Jingoism in Pakistan

Junaid Zahid

Jingoism is an extreme and aggressive patriotism. Its a pride in anything that belongs to one’s own state and hatred against anything foreign.

This is exactly that is going on between India and Pakistan. Extreme hatred between the two is the result of the lies spread on media. Just one case of irrationality in India and our media will present it out of proportion. The news will run like ‘see the biggest democracy and secularism in the world raping a girl… oh see they worship the cow “. Everybody will try to ignore what is going on in Pakistan and bash India. When the CM of the Indian state UP Yogi Aditiya Nath was elected our media ridiculed him by his physical appearance. He was labelled as Hindu extremists by his physical appearance and his personal faith was given names. But infact he is a Hindu mystic of high nature who live in a temple and talk about Muslim women rights. Due to his stand against triple divorce he has following among Muslim women. But we will label anybody an extremist if he is in his traditional Hindu sadhu dress because we are taught this at school.

Our textbooks are no better either. Just go through them and an image of an extremist irrational Hindu will be imprinted on your mind. Even the greats freedom lovers like of the stature of Mahatma Gandhi are not spared. I remember Pakistan studies book of my intermediate. The word exactly used there for Mahatma Gandhi was “Ma’kaar’. The heading about Gandhiji was like ‘Gandhi ki cha’lakian”. The war heroes of 65 are presented in flying colors . Instead of telling kids about the dangers of war and how did we bear a heavily loss the textbook tell you we have always been in the right and Hindus true to their extremist nature first attacked us. There is not a word about the background of this war and how were Operation Gibralator and Grandslam was initiated by Pakistan that caused the war. Lies upon lies are told to the students not just to produce patriotism but jingoism and hate by falsifying other people’s intentions.

A friend of mine who is expelled from teaching at school told me that once in a school play he portrayed a good character of Hindu to show that Hindus can be good too and to eradicate hate for them among students. It was reported to the higher authorities and they expelled me he told.

Recently an add about India’s defeat is going on at TV. Indians are shown weeping and Pakistani singing “No issue take the tissue” to insult them. Unfortunately many kids out there in the streets are doing the same. What would they feel for their neighbour when they grow up!

And what is that ridiculous practice every evening on the border in the name of honoring the flag. Hundreds of people gather there and enchant some jingoistic slogans all around.

Many of the people argue that more and more sporting activities between the two countries will create love but its not true. We have seen recently that the cricket match only increased hate not lessened it. In my view what only we need is to extract the hate material from our texts and focus on people to people direct contact. 90% of the Pakistani have never met a Hindu in their life ,by meeting them Pakistani would at least know how do they look like and what do they do. I’m sure they will find them a different creature than the one presented on media and textbooks.

By Junaid Zahid