The Muslim Response to English in South Asia: With Special Reference to Inequality, Intolerance and Militancy in Pakistan

Abstract

English came to South Asia as a consequence of British conquest. The Muslims of this part of the world responded to it in three ways: rejection and resistance; acceptance and assimilation; pragmatic utilization. These responses continue in Pakistan and are associated with, respectively, the traditionalist ulema; the Westernized middle and upper classes and the Islamists, including the Islamic militants.

English is also a marker of socio-economic class and the state has created and maintains policies which have distributed it unevenly i.e. the elite has privileged access to it while the poorest people do not. These class cleavages are also related to the polarization of Pakistani society in relation to militancy, religious tolerance and women’s rights. These, in turn, are related to the degree of exposure to English, socio-economic class and identity.