Kashmir Has Benefited Its Elite: Is Kashmir A Sweet Poison That Pakistan Needs To Deal With?

A country seeded by Sir Iqbal, materialised by Jinnah, made religious by Gen Zia, militarised by America, united by enemy Hindu India and in love with a burning Kashmir, Pakistan, shows more signs of problems than solutions. Its Problems 1. Religious 2. Political 3. Economic 4. Legal 4. Social 5. Kashmir 1. Religious Problems Though West predicted Pakistan with strong monotheism would progress and polytheist India would disintegrate, almost airing 'monotheism gone wrong', Pakistan sees the consequence of mono's 'my way is right'. First the non Semitic minority Hindus felt the pinch of 'not one of us', then with the rise of Islamic identity even the people of the book - Christians felt the pinch as 'the others' or even as 'of decadent West'. And when the purity scale arrived Ahmadiyyas and then the Shias found themselves on the wrong side of purity. But then, despite passing the sect test, the safest majority Sunni, couldn't claim immunity either. The westernised among them, who traced the father of the nation, and the cricketer Sachin praising reporters were not pure enough, and awaited persecution. With the coming of drones, however, the ones who felt purest of the pure, and who dictated who wasn't Muslim enough - the al-Qaida group - didn't feel safe either. Feeling the pinch, suddenly, they felt forced to secretly talk with the state. In the triple inherited values of Indian, Islamic and British roots that it shares, neglecting the first yet almost showing a clash between the 2nd and the 3rd, it finds itself torn between the duty of following Sharia and the temptation of tracing British philosophies. No wonder, despite freedom, while the struggle for Ummah isn't seen, that which is seen is an illusiory- neither here nor there assertion, 'Nothing will be passed against Islam'. On the other hand, almost as monotheism gone wrong, religious Pakistan finds itself struggling with forced conversions and bombings of temples, churches and mosques. 2. Political Problems Like the non-matching of 'Sir' and 'for Muslim' of Sir Iqbal, and 'for Muslims' and 'secularism' of Jinnah - unless explained by divide and rule, Pakistan's principle of origin has been on a little shaky ground. While the lonesome death of the nation's creator, Jinnah, showed the power struggle at the start, it also heralded the country's future course. Though united by hostility towards India, almost tracing that end of Jinnah, there has always been a clash between the civilian and the army. Making American double standard easy, it has seen more army rule than democracy. And when democracy did get chances, while powerless ones dint vote as Ms Bhutto once bitterly found out or voted the same corrupt parties, powerful ones dint respect the majority verdict of East Pakistan (Seikh Mujib). Although internal squabbles haven't benefit it, external ones certainly have. Even airing opposite poles attract, while China's squabble with India made it China's buddy, America's squabble with China/ Russia brought an American hug. Enhancing hostility, these external squabbles, however, lessened internal ones. 3. Economic Problems Being the recipient of cash from USA, China, Saudi and the IMF, Pakistan always had a good amount of cash in its coffers. In fact, once its currency even boasted better value than the Indian Rupee. But then, as if following 'What goes up must come down' its value has fallen. While instead of share prices its rich and poor gap has skyrocketed, reflecting that, its stock market value total's less than that of India's Ambani brothers. This is despite the country being endowed with intelligent hard working people, good natural resources and scenic beauty. Although it has a fare share of refugee to deal with, almost reminding global warming, that tragedy is manmade e.g. rampant terrorism and corruption, ethnic tensions, distinct ruler-commoner split that disregards popular needs and illiterate populace. While its 'ghost schools' offer no education, its Madrasa education offers no productive force. And productive ones don't pay taxes. Although, it receives enormous foreign aid (it is said Britons pay Pakistani's tax), the army takes most of it, elite's corruption takes most of the rest and ordinary folks take most of the accompanying troubles! 4. Legal Problems Despite the apparent disarray in the state, it does have both constitution and the law. Being used to and in love with the British Laws, like India, it doesn't change even archaic laws. Despite loyalty to nations not quite asked by Ummah, it shies away from Sharia with an almost rhetorical, 'Nothing will be passed against Islam'. But then, implementing Sharia isn't easy. Leaving whiplashing to the Taliban, it clings to Hudood laws that seeks 4 witness from a rape victim. Then again, while implementation of this law doesn't help its rape epidemic, non implementation of other laws don't help progress. In addition to delay and corruption in justice delivery as in other nations, as if tracing raped women fearing humiliation in its courts, its judges fear convicting terrorists. Though this shows powerlessness, its 'They haven't supplied evidence' to the alleged terrorism in India, shows the nation’s power. Either way terrorists get a green light, become untouchable and roam fearlessly. And the killings continue. 