Religion and the State - Your days are numbered

As a student of politics I was considering why it is that Pakistan has suffered three military regimes in only fifty years of existance. It would surely seem ludicrious when we compare it to the relatively stable political system of the United Kingdom.

To explore this question, one must appreciate the the United Kingdom has had constitutional democracy for hundreds of years and thus from this have evolved its stable and absolute channels of political movement. Pakistan has no set methods of rule, her institutions are young and lack experience. Therfore political turmoil and instability in Pakistan is to be expected.

However Pakistans problems are further compounded by extremists who wish to see a closer unity of the political process and Islam. This has no place in any society that wishes to progress. Again, drawing on lessons from history, most if not all of today’s advanced economies at some point experienced pressure from thier religious groups. In France the Bourbon dynasty collapsed, in Britain Cromwell fought back radical sentiment as Catholicism and Protestantism tore the fabric of society apart.

Over time it became apart that the intertwinning of religion and politics is clearly counter productive to any society and it’s political system. The political evolution of states and their societies shows this clearly. Pakistan, like many developing economies has not yet realised the grave restrictions of religious influence within the state. As soon as this becomes increasingly apparent there will be an increased shunning of religion. Consequently the politics of Pakistan will then be able to free herself from the shackles of religion and can pursue a path of peaceful evolutionary reform. By adopting a secular organic constituntion Pakistan can become a world leader economiclly and politically rather than the mere irritant it is on todays world stage.

Dear God’s father. That is the only way to go. Religion should have no place in governance, and governments should not endorse any religion. Religions were created (or invented) for spiritual guidance and not for running the state affairs. If one needs to exercise his/her religion, state should provide an infrastructure to accommodate that.

The problems in Pakistan are more embellished than you have painted. It is not just a matter of religious ascendance, but it is inbred out of ignorance, organizational conflicts (Army vs. Politicians, etc.) and mass illiteracy. Over 70% of the country cannot even read or write, how do we assume that they all want dictatorships or theocracies, or anything for that matter. What is being felt at this stage in the game is that there will be a Political renaissance in Pakistan. We have pretty much hit the rockbottom, and it is time to rise.

Actually, a considerable portion of even the orthodox Islam in Pakistan believes that the philosophy of Koram outrightly forbids religion to interfere the matters of the state. That was also specifically mentioned by the founder in his address to the first meeting of the assembly, on 11th august 1947.

However, we have seen in fifty years of history, that those very clerics who disagreed to the concept of Pakistan, calling it paleedistan (Land of the filthy) and called its founder, Kafir-e-Azam (The greatest Kafir) are now giving lectures on patriotism, pointing out the traitors, and virtually in control of the whole system. Thanks to America and its interests in Afghanistan through some decades.

Its time some of us liberals stand up and take some practical steps to re-claim the country which we made and the clerics have snatched away from us!


.....So they turned away from him and said, '' A man tutored, possessed! ''
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Paagal Insaan!

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