Ever since it’s Independence Pakistan seems to be grappling under pressure of various issues, beginning with history and religion, which still needs solutions. And so unfortunate is the factor that the country’s politics is enmeshed with these two haunting elements and have almost become inseparable. This is one reason why Pakistani politics is unstable with literally no organized and stable political idea or constitution.

To glance its pages of history since East Bengal Movement (1971) which eventually led to the creation of Bangladesh, one would know where precisely their problem begins. In 1948, Jinnah declared that Urdu be the only language of Pakistan; interestingly there begins the schism; later on developing into favoritism between the East and West Pakistan, leading the country to devastating civil war. This apart, another factor contributing strife in the internal affairs of government was Ahmadiya Movement: according to the Pakistani government Ahmadis are non-Muslims-this led to lot of internal religious struggle, the strains visible even today- so Pakistan is reeling under sectarianism from the initial period. After Yahya Khan and Bhutto, Zia- ul- Haq introduced Islamic Law – Sharia, the repercussions of it took away freedom from the ordinary citizens who came under attack and criticism of religious parties- from then on politics never really represented common people. It was just a bargain with people as pawns.

What is interesting to note in such a scenario is Pakistan’s foreign relations. Pakistan has been an ally of United States of America since the Cold War Era and its relationship with China, Russia and Afghanistan and even India has been very active. But Pakistan failed to give attention to its own people or domestic politics. The active role it played during Soviet invasion of Afghanistan proved its own demise with subsequent Talibanisation and US invasion of Afghanistan. The already crippling economy and wartime activities never gave people of Pakistan time to peep into its own political history with army and civilian coup every decade and when it did it seemed always too late and almost after every coup the country falls into same kind of system- anarchy.

Another aspect Pakistan refuses to accept is the cultural bind that it shares with rest of Asia. Pakistan is deliberately and forcefully alienating itself from the root of its tradition. Islam if seen as per history goes back to Middle East origin and it can be said without doubt that the emergence of Urdu dates back roughly from the period of Akbar- especially in and around the vicinities of Delhi. It cannot deny the cultural, geographical and historical bind it shares with India. And once Pakistan learns to look to India as a friendly neighbor, most of the issues may find early resolve, but rather it looks to India as its worst enemy.

Pakistan must learn from its past. But it does not. The energy it directs towards fighting insurgency, mostly because of its foreign assignments and religious intolerance within the country, within the sects, should be put an end, making a way towards peaceful and stable democratic constitution. Pakistan should get enough time to ponder what its politics has come up to and seriously think of a solution that can long last. People should know where the religion ends and politics begin, and they must also essentially understand that for its society to survive it has to put back religious fervor as social phenomena to personal factor. The society of Pakistan is as diverse as it is in India – the only difference being moderates and orthodox, I mean the various Islamic sects within. It cannot choose to wipe out moderates, who exist elsewhere or in their own country, for history goes deep down. They must aim for religious tolerance, other things follow afterwards. Once religion becomes a personal affair, political transformation is inevitable- then political system would become stable and concentrate on development.

Hope the country does not face another impeachment.

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