Opinion

Can we change our ‘hate-India’ mindset?

Bangladesh is, with great national pride, the literal better-half of the erstwhile Pakistan.

Shahzad Chaudhry October 19, 2010

Pakistan has been in the throes of a rumoured reconstitution of the government under the army’s patronage, similar to what Bangladesh enacted in a hybrid judicial-technocrat government. Planned as a clean-up therapy to bring some sense to the alternatively vindictive policies of both Hasina Wajed and Khaleda Zia, it additionally aimed at weeding out the corrupt.

The Bangladesh army did a couple of things better: one, they did not directly take over power, and two, while cleaning the corrupt from the system, carried out a thorough census and instituted a strong and independent Election Commission. The Election Commission’s insularity from any external influence was so explicitly manifested that Khaleda Zia initially boycotted the elections for a clear failure to be able to manipulate the commission for favour. We in Pakistan got involved in some other acts, chief were the infamous NRO condoning corruption and a blatant misstep to neuter the judiciary.

Since elections in 2008 and the return of Hasina Wajid under a relatively cleansed dispensation, the Bangladesh model has undergone some even more significant variations, perhaps a Bangladesh Model II. It is worth a look.

Under Ms Wajid, Bangladesh enacted an act to declare the country secular. This has separated the clergy from all matters of governance, political interference and issuing fatwas in matters of personal life. Next, a revolution of sorts has come about with the Grameen experience. Ordinary rural women have been empowered by small loans and guidance to invest in garment manufacturing and this has helped unshackle them from the religious straitjacket and presumed male domination. And, the fact is that these women are the real force behind the rise of Bangladesh’s garment industry. They have chosen to educate their daughters at the same level as their sons and also have smaller families. Importantly, the mullah’s ability to interfere in their belief system has been curtailed by the state.

Bangladesh today is the world’s fourth highest exporter of garments — at $12 billion a year (this for a country that grows no cotton!). Investors and entrepreneurs from neighbouring countries, particularly Pakistan and Sri Lanka, are shifting their manufacturing plants to Bangladesh. Under Hasina Wajid, the economy has been averaging annual GDP growth of six per cent for the past three years. Bangladesh has near universal literacy and is far ahead of other South Asian nations in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Around a million Bangladeshis leave their shores every year for employment in foreign countries and contribute over $10 billion a year in remittances. In another innovation, the central tax authorities held two fairs to enable citizens to join the income tax payment scheme. What happened? Long lines formed as they joined in to be a part of the drive and pay the applicable taxes.

Bangladesh is, with great national pride, the literal better-half of the erstwhile Pakistan. That needs to be applauded. And that is the model we need in Pakistan.

The question is that are there any takers? Are we going to change our ‘hate-India’ mindset as Bangladesh has done, freeing resources for the economy? Of course, at the same time, can we do without the army chaperoning this infantile democracy, especially since democracy itself seems unwilling to grow and the state is unable to make all those who should pay actually pay tax.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (41)

Vilander | 14 years ago | Reply Dear Pakistanis, It is awesome to see such articles in Pak websphere, if such steps are taken in your country then india might not feel the pinch in freeing kashmir. Things might come down to what it is like in Europe, our civilization could take the rightful spot amoung the chinese,europeans and anglo's ( we were afterall first world during ancient Hindu era and Mughal era) just imagine an economically unified Bang,Pak,India with no worries about military spending and cordial customs relations with SL,Nepal,China etc. Sounds so idealistic now.

Ali Sina | 14 years ago | Reply Kudos to Bangladesh that it is the world’s fourth highest exporter of garments for a country that grows no cotton. The real irony is that Pakistan is the world's fourth largest producer of cotton (9.8 million bales) in the world (after China, India, and the US). The Grameen model has been praised whole-heartedly all over the world, with prominent economists singing laurels, and venture capitalists of the likes of Vinod Khosla putting big money behind it. Microfinance is something we can and should learn from Bangladesh. It will give millions of poor an opportunity in life.

Are we going to change our ‘hate-India’ mindset as Bangladesh has done, freeing resources for the economy?

