The day after the terrible terrorist attack at Islamabad’s Islamic University that took the lives of eight innocent students, certain TV news channels ran a footage of a dozen or so angered students of the university pelting stones. The first question that popped up in my mind after watching the spectacle was, what on earth were these understandably enraged young men throwing their stones at?
So I waited for the TV cameras to pan towards the direction where the stones were landing. But that did not happen. It seemed as if the students were pelting stones just for the heck of it.
So I called a fellow journalist friend who was covering the story for a local TV channel and asked him about the protest. He told me the students were pelting stones at a handful of cops. Now, why in God’s good name would one throw stones at cops after being attacked by demented men who call themselves the Taliban?
The very next day another protest took place outside the attacked University in which the students, both male and female, were holding banners that said: ‘Kerry-Lugar Bill namanzoor!’ (Kerry-Lugar Bill Not Acceptable).
I could barely stop myself from bursting into a short sharp fit of manic laughter. It was unbelievable. Or was it, really?
Here we have a university that was attacked by a psychotic suicide bomber who slaughtered and injured dozens of students so he could get his share of hooris in Paradise. The attack was then proudly owned by the Tekrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. And in its wake, we saw enraged students protesting against the Kerry-Lugar act? What a response!
What did the Kerry-Lugar act have to do with the suicide attack? Wasn’t this remarkably idiotic ‘protest rally’ by the students actually an insult to those who were so mercilessly slaughtered by holy barbarians?
But then, some would suggest that in a society like Pakistan, such idiosyncrasies should be swallowed as a norm. And I agree. What else can one expect from a society living in a curiously delusional state of denial, gleefully mistaking it as ‘patriotism’ and ‘concern.’ It seems no amount of proof will ever be enough to dent Pakistanis’ resolve to defend the unsubstantiated, wild theories that they so dearly hold in their rapidly shrinking heads.
Take for instance the recent case of a famous TV anchorman who visited a devastated area in Peshawar that was bombed by a remote-controlled car bomb. He talked to about 10 people at the scene. More than half of the folks interviewed spouted out those squarely unproven and thoroughly clichéd tirades about RAW/CIA/Mossad being the ‘real perpetrators’ and that ‘no Muslim is capable of inflicting such acts of barbarity.’
A friend of mine who was also watching this hapless exhibition of the usual top-of-mind nonsense suddenly announced that he wanted to jump in, hold these men by the arms, and shake them violently so they could be ‘awoken from their dreadful sleepwalking state.’
Pakistanis routinely continue to deny the fact that the monsters who are behind all the faithful barbarism that is cutting this country into bits are the mutant product of what our governments, military, intelligence agencies, and society as a whole have been up to in the past 30 years or so.
Well, this is exactly what happens to a society that responds so enthusiastically to all the major symptoms of fascist thought. Symptoms such as powerful and continuing nationalism; disdain for the recognition of human rights; identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause; supremacy of the military; obsession with national security; the intertwining of religion and government; disdain for intellectuals and the arts; an obsession with crime and punishment, etc.
Have not the bulk of Pakistanis willingly allowed themselves to be captured in all the macho and paranoid trappings of the above-mentioned symptoms of collective psychosis. It clearly smacks of a society that has been ripening and readying itself for an all-round fascist scenario.
This is the scenario some among us are really talking about when they speak of ‘imposing the system of the Khulfa Rashideen’ or shariah, or whatever profound buzzwords adopted to explain Pakistan’s march towards a wonderful society of equality and justice? Words that mean absolutely nothing, or systems and theories either based on ancient musings of tribal societies or on glorified myths of bravado.
I felt bad for the few bystanders at that Peshawar bombing site who kept contradicting their more gung-ho contemporaries by reminding them that for months the shopkeepers where receiving threatening letters from the Taliban warning them that they should stop selling products for women and ban the entry of women in the area.
