Changezi Sandhu
HUMAN rights are under threat in Pakistan as that is in other parts of the world. Daily newspapers, blogs, and social media channels report the kidnapping, rape incidents, acid attacks, and child sexual assault incidents regularly figure out in parts of the country. A total of 2846 cases of child abuse have been reported in 2019 from all four provinces of Pakistan, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, as the data revealed by Sahil that is an Islamabad-based NGO, working with the aim of child protection. According to Gulf News, there is a 200% increase in the cases of violence against women in 2020. Even, there is a massive increase in cases related to rape in Pakistan.
Social or public attitude toward such brutal incidents related to the violation of human rights is so pathetic because those stories were of past decades when Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Martin Luther King Jr., Bhagat Singh Sandhu, Nelson Mandela and many other public figures voiced up against the violation of human rights by practical steps and sacrificing their comfort and luxurious life for the humanistic cause. But in the ongoing era, technological innovations have clinched our life badly.
Even, the ways or methods of strike or protest have digitalized. People assume that they play their role just by posting their condolence, opinion, and news of an incident of violation of human rights on social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and other social channels. The sharing and posting is fruitful, but thinking that you play your role by posting an incident is an expensive hoax, and making us lazier to not take some practical steps for the protection of human rights by physical strikes to exert pressure on law and order enforcement institutions. Even, the young generation has confined itself to rooms and posting content related to the violation of human rights on social media channels. They do not have proper guidance from their homes and educational institutions to come out and take some practical steps so that the violations of human rights could be stopped.
Just imagine how much that is painful that a person wakes up at the crack of the morning and scrolls down one’s social media accounts, and comes to know about an incident of rape, sexual assault, acid attack, kidnapping, the murder of a child after the kidnapping, or release of a rapist or murderer because of insufficient proof. He uploaded his condolence and opinions on social media accounts. And after posting comments and uploading content related to such incidents, he returns to his room and remains busy in his personal activities by thinking that he played his role and moral responsibility to speak up against the violation that is totally absurd. Does it matter to the rulers and law and enforcement institutions which are watching all the bad happenings and enjoying power?
Of course, no. What happens when we launch a campaign of “Hashtags” on any incident? The hashtag becomes trendier, and media gives coverage to the hashtag trends. Then did it ever affect to reduce incidents related to violation of human rights? Many successful campaigns of hashtag were achieved, but still, local and international newspapers report regularly about incidents of rape, sexual assault, women harassment, kidnapping, extrajudicial killing, and release of rapists and murderers by concerned authorities on the basis of lack of proof.
Did the “MeToo” campaign reduce cases of women harassment in our society? Do females not feel the threat of violence and violation of their rights even after successful hashtag campaigns? I would like to conclude that the digital way of the strike or protest is absurd because it paralyzed us and our moments to speak in the favour of oppressed.
The young generation must realize its role and responsibility in the protection of natural rights of all and sundry. They ought to participate in constructive activities regarding the protection of basic rights. They must be energetic to be part of debates, campaigns and gatherings which can make their narrative and voice more prominent as well as influential. I request the young generation to realize the need for their efforts, and they should always endeavour to stop or reduce such types of violations. Always challenge the darkness and do not let it spread around you, if the darkness spreads around you, the future of your generations will be dark, too.
—The writer is Member of American Bar Association, USA & Human Rights activist.
