| Opinion Indian hijacking of Pakistan's history Although both India and Pakistan were created at the same time out of British Raj, Indians desperately try to steal Pakistan's heritage, particularly the Indus Valley Civilization! This Indian hegemonic agenda is based on myths and false propaganda for religious and nationalistic imperialism. Also, there are some Pakistanis, particularly Islamists, who narrow-mindedly deny/ignore Pakistan's glorious pre-Islamic past. Harappans were certainly the ancestors of most Pakistanis, who absorbed or adopted the many waves of invaders/migrants through out the centuries. Indus Valley Civilization was mostly based in the region of Pakistan. The names used for the Civilization are "Indus Valley" or "Harappan", both in Pakistan. The most largest and important cities are Harappa and Mohenjodaro, both in Pakistan. Even in the case of Hakra/Ghaggar river (extinct), a tributary of Indus itself, it has far more mature Harappan sites on the Pakistani side than on the Indian side. The proto-Indus site is also located at Mehrgarh in Pakistan. Indus Valley Civilization, at its peak, had colonies stretching from Turkmenistan to northern Maharashta, and from southeast Iran to western UP. About 85% of Indians (i.e. outside of northwest India) have nothing to do with Indus Valley Civilization, where their ancestors were nomadic forest-dwelling hunters and gatherers at a time period when the sophisticated Indus Valley Civilization was flourishing. Indus/Harappan religion was not Hinduism. Not a single Hindu temple, idol, or statue has been found at excavated Indus sites. Harappans buried their dead, ate beef, and were not Vedic.The "Great Bath" was common in many civilizations such as among the Graeco-Romans and Mesopotamians. Depicted on some Indus seals, the "deity" wearing the horned head-dress looks nothing like Hinduism's Shiva, and similar deities were common in other civilizations like the Celtic "Cernunnos". Bull seemed to be sacred among Harappans similar to Mesopotamians and Minoans, but not the cow. A people may evolve by adopting new ideas/beliefs, change with political environment, and racially get mixed with other peoples, but that does not erase their history. Pakistan -- the land and people of Indus directly inherits one of the greatest ancient civilizations of the world, just the same way present-day Iraq, Greece, and Egypt (all three countries and names also recent in origin) inherits their own great ancient civilizations. It is irrelevant that the descendents of Harappans are now mostly Muslims (Pakistanis). Descendents of ancient Mesopotamians and Egyptians are also now mostly Muslims, descendents of ancients Greeks and Romans are now mostly Christians. It is time that all Pakistanis take pride in their past, and protect it from thievery of other countries like India. -- Article contributed by Asad Jatoi Back to Main Page |