{"id":596,"date":"2013-05-07T09:42:39","date_gmt":"2013-05-07T09:42:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/?p=596"},"modified":"2013-05-07T09:43:07","modified_gmt":"2013-05-07T09:43:07","slug":"confusion-in-the-republic-of-konfuzistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/?p=596","title":{"rendered":"Confusion in the Republic of Konfuzistan"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is strategic confusion and there is tactical muddle.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We don\u2019t know what it is that we want and we don\u2019t know how to get there.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Yet we seem to be sure what everyone else wants from us and from those we call our brothers.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

(<\/span>Daily Times, 16 May 2011<\/span><\/em>)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Pakistanis are confused like no other nation on earth.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Christina Lamb had remarked many years ago in her book \u201cWaiting for Allah\u201d that Pakistan is a country searching for a nation.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It is not only struggling to find its raison d\u2019etre and its purpose, it is even grappling with the issue of its geographical location \u2013 South Asia or Middle East. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There is strategic confusion and there is tactical muddle.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We don\u2019t know what it is that we want and we don\u2019t know how to get there.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Yet we seem to be sure what everyone else wants from us and from those we call our brothers.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It is an article of faith with Pakistanis that the US, India and Israel are conspiring to destroy Pakistan\u2019s \u201cnuclear assets\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Few doubt that the US invaded Iraq for its oil and now the West wants Libya\u2019s oil too.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Many believe that Washington overthrew the Taliban regime in Afghanistan to prevent the establishment of a model Islamic state, which would have been the envy of the world.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The world is against us twice over, first as Muslims and then as Pakistanis!<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Our only true friends are the Chinese Communists, whose avowed atheism does not bother us in the least.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Even our adoration for Saudi Arabia as the birthplace of Islam and home to Mecca and Medina is somewhat tempered by disgust at the Saudi regime\u2019s close alliance with America.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There is a near consensus in Pakistan that the American claim to have killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad on 2 May 2011 is a total lie.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There are three schools of thought regarding the Al Qaeda chief:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

(i) Osama is still alive; (ii) He died long ago, only god knows where, when and how; (iii) He was killed by the Americans sometime ago \u201csomewhere\u201d and they were not making it known (and preserving his body) to justify the continuing occupation of Afghanistan and drone attacks in Pakistan.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Americans claim to have killed Osama now in order to (a) help Obama win his re-election; (b) obtain a justification for an honourable exit from Afghanistan; and (c) create the pretext to strike at Pakistan\u2019s \u201cnuclear assets\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It gets a bit confusing that Washington has not produced his dead body or even pictures of it!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Abbottabad raid itself and the \u201cfalse\u201d accusations against Pakistan for hiding America\u2019s \u201cenemy number one\u201d confirm that it was a test run for an attack on Pakistan\u2019s main nuclear weapons facility at Kahuta!<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Next target Kahuta, followed by Beijing.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>For China is not only Pakistan\u2019s only reliable friend, but an emerging superpower which, if allowed to progress in peace, could soon overtake the United States in economic and military power.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Those Americans will stop at nothing, so goes the lament.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Overtaken by such paranoia, Pakistanis are convinced that the West is plotting to make a \u201cfailed state\u201d out of Pakistan, which its hard-working and God-fearing citizens could turn into a prosperous and strong country and the envy of the world.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Our towering Qaraqorum (Karakorum mountains), delicious \u201cChaunsa\u201d mangoes and juicy \u201cKinoo\u201d oranges, our nuclear \u201cbums\u201d (bombs) and \u201cbahadur afwaaj\u201d (valiant armed forces), and, oh, Wadi-e-Swat \u2013 the \u201cSwitzerland of the East\u201d \u2013 what a beautiful and powerful country together they would make, but for the \u201csazeeshain\u201d (conspiracies) of our enemies, Amreeki, Bharti (Indian) and Yahudi!<\/span><\/p>\n

It is true that Pakistan could be a great country, for it has great natural assets, not the least being its hard-working and enterprising people.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>But having missed nearly every opportunity to progress, having shot themselves in the foot at every step and squandered massive quantities of aid, they have created a make-believe world far removed from reality.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Here, blaming others and manufacturing conspiracy theories passes for serious discussion and analysis not only in buses, trains and teashops, but also on television channels and college classrooms.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In truth, however, rather than conspiring to make Pakistan a \u201cfailed state\u201d, the West in general and the US in particular are doing everything to prevent it from failing, for the consequences of its collapse will be dire for the region and the world.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The US alone has provided $20 billion to Pakistan since 9\/11.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Cumulatively and historically, Pakistan might well have become the second largest recipient of foreign aid per capita in the world (after Israel).<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Foreign aid has made many Pakistanis rich beyond belief and also supported one of the largest military establishments in the world, neither of which was the goal of the donor countries.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Pakistani civil and military leaders, TV anchors and legions of political analysts like to repeat <\/span>ad nauseam<\/span><\/em> that 35,000 Pakistanis have been killed since 9\/11 fighting \u201cAmerica\u2019s war on terror\u201d.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>In truth, however, the vast majority of them have died as a consequence of religious and sectarian warfare between Sunnis and Shias, and, amongst Sunnis, between Salafis (Deobandis and Wahabis) and Barelvis (Ahle Sunnat).<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Then there have been the occasional pogroms against Christians and Ahmadis.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>In an ironical twist of history, Hindus probably now feel safer than any other religious group in Pakistan.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Every Pakistani will agree that the enforcement of Sharia is their ultimate desire.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>But they can\u2019t tell you what they mean by Sharia and which Sharia-based state model they would choose from those on offer, namely, Saudi, Afghani (Taliban) and Iranian.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It is safe to say that 70 per cent of the population, and a much higher proportion in the big cities, will reject all the above models and support a government based on a liberal, democratic system with adult franchise and an elected parliament.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>As long as the government tackles corruption vigorously and provides jobs for them, education for their children and security for all, they won\u2019t mind if it only pays lip service to Sharia.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We hear Pakistanis blaming \u201cjaheel maulvis\u201d (ignorant clerics) for our confusion, yet they not only flock behind those maulvis on a daily basis but also consult them on matters spiritual and temporal.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Enlightened scholars of Islam like Javed Ghamdi have few takers and have to flee the country.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We see our countrymen denounce \u201ccorrupt politicians\u201d for destroying the country, yet they cast their votes for them in one election after another.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Honest politicians attract few votes.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Verily, we live in a state of confusion in the Republic of Konfuzistan!<\/span><\/p>\n

By <\/span><\/em>Razi Azmi<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There is strategic confusion and there is tactical muddle.\u00a0 We don\u2019t know what it is that we want and we don\u2019t know how to get there.\u00a0 Yet we seem to be sure what everyone else wants from us and from … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/596"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=596"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/596\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":598,"href":"https:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/596\/revisions\/598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.raziazmi.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}