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    South Asia West Asia Pakistan Location, Identity

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    Rufaiath Hossain Maha

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    South Asia West Asia Pakistan Location, Identity

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    Rufaiath Hossain Maha
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    South Asia West Asia Pakistan Location, Identity

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    Rufaiath Hossain Maha

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    ‘THE POSTNATIONAL CONDITION == South Asia? West Asia? Pakistan: Location, Identity While Pakistan’s geographical location has not shifted in the last 38 years, there has been a marked shift in terms of its identity and associations. In the past, what is now Pakistan was closer to, and more part of the larger south Asian or “Indian subcontinental” identity, butit has now “corrected its direction” (apna qibla durust kar liya hat). In some ways, the Pakistani identities of the Muslim and the south Asian/Indian are competing identities, often mutually exclusive. A secular India with a Mustim minority would not wish for a stronger Muslim south Asian identity while ‘a Muslim Pakistan may not want to belong to an idea or union, in which it would be marginalised and subservient to a power which it sees as its nemesis. S Akbar Zaidi okharsaidi@xootemail. com) i Sola scents based in Keracs 36 snever some ministry or de- partment of the government of Pakistan organises an event for the benefit of foreigners — officials, tourists oF fovestors~ it publishes brochures andl flyers which claim, proudly, that Pakistan 1s located at a particularly important and profitable geographical location, at the confluence of at least three (but oceaston- ally fous) civilisations or regional group- ings. This publicity material talks about Pakistan's historic and ancestral links with the Muslim workd in west Asia (or the Gulf ‘or middle east) as part of a larger Islamic and Muslim civilisation and identity, both historical and contemporary, and also in- ‘ludesa second region, that ofthe central ‘Asian republics, many of which also have “slarnie” or “Muslim” markers and have belonged to a much broader Islamic civili- sation of some centuries ago, The third region to which Pakistanis also claimed tobelong —for which the term ‘cvilisation” ‘would cause great problems fr the off- cials who welte such publicity blurbs, and hence is not used — is thet of south Asia, 2 ‘name primarily fora pre-Partition (or, 8 cording to one view, postindependence, Greater) India, from which Pakistan was born. Both central and west Asiahave had ‘an undeniably formative impact on this third region, now known as south Asia, Depending on the political mood of the times and on the audience, a fourth site through which an association is claimed, is that of the ancient Chinese civilisation with references to the Silk Route, and 2 ‘more contemporary relationship is also fnvoked with western China's large ‘Muslim population, ‘These references are not merely geo- graphical or locational, but often con scious choices, which suggest that far ‘mote is at work than merely a lesson in geography. The selling pola inthis act of public rlationing is che underiying claim that the state of Pakistan belongs to maul: tiple and often conflicting regions and identities, but anyone who can pay the right price, ean use this location to their advantage, o whatever purpose, ranging from those related to trade, invescment, ‘or even as bases for military exploits ito neighbouring counties. A¥ longs You ay, you get your way. While many, such as those who belong tothe institutions of the state, celebrate this eclececism which results in muk-polar identities being created for the purpose of profit, one oul, in fact, argue that this lack ofro0t- edness causes a condition which results in uncertain, uid and schizophrenic be- haviour. To make matters moze interest ing, this desire not to belong to any one particular region ~ despite geography, Io- cation and history ~ in other words, the conscious chofoe to remain unrooted, may bbe a consequence of a very rational thought process, Many of the questions which one can raise about the location and identity of a ‘country, are difficlt to answer. What con- stitutes “county”? Is it merely the nation sate which represents what 2 country is? Ina country where the state is strong, over- Geveloped, and unrepresentative, who “speaks for that country”? It might be pos. sible to examine the nature ofa particular state ~ its clase and ethnie composition, its forms, institutions, polities, and the practice of power and the ability to use it to do violence — but is this the same as ‘uying to understand the identity of a country particularly with regard to Rs 1o- cation? Rather than try to grapple with ‘these questions directly, this paper looks at what one can make of “Pakistan's” identity i terms of culture, politics and institutions, with regard 10 ies Jocation ‘and relationship with and in the spaces surrounding it. In fact, to put it more squarely the question one can askis: Does Pakistan “belong” to south Asia? 1 ‘Creation’ of South Asia ‘The term and notion of "South Asia” re- placed the older and muci used "Indian subcontinent”, soon after being coined by the us state department when itbowed the ‘word into diferent regions so that is of ficials could get a quick and uncomplicated rasp of global geography. This regionali sation of many parts of the world forced the peaple who were ing so classified, to ‘THE POSTNATIONAL CONDITION “belong to” apartcularregion. Pechapsin Two sharper and more discordant views While the Pakistani state (he military, some regions there was a natural affinity would be dificult co find, and neither is more carreel) is not willing o play the and shared culrural history co want to be- fully aware of, or understands, how the south Asia gome and makes a conscious long, perhaps even on the basis of equal ar other feels. In Pakistan too, there are choice ro optout, that stil doesnot answer shared power. Where many similarsized those for whom this birth, the moment of the question posed earlier, whether Paki- countries were clubbed into a region-one—independence;-has-litte-meaning,-but-it—sean-belongs-

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