Daily Times

The pressure to remove Dr. Atif Mian from the Economic Advisory Council comes as no surprise, but, I thought perhaps things were finally going to change. I thought, perhaps Pakistan’s movement for justice may finally once do as they promised. then I came to the harsh realization; Pakistan is not ready to change.

We’ve seen this story before. Promises of a “New” Pakistan. Promises to uplift Pakistan from the darkness of economic peril. Promises of improving Pakistan’s foreign policy and Promises to bring a new attitude towards Pakistan’s social welfare challenges; All these promises are just that; promises.

Pakistan is not ready to change.

Pakistan’s shaky political climate and poor performance has had a long history. This history is unfortunately paralleled with the hatred and mistreatment of Ahmadi’s living in Pakistan. In 1974, The Pakistani government made a legal amendment to the constitution. This change would declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims, removing their fundamental right to freely profess their faith.

Then we must not wonder why Pakistan is failing to compete on the world stage. Any hope of future success, is teared down and destroyed by the corrupt and bigoted ideology held by the Muslim clerics.

As we cast a glance in the past we are reminded of the plight of Dr. Abdus Salam. A world renowned scientist, removed from Pakistan’s history, simply because he was an Ahmadi Muslim. Facing rejection, he went on to find tremendous success outside the walls of Pakistan, going on to establish the International Center for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy.

We are reminded of an old proverb; One man’s weal is another man’s bane. One man’s wealth is another man’s plunder. And Pakistan is the gift that keeps on giving.

The IMF identified Atif Mian as one of twenty-five young economists who it expects will shape the world’s thinking about the global economy of the future. Pakistan’s response? – Force him out of the economic council due to his religious affiliation

We look back again and remember the story of Sir Zafrullah Khan. Honoured as the first foreign Minister of Pakistan, he made his way to the highest ranks in the United Nations General Assembly, serving as President of the court of International Justice. But this was too much for Pakistan to bear, pushed to self-exile he had to leave the nation he once helped build.

And such is the story of Pakistan.

Fast forward to the present; the International Monetary Fund (IMF) identified Atif Mian as one of twenty-five young economists who it expects will shape the world’s thinking about the global economy of the future.

Pakistan’s response? – Force him out of the economic council due to his religious affiliation.

To echo the words of the famous philosopher George Santayana “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.”

Pakistan had the chance to finally put change into motion, to finally deliver on its promises for a better future, and it has failed itself again.

Dr. Atif Mian’s tale will continue to unfold, but if Pakistan’s history will serve any lesson, it is that we must look past this unfounded hatred and work together towards building Pakistan’s Future.

The writer is a freelance journalist in Toronto and a vocal advocate of human rights and minority persecution, he can be reached at mangla.adnan@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, September 9^th 2018.