The whole world is racist, Sadaf, not only the Pakistanis. Just see how they treat blacks in the US mid west and South; or Muslims and Pakistanis in UK.

Thanks for writing on one of the biggest dilemma of society we are living in. Agreed with you, discrimination should start at home, being the 1st learning place of anyone, schools and colleges where we study and then society where we belong to. The need of the hour is to raise awareness of it and as you stated it should be from home first.

Very true, good observations, convincing and well written.

I think the problem is that an uneducated person doesn’t know that he is being racist while passing these comments. The solution lies in education them.

There is some truth to racial, ethnic and profession based stereotypes; some examples are Drunkard Irish, Hot Firefighter, Scholarly Teacher, Caring Nurse, Akhrot (Pathan), Dhagga (Punjabi), Mattarwa or Bhaiyya (Mohajir), Stupid (Sindhi or Baluchi), Punctual German, Loud American, Airhead Canadian, Spicy Brazilian, Banya Accountant, Ignorant Saudi, only to name a few.

There is nothing wrong with stereotypes. One should be secured in his or her skin to let the stereotypes roll off his/her shoulders. Often times stereotyped beliefs can have great power in how some people think about themselves. What needs to happen is the associated connotation should dumb down after a while, i.e., Choora for Christians should not be taken as a term of racial bigotry but just as one way of addressing a Christian Pakistan, or Akhrot when referring to a Pathan.

Stereotypes are self-fulfilling prophecies. And I completely disagree with Jinnah’s quote in this writeup. We should always be proud about what we are. I am a Punjabi for 3000 years, and Pakistani only for about 60. No Pakistani identity can overshadow my Punjabi one.

This happens because majority of our society is complexed. We want to feel superior to the other, by talking ills of others who do not look, walk, or talk like us. Its a shame, but its the truth

The point you have raised is very logical and well explained, but the way you confined it just with Pakistanis is kind of strange and surprising. As far as I know and I see around, the same very issue is applicable on the whole world. Its true with every human being that we do assume things about others and make an assumption that all people with that background are alike. Just like people abroad think that all Pakistanis are terrorist and pro Taliban, so its not Pakistanis who think like this its sort of a global issue.

This article is a very true depiction of one of our drawbacks in the personalities of Pakistanis.

Its a reflection of our ignorance. We should promote education in our country.That’s the only solution in order to cope with such problems. It will not eliminate this way of thinking but at least it will minimize the over all bad impacts on our societies.

Lack of education is the reason for so many problems in our society.
If I am asked to describe Pakistani nation in one sentence I would say “Its an emotional, ignorant, talented nation who is utilizing most of their energies negatively.”

Ms. Sadaf please accept my sincerest compliments on your article. There is somebody like you who thinks and elaborates with specific examples and many who just speak out and do not practice it.

Your wonderful article reflects your involvement in the daily life of our countrymen and their breeding at home. Educated they may be but uncivilized they are. Again, it amazes me, that is to say, the specific examples your courage has led you to include in your article. Thank goodness its not the ‘boilerplate’ columns / articles we come across in other newspapers.

I fully support Miss Fayyaz’s article. Pakistanis need to learn the word “tolerance”, currently they practice prejudice on ethnic, locality, sectarian, national and racial lines.

I think all the cultures, languages and positive traditions are colors of Pakistan. Pakistan is nothing without these colors. At the time of independence I do not think that Quaid-e-Azam has emphasized leaving behind our origins but what he advised was not to become biased on basis of language or ethenicity like Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) said centuries ago that there is no priority for an Arab on non Arab and the only priority is based on piousness.

So please do allow us to practice our cultures and languages and don’t make us regret creation of Pakistan and/or seperation of India.

Punjab, Sind, KP, Balauchistan, Kashmir and FATA are Pakistan and nothing is there without them.

No body denies the points raised in this article.But we also cant ignore the very fact that nations dont build only upon wishful thinking,mere rhetorics of patriotism or through forced nationalism,rather they evolve through out the time either in right direction or worse direction.If governments and state institutes build on justice,equality,free from nepotism, based on fair play,and respect of diversity,then alone such process of national homogeneous structure emerges.Sindhis, Balochs, Pathans,Punjabis, Siraikis have their own peculiar culture,language,traditions and history.Pakistan culture is not in air,but its mixture of diversity of every region.None dictate their vision of culture on rest of provinces in the name Pakistanism,which is futile and useless.

Thats absolutely right. The primary and basic teachings for a nation is ”united we stand, divided we fall.” Could anyone also convey message to the political parties to only use their party flags during the elections not mostly, the only flag seen in cities should be green Pakistani flag. Political parties have their hands in dividing the nation to some extent.

Agreed. It hits you everywhere you go and no matter who ever you are, sometimes unintentionally some times intentionally…

You write like a true Panjabi but look like a Pathan. Just kidding. Nice article!

