Past Unconsciously Guiding The Future of Pakistan

"The solution of a problem lies in the accurate understanding of the problem"

The Challenge
Per IMF, Pakistan's GDP (nominal) per capita is estimated to be at approx. $1658, thirteen position behind Bangladesh ($2469) and six position ahead of Nepal ($1377). Pakistan's GDP (nominal) is approx. 376 billion, five position behind Bangladesh and much ahead of Nepal or Sub-Saharan Africa, and other 150+ countries. Pakistan has the seventh most powerful army in the world. It also among an elite group of nations with nuclear technology and weapons. On paper Pakistan does not appear appalling, of course it’s like any other lower income nation with challenges of poverty, health care and education but with potential to become a middle-income country. Why then Pakistan seems dangerously on the brink of implosion?
Bangladesh has neither a large or battle-hardened army, nor nuclear weapons. It is a Muslim majority country like Pakistan. Yet Bangladesh appears confident and, on the rise, while Pakistan bears the infamous adage of "international migraine" - why?
 
Culture At The Heart of Progress
Before I plough further, I must confess - I come from corporate world, with expertise in operations strategy and developing business models. Therefore, I am using anecdote that I can most easily relate & explain. The legendary management guru Peter Drucker famously quipped "culture eats strategy for breakfast" - meaning, even the most brilliant business strategy will fail if the company's culture does not support it. In other words, a company's culture is more powerful than its strategy, and if the culture doesn't align with the goals of the strategy, it will be difficult to achieve success. And culture is that intangible vital force, driven by our core beliefs and principles unconsciously guiding our behaviour and decision-making.

For instance, when you think of Tesla - what is the first word that comes to your mind? Innovative! Rightly so, and for a company to be innovative it must have a rebellious culture, a culture that enables risk taking, encourages people to challenge status quo and be imaginative. On the other hand, when you think of IKEA one gravitates to words such as - practicality, straightforward, etc. which makes sense, considering IKEA business model and offerings provide practical solutions for our storage and home furnishing needs.

Similarly, the strength of any nation lies in its value system, its core beliefs, work ethics and principles by which the society lives and breathes. Equally important are the stories people tell themselves about their relationship with the nation. This in turn governs the decision-making process and long-term trajectory of a nation.

During end of World War II, Japan was in ruins and facing significant economic and social challenges. However, Japan's resilience and determination, along with the help of allies and its own unique cultural values, enabled it to rise from the ashes and become a global economic powerhouse.

The post-war years were incredibly difficult for Japan, with widespread poverty and a lack of resources. However, the country's leaders were determined to rebuild, and they implemented a series of policies aimed at promoting economic growth. These policies included government investment in key industries such as steel and electronics, as well as the development of a highly skilled workforce through education and training programs.

While the country received significant help from its allies. In particular, the United States played a major role in supporting Japan's post-war reconstruction, including monetary support and new constitution but Japan's own efforts were crucial to its economic recovery,
One of the key factors in Japan's post-war economic success was its national culture. Japanese culture emphasizes the importance of community, hard work, and discipline, which helped to fuel the country's economic growth. The Japanese people also have a keen sense of national pride, which helped drive their determination in rebuilding their country after the war.

This sense of national pride was reflected in the Japanese government's policies, which emphasized the importance of socio-economic development to promote the country's prosperity and wellbeing. The government implemented policies designed to promote social unity, economic growth, including investment in infrastructure, tax breaks for businesses, and a focus on export-oriented industries. This collaboration between the private and public helped to drive innovation, promote economic growth and rebuild a cohesive society.

 
Pakistan's National Culture
Pakistan's national culture has been plagued by several issues which have hindered the country's progress and development. The issues include a strife-ridden society, lack of fairness in politics and work ethics, unprofessionalism, violence to settle disputes and rampant corruption.

One of the most significant issues in Pakistan's national culture is the prevalence of a strife-ridden society. Pakistan has long been afflicted by ethnic and religious tensions, which have often led to violence and instability. These tensions are fuelled by a range of factors, including economic inequality, political polarization, and the influence of extremist groups. The result of this strife is a society that is deeply divided, and increasingly losing a sense of shared purpose or community.

Another issue in Pakistan's national culture is the lack of fairness in politics, public policy and work ethics. Corruption is rampant in both the public and private sectors, with many politicians & establishment - euphemism for Pakistan Army - which has ruled for more than four decades directly and indirectly since existence of Pakistan, and business leaders using their positions of power to enrich themselves at the expense of the public.

This culture of corruption has created a sense of cynicism and disillusionment among many Pakistanis, who feel that the system is rigged against them. It has also made it difficult for the country to attract foreign investment and promote economic growth.

