SUMMARY of the article “Godspeed Afghans,” by Shahzad Sharjeel, published on November 21, 2023
The article delves into the longstanding presence of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, emphasizing the need for a reevaluation of the relationship between the two nations. It critiques the blurred lines between the ummah (Islamic community) and the nation-state narrative that has influenced policies like naturalization, passports, and visas. The author highlights the differing perspectives in Karachi and rural Sindh, where Afghans are either seen as competitors for jobs or as a source of ethnic imbalance. The narrative explores the complexities of the refugee issue, challenging notions of gratitude and questioning the benefits derived from decades of hosting Afghan refugees. It advocates for a shift in Pakistan’s approach, respecting Afghanistan’s sovereignty and urging an end to the expectation of reciprocation. The article concludes by asserting the need for Afghans to return home, allowing both nations to focus on their individual interests and fostering a stable relationship.
Easy/Short SUMMARY:
The article discusses the enduring presence of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, emphasizing the need for a reconsideration of the relationship. It points out the complexities arising from ethnic and economic perspectives and challenges expectations of gratitude. The author advocates for a shift in Pakistan’s approach, respecting Afghanistan’s sovereignty, and encourages the return of Afghan refugees for the benefit of both nations.
SOLUTIONS of The Problem:
Reevaluate Relationship
Conduct a comprehensive review of the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan, considering the complexities arising from ethnic, economic, and political perspectives.
Respect Afghanistan’s Sovereignty
Acknowledge Afghanistan as a sovereign state and refrain from interfering in its internal affairs, fostering a relationship built on mutual respect.
Encourage Afghan Repatriation
Promote the voluntary return of Afghan refugees to their homeland, recognizing that a stable Afghanistan is in the best interest of both nations.
Open Dialogue
Initiate open and respectful dialogues with individuals dreaming of an Afghania or Pakhtunistan, addressing their concerns and promoting a better understanding of mutual interests.
Focus on Internal Matters
Shift the focus inward, concentrating on addressing internal issues and safeguarding national interests rather than relying on proxies to manage concerns across the border.
IMPORTANT Facts and Figures Given in the article:
- Pakistan did not restrict Afghan refugees to special zones, unlike Iran.
- Karachiites and rural Sindh have differing perspectives on Afghan refugees, influenced by economic competition and ethnic concerns.
- The ummah vs nation-state narrative has shaped policies related to Afghan refugees, including naturalization and documentation.
- The author challenges the expectation of gratitude from Afghans for Pakistan’s hospitality over four decades, pointing out the resentment it may foster.
- The article questions the benefits derived from Pakistan’s role as a ‘bulwark against communism’ or a ‘front-line state’ in the war on terrorism.
- Ethnic and racial affinities across the Durand Line are considered a complex issue that cannot be addressed through force.
MCQs from the Article:
- What is the primary critique regarding the ummah vs nation-state narrative?
A. Advocacy for stricter immigration policies
B. Emphasis on cultural assimilation
C. Blurring of lines influencing policies like naturalization, passports, and visas
D. Promotion of unilateral decision-making -
Why do Karachiites have differing perspectives on repatriating Afghan refugees?
A. Cultural affinity
B. Economic competition
C. Political alignment
D. Social integration -
What is the article’s stance on expecting gratitude from Afghans for hosting them?
A. It is justified.
B. It fosters resentment.
C. It is unnecessary.
D. It promotes mutual understanding. -
What does the author propose regarding the dream of Afghania or Pakhtunistan?
A. Labeling dreamers as traitors
B. Open and respectful dialogues
C. Unsubstantiated charges and imprisonment
D. Forceful suppression -
What does the article suggest regarding Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan’s internal matters?
A. Increased interference through proxies
B. Active involvement in ethnic conflicts
C. Refrain from interference and focus on internal issues
D. Advocate for a puppet government in Afghanistan
VOCABULARY:
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Marauders (noun) (چھاپہ مارنے والے): People who roam in search of loot or goods to steal.
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Repatriating (verb) (وطن واپس بھیجنا): Sending someone back to their own country.
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Umrah (noun) (عمرہ): An Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, performed by Muslims that can be undertaken at any time of the year.
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Parochial (adjective) (اہل محل): Relating to a parish; having a limited or narrow outlook.
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Reciprocation (noun) (متبادلہ): The act of responding to a gesture or action with a corresponding one.
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Inexorably (adverb) (بے رحمی سے): In a way that is impossible to stop or prevent.
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Monopoly (noun) (استحکام): The exclusive possession or control of the supply of or trade in a commodity or service.
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Fraying (verb) (توتھنا): Becoming worn at the edge, typically through constant rubbing.
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Obeisance (noun) (عظیم و احترام): Deferential respect or homage.
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Sovereign (adjective) (خود مختار): Possessing supreme or ultimate power.
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Proscribe (verb) (منع کرنا): Forbid, especially by law.
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Labelling (verb) (نشان لگانا): Assigning a specified quality, especially a bad one, to.
