This anti-western tirade doesn’t end there. Our popular media persons — sadly without deep learning, knowledge and wisdom — never miss an opportunity to cultivate and sustain the image of the west as the enemy. They do this in several ways — by providing primetime slots regularly to conspiracy mongers, and allowing them to spin stories that may have nothing to do with reality.
Before I comment on why it may not be a helpful narrative for Pakistan, let me say a few words about the polarised worldview many of us have, where we see a conflict between ‘us’ and the ‘others’ (of course, this frame of mind exists also in western societies). Such divisions have rested on race, ethnicity, and religion.
It is precisely the world coming together through trade, tourism, investments, markets and migration that produce a sort of us-and-other imagery which is based on fear, anxiety about losing identity, and privilege. The conservative reactionaries in the western world and their counterparts in Pakistan and other Muslim countries work through the same fear psychosis — and this is that ‘the other’ is here to rob us of both our values and material comforts.
Interestingly, the western reactionary uses fear of alien culture and ghettoised communities just like Muslim reactionaries who fall back on religion and parochial identities to work against pluralism. Uncritically, the reactionaries in our part of the world use the same idiom of values, religion, history and symbolism, which they use to shape their societies, and in drawing boundaries of inclusion and exclusion (couched mostly in religious terms). These are at best very simplistic impressions of a very complex human world at home and abroad, as no society today is based on a single culture, religion, or value system. Under the grand narratives of the western and Islamic worlds are cultures, religions, multiple identities and competing worldviews.
What we hear and see on our television screens with pseudo intellectuals screaming at each on talk shows, or on our streets with religious groups demonstrating, the message is not encouraging at all. While, India, our historic friend China, and forward-looking countries like Turkey are integrating with the western world, notably the US, we want to do anything that would turn them away from us. That will not be wise.
In being overly critical of the western world and promoting fear, we may end up creating an atmosphere of xenophobia. Not that we don’t have it already, it will get worse and make it difficult for our present and future leaders to engage with the outside world. Our media persons and their celebrity guests don’t realise that the sustained — and unqualified — enemy image of the west that they show has produced violent social groups and movements which question the legitimacy of all Muslim regimes, labelling them as puppets.
Our homegrown reactionaries, in their political plan to isolate Pakistan, will only end weakening it further and causing further polarisation. We must not fall into this trap.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 3rd, 2011.
COMMENTS (37)
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@ H Q Agreed 101% man by the way the gratest nut on earth who order to bomb hiroshima and nagasaki cities even american hate him Harry Truman he was cokoo and he was the one who reconized israel also and one more thing our great Quaid azam rejected money from Fedral res bank for reconizing israel..
@Brasstacks: the irony of you saying that with your fake zaid hamid account
This article reminds me of the Titanic movie last scene- the music band stops playing because no one is listening to them in the mayhem of the ship sinking. but the leader of the band somehow encourages his fellows to keep on playing till they all are drowned. The author is one such noble soul, who keeps on writing even though he know in his heart that pakistans fate is now like titanic, with not enough lifeboats or life jackets for everyone. Keep it on Sir.
I scared from highly educated peoples of world really i do.
Pakistani society is WAY too far down the rabbit hole at this point for an article like this to affect anything. No coming out for many, many years.
@Diggvijay Singh:
All is fine but why do you have to use a fake name.. and that too of a bgrade minister of a neighbouring country? Don't u have courage even to have a opinion against your true name??
@Khan jr:
I don't really care what they earn. I just want to know if they pay tax.
Probably not.
Tribune is one of the most fair news outlet and Rias saheb one of the most fair minded person who chooses to see full and complete picture than dwell on nonsecal ideotic conscpracy theory which is the pass time of people who wants to see enemies where none exists.If one chooses to see mosad,raw and hindu/jewish cabals when terrorist open fire on Sri Lanka cricket team,if Lal majid is laid seize by hardcore killers,and if !0 killers go in rampage in Mumbai and mow down 200 unharmed civilians,if killers and terrorist go in London underground and kill comuters,if terrorist blow of train in Spain,if not to say the biggest terrorist act of them all,9/11 in NYC,it all doing of Mosad,raw,cia and Hindu/jewish cabbals,what or how West suppose to act or react?We just ,wring our hands and just indulge the cold,hardened terrorist?If the nations which indulges these characters,does not play by norms and civilized behavior,how America to act?Beg ,like impotent India,or act ruthlessly and pay back the killers to teach them that the cost will be to much to bear?and handle,why India is attacked every other sunday and America not after 9/11?any one care to guess,why?They say in urdu,where I was thought,what it means'Latho ke booth bath to say nahih mante'.You can not negotiate with murders and killers ,see what has happened to our dear nations?Killing everyday,newer methods every day,wait,after high court in New Delhi,another spot in some other metropolis,it is like Circus in old days moving to new town,that's what you want?Peshwar,Karachi,Islamabad,Mumbai,delhi,one show after the another?What a society,civilization,way of life and concept of the Mercy of God which we never tired of invoking,just blame West and America,never take responcibilty for the chaos,mahem,corruption,blatant exploitation of illitrate masses,business as usual for 64 years,go from one day to next,blame the messenger of bad news,the society is on verge of total burn down,and we are fidling like Nero.?Rias saheb,you are like Casendra tring to warn of impending collepse,but you are whisling vainly in wind,THANK YOU,ANY WAY.
