Responsible optimism

The morning of the first of January is always a sobering one. After all the inane New Year’s Eve celebrations, people have to get up in the morning, and get on with it. The year that has just ended wasn’t exactly one that left Pakistan drenched in glory. More than 5,000 Pakistanis were killed in more than 670 terrorist attacks. Pakistan’s right-wing, intoxicated on petrodollars and taxpayer rupees (courtesy of the invisible hand), continued its grotesque failure to represent even a sliver of the values it claims to uphold. Wikileaks put to rest the dangerous fiction of any difference in the ambient levels of national pride between civilian and military leaders. Most disturbingly, the economy continued to be a zombie lacking the robustness expected of an emerging market of 180 million consumers.
Then again, perhaps we sometimes overdo our maatam about Pakistan. Every country has problems. 2010 was a pretty bad year for everyone. Our princely brethren in the Middle East were probably more embarrassed than anyone at GHQ by Wikileaks. Indians were embarrassed by a range of acronyms BSF, CRPF and AFSPA and the odd Kalmadi and Radia. Greece and Ireland, despite not being run by President Zardari, went totally belly-up. Libya still has Moammar Qadhafi and Italy still has Sylvio Berlusconi. Perhaps most embarrassingly, the United States is still mired in an expensive war run by an ambitious and Machiavellian general, who is nowhere close to wanting it to be over, all while US leaders continue to refuse to tax the rich.
The difference between the troubles of other countries and the troubles of Pakistan is that in this country the tradition of a responsible optimism is non-existent. Our realism seems only to prop us to declare moral, economic and political bankruptcy – we are doomed, it is said. Our optimism blinds us to daylight robbery, the murder of poor innocent villagers and the hijacking of our faith traditions – we are doing just fine, and

everything else is a conspiracy against us, we are told.
There is of course such a thing as a little perspective. On this first day of a new year, in a new decade, of what is still a relatively new century, Pakistanis must insist on being responsibly optimistic about what the future holds. To do this, we have to stop and take a deep breath.
There are a lot of things that call for a realistic, responsible and constructive narrative of hope in Pakistan. And we need not close our eyes to any brutal truths, nor condemn to oblivion any of our outrage. We just have to control ourselves, just a little bit.
When we’re bombarded with fake news stories, we can choose to condemn the Pakistani media. Or we can celebrate the brilliance, bravery and contrition of the same media. From blogs like Café Pyala to newsmen like Azhar Abbas, the fake wikileaks was not so much a fiasco as it was a manifestation and affirmation of the Pakistani media’s evolving maturity and internal accountability. 2010 was a year in which this evolution took on a more vibrant feel.
When we’re titillated by the mud and sleaze that has been flying betwixt the MQM and the PML-N, we can choose to hold our heads in our hands, and lament politicians’ disgraceful behaviour. Or we can consider the fact that all things considered, both the MQM and the PML-N are enablers of new kinds of political cultures in the country. The Noon League, it seems is done with its days as a proxy of the military establishment. The MQM, it seems is sincerely committed to decentralised local governments. Both a sustained democracy and the emergence of increasingly fiscally, politically and administratively autonomous cities in Pakistan are good things. They were visibly manifest in 2010.
When the skies ripped open and Pakistan was flooded knee-deep in water and misery during the worst monsoon season in our history, we were scarred for life. Scarred by the clumsy callousness of political leaders, and the populism of our military leaders. Scarred by the drowning livestock, the inundated schools, and the looming disease epidemics. So how did Pakistanis respond?
The same way Pakistanis responded in 2005 for victims of the earthquake and in 2009 for IDPs from Swat and FATA. Pakistani doors and wallets swung open and goodwill, money and love flowed forth like someone had unhinged Tarbela. From Slackistan to Hopelessistan and everywhere in between came forth the generosity and hope that has helped sustain twenty million flood victims.
Did Pakistan have some help from abroad? Sure. But it was deeply and widely disproportionate to the magnitude of the needs. Pakistan survives earthquakes, terror-wars and floods because of the resilience and generosity of Pakistanis. 2010 was yet another massive demonstration of this graceful resilience and generosity.
Of course, there’s much to be accountable for too. Human life and dignity seem to have little meaning for tiny pockets within the country, and the state seems to have no way to respond to these pockets. Ethnic strife in Karachi and all across Balochistan was proof. So was terrorism all over the country, including at Daata Darbar. There are no metrics whatsoever on civilian casualties in war zones in FATA, including civilian victims of drones. We can keep demonising the PPP for this, but those drone attacks and military operations are the domain of the Pakistani military. That institution remains unaccountable for its actions. There are also no metrics on how complex it must be to grow up Christian, Hindu or Ahmadi in Pakistan – which surely highlight the urgent need for legal and political reform that addresses equality of citizenship in Pakistan. Yet for all these problems, where do the voices for change come from? They are from Pakistan.
For every sin there are one hundred calls for accountability. For every excess, one hundred voices against it. This is a young and evolving democracy with a complex set of existential challenges. Within the morbidity and from the so-called sea of mediocrity, arise absolute geniuses. All Pakistani. Where do they come from? The Aisamul Haqs, the Rohail Hayats, the Qayaas’, the Maria Toors, the Bumbu Sauces, the All Growth Pakistan 25, the Raza Rabbanis, the Asma Jahangirs – where do they all come from? They are from Pakistan.
In the year 2011, there will be more. Any one of 180 million could be on this list next year. That rich and exciting possibility should help us get up and get on with it today, and every day in 2011. Happy New Year.

The writer advises governments, donors and NGOs on public policy.