One shop-owner who said he lost more than millions of rupees worth of goods in the blast was slightly taken aback when the anchor asked him who he thought was behind the bomb attack. For a few seconds he looked curiously at the anchor’s face, as if wondering why would a major TV news channel be asking a question whose answer was so obvious. ‘What do you mean, who was responsible?’ he asked. ‘The Taliban, of course!’
Fasi Zaka wrote a scathing piece on the floozy response of some students who chanted slogans against the Kerry-Lugar Bill outside the freshly bombed Islamic University. He was battered with hate mail, even from those who did agree with him that it were the Taliban who bombed the unfortunate university. But these folks turned out to be even worse than the deniers. They are apologists of all the mayhem that takes place in the name of Islam in this country.
Every time the barbarians set themselves off taking innocent men, women, and children with them, these apologists suddenly emerge to write letters to newspapers and try to dominate internet forums explaining the intricate ‘socio-economic problems’ that are turning men into terrorists. Or worse – as is expected from reactionary news reporters like Ansar Abbasi – they will start giving details about the infidel targets that the terrorists were really after at the place of the attack.
Zaka told me that he got letters suggesting that the Taliban attacked the canteen of the Islamic University because ‘women students were not behaving and dressing according to Islam.’ The state under Ziaul Haq had the Hudood Ordinance for such ‘loose women,’ but now the Taliban have bombs for them. And mind you, those who were trying to justify the bombing in this respect at the University were ‘educated’ young men and even women.
Recently, we also heard about a hijab-clad female student at the prestigious and ‘liberal’ Lahore University of Management Sciences, who bagged her 15 minutes of fame by capturing images through her mobile phone of students indulging in ‘immoral activities’ on campus. Of course, the same lady’s ‘concern’ and righteousness ends at becoming a self-appointed paparazzi for the reactionaries, whereas it was young women (in hijabs) and men with beards who died so senselessly at the Islamabad Islamic University campus.
Pathetic, indeed.
Nadeem F. Paracha is a cultural critic and senior columnist for Dawn Newspaper and Dawn.com.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
This is the first time that I have gone thro’ any article published in “Dawn”. Excellent piece, indeed! I whole heartedly congratulate NFP for daring to write such a secular, balanced, rational and cogently argued article which goes against the mainstream thinking in a theocratic country such as Pakistan. NFP is a courageous person to express views which are not politically correct. Yes, we do have a small minority of fascists in India. But fortunately, they do not carry much conviction with the common man, who is more concerned about his daily dal roti. After all, Pakistanis are our own people till Partition. We wish them well.
I spent nearly three years in Glasgow (UK) between 2005 and 2008. I came into contact with a couple of Muslim families who originated from Pakistan. Pakistanis are wonderful hosts. I used to meet a young lady of Punjab -origin who used to bring her little daughter to the school. She used to show me such warmth of heart and friendliness, I felt as if I was talking to my own cousin back home in India.
I pray to Allah to remove the mutual suspicion and prejudices between Indians and Pakistanis. May the lawlessness and extremism in Pakistan be a thing of the past. Insha Allah, let our Pakistani brothers and sisters enjoy peace and prosperity.
Prof G.N.Rao,
Hyderabad, INDIA
Not many nations in the world enjoy the luxury of being as explicitly guided by their founding fathers as ourselves. The founder of this country had left ample guidance for its people, in this regard.