@ Malik
Well bro, this discussion is not fair. People here want to see only one side which they think is correct and do not have answers to the questions I raised. Think about this comment of yours "Even with iraq or sudan or kashmir or bosnia, your radicals still would have been killing but citing some other reason"
Isn't this some kind of paranoia? I mean you have already assumed and labelled others even in the change circumstances. No matter what happens, you would be stagnant in your views. Isn't this a kind of extremism? Secondly, who killed more innocent humans (not just muslims)? our extremist radicals or the western countries and specially US? What morality do you expect from the radicals when US could not provide evidence of WMD after killing thousands of Iraqis? Who have killed Vietnamese, Iraqis and Afghans? People turn against western policies for the obvious evidences. This is unfair to blame only one side. Plus I suggest you read "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" by John Perkins (one of their own,not a radical Pakistani) to understand the real global agenda of US. Sometimes trust is harsh to accept.
@ Akhtar Rao: You defy logic when you cite examples of Muslim/Christian/Jews have lived together in the past and can live together now. Its a different dimension of the discussion which we are not looking at right now. However, to give you a brief re-visit to the past 100 years of history, let me remind you that Muslims have not been involved in World War I or World War II. Muslims were first forced into war after World War II, when Russia invaded Afghanistan in the 1980s. Muslims were then forced into war in the mid 90s when Russia yet again invaded Chechnya, Yugoslavia and Bosnia. Today, the reason Muslims are tending to fight back are because US invaded Iraq and Afghanistan on false grounds. In these times, if you still say that Muslims are at fault, I would respectfully doubt the facts that you are basing your reasoning on. moreover, you suggest that we've got rage boys and so we can't handle a couple of Nukes. Seriously, we have never used our Nukes against India in over 20 years of having them. US, who claims to be the flag bearer of peace has bombed Japan twice with its nukes. and you say we're irresponsible? Give me a break. Our nukes are not lying on streets for anybody to use them as they wish. this is a rather lousy argument.
@ Dee Cee: I agree Muslims ruled in the past with science, technology and strategy. However, looking at it from today's point of view, seems as if it was an easy ride for the forefathers of Muslims to achieve what they did. However, from my point of view, today's Muslims are just beginning to wake up from their deep slumber since they lost all power when the last Caliphate in Turkey was crushed. However, since they're no longer united as they were, they're waking up in different sections of the world to attempt to respond to the West's designs against their attempts to regain their lost glory. Among all the militarily capable Muslim countries, Pakistan is the foremost with its Nuclear and Missile technology - its military strategies led to the crash of a superpower that was famous for "never retreating", aka USSR. Today, despite all the troubles we face, we know for a fact that the US is a dying superpower, yet again in the graveyard of Super powers, aka Afghanistan. This is the reason they're bothered the most from Pakistan. Our people are innocent and emotional, but they're not war mongers. The hate speeches that you talk of do not form the basis of our society - and neither has our foreign or interior policy ever been based on that. The ruling party in today's Pakistan is the PPP, well known for its enlightened moderate approach. It was preceded by the inventor of enlightened moderation, Musharraf. I don't see how the maulvis have been responsible for where Pakistan stands today. I mean, past 12 years, we've been ruled by non-religious yet corrupt fanatics... but you blame the maulvis for our woes.
Everyone from all religions should realise that this earth has seen thousands of years without a religion (be it islam, christianity, hindu ,etc) before and even after human birth. Once humans started becoming intelligent than other animals you see all these religions, castes, creed, etc took birth. The sad part is along with them hatred has also increased in the name of religions, castes, creed, etc that we humans have become more pathetic than any other less intelligent animal. Hence this intelligence we have developed will bring mankind to end if we dont realise it. We are humans first only then religious followers. Follow religious preachings to show love to others but not to hate others. Someone preaching you to hate others as a fact of a religious book, 100% sure that it is wrong.
