Facts and fables
IF one wants to control the future, one must be in control of the past. Our books (especially textbooks) embody the wonderment of fables and self induced bigotry.
They are classic examples of distortion of historical facts and weaving of elements of fiction in it.
We, as a nation, at this point are simply incapable of rational and logical thinking and see everything with a preconceived notion.
We fancy ourselves as the flag bearers of truth and take pride in our false veracity. This is a self imposed righteousness.
However, this psychological credulity in our nation is not by choice, but rather by design. This self righteous belief is carefully injected in our veins resulting in incoherent reasoning.
We have been subconsciously trained to not only embrace this belief system but also pass it on to future generations.
The disfigurement of historic events began shortly after the creation of Pakistan. The policy makers and think tanks decided to narrate events on their own terms with a little to no regard for verity.
Textbooks were only to be published and distributed if they fully corroborated the guidelines given by the policy makers.
Armed with such destructive ability of muddling the past, the facts have long been replaced with myths and misguided beliefs.
Our national history is nothing more than a complex knot of one-sided accounts and narrations which has not only given rise to extremism but also painted our religious minorities as antagonists who are busy in dismantling and destabilizing the country.
Loaded with such delirious beliefs we are destined to fail on domestic as well as foreign policy fronts.
We are back slapped time and time again into reality but still the shackles of folktales seem even more unbreakable.
We are in a dire need of turning a new leaf against the perpetuated mentality of ‘us vs the world’.
With FATF knocking at our door and the EU’s GSP plus status hanging on our heads, Ertugul-like optimism will only do harm. Pakistan can no longer sustain by letting the zealous and fervent groups thrive.
In order to sustain the current economy which is in a desperate need of some sort of succour, our domestic and foreign policies will have to take paradigm shifts.
A few weeks ago, one religious organisation demonstrated its penchant for violence and made the whole country hostage.
The current circumstances can prove a blessing in disguise if we heed to the warnings of changing political canvas and mend our ways. The gains are not worth the game.
It calls for an immediate acknowledgement that even with all our good intentions and high aspirations we still rely on the kindness of the West. But decades of contortion of facts are not going to disappear that easily.
First, there should be a fundamental understanding of the fact that from now on militants will have no role in policy making. State institutions must sever all ties with the zealously charged organisations.
Government on the other hand needs to do everything in its power to curb the influence and authority of violent groups.
These blood craving organizations should not only be proscribed but also not allowed to regroup under different guises.
Secondly, the content of textbooks needs to be overhauled. No more twisting of the facts and events.
Facts and fables for nations can’t coexist. For the former to survive, the latter needs to be sent to the gallows.
It is high time that our policy makers recognize this fact and understand the gravity of the situation before it’s too late.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
