2012 fnf - pakistan papers 1 - schism, liberalis, and politics in pakistan

7/30/2019 2012 FNF - Pakistan Papers 1 - Schism, Liberalis, and Politics in Pakistan

1/23


2/23

The Author

Mr Muhammad Naveed Akhtar has been teaching in GC University,Faisalbad and currently doing his PhD in Taxila Institute of Asian Civi-lizations. His areas of specializations are comparative civilizations, thepolitical and economic history of Pakistan, Public policy in perspective

of cultural relativism and challenges of modernism.

Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung fr die Freiheit would welcome reproduction anddissemination of the contents of the report with due acknowledgments.

Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung fr die FreiheitPost Box 1733House 19, Street 19, F-6/2, Islamabad Pakistan

Tel: +92-51-2 27 88 96, 2 82 08 96Fax: +92-51-2 27 99 15E-mail: [email protected]: www.southasia.fnst.org

No of printed copies: 3,000First Edition: 2012

Disclaimer:Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this pub-

lication. The authors or the organization do not accept any responsibility of anyomission as it is not deliberate. Nevertheless, we will appreciate provision of ac-curate information to improve our work. The views expressed in this report donot necessarily represent the views of the Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung fr dieFreiheit.


3/23

Contents

1

Schism, Liberalism and Politics in Pakistan

Premises of Schism in Pakistan

Religiosity into the foundations of Pakistan

Mushrooming of religio-political parties in Pakistan

Contemporary conventional political parties andsectarian influence

Formation of MMA(Muttahida Majlis-e Amal/United Action Forum)

Credibility of religious parties

Legerdemains for unison

Anger against the West and Westernization

Pakistani governments policy towards sectarian issue

Conclusion

2-4

4-5

6-7

7-8

8-9

9-10

10-13

13-15

15-17

18-19

19-20


4/23

2

Abstract

Pakistan, due to its significant geo-strategic location on the globe, and its historicrole as US partner initially fighting against Soviet Union and then against terror-ism in Afghanistan, is a vital concern of international community. However, thissort of role played by Pakistan brought about political instability and violence inthe state. Chaos, anarchy, unrest within nation resulted in corruption, violence

and brutality. Liberalism and westernization is a lucid dispute among the Islamistand so called liberal political parties, so, despite the wide range schism and splitamong the religious parties, they get united to combat it. Attributable to illiteracy,poverty, lack of basic necessities, it is very easy to exploit the people emotionally.Regarding this, the internal ideological disorder of Pakistan has been taken underdiscussion in this paper. Circumventing the role of military and religious militancy,it will focus on religious, ideological and political tendencies of nation and state.The structure, nature and credibility of religious parties and its leadership and re-ligious-cum-political split of nation is analyzed with a speculative and normative

approach.

Key words: Sectarianism, liberalism, Westernization, Modernism, Religiosity,political parties, Secularism, ideology.

Schism, Liberalism andPolitics in Pakistan

2


5/23

3

A plural society always needs fundamental humanistic principles to drivepeace, harmony and coherence within itself. Nepotism, partiality and sin-gular ideological version of a particular stratum jeopardize the peace and

order. The collateral wisdom, however, emanates from liberalism, democ-racy and tolerance. Apprehending these realities, the forerunners of con-stitution and policy making of Pakistan emphasized on peace, tolerance,freedom, equality and social justice in Objective Resolution of Pakistan;a preamble of Pakistans constitution. Of course, these guiding principlescan be witnessed, in common perception, as part and parcel of the subse-quent constitutions, as well. Even then, the dichotomy in overall cog-

nizance, and the gape in theory and practice marred the congenial socialpattern and dismantled the democratic political behavior. The present so-cial chaos, political instability, insecurity to lives and future are the in-herent fortune of the contemporary generation of Pakistan. Still, thepeople of the country are anxiously looking for herald of peace, progress,and prosperity.

