400 years history, imperial powers and trade routes……………aamir riaz
It was British who disturb the social fabric of our ancient lands and played with religions, sects, languages, castes just to monopolized their interests. The modern state craft or governance model based on over centralization was invention of British rulers. In early 17th century they first captured THE GULF TRADE ROUTE and replaced protégées power. At that time they had to deal with Ottoman power so they started her mission from dividing the Ottoman Empire. Till 19th centaury Britishers played smartly and took the control of Arab &Persian tribes living at the banks of THE GULF TRADE ROUTE. They smartly use scholarship to establish the myth of historical conflicts between Arabs & Persian, Turks and Iranians etc. they played with sectarian issues among Muslims, supported Christian living in middle east and finally after first world war divided the whole area into many Nation States including establishment of Saudi Arab( 1924). Their counter parts, the French, too did the same who got charge of Bruit from League of Nations in 1918. In 1926, French power not only strengthens 25 % Christians but also divided Muslims among Shia and Sunni legally. Even after that legal division, sunnis, remained 55%, so French divided Syria and made it a separate country. Nushrys were made rulers by French colonialists there. It suited Britishers because a divided and sectarian region was in their interest.
In South Asia, they advanced only after taking control of THE GULF TRADE ROUTE. They knew that South Asia had two strong Trade Routes. At sea it could exploit the THE GULF TRADE ROUTE and at Land route it was part of historical Silk Route which controls a huge portion of world trade from last 1500 years. First 100 years, Britishers settled in Calcutta to make sure that South Asians or any other power could not exploit the sea route. Then they advanced toward The Punjab in the beginning of 19th century. Their main hurdle was The Lhore Darbar who became a major power in less than 20 years under the lion of The Punjab, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. From 1799 till 1849, British introduced Frontier forward Policy. As usual they played with Religions, Sects, languages, ethnicities etc extensively as they did in Gulf region. In 1826, they supported a Jihad against Lhore Darbar by giving them safe route from Delhi, Rajasthan, Sind, Baluchistan, Afghanistan and then to attack Peshawar. Delhi, Rajasthan were under British control while company EIC had agreements with rulers’ or tribal heads of Baluchistan and Sind. At that time they also used Afghanistan against Lhore Darbar who had an empire from Srinagar to FATA. IN 1809, MECTAFF, A BRITISH OFFICER, came to LHORE. His report was a reflection of British Frontier Forward policy. In his introduction he told to rulers of company sitting in Calcutta that we had to engage The Lhore Darbar because of its geographical importance. Among the main powers, Ottomans, Persians and Russians, the Lhore Darbar could join any of one, esp. Ottomans or Russians. If it happened then finally we had to lost control of The Gulf Trade Route too. So the Frontier Forward Policy was either to control The Land Route or to destroy it so no one could exploit it. At that point with the help of their histographers they introduced history based on many conflicts like Hindu era, Muslim era, invader from central Asia, Arab invasions to India. The debates in British parliament before the Annexation of the Punjab clearly showed her urgency to move forward. In 1809 Metcalf was in favor of a buffer zone and looked The Lhore Darbar as a Buffer between Ottomans, Russians and Britishers. Till 1840s, now the new policy makers came with a new policy to reduce the Buffer. Weighs and peels were divided at this. Lawrence and Harding, the governor general were of the view that Lhore Darbar should remained as Buffer while those who wanted to advance placed Dalhousie as new G.G in 1848. Finally, till 29th march 1849, they annexed the Punjab. Till 1879 Britishers wanted to control the Land route so they decided to build a huge infrastructure from 1849 to 1870 in The Punjab with a marvelous speed. In 1879 they approved a huge railway junction at RUK, near Larkana( sukkhar). Yet after 1895 Durand line agreement with Russians, they agreed not to move forward. Yet after capturing chitral in 1894 they also cut the silk route. So they virtually delink the land trade route and until now their policy is still active. Till 1970 Britishers had to hand over THE GULF TRADE ROUTE to USA under Atlantic charter of 1941. During her rule, from 1849 till 1947, Britishers had fear and under that fear they disturb socio-political fabric, imposed Urdu and Hindi in the whole region, Kashmir, the Punjab, NWFP, Baluchistan so that the people could forgot their languages and cultures. They used tribal conflicts, sectarian and communal conflicts in the region. As new kind of modernity came to our lands through colonialists so there is still a debate about it. They actually played with modernity to impose imperial rule so many locals reacted on such modernity.
In recent times china became new power player in 80s with trade and international capital. It is a threat to frontier forward policy esp. after completion of Silk road in 1986. After 1986,, we witnessed rise in sectarian clashes, religious extremism and militancy at Pak afghan borders. in 1971, world powers managed to stop Chinese advance from east Pakistan by installing Bangladesh yet Silk route and then Gawader port still haunting them. From last 400 years, Portuguese, Britishers and US r playing to have control on GULF and Land route and our whole politics is still surrounding in between all this.
