How Bias in Text books fuels division in Pakistani society

[nForce]

Prove your assertion, please...

The constitution this person is talking about, restricts a non-Muslim from being head of state.

 

[Sky lord]

Are they pregnant donkeys by any chance ?

 

[Jacob Martin]

A majority of Pakistani society, even those educated in the West, harbor similar view.

About that, I must agree. It seems the malaise is ingrained at home. It's not that Indian households have many charitable things to tell their children about Pakistan. But that is countervailed by the facts that a) there is barely any mention of Pakistan in Indian school texts, and whatever little there is, is neutral, and b) Indian media has, in recent years, started ignoring Pakistan. There has been an uptick in news regarding Pakistan since the current government has come in, but that is a passing phase.

The constitution this person is talking about, restricts a non-Muslim from being head of state.

But on the other hand, considering they have had three attempts at making one, maybe this one is actually worth something?!

 

[Psychic]

Your views are of no importance because the people who are reading these posts can see that you contribute NOTHING to the conversation. You are an ignorant, immature loudmouth, that's all.

 

[Rajkumar]

looks like 'some' people have lot of time to kill or retired.

Some people are like "There is some problem and here is proof , proof , proof and again this proof and then again some more proof"

some people are like " This proof is not valid, This proof is old , This proof is not new enough , No i did not say this , I did not write this , Show me where i explicitly mention this "

Then again some say " dont worry, i will give you more proof in accordance of you demand"

Some people are just thinking " whatever proof you are going to give me, i am going to deny it by making some crappy excuse "

Then there is argument " Discussion should take place for the sake of better understanding and solutions"
Lol At the intellectual world.

 

[zebra7]

looks like 'some' people have lot of time to kill or retired.

Some people are like "There is some problem and here is proof , proof , proof and again this proof and then again some more proof"

some people are like " This proof is not valid, This proof is old , This proof is not new enough , No i did not say this , I did not write this , Show me where i explicitly mention this "

Then again some say " dont worry, i will give you more proof in accordance of you demand"

Some people are just thinking " whatever proof you are going to give me, i am going to deny it by making some crappy excuse "

Then there is argument " Discussion should take place for the sake of better understanding and solutions"
Lol At the intellectual world.

What ever you write above DO YOU HAVE THE PROOF OF THAT !!!

 

[Dubious]

looks like 'some' people have lot of time to kill or retired.

Some people are like "There is some problem and here is proof , proof , proof and again this proof and then again some more proof"

some people are like " This proof is not valid, This proof is old , This proof is not new enough , No i did not say this , I did not write this , Show me where i explicitly mention this "

Then again some say " dont worry, i will give you more proof in accordance of you demand"

Some people are just thinking " whatever proof you are going to give me, i am going to deny it by making some crappy excuse "

Then there is argument " Discussion should take place for the sake of better understanding and solutions"
Lol At the intellectual world.

If you cant contribute and want to display your lack of knowledge do it in some other corner dont troll here!

I see indians trolling coz they were asked of proof so that is like a thorn for them

I also realize how your education system yields your kind of results ....good display of a joke if this is what your education system can offer you!

As for the guy @Rain Man I was "discussing" with...If this is what your education system yields then I for sure do not want to discuss with a bogus person! Either handle your ridiculing masses and discuss or dont pretend to discuss in the pretext of trolling! It apparently takes this many indian trolls to discourage one to discuss an issue no wonder no one discusses anything with them!

"The study examined 22 textbooks for the academic year 2012-13 in the Punjab and Sindh from classes 1 to 10".

And I asked this before: Where is the study?

How, by making the unsubstantiated argument that they ask students to recite Christian prayers? Here are guys quoting numerous articles and papers, and here are you, with just your own word as gospel. Why the hypocrisy?

I have already answered to this 2x on this thread it is not my fault your education system doesnt allow you to think!

Yes, you are partially right. The extremist positions in Pakistani school curriculum were first fleshed out under Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. So? What does that prove for your point? And how does that have anything to do with negating the existence of such instances in your curriculum in the first place?