Liberalism and religious political framework are two opposite poles. InPakistan, Liberalism is recognized as aliens versionof westernsfor socialorder based on human wisdom. While Islam, with its universal and divinenature, offers a complete code of life. Mans inferred notion of liberalismsimply supports human equality in all walks of life, without the discrimi-nation of gender, religion, and age.1 Islam confers equality to all individ-uals, but with its own specific interpretation. It says all human are equalwith their basic instinct and needs, but are confined to their discretesphere of labor and work. For liberalism, biological and psychological needsof all human beings i.e. hunger, slumber, sexual desire, love, happiness,grief, hatred are the basic instincts of mankind and provides premises forequal rights. Islam asserts that all human are equal, nevertheless the bi-

Abstract

3

1 These three human characteristics are generally contradictory between Islam andmodern concept of liberalism.


6/23

4

ological structure and capacity demands their distinct nature of rights andduties. As far as gender issue is concerned, females due to their biologicaland psychological difference are unable to be the part of males profes-

sional activities as equal partner and vis--vis male also.

Similarly Islam does not acknowledge the literate and illiterate opinionsand holds those equal for social, political and professional participation.It draws its own principles of literates and democracy more willinglythan the western concept of adult franchise. Henceforth, the sovereigntyand free-will of people is challenged by Islam. It strongly abhors its fol-

lowers who exceed to the Sovereignty and Will of Allah Almighty con-veyed by Quran and Sunnah. The majority population of Pakistan, theMuslims, is auspiciously willing to resign their free-will to the Will ofGod. Interestingly and ironically, it might not be in individual matters butin collective matters, as well. So, individual character is more liberal ascompare to the communal one.

Like all other religions of the world, Islam, too, has been interpreted inmultiple dimensions and dynamics to deal with the confronted challengesof newness, innovations, and modernism. The affirmative stance to per-ceive a single truth of the phenomenon undercut the flexibility and causedrigid schism to exist.

Premises of Schism in PakistanPakistan has plethora of vertical and horizontal divisions of religion, cul-ture, ethnicity and language. Schism in Pakistan has had deep roots in thepast. The percussive preachers of Islam in South Asia were Ismaeli Shias,even before the political arrival of Islam in India, 711 AD. Multan had beenunder the siege and influence of this very sect. Sufis and clergymen, who

came with Sultan Muhammad of Ghor and Mahmud Ghaznvi, introducedthe Sunni version of Islam in South Asia. Explaining the situation, J. Hus-



7/23

5

sain narrates: Mahmud decided to march against the Fatimid ruler ofMultan. Since AD 985, Multan had recognized the Ismaeli FatimidCaliphate of Egypt. Being a devoted Sunni Muslim and loyal officer of the

Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad, Mahmud looked upon the Multan rulers asrebel and heretic. Multan fell to the Mahmuds army after the siege ofseven days. 2 Hereafter, a chain of Sufis and Ulema of Sunni sect con-tributed a lot to covert Hindus into Islam with Sunni orientation. DuringSultanate and Mughal period of Indian history, an explicit alliance ofChurch and State is irrefutable. B. D. Zikria, Sheikh Ahmed Sirhandhi, ShahWaliullah played a discreet political role, whether associational or oppo-

sitional to monarchy, for rendering services to Islam.3

Colonial era is marked as liberal forgery of Muslims. Many of the Muslimscholars strived to reconcile Islam with modernism. Muslim ideologues ofthis era and area, including Syed Ahmed Khan, Syed Amir Ali, AllamaMuhammad Iqbal, Anyat Ullah Musharqi, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, AbaidUllah Sindi and Ghulam Ahmed Pervez, presented Islamic interpretation

according to modern parlance of social science and framework of refer-ences. They were in a division of either progressive or reactionary, yetstrong sectarian grudges gave its impression comprehensively rare.

Religiosity into the foundations of Pakistan

Though, the umpteen reasons were involved, yet the creation of Pakistanpredominantly demanded by Muslim leaders and Muslim masses of India

Premises of Schism in Pakistan

2 J. Hussain, A History of Peoples of Pakistan: Towards Independence, Karachi: OxfordUniversity Press, 2006. p. 118.3 The schism as political order during medieval period was not the question of demo-

cratic process, for it was a dictatorial order. Thus, will of majority people as governingprinciple was out of question.


