of only about ten inches and
must therefore depend for irrigation upon its rivers, of which there are a number bore
in the mountains (19) It is estimated that of the total area of the country only 7.8
million hectares comprising 12% of the total area is under cultivation of this area
only 5.3 million hectares or 9% have irrigation facilities, but due to lack of water
only 2.5 million hectares or 4% of the total area the country is used regularly every
year. Moreover, only 4.78% of the total area of the country, mostly in the south and
east, is under forests. Much of the uncultivated country side, however, provides
summer grazing land for large herds of sheep, goats and camels, all of which are
important sources of income (20).
In the country three- fifth of whose total area is mountainous, by for the most
impressive physical features is a home of the Hindn Kush (Persian for ―Killer‖)
which bisect Afghanistan from northeast to south west for about 450 miles (21).
Ibne-Batuta, the famous Muslim traveler and historian of the fourteenth century,
crossed the Hindu Kush and gave it its present name because so many Hindu Slaves
brought from India died while negotiating this formidable physical barrier covered
for the most part of the year with snow (22). It is one of the highest and most
impressive ranges in the world. The Section of the range to the north of Kabul, the
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 59 July- December 2015
Many passes cut through the central Hindu Kush mountains, and in the past provided
the main routes north and south. Dupree divided Afghanistan into ten natural
provinces: East, South, Central, West, Northwest, North Nuristan, Badakhshan,
Wakhan, and Monsoonal Afghanistan (24)
With the departure of British from the sub-continent, Afghanistan lost its importance
in the eyes of the western bloc. This was because of the reason that the western bloc,
in order to counter Soviet expansion, found Pakistan as its main ally in the region.
But the scenario changed with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 which
brought Afghanistan once again to the limelight. This situation attracts the
intervention of regional powers and thus changed dramatically the strategic balance
of the region. Afghanistan in the above context of strategic relevance gained further
importance after the disintegration of Soviet Union (25).
The withdrawal of Soviet Union from Afghanistan once again changed the geo-
strategic importance of Afghanistan. With the disintegration of USSR in 1991, new
independent states in Central Asia came into being. In order to end its dependence
from Russia, those new Central Asian states were desperately looking for the new
routes or means of communication to export its oil and gas resources. In this
scenario, Afghanistan once again acquired the strategic position by providing its land
route from Central Asia to Arabian Sea. Thus, it can be asserted that Afghanistan,
despite its landlocked position, plays a very vital role as a trade route and an energy
corridor for the Central Asian states (26).
Soon after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, the US-supported Mujahidin
took control of the country. The US on the other hand, instead of continuing its
support to the Mujahidin, left the region and thus created a power vacuum which
soon resulted in the emergence of Taliban rule (27).
As Afghanistan had been abandoned by both Russian and the West, the Taliban had
no interest in acting as buffer, and pursued their own agenda (28). At that time,
people of the war torn Afghanistan warmly welcomed Taliban as they promised to
bring peace and stability in the country. However, Taliban‘s ill-policies and their
struggle for power having no political ambitions and refused to share power with
other main factions pushed the country, once again, into another period of instability.
At this point, Afghanistan can be described as a country which was legally undivided
territory of fragmented power. This situation lasted till December 2001. Taliban
turned into real threat of Islamic fundamentalism when it hosted Al-Qaeda and its
leadership. The US came into confrontation with the Taliban when the US embassies
were bombed by Al-Qaeda in 1998 (29). However, it was the 11 Sep 2001 attacks on
the World Trade Centre, which roused the world community and forced them to deal
with the menace posed by Taliban and its associates.
The War on Terror started by the US and its allies disturbed the region and further
added a great deal of turbulence in Afghanistan. The incident of 9/11 gave the US an
opportunity to bring Afghanistan under its effective control both politically, militarily
and economically.
This effective control over Afghanistan will help the US in getting access to oil and
gas resources of Central Asian states and also to contain and check the influence of
China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and India. Besides, the US will also keep a check on the
nuclear states in the region. If the US wants Afghanistan to be its asset, it has to be
created first and the US has to invest its efforts for the construction of Afghanistan in
order to make Afghanistan a reliable ally.
