Credit: UK TIMES LONDON

By Zubair Khan

In depth analysis support the view point that in any nation, country or society, the educated class is self consciously bound by a self-devised code of ethics, morality and has definite ideas where it should be heading. As such educated class of any country, nation or society tends to stay over sensitive as to how it is viewed for various societal aspects comprising of economical, social, human and political behavior. Confronted with this additional responsibility usually makes the educated class more nationalistic. In many countries, educated class’ concerns are normally self contained, self centered and predictably limited to certain issues, such as trains working on time, corruption, electricity, amenities of life, schools for children, and a better life. Like all educated classes, Pakistani educated class by and large is also concerned about these things and is patriotic and nationalist to many core issues. However, the Pakistani educated class – a great majority of which has acquired education in surprising school systems of the country – seems to have been heavily indoctrinated, especially in the last 30 years or so specially from Zia era onwards.

Special characteristics of Pakistani educated class which one can see very obviously include: their inclination to be more self-righteous, less forgiving, more fanatical in their  religious and daily routine thinking vis a vis the educated class of the other neighbouring, regional or international countries.. Another central feature – which tremendously possessed by Pakistani educated class – is hypocrisy. Take for example the outrage at that terrible woman – Waheeda Shah. There is no question that what Waheeda Shah did was unpardonable. The Supreme Court of Pakistan took suo motu action following the incident. However here I would like to mention that being well informed Pakistani I am aware of countless incidents where, educated white collars segments of this class in Pakistan – have resorted to violence much worse than Waheeda Shah. Many notables are routinely manhandled in various cities by those – who pride themselves as being an educated lot. Recent head, eyebrow shaving of a poor man in Faisalabad and broken legs of a school teachers in Sargodha by ghundas sent by a political top notch  are horrifying examples. So where is the suo motu on that?

Last month, the Lahore Bar Association – under pressure from the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat Lawyers Forum – decided to ban Shezan in the bar rooms of lower courts. Later it extended to Punjab University Cafeterias also. This is an unconstitutional and illegal ban aimed at economic and social boycott of a class of citizens of Pakistan. In any civilized country the superior judiciary would have struck it down as unconstitutional. Yet in Lahore Bar Association – the ban persists.  What a class rather educated class we have!

Few days later, the Ahmadi community was stopped by the police from offering their Friday prayers in their place of worship – which one dares not refer to as a mosque because it is against the law. It was done because the police was apprehensive of a clash between the community and their ignorant and bigoted neighbours. In other words the state is ready to sacrifice even the most basic of fundamental rights – the right to religious freedom – to appease a callous and unthinking group of people, who, to this country’s continuing misfortune, make up the majority of this country. The said agitation was funded and organized by traders and small businessmen – all voters of the ruling party in Punjab and from the same educated class. How is it that the Supreme Court fails to act in such clear and blatant denial of fundamental constitutional rights of Pakistanis? Similarly, every week the peaceful Ahamdiyya Community is burying its dead who are slaughtered or gunned down just on the pretext having a different interpretation of some Islamic theological points and rituals. Shias have also started paying the price.  After identification they were forced to disembark the bus and were gunned down just guilty of belonging to Shia community. Christians and Hindus are also no exceptions now.  Other day very settled and rich Hindu Doctors  families opted to migrate to India as their educated neighbours were unable to accept them having a different religion.

Every where in the world countries are marching forward on many fronts. Their developing phase is rapidly changing to developed phase. But in such rapid change positive contribution of educated class of the country has always played a pivotal role. Irrespective of color, breed, ethnicity, religion and gender educated class has always sided with those preaching unity, continuous hard work, love of fellow being, honesty, competence and morality. Does educated class of Pakistan also want the country to move from developing to developed phase? If so then it has to reform its current ugly behaviour!

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