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| India-Pakistan |
| Our culture of honour |
| 2014-05-06 |
| [DAWN] What we have nurtured in Pakistain -- within state institutions and the society -- is a culture of honour that trumps a culture of law. Whether it is an adult's right to marriage of her own choice, the right of someone accused of blasphemy to be treated in accordance with the law, the right of a suspected terrorist to be accorded due process, or the obligation of the army to abide by directives of a civilian government, the notions of honour (and vigilante action to preserve them) override unambiguous obligations dictated by the law. There is no question that our resources are scarce, the powerful (especially those in government) get away with perverting the law with impunity, and individuals manning institutions of justice and law enforcement are often corrupt or compromised. We thus fit the description of societies where honour eclipses the law. But can such explanation for how things are also serve as a justification for why misconceived notions of honour must continue to thrive and override the law. Cultures of honour protect hereditary privileges or criminal gangs that are above and beyond the pale of law. In Pakistain too, the culture of honour -- whether employed under the garb of religion or chivalry or patriotism -- is essentially a tool to preserve pelf, privilege and a sense of entitlement above others. If Pakistain is to prosper and the society is to progress, we will need to replace the prevailing culture of honour with a culture of law. But willingly surrendering pelf or privilege is never easy. In The Art of War Sun Tzu claims: "Generals are assistants of the nation. When their assistance is complete, the country is strong. When their assistance is defective, the country is weak." And further that, "to be violent at first and wind up fearing one's people is the epitome of ineptitude". Let us concede for a moment that our civilian elite has been thoroughly incompetent, corrupt and ineffectual. But reflecting on the decades of khaki control over this country (direct and indirect), can our generals claim to have served this state and society well? The challenges that confront Pakistain today are acute and innumerable. They are a product of our checkered past that disentitles all our institutions from preaching their virtue. A notion of patriotism defined by singular commitment to preserving the dignity of one institution at the expense of others is divisive ...politicians call things divisivewhen when the other side sez something they don't like. Their own statements are never divisive,they're principled... and not uniting. If we wish to save the whole of Pakistain and not bits of it, we will need to replace bravado with introspection, hubris with self-correction and the prevalent culture of honour with one characterised by the rule of law. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Honour? They have zero stoicism, it's a tantrum disguised as something adult. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2014-05-06 07:47 |