The dilemma of Identity Politics in Pakistan: Nationalism vs. Patriotism

According to Francis Fukuyama, two elements give rise to identity politics in a state: religion and nationalism. In Pakistan, nationalism has given rise to identity politics. For us, it is more important to be associated with our ethnicity and caste than nationality. Our pride lies in being Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi, or Pathan. In Sindh, nationalism can be traced back to the 1950s when Sindhis raised their voices against one unit. However, this sentiment gained strength after the partition of Bangladesh in 1971 when G.M. Syed founded the JST in 1972, seeding the idea of Sindhudesh- a separate homeland for Sindhis. Soon after the demise of Mr. Bhutto, Pakistan People’s Party gained sympathy votes by playing the nationalism card, giving birth to identity politics.
In the case of KPK, it was the state’s dirty strategic policy that used Pashtuns as cannon fodder in anti-soviet resistance in Afghanistan during General Zia’s era, cultivating the seeds of Jihad which led to radicalism and nationalism in KPK. After 9/11, the anti-state sentiment gained more popularity in KPK when the cost of the War on Terror was mainly paid through the blood of 70,000 Pashtuns residing in the tribal districts of Pakistan. Pashtuns paid the price of terrorism and were also named as the perpetrators of terrorism in Pakistan. Pashtun Tahafuz Movement formerly known as Mehsud Tahafuz Movement (From May 2014 until January 2018) was mainly created to promote Pashtun nationalism. The Pashtun neo-nationalists want their fundamental rights under the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973. They want justice against the atrocities cracked down on them during the war on terror.
In the words of former IG of Balochistan Police Tariq Khosa, “Balochistan suffers from many missed opportunities and unfulfilled promises.” For Balochistan, the grievances are based on elite capture, lack of political autonomy and participation, unequal economic rights, and misuse of resources by the federal. Nationalist movements in Balochistan can be traced back to the subcontinent. In 1929, the foundations of a secular, non-tribal nationalist movement were laid down by Mir Muhammad Yusuf Ali Khan Magsi and Abdul Aziz Kurd were the founders of Anjuman-i-Ittihad-i-Balochistan. However, the recent nationalist movements were strengthened in 2006 after the death of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, who was assassinated by the then military dictator General Pervaiz Musharaf. These nationalist forces in Balochistan gave rise to various separatist groups such as BLA and BLF that demand a separate homeland for the Balochis and have been held responsible for crimes against locals and other provinces too. These separatist groups are now being funded by rival states such as India. Evidence of India’s support in stirring separatists movements in Balochistan was found when an Indian officer, Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan on 3 March 2016 on espionage charges.
Maryam Tariq
Islamabad