LAHORE: (Monday, April 09, 2012): Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran has said that the real purpose of fanning communal disputes was to detract attention from real issues. He was addressing the launching ceremony of book titled “Wavell and the Last Days of the Raj” written by Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal Chawla. The ceremony attended by presided over by Justice (r) Dr Javed Iqbal, former education minister Mian Imran Masood, Dean Faculty of Arts Prof Dr Qalb-e-Abid, Dr Farhat Mahmood, faculty members and a large number students.

Dr Kamran said that nations who did not study history spent meaningless life. He said that Hinduism was not a religion but was based on caste system which could not see Muslims progressing. He urged the rulers to allocate at least 4 percent of GDP towards education to promote knowledge in country. He advised the students of History to have strong grip over their subject and move the country forward on the road to progress. Justice (r) Dr Javed Iqbal said that the real reason behind the division of subcontinent adamancy. He said that Hindus always opposed independent state for Muslims and had biased attitude. He said monarchy was one of the major reasons behind the downfall of the Muslims. He said that Pakistan could cope with challenges if it abolished imitative mentality.

He advised the students not to be disappointed and use their leadership qualities. Giving brief of the book, Prof Dr Iqbal Chawla said that the most important of the three viceroys, has been sadly neglected. He said that the period of viceroyalty of Archibold Pervcvial Wavell, from October 1943 to March 1947, was the time which actually witnessed the amkings of all that Mountbatten was sent to implement, and in all that he, contrary to rather misplaced beliefs, was always central figure. He said that though Wavell was not in favour of India’s division into two countries, he was, however, strongly in favour of the minority rights in India and he wanted to carry it out all by releasing the pent up political energies in India which had been dammed up the British preoccupation with the World War 2. He said his support for minority rights brought him into conflict with the overlords of his own establishments, the Officer of the Secretary of State for India, in London. He said further that the Wavell Plan and the follow up Simla Conference (1945) were all Wavell’s brainchild engaging the Indians in the country’s political process. He said that a close study of all the important documentary collections concerning the Indian affairs reveals very clearly Mr Jinnah’s determination to achieve an independent Pakistan and Congress’s failed efforts like Rajgopalcharia Formula, Gandhi-Jinnah Talks etc to sway him away from his stated goal but they all failed to do so.