.4. What is National Integration? What steps have been taken in Pakistan to promote it?
Introduction
National integration is the mean by which the people constituting a nation are brought together so that the whole people are unified by the leadership on the basis of their common system of symbols and institutions which these groups select, standardize, maintain arid transmit from generation to generation. National integration has two important aspects; firstly, the existing pattern of state and government and secondly; the formation and development of the character, mind and consciousness of every individual or citizen on the basis of the common ideals, values, norms, laws, beliefs and customs.
Pakistan has a traditional society which is full of several kinds of inequalities and various kinds of prejudices and discriminations based on caste, creed, race, tribe, sex, wealth language etc. So in these circumstances Pakistani nationalism is the only ideology of the Pakistani nation. Its ideal and principles are love and devotion to Pakistan as a country and as a nation. Pakistani patriotism inspires all Pakistanis, regardless of any discrimination, to defend Pakistan against all challenges ot its unity, solidarity and integrity. The principles of Pakistani nationalism were proclaimed by Quaid-e-Azam in his speech at Dhaka on 21 March, 1948, in which he said
You belong to a Nation now, you have now carved out a territory, vast territory, it is all yours; it does not belong to a Punjabi, or a Sindhi, or a Pathan, [or a Balochi] … it is yours.
These words of Quaid-e-Azam are the true essence of Pakistani nationalism and are the real basis of Pakistan’s unity, solidarity and integrity. But it is a misfortune of Pakistan that since the death of Quaid-e-Azam it did not always have a dedicated political leadership and love of democratic practices.
Pakistani nationalism had taken shape in the minds of the Muslims of the Sub Continent long before Pakistan actually came into existence. An ideology acquired territorial recognition to let the Islamic way of life flourish within its parameters. Preaching the same lesson of nationalism Quaid-e-Azam, during the presidential address to the Constituent Assembly on 11 August, 1947, said
Work together in a spirit that everyone of you, no matter to what community he belongs, … no matter what is his colour, caste or creed, is first, second and last a citizen of his State with equal rights, privileges and obligations…. I cannot emphasize it too much. We should begin to work in that spirit and in course of time all these angularities of the majority and minority communities… will vanish… Your may belong to any religion or caste or creed – that has nothing to do with the business of the state… We are starting with the fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one State.”
National Integration is the “will” of the people to live together which comes from sharing common ideals, culture, language, tradition, history, religion, custom etc. This “will”, however, is not to be taken for granted, a blunder committed by our earlier leadership. Unfortunately, they became self-satisfied, relying too heavily on religious factor which they thought no Pakistani could afford to violate. The fact is the national identity is one thing and national integration quite another. The identity factor is individualistic in character while the integration is a state that is achieved through the merger of individual identities, May be that national identity once acquired by an individual is hard to erase from his psyche. National Integration, however once it gets out of hand is difficult to restore.
The forces that tend to subvert the “will” of the people of a nation to live together are cultural, ethnic and economic. When a culture with its languages, customs, religions and other exclusive features fails to find roots in a society, it tends to develop its own separate identity. Ethnicity is a basic human prejudice which can be ignited by the fiery speeches of the charismatic leader. Once crimes against the humanity are committed in the name of race, creed and cult, a chain reaction sets in that ends up in death and destruction of the millions. Economic deprivation and exploitation of one section of a nation by the other brushes the national respect and honour aside and struggle for the control of material means starts off. The main casualty under all these circumstances is the national integration.
There is need to develop a Pakistani nationhood which should give people the feeling that despite regional differences, they form a people destined for common statehood. Diverse groups may also continue in a common state for reasons of economic and other advantages but if the advantage is uncertain and solidarity missing, the state will have to rely mainly on aggressive power to maintain itself. The people of Pakistan have an important role to play in national integration. These include intellectuals, media people, educationaists, students and people of all provinces. Sincerity of approach and purpose is the most vital element of success. The ruling party must evolve an identity of its own which should inspire faith, hope and confidence. It must follow the unifying parth of democracy. All threats to national solidarity must be faced courageously. Parochialism and regionalism must be replaced by national integration and cohesion. This is only possible through mutual understanding and co-operation, tolerance and unity in diversity and a policy of mutual respect.