8/23

6

with the rationale of religious diversity from majority population of India,i.e. Hindus. These people fought zealously with their colonial masters, theBritish, and country fellows, the Hindus, as they had dreamt of a land of

Islam, where they would lead their lives following Quranic injunctions andteachings. This would be an anamnesis of the glorious days of ProphetMuhammad (Pbuh) and his Pious Caliphs. They would set forth a miracu-lous example of a state and society for rest of the world. The question ofschism and variants of Islam was not much stiff as it is in these days. Thiswas due to the lofty ideals of mystic Islam in India. Hitherto, the aspira-tions remained aspirations and could not meet the destiny of their exis-

tence. All of the existing systems adopted heretically for newly born state,Pakistan. Whether it was a formation of constitution or the establishmentof administrative, economic, judicial, educational, and military institutionsremained as it is. Different rulers moved to patch them up with the cer-tain principals of Islam; hence, their vulnerability, incapability and inex-plicability, even insincerity, has been pathetically evident to implementIslam in its true sense compatible to the needs of modern age.

Apropos of the treatment of freedom movement by Pakistani historian,and other social scientists, they elaborated the events with their all biasesof religiosity. They seem committed to prove the maltreatment of Muslimsof India by Hindu community. The literature portrays that Muslims werevulnerable, so marginalized and victimized by Hindus. The social reforma-tive movements, Shudhi and Sanghton, were made up to convert Muslimstowards Hinduism by all means. Economically, Muslims were subject underHindu business monopoly. These writings are fraught with the details ofMuslims miseries and predicament. It asserts that there were incessantassaults on the Muslims religion, culture and philosophy on the part ofHindu community. All this was due to only difference that was of religionand there would be nothing controversial, if the native Muslims convertedback to Hinduism.



9/23

7

This was the mindset of intelligentsia and opinion-makers, which was in-ducted to their coming generations, and prepared them with the cog-nizance that this state is created by force of Islam, for the implementation

of Islam.

Mushrooming of religio-political parties inPakistan

The political landscape of Pakistan is overloaded with distinct religiousand political parties. The Daily Times, one of the renowned newspapers ofPakistan, has given quite interesting facts about the religious parties inPakistan. According to its report, published in 2003, there have been 245religious parties in Pakistan. It further categorizes them: of these, 28 claimto be political parties, a maximum number of these, 104 had been activein Jihadi activities, and 82 on sectarian concerns. 20 parties are of

Tableeghee proselytisation. The residual 23 are involved in miscellaneousactivities.4

As far as the sectarian concern is discussed, 48 political parties belong tothe Barelvi school of Sunni Islam. There are 44 Deobandi parties. Theseenjoy the greatest political influence, especially in the NWFP (now KPK)and Balochistan. Though Ahle Hadiath parties and Shia are fewer but havedisciplined networks and party structures and had always been playing asignificant role in sectarian politics. The religious tendencies in the statecan be realized through the fact that till 1979, there were only 30 religiousparties in Pakistan, of which 7 were Deobandi, 5 Barelvi, and 3 Shia. TheJamaat-e Islami was considered a non-sectarian organization.

Mushrooming of religio-politicalparties in Pakistan

4 Amir Rana, 245 Religious Parties in Pakistan in Daily Times, Lahore: Thursday, April17, 2003


10/23

8

Contemporary conventional political partiesand sectarian influence

The political culture of Pakistan is dominated by feudalism, religious sec-tarianism and baradarism. As a result of political wear and tear, Changein political structure can be realized by its continuity. But the said politicalculture is a constant fate of the state so far. Since last two decades, po-litical parties are ineffective, functioning as instruments of two families,the Bhuttos and the Sharifs, two clans, allegedly both corrupt. By andlarge, the Bhutto-Zardari axis is perceived as left leaning,5 whereas

the Sharif brothers are suppose to have right leaning. The Sharifs havestrong sympathetic ties with and tendencies towards Pakistans militaryas well as Islamic fundamentalists.6 By representing Punjabi, a major eth-nic bloc, and the Sunni school, Sharifs have upper hand over the Bhuttos,who have Shiite ties. Except for the Mohajir/Muthida Qaumi Movement(MQM) in Karachi, the class character of all other political parties is feudal.Pakistan has not dismantled old feudal structures. The Bhutto family alone

owns over 20,000 acres, a scale of land ownership that is common.7

There is no political party in Pakistan which exercises itself to contest elec-tion without screening devout appeal. PML (N), PML (Q), Tehrik-e Insaaf,and PPP might be called Centrist Parties, but none of these is leftist at all.In fact, these parties are those which take advantage of the situation, theirstance and action provides the real politick understanding. Many of the


