So, according to the National Accountability Bureau last week, President Asif Ali Zardari has assets of $1.5 billion – making him far richer that the Queen of England (worth only a paltry $450 million, for all those wondering). Makes you proud to be Pakistani, doesn't it? We can now tell our former colonial rulers "our head of state is richer than yours!" Although, perhaps, before we do, we should wait for the Supreme Court's ruling on whether the NRO is unconstitutional, and therefore whether the said head of state is to be tried on corruption cases.
Some foreign newspapers breathlessly ran with the story. "President Asif Zardari of Pakistan 'is a billionaire,' " screamed one particularly excitable headline in Britain's Daily Telegraph. Meanwhile, most of us upon hearing the report yawned. Old news. Quelle surprise. Nothing to see, ladies and gentleman, please move along.
In fact, the overwhelming reaction was a sense of déjà vu. Pakistani politics is stuck in a groundhog day – an endless repetition of the same characters, facing the same accusations, following the same pattern. Cases will come. Charges will be made. Sentences handed down. Cases will be appealed. Charges will be dropped. But nothing changes in Pakistan.
In two weeks' time we'll be entering the second decade of the 21st century. Yet this story – Zardari's alleged corruption – could have been drawn from the 1980s and 1990s, as well as the 2000s. The president's chief spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, himself admitted when responding to the latest allegations that these are "no more than a regurgitation of decades-old unproven, politically motivated allegations." Decades old? God, it seems longer!
Pakistani politics has become a stagnant cesspool – a repetitive regurgitation of the same people. Let's take a look at the facts pertaining to the political leaders of the three largest parties in Pakistan.
The Pakistan People's Party has been in the hands of the same family since its inception in 1967 – 42 years. While he is a relative newcomer to leading the party following the assassination of his wife in 2007, we mustn't forget that Zardari has been at the epicentre of PPP politics since his marriage to Benazir in 1987.
Nawaz Sharif came to prominence on the political scene in 1985 as the chief minister of Punjab, the very same job his brother holds today. Nawaz has been leading the PML-N since 1993.
Altaf Hussain formed the MQM in 1984 out of the remnants of the APMSO, a group he launched in 1979. As we all know, there has been no other leader of the MQM.
In the time that these three people and their families have monopolised the leadership of their respective parties, we have seen the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union, the growth of the personal computer and the internet, 9/11, and the election of America's first black president. How many cricket captains and coaches have we sacked in this time due to poor performance? Yet, these three are still here. Every time our three main political leaders appear, one is automatically transported back to the 1980s -- the decade in which these three emerged onto the political scene. The 1980s also gave us the perm, Nazia Hassan, and VCRs. Yet, while these three are no longer with us, Asif, Nawaz and Altaf Bhai remain very much in place.
It's also worth noting that in a country where three-quarters of the population is under 30 years old, and half the population is under 20, the three main political leaders are 54, 60 and 56, respectively. Are they capable of tackling the most pressing problems facing Pakistan and its young?
The world's attention is on the Copenhagen climate conference at the moment. Pakistan is one of the countries that will be affected most by climate change. According to the UN, in the coming decades we will see reduction in our crop yields – up to 30 per cent in South Asia, spread of climate-sensitive diseases such as malaria, an increased risk of extinction of plant and animal species, water stress, and an increased risk of floods as glaciers retreat, followed by drought and water scarcity. Climate change will also have an impact for peace and security and migration. With a population estimated to rise by 85 million in the next 20 years – the equivalent of five Karachis – this is truly terrifying. So where do these leaders stand on this issue? What leadership have they shown on the subject? None.
The fact that these three emerged during the 1980s is not coincidental. The decade of Zia spawned a new political class frustrated with the stranglehold of a military dictatorship. However, we need to admit that these three are yesterday's men. They need to step aside, not just for the sake of their parties, but also their country. Pakistani politics needs a massive infusion of new blood -- new leaders with new ideas. Leaders who can provide solutions to some of Pakistan's most pressing problems, be it terrorism, population explosion or climate change. It's time for the next generation.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Weakest Link, Goodbye
During the height of the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland, bars in Boston, Massachusetts would sell drinks called ‘car bomb’ and ‘kill a Brit’ - the profit from which would go to doing just that. Cheers it wasn’t. The US was the largest financial contributor to IRA terrorism outside of Ireland, and along with Libya, the main supplier of weapons. The US Government even granted visas to the leadership of Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, and invited them to the White House, against the expressed wishes of the British Government. However, at no point did the British Government impinge the sovereignty or rule of law of the Americans by sending crack teams of SAS soldiers into Boston’s bars to ‘grab and snatch’ the financiers of terrorist atrocities. Had it done so, all hell would have broken loose.
Yet, this is actually what is happening in Pakistan according to revelations made recently in the US publication The Nation. Yet, we in Pakistan remain supine to the Americans. According to a report by Jeremy Scarhill, who has written the definitive book on Blackwater, members of an elite division from Blackwater (Xe) based in Karachi are at the centre of a secret programme in which they plan targeted assassination of suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives, ‘snatch and grabs’ of high-value targets and other sensitive action inside and outside of Pakistan. In another revelation, in this month’s Vanity Fair, Blackwater founder, Erik Prince, confirms the private security firm’s involvement in Pakistan loading Hellfire missiles onto drones and guarding the US Ambassador, Anne Patterson.
Only last month, when asked about the recent slew of reports about Blackwater in Pakistan, Ms Patterson denied their presence saying: ‘..it is frankly the frenzy and the conspiracy theories that proliferate in the Pakistani media. But yes, I think some of it is people who don’t want a closer relationship with the United States and they actively promote this.’
And yet, here we have confirmation, from none other than the head of Blackwater himself that they are operating in Pakistan. Either, as best, Ms Patterson was woefully ignorant about their presence – a level of ineptitude that makes her redundant as the US representative in Pakistan. Or, she was lying. Which was it Ms Patterson?
