A nation in need of heroes
ASK any child or adult in Pakistan who their hero is and most will name either Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah or Abdul Sattar Edhi.
Does this mean that Pakistanis in 62 years have not had any extraordinary individuals who could be classified as heroes? Or is it because Pakistanis have lost their capacity to recognise and celebrate their heroes?
A common definition of a hero is an individual admired for his/her achievements and noble qualities. Two names straight away come to mind: Dr Abdus Salam and Akhtar Hameed Khan, both distinguished leaders in their respective fields who were sidelined by the politics of prejudice and nepotism and did not receive the national acclaim they deserved. There are countless citizens who have selflessly served at all levels but remain unsung because of Pakistan’s flawed system of recognition.
Dr Abdus Salam, Pakistan’s only Nobel Prize winner, was made controversial because he belonged to the Ahmadi community. Most countries would not have had such a matter stand in the way of achievements and the state and the nation would have put its full weight behind a man like him and feted him in the streets. Had ours been a similar dispensation then Dr Salam’s lectures in universities would have inspired the youth, and officially commissioned biographies in Urdu and English would take his life and work to a wider national and international audience.
Abdus Salam received the Nobel Prize in his national dress — a sherwani and turban. Throughout his life he worked to convince Muslim countries to donate one per cent of their export earnings to a science research fund to build a community of Muslim scientists. The Nobel laureate was keen to disseminate his knowledge at home through a world-class science facility, but no heed was paid to this request. In the long run young Pakistani scientists were deprived of a rare opportunity as myopic leaders could not see the long-term national interest.
Disappointed with the response of the Pakistani government, Abdus Salam went back to Europe where Italy was ready to support his research and take full advantage of his scientific genius. Pakistan did not fully recognise this internationally acclaimed hero because it could not transcend its politics of bigotry. Thus a nation lost a hero who would have inspired pride at home and projected the country’s intelligentsia internationally.
Akhtar Hameed Khan, modestly clad in a rough cotton shirt, a pajama and a darned sweater in winter, was a familiar sight among the residents of Orangi Town in Karachi. This unassuming man was the winner of the Magsaysay Award, (Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize) and was the father of the Orangi Pilot Project that has benefited the lives of millions.
This friend of the people transformed Orangi Town with his philosophy of self-help. A great believer in the power of people, he mobilised and guided the residents with skills and technical assistance to lay a sewerage system to improve their environment. Following this he established a micro-credit system that has made Orangi Town residents self-reliant and active contributors to the country’s economy.
Despite the fact that Akhtar Hameed Khan brought about such a major change in the community with his ideas, transparency and dedication, his recognition at the state level does not match his contribution. His name was even dragged through a false blasphemy case. Soon after his demise, the Musharraf regime organised a huge seminar on his work in Islamabad but neglected to translate his message into policy and tangible action that would benefit the common man he befriended.
A befitting tribute to Akhtar Hameed Khan would be to teach his theory of self-reliance in schools and at the university level so that his ideas find their way into the policies of development. This would enlighten future generations that ‘breaking the begging bowl’ is not just political rhetoric but can be the fruit of a long struggle for self-reliance that a pragmatic social scientist like Akhtar Hameed Khan proved with his lifelong work.
Some countries go the extra mile to own their heroes. Recently Ireland transported the Mews atelier of renowned artist Francis Bacon and installed it at the main state-run Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin. Although Bacon had spent most of his professional life in the UK, Ireland — keen to take ownership of the artist — spent a considerable amount to bring the memory of the artist home.
As for awards, most national civil awards in Pakistan have lost their legitimacy because of their non-transparent selection process. To bring back the importance of these awards informed professionals and social leaders need to be given responsibility and not government lackeys.
While the trend of awards instituted by TV channels has gained popularity, in reality it is yet another excuse to sing and dance with some social leaders thrown into the entertainment brew to give the whole scene a multi-dimensional aspect. This has done more harm than good as it blurs the line between real-life heroes and the make-believe world.
A nation needs heroes because in many ways they reflect its collective aspiration. These extraordinary people inspire with the goodness of humanity and faith in the power of commitment. Heroes offer the hope that our tomorrows can be better than our today.
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