Refugee for Life?

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#27 Ijaz_gul

Very true. That is a track to which Urstruly also alluded to must be followed. The troube is, as HP, pointed out that a group of elites (military as well as non-military) uses the sheer numerical stength of Punjabis to exploit Pakistan as well as Punjab. In a society with weak law and order, throwing away Punjabi garb and putting on Pakistani only garb by Punjabi elits actually expands their feifdom, playing field and territory for exploitation. Punjabi masses definitely do not support them and these military generals and elites can`t win even in district council elections. But the centrifugal force (outward from center) created by Punjabi elites using Punjabi numerical strength can not be curtailed without reversing it with centripetal force. The centripetal force, in the highly classed exploitative society like Pakistan is ethnicity. That is what I said in blue color in my last post #33. In order to curtail elites exploitation, they must be made proud of Punjabi identity so that their playing field shrinks on one hand and feeling of commonwealth within ethnic group makes them think twice before exploitation of their own brothers and sisters.

People here do not understand that the cause of exploitation by Punjabi elites is their expanded playing field due to Pakistani identity only. Once they let go of Punjabi language for the sake of Urdu only, Karachi, Balochistan and the rest of Pakistan becomes fair ground for them.

This is not acceptable to Mohajirs because it also limits their playing field to their territory. MQM`s forst slogan was against quota system because of better education among mostly urban Mohajirs. They also want expanded playing field all over Pakistan plus acceptance of their culture as the defining culture of Pakistan. I am for quota system in Pakistan. That is the only way to give opportunities to rural and backward areas. Of curse it should be accompanied with creating more jobs and better education. But without quota system, even within Punjab, Aichison and Kinniard colleges would fill all the jobs leaving aal government college Toba Tek Singh graduates unemployed. That is not fair.

So play the game with the same rules. If they want to decrease Punjabi domination, they must be ready to see their share of power also reduced in Pakistan along with Punjabis becoming proud of Punjabi identity. They dont like Punjabi identity raising its head but also wish to reduce Punjabi domination. The other solution is to reach at the level of western democracies and the first step is sending military back to barracks and Musharraf to face justice system followed by fair elections, democracy, clean government, rule of law,.....

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This is more like a well-composed and well-written essay than an article; it is short on substance and long on brouhaha, rant and whining. At times it feel like voices from the concentration camp, people with their backs against the wall and other times it feels like evangelical with missionary zeal. Even hunter-gatherers have more than one markers of identity. Now our identities without proper context are meaningless. Pakistani identity is national identity and important in national matters. However, day to day life is according to social structure, needs, surroundings and cultures. It is very easy at individual level to switch one culture for another but as a group with group interests, it is next to impossible. Even in the financial capital of the world, New York, various cultural identities and group interests are visible every day and everywhere.

National identity for an individual has much less use than other types of social, vocational, racial, ethnic etc identities. The ethnic and national identities are two different things and overlap only in group interests in multicultural nations. Balochi, Sindhi, Mohajir, Punjabi and Pashtun identities are much more than political and need not be ignored, rejected or suppressed needlessly for an imaginary national identity in non-political matters.
In multicultural countries, it is nationally recognized languages, cultures and ethnic groups. In multicultural but one major culture, often the language and culture of majority ethnic group is more visible and in some cases such nations opt for symbolically one national language and one culture. There is big difference between symbolic nature and aggressively promoting it as the sole national language. Urdu is not the language of majority in Pakistan but for historical reasons it is accepted as sole national language. However its importance between the scale of symbolic and practical has been fluctuating for the last 100 years. Now it is more and more relegated to symbolic nature due to the importance of English on one hand and awareness and promotion of native languages on the other.

If it is taken as the reverent symbol of unity, then it is heart breaking for many to see its position and importance declining. But if its importance is considered nominal and symbolic, then it is no big deal. The first casualty of losing its place as sole national language officially wouldn’t be Pakistan or Pakistani nationalism but madrassahs who have no alternate textbooks source in native languages. That is why they are as vigorous supporter of keeping it national language as some Urdu-Speaking folks.

Ethnic pride has never harmed Pakistan. Pakistan is always harmed when GOP has tried to suppress them. They are much better and desired inclusion than exclusion because they provide an alternate to using religion as a binding force.