Blackwater’s presence in Karachi performing covert operations against Al Qaeda and Taliban targets is severely worrying. Unlike Iraq and Afghanistan, Pakistan has not been conquered by the US. This blatant disregard for Pakistan’s sovereignty proves that, despite Obama’s public wooing of the Islamic world, little has changed in attitude from the previous administration. When, during the Bush administration, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told President Musharraf to ‘be prepared to be bombed. Be prepared to go back to the Stone Age’, it was widely perceived as the arrogance and imperious bluster of a neo-con regime. Yet, is the Obama administration any better?
Lying about Blackwater, increased drone attacks, and now private mercenaries operating in Pakistan, is the height of arrogance and disrespect towards the sovereignty of our democratically elected Government. The US Government purports to support democracy and rule of law in Pakistan and yet, through its clandestine actions in this country, is undermining these very institutions. How can we have a new beginning of trust with the US, as Hilary Clinton was advocating on her recent trip to Pakistan, when the US operates a ‘Do what I say, not what I do’ policy towards Pakistan.
But these revelations are also damaging to Pakistan in the long term. For too long, many of us in the media, have been battling the ultranationalists, conspiracy theorist and Taliban deniers. We have been arguing forcibly that the Islamist threat is our problem and our war. That our nation’s denial of personal responsibility in this war – ‘it’s them, not us – (them being Hindus, Jews, Americans etc) have crippled our growth and ability to tackle the problem. This toxic victim narrative embedded in the minds of many Pakistanis, and propagated by the likes of Zaid Hamid, Ahmed Quraishi and Shireen Mazari and their ilk, has proven alarmingly resilient to rational argument. Well, our job has just got a lot harder.
Blackwater’s presence will only reinforce the belief that this is America’s war – not ours. Thanks to these policies, credence has now been given to those who argue, like Imran Khan, that it’s the drone attacks and American intervention in Pakistan that is fueling the extremism engulfing our country. Winning the hearts and minds of Pakistanis and reducing the trust deficit has now become far more difficult.
The American Ambassador, with her diminutive frame, and immaculate appearance, reminds me of another Anne – Anne Robinson, the host of the BBC’s Weakest Link. For those who haven’t seen the programme, she dismisses the contestants who fail to make the grade with a disparaging flourish. Allow me to be equally contemptuous. Madam Ambassador, your bungling over Blackwater has now made you the weakest link. Goodbye.
Yet, this is actually what is happening in Pakistan according to revelations made recently in the US publication The Nation. Yet, we in Pakistan remain supine to the Americans. According to a report by Jeremy Scarhill, who has written the definitive book on Blackwater, members of an elite division from Blackwater (Xe) based in Karachi are at the centre of a secret programme in which they plan targeted assassination of suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives, ‘snatch and grabs’ of high-value targets and other sensitive action inside and outside of Pakistan. In another revelation, in this month’s Vanity Fair, Blackwater founder, Erik Prince, confirms the private security firm’s involvement in Pakistan loading Hellfire missiles onto drones and guarding the US Ambassador, Anne Patterson.
Only last month, when asked about the recent slew of reports about Blackwater in Pakistan, Ms Patterson denied their presence saying: ‘..it is frankly the frenzy and the conspiracy theories that proliferate in the Pakistani media. But yes, I think some of it is people who don’t want a closer relationship with the United States and they actively promote this.’
And yet, here we have confirmation, from none other than the head of Blackwater himself that they are operating in Pakistan. Either, as best, Ms Patterson was woefully ignorant about their presence – a level of ineptitude that makes her redundant as the US representative in Pakistan. Or, she was lying. Which was it Ms Patterson?
Blackwater’s presence in Karachi performing covert operations against Al Qaeda and Taliban targets is severely worrying. Unlike Iraq and Afghanistan, Pakistan has not been conquered by the US. This blatant disregard for Pakistan’s sovereignty proves that, despite Obama’s public wooing of the Islamic world, little has changed in attitude from the previous administration. When, during the Bush administration, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told President Musharraf to ‘be prepared to be bombed. Be prepared to go back to the Stone Age’, it was widely perceived as the arrogance and imperious bluster of a neo-con regime. Yet, is the Obama administration any better?
Lying about Blackwater, increased drone attacks, and now private mercenaries operating in Pakistan, is the height of arrogance and disrespect towards the sovereignty of our democratically elected Government. The US Government purports to support democracy and rule of law in Pakistan and yet, through its clandestine actions in this country, is undermining these very institutions. How can we have a new beginning of trust with the US, as Hilary Clinton was advocating on her recent trip to Pakistan, when the US operates a ‘Do what I say, not what I do’ policy towards Pakistan.
But these revelations are also damaging to Pakistan in the long term. For too long, many of us in the media, have been battling the ultranationalists, conspiracy theorist and Taliban deniers. We have been arguing forcibly that the Islamist threat is our problem and our war. That our nation’s denial of personal responsibility in this war – ‘it’s them, not us – (them being Hindus, Jews, Americans etc) have crippled our growth and ability to tackle the problem. This toxic victim narrative embedded in the minds of many Pakistanis, and propagated by the likes of Zaid Hamid, Ahmed Quraishi and Shireen Mazari and their ilk, has proven alarmingly resilient to rational argument. Well, our job has just got a lot harder.
Blackwater’s presence will only reinforce the belief that this is America’s war – not ours. Thanks to these policies, credence has now been given to those who argue, like Imran Khan, that it’s the drone attacks and American intervention in Pakistan that is fueling the extremism engulfing our country. Winning the hearts and minds of Pakistanis and reducing the trust deficit has now become far more difficult.
The American Ambassador, with her diminutive frame, and immaculate appearance, reminds me of another Anne – Anne Robinson, the host of the BBC’s Weakest Link. For those who haven’t seen the programme, she dismisses the contestants who fail to make the grade with a disparaging flourish. Allow me to be equally contemptuous. Madam Ambassador, your bungling over Blackwater has now made you the weakest link. Goodbye.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Leaders Wanted: Soap Stars Need Not Apply
Last Saturday saw the release of the country's most comprehensive investigation into the attitudes and needs of Pakistani youth. Entitled "Pakistan: the Next Generation," and commissioned by the British Council, the report bases its findings of interviews with 1,200 Pakistanis between the ages of 18 and 29 who hail from a cross-section of society. An alarming wakeup call: the report highlights the "demographic disaster" facing Pakistan in the next 20 years. A population that has already trebled in the last 50 years to 180 million is set to swell by a further 85 million in the next 20 years -- the equivalent of five cities the size of Karachi. I urge you to read the full report at www.britishcouncil.org/pakistan.htm. Be warned, it is sombre reading,
In order to meet the demands of this population explosion, our economy needs to grow by six percent a year and create 36 million new jobs in the next 10 years. In contrast, our GDP is expected to increase by two percent in 2009, and we are growing only about one million jobs a year. At the same time, high food and energy prices have pushed inflation up 23 percent a year. Let's not even discuss the strain on our natural resources, especially water and energy, and the increasing problems of climate change that this population upsurge will have on Pakistan.
