PLIGHT of
MINORITIES
In 1947, Jinnah had tried to de-emphasise the role of
religion in affairs of the state but his death in 1948 meant that the power to
define the nation now fell to his successors. Drawing upon religious
nationalism which had, in fact, become irrelevant as Pakistan was a
Muslim-majority country, the Constituent Assembly passed the Objectives
Resolution in 1949 incorporating Maulana Maududi’s theory of divine sovereignty
and overriding the serious concerns and objections of the minority members such
as Sir Chandra Chattophadhay, Birat Chandra Mandal and Bhupendra Kumar Dutta.
The Objectives Resolution formed the preamble of Pakistan’s three constitutions
and was made a substantive part of the Constitution in 1985 through the
insertion of Article 2-A. This resolution set the stage for the definition of
the nation within the paradigm of religious nationalism.
The economic consequences of political exclusion are
discernible in the case of two of the biggest ‘minorities’ in Pakistan — the
Christians and the Hindus. A majority of the Christians are located in Punjab
where they are engaged in sanitation and cleaning work. Very few members of the
Christian community are middle-class lawyers, teachers or professionals. There
is enormous social segregation and discrimination as they have separate housing
colonies and the Muslims tend to look down upon them while treating them with
scorn and disdain. A vast number of Muslims avoid sharing eating and drinking
utensils and shaking hands with them or inviting them to their homes.
Derogatory names are used to refer to them and there is discrimination against
them in hiring practices. Social exclusion and religious prejudice keep them
out of lucrative jobs and positions, thus reinforcing their ‘inferior’ status.
This leads to a vicious circle of prejudice resulting in exclusion which leads
to more prejudice. Lack of economic and social power further leads to absence
of political power and vice versa.