This statement should get an award of intellectualism. The glaring contradiction within Pakistan is that on the one hand, we are a nation filled with intellectuals, but on the other, our country has been tied down for too long by bigots. If we can capitalize on even a tenth of our intellectualism, there would be no looking back. Ayesha has pointed out that a leftish adjustment via political liberalism to edge out the damage from an extreme right push in our past, could prove to be a potent medicine. Like advisors in Washington do, opinion makers in Pakistan should influence and steer government policies toward economic growth as against pouring more and more money on military equipment that we can't afford.

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Rajat | 14 years ago | Reply Bengali_Boy Judging by your comments, you sound like an Indian muslim(non sunni?) who is very sad that pre-independent india was trifurcated.

SKChadha | 14 years ago | Reply Bengali Boy, neither I am deluding myself nor I have misconception of Pak intent about Kashmir and the kind of Islam in which most of them are drowning. Feudalism and false pride is at core of Pak society and land reforms as happened in Bengal in 60’s & 70’s are unthinkable even today. The subjects (I am not calling them citizens) accept this feudalism as their fate and will of Allah. You and I are not in a position to change the situation, till they themselves desire it. Still, I am of the opinion that, we cannot put all the eggs in one basket. The interaction has its own advantage, though at times it is cut off considering that this may malign the pure minds. My aim of referring the other parts of India was not in reference to conflicts but with intent to explain bonds of regional ethnicity. My parents were migrants from West Punjab which reminds me of my personal bonds. Your and my upbringing is in entirely different atmosphere as compared to Gen. Zia’s curriculum of twisted history. As the people in Pakistan, for solutions of their problems, see only towards the beautiful and powerful light of Islam, the same light is blinding their vision. No surprise, many of them are totally blind and are unable to see the vast knowledge, diversified cultures and beauty of other religions which is spread all around the world. I request you to go through all my comments above, before forming your opinion.

Bengali_Boy | 14 years ago | Reply SKChadha, your description of issues India faces with Nepal,Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and in North-East India betray your lack of understanding of the same. Ind-Nepal friction was never about Nepali immigrants in UP and Bihar, it is about Nepal's Maoists and India's successes and failures in promoting genuine democracy in that country. The troubles in the North-East are not about the relationships between the people in those states and those in neighbouring countries, they are about who the people eventually chose/will choose as legitimate governors, the Indian govt or some insurgents. West Bengal has long moved on from 1947 and 1971. Bengalis have shown incredible tolerance for illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The plight of Sri Lanka is something for which the Sri Lankan Sinhalese people, India, the Sri Lankan Tamils all have to share the blame. India's culpability is to be borne by all Indians and not just Indian Tamils. These are all difficult conflicts which need to be managed and resolved, not problems which will go away by forgetting about them like you suggest.

Bengali_Boy | 14 years ago | Reply SKChadha, you are deluding yourself. You choose to believe that Indo-Pak animosity is based on misconception. If that were true, it would be the singular greatest tragedy mankind has ever endured. But our animosity is rooted in hard history and mindsets. Our animosity owes existence to Pakistan's 20th century rediscovery of Islamic exceptionalism, something which lay dormant during the British Raj. Everything Pakistan does is with apparent divine permission, every act of aggression by Pakistan on India has been justified by them using Islam. In the 21st century, our neighbor chooses to kill Indian civilians because Allah told them to. They attacked Jammu & Kashmir in 1947 because of their irrational belief that all Muslims of the Subcontinent needed to be collected into one Islamic Republic. They attacked us in 1965 to fulfil this insane objective, though they had stopped accepting Muslims from India in 1950. They killed millions in East Bengal because they believed that Pakistan was the only possible nation Muslims of the erstwhile British India could possibly survive in. After Bangladesh was born, they refused to acknowledge that two-thirds of all Muslims in South Asia now lived outside Pakistan and had no desire to be its citizens. By the late 80s they were back to their project of winning the Kashmiri Muslims from India, and they have continued to bleed us in Kashmir and the rest of India ever since. Mere misconception is not to blame here. Most educated people on either side of the border are very clear about what we are fighting about, do not insult everyone's intelligence.

