Blessed with diversity and cursed with social intolerance, such is the tragedy of Pakistan. Having drifted quite far from its original blueprint of inclusivity, practical steps must be taken on critical issues to ensure a nation riding towards progress on the wheels of unity and social harmony. The culture of “otherization” is bred systemically within Pakistan, starting from domestic learning of intolerance and exclusivity, the role of religious leaders in fanning the flames of hatred, political leaders using ethnic politics and widening existing fault lines, as well as a sheer failing of our education system to teach values of social harmony and acceptance.
The culture of ‘otherization’ is bred systemically within Pakistan, from domestic intolerance to political exploitation.
It is imperative to not only academically identify the factors behind this increasing phenomenon in Pakistan but also to inform the general public of this reality engulfing them. The term “Otherization” means to view or treat a person, or group of people, as intrinsically different from and alien to oneself: referring to them in these terms strips them of their identity and ‘otherizes’ them as foreigners. It is a concept taken from post-colonial and feminist studies, applied to social studies widely now.
Otherization ignites the vicious “us vs them” dynamic in a society, which can lead to discrimination and eventual ripping of any country’s social fabric. Violence, disharmony and disunity lead nations to a state of stagnancy, which is detrimental to their development, security, and international image. To steer Pakistan away from becoming an example of such a country, where every religious or ethnic faction is pinned against the other, where there’s an atmosphere of mistrust and hostility, the gravity of the situation must be realized first at every level.
Pakistan has a pre-partition history that is marred by the colonial experiment of “divide and rule,” along with dictators and politicians afterwards, that further worsened the situation by exploiting ethnic politics. Provinces have always had mistrust towards each other (especially minority provinces towards Punjab), and this has been used as a political tool to garner strength and weaken opponents, at the cost of widening the fractures. This mistrust manifests itself in damaging ways, which includes ethnic violence and opposition on issues of national interest.
Otherization ignites the vicious ‘us vs them’ dynamic, leading to discrimination and societal fragmentation.
This gap needs to be bridged by addressing historical prejudices, identifying contesting areas and politically curing them. Religious intolerance owes its exacerbation to in-group biases that are interwoven into teachings, causing hinderance in the way of treating and viewing other groups with the respect and acceptance that is necessary for harmony. Quality religious education must be ensured, which requires attention to the curricula in madrassas, and employment of religious scholars with meritorious and quality education in these institutes. Currently, madrassa education in Pakistan is a sort of last resort for many families, when they cannot afford mainstream education for their children.
Qualified scholars are themselves divided by their sects and this enforces prejudices against other sects among their followers, especially in informal gatherings. One prevailing folly is the practice of labelling people as “infidels”, blasphemous, or disloyal to their religion, over mere disagreements. The dehumanizing or demonizing in this manner invites violence or hatred towards the targets.
This culture is dangerous and damaging, and needs serious addressing at a grass-root level. Political leaders as well as clerics hold significant influence over the crowds and this influence is a sharp tool. Propagation of hate and exclusion towards other groups, whether ethnic groups, sects, or religions, in an attempt to gain support, is an unfortunate trend that is prevailing, and must be addressed more effectively in mainstream media and academia.
Religious intolerance is exacerbated by in-group biases and insufficient quality in religious education.
Another factor is the incapacity and lack of our education sector to shape more tolerant and broad-thinking minds with enough knowledge to recognize structural shackles and learned biases that are destroying our social fabric. Domestically, “otherizing” of groups that are different from us, is often internalized from a young age, which becomes a generationally passed down phenomenon. This causes an inherent belief to be inculcated that “we” are right or better, and “they” are wrong or misinformed.
This obsession with otherization at every level drives us often to act inhumanely and is causing alarming levels of division and subsequent violence in Pakistan- a dire situation, but not beyond hope of improvement. Realization of the destructive nature of otherization is the first step, and with enough awareness, societal behaviors are susceptible to change. A united, tolerant and harmonized Pakistan will be the face of the progression that was initially painted by its founders.
The writer is a final-year bachelor’s student at National Defence University, pursuing a degree in International Relations. She is an intern at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute, with a particular interest in Post-colonial studies and Human Rights. She can be reached at fatima11raza11@gmail.com.
