Dawn Blog: byMichael Kugelman: It’s been about a week since the Connecticut school massacre, and Americans are still grieving.
Yet we’re comforted by the thought that, with time, the bereaved community of Newtown will bounce back. Students will return to school, and victims’ families will somehow get on with their lives. This is because America, as politicians and the US media have intoned repeatedly in recent days, is a strong and resilient society.
For me, such words bring to mind another strong and resilient society — one that endures constant afflictions, tragedies, and privation. I can think of few nations that suffer more misery than Pakistan.
Pakistan certainly isn’t the only country where, in a span of hours, an infant can be bitten by a rat in a hospital nursery, and 16 people can die from consuming toxic cough medicine. This happened several weeks ago.
Categories: Age, Asia, Civil Rights, Pakistan
Let me start by thanking Michael Kugelman for saying so beautifully, what I have always advocated. We need more of this kind of positive notes.
This November, I visited Pakistan after 10 year’s absence. This lapse was partly due to my heavy working schedule but mainly due to what I saw in the Western TV, Pakistani media and the scary stories told by my Pakistani and foreign friends living in Europe.
The constant demonization of Pakistan made me scared. I was indeed afraid to set foot on the ground of a land, I so immensely love and am proud of. The situation became so absurd that every year, I made plans to visit Pakistan but at the eleventh hour chicken out.
Finally, I said to myself: in spite of all the problems, millions of other Pakistanis visit their motherland every year so I should put asides my fears and make a leap of faith. One of the positive influences for this decision was an invitation from my niece who begged me to come to her wedding.
I was told by friends, not to travel by PIA – Pakistan International Airline, because of the bad service, unreliable flying schedule, old planes and expensive prices.
I was warned that I should not wear western clothes because it will make me a kidnapping target, do not go out in the street after 10 p.m and certainly not to walk around with my expensive camera or use IPhone in public. On top of this, another very sound advice was dished to me by many. I should not discuss Islam with anyone, even my own family because of Blasphemy laws. Since I was very critical of religious monopolists, I may end up in jail if I was reported.
In short, I was told to mingle with crowd, keep my mouth shut and appear poor.
In all my world travels from Indonesia to USA, I have never been so warned and alarmed as of this trip to my own motherland.
Against all warnings, I bought a ticket by PIA, which turned out to be a blessing. It was cheaper than other international carriers, the service was great, the plane was a new and the flights were on time. First prejudice turned out to be false.
In the ensuing 3 weeks, I spent in Pakistan, I visited the capital Islamabad, large cities like Rawalpindi, Lahore and Gujrat as well as numerous middle and small towns. I wore suits, walked on foot, rode on motorbike and cars and other means of transport. No one even looked at me with any envy, concern or suspicion, let alone try to kidnap, harass or intimidate.
As far as speaking openly, I delivered lectures at the prestigious Fatima Jinnah Women University, at Islamabad Rotary club, was guest of honour at a Think Tank in Islamabad, celebrating inter-culturalism, was interviewed at radio stations, by newspapers and had heated discussions at my brothers home with relatives, guests and even two guys from Pakistan’s FBI. Issues discussed were Islam, the role of religious parties and how Pakistan can move forward. Not once, I was arrested, reported or even labelled as Blasphemous person.
There were many other remarkable good changes, I witnessed during my stay. The flourishing of a fantastic amount of small businesses, the abundance of food, the schools, colleges and universities, Internet cafes and youngsters striving to educate themselves, especially girls. I especially noticed the improved infrastructures, highways, super expressways, the extensive use of mobiles, very versatile electronic media with 70 channels – broadcasting 24 hours programs, right from religion, sports, news, political discussions, family problems, music, arts, criticism of government, food, comedies, films and every other topic, you can think of.