With this kind of inheritance, our youth is unsurprisingly despondent about the future. Of those interviewed, 80 percent believe their country is heading in the "wrong direction." More worryingly, only one-third believe democracy to be the best system of government; one-third want sharia law and seven percent want dictatorship. Sixty percent of Pakistani youth have faith in the military compared with only ten percent who voted for the current government.
The statistics on education are truly horrifying. Only half go to primary school, a quarter to secondary school, and just five percent receive any higher education.
There are some positive elements within the report. The youth displayed a civic-mindedness and patriotism which, if harnessed correctly, could pay enormous dividends for Pakistan. But presently, that's a big "if."
Overall, one comes away from this report feeling that this confused, inconsistent, poorly-educated, unemployed, cynical youth, abandoned by successive governments and pessimistic about its future, is a ticking time bomb ready to explode.
This report should have seriously alarmed us all. But what was our reaction to this most sobering, most prophetic of reports? Did our leaders deliver urgent press conferences to address its findings? Did they hold an emergency cabinet meeting? No, our politicians snoozed, and we let them. Instead, we all continued to watch our favourite soap opera.
Yes, the most popular soap opera in Pakistan isn't the one on the (illegal) Indian channel called "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi." It's the one on all the Pakistani channels called "Kyunki Government Bhi Kabhi Opposition Thi." Every night the musical chairs of government keep the population glued to our favourite channels. What are the latest plot developments? Will Zardari get pushed out? Who's on the NRO list? Who's going to court? Tune in to "Capital Talk," "Live with Talat" or "Dr Shahid Masood" to find out. Let's discuss the latest gossip whilst ignoring policies and the actual issues of government.
Our political system even has a cast of characters that could have been drawn from the mind of the most imaginative scriptwriter. No boring, turbaned, bearded, academic economists for us, thank you very much. Instead, we have a grinning widower, who appears never to have held a proper job in his life, yet whose source of income cannot be "lawfully explained and accounted for," if I may quote Aitzaz Ahsan from a New York Times story last year, Then there is his son and the co-chairman of our governing party, who, without a trace of irony, claims democracy to be the best revenge, despite having never stood for public office in his life. These are our leaders -- people, who couldn't run a bath, let alone a country.
And we – the citizens and the media -- not only lap it up but aide and abet this charade. So last Saturday, instead of running with the British Council report and its dire warnings, the media ran with the press conference of Minister of State for Law and Justice Afzal Sindhu, in which he revealed the list containing the names of the beneficiaries of the NRO. It was just the latest plot twist in our ongoing political drama. As we revel in the drama of it all, we forget that this is real life and these people should be governing, or opposing, not partaking in a vast soap opera.
But this is what our political and military classes want. Like the waderas whose ghost schools keep the feudal serfs servile and stupid, our political classes hope that by focusing on the micro over the macro, the short term over the long term, personality over policy, the superficial over the substantial, we'll forget that the government (and bureaucracy) isn't actually governing the country or addressing our needs. When did you last hear one of our leaders talk about their manifesto policies?
But it will no longer do. We can no longer tolerate our passivity in this criminal farce. With this new report's finding ringing sharply in our ears, we must be reminded that this country urgently needs strong leaders and a new political class if we are realistically to address the long-term problems facing Pakistan. Besides being discredited, our current crops of leaders neither have the ability nor the inclination to lead this country. Instead, they dangerously distract us from the business of government.
If our youth is to fulfil its potential it mustn't wait for help from the present political establishment. Instead, it must rise up and fill the vacuum present in our corrupt political and military class. Either that, or we can just wait for the ticking demographic time bomb in 20 years to explode. And that will be one bomb blast Pakistan will not recover from.
In order to meet the demands of this population explosion, our economy needs to grow by six percent a year and create 36 million new jobs in the next 10 years. In contrast, our GDP is expected to increase by two percent in 2009, and we are growing only about one million jobs a year. At the same time, high food and energy prices have pushed inflation up 23 percent a year. Let's not even discuss the strain on our natural resources, especially water and energy, and the increasing problems of climate change that this population upsurge will have on Pakistan.
With this kind of inheritance, our youth is unsurprisingly despondent about the future. Of those interviewed, 80 percent believe their country is heading in the "wrong direction." More worryingly, only one-third believe democracy to be the best system of government; one-third want sharia law and seven percent want dictatorship. Sixty percent of Pakistani youth have faith in the military compared with only ten percent who voted for the current government.
The statistics on education are truly horrifying. Only half go to primary school, a quarter to secondary school, and just five percent receive any higher education.
There are some positive elements within the report. The youth displayed a civic-mindedness and patriotism which, if harnessed correctly, could pay enormous dividends for Pakistan. But presently, that's a big "if."
Overall, one comes away from this report feeling that this confused, inconsistent, poorly-educated, unemployed, cynical youth, abandoned by successive governments and pessimistic about its future, is a ticking time bomb ready to explode.
This report should have seriously alarmed us all. But what was our reaction to this most sobering, most prophetic of reports? Did our leaders deliver urgent press conferences to address its findings? Did they hold an emergency cabinet meeting? No, our politicians snoozed, and we let them. Instead, we all continued to watch our favourite soap opera.
Yes, the most popular soap opera in Pakistan isn't the one on the (illegal) Indian channel called "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi." It's the one on all the Pakistani channels called "Kyunki Government Bhi Kabhi Opposition Thi." Every night the musical chairs of government keep the population glued to our favourite channels. What are the latest plot developments? Will Zardari get pushed out? Who's on the NRO list? Who's going to court? Tune in to "Capital Talk," "Live with Talat" or "Dr Shahid Masood" to find out. Let's discuss the latest gossip whilst ignoring policies and the actual issues of government.
