The recent furore over the remarks of Syed Munawar Hassan, the Amir of the Jamaat-e-Islami, and the unprecedented reply of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), is significant in several respects. First, this has been one of those rare moments that the so-called ‘liberals’ in Pakistan have stood behind the ISPR in its scathing remarks against the comments of Mr Hassan. For a section of society, which always argues for the non-involvement of the military in civilian affairs and the freedom of speech, this support of the ISPR is startling. So, why this change? I know I am surmising here, and perhaps, this view is limited to people like me who, after a long time, have unequivocally supported the stance of the ISPR, but I think that this is because the struggle for Pakistan has reached its lowest common denominator. While the ‘liberals’ might criticise a lot in the country, they still want the country to mend its ways and develop. They criticise not because they want the country to vanish but for a more coherent, stable and developed country to emerge. In an environment when the country itself is challenged from virtually every side, this blatant attack on the defenders of the country, who have shed their blood in trying to protect what we have left, has led the ‘liberals’ to agree wholeheartedly with the ISPR on this issue. While this ‘alliance’ might not last too long, still, I think the military and the so-called liberals need to capitalise on this incident and agree to cooperate on a more secure and development focused country.
Secondly, as noted by the ISPR statement, remarks like these are political gimmicks, but that these are gimmicks which have begun to resonate with a significant number of people in the country. The Jamaat’s anti-US and anti-Western tirades might pacify their restless souls, but their hypocrisy is not lost on the population. I need not dwell on this point except to note that in Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa (K-P) alone, where the Jamaat is in government, USAID is running multi-million-dollar projects in several areas. The K-P government is even taking over 143 million pounds from the British aid agency, the DFID, for its education reforms alone, and this is just one of the projects among many funded by the DFID in the province. Therefore, I am not sure how ‘Islamic’ or ‘according to Sharia’ is taking money from governments the Jamaat calls all sorts of names. We cannot criticise the hands which feed us. That said, discourse in Pakistan is now rhetoric and sentiment-led, not logical and evidence-based. This is our greatest predicament and biggest challenge, and this episode exhibits it clearly.
Thirdly, such a statement from the Jamaat should not shock anyone. More than anything else, it shows that the Jamaat is still uneasy with the ‘nation state’ of Pakistan. It is a well-known fact that the founder of the Jamaat, Maualana Maududi, was vehemently against the creation of Pakistan as a nation state, as in his world view only a worldwide Islamic Ummah was a valid governmental option for Muslims. As Maududi noted himself: “Why should we foolishly waste our time in expediting the so-called Muslim nation state and fritter away our energies in setting it up, when we know that it will not only be useless for our purposes, but will rather prove an obstacle in our path.” Obviously, a country with defined boundaries which did not include all the Muslims in the world, and included non-Muslims who were supposed to be treated in the same manner as the Muslims, was an anathema to the Jamaat’s founder. This statement, therefore, re-establishes the basic contradiction between the outlook of the Jamaat and Pakistan — one between a universal Islamic Ummah and a nation state. I hope this incident makes it clear for the doubters in the military and elsewhere, of where our loyalty should lie.
Pakistan was established after the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children; it was created to be a place where freedom of religion and life would be respected. Let us not sacrifice our country at the altar of those who want to undo the sacrifice — indeed the martyrdom — of those who gave their lives for our tomorrow.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2013.
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After reading this article. I am totally confused!! So, is Pakistan a “Muslim Nation” (as per the Jamaat, and whoever X-Y-Z supporters/well-wishers that they may have) ??? Or is it just a “Nation full of Muslims” (with some hangers-on of other so-called “faiths” that have stayed on because they have nowhere else to go to) ??? Make up your minds, you people!!! And if the world even cares, they may even listen to you…. for their gory time-pass…
The word ‘liberals’ is being written as if it is in Britain. how many liberals are we talkng about in Pakistan?…at most half a million(really stretching it)- how much is that,proportion wise of Pakistan…0.25%-quite insignificant(99.75% belong to the other strata).
It would be quite a progress if Pakistan defined their country as a nation defending the right to adhere to any religion, as long as that religion does not rule people outside the fold.
Very realistic op-ed agreed totally.Hypocrites need to be exposed at every forum and above all people of this country must know the characteristics of a hypocrite.Fundamental of a hypocrite is,when he speaks he lies.Quarrelsome when debates.Doesn’t fulfills the promise made with people and so on.
Liberals in Pakistan enjoying their moment under the sun courtesy Munawar Hassan their arch enemy should ponder for a second why the JI supremo chose these words? This is a battle of wits and JI leader has thrown down the gauntlet, lets see who blinks first.
I am not sure whether ET would publish this, but I am going to try anyway.
After seeing our history for the past 40 years and the greater history of abrahamic religions in past 3000 years I don’t think religion can ever bring peace and everlasting brotherhood. All claims that state otherwise are unproven and lack any scientific evidence.
As long as Pakistan is a theological Islamic state … it will not know any peace nor will it see progress . !!
“Pakistan was established after the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children;”.
Shouldn’t you be saying that Pakistan was established after the forced sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children. That’s precisely what it was.
“While this ‘alliance’ might not last too long, still, I think the military and the so-called liberals need to capitalize on this incident and agree to cooperate on a more secure and development focused country.” Totally agree with you, and this is the defining moment, if we keep banking on how things should be according to political norms, and military be off the grid, it would be too late, while these Islamist can further their evil agenda while propagating and supporting terrorists organisations like TTP, whats so wrong for educated people side with their military who is fighting for their cause? So its totally normal.
