Understanding Political Geography Of Pakistan

Mark Twain

Anonymous

UNDERSTANDING POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY Iftikhar A. Malik OF PAKISTAN

Prevailing political phenomena of the country at various levels of the society does need its rational analysis to find its possible relationship with its immediate geography as one of a strong tool to delineate regional patterns of our political thought and structure. The people of Pakistan , when viewed under this new vision, appears a passive group of citizens which can be channeled onto new realities of life unfolding its inner extremely suppressed potentials to creative lines of action rather than wasting in subversive, unproductive and undesired activities. Political geography further defines new set of paradigms which may be of some great significance in the decades to come. This article concludes some broad regional political patterns that may interest the reader for their obvious implications. Pakistan is a vast country with its great human and natural resource potential to become a core state for the Muslim countries. The imposed political crisis created by outside players and partially owned by the local ruling elite would need to be overcome. It has a profound and brilliant past, with its own civilization, diversity as well as unity. Several times in the past and even today, foreign powers have used this region to achieve their own ulterior motives. What is our real inner potential which is visible to outside powers but invisible to us needs our attention for its realization. We have taken the following parameters to delineate

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various geographical units which apparently define some political entity. Largely these parameters include: 1. Population density on Tehsil level 2. Rate of literacy, further refined by using Tehsil level educational census data of class10 as a st-able unit (Education Census 2005, GOP). 3. Level if industrialization 4. Agriculture out put 5. Literary out put in the form of journals, newspapers and books 6. General financial position 7. Share in service class Level of cultural activities All these factors have been synthesized and drawn on the map for their classification which is attached here for reference. Broadly, Pakistan could be divided into the following three regions with their respective subregions as: 1. The Core Intelligentsia termed as Region-A with its sub-regions as A-1, A-2 and A-3. 2. The Peripheral Intelligentsia, called as B with its sub-regions as B-1 and B-2. 3. The Vast Agrarian and Wasteland Mass denoted as C with its sub-regions from C-1 to C-5. The Core Intelligentsia is the part of the country where population is highly dense, people are well educated, very much influenced by western values of life, high per capita income, high

consumption of energy and industrialization, comparatively better health and educational facilities with high intellectual out put. The region covers much of the elite society comprising leading politicians, top service class, scientists and engineers, artists, industrial and business community members. The region contributes much towards literature, art and culture. Mostly they matter in the over all country's affairs. So for three such regions have been identified as portrayed on the attached map as A-1, A-2 and A-3 including areas such as: 1. A-1: Comprising Lahore- Faisalabad- GujratSialkot area 2. A-2: Comprising Islamabad-RawalpindiAbbotabad-Charsada-Peshawar area 3. A-3: Karachi and its surroundings Let us now examine each sub-region with some of their details. The Lahore-Faisalabad-Gujrat-Sialkot zone (A-1) occupies north-eastern upper part of the Punjab plain. Its ancient history and civilization is traced back in the ruins of Harappa as a part of Indus civilization. It is historically rich in its culture, industry and education. The entire area is well known for its agriculture out put including different vegetables and fruits. It is the political hub of the country. Leading newspapers, journals and books are published with an international outlook. Educated class is mostly westernized in its culture and life style. The over all impact of all these development is quite conspicuous. Both Left and Right wing thinkers, just like ordinary citizens, have welcomed exotic ideas instead of creating their own philosophy of life.

Possibly due to this nature the creative minority could not give any aspiration to pull the society out whenever they faced any crisis. Each crisis has left a deep scar on the inner conscious of the society which wants its expression in the form of various disciplines, may it be politics, science and technology or cultural manifestation as folk songs. Sub-Region-A-2 comprises an area from Islamabad, Rawalpindi to Abbotabad and then going roughly to Peshawar which is equally rich in industry, high level of education with rapidly western way of life adopted by the younger generations. Ancient ruins at Taxila and Gandhara indicates its brilliant past. Its agriculture and industry is well established. Tobacco, sugarcane and various fruits and vegetables are highly priced. Big industrial units like HMC, HEC, Kamra Aeronautical Complex, Wah industrial complex, Railway Carriage factory and a host of other industrial activities make this region highly productive and dynamic. The capital provides a pivotal point for the entire country while Peshawar has its own historical significance situated at the mouth of Khyber Pass. The area is dominant with service class structure which is playing its own role through administrative means. Its Pukhtun population is politically active besides their strong cultural expressions, may it be unique music and life style. Karachi (A-3) is an island of industry and financial capital of Pakistan. It handles the major part of our import/ export through its two harbors. Its populace is highly educated with a distinct cultural background, high sense of superiority and a remarkable commercial and business attitude. There is well established textile, pharmaceutical and engineering industry besides consumer goods. Shipyard, Steel Mills and oil refineries supply their stuff to the whole country. Politically it is highly conscious and provocative region. Karachiites have developed their own Diasporas in the world. They are more prone to internationalism due to their vast business links. The three regions described above are the three strong pulling forces of the country. Although regarded a political hub of the country, the sub-region A-1 has always played a submissive role with no political culture and leader of its own. They are the best service class and thereby picked up by all outsiders to serve their ulterior motives. And happily they do it. Ignorant of their strength rather they are proud of serving others. Eastern part of the sub-region, A-2 is a self privileged class while its western part has always benefited by its political leadership. Pathan is very To be Continue good in business and has already AUGUST 2008 09

“Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.”

