Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Modi-Shah dividing nation
The new Citizenship Amendment Act bill holds the mirror to the face of today’s India. It goes against the principle of equality unambiguously affirmed in the Constitution and sits ill with Article 14. Phrases such as ‘reasonable classification’ and ‘intelligible differentia’ cannot rationalise a blatantly discriminatory law.
The new law shakes the foundations of India as a secular democracy, negates everything that the Independence Movement stood for and cheats the ideals propounded by the founding fathers. People of all castes and communities have lived in India since generations. Then why this differentiation now? Why are our political parties always trying to divide India on the basis of one’s religion? Our Constitution does not discriminate people on religious grounds. Ours is a secular nation and one should not bring religion into the picture for granting citizenship. Amit Shah and Narendra Modi are only dividing the nation on communal grounds and causing confusion in the minds of people.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
Hindus’ role
in Pakistan
The world should recognize and comprehend that Pakistan is a peace loving country and does not believe in retaliation but could go to any extent in self defence. Whatever is being done to Muslims in India by Hindus is not hidden from anyone. In spite of unendurable atrocities on Muslims in India, there is not a single incident ever took place in Pakistan that any Hindu is targeted in reaction over atrocities with Muslims in India. Still India impeach that across border terrorism is an obstacle to start peace talks with Pakistan and carried out by Pakistan which is totally a blame game. The world needs to acknowledge Pakistan’s positive role and push India for table talks and influence India to stop atrocities on Muslims which could have dire consequences.
On the other hand, Hindus are living with pride and serenity in parts of Pakistan and with complete religious freedom but Hindus in Pakistan should demonstrate the right picture of Pakistan to the world that Pakistan is peace loving country and provides every citizen regardless of his/her religion to practise it freely though Pakistan is an Islamic country. It should be condemned by Hindus living in Pakistan through staging sit-ins and rallies across Pakistan in solidarity with Muslims of India that whatever is being done to Muslims in India should be stopped as Hindus neither are suffering nor will from the same atrocities in reaction to how badly Muslims in India are being treated.
FAISAL ANSAR
Karachi
Strictness leads to suicide
Suicide is becoming more and more rampant by the day. There are many reasons behind it but the most common one which we are facing in our society is due to Taliban-type parents. A while ago, a boy attempted suicide and his body was found floating in a lake. After investigating the incident, it was found out that he had committed suicide because he did not get good marks in exams. He was unable to bear the brunt of his parents anger and left a note saying “I am sorry, I cannot fulfil your requirements”.
He was mentally pressurised to such an extent that it forced him to commit suicide. A man of this age, who is already too mentally and physically pressurized, needs love and care from their family. The youth need to be understood before their psychological problems are thrown under the rug. It is very important for parents to understand their children. Don’t force them to fulfil your desires and dreams. They are humans with their own talents and skills. They just need someone to appreciate them.
As it is already live in a dark world. Is it not better to appreciate people for who they are rather than to force them into becoming something they don’t want to be, just for societal acceptance and money? I urge parents: please don’t be too strict with your children and force them into taking the only way out.
HASSAN SHAHZAD
Chakwal
The last nail
in the coffin
BJP came into power again after defeating Indian National Congress in the general election-2019. But this time, they adopted a more intense form of religious nationalism, to revive ‘Hindutva’. And the only hurdle towards the path of Hindu supremacy in sub-continent is Muslims. For that, Modi Administration decided to marginalize Indian Muslims. They increased atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir and ultimately extirpated Articles 370 and 35-A from its Constitution. But, for the ‘neo-secular’ BJP that was not enough. So recently they decided to amend the Citizenship Act of 1955, now known as Citizenship Amendment Bill.
It concluded that India would provide citizenship to six minorities (except Muslims) living in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh facing religious persecution. In Delhi’s perspective, they are patronizing the principles of Christian Realism, which follows the biblical ‘Great Commandment’ principle ‘love-thy-neighbour’ and a belief in sinfulness of humanity that Indian Muslims are sacrificing their god; a sinful act on this land.
The pivotal point to provide citizenship is to further marginalize Indian Muslims and eventually bring them to extinction. This aggregated serious shrieking against Modi Government, that they are violating the secularism clause. Delhi thinks about this draft as a road to success.In reality, it echoes the principles of Ibn-e-Khaldunian cycle, also known as ‘Asabiyyah’stating that each dynasty has seeds within itself for its downfall. In India’s case, this extreme Hindu religious nationalism will become that ‘seed’ towards their decline.
M HAMZA ATHAR
Islamabad
Violence
on campus
Recently, I witnessed the shocking layer of violence on my university campus, International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), in the result of skirmish between two student groups. One innocent student, that too from my region Gilgit-Baltistan, lost his life unfortunately leaving sundry others wounded. He was sent by his parents from such a distant place merely to get education and light the name of his parents and nation, but he fell prey to campus violence. Plus, several others ruined their educational career by getting arrested and rusticated.
The unregulated self-made student groups and unions made either on ethnic and regional or religio-political basis sans any particular code of conduct strive for their dominance on campus. This creates an acrimonious and belligerent behaviour among the members of both groups which lead to clashes that I recently witnessed.
There are no as such rules and parameters that are set there by the university administration within which such groups are obliged to function, and hence, leads to such violence. Lack of strict rules and proper code of conduct is indispensable to the growing violence on campuses. Banning of these groups is not a solution either. Therefore, the university administration should issue a genuine code of conduct and implement it in its true letter and in spirit to abstain such violence in future.
ZAHID ALI ZOHRI
Nagar, Gilgit-Baltistan
Education system in Pakistan
I want to draw your attention towards a serious matter that is the two education system followed in our beloved country, Pakistan. This issue should be highlighted now and then as education is a matter of life and death for our nation. As George Washington Carver has once said “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom”. Education is highly emphasized by Islam but in our country we are at the verge of lose.
The two education system has cost us too much that a child studying in a government institution can never compete a child who is studying in an institute of private sector. One of the main reasons is the difference between the medium of education. How can a child learn English language which is most importantly our official language, while being taught in Urdu language only by designing the curriculum in English does not mean that Government has done its job It necessary to employ competent teachers in the government schools who can deliver their lectures in English language along with the essential ad of Urdu language. Then when it comes to the curriculum we also lack here.
Compare and contrast the syllabi of a higher class English school and an ordinary government primary school. We will be shocked to see a difference of miles. It’s required to set a universal minimum standard for the schooling system in our country. We have to address another problem as well that is to identify the number of the less privileged children that are deprived of the right of Education. We have to make sure to provide the maximum number of those children with quality education by encouraging the private sector to offer more scholarships for them.
I request you to bring forth these issues through your newspaper. Being a Pakistani citizen it’s our responsibility to serve the sector of Education in our own capacity otherwise we all have to face the music in future. I will be really thankful to you for raising my voice as a student who wants a change in the rusted education system of Pakistan.
MIRZA WAQAR BAIG
Islamabad
