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On the “death of Pakistani culture”
Khaled Ahmed is the endangered variety of writers. A true man of letters proficient in world languages, histories and cultures, he is a journalist who does not refrain from confronting the truth. There are very few individuals like him who advance the traditions of seeking knowledge and pontificating in a classical sense. I have been an admirer of his writings since my teens when I would read the Frontier Post (yes it was a thoughtful publication and a refreshing alternative to semi-controlled media in Zia days).
In his recent article published in the The Friday Times (that he also edits), he argues that “because of the death of Pakistani culture, normalisation with India has become more crucial than most of us realise”.
After 60 years Pakistan is helplessly witnessing the destruction of its culture by elements arising from within its society. The mission of purifying society to make it a fit vehicle for Islam has passed from the state. This process has been incremental, but after Talibanisation, the culture-destroying process has accelerated. The state seems to be getting cold feet over something it did earnestly since 1947 in the name of its ‘purifying’ ideology. Now worried about its global image, it is face to face with religious anarchy and wants society to become ‘tolerant’ and ‘moderate’, which is the function of culture.Â
Read the full article here.
The concluding paragraph is pretty grim -
Before 1947, Muslims offended with the fahashi (obscenity) of Saadat Hasan Manto took him repeatedly to court, only to hear the Muslim judges under British Raj say that what Manto wrote was high culture, not obscenity. After 1947, every time he was dragged before the court for obscenity, he was convicted! The judge in Karachi gave him tea in the evening and told him he was the country’s greatest short story writer, but convicted him for obscenity in the morning. Now the state wants to stop killing culture, but it is too late.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:06 am
I have been an admirer (actually fan) of Khaled Ahmed since I happened across his writing in the late 90s.
He is a jewel: my favourite writer and the reason why Friday is my favourite day of the week.
I told the girls of Kinnaird at a seminar that the difference between Indian journalism and Pakistani journalism was Khaled Ahmed.
Wish he’d resume his Word for Word column and his book review.
Regards,
Aakar
September 8th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Loved this post !!
I am putting this Manto thingy in my blog..
Thank you - for such a good read !!
September 8th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Aakar and Mystic
thanks for the comment and visiting this blog.
cheers,R
September 11th, 2007 at 4:02 am
Thank you for sharing the article..I had been missing TFT pieces since leaving homeland.
The article resonates and my fear is that the trend is going to be so much more difficult to reverse. But here’s to hoping otherwise!
September 11th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Reg CULTURE…………It is interesting and ‘mystifying’ that self styled intellectuals and liberals are always equating CULTURE with SEX !! They never quote loss of graces in our life, command of language. depth of vision and social refinements……but only “Enlightened Moderation” ?????
Culture is the sum total of our mental refinement and vision of social life….we cannot even express ourselves in good urdu or english or any other language…we are borrowing words and expressions from foreign sources……….we are intellectually barren people….do we ever quote articles from China, Middle East, USSR, Sourh America or Iran or any african nation ? but only from NY Times, Washington Post. Guardian or LA TImes……….Pleas ask the ace journalist Mr Khalid..Why?
W have lost faith in ourselves and suffer from complexes……..what to talk of Culture we cannot even do Agriculture…………………..
October 1st, 2007 at 3:23 pm
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July 20th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Hello. I think you are eactly thinking like Sukrat. I really loved the post.