We are
not a normal nation and live down inside the proverbial well made of our own
presumptions. Thus we are a perfect subject matter for psychologists to study. In
addition, we are never ready to admit that, instead declare others abnormal.
That makes us own a stinted mindset in our heads. What’s wrong with this
mindset is that it never allows us to live normally, to have introspection, to
see ourselves in a critical mirror, to identify our mistakes, to understand our
inconsistencies, to grant others the same rights and freedoms that only we
rightfully claim to possess and enjoy. It is this mindset that does not let us
come out of our obsession of a charismatic nation (for whom things will happen
on their own without any effort), and finally it is this mindset that never
permits us to move ahead and improve ourselves.
Forget
the present crisis and the moral bankruptcy which is more than self-evident;
let’s have a look at some crucial evidences. It was in 1870 that Sir Syed Ahmad
Khan complained: “When in the courts of Hindustan Hindus come to give evidence,
the judge even though he be a Muslim, has to think about the truthfulness of
his evidence, but when comes a Muslim witness and he tells his name and the
judge is almost certain that he will be lying and giving a false evidence until
and unless by some other manner his truthfulness establishes. Muslim
merchandise sellers as compared to other nations lie a lot, and cheat. They
would never reveal the original price of an item and remain intent upon
charging as much price from the buyer as is possible.”
Furthermore,
in 1895 Sir Syed again resents: “For people to take part in trade depends on
many a factor. Most important of them is that they are totally honest, and with
all their truthfulness wholly dedicated to the flourishing and expansion of
this factory of trade. My friends will pardon me if I say that Muslims are
rarely endowed with this quality.”
And if
not Sir Syed as we do not honor him the way it is due to him, here is Sir Dr.
Allama Muhammad Iqbal, our holdall sort of thinker/philosopher. In his Stray
Reflections, A Note-Book, he writes and it is in the year 1914: “Of all the
Muslim communities of the world they (‘Musalmans of India’) are probably the
meanest in point of character.”
Additionally,
one most recent evidence: Dr. Israr Ahmad of Quran Academy Lahore
What
greater evidence is required to convince us that we need to change this mindset
if we want to go ahead and make progress in any field of life! As I have
written elsewhere the first pre-requisite for this process to begin is to
create an environment where the existing set of laws and rules are able to be strictly
implemented without any let or hindrance, absolutely with a blind eye.
Also, it
is crucially necessarily that a process of accountability be set in motion with
retrospective effect and for this purpose an independent commission consisting
of judges and prominent intellectual figures of impeccable integrity, with no
political affiliation, and with proven commitment to the constitution of Pakistan August 14, 1947 ,
but then a frame of reference will be needed for the inquiry commission to help
with. Not only will that help sift the lawless and corrupt elements from the
life of Pakistanis but discourage future adventurers also. That’s a
long-standing demand too.
Last but
not least, to break the iron-shell of this mindset, academic and intellectual
freedom at any cost be ensured to each and everyone. That again brings us back to
the strict enforcement of fundamental rights secured in the constitution. These
rights especially freedom of speech, freedom of association, and freedom of
assembly need to be promoted and fully protected. That will let a hundred
flowers blossom and search for truth to take its due course without any fear of
persecution and stopping on this or that pretext by this or that lobby claiming
to be the sole possessor of Pakistan and its ideology. This may put us on a
track leading to a new Pakistan
[This
article was completed on March 20, 2010.]
No comments:
Post a Comment