Jaseemuddin wanted the national anthem in Bengali Zafar Mahmood, former federal secretary, has written in Jang (August 17, 2018) that when Pakistan’s national anthem was being prepared Jaseemuddin, a Bengali writer and poet who was a member of the cabinet committee, wanted the national anthem in Bengali. When it became clear to him that the national anthem would be written in Urdu, he felt that the language of 56 percent of the population was being ignored. He suggested that in addition to the national anthem, two national songs in Bengali and Urdu should also be selected. The Bengali song, written by Nazrul Islam Qazi ended up being chosen. The second song was to be taken from Iqbal’s poetry. However, the committee could not find an appropriate song and the suggestion remained unimplemented. A conspiracy aimed at maligning Pakistan has been foiled in Mumbai. Hindu extremists wanted to stage explosions so that Pakistan could be blamed for them. However, US intelligence agencies have demanded that PM Modi take action against extremist Hindu organisations because they are causing chaos all over the country Patriotism and trampling on the Indian flag In its August 16, 2018 issue, Nawa-i-Waqt praised Baloch politician Siraj Raisani for taking a selfie while standing on the Indian flag. Apparently, this made him a brave and patriotic Pakistani. The newspaper also commended him for the passion he always showed on Pakistan’s Independence Day. One of his August 14 rituals was wearing shoes made of the Indian flag. This practice eventually became his trademark. According to Nawa-i-Waqt, such displays are likely what put him on the hit-list of anti-state elements in Balochistan (he was assassinated in a suicide attack on July 13, 2018. His eldest brother, Aslam Raisani, served as the Balochistan chief minister from 2008 to 2013). His son, Jamal Raisani is following in his footsteps with regard to patriotism and anti-Indianism. Sharecropping amounts to waging war on Allah: Orya Maqbool Jan, one of the most popular media personalities in Pakistan, has equated sharecropping with Riba. According to him, it amounts to waging war on Allah (Daily 92 News, August 15). He mentioned that Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan formed an organisation “Anjuman Tahaffuz Haqooq-i-Zamindaran Tehtush Sharia” (Association for the Protection of Landowners’ Rights Under Sharia). Fearing Communism, the ulema starting making Islamic arguments in favour of big landholdings. At the insistence of Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, Maulana Maududi wrote a book in favor of big landholdings (August 13, 2018). Mr Jan spoke highly of a booklet that Syed Ataullah Shah Bukhar’s son, Ataul Mohsin Bukhari had written,arguing that Islam encourages the equal distribution of wealth. Jugtu Front was founded at Indian consulate in Dhaka: In order to educate the younger generation about Jugtu (United) Front, Mazhar Barlas wrote in Jang (August 7) that six years after Pakistan’s creation it was formed at the Indian consulate in Dhaka. It included Suhrawardy’s Awami League, Mahmud Ali’s Ganatantri (Democratic) Dal, Maulana Bhashani’s Communist Party, Maulana Athar Ali’s Nizam-i-Islam Party and Fazlul Haq’s Krishak Sramik Party. The leaders of this alliance did not stand the sight of each another. Mr Barlas failed to mention that Mahmud Ali (1919-2006) became minister-for-life in Pakistan He also did mention that Fazlul Haq was the person who presented the 1940 Lahore Resolution, and that Suhrawardy was one of the heroes of the Pakistan movement. It is worth bearing in mind the Jugtu Front inflicted a crushing defeat on the Muslim League in the 1954 provincial election. Mr Barlas did not cite any source for his claim that it was formed at the Indian consulate. If it is true, then it shows that all the popular leaders of East Pakistan were Indian agents. Asad Qaiser severely beaten for going to the movies: Asad Qaiser, the newly elected speaker of the National Assembly, joined the Islamic Jamiat Talaba (IJT) after getting enrolled in a college in Swabi. His father was a die hard supporter of the Muslim League. Offended by his son’s decision, he expelled him from his house for ten days. During the Cold War, Mr Qaiser traveled to Afghanistan to wage jihad. He was a card-carrying member of the Jamaat-i-Islami and the divisional president of Pasban. During his student days, he enjoyed going to the movies. When his father came to know of this, he beat him up so severely that he was bedridden for four days. Who are Professors Johns Scott and Ajay Kumar Sharma? Nadeem Manzoor Sulehri has written from Washington, DC, in Daily 92 News (August 13)that a conspiracy aimed at maligning Pakistan has been foiled in Mumbai. Hindu extremists wanted to stage explosions so that Pakistan could be blamed for them. However,US intelligence agencies have demanded that Prime Minister (PM) Modi take action against extremist Hindu organisations because they are causing chaos all over the country. Professor Johns Scott has revealed that the Mumbai police had arrested three extremist Hindu members of the Sanatan Sanstha. On the other hand, Professor Ajay Kumar Sharma has said that people in the corridors of power are terrified of and increasingly intimidated by extremist Hindu organisation. Interestingly, the organisational affiliations of Johns Scott and Ajay Kumar Sharma have not been disclosed. Pakistan’s ruling elite continuation of East India Company: Daily 92 News (August 13) quoted Sirajul Haq, the Jamaat-i-Islami chief, as saying that the class that has been ruling Pakistan for the last 70 years is the continuation of the East India Company, even though Pakistan was created to negate human beings’ over lordship over other human beings. He also said that the people in power had deprived Pakistan not only of its ideology but also of its geography. It would be helpful if in one of his next speeches he answers the question: How can Pakistan be called the citadel of Islam if its ruling elite is the continuation of the East India Company? The writer studied international relations in Islamabad and media in London. He has worked for several English-language newspapers. He has written a book, Handbook of Functional English, for the benefit of those who wish to improve their English skills. E-mail: shakil.chaudhary@gmail.com Published in Daily Times, August 20th 2018.