Unsung Heroes : Untouchables of Our History

                                               

                A hero cannot be a hero unless in a heroic world

                                                                         . (N.Hawthrone)

                                                                                

                             The year was 1947 , world saw the freedom  of sub-continent  from British Rule and partition of their once Jewel of the crown . In the mass population exchange and religious conflicts among people of India, mostly all Sikhs and most of Hindus fled but Christians remained in their new  home called Republic Of Pakistan. Time passed  , new challenges were faced and new sacrifices were required and this Minority always proved worthy of being called Pakistani but may be not enough to be called heroes. Lets take a stroll in the past and find out what the Christians of Pakistan did for their homeland despite all this hate and dejection.Let us recall the unsung heroes of my homeland Pakistan .

Have you ever heard of Bhim Sen Sachar? Surely not. In the elections to the last Punjab Assembly before independence, he was elected from the Lahore city seat in a predominantly Muslim constituency, and he won a resounding victory. The run up to 1947 was not all hate after all.Our children are never taught this in their schools, and that is why you have never heard of this great man. In the vote for Punjab joining Pakistan, much to the amazement of Muslim legislators, he backed Jinnah. Once Pakistan was made, he stayed on and was elected a member of the first Legislative Assembly of Pakistan. 

The vote for Punjab joining Pakistan was tied, and the casting vote was with Punjab Assembly Speaker Diwan Bahadar SP Singha, a Christian of Lahore. Mr. Singha got three Christians to vote for Pakistan, and their efforts brought Punjab we know today as part of Pakistan. In purely ‘legislative’ terms, the Pakistan we know today came about because of the contribution of these Christians who trusted Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Albert Robert Cornelius , One of the most Undisputed Chief Justice of Pakistan (1960) whose work includes Law and judiciary in Pakistan; Lahore Law Times Publications; (1981) The ethical basis for democracy in Pakistan; Hamdard National Foundation, Pakistan; (1971)

Many of us dine in at  MM Alam road and feel proud of the greatest war pilot hero with 5 confirmed hits in 1965 war but how many of us heard about Cecil Choudary  , the man responsible for equal hits and the very famous and important battle victory of Amristar Radar Station . No text book praising him , no monument for him.

Those of us from Karachi might heard of Sister Mary Emily who in true sense is Mother Teresa of Pakistan but unsung and forgotten despite her services to the community with out discrimination on the basis of cast, religion, color or social status.

Esther John, a Pakistani Nurse considered Florence Nightingale of India brutally murdered by a radical due to her change of faith.

Mervyn Middlecoat , a fighter pilot of Indo Pakistan wars and had more confirmed hits than anyother pilot including MM Alam  ,  shot during 1971 war by Indian Fighter and his remains are still unknown, no tears no place among National Heroes.  

List goes on and I can name atleast 100 others including my own family and my elders who significantly change and carve Pakistan and served well.I can safely say the christians in Pakistan played the most important role in formation of Pakistan and then defended the country as war heroes or social reformers .  But all these heroes were either thrown away from country (Bhim Sen Sachar , he left Pakistan after those who voted against Pakistan became Rulers of Pakistan), brutally murdered or simply lost in the dust of time as untouchables by our historians.

 Christians comprise 1.7% of Population of Pakistan yet their contribution is against the statistics They are from the lowest socioeconomic groups but never used this excuse to become pawns of extremists. Their services as Educationists, Medical Health Professionals and social workers, freedom fighters , politicians , war heroes , and true patriots  are things legends are made of . May the services and sacrifices of these Minorities in Pakistan become worthy and our children may know about these unsung heroes.

History, say the sages, can never be balanced. There is a need to bring to our children the reality of the great people who passed away unknown and unsung in the land of their birth. Instead of ‘lines of hate’, the new generation is surely capable of drawing ‘new lines of love’.

Pakistan Zindabaad.