5 Peoples Party, though, do have liberal tendencies, and Z. A. Bhutto, the founding fa-ther of the party, more liberal than his any successor, has to Islamize his agendas, slo-gans, and other outlook for public, dubbing it as Islamic Socialism. Then, in early 90s,Benazir Bhuttos government is immensely held responsible for establishment of Tal-iban regime in Afghanistan. Above all political parties, Military regimes in Pakistan, ex-cept Zia era, had been pivotal exhibitor of liberalizing society.6

??7 Pakistan-Political Parties at http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pak-istan/political-parties.htm (24-10-10)


11/23

9

religious-cum-political parties are the political wings of militant organi-zations. Others and said centrist parties had been, or hitherto, mere diplo-matic adherents of them, taking advantage of the state of affairs.

Formation of MMA (Muttahida Majlis-eAmal/United Action Forum)The year 2002 brought the incredible and awesome political developmentsin the country; that almost all religious parties pledged to form a political

front. It was the time when there were massive inflammable sentimentsin the societies of Muslim World against the American aggression overIraq and Afghanistan, which was carried out after the incident of 9/11.Anti-American sentiments was a leading force in the unity of religiousparties which were earlier hostile to each other because of religious dog-matic differences, and declaring fatwa against each other. Now they gotunited to fight liberalism, westernization and pro-American policies of

Musharraf regime. On 3rd February 2002, United Front of Pakistan UlemaConvention was held, and at the occasion, renowned religious leadershipof all corners, including Nasr Ullah Khan, Shabir Hashmi, Shah AhmedNoorani, Munawar Hassan, Maulana Samiul Haq, K. M. Muzhar, Hafiz Hus-sain Ahmad, Mirza Ayub, Muhammad Khan Logari participated and madespeeches on the emerging grave situation for Muslim Ummah and the re-alization of their responsibilities in this regard. The Ulema delivered ferventspeeches, saying that the time demanded to be prepared for do or diesituation. The issues, reservations and responsibilities thrashed out were:

Pakistan is going to be American contrivance for the con-tainment of China

Parvazi Fiqais being put into practice in Pakistan Qadianiversion of Jihaddichotomy over Jihad e Akbar and

Jihad e Asgar is being adopted as state policy

Formation of MMA (MuttahidaMajlis-e Amal/United Action Forum)


12/23

10

Propaganda against religious seminaries (Maddrissahs) iscarried out by State controlled media.

For resolving these conflicts they demanded: Withdrawal of American troops from the territory of Pakistan Restoration of constitution of 1973 Establishment of caretaker government To take tangible and solid measures against secularism Negation of propaganda against Maddrissahs

The convention the leaders of all religious parties said that it was a hightime of travail for religious circle. On 13 May 2002, the clerics announcedto initiate a campaign pursuing their demands and goals; they also de-clared party alliance to contest the forthcoming election.

Credibility of religious partiesThere are certain critical features of religious parties, which let somebodysee their agenda, philosophy and nature of existence and of struggle inpolitical milieu of Pakistan.

The almost all religious parties of Pakistan make and exploitthe public opinion against the American foreign policy towardsPakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq and generally towards Islamic

world, despite the fact that Pakistan is relying on the economicaid of America.

These parties are deficient with the charismatic leadership.Though Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Mualana Fuzulur Rahman,Mualan Samiaul Haq, Mualana Shah Ahmad Nourani (late) arethe renowned leaders, but they are the individuals and peopleare not optimistic about their charisma and capabilities.

The people deeply opine that religious leadership is not capableenough to deal with the crisis.



