The writer is executive director of the Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies
Pakistan today looks more like a society that seems to base itself on sermonising and outward piety than on a legal framework that confers equality to all those living there. To the misfortune of most of its citizens, the mighty civilian and military plutocrats keep issuing sermonising messages on auspicious occasions such as Eid, Pakistan Day and special days of Ramazan, asking people to sacrifice, to follow teachings of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and emulate the guiding principles of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The latest case in point is Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s address on December 21 at a pre-Christmas event in which he made a call to his countrymen to “uphold the rights of religious minorities and not renege on the promises of equality that the Quaid-e-Azam made to them in 1947”.
Strangely, the prime minister, once again promised in his speech what the Quaid-e-Azam had in his August 11, 1947 speech, rather than referring to what the Constitution of Pakistan obligates us all to do.
Article 20 of Chapter 1 on fundamental rights deals with the freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions. It suggests that: “Subject to law and morality, every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice and propagate his religion and every religious denomination and every sect thereof shall have the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions.”
Unfortunately, there has hardly been any leader who has embedded the human rights and governance discourse in the constitutional framework. Often, historical instances constitute the core of speeches and official messages. For our leaders, it seems, other things take precedence over the need to treat every citizen as equals as guaranteed in Article 20. Increasingly, leaders delve into narratives of religiosity to deliver even simple messages related to the daily conduct of good citizens. This not only betrays an overriding self-preservatory expediency but also intellectual poverty and confusion within the ruling elite.
Indonesian, Turkish and Malaysian scholars have pointed to the urgency of turning issues related to the political economy discourse into a narrative embedded in the Constitution because without guaranteeing equality among citizens, the goal of creating and maintaining social harmony and peace will remain elusive. Quoting examples from Europe, they have argued that recourse to faith as a guiding principle for having a “good citizenry”, rather than following and insisting on globally practised principles of secular governance, also emboldens extremists to peddle their conservatism in society and thus threaten all those who differ with them.
Deterrence to this intimidation must come from the constitutional framework instead of public appeals for compassion and consideration. That is the only way to ensure that all citizens have equal rights submission to the law of the land. The government must underline its role as a guarantor of freedoms and must use an iron hand to punish all those who break the law or discriminate against a particular group or community.
While other countries display ‘zero tolerance’ to any act or attempt that threatens the sociopolitical and economic interests of the country or endanger public life, a law-backed ‘zero-tolerance regime’ for extremists and criminals of all shades in Pakistan remains elusive, also because of poor or compromised enforcement of law.
As long as our leadership keeps invoking the religio-moral jargon as a bait for ‘good citizen behaviour’ instead of judging the behaviour by the constitutional framework, the ‘rogues’ will continue undermining the rule of law to the detriment of social harmony and equal citizenry.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2013.
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COMMENTS (7)
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It would be a good idea if Pakistan were to look at how Malaysia, where Muslims form the majority, treats its various religious and ethnic minorities. I had the opportunity to translate the appeal of its PM from English to one of its regional languages I was impressed by the way the entire appeal focussed on social and economic progress ensuring equal rights of the minorities. When will Pakistan understand that other countries are not simply interested in it mixing religion with politics, which is a sure way for chaos?
There has to be a separation of state and religion in the matters of governance and citizenry. Only MQM presents a Pakistan where all are considered citizens and equal citizens of one State, where being part of a religious community would not affect being part of the nation.
Minorities in Pakistan will never get equal rights unless the liberal voices join forces to combat shabby treatment of minorities and demand changing laws. We see so many talking about Muslims being persecuted in other countries, but not a whisper about how non muslims are fairing in our midst. If India can have a Sikh or Muslim Presdident, can Pakistan have an Ahmadi or Hindu leading our country? Of course not. But the tragedy is nobody has the courage to talk about it. Whenever I talk to people back home, they ask me: Are Muslims being persecuted? And they are disappointed when I say: Not the way non Muislims are in Pakistan. You can wear your hijab, grow long beards, go to your mosques without any hinderence. Bilawal said yesterdaay that all should have equal rights. Perhaps there is change in youth in near future. I have my doubts. The obserssion with faith is too dep rooted to make a visible differrence.
To become a civilized country, Pakistan should have a Hindu/Ahmadi President, A Christian Prime Minister, a Shia Speaker and a Sikh Army Chief.
After discrimination has been written into the Constitution a country must accept to reap the fruits that will be produced. We cannot plant an orange tree and expect peaches to sprout. A good start will be to call representatives of minority groups and on their suggestions repeal all sections and articles that have forced them to live in fear. This needs courage and fortitude, not pious sloganeering.
All talk no concrete suggestion. If MNS wanted equality all he has to do is to cancel the mention of religion on the Passport of Pakistan, Repeal the constitutional definition of good Muslim and criteria for a person to be called Muslim as these law discriminate against Ahmadiya people. It is not the job of the constitution to protect one particular sect of the religion. There are certain countries in the world who's constitution (due to rights for minorities in it) are envy of other nations.
The Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis, and Christians are now too small in number and too cowed down to matter one way or the other to any policy in a Pakistan. Our real real minorities now are the Ahmedi and Shia. I doubt they will fare any better than the others who are on course to being completely wiped out.