by Maheen A. Rashdi

Date:09-03-06

Source: Dawn

Nationality is something to be proud of, but it’s time we progressed beyond waving flags and chanting slogans

Lush green acres of Punjab’s villages pass you by. You feast your eyes on the fertile expanse and wait in anticipation to view the beauty of ‘the other side’ — the land of the Sikhs, with feet still planted on Pakistani soil. As you approach the army post, the jarring bunkers of the army and the far-off view of the fence between Pakistan and India defining the man-made border across the grassy land evenly spread out for miles shake you from the romantic reverie you have conjured up of border peace between India and Pakistan. A crude reminder that we are still rival states, if not warring nations.

Wagah is the army outpost on the Pakistan-India border, the only road-crossing point where Lahore meets Amritsar in a state of edgy peace. Sunset at Wagah transforms the post into one of the most emotionally charged zone where patriotism emanating from both sides of the border can take over the most non-nationalist spirit in its tide. While some have termed the ceremonial proceedings of the changing of guards and the lowering of flags at sundown as a ‘friendly’ display of might by soldiers of both sides to one with a sense of the ludicrous, it appears as one of the greatest reality shows to ever have been directed.

The scene that greets you upon arrival is one of jingoistic fervour. National songs ring out loud and a packed crowd drawn by the sway of emotions chants nationalistic slogans at high pitch. Men and women jamming the galleries — in separate enclosures — appear almost compelled by emotions to express the near-holy patriotism pervading the air. And just like with a Pakistan-India cricket match there are ‘stage-managers’ amongst the crowd who ‘direct’ the crowd which ‘nara’ (slogan) to raise on what cue. There is also the occasional crowd jumper (obviously having security clearance) who keeps running across to the gates and back in a green garb, waving a huge Pakistani flag and regaling the crowd with his antics.

The ceremony is approximately an hour-long proceeding — the time when the gates between the two borders remain open. Incidentally, our gates open automatically with an electronic mechanism, whereas their opened manually — an illusion of our prosperity? The soldiers then go through a routine of marching briskly from the balcony to the sound of the bugles to assemble on the path leading to the gates and then proceed one at a time to take their positions from their comrades getting off duty. A stiff handshake with their Indian counterparts is also added which affirms the cordial relations between the two neighbouring states.

While it could be a sedate affair, the extra foot-stamping by soldiers from both sides turns the proceedings into a mock show of strength that conveys the message, ‘My kick is stronger than yours.’ The marching soldiers are greeted with ear-splitting cheers from the crowd which roars at their every twist, turn and foot stamping antics.

A dispassionate observer (not that I was one, God forbid) is wont to question the depth of this emotional wave. How many will leave the premises and not break any traffic law while on their way home? How many have given an accurate amount of their tax returns? How many have not breached their employer’s trust and how many have not abused a law of their country at some point?

But patriotic slogan chanting is a national pastime now and for many there is little link between personal integrity and nationalistic zeal. We will say jeay Pakistan with full conviction, even if we have personally elected a candidate with a criminal record to a governing level. In fact, our overt show of jazba has so much strength that we compel even our rivals to match us — gesture for gesture, slogan for slogan. And so at Wagah, where the patent national slogan of our neighbour used to be ‘jai Hind’, we now have them saying ‘Hindustan zindabad’ to match our, ‘Pakistan zindabad!’ And whereas we have always asserted ourselves to be an Islamic state (even if we were intended to be otherwise) chanting, ‘Pakistan ka matlab kya - La Ilaha Ilallah,’ India has always proudly claimed to be secular but in this slogan chanting competition they now chant a distinctly ‘creed-defining’ slogan — ‘mata ki jai’. But the best catchphrase by far comes from our side, with one of the masters of ceremony giving a full throated cue of, ‘Super power’ … ‘Allah..’ add the zealously charged spectators.

While patriotic sentiments of Pakistanis must be applauded, the dramatic proceedings at Wagah every day do raise a few weighty questions. Are we rejoicing in our military strength over India’s or are we glorifying the rivalry between two nations? Are we meant to worship a piece of land to the extent that we may kill to preserve it? Does not patriotic xenophobia aggravate enmity?

Such questions do plague the mind. And especially when an occasional, ‘Hindustan murdabad’ is retorted by the crowd on our side one wonders even more.

While one prays that we never reach a point where such questions become a reality, there must be some direction given to our spirit of patriotism even as it is displayed on August 14. It should not just be about waving flags and joining a cavalcade of vehicles. But beyond the mass rowdiness on display there is not even a passing thought in the merry-makers’ minds and even in the leaders’ psyche gracing the many functions on August 14 to turn over a new leaf to become conscientious citizens. Flags are found on the roads next morning, trampled, dirty and forgotten. All the slogans were just a showmanship, an exhibition of superficial patriotism.

Nationality is something to be proud of; but it’s time we progressed beyond the flag waving, slogan-chanting tendency. We as citizens should awaken a deeper passion of brotherhood and humanity and vow only to work for peace not focus on a superficial show of strength. Correcting the ills of the system by swearing allegiance to integrity should be our motto. With the Wagah border histrionics as a stark example, so far we have only excelled at merely ‘flaunting’ our love for the country and are busy just beautifying our drawing rooms while the sewers remain clogged.