It is not my fault your education system doesnt provide you enough to allow your brain to think for itself even after being given some form of platform

@Slav Defence

I dont answer to trolls as per the forum rule I am not supposed to...But I think I have answered enough to show what a troll this thread has become! Everyone is asking the same questions that I have already answered to and 2ndly, it is not my duty to teach them to think instead of jumping to conclusion! I will leave you to decide what you wish to call trolling and which of these you wish to call real "discussion"

guys quoting numerous articles and papers,

13/ 20+ were not even within the time frame

a few were repeating the same report which they dont provide!

I dont answer to opinions just as yours doesnt play any role in our country!

He did the research, he cited the articles,

He googled...if that is research...I am truly shocked at what is taught in india!

In that case every tom, dick and harry googling BS is a researcher?

2ndly, he cited newspaper articles which talk of reports but dont give any link to the reports to be analyzed! THAT is never acceptable in a "research"

You might hate him (Pervez Hoodbhoy), but he studied at MIT, and is well-respected around the world. Whereas, who are you, once again?

quoting out of context is showing your trolling intention...What is the though doing in my statement when you dont wish to read it the next part...Go take a course on English the word THOUGH alone shows you MUST read the 2nd part!

if that Jinnah Institute is not widely known, then we can safely ignore their roundtable meeting and whatever they discuss there, and focus on the 4th article from Dawn, dated October 1, 2014.

@Slav Defence

For one who wants something as simple as yes and no...My answer now is no I will not answer to someone who has no analytical skills, refuses to use their brain and is wasting my time as is only giving 1 line answers to my questions....

One really has to now wonder what india is producing! Just look at this thread alone...I agreed to "discuss" but here we have donkeys abusing such liberty awarded to them!

Here are 2 examples of indian education system products:
Neither wishes to read even when literate - wonder why they bothered wasting time in school
Neither looks at the context
Neither has the ability to read an analyse and Pakistan is being scrutinized without realizing they are portraying something what they are scrutinizing in another country! - In English we call this bigotry!

Here is the direct meaning and below that is the example:

intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself.

looks like 'some' people have lot of time to kill or retired.

Some people are like "There is some problem and here is proof , proof , proof and again this proof and then again some more proof"

some people are like " This proof is not valid, This proof is old , This proof is not new enough , No i did not say this , I did not write this , Show me where i explicitly mention this "

Then again some say " dont worry, i will give you more proof in accordance of you demand"

Some people are just thinking " whatever proof you are going to give me, i am going to deny it by making some crappy excuse "

Then there is argument " Discussion should take place for the sake of better understanding and solutions"
Lol At the intellectual world.

What ever you write above DO YOU HAVE THE PROOF OF THAT !!!

If mods still dont find enough reason to close the thread or atleast get rid off the trolls then I am sorry I do not wish to contribute wasting my time in trying to discuss while monkeys keep interrupting!

 

[dray]

donkeys

monkeys

I would humbly request you not to use such language towards your fellow members here, it's so unbecoming of you, especially when you are the one holding the highest standards of discussion here and tagging the moderators liberally. In fact, you being a knowledgeable researcher should be more humble, patient and accommodative towards lesser mortals like us. However, you are the better judge of yourself.

Besides, I humbly apologize for trolling by any Indian, if any, and I would like to assure you that my intentions are not to troll here.

And I asked this before: Where is the study?

The article is from a Pakistani media "Dawn", and you being a Pakistani apparently living in Pakistan (as per your flags) is in a better position to contact them and find out which study they were quoting, especially when you are a professional researcher. I am afraid they won't entertain me with such queries. Here is the contact details of Dawn's editor:

Mr. Zaffar Abbas
Editor Dawn
Email: editor@dawn.com

While you are making an honest effort to find out the truth about that article from Dawn, let us judge the veracity of this article. The article is dated January 19, 2015 from 'Daily Times', what's best, the article quotes the contact details of the writer.