Our political system even has a cast of characters that could have been drawn from the mind of the most imaginative scriptwriter. No boring, turbaned, bearded, academic economists for us, thank you very much. Instead, we have a grinning widower, who appears never to have held a proper job in his life, yet whose source of income cannot be "lawfully explained and accounted for," if I may quote Aitzaz Ahsan from a New York Times story last year, Then there is his son and the co-chairman of our governing party, who, without a trace of irony, claims democracy to be the best revenge, despite having never stood for public office in his life. These are our leaders -- people, who couldn't run a bath, let alone a country.
And we – the citizens and the media -- not only lap it up but aide and abet this charade. So last Saturday, instead of running with the British Council report and its dire warnings, the media ran with the press conference of Minister of State for Law and Justice Afzal Sindhu, in which he revealed the list containing the names of the beneficiaries of the NRO. It was just the latest plot twist in our ongoing political drama. As we revel in the drama of it all, we forget that this is real life and these people should be governing, or opposing, not partaking in a vast soap opera.
But this is what our political and military classes want. Like the waderas whose ghost schools keep the feudal serfs servile and stupid, our political classes hope that by focusing on the micro over the macro, the short term over the long term, personality over policy, the superficial over the substantial, we'll forget that the government (and bureaucracy) isn't actually governing the country or addressing our needs. When did you last hear one of our leaders talk about their manifesto policies?
But it will no longer do. We can no longer tolerate our passivity in this criminal farce. With this new report's finding ringing sharply in our ears, we must be reminded that this country urgently needs strong leaders and a new political class if we are realistically to address the long-term problems facing Pakistan. Besides being discredited, our current crops of leaders neither have the ability nor the inclination to lead this country. Instead, they dangerously distract us from the business of government.
If our youth is to fulfil its potential it mustn't wait for help from the present political establishment. Instead, it must rise up and fill the vacuum present in our corrupt political and military class. Either that, or we can just wait for the ticking demographic time bomb in 20 years to explode. And that will be one bomb blast Pakistan will not recover from.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
It's the stupidity, stupid!
Whilst it is common to hear, or read, the unenlightened ramblings of various 'experts' in the media these days, it's strange to find examples of anti-intellectualism in a bookshop. One would hope that these establishments would attract people interested in expanding their minds and developing critical thinking. But, not so in Pakistan.
I was in Liberty Books when I spied a comment card nestling inside the Perspex comment box. The angry opinion read as follows: "'Mother of God' by Miri Rubin. I don't think that this book should be sold or displayed in a prestigious store like yours. You have a social responsibility."
Yes, they do have a social (and financial) responsibility to sell books. What could be so odious about this book that it could produce such an angry tirade, I wondered? So I did what any normal person would do, I immediately asked for a copy of the book. Sadly, it had sold out. However, a quick Google search showed that this book was a history of the perceptions of Mary, mother of Jesus, in European societies from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, and how these perceptions varied from country to country. Different countries used the role of Mary in differing ways to make sense of a range of human experience -- virginity, motherhood, family life, poverty and humility. What aspects these societies focused on in their representation of Mary, in turn, reflected the broader concerns of that society.
It sounded like a serious and interesting work. So what could have caused someone to question the book store's social responsibility for carrying it? In fact, wasn't it being socially responsible by offering this book for public consumption? Then it struck me. It was the title: Mother of God. That had been the objection. They had simply disliked the association of mother with God. Now you and I may not believe that Mary was the mother of God, and probably the Jewish sounding author, Miri Rubin, doesn't believe she is either, but that's not the point. This was a serious historical study of the continuing evolution of Mary in those Christian societies where they consider her the mother of God.
Would it be fair for a western bookshop to ban a biography on the Prophet (PBUH) called The Last Prophet? Of course not. Muslims would be rightly angry. So too would many non-Muslims be upset, for they would be interested in a scholarly work on the Prophet (PBUH). So why do we Muslims demand tolerance and plurality of beliefs when it comes to the west, but become intolerant when it comes to our societies?
Perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise to see this reaction in a bookshop. After all, we are a nation that kowtows to the ignorant and plain stupid. Yes, let's revel in our ignorance. We are a nation where our city centres are inundated with jewelry and clothes shops, but lack a single decent Urdu bookshop. We are a nation whose middle class, although in possession of a disposable income, will only have one book in their house -- and that too on a very high shelf, and often unread. Bigotry prospers over intellectual rigour, innuendo over fact, and conspiracy theory over credible reporting.
After all we have become a nation where a national newspaper can endanger the life of a Wall Street Journal journalist, Matthew Rosenberg, by claiming that he is an Israeli agent, an American agent, and a contractor for Blackwater. Either he is a busy man, or this is bunkum. The report in the newspaper provided no credible sources.
We are a nation that unquestionably swallows the unsubstantiated rants of Zaid Hamid, Ahmed Quraishi and their ilk. Zaid Hamid sees the world through a Zionist prism, while I advise you to check out ahmedquraishi.com to check out the quality of his 'photo journalism'.
We are a nation where pop stars like Ali Azmat believe that "we know for a fact that all this turbulation (not a word, Ali) in Pakistan it's not us, but outside hand" and who says that the Taliban is not responsible for blowing up 200 girls schools, but it's the work of an unidentified foreign hand. Show me the evidence, Ali? Where are the 'facts' you talk about?
Ironically, it is these very people who hark back the loudest, and bemoan the most, the loss of the Islamic world's glory days -- when Muslims were pioneers at the forefront of scientific, architectural, astronomical, and mathematical advances in the world. But you only can be pioneers when using knowledge, reason, logic and a factually supporting argument. The Taj Mahal was not built on a conspiracy theory or by obtaining a forged website doctoral degree. Yet, we listen to and follow the stupid?