It was British who disturb the social fabric of our ancient lands and played with religions, sects, languages, castes just to monopolized their interests. The modern state craft or governance model based on over centralization was invention of British rulers. In early 17th century they first captured THE GULF TRADE ROUTE and replaced protégées power. At that time they had to deal with Ottoman power so they started her mission from dividing the Ottoman Empire. Till 19th centaury Britishers played smartly and took the control of Arab &Persian tribes living at the banks of THE GULF TRADE ROUTE. They smartly use scholarship to establish the myth of historical conflicts between Arabs & Persian, Turks and Iranians etc. they played with sectarian issues among Muslims, supported Christian living in middle east and finally after first world war divided the whole area into many Nation States including establishment of Saudi Arab( 1924). Their counter parts, the French, too did the same who got charge of Bruit from League of Nations in 1918. In 1926, French power not only strengthens 25 % Christians but also divided Muslims among Shia and Sunni legally. Even after that legal division, sunnis, remained 55%, so French divided Syria and made it a separate country. Nushrys were made rulers by French colonialists there. It suited Britishers because a divided and sectarian region was in their interest.
In South Asia, they advanced only after taking control of THE GULF TRADE ROUTE. They knew that South Asia had two strong Trade Routes. At sea it could exploit the THE GULF TRADE ROUTE and at Land route it was part of historical Silk Route which controls a huge portion of world trade from last 1500 years. First 100 years, Britishers settled in Calcutta to make sure that South Asians or any other power could not exploit the sea route. Then they advanced toward The Punjab in the beginning of 19th century. Their main hurdle was The Lhore Darbar who became a major power in less than 20 years under the lion of The Punjab, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. From 1799 till 1849, British introduced Frontier forward Policy. As usual they played with Religions, Sects, languages, ethnicities etc extensively as they did in Gulf region. In 1826, they supported a Jihad against Lhore Darbar by giving them safe route from Delhi, Rajasthan, Sind, Baluchistan, Afghanistan and then to attack Peshawar. Delhi, Rajasthan were under British control while company EIC had agreements with rulers’ or tribal heads of Baluchistan and Sind. At that time they also used Afghanistan against Lhore Darbar who had an empire from Srinagar to FATA. IN 1809, MECTAFF, A BRITISH OFFICER, came to LHORE. His report was a reflection of British Frontier Forward policy. In his introduction he told to rulers of company sitting in Calcutta that we had to engage The Lhore Darbar because of its geographical importance. Among the main powers, Ottomans, Persians and Russians, the Lhore Darbar could join any of one, esp. Ottomans or Russians. If it happened then finally we had to lost control of The Gulf Trade Route too. So the Frontier Forward Policy was either to control The Land Route or to destroy it so no one could exploit it. At that point with the help of their histographers they introduced history based on many conflicts like Hindu era, Muslim era, invader from central Asia, Arab invasions to India. The debates in British parliament before the Annexation of the Punjab clearly showed her urgency to move forward. In 1809 Metcalf was in favor of a buffer zone and looked The Lhore Darbar as a Buffer between Ottomans, Russians and Britishers. Till 1840s, now the new policy makers came with a new policy to reduce the Buffer. Weighs and peels were divided at this. Lawrence and Harding, the governor general were of the view that Lhore Darbar should remained as Buffer while those who wanted to advance placed Dalhousie as new G.G in 1848. Finally, till 29th march 1849, they annexed the Punjab. Till 1879 Britishers wanted to control the Land route so they decided to build a huge infrastructure from 1849 to 1870 in The Punjab with a marvelous speed. In 1879 they approved a huge railway junction at RUK, near Larkana( sukkhar). Yet after 1895 Durand line agreement with Russians, they agreed not to move forward. Yet after capturing chitral in 1894 they also cut the silk route. So they virtually delink the land trade route and until now their policy is still active. Till 1970 Britishers had to hand over THE GULF TRADE ROUTE to USA under Atlantic charter of 1941. During her rule, from 1849 till 1947, Britishers had fear and under that fear they disturb socio-political fabric, imposed Urdu and Hindi in the whole region, Kashmir, the Punjab, NWFP, Baluchistan so that the people could forgot their languages and cultures. They used tribal conflicts, sectarian and communal conflicts in the region. As new kind of modernity came to our lands through colonialists so there is still a debate about it. They actually played with modernity to impose imperial rule so many locals reacted on such modernity.
In recent times china became new power player in 80s with trade and international capital. It is a threat to frontier forward policy esp. after completion of Silk road in 1986. After 1986,, we witnessed rise in sectarian clashes, religious extremism and militancy at Pak afghan borders. in 1971, world powers managed to stop Chinese advance from east Pakistan by installing Bangladesh yet Silk route and then Gawader port still haunting them. From last 400 years, Portuguese, Britishers and US r playing to have control on GULF and Land route and our whole politics is still surrounding in between all this.
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