Pakistan or Paranoidistan?

 Pakistan or Paranoidistan?

Sher Ali Khan writes about the questions raised by Dr Ayesha Jalal at a recent talk organized by CCP

With Pakistan reaching a crossroads in its history, many worry about the future of the country. Confused and dazzled by the complexity of the problems facing them, many ordinary citizens are educating themselves and looking for ways to define the future. Recently the Concerned Citizens Society of Pakistan (CCP) organized a talk by the historian Dr Ayesha Jalal, to gain a historical perspective and a to-the-point analysis of what is happening to Pakistan.

The talk was held at the Lahore Grammar School in Gulberg, where Ms Nighat Yawar Ali provided the theatre hall which accomadates several hundred people. The audience consisted of parents, students and generally interested citizens who had questions about the future of Pakistan and what could be done from a citizens’ perspective. As everyone gathered the auditorium, casual discussions started to take place. In one corner, there were uncles and aunties voicing their disappointment about the abolishment of the competition commission, others were talking about Zardari and some students were questioning the American role in Pakistan.

Dr Ayesha Jalal’s has taught at several prestigious schools such as Columbia University where she was an assistant professor, then at Tufts as a professor and now in Pakistan, where she is a visiting professor at LUMS. Her book ‘The Sole Spokesman’ is one of the best and widely acclaimed biographies of Pakistan’s founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Jalal is considered an authority on Jinnah and has overshadowed Wolpert’s interpretation of the leader. She has extensively written on topics related to the subcontinent, varying from martial rule to democracy, and authoritarianism to identity. Her last book is called ‘Partisans of Allah’, an in-depth analysis of the history of religious fundamentalism in the sub-continent through a thorough exploration of the philosophical and political interpretation of Jihad in this area.

Later the CCP gave a brief introduction about the issues facing Pakistan today and also alerted the general audience to some of their main initiatives. They have been holding a series of talks to explore and create awareness about Pakistan, and are trying to make a difference in the community through charitable and public policy initiatives. Dr Jalal was then invited to come on stage for a brief lecture and a Q&A session. As she approached the podium, it felt like a college class was in session, since her well-prepared slide show allowed for a structured briefing.

To begin with she posed several questions to the audience, which she would explore through the seminar. They were: are Pakistanis paranoid, and is this Paranoidistan? Furthermore, are Pakistanis in denial? Astounded by these questions, the crowd immediately seemed uneasy. Starting out, Jalal explored the question of paranoia. By definition paranoia is a thought process that is heavily influenced by fear. In posing this question, she explained that this may be true to some extent. How much do we fear India’s intentions against us, and at what cost can we play up these intentions? Furthermore, the culture of conspiracies, which has crept into our mindset, has created a system of denial within the country. Blaming external forces is a trend that has started to occur. Public and government factors do play a role, but they do not define issues. Furthermore, it is necessary for realistic thought to come into the societal framework, as a small bit of realism allows one to assess the situation with a clearer mind and then work on improving the situation.

Following this build-up she went through a sobering presentation which asked the question as to whether this is our war. She explained that people are unsure on several levels about this. Though Lahore and other major cities have been under attack, she said, as a society there is still ambivalence regarding the major issues of the war. Furthermore she explained that there was no participation to define these types of questions. Finally, tackling the major question as to whether Pakistan is a failed state, she explained that Pakistan is not a failed state and that people should take a stand to participate in creating institutions. Positively, she talked about Pakistan becoming a gateway state that could be a middle ground for trade. She explained that the country has many possibilities. It is just a matter of realistically assessing the capabilities of the country, while working to improve the situation from within.

In response to the lecture, questions flowed in from all corners of the auditorium. The questions varied from worry about the lawyers beating up the judges, to the overall lawlessness in the country. The imminent pattern of the questioning underlined a main concern which was what can the average Pakistani do to help the country’s future. In this resolve, one thing was found evident: we must try to participate in the political set-up in one way or another. It does not necessarily mean running for election or joining a political party, but rather emphasizing smaller details such as debate and discussion to further strengthen civilian rule throughout the country.

Unlike other academics of Pakistani origin, Dr Jalal ensures that she engages with her home country and its citizens. This is a laudable effort as it brings new ideas to Pakistan from an outsider who knows the local reality as well. Such public meetings add value to Pakistan’s limited civic life and CCP should be praised for making this happen.

We hope that other Pakistanis who live in the West were to visit more frequently and interact with the public to enrich their understanding of the country and its society. Let’s hope that CCP can continue such efforts.  n

 

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