“Imran Khan doesn’t usually bring up the issues related to
Baluchistan, and is a person backed up by the mighty establishment. Nawaz
Sharif was playing the role of a “friendly opposition,” when the average
citizen of Pakistan was battered by the growing inflation. How can Altaf
Hussain claim to be a leader of a country, when he doesn’t set foot there? The People’s Party government cannot handle
the issues haunting the nation – there credibility and competence both can be
questioned. United States should just
leave our country alone, and take their money with them; we cannot fight their
war [on terror] for them anymore. When are these “Maulana’s” going to
understand that the times have changed and we cannot live with a medieval mindset?”
These are just some of the sentiments that are usually not
only expressed in our society, but people have been very open about them. And,
it is indeed a welcome change that public has started to speak up, and stand up
for what it believes in.
The issues that, on
the surface, are plaguing our country have been constantly highlighted by an
extremely vibrant media; and, the public, especially youth, is taking a profound
interest to make sure its opinion is heard. The change in the general attitude of
the masses towards life, and especially towards the issues, in the last decade
has been, in a way, revolutionary. And, there’s no second opinion that the
media can rightfully claim the major honor of this change in the mindset of
Pakistani public.
However, undeniably, such a change most often than not
entails grave responsibility on the part of both the propagator and listener to
ensure what is being imparted is in effect constructive. With constructive I mean something that purifies the values and culture of the specific area where the contents have
been disseminated, something that gives a different view of the world but at
the same time doesn’t lose the very fabric of the society in question, something
that facilitates us in accommodating the different points of views, and
something that engenders in us the will of collective goodness. In other words,
something that brings change in the way of thinking and put forth hard,
unanswered questions that touch the very core of conflict.
It’s our job to decide whether we are confronting the right questions
facing our society and culture. Or, is it that we are only keeping ourselves
busy in discussing the politicians’ corruption, our rivalry with India, who’s
said what to whom, someone’s personal conduct etc…? I’m not suggesting turning
a blind eye towards these issues. I believe justice should take its course, and
everybody who’s done anything wrong should be put to the task. But my point is
whether these parochial matters deserve all
our attention? Shouldn’t this be obvious that the institutions that are built
to serve justice, collect taxes, hand out punishments, scrutinize the government
ought to be doing their job?
And, it doesn’t require a genius to discover what our common
challenges are that are stopping us from becoming a nation, with its own values,
culture, and the governing system. Our public
has far too long relied on mere statements. It’s time to ask some candid
questions: such as,
Statement -- We need a single educational system in the
whole country, if we want to produce leaders that may understand the problems
of the average citizen. Try changing syllabus of any Madrassa, and you would
realize it’s not as easy as it seems. How many debates we have seen discussing
this issue?
Statement -- We need a democratic system in our country,
because only then we can progress. Q: Ask any “Maulana sb”, and he would tell
you that it’s not what Islam says, and that we need “Sharia.” How can we bring
everybody on board for a single governing system, so that everybody stands by
it when the push comes to the shove?
Statement – We need a tolerant society that recognizes
everyone’s write to speak and dialogue. Q: Read articles written on “Molvi’s”
on every newspaper, cursing them of every bad in the nation. Can we build such
a tolerant society by hurting emotional feelings that our people have towards
religion?
Statement – We are proud of our culture. Q: will we find our
culture in a decade, when our whole youth is increasingly becoming a victim of
globalization? Is there a way we can protect our identity as a Muslim, “Sub-continental”
nation, and stop our youth from seeing our very own identity as a medieval
practice, or now we shall “copy” the culture as well?
Statement – we need a united Pakistan. Q: How can we change
our narrow mindset, which lets us believe the bigger province has eaten away
the share of smaller provinces, and every fault in our lives has been a
conspiracy against us?
Statement – I see
Pakistan as a progressive country. Q: How can we become a progressive country without
discovering our role in the modern world, in which US, India, China, EU, and Russia
are occupying a vital space. What would be our stake and responsibility in such
a world?
Statement – I’ll make Pakistan “The Asian Tiger.” Q: How can
we make ourselves independent first? How can we increase our exports and
minimize our imports?
Etc…
There comes a point in time for every nation, at which it
has to decide its future by taking responsibility of its actions. For us, that
time is now. Media, on the other hand, need to debate matters that matter,
rather than waste its valuable airtime sorting out the political banter. Our society
is frank and open, and knows how to express its emotions. What we need is a society that knows how to listen,
debate, and respect different opinions, and accommodate the various sentiments.