On the other hand, the US exit from Afghanistan could create political vacuum which
would most likely to be filled by Iran, India and Russia (30).
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 61 July- December 2015
CONCLUSION:
Afghanistan has a very old history and can be said as the cradle of civilization, as
different people from different region of the world entered this land and created
history. This led to the creation of heterogeneous nature of society in the land of
Afghanistan. While discussing about the people of Afghanistan, the first and the
leading point discussed was ethnicity, which play an important role in Afghan
society. Besides, Afghanistan has an uneven and rocky physical geography. This
physical topography has lead to the development of various tribes and ethnic groups
in Afghanistan such as Pushtoons, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazaras, Balochs etc. Important
ethnics groups in Afghanistan were discussed in this paper, which is very important
to study and is helpful for those who want to know and understand the present
situations in Afghanistan. In building up the territorial structure of Afghanistan,
ethnicity plays a very vital role. Despite thousands of years of integration, different
ethnic groups in Afghanistan have maintained their uniqueness without overlapping
each other. Taking into consideration the geographical and historical experiences of
Afghanistan, it can be said that it could not develop politically, socially and
economically like other modern democratic countries of the world. During the Cold
War era, Afghanistan continued to be at the centre stage of International Politics,
with Pakistan playing a very vital role of acting as the frontline state for the US for
supplying its military, financial and other necessary materials to the Afghan
Mujahidin. Thus it can be said that Afghanistan, due to its potential of influencing
the politics and societies of its neighboring states, has attained great importance in
the region.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 62 July- December 2016
REFERENCES
Abstract
Introduction
Loya jirgha is the great democratic institution of afghan society; all the decisions are
purely democratic. As compare to the parliament of other state loya jirgha have much
power. In the matter of great importance loya jirgha play very crucial rule in the
domestic and international field.
Approval of the future plans and state constitution are also concerned with loya
Jirgha. In the nineteenth and twenty centuries afghan people talked much important
decisions from this institution.
There are no written rules for the process of loya jirgha but it is a fact hat loya jirgha
is playing their role as a constitution assembly as well as it is an example of unity of
afghan people.
Jirgha system is working purely on merit and its pattern of working is different from
civic laws, there is no wasting of time and money, and with out involving in the court
legal procedure, all the cases are decided on merit in short time, no one can change
the decision of jirgha no one have the power to violate the decision of jirgha.
*
Assist. Prof. Depratment of International Relations, University of Baluchistan, Quetta.
†
Assist. Prof. Depratment of International Relations, University of Baluchistan, Quetta.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 65 July- December 2015
Historically the people of Afghanistan were not well aware of democratic and their
code of life has been preparing their national constitution, and they never allow any
foreign invader in their country, and obeyed only their laws which are not against
their values they have been solving their problems through Loya Jirgha and minor
cases are decided through local jirgha.
Basically grand afghan jirgha belong to Afghanistan, because Loya Jirgha is working
in the supreme council of Afghanistan, no one challenge their decisions even
president or king is bound to obey the jirgha because due to the tribal system
traditionally the jirgha system still exist in Afghanistan, with out any discrimination,
the people meet together in their respective areas and chose the representative for
Loya Jirgha. At the time of the meeting of Loya Jirgha the participations select a
person to preside the meeting the president of jirgha could not be a candidate for any
designation after that jirgha elects the president of the state according to the Islamic
values, Jirgha approves the elected president and allow him to run the state affairs.
Loya jirgha always en-converging the tribal system as well as their national integrity
where various tribal competing each other to serve their state which are directly
encouraging their patriotic afflation due to the afghan Russian war is another
example of their bravery.
Loya Jirgha is a sample of unity integrity sovereignty, Islamic brother hood and
reflection of pushtun heritage. There are the characters of Islamic education and this
system is acceptable for any afghan respectively.
In 120 BC ashkanians have crossed the area of partia up to Baghdad and they have
chosen the city of Thafoon an arachosia (oandahar) due to which once more the
anarchy was spreaded their, the trible chief were gathered to settle the political crices,
after long discussion in 72 BC they have convened a jirgha near Qandahar and have
chosen a party king the name of the king was Moas.
