Since the inception of Pakistan, it has been evident with the coming into power of every successive government — whether it was a dictatorship regime or a democratic one — that it bought along with it several new amendments and legislations to be enacted into the constitution of Pakistan. Our constitution grants us freedom of expression under the article 19, but that too is a privilege only granted to some. Also, many rules and regulations regarding media censorship have been changed, and contents that were once banned have been unbanned. Previously, any Indian content was banned from being shown in our cinemas and on TV channels — starting from General Zia-ul-Haq’s era — however; the rules changed with the passage of time.
Mohammad Ali Jinnah, during the struggling period after Pakistan came into existence, spoke precious words of wisdom for people to adopt and live by, and for those who have a vision to formulate policies for the future, his words still hold immense depth. His words have either been forgotten, or simply evaporated from our minds. He stated, “United we stand, divided we fall.” And he also said, “I expect you [journalists] to be completely fearless. If I go wrong for that matter, the Muslim League goes wrong. I want you to criticise it honestly as its friend.”
Are we, the people living under the banner of Pakistan, united as a nation? This question bothers many of us. The unfortunate answer is the bitter truth that is hard to swallow; obviously, we are not. We are segregated, divided and shattered. We have had countless incidents of Shias being killed; mosques set ablaze; Christians being targeted; and Sunnis, Shias and Deobandis battling in a tug-of-war that embodies violence and hate speech against other sects as well as in regard to each other. Shias, fortunately, have not been declared “kafir” (infidel) by the state, yet has that guaranteed any peace between the Shia and Sunni sects, and other sectarian groups, even though they are all “Muslim” according to our state?
It would be irrational to say that all terrible incidents happening in our land are because of the involvement of external/outside forces. When the foundation and pillars of a country are weak internally, it is illogical to blame every mishap upon the US or some other nation. Many people in Pakistan blame it on the “involvement” of western agencies/spies or propaganda stirred by the west. We are divided, and we are a judgmental society, full of bigots who falsely label whomsoever they want, and whatsoever they deem appropriate. If it is against our ideology and not in conformity with our views, we oppose them without an ounce of empathy. There is a severe lack of patience, we are clouded by extreme intolerance, and we are incapable of even sitting down, listening or debating upon issues like civilised people in developed countries of the world do.
When something controversial happens in the UK, the US, France and other developed countries, their governments allow their citizens freedom of expression to voice their opinions; there are debates on the issue at hand to see what the public opinion is. Governments gather approval and disapprovals in unison with opposing groups through referendums or consensus, rather than immediately giving them a shut-up call, and leaving no room for debate in order to address important issues.
The west strictly adheres by the principle of freedom of expression, and resolves societal issues through talks and debates, rather than sidelining them. An example of this would be an incident that occurred in Britain when a Muslim minority group demanded that the UK government implemented the shariah law in the country. However, since England is a sovereign secular state, it did not arrest them instantly for creating disharmony amongst other religious groups residing in the UK. This Muslim group staged protests in London and surrounding cities, headed by the imam of a local Mosque, Anjem Choudary and his followers. England being a secular country that abides by the law of freedom of expression and complete freedom to form assemblies allowed Choudary and his followers to carry on with protests on the streets.
The local government or authorities did not arrest, sideline or ban him despite his hate-filled public speeches, and utterances in which he incited violence, and clearly declared the [white] people of England as kafir. Instead, he was invited on popular shows on the BBC, and several other channels, including American news channels, to voice his concerns. He was given a chance to express his opinions and counter arguments in a constructive way by debating the matter with other analysts who were from Muslim and non-Muslim backgrounds.
Earlier, this month, Hamza Ali Abbasi, a well-known TV actor and host, asked a mere question on his TV show to guests who were scholars of Islam. The question was in regard to the rights of a minority community of Pakistan: Ahmedis. Hamza Ali Abbasi has been termed as an infidel by Maulana Kokab Noorani for doing nothing but asking a simple question. Abbasi has been banned by PEMRA after they received a number of calls against him.
For a moment, forget about Ahmedis and Christians and other marginalised groups; the sad reality is that Muslims are fighting with those they consider Muslim. The ongoing Shia-Sunni conflict shows us the sad reality: what options, hope, space, and tolerance does Pakistan have for its minorities? Last year, a good initiative was taken by the government to ban hate speeches against other sects in mosques by local clerics, but some still continue to deliver speeches and preach ideas full of hatred and bigotry. It is about time we stopped judging one another and perhaps learnt a thing or two from the west.
Unlike the west we do not have access to basic rights guaranteed to us, and one of that rights is freedom of expression, which is denied to many. How can a society function when a pillar and an element of utmost importance is missing? A pillar that Muhammad Ali Jinnah, a long ago, stated was a solid brick without which a country would crumble into pieces.
The writer is a lawyer, social activist, and an author