For decades, the Pakistan Day parade on March 23 extravagantly showcases the country’s military might. It also marks the nature of the state which is clearly driven by a security paranoid, instead of people’s welfare. Thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, the usual display of military muscle this year was replaced, at least temporarily, by a concern for public health and welfare. The opportunity for a rethink of state policies offered by the pandemic must be seized and the shift away from militarisation by the cancellation of the military parade should be continued.
The virus-induced lockdowns have focused world attention on the poor and the vulnerable. A realisation seems to be sinking in that if the states failed to provide health and social security to daily wage earners and the poor, the pandemic could well cause a collapse of the capitalist structures that dominate the world and swallow up everything, not just the poor.
Large scale retrenchments of the workforce gravely impact profits and revenues - lifelines of capitalism and the superrich. It has become their nightmare too. Fears of closure of multinational operations, dwindling profits and a swing of the pendulum back towards socialism is a potent one lurking in the minds of capitalists. That is perhaps why CEOs of mega corporations called on President Trump recently, the latter feeling obliged to announce a huge bailout plan for the workers.
A safe-for-all world can no longer be the same as it was before the pandemic. Indeed a rethink of state structures is also reportedly underway in some countries. Pakistan must seriously begin a rethink of its own state policies and begin to make a shift away from a security-driven state towards a welfare-driven one. There is still time to do it in an orderly manner with the least disruption. The state will not be saved by glittering medallions if the pandemic gets out of hand and the poor thrown out of employment begin dying in the streets.
To begin with relatively easier decisions, particularly those involving symbolism, as against resources, can be taken right away. One such decision may be to reconsider the holding of pompous military parades on March 23 every year and replace it will celebrating it as Yome Jamhooriah (Republic Day) as originally designed, stressing welfare of the people. Indeed for two years, in 1956 and 1957, it was celebrated to mark the adoption of the Constitution and saying goodbye to the dominion status until it was changed.
Adoption of the Constitution and jettisoning the dominion status was a landmark event in the history of Pakistan. By reflex mechanism it invokes images of independence from foreign yoke and supremacy of the people instead of the supremacy of the brass which in the context of independence struggle was alien at best, and downright foreign and hostile at worst.
After independence, both Pakistan and India, like Canada, Sri Lanka, South Africa and New Zealand, were dominions and thus not totally free in foreign policy and some areas which were in the hands of British government. India got rid of dominion status in 1951, Pakistan five years later on March 23, 1956. As a most important day in our national calendar, we need to revert to its originally planned celebrations, for the sake of symbolism at least.
Celebrations of national days and the themes underlying them have a profound impact on a people’s psyche, mental images and responses to stimuli. Had we continued celebrating March 23 as Republic Day emphasising the Constitution, well-being of the people and independence from foreign yoke, the state would have taken a course different from the one it is treading today. The trajectory of the nation’s thinking was, however, put on a wrong course when General Ayub Khan struck in 1958, replacing ‘Yomi Jamhooriah’ with a Pakistan Day military parade. This implanted in the minds of people a false idea that national pride lay in brass and band instead of constitutionalism, democracy and people’s welfare.
The shifting of the August 14 military parade to March 23 further reinforced this indoctrination. War began to be glorified. A ridiculous flag lowering ceremony at Wagah border was designed in 1959 to glorify showmanship and war. Self-serving myths were purveyed through word-of-mouth about mysterious green turbaned men appearing from nowhere to catch the bombs thrown by enemy planes and safely defusing them with bare hands. Another military dictator General Zia prescribed the motto of ‘iman, taqwa, jehad fi sabillilah’ for the troops. All this helped create an environment for strident militarisation of the state and society that continues till today.
The annual Pakistan Day military parade and the daily flag lowering ceremony at the Wagah border have become symbols of a security state. They seek to build a narrative of war instead of democracy, of fundamental rights, of constitutionalism and of public welfare. Pakistan can survive and prosper only as a welfare state, not as a security state. The narrative imperceptibly built by these archaic symbols of a security state must give place to the narrative of welfare of the people as Coronavirus forces a rethink. It will cost nothing but do enormous good to the state and society.