Pakistani textbooks and the lies they teach

I recently went through with some textbooks and it was really depressing to find that Pakistani textbooks cannot mention Hindus without calling them cunning, scheming, deceptive or something equally insulting

• Salman Ali
• January 19, 2015

A few days back I had the opportunity to meet up with some school, college and university students. I asked them about Pakistan-India relations and, sadly, all of these students believed that people living in other countries, especially India, were the enemies of Pakistan. A grade seven student belonging to a private school in Lahore said that she loved her country and hated all enemy countries, especially India. I asked her why she held such a firm opinion that other countries, particularly India, were enemy countries and she replied confidently that it was all written in her textbooks and that her teachers also say so. When she was asked to point out specifically where it was written, she failed to do so. However, her assertions could not be rejected fully.


While discussing with educationists we find that they, too, say our textbooks carry content that implicitly implies that India and western countries are enemy countries. Many of the educationists sitting on the boards and bodies assigned the task of setting up the curricula religiously believe that such textbooks should be taught in schools, colleges and universities to develop Islamised or traditional citizenry. They believe that Islamisation and various forms of traditionalism are the only solution to Pakistan’s problems, even to terrorism and violence.


In 2012, a nongovernmental organisation released a research report in English and Urdu languages on Religious Discrimination in Education Policy and Syllabus, including specimens from Punjab textbooks. The report claimed that the curriculum and education policy in Punjab specifically, and throughout Pakistan generally, disregards Article 22 of the Constitution “when it comes to hundreds of thousands of non-Muslim students attending schools in the country”. The study said that the content of textbooks was visibly discriminatory against non-Muslim citizens. It is a violation of Article 20 and 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan, guaranteeing religious freedom. Article 22 of the Constitution states, “No person attending any educational institution shall be required to receive religious instruction or take part in any religious ceremony or attend religious worship if such instruction, ceremony or worship relates to a religion other than his own.” However, on the other hand, Islamiat has been made a compulsory subject for all students from grades one to eight in public schools by all five education policies since 1972. The report alleges that history books are poisoning and brainwashing young minds with systematic and institutionalised lies and bigoted teachings. A class five Social Studies textbook teaches: “India is our traditional enemy and we should always keep ourselves ready to defend our beloved country from Indian aggression.”


Also, class three students are taught that, “Muhammad Ali Jinnah felt that Hindus wanted to make Muslims their slaves and since he hated slavery, he left the Congress.” In another place it says, “The Congress was actually a party of Hindus. Muslims felt that after getting freedom, Hindus would make them their slaves.”


I recently went through with some textbooks and it was really depressing to find that Pakistani textbooks cannot mention Hindus without calling them cunning, scheming, deceptive or something equally insulting. In Social Studies textbooks it is mentioned that Hindus are extremists and the eternal enemies of Islam whose culture and society are based on injustice and cruelty, while Islam delivers a message of peace and brotherhood, concepts portrayed as alien to the Hindu.


I believe that biased material in textbooks is promoting prejudice, bigotry and discrimination towards other religions and nations. Non-Muslims are addressed as kafirs (infidels) in textbooks along with statements like “heaven is only for Muslims”. Other religions are portrayed as false and their believers as antagonists. Many history scholars have mentioned in their writings (and I agree with them) that Pakistani textbooks have preached falsehoods, hatred and bigotry against minorities and, so, unless we start a process of settling curriculum and textbook debates in the political arena, we cannot end disquiet within the curriculum and textbooks. Of course, universities should support this process by conducting independent research, for it will help in eliminating the domination of so-called experts and consultants of the curriculum and textbook reform debate.


However, other educationists believe that salient features of the Constitution of Pakistan should be made part of the curriculum of schools, colleges and universities. They feel the need for revising the civic education syllabus and expanding it to inculcate the rule of law and responsible and active citizenship in the youth. The curriculum should be revised after every four or five years and necessary changes should be made to upgrade it in accordance with the fast changing world, especially in the fields of science and technology.