SKChadha | 14 years ago | Reply My dear Bengali Boy, Atal ji had rightly said, we can change our friends but not our neighbors. We have to pull on with our neighbors for better social living, even if they are adversaries. We have not forgotten even a single incident mentioned by you. I know most part of India which is not in social or cultural contact with Pakistan is willing to shut it and forget it. India is a vast country. Being a Bengali Boy, can you shut it and forget it with Bangladesh? Can Tamil Nadu do the same with Shri Lankan’s? Can people of UP and Bihar with Nepal? And similarly, the north eastern States with their neighboring countries? From India’s prospective Pakistan is also a problem for us and this problem is diminishing with India’s self reliance and economic prosperity. We may live with differences but here most of the animosity is resulted due to misconceptions. These misconceptions are due to tumultuous past as referred by you and gagged media in our neighboring country. This is a right time when we can put our feelings and view point directly before masses of Pakistan. I am thankful to Tribune for providing us this opportunity. We may have differences but not animosity.

Bengali_Boy | 14 years ago | Reply I am an Indian and I have a question for those Indians on this thread who seem to be happy about Pakistani attempts at self improvement: Why are you so interested in their improvement? I am waiting for your answer. If you are tempted to tell me that you could not control your altruism, then I should remind you that the Pakistanis do not deserve us as well wishers because their hatred for us and their inability to keep their house in order has bled us for 63 long years. Do you forget 26/11? Do you forget the attack on our Parliament? Do you forget the Kargil miniwar, where we failed to turn tactical victory into strategic victory? Do you forget the displacement of the Kashmiri Pandits which we have shamelessly been unable to reverse? Do you forget that Indian soldiers had to lay down their lives to liberate Bangladesh, a nation which needed to be created only because Pakistan oppressed Bengalis from 1947 to 1971? Do you forget that they tried to suppress the movement for Bangladeshi independence by conducting mass rape and genocide? Do you forget the many refugees we had to shelter on our soil, and the many economic refugees who continue to trickle into India from Bangladesh to this day, because Pakistan set back Bangladesh a few decades while it ruled it? Do you forget the aggression of 1965? Do you forget the war of 1947-48? Are you not aware of the condition of religious and ethnic minorities in Pakistan? We have enough problems of our own in India. Why don't you people stop wasting your time on threads like these and instead focus on working harder, raising your kids properly, paying your taxes on time, filing a Right to Information application whenever you suspect a govt. agency of corruption and donate to a robust NGO? We have enough on our plates: we have a nation to develop, the Naxalites to overthrow, the Kashmiri Sunni separatists to confront, contain and convince, and goodwill and gains in counterinsurgency to consolidate on in the North-East. The list goes on.

randomrandom | 14 years ago | Reply Bangladesh should thank India everyday. Hating us(are you kdding me !) because we released them from the persecution of their own countrymen. What a joke !

vikas ranjan | 14 years ago | Reply @Shahid Why don’t we get rid of the corrupt politicians? Well, you have hanged one PM,assssinated two more and banished one to far off lands. How many Generals, Air Marshals and Admirals have you accounted for. Or have all of them been God's special gift to Pakistan. Why don’t we get rid of the politicians who involve the army in politics? Like Bhutto invited Zia, and Nawaz invited Musharraf, both of them threatened the Generals with suicide if they did not take over the country.Ayub of course never invited himself, but was forced into Government by Liaquat Ali who got himself assassinated to force Ayub in office. Why dont we ensure that the influence of army is reduced? What and lose the only knights in shining armour guys going around, and pray how do you 'reduce' the influence of the army while bristling at all hints of wrongdoing on their part.

