What Does Egypt Mean for Pakistan?
Posted by Ethan Casey on February 7, 2011 · 16 Comments
One of the nicest compliments I’ve ever received for my work was when a Pakistani journalist, a young woman, told me I’m not afflicted by what she called “Have pen will write syndrome.” I write when I have something to say, or a story to tell, that I believe others will find helpful and worth reading. Lately I’ve been itching a little to write about Egypt, but so far I’ve concluded that the world doesn’t need my gratuitous drop in the ocean of commentary, particularly given that I’ve never been to Egypt.
But I have been to Pakistan, many times since 1995, and I’m going there again for three weeks starting February 18. And I can’t help wondering what kinds of conversations I might have there in the wake or context of the Egyptian revolution.
This will be my first trip to Pakistan since the visit almost exactly two years ago that resulted in my book Overtaken By Events: A Pakistan Road Trip. I flatter myself that, whatever its other merits, my book has a well-chosen title. As Zaka Shafiq, a young man I met in Karachi, told me at the end of the trip and the start of the book: “It’ll be out of date by the time it’s published.” But I’m not worried about being overtaken by events, because I’ve resigned myself to it as a condition of being alive in this world, especially these days. I figure my job is to listen, pay attention, and take notes. There’s a lot to be learned about where we’re at and where we’re headed, if you stay alert.
My coming trip hasn’t even started, and it’s already been overtaken by events. When I began planning it several months ago, its purpose was to witness and write about the grossly under-reported effects of last summer’s historically severe flooding – and that remains an important goal. But then, in early January, Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was assassinated and, in a shockingly parallel incident, US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in Tucson. And, now, Egypt is in upheaval.
But what does Egypt have to do with Pakistan? Well, I’m hoping you can help me answer that question. Particularly if you’re Pakistani, but even if you’re not, I invite you to post a comment on this article or on my Facebook page or, if you prefer, to write to me privately with your thoughts. And please forward this article far and wide. I want to read and hear as many voices as you can help me gather about Pakistan’s future and the implications – for Pakistan, for the Muslim world, and for all of us – of the Egyptian revolution.
My starting point is that, in what I’ve been reading, Western writers are starting to speculate – ominously and/or hopefully, depending on their loyalties – on the wider implications of Egypt for the Arab world. Even factoring in the Western public’s fuzziness on the distinction between Arabs and Muslims, it’s striking to me that few seem to be wondering, in this context, about Pakistan. The American public has had a lot on its plate lately, what with Egypt, severe winter weather, and the Super Bowl all happening at the same time, but Frank Rich’s bracingly unsparing February 6 column acknowledges the stakes:
The consequence of a decade’s worth of indiscriminate demonization of Arabs in America — and of the low quotient of comprehensive adult news coverage that might have helped counter it — is the steady rise in Islamophobia. The “Ground Zero” mosque melee has given way to battles over mosques as far removed from Lower Manhattan as California. Soon to come is a national witch hunt — Congressional hearings called by Representative Peter King of New York — into the “radicalization of the American Muslim community.” Given the disconnect between America and the Arab world, it’s no wonder that Americans are invested in the fights for freedom in Egypt and its neighboring dictatorships only up to a point. We’ve been inculcated to assume that whoever comes out on top is ipso facto a jihadist.
Rich notes the release of Donald Rumsfeld’s memoir and remembers that, like the events in Cairo, the bombardments of Iraq that Rumsfeld ordered
were spectacular to watch from a safe distance — no Iraqi faces, voices or bodies cluttered up the shots. We [Americans] lulled ourselves into believing that democracy and other good things were soon to come. It took months, even years, for us to learn the hard way that in truth we really had no idea what was going on.
So there is a lot of work to do, to continue educating the American public – I include myself – on our steep learning curve about the Muslim world in general and Pakistan in particular. What do Americans need to know about Pakistan? And, most pressingly at the moment, what are the similarities and differences between Pakistan and Egypt? And what might the events in Egypt portend for Pakistan?
ETHAN CASEY is the author of Alive and Well in Pakistan: A Human Journey in a Dangerous Time (2004) and Overtaken By Events: A Pakistan Road Trip (2010). He is currently writing Bearing the Bruise: A Lifetime of Learning from Haiti, to published in fall 2011, and collaborating with filmmaker Naeem Randhawa on a collection of stories by and about Muslims living in America. Web: www.ethancasey.com or www.facebook.com/ethancaseyfans
I play Scrabble on an international site and I play with people from all over the world. The other night
I played with a Muslim lady from Karachi and she and I discussed various things. She asked me
what did I think about Egypt and the USA in the situation, and I told her I had no opinion about what to do
or what might happen. She asked me if I approved of the USA in Iraq or Afghistan and I said not at all,
and that many Americans believe war is never the answer and it is expensive both in human suffering
and in financial costs. She said that she believes Egypt might have a great influence over Pakistan, and
she said she believes like most Pakistanis that religion should not be what governs but that she wishes
there were in Pakistan a good Muslim man or woman who could lead the country out of the struggles
that the war in Afghistan and the natural disasters have brought them. I told her I sure wish her wish
would soon come true.
