Daily Times

I was happy to be at the ‘liberal, progressive and secular visions of Pakistan’ conference last week end in London. It provided a forum to those who share the idea of Pakistan that is different from what extremist forces envision. And its objective is to create an alternate narrative or revert Pakistan to Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s liberal, secular and egalitarian vision for the greatest good of the largest number.

My old friend, an epitome of liberal and secular way of life veteran journalist Rashed Rehman’s call to say he was here made me defy English weather like health condition to go to the conference. Besides him it provided me an opportunity to meet other old friends too. I was also curious to know what they do to provoke the ire of the establishment and its wired media. I knew one of its organisers — Ambassador Husain Haqqani — was a red rag for them, hence condemnation of an otherwise excellent idea to build a counter narrative to intolerance and rising tide of bigoted mullacracy.

Tête-à-tête over with Rashed Bhai, I joined other friends for the opening of the conference. Having heard so much of anti liberal/secular diatribe in the media, I waited anxiously to hear if any of the three speakers that evening would say something that could be objectionable. Their inaugural speeches were music for the ears. Whatever Dr Mohammad Taqi and HH — said in their opening statements — seemed to be a larger ‘conspiracy’ to silence those who opposed them for opposing bigotry, extremism, sectarianism and galloping intolerance from the pulpit. No doubt there was in passing justified criticism of the proposed grand ‘scheme for mainstreaming’ the terrorists who had been responsible for the killing of over 70,000 civilians and nearly 10,000 personnel of our security forces.

Rashed Rehman spoke rightly as an elder who had seen so much of deterioration of values in our society — that he felt — as a duty to present and future generations — to set their direction and priorities onto the right course in order to create a rancour free society with equal opportunities and justice for all-irrespective of caste, creed, colour or gender. SAATH — as the group calls itself- has set for itself on the task of reforming the society by draining out the poison of religious extremism, Jihadi terrorism and replacing it with the higher ideal of peaceful co-existence.

At long last, the institution that has been playing the key role in Pakistan’s history seems to have rediscovered the original ideological moorings of Pakistan as defined by Mr Jinnah — that religion shall have nothing to do with the business of the state and that all its citizens shall be equal — irrespective of caste, creed, colour or gender and that Pakistan shall not be a theocratic state

I did feel suspicious when I did not hear a single word against Pakistan or the military, rather heard genuine, untold pledging of loyalty to Pakistan and reiterations to do good for the people and the country by countering intolerance and replacing it with liberal and secular mindset. When I did not see ‘Ghalib being torn to pieces’ I wondered in my mind — ‘was this conference organised as a covert operation to project Pakistan’s softer image by the Establishment?’.If that is the case, my hats off to their ingenuity. However, my weird sense of humour could not resist asking the organiser — did the establishment sponsor it?

My suspicion was strengthened when I read later a historic remark of Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa saying firmly that religion is a ‘private affair’. Never ever before any of our previous army chiefs had dared to call religion a private affair. At long last the head of the institution that has been playing the key role in Pakistan’s history seemed to have rediscovered the original ideological moorings of Pakistan as defined by MAJ-that religion shall have nothing to do with the business of the State and that in Pakistan all its citizens will be equal — irrespective of caste, creed, colour or gender and that Pakistan shall never be a theocratic state.

Later I heard similar words from DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghaffor who reiterated that Pakistan Army is a national army and among its rank and file are Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and members of other minorities. This statement was a befitting response to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law, an ex-Army Captain Safdar Maryam who in a speech in the National Assembly, called for the expulsion of all members of Ahmadia community from the army and other government services.

I was happy that I went there and among over hundred others from far off places, got the chance to meet old friends like Professor Amin Mogul, Abbas Nasir, formerly of BBC/ex-Editor of Dawn, brave journalist Nasir Zaidi who received lashes under Genera Zia but did no surrender, Murtaza Shah, Aamir Ghauri of Geo/news, Tamoor Iqbal of Prime TV, London university scholars Nadir Cheema and Tariq, BBC’s Umber Khairi, Saqlain Imam, Javed Soomro, Jaffer Rizvi, Farhat Taj of Norway, Ibrahim Sajid from New York, Pakistani journalist Beena Sarwar and Marvi Sarmid -both human rights campaigners.

I don’t know what happened on the second day of the SAATH Conference since I could not attend as it was to begin too early and later in the day I had a commitment with Hon Alderman Mushtaq Lashari CBE to co-chair with Barrister Sibhgat Kadri the Third World Solidarity’s seminar on yet another interesting and relevant topic ‘Role of Media in democracy’.

It too had a galaxy of attendance including Pakistani and foreign journalists, businessmen, councillors — who had much similar concerns as that of SAATH Conference regarding the way things were shaping up in Pakistan, threat to democracy, increasing possibility of clash of institutions, growing intolerance, religious bigotry, rising tide of sectarian mullaism and growing radicalisation.

I can understand the genuine concerns of overseas Pakistanis about the state of affairs back home. They share the view that growing confrontation needs to be defused post haste. Indeed, that’s the way forward. Instead of taking on the establishment, the former Prime Minister and hawks in his party- must read the writing on the wall. If we don’t unite now, put our house in order and tighten our belts to face hydra-headed challenges — a little later would be too late.

The writer is former High Commissioner of Pakistan to UK and veteran journalist

Published in Daily Times, October 18^th 2017.