An awakening that's long overdue..

Saturday, July 16, 2005 | 2 comments

by

Qudsia Aziz

"Pakistan ka matlab kiya, la illaha illa lah"

Does this imply the same thing today that it implied 65 years ago? The ideology of Pakistan has become fazed over by half truths and supposed brain-washing arguments over its validity. Today the previously stated phrase is thought to deliver a touch of "Islamic extremism". The remnants of a neocolonial ruling system have weakened our socio-political and economic institutions and diminished our national spirit to an extent of blatant indifference regarding the affairs of the state and government decisions. Those who know, have stopped caring and those who do not know, are either not bothered or do not possess the means to learn.

Pakistan was carved out of British India to allow the people of Muslim-majority regions to shape their own nationhood in a separate nation-state. While addressing his last meeting with the Muslim League in Delhi, Jinnah our founder, asked the Muslims of India to live as loyal citizens of India. He declared Pakistan to be a state of its entire people, regardless of their religion. Rather than basing Pakistan’s entity in conflict with India, he vowed to have friendly relations with India. That was his vision. As opposed to this democratic vision, the nation-building process over the years and the ever-changing somewhat personalized policies of the leaders on both sides, took an authoritarian course and formulated a relationship of revulsion between the two neighbors.

The legitimacy for this power structure was sought by vulgarizing the "two-nation" theory, which had served the purpose of partitioning India, as "ideology of Pakistan". Accordingly, deviating from Quaid’s vision, neither did Pakistan become a republic, nor evolve a positive, affirmative and forceful self-image. Pakistan was neither a peculiarity of history, nor a by-product of British conspiracy, as perceived. It was based on foundations of its people, who wanted to have a separate homeland, and was created out of its struggle for autonomy and a search for identity.

Unfortunately, the notion that Pakistan will not survive reinforced the paranoia of a fear-stricken state of Pakistan. Consequently, differences turned into conflicts and wars were fought. Even if efforts were made to resolve them through negotiations they ended up by being futile and thus the two nations could not build a sound structure of friendship so long as issues like Kashmir remained unresolved. The negative image and the feelings of mutual hatred were propagated and enhanced through the media on both sides.

Pakistan today can be likened to a body disfigured beyond recognition, an outcome of countless experimental surgeries. After more than half a century of such complex relations between India and Pakistan, the leaders at the centre today have finally tried to take a firmer, more effective initiative to improve Indo-Pak relations. What the hour calls for are humble, sincere statesmen. According to a simple Irish saying, "anything that keeps a politician humble is healthy for democracy". It is very easy in politics to take an extreme position, because there is little room for change or question in extremism. The need of the hour is therefore, moderate politicians. Leaders, who mean what they say in a speech and not merely reading out elaborate appeals of patriotism and broken promises to the common masses.

We as a nation have been taken advantage of by those in power for nearly half a century; it is therefore now time to take a stand, and make a conscious effort to awaken ourselves from this slumber of indifference, rather ignorance. Revolutions cannot yield results, progress and advancement cannot be acquired overnight and life cannot transform into something radical, until a decision is taken. A unanimous decision, a determined will possessed by the common and extraordinary alike. The will to bring about a change and settle for nothing less. A change maybe not initially in the form of a political movement in its true essence but more of a personal movement, that movement of a man who looks at himself and tries to make changes within himself to realize and understand his surroundings.

More than Kashmir, Indo-Pak relations remain a hostage to the enmity generated by the Partition. It is the common people who lose the most due to these relations. It is the liberation of Indo-Pak relation from the captivity of hostility that can create a soil of mutual confidence. For South Asia to become a really strong region it is imperative that the two neighbors exhibit greater understanding for each others' interests. What is no less important is that the Muslims in India and Hindus in Pakistan will never become first-rate citizens unless Indo-Pak conflict is resolved. There cannot be any new beginning for South Asia without a friendly relationship between the neighbors. But the separate identities of the two regions must learn to co-exist in a peaceful way. It is required that there be a peace that appeals to the senses. One cannot simply recognize another flag and let go of the existence of one’s own. To quote a local citizen, "There should be friendship that will make one see beyond the eyes of politicians."

Saturday, July 16, 2005 | permalink | 2 comments

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