It’s very strange, that in abroad when two Pakistani meet to each other, then there first and foremost question comes that ‘where are you from’?

With ample enthusiasm and happiness a couple of days ago 23rd March was observed across the country and the world by Pakistanis to celebrate a historic resolution that was passed during a three-day meeting of All India Muslim League held on 22-24 March 1940.

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah addressed to the participants of that meeting and truly said that Muslims are a different nation than Hindus in terms of their belief system, culture, literature and philosophies.

Therefore, it was demanded that ‘’the areas in which Muslims are numerically in majority as in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India should be grouped to constitute independent states in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign.”

This resolution played a significant role in making the dream of a separate nation come true.

The leaders who put their all efforts for the constitution of that dreaming state considered all Muslims of that territory as a single nation with the name of ‘Pakistani Nation’.

The line was drawn in terms of religion not in terms of other ‘ethnic identity’ such as region, race, language, sect, caste etc. But along-with this, it was also mentioned in the resolution that “adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards shall be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities in the units and in the regions for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights of the minorities, with their consultation. Arrangements thus should be made for the security of the Muslims where they were in minority.”

However, at the moment it is necessary to analyze today’s Pakistan in the light of that resolution and ask ourselves that are we that single nation our great leaders dreamed for and put their efforts for separate state. We will know that there is a lot of difference between the dream of our leaders and, actions and reflections of we people.

Interestingly, today, it has been observed in Pakistan that whenever two unknown persons meet to each other, then most likely, their first or second question becomes ‘where are you from’? Even in the interviews this question is being asked. Then answers start at different levels.

For instance, if both the persons belong to different provinces then answer most probably ends after telling the name of province such as I am from Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtun Khawa, Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan etc. Generally the listener says that Oh! So you are from that province or you are a Punjabi, Baloch, Pathan, Sindhi, Gilgiti etc. And if the persons belong to same province then answer starts from district, Tehsil, City/Village, Family and so on and so forth.

In the premises of Pakistan it makes some sort of sense again, but it’s very strange, that in abroad when two Pakistani meet to each other, then there first and foremost question comes that ‘where are you from’? Here I would like to give an example of a person, who first time goes abroad considering himself as a Pakistani. When that person meets to other Pakistani then they ask in their introductory conversations that how are you? Afterwards, next question comes ‘where are you from’? At that time the person feels surprised and shocked that a Pakistani is asking from another Pakistani that where are you is from. For a while the person thinks that what could be the more suitable reply to give.

Isn’t it Pakistani identify enough for another Pakistani to tell? Here in abroad, still it is needed to tell about one’s region, language, sect, district, Tehsil, village, family etc. especially in the first meeting?

When I discussed it with some of my highly qualified friends that why we ask this question ‘where are you from’ particularly in our first meeting, then they replied that because we want to know about each other so that we can treat each other in a better way.

However, it does not work most of the time and after knowing its answer we treat each other very different way not the better way. After asking and knowing the answer of this question, usually stereotypes play their role and we become biased and discriminatory in our attitude and behaviour. Because, we learn a lot of stereotypes during our socialization process which derive our behaviour then.

We have good examples of these stereotypes. We have borrowed the most respectable terms and titles from each others’ language such as ‘Sain’, ‘Baloach’, ‘Sardar’, ‘Khan’ etc. which are used for showing high level of respect in their respective languages, but in other languages they are used in a very negative sense and generally used for ‘mentally retired persons’.
It would not be an exaggeration that these words are used as an equivalent to English words ‘non-sense’, ‘idiot’, ‘mad’ and ‘mental’ etc. Even when a person is titled as ‘Sain’ in other than Sindhi language, he minds it and becomes angry.

Moreover, as far as considering and treating minorities is concerned, it is also not hidden the way they are being treated in spite of the consideration, respect, space and acceptance given to them by our leaders while making the Pakistan.

The killing of Hazara community, incident of Badami Bagh and migration of Hindu community are solely the most recent incidents to be quoted; otherwise list will be go long.

As, one foreigner rightly said about Pakistani nation that either they are Punjabi, Balochi, Pashtun or Pakhtun, Sindhi etc. There, one can hardly find a Pakistani. This is true that we lack a unity in true terms.

In order to face and solve the challenges of Pakistan together there is a dire need to create coherence between our present and our past state. To ensure the unity, this is the time; we should analyze our actions and behaviors in the light of concept and cause of Pakistan’s creation.

It will be quite helpful to delete this question ‘where are you from’, from our introductory list of questions at least while meeting to an unknown person first time in the country in general and in the abroad in particular. I think it’s more than enough that s/he is a Pakistani.

Moreover, we should break the stereotypes about each other, not to judge any person on the basis of stereotypes and avoid using the respectable words of any language in negative terms for showing our respect to that language and its speakers. We should also treat and consider ‘minorities’ as Pakistani. We should ensure them that you are also part of this country. We are one nation and together we can make Pakistan peaceful and prosper.


http://www.thefrontierpost.com/category/40/