Quaid-e-Azam had declared unequivocally that Pakistan would be a Secular state and would remain strictly non-theocratic. The following Golden Words of the founder of our nation, more than ever, summon our attention today :
1 : Religion should not be allowed to come into Politics. Religion is merely a matter between man and God. [Jinnah, Address to the Central LegislativeAssembly, 7 February 1935]
2 : In the name of Humanity, I care more for them [the Untouchables] than for Mussalmans. [Jinnah, Speaking about the Shudras or Untouchables, during his address at the All India Muslim League session at Delhi, 1934 ]
3 : You are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed.That has nothing to do with the business of the State. [Jinnah, Presidential address to the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, Karachi, 11 August 1947]
4 : No distinction between one community and another, no discrimination between one cast or creed and another. We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens and Equal citizens of One State. [ Jinnah, Presidential Address to the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, 11 August 1947]
5 : Now, I think we should keep that in front of us as our ideal, and you will find that in due course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense because that is the personal faith of the individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State. [Jinnah, Presidential Address to the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, 11 August 1947]
6 : But make no mistake, Pakistan is not a theocracy or anything like it. [ Jinnah, Message to the people of Australia, 19 February 1948 ]
7 : In any case Pakistan is not going to be a Theocratic State-to be ruled by priests with a divine mission. Regarding non-Muslim Pakistanis he further says, They will enjoy the same rights and privileges as any other citizens and will play their rightful part in the affairs of Pakistan. [Message to the people of USA, February 1948]
We, as a nation, have for six decades, ignobly defied the noble advice of Jinnah – the founder of this nation. Today, we are reaping the harvest of our defiance. We have to learn from our mistakes and retrace our path back to the course defined by our Quaid. We have to regain our ‘ Paradise Lost ‘. We have to rediscover ” Jinnah’s Pakistan “.
Best Regards
Nusrat Pasha
Terrorist killings in Pakistan. Let us blame the usual Jews,Americans and Indians.
Terrorist Killing in Mumbai. let us blame Indian government killing there own people so they have a reason to fight with Pakistan.
Sep 11 – let us blame it on the US government Killing it’s own people so they can wage war on Muslims.
The bottom line is we will not blame the real problem that is religious fanatics and terrorist.
Good article indeed, except some points which are quite obvious in your every article, i.e your habit of turning the waves towards religion,
I agree with the first part regarding protests by students, but why they were throwing stones at minister or police is obvious as Govt has failed to
protect them, once again. Why they carry slogans about K.L bill is because it might have been driven by some political party, like Jamiat who has
a hold in major universities, it was a childish act indeed.
About rest of the article, I agree with you that some of our writers & anchors are trying hard to prove that the anti Pakistan elements are the
only, means “only” cause of all these acts, These journalists might be 50% right, as anti Pakistan elements are active there, but not hundred percent because the people who blast themselves, and who are walking bombs, are offcourse our Pakistani illiterate & half baked minds, who do not know the reality of Islam, for them to die or to kill is the easiest way to accomplish Paradise.
Yes Paradise is for the one who spent their lives according to the teachings of Islam, it is a vast topic, teachings of Islam should not be restricted to some rituals, it is a complete way of living, now a days nobody thinks that earning right, spending at right place, feeding the poor & serving parents, neighbors is also way of Islam, Our Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said “Even smile is a Charity”, also he said “To kill one person, is to kill whole Humanity”, so these half baked minds, these illiterate people & their teachers are damaging not only this country but also Islam.
Next time I hope when you write any scholarly article, you’ll keep the real Islam picture in your mind, not all religious people are bad, there are few left in this society who really have knowledge & they are beneficial for human kind, they are real Muslims.
Cheers!
Good article. Why a society need a “Islamic university” or a Christian university?. Religion is very personal. Not to mix with the affairs of state or politics. We have been a doomed state because we swear by religion in all occasions. And no religion did any good to uplift the downtrodden. We must detach politics from religion. We still live in stone age.
Many blame the Muslim bigotry and the conspiracy trait on lack of education. This is not so. Educated Muslims living in the west also suffer from this virus. Some time back I read in the Dawn an article by Irfan Hussain where he was at an elite function in the Uk. Many including his host blamed the Tsunami caused by an under sea earthquake as designed by US, Israel and India!
Their logic–Most of the fishermen on the coastal regions were Muslim !!
Adnan, Islamabad: “The students were throwing stones at Rehman Malik.”
Quick to stone people who failed to protect you, but always hesitant to condemn those who actually blow themselves up in the presence of innocent men, women and children?
Paracha is spot on about this vicious wave of denial cutting us to pieces.