National integration is the mean by which the people constituting a nation are brought together so that the whole people are unified by the leadership on the basis of their common system of symbols and institutions which these groups select, standardize, maintain arid transmit from generation to generation. National integration has two important aspects; firstly, the existing pattern of state and government and secondly; the formation and development of the character, mind and consciousness of every individual or citizen on the basis of the common ideals, values, norms, laws, beliefs and customs.
Pakistan has a traditional society which is full of several kinds of inequalities and various kinds of prejudices and discriminations based on caste, creed, race, tribe, sex, wealth language etc. So in these circumstances Pakistani nationalism is the only ideology of the Pakistani nation. Its ideal and principles are love and devotion to Pakistan as a country and as a nation. Pakistani patriotism inspires all Pakistanis, regardless of any discrimination, to defend Pakistan against all challenges ot its unity, solidarity and integrity. The principles of Pakistani nationalism were proclaimed by Quaid-e-Azam in his speech at Dhaka on 21 March, 1948, in which he said
You belong to a Nation now, you have now carved out a territory, vast territory, it is all yours; it does not belong to a Punjabi, or a Sindhi, or a Pathan, [or a Balochi] … it is yours.
These words of Quaid-e-Azam are the true essence of Pakistani nationalism and are the real basis of Pakistan’s unity, solidarity and integrity. But it is a misfortune of Pakistan that since the death of Quaid-e-Azam it did not always have a dedicated political leadership and love of democratic practices.
Pakistani nationalism had taken shape in the minds of the Muslims of the Sub Continent long before Pakistan actually came into existence. An ideology acquired territorial recognition to let the Islamic way of life flourish within its parameters. Preaching the same lesson of nationalism Quaid-e-Azam, during the presidential address to the Constituent Assembly on 11 August, 1947, said
Work together in a spirit that everyone of you, no matter to what community he belongs, … no matter what is his colour, caste or creed, is first, second and last a citizen of his State with equal rights, privileges and obligations…. I cannot emphasize it too much. We should begin to work in that spirit and in course of time all these angularities of the majority and minority communities… will vanish… Your may belong to any religion or caste or creed – that has nothing to do with the business of the state… We are starting with the fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one State.”
National Integration is the “will” of the people to live together which comes from sharing common ideals, culture, language, tradition, history, religion, custom etc. This “will”, however, is not to be taken for granted, a blunder committed by our earlier leadership. Unfortunately, they became self-satisfied, relying too heavily on religious factor which they thought no Pakistani could afford to violate. The fact is the national identity is one thing and national integration quite another. The identity factor is individualistic in character while the integration is a state that is achieved through the merger of individual identities, May be that national identity once acquired by an individual is hard to erase from his psyche. National Integration, however once it gets out of hand is difficult to restore.
The forces that tend to subvert the “will” of the people of a nation to live together are cultural, ethnic and economic. When a culture with its languages, customs, religions and other exclusive features fails to find roots in a society, it tends to develop its own separate identity. Ethnicity is a basic human prejudice which can be ignited by the fiery speeches of the charismatic leader. Once crimes against the humanity are committed in the name of race, creed and cult, a chain reaction sets in that ends up in death and destruction of the millions. Economic deprivation and exploitation of one section of a nation by the other brushes the national respect and honour aside and struggle for the control of material means starts off. The main casualty under all these circumstances is the national integration.
There is need to develop a Pakistani nationhood which should give people the feeling that despite regional differences, they form a people destined for common statehood. Diverse groups may also continue in a common state for reasons of economic and other advantages but if the advantage is uncertain and solidarity missing, the state will have to rely mainly on aggressive power to maintain itself. The people of Pakistan have an important role to play in national integration. These include intellectuals, media people, educationaists, students and people of all provinces. Sincerity of approach and purpose is the most vital element of success. The ruling party must evolve an identity of its own which should inspire faith, hope and confidence. It must follow the unifying parth of democracy. All threats to national solidarity must be faced courageously. Parochialism and regionalism must be replaced by national integration and cohesion. This is only possible through mutual understanding and co-operation, tolerance and unity in diversity and a policy of mutual respect.
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