| Gohar an outstanding writer consider this to be at roots of our problems..We have this original problem of bad governments is that we never could arrive at a consensus on what Pakistan was meant to be, a theocratic state run by de facto clerics masquerading as scholars or a modern state run on Islamic principles. Pakistan was envisaged as a homeland for India’s Muslims to be a model, modern, democratic Islamic state where all citizens, regardless, would be equal. Sadly, because our rulers so far ( it is a nice change now) have been weak in the knowledge and understanding of their faith, they have pandered to mullahs. Instead of focusing on the responsibilities of the Muslim State, they have been concentrating on the duties of the individual Muslim, which is none of the business of the State. Before providing justice, equality, food, education and health, the State introduced the contentious Muslim penal code and harassed the individual Muslim regarding concerns which are only between him and his Maker and which the State has nothing to do with. Instead of reflecting on their own real intent, which has been power, privilege and pelf, our rulers have been judgmental about the intent of the citizen; who are real Muslims and who are not and what should be done with the latter. Perhaps this particular State imagines that not only can it fool all of the people all of the time, but that it can fool God too. India, on the other hand, persisted with democracy. In the process it got good governments and bad, unstable governments and even comical ones. But it has come out stronger and better from the experience. We are still trying to discover our identity. |
