Arabic Cluster: Bridge between East and West

Adapt sections of the above article to Pakistani Context.

Culture makes people understand each other better. And if they understand each other
better in their soul, it is easier to overcome the economic and political barriers. But first
they have to understand that their neighbor is, in the end, just like them, with the same
problems, the same questions. PAULO COELHO

This article aims to shed some light on the socio-cultural picture of Pakistan, and then
relate this to some characteristics of our country as a whole.

Culture may be defined as an integral whole which affects human ideals, actions and
modes of living. Pakistani culture is something which is deep-rooted, having been
influenced by the plethora of different civilizations which called the Indian subcontinent
their home. For example: the Indus Valley Civilization (around 5500 years ago), the
Aryans and the Mauryans, the Mughals and then later the British. So what we see today is
one link at the end of a very long chain.

This is a really broad topic so Ill just give headings and elaborate on what comes to my
mind first.


ETHNIC MAKE-UP:

Okay so first off we start with the different groups of people living in the country. We
have the Punjabis, Kashmiris, Sindhis in the east, Muhajirs, Makrani in the
south; Baloch and Pashtun in the west. On top of that, we also have some ancient
communities like the Baltistani and Burusho in the north.


LANGUAGES:

The next logical thing would be the linguistic diversity. Urdu is the official language of
Pakistan, spoken and understood by the majority of the population. But the English
language is steadily replacing it at many organizational levels; it has already become the
lingua franca of the Pakistani elite and most of the government ministries.
Urdu is closely related to Hindi but is written in an extended Arabic alphabet rather than
in Devanagari. Urdu also has more loans from Arabic and Persian than Hindi has.

Other regional languages include Punjabi, Siraiki, Sindhi, Pashtu, Balochi, Hindko,
Brahui, Burushaski, Balti, Khawar, Gujrati and other languages with smaller numbers of
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Arabic Cluster: Bridge between East and West

Adapt sections of the above article to Pakistani Context.

speakers.


RELIGION:

Pakistan is a predominantly Muslim state, with the Muslim population making up 97%.
The remaining 3% consists of minorities like Christians, Hindus, Sikhs etc.

Pakistani culture is actually a part of the contemporary Islamic civilization which draws
its value and traditions from Islam and the rich Islamic history. Majority of the Muslims
follow the basic tenets of Islam, i.e. belief in one Allah, Prophethood of Hazrat
Muhammad P.B.U.H, fasting in the Holy month of Ramzan and paying Zakat if possible.
Because of the influence from individualistic western societies, not the same can be said
for other Islamic values like brotherhood, equality, morality, social justice etc.


POLITICS & LAW:

A nation-state, Pakistan's governing structure is composed as an Islamic, federal,
and parliamentary republic. The constitutions stipulations provide a delicate balance of
power-sharing between the Executive, Parliament, and the J udiciary. The federal
government shares sovereignty with the provincial governments. But as we have seen in
the past, the military retains a strong controlling role and can dismiss the parliament.

The legal system in Pakistan is derived from the English model through the adoption of
the laws and structures of British India, itself a codified legal system based on nineteenth
century English law. Islamic sharia law is not imposed as of yet, but many people think it
should be. The legal system isnt very efficient, as there are thousands of unopened cases,
and many more which have been undecided for decades. A high level of transparency is
non-existent, with many of the courts decisions said to be influenced by people of
powerful families or those at high posts.


FAMILY STRUCTURE:

Pakistan is basically a patriarchal society, with the father (the bread-winner) demanding
the utmost respect and devotion. In most cases, the extended family is the basis of the
social structure and individual identity. It includes the biological family, immediate
relatives, distant relatives, tribe members, friends, and neighbors. Loyalty to the family
comes before other social relationships, even business. Nepotism is viewed positively,
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Adapt sections of the above article to Pakistani Context.

since it guarantees hiring people who can be trusted, which is crucial in a country where
working with people one knows and trusts is of primary importance. The family is more
private than in many other cultures. Female relatives are protected from outside
influences, and it is considered inappropriate to ask questions about a Pakistani's wife or
other female relatives. Families are quite large by western standards, often having up to 6
children, although this trend is diminishing in many areas.