And also, fine they were throwing stones at Reham Malik. But how would you like to explain the Kerry-Lugar Bill protest the very next day by the students?
As Paracha asked, what did the K-L Bill issue had to do with the bombing?
Great article.
Our country will never be peaceful and prosperous unless we keep region with in the house and mosque.
Religious fanatics have hijacked the country a long time ago.
Religion is personal and should be within oneself, We should not see everything with the lens of religion.
Some of the facts presented in the article are very thoughtful. But your opinion towards religion always remain biased. Its the people who have problem understanding the religion, not the religion itself.
The ‘glorified myths of bravado’ part confirms one point that your articles are no longer for the betterment of society instead its for hating and criticizing religion and that too, with a self opinionated and self righteous stance. You will go on writing anything that supports your secular and anti-conspiracy theorist image. For doing so you will even by-pass historical facts and ground realities.
Excellent NFP.
As is expected from reactionary “news reporters”, they will start giving details about the infidel targets that the terrorists were really after at the place of the attack.
Thank you.
Mr. Paracha, with all due respect, you really don’t know what you’re writing because of the limited information that you’ve got. The students were throwing stones at Rehman Malik, and it was broadcasted live on a private tv channel (the video can be seen on other mediums, its still there). I feel like you’re portraying something that is totally different from the reality and you’ve some different intentions.
Regarding your statement that students held protest outside the university next day against kerry lugar bill, I would just say that I saw no such protest happening except the rally that was supervised by the University’s admin, which was called “Save Pakistan Rally”. I also participated in that.
In the end, I’d really like to advise you to correct the sources from where you get your info. And to get more insight on issues, try to become a master of all mediums instead of proudly being called a cultural critic. You work is from inside the room where you can’t feel the real society of Pakistan.
“Conspiracy Theories” and “It cant be Muslims” syndrome is not unique to Pakistan but is found in most of the so called Islamic world. Pakistan’s biggest problem is this religious bigotry which has seeped into its very nervous system and it now controls every opinion, policy, law, enemy, conspiracy theory, everything. NFP recognizes this syndrome as a huge drawback in his society and is doing a big favor on his people by showing them the mirror. But can decades of indoctrination be changed by a few articles ? It surely is a step forward.
Very well said sir!
Mr. Paracha’s efforts will not go wasted(it is nice to know someone living in Pakistan and trying to do the right thing considering the risk involved). It goes without saying that the problem of Pakistan is lack of education and I am not only talking about the masses I am talking about the so called elites who fail to understand the simple fact that religion should be a personal matter and should never be used to determine the fate of nations. Religion should be banned in public places and so should be public display of religious symbols, anything less than that will most certainly destroy the country. It is about time people learned the fact that it is not the infidels who are hurting the country, ideology which is the sole cause of the situation Pakistan is in.
55% of literacy rate, 22 million internet users and a free media has produced a nation of sleep walkers. Perhaps the quickest solution then, is the state monitored, strictly controlled media. Few tv show anchors are confusing the masses, thanks to free media. These people are delusional and will say anything to round up an applause. Free Speech requires a certain amount of intellectual honesty which I am afraid, Pakistani nation is not capable of.
I agree wholeheartedly. Just a small addition. The people who plan and train these attacks are to blame. The end blunt tool, the actual person who blows himself is to be pitied. In most cases, he has been living his whole life in a small, remote madrassah. He knows nothing but what he’s been taught. Its high time to keep a check on so called Madrassahs.
Secondly, drone attacks are a reality. Picture an everyday guy. Who lost a loved one as collateral damage to an army operation or drone attack. Now, the government has no face. It is an institution. It just goes on doing what it does. On the other hand, the extremist Mullah comes to share his grief and offer retribution. He has a choice. Either to mourn his loss and get over it. Or join the extremist and exact revenge.
But in the end, it is a Muslim, Pakistani who supplies ammunition, who recruits, who trains, who blows himself up.
@KIMI: what NFP pointed out is very much clear in your writing.