13/23

11

Despite of Jamat-i Islami, all the religious parties are seasonedwith their sectarianism, even divided from within the sect.

The hierarchy of religious parties is comprised of Ulema. They

are not convinced to recognize common persons as true rep-resentatives of Islam. That is why, the ordinary people do notagree to recognize them as their rulers or masters.

Though Jamat-i Islami welcomes the ordinary persons in gen-eral terms, yet they are not in the good book of party, it is notready to assign them the major responsibilities of organizationand discipline.8

On many occasions, religious parties showed the tendenciesof reconciliation with the secular or liberal parties, yet it is toouseless to inculpate them. The people get surprised that whatis the use of adjustment and reconciliation with them to whomthey declare dishonest, mischievous, and undisciplined.9

Religious parties are the patron of madrissahs in Pakistan andthey produce the ulema of sectarianism rather than the

scholars of Islam.

The common masses of Pakistan have always been doubtful about the sat-isfactory skills and capacities of religious leadership to deal with problemsof managing state-affairs and confronted challenges of the modern world.The majority members of these parties are the product of religious semi-naries (maddrissahs), who do not fulfill the need of modern academics:courses, techniques, technicalities, and paraphernalia. Paradoxically, theauthorities of Maddrissahs, who are the grimmest opponents of the mod-

Credibility of religious parties

8 Ghayasud din Janbaz, Deni Sayasi Jamaton Ka Alamiya, in Khabrain, Rawalpindi:29th Oct., 2001.9 Munawar Hassan, the leader of Jamat e Islami, said that so far JUI, one of the part-ners of coalition government, would have been taking dictations from America. So, the

MMAs joint session could not be held, and its revival seems difficult to happen. (13-06-10)


14/23

12

ernism, needed to be equipped with modern knowledge to establish thecredential and credibility. Common wisdom demands their right job thatis of theological rather political, preaching of Islam rather dictating people

with command and force. Due to academic shortcoming and substandardeducation, the student qualified from these maddarissahs could not bethe part of main-stream executives or policy makers of the state by gettinggovernments official jobs.

Sectarianism and orthodoxy confined the students of Maddarissahs todogmas, rather attaining pragmatic approaches to the society. This evolves

biased and prejudicial mindset against anti-sect and modernism. Resul-tantly, the offspring of these glitterati enhances unacceptability, intoler-ance and violence in the society. Moreover, generated societal divisionblocked the way to raise mutually accepted religio-political leadership.

The token legitimacy of religious leaders was also harmed by their owndouble-standards. The high echelons of religious parties trenchantly crit-

icized the modern and co-education, but their own siblings or family mem-bers has been blessed with modern educations from western universities.Similarly, they religiously opposed the women for taking part in politics,and their own females are becoming part of it. The religious-cum-politicalinterpretations of the issues like women status, Hijab (veiling), family plan-ning, Hudood Ordinance, Evidence Act (Qanun-e Shahadit)10 are de-nounced by feminist factions of the society. Ullemas disapproval of blooddonation and transplantation of organs is unappreciated and perceived asthe paucity of progressive knowledge and respect for human life. Of course,their supposed ruling authority is a perceived threat that would ensuresuch sort of policies and reforms. And orthodox and fundamentalist ap-proach would dismantle entire existing structure of statecraft, institutionsand even all walks of social life.


10 I. A. Rehman, Human Rights, in Fafi Raza, Pakistan in Perspective 1947-1997,(Karachi: Oxford University Press, 2004), p. 313-15


15/23

13

Every man to his trade is another conventional understanding that hin-ders one to see pious theologians in the form of dirty politicians. The peo-ple opine that, today, politics is bad mans game11 of maneuverings and

cunningness; so the Ulema holding Islamic symbols, nomenclatures andoutlook for political ambitions are not presenting good image of Islam.So, the people show off the sympathetic and auspicious Yes to their re-ligious call, but hold No for being their political vote-bank.

Legerdemains for unisonThe ullema who are embodied with political ambitions have to confrontthe challenge to justify their legitimacy, not only for anti-sects but theirown followers. To what extent they are right to couple with those to whomthey used to criticize for their belief and practices? Would a religiousleader representing one sect be just, unbiased and beneficiary for thosewho do not allure with his sectarian interpretation of Islam?

