Enthusiasm and Energy of the Pakistani Youth
By Sajjad Shaukat
Past experience proves that the youth played a key role in the nation-building of the developed countries, while pulling them out of any crisis due to their zeal and zest.
Unlike the developed countries, Pakistan has been facing multi-faceted problems such as acute financial crisis, poverty, unemployment, social inequities, lack of security, loadshading of electricity and gas in wake of continuous acts of terrorism. But, our young persons have shown a greater enthusiasm and energy in coping with these multiple problems. In these terms, their vitality and power of determination is praiseworthy.
On the on side, enemies of the Pakistan are using various schemes to manipulate the youth by provocating them to join the militants in order to conduct subversive activities, on the other side, a majority of the Pakistani youth is well-determined in thwarting the nefarious designs of the terrorists who are involved in brutal acts of terrorism and have brought embarrassment to the entire nation.
Now, Pakistan’s environment has been darkened with the perennial incidents of bomb blasts, turmoil and unrest, as the insurgent target educational institutions, public places like festivals, parks, business centers, hospitals, places of entertainment and worship. Our youth which is too sensitive and mindful of the terrorism-related phenomenon of trauma surrounding them, cannot remain oblivious to the same, as it is agonizing for them.
Knowing the memories of their relatives and dear ones who lost their lives in various terrorist acts like bomb blasts, suicide attacks, targeted killings, ethnic and sectarian violence, the youth has urged the various organs of the state—the government and the judiciary including law-enforcing agencies and media to take effective steps to get rid Pakistan of the menace of terrorism.
While some political and religious entities including some media analysts are misguiding the youngsters that it is some one else’s war, not Pakistan’s war, but the youth is well-aware that it is our own war against terrorism, as the militants are being supported by external enemies of the country.
They know the reality that entrenched in Afghanistan external secret agencies like
American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad have perennially been arranging acts of sabotage in various regions of Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, Balochistan and Karachi through their affiliated militant groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Jundollah (God’s soldiers) including other insurgent groups and some Baloch feudal lords (Sardars) to fulfill the secret strategic designs of US, India and Israel at the cost of Pakistan, China and Iran. Besides martyring several personnel of law-enforcing agencies and security forces in various parts of the country, in Balochistan, these foreign-backed entities kidnapped and massacred many Punjabis, Pushtuns, Shias, people of Hazara community, patriot Balochis and Iranian Shias. In the past few years, they abducted and killed many Chinese and Iranian nationals in Pakistan. On a number of occasions, BLA, Jundollah and other separatist groups claimed responsibility for their subversive acts. So, the young persons know that these terrorists have accelerated their anti-social, undemocratic and un-Islamic practices in the country where their merciless activities continue unabated. Hence, they are showing vitality by emphasizing the necessity of unity to fight the ruthless enemy.
No doubt, the youth in Pakistan is fully cognizant of the fact that all convicted terrorists especially those who were awarded death penalty by the courts of law should be executed without any delay, as it will send a strong message to the militants. And Judiciary on its part must ensure speedy disposal of all cases pertaining to terrorism, otherwise, justice in cases of terrorist attacks will remain delayed. According to a maxim, “justice delayed is justice denied.”
Nevertheless, the Pakistani youth is fully aware of the dangers which lurk ahead and the impediments which lie in the path of realizing their full potential and a brighter future. In this respect, the government of Pakistan needs to take serious measures to positively exploit the enthusiasm and energy of the youth not only in coping with the political instability, social strife and economic problems, but also menace of terrorism in the country.
For the purpose, our own media must show courage by denouncing all acts of terrorism, and stop providing space to these terrorists, as media statements by the spokesmen of the militant groups simply glorify the cause of terrorism in one way or the other.
It is good sign that the Pakistani youth like its counterparts around the world also uses the social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace etc. effectively. In the cyber-age, social media which means online platform for interactive dialogue, have equally been utilizing by the peoples of the developed and less developed countries. In this context, the Facebook site originally was created for students of Harvard to get acquaintance with one another, but later, it was utilized by other colleges and universities as well, and now allows anyone to get registration.
In fact, these sites are creating communities which allow people to keep tabs of their social relationships by exploring and finding other persons with similar interests. In these terms, social media services like Twitter and Facebook are really playing the revolutionary role.
In this regard, a study suggests that online chatter about revolution often began just before actual revolution took place. And social media also served as an outlet for citizens of the region to tell their stories of revolution, which played an inspirational role for neighboring countries. The study explains that social media carried a cascade of messages about freedom and democracy across North Africa and the Middle East, and helped raise expectations for the success of political uprising—in Egypt where the Arab Spring blossomed—Howard and his team found that the number of tweets that mentioned revolution in that country exploded from 2,300 per day to more than 230,000 per day. The number of videos, Facebook updates and blog posts about government opposition also rose dramatically.
Moreover, there is virtually no control over the sites, and some of the users can misuse by giving false information or spread disinformation. According to a NGO, the photos of flogging of 17 year old girl in Swat in 2009 displayed on the Facebook was engineered, which had brought disgrace to Pakistan.
Nonetheless, our youngsters who know the art of using social media sites through internet must utilize the same for encountering anti-Pakistan propaganda of the external enemies, and in improving the image of the country in the eyes of international community. Thus, they can also unite various segments of the society in fighting the different war against terrorists.
It is notable that general elections 2013 witness the youth of Pakistan participating wholeheartedly in the electoral process. Optimistically speaking, if democracy prevails, the youth, being in majority, will actually dictate the type of government which will reside in the corridors of power. The current government’s recognition of the power of the youth is likely to motivate and to empower them.
It is mentionable that education and research are very essential for the development of a country, as we can see in the west. So, strenuous efforts for peace and an atmosphere conducive to the pursuit of education, research and vocational interests are of prime importance in relation to the youth.
Consequently, Pakistani youth which is full of enthusiasm and energy has expressed firm resolve to fight the menace of terrorism, and to play their role for the security of Pakistan, while helping the country in diversified fields for nation-building purposes.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
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