But above all, what impressed me most was the hospitality, graciousness, generosity, sincerity and willingness to please, which is the hallmark of Pakistani people. In the parties, at shops, in private get-togethers and at the homes of total strangers, the pleasure people exhibit in inviting and entertaining others to be their guests is indescribable. They do not correct you if you make a mistake, do not accuse you if you do not show good manners and are really apologetic, if they feel that you are not eating a full meal.
To someone who has not been to Pakistan, this may sound a very exaggerated tale of patriotism and critic-less view of Pakistani society. It may be so but after being witness to 10 years of Pakistan bashing in the west, which has declared Pakistan a failed state, called it a country on the verge of breaking up and where Taliban are running around in streets, my western acquired prejudices were laid to rest, once for all.
Having seen things with my own eyes, experienced the society at close hand and talking to ordinary Pakistanis, I came out with a very beautiful feeling about this land of the pure. No doubt, Pakistan has problems, immense difficulties – economic, social, political and institutional, like all other countries in the developing world.
But we should remember that it is a country, which appeared on the map of the world only 65 years ago. It had no resources, very little money to start with and many odds stacked against it. It survived through the shear will power of its people and it is now progressing – slowly and steadily. To call it a failed state by some western countries and few international surveys is not only unfair but smells of a calculated political agenda. I would advise such armchair annalists to get out of their comfortable offices in Washington D.C, London and Paris and go visit Pakistan. You would be pleasantly surprised of the development, progress and tenacity of the people of Pakistan. They may not be rich according to your parameters of living standards but they are definitely, very rich in culture, history, in hospitality and are moving in the right path.
If you can not support them in their continuous efforts to improve, please stop putting them down and discouraging them.
Dear Mr. Qureshi: Thanks for this heartfelt piece of writing. I agree with you whole heartedly. In fact given the disappointing political and religious leadership Pakistanis have had since the death of Jinnah, it is remarkable how resilient and industrious Pakistani people are. I can narrate identical experience on my recent visit to Karachi though I must say that I was declined an invitation by a friend after finding out that I have converted to Ahmadiyya Muslim. Other than that of course the remarkable vibrancy that you feel is really enjoyable. Hospitality is always outstanding and in fact I joke here in Philippines with my western friends that in Pakistan we do fight sometimes over who is going to pay the tab instead of going Dutch as is customary in more “developed” parts of the world. Despite extremely oppressive laws against Pakisani Ahmadiyya Muslims, a large majority of them continue to live in harmony, thanks to the generally secular temperament of the people. Concern continues to grow on the inability of the civil society and population at large to stand up to the persecution and denial of human rights and voting rights to Ahmadiyya Muslims. We should fervently hope for a reversal of this growing trend and pray that Allah creates circumstances where the leaders who exploit and deny rights are taken to task sparing the large innocent majority of our people.
Thanks to both Abdul Alim and Bashy Quraishy for telling the factual truth about Pakistan. Progress in all walks of life along with generally secular temperament of the people and their hospitality are remarkable and I fully endorse the remarks, “They may not be rich according to your parameters of living standards but they are definitely, very rich in culture, history, in hospitality and are moving in the right path.”
This article and remarks should be an eye opener for those who are always there to let down this great nation. In fact it is time to help Pakistanis by acknowledging their sacrifices against terrorism. Their 40,000 near and dear ones laid down their lives to save West / Developed Countries from terrorism of Taliban made gather in Pakistan from many countries and indisputably these Taliban were created by these forces.
The 3 comments miss the definition of failed STATE.
Majority of Phakiristani people (as well as the whole world ) are good.
The difference is how are they ruled?
In Phakiristan only,a LOW- cast women is sentenced by the local authorities to GANG-RAPE for the the CRIME that her brother had affair with a HIGH-class women.The charge turned out to be false.
How do you explain exhuming dead bodies of Ahmadies for the CRIME of burial in “Muslim” graveyard with the support of government?
Please,Stop living in FANTASY.
Allama Iqbal’s words were so approprite “Waye nakami mataae carvan jata raha. Carvan kay dil say ihsase ziyan jata raha.