This is not the first time fingers are pointed at text books for promoting hate material. Several studies have reached the same conclusion in the past. But the significance of the study titled ‘Taleem Ya Nafrat Ki Aabiyari’ is that it has come at a time Pakistan is in the grip of sectarian violence. It also coincided with the concern voiced by Civil and human rights groups over growing sectarian violence and a sense of fear and insecurity among particularly the Hindu and Christian communities.
Beginning with Gen Zia-ul-Haq, successive rulers have turned a deaf ear to the calls for sanity. The education policy framed in 2009 ignored the issue while the provincial Text Book Boards, especially in Punjab and Sindh even enhanced the hate materials in syllabus in 2012.
For the study, as many as 22 textbooks prescribed for the academic year 2012-13 in Punjab and Sindh were examined. These books are for grades 1–10. It is found that there are 55 chapters containing hate against Hindus, India, and Christians, insulting remarks against the minority religions and distorted historical facts.
The study showed that hate based material in Punjab textbooks increased in 2012-13. While in 2009, there were 45 hate speeches in the books, the number increased to 122 in 2012-13. The textbooks of Urdu and Pakistan Study of grade 7-10 carry most of the hate-based material.
Besides showing the evidence and trends of religious biases in the textbooks under use from class 1-10, in Punjab and Sindh, the study identified biases against the religious minorities in Pakistan in the education policy itself. For example there is an observation that there is no alternative for studying faiths other than majority religion; there are also extra marks only for showing proficiency in majority (Islam’s) religious scripture.
The textbooks heavily rely on the rhetoric that Hindus opposed while Muslims favoured creation of Pakistan. During partition, only Muslims faced violent attacks, loss of life and property, whereas Muslims did not take part in this bloodshed. The whole treatment and arrangement of textbooks is visibly discriminatory against non-Muslim citizens of Pakistan, violating Articles 18, 20, 22 and 25 of the Constitution in particular.
Pertinent in this connection is the stern warning by Muttahida Qaumi Movement Chief Altaf Hussain that sectarian violence might break up Pakistan. The provocation for his outburst was not the text book study but what is happening on the ground. On Sept 2, unidentified gunmen targeted and killed seven Shias of the Hazara community in Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan province which has been the worst hit by the sectarian violence in recent months. There are also several brutal murders of Shias in Gilgit and NWFP in recent times.
Hussain believes that these dastardly attacks and the increased targeting of Christians under the Blasphemy cases highlighted growing religious intolerance in the country. "If people are not provided protection, Pakistan will break into pieces. Christian, Barelvis, and Shias’ will demand a separate state for themselves," he has warned from his London perch.
Pakistan’s leadership should pay heed to the advice of a person who has always managed to be on the right side of the political divide.