5. Social Problems Despite harbouring famous archaeological sites - Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, it remains divided on ancestry - Mid- dle Eastern and Indian. Albeit, ME origin does not bring dividends from Saudi, where Pakistanis aren't treated well, it certainly helps in the hostility towards India. Ethnic identity is, however, stronger and governs people's ways. While Punjabis rule the army, and Sindhis rule business, ungovernable remote NE has been busy with just being 'proud people'. Although, 'no to Pakistani and Indian rule' ones are just silent in Azad Kashmir, the noisy Baloch who face humiliation as by having few Baloch in 'Baloch Regiment', simply get persecuted. In general, however, almost like the split in ways of its founding father and his followers, its social structure is also split into western ways following elite and conservative rest. Like the following of law, not helping rape epidemic, the non following of law on alcohol prohibition hasn't helped rampant alcoholism either. Distrust of fellow Pakistani is quite high. While tired of forced conversion of their daughters the minority Hindus try to flee to the Hindu east (India), tired of the rest majority Mus- lims try to flee to the non Islamic West. Almost aired by bombing of his residence, either way Jinnah's dream has failed. 6. Kashmir It's not that Kashmir is Pakistan's biggest problem because it has brought wars and economic hardship, it's because, it has brought a huge amount of benefit. With the sweet poison thus formed, Pakistan may not live without Kashmir but it could die because of that sweetie pie. The Benefit Kashmir Brings 1. National unity 2. Misplaced nostalgia 3. Domestic politics 4. The army factor 5. The external factor. 1. National Unity Almost like the British carving out artificial nations in the Middle East, merging people of different ethnicity, language, religion and culture on the basis of majority, Muslims leaders artificially carved out Pakistan out of South Asia. Not brought about by people's revolution like India, its weakest point has been its unity. It therefore uses all means avail- able towards this goal, and if it offers benefit, it is loved. To this effect, while it made very few understood, Persian foc- used Hindustani derivative Urdu as a common to all national language, it made Hindu India as a common enemy uni- ting all. Not being a Sanskritized derivative of Hindustani like Hindi, which is used in India, Urdu also adds to hostility and unity through 'we are different'. Though, the use of anti-Hindu/India text in schools adds to hostility, use of Kashmir struggle adds more and unites Pakistanis most. 2. MIisplaced Nostalgia Although the rulers of parts of India were Muslims, and some were emperors, they were not local Muslims but foreign- ers. Leaving the surviving unconverted Hindus to pay Jijya tax, the ruling foreigners converted many local Hindus to Islam. Far from being rulers or even in the ruling class, these converts, however, were not given the respect due to them by the ruling Muslim elite - as Saudi Arabia does today. Albeit a still standing Hindu India, unlike Zoroastrians less Persia and Christians less North Africa few decades following Islamic conquest, has baffled the Islamic world, it does entice the need. Silent on killing of African Muslims by Christians through Ummah, it, thus is vociferous on the Kashmiri plight. Furthermore, either by instinct, trick or just nostalgia, common identity with foreign rulers as Muslims is brought in to invoke 'We ruled over the Hindus'. Uniting all, this nostalgia even boosts psychology. A dream is thus strengthened and Kashmir lends the way. 3. Domestic Politics Being the only trusted institute that fights against the enemy, the army has prestige and ego. Being the chosen people, almost like the Jews, politicians don't feel any less either. While the latter, at times, have outsmarted the former in taking Pakistan to war to settle that ego, being a voter garner, they have invoked Kashmir at peace times too. Not realising its effect, while the senior Bhutto said 'We will eat grass, but get the Atom bomb', possibly unknown to the West, his Oxford educated sibling - the 'Daughter of the East', openly supported terrorism in Kashmir. Kashmir simply brought votes, and organiser ISI was not loved less than by the army. 4. The Army Factor With partition seeing a genocide, its army was needed right at the start. When hostility towards India gained national recognition, its need as defensive institute enhanced even at peace times. When its cadres sacrificed lives in war, it added respect, even if the war was lost. And when corruption engulfed the nation, it became the only trusted institute. And when it put Pakistan under its (army's) rule with little opposition, it had everything. Next

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Violence in Kashmir

PM Nawaz Sherif With Modi

Muslims Praying

Founding Father Jinnah

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