11/26/2018 Class divide Pakistan's main problem - Daily Times

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(Abrahim Shah)

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Class divide Pakistan’s

main problem
Abrahim Shah 0
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MAY 6, 2017

Arguments that hold a lack of tolerance or a poor education

system responsible for the horri ic incident of Mashal Khan’s
killing are not just elitist but also they fail to let us analyse
the real cause behind the incident. Intolerance may have led
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11/26/2018 Class divide Pakistan's main problem - Daily Times

to the incident, but this intolerance is a product of a system

which promotes the interests of the top one per cent only.

The idea that Pakistan’s lower socio-economic classes are

somehow more prone to violence and intolerance is a very
common one in our society. This belief begets the false image
of a common Pakistani as an emotionally-charged and
irrational being — easily beguiled by demagogues into
committing the most gruesome acts of violence. Such a way
of thinking contrasts the urban elite — seen as well-
educated, moderate and rational — with the rest of the
country — portrayed as illiterate, devoid of critical thinking
skills, and prone to violence. Some people also reason that
the ability of our well-to-do classes to think rationally is a
product of their education. And if, somehow, the rest of the
country is given access to this education, Pakistan will be
cured of its intolerance.

Such thinking is a remnant of our colonial past — where the

British ‘raj’ justi ied its rule by portraying the natives as
‘prone to anger’ and ‘unable to make rational judgements’.
We inherited this harmful line of thinking, and it explains
why several people — including civil and military
bureaucrats like Iskander Mirza and Ayub Khan — believed,
and continue to do so, that Pakistan is not it for democratic
rule. This way of thinking is also re lective of the class divide
that plagues Pakistani society.

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The elite’s capture of the state is, in fact, the primary culprit
behind a segment of our population’s proclivity for
intolerance. There are lessons on repercussions of this class
divide in the Mardan lynching incident. Like most other
state-run institutions in Pakistan, Mardan University had
been allowed to fall into a state of dereliction because our
government failed to invest enough resources and energy in
it. This failure stems from the government’s inability to cater
to the masses through inclusive public institutions. Thus,

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11/26/2018 Class divide Pakistan's main problem - Daily Times

places like Mardan University have become more prone to

hateful ideologies due to the state’s apathy. It is only
inevitable that perpetrators of violent crimes will emerge
from the population segment that attends such institutes.
Thus, a system that perpetuates class divide and
marginalises large segments of our populace is the main
problem, not the education system or the quality of
education imparted at public institutions.

The class divide is evident not only in our educational

institutes, but also in our public spaces and workplaces. Over
the past few years, big cities like Lahore and Karachi have
witnessed a sharp rise in the number of privately-run cafes
and restaurants. These places cater exclusively to the upper
and upper-middle classes. Concomitantly, the condition of
public parks and recreational areas in these cities has
declined signi icantly. This illustrates how our state is failing
to meet the needs of the people, as those with money
continue to enjoy various comforts.

Class divide gives birth to the elitist view that Pakistan’s less
privileged classes are backward, and that access to education
can serve as the panacea to Pakistan’s losing battle with hate
crimes. In fact, the capitalist structure of our economy, and
social and political rami ications of this structure have led to
this situation.

It is not simply education, but our privileged up-bringing

which prevents us from suffering the day-to-day struggles of
the common Pakistani and helps us to think ‘rationally’. We
must also question how radicalisation took root in our
society, and bring to task powers such as the United States
and Saudi Arabia who funded radical organisations within
our borders for their vested interests.

The irst step, however, must be to indict a system which has

resulted in such a stark class divide in our society. We must,
then, let go of our views that those less-privileged than us are
somehow more irrational and violent than us. It is imperative

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that we act now and change Pakistan for the better. We owe
this to Mashal.

The writer is an undergraduate student at Cornell

University where he is pursuing a bachelors’ degree in
Economics and History. He can be reached at
mabrahim.shah@gmail.com

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