Politics

Thomas Jones

SEPTEMBER 2008 02

UNDERSTANDING POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY Iftikhar A. Malik OF PAKISTAN

Part II Captured major portion of the business in the sub-region A-1 and A-3. Karachiites are a real political mind. The old refined Lucknow culture with Aligarian background is still a dynamic working force. While Pathan always keeps boost up himself by its hegemonic nature of the near past the Karachiites, as a major political force, are still inspired in the remnant of Mughal Empire. The Peripheral Intellectual Core is a contiguous outer shell of the inner core where level of education, industrialization, art and culture, sociopolitical awar-eness and agricultural out put considerably varies comparing it with the core area and therefore has been named as RegionB. The region has been further divided into B-1 area encircling A-1 and A-2 and B-2, a tongue like structure spreading north of Karachi.

Area covering much of Swat, Malakand, Bunner and Kaghan valley constitutes B-1a which is rich in agriculture out put and famous for tourism due to its soft weather. Whereas area falling south of A-2 covering Talagang, Chakwal, Mianwali, Kohat, Jhelum and Khushab is semi-arid with scarce industrialization constitutes B-1b. It is this area which supply major manpower to the army. Although producing several eminent Generals in the country this region has yet to produce a General who could become folklore like Alexander the Great. They are on their path of development. Much of the south of A-1 zone comprising Jhang, T.T. Singh, Multan, Muzaffar Garh and from Bahawalpur to Bahawalnagar is a vast land with boosting agriculture but less industrialization. Rich in Sophism literature people are content to their lives. They are soft spoken with melodies in their music. Although Multan has been a regional centre but still mostly people are apolitical. Peripheral part of the Karachi Island is a tongue like structure spreading towards north including cities like Sukkar, Larkana, Khairpur, Dadu, Nawab Shah, and Hyderabad to Sonmiani bay. It's a vast land spreading on both sides of the Indus River. Mohenjo Daro is the well known ancient ruins of this region. Being close to the river it is equally rich in agriculture. The society derives its inspiration from their mythology deeply imbibed in their respective culture. People seek refuge in their past, although politically active. Their elite are playing a

dominant political role in the country which is a symbol of inspiration for them. In a sense they represent the soil they belong to. Peripheral core represents the most active regional political groups in the country. Pukhtuns, Siraikis and Sindhi nationalists have strong impact in their respective areas. Although they have produced strong literature in their own languages producing a strong lull in the youth at grass root level but their stiff nationalism has no element of modern development.

Close look to all these movements is indicative that they all are struggling to maintain their own language, culture and identity by reviving their own mythology, folk lore and religious rituals in local traditions. Politically they are far ahead as compared to the core intelligentsia. The vast Agrarian and Wasteland Mass termed as Region-C spreads beyond the peripheral portion of the country up to country's international boundary with Afghanistan and Iran which, for our convenience, could be grouped into the following zones: Zone-C-1: The area includes all the entire Northern Areas, District Chitral down to Dir touching Khyber Agency. It is a vast hilly area with lofty peaks and ranges with its extremely sporadic agriculture and sheep farming but full of yet un-tamed minerals and water resources for hydropower generation. Its glaciers and ice lakes are the permanent water resources of the Indus River. People are hard working and patriarchal in their nature with strong religious attitude. Balawaristan movement for greater liberty is the main political movement of the Hunza, Gilgit and Skardu areas. Just like once a Taxila university as an educational centre in the ancient past Darel university in the Darel-Tangir valley also served an educational centre in the past. Stone carving along KKH and in the deep interior valleys depict the presence of an old civilization in this region with their distinct culture. Zone-C-2: The seven tribal agencies under the name FATA further

“True friendship is like sound health, the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.”