Moas invaded the western Punjab and the gandara. After the conquest of the Punjab,
and gandara once more Moas loses his attention towards archosia and then the people
of gandara choses a new chief his name was Moens according to the crust on sean the
Mones was speaking afghani pushto.
From Mones to Mir wais there is no sign of any Jirgha, if we search the history of
Afghanistan and India, the afghan have ruled for a long time but there is no prove of
any afghan king who have been chosen by Jirgha,at that time afghan‘s geographical
structure was not yet settled, the country was consisted of many tribes. Eastern part
of the country was related to India (new Pakistan) western and northern part of the
state was under Persian dominance and some tribes were leaving independently.
Their people were not under the any country and not they followed the leave of any
state they had been settling their disputes according to their own Jirgha.
When in 1702 the government of Persia appointed the Georgian as governor general
of Qandahar to strengthen their hold on Afghanistan. IN 1709 the Ghilzai rose under
Mir Wais and slaughtered the hated Georgian and garrison and toke Qandahar from
Persia safari dynasty, and convened loya Jirgha at Qandahar, in which all the Afghan
tribes, chieftain ulma (religious scholors) were invited all the tribes of khiljais and
durranies participated.
In this jirgha Mir Wais presented a Fatwa of ulma of Macca against the Georgian,
which indicated the righteousness of a Sunni revolt against the ―HERETICAL‖
safavid Shia‘s. And also delivered a brief speech and suggested some proposals of
the future of afghan sovereinty. After a long discussion Mir wais was chosen as first
chief of the nation, and according to the tribe assure him for any kind of sacrifices to
save afghan from any foreign invader.
MIR WAIS dies peacefully in 1715 and lies in a mausoleum in Qandahar. He never
proclaimed him self – king, but simply vakil (governor or regent) of Qandahar.
The participants of Jirgha strongly oppose his proposal and rejected. But about Abdul
Aziz given a message to Persia.
When Mir Mahmud the eldest son of Mir Wais was informed about this secret
message, he with the help of other forty tribal chieftien and ulma exiled Abdul Aziz
and convened a loya jirgha.
In this loya jirgha Mir Mahmud informed All the jirgha members about the
conspirancy of Abul Aziz , and also announced the death of Abdul Aziz in this
occasion he taken the approval of the jirgha and seized power in1717.
Shah Mahmud just as his father done. Mahmud sensed correctly the helplessness of
Shah Sultan Husain and he marched into Persia in 1719 and occupied with almost
without opposition. About nine months Mahmud returned precipitously to Qandahar
and put down to volt by the governor left in charge Bijan Sultan.
On April 25, 1725 Mahmud agonies came to an end at the age of 27 years. The next
day Ashraf proclaimed himself the SHAH and there force effectively cut himself off
from Qandahar. For the brother of Mahmud, Husain and other kinsman would never
accept the 26 or 27 year old ASHRAF as SHAH
After 4 years Ashraf hunted by both nadir and Husain sultan of Qandahar (Ashraf‘s
cousin); was probably killed by Husain sultan of Qandahar in February 1730, with
the assignation of Ashraf was the end of afghan ghilzai rule over Persia.
In 1865 Amir Sher Ali convened a loya Jrgha for the endorsement of his politics and
program in order to put an end to the civil war and internal conflicts ensure national
society and extend central authority to the entire country almost soon tribal chiefs
approved his plans.
britisharmy and defeated the british army under the command of journal nadir khan
at all, and they siege Zhob Quetta and Wana continent. After that the British govt
ordered the general dairy to seas fire.
On 26 February 1923, the second loya jirgha convened by King Amanullah Khan at
jalalabad the number of participants were 872 and gave approval of constitution after
long decision.
In September 1939 when the Second World War started, the Russia joined allied
forces against Germany; the British asked logistic support from Afghanistan and
Persia, Iran rejected any kind of cooperation against Germany. The afghan Govt
convened loya jirgha in 1941 for discussion on the demand of allied forces. After
prolong discussion the jirgha rejected the demand of logistic support.
For the approval of a new constitution King Zahir Shah called loya jirgha on October
01, 1964, 455 members participated in this jirgha and approved the countries future
constitution.