SKChadha | 14 years ago | Reply Dear SSA, India is a vast country. The visit of my Pak brothers in India is limited to its North Western and Western parts and may be upto Hyderabad only. There is vast cultural difference in North Eastern and Southern Parts of India as compared to its North Western parts. People are mostly indifferent about others religious beliefs, except the families those have suffered in Partition. The normal citizenry view Pakistan as an enemy country and aggressor who should be dwelt with iron hand. Brother, the basic difference lies in ideology of our two nations. India is secular and Pakistan is a Muslim country. If you observe minutely, you will find that our good wishes for Pakistan, whatever small they are, are directed towards its entire citizenry, whereas voices emanating from Pakistan are directed mainly towards India’s Muslim population, protection of Islam or highlighting the social evils in Hinduism. Hence, such voices from Pakistan are attributed as false motive of our neighboring nation. The feeling would not have pinched so much if India would have also been a religion based State. Religion or faith here is personal to anyone? We cajole, entice, criticize and persuade each other on religious beliefs and enjoy or feel annoyed but do not have feeling of hatred for each other. If you are interested in understanding the Hindu-Muslim relations in India in a real sence, please visit Zia’s Blogs in HT at: http://blogs.hindustantimes.com/they-call-me-muslim/. SSA, Bro … The voices of Pakistan may be with good intentions, but when they are directed to a particular community or protectionist for a particular religion alone is making more harm only to that community or religion in India. The animosity between the two nations come on forefront and only agitates masses here as also further alienates society. Moreover, such intention creates more mistrust towards motives of our neighboring country. It is fact that religious intolerance still exists in India, but believe me the efforts of our masses are to dose it and not to give air to it. The atrocities are highlighted in mainline media for correction and not for advertising hatred by skewing it in favors of a particular religion. The blog as I mentioned above are safety valves to vent out such feelings and cool down the fire and there are n number of such blogs. We all admire such blog writers and commentators on them for their contribution to our society. If you read comments carefully, you will observe that he is lauded for his efforts by all, even in criticisms. The critical comments against Islam or Muslims are only due to the scars of Partition, historical facts and the terror inflicted from across the border in the name of religion. You can further observe this cross border effect in Mr. Madani’s, encounter with Gen. Musharaff. He is an elite Muslim leader and our Rajya Sabha Member at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1CXrHxC8MY.

SSA | 14 years ago | Reply I happen to be friends with quite a few Indian people and read plenty of Indian newspapers. Not once have I seen one article urging the hard core Indian nationalist to alter his/her perceptions about Pakistan. The other day the tragic incident of Pakistani visitors to India being burned alive in the Samjhota Express was being discussed with some of my Indian friends and not ONE person remembered the incident. The whole one-way traffic of it all is what is really disturbing. Peace and harmony will only be a reality in this part of the world when ALL concerned are ready to revise their long held perceptions that they hold to be as beliefs. In my opinion if Pakistan is a state that is direction-less, dysfunctional, about-to-implode, and rife with ethnic and sectarian tensions ( which it is ) then India is a farcical democracy afraid to confront the religious right and unable to check the growing tendency of marginalizing the minorities under the dangerous garb of misplaced nationalism. It is a telling fact that most Indian Muslims one might talk to would feel hard done by the Babri Mosque judgment while most Hindu Indians would declare the verdict as some sort of feather in the cap of secularism. It is crazy. The entire subcontinent somehow appears to be living in one sort of denial or the other. Lord help us all.

Abdul hadi | 14 years ago | Reply Merit of the article is poor and biased.

SKChadha | 14 years ago | Reply @ Hamood - Do you want to say that in last 40 years: (a) the economic conditions of Bangladesh is only detiriorated? (b) its GDP was continued to be less as compared to Pakistan? (c) It was discriminated and left behind by Pakistan till 1971?

Hamood | 14 years ago | Reply Jeez, so now Pakistan should follow Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries of the world and a country that is below Pakistan in almost every development index? Thanks but no thanks.

vikas ranjan | 14 years ago | Reply @Jafakush Banks fund both side of wars. As long as we have them Anti-other party mindset will prevail. Blaming us is a bit too much. Man, this is really original. After blaming Hindus, Ahmadias, Shias, Russians, Americans, Sindhis, Baloch etc etc, our man has found the truth, Ban Banks and live happily everafter. Nobel for Economics and Peace rolled in one.