Politics down to Zhob and extending towards plain areas of D.I. Khan and across the river including Bhukkar and Leiha of the Punjab is a zone where one could study a classic section of three distinct sub-zones as: (1) FATA and the hilly area up to Zhob representing a hilly culture (C2a); D.I. Khan, D.G. Khan and up to Rojhan as a foothill culture (C-2b) and Bhukkar and Leiha as a complete plain area culture (C-2c). The pagan and gun culture of FATA people, slightly mild with dominant religious attitude in the foothill area and broader but still archaic nature of the plain area are the dominant socio-political realities. Recent movement of Taliban in the FATA area is depicting the harsh realities of the C-2a zone. Zone-C-3: Down to Zhob there is a vast semi-hilly area including Kuhlo, Dera Bugti, Maiwand, Sibi, Sui and up to Kirthar Mountains in the south and covering Bruhawi hills as a north-south stretch is an area with its semi agriculture out put and sheep farming. They have their own brilliant past and the old ruins at Mehr Garh, near Sibi. As means of production are limited any discovery of oil and gas attracts an immediate attention to become an effluent society comparable to Karachi or Lahore. They are instinctively possessionists. Again the harsh nature provides a natural environment to produce a tribal society with stiff attitude which is not religious but tribal in expression. The area remains a theatre for Baluch Movement voicing for greater liberty. Zone-C-4: The entire Choolistan and its southern continuity into the Tharparker desert have been classified as a separate entity. It's a sand mass with extremely less population and almost negligible agriculture but some fishing and farming along the Indus River makes it a natural independent zone. Indus delta is the extreme southern part of this zone. Discovery of Tharparker coal as one of the biggest coal deposit in the world will play a decisive role in shaping the future political shape of this region. Zone-C-5: From Nushki to Taftan crossing the entire Chagai hills, Kharan hills and down to Turbat, Kalat, Khuzdar, Gawadar and the entire coastal area is again presenting us three sub-zones as (C-5a) consisting of Chagai and Kharan hills, (C-5b) covering the central Balochistan plateau and (C-5c) the entire coastal area. The northern Chagai ranges rich in copper, iron and onyx marble will cast different shadows as compared to the coastal area in the south leaving a huge barren area in between the two will demand a separate look for its dev-

MAP

C. C. Colton

SEPTEMBER 2008 03

elopment. Recent buildup of Gawadar port has added a new dim-ension of politics in the region. The three sub-regions are scarcely populated. Sinjrani of Chagai hills are quite different as compared to Makranis along the coast. There is no industry in any part. Fishing along the coastal area and sheep/ camel farming in the central plateau and Chagai hills with some scattered agriculture are the only means of survival. Conclusion: The identified politico-geographical regions will have to be judged differently. Each zone has its own characteristics which can be engineered on scientific lines to pull the nation out of the existing chaos. Creative minority of Zone-A-1 will have to share a major intellectual responsibility to look seriously the western intellectual invasion especially in the field of science and technology, philosophy, economics and social engineering. Their excellent nature of adoptability for latest ideas demand to lay down new foundations of the society par excellence in every field, may it be culture, media, art, science and technology, law and religious thoughts. Intelligentsia of Zon-A-2 may join into the same stream of intellectualism. Peshawar is a unique place where three forces are convergent. Extreme culture of FATA, modernism in the educated and elite class and the influence of Pukhtunkhaw movement, each having its own driving force will not be able to provide a uniform solution for their development and political linearity. Zone-A-3, Karachi is a small island of its own where fascist movement of the MQM is struggling hard for its acceptability on national level. Their divided intelligentsia will have to re-define its role in making the future shape of Pakistan.

As said earlier the Peripheral Intelligentsia zone is a major theatre for nationalistic movements voicing for more liberty and fundamental rights. Pukhtunkhaw, Siraiki and Sindho Desh movements are working at grass root level mainly on language and cultural bases. As these forces do not offer any modern ideas to the young generation except their own cultural values, their large scale acceptability among the youth will be further reduced by the influence of globalism due to deep penetration of electronic media, internet and education. Leadership of the country is in the hands of Peripheral Intelligentsia which is agrarian and archaic. Support of core intelligentsia to this leadership has proved to be a failure. Like advanced nations the future political hegemony, based on capitalistic ideals or on any new philosophy of life is more likely will remain in the hands of core intelligentsia if the nation has to develop. This brings us to the last but very important zone of Pakistan the Region-C where stronger nationalistic movements are currently in rebellion against the government. Baluch Liberation movement, Taliban in FATA and Balawaristan movement in the Hunza-Gilgit valley have recently made a big outburst in their respective areas. How t o break their archaic tutelage into a dynamic progressive approach is no doubt a big challenge. Resources for their development in the respective regions are available which need careful planning and funding for their development. They will continue to uproar unless they are developed for their merger into peripheral intelligentsia. Geography is playing a silent role in developing different taboos only disturbed by major invasions, may it be by an army or an intellectual or spiritual one. Neither politicians nor intelligentsia can work in isolation of each other. There is capability and resources in the country which needs articulation for playing a due vital role in the region.