Politics of divisiveness

Politics of divisiveness always harms a country, pushing states towards anarchy and chaos. Such politics leads societies and states towards a conflagration that incinerates everything. The consequences of such politics is nothing but disaster not only for individuals but for societies as a whole.

The history of countries is replete with instances where imprudence of politicians and hate-mongering of community mobilisers led to terrible wars, civil strife, ethnic conflicts, terrible tribal clashes and sectarian carnages. Rwanda is one such example where the vitriolic attacks of tribal leaders on one another triggered a bloody conflict, leading to the decimation of around one million people. The conflict inflicted a deep wound on the political landscape of the country, driving a wedge between communities that had been living together for centuries.

Yugoslavia in the aftermath of Berlin Wall’s fall descended into chaos, damaging the harmony that existed for decades among ethnic entities and pushing the socialist state towards a terrible civil war. Communities that had been living for decades or even centuries turned against one another, attacking men, women, the elderly and even minors. The frenzy of divisive politics dismembered a prosperous country.

It seems our leaders have not learnt any lesson from history and in recent months we witnessed attempts by politicians to fan divisiveness. Mohajir and Sindhi nationalists seemed to be subscribing to this detrimental politics in parts of Sindh while sectarian groups roamed about the country making shrill attacks on rival religious groups. Some politicians from the PML-N too created an impression that the people of Punjab are being denied their right to rule the country’s most populous province.

It all started in recent weeks with rallies of sectarian outfits that strutted around the country. Sectarian hatred has already damaged the social fabric of Pakistani society, leading to the internal migration of people from one part of the country to another, in some cases even within a city. Despite all this, sectarian hatred still exists. The sectarian fault-lines are so strong that even a natural calamity or pandemic could cause communal tension in a country like ours. Therefore, we must guard against those who are trying to divide people in the name of religious ideology and creed.

The recent rally of the MQM-P and rival political gatherings by Sindhi nationalists in parts of the province also appear to be promoting politics of divisiveness. The demand for the division of Sindh is imprudent. In turn, it infuriates Sindhis, prompting some of them to resort to politics of chauvinism.

The Mohajirs have grievances regarding the powers of local bodies’ departments and the quota in employment. Their complaints about the population of urban areas may also be legitimate but demanding to divide the province on the basis of these complaints and grievances is not wise. The MQM-P has been demanding real devolution of powers. This is a legitimate demand. It should muster support for this goal, engaging people in other parts of Sindh and listening to their opinion as well. The rhetoric about a new province will only alienate them from a common Sindhi for whom division is unthinkable.

It is correct to express grievances about the lack of representation in the federal and provincial bureaucracies but the MQM-P leadership should also try to find out how many young people from urban areas appear in competitive examinations.

Sindh suffered a lot because of the politics of divineness. Whether it was the riots of the 1970s or those of 1980s, 1990s or 2011, it was the common citizen everywhere who was targeted by the politics of hatred. Therefore, it is important that the MQM-P engage the PPP and other stakeholders, sorting out issues in a political manner.

The PPP should also rein in chauvinist groups that are spreading hatred against communities, besides inquiring into the factors that led to less representation of urban areas’ people in government jobs, especially from grade one to 16. It is not only Sindhis and Mohajirs who live in the province but millions of Pakhtuns, Punjabis, Baloch and Saraikis have also been living in the province for decades. An adequate representation in the Sindh Assembly and government departments is one of the ways to defeat the politics of divisiveness.

Elsewhere in the country, the N League should not give an impression that it is a party of Punjab but that of the entire nation. And sectarian outfits should strictly be dealt with by the government. They should not be allowed to wreak havoc with the lives of communities. Pakistan is surrounded by so many challenges which might become even tougher after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. Therefore, it is important that we put an end to this politics of fragmentation and division, forging unity in our ranks to deal with these challenges in an effective way.