A Rare Book on Pakistan’s Wealth of Diversity
By Huma Nisar
When it comes to Pakistan’s diversity, the country is home to a panoply of diverse populations. But when it comes to the development of ethnic and religious minorities, Pakistan has one of the lowest-performing indicators from economic uplift to social status and political representation on the national scene.
Pakistan is also heir to some of the most ancient civilizations, and despite many ups and downs and loss of precious artifacts, the country has been able to preserve a lot of heritage in the form of architecture like statues and places of worship.
Still, the country is nowhere near fully leveraging the diverse talents of its people and marketing its immense historical wealth to international tourists.
A new book, to soon hit stores and the Internet sites, looks at Pakistan’s minorities, their much-admired but long-ignored places, cultures, and status.
The book called Gems and Jewels takes a holistic picture of Pakistan, telling stories of the mainstream Muslims and minority populations including Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Kalash, Parsis, Sikhs, and other communities.
Author Dr Amineh Hoti, a scholar and academic, who has devoted time to interfaith work in Pakistan and the United Kingdom, takes the unusual route of anthropology.
In developing her own understanding of the ground realities, Dr Hoti worked in the footsteps of her illustrious father, Prof Dr Akbar Ahmed, who heads the Islamic Studies Department at American University named after the pioneering anthropologist Ibn Khaldun.
“I toured, met, and talked to people because I wanted to see and understand this hidden part of Pakistani society,” Dr Hoti says.
It was during her interactions that she realized the enormous cultural wealth and diversity of Pakistan.
“I realized the Pakistani minorities are the gems and jewels of the country with their variety of talent and spiritual affiliation with the land,” she says.
Critics and scholars who have reviewed the book praise it as a great contribution to the national discourse.
The stories draw attention to the shortcomings like turning a blind eye to its tapestry of cultures, customs, and creativity of its minorities, and underscores the need to uplift the diverse communities that are left behind economically and also face violence and discrimination at the hands of extremist forces.
The injustices against minorities often result in stereotyping of Pakistan as a place where minorities are wronged by the entire society.
Writing the foreword, Prince El Hassan bin Talal appreciates the contents of the book which provide a fuller picture of life.
“In a welcome counter-narrative to the media portrayal of a nation of rigid and at times militant exclusivism and extremism, the troubled child of South Asia, abundant in natural and historical riches but plagued with political instability, Hoti shows us a land, a people of fascinating depth and sophistication.”
J Salik, a former federal minister for minorities, welcomed the publication of the book, saying its title shows that only an honest scholar, acting like a polished jeweler, can identify gems and stones.
“I am sure that such a book would serve Pakistan well because its minorities have lived there for centuries and thousands of years, they are the people of the soil,” Salik said, referring to his book on lifelong struggles for rights of the Pakistani Christian community, which is entitled The Daring Dust.
Former Pakistani parliamentarian Isphanyar M. Bhandara, hopes in his introduction that the book will broaden people’s thinking about the wealth of Pakistani culture and diversity.
“It remains one of the most underappreciated aspects of Pakistan that it is home to some of the most sacred religious sites in the world. It is the land of Guru Nanak, Buddha, Mahavira, Rigveda, and Mahabharata. It is also home to vibrant and diverse religious communities, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Hindus, Christians, Baha’is, and Parsis,” he writes.
Bhandara aso points out where Pakistan veered off the road, and how it can reclaim its journey toward equality.”One of the biggest tragedies of our country has been that soon after the death of our founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, we forgot his message. It needs to be recalled that at the heart of Jinnah’s struggle was the protection of religious minorities. It is for this reason that communities from across the religious spectrum, Christians, and Hindus, came out in support of him,” the former MP says.
James Shera, a Pakistani British politician and former mayor of Rugby, says the book is important because it deals with a vital subject, and said it will help defuse misperceptions about Pakistan.
“Like many other countries, minorities in Pakistan also face problems. But the bridge-building approach that DrHoti has adopted will help Pakistani communities to look to a shared future in harmony and spiritual bonding.”
“It is the people of Pakistan, who are the actual heirs and builders of the country,” he said.
In recent years, Pakistan, which has been under international scrutiny for the state of its minorities and human rights, has made some bold political moves like rebuilding temples and opening the Kartarpur corridor.
This book should help advance such steps and national thinking toward building an inclusive Pakistan with equality for all its people.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