At the end of January 1976 president Daud called a loya jirgha under the president
ship of Azizullah Wasti for the purpose of the new constitution and selecting the
president of the state after having 24 sessions.
On April 23, 1985 the first session of the loya jirgha was held in the Kabul
Polythenic. 1796 reprisentatives from all over the country who had been elected by
the local jirgha in the traditional free and democratic atmosphere a 200 invitees were
participating in the loya jirgha. The 200 invitees incloding others Ajmal Khattak,
Khair Bakhsh Marri about 70 to 80 tribes man from the Pakistan side of the border
and 40/50 from than.
On November 29, 1987, 1500 delegates nominated ,elected and 400 foreign guests,
including delegation from the awami national party society party, national libration
front of Baloch people and Hizb-e- Ichruk-e qabail from Pakistan Abdul Rahi Hatif
its located deputy chairman, for the duration of the jirgha.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 71 July- December 2015
References
Sultan muhmmad sabir loya jirgha (Lahore frontier post publications. 1994)
P. 9.
Ibid, P. P. 13. 14.
Louis Dupree Afghanistan (Princeton university press, 1980), P. 327.
Tate the kingdom of Afghanistan a historical sketch, Karachi: Indus
publication. 1973, P 233.
Ibid
Louis Dupree, OP-CIT, P, 403
Fida sayed younus, Afghanistan jirgha and loya jirgha, the afghanitan
tradition,
(the Aays, Rahatabad Peshawar), 1999P. 37.
Tate op Cit, 234.
Ibid.
Richard F. Nyrop Donald. M. Afghanistan A-country study. Washington D.C
American University , 1986.P . 44.
Ibid _ P. 49.
D. Abdullah- reforms and rebellions in Afghanistan 1919-1929. Aminullah
failure to Mudrovize a trible society New York. Cornell university Press .
1973.
Sultan Muhammad Sabir op Cit P P, 59. 10.
Ibrahim Muhammad Atta. DA Afghanistan par mahasar tarik yawa khatana
(pushto) Kissa Khwani bazaar Peshawar, 1380. P 219.
Louis Dupree Op cit p, 463.
Sultan Muhammad sabir OP-Cite, P73
Ibid P. 55.
Research Methodology:
The study of folk stories could be carried out through qualitative measurement hence
for this study qualitative tools and method has been used. On the same basis assorted
sources have been consulted which also includes the contemporary literature.
The basic purpose of writing epics, short stories or any folk story has been to
entertain and delight people.Besides being their educational values and historical
knowledge, which these actually impart, the Psychological benefits obtained from
these stories cannot be over looked.
These folk Stories play an important role in Literature.These stories reflect the
Psychological aspects, superstitions, the fundamental beliefs and such like aspects of
life.
The stories are the reminiscences-the old nostalgic memories, which are deemed
essential treasure-house by the demographical experts. Who believe that these stories
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 73 July- December 2015
throw ample light on human Psychology and the origin and development of human
mind.
The critics keep an eye on the technical aspects of the stories, whereas the reader is
kept engaged in the element of joy these stories provide.
There are flaws which may be traced in plot construction. However, this is only plot
which maintains the reader‘s attention throughout. This interest is because of the
supernaturalism or metaphysics. The judgment of the critics may be at times critical
or harsh, we do not however, loose imaginative contact while reading such stories.
It may be true to say that at times we are likely to forget the relationship between
cause and effect, owning to the metaphysical aspects in the stories.
We for a while, are likely to be oblivious of the actualities of life, rather are lost in
the magical world latent in these stories, this world is a strange one; replete with
multi colors and attractions at every point. We do here have to credit the critic, who
does assess the plot of the story, but cannot help keeping his eyes off the subtleties
and delicacies of it.
He is not to be considered a loser. He is drenched in the beauties of these stories, the
genre of folk stories is soaked with the heavenly relics, the narration reflecting the
civilization. It is to the credit of these folk stories through which prose has flourished
in all times.
It we analyze the scenic aspects hidden in folk stories we find out that no other types
of literature come close to it. We find out in abundance the scenic display in the folk
stories. It relates to the panoramic views from local to universal. The themes such as
orchids, rivers, deserts, the calmness in the evening, the gentle touch of heat; all are
interpreted and portrayed with utmost care and delicacy.
