By Sikander Hayat
Before I write anything else, I must say that I did not know Musa Khan’s name before this tragedy but he is no less a martyr than those Pakistani soldiers who are dying on the front line. He fought valiantly with his pen and might of his pen was not liked by some people. The manner in which his name has been splashing all over television screens in last few hours is just a reminder that there are powerful forces who do not want the issue in Swat to settle. May he rest in peace and remembered for ever along with all those who sacrifised there lives to save Pakistan from the evil clutches of tyranny of the Taliban.
Now I shall come to topic that I must also write about as a matter of urgency because Pakistan is at a defining moment in its history where its people have taken up arms to enforce a law which its elite promised it for a long time.
Pakistan’s independence moment was based on the promise that once liberated it will run on Sharia law but after its independence, elites went back on their promise and from day one they tried to make it a secular country against the wishes of its people.
Punjab, Sindh & Azad Kashmir, being traditionally secular societies, embraced this campaign of secularisation whole heartedly but Pakhtunkhwa (NWFP), Balochistan & Federally Administered Tribal Areas on the border with Afghanistan are traditionally religious societies and religion plays a vital role in their day to day life. Stripping them of their way of life was always going to be a problem and as we saw in Iran, if the secularisation is forced on the people, revolution is the ultimate result.
Pakistan is certainly not there yet but the path on which this country has started to move certainly leads to a complete change in guard and a revolution may be the ultimate result of the present upheaval.
How would any such event effect the relationship between different parts of the federation, can this country be run on the basis of one country two systems is a vital question of our age.
Is it possible that Punjab, Sindh and Azad Kashmir have democratically elected governments and governments in Pakhtunkhwa (NWFP), Balochistan & FATA are appointed by the Sunni Imams of the respected provinces given that Sufi Muhammad despises democracy and wants autocratic rule in Malakand Agency.
As a federation, Pakistan will have to alter its constitution radically to allow for Sharia law in some federal units and secular law in others.
Malaysia & Nigeria are the examples which come to mind where some federal units have sharia law so perhaps the same model could be adopted in Pakistan as well with local referendum in each federal unit of the country to decide if the unit in question does want Sharia Law or not. In my view it is definitely the time to ask this question and let the people decide their own fate.
But as long a the war next door is going on, we must not event pretend that anything which happens in Pakistan will effect the overall militancy levels in the country, Pakistan must hope that NATO will succeeded in Afghanistan in eradicating Taliban and bring peace to that country. One can argue that we are in a chicken and egg situation, Afghan government believes that Pakistan’s tribal areas are the source of all militancy in Afghanistan and Pakistan thinks that as long as Afghanistan is unstable, nothing good will happen in Pakistan.
Who is truthful in their claims, only time will tell.
Before I write anything else, I must say that I did not know Musa Khan’s name before this tragedy but he is no less a martyr than those Pakistani soldiers who are dying on the front line. He fought valiantly with his pen and might of his pen was not liked by some people. The manner in which his name has been splashing all over television screens in last few hours is just a reminder that there are powerful forces who do not want the issue in Swat to settle. May he rest in peace and remembered for ever along with all those who sacrifised there lives to save Pakistan from the evil clutches of tyranny of the Taliban.
Now I shall come to topic that I must also write about as a matter of urgency because Pakistan is at a defining moment in its history where its people have taken up arms to enforce a law which its elite promised it for a long time.
Pakistan’s independence moment was based on the promise that once liberated it will run on Sharia law but after its independence, elites went back on their promise and from day one they tried to make it a secular country against the wishes of its people.
Punjab, Sindh & Azad Kashmir, being traditionally secular societies, embraced this campaign of secularisation whole heartedly but Pakhtunkhwa (NWFP), Balochistan & Federally Administered Tribal Areas on the border with Afghanistan are traditionally religious societies and religion plays a vital role in their day to day life. Stripping them of their way of life was always going to be a problem and as we saw in Iran, if the secularisation is forced on the people, revolution is the ultimate result.
Pakistan is certainly not there yet but the path on which this country has started to move certainly leads to a complete change in guard and a revolution may be the ultimate result of the present upheaval.
How would any such event effect the relationship between different parts of the federation, can this country be run on the basis of one country two systems is a vital question of our age.
Is it possible that Punjab, Sindh and Azad Kashmir have democratically elected governments and governments in Pakhtunkhwa (NWFP), Balochistan & FATA are appointed by the Sunni Imams of the respected provinces given that Sufi Muhammad despises democracy and wants autocratic rule in Malakand Agency.
As a federation, Pakistan will have to alter its constitution radically to allow for Sharia law in some federal units and secular law in others.
Malaysia & Nigeria are the examples which come to mind where some federal units have sharia law so perhaps the same model could be adopted in Pakistan as well with local referendum in each federal unit of the country to decide if the unit in question does want Sharia Law or not. In my view it is definitely the time to ask this question and let the people decide their own fate.
But as long a the war next door is going on, we must not event pretend that anything which happens in Pakistan will effect the overall militancy levels in the country, Pakistan must hope that NATO will succeeded in Afghanistan in eradicating Taliban and bring peace to that country. One can argue that we are in a chicken and egg situation, Afghan government believes that Pakistan’s tribal areas are the source of all militancy in Afghanistan and Pakistan thinks that as long as Afghanistan is unstable, nothing good will happen in Pakistan.
Who is truthful in their claims, only time will tell.
Dear Sikandar,
ReplyDeleteCame across your blog. It is quite well written. I do hope that Pakistan is able to find peace and prosperity and innocent people do not die.
I am an Indian (hindu). Most Indians do not have horns on their heads and do not hate Pakistan. Of course since India is a large country, it is possible there are some extremists in India who do.
There are many people like me in India who do not hate your country. I remember when I was a child I used to watch Pakistan TV and got so influenced that I picked up an Urdu Qaida and learned it by myself.
I recently had a son. I would like to leave a world to him in which Pakistanis stop thinking India exists to wipe them out. And a world in which Indians see no threat from the people in Pakistan.