Adil Najam
Pakistan Day is a day of celebration. But it is also a day of reflection on what we have been through and what lies ahead of us.
In this, the second in our series of special posts to mark Pakistan Day 2009, we want to focus on what lies ahead in terms of the biggest threats to Pakistan’s future. In the next post in this series we intend to focus more on the opportunities.
It is an understatement to say that Pakistan is floating through an especially precarious time in its precarious history. Indeed, Pakistan is passing through a defining time.
There is no dearth of threats facing Pakistan. But in this special ATP Poll for Pakistan Day we would like you to think ahead and respond to the question: “What, in your opinion, is the single biggest and most important threat facing Pakistan?” THIS POLL IS NOW CLOSED.
Our ATP Poll gives you eight major options to choose from. If you think there are others that are even bigger, do let us know. Also, please comment on which of these is the most important one for you, and why? If, by any chance, you have suggestions on what to do about these threats do please share your views. That, after all, is the most important question of them all. THIS POLL IS NOW CLOSED.
@ Commoner
A few comments:
“I think the single biggest long-term existential threat to the nation-state of Pakistan emanates from India.”
I am a bit confused by this statement. You claim that India is an existential threat today and in the future to Pakistan but all your examples are from 40-60 years ago.
“Independent United Pakistan’s boundaries were bigger than those of United India.”
This is incorrect, the total land boundaries of Pakistan and Bangladesh are less than 11,000 Km. The land boundaries of India are over 14,000 Km. All facts are from the CIA factbook.
“The blood bath of Partition and the belligerence of the narrow minded Indian leadership strengthened the fear in the infant psyche of Pakistani establishment as well as awam.”
Could you be more specific as to what this belligerence was?
“The instinctive urge to defend against a huge opponent who was hell bend upon avenging the humiliation of a thousand year of subjugation and rule, resulted in creation of the disproportionally large Pakistan Army.”
Pakistan is not a thousand years old. India does not ascribe any sense of humiliation from Pakistan let alone a desire for vengenace any such supposed humiliaton. India’s antipathy stems both then and today form the percieved threat to its sovereignty from Pakistan. Bangladesh was viewed from a Indian context as payback for attacks on Indian soveriengty.
“Lastly, creation of Bangla Desh would not have been possible, despite our demeaning hatred and prodigious incompetency, without the covert intrigue and the overt invasion of the then East Pakistan by India.”
I would agree, though support to the Bangladeshis was never covert.
@Waheed
There is a difference between a problem and a symptom.
All I have said is that many ‘problems’ cited in the poll are not actually problems, but rather symptoms from ‘Economic and Resource Challenges/Problems’.
I am no Taliban sympathizer. I abhor them with a vengeance.
Everyone is right in his/her capacity of understanding but the main root cause is the sleeping of our Zameer/inner soul which is nearly to dead/murdar. I tell you once that awaken we will solve our problems automatically.
When that one is awakened, we will have a JAZBA:-
to help others,
to sacrifice for others,
to have selfrespect for others,
to complete our duties just like Faraize,
to do our jobs like worship of Allah the Great,
to have sympathy for others, while forgiving others,
will having thinking to understand the problems of others,
will be respecting labour, cobblers, barbers like Dr., Engrs,
will be giveing respect according to the their CHARACTERs,
will come haya/sharm in our eyes and respect for ladies,
and many many other unseen benefit we will get you cann’t even imagine, like barakat/barka/blessing of Allah will come as mun-o-salwa.
Whatever Education system is going on, just kindly we add with open heart and noble intention the Tashree of Allama Iqbal poetry, I tell you the whole Nation will be united as in 1940 and will progress to achieve goals for the Pakistan was created.
Don’t forget we are the most blessed 2nd Nation and Country on Earth which came to existance in the name of Allah, first was Yasrab (Madina Shareef) and the second was Pakistan on Earth.
We have to boost up the moral of the Nation, have to bring forward our successive part while eliminating our faults.
IF we get success in awaking of Khuddi/inner soul, then our every child will be Eedhi for Nation and atomic bomb for enemies.
Pakistanis should keep their faith in the ‘original idea’ of the very creation of this nation and eventually it will all work out. All nations have gone through periods of uncertainty and termoil and the great ones have survived it all.
Pakistan is an unbreakable unit of people with a lot of talent, a great cultural heritage, a desire to educate her next generation and it can handle all challenges it is facing presently.
With today’s web based world of science and technology, it is anybody’s game to make whatever one wants to make of it’s people and, Pakistan is fortunate to have the people and land resources enough to be a major player for years to come.
It is an easily believable situation and so doable, just keep the faith.
Zach
So I voted for “religious extremism and violence” as the biggest threat. I might have considered other options, but my vote suffered from a bias because only today I saw a documentary (linked below) that brought the message home.
The documentary is by Sharmeen Obeid-Chinoy, a wonderfully talented Pakistani film-maker (I know she’s been featured on Pakistaniat before), and is called “Pakistan’s Taliban Generation.” I don’t know how many of you have seen it before (I think it aired on TV recently) but for those who have not, here it is:
The youtube video has five parts, 50 minutes in total.
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcj9m7s7TWI
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRtYzLUnEzU&feature =related
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxjXMkR01Q0&feature =related
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep9lNFWY4nw&feature =related
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msycUqQzfTw&feature =related
Very, very disturbing and ominous. Enjoy people! :)
education, education, education. free flow of information and unbiased education is the solution to extremism
Going little off topic here, but a quick root cause analysis of our constant failures suggest that the biggest threat has been our narrow minds and unwillingness to accept change and the fact that no two people are the same (in terms of faith, belief, race, sex, ethnicity, color, physical appearance, wealth etc) and should be respected unconditionally. The same is also the main cause for lack of trust among ourselves, and trust is the main factor for advancing.
The URL for the daily times article mentioned in my earlier comment is here:
“Development: Debt we can’t pay back —Syed Mohammad Ali”
http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=20093\17 \story_17-3-2009_pg3_3