Diversity is beauty unless it does not result in polarization of different segments of society to such an extent that it gives a sense of alienation to different groups and creates grudges among them for one another. It’s a misfortune of Pakistan and the simplicity of the society that their diversity is cashed in the name of ethnicity by different political leaders in different spans of time. Ethnic politics has remained an order of the day in Pakistan to date. The analysis of this situation shows that this type of politics caused more harm than help in our society.
Today, we are more Punjabi, Sindhi, Baloch, than Pakistani. Sub nationalism reign supreme in even our day to day dealings while interacting with people of different ethnicities. National integration on the basis of Pakistani nationalism is a distant dream that seems not going to be fulfilled in the coming decades if the same situation of politics prevails. When Prime Minister Imran Khan came into power, most study circles who were worried about the disintegration and polarization of the society took a sigh of relief and thought that the grievances of the other provinces and especially the Pathan community will be minimized by a Pathan in power. His empathetic address to the people of FATA and their cry in the response to Khan’s verbal sympathy gave rise to the feeling that he will try his level best to uplift the socially vulnerable segments of the society. The time will show the results of this hopeful expectation.
Territorial nationalism and ethnic nationalism is not merely a problem of Pakistan. Every successful and integrated country has gone through it at some point in its existence. Canada, the USA, Malaysia, Spain, Portugal, and Singapore were not as integrated as they are now. A glance in their history reveals that they had also faced racial, ethnic, and separatist movements nevertheless, with the passage of time they gave rise to holistic nationalism and now they are integrated and prosperous.
The problem with Pakistan is that we do not have leaders of national stature rather than ethnic origin. That is the reason we have different ruling parties in all four provinces with different party leaders. The leader as of Akbar Bhugti flamed the ethnic emotions by stating, “I was Baloch for thousand years but Pakistani for only thirty years.” This statement shows the mentality of the famous leaders and tells that to how much extent some leaders held their ethnicity as supreme. Such mentality has its effects on the coming long periods of time ahead.
However, by addressing the genuine grievances of the people, things can look different and integrated. Every sect, ethnicity has different kinds of political, religious and social needs and their provision guarantees social harmony.
The example of separation of Bangladesh always needs to take place in front of us while dealing with fragmental problems of different groups of people and provinces. We need to keep our records correct at home. One way of doing it is to extend the center’s powers to a province or its region which is not working correctly. For instance, residents of Karachi call it a heck on earth owing to different administrative problems of the city.
What is wrong if the center wants to extend its authority which the constitution of Pakistan provides to it.
Article 149 is not a witch-hunt if it were so it would not have a place in our constitution. Being Pakistani we should respect our constitution. There are many examples throughout the world where many countries invoked the center’s influence to get their things corrected. Giving rise to fragmentation, hue, and cry is not a solution. The public wants delivery in one way or the other. Democracy will be strengthened even despite the enactment of article 149.
We need to support the better vision and farsighted goals until we do not have an alternative or the latter fails. With the escape of Gulalai Ismael, there are fair chances of propaganda against Pakistani nationalism under the garb of the misery of Pashtoon nationalism. The puppets are more prone to be used by malicious elements of abroad. It is we who need to plan things to infuse a bigger picture of Pakistani nationalism in the simplistic minds of our people and its advantages. Inclusive growth of all the regions by providing incentives to new businesses in far away and underdeveloped regions, and sharing everybody’s due equitably and justly by building a soft power; would be the steps in the right direction.
Saba Sarwar Social Scientist and Researcher