Controversy over textbook

Furore over an Intermediate-level textbook, describing Baloch as an “uncivilised people" has resulted in much outrage

The furore over an Intermediate-level sociology textbook, being taught in Sindh and Punjab, describing the Baloch as an “uncivilised people engaged in murder and looting” has resulted in much outrage being expressed over the matter in parliament and in civil society at large. In addition, this unfortunate controversy has highlighted the deep-seated problem of how Pakistani textbooks unabashedly preach hate and discrimination. After the matter was highlighted by Senator Mir Kabir, the Punjab government ordered an inquiry and the publishers have apologised for the offensive content. The apology and the inquiry are absolutely necessary, but these cannot erase the impact that the textbook must have already had on students who have been exposed to the highly discriminatory content. It should be noted that the book is also among the recommended sociology books for the Central Superior Services exams.

It is pertinent to ask here how such content made it to a textbook in the first place and how come the textbook was being used in not just one but two provinces. Is there no monitoring body that could oversee what millions of students are taught in our schools and colleges? If there are such bodies, do their members condone the kind of discriminatory content present in the sociology textbook? It will not come as a huge surprise if the responsible authorities had actually found the text acceptable to be taught to our students. This is why this issue is not just about one textbook, but our curriculum in general that inculcates hatred for the ‘other’. Smaller ethnic communities as well as religious minorities are often portrayed very negatively. India is always the enemy in our textbooks and more often than not, India is also synonymous with Hindus. There have been many calls over the years to revise the curriculum, but progress has been slow. The material taught to our children is among the foundational reasons why our society is so unapologetically prejudiced and has extremist tendencies. This is where the real fight against extremism should have begun. It is clear that Pakistan has been losing this fight for a long time now.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2016.

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