'Zarb-e-Qalam'

Addressing the "Fourth International Conference on Language, Literature and Society" at the Academy of Letters, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said, "just like operation Zarb-e-Azb there is a dire need for Zarb-e-Qalam [strike of the pen]", and that he believed writers, poets and intellectuals have a key role to play in the elimination of terrorism. For that he announced a Rs 500 million Zarb-e-Qalam Endowment Fund. Indeed, writers and poets have an important role in countering the extremist narrative. They are expected to act, nonetheless, as conscience keepers of society for which no monetary incentive should be required. The institution of a fund for the purpose can only lend itself to the suspicion that it is aimed at advancing the government's own policies, which may be at odds with what independent public intellectuals think is needed to deal with the threat of terrorism violent religious extremists pose to this state and society.
The success of the military operation Zarb-e-Azb has helped eliminate terrorist hideouts together with their munition factories and stores, substantially diminishing their capability to launch attacks. But unlike conventional wars that end with one side's battlefield victory this fight cannot be won unless the extremist mindset is defeated. That calls for comprehensive reform of the education system which forms and shapes thinking across perspectives in young minds. Thanks to governmental indifference as many as 25.02 million children between ages 5-16 are out of school-an easy prey for militants looking for recruits. In fact Pakistan has the unsavoury distinction of having the lowest literacy rate in the whole of South Asia. If that is not bad enough, the school system runs on three different tracks: elite private schools which impart modern education; government-run institutions with curriculums that eulogize militarism, disdain pluralism and discourage free inquiry; and madressahs, a vast majority of whom are foreign-funded enterprises promoting sectarian hatreds and serving as breeding grounds of militants. For a while, there has been a realisation that the distortions inserted in the government-prescribed curriculums during the Zia era ought to be removed to promote a worldview that is in tune with the demands of a forward-looking society. In fact, the Punjab and KP governments did make some efforts in that direction, only to make retreat in the face of religious parties' threats. As per the political consensus-based National Action Plan, the federal government was to undertake madressah reforms, yet it remains hesitant, again, because of the resistance offered by religious parties whose selfish interests are linked to these places.
What needs to be done is clear: modernization of curriculums, madressah reforms, and declaration of a literacy emergency. The Prime Minister has to lead this fight, taking his courage in both hands to confront the vested interests for the sake of the longer term peace and security of this country. Public intellectuals surely need to articulate the counter-narrative, which many of them are already doing at considerable risk to their own security. That though will not be of much help unless the political leadership fulfils its part of the responsibility.