@Sandip:
very much true, out of 25% minority population,more than 20% has been slaughtered,now less than 3% remain, even they are blown up regularly/continuously as the recent church bombing in peshawar shows…
getting an aid to provide education to my children doesn’t mean we shouldn’t protest against the bombs that turn Pakistanis into smithereens
“We cannot criticise the hands which feed us”
And there, in a nutshell, is the dilemma of ET and its army of bloggers.
As Babar Sattar said in Dawn yesterday, both Army and JI still aspire to work on “joint ventures” in the future, as they did for so long in the past, whatever their current disagreement. Their previous joint ventures brought to us military coups (1977), legalization of LFOs (2004), a one-eyed Nizam-e-Mustafa (1977) in which only the weak in society were lashed while the powerful were untouched, and their biggest joint gift to our nation has been 50,000 dead citizens at the hands of terrorists.
@Kashif Dada:
Then at least set your priority! If those countries are bombing your land, shouldn’t we reject their aid? Atleast that’s what Imran Khan (and Jamaatis also) said before election!
“It is a well-known fact that the founder of the Jamaat, Maualana Maududi, was vehemently against the creation of Pakistan…”. Those JI members I know say that Maudoodi never opposed the creation of Pakistan. Will the writer provide documentary proof that the JI opposed Pakistan’s creation? Secondly, since the JI is so obviously supporting terrorists, shouldn’t the U.S. and other countries declare the JI to be a terrorist party?
I was waiting for second part of your Delhi Trip article which you promised last time.
Guess we will have to wait.
The question you should be addressing is, what motive does Munawar Hassan have for throwing his lot together with the mass murderer Mehsud, and thus with the TTP?
. this has been one of those rare moments that the so-called ‘liberals’ in Pakistan have stood behind the ISPR in its scathing remarks against the comments of Mr Hassan.
The same statement of ISPR also lauded Maulana Maududi for his ‘services to Islam’
http://www.ispr.gov.pk/front/main.asp?o=t-press_release&id=2412
Let us briefly revisit Maulana Maududi’s views on Jihad,
The Muslim Party will inevitably extend invitation to the citizens of
other countries to embrace the faith which holds promise of true salvation and
genuine welfare for them. Even otherwise also if the Muslim Party commands
adequate resources it will eliminate un-Islamic Governments and establish the
power of Islamic Government in their stead. (page- 23)
And the status of the adherents of other faiths
Islamic ‘Jihad’ does not recognize their right to administer state affairs according
to a system which, in the view of Islam, is evil. Furthermore, Islamic ‘Jihad’ also
refuses to admit their right to continue with such practices under an Islamic
government which fatally affect the public interest from the viewpoint of Islam. (page-27)
http://www.muhammadanism.org/Terrorism/jihahinislam/jihadinislam.pdf
If, the ‘Liberals’ of Pakistan have decided to stand behind this,
Then, I shudder to think what the ‘non-Liberals’ are planning to do.
The ISPR statement shows the umbrage that the forces have taken because they rightly feel that the comments would affect the morale of the common soldier! And yet they could not resist praising Maulana Maudoodi, one of the modern founders of the Muslim world domination theory, in the same breath! It is hard for the ISPR to accept that they have created a Frankenstein monster that needs to be destroyed, thanks to the likes of Maulana Maudoodi! When will our forces start thinking in terms of being the army of the State of Pakistan, rather than ‘the army of Islam’?
interesting times we live in…a comment by an atheist in favour of atheism, get the highest recommendations.
@Afrooz,
the tough part is that you have to be right 100 times out of 100,while the one which have faith-have to be right just once,out of a 100 times.(those odds are better)
“…. I am not sure how ‘Islamic’ or ‘according to Sharia’ is taking money from governments the Jamaat calls all sorts of names. We cannot criticise the hands which feed us…..”
Well-said Sir! You have brilliantly encapsulated the very idea of Pakistan and its history thus. You have laid bare the two most important lessons the nation learnt in its infancy. Namely, making sure everything complies with Islamic principles and Sharia, and that remaining loyal to the international donors is necessary to avoid starvation, and even more importantly, defend Pakistan from the Kaffir hordes towards our East, and to capture Kashmir.
There is however, one essential element you have missed. The donors and the donations both need not be Islamic and Sharia compliant. The nation is allowed to accept donations even from Kaffirs, and that too in the currency of Kaffir nations.
Don’t we all love Dollars, the Euros and Pounds even as we (leaving aside those who have luckily reached there already) hate the US, Europe and the UK? Even OBL, who hated the US more than any living person on planet Earth, loved the US$ more than any of his many wives. Try offering a $1000 bank note to SdMH and see. (Oh…the suffocating hypocrisy!)
Isn’t it high time we realised Islamic Republics cannot be made with the US Dollars, the Euros and the UK Pounds, and that too by people who have no idea what it takes to be a Muslim? We should by now be quite clear, on the other hand, where the Saudi Riyals or Iranian Dinars would take us.
Another article trying to promote the notion of liberalism. The curse that has been killing morals in other countries now doing the same in Pakistan. Just because one is against Taliban fanatics(created by liberals) doesn’t mean he becomes a liberal.
Survey’s have proven time by time that Most Pakistanis are against what so called JI leader said. We should have a munazra of Muslims vs Liberals as Liberals have no idea what really Islam is.
ET, in this era of knowledge transfer from one to another, if you continue to suppress some of my comments, the discussions about whether the soldiers who die in combat are martyrs or not will continue for ever. Pakistan has the opportunity to stop thed Unless Pakistan nationalises its military and keep them in Barracks, the country will soon be facing the conditions which people in Tunisia, Egypt and Syria are coping with.
Rex Minor
@jilal:
Well…so far it looks like my claim stands undefeated. And the ‘believers’ have not been able to execute even once.