Style over substance

In the heat of the Faizabad crisis, the government’s honourable minister kept arguing that the events are bad for the image of Pakistan. Post-dharna press conferences from the interior minister and other government officials have had a similar line of argument that the main damage has been to Pakistan’s image.

The problem with this line of thinking, which is quite pervasive in several sectors of society, is that it simplifies complexities of grievances, inadequacies, unconstitutional actions and assaults on the rule of law into a marketing ploy. It fails to recognise the problems, the rotten core, the cancer within, and casts it into an image problem. The argument is not just flawed, it is deeply concerning, for it suggests that as long as our international peers and observers view us in a good light, we are fine. Image and appreciation of outsiders is apparently the ultimate marker of perfection.

The fixation with image is both dated and dangerous. It is dated because in today’s hyper connected world, a complete control of the narrative by a government, let alone a weak government, is not possible. In fact, any attempt to control that narrative often backfires. The ministers and others who dwell exclusively on the image part also seem to believe that outside observers are naïve. They believe that by only projecting good news coming from the country, outsiders will not do due diligence and be gullible in believing that all is well and good. Unfortunately, none of this is true. Outside observers and investors are careful, methodical and pay attention to a lot more than a news bulletin.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, the fixation with image is insulting to those who suffer in the country. It reminds the weak and the struggling ones that their problems should be kept under wraps, lest someone may find the truth. The image phobia seems to underscore that the only thing that should matter to us is foreign approval. It doesn’t matter that inequity is on the rise, that health indicators are well below what they ought to be, poverty is not under control and educational institutions are struggling. All of these things can be sacrificed at the altar of a phony image.

The problem is not just with the interior minister, it seems to afflict everyone who is in denial of our social ills. Recently Women, Peace and Security Index ranked Pakistan as one of the most challenging place for women in the world. It ranked Pakistan as the fourth worst, to be exact. Now each survey comes with its own biases and it is hard to be objective. Yet, there is little doubt that the survey indicated serious challenges faced by women in Pakistan. However, the response from men, in media and in the government, was predictable. It was attacking the index and claiming, without any substance, that we treat our women with utmost respect. Some male anchors went as far as to say that Pakistan is the best place for women and we need to ban all foreign NGOs because they want to defame us and our women. We have heard this line before. It was as laughable as it was sad. First, it is laughable because the index is not an NGO in Pakistan. Second, not a single woman was asked to give her opinion when various pundits decided to attack the index. Third, where is the data to show that Pakistan is the best place? If anything, our own Annual State of Education Report showed that among the nearly 23 million children out of school, most are girls. Our own national maternal mortality indicators show consistent troubling signs for women seeking health and women across the social spectrum complain of misogyny and harassment. But, of course, all of this is to tarnish our image.

As we continue to enslave ourselves to the approval of outsiders, we should remember that the greatness of society is based on how it treats its weakest members, not on the fake image it tries to portray.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2017.

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