Please note, I am not talking about education here. The stupid are often so called 'educated' people. Nor am I attacking right-wing commentators, per se. There are some who use the supporting evidence to reach a conclusion that could be described as right wing, which is perfectly acceptable. No, I am attacking those who make accusations using the flimsiest evidence, that's if they provide evidence at all, to back their claims. A mere cursory look at the 'proof' and it quickly disintegrates upon inspection. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, indeed.
How's this for a conspiracy theory: Perhaps, the Jews, Americans and Indians are funding all these cranks, right-wing conspiracy theorists, hyper nationalist and loonies that populate the airwaves in Pakistan. By listening to their claptrap and proportioning blame to hidden hands, the Pakistani people remain in perpetual denial about the encroaching problems in their country, therefore causing further erosion of the state. Maybe, THIS IS the evil Zionist, Capitalist, Hindu plot to destroy Pakistan. They are keeping us dumb and stupid. Pappu yaar, have you thought about that?
I was in Liberty Books when I spied a comment card nestling inside the Perspex comment box. The angry opinion read as follows: "'Mother of God' by Miri Rubin. I don't think that this book should be sold or displayed in a prestigious store like yours. You have a social responsibility."
Yes, they do have a social (and financial) responsibility to sell books. What could be so odious about this book that it could produce such an angry tirade, I wondered? So I did what any normal person would do, I immediately asked for a copy of the book. Sadly, it had sold out. However, a quick Google search showed that this book was a history of the perceptions of Mary, mother of Jesus, in European societies from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, and how these perceptions varied from country to country. Different countries used the role of Mary in differing ways to make sense of a range of human experience -- virginity, motherhood, family life, poverty and humility. What aspects these societies focused on in their representation of Mary, in turn, reflected the broader concerns of that society.
It sounded like a serious and interesting work. So what could have caused someone to question the book store's social responsibility for carrying it? In fact, wasn't it being socially responsible by offering this book for public consumption? Then it struck me. It was the title: Mother of God. That had been the objection. They had simply disliked the association of mother with God. Now you and I may not believe that Mary was the mother of God, and probably the Jewish sounding author, Miri Rubin, doesn't believe she is either, but that's not the point. This was a serious historical study of the continuing evolution of Mary in those Christian societies where they consider her the mother of God.
Would it be fair for a western bookshop to ban a biography on the Prophet (PBUH) called The Last Prophet? Of course not. Muslims would be rightly angry. So too would many non-Muslims be upset, for they would be interested in a scholarly work on the Prophet (PBUH). So why do we Muslims demand tolerance and plurality of beliefs when it comes to the west, but become intolerant when it comes to our societies?
Perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise to see this reaction in a bookshop. After all, we are a nation that kowtows to the ignorant and plain stupid. Yes, let's revel in our ignorance. We are a nation where our city centres are inundated with jewelry and clothes shops, but lack a single decent Urdu bookshop. We are a nation whose middle class, although in possession of a disposable income, will only have one book in their house -- and that too on a very high shelf, and often unread. Bigotry prospers over intellectual rigour, innuendo over fact, and conspiracy theory over credible reporting.
After all we have become a nation where a national newspaper can endanger the life of a Wall Street Journal journalist, Matthew Rosenberg, by claiming that he is an Israeli agent, an American agent, and a contractor for Blackwater. Either he is a busy man, or this is bunkum. The report in the newspaper provided no credible sources.
We are a nation that unquestionably swallows the unsubstantiated rants of Zaid Hamid, Ahmed Quraishi and their ilk. Zaid Hamid sees the world through a Zionist prism, while I advise you to check out ahmedquraishi.com to check out the quality of his 'photo journalism'.
We are a nation where pop stars like Ali Azmat believe that "we know for a fact that all this turbulation (not a word, Ali) in Pakistan it's not us, but outside hand" and who says that the Taliban is not responsible for blowing up 200 girls schools, but it's the work of an unidentified foreign hand. Show me the evidence, Ali? Where are the 'facts' you talk about?
Ironically, it is these very people who hark back the loudest, and bemoan the most, the loss of the Islamic world's glory days -- when Muslims were pioneers at the forefront of scientific, architectural, astronomical, and mathematical advances in the world. But you only can be pioneers when using knowledge, reason, logic and a factually supporting argument. The Taj Mahal was not built on a conspiracy theory or by obtaining a forged website doctoral degree. Yet, we listen to and follow the stupid?
Please note, I am not talking about education here. The stupid are often so called 'educated' people. Nor am I attacking right-wing commentators, per se. There are some who use the supporting evidence to reach a conclusion that could be described as right wing, which is perfectly acceptable. No, I am attacking those who make accusations using the flimsiest evidence, that's if they provide evidence at all, to back their claims. A mere cursory look at the 'proof' and it quickly disintegrates upon inspection. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, indeed.
How's this for a conspiracy theory: Perhaps, the Jews, Americans and Indians are funding all these cranks, right-wing conspiracy theorists, hyper nationalist and loonies that populate the airwaves in Pakistan. By listening to their claptrap and proportioning blame to hidden hands, the Pakistani people remain in perpetual denial about the encroaching problems in their country, therefore causing further erosion of the state. Maybe, THIS IS the evil Zionist, Capitalist, Hindu plot to destroy Pakistan. They are keeping us dumb and stupid. Pappu yaar, have you thought about that?
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Meera, Meera on the wall
We Pakistanis love to mock. As a nation we enjoy nothing more than sneering at other people's behaviour and pretensions -- especially those of the rich, powerful and famous. And so it should be. Not only is it cathartic to deride our leaders, but also ridiculing the mighty is an important function of a democracy. It also happens to be mostly justifiable. I thoroughly enjoyed sneering at the inappropriate behaviour of former Law Minster Wasi Zafar when he, in what can only be described as an uncouth manner, verbally attacked Ansar Abbasi on 'Voice of America' (VOA), threatening him with his 'big arm'. Even better was watching the very same minister visibly perform a 'cabinet reshuffle' on 'Capital Talk'. Considering this was the minister at the time responsible for overseeing the whole chief justice fiasco, laughing at his oafish and vulgar behaviour provided much-needed catharsis for us mere mortals.