In fact, all educated, so called philosophers and thinktank ( religious schools) are creating mess in the world, normally ,ordinary people do not think of hat confliction aproches they want to live with peace and harmoney, these are some fundos those are bringing hatered matarial and trying to educate their innocent people with heir own interpreted ideas. Didnt Muslim-Christians-Jews live togather? The prophet made efforts to eastablish peace in Madina when jews were the party of Mdina accord.Now, whats wrong with these people that they cannot live or cooperate to eachother.
We need to rethink our past when both Muslim and Cgristians were cooparating with eachother. Unfortunatly, both ,now have been indulged in confrontation. Our Islamic Histroty is full with cooperation.We should learn from our glorious past. We need to rexamin our recent past,both west and east need to live with peace and harmoney for the coming genrations.
Pakistan is more enemy to the West than West is to the pakistan. The only prevalent narrative is Anti-West, because there s no other narrative en masse. Rationality exist only in some expensive living rooms and in academia of Lums-like schools, beyond that exist only one narrative"Hate West".
@ fahad ullah dar During the First World War, Ottoman Empire was an ally with Germany and Austrio-Hungarian Empire. The alliances were based on geostrategy and national interests. Austrio-Hungarian Empire, the centuries old protector of Catholic Church, was also dismantled after the First World War.
During independence, the British favored Muslim league; there would have been no Pakistan without British approval to the idea of elections. 55 percent of Afghans are non-pushtoon and they supported US invasion. US covertly supported Chechens against Russians and bombed Serbia when it was killing Bosnians. Its all about balance of power; if India had been a bankrupt banana republic, we could have surely forced a solution on Kashmir. Same goes for Isreal, the AIPAC is the most influential lobby in US. Despite 2 trillion dollar investment in US and a large share in global oil markets, Saudi Arabia could have easily influence the US’s Middle east policy, but it lacks the organization and genius for such lobbying.
Western powers formulate policies on the basis of national interests and not religious ideologies. Over 60 million were killed during the Second World War; almost all were non Muslims. Cold war was fought purely on the basis of capitalism/communism dispute; millions were killed in Vietnam, Korea and Afghanistan. Capitalist forces propped up the most virulent religious groups in Muslims countries to counter communism. The present day extremism is a direct outcome of the cold war policies.
@Rasul Bakhsh Rais: Conspiracy theories have obviously become a culture among the Pakistan's youth. It is great that you addressed one specific point that HQ raised. It would be nice if you wrote an article to address the rest of them.
@author: The alternate narrative hypnosis is so strong because it has had decades to spread through schools, universities, textbooks, and popular media. To break the spell, one needs a jolt. 1. Carefully detail the differences within the Muslim world and the West. Point out how Palestine receives intellectual support outside the American-bloc. People love to simplify things and fall into the "us-them" mode of thinking. Please bring out the complexity with adequate data.
Please remind people what happens when the general people lose touch with reality. Iraq invasion and 1971 war are two prime examples.
Be the first one to point out the mistakes of the West. Otherwise, people will think you are partisan. Then point out that despite the mistakes, there hasn't been a concerted effort against the Ummah. People often speak about the Hijab ban in France. Tell them that ALL religious symbols, including the Cross, were banned.
Point out that history has favoured people with science and technology. The great Islamic empires were not built on faith, they were built on superior statecraft, technology, and battle strategy.
@H Q:
Sir, you ask; "If we don’t know our enemies, how are we going to be able to stand up against them? "
Problem is that you have identified the wrong enemy and that is what the author is begging you to understand. Foreigners are afraid of your nukes basically because this is a nation with a short fuse and millions of rage boys. Imagine a rage boy with access to nukes. That is why the west is afraid of your nukes but they are no way interested in stabilizing or destabilizing your glorious land.
Who is your real enemy? Your real enemy is the radicals in your society who believe in the islamic supremacy. They want their world view to be imposed on the world. Even with iraq or sudan or kashmir or bosnia, your radicals still would have been killing but citing some other reason. Your enemies are the super-patriots who has been feeding you 'everyone-is-about-to-get-us' kind of stories. They are your real enemies.
As you rightly say, recognize your enemy. You might be startled at the results.
