GB Youth and Politics; an alternate view
Shakeel Ahmed Shah
While Partially agreeing in some measures with the valued opinion of my esteemed fellow Mushtaq Ahmed published by Papmir Times on 19 January 2012, I must impede with his ideas. Although it seems an inappropriate proceeding but it is also a must, the reason being very much about the real game of Gilgit-Baltistan home politics. Very much sorry for any inconvenience and openly welcomed for strong comments. As how all he has portrayed about the students and contemporary role of students, the same scenario is on-up trans-Pakistan.
I absolutely agree with the intro of his article that is an abstract from Abraham Lincoln’s letter to his own son wherein he quotes “Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend.” Most obviously it is a fact as per heard by the life-experts and learnt by self-experiences till date.
Moving further in his article highlights some political facts and then leads along finally banning the students from peeking into politics. I don’t know what is in the mind of my dear fellow but his words establish a classic balance (Meezan) thus leading to the disqualification of the political tilt of students measuring the advantages in lesser than disadvantages.
I wish to quote Quaid-e-Azam here, as my argument;
“You must concentrate on gaining knowledge and education. It is your foremost responsibility. Political awareness of the era is also part of your education. You must be aware of international events and environment. Education is a matter of life and death for our country”
This quote of Quaid is water to the fire. In the light of this quotation we can judge how important the education is for the nation’s strength. It does favor my fellow’s has argument the students should keep their focus on the education matters and keep out of revolts causing social embarrassment. I fully admit my support to this argument of the writer.
But there is no argument of the writer where he could have encouraged the students to be politically aware. This quotation of Quaid stresses on the political awareness and grading it as a part of the education however is notable.
Everything is called incomplete if any of the parts is missing so education obviously shall be called incomplete if the students lack political awareness of the era keeping in sight the quote by Quaid-e-Azam.
Political awareness doesn’t only mean to see news and analytical programs on television or to follow-up talk shows or to read the articles in daily newspapers. Awareness actually means to search in society, to be updated of the surrounding by ourselves and to be in touch with the political party activists to learn what kind of strategies the parties’ follow-up.
Not going away from the focused topic if we match the geo-political and socio-economical situation of present Pakistan and the pre-Pakistan situation of India, we see a lot in tally. Luckily the people at that time had fabulous and wit leaders that we lack today. The only idea we are left with is to follow what those leaders of us had told.
A demonstration testifying the sayings is an integral part of creation of Pakistan. The creation of Pakistan would have been impossible if students had been kept aside. That was the idea of Quaid to teach the students reality and to create Pakistan as a reward of their hard-work. The message of the leaders was been campaigned as a political mandate by the students of the era in deed.
As said by Quaid, it has an essence that this kind of practice teaches to anticipate the events, which then can be planned and executed effectively.
The population of Gilgit-Baltistan living in far-flung and backward remote areas is uneducated. Most of the members seated in GBLA get votes from those domains. The youth has to aware all the voters. Youth must teach how to judge. That is the moral duty of our youth to break the obstacles. Obstacles mean the elements and factors that cause hindrance in the advancement of our land. It is only the youth that can subvert the siege of adverted collateral social dogmas.
The youth, particularly students of Gilgit-Baltistan, living in and on the mountains like the Shaheen of Alama Mohammad Iqbal deserves the leadership. The mountains have the quality to resound a banal sound. That resonance needs utmost exploitation in re-livening the nation.
Our culture teaches to lead, our values have the seed of leadership by now is dormant. Our pedigree is completely a story of heroism. It is the time to dormant that seed. The only way is to do in reality not to be loquacious just. The Students must coach the match.
You may get in touch with the contributor at shakeelshah@hotmail.co.uk
