Is Pakistan in Denial about its Caste Problem?

Words by Misha Khan

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This is a rare vintage poster for the National Dance Ensemble from Pakistan when they made their grand debut performance in New York City in 1973 at the Hulu Theatre in Madison Square Garden. The show featured celebrated Kathak dancer Nahid Siddiqui who rose to fame in the 70s but in the late 70s, martial law was declared in Pakistan and dancing was banned. She left Pakistan and relocated to London but was told she couldn't dance anywhere in the world without the permission from the government of Pakistan. Siddiqui defied these rules though and continued to dance. "How can you ban beauty?" asked Siddiqui. (Available now as print)

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Is Pakistan in Denial about its Caste Problem?

“The believers are but one brotherhood” (49:10)

The excerpt in this title is taken from the Holy Quran and it signifies Islam’s commitment to equality, be it along racial, class, or caste lines. This theoretical egalitarianism gets mentioned quite a lot in debates around Islam’s modernity and suitability for the current times. Another popular instance of this is in Prophet Muhammad’s final address to his people, where he reminds his followers that: “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over Black nor a Black has any superiority over white”. Muslim scholars have also made countless remarks on how Islam is not a caste-based religion. It is these confident assertions which can oftentimes dissuade South Asian Muslims, especially Pakistanis, from critically assessing the casteism which exists in their own society and their role in propagating it.