Economy and identity

"Southasian' is one among the many identities that I carry, and I am also a Muslim, a Pakistani, a Punjabi, a Lahori, a teacher, a researcher, an economist and  male. Some of these identities are clearly identifiable, while others require a bit of probing. Each, however, is equally valid. At certain times, one might receive more prominence than others, such as during an India-Pakistan cricket match; while at other times some could be more problematic, such as being a Muslim Pakistani male deplaning at JFK airport in New York. Regardless, all of these together make me who I am. At times, some elements can also come into conflict; but which broad conceptual categories do not? Do claims of liberty and equality not likewise clash at times? Importantly, the clash does not take away from the defining power and characteristics of any individual aspect.

The food that I eat is shared by many across Afghanistan, Pakistan and North India. The music that I enjoy is popular across Southasia and beyond. Our languages, literature and attire do not follow any of the provincial, national, religious or other boundaries mentioned above. The domain of overlapping identities is a reality and, more importantly, a cause for celebration. The solitude of the individual, after all, can only be broken by such overlaps. It is our Southasian identity that more often comes into conflict, and comes under pressure, than do the others. Our national boundaries are recent, and continuing territorial and ideological disputes complicate matters further. There is also the burden and memory of history: the Partition of 1947, the wars of 1965 and 1971, the creation of Bangladesh and many more. These issues have definitely slowed down the development of an institutional and organisational base for a Southasian identity, on top of the existing cultural ones. But this has not made the idea redundant.