ISLAMABAD, April 1: The launch of Ghani Jafar's book The Indus Valley: Moment of Truth at the Civil Junction here on Friday turned out to be quite a novel affair. Guests were given photocopies of the manuscript, which had five chapters: The Brahmanic assault, The India that never was, The war of religions, The British legacy and the Jat, and the man of the moment, running over 80 pages. The guests were told that it (the book) would come out of the press this week.

The connection between the subject-matter and the content, which was mostly about the Jat community, was illustrated by a power point presentation about the Indus valley civilization, accepted as one of the oldest in the world.

Within the framework of this civilzation, farming was introduced in Mehergarh, Balochistan, 8000 years ago. The Indus valley was also the scene of some of the most advanced concepts in urban planning, which is the envy of places like modern New York. Indus valley was a place where there were no priests (perhaps a mistaken notion!) and no prisons. But the destruct of this magnificence was caused through greed propelled by later day clergy.

The author leads the reader in the first chapter to the formulation as to what could have been the question in the minds of those who read the news in June 1984 that Indian army had made an assault on the holiest of Sikh shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

The answer lies in the metamorphosis that has been the bane of the subcontinent after the Indus valley civilization folded up. "We are dealing in this context, we are dealing here with the Jats community (Sikhs being predominant members) over which the Brahmins in India have quite extraordinary stronghold, since the Brahmins have abused religion for exploitation of other faiths, including the Jats."

While introducing the book, Munir Aslam wished that he could say it was a story-cycle narrative. Then he would have been quite comfortable. But this is a book about Jats, the simple and peace-loving people who have been compelled to do serious thinking about their stay within the Indian territory and how they had been exploited since time memorial by the clergy, he added. Mr Aslam said Jats were also living in Pakistan and, therefore, it contains implication for them as well.

He was followed by Rao Salman Mahmud, who said the book dealt a lot with political and social formulations relating to Judeo-Brahman aspects, therefore, it was necessary to understand many things going on in the world of today.

A similar presentation was made by Ms Mariam, who said the Indian areas were also located in the Indus valley civilization. "But we know very little about it specially in relation to Jats."

Arshad Bhatti prophesied that the book would give rise to controversies in relation to the hold of Brahmins in India, which was a product of abuse of religion.

The imminent theme emerging there is about making a protest against the status quo, and all those who question status quo end up as losers and their freedom is constricted.

Ghani Jafar was asked whether he had elaborated or refuted the theme of the Indus valley saga written by Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan. He denied the suggestion and said it was the result of painstaking research on his part.