Yesterday evening the RSA hosted an event with the practical title of: British Pakistanis and Pakistan: 21st century citizenship and diasporas. I attended with my sister and although the event was disappointingly less the promised discussion and more a lecture it was interesting and I recommend listening to the panel here. There was an assumption that British Pakistanis should give two hoots about Pakistan, a country that some of them have never even visited and a country that doesn’t care about the diaspora unless it’s for hand-me-outs or arranged marriages.
It was fascinating to hear of the bravery and contribution made to both World Wars by Punjabi Muslims of India (now Pakistan) and to hear of the positives and negatives of Pakistan from the other panelists. I was not given the opportunity to ask my question last night so I will ask it here: Would Pakistan benefit from a separation of state and religion like Turkey tries to maintain?
My mother told me in the car last week that she finds it hurtful when my sister and I criticise Pakistan (we are quite bad sometimes). I reminded her that despite our criticisms we are also the ones who have to explain and answer for Pakistan and embarrassing Pakistanis, match-fixing cricketers, honour killings.., around the imaginary water-cooler with friends and colleagues and this becomes tiresome, especially when our own lives are so removed from the craziness and it is hard to believe that we have the same heritage.
There are two more events taking place in November look out for them!
Bubbly
The Chatterjis Blog 