Faith factory

[pak-marine]

Faith factory

BY NADEEM F. PARACHA ON 03 16TH, 2011

Last year, while on a visit to Lahore I had to meet an industrialist at one of his factories.

The discussion between us soon drifted towards politics. Just two days before our meeting, there had been a deadly suicide bomb attack in Lahore.

It was the (thirty-something and well-dressed) gentleman who began the proceedings, but he soon said something that left me scratching my head. He asked (in Punjabi), ‘So Paracha sahib, has the situation in Karachi gotten any better?’

After realising that his question was not tongue-in-cheek, I wondered what on earth he was talking about.

Here was a man surrounded by frequent sights and sounds of devastation inflicted by rabid groups of extremists on politicians, military men, police and innocent civilians, and all he was concerned about was ‘violence in Karachi’?

‘Sir, shouldn’t you be more concerned about Lahore?’ I asked, smiling.

He failed to get my drift: ‘Paracha sahib, why don’t you people do something about the MQM?’

By now my smile had turned into a polite laughter: ‘Sir, was it the MQM or the PPP that blew up the Sufi shrine in Lahore the other day?’

‘I know you’re not so naïve, Paracha sahib,’ he said, ‘you know who is behind all these terrorist attacks…’

‘Of course, I do,’ I replied. ‘These terrorists are the same monsters whom we have been nurturing in the name of jihad all these years and …’

He let out a loud burst of laughter: ‘What sort of a media man are you, Paracha sahib. These so-called terrorists are all enemy agents!’

I knew that was coming, right on cue.

‘Well said!’ I applauded. ‘Whenever there is violence in Lahore it is blamed on anti-Islam agents, but violence in Karachi is blamed on the MQM, the PPP and the ANP? Very convenient.’

Switching back to Punjabi, the gentleman gave me a sideways grin: ‘Paracha sahib, you are a Punjabi, so I wonder why the sympathy with the MQM? Is it fear?’

I then reverted back to speaking in Punjabi: ‘Sir jee, it is not fear. It is curiosity about the mindset of the people of Punjab. We are highly intrigued about how in the face of overwhelming evidence that it is our own people who in the name of Islam, are going about blowing up mosques, shrines and markets in the Punjab, but you continue living in a make-believe world of conspiracies. But what do we, Karachiites know. We are, after all gangsters, right?’ I smiled.

A strain of slight anger suddenly cut across the gentleman’s face: ‘We are more concerned about the corruption and the scoundrels in this government.’

‘Very noble of you, sir,’ I replied.

‘Give Nawaz Sharif 5 years and he will change the fate of this country!’ he announced.

‘But sir, Mian Sahib so far only gets votes from the Punjab. And anyway, isn’t a cousin of yours a member of the PML-Q?’ I asked.

He ignored the PML-Q remark: ‘Mian sahib will sweep the next elections …’

‘…in the Punjab,’ I interrupted. ‘Is Pakistan only about the Punjab then?’

He laughed and shook his head: ‘That’s the problem with you. Punjab is blamed for everything! What sort of a Punjabi are you?’

‘Wah, Sir jee,’ I said with a smile, ‘it is fine if you go on and on about the Mohajirs, Sindhis, the Pashtuns and the Baloch, but throw up your arms in shock when someone even mentions the Punjab?’

‘We have done so much for Pakistan!’ He announced proudly.

‘Were you the only ones?’ I asked.

‘Why do you think Pakistan’s enemies are targeting the Punjab? They know its’ importance.’ He said.

‘Oh, so do we,’ I replied. ‘But we, Pakistanis, are our own enemies. Those killing their own countrymen in the name of faith, politics, greed or ideology anywhere in Pakistan, are the enemy.’

‘Faith has nothing to do with this!’ He announced, now with a sterner expression.

‘Precisely!’ I said, ‘and yet we keep calling it faith!’

By now he had lost me: ‘What do you mean?’

‘Sir, Karachiites or as you would like to call us – gangsters – believe that the Punjab does not condemn extremists enough. It is as if by doing this they feel they would be condemning faith itself, is that true?’ I asked.

‘We don’t think these extremists are even Muslim!’ He shot back.

‘Well, they say they are the best Muslims out there,’ I replied. ‘And anyway, if you think they are not Muslim, then why not condemn them the way they should be?’

‘How come you guys don’t condemn the MQM or the PPP?’ he snapped back.

‘Oh, we do,’ I retorted. ‘Just the way political parties should be criticised. But then they have yet to blow up mosques, shrines and markets, if you know what I mean.’ I replied.