The writer is a former senator
The virus-induced lockdowns have focused world attention on the poor and the vulnerable. A realisation seems to be sinking in that if the states failed to provide health and social security to daily wage earners and the poor, the pandemic could well cause a collapse of the capitalist structures that dominate the world and swallow up everything, not just the poor.
Large scale retrenchments of the workforce gravely impact profits and revenues - lifelines of capitalism and the superrich. It has become their nightmare too. Fears of closure of multinational operations, dwindling profits and a swing of the pendulum back towards socialism is a potent one lurking in the minds of capitalists. That is perhaps why CEOs of mega corporations called on President Trump recently, the latter feeling obliged to announce a huge bailout plan for the workers.
Celebrations of national days and the themes underlying them have a profound impact on a people’s psyche, mental images and responses to stimuli
A safe-for-all world can no longer be the same as it was before the pandemic. Indeed a rethink of state structures is also reportedly underway in some countries. Pakistan must seriously begin a rethink of its own state policies and begin to make a shift away from a security-driven state towards a welfare-driven one. There is still time to do it in an orderly manner with the least disruption. The state will not be saved by glittering medallions if the pandemic gets out of hand and the poor thrown out of employment begin dying in the streets.
To begin with relatively easier decisions, particularly those involving symbolism, as against resources, can be taken right away. One such decision may be to reconsider the holding of pompous military parades on March 23 every year and replace it will celebrating it as Yome Jamhooriah (Republic Day) as originally designed, stressing welfare of the people. Indeed for two years, in 1956 and 1957, it was celebrated to mark the adoption of the Constitution and saying goodbye to the dominion status until it was changed.
Adoption of the Constitution and jettisoning the dominion status was a landmark event in the history of Pakistan. By reflex mechanism it invokes images of independence from foreign yoke and supremacy of the people instead of the supremacy of the brass which in the context of independence struggle was alien at best, and downright foreign and hostile at worst.
After independence, both Pakistan and India, like Canada, Sri Lanka, South Africa and New Zealand, were dominions and thus not totally free in foreign policy and some areas which were in the hands of British government. India got rid of dominion status in 1951, Pakistan five years later on March 23, 1956. As a most important day in our national calendar, we need to revert to its originally planned celebrations, for the sake of symbolism at least.
Celebrations of national days and the themes underlying them have a profound impact on a people’s psyche, mental images and responses to stimuli. Had we continued celebrating March 23 as Republic Day emphasising the Constitution, well-being of the people and independence from foreign yoke, the state would have taken a course different from the one it is treading today. The trajectory of the nation’s thinking was, however, put on a wrong course when General Ayub Khan struck in 1958, replacing ‘Yomi Jamhooriah’ with a Pakistan Day military parade. This implanted in the minds of people a false idea that national pride lay in brass and band instead of constitutionalism, democracy and people’s welfare.
The shifting of the August 14 military parade to March 23 further reinforced this indoctrination. War began to be glorified. A ridiculous flag lowering ceremony at Wagah border was designed in 1959 to glorify showmanship and war. Self-serving myths were purveyed through word-of-mouth about mysterious green turbaned men appearing from nowhere to catch the bombs thrown by enemy planes and safely defusing them with bare hands. Another military dictator General Zia prescribed the motto of ‘iman, taqwa, jehad fi sabillilah’ for the troops. All this helped create an environment for strident militarisation of the state and society that continues till today.
The annual Pakistan Day military parade and the daily flag lowering ceremony at the Wagah border have become symbols of a security state. They seek to build a narrative of war instead of democracy, of fundamental rights, of constitutionalism and of public welfare. Pakistan can survive and prosper only as a welfare state, not as a security state. The narrative imperceptibly built by these archaic symbols of a security state must give place to the narrative of welfare of the people as Coronavirus forces a rethink. It will cost nothing but do enormous good to the state and society.
The writer is a former senator