But what we choose to ridicule as a nation often exposes our own insecurities and foibles. This was evident last week when a clip of the Lollywood actress, Meera, speaking English poorly, erupted onto several social networking sites. My Facebook page was inundated with postings of the clip and barring a few exceptions, the overwhelming response towards Meera's verbal clumsiness was of one of contemptuous jeering from Anglophone Pakistanis. Here are just two of the comments (both from women):
"Hahahah! She is sooo embarassing! Stupid woman!
"She's such a weird personality I swear. I dnt know y she has to try out such things to mke her self luk stupid."
Setting aside for a moment the wonderful irony of their own substandard English, what do these reactions tell us? Besides reinforcing the view that in Pakistan, gross misogyny is not the unique preserve of men, it also reminds us once more of the language contradictions and hypocrisy that plague the country.
How's this for a juicy paradox -- in the week that we were commemorating the life of Muffakir-e-Pakistan (the thinker of Pakistan), Shair-e-Mashriq (the poet of the East), Mohammed Iqbal, our English speaking elite, who are unable to tell their 'alif' from their elbow, were insulting someone for their language failings.
Rather than Iqbal, our high society, the likes that attend Fashion Pakistan Week, prefer to ape the linguistic achievements of that other architect of Pakistan -- Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Jinnah couldn't read or write the official language of the country he founded. Fluent in both English and Gujarati, at least he had the grace to acknowledge and apologise for his linguistic shortcomings. Having given a faltering speech in Urdu, delivered in the distinct clipped tones of the Lincolns Inn-educated barrister that he was, Jinnah regretfully informed the crowd in English that "my Urdu is tongawala Urdu".
The same can't be said of our present upper class who, instead, actively revel in their ignorance of Urdu, wearing it as a badge of pride to distinguish themselves from the illiterate proletariat. They delight in the cultural and social apartheid that this language divide confers -- preferring Fashion Week over Faiz, Mamma Mia instead of a mushahira. Yet, an elite that can't communicate properly with the majority of its people is one that is in perilous danger (just ask Marie Antoinette who was unable to read and write her native German). Name me a strong functioning society where such stark language segregations exist between its people?
So before we laugh at Meera, let's take a mirror to ourselves with our colonial hang-ups. At least she can speak her national language which is more than many of us, with our broken Urdu, can say. Surely, it should be us, the English elite that should be ashamed that we are unable to engage with our fellow Pakistanis on either a cultural or linguistic level. We should be embarrassed that English has become a barrier for capable people progressing in their careers in Pakistan. We should cringe that we are so far removed from our cultural heritage that we can't read our own alphabet. Suddenly, it is us who are the illiterates. So what if Meera's English is bad? She isn't English, nor is she someone who has enjoyed the best education that money can buy, unlike my Facebook deriders.
Considering her humble background and the exploitation she's had to endure throughout career in order to provide for her family, we should be saluting her, not mocking her. Ironically, with the proceeds of her exploitation, she is bettering the prospects of her family by sending her sister to the UK for study. Meera's belief that a foreign education is the only way to improve her family's social standing is a truly terrible indictment on Pakistan society. Sixty-two years after Jinnah created Pakistan, his people are still following his footsteps and getting their education abroad. Now that's something worth sneering at.
But what we choose to ridicule as a nation often exposes our own insecurities and foibles. This was evident last week when a clip of the Lollywood actress, Meera, speaking English poorly, erupted onto several social networking sites. My Facebook page was inundated with postings of the clip and barring a few exceptions, the overwhelming response towards Meera's verbal clumsiness was of one of contemptuous jeering from Anglophone Pakistanis. Here are just two of the comments (both from women):
"Hahahah! She is sooo embarassing! Stupid woman!
"She's such a weird personality I swear. I dnt know y she has to try out such things to mke her self luk stupid."
Setting aside for a moment the wonderful irony of their own substandard English, what do these reactions tell us? Besides reinforcing the view that in Pakistan, gross misogyny is not the unique preserve of men, it also reminds us once more of the language contradictions and hypocrisy that plague the country.
How's this for a juicy paradox -- in the week that we were commemorating the life of Muffakir-e-Pakistan (the thinker of Pakistan), Shair-e-Mashriq (the poet of the East), Mohammed Iqbal, our English speaking elite, who are unable to tell their 'alif' from their elbow, were insulting someone for their language failings.
Rather than Iqbal, our high society, the likes that attend Fashion Pakistan Week, prefer to ape the linguistic achievements of that other architect of Pakistan -- Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Jinnah couldn't read or write the official language of the country he founded. Fluent in both English and Gujarati, at least he had the grace to acknowledge and apologise for his linguistic shortcomings. Having given a faltering speech in Urdu, delivered in the distinct clipped tones of the Lincolns Inn-educated barrister that he was, Jinnah regretfully informed the crowd in English that "my Urdu is tongawala Urdu".
The same can't be said of our present upper class who, instead, actively revel in their ignorance of Urdu, wearing it as a badge of pride to distinguish themselves from the illiterate proletariat. They delight in the cultural and social apartheid that this language divide confers -- preferring Fashion Week over Faiz, Mamma Mia instead of a mushahira. Yet, an elite that can't communicate properly with the majority of its people is one that is in perilous danger (just ask Marie Antoinette who was unable to read and write her native German). Name me a strong functioning society where such stark language segregations exist between its people?
So before we laugh at Meera, let's take a mirror to ourselves with our colonial hang-ups. At least she can speak her national language which is more than many of us, with our broken Urdu, can say. Surely, it should be us, the English elite that should be ashamed that we are unable to engage with our fellow Pakistanis on either a cultural or linguistic level. We should be embarrassed that English has become a barrier for capable people progressing in their careers in Pakistan. We should cringe that we are so far removed from our cultural heritage that we can't read our own alphabet. Suddenly, it is us who are the illiterates. So what if Meera's English is bad? She isn't English, nor is she someone who has enjoyed the best education that money can buy, unlike my Facebook deriders.
Considering her humble background and the exploitation she's had to endure throughout career in order to provide for her family, we should be saluting her, not mocking her. Ironically, with the proceeds of her exploitation, she is bettering the prospects of her family by sending her sister to the UK for study. Meera's belief that a foreign education is the only way to improve her family's social standing is a truly terrible indictment on Pakistan society. Sixty-two years after Jinnah created Pakistan, his people are still following his footsteps and getting their education abroad. Now that's something worth sneering at.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Show me the money!
