Muzammil-250423
The problem is absolutists only succeed in creating a limited following (dukan). Pakhtun nationalism, Baloch nationalism, Muhajir nationalism are all dukans like your "truthism" that can appease a particular set of supporters, but can never win the top seat. To beat Khan's brand of right-wing Muslim nationalism, you need to introduce a more far-right version of Pakistani nationalism, like Kemalism with a pinch of Nazism. Yes, this is also absolutism, but the dukan is entire Pakistan, not just a particular subgroup.
To move from journalism to politics, you have these choices:
- Join a mainstream political party;
- Build a critical mass of followers and launch a moderate political party;
- Join me (or without me) in creating a far-right ideology of secular, pragmatic Pakistan without being under the delusion that truth always wins. You have the eloquence to be the Goebbels of Pakistan, but under Narendra Modi's brand of fascism, not Adolf Hilter's.
To create a far-right party, you need a villain. Nawaz and Zardari are PTI's villains (traditionally). The establishment is PMLN's villain. The non-Sindhi are PPP's villains and non-Muhajir's are MQM's villains. Some points:
- If your villain is from Pakistan, you'll ultimately end up polarizing Pakistan if you're even half successful, and the supporters of your villain will always call you corrupt lifafa.
- The unwritten law for a Pakistani nationalist is that you cannot hate a Pakistani or consider them a villain/enemy. The most you can call them is misguided, and your duty is to guide them on a straight path. As such, Bajwa, Nawaz, Bilawal, Imran et al. are all misguided, not enemies that deserve hatred.
- No ideology without hate gets traction, so the ideological enemy needs to lie outside Pakistan. India, Israel and US are not pragmatic enemies, because Pakistan can gain more in trade with them than idealistic enmity.
- The only pragmatic enemy is the Muslim brother country on our west that has killed 70k Pakistanis since the war on terror began and rendered Pakistan losses in excess of $150b.
- Afgandistan has become highly pragmatic in the last few years. The way they tried to extort Pakistan and are now alluring US to become a partner against IS is nothing short of extraordinary. I see a future where Pakistan remains the only isolated country in this bloc with our political leaders fighting on useless, idealistic stalemates. Iran has also reconciled with Saudi.