Pakistan - Internal and External Problems

INTRODUCTION

Pakistan, from the very outset, has been beleaguered with serious internal and external problems. A brief reference to the historical background and the need for the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of Indian sub-continent would help us to identify various problems that Pakistan is continuing to face.

HISTORY

(a) It is an irrefutable and well documented fact, that after the events of May 1857, the Muslims of India were black listed by the colonial masters as subversive elements of the society. On the other hand, Hindus succeeded in creating a deep impression upon the British that they were the hard done by people, who had suffered oppression at the hands of Muslim rulers over the previous millennium. The Hindus thus enjoyed full support and sympathy of the British rulers and it was a God send for the latter to pursue their policy of ‘divide and rule’. Part of the blame, for remaining backward, must be borne by the Muslims themselves; in particular the Muslim Ulema. Those half educated Mullahs dished out ‘Fatwa’ that any Muslim boy or girl reading English automatically became a “Kafir”; thereby deterring Muslim parents from sending their children to schools, where English was taught.

(b) Hindus and Parsees took full advantage of the situation and gained admission for their boys in the top class schools funded by the British government. In time, those Hindu and Parsee boys became eligible for middle to higher posts in the Civil Service, Police and the Army. For the first fifty (50) years after 1857, the most a Muslim boy could hope for was the lowly position of a stationary store keeper or a peon in a government office. The middle and higher positions were filled by educated Hindus and Parsees. In the Police service most of the semi literate men held the lowest rank of a constable and likewise, the British Indian Army was full of Muslim soldiers, who were officered by the Hindus in the middle and the British at the top. The middle ranking Hindu officers tried their best to make the life of their Muslim subordinates a living hell. Any complaints to the British superiors were treated with scepticism as the middle ranking Hindu officials used to persuade their British bosses that the complaints were false and the Muslim subordinates did not do their work properly and when they were punished, they complained. This ill treatment at the hands of Hindu middle ranking officials; slowly but surely built up resentment amongst the Muslim workers. We will have to take this factor into account when considering reasons for a separate homeland for the Muslims of India.                                                                                                                  

©On the economic front, majority of Muslims were at the mercy of Hindu shop-keepers and money lenders. In the rural areas, Muslim farmers were in debt up to their eye balls to the Hindu money lenders, who regularly called at the harvest time to collect the interest on the money lent over many years past. The money lender would take major portion of the harvest, while reminding the farmer that the full amount of the original loan was still owed. The illiterate farmers used to put their thumb prints on

the blank ledger sheets, which the money lenders completed later on -100% in their own favour. Many small holders lost their land, when the money lenders took them before the civil courts for non-payment of their debts. At first, courts were presided over by the British magistrates and judges, who used to give judgement in favour of the money lender on production of the ledger sheet bearing the thumb print of the farmer. It can be said in their defence, that those British magistrates and judges that they were unaware of the under hand methods used by the money lenders and acted entirely on the documentary evidence produced in the court. However, later on when the upper class educated Hindus became magistrates and judges, they carried on passing judgements in favour of the money lenders, knowing full well what went on in the background. Times were changing and some of the farmers’ sons became educated and discovered, to their horror, the tactics of the money lenders. This discovery started a wave of resentment amongst the Muslim farmers. The exploitation became apparent and grievances started to surface.

(d) Muslims living in the urban areas did not fare any better and Hindu shop-keepers and money lenders exploited the illiterate Muslims and many of them lost their houses and other property due to non payment of their debts.                                                                                             

(e) High caste Hindus insisted upon separate drinking water taps at the Railway stations and other public places to be marked for the exclusive use of Hindus. From those water taps, Muslims and Untouchables were not allowed to drink or draw water. The British government gave in, and water taps marked for the exclusive use of Hindus could be seen at the Railway stations and other public places of undivided India. I remember seeing those notices by the water taps on the Railway stations and recall Muslims and Untouchables being pushed and beaten up by the Hindu Railway employee guarding those water taps.