Not only these but the pain of desertion, cowardice and gallantry, motherhood,
respect, honour, the bashfulness, wrath and much more are interwoven systematically
at intervals. The feelings and emotions are found in these stories are multifold. The
folk story is the representative of all such aspects of life.
Brahvi Folk Stories:
We may say it with confidence that the folk story is a precious gift of the ancestral
treasure. Brahvi Literature cannot ignore the importance of folk stories, keeping in
view the fact that these stories have made Brahvi literature shine like a pearl. These
stories have added beauty to it and have made it ornamented and loveable.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 74 July- December 2016
The Brahvi Story writer does take the readers to a world of sublimity and
imagination; normally unaccusable. He does develop the love for humanity
unconsciously. These Brahvi stories may have supernatural characters like fairies but
the hero-the protagonist is always a man like our selves. Among the magical displays
are found true human beings.
We find the readers being sympathetic towards the miseries of these characters and
also see the element of joy in them upon seeing their heroic characters, coming out of
troubles and turmoil‘s. Such is the characterization of these folk stories, that it always
keeps the readers intact. We may cite here the story of the character her of the central
character of the story, who in order to help the neighboring king, goes out to fetch the
eyes of Bordue, to help the wife of the king is entrapped by Bordue; who lights up
the fire to kill him We see in the hearts of the readers the anguish, the pain which
they feel for their hero. The prayers of the elderly person rescue him and he succeeds
in killing Bordue. The readers are enormously delighted at this rescue.
The central character also comes in contact with some villainous characters. We find
the hatred in the hearts of the readers for these antagonists. This is truly called the
poetic justice-love for the good characters and hate for the evil ones.
The readers want their heroes to be successful and want to see the evil meeting
catastrophe. Another instance of these feelings being developed in the heart and soul
of the readers is when in Gul-e-Khandan‘s story, the wife of the hero, suffers at the
hands of her husband‘s two brothers; who force her to dance and want to take her to
koe kaaf. We see the readers dejected and melancholic and when the young prince is
rescued by the caravan, from the well, and reaches home safely, wife returns home
and the repentance by the two brothers; all these make the readers happy. This is how
in each story the protagonist is shown to be undergoing ups and downs in life; facing
the vice and the virtue, thereby, concluding each story with hero to be victorious and
this indirectly is the victory of being virtuous. The readers come across various
themes of life including sympathy, sacrifice, love and kindness and are bent upon
developing these qualities.
We find that the central characters of these folk stories are mostly the conspicuous
personalities like princes, the ministers, the nobles etc. They prefer serving humanity
at the cost of ease and comfort in their lives, they want to establish virtue.
They do face calamities and challenges but their unflinching and untiring efforts and
zeal makes them successful. They do this only in order to safe guard their people.
They combat with evil, fight the monsters, the wicked and the vicious characters, by
defeating them these heroes relax.
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 75 July- December 2015
If we analyses Brahvi folk stories we realize that there is always some sort of moral
cleansing besides the comic relief and delight. For instance, here may refer to the
readers the book ―Masa Cal‖ by renowned author Afzal Maingal,Brahui
Academy,1988. in which each story contains elements of Solidarity, unity, love for
mankind and affection.
Similarly, the book compiled by Abdul Rehman ―Brahvi Kisa ghak‖Brahui Acedemy
1977. also reflects the similar trends.
A book ―Brahvi Khalki Kisa-e-ghak‖ by Afzal Maingal ‗Bay-na-takr‘, Brahui Lok
Kahany,1978. ‗Masalal‘. ‗Hussan-e-wazir‘,‘Gul khanda‘1993., ‗Hussan Bano‘2002.,
‗Shams-o-kamar‘2003, Azeem Jaan‘s Kacharee,Brahui Academy,1995.and Kafla-the
caravan, the Sosan Brahui‘s Heerof, Brahui Academy,2004.Professor Anwar
Roman‘s Brahui folk stories, Brahui Academy,1965. All these folk stories reflect
Brahvi culture, traditions, habits and personality traits of people and this exposure
leads the readers to have a peep into the world of virtue. These folk stories in Brahvi
literature certainly more the readers towards virtuous actions.
