Oscar Sherpao!

What was the two nation theory again? I am always confused on this issue. Pakistan came into being because the Muslims of united India wanted a separate homeland where they could freely practice their religious beliefs and avoid persecution at the hands of intolerant Hindus. The diverse cultural backgrounds of the population did not matter since Islam was the uniting factor and under its influence we were supposed to form an ideal state, where Muslims as well as other minorities were free to act on their respective faiths.

 

Where is that state? Who are we? Westernized enlightened moderates or Talibanized fundamental terrorists? Or simply confused don’t-know-what’s?

Yesterday, the Chief of the Pakistan People’s Party (Sherpao Group) urged the government to implement the Sharia regulations in Swat claiming that this was the only way to restore peace in the region. Mr. Sherpao seems like our very own Oscar Wilde who said that “The only way to be rid of a temptation is to yield to it.”

Regardless of his personal beliefs, I have a much simpler (and consequently, much more difficult to answer) issue bothering me. What Sharia laws does he have in mind? If he means the actual laws ordained by Quran and Sunnah (which I am sure he doesn’t), why implement them only in Swat? We didn’t get Pakistan to implement Islam in one district. The Islamic Republic of Swat was never our dream. And if he means the Sharia Laws as ordained by certain misguided, self-serving, self-proclaimed mullahs, and if he believes that that sort of sharia is not suitable for Pakistan as a whole, why give in to the fundamentalists in even one district?

When will we learn? As soon as we united the Muslims of eastern and western India to form one country, we have been making blunders which have continuously alienated the different cultures that form Pakistan. We have geographically alienated one half of the population and psychologically alienated all the other groups. So it is my appeal to Mr. Sherpao to come up with an idea that solves our problems and not, like most of our current and previous messiahs, give suggestions that would, at the most, replace our old problems with new and worse ones.

I am not naïve enough to expect Mr. Sherpao to listen to this request. I am just wishing and waiting for a time when we, the common Pakistanis, realize what a big waste of resources this country is becoming. We have to start thinking. At least we should be clear about the way of life we want for ourselves. Do we want Islam? Do we want western style secularism? Do we need freedom and if yes what kind? Do we dream of being ruled by the west or by Taliban? Do we have an iota of self respect which asks us to be the masters of our own destiny?

Most importantly, do we have any idea of the meaning and significance of national integration and cultural identity? Do we know anything? Do you?