Never forget

This letter refers to the article ‘A life of duty and service’ (September 19, 2022) by Dr Christian Turner CMG. The writer penned quite a heart-felt and dignified obituary, highlighting the commitment of the British monarchy to preserving good relations with Pakistan. While we can sympathize with and respect the grief of the British people during a time of mourning and their desire to laude the achievements of their late monarch, we should not forget the realities of neo-colonialism. The British monarchy served as the face of imperialism in the sub-continent, backing the mass impoverishment of the people of this land. Hence, we must not shy away from broaching the topic of reparations owed to Pakistan and other former colonies.

It is an incontestable fact that much of the prosperity that Britain now enjoys was bankrolled by the loot of resources from its former colonies. The writer alluded to the monarchy's commitment to help Pakistan cope with the recent floods, but even activities such as aid-giving cannot escape the shadow of neo-colonialism. Western consultancies are among the major beneficiaries of large aid projects and, inevitably, charitable activities by Western institutions are often used to deflect any criticisms of their past imperialism and its impacts in the present.

Waseem Afzal

Abbottabad