@ Pakistani: you dont see the actions of ur extremist as mocking on Religion, look like your out of argument.
In response to the questions raised by some of the Indian contributors on this blog, I would like to say that contrary to what is generally believed today, Pakistan got separated from India, not because of religion but because the people of the Muslim-majority states of undivided India opted and voted for a separate country for reasons that were essentially political. The Muslims who maintained their residence in India, were neither stronger nor weaker in faith than those who chose to reside in Pakistan. Islam was under no threat from Hinduism. It was in fact the conglomerate of Muslim-majority that risked being economically subdued by the larger conglomerate of the Hindu-majority states. Therefore, Pakistan was not created in the name of Islam pursue, but rather in pursuance of a secure economic future for the inhabitants of the Muslim-majority provinces of India. Quaid-e-Azam had held on to the idea of an undivided India, endorsing the Cabinet Mission Plan. Gandhi, Nehru and Patel rejected it. This was the last hope of keeping India undivided and the Congress leadership knew this well. All Jinnah wanted was to guarantee a secure economic and social future for the smaller and economically weaker conglomerate of Muslim-majority states, within an undivided India. The unaccommodating attitude of the Congress leadership made it clear to Jinnah that this was something the Muslim-majority states were not going to get. That left Jinnah with no option but partition. Jinnah’s principled stand always was to defend the threatened, who in this case were the Muslim-majority states. Jinnah’s cause was a just one. His movement was peaceful. The subsequent surge in religious extremism in Pakistan can not be attributed to Jinnah, just as the increase in Hindu extremism in India cannot be linked to Gandhi. Pakistanis and Indians both must learn to be more objective and dispassionate, with reference to our common heritage and history. Pakistan must indeed learn from its grave mistake of disregarding the will of its great founder, by dragging religion into politics. Pakistan has to retrace its steps to Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan.
Nusrat Pasha
The most un-needed article I have ever read, by Nadeem F. Paracha. The article started off well, but as usual, concluded, with the most inappropriate ending of a bashing a political point of view, whilst glorifying another. Topics related to suicide bombing should always be deprived and starved of religion and politics, otherwise, it always ends up ensuing a religious and political point of view to the people. Maybe, writing about such atrocities has made Nadeem radical in his point of view as well. We are all, indeed, losing our sanity.
As a matter of fact, this article is based on facts and figures, well explained and highlighted main areas. While on other hand, its really strange that Pakistani people protest against the talibans and against the western world or US, which I believe is most of people in Pakistan thinks that US or western world is responsible for this mess up. Moreover some of them do believe, main cause is the corrupt politician as well.
This is a right time and cause for Pakistani youth to unite and fight against Islamic Terrorism. Pakistani youth can find their goal to fight. As our old generation has the goal to fight the British empire. And they have achieve it by getting the freedom. Remember all Hindu and Muslim fight together to achieve the ultimate goal of freedom. This time around the same should be done.
Well reading the above article I have came to my conclusion that even if your military will say that they have finish the Taliban. It never will be. The seed of talibanization are in your false version of religion. Your government and education institute should be teach only modern science not any version of Islam.
I think we are to be blamed most as a nation we did not do good to ourselves and we always looked towards the helping hands of other countries. We as nation never stood up and say no more, we as nation did so much bad to this country and now we deserve this. We as nation not respected our founder as he died on the side road cause Petrol finished in his Ambulance what a shame. Have anyone thought of this what have we done to our Mohsin. We as nation are one of the most ignorant nation in the world. We are like a hoard of sheep and shepherd is taking us where he wants to take us. Wake up call for us.
Sane people Like Nadeem Paracha etc are true humanists.