Sadaf good effort keep it up someday Inshallah we all will be able to overcome these issues.Here is USA and in UK also people do love to introduce themselves as New Yorkers,Californians,Floridian etc and Irish,Scott and Englanders but when they out they proove and act truely like an American or Britishers and never says that I am a New Yorker or Scott. They just I am American or Britishier and tells you if he wants or you ask that he lives in so and so place.No caste,no race,no provincialism just nationalism.
If you agree the power of vote is the strongest power these days and could throw out powerfull presidents in USA and Prime Ministers in UK,Canada,New Zealand,Australia..Although we claim that we have democracy and people and free to vote,like Indians claims,but ruling elite and families remain same just the member of the family changes and feel happy that we made the change however the system remains the same..as families have their membership from PPP,PML to MQM and NAP.Our 70% or more voters remain under presssure and influence of their Chaudhry ,Jagirdar or Vedera or Sardar and Tribal Chief of their respective areas in Punjab,Sindh and Baluchistan and Sarhad and they have have to vote whom their masters wants.
New corps of the Politician after Bhutto era in 1970 with whom people have lot of expectations what they did including Bhutto and his heirs as well Nawaz family and care taker PMs…If you see and get the figures what ever progress and infrustructure it got it is always during the military rulers though they have to loose their many civil rights during those years but country always progressed and peace and tranquality always prevails…if no body wants to trust these facts then they should turn the pages of history and see themselves…Within years Benazir four fold her wealth then Nawaz Sharif family did double then that and now corruption is Zardari government tops them all…see the figures being printed out in foreign newspapers Nawaz Family own worth 650 million dollars property and cash in foreign countries,Zardari owns 710 million dollars worth of property and cash which includes chain of hotel Holiday Inn in USA,Casinos and properties in Uk besides the Bhutto family whole worth and property in Pakistan and abroad…MQM leader is no where behind these leaders and he is living and luxurious life and London for the last ten years and expending like a King here and there is this leadership going to save Pakistan if we elect them again again and again.????think…think and think…????

This is a well written article. These things are common in our society and SMSs gave it a boost.

Nice article. A true picture of the society. Without unity survival is very hard for us in this world. I think the main reason is lack of education.

@Baloch…this article is against racism and your statement reflects a bit of it… Hope you are kidding.

Indeed we are a very racist nation, when some of return from abroad they would refer to people of afro-Caribbean background as ‘kalla’ and would have the same ‘looking down upon’ tone to their voices.

Ms. Sadaf, you’ve got objections over ethnic identifications. We need same rights for each province, that’s the main thing needed. There’s nothing wrong if I say I’m Pakhtun and a proud Pakhtun. Long Live Pakhtunkhwa….

Well done! Nicely conveyed but beyond the lines I felt that you are more tilted towards Lahoris. If I am not wrong, are you also a Lahori?

Although ,the matter is fairly well written yet we Pakistanis are vitally less preconceived as compared to the Brits in UK, whilst they have plenty of mortified jokes about Scottish, Irish, Welsh and Jordies, however to dislike someone with prejudice is not allowed in our religion, as the prophet P.B.U.H. clearly said, “Kisi Arabi ko Ajami pur aur kisi Gorey ko Kaley pur tarjeeh nahin honi chahyee!”

Absolutely right, thanks God we have youth like Sadaf. We have to strengthen this thought to come out from misery. We should promote this concept on electronic media to pass on this message to entire nation.

Racism starts when you see different political flags in your cities and streets. Please tell the political leaders to wave Pakistani flag once the elections are over as it happens in all developed and educated societies. Political leaders are on the task of dividing Pakistani people and want to make their influence for their own good deeds.

Everyone will say you have written well and will agree with you, but no ones gonna implement what you have said.

We as a society are at the lowest level possible, we only applaud good things, praise them, but when its time to do the things or to implement the things we simply go to the other side.

I agree 100% that all of us should be true Pakistanis as one nation under God. Being Punjabies, Pashtoons, Sindhies or KP is our cultural heritage and we should protect that. But this should not divide us for the benefits of our enemies. We are all Muslims but may belong to different sects. But we have one Allah, one Quran, one Kaaba and same Hajj. The enemies are using the uneducated people and making us fight with each other. Every body has the right to belong to a certain sect, but we have no right to call each other Kaafirs. We should not abuse our judgement. Only God knows is right.

If only our writers, and all of us could show the same respect to ‘Jinnah’, as my father and his generation used to show, we as a nation could have paid off some debt of the father of the nation. Today, I don’t know, why these people are ashamed to call him Quaid-e-Azam, as the previous generation used to call him so lovingly. Does this make us more confident and respectful, and enlightened, by showing tacit and covert disrespect to our founding fathers?

Pakistaniat cannot be created overnight. Pakistan is different from nation states like Germans, Iran etc. Pakistan is a country which was made by different communities grouped together with only on bondage: Islam.

Soon after we got Pakistan, we left Islam to Maulvis and started looking for national/regional identities.

Even now the only thing that can again bind us is the religion as Islam stops us from creating divides on the basis of caste, colour or region.

Right on the money Sadaf. We call western people as being racist but never peep in our own souls. We are far more racist than these people of the west.

Well said Sadaf Fayaz, I appericate her writing. She is really pin pointing the root causes of the Pakistani society. All the sectarianism, racisism, and all other roots of evils start from these discriminatory behaviors.

Insightful observation by Sadaf Fayyaz. This fragility has to be overcome at individual levels as well at society as whole. Actually, we may be literates but not educated.

Ahhh! Thanks for the feedback.

Typical stuff, discussed in TV shows all the time.