‘And the PML-N does?’ He asked, raising his voice a notch.

‘Absolutely not!’ I said. ‘It just doesn’t condemn extremists the way it should, that’s all. Is it fear?’

The argument ended when his cell phone rang and he excused himself.

I said goodbye and on my way out was met by his manager who gave some going-away gifts: beautiful unstitched fabric, a nice shirt and a cardboard box.

Curious about what was in it, I opened the box in the car and found 9 slim booklets – all of them were on how to become a better Muslim. Viola!

It seems that the industrialists are getting spiritually industrious as well.





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[pak-marine]

tu yeh ^^^ hai surat e hal

 

[Karachiite]

Pakistan need's a strict secular dictator that will fix up the extremists and corruption. Iskander Mirza was right were not made for democracy. We need to follow the South Korean model. And as for Karachi no one gives a flying f about us. They use us for our revenue and then throw us away. Honestly has this current govt brought any development to Karachi? After Mustafa Kamal left Karachi is basically in a coma waiting to be revived.

 

[muse]

Karachiite

You'll enjoy examining Pakistan and korea in the early and middle 60's -- same model, interesting projections and look at where each ended up -- Izlum baby -- Izlum good, it really is but Izlum is not for ignorant people, Izlum requires you to be educated and because that education increases the entirety of your knowledge, it allows you to examine, ever renewing, with fresh eyes, with clearer lens, the guidance in Izlum -- ignorant people who cannot even read are supposed to get Izlum? And pigs are supposed to fly?

 

[Karachiite]

1960s were our golden days. We were on top of Asia. Karachi's nightlife was better than Beirut's. We were making progress and were very liberal. But after 1971, entrance of Bhutto then Zia screwed everything up.

 

[muse]

And if it hadn't been this war fever we seem to be in, Ayub could have completed his mission - although no more than 2 weeks of war, please - well... could have, would have.. it's all so much split milk isn't it

 

[RazorMC]

Giving people access to better education can drastically improve our economic situation. Better minds mean better healthcare, better infrastructure and better government.

There is a valid reason for my belief that educaation can reduce corruption and improve governance: educated people can't be fooled by numbers and fancy words, educated people ask the right questions, their awareness makes them more open-minded and less liable to be tricked into joining terrorist groups etc.

And this is exactly why no government really focuses on education because if they did, they might not get elected again and might even land in jail for their corruption.

 

[pak-marine]

so rightly said we hear the same crap on this forum .... what this industrialist is on about with NFP , MQM is so God damn right no wonder these guys are under fire from every one , reason they dare to question this stupid system and the moron jihad our country men are forced too

 

[pak-marine]

Pakistan need's a strict secular dictator that will fix up the extremists and corruption. Iskander Mirza was right were not made for democracy. We need to follow the South Korean model. And as for Karachi no one gives a flying f about us. They use us for our revenue and then throw us away. Honestly has this current govt brought any development to Karachi? After Mustafa Kamal left Karachi is basically in a coma waiting to be revived.

bro a dictator wont solve a thing what we have to understand these dictators are using us to help achieve the pakistani estabilishments goal ...

 

[muse]

a dictator wont solve a thing what we have to understand these dictators are using us to help achieve the pakistani estabilishments goal

A fair enough criticism but can we hope to create any order in this Islamic Leviathan? See, a period of authoritarian governance to set Pakistan on a path that majorities within coalitions would like to see, may not be pretty, but if it works (who cares what color the cat, as long as it catches mice) -- Why does Pakistan suffer political dysfunction?? I may be wrong, but I would suggest that it's because of the rules of the game (Constitution)

Allow me to point out that an authoritarian government need not be military government

 

[RazorMC]

Muse is right. Our constitution has a provision that protects the military if they choose to "step-in" instead of treating it as a crime. Some individuals have also gone on air saying that many politicians themselves, while criticizing a coup, ask the military to intervene whenever it suits them.

But it's not just the generals that are at fault. Their fellow generals and other military leadership are also to blame for supporting a coup in the first place. But if they oppose the move, they may tried for not following orders. Our constitution does not protect them either.

If we close these loop-holes, I think we can reduce the chances of another military regime regardless of the political situation in the country.

Corruption and misgovernance can be a part of any type of governing system: dictatorship (authoritarianism), democracy, theocracy or a technocratic system.
We have to realize this and form civil societies to raise awareness and transfer power back to the people. This way we can let the ruling elite know that unless they address our issues, they can forget about remaining in the government.