Shahid | 14 years ago | Reply Why do we present Army as an evil whenever we mention our failures as a nation? These are failures are the nation (the people of Pakistan). Why don't we get rid of the corrupt politicians? Why don't we get rid of the politicians who involve the army in politics? Why dont we ensure that the influence of army is reduced? It is our failure, it is the failure of the people of Pakistan

prasad | 14 years ago | Reply To paraphrase what Hamid Mir recently said about Musharraf - How is it that generals and air vice marshals see sense after they have retired? (Hamid Mir said - do generals become crazy after they shed their uniform?) This article is cleverly titled to garner maximum readership (India is mentioned towards the end of a long eulogy for Bangladesh). Since the author is a retired air-vicemarshall, he would be in the best position to : Identifty and explain the nature of the hate-India policy adopted by the army and the state. Talk about the wars and reveal the true nature of - for instance - the 1965 stalemate. Unfortunately the army needs the hate-India policy for its survival. The only way out of this quagmire is to encourage people to people contact, trade and the strengthening of democratic institutions in Pakistan. The army and its hate-India policy will naturally be sidelined.

M M Malik | 14 years ago | Reply Secular Bangladesh is flourishing, and Bangladeshis are no less Muslims then us. They are relatively peaceful, stable and more prosperous then us. Separate state and religion in Pakistan.

manish mall | 14 years ago | Reply Dear Air Vice Martial Shahjad, I am a retired Army Officer, I am an Indian and I am a Hindu and I appreciate your article. It really is nice to see that people of your counrty have started noticing any country other than India, and that too in a progressive sense and for good purposes. That's great, congratulations. Sir as an army officer I have worked with some of your army personnel and believe me I was pretty impressed with some of them they are very good till the time India and their religion is not mentioned to them. The same is the problem with your political, religious and social dispensation. You may like to know that in the last commonwealth Games held this month in Delhi the delegates/sports persons of your country got the largest applaud after of course India. I was there we felt so good for you people. But your playes started fighting for flag in full public view, they were unapoligetic and sarcastic towards the volunteers who were trying to take great care of your players. Your hocky captain says that they lost because of crowd it may be of any sense to you that the local crowd was most supportive to Pakistan in matches other than with India. Right from your politicians to the general puplic every one doesn't miss an opportunity to humiliate India in any way.How does a negatively obsessive collectively mind progresses? Sir you desire to humiliate and defeat India surpasses every thing; that's why you miss the opportunity, that's why you fail to notice our friendly gestures. I am not saying that we donot have problem or we do not have bad and sinister people, we do have our share of problems on various fronts. Sir the problem is that you people have not grown and are too religious. Religion for you is not fro the purpose of salvaging the soul but it seems that it has become a dozer which will demolish every thing which doesnot follow your path. I am happy tha people in Pakistan have started thinking rationally they are great people, they have great potential and great future. I exhort them to rather focus on them and forget about India and any one else.

SKChadha | 14 years ago | Reply @ Anoop –Islam was made the state religion in Bangladesh in1988 by insertion of Article 2A in its constitution and it is no more a secular country. The Article reads as under: “The state religion of the Republic is Islam, but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony in the Republic.” In view of recent decision of its Supreme Court it is yet to return to secularism as enshrined in its 1972 constitution. Though, following Supreme Court ruling the courts have ruled that the original constitution is automatically restored http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=157212. Yesterday, PM Sheikh Hasina made an announcement that “Bangladesh will shortly restore the word 'secularism' in its constitution. However, it will remain an Islamic state, allowing functioning of religion-based parties.” This is probably to accommodate the largest opposition party. Refer article at: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Secularism-to-be-restored-in-Bangladesh-constitution/articleshow/6773779.cms. We have to wait and watch.

