Stunning how every discussion about Pakistani nationalism comes down to religion for you guys. You have a problem with religion? Fine. That's your right. But please remember that Islam has room for all shades of Muslims, from the liberal, to the religious to the very religious. Our 'issue' is not religion. If the western media is hammering into you that religion is the issue in Pakistan, then I am sorry they are wrong, and they don't get to set the agenda. East Pakistan was not lost because of religion. Pakistan was a religious statement as much as a cultural and historical one. And the Bengalis were at the forefront of this statement. You can't deny that nor can anyone else. There would be no Pakistan, no Pakistani culture [a sum of all Muslim cultures that descended on this region], and no Pakistani language [Urdu is a cultural language, an identity statement, and an expression of a long history, and not a 'ethnic language' of anyone].
We didn't lose East Pakistan because we thought Bengali culture was heavily influenced by Hindu religion. Nor did religious parties have much of an influence anywhere in Pakistan at that time. So please stop the religion-centric reading of Pakistani history and identity that almost all the so-called Pakistani 'liberals' indulge in and consider a prerequisite for being a liberal. [Note: I salute the real liberals, of the western societies, for being true to their version of liberalism. Our copycats are made-in-Taiwan fake].
Stop being apologetic about Pakistan and Pakistani nationalism or about those parts of our history that are linked to religion. There is nothing to be apologetic about. The essence of American history is Christian Pilgirms. Religion unites a modern state like Israel, and Russia. Church is part of the British constitution. Our nationalism includes our centuries-old history in this region, and it very much includes religion, in all of its splendid inlfuence in arts, culture, language and history. You can respect Pakistani nationalism with its links to religion and still enjoy a nice glass of Scotch at the end of the day if that's what you want. That's your private business. Don't be religious if you don't want to, but don't deny the right of your other compatriots to be religiuos, and don't deny Pakistan's link to religion and religion's influence on shaping Pakistani identity and nationalism.
And just because religion is part of Pakistani identity and history doesn't mean we are not a modern state where Pakistani Christians, Sikhs and Hindues are not or can't be equally patriotic citizens. They are. During PTI's anti-drones sit-in in Peshawar early this summer, a Sikh family from northern Pakistan came down to Peshawar and told Geo News reporter they would always step forward to defend Pakistan and then he stunned everyone by quoting from the Quran to support his statement. He would still be a great Pakistani if he didn't quote from the Quran, but he showed respect to his countrymen and their religious sentiments. And we respect and will defend his, most Pakistanis would.Ahmed Quraishi