In response to the question raised by an Indian contributor named ‘Indian’, I would like to say that contrary to what is generally believed today, Pakistan got separated from India, not because of religion but because the people of the Muslim-majority states of undivided India opted and voted for a separate country. Thus it was less of a religious choice and more of a political one. Islam was under no threat from Hinduism. But in fact the Muslim-majority states were at risk of being economically subdued by the larger conglomerate of the relatively well-off Hindu-majority states. Therefore, Pakistan was not created in the name of Islam, but rather in pursuance of a secure economic future for the inhabitants of the Muslim-majority provinces of India. Quaid-e-Azam actually held on to the idea of an undivided India, even endorsing the Cabinet Mission Plan, which was rejected by Gandhi, Nehru and Patel. This was the last hope of keeping India undivided. All Jinnah wanted was to guarantee a secure economic and social future for the smaller conglomerate of Muslim-majority states within an undivided India. The persistently unaccommodating attitude of the Congress leadership made it clear to Jinnah that this was something the Muslim-majority states were not going to get. That left Jinnah with no option but partition. His principled stand was to defend the oppressed and threatened, who in this case were the Muslim-majority states. Jinnah’s cause was a just one and his movement was peaceful. The subsequent surge in religious extremism can not be attributed to Jinnah. Pakistan has to learn from its grave mistake of disregarding the will of its founder and dragging religion into politics. Pakistan has to retrace its steps to Jinnah’s Pakistan. And by the way, I am indeed proud to be Pakistani.
Nusrat Pasha
I have been tracking your “enlightened” columns for a while now. It was always amusing how you wrote everything in such a biased fashion with obvious and overflowing Islamic phobia.
I usually choose to ignore people like you who think they “know it all” and people who are so fond of a secular Pakistan but after this column of yours, I just couldn’t resist it.
All I am going to say is that Mr. Paracha, I know I am biased. I do not pray five times a day for which I am ashamed. But I still hold my religion very close to me. I know we should look at ourselves before we start the blame game with others. I know that there are foreign elements behind TTP who without them won’t even last a week. I know everything in our country is because of the wrath of Allah because we have become an Immoral Society. We cheat, we rob, we lie. Our men stare at women without shame and do not respect them. Our women do not cover their heads in public (which by the way is a part of our religious obligations). We Pakistani’s Muslim know all of this, including myself. That is why every word and line I wrote is Biased.
The difference between you and us is that we know we are biased. But you don’t realize how biased you are and your whole cult. Its amusing that you think you are a person with moderate and modern views. But infact you are every bit same of an extremist as TTP are, but in the opposite direction.
I respect anybody’s views as far as political situation in Pakistan is concerned. But I must ask you to stop spreading your “enlightened views” on how an Islamic society should act.
Many thanks for reading this which I don’t know you will.
Peace, and may our lord show you and me the right path.
long live ISLAMIC republic of Pakistan!
Excellent piece as usual by Mr Paracha but unfortunately most of the people reading your blogs and columns are people who already subscribe to reality. but those who are living in denial are least bothered about reading your introspective pieces and even if they do they dismiss it with their universal argument that Paracha is “SECULAR” or a “ZIONIST” Vise versa.
In response to the conclusion drawn by ‘Rationalist’ may I once again reiterate that the ultimate solution lies in separating Religion from State. This applies not only to Pakistan, but rather to all Muslim-majority states, in fact to all countries of the world. This is a universal reality. It would be wiser to exercise pragmatism than to learn the hard way. As far the reformation of Islam is concerned, that anyway is not the job of the state. Religion is reformed by God-sent reformers, not by governments. The State should mind its own business and that should leave the state with enough to sort out. God is most certainly capable enough to take care of the revival of Religion, by ways of His own choice.
I have been making some contributions, now and then to various debated blogs. Natrually I do read so many contributed thoughts by others but also mainly Pakistanis.
What I am beginning to see that a majority of Pakistanis are now writing and openly criticizing with what has happened in Pakistan in the name of religion. The one person who has brought about this change is Nadeem Pracha. I salute him. By God your country needs a total awakening before you begin to walk towards progress.
Instead of Rehman Malik, we need to see Islamic scholars come on TV screen every day and issue fatwas against suicide bombings and other acts, like asking stranger women to dress “properly”. Surely if enough religious scholars speak out, we might see a shift in public opinion.