Neeraj, India | 14 years ago | Reply Ali, I just couldn't get the real motive and meaning of your question. What kind of startling conclusions are you expecting me to arrive at? Do you think if I study and compare Abrahamic religions with that of eastern religions, I may get some startling revelations for myself? You are sadly and badly mistaken buddy! I became an agnostic not for nothing. If you think that the Hinduism is merely a religion of animal worship, then, again I can just feel pity for you. Let me tell you the bitter truth I became an agnostic despite of, and I repeat again, despite of eastern religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. These religions are based on pure logic and encourage you to ask questions. In complete contrast Abrahamic religions ask you to believe first and ask the questions later. I always appreciated the monolithic and organized nature of Abrahamic religions, but, no religion could quench my spiritual thirst. I, a student of advanced physics, even tried to find an answer to my existence in this great science, but, couldn't get appropriate answers. I think this is the only science (astro-physics) that is searching for god. I would have become atheist but for the ironies of life. I who was dreaming of becoming a scientist at ISRO, ended up in the merciless world of India Inc. where I was forced to learn basics of economics and prepare a viability report on a particular business venture or a project. I don't want to indulge in an acrimonious debate of which religion is superior to other. After studying even the great Abrahamic religions, all I can say that every religion wants us to be good human beings, but, in practice, every religion ended up spreading hatred instead of love. That is why I always advocate secularism, so that the religion can remain a completely private affair of an individual. Let everyone breath fresh air, let the thousand different flowers bloom! That should be the motto of us all!

Anoop | 14 years ago | Reply Its interesting to note that Bangladesh became stable and progressive when it abandoned being Pakistan and tried to be like India! It is a secular state, unlike Pakistan and like India. It is a state where Democracy is respected and cherished, unlike Pakistan and like India It is has deep rooted need to protect its minorities, unlike Pakistan and like India. The list goes on..

Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Neeraj: Please debate upon pros and cons of "disease of hypocritical religiosity" of both Muslims and Hindus versus "prescriptions and tablets" of secularism, with special emphasis on its "after affects" in India, Pakistan and world, in your presentations, anywhere. You might reach some startling conclusions!

Noor Nabi | 14 years ago | Reply An excellent debate generated by an excellent article. How can this be broadened to bring a greater cross-section of society to participate in it? And thanks to Express Tribune for making this possible.

Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Can any sane authority in Government of Pakistan think the retired Air Vice Marshal deserves a Medal of Bravery for writing a few such truths in Islamic Republic of Pakistan? A 'hate-India' mindset may not shower grace on leaders or people of Pakistan, but may be a ploy of enemies to bring disgrace to a country (Pakistan) created after breaking India which is what may make Hindus hate Pakistan. Pakistanis have no such reason to hate India. Talk of ashraf-ul-makhlooqaat and intellect ! Therefore, some right matters are vulnerable to be misused for more wrongs! (Muslims in Pakistan may have other reasons to hate India, like deprivation of rights of Muslims in India. But most Muslim Pakistanis may think lesser about such miseries. In fact, Muslims in Pakistan also inflicted much sufferings forever on Muslims in India! Pakistan has become a punishment and a cost being paid by Muslims in India for making Pakistan. They are compelled tol continue to pay it as long as they care for their Muslim brothers in Pakistan. But of course Muslims in Pakistan are not compelled to pay price for their own comforts, or remember pitiful situation of Muslims in India. It is natural: People mostly think about their own hardships and think lesser about problems of other people.)

Shani Syed | 14 years ago | Reply Like Musharraf said india is not a threat to us bad governance is I would want to add more to it that we ourselves if not united may loose the rest of Pakistan like we lost Bangladesh God forbid. The writer is absolutely right in pointing out we should focus on prosperity like Bangladesh then we shall be at a more stable state but its our rulers who focus on personal agendas rather than thinkin to flourish Pakistan we are responsible as we vote for them.. any ways yes if we become a successful nation the threat of india can be minimized to a greater extent, its not about hate we just cant trust the indian neighbour as they cant trust us the prejuidism can be minimized not rooted out we have been stabbed many times, I cannot agree as Bangladesh is not a threat to india its work in Bangladesh is done and we helped in 71 while we are still the target, The game of having power in South Asia region cant be neglected we dont want to become Nepal but as the writer pointed out its economical stability education good governance peace which can uplift us. Its not just india the worse is we have such elements internaly which are more dangerous who break up Pakistan, if we keep on like this no body but we ourselves shall be responsible to break the country further and do the jobs for others ourselves Allah forbid. Its UNITY FAITH DISCIPLNE else we are going to continue downways. Allah helps those who help themselves its about time we did some thing constructive. Its still not too Late.

