Reclaiming Pakistan as a modern and inclusive state is impossible without reclaiming Islam as a progressive theology, which is compatible with modernity and democracy
Source/Credit: Daily Times
By Yasser Latif Hamdani | November 27, 2017
At the time of the writing of this article, the police in Islamabad have already begun its operation against Faizabad protesters. There are reports of sporadic protests from all over the country but the government has taken the extraordinary step of taking off all news channels off line. Furthermore Facebook and Twitter have been blocked on several ISPs to ensure that there is a complete media blackout of the events unfolding around the country. Whether these methods will work or not, only time will tell. However Pakistan once again stands at a crossroads in its history as it has stood several times in its history.
Pakistan’s origin and genesis as a Muslim majority state carved out of British India have always been subjects of controversy. There are many in the subcontinent who do not quite agree with its creation and continue to curse it. Certainly the bloodshed that accompanied the partition of India lent credence to the view that the idea to create a Muslim homeland was a mistake. The continuing debate over identity and the role of religion in politics that has plagued most of the country’s seven decades in existence has further muddied the waters. However what is undeniable is that there was an original vision of Pakistan as an inclusive and modern democratic state, which would treat all its citizens regardless of their religion or sect equally and without distinction that was postulated by the founding father of the country, which is the only way out of the current mess. It is this vision we need to reclaim today more than ever before.
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