Violence is another disturbing aspect of Pakistan's national culture. The country has been infested by sectarian, religious and ethnic violence, which has claimed thousands of lives over the years. The use of violence as a means to settle disputes is deeply ingrained in Pakistani society, with many people resorting to violence when they feel that they have been wronged.
 
This culture of violence has created a climate of fear and insecurity, making it difficult for people to go about their daily lives especially women. It has also made it difficult for Pakistan to attract foreign investment and promote tourism, as many people are wary of visiting a country that is known for its violence and instability.
 
The Real Problem
The country's national culture is inextricably linked to the formation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1947, a product of the Partition of India, which was driven by the idea of religious intolerance. Religious violence as a tool was profusely put to use, in the making of Pakistan. One of the most significant instances of religious violence was the Direct Action Day of 1946, which was called by the Muslim League to demand a separate state for Muslims. The day resulted in riots in Calcutta, which left thousands dead and marked a turning point in the history of the Indian subcontinent.

Since then, religious violence has continued to be a part of Pakistan's landscape. The country has been embroiled in several wars with India, terrorism and sectarian violence have become endemic. The rise of Islamic radicalization has contributed to this violence, with both state actors like Pakistan Army, politicians and elite, and non-state actors such as extremist groups & sectarian heads use religion as a tool to justify their violent and unconstitutional actions.

Religion per se may not be bad but when a religion inherently propagates exclusivity and its theology has explicit portions, however few, of hate & violence, this when co-opted by state powers with selective emphasis on those explicit violent portions - it becomes for a toxic society.

And as such, the spread of madrassas and mosques increased Islamic radicalization in Pakistan. Madrassas, or Islamic schools, proliferated across the country, providing education to millions of children left out from access to mainstream education. According to estimates, there are around 40,000 madrassas in Pakistan, and many of them have links to terrorist organizations promoting extremist ideologies with strong emphasis on theological texts that inspire hate & violence. The proliferation of mosques has also played a major role in the spread of radicalization, with many mosques being used to propagate extremist ideas.

A natural outcome of spread of extremist & intolerant ideology has been persecution and discrimination of Hindus, Christians, and other minority groups at various levels. Forced conversions, abductions, and killings of minority girls are quite common in Pakistan.
According to the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), around 1,000 Christian and Hindu girls are abducted, forcibly converted, and married off every year in Pakistan. The number of Hindus, Christians, and other minorities has decreased significantly in Pakistan over the years. In 1951, non-Muslims made up around 23% of Pakistan's population. Today, the figure has dropped to less than 3%.

Now with minorities no longer a "perceived threat" and Hindu dominated India out of grasp, the monster of extremism nurtured over several decades has begun devouring its own by means of sectarianism and constantly looking to purge "impure" infidels within Muslim society.
 
The Root Cause

"We are what our thoughts have made us"

 

Past Shaping Pakistani Psyche I
Pakistan's (including Muslims of Indian Subcontinent) psyche is rooted in multiple tragic events, and some events predate the formation of Pakistan. Most critical among them is centuries of resistance against Islamic invaders and eventual conversion consequently to avoid brutal death, potential rape, and dishonour of its women and/or opportunism to be part of "ruling elite" in exchange for conversion into religion of the colonial masters. And though there were other factors for conversion such as Hindu caste system but fear of death & opportunism were the most prominent factors for upper caste Hindus converting to Islam, who then became Ashrafs “elite” within subcontinent Muslim communities and ironically started the demand for Pakistan. And the factor of forced conversions remained constant for many centuries until overthrow of Islamic invaders by Marathas, Rajput, Jats & Sikhs. This explains why there are more Syeds & Qureshi’s in Lucknow or Karachi or Lahore than entire Middle East. Incidentally numerous genome studies have revealed Muslim expansion was cultural change than genetic flow, because Y chromosomes of subcontinent Muslims is genetically closer to Hindus of their geographical area. Dropping just one reference, there are multiple such scientific proof existing: A Shared Y-chromosomal Heritage between Muslims and Hindus in India (Human Genetics 120(4):543-51)
 
The Psychology of Lies
Research show people lie for two primary reasons (other than those suffering from clinical condition) - [1] People may also lie to avoid feelings of guilt or shame, or to reduce anxiety or fear about a particular situation (Toma et al., 2020). [2] Lies are often motivated by self-esteem. According to a study by Bond and DePaulo (2008), people lie to create a favourable impression of themselves or to protect themselves from appearing incompetent, unlikable, or untrustworthy. People often lie to avoid embarrassment or to maintain a sense of control over how others perceive them.