These make men brave enough to face boldly the challenges of life and also to be
able to resolve the intricate issues. In his efforts they will surely be victorious.
We also find a special space for women in these folk stories, who are encouraged to
confidently face the problems in life.
Similar aspects of life are also found in Pashto folk stories
These stories reflect the various features of society including physical and economic
ones, and also reveal to the readers the ways of life these people have adopted. We
find likeness and index of similarity of themes between Brahvi and Pashto folk
stories; with a slight difference of Life Style Patterns, Circumstances, Language and
Culture.
―Mili Hindara‖ is the epitome of these traits in Pashto ―These long and short termed
incidents and anecdotes bring to light the Pashto Social life and are narrated, out of
the discussions that take place at homes infinite, and Hujras and Daria‘s (Places
where group of people gather for counselling and judgments). (Prof. M. Nawaz
Pashto Academy Pashto-1987, Pg-168)
Qazi Hanifullah Hanif says in his book ―Pashtoon Aur Madee Folklore‖ page No. 10.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 76 July- December 2016
ش ت
ایس.ہ رتیقیک رطفاگنزم وہ یت ےہ ااسنن اور ذہت يي و ندم ما داورکا ن ي ں
ہںوہ یتہکل ييں بس ھچکں ي ں ” ي
ت
رطح ااسن یک زدنیگ ے رگنںڈگنھ ذہت يي و ندم اور رنہ نہ ے ي و
رطيں اور ا ےس ہقلعتم اوزار اور
آالت ي ں
“ ں.میھب عنصرتیقاورساف تآیئگ
Translation: Culture and civilization are not static in nature but it always make
progress. By the way it reflects in the life style, tools and culture of a nation.
The Characters in these stories, both of Pashto and Brahvi are men like ourselves,
full of breadth and blood.
―The Pashto Literature has preserved and protected the language and has introduced
lively characters representing social life and these characters are presented as role
models for the readers and have made them once again living and out of the world of
stories (Pg-108).
One important point related to these folk stories is that, these portray in true essence,
the national events, cultural values, and if these are devoid of them, shall never be
deemed as true representative of society. There may be a touch of colors of event
from the lives and the cultures of other nations, but these are presented to the readers
with a feeling, that we find a symmetry and balance in their exhibition, with a touch
of similarity of the events as belonging to reader‘s culture and life.
References:
Introduction
The cardinal purpose of this paper is to highlight on the services of Abdul Samad
Khan Achakzai which he had rendered in the field of journalism. Moreover, light will
be put on Achakzai‘s struggle for imposition of Press Act in Balochistan. The
endeavors of Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai for the purpose of establishment of
printing press will also be discussed. Weekly Istaqlal of Khan Shaheed is also to be
discussed in this paper. Another aim of this paper is to shed light on the difficulties
which Achakzai faced during his journalistic career.
*
M.Phil. scholar, Dept. of Media & Journalism, University of Balochistan, Quetta
†
Prof. Dept. of Pashto, University of Balochistan, Quetta
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 78 July- December 2016
the imposition of the Press Act. Therefore, he started struggle for the imposition of
Press Act. Khan Shaheed sought the help of different political leaders belonging to
various political parties including Indian National Congress, Muslim League and
Muslim Conference.ii He met Molvi Shafi, the then secretary Muslim Conference,
and Molvi Sir Muhammad Yaqoob, the then secretary of Muslim League, in order
that he might seek their assistance and help for the enforcement of Press Act in
Balochistan. iii He also sought the help of Syed Murtoza Badoor, Sir Muhammad
Amin, Doctor Sir Zia Uddin and Sir Shafahat Ahmad Khan.The most essential role
for the imposition of Press Act on the request of Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai was
played by Mian Sir Fazal Hussain, member Government of India. iv Molvi Shafi and
Molvi Sir Muhammad Yaqoob on the request of Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai met
Sir Abory Mitacaff, the member Government of India, and pursued him to take
measures for the imposition of Press Act in Balochistan. v The role of Sir Abory
Mitacaff cannot be denied. He also took serious measures for the enforcement of
Press Act in Balochistan. In fact his stance paved the way to the enforcement of press
act in Balochistan. He once told Samad Khan Achakzai, ―You do not know how
difficult it was to convince the authority to enforce the Press Act in
Balochistan.‖ vi Finally, the efforts of Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai bore fruit and
Press Act in Balochistan was enforced when he was detained in jail as a political
detainee.