The biased material in our syllabi is one of the major aspects for growing religious intolerance and extremism. It is in contradiction to the Constitution of Pakistan. Any material considered ‘inflammatory’ or ‘discriminatory’ to religious minorities should be removed from the syllabus. Unless and until young minds are encouraged to develop critical thinking and the willingness and ability to research and reach for the truth and facts, a country’s national ethos cannot become progressive with social justice and economic development of the citizen as the primary priorities.


The writer is a social and political activist based in Lahore ands can be reached at salmanali088@gmail.com

Pakistani textbooks and the lies they teach

 

[HimalyanKingdom]

Here is what 70% of student population in Pakistan study

Original Report at CRSS Pakistan


Pakistan’s public schools, which educate some 70 percent of the student population….
Prescribed textbooks for Classes 4 and 5, attended by children aged 8 to 10, are bursting with anti-Hindu and anti-Sikh themes. By Class 6, when students are typically 10 to 12 years old, anti-Christian, anti-British and anti-European indoctrination begins. Children are taught that the “Christians and Europeans were not happy to see the Muslims flourishing in life.”31 Anti-Jewish postulations are introduced in Class 7. In Classes 9-10, when students are typically 13 to 16 years old, the ‘importance of Jihad’ is cultivated.

Here are excerpts from textbooks:

Text No. 1
Class: 4
Subject: Social Studies
Pages: 80-81
“Sikhs destroyed the Muslim towns from the river Sutlej to the river Jamna. A
number of times the Sikhs crossed the river Jamna and looted and destroyed the
settlements of the Muslims. They turned the mosques into their ‘Gurdawaras’,
demolished the shrines of the Muslim saints and burnt religious schools and
libraries.”
Authors: Dr Miss Ferozah Yasmeen, Dr Azhar Hamid, Mian Muhammad Javed
Akhtar, Nasir-ur-Din Ghaznavi, Muhammad Zubair Hashmi, Bashir-ud-Din Malik
and Qazi Ajjad Ahmed.

Text No. 2
Class: 5
Subject: Social Studies
Page: 123
“India is our traditional enemy and we should always keep ourselves ready to
defend out beloved country from Indian aggression.”
Authors: Dr Ferozah Yasmeen, Mrs Zarina Asharf, Bashir-ud-din Malik, Prof
Mirza Munawwar and Mian Mohammed Javed.

Text No. 3
Class: 6
Subject: Social Studies
Pages: 100
“The foundation of Hindu set up was based on injustice and cruelty”
Scripted & Translated by: Prof. Mian Muhammed Aslam, Prof. Muhammed
Farooq Malik and Qazi Sajjad Ahmed.

Text No. 5
Class: 6
Subject: Social Studies
Pages: 54-55
“The Hindus claim Harijans as their integrated part but deal with them in the
same manner as they behave with Muslims and other communities.”

Text No. 6
Class: 6
Subject: Social Studies
Pages: 95
“Conquest of Debul: A furious battle was fought between the two forces…..The
Muslims changed the slogan of Allah-o-Akbar and Catapult was operated and
started throwing heavy stones…….The Hindus lost all hopes. The enemy was
defeated and the fort was conquered.”

Text No. 7
Class: 6
Subject: Social Studies
Pages: 95
“The Hindus began to embrace Islam in great numbers due to the good and kind
treatment of Mulims.”

Text No. 8
Class: 6
Subject: Social Studies
Page: 96
“An Arab soldier cut the neck of Raja Dahir with sword who was riding an
elephant in a Howdaha. The sun of life of Raja Dahir set forever from the
universe on 10th of Ramdan 93 H.”

Text No. 9
Class: 6
Subject: Social Studies
Page: 99
“Before the Arab conquest the people were fed up with the teachings of
Buddhists and Hindus. The main cause was the benign treatment of Muslims
with the Hindus. Due to this attitude Hindus began to love Muslims and they
became nearer and nearer to the Muslims.”

Text No. 11
Class: 6
Subject: Social Studies
Page: 121
"The caste system of the Hindus had made life of common man as miserable and
as such they were fed up with this system.”