Dear readers, forgive me. I must apologise. I have tried to ignore it. I've attempted to abstain from ever mentioning it. I even thought of calling in sick in order not to write this column today. I know you are tired to the back teeth reading about it. Yes, I must talk briefly about the now infamous Kerry-Lugar Bill (KLB).
Now before your turn to the sports pages, please bear with me. You see, Kerry-Lugar Bill and the recently dropped National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) all boil down to one thing. The answer of which can be found in the recent production of Mama Mia in Karachi: Money, money, money.
The defunct NRO and the KLB are intrinsically linked. One bill was about sheltering our own tax evaders and the greedy corruption of our political elite (you know who you are), whilst the latter is an aid assistance bill by a foreign power, paid for by foreign taxpayers. Hilary Clinton was right on the money, excuse the pun, last week when she took a swipe at our tax evasion.
"The percentage of taxes on GDP is among the lowest in the world…We (the US) tax everything that moves and doesn't move, and that's not what we see in Pakistan," said Ms Clinton. She then went on to offer a dire warning for the future. "You do have 180 million people. Your population is projected to be about 300 million. And I don't know what you're going to do with that kind of challenge." The answer, of course, is that we need to tax more and tax better if we are to provide the children of our country with better schools, hospitals and infrastructure.
Let's look at the statistics for a second. We have 2.2 million registered taxpayers out of a population of 180 million. Of those, only 1.2 million people actually pay tax, out of which 80 per cent are the salaried class. In total, we collect about 11 per cent of our GDP in tax (as compared to 28 per cent in the US and the UK an astonishing 46 per cent, according to HM treasury). Our feudal elite and their farms (you know who you are), which account for about 20 per cent of GDP, are exempt from any income tax at all. According to a recent report in Jang, tax evasion in Pakistan is estimated at Rs500-600 billion per annum. That is the equivalent of almost half of the total tax collection of about Rs1,200 billion during the current fiscal year.
It seems that old adage, that all that's guaranteed in life are death and taxes, doesn't apply to Pakistan. Well, except the death part. With this kind of fiscal black hole, all we can realistically do is accept foreign assistance, whether it is from the IMF or the US. How many of the protestors over the Kerry-Lugar Bill pay tax? Can Nawaz Sharif, the army generals and all members of the MMA honestly tell us that they pay the rightful amount of tax? Either pay tax, or expect to remain slaves of western powers. It's that simple. But we don't like paying tax, do we? Especially our political masters who are addicted to the dollar, euro and yen. Sixty-two years on, our colonial mindset is still alive and well. A recent exchange between our president and a Newsweek reporter attest to this. The reporter asked Mr Zardari if he agreed that things were better, and he launched into a plea that Pakistan needed a $50 billion Marshall Plan. This coming from a man who, according to Aitzaz Ahsan in The New York Times last year, had expenses that "are not from sources of income that be lawfully explained and accounted for."
So for all the protestors of the KLB, perhaps it would be better to direct your anger a little closer to home -- to those people who don't pay tax. Perhaps you might find that you are one of them. And to those who say "why should we pay tax we don't see anything for our money. The politicians just steal it anyway." Well, two wrongs don't make a right. What differentiates you from our corrupt leaders? You are both effectively stealing money from the country's purse. You are no better that our dear politicians. And to our dear political and military masters, may I humbly make a request. Before you go tapping on the window of the gora sahib's car, with begging bowl in hand, could we have full financial disclosure of your taxes?
With rising inflation and growing budget deficit, it is churlish of us to reject the KLB assistance of $1.5 billion a year. And if we care so much about Pakistan's 'sovereignty', and we are so proud and patriotic towards this country we profess to love, there is a simple solution to our financial woes. We must pay our taxes.
Now before your turn to the sports pages, please bear with me. You see, Kerry-Lugar Bill and the recently dropped National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) all boil down to one thing. The answer of which can be found in the recent production of Mama Mia in Karachi: Money, money, money.
The defunct NRO and the KLB are intrinsically linked. One bill was about sheltering our own tax evaders and the greedy corruption of our political elite (you know who you are), whilst the latter is an aid assistance bill by a foreign power, paid for by foreign taxpayers. Hilary Clinton was right on the money, excuse the pun, last week when she took a swipe at our tax evasion.
"The percentage of taxes on GDP is among the lowest in the world…We (the US) tax everything that moves and doesn't move, and that's not what we see in Pakistan," said Ms Clinton. She then went on to offer a dire warning for the future. "You do have 180 million people. Your population is projected to be about 300 million. And I don't know what you're going to do with that kind of challenge." The answer, of course, is that we need to tax more and tax better if we are to provide the children of our country with better schools, hospitals and infrastructure.
Let's look at the statistics for a second. We have 2.2 million registered taxpayers out of a population of 180 million. Of those, only 1.2 million people actually pay tax, out of which 80 per cent are the salaried class. In total, we collect about 11 per cent of our GDP in tax (as compared to 28 per cent in the US and the UK an astonishing 46 per cent, according to HM treasury). Our feudal elite and their farms (you know who you are), which account for about 20 per cent of GDP, are exempt from any income tax at all. According to a recent report in Jang, tax evasion in Pakistan is estimated at Rs500-600 billion per annum. That is the equivalent of almost half of the total tax collection of about Rs1,200 billion during the current fiscal year.
It seems that old adage, that all that's guaranteed in life are death and taxes, doesn't apply to Pakistan. Well, except the death part. With this kind of fiscal black hole, all we can realistically do is accept foreign assistance, whether it is from the IMF or the US. How many of the protestors over the Kerry-Lugar Bill pay tax? Can Nawaz Sharif, the army generals and all members of the MMA honestly tell us that they pay the rightful amount of tax? Either pay tax, or expect to remain slaves of western powers. It's that simple. But we don't like paying tax, do we? Especially our political masters who are addicted to the dollar, euro and yen. Sixty-two years on, our colonial mindset is still alive and well. A recent exchange between our president and a Newsweek reporter attest to this. The reporter asked Mr Zardari if he agreed that things were better, and he launched into a plea that Pakistan needed a $50 billion Marshall Plan. This coming from a man who, according to Aitzaz Ahsan in The New York Times last year, had expenses that "are not from sources of income that be lawfully explained and accounted for."
