Op-Ed: Life threatening messages and Volunteer of Pamir Times
by Aejaz Karim (Washington)
It is really shocking to read this news today. It is also depressing that the Vadera politics has taken root in our peaceful society whereby the self labeled political leaders, having the redundant mentality of 18th century, are trying to establish their writ on people through illegal, unethical and depraved means. They use their influence and links to exploit them and utilize the state machinery in order to keep the people under control. But, it must be known that ours is not a society of the 18th century. We are no more isolated community being ruled by some “heaven born” ruler. This society is full of literate and thoughtful minds; it is full of skillful hands and independent soul whose survival is no more linked to the willingness of any particular person or specific group. It is also a matter of fact that education has given each and every person a power: the power of distinguishing between good and bad; between legal and illegal and between virtue and vice. Furthermore, education has given them the power to speak and stand against all kind of negative forces no matter who they are.
Over the past few years media and communication has made a tremendous progress. Time has gone when there used to be only one telephone set in the whole Hunza valley and only one person having access to the media. Now each and every person has access and control over both. Today even a 10 years old kid can influence the entire world community through the meaningful use of the internet. Thanks to this advancement the bleak and propaganda journalism has very little place in today’s world. People want to see, listen and know the facts supported by evidences. Just news or statement issued by “some authority” is not enough to manipulate the masses. Unfortunately recently regarding to the Sost Dry Port issue the local media-newspapers and even GEO TV followed the wasted tradition of negative propaganda which is contradictory to their own values as well as the ethics of journalism.
Life threat- it has always been the strength of effective tool to stop the efforts of those who rose against all kinds of exploitation and the vicious interests of the ruling elites. It was not unexpected and is not unexpected for the volunteers of Pamir Times. Let me tell “you” something, PT does not represent the interests of any political force, neither is a tool to manipulate the public opinion wrongly. It is the name of an effort started by some creative and innovative minds in order to keep the entire world aware of the realities. It is an effort to bring forth what progress is being made in our part of the world, by whom and how? It is a community journalism initiative having no roots in other resources for funding or benefits so it has nothing to lose. It has its roots in the enlightened and progressive community of Hunza: the community which is no more confined within the mountains of Karakoram, but is an active part of a global community. Pamir Times could be published form any part of the world because information and media has no boundaries and could not be restricted. Threatening Zulfiqar or Noor Muhammad will not stop Pamir Times from exploring and exposing the truth. Therefore such threats and harassment will never work – they will backfire.
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The writer is a grautate of Brandies University, USA. He has also studied at MIT and Harvard. He belong to Gojal, Hunza.
dont worry PT team keep your work continue all GOJAL is there to saport you we will see those DUZDILS….the must come on front and talk…
We encourage and stand always with the Team of Pamire Time, because for the Truth and the Success ll always be followed the steps and pace of the Truth Teller.
I congrats the Parents of such brave and Truth teller and my special thanks to NOOR, Ejaz, ZUFI and all who r working for PT.
We all r with with u non has the courage to threat u, if any one has has father son com in front and say—— We ll then see —who r the king makers————
I fully agree with Amin Baig and EJAZ.
Lastely love for Pakistan and NAs Hunza Gojal
Dear readers of pamir times,
I have also been receiving threatening calls from some unknown numbers and the calls are not directly made to me rather to my brothers.The calls are a kind of warning to avoid any kind of writings on Pamir times.
I believe in the freedom of expression and if someone has reservations then they must comeup with effective reasoning to challange the writings of ours.
I have no personal conflicts with any one and whatever we do or wrte is in the very interest of the community of the region.
We need to describe the truth regardless of what is being done to stop us.
Unless ans untill we donot expose the intruding elements, they would get deep rooted and will be pretty difficult for one to eradicate them at once.
Whoever has reservations about the writings must comeup with justifications rather than making threatening calls.
we r all always with THE SOCIETY TRUTH WHOS OTHER NAME IS PT.
