Carlotta Gall‘s important story about age and class divisions between the upper and lower levels of Pakistan’s elite (à propos last week’s assassination of Punjab governor Salman Taseer by one of his own bodyguards) is not to be missed. We certainly hope that the wonks in Washington who are responsible for our biggest foreign-policy headache have some bright ideas!

This conservatism is fueled by an element of class divide, between the more secular and wealthy upper classes and the more religious middle and lower classes, said Najam Sethi, a former editor of The Daily Times, a liberal daily newspaper published by Mr. Taseer. As Pakistan’s middle class has grown, so has the conservative population.

Besides his campaign against the blasphemy laws, it was Mr. Taseer’s wealth and secular lifestyle that made him a target for the religious parties, Mr. Sethi said.

“Salman had an easygoing, witty, irreverent, high-life style,” he said, “so the anger of class inequality mixed with religious passion gives a heady, dangerous brew.”

Drop me a line at rjk@dailyblague.com
This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 11th, 2011 at 10:30 am.