So for all the protestors of the KLB, perhaps it would be better to direct your anger a little closer to home -- to those people who don't pay tax. Perhaps you might find that you are one of them. And to those who say "why should we pay tax we don't see anything for our money. The politicians just steal it anyway." Well, two wrongs don't make a right. What differentiates you from our corrupt leaders? You are both effectively stealing money from the country's purse. You are no better that our dear politicians. And to our dear political and military masters, may I humbly make a request. Before you go tapping on the window of the gora sahib's car, with begging bowl in hand, could we have full financial disclosure of your taxes?
With rising inflation and growing budget deficit, it is churlish of us to reject the KLB assistance of $1.5 billion a year. And if we care so much about Pakistan's 'sovereignty', and we are so proud and patriotic towards this country we profess to love, there is a simple solution to our financial woes. We must pay our taxes.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
UK - A Tale of Two Extremes
| Thursday, October 22, 2009 |
| Whilst here in Pakistan, as the army wages war against militants in its backyard, the British establishment is rolling out the red carpet for extremist and xenophobes of its own kind. Tonight, on BBC television, the British National Party (BNP) leader, Nick Griffin, will take his place alongside members of the UK political establishment, including Justice Secretary and former Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, as a guest on the most revered political platform in British television – BBC 1's 'Question Time'. For those unfamiliar with this breed of repugnant racists, the BNP are a far right-wing fringe party who, until recently, had thankfully always remained on the periphery of British politics. The BNP, with policies that advocate voluntary resettlement to those 'immigrants' (that is, non-whites) who are legally in the UK, and who, only this month agreed to change its constitution to allow non-white members for fear of legal proceedings, have rarely attracted much popular support in the past. At the last general election, in 2005, they managed to win a paltry 0.7 per cent of the electoral vote. So why the sudden high-profile invitation from the BBC's flagship political programme? Because since 2005, the party's electoral fortunes have improved. Earlier this year they won six per cent in the European elections, resulting in two seats for the party in the European Parliament, including one for Griffin. BBC editorial guidelines state that "significant minor parties should also receive some network coverage" and under the terms of its charter, the BBC is also legally obligated to ensure 'due impartiality'. Hence, the presence of Mr Griffin under the studio arc lights tonight. But what has prompted this upswing in popularity of this most odious of political parties? The economic downturn has certainly played a part. The last time far right politics enjoyed anything close to popular appeal was during the economically stagnating 70s. Then, it was the BNP's predecessor, the National Front, who enjoyed some electoral support whilst the country succumbed to a three-day week and industrial unrest. It took the Thatcher government's tough line on immigration and the economic boom of the mid-80s to crush the extreme right's electoral ambitions. Another reason for the BNP's success this year may have been due to voter disaffection with the mainstream political parties. The expenses scandal, which saw British politicians from across the political spectrum fraudulently claiming expenses for personal gain, blew up weeks before the European election in June. Voter anger at the corruption of MPs, compounded by the fact that the country was in the midst of a recession, drew voters to the political fringes. However, another explanation for their renewed popularity -- and one that few mainstream politicians are reluctant to admit or even acknowledge in the UK for fear of being deemed insensitive to ethnic minorities, especially the Muslim community -- is the rise of militant Islamism in the UK. Ironically, radical Islamism, of which there are a number of groups, and the BNP share a similar political wardrobe. Both are avowedly anti-Semitic (although the BNP stance towards Jews has softened now that they view Muslims as the greater threat), both enjoy a good conspiracy theory and revel in grievance narratives and victim politics, oh, and both spawn a reactionary, illiberal, intolerant ideology. The BNP want a return to a pristine white homeland and the Islamists want shariah law and a pan-Islamic theocracy, or, as it's better known -- a caliphate. The BNP snarl at multiculturalism and blame it for white alienation and exclusion. The Islamists divide the world into two spheres: Muslims, and 'the rest'. The British Government has failed woefully at curbing Islamist radicalisation. Muslim alienation, especially amongst the youth is on the rise in the UK. A recent paper by the UK think tank, Policy Exchange, highlighted the growing divide. Of all the categories, the 16-24 year-old Muslims were the most estranged from mainstream Britain, especially compared with their parents' generation. Thirty eight per cent of them felt they have more in common with Muslims than with non-Muslims. Thirty five per cent would prefer to send their child to an Islamic school, 37 per cent would prefer shariah law and 13 per cent "admired organisations like Al Qaeda". This is worrying for Britain's liberal democracy. Even more worryingly, a new generation is being radicalised, often with the very government funds that are supposed to be countering radicalisation. The British Government's counter-terrorism strategy is called Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE). In the past three years, 90 million pounds have been spent on PVE. However, by focusing on 'violent extremism', as opposed to all extremism, the government has allowed itself to hop into bed with organisations and groups deeply opposed to liberal, democratic values. These groups have ties with the Muslim brotherhood, and our very own Jaamat-e-Islami. Perhaps by joining hands with non-violent extremist groups, the government hopes to provide a defence, a pressure valve if you like, against violent extremism among the angry Muslim youth. But by collaborating with these groups, the government is effectively supporting and funding the Islamist ideology that spawns an illiberal, intolerant and anti-western view. In any liberal democracy, there are constant tensions. How can one protect the rights of the few from the tyranny of the majority? How il-liberal should the state become in order to protect the liberal values it professes to uphold? These questions always need debate and vigilance. The BBC is right to invite the BNP leader on 'Question Time'. However abhorrent and racist his views, the electorate has given him a mandate. If the Jaamat-e-Islami were to obtain a similar mandate, they too should be invited on the show. However, allowing freedom of speech is one thing -- actively funding and supporting that speech is quite another. The British government must stop all public money to Islamist groups whose views are in conflict with liberal democracy -- however non-violent or representative of the community they purport to be. If a liberal, democratic government continues to fund these groups it will become the political equivalent of turkeys voting for Christmas. Or should that be goats for Eid. zkfarooq@gmail.com |
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