THIS is with reference to the letter by Mr Seemi Saify about Pakistanis’ interest in the British royal wedding (June 14).

Personally I feel celebrity weddings stir interest worldwide. Emperors, kings and sultans are gone, but every child is raised on kingly stories. Besides, parents and grandparents refer to their children and grandchildren as ‘my prince’ or ‘my princess’. Therefore, every boy and girl thinks of himself and herself as a future king or queen.

There is a charm and fascination with the word king and queen. As children we have all heard stories about princes, princesses, kings and queens. We feel fascinated.

As a reader of Dawn, I remember people in a tram in some German city clapped when they heard that the Shah of Iran (who turned out to be the last Iranian monarch) finally had the pleasure of having an heir to the Peacock Throne in his lap. Even though Germany lost its monarchy after World War I, the fascination with monarchs remains.

The issue with our long colonial rule can be divided into two: where Britain’s political role is considered, there are no two opinions that Pakistanis (and Indians) abhor it, and why not? After all they lost their freedom, followed by unabashed economic exploitation of South Asia’s natural and manpower resources. While cotton and jute were used to build factories in Lancashire and Dundee, the people of South Asia descended into poverty never witnessed before in their history.

And when it came to war, South Asian manpower was used as cannon fodder during the two world wars in Europe, North Africa and South-East Asia.

But culture is something else. Some though not all things British fascinate us — cricket above all. Did playing cricket do us any harm? In fact, cricket has been a source of happiness not only as a sport but as something that conveys a better image of Pakistan.

The historic victories — at the Oval under Kardar’s leadership and by Imran at Melbourne — added to Pakistan’s image as a sports-loving country and not as a country known for suicide bombers and military dictators.

English literature also fascinates us — ‘thou too Brutus’, ‘primary, my dear Watson’, ‘can spring be far behind?’Because of language, America too attracts us, for English culture is giving way to American influences. Pakistani children now say ‘mom’ not ‘mum’; dad, not daddy, doc not doctor. Even students in classy schools write ‘labor’, ‘favorite’, ‘color’ and ‘traveling’, and the fast food invasion has completely altered their food habits.

In brief, Britain’s colonial excesses notwithstanding, British culture is still there, and there is no harm in watching a royal wedding with interest.

Jamal Rafiqee
Murree

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2018