Let us Revisit the Narratives: Struggle for Constitution & Democracy and our Extremism Formative Years (1947-56)

Lok Lhar Radio Show Monday 26 September, 2016 ONLY @ Mast FM 103

Listen live every Monday from 4 to 6 PM ONLINE @ http://tunein.com/radio/Mast-FM-Lahore-1030-s116431/

Let us revisit the narratives

Struggle for Constitution & Democracy & our Extremism

Formative Years (1947-56)

Guest: Dr Yaqoob Bangash and Dr saeed ur Rahman
: Yaqoob Bangash Historian ..currently working on a monograph on the imagination of Pakistan as a country after its creation, using the debates of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan (1947—56) as primary material

Dr Bangash completed his BA from the University of Notre Dame, IN, USA, and his DPhil from the University of Oxford. Currently, Dr Bangash is head of Humanities and Social Sciences and Director at the Center for Governance and Policy at the Information Technology University, Lahore, Pakistan.

Radio recording of the Program Lok Lhar ..Click HERE

Fortunately, all parliamentary debates are available online since 10th August 1947 to date (http://www.na.gov.pk/en/debates.php). We can even read the debates regarding defense spending in the session on April 4, 1956. Digitization of the assembly record for public use is the most important progressive step taken in Pakistan since its birth.

There are different interpretations regarding formative years and it is essential to revisit those  narratives. It is important to understand strengths and weaknesses of government and opposition and find why we failed to make constitution and when after 9 years we made constitution and its elections were due why General Ayub imposed dictatorship. How nexus of Sikandar Mirza and Ayub Khan played a game of musical chair by removing and selecting numerous PMs. 

What was the concept of State of Mohammad Ali Jinnah?

Was religion base nation building a choice of Jinnah or it was a post jinnah coinage ?

Why PM Liaqat Ali Khan remained reluctant to make constitution?

What was the Politics of Objective Resolution and role of different players?

How Fear of elections...Fear of majority.....played vital role?

Who used issue of corruption against political opponents first time ?

What are the impacts of Using religion as a weapon to settle political goals?

Centralized mindset and using Islam and Urdu as its pillars?

Rejection of First Draft of constitution at 21st May 1950 by the PM himself?

Imposing Urdu as Sole National Language in 1952 by Khwaja Nazmudin and reaction from Bengalis?

Bengali as Co-national Language ...a tricky demand of Jugto Front ?

Was 2nd Constitutional Assembly more representative and how they finally made 1956 constitution?

How Ayub & Mirza nexus played a bad role?