Express Tribune: Pak Army and Pak nationalism: by Khlaid Ahmad Pakistani nationalism, like all nationalisms, is based on what Ibn Khaldun called asabiya or the ‘group feeling’ that people living inside a state must possess. It is used by the state to create unity, solidarity and patriotism, which must result in a national effort to create prosperity and good life.
But each nationalism has some exceptional aspects, or so the nations feel. To create internal unity, states may use the threat of an external enemy or even create an external enemy if it is not present. An ideology may also be created to cement the otherwise clashing identities inside the state. Ideologies are usually coercive unless subjected to a paradoxical experiment: encouragement of diversity to create stakes for all identities in the preservation of the state.
Pakistani nationalism has two exceptional aspects, both aimed at creating internal unity and cohesion: fear of India as ‘external enemy’, and religion. And both tend to be coercive. This affects the quality of the ‘social contract’ behind the legitimacy of the state by rendering it partly non-voluntary.
The India-centred nationalism was fashioned early in Pakistan’s history by a political elite that had relocated to Karachi from India. The wars with India that followed spread it to the national elite dominated numerically by Punjab. Because of the wars, the Pakistan Army was given an aura based on ‘national gratitude’ for the soldier. Like all nation-states, the state of Pakistan attached its display of nationalism to the Pakistan Army.
Categories: Asia, Constitution, Crisis, Defence, Democracy, Human Rights, Pakistan, Secularism, Separation of Church and State, War
Actually Pakistan shifted its policies what the founder of Pakistan suggested for it.
1-Quaid-E-Azam wanted a Pakistan which having good relation with all the countries especially with neighbors, Once he given the India ,Pakistan relation example as USA , Canada relations. As Canada not needed big Army but they are getting forward as a welfare state.
2- Quaid-E-Azam was a liberal leader and was against Theocracy. Now in Pakistan theocratic mentality dominating in Pakistan policies.Due to the politicizing of religion fundamentalism and terrorism increased and Pakistan facing threat to its solidarity.