PAKISTAN is home to a number of ethnic groups with distinctive languages, dialects, attires, religions and traditions. While people belonging to different cultures have lived together for generations, cultural discrimination has continued to prevail.

The roots of such conflicts date back to the colonial era. According to Sudipta Kaviraj, the British legitimised the diff-erences between people, and that led to the partition of the subcontinent. There lies an intrinsic relationship between colonialism and contemporary cultural myopia.

Today, the differences between indi-viduals have became the root cause of xenophobia, racism, religious intolerance and extremism.

As such, violent cultural conflicts are the outcomes of social and political systems that fail to offer forums for peaceful representation of one’s culture. Inadequate representation in government and politics leads to grave inequality and growing grievance in society.

However, some provinces, and certain districts under them, have shown signi-ficant progress, while others are evidently lagging behind. Feelings of exclusion and marginalisation from the centre result in anger and resentment. Besides, religious differences create social upheaval, and Pakistan has a myriad of different sects.

By promoting economic and political equality, just circulation of resources, resolving sectarian issues, and increasing awareness and education levels, we can put an end to the rapidly growing cultural discrimination in Pakistan.

Anum Sughra
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2024