Looking back at the Punjabi history, one can not ignore the remarkable direct relationship between taking pride in native/ local identity and peace within. Whenever, Punjabis did not feel for rest of subcontinent, they were invaded from outside but did not fight among themselves and when they tried to take more pride as part of the larger subcontinent, India or Pakistan, they killed each other like crazy. The Punjabi equation is simple: ignore or make your cultural identity secondary and get ready for trouble at home or be local first and only to worry from trouble outside.

Punjabis raising the level of pride in their ethnic identity is better historically for the neighbors, particularly smaller and often fearful. More Punjabis take pride in Punjabi identity, less trouble there will be for Balochis, Sindhis, Pashtuns, and Mohajirs. The pull will be towards controlling Punjab (centripetal force) and not controlling military, Karachi or dominating Pakistani establishment.

I tell all the idiots out there once more. The best way to stop Punjabi domination and expansion beyond normal level is to make them more proud of Punjabi identity. Otherwise Punjabis with one leg each in two different boats would like to peddle both boats.

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Dear Syed,
Ethnicity,subnationalism and all the so called divisive elements are the part and parcel of any modern nation state. Diverse and diffrent communities coexist together: the best examples being the counteries like USA and Canada, who overcame the differences which carried a baggage of lots of violence. Your final conclusion is too idealistic and does not fit the paradigm of the realist world.

What we need, and what I mentioned in my essay on `Civil Society` is to let loose the forces of pluralism and instrumentalism. Individual benefit for the benefit of the state will create a fusion for all disparate elements into oneness. This is what the fuedals, sardars, elites etc fear the most. The answer lies in my conclusion.

SOCIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT THE GRASS ROOTS AND CEDING OF SPACE BY THE STATE FOR THE CIVIL SOCIETY TO PERFORM.

Cheerios

HP, Dionyus

These people demonstrate the very perceptual hate that ethnic nationalism inspires. Such Narrow mindedness is core of why Pakistan was for the last 57 years was unable to form a cohesive single nationality , that of a Pakistani.

For some of the Indian contributors here, they are a waste of time as usual, using this Internal Pakistani issue to highlight the greatness of their so called secular society, offcourse we have to forget the Gujrat, Assam, Kashmir to really understand their greatness.

Rozaiba #21

It would be a funny thing, as I think people will draw swords on who should be province No 1. On second thoughts this would not work either :)

Hellbound

Imagine, I an adult of 23 years old being told in US that I am not welcome in Pakistani Students Community simply because I was a Punjabi...so go figure, who is right and who is wrong!

Exactly, go figure how the hate once sowed is reaped in continuous vicious cycles. You faced it, many continue to face it, Who is going to stop it?????

Really try answering this question....

To you all whining about your Mohajir status. My family is Qazilbash and we migrated from Afghanistan Pakistan and never had any problem. We are living in Punjab for several years now. For us Punjab is the one of the most tolerant parts on planet earth.

nikki7777, why did your parents leave such a wonderful place?

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``I would not be wrong to place it around 85 to 90% - partly because almost the entire Mohajir population is urban.``

A hollow comparison. That is like saying Indians are so much more educated in US because the Indian population is better educated here. The Mohajirs were basically Salariat and land holders of UP and Bihar, the upper crust. Compare Punjabi Mussalmaans to the Muslims of UP and Bihar to compare the right levels.

Also, I don`t know about other Indians but your hatred for Punabis seems to be undiscriminatory. You are not saying Pakistani establishment or Military or some such. You keep saying Punjabi this and that where even people like Ana are being accused of bigotry. Well, why do you object to people reacting in the same way then. Heck I am not even Pakistani and don`t give a shit about how u manage your internal affairs but if u keep cursing out Punjabi culture etc then u will get a response.

You seem to have some kind of superiority complex.Better then Hindus, Better then Punjabis etc. U better realize that time of Nawabshahi and Mughals is gone. Jiski laathi uski bhains. In India it is Hindus and in Pakistan it is Punjabi Mussulmaans.

the hindu,sikhs they all got assimilated hon

however when you have dark skinned Urdu speakers in a sindhi province theyre going to stick out now wont they making it easier to be discriminated against?but thats out of context because pak is just pure evil...
dont give me the bull that oh yes in mother india even an extra terrestrial life form will not have ``muhajir`` issues... :)