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Contrarian
I've quickly scanned the first few pages of this thread. I've noted your views and extreme opinions. I've also read the troll posts that arose in reaction to your extremist views.
I will let some other mod take action here. In my judgement either the whole thread should be deleted because this here is a troll fest pure and simple. But apparently you did not mean it as such and probably were giving your honest opinions. However, your opinions have attracted trolling as a result and I can not be selective about trolling and extreme opinions. I can not take one out and leave the other that had caused it.
Indians like you and Bearwithclawscome to PDF, spread your absurd views and trolling, insult our identity, belittle everything every effort, every thought even that Pakistanis might have - and then you have the gall to accuse Pakistanis of spreading extremist views and what not. What is it that you and people like yourself do here on PDF all the time, if not spread negativity and extreme opinions? You can dish it out but you can not take it. That is called hypocrisy.
It is very ironic that your views are like self-fulfilling prophecies. What you claim and what you advocate out of fear is exactly that which would create all that you fear. Only when you think of people as objects and deal with them as such, you are signalling that you yourself deserve no better. The antidote of extremism is engagement, unless some totally insurmountable difficulty makes that impossible. IMV there is no such thing between Indians and Pakistanis. Some short-sighted people bent on perpetuating hate should not get to set agenda for everyone.
Finally about that friend of yours and his Tablighi Jamaat cousin: You just do not know what you are talking about here. How many Tablighi Jamaat people have you known, spoken to, or tried to understand what they say? None is my guess. I have met Tablighi Jamaat people in four continents - they are the same everywhere. They are totally apolitical. They are totally focused on making Muslims more aware of their own personal morality and practice. They do not turn people into extremists as such. I know them very well. Many Pakistani members on this forum must also know a good bit about them. That is why it is safe to say that you know nothing about Tablighi Jamaat people. For your information, Tablighi Jamaat started from around Delhi in British India, and is spread all over the world. India is still the head-quarter of this peaceful movement. These people are remarkably alike in their views no matter where you meet them. You can not bring it into this Pakistan-India thing of yours.
I suggest that next time you think of posting a thread like this, do think a little whether or not you are actually abusing courtesy extended to you at PDF.
A good post Chak bamu.
1. Let me start off by saying the thread was not intended as a troll fest one bit. One of the reasons I have almost completely avoided quoting those intending to troll and divert the topic.
2. You presume that my post implies a belittling of identity - where as I have clearly mentioned that Pakistani society has changed over the last 2 decades on account of a
foreign ideology of salafi/wahabi which was absent from Pakistan.
Now as mentioned had Pakistan and Pakistanis back then been aware the damage that 'dialogue' with ideologues and followers, they would never have allowed them a foot inside of Pakistan.
3. You point of self-fulfilling prophecy is a good point. You also say that the anti-dote of extremism is engagement. I ask the question, engagement with whom? Certainly engagement with the average Indian will not change an extremists mind.
4. I am very well aware of Tabliqi Jamaat my friend. You presume I do not know their goals and methods. Yet one Indian did become socially conservative and regressive on account of their influence. And each Indian we lose to fundamentalism is a massive loss to our society.
5. You also think that I am in favour of a ban of interaction with Pakistanis. That is
far from what I want. My presence here in itself should show you. Understanding Pakistan and engaging with Pakistan is of
paramount importance to India, for without it, we cannot achieve peace and increasing prosperity.
What I
have said for Indians to consider is that we should
limit the visas given to
common Pakistanis
till Pakistan is actually able to win the war against extremism. When I say extremism, I do not mean terrorism, but the seed of hate planted by Zia in your society. And without a doubt there are increasing number of Pakistani's who are speaking out against this extremism in Pakistan. This is an undeniable fact - 5-7 years back, there were not half as many who did. So there is a churn and change underway in Pakistan.
I value your opinion and would like your take on point 5. Icarus, Bang Galore among few others disagree on the effectiveness of this approach, but at the very least the idea was discussed. And in the end, is this not a place to discuss ideas, regardless of their radical or simple origin.
Spot on! I just do not know what to make of him sometimes. He can be such a friendly person and then come up with shockers like this.
Shock value has its use at times. Between the intermittent trolling some brilliant views were garnered on the discussion from both viewpoints. If you do get the time, read the entire thread to get my and the threads collective chain of thought.
I do think that my first post was strong, meant to elicit opinions and critical thought instead of being ignored. That was agreeably a mistake.
He just seems disturbed about ISIS propaganda and possible Pakistani input - totally ignoring that peace constituency is pretty strong actually.
Undoubtedly, for otherwise the liberalization of trade could not have happened.
My question to you is thus:
Is giving more visas and increasing people-to-people contacts contribute anything other than a marginal effort towards the goal of peace? For the real difference is made at the elite level - GoP elites and GoI elites.
And secondly, does it or does it not impose a social cost?