(f) In the majority Hindu areas of India, Muslims were not permitted to slaughter a cow; for if they did, there would be a riot and some Muslims got killed by the angry Hindu mobs.

(g) Qaid-e-Azam was a staunch supporter of Hindu-Muslim unity and spent 25 valuable years of his life and political career to achieve this objective. However, he gave up the struggle and became so disillusioned that he left India and decided to live in exile in England. He set up his law practice in London, but was persuaded by Nawab Liquat Ali Khan (later first Prime Minister of Pakistan) and other  political as well as religious leaders to return to India and lead the Muslims to independence. At this time some of the extremist Hindu leaders started to make inflammatory public statements against the Muslims. One of them, a Mr Ram Prasad Saxsena went so far as to assert that Muslims belonged to Arabia and if they were not prepared to live under a Hindu majority government then they had better pack their bags and leave for Arabia.

In my opinion, the aforementioned reasons were more than sufficient to convince Qaid-e-Azam and other senior Muslim League leaders to claim from the British a separate homeland for the Muslims of India. There was no future for the Muslims in a United India headed by a Hindu majority government. I hope these few lines will help to open the eyes of sceptics, who, even after sixty years of independence still believe

that Muslims would have fared better in a united India. The younger generation should realise as to how lucky they are – being born and living in an independent Pakistan.

INTERNAL PROBLEMS

(a) From the very moment of her birth, Pakistan was inundated with serious problems. The newly born Pakistan inherited complete break down of law and order, which ushered in anarchy, looting and slaughter of innocent civilians. This coupled with the arrival of millions of refugees from India and the fact that Pakistan had received an empty treasury did not make life any easier. Flooding, epidemics of Cholera and typhoid brought the fragile infrastructure to the breaking point. The army and Railway stores that were allocated to Pakistan were scattered all over the country and major portions of those never reached Pakistan. The army units with majority of Muslim officers and other ranks were also long way away and it was humanely impossible to get those troops into the areas of Pakistan, where they were most needed, by or soon after 14th August 1947.

(b) The last British Viceroy was not very happy with Qaid –e-Azam for two reasons:-
(i) He had to accept Qaid-e-Azam’s argument that a separate home land for the
Muslims of India was needed.
(ii) When the question arose as to who would be the first Governor General of
Pakistan, the Viceroy was keen to become joint Governor General of both,
India and Pakistan. During the early negotiations, Qaid-e-Azam had seen
through the Viceroy and quite rightly rejected this proposal. Qaid argued that 
it would be impossible for one person to administer two separate countries
fairly and impartially. In return, the Viceroy ensured that he piled up long
term and complicated problems for Pakistan before he left India.

DAMAGE TO MORAL AND SOCIAL FABRIC

The partition and the resulting upheaval had created a feeling of wide spread insecurity in all groups of society. The underlying feeling of insecurity and instability started a dangerous trend in the population and the majority started to live for the day. The future became uncertain and this psychological malaise gave rise to economic, moral and social problems in Pakistani society. Many people turned to alcohol and other intoxicants to drown their sorrows. This newly formed Pakistani society was neither strong nor flexible enough to absorb post partition shocks to the system. This
turmoil strengthened the corrupt practices and corruption became a way of life.

CORRUPTION (RISHWAT AUR SIFARISH)

This is a sad but unfortunately true fact of life that corruption has become a way of life and over the last sixty (60) years has burrowed deep into the fabric of Pakistani society. Corruption is a multi faceted evil and each side of it is dangerous for the short and long term smooth functioning of the society. The well known forms are:-

(i) Cash bribe demanded by a government official or being offered by a member of the public to an official. In return, the official is expected to do a favour for that member of the public by not doing his duty. The Police service is notorious for taking bribes but almost every other government department is openly involved in corrupt practice in some form or other.                                           

(ii) In my opinion, the worst form of corruption is the appointment of a government or other public utility official without merit but on the recommendation (SIFARISH) of a politician or a very senior government official to whom such candidate may be related.
The long term effect of nepotism only brings into disrepute the whole government system; the colleagues and subordinates of such an appointee indulge in corrupt practices with impunity. They know full well that the boss cannot point a finger at them, because he has been appointed on “SIFRASH” and not on “MERIT.” This attitude leads to indiscipline and anarchy in a department or organisation. The workers spend their time and energy in devising ways of extracting more bribes from the public, instead of doing their work for which they receive a monthly salary.         