Could the converts have invented lies to boost level of self-esteem and avoid guilt(?), as means to protect their fragile ego? When lies are perpetuated for centuries it builds delusion in society with dangerous outcome such as "two nation theory", alternatively it enforces fantasy that the converts were somehow victors and not victims of Islamic invasion and therefore must continue to whitewash crimes of Islamic invaders & plunderers, as seen by number of people with names of plunderers(!), including the infamous "Taimur", son of Kareen Kapoor-Saif Ali Khan. And in case of Pakistan, even naming missiles and weapon system on people that pillaged the very land making Pakistan.

This lacuna in identity and self-esteem also explains why Bedouin states have strong & strategic relationship with Hindu majority India, prioritizing investment in India and as well migration from India, while Pakistan perpetuates animosity. A Bedouin is comfortable in his skin and has no need to prove his relation with Islam but subcontinental Muslims of every generation continue to prove their loyalty to Islam by hating on Hindus or native culture, language, as though internally their DNA screams "but you aren't Muslim" - could this be a product of trauma and clash between millenia of local identity imprints vs forced foreign identity?

Such psyche subsequently also governs relationship of the people to its nation. With a mindset of invader (no matter how fake) drilled in by family, society, mullah, education, and state - are people willing to own their homeland and their national pride associated to regions history and culture? This dichotomy explains why almost all Pakistani elite - be it in media, army, judiciary, politicians & bureaucrat use Pakistan as launch pad for their eventual migration to "na-Pak" (impure infidel) lands, while still claiming to be "Pakistani Patriots" in their social media profiles. Gandhi did not fight for India's freedom from South Africa. Modi does not have apartments in Dubai or London. If you wish to transform your nation, you need to be at ground zero, working amidst and for your people and sacrifice oneself for its betterment. Dying for motherland is easy, the real effort is living & striving in the service of your motherland.
 
Past Shaping Pakistani Psyche II
“Power at all costs” – This idea was at the root of Pakistan's creation when Jinnah asked Muslims to observe a "Day of Deliverance" and used religious violence as a means in the making of Pakistan. This violence was manifested in the form of communal riots during Direct Action Day in 1946, which led to the deaths of thousands of people in Calcutta (now Kolkata) that week and eventual spread of violence throughout various parts of India, especially Punjab, Delhi, United Province & Bengal causing untold misery and death of anywhere between one-two million people of the Indian subcontinent. And since then, "power at all costs" has been a key component of Pakistani psyche especially of the ruling elite - be it politicians, bureaucrat, judiciary, or army chiefs. Using unscrupulous and violent means lead to a slippery slope of more evil being used to achieve an objective. In the process creating a culture where the end justifies the means, leading to corruption and abuse of power as witnessed in 75yrs history of Pakistan.

But was Jinnah the source or did he merely act according to the values and core beliefs that made up the subcontinental Muslim psyche? Beginning with the Caliph, who is supposed to be a leader of entire Islamic ummah, and the person is to uphold principles of justice, fairness, equality, compassion, and protect the rights of citizens as per Islamic jurisprudence. But contrastingly, one observes series of upheaval and murders for power among various contenders of caliph in Islamic world. From the assassination of Umar ibn al-Khattab the second caliph, rebellion & murder of third caliph Uthman ibn Affan, assassination of fourth caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib also cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammed, to Hussein ibn Ali - who was also a contender for caliph but was murdered in Karbala by forces of the Umayyad caliph, Yazid I. Followed by Muawiyah II, son of Yazid I who succeeded him as caliph, but was overthrown by a rebellion and many more ending up with similar fate.

Closer to Indian subcontinent one sees similitudes in the manner in which invading Islamic Kings & leaders acted. From Muhammad bin Qasim who was executed by his own Caliph, assassination of Muhammad Ghori, Muhammad bin Tughlaq was poisoned, Timur's empire laid waste by internal power struggle among his grandsons, Alauddin Khilji sultanate was succeeded by his son Khusro Khan, but he was deposed by his uncle and younger brother of his father - Jalaluddin Khilji. Similar pattern one observes in house of Mughals - Jahangir and his son Shah Jahan never saw eye to eye, Shah Jahan was deposed by his son Aurangzeb who also got his half-brother Dara Shikoh killed and his elder sister Jahanara imprisoned in Delhi. Even the infamous Ahmad Shah Durrani alias Abdali was supposedly poisoned by his son Timur Shah Durrani who then succeeded the Durrani kingdom.

