Why minorities suffer in Pakistan? Kaleem Dean
The minorities population in Pakistan was once believed to be 23%
of the total participation, now ‘scaled-down’ to paltry 3% ‘fun-sized’
enumeration. The latest census of 1998 tabulated on de jure basis estimated 2.3
million people belonging to ethnic minorities with Hindus 1.20% and Christians
1.09% presence in the country. 130 million recorded population in 1998 census
now has reached to 194 million. But, ironically, minorities’ population is
showing a static figure of 3%.
Ishtiaq Ahmed, a Pakistani
origin, Swedish Political Scientist wrote in his book in 2011,” Some
independent studies, however, suggest that the non-Muslims population of
Pakistan is nearly 10 per cent and Hindus, Christians, and Ahmadis make up four
million each. It is generally noted that while majorities play down minority
figures, the minorities inflate them.” How that all happened, looks weird but
something happened that lead Pakistani minorities to a total social
dissatisfaction.
The founding father had
the vision to cater for minorities equally and justly. But right after
independence, discrimination against minorities started when ethnic minorities
were deprived of their property and housing rights in Punjab, the cluster of
ethnic minorities. The disbanded minorities were shoved to take refuge in
remote rural and slums of the country. Most of the Christian minority settled
alongside the sewerage canals in their make-shifting turned perpetual
dwellings. Because of social hatred, poor communities were offered ‘sweepers’
jobs only and they were bound to accept to feed their tummies. Before partition
especially the Christian missionaries had established a network of educational
and health institutions which even continued after 1947. Pakistani missionaries
before 1971 worked to uplift their communities. However, the nationalization of
all educational institutions in 1972 demoralized minorities, to their dismay,
many left the country forever. The inclusion of hardness of blasphemy laws in
the constitution of Pakistan in 1985 is another factor minorities started
feeling vulnerable in the country.
The massive abuse of the
law is still continuing and without exaggeration, this is in the complete
understanding of the international community that discriminatory laws are used
against ethnic minorities. Keeping minorities away from the electoral politics
is still another issue that kept minorities at stake. By and large, state and
non-state actors were involved in minorities squash. The Governments, the
Church Administrations, and minorities’ political elite have to quickly revise
their positions to enable ethnic minorities’ successful, positive, practical,
social, ethical and political participation. Importantly, this cannot be
achieved without active coordination between the government and minorities
institutions. Regardless of their small counting in the population, minorities
are a dominant indicator to gauge country’s scale of equality, justice, and
fairness of treating all, irrespective of their religion. As per recent
reports, minorities vote bank has reached to 3 million. Will it be wise to
ignore this fiddling human section albeit nickel-and-dime? How could poor
communities be uplifted?
Firstly, the Church could
play a lead role in community development. Theologically, Church is responsible
for the holistic development of the congregations. This has been observed that
the evangelical side has superseded the ecumenical side, an aspect of Church
ministry, directly related to the physical wellbeing of the community. Prayers
and action are ‘a twin package’, the easiest has been chosen ignoring the
practical manifestation of the faith. All over the world, Church along with
worship and prayer services establishes projects for community development like
women empowerment projects, old homes, free education for needy and poor,
scholarships for bright individuals, Coffee morning’s etc etc. Church in
Pakistan lacks such realities which are equally important like other regular
religious sacraments.
Christian educational
institutions are still believed to be one of among the best schools, all
commercial, not ready to accept poor children from minorities. If every single
good quality educational Christian institute enrolls 20 fully sponsored
children in schools, things will be changed in years. Secondly, there are
hundreds of Christian Non-Governmental Organizations claiming millions of
dollars every year, they too, need to re-shape their vision to support
marginalized communities for which they acquire international funding.
Thirdly, the Curriculum
development bodies never paid attention towards the ‘books content’ being
taught in schools. From time to time reports are published highlighting the
issues of controversial material found in schools books. Concerns of the
national and international community are not taken into account. School
grooming is something that shapes one’s future personality. Intentionally or
unintentionally, such content is included in school books that undermine all
other religions except Islam, the result of which comes out in the shape of
hatred, social discrimination, fundamentalism, extremism, and persecution.
Fourthly, because of the
political instability, governments show no or little concern towards
minorities’ development. Minority ‘selected’ members of the federal and
provincial assemblies are relied upon for catering demands, however, as they
are not ‘elected’ through a proper electoral system, most of the time, unable
or unwilling to respond to their respective sections they represent in
legislative assemblies, instead, bound to follow the policy framework of their
‘master political parties’. This year a new addition of ‘Christmas Train’ was
another ‘so called clinching effort’ to gain national and international praise,
though appreciated but people need something else, concrete and meaningful.
Because of political
allegiance to different political parties, the small percentage of ethnic
minorities has been chopped up further leaving no chance of their unity. Will
it continue or is there any way out to resolve this confusing situation? A
Little effort will bear positive results. Sindh is the home of 3 million Hindus
struggling for their rights for the last seven decades. For the first time in
the history, Hindu Marriage Act was passed by the Sindh Government, indeed a
praiseworthy decision. Before this act, it was impossible for Hindu women to
prove their marriages and inheritance rights. The community was total disaster
always looking to flee the country.
The majority of Christian
minority lives in the Punjab province settled in slums and rural Punjab.
Massive organized attacks were made against Christian minorities like Gojra,
Joseph Colony, Iqbal Park bombing and Youhannabad massacres. Blasphemy laws are
frequently used against Christians in Punjab. KPK is believed to be the home of
the Sikh community, where they suffer the most compelled to find refuge in
other parts of the country or the world. For bringing solutions to minorities
issues, the Federal and Provincial governments are main players. The first
resolve could be a fresh legislation to curb the misuse of blasphemy laws.
Introducing legislation for a balanced curriculum development free from social
and religious hatred is the need of the hour. An honest based effort to count
the real number of minorities in 2017 National Census is vital for political
participation. The electoral reforms for the independent and direct system of
election for minorities are urgently required. The Church is another main
stakeholder. If the Church and Para Church starts working on establishing a
network small projects for community development and free education system for
the most deserving children it will give impetus to the efforts planned by the
government. The NGO sector could be more effective if follow the maxim that
honesty is the best policy.
The writer is a freelance columnist, can be contacted at
kaleem.dean@mail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment