The basic idea behind "The Human Problem" was
compiled for limited circulation in early 1950, and communicated to
leading American and British scientists in July the same year. Mashriqi had
been in touch with a number of British scientists even before circulating
the document; in fact, he had been invited to the UK to explain his theme
in a series of lectures. But his own government refused to issue him a
passport. Soon after, he was involved in a political case and put behind
bars under the Pakistan Security Act. On release from jail on July 9,
1952, he again applied for a passport, this time to perform Haj and then
to proceed to Europe to initiate the idea of a world conference of
scientists. He was given only a 'permit' for 'Haj', and the
international passport was again refused.
The response from the world scientists was also not very heartening.
While accepting his expositions, they did not find the necessary means or
the climate to take up the issue on a world-wide scale. He received a
number of letters; among them a Canidian scientist, Dr. G. Boyd
exquisitely summed up the helplessness of his class. Calling Mashriqi a
"zealot", he said, "For all your passionate will to believe, you do not
know, nor do I--all that is given to us is the moment, and if one will,
we may polish it, appreciate it and die". Disowned by his own
government, and unable to invoke the interest of the scientists as a
community for a world-wide effort, all that Mashriqi could do was to
undertake the publication of the document for mass circulation. This he
did in 1953.
The document is being reproduced here in the form in which Mashriqi sent
it to the scientists in 1951. When he sent it to the world scientists,
he also addressed them a personal letter which said: