In today’s highly sophisticated state of development in science and technology, the religion continues to guide and influence millions and millions of people of different races and colors all over the world. However the present day world scenario, painfully demonstrate that the use and abuse of religion has brought about violence, extremism, militancy and intolerance in our societies. The havoc played by religious extremists through hate material and armed violence against ‘the other’ has not only caused wanton killings but has spread poisonous sectarian atmosphere that has sapped the very vitals of our society. Most major world disputes revolve around religious intolerance.
There is dire need to bring such extremist elements back to civil society to join them in the process of socio-economic development of the country. This is important and imperative as with the progress of civilization the societies have grown very pluralistic and respect to religion, creed, color and ethnicity of every individual is the obligation of the civilized world. The concept of pluralistic society nurtures the spirit of brotherhood, tolerance, dialogue for life and respect for human rights and of course compassion for humanity. The democratic order requires participation of the people in the business of the state for which people from all shades of life must join the democratic process not subjected to any kind of classifications or affiliations.
An honest appraisal of the obtaining situation in South Asia and especially in Pakistan would bring us to an inevitable conclusion that it’s the militarisation of society and politics that has been the basic cause for an education that has nursed and groomed such elements who are a serious threat to the civil society. And in the wake of this situation protecting minority rights and defending diversity in South Asia is a big challenge to all concerned.
During the colonial era, the British rulers had designed the educational system to secure subservience and obedience. And this came in the hands of its trained bureaucracy and the military that later entered into an unholy alliance for their vested interest. While withdrawing from the Indian subcontinent, the British helped groom the idea that Hindus and Muslims can not live together as they have distinct creeds and cultures of their own. The divide between the two communities was accelerated through different administrative and legislative measures. This in fact was the policy practiced to divide and rule. Whereas, these two communities had been living together for centuries. There was a spirit of brotherhood that prevailed. There had been dialogue at every level in the society and polemics was the order of the day. The people of different creeds, Hindus, Muslims and Christians used to have open street discussion and even arranged public discussions on religious and spiritual issues. There was an atmosphere of dialogue and tolerance amongst the people of the land. With the exception of some occurrences mostly due to the result of agent provocateurs on sectarian basis the socio-religious atmosphere was brotherly. The minority communities especially the Muslim community did have grievances of political and economic to domination of the Hindus. It was an issue of majoritarianism. And the solution to that was only possible through class struggle of the peoples, as the common man of all the communities had to suffer due to unjust distribution of natural resources.
After the division of India and founding of the new state, Pakistan unfortunately could not function as a democratic state as envisioned by its founding father Qaide Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Three fourth period of its national life has been under the military rule. The administrators of this society found it easy to run the state on the basis of security paradigm. And resultantly the armed forces were fortified with arsenals of arms and ammunition and the whole nation was brought under war hysteria. The armed forces started consuming about 80% of the national revenue receipts. And finally it became a nuclear power despite the fact the more than 40% of its population is under poverty line. During this period the textbooks for the children were rendered as war mongering and anti peace literature. This approach gave birth to Mullah-Military alliance as well.
Three generations of this unfortunate nation were taught how to become a war hero and how bad guys were non-Muslims. The concept of jihad was propagated at state level through literature and mass media. And the Mullah spread orthodoxy and obscurantism and sectarian violence through the Madrassa. Through these Madrassas the Mullah led poor misguided innocent youth to death in Afghanistan in the name of jihad. Pakistan fought proxy war in Afghanistan fighting against Soviet forces that proved last garrison during cold war era. During this period the Army ruler Gen. Zia ul Haq went in open alliance with religious groups and political parties who were funded with millions of dollars and were militarily trained and fully armed. The religious militia fought war in Afghanistan along with the armed forces of Pakistan. The United States provided funds and ammunition for the containment of Soviet Union. While standing at the Khyber Pass, Brezenski, national security advisor to the US President called these jihadis (religious militias) as ‘ Soldiers of God’. Osama bin Laden and his militarily trained men were patronized by US administration for this war. They later turned out to be Talibans.
During the military rule of Gen. Zia, thousands of political activists, scholars, intellectuals of undisputed integrity, teachers of universities and colleges were victimized and thrown out. These progressive forces were replaced by reactionaries who were handed over the educational syllabi to be prepared on the lines of religious fanaticism and with medieval mindset. The educational institutions became center of generating baneful sentiment of religious prejudices and obscurantism. The society was militarized and socio-religious tolerance completely disappeared amongst the people. And the religious minorities were victimised and persecuted. Bishop John Joseph laid his life at the altar of bigotry, hypocrisy, socio-religious intolerance and state oppression in this highly militarized society.
Islam now is the state religion of Pakistan.1. Islamic Shariah is the supreme law of the land.2. The statute law has to be interpreted in the light of the Injunctions of Islam.3. The Federal Shariate Court that was provided under constitutional amendment has been empowered to strike down any law that it deemed repugnant to the Injunctions of Islam.4. The non-Muslims citizens can not freely practice and propagate their religious creed The Ahmedies who were declared non-Muslims through constitutional amendment are barred from preaching their faith and laws have been made that exclusively target them.5. The blasphemy law is not only tool oppression for religious persecution and for settling personal scores but contains the fundamental right to profess and practice religious faith.6.
Women and non-Muslims are not provided equality under various laws of the land and thus both sections of the society stand marginalizd. Those laws include Hudood, Qisas and Law of Evidence. Under certain laws Non-Muslim citizens cannot be a judge or a legal counsel.7. Non-Muslim citizens cannot hold some of the State’s key offices.8. Prior to the last general elections under the present government an apartheid mode of electorates had been imposed on non-Muslim citizens that had thrown them out of the national mainstream. The rationale behind was religious sectarianism according to which the non-Muslim citizens must not be part of the business of the state and especially the process of law making as that had to be Islamic. 9.
The Two Nation theory that was propounded during British rule in India, declares that Muslims are a distinct community having its religious faith, culture and way of life and thus need a separate homeland from non-Muslims. This theory is promoted at state level and thus would found in textbooks.10. Catering material on religious lines provides the students with a narrow out look of the world. The geography books contain terms such as Islamic world, Islamic countries, Islamic Mountains, Islamic rivers, Islamic oceans and Islamic resources.11. Christians and Jews have been shown to be morally depraved and away from godly virtues whereas Arabs and Muslims have been eulogized for their ethics, morality and bravery.12. The Muslim invaders of India have been painted heroes with chivalry in schoolbooks. 13.
In the light of the above, textbooks evidently can not have material opposed to what has been pointed out at constitutional and legal level Therefore, it is the socio-political issue that poses the real problem in building a pluralistic society.
After 9/11/2001 tragic events the world scenario once again took a different turn. The war against terror has been launched at international level and interestingly the Pakistan government is its major partner. However the military-economic might of the United State and its European partners has not been able to contain the menace of extremism and terrorism. As a matter of fact the war on terror has further accelerated violence and militancy in our societies. The Pakistan government’s joining war against terror becomes mere an eyewash as it has not taken radical steps yet to purge the society from religious sectarianism at grass roots level. The policy of appeasement of the government for the religious lobby has resulted in major opposition chunk in the parliament of religious parties who never could have seats more than a dozen earlier. Their representative now sits in the National Assembly as Leader of the Opposition. According to the electoral laws only a graduate from university could qualify the candidature of the parliament elections but the government recognized Sanads (Certificates) of Madrssas (religious seminaries) as graduation degrees. The religious parities have so far refused to register their seminaries under the amended law.14.
It is the fundamentalism that holds sway over most of the people as it constructs single version of a collective identity as the only truth. And any one found opposed to it is considered enemy and thus deserves to be eliminated. The government still tacitly patronizes the religious extremists as the policy of appeasement continues to be practiced. Therefore, the basic hurdle rather the opposing force to impart education for building a pluralistic society is State and its establishment itself that patronizes the religious bogey even in the wake of declared policy of ‘modern enlightenment’ and ‘war against terrorism’ of the present government. Despite the fact that the present government has banned religious organization involved in terrorism, it remains an open secret that those are functioning under changed names publicly. There could hardly be a second opinion that it is the education imparted at public and private institutions including Madrassas (religious seminaries) that develop a person mentally, intellectually and spiritually. We cannot have an enlightened, humane and world outlook unless values for socio-religious tolerance are taught to build a strong democratic and pluralistic society. In respect of human rights and international treaties to most of which Pakistan is a signatory, all discriminatory and sectarian legislation should be scraped down. The mass media should educate people for human values to protect human rights and diversity in society. The educational syllabi needs to be framed on progressive and scientific lines and this process requires patronization of the progressive writers, teachers, scholars, intellectuals, and political activists who are engaged in the struggle for building a just, pluralistic and democratic society.