Neeraj, India | 14 years ago | Reply Mr. Author, you did a splendid job. I was waiting for someone to write on Bangladesh and the progress she is making in almost all fields. If Bangladesh, a muslim country, can declare herself as a secular state, then, why Pakistan cannot take a similar step. In fact, Pakistan desperately needs a secular constitution, simply because, over emphasis on the religion is turning the country into a madhouse. But, what saddens me is that, those people who really matter in Pakistan, are still living in a bygone era of cold war. They fail to realize that the world has moved on far-far ahead. In today's world, geo-political ambitions have lost their relevance. As Bush senior was taunted by Clinton with his famous single liner ' it is economy stupid!', the same should be told to the Pakistani rulers. To achieve economic success, education and women's empowerment are the key areas, as implied by the author. You cannot earn higher income without education and a society cannot make progress keeping it's half of the population idle. India was lucky on this score. No matter how much scorn we spew on our leaders, they must be given the credit for developing some of the world class educational institutions in our country. For poor countries like ours, the only way to succeed is a good education. Anyway, all is not lost for Pakistan. After watching and facing so many Pakistani brain-deads and religious zombies, it really feels good to see that so many brave Pakistani men and women are out there writing, commenting and fighting against religious dogmas that afflict Pakistan's soul. It is not easy to be a secular person in Pakistan.

Usama Zafar | 14 years ago | Reply Absolutely agree with neokarma!!

T. Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Forget about the Hate India campaign, it is just an obsession of few elements. Our problem is the internal divsions such as the senseless sectarian killings in Karachi, eversince the MQM emerged as a force or the religious extremists and those who fan sectarian differences. All this is the result of continuous military interventions and politics dominated by men with greed for wealth, while the people are being fooled. I fail to understand why the people of Pakistan continue to support politicians who have shifted their assets abroad and whose children are living there. We got liberated from the British Raj, not to be ruled by men for whom this country is neither fit for their children to live in or their assets,both legal and illegal, to be located here. Why do we have to have this slave mentality, to be ruled by such men. It is time to think and correct ourselves, before we lose Pakistan. We need Democracy in this country, but being elected should not be considered as a right to rule Pakistan like a fiefdom.

Ishaq Narejo | 14 years ago | Reply agree with ArifQ

neokarma | 14 years ago | Reply An excellent article! It is sad to see how pakistani's have been taken for a ride by its feudals and Army on a ride by sighting India as an eternal enemy. They say, India is hell bent on swallowing up Pakistan and doesn't tolerate a muslim homeland. if all that was so, then why didn't India swallow Bangladesh and has fairly good relations with this muslim country? Any rational Pakistani can tell the lie. India is no more interest in swallowing/breaking up Pakistan than US wanting to annex or break up Canada! However, Pakistan is bound to break up further if it keeps up this eternal animosity! Best thing that could happen is for India and Pakistan to dump Kashmir issue to be resolved by future more wealthy generations, and focus on uplifting the country.

Jafakush | 14 years ago | Reply Banks fund both side of wars. As long as we have them Anti-other party mindset will prevail. Blaming us is a bit too much.

