Our source of National Pride

Nationalism is best understood in contrast to patriotism. Patriotism is simply love for one’s country, whereas nationalism is the sense that one’s nation is the best, often because it is more sacred than other nations. For the past few months, ‘Wake Up Pakistan’ – a campaign targeting this country’s youth – has been making waves both in the mainstream and social media.

The campaign aims to bring about an ideological revolution in Pakistan:

Pakistan today is in the eyes of the world, what we do and what we don’t will decide the future of Pakistan and the generations to come. We face internal and external threats which are shaking the very foundations of our motherland. Never before were we in such a dilemma, never before did our soil need us more and never before were we called upon to unite. We are not afraid but we are in danger. We have to WAKE UP!

The youth-oriented campaign promises to revive the ideology of the Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. Spearheaded by Zaid Hamid, and supported by fashion designer Maria B and popular rock-star Ali Azmat, the country-wide campaign has comprised lectures at various educational institutes and has gathered quite a fan following.

Hamid’s official fan page left me stunned, and not only because he has a striking 24,682 fans online. What’s really shocking is Hamid’s irresponsibility in the face of his popularity and broad-based access to Pakistani youth.

The latest update on the page reads:  ”Inshallah one day you will hear this………’This is radio pakistan from New delhi’.” Even more startling is the fact that Hamid’s fantasies of invading a neighbouring country were received with messages from young Pakistanis such as “Inshallah” and “we are eagerly waiting for that time!” Such statements contradict Hamid’s claims of reviving the ideology of Jinnah and Iqbal. Indeed, his anti-India stance makes the Wake Up Pakistan campaign delusional, provocative, and downright demagogical.

Let me clarify that this post isn’t about bashing Hamid and his ideologies. It’s an effort to question and decipher his ‘promised prophecies.’ After all, this campaign targets the youth and so I reserve the right to question its goals. I understand that the campaign is about “creating awareness and exposing conspiracies.” But I fail to understand how derogatory remarks about a neighbouring country will help ‘revive’ the youth. I am afraid fantasising about invasions will not solve our problems, and will instead shift focus from our internal conflicts. More dangerously, preaching such ideologies is bound to promote intolerance, which is anathema to a free, functioning, and democratic society.

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