2+2=5 ?

When the protagonist of the classic Orwell novel 1984 is asked during torture whether 2+2 equals 5, he wonders if the state makes it true and everybody is made to believe it, does that make 2+2=5 true?

Used in a novel published in 1949, Orwell’s allegory for totalitarianism, revisionism and the sheep like behavior of gullible citizens still rings true. 

Pakistan too suffers from this 2+2=5 syndrome. Does our educational system produce a crop of students who are able to think out of the box, challenge existing notions and have the courage to bring change? Is creativity encouraged or discouraged. Sadly the answer to these questions is no. Our educational system does not produce such a crop of students and yes, creativity is discouraged. Barring the institutions that are located in our apparently progressive and elite urban bubbles, curiosity and questioning is discouraged, though putting the blame solely on the educational system would be unfair. 

Take a look at our culture, after all every institution that exists in this country is derived from our culture. Does our culture promote values of free speech, encourage curiosity and applaud change?

Years ago when studying biology in my 9^th class, our teacher skipped the chapter on evolution because it was un-Islamic.  In my 2^nd year, my physics teacher spent two class sessions explaining to us in no less detail about the physical and mathematical proofs of Shab e Mairaj. No questions were asked, nor were we expected to ask. Who would have dared to ask? 

Including religious content in school textbooks and especially scientific textbooks discourages the student’s ability to think and reason with an open mind. Recently, Maulana Sherani, chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology called for ‘introducing a uniform system of education throughout the country, integrating religious teachings with the contemporary, mainstream education’. In other words, he envisions a madrassafied educational system of Pakistan while remaining completely oblivious to the rising sectarian tensions, religious extremism and economic strife. But Maulana sahib is a product of this system, what else he could have said?

Putting aside educational institutions, would questioning our values be allowed in our culture? The images of Salman Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti and Sabeen Mehmud pop up as a warning. Question and you will share the same fate. Many pens stop. Many cerebral cogs cease to work. The murderer of Sabeen Mehmud was an IBA graduate, but more so he was the product of this culturally constrained educational machinery. When confronted with facts which threaten to bring down everything you have been taught to believe is true, turning to violence is only but natural. What sort of educated aalim was Aamir Liaquat Husain when he spewed vicious comments on the Ahmadi minority on live television? Weren’t those who introduced Blasphemy law and laying foundations of hatred towards no Muslims, products of this system?

Extremism is a product of this system and it exists on both ends of our country’s religious spectrum. Moderation is but a wispy figment of our imagination. 

Look at the scenario unfolding on Pakistani social media. The people either out rightly accept a news or out rightly reject it. Everything is seen in a George Bush-esque black and white perspective. The amount of vitriol that is spewed out, the amount of hate that is generated, the number of unfounded accusations passionately advocated, give us an insight into the mind of an educated and tech savvy Pakistani- the so called future. The exploits of Imran Khan’s social media supporters have been discussed by every respected journalist. Say anything about PTI and you would be harassed by trolls who will insist on you to take your words back. Scratch that, you will find many extremist organizations like ASWJ running their social media accounts with ease and spreading their toxic ideology to the gullible and mostly young social media users. Don’t forget the Rawalpindi sponsored ghairat brigade as well. Criticize the ‘boys’ and you will face an onslaught of jingoist zombies who will make you cringe with their indoctrinated wisdom.

 Moderation has become but a wispy figment of our imagination. The age old machinery continues to churn out more obsolete products.

The practice of revisionism and adding religious hues to textbooks that started in Bhutto’s time, intensified in Zia’s era and given an added momentum in Musharraf’s years has put Pakistan on a path which only leads to religious fascism. 

No matter how much funds are reserved for educational growth, it still won’t matter if the children are taught to believe in the superiority of their own faith, suspect minorities and present faith inspired counter arguments. Our textbooks glorify the battles between Muslims and Hindus. The Hindus are introduced as uncultured folk who are shown the light of culture by the Muslim invaders. And they always end up deceiving Muslims. Imagine being a Hindu child in a Pakistani classroom. In our secondary level social studies textbooks, Muslims of Pakistan are always told to be related to Arabs, Turks and Persians. No link to South Asia is ever mentioned. One religion is taught to be made up of a Master Race and other minority religions are taught to consist of second class citizens. What sort of adults will our children become after being fed with such drivel? Outside of academic institutions, people around these children continue to inculcate them with ideas of segregation, intolerance and being subservient to the existing moth eaten culture which has brought Pakistan to this state where governance without patronage of criminal activities is impossible and where vote is still given on caste, creed and connections not on the manifesto and resume.

For these moth eaten societal structures to change we have to ask ourselves the ultimate questions

If your religion says that 2+2=5, would you accept it?
If your culture says that 2+2=5, would you accept it?

Spiritually, Morally and Politically Corrupt.

