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A friend of mine is of the view that every big capitalist of the world or every gigantic business is linked with International Zionist Organization. He often over-talks about Mossad and CIA and other global powers struggling to destabilize Pakistan every now and then as its a citadel of Muslim Nuclear Bomb and bastion of Islam and Islamic values.
This mindset is quite common reflection of middle class’ generalized thinking pattern. The security apparatus of Pakistan has contributed to a siege mentality, the obfuscation of citizen-orientations and the subjection of human rights to a strident statism in the name of national sovereignty such as in the Dawn Leaks. The most modern, hierarchically organised, efficient and meritorious army has been held responsible for perpetuating a pre-modern worldview among the general public. It has supported the tidal wave of anti-Americanism, after opening its heart and mind to Washington for half a century, and fighting what was labelled as Charlie Wilson’s war in Afghanistan.
All these factors have led to a national discourse characterised by a dichotomous worldview along the lines of Islam versus the West and underscored by the idiom of the crusades of mediaeval history. Not surprisingly, the nation has appropriated the most reactionary idea of the clash of civilisations. It has been embroiled in a mini clash of civilisations in South Asia drawing on Hindu and Muslim traditions on the one hand and the conflict between the Islamic and Judeo-Christian traditions at the global level on the other.
Secondly, demonisation of the ‘other’ has become an article of faith in the national discourse. We often demonise the religious but also the sectarian and ethnic ‘other’. The policymakers have erected sacred barriers to national integration through fragmentation of society into identity boxes. Ideologisation of the process of thinking and formulation of ideas has created an anti-intellectual state that is intolerant of conceptualising multiple interpretations of the route to progress and stability.
The security apparatus of Pakistan has contributed to a siege mentality, the obfuscation of citizen-orientations and the subjection of human rights to a strident statism in the name of national sovereignty.
How to debunk this mindset? How we have to overcome the state of denial? Being an anti-intellectual nation, conspiracy theories based on fear, insecurity and uncertainty are in the best interest of establishment to keep people enmeshed in vortex of incompetence and docility. The only workable solution is the more democracy and political participation to make status-quo oriented security system fade away through a mixed political strategy. From the current lot of political parties, only PML (N) under its rising star Mariam Nawaz has the potential to transform Pakistan on progressive lines. For this purpose, she has to make alliances with secular, liberal, leftist and marginalized groups and political parties. Anti establishment religious parties can be used as pawns as they are strong pressure groups for the Establishment.
For general masses, the meaning of civil supremacy is useless till they come to know how it can better their economic outlook. For this purpose, the entire exploitative structure of post-colonial security state must be exposed to general masses. How it’s not mainly corruption, but the colonial extension of state system which keeps masses as subject has been at the heart of problems of society and economy? How military has bequeathed the authoritarian legacy of colonialism? How the establishment is manipulating foreign policy resulting in the complete isolation of Pakistan and concomitant decline in foreign investments etc? How corporate empire of military is hurting the competitive economic regime in Pakistan? How trade with India and friendship with neighbouring states can result into greater economic bonanzas in the long run rather than supporting and abetting terrorist groups?
All opposition groups and political parties must start exposing exploitation being done by Establishment so that masses may realize that its not politicians who have brought Pakistan to the brink of disaster rather these are disastrous and myopic state policies which have put Pakistan on the boil. There is an exigent need to build-up formidable, liberal and secular political narrative in juxtaposition to state-based narrative. Only then, fascist and liberal, right-wing and left-wing battle lines can be drawn on social and political plank.
From the current lot of political leaders, the stature of both Nawaz Sharif and Mariam Nawaz as a political leaders have increased manifolds after taking anti-Establishment stand. Nawaz Sharif has been able to remove the stigma of being Establishment’s minion; while Mariam’s anti-apolitical stance against military and its political stooges has rendered her a mass-mobilizing, charismatic figure attracting applause not only from liberal intelligentsia but also from left wing groups. Buy there is a long way to go to free Pakistan from the shackles of colonial mindset of military which treat Pakistan as its colony and its population as its subject. For this purpose, mature political parties and their leaders must try to raise the intellectual profile of their general cadres to fight the overwhelming narrative of Establishment which revolves around fear and insecurity, divide and rule, us and them, good and evil.
There is a need to reform general outlook of all political parties to differentiate their battle-lines forging tactical and strategic alliances with each other and keeping their anti-establishment goal as first line of action above all other political considerations. There is a need for ‘elite consensus’ within these parties to work out for pro-people’s policies on very tangible lines to ensure people at large that how the long struggle for civil supremacy will be transmuted into an egalitarian sort of democratic system for the benefit of general masses. In this struggle, the onus lies on mainstream political leaders and resistive movements like PTM to form workable solution in ousting the rule of colonial army. Alternative to current exploitative structure is a key to envision new future for Pakistan.
Contributed by Hammad Raza