Here, another ponder able thing emanates that successful adventure ofreligious clique will implement what sort of Islams version/interpretationin the existing heterogeneous religio-social order; whereas the divisionsand differences are grave, whereas intolerance is preached and inducedinto the followers. The true followers are forbidden to develop customaryrelationship with adversaries of their faith.

Legerdemains are forwarded by those sectarian hardliners who have po-litical concerns as well, when they are to be accountable for demonstrating

Legerdemains for unison

11 Public Opinion in Pakistan: Concern About Extremist Threat Slips, Americas ImageRemains Poor Pew Research Center Publications, Pew Global Attitudes Project, July29, 2010 at http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1683/pakistan-opinion-less-concern-extrem-

ists-america-image-poor-india-threat-support-harsh-laws (24-09-2010)ford Univer-sity Press, 2004), p. 313-15


16/23

14

unity with other religious parties. The followers ask their persons in com-mand that is it right for you to get united with those whom you ever de-clared enemies, mischief-makers and deprecatory dissidents of Islam in

their opinion? The latter either block up with tantrum or trepan with trickyand false argument saying that at the outset of Hijrah from Makka toMadina, Holy Prophet (pbuh) holds agreements for unison with Jews (NonMuslims of Madina), so was a strategic move of Muhammad (pbuh) andso is their move to anti-sect for establishing their authority of righteous-ness.

The most active and influential religious party, Jamat-i Islami, had been apart and parcel of democratic process and participant in elections in thebrief history of Pakistan. When they are asked, whether democracy Islamicconcept? Their answer is in No.12 So, why did Jamat-i Islami take part inelections? The answer is though Democracy is un-Islamic, yet nearby Islam.The leaders refer the saying of Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Whileyou have to choose one of two evils, be with minor one. Thus, the means

and path are not Islamic for acquiring power and authority, whereuponultimate goal is to enforce Islam.

Muttahida Mujlis-e Amal (MMA) took sympathies of the people duringelection campaign falsely saying their ballet-symbol book is Gods book(the Quran), whereby they must put belt stamp on the book to prove theirright faith against evil forces. They adopted the slogan: Kitab lye gii hisaabKittab karye gii Ahtisaab(Book will take account and conduct accounta-bility).13 The innocence of people, inflicted by illiteracy, unawareness andstrict belief in the told dogmas, was immensely cashed by the literate po-


12 The answer under pragmatic and empirical analysis is uncertain and open-ended,whereas theoretically majority of the Muslim ideologue responds in No. Ayesha Sid-

diqa, Democracy in Muslim World, in Dawn, Friday, January 23, 2009; Dr. Riffat Has-san, Iqbals View of Democracy in Dawn, Friday, June 11, 2010.


17/23

15

litical religious leaders. The public gave the voice to their demands of basicnecessities of survival: Roti doo, vote loo(vote in exchange of bread); dis-pensary doo, vote loo(provide health care for vote); gar doo, vote loo(shel-

ter for vote), school doo, vote loo (deliver the facilities for education toget the vote).

Anger against the West and WesternizationIt is often argued by religious groups that Pakistan is the state uniquelyand unprecedentedly erected on the name of Islam. And due to its very

premises, it holds foremost responsibility to portray and protect its exclu-sive passion gathered identity for unity of its people extended to its sal-vation. The slogans puffed up to Muslim masses of India, hitherto dreamsimmaterialized, have worth coupled with hope to be achieved. The religionhas been a serious matter for the people of Pakistan because they sacri-ficed their native land, beloved family members, many more lives and whatnot; not just for separate piece of land but for a land of their faith which

above all of that.