(iii) We must accept the stark reality that the whole of Pakistan’s infrastructure has been damaged by corruption. The country has lost credibility in financial field at international level. Not long ago, it was reported that the donor countries did not trust that Pakistani officials would deliver the aid to those people, who needed it most. Consequently, an extra clause was included in the aid agreements giving UN agency and other donor countries, the right to oversee the distribution of aid in Pakistan. I need to go no further on this topic.

OPPOSITION TO THE CREATION OF PAKISTAN

The opposition of British and the Hindus to the creation of a separate home land for the 
Muslims can be understood, but I have failed to comprehend as to why some Muslim leaders; especially a group of the Ulema were vehemently opposed to the very creation of Pakistan. There was one particular section of Ulema, who had publicly declared that they would ensure that the very first letter of the name Pakistan (P) would not touch the map of India! Is it not ironic that descendants of some of those Ulema now wish to rule Pakistan in the name of ISLAM?  One of the Ulema from this group had the audacity to call Qaid-e-Azam a “Kafir-e-Azam”, and yet chose to come to Pakistan and live in the country. I do not think people like that had any self respect or dignity.

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE

I am afraid; I can only define this as some form of mental illness. How can we call ourselves “Muslims”, when we are so extremely intolerant towards fellow Muslims? We claim to emulate the example of the Holy Prophet of Islam (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), yet we do not think twice before causing harm to a fellow Muslim in the name of Islam; contrary to the basic teachings of Islam and clear guidance contained in the sayings of the Holy Prophet that “All Muslims are brothers”, and a Muslim is the mirror image of another Muslim! Also, the Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) has clearly stated that “A good Muslim is the one from whose hand and tongue other Muslims are safe.” I wonder who has the authority to classify as to who is a MUSLIM and who is NOT a MUSLIM? This is an exercise in exploitation of semi literate and illiterate masses by the unscrupulous Ulema. Those Ulema want to exercise political and religious authority over the innocent people. This dangerous practice has been going on since the creation of Pakistan and is now over sixty years old. It would be foolhardy to expect that this deep routed problem can be solved over night! All sections of Pakistani society will have to engage in a meaningful dialogue on long term basis; using the rule of “gives and takes”.                                     

MUHAJAR AND MUQAMI

This is another unpleasant reality that has destabilised certain areas of Pakistan; especially the commercial and industrial city of Karachi. At one stage in the 1990s the Muhajar Qumi Movement were demanding the whole of Sindh province as a separate state for the Muhajars. This in turn resulted in unnecessary blood shed and loss of lives of Muhajars, locals; army and police personnel. It is regrettable that after sixty years the rift between the locals and refugees and their descendants has widened instead of narrowing.

(ii) This problem came to Pakistan with the Urdu speaking Muhajars from Delhi, Lucknow, UP and CP in India. The Urdu speaking Muslims were better educated and as such had gained access to higher grade jobs in the Civil Service just before the partition of India. For the infant state of Pakistan, those experienced, senior civil servants were needed to put the country on her feet. Majority of those Urdu speaking Civil Servants were decent and good people- dedicated to their profession and keen to establish an efficient and honest civil service in Pakistan. However, there was a tiny minority, who tended to treat Punjabis, Pathans, Sindhis and Balochis with contempt.
This minority had their own agenda and they set up a closed shop, whereby top civil service jobs were to be reserved for their family members and friends to the exclusion of other linguistic groups. This active marginalising of vast majority of the population created resentment and rivalry, which did not do any good to the country.         

To be continued.