In contemporary history and looking outside of the subcontinent - from Afghanistan to Iran to Iraq to Syria to Libya to Egypt to Saudi Arabia to Nigeria – one only finds repeat of history and the idea of “power at all costs”. And though “power at all costs” may look alluring in the moment but it has wider negative consequences both for future generations and society at large. Such obsession for power leads to the erosion of ethical standards and the abandonment of principles of fairness. It enables a culture of corruption, abuse of power and subsequent moral decay. In Pakistan's history, we can see "power at all cost" playout more than once - From Iskander Mirza declaring Martial law, General Ayub Khan declaring himself President, General Yahya Khan & Zulfikar Ali Bhutto refusing to share power with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman leading to creation of Bangladesh, General Zia-ul-Haq usurping power and hanging Zulfikar Bhutto, assassination of General Zia, Nawaz Sharif colluding with army to overthrow Benazir Bhutto to his own ouster by General Musharraf, and subsequent assassination of Benazir Bhutto to Imran Khan Niazi colluding with army to overthrow Nawaz Sharif, in-turn Sharif brothers overturning Imran Niazi by reverse collusion with army. Followed by the present zero sum game between Niazi & Gen Asim Munir. For a moment it feels like riyasat-e-medina of caliphs and medieval history of invading Islamic rulers’ playout in contemporary Pakistan.

Past Shaping Pakistani Psyche III

Totalitarianism, seeking complete subservience with very little room for disagreement and no tolerance for parallel competitive ideas to flourish. For instance, Jinnah was critical of mass mobilisation advocated by Gandhi and opposed the Congress’s policy of boycotting British rule which led to his resignation from the Party. B.R. Ambedkar, like Jinnah, was also a staunch critic of both Gandhi and Sardar Patel, yet both Patel and Ambedkar went on to eschew their difference and work together for India in their own way. Similarly, Jinnah gladly accepted accession of Junagarh despite being 80% Hindu population but when Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir wanted to remain independent, he attempted to annex it under the guise of tribal raiders. This duplicity in principle and exercise of domineering will, also came into play in usurpation of Kingdom of Qalat (Balochistan). And just after a week of becoming governor general, Jinnah dissolved the elected government of Dr. Khan Abdul Jabbar Khan on 22nd Aug 1947 and instead appointed his favourite Abdul Qayyum - a Kashmiri in Pashtun dominated area. One is witness to this totalitarian streak in every leader of position & power in Pakistan. From army generals to politicians to judiciary to bureaucrats, every person with even minimal power wishes to subdue another merely on account of their privilege & power. This recent clip of an elite person abusing a poor toll booth attendant only shows how pervasive this totalitarian disease is in Pakistan. 

But how did totalitarianism become so prevalent? Of course leaders have had a role but is totalitarianism a local product of this region or an implanted foreign idea finding roots in this land of Buddhists, Jains & Hindus - known for the principle of "Live & Let Live"?

In my opinion, Islamic theology with its claims to being the final religion, making absolute claims of being repository of all past & future knowledge and being packaged as total system of political, social, moral & judicial knowhow incidentally seeks total subservience from its followers. It also doesn't like these claims questioned or scrutinized even by people not following the religion. Is it then a mere coincidence that almost all Muslim majority country fall under "not free or partly free" category with either "Authoritarian or Hybrid Regime" in place, barring handful like Malaysia, Tunisia, etc?

Reality has its own power – you can turn your back on it, but it will find you in the end, and your inability to cope with it will be your ruin. Pakistan’s (and subcontinental Muslims) inability to face its insecurities of self-esteem and identity, translating in Hindu-India hate despite homogeneity in DNA, culture, food, language, etc., the othering of its motherland by imagined foreign lineage, rooted in stories of controversial & power-hungry heroes, influenced by totalitarian theology, resting on comforting lies & rhetoric and with contemporary leaders pursuing "power at all costs" has, in my opinion, destroyed the culture of society & led to decay of -  ethics, morality, honesty, truth, integrity and replaced it with a degree of toxicity where greed, fear, lies, violence, strife, corruption and insensitivity thrive. Addressing these issues will require self-reflection and acknowledgement of "root causes", and concerted effort on the part of the government and civil society, as well as a willingness to confront the deep-seated identity and cultural norms that have perpetuated them.

Unfortunately, I see no man-made effort for course correction, thus making nature's organic push for correction more likely, which if comes to fruition, could mean ruin for people of Pakistan, much like how Bengali Muslims were forced to confront their "delusions" during months of monstrous & bloody atrocities by their fellow countrymen, leading to creation of Bangladesh and an affirmation of their primary identity and relationship with their motherland & culture.

History moves through divine guidance. Pakistan's implosion maybe catalyst that breaks this mould of hate, delusion and lies. Pray the human toll is minimum.

 

Shalom
GernailSaab

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The author is a part-time student of South Asian Peace and Security Studies, with deep commitment to bring about change in South Asia. The author has no political, government, NGO or media affiliations. And can be reached on Twitter @JungjooGernail