It is really a shameful act of those cowards who feel you have exposed their real faces. Such threats usually come from people who cannot defend themselves through proofs, then, they resort to such mean acts. It appears that it is coming from such segments who feel their corruption is out in the open. I salute you PT team. Keep it up. And don’t forget these covered cannot undermine your efforts. You are the winner and they are on the loosing side. Insha Allah
I strongly believe and have staunch faith in PT and the neglected segment of the region,people will never part! as you(PT) weilding them as well eniticing .making them realiz of their fundemantal rights, you have made them aware about their prime interests,it will now speak lauder,people will never get depressed,having you as voice, they(We all) will rise voice with you (PT),it is now the exit point of that slavery and swaying,no more subservience this region to one Family, it need more tight home work to find out the whole ploot to keep the region under one domination.and more wrong goings in the small valleys of hunza gojal due to that autocracy, it is high time to flush them from the scene and CRASH THEIR EVERY DEVIL PLOTS, i appreciate your (PT)quality efforts for providing basic and initiative stance to this dejected people, YOu are now HOpe to these despaire people, you will find people of all Class beside to Chase YOur Objectives for this Heaven dwellers
I am their to give you my level support
Come one friends, they think they can rule us like theiir fathers and grand grand fathers. We all know them very much as what they are capable of, they can not compete you anyway.
I belive that these people do not have courage and world to defend themselves and have resort to these coverdly tactics, which may have been valid for their far fathers who ruled our parents and grand parents but this don’t work in today’s modern society with a lot of tools at its disposal. I know each one of them.
They are illeterate people still enjoying some support of those who were direct benificiaries in their rule. I am sure they are going to loose that as we as they are getting exposed to the society
Keep it up, we are there to support you.
The Dictatorship of Truth
The bad news about truth is that it always and everywhere faces tough challenges and the good news is that it ultimately prevails over all odds. There is no reason that truth will not prevail in Hunza. It will…and we must prepare ourselves to accept the ‘dictatorship of truth’, rather than submitting to power.
Whether it is Socratic age when people actually persecuted a great philosopher for his unashamed attempt to tell the truth or weather it is Galileo who questioned a religious myth and instead attempted to let the world know that sun is stationary and it is earth that actually revolves around it, the men of truth do face challenges but in the long run they stand vindicated. A fearless will to tell the truth, in science, in religion, in matters of politics, lies at the heart of every epoch that has been able to create breakthroughs in human existence.
I believe that the voluntary efforts of PT team to portray a realistic and true picture of things happening on the ground is a remarkable and a brave step. It is a step in the right direction. I believe that your efforts will help in nurturing a political consciousness that is geared towards upholding the rule of law, justice and fair play.
I personally express my full support to members of the PT team and I applaud and salute your bravery, volunteerism and above all a commitment to show things in their true light.
To those faceless cowards who make threatening calls to try to muzzle our right to free speech and expression, I would like to tell them that they should put forward their disagreements and initiate the debate. If your arguments, evidence in support of those arguments is persuasive you will win. To threat honest men of pen only shows your own weakness of your cause.
In the above op-Ed, I partially agree with Aejaz Karim’s assertion that ‘vadera politics has taken root in our society’. I would rather say that it has still not really fortified itself in our socio-political fabric but it is attempting to make strong inroads. Vadera politics based on intimidations, violence, threats, abductions, and bribery is totally unwelcome in our progressive society of Hunza. Now is the time to rise against it and stop it at our borders before it completely engulfs us.
…..we all the students of Hunza Gojal believe only in FREEDOM OF SPEECH N FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION ONLY N ONLY….we r not not the people of Wana or Blouchistan or Swat to support the miscreants n ill wishers n provide them shelter…we r people belonging from such region from whom Our beloved imam haz alot of expectation…we will follow our imams expectation hopefully…we r vd u d TRUTH n THE PAMIR TIMEs…..barvoooooooooooooooooooo
Be brave Zulfi bhai…we are with you…remember the ground is open for the person who threats you…I invite them to come and enjoy our company…………
If they want to lean something special…my welcome to them….
I really love………..wht u know better…