SKChadha | 14 years ago | Reply Every Bangladeshi national who is over 40 years of age was first a Pakistani. He became Bangladeshi only in 1971 to break the shekels of Punjabi-Sindhi hegemony. The nations are borne due to injustices done on the basis of ethnicity and cultural divide. It may sound illogical and impractical, but can anybody in Pakistan think of back merger with Bangladesh? After all Bangladeshi’s are proud Bengali and Pakistanis first. They were your own people and forty years back used to sing Pak national anthem and salute its flag. The problem with leaders in Pakistan is their feudalism and false pride. This doesn’t allow them to become subservient to any other Kaum or accept voice of majority. Even if it is expressed by its own majority people. This false pride is leading in ever deepening divide in various Kaum in West Pakistan. Whether it is Punjabi, Sindhi, Baluchi, Pathans, Mohazir etc. Here Bengali’s are now absolutely out of the scene. “Pakistani humorist Ibn-e-Insha once wrote about his encounter with a Pakistani troubled by his countrymen’s overwhelming ethnic and sub-nationalist sensitivities.“Aajkal Pakistan mein koyi apney aap ko Sindhi kehta hai to koyi Baluchi, Punjabi ya Pathan. Agar yahi sab karna tha tou Pakistan bananey ki kya zaroorat thi?” he asked. “Maaf kijiyega, galti ho gayi, agey sey nahin banayenge,” responded Insha in a telling acceptance of contradictions that bedevil Pakistan as a nation State. That happened some years ago as the Leftist thinker died way back in 1978. The Punjabi imperialism, Pakhtoon and Baloch alienation, Shia-Sunni divide and the Mohajir versus Sindhi sentiments have only lent greater meaning to Insha’s apology” Friends, my aim is not to hurt the nationalistic sensitivities, but to make my brothers realise that the false pride and short-sightedness has its own cost which Pakistan is presently paying without gaining anything in return.

temporal | 14 years ago | Reply shahzad: bangladesh model may or may not work here. three things that are more irksome here: 1: it is officially secular and we are burdened by our own versions of God and Islam 2: they do not have an overhang of kashmir over their shoulders 3: there army can be controlled unlike ours

khalid.aziz | 14 years ago | Reply Bangladesh got rid of West Pakistan dominated establishment and today they are the 2nd best performing economy of South Asia. Now its time for us Pakistanis to get another independence after 1947 i.e from the same "establishment/deep state" and do something for ourselves and for our next generation- we'll remain backward and poor until we keep on spending billions of rupees in defence and Defence would love to keep on eating us in the name of "Indian threat", "Taliban threat", "Strategic Depth" , "Best interest of the country" etc etc. When will Pakistanis themselves decide what is in the best interest of their country? Its people's right to decide about their destiny. This will only happen when people of Punjab will take the lead to struggle for not only their own civil rights but for the rights of their brothers and sisters from smaller provinces. This will also strenghten the federation as well.

ArifQ | 14 years ago | Reply Excellent article, unfortunately not the right comparison for the obvious reasons as follows: No feudalism in Bangladesh No ethnic differences No strategic depth delusions No Zardari or Nawaz Sharif, women rule politics Roots of women emancipation dates before the political restructuring, we have yet to start Literacy rate, no comparisons Not a sanctuary or breeding ground for extremists NO ISI I could go on, but this seems to do the job

faraz | 14 years ago | Reply Bangalis are much more politically aware and mature than us, there would have been no independent Pakistan without Bangali support for Muslim league. It was again their political awareness that they secured a second independence in 1971, after they were deprived of their rights and resources. Bangladesh has all the indicators of a prosperous nation.

Usama Zafar | 14 years ago | Reply Now this is what I call an EXCELLENT article!! People like you sir, make me realize there is still some hope left for this country!!

Noor Nabi | 14 years ago | Reply Over the years, especially after the 1971 debacle, the only glue that could hold together what was left of Pakistan was a holier-than-thou version of Islam. And a "hate-India" frenzy was fuel for that fire. Pressing the "reset" button will not work. The hard disk has to be wiped clean to get rid of all viruses and that is the only way to get back into the game. The khakis will not allow that as it will destroy their ambitions to be rich and powerful.

Syed Nadir El-Edroos | 14 years ago | Reply Many amongst us dont even know what happened in East Pakistan in 1970, as it is conveniently missing in our history books. It took nearly 3 decades for the Hamood Ur Rehman Commission Report to be made public, and even then those responsible for war crimes have not been held accountable. For many amongst our nations elite it would be abhorred for them to look "down" at our former wing to learn "lessons" from them. All well said, lets hope it doesn't fall on deaf ears.

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