This sacred aspiration took over by religious leadership after the provedunfaithfulness to real cause of moderate leadership of Muslim Leaguethat after the partition of India was no more interested to establish atheocratic state or the Islamization of its law and institutions. Regimesbreach of peoples aspiration reinforced with bad governance, excessive

corruption, political feuds within ruling party and misuse of institutionsto prolong enjoyed ruling status and thereafter military rules compelled

Anger against the Westand Westernization

13 The other political parties also popularized to their own absurd slogans, PML (N)demonstrated: Hathon Ma Hath do, Sher ka Sath do (Join hands together, side with thelion). PPP shouted the slogan: Tadeer Badlay ga taqdeer, Chai gi Benazir(Arrow willchange the fortunes and Benazir will return), PML(Q) A Gai Cycle, Cha Gai Cycle (Cyclewill come, Cycle will dominate).Syed Karim Haider, Pakistans General Election 2002, Lahore: Pakistan Studies Centre,University of Punjab, 2004.


18/23

16

them to take refuge under the shelter of Western economic aid patchedup with their World Order.

Failure of governments brought alleged foreign influence in policy makingalong with the economic aid. The religious leadership rebuked this devel-opment and gravitate the ruling authorities towards the enforcement ofIslam. Some of them found the opportunity to seize on, and offered them-selves for the attainment of real cause of the creation of Pakistan. SincePresident Zia-ul Haqs regime, American influence is cultivated so stronglythat Pakistan is now a guided state. Jamat-i Islami shows its concerns on

its website:

Thus pork chops and wine are on the menu in the famed Kabul restaurant.Abundant pornographic material is available in Baghdad. Casinos and barsare operating in Basra. These are merely the outward signs of this awfulreorganization of societies through social engineering. Elsewhere in theMuslim world, similar results are being achieved through petty dictatorsinstalled or kept in power by the United States.

This well organized plan of Americanization of Islamic societies is farmore dangerous than the military occupation, because the military occu-pation is visible whereas these efforts aimed at inner transformation re-main hidden until results have been achieved.

This large scale destruction of the Islamic fabric of Muslim societies isbeing carried out through two main channels: hundreds of pseudo non-governmental front organizations and a new educational system. In some

countries, the US has overtly established womens rights groups that ad-vocate an American brand of freedom and rights for women; in others, ithas funneled millions of dollars through existing complaints governmentinto social action programs, which aims to westernize these traditional

Muslim societies.14


14

Killing With Culture and Education, September 24, 2010 athttp://jamaatwomen.org/article/culture.htm (24-09-2010)


19/23

17

The other side of the picture demonstrates the application of Newtonsthird Law, the individuals, particularly the youth, oriented with liberal andmodern education/exposure are feeling suffocation in the milieu of rigidity.

And they manage to extricate themselves from incommodiousness againsthuman esthetic and intrinsic desideratum. Though the individual charactermight be regarded as malicious by the conservatives but it is a light-headed reaction against conservatism.15 The burning of porn CDs, threat-ening to sex-workers, condemning the theater productions might be theresentment against absurd Westernization, yet how far it is just to vic-timize their own people for this acculturation. Pathetically, the question

of self-empowerment with progressive education, science and technology,economic policies and diplomatic skills is a mirthless focus of the religioushardliners.

Pakistani governments policy towardssectarian issueSo far, the retrospective governments of Pakistan have been indecisive toformulate a concrete and comprehensive religious policy to address sec-tarian issue in Pakistan. More than that, they have failed to reconcile re-ligion and politics in a harmonious and congenial way, or to separate both;uncertain about the role of religion in institutional framework because ofstates stance on its Islamic ideology as its raison d'tre.

The ideological dilemma and confusion cultivated religiosity first, which

Anger against the Westand Westernization

15 Pakistan World Leader in Porn Search: Google, in The News, July15, 2010;http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/07/12/data-shows-pakistan-googling-porno-

graphic-material/; Wake up Pakistan Allahs Warning-Saleem Sahil. watched athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IMDkWIT-74&feature=related (03-08-2010)


20/23

18

later on grew up religious sectarian intolerance and violence. The consti-tutional measures of state are notable for this development like: name ofstate as Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Islam as the religion of the head of

state; no law repugnant to Islamic injunctions; and Blasphemy law, whichis a great example of how a court system is used sectarian purpose. 16

The founding father of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the PresidentSikandar Mirza, and President Ayub Khan, and Prime Minister Z.A. Bhuttowere Shia Muslims. 17 Their influence on the constitution and policy mak-ing is vital so that they were unable to enforce either Shiate Islam or Sunni

