A 12-year-old child innately sensed that there is something wrong about having to declare your religion on official documents and job applications. How is it then that the very institution that is supposed to dispense justice to citizens on an equal footing has ruled that people must declare their religion on official documents, such as job applications? In a society where inequality and intolerance are already integral parts of culture, the ruling by Islamabad High Court will only add to the disharmony.
The state must treat all its citizens equally, and there can be little doubt that a democracy’s primary responsibility should be to provide equal opportunity for all its citizens; whoever wants to get ahead in life and wants to climb the socio-economic ladder should be able to do so as long as they make the necessary effort.
Generations should not have to stay in a closed economic and social circle; a day laborer’s son does not have to follow the same career as his father’s; a house maid’s daughter is not condemned to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Both deserve the opportunity to be whoever they want to be and pursue their passions, as long as they stay within the ambit of the law. But what if the law itself is hostile toward certain segments of the population, bent on extinguishing their dreams and restricting opportunities to get ahead in life?
Clearly, the Islamabad High Court’s ruling has dealt any hope of a more equal society a major blow, boosting something that already flourishes in Pakistan: intolerance. And it may seem as if the ruling does not impact you, but any law or ruling by a court of law that weakens one segment of society, in fact, weakens the entire society, and it undermines our collective morality as a people.
The United States, where I live, has many flaws, most notably the man heading the country and his policies. But historically it grew as a democracy on the basic premise that all citizens were created equal. This meant providing equal opportunities to all Americans. Perhaps nothing has been more instrumental in trying to achieve this goal than the Jeffersonian idea of the separation of state and religion. Religion simply had nothing to do with how the state was governed and it did not influence the nation’s laws. This was not an attempt to demote religion’s place in society or in an individual’s life, but it was a recognition that mixing it with legislation could be problematic, making faith vulnerable to misuse. America’s reputation as the land of opportunity is no surprise then, and no wonder historically people from everywhere have flocked to her shores, even if things have regressed under the current leadership.
The opposite has been true in Pakistan; religion and state have been inextricably linked and intermixed, and becoming more so. Minorities and the poor would likely leave Pakistan given the chance—ironic for a country that was made to protect a minority. Sadly, around the world, the nation is sometimes referred to as a warning—unless we do this or don’t do that we are in danger of becoming like Pakistan.
Interestingly, Saudi Arabia, who has been Pakistan’s mentor and facilitator in all things fundamentalist, has been attempting a notable turnaround; the crown prince has introduced reforms aimed at making the kingdom a more moderate place. For instance, while Pakistan thought it well to squander energy on making sure that the Valentine’s Day was not celebrated, the prince proclaimed it okay to celebrate the occasion. The kingdom deserves credit for its efforts toward moderation and one can only hope that its example makes Pakistan think too.
Sometimes It feels as though citizenship does not matter much, being a Pakistani does not hold much meaning, and instead your caste, creed and sect are the true tests of your place in society. No doubt that Pakistan is a place with an ideology, but would it be so bad that it was an idea? An idea where content of your character and the material of your actions is what really matters, where all citizens are treated equal and with respect, where tolerance is taught in schools, and where being a Pakistani means that you can expect equal opportunity to get ahead, and when you fill out a job application, being a Pakistani puts you on a level plane.