Pakistan, by most accounts is a country divided on various ethno-lingual lines, is a diverse country not only in it’s people but also their visions for the future. Whilst our neighbor to the east has sucessfully overridden these divisions of humanity, throught economic progress, we still stand mired in a syndrome of denial.
Our economic progress is has been limited by the deterioration of the law and order throughout the country. What is more troubling is the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, where the fanatics on the street have seized the opportunity to commit extreme hateful acts of violence and transgressions under the cover of Islam. But whose Islam is it? For these fundamentalists, it certainly does not include the Shias, Ahmadis, or accordingly to some, Hanafis. Lets not even begin to talk to about Christians and Hindus of Pakistan.
I see this rise in radicalism a dangerous phenomenon, more so than the delusions of a Pakhtun separatist or a Punjabi nationalist, because these radicals are using the most precious element of our statehood – Islam to manipulate the general public. Who can stand against the Mullah declaring a jihad on Christians on the grounds of the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan? Who can doubt their Fatwas against Hindu holidays such as Basant? The truth is that YES the US invaded Iraq, Afghanistan, however do we want to be next? according to the radicals inviting trouble, it is half the fun. While Basant may have been a non Islamic holiday, it has been converted into a Jashn-e-Bahara which commemorates spring. How much do we have to give up?
I do not fault the extremists who are Muslims, because they are responding to extremists who are Christians, Jewish etc., however it is their Taliban/SA inspired visions of Pakistan’s future that I disagree with. Who can doubt the decadence of the KSA Royals or the excesses of its populations? While S. Arabia lives off it’s oil reserves, the Talibs, albiet Pious Muslims, led Afghanistan (along with NA and others) to economic disaster. Were the pious Taliban fully able to eradicate homosexuality in Afghanistan? Or the Wahabi inspired Kings of SA able to control themselves on trips to the west?
Ironically, I almost fully agree with what many of the Muslim radicals have been preaching, however I also see that they are detached from reality. Pakistan, a muslim majority state, will always have sinners, the corrupt and Muslims in name only, how many of them can we correct?
Until these ignitors of hate are silenced, either through political dialogue or unfortunately through the barrel of the gun, Pakistan will always remain mired in the uncertainity of its path towards power and progress.