The setting up of that printing press cost Rs10000 Rupees. 7500 rupees were
collected through the donations of Samad Khan‘s friends, peers and general public.
And, Samad Khan managed the rest Rs2500 by selling his property. A large of
portion of the donation that was Rs2000 was given by Khan-e-Kalat Mir Ahmad Yar
Khan.viii Kamal Uddin Ahmad in his book ‗Sahafat Wadi-e-Bolan Main‘ says ―Mir
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 79 July- December 2015
Yousaf Aziz Magsi bought a printing press so that he could launch a newspaper from
Balochistan and this purpose he collected donations from Mastang. But this could not
happen due to his early death. And, after his death Samad Khan Achakzai become
the in charge of that printing press.‖But, the claim of Kamal Uddin Ahmad cannot be
supported by any reliable evidence. Abdul Ghani Khan Ghano, one of the reputable
historians of Balochistan, told this researcher about the claim of Kamal Uddin, ―It is
a hundred and ten per cent wrong not to give the credit of initiation of Aziz Electric
Press to Khan-e-shaheed. It was Samad Khan who struggled for the printing press.
He even sold his own property so that he could manage the money for the press.‖
Other historians, researchers and writers like Malak Asad Khan Tareen, Dr. Shah
Muhammad Murri, Shoukat Tareen and Prof. Sami Naghmana Tahir are also of the
opinion that the printing press was started by Samad Khan Achakzai.Samad Khan-
owned Aziz Electric Press was situated at Prince Road Quetta. Weekly Istaqlal, the
newspaper of Samad Khan, was printed in that printing press.ix
Weekly Istaqlal
Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai, the father of journalism in Balochistan, started
publishing Istaqlal in January 1938. It was a weekly newspaper. Istaqlal was a
bilingual newspaper. It was published in Urdu and Pashto, the mother language of
Samad Khan and the people of British Balochistan which is nowadays called the
Pashtun belt of Balochistan. The main purpose of selection Urdu as language of the
newspaper was that masses could read and understand it easily. x This newspapers
was distributed among the masses free of cost.
Istaqlal was an anti-British newspaper and it followed the policy which was against
the rule of the British, the then rulers of the Indo-Pak Sub-Continent. In fact, it was
the representative newspaper of the Injuman-e-Watan, a political party that worked
under the leadership of Samad Khan Achakzai and was active in the Pashtun belt of
Balochistan. xi It also supported the stance of Qalat State National Party, another
political party which was active in the Baloch belt of Balochistan. Weekly Istaqlal
was a staunch supporter of stance of Indian National Congress, one of the major
political parties of the Indian sub-continent. The stance of Congress was that India
should not be divided. On contrary, Muslim League, another major political party,
wanted the partition of India and the creation of Muslim state Pakistan. Istaqlal
opposed the stance of Muslim League and was against division of the Indian sub-
continent. Samad Khan Achakzai was of the opinion that the division of the Indian
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 80 July- December 2016
sub-continent would weaken Muslims and the strength would finish. But, after the
creation of Pakistan Samad Khan not only accepted the existence of this country but
also offered his services for the betterment and welfare of the masses of this country.
Weekly Istaqlal focused the issues of Balochistan. Its leads and super leads were
about the news of Balochistan.
As Istaqlal newspaper published news about Balochistan, the people of the province
felt that it was the representative of theirs. And, the people would voluntary give
donations to Istaqlal because they knew that Istaqlal was their voice which was raised
for the achievement of their rights. Despite low literacy rate and less population, the
circulation of weekly Istaqlal was 2500 copies and on other newspaper could gain
such popularity at that time in Balochistan.
