Monday, August 17, 2015
The tale of a forgotten hero of the Pakistan movement
The history of Pakistani Christians remains deficient without the services rendered by Singha family being mentioned.
Singha family has the honour of being the first Pakistani family whose three members consecutively became members of Punjab Assembly. S. P. Singha was member of Punjab Assembly followed by his wife Mrs. S.P. Singha and his son D.P. Singha also became members of Punjab Assembly. However, despite an illustrious history in Pakistani politics, this Christian family has completely abandoned politics.
Deewan Bahadur Seeta Parkash Singha was born on 26th April, 1893 in Pusrur, District Sialkot of Punjab. He was born to Rajan Kumar Singha of a Rajput family. S.P. Singha eyed a Pakistan where Quiad’s disciplines were implemented. D.P. Singha proudly boasted of the fact that his father S.P. Singha openly delclared Quaid-e-Azam his leader and fully supported him instead of Hindus during the Pakistan movement. S.P. Singha was one of the inner circle allies of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
S.P.Singha received early education from Batala, and afterwards studied at Saint. Stephen College, Delhi. Later on, he went on to study at the F.C. College, Lahore. He acquired Master’s degrees in English and Philosophy. Afterwards he studied LLB. After completion of studies he started working in Punjab University, Lahore as Assistant Controller of Exams in 1919. In 1927, he got promoted to the office of Registrar Punjab University.
S.P. Singha was affiliated with largest political party of Christians in the Indo-Pak namely, All India Christian Association. He was several times nominated as a candidate of the All India Christian Association during elections.
From 1936 till 1949, S.P. Singha remained member of Punjab Assembly as a candidate of All India Christian Association. He has the honour of being the last Speaker of the Punjab Assembly before partition. Moreover, he was the first Speaker of the Punjab Assembly after the creation of Pakistan. However, he passed away on 22nd October, 1949. After the demise of S.P. Singha, his wife, Mrs. S.P. Singha got elected as member of Punjab Assembly in 1951.
In 1939, The British Colonial government awarded him the title of “Deewan Bahadur” as recognition of his valuable services to the Sub-continent. S.P. Singha along with another successful candidate Master Fazal Illahi allied Successful Anglo-Indian Christian member of Punjab Assembly C. Gaban and voted in favour of Pakistan in session of Punjab Assembly on 23rd June, 1947. S.P. Singha was the Speaker of this session pf Punjab Assembly.
With S.P. Singha’s vote in favour of Pakistan, the total count of votes in favour of Pakistan reached 91 against 88 votes in favour of unpartitioned India. Three votes from Christians made Pakistan movement successful and so Pakistan came into being.
On July 25, 1947, S.P. Singha attended the session of Boundary Commission as a representative of Joint Christian Board. During this session, he suggested that Christians should be included with Muslims and all Christian majority areas for example Distirct Sialkot and its suburbs, Narowal and Pasrur should be included within the confines of Pakistan.
At the time of independence, he was also a member of the Peace Council. After the creation of Pakistan, he was a member of Minorities rights committee of Pakistan’s first law-making body.
After the death of Quaid-e-Azam on 11th September 1948, S.P. Singha stated: “Today minorities in Pakistan have become orphans.” His services are seen as great contribution towards creation of Pakistan and towards the well being of Christian community.
- See more at: http://www.christiansinpakistan.com/the-tale-of-a-forgotten-hero-of-the-pakistan-movement/#sthash.xuaDR5gy.dpuf
Pakistan - PPP leaders from KPK called on Chairman Bilawal Bhutto
Provincial leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa called on Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at Bilawal House today. Provincial President Senator Khanzada Khan, former Minister Zahir Shah, Senator Rubina Khalid, Provincial General secretory Humayoon Khan, Information Secretory Liaqat Shabab and Finance secretory Farzand Ali among these leaders.
Vice President PPPP Senator Sherry Rahman and Jameel Soomro were also present on the occasion.
Provincial Leaders from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa briefed the Chairman about political and law and order situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the organizational matters of the province.Bilawal Bhutto zardari inquired the delegation about party performance in recent held local bodies election in KPK.
