Pakistani expert’s SHOCKING remarks about Mughals, compares Aurangzeb to…, says Muslim should…

Weighing in on the Aurangzeb debate, Pakistani author Salman Rashid compared the 17th century Mughal emperor to Pakistani military dictator General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

Amid the controversy in India over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, a Pakistani intellectual has weighed in on the raging debate, calling medieval rulers like Taimur, Khilji, and Mughal as despots, whose only motive was to loot India’s wealth. Pakistani author, Salman Rashid, in a conversation with veteran journalist and human rights activist, Arzoo Kazmi, asserted that medieval dynasties that India, including the Mughals, Khilji, Taimur, and Ghazni, were invaders who came from from Afghanistan, Iran and Arabia.

The distinguished author stated that all these rulers were driven by a singular goal, to pillage India’s riches, not the well-being of its natives, as has been portrayed by various historians.

Salman also castigated Muslims who idolize these foreign invaders, and stressed that people should look up to heroes from their own land, not invaders who came from other places and pillaged the natives.

‘Timur was a rapist’

Talking about Timur Lang, the founder of the Timurid dynasty, Salman Rashid said the 14th century ruler was a despot and a “rapist”, who murdered scores of people, including Muslims, and raped countless women. “His son was also a rapist,” he claimed, adding that he cannot fathom why some Muslim look up to the “savage” Turco-Mongol conqueror as their idol.

Addressing the Mughal rulers, Rashid noted that while Akbar was best (ruler) among them, but those who came after him were either weak or barbaric despots like Aurangzeb.

“Babar’s reign was short, then came Humayun, a simpleton who did not know much about administration. Akbar was the best among them (Mughal rulers), and his rule was good, because he was educated and had compassion. However, there is really nothing much to write home about Mughal emperors that came after him,” he said.

Mughals demolished Hindu temples

Talking about the raging debate about razing Hindu temples and forced conversion under the Mughal rule, Rashid noted that while there is no exact information about how many Hindu sites were demolished, but the fact is undeniable that these things did indeed happen during that period.

“As far as forced conversions, it been documented that it happened even before the Mughals came to India.” he said.

Aurangzeb was Zia-ul-Haq of his time

Weighing in on the Aurangzeb debate, the Pakistani author compared the 17th century Mughal emperor to Pakistani military dictator General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

“Aurangzeb was the Zia-ul-Haq of the 17th century. Whatever Zia did in Pakistan in the 1980s when he was the President, Aurangzeb did the same during his 50-year reign. Aurangzeb created a communal rift in the society due to his policies,” he said, adding “there is nothing worth praising about him (Aurangzeb)”.

‘Pakistanis can’t become Arabs’

Rashid also criticized Muslims in Pakistan for associating themselves with Arabs, asserting that such people are trying to “hide the shame” of changing the religion of their ancestors.

“We cannot become Arabs by simply giving Arabic names to hotels and restaurants. The truth is that we are people of South Asia. Perhaps some people associate themselves with Arabs to avoid the shame of changing the religion of their ancestors. We have forgotten the people who fought for the land of Punjab and Sindh,” the writer said.

Mughal emperor Aurangzeb is currently at the center of a raging debate across several parts of India due to the cruelties he inflicted upon his subjects, especially those belonging to the Hindu community, during his 50-year reign in the 17th century. Demands have been raised from various quarters to raze Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khuldabad in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district for the unprecedented atrocities he allegedly unleashed during his reign.