SOCIETAL STRUCTURE:

Pakistan is a hierarchical society. People are respected because of their age and position.
Older people are viewed as wise and are granted respect. In a social situation, they are
served first and their drinks may be poured for them. Elders are introduced first, are
provided with the choicest cuts of meat, and in general are treated much like royalty.
Pakistanis expect the most senior person, by age or position, to make decisions that are in
the best interest of the group. Titles are very important and denote respect. It is expected
that you will use a person's title and their surname until invited to use their first name.


CLOTHES:

The national dress of Pakistan is Shalwar Qameez for both men and women. It consists of
a long, loose fitting tunic with very baggy trousers. The dress is believed to be an
amalgamation of the dresses worn by the ancient Persians, and the Mughals who have left
their impression on the people and culture of Pakistan.

In rural areas, most of the people wear a dhoti (a long soft piece of cloth) which is bound
around the waist till the ankles. The turban is also considered to be a sign of respect there.
Men wear big turbans during special events like marriages and social meetings. The
turban is regarded to be a symbol of status and respect in these areas.

Following the Islamic religion women cover their head and upper body by wearing a
Dupatta/Chadar (a long piece of cloth). Many women observe hijab, which is the
symbolic Islamic veil covering the head and chest.

In many urban areas, people opt for western clothing instead of traditional. Office-goers
usually wear a suit (comprising shirt, pants and a coat) to give that formal look and feel.
Younger boys and girls tend to wear T-shirts and jeans to portray a western look and to
look hip and modern.

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Adapt sections of the above article to Pakistani Context.


BUSINESS NORMS:

Pakistanis prefer to work with people they know and trust and will spend a great deal of
time on the getting-to-know-you part of relationship building. They are hospitable and
enjoy hosting foreign guests. Relationships take time to grow and must be nurtured. This
may require several visits. Pakistanis often ask personal questions as a way to get to
know you as a person. They do not require as much personal space as most western
cultures. As such, they will stand close to you while conversing and you may feel as if
your personal space has been violated. Pakistanis are generally indirect communicators.
Direct statements are made only to those with whom they have a long-standing personal
relationship. Pakistanis prefer to converse in a non-controversial manner, so they will say
they "will try" rather than admit that they cannot or will not be able to do something.
Silence is often used as a communication tool. Pakistanis prefer to do business in person.
They see the telephone as too impersonal a medium for business communication.


Now, I would try to relate these cultural norms and practices to some characteristics of
our country as a whole.

POWER DISTANCE:
Power distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions
and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.
I for one, think that power distance is pretty high in Pakistan, as the middle and lower-
middle class generally consider the rulers to be ignorant of their pain and suffering.

INDIVIDUALISM:
In individualistic societies people are supposed to look after themselves and their direct
family only. In collectivist societies people belong to in-groups that take care of them in
exchange for loyalty.
I think Pakistani society is highly collective. This is manifest in a close long-term
commitment to the member 'group', be that a family, extended family, or extended
relationships.

MASCULINITY:
Masculine societies are driven by competition, achievement and success, with success
being defined by the winner. A feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of
success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable.
Im not exactly sure about this one; our society definitely has many masculine traits, but
it cant be completely distanced from the feminine category. So I would go with a slight
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bias towards masculinity, but thats my opinion.

UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE:
Uncertainty avoidance is the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by
ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to
avoid these.
I think Pakistan can be ranked high in this category. Our society has rigid codes of belief
and behavior and is intolerant of unorthodox behavior and ideas. Innovation is generally
not welcome.

INDULGENCE:
Indulgence is the degree to which people try to control their desires and impulses, based
on the way they were raised.
I consider our society to be fairly restrained. People reckon that their actions are
restrained by social norms and feel that indulging themselves is somewhat wrong.









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