“ alhamdulillah, i am a muslim and a pakistani.” how often one comes across statements such as this. but what does such a declaration really mean in a coun- try where more than 95 per cent of the popula- tion is muslim — and, of course, pakistani? why do we keep hearing it across the board? do most pakistanis have serious doubts about their religious and patriotic inclinations? who are they talking to? of course, it is pakistanis talking to pakistanis. but then, why the constant reminders about being muslims and pakistanis? the reasons are rather simple. in our country there is no one cohesive under- standing of faith or culture. however, though there is nothing wrong in being a religiously and socially plu- ralistic society, the problem starts when the state and certain intellectual and reli- gious circles begin to shape and enforce a single con- cept of ‘correct reli- gion’and ‘true patriotism’. when these supposedly correct versions of religious belief and national- ism are given constant currency and propaga- tion, an overriding social psyche starts to devel- op in which anyone criticising or debating these versions automatically becomes suspect and is likely to be accused of being ‘un-islamic’ or ‘an- ti-pakistan’. this psyche has not only hindered the mush- rooming of the culture of tolerance, and of hold- ing informed debates, it has (as a consequence) also given birth to a mind-set that presents the awkward process of finger-pointing and uncor- roborated mud-slinging as ‘debate’, and which encourages the floating of bizarre conspiracy theories as a way to actually fatten one’s creden- tials as a ‘political analyst’, ‘religious scholar’ and ‘economic expert’. of course, every time a view is aired, espe- cially if it is a learned, insightful and well in- formed opinion, the person is subconsciously bound to also apologetically explain his muslimness and pakistaniat — as if, trying to speak one’s mind is a no-go-area and can bring the involved person’s religious and patriotic be- liefs into question. such religious and patriotic declarations have become mantras of apologia without which a person is exposed to all kinds of accusations by the ‘true keepers of faith and nationalism’ who can be found in the corridors of the ‘establish- ment’, and among the clergy, the politico-reli- gious parties and now, the fascistic islamist forces. but the progressive and the less religiously demonstrative folks are not the only ones forced by this psyche to constantly announce their faith and patriotism. artistes, cultural figures and the common man, especially when they are given a public platform, for example, television, too find themselves subconsciously and almost instinc- tively invoking the words, ‘islam’, and ‘pakistan’, even while talking about a totally secular and unrelated topic. it is as if, each one of them feels that while in front of a camera, it is their religious and patriot- ic credentials that are being judged, more than anything else. one can expect this from an actress, a pop star, secu- lar politicians and common people. the psychological pressure to do so is such that they are bound to add a statement like: “akhir hum muslaman aur pakistani hain”, (after all, we are muslims and pakistanis). they are actually an- swering an invisible and unsaid, but nonetheless, forceful question, as if not answering it with their faith-based and patriotic declarations can get them accused of being ‘un- islamic’ and ‘un-patriotic’. this is a sad state of affairs. it smells of an elusive and unspoken form of fascism, psychical- ly imposed in the name of faith and patriotism. the situation gets even worse when such declara- tions are ironically not expected from people who perhaps make the biggest mockery of faith and nationalism. these are certain politico-reli- gious figures, conservative personalities and most televangelists. they seem to be free to distort faith and histo- ry, clutter minds with idiotic conspiracy theories, mock intelligence and rationality, and sometimes even instigate hatred and violence — yet not a single question is asked of them. nobody expects them to say, “we are muslims and pakistanis”. nobody is judging their creden- tials in this respect, supposedly because their declarations in matters of faith and patriotism come in the shape of populist reactionary ranting, idiotic theories, and their ‘islamic way of dress- ing’. as if being a good muslim and a concerned pakistani only amounts to being loud, exhibition- istic, irrational and self-righteous? after all, isn’t it true that though the mindset i am talking about is always quick to call an ac- tress ‘fahash’ (obscene), a secular politician ‘an- ti-islam’, a rational liberal ‘pro-west’, and an ob- jective/progressive political analyst ‘anti- pakistan’, it never bothers to question preachers, fanatics, tv personalities and those televangel- ists who openly peddle faith and patriotism through hate speeches, reactionary insinuations, reckless conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated gossip? and by the way, i too must declare: i am a muslim and a pakistani! just in case. ¦