Infact, we need to know why all this happening from us and from the others . In the past,Muslims and non-muslims were living togarther and they would respect eachother. There is a long history when Cristians were learning from the Muslims and Muslims also glorified from their experiences. We need tolerance to unerstnd,there are many opinions and all should be considered,and responded logically and rationally.No doubt, the West's perception is not good enough toward the Muslim,especially Pakistan,why, we have to explore answers,already we knowoueselves. Let the generations live peacefully in future and try to promote tolerance and harmoney,this is the teaching of our great Islam. Dr Rais's piece is thought provoking ,we have to re-examin our actions,words and chracter. God bless Pakistan
@H Q: Dear HQ: I wish I could answer all the points and others have raised. Much of the perceptions or even knowledge of us and them rests on misinformation, incomplete facts, and personal and collective failures to know and secure what our interests is. Since I have an intimate knowledge of the American Embassy warehouse story, I am glad to share it with you. Let me assure you what you hear and read most in Pakistan is meant to never allow you to think rationally in your self interest, that is the interest of Pakistan and Muslims. I am sure this the same warehouse that is in the press. There was an auction of U.S. Embassy used goods, virtually thousands of items--firdges, cooking stoves, air conditioners, computers, tvs, lamps and all kind of wooden furtnitures and lot of useable junk. What I understand is that they rent such places for some months to bring in these items and auction them. I was there almost for a whole the previous Sunday. I bid for several items of furniture and I have them now in my home. There is no American at the warehouse or in the auction. The whole process of auctioning which Alvi Auctioners did started in the morning of Sunday and went into early morning of next day. Since I am witness to this and I have seen each and every item for a whole day because of my interest and curiosity I can say it will take months to bring in such a stuff and store it in orderly way for an orderly, credible and open auction. This must tell you how media stories make your heads spin when you read American persons and things being in places like warehouse. You raise a precisely a conspirarcy theory question--what the Americans were doing in the warehouse? There were no Americans just the goods to be sold that the hundreds of Pakistani family and second hand goods merchants galdly bid for and bought. Best wishes, Rasul Bakhsh Rais
@Diggvijay Singh: yaar plzzz wud you stop with this charade of yours and plzz use your actual name.
Secular can not be gharath mond.
Iss hungame ki koi to waja hai sahab.
@Diggvijay Singh: Be a man enough & come out with ur true identity.
outlandish idea is that the western countries are enemies of all Muslim countries, societies, and people.
I think terming this narrative an Outlandish Idea is not fair ,history tells us enough on this idea which our so-called liberal,secular muslim friends had found hard to accept .When we talk about the Anti West sentiments in muslim world ,that is not something that has happend over the nights I mean the Harsh reality is there ,Let me mention few ,role of Western Colonial Powers in demolishing Ottoman empire,Creation of Israel,Kashmir Conflict,Chechen issue and in recent times Iraq Invasion ,Afghanistan issue.What i am trying to say is that West has double standards and that is what has forced muslims to think on different lines.Look at the latest development when South Sudan wanted a free state whole West supported them but when the same demand was put before UNO by Palestanian the role of West espacially USA is infront of us.Similarly on Nuclear issue take an another example North Korea and IRAN both have problems but then we see a two different approaches from West towards these two states with Korea the West is ready to talk but in case of Iran again a very different approach.
You are one of my favorite writers as mostly you give a balanced analysis. However, I am overwhelmed with disappointment after reading this articles. You have rightly pointed out the flaws in "us" but what about the "others". Importantly, we are not against western people but their policies of butchering innocent Muslims. you think that the anchor persons are so dominant on the minds of the people they only by their asking people come out in protests? The anchor persons which you are talking about have not access to people in rural areas, a great majority. You think the our religious parties are considered that pious that people simply follow their words and come out in protests? Why you forget that these laymen also know that millions of innocent Muslims have been killed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine. It does take a genius to see the anti Muslims western policies. What you think how these ignorant people will visualize the western policies when they see that christian East Timur had been separated from a muslim country, and similarly Sudan divided but the Kashmiries and Palestinians and Chechens are not provided the same attentions. It is this extreme position of west that pushes these people to the other extreme.
Pakistan is a great nation of 180 million people. It has laid down great sacrifices for mankind. Losing Pakistan's friendship and cooperation will be as much a loss to the rest of the world as it will be for Pakistan.
@Umair You are not an Iraqi or Afghan. Ask them how they feel about the West.
Rasul Sahib belongs to the few sane, rational voices remaining in Pakistan, a rare threatened specie that is near extinction. Rasul Sahib, state you dread is called a fascist, they have no qualms in imposing their ideas. We have two choices, one we the people of Pakistan wake up and take care of business or someone else will do it for us. I believe that is your message, please do keep writing, God knows we need more people like you.
As the author himself notes there are elements in the West who mirror the visceral hatred of some in Pakistan or other Muslim countries. Samuel Huntington may have gone too far in predicting a clash between the two but there is no escaping the historic hangover or the present friction between the Islamic world and the West. Pakistan became the West's preferred bete noire after it embarked on is nuclear programme. Iran now shares that status. Of course the principal cause of anxiety is Israel's security. No amount of shining up to Washington by us is going to change that. But Dr. Rais is right in pointing the dangers of going over the top by our teachers and opinion makers. Unfortunately there is a lack of direction from the quarters who are in a position to do that.
The Hindus, The jews, the Christians are all conspiring against the greatest Islamic power on earth.