(27th March 2013)
Playing with fire: Urdu syllabus changes
POISED to transfer the reins of government from one elected party to another, there is no doubt Pakistan is at a historic juncture. But instead of this giving the political elite confidence, what we are seeing are increasingly craven electioneering tactics. Viewed through this prism, the Punjab government’s reaction to criticism of its changes to the province’s 10th class Urdu textbooks acquires a far more serious dimension. In the new edition of the textbooks published in February, the government had excluded several chapters of prose and poetry that discussed Islam. This is something that has been argued for by reformists for years, given that the curriculum already has an entirely separate, mandatory subject — Islamiat — on the topic. Why should similar material be included in textbooks that teach the art of writing and articulating concepts in Urdu, when far more diversity is available? State-set curricula have over the decades faced legitimate criticism for the manner in which the dominant religion and a jihadist ideology have seeped into them, feeding into the polarisation of society and the further shrinking of space for minority and progressive groups.
But instead of standing by the reformist move, the Punjab government did a pusillanimous about-face when the exclusions were pointed out on Sunday. Swayed, no doubt, by the temptation to not be seen as doing anything that might disturb mainstream sentiment, it announced that the old chapters would be restored. That Shahbaz Sharif was, in fall last year, a proponent of the changes on his official Twitter account only makes the latest move more unfortunate. Is Punjab’s political elite really as insecure as this? Yes, there’s an election to be won, but much more important in the larger context is that there is a country to rebuild, and this will not happen unless leaders learn to set Pakistan’s house in order in more ways than one.
Whatever the shape of the next government, winning will only be the beginning of the battle. The far more serious challenge will be to somehow claw the country back from the edge of the abyss into which it is currently staring and redirect it towards progressiveness, prosperity and security. This will involve making tough choices and going against right-wing sentiment where necessary. Yet there are few signs that the political elite have the courage and commitment to do so.
‘I’ and JI: Imran’s rally, his allies
THOSE looking for a party to end the individuals’ hold on Pakistan politics must have been disappointed by Imran Khan’s address to a big rally in Lahore on March 23. And those who had seen in him the promise of an independent, refreshing (even progressive) thrust for change are not too pleased with his closeness with the Jamaat-i-Islami.
No, Imran Khan at the Minar last Saturday was no carbon copy of the cricket captain who spoke at Melbourne on March 25, 1992; it couldn’t have been so, given the change in scope. Then, while lifting the World Cup, he had allowed his person and his personal cause to hog the limelight, at the cost of his team. Now, as the leader of a party with a much bigger task ahead, there was still just too much of ‘I’ in his speech. This was a long introduction to Imran Khan to those who needed no introduction to his religious views and his honesty, to those who instead needed him to spell out his plans for the future; his party’s manifesto.
If it was the rain which prevented Imran Khan from divulging his political plan at the rally, at least some part of his poll strategy was revealed after his meeting the following day with the JI chief, Syed Munawar Hasan. Not everyone was pleased to know that, after its shows of strength, the PTI still has to talk seat adjustments with the JI.
Mr Khan has been close to the JI, but even with all the emphasis on religion in his discourse, the move to ally himself with the Jamaat is difficult to understand in political terms. Imran Khan’s distinction lies in him being free from past afflictions. A partnership with a party that has been pretty much part of the system, even if it is one that is ideologically compatible with PTI, could detract from this appeal. It could help the JI get some of its candidates elected but could also cost the PTI some potential voters.
Disastrous tour: Cricket at a crossroads
THE Pakistan cricket team’s disastrous tour to South Africa ended on Sunday with the visitors losing the one-day series 3-2, which followed their Test series whitewash at the hands of Graeme Smith and his men. The nearly two-month, nightmarish campaign by Misbah-ul-Haq and his men has brutally exposed their inadequacies in technique and resolve to counter a top-ranked team such as the Proteas. More importantly, the lopsided contests have raised serious questions about the quality of cricketing talent that is being produced at the domestic level and is subsequently selected to represent the country. To say that Misbah-ul-Haq and his men were ill-prepared to tackle the tough challenges posed by the South African team would be an understatement. In fact, the team’s poor show coupled with the chaos in the ranks was ample proof that both our players and the team management were taken completely off guard by the opposition’s strength. Not discounting the fact that about a dozen Pakistani players in the current team were touring South Africa for the first time, we are compelled to put the blame squarely on seniors such as Younis Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul and skipper Misbah himself, who were certainly not alien to the conditions and should have led the way with their performance — but it never transpired.
By virtue of this flopped campaign, Pakistan cricket once again finds itself at a crossroads — and fast approaching the Champions Trophy in June. Even going back to the drawing board won’t really help. For Pakistan to become a force in world cricket, nothing short of an overhaul would suffice. The induction of new blood is key, which should be followed by a comprehensive plan to groom the talent on modern lines and on livelier tracks.