Talking to KPK leaders, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said incidents like Attock suicide attack, resulted 20 innocent people killed including home minister of Punjab Shuja Khanzada and kidnapping of school-going son of PPP MNA Akhundzada Chattan press for stronger action to engrave the monster of terrorism by the authorities concerned. Other hand a delegation of PPP district Multan led by President Muhammad Akram Kanhoon also called on Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at Bilawal house today.
https://mediacellppp.wordpress.com/2015/08/17/ppp-leaders-from-kpk-called-on-chairman-bbhuttozardari/
Pakistan - Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto condemns kidnapping of Akhunzada Chattan’s son
In a press statement, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Chattan was target of attacks recently in the area for his strong resistance to the forces of darkness.
PPP Chairman pledged that entire Party stands with Akhundzada Chattan and urged the concerned authorities in the FATA to take action against the kidnappers and safe recovery of the school-going son of the PPP leader.
https://ppppunjab.wordpress.com/2015/08/17/chairman-ppp-bilawal-bhutto-zardari-condemns-the-kidnapping-the-son-of-akhunzada-chattan/
Pakistan - PPP FATA leader's nine-year-old son kidnapped in Bajaur
Pakistan People Party (PPP) central executive committee member and the party’s FATA coordinator Akhunzada Chitan’s nine-year-old son was kidnapped early Monday morning by unidentified persons from outside his home.
Political administration official and Chitan family source confirmed the kidnapping. According to them, the nine-year-old was going to school with his brother, Hasan Ali, when kidnappers came in a car and took him away.
Political administration officials have cordoned off all exit and entry points of the agency and are searching for Chitan’s son.
Former president Asif Zardari has expressed grave concern over the kidnapping and called for early and safe recovery of the boy. Condemning the incident, Zardari said he was gravely concerned about the safety of the boy and demanded Bajaur Agency administration to recover him and bring the culprits to book.
Chitan, PPP MNA from 2008 to 2013 was also a rights activist for FATA rights and outspoken against non-state actors in media.
Earlier in May, Akhunzada Chitan’s convoy came under attack in Manogi Salarzai, Bajaur agency. A former MNA from the agency, Chitan was returning from a party function to the agency headquarter in Khar on Saturday when he suffered the attack.
Bajaur agency political administration confirmed the attack and said that Chitan’s brother, Bakhtzada’s car, was damaged in the blast. After the attack, the political administration launched a search operation and rounded up 23 suspects under FCR.
Punjab law minister Sanaullah Accused
The MQM, of course, is not the only party with skeletons in their closet, but in the case of the PML-N, the skeletons are running out without law enforcement even trying to look for them. About three months after regaining the Punjab law minister’s portfolio after being sacked for the Model Town murders, Rana Sanaullah is entangled in yet another controversy. This time around, a senior leader from his own party has accused him of ‘killing 20 people’.Chaudhry Sher Ali, father of State Minister of Water and Power Abid Sher Ali, said a man in custody had told police that he had killed 20 people at the behest of an SHO patronised by the law minister. The hit-list also allegedly included Provincial Assembly Members (MPA) Malik Nawaz, Mian Muhammad Tahir Jameel, Irfan Manan, Chaudhry Sher Ali and his Minister son.
Sanaullah in response had said that Ali’s allegations were “nothing but a bundle of lies.” One wonders when the politics of the party will move beyond intimidation and bribery.
The fact is that these are games of power, and public humiliation is an oft-used tactic by these politicians. They will probably solve it internally among themselves and the media will move on to other pressing problems. The police is a pawn in the hands of those in power - something that has been made abundantly clear in the case of the Kasur child abuse cases. It is unlikely that there will be any action or inquiry into Sanaullah’s dealings. If the accusations are true the police is probably complicit and so are many others from the PML-N.
Rana Sahib may or may not have been directly involved in killing of 20 people, as being alleged, but there is no doubt at all about one thing: he always seems to be on the wrong side of the law. His statement that the Kasur child abuse incidents were “baseless” was appalling. Why he is not being (at least) reprimanded by his party seniors? Is he so useful that despite all his misdeeds and mistakes, he cannot be made to practice restraint, in word and in deed? That he is the Punjab Law Minister in the first place is a liberty taken. That he should be so cavalier when giving statements in his position, is even more impetuous.
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