Text No. 13
Class: 7
Subject: Social Studies
Page: 12
“Before Islam, people lived in untold misery all over the world.”

Text No. 14
Class: 7
Subject: Social Studies
Page: 13
“Some Jewish tribes also lived in Arabia. They lent money to workers and
peasants on high rates of interest and usurped their earnings. They held the
whole society in their tight grip because of the ever increasing compound
interest.”

Text No. 14
Class: 7
Subject: Social Studies
Page: 13
“All the Christian countries united against the Muslims and sent large armies to
attack the holy city of Jerusalem. These wars are called crusades because the
Pope, a head of the Christians, called a council of war. In this meeting he
declared that Jesus Christ sanctioned war against Muslims.”

Text No. 15
Class: 7
Subject: Social Studies
Page: 28
“During the Crusades, the Christians came in contact with the Muslims and
learnt that the Muslim culture was far superior to their own.”

Text No. 16
Class: 7
Subject: Social Studies
Page: 43
“European nations have been working during the past three centuries, through
conspiracies on naked aggression to subjugate the countries of the Muslim
world.”

Text No. 17
Class: 9-10
Subject: Pakistan Studies
Page: 3
“The economic system of West was creating unsolvable problems and had failed
to do justice to the Muslim world.”
Comment: This text appears in the textbook being used in the current academic
year and was not part of the previous textbook.

Text No. 18
Class: 9-10
Subject: Pakistan Studies
Page: 6
“Islamic society was devoid of every kind of evil….”
Comment: This text appears in the textbook being used in the current academic
year and was not part of the previous textbook.

Text No. 19
Class: 9-10
Subject: Pakistan Studies
Page: 7
“One of the reasons of the downfall of the Muslims in the Sub-continent was the
lack of the spirit of Jihad.”

Text No. 20
Class: 9-10
Subject: Pakistan Studies
Page: 10
“In Islam Jihad is very important…..The person who offers his life never
dies…..All the prayers nurture one’s passion for Jihad.”

Text No. 21
Class: 9-10
Subject: Pakistan Studies
Page: 17
“Shah Wali Ullah (RA) was a mujadid of the 18th century….He knew that the
Sikhs, Marhattas were the enemies of Muslims.”

Text No. 22
Class: 9-10
Subject: Pakistan Studies
Page: 20
“……according to Islamic point of view there were only two nations on earth, one
the Muslims and the other the non-Muslim.”

Text No. 23
Class: 9-10
Subject: Pakistan Studies
Page: 53
“Education sector in East Pakistan was totally under the control of Hindus.
Under the guidance of India they fully poisoned the minds of Bangalis against
Pakistan and aroused their sentiments.”

Text No. 24
Class: 12
Subject: Pakistan Studies
Page: 4
“Great importance is given to Jihad (struggle) in Islam…….And to keep oneself
ready to sacrifice one’s life and property is jihad…..The basic purpose of all
submissions and jihad is to keep oneself a follower of the good will of Allah
Almighty.”

Here is what 70% of student population in Pakistan study | AA@Counter Terrorism, Imperialism, Extremism and Bigotry

wtf is this? This is what they teach to kids in Pakistan? Can't believe it...this is shameful!!!

 

[VCheng]

I recently went through with some textbooks and it was really depressing

But hold on a minute, Sir. Deriding Pakistani textbooks alone is not right, without a comparison to what other nations teach their kids: Iran, North Korea, many of the other communists countries etc. etc. Every sovereign nation teaches its kids whatever serves its future needs the best.

 

[zebra7]

But hold on a minute, Sir. Deriding Pakistani textbooks alone is not right, without a comparison to what other nations teach their kids: Iran, North Korea, many of the other communists countries etc. etc. Every sovereign nation teaches its kids whatever serves its future needs the best.

He is deeply depressed due to his own personal feeling and showing his concerned but the links and the reports whether taken as proof/fake, valid/unvalid, or news/propaganda whatever are coming from internaly within from Pakistan, you cannot deny that.