Islam, as the majority of population in Pakistan is Sunni Muslim. This wasPresident Zia-ul Haq who dared to Islamize the law and institutions ofPakistan with Sunni orientation. And this was the start of schism gettingits root in politics of Pakistan. The religious parties oriented with sectari-anism were soon being sponsored by Iran and Saudi Arab. Mariam AbuoZahab rightly put it: the governments for a long time pretended that sec-tarian organizations were strictly a local problem, which could be dealt

with at any time by arresting few dozens of extremists.18

The visible stepswere taken during the Musharraf regime to proscribe the extremist parties;however, this banning was on the militant groups involved in the terroristactivities within and outside the country, other than religious political or-ganization.

The verdict of Bangladesh Supreme Court to ban religious parties in the


16 Katja Riikonen, Sectarianism in Pakistan: A Destructive way of Dealing with Differ-ences, in Pakistan Security Research Unit (PSRU), Brief Number 2, 1st March 2007. p.5; see also Ashutosh Misra, Rise of Religious Parties in Pakistan: Causes andProspects, in Strategic Analysis, Vol. 27, No. 2, Apr-Jun 2003, p. 188.17

18 Mariam Abuo Zahab, The Regional Dimension of Sectarianism in Pakistan, at

www.ceri-sciencespo.com/archive/2009/juin/dossier/art_mz.pdf (15-08-2010)


21/23

19

state announced on 29th July 2010, provides new conflict resolving un-derstanding in Muslim countries, dealing modern challenges by operatingcontrolled political state craft. This would be a new experiment and would

establish a new precedent for Islamic countries. Now, future scenario ofBengali politics would direct the Muslim states in apprehending the socialresponse evolving with new changing political spectrum in the state. Ofcourse, established values, religious affiliations and ideological patternswould be replaced by the priorities of economic development and socialwelfare. Albeit, ifs and buts, still, alarm the observers; will it pacify thedeep-rooted religious aspirations of the people to see a state of Islam, a

utopian Islamic state?

ConclusionThe mile-stone of the formation of Pakistan is remarked and rationalizedwith the religion of majority inhabitants, the Muslims, because so waspremises of the movement of Pakistan. Religiosity, undoubtedly, turned

out to be the social norm in Pakistan and the peoples aspired to see theirstate according to their aspired mirth. Before the partition of India, theschism was not much dominant along with its rigidity as it is seen thesedays. It would not be a problem if it was dealt with considering existinginternal and external realities of the time. And, as if the institutions werepatronized on the principle of synthesizing the international norm and itsideological zeal. Nevertheless, these social behaviors have entered in a

transitory phase. In contemporary politics of Pakistan, the ideological andreligious aspects are lacking their operational strength and switching toliberal political behavior. Losing credibility and charisma of religious par-ties caused the societal rejection to lead the nation. Schism, coupled withintolerance and violence, also defamed the religious leadership.

Religiosity and schism, playing their political role, are two distinct issues

of discussion, as religiosity is the inherent character of social and politicalculture of Pakistan, whereas schism started to influence politics with all

Conclusion


22/23

20

its gravity and force during the regime of the Zia-ul Haq. The islamizationof Zia and lateral attempts to blend the religion with politics raised thequestion on the possibility of whose version of Islam or which sort of Islam

would get the place of states religion as political order? This conundrumis yet waiting to be resolved. Definitely, this will take a long time, perhapstill the attainment of tolerant civic society. And then perhaps there willbe a need to blend religion with politics.

Like other Third World countries, also in Pakistan, the people are facingthe problems of poverty, illiteracy, poor health, violence, terrorism, and

unavailability of basic human rights. Now, the priorities are being checkedin accordance with the social issues and basic needs sooner than emo-tional or ideological satisfactions. All political actors, particularly the re-ligious leadership, have to understand that the priorities of state andcitizens should be of: education; then economic; and lastly the defense orso-called militancy. But, so far, order is carried out reversely.



23/23

2012 fnf - pakistan papers 1 - schism, liberalis, and politics in pakistan

Documents