KARACHI, April 14: Leading academic Professor Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy has warned that Talibanization of Pakistan is the antithesis of freedom, which will create an unhappy and violent society that crushes the human spirit and destroys creativity.
Pakistan, particularly its women, need freedom from crushing oppression all around, he said while giving a talk on “the Dialectics of Faith, Unity and Discipline: What Does Pakistan Need Today?,” organized by the Jinnah Society and Oxford University Press.
Prof Hoodbhoy was extremely concerned over the rising trend of extremism and intolerance and incidents of terrorism and said that by applying the principles of Hegelian dialectics towards understanding Quaid-i-Azam’s motto of faith, unity and discipline, we can creatively re-interpret what this could mean for today’s Pakistan.
Prof Hoodbhoy maintained that “faith must come with critical judgment and Pakistan needs minds that can deal with the complex nature of truth.” As a man of high intellect, Mr Jinnah could not have meant blind faith but rather one that is tempered by the right amount of good judgment and scepticism, he maintained.He explained: “Unity is excellent if it can be achieved but it should not come at the cost of diversity. Pakistan needs to accept diversity and differences as a virtue. If we want unity in the face of diversity, then the majority must stop trying to force themselves upon the minorities. It is imperative that all Pakistanis be declared equal citizens in every way.”
Discussing the third element of Mr Jinnah’s dictum, Dr Hoodbhoy was of the view that discipline is essential for a civilized society.
Earlier Liaquat Merchant, President of the Jinnah Society welcomed the guests while Ameena Saiyid, Managing Director, Oxford University Press Pakistan and Secretary General, the Jinnah Society introduced Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy. —Our Reporter
