For Pakistani kids, ‘J’ is for jehad, ‘B’ for ‘bandook’

ISLAMABAD:
Thousands of Pakistani schoolgoing children are growing up learning that the
Urdu equivalent of the letter A stands for Allah, B for

‘bandook’ (gun) and J
for ‘jehad’.

Though not
officially prescribed for pre-schoolers, books printed by Iqra Publishers are
being used in several regular schools and madrassas across
Pakistan.

The three examples of
Allah, ‘bandook’ and jehad are not the only ones which sound like a “blueprint
for a religious fascist
state”.

The Urdu letter for the
T sound stands for ‘takrao’ (collision), K for ‘khunjar’ (dagger), H for ‘hijab’
(veil) and Z for ‘zunoob’ (sins) – which includes watching television, playing
musical instruments and flying
kites.

According to the
National Bureau of Curriculum and Textbooks, Class 5 children are expected to
“acknowledge and identify forces that may be working against Pakistan”,”make
speeches on jihad and shahadat”, “understand Hindu-Muslim differences and the
resultant need for Pakistan”, “India’s evil designs about Pakistan” and
“demonstrate by actions a belief in the fear of Allah”, said a report in
Newsline magazine.

In an
article titled “The Saudi-isation of Pakistan”, renowned physicist Pervez
Hoodbhoy argued that “a stern, unyielding version of Islam is replacing the
kinder, gentler Islam of the Sufis of
Pakistan”.

“Pakistan’s
self-inflicted suffering comes from an education system that, like Saudi
Arabia’s system, provides an ideological foundation for violence and future
jihadists,” he wrote.

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