Unity in Diversity: The Only Solution to Pakistan’s Prevailing Crisis
- Unrealized Vision of Pluralism: Despite Jinnah's vision of a tolerant and inclusive Pakistan, ethnic, linguistic, and religious divisions have led to disunity and a fragile federal system.
- Need for Inclusive Governance: Strengthening minority rights, addressing socio-economic disparities, and fostering intercultural dialogue are essential to promote national cohesion and unity.
- Call for Unity in Diversity: Embracing Pakistan’s inherent diversity is vital to overcoming socio-political schisms, ensuring stability, and fostering nation-building.
The status of multiculturalism has always posed challenges for modern states. While there isn’t one answer that works for all states, each one aims to find a contextual approach to dealing with diversity. Pakistan is a country that has been divided on linguistic, ethnic, and cultural lines across various fronts since its inception. Despite being the fifth most populous country in the world and being a melting pot of multiple religions, languages, and ethnicities, Pakistan has been plagued by sectarianism, provincialism, sociopolitical schism, and disunity, damaging its social and political fabric. It has become evident that embracing its inherent diversity is the only viable solution to addressing the prevailing crisis.
While the founding narrative of Pakistan and official state symbols, including the national flag, represent diversity, heterogeneity is a denied reality in the present. In 1946, while speaking with Mr. Doon Campbell, Jinnah said, “The new state would be a modern democratic state with sovereignty resting in the people and the members of the new nation having equal citizenship rights regardless of religion, caste, or creed.” With the current state of affairs, it is evident that the people of Pakistan are entirely oblivious to Jinnah’s vision for Pakistan. As the country grapples with social fragmentation, regional disparities, and sectarianism, a pressing question echoes: Can Pakistan’s diverse communities find common ground and unite to overcome its perennial problems?
According to Ayesha Jalal, Pakistan’s national identity seems to be an unresolved battleground between the pulls of ethnic nationalism and Islamic extremism. Rising from the ashes of colonialism, Pakistan’s nation-building process has had to struggle with the repercussions of the Two-Nation theory, ethnic nationalism, and religious extremism, leaving it vulnerable to ethnocultural polarization, national identity crisis, and fragile national unity under federalism. The mistrust between the center and small federating units and the improper federal contract have further exacerbated these issues and complicated the process of national integration in Pakistan.
The country’s leaders and opinion makers must revisit Jinnah’s vision of a tolerant, plural, and democratic Pakistan. Asad Shah, in his article, “Status of Multiculturalism in Pakistan,” also notes that the original creed of the movement for Pakistan was based on plural realities of society, which forms a point of consensus for a vast majority of the population even today. In his paper titled “National Integration: Challenges and Options for Pakistan,” Khan stresses how national politics have promoted separatist tendencies and identity crises, which have struck at the very soul of Pakistan’s ideology.
These fault lines have been exploited by both the extremists and secular entities for their gains, leaving Pakistan again in a state of turmoil. The oscillatory circumstances have forced political leadership and policymakers to divert their attention from the core areas that could ensure socio-economic prosperity and development for nation-building. Therefore, they have been unable to devise policies in favor of marginalized sub-nationalities, ethnicities, and small provinces.
Similarly, Samuel Huntington, in his book The Clash of Civilizations, also talks about how the differences between communities arise not only from culture, tradition, or history but, most importantly, from religion. Bridging these gaps, addressing civilizational fault lines, and promoting unity in diversity enhances people’s civilization consciousness, which, in turn, invigorates inclusive nationalism, accommodating and celebrating diversity. Pakistan can also apply the standards of civilization highlighted by Gerrit Gong in his book The Standards of Civilization on International Society to encourage unity in diversity. By promoting inclusivity in the governance and decision-making bodies, safeguarding the rights of minorities and marginalized communities, fostering intercultural dialogues, and addressing socioeconomic disparities, Pakistan can work towards creating a more equitable society that values and celebrates its diversity.
While there are organizations like The Federal Advisory Council for Minority Affairs and The National Commission for Minorities that protect the rights of marginalized communities and minorities, these organizations need to be strengthened. Measures should be taken to ensure equal participation of minorities in decision-making, government, and consultative bodies, both at the federal and local levels. Furthermore, relevant authorities should ratify and implement all major human rights instruments, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
In addition, addressing socioeconomic disparities is an essential step toward social cohesion. In Pakistan, every third individual is living below the poverty line. Socioeconomic empowerment without discrimination can end extremism and introduce general law and order. Lastly, while the Constitution guarantees a right to practice religion, there are still some articles that discriminate against religious minorities.
Pakistani nationalism must accept and acknowledge the plural realities of society. Ethnocultural identities are an inevitable part of a pluralist state, which ideally contribute constructively to the country’s progress, ensuring socio-economic and political rights. However, these fundamental rights are at risk, denying them access to the social safety net. In that case, the marginalized communities can easily be derailed from their constructive role to a destructive one. This instability is evident from the fragmentation of identities, where identities are closely intertwined with linguistic, ethnic, or religious affiliations instead of a unified national identity.
Pakistan’s prevailing crisis is a complex one that requires a multifaceted approach. Being a multicultural country with a cluster of languages, cultures, and ethnicities, Pakistan can encourage all segments of society to help in the nation-building process. Opposite to this, any sentiments of marginalization, extremism, provincialism, sectarian schism, or caste-creed cleavages can hinder building a unified nation. Socio-economic injustices persist in Balochistan, interior Sindh, and the tribal belt. These ethnocultural divergences, poor governance, and social exclusion underscore the need for concerted action to promote diversity and feelings of oneness so that Pakistan can eventually emerge as a thriving nation.
The author, a graduate of literature and mass communication from Forman Christian College University, Lahore, is a literary critic and nonfiction writer passionate about unraveling the complexities of human expression. Her interests also extend to international relations, cultural studies, and the dynamics of power politics.