The one big difference between Egypt and Pakistan is that Pakistan is nuclear-armed, with the fastest-growing stockpile of weapons in the world (while people starve). Long before any uprising gets out of hand, the army will dismiss the government and take over. They are in any case in charge of the nuclear control and command systems (not the PM or the President).
The West will express its displeasure at the “derailment of democracy” but will heave a sigh of relief, the General will promise elections in three months as per the Constitution, and then he and his junta will hang on for the next ten years.
We have been there before many times.
I believe that the Pakistani people do not have it in them to stand together and bring down a corrupt government like the Egyptians have (nearly). It is not only the Army, as suggested above, but the rest of the population to blame as well. What good have the country’s middle class done so far? They can afford to send their children to Western universities but hold back when they should be helping by raising their voices in the corridors of power, or by digging deep into their pockets to help the rest of the country. It is not a nation but a crowd of people in one geographical location.
Events in Egypt will have a bearing on all aspiring people around the world, especially in the Arab world. What will it do in Pakistan? Nothing much. Pakistan is fraught with problems which are of greater danger to it than its own politics. The country has illegal arms, Taliban, mullahs and drugs and a growing intolerant public. The literacy rate is perhaps one of the lowest in the world, ignorance rules supreme, religion is distorted, the government is inept, the military is deeply involved in civilian affairs, they have the upper hand in all aspects of the term.
The long-drawn-out conflict with India will never be solved; both countries benefit from the tension. In the case of Pakistan it is the loser, as it has less resources and has to invest in nuclear missiles and what have you to keep up with India. Egypt has a peace treaty with Israel. The political slate in Egypt is clean, whereas in Pakistan it is a dirty dish. The same players who are from the elite class, landowners, corrupt lawyers and the like, who pay no taxes, live in villas, drink whiskey, have flats in London to spend summers there, rule Pakistan. Most of the lawmakers have fake college degrees.
There is no comparison between the two countries. In Egypt everyone is a college graduate; they may not have jobs, yet they are better informed. Out of Pakistan’s population of 180 million perhaps 60% live below the poverty line as described by the UN. The Pakistanis are smart, passionate people, but they do not have a compass yet. I don’t know whether they will ever get one. Afghanistan is a bigger threat to Pakistan than India, though it is the cornerstone of Indian foreign policy to destroy Pakistan. With all it’s got the second-largest dam, the third-largest coal reserve, the second-largest copper mine, the fifth-largest gold mine and so much more, yet it is almost a failed state.
Till Pakistan redistributes its land and stops electing landlords – the term itself sounds medieval – it will remain backward and others nations will dictate terms to it. What makes countries successful is the rule of law. People who have raided its wealth should be taken to the cleaners. It’s a long rocky road ahead for Pakistan. Egypt, on the other hand, is in a better neighborhood. It will most likely take off on the right trajectory.
I’m tempted to respond to Ethan’s query on the relevance of Egypt to Pakistan with “Not much,” but clearly this does not account for a universality of ambition for self-governance and liberalism. The last two decades have shown that authoritarianism is becoming increasingly untenable in a majority of the world’s states (though not yet a majority of its people).
However, drawing a universal lesson from the cases of Egypt and Pakistan can be difficult: Egypt is more or less an ethnically homogenous state, coupled with a relatively high level of education and development. Propinquity matters: democratization in the Mediterranean region (though perhaps not in Egypt’s neighbors of the Maghreb) has a much deeper penetration there than in Pakistan’s neighborhood (with India the major exception, of course). With these conditions in mind, however, an understanding of the actions and inaction of the Egyptian military and security services in the initial break from authoritarianism would be interesting to apply to your work in Pakistan.
Thanks for the article Ethan. From the perspective of the American government, the ousting of Ben-Ali from power in Tunisia is an acceptable loss. But Egypt, being arguably the most powerful and influential state in the Middle East, has historically played key roles in regional economic and political policy. Like the old proverb says, “No war without Egypt, no peace without Syria.”
No regime is too big or powerful to fail. With revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, government crumbling in Yemen, insurrection brewing in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the U.S. military stretched thin in Afghanistan and Iraq, this is the beginning of a major power shift in the Middle East and Southern Asia. Like most revolutions in recent history, you can’t talk about real democracy without addressing the overbearing military and economic influence of the United States, especially in Pakistan. If the movement to end American influence on Pakistani affairs gains momentum, they may have the support of a mobilized Middle East.
On the other hand, any kind of organizing could be met with brutal repression. But I think it’s becoming more and more clear that that approach is unsustainable. What does Egypt mean for Pakistan? It means a new wave of solidarity and hope for the post-colonial world. We can only hope that the Pakistani struggle for real democracy and an end to foreign imperial influence outweighs any ethnic or nationalist divides.
“But then, in early January, Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was assassinated and, in a shockingly parallel incident, US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in Tucson. And, now, Egypt is in upheaval.”
How are they parallel? The former was an average guy murdering a politican on the basis of religion while what seems like the bulk of the populace was either celebrating or condoning the murder, the latter was due to the actions of a paranoid schizophrenic who was universally condemned.
As for the link between the uprising in Egypt and Pakistan, there is none. Egypt has had a sociliast-lite dictatorship since the time of Nasser. Pakistan has had a revolving door of democracy and military dictatorships during the same period.
@Derdinzski
“but clearly this does not account for a universality of ambition for self-governance and liberalism. The last two decades have shown that authoritarianism is becoming increasingly untenable in a majority of the world’s states (though not yet a majority of its people).”
Frankly this comment stands in ignorance of Pakistan’s situation. The population, especially the lower middle class, is steadily becoming more intolerant and religiofied. Pakistanis love their military dictators (Zia ul Haq) more than their civilian elected leaders. Anything being remotely associated with Islam, even if it is totalitarian is presumed to be a good thing.
@Phil H
“What does Egypt mean for Pakistan? It means a new wave of solidarity and hope for the post-colonial world. We can only hope that the Pakistani struggle for real democracy and an end to foreign imperial influence outweighs any ethnic or nationalist divides.”
Frankly Pakistan’s problems has less to do with “imperial influence” and more to do with hyper-religiosity. The left in the West seems to still define the world in binary terms of Rich White Colonial Masters vs. the Third World, this concept is outdated.
&Cronous:
I published your comments because, generally, I believe in being hospitable as a publisher. I also appreciate your reading my article and responding to it (and to Phil and Joe).
I would respect your views more, though, if you were willing to publish your name, and at least to offer some basis for what brought to hold your views. I offer my own views, quite transparently, on the basis of the 15+ years I’ve spent traveling and at times living in Pakistan.
The article is interesting. My own take is that it is easy to tear apart comparisons of cultures and nations because we can identify a million tiny variations to a particular event and offer each as an exception to the general.
On a website today one of my students announced her joy that Mubarak had left, and she hoped that soon the evil man leading her own country, in this case Hugo Chavez, would follow suit. However, many (I am guessing most) would argue that Mubarak is not the equivalent of Chavez, and at least in statesmanship there is some support for this. In a larger vein, what Mubarak’s peaceful leaving offers is hope that these things can be accomplished without bloodshed.
But it is–should I use this word–dangerous to hope that this will lead to capitulation across the globe. Because there are no rules about “revolution” anyone can evoke the language of the most recent one. Both Colombia’s Santos and Hugo Chavez evoke Simon Bolivar from opposites sides of the political river, just as Dan Quayle called out the name Kennedy and Glenn Beck hosts a march on the most important civil rights date in the US.
Strangely, the newest form of war is over concepts and icons and language and media.
I think Egypt and Pakistan are worlds apart.
This is a media war, and people want freedom of speech and expression. Pakistan has one of the freest media in South Asia. People do not have any such problems. However, the biggest problem in Pakistan is the political scenario. It is so topsy-turvy that no one can be trusted anymore. Youth is fed up of the same old politicians. They want a change, like Egyptians.
Violence is another chapter in the history of Pakistan. While, Egyptians protested peacefully till the 18th day, I have doubts about Pakistan. I don’t think Pakistanis have that much patience and strength to endure a month-long demonstration. People of Pakistan are very emotional and deep down religiously tied. Women will never leave their homes to go and protest. Their men will never allow them. Thus, reducing more than half of Pakistan’s population on streets. While in Egypt, everyone was on streets, irrespective of gender, religion or age.
Taliban militants pose another threat to the nation. Every now and then a bomb explosion is on news, so you never know when some suicide bomber enters and blows up thousands of protesters.
@Shiza The Taliban question gives rise to many questions in my mind. One is that these were erstwhile drug barons whose livelihood was devastated by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the consequent Soviet breakup, and armed gangs roaming the streets of Eastern Europe, I think the Taliban are the South Asian version of these armed gangs enjoying immunity due to accommodation, within Pakistan, granted by some parts of society. I do not believe for one second that they are religious people, fanatics maybe, but their ideals have been tempered by forces outside their domain (i.e. drug lords, am I making sense??? I don’t think so because even I am confused by now!!). If Taliban believed so much in their “religious” cause, then why don’t their leaders go and blow themselves up rather than some poor hungry teenager?