Pakistan’s ‘External Locus of Control’ is a case of Geopolitical Myopia due to the failure of the two nation theory

#‘Locus of control’ is a phrase in psychology coined by an American psychologist Julian B Rotter in his studies related to social learning theory. It refers to?one's #perception about the underlying main causes of events in his (without any discrimination towards the other genders) life. It is an extension of whether one believes that his destiny is controlled by himself or by external forces like fate, God, or other capable influencers? At the outset, I wish to extend due apology to the creator of this construct ‘Locus of control’ for using it for the purpose of this article which aims to study an absolute lack of ‘perception’ and of ‘control’ in my target subject.

I refer to the delinquent neighbour on the western front and begin with touching upon the historical background of how the idea took shape. As I write this piece, news is that the supporters of former PM #Imran Khan Niazi are out on a rampage and vandalism, have already burnt down a metro station with the threat that if elections are not announced within six days, more of such events would happen. So much for the control aspect of a country who wishes to compete on almost everything that her virtuous neighbour does.

When India attained physical #freedom from the colonisers, a part was removed from the social landmass and named #Pakistan. There’s plenty of information about who caused it to happen. People talk of #Jinnah as the ‘Hero No1’ who suggested the two nation theory, while there are other protagonists as well. One of the names in history is #Choudhary Rahmat Ali. A fairly well read person and a Barrister-at-Law with confused mental imagery of his dream. He published a piece in Jan1933 which later came to be known as the ‘#Pakistan Declaration’. The document titled, “Now or Never. Are we to live or perish forever?” for which he sought a few signatories as moral support. ?This paper suggests the idea of creation of a Muslim state in the Indian subcontinent where he mentions “There can be no peace and tranquility in the land if we, the Muslims, are duped into a Hindu-dominated Federation where we cannot be the masters of our own destiny and captains of our own souls.” He goes on to suggest, “…if it is really desirable to make our nation sacrifice all that Islam has given us during the last fourteen hundred years to make # India a nation?”. Citing Twenty-Six European nations amounting to the same area and population as India living together and prospering because they have “the same religion, civilisation and economic system, “surely it is not only possible but highly desirable for two fundamentally different and distinct nations, i.e. Muslim and Hindu, to live as friendly neighbours in peace and prosperity in that vast continent”. The Muslim population of India decreased by approximately ten percent between 1941 and 1951 census. The votaries of Pakistan mostly from the UP / MP / Bihar / Bengal / Assam/ Bombay/ Gujrat/ Madras/ Malabar regions chose to stay barring a few who migrated. Those who did not choose to vote for a Pakistan, like the Punjab and NWFP got it. That because, the idea was constructed on grossly invalid premises and the result is there for all to see. I am afraid, his argument and logic failed comprehensively. That he returned to Pakistan from England to settle after her formation (I wouldn’t say creation- because creation involves artistry) to see the fruits of his labour but was expelled by then prime minister Liaqat Ali Khan and his belongings confiscated while he died a destitute in 1951. Many like him went there only to return and become poets and celebrities back home and their offspring claim “we chose ‘India’ as our country”.

Incidentally, what Rahmat Ali had proposed was ‘#Pakstan’, (‘I’ missing) an acronym for Punjab, Afghan Province, (North-West Frontier Province), Kashmir, Sindh and Baluchistan". The term Pakistan was coined by a Kashmiri journalist, Ghulam Hassan Shah Kazmi in 1928, seeking permission to start a newspaper called Pakistan in Abbottabad (Source: Outlook Web Bureau). What is apparent is that what Jinnah gave was some sort of political legitimacy and a vision to the newly formed nation by observing on 15 Aug 1947: "Our objective should be peace within and peace without. We want to live peacefully and maintain cordial and friendly relations with our immediate neighbours and with world at large. We have no aggressive designs against any one. We stand by the United Nations Charter and will gladly make our contribution to the peace and prosperity of the world." The glasses through which that vision was defined got stained immediately thereafter when the Kabailis attacked Kashmir. So much for the historical aspect.

What brings me to putting this piece together is the human humiliation being suffered by the populace of that parcel of land which once upon a time, was part of an economy that contributed to 28% of global GDP. I’d revise my words to read ‘structural humiliation’ instead of human. It hurts to see one out of 197 independent nations perpetually carrying a bowl seeking alms from any-one who could drop in a coin. To the extent that in a cricket match, one heard a joking mention that the country won the toss and retained the coin to be added to the national treasure. Among the latest rants of ex-PM Niazi is the idea of ‘Atom Bombing’ his own nation to sort it out or the nation ‘breaking into three pieces’. To the extent that he has been even allegedly suggesting that Indians have already put into place the means and the methods to do so is currently laughable and potentially desirable.

Pakistani people mostly, from what one learns are a large hearted, hardy, willing to work strugglers. The climate supports the region to have the best of the minds but these minds are placed within an uncontrolled leaderless environment. At the same time, they also do not appreciate that the military is, in fact, the reason for and behind many of the country’s economic problems. The government doesn’t exist, the leaders mostly reside outside the country in lavish environs, and come back to rule when their turn comes. The military establishment top brass has interests everywhere except within the country. The military maintains its relevance and funding keeping the threat of India alive. ?Within the country their only function is to run businesses which can subsequently promote their cross country interests. It runs over 50 commercial entities through its business arm, the ‘#FaujiFoundation’. This dispensation, according to Bloomberg, has grown 78 percent between 2011 and 2015, and had annual income over US$1.671 billion as of 2017 which is not usual for a military establishment. The military-backed organization has stakes in real estate, food, and the communications industry, education, mining, gas and oil exploration to distribution and what have you.

Their obsession with #Kashmir has caused the militaries to fight four wars, with three of them over Kashmir valley. While all these conflicts were initiated by them in several measures, the perception created for the citizenry was that the military establishment only responded to the Indian aggression. In the current scenario, the general belief from what one learns out of the TV debates in Pakistan and other channels of information is that landslides, flood and storms, earthquakes etc. are the result of collective Indian prayers.?#Balochi unrest, #Sindhi Unrest, or the disgruntlement on the #Muzaffarabad region, or the expression of socio political frustrations that one sees on a daily basis could be perpetrations by our military & the R&AW. Their continued grey listing at the #FATF, or that no body treats them well is the design of the functionaries of Government of India at the highest international / diplomatic levels. That even the Islamic world cares two hoots about them is a consequence of India’s diplomacy aimed at lowering their image. The leadership of that country, or whatever is left of it, feel that whenever bad happens, (good rarely happens there) India is responsible for it. As long as this perception lives in the hearts and minds of the Pakistani leadership, not the populace (they are same as us), It’ll be hard to see beyond the narrow tunneled myopic vision.

Offered for critical review / appreciation. The author is a Naval Veteran, opinionator on geo-political affairs, contemporary issues and a faculty in Human Resource at the prestigious School of Commerce & Management Studies, Dayanand Sagar University, Bengaluru.?