The people of Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) were funny people. Funny in a way that when in 1453, hundreds of thousands of Ottoman Muslim soldiers were standing at its gates, they still found time to search for divine signs of their victory and debate on who was a good Christian or a bad Christian, whether the pope in Rome was going to accept their Orthodox Christianity, whether this part of the Bible was right or wrong, and when would the angels descend on Earth to wipe off the Muslim armies that were standing outside the city gates and getting impatient to decapitate every single one of them. They took furious pride in their history. They remembered how in the distant past their ancestors had repelled each and every Muslim invasion on their city and how they had made their city a jewel of the known world. And just that. The Muslims on the other hand never gave up their hope of conquering that bastion of Christianity in the east. And their hopes came to fruition when Sultan Mehmet delivered Constantinople to them (credit to Mehmet for not allowing widespread bloodshed and giving express orders to protect the city's historical artifacts-compare that to Bush's invasion of Iraq). Sultan Mehmet was a sly and ruthless monarch. He used the latest and most advanced technology of his day to capture vast territories. He was ruthless. But ingenious and cunning. To add insult to Christianity he in fact recruited thousands of Christians from the Balkans to fight for his cause promising them land, wealth and women. Few of them ever converted to Islam-and no one compelled them. According to studies, 70 percent of advisors in Saladin’s (the hero of Islamic Armies in the Crusades) court were Jewish. But the Mullah doesn’t want you to know this. Does he?

So, do you notice eerie similarities between the Constantinople of 1453 and the Pakistan and Muslim World of today? Both of them being involved in stupid religious debates. Both having a corrupt bureaucracy and religious clergy (The Emperor of Constantinople was at least good- nonetheless a bit foolish).

The Mullah curse

Both refuse to adapt to the changing world and both are victims of a superpower state. Christian Constantinople collapsed and became pre dominantly Muslim, what about Pakistan....??? I heard that the Muslims in Iraq are rapidly converting to Christianity, so much so that entire churches are being built for accommodating the increasing numbers.

Iraqis and Afghanis are openly converting Christianity.

The killing of Salman Taseer on 4 Jan was a grim reminder of the fact that the nation (including the politicians) is now spiritually, morally, and politically corrupt. Killing a man because he said something contradictory to your beliefs? And what beliefs were they? Oh yeah, he chose to defend a Christian woman, having children, who “”allegedly”” said something about the Prophet (SAWS) that the villagers found blasphemous. And now she's being sentenced to death under the 'Black' Blasphemy law. Yes, that is exactly why he was killed; he termed the blasphemy law as a Black Law (I agree with him too). For all his political faults, he chose to act exactly how a good Muslim should. And who are we to judge that who is a good Muslim or a bad Muslim... Oh, sorry I forgot, the Mullah. This black law that was created by Zia has been effectively used by ‘pious’ men to take revenge from their 'non Muslim' enemies. If you are, a landlord and you happen to want a plot of land belonging to a poor non- Muslim, then worry not, the Tauheen e Risalat qanoon is there to save the day. All you have to do is to say, Hey this man defiled the name of the Prophet. Get some cronies to support you, go to the court and file a case, knowing that the game is certainly in the bag. If you happen to be annoyed by a certain 'non-Muslim' person, worry not, the Tauheen Risalat Qanoon is there to help you out!

Asia Bibi now faces hangman's noose, thanks to the Blasphemy Law

It’s disgusting that how the name of Prophet is now being used to take revenge, spill blood and grab acres of land. I believe that instead of imposing that black law on the non-Muslims, this law should be struck on those who are much more effectively defiling the name of the Prophet. It’s equally heart wrenching to view the different comments that are being posted on major news sites and forums ( one reader said, 'Islam, religion of Peace. And Love. Haha'). And honestly, who can fault these people. Obviously, the wrong version of Islam is being presented to them and they have every right to express their disgust. It’s funny that those Muslims who choose to spread Islam through the Jihad of Pen are now branded as Heretics. Shame.

But on the positive side, the religious parties have yet to gain majority in the National Assembly, which suggests that the people don’t support them much, but here lies the conundrum. Although the religious parties don’t get much votes from the people, but still the people are so conservative. For further explanation, do read this article on Dawn website http://www.dawn.com/2011/01/05/facebook-praise-for-taseers-assassination.html.

Where are we heading? What is our future? These are questions that wannabe news analysts love to ask. Well the answer is, annihilation, or at least becoming an American Colony or being merged back into India. I mean look at the situation, the Pashtuns are hinting towards creating a separate state for themselves merging both parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Then the Balochis are even more enthusiastic about their independence. And the Sindhi nationalists do hope for their own homeland ( although they say that very very quietly, but a stupid slur by Zulfiqar Mirza was a big hint). That leaves Punjab, which is hated by all three provinces. Coupled with that we have the religious fanatics attacking in every corner of the country and the Americans are persistently saying Do More Do More. If we don’t change our attitude and our beliefs then get ready for destruction because then the world community wont remove Pakistan because it’s a Nuclear Muslim State. No. It would wipe off Pakistan for the sake of humanity and no one will ever object to that. Don’t let 1453 happen to us.