 

[HimalyanKingdom]

But hold on a minute, Sir. Deriding Pakistani textbooks alone is not right, without a comparison to what other nations teach their kids: Iran, North Korea, many of the other communists countries etc. etc. Every sovereign nation teaches its kids whatever serves its future needs the best.

so if others are wrong, you want to be little wrong?
This is not correct. Not in the name of Islam atleast.

 

[dray]

But hold on a minute, Sir. Deriding Pakistani textbooks alone is not right, without a comparison to what other nations teach their kids: Iran, North Korea, many of the other communists countries etc. etc. Every sovereign nation teaches its kids whatever serves its future needs the best.

I am not deriding Pakistani textbooks, I am not even opposing to what these text books apparently contain. That I have already cleared in my earlier post here:

Not a very complex issue, Pakistan was created with the idea of religious exclusivity, and anti-Hindustan in general and anti-Hindu in specific gives Pakistan it's very reason of creation and existence as a separate country, those textbooks are in line with the narrative of Pakistan as a sovereign nation separated from India. I am not complaining about it, my issue is with someone who is denying the very existence of this issue (I am not calling it a problem, hope you noticed). Though it's nothing new for her, I have encountered this attitude when she was hellbent on denying any involvement of Pakistanis and Muslims in 26/11 and 9/11 terrorist attacks...

I am just debating to confirm whether these text books presently contain these things at all or not.

Madam and I had similar discussions in the past over a few issues like possible involvement of Pakistanis and/or Muslims in some of the very infamous terrorist attacks, about whether Sir Osama was hiding in Abottabad or it was just another conspiracy by the evils of the world, etc. Every time the discussion went on a circular direction...like playing 'musical chairs', this one time I am trying to reach a conclusion.

On the topic; surely Pakistan or any other sovereign country has all the right to decide what they should teach to their children. I see the matter from a completely dispassionate manner. For example, there are some liberals here who aspire for practice of secular principals in Pakistan, while I have no doubt about the virtues of secular principals, but such principals will be at loggerheads with the very idea of Pakistan. Pakistan came to existence with the concept of "Two nation theory" that is based on the understanding that Muslims cannot live with Hindus and they must need a separate "Muslim nation" for themselves, this is absolutely contradictory to the idea of secularism in every way possible. If Pakistan starts promoting secularism, drops anti-India rhetoric, and shows Hindus in a fair manner with their vices as well as virtues; just like their Muslim counterparts, then what answer they will have if their younger generation starts asking why the hell a partition was needed at the cost of so much bloodshed and suffering? Pakistan needed to build a narrative in favour of the partition and for the creation and existence of their country, and Islamic principals, Islamism, so called hate-content that apparently fuels division among Hindus and Muslims, etc. are all in line with the creation of that narrative. It's easy to be judgmental, but nothing is wrong here, Pakistan is teaching their children what they see fit. About the possible increase of radicalism that it may lead to, that part might need some balance. However, those 1-2% Hindus in Pakistan are inconsequential anyway.

He is deeply depressed due to his own personal feeling and showing his concerned but the links and the reports whether taken as proof/fake, valid/unvalid, or news/propaganda whatever are coming from internaly within from Pakistan, you cannot deny that.

No, I am not. Please read my above reply @zebra7

 

[VCheng]

I am just debating to confirm whether these text books presently contain these things at all or not.

The solution is simple: Have someone scan in any of the things quoted from the actual textbooks. That would be the correct primary reference. An article in a newspaper that quotes a study that refers to the textbooks is not going to be robust, ever.

 

[dray]

The solution is simple: Have someone scan in any of the things quoted from the actual textbooks. That would be the correct primary reference. An article in a newspaper that quotes a study that refers to the textbooks is not going to be robust, ever.

Most (almost all) of the discussions in this forum are based on the articles in newspapers and magazines. One cannot have any discussion here with the criterion you are stating. Or you want this discussion to be an exception?