Although Istaqlal was against the policies and rule of British government, the British
did not ban it. They only fined it and asked Samad Khan to submit security fee
during their rule. But, after the creation of Pakistan the rulers could not tolerate the
truth published in Istaqlal, so it was banned in 1950. After the imposition of ban of
weekly Istaqlal, Samad Khan started publishing weekly ‗Pegham-e-Jadid and
Monthly ‗Pashto‘ but these magazines were also banned under the Balochistan Public
Safety Act.xii
Weekly Istaqlal played vital role in the journalism of Balochistan. It was among the
early newspapers of the province which motivated people to read newspaper.
Common people were not habitual to reading newspapers. It was Istaqlal which for
the first time inspired common people to read it. Being Urdu and Pashto newspaper,
Istaqlal played important role in teaching people these two languages. The Istaqlal of
Abdul Samad Khan played the role of nursery where almost all the early journalists
of the province learnt journalistic work. Istaqal was active supporter of the Indian
National Congress and opposed the Muslim League‘s point of view, so to counter
Istaqlal Muslim League initiated its own four newspapers. In fact, the initiation of
those newspapers could not lessen the popularity and role of Istaqlal but their
commencement provided another platform for the journalists of the province. Istaqlal
newspaper raised the issues of the general public of Balochistan, so the people
considered it as their own newspaper.
Conclusion
Samad Khan Achakzai, no doubt, played huge and positive role in the history of
journalism of province Balochistan and Pashto language. His services are
unforgettable. He was titled as ―the father of Journalism in Balochistan‖ for his
countless services. He was the first journalist who laid the basis of that journalism
which was meant for the welfare of the masses of the province. If Khan Shaheed had
not struggled for the imposition of Press Act and establishment of Printing Press,
public awareness would not have spread easily in the province of Balochistan. And,
if he had not launched Weekly Istaqlal, journalism would have nor promoted in the
province.
TAKATOO Issue 06 Volume 8 82 July- December 2016
References:
i
Tahir Seemi Naghmana: (2006) Balochistan Main Ablagh-e-Ama, Aghaz
aur Artiqa Moqtadra Qoumi Zuban page-171
ii
Tahir Seemi Naghmana: (2006) Balochistan Main Ablagh-e-Ama, Aghaz
aur Artiqa Moqtadra Qoumi Zuban page-172
iii
Achakzai Abdul Samad Khan: (2004) Autobiography Zama Zhond au
Zhondwon (My life and the life) Vol. 2 Pashtunkhwa Literary Society
Page-408
iv
Achakzai Abdul Samad Khan: (2004) Autobiography Zama Zhond au
Zhondwon (My life and the life) Vol. 2 Pashtunkhwa Literary Society
Page-409
v
Achakzai Abdul Samad Khan: (2004) Autobiography Zama Zhond au
Zhondwon (My life and the life) Vol. 2
Pashtunkhwa Literary Society Page-412
vi
Achakzai Abdul Samad Khan: (2004) Autobiography Zama Zhond au
Zhondwon (My life and the life) Vol. 2 Pashtunkhwa Literary Society
Page-413
vii
Tahir Seemi Naghmana: (2006) Balochistan Main Ablagh-e-Ama,
Aghaz aur Artiqa Moqtadra Qoumi Zuban page-172
viii
Ghano Abdul Ghani: (1990) Baba-e-Pashtun and Pashtunkhwa Nadir
Traders Mastung Balochistan- Vol 1 Page-37
ix
Tahir Seemi Naghmana: (2006) Balochistan Main Ablagh-e-Ama,
Aghaz aur Artiqa Moqtadra Qoumi Zuban page-173
TAKATOO Issue 04 Volume 7 83 July- December 2015
x
Tahir Seemi Naghmana: (2006) Balochistan Main Ablagh-e-Ama, Aghaz
aur Artiqa Moqtadra Qoumi Zuban page-172
xi
Tahir Seemi Naghmana: (2006) Balochistan Main Ablagh-e-Ama,
Aghaz aur Artiqa Moqtadra Qoumi Zuban page-174
xii
Tahir Seemi Naghmana: (2006) Balochistan Main Ablagh-e-Ama,
Aghaz aur Artiqa Moqtadra Qoumi Zuban page-175