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Dialogues (noun) (مکالمات): Conversations or discussions between two or more people.
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Dignity (noun) (عظمت): The state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.
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Repatriation (noun) (وطن واپسی): The return of someone to their own country.
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Dreams (noun) (خواب): Aspirations or desires that one hopes to achieve.
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Ethnic Ties (noun) (نسلی تعلقات): Connections or relationships based on shared cultural or ancestral characteristics.
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Human Rights (noun) (انسانی حقوق): The basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled.
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Complexities (noun) (پیچیدگیاں): The state of being intricate, complicated, or involved.
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Bolster (verb) (مضبوط کرنا): Support or strengthen.
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Godspeed Afghans
Shahzad Sharjeel
5–6 minutes
THERE is no getting away from them. Love them, do not love them, cannot ignore them? From the attacks across the Khyber Pass by the marauders of yore, to Bacha Khan’s burial in Jalalabad, to Irfan Pathan’s dance celebrating the Afghan cricket team’s victory, they are part and parcel of our geo-emotional ecology. A part we seem eager to parcel out to a broader set of actors responsible for the situation. Unlike Iran, Pakistan did not restrict Afghan refugees to special zones for political expedience. The ummah vs the nation-state narrative made the naturalisation policy, passport, visa, etc, look like mere formalities.
Karachiites and the rest of Sindh have reasons to feel differently about repatriating Afghan refugees. In Karachi, the Afghans you see do odd jobs that the middle class with a voice feels no competition with. In rural Sindh, the Afghans take up jobs that locals are not averse to, and the nationalist leadership with a voice amplifies their concerns. Their continued presence, even in Karachi, tilts the ethnic scale in a direction that does not suit the PPP or the nationalists. Even the ‘liberal-progressive lot’, who usually coalesce around issues despite parochial differences, seem divided.
Some find sympathy for the Palestinians and support for undocumented Afghan refugees’ repatriation hypocritical. This ignores the fact that we do not share a 2,600-kilometre-long festering wound called the Durand Line with the Palestinians. They also did not oppose our entry to the UN, nor do they claim a good chunk of Pakistan as theirs.
Pakistanis who expect gratitude from Afghans for more than four decades of hospitality must realise that things do not work this way. If you are made to feel beholden to someone, it foments resentment. It is human nature. No one likes to be the object of sympathy. Similarly, our Afghan friends, who think Pakistan benefited from their misery and the international aid it received by becoming a ‘bulwark against communism’ or a ‘front-line state’ in the war on terrorism, must know that the very fabric of Pakistani society is inexorably fraying by the unending war in Afghanistan. Whatever monetary benefits accrued, they were pocketed by those with a monopoly over the Afghan, Indian, and nuclear policy. When Afghan citizens could not benefit from trillions of dollars pumped directly into the country by the US and its sundry allies, how can their Pakistani counterparts benefit from the indirect largesse of these masters of proxy wars?
It is time they went home.
Despite our obeisance to Iqbal and his to Nietzsche, we insisted on gazing into the abyss of ‘strategic depth,’ which is staring back. Afghanistan is a sovereign state that cannot be anybody’s backyard. Pakistan must let Afghanistan be. The Afghans can decide to befriend whomever they want. We cannot tell Afghanistan how many Indian consulates general it can host. If we feel threatened by it, we must safeguard our interests from our side of the border, not through proxies. Pakistan must tell Afghanistan clearly that it does not owe us anything, and we do not owe it anything. Friends do not give because they owe; they give because they want to.
That there are racial and ethnic affinities on both sides of the Durand Line is a hugely complex issue that cannot be addressed through force. Political parties can be banned, militias can be disbanded, but one can’t proscribe dreams. If some people dream of an Afghania or a Pakhtunistan, labelling them traitors and jailing them on unsubstantiated charges does not make the dream go away. Talk to them, respect them, give them rights over their resources; prove the trade-off impractical, if you can, and its benefits to be insignificant compared to what Pakistan can offer. Ditto for Mehran and Bolan. Ethnic ties do not trump the basic human need for dignity, safety, and prosperity. Hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis do not migrate to Canada, Australia, Europe, etc, because they feel a cultural affinity with the people there.
Our Afghan friends must know we don’t harbour ill-will towards them. It is time they went home and played a role in putting their house in order. Whoever desires to rule Afghanistan must know they will have to shoulder full responsibility, which includes the homecoming refugees. Pakistan needs to focus on minding its own business. A house divided can’t even be a good neighbour. Some elements cite the unconducive human rights and security environment in Afghanistan as a reason to extend the refugees’ stay in Pakistan. In the earlier part of the 20th century, at the height of the Khilafat Movement, the Darul Harb vs Darul Aman theory was tried with catastrophic results. A state struggling to protect its citizens cannot be expected to provide for refugees.
The writer is a poet. His latest publication is a collection of satire essays titled Rindana.
Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2023