Hot Politics, Cold Affairs by Bilal Shahid

It has been quite a while that our politics has been going through the tantrums that might turn out to be cataclysmic for our nation. Sometimes in terms of corruption scandals on our most respectable politicians and at other times in simply their assassination or their gruesome murder, hot current affairs and politics has supplied the necessary spice our media has been ever craving for. But, still the youth is left almost unstirred. I seem to have no keen interest in politics, considering the brunt of university workload that has fallen on my shoulders and where classes suck most of the mornings and evenings, there remains virtually very little time for students to participate actively and news and thought is only related to daily monotonous routine and clichd ideas discussed during meal times. Students who could be potential political activists are overburdened with assignments, tests and quizzes and their role in politics has been largely limited to protests against certain issues that reach the limelight. Few dare to come out on streets, holding banners and fighting for their rights others dont really care. Yet another reason that Pakistans youth prefers keeping distance from such affairs is because they consider politics a muddy game and wish to alienate themselves entirely from any such activities. Where we consider some of our politicians inefficient and incapable of holding offices in government, we are equally inept if we cant hold the harnesses in our own hands. They think that politics is only about corruption, malpractice and a game of dirty tactics. Our politicians are partly responsible for this because they have failed to inspire the youth. Instead, every time when a new scandal reaches the headlines or the newsfeed, it sinks the spirits of the young people. The effect is that it turns them into an angry mob and a rebellious group who consider politicians responsible for all their miseries. The reason that I consider this inactivity in Pakistans youth and the partly fading interest in politics is because, if we are going to display such an attitude and distance ourselves from these political issues that are affecting our lives directly and indirectly, the future of this country is obviously going to be at stake and situations may aggravate to the worst that we have seen.

This brings me to a point where the recent murder of the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, stirred the country and created a fault zone in Lahore and Islamabad, resulting in closure of all educational institutes and offices and other departments to lament his passing away. Now, the question is whether the murder was justified or not, but we must have knowledge of the blasphemy laws that are incumbent on us in our country. I will stay completely neutral regarding this issue. Why I have particularly chosen this matter is because I remember myself two years ago, in spring 2009, when I with a group of four friends happened to meet two lawyers from Austria who had ventured to come to Karachi University for some research on the rights and laws of women in Pakistan. In a random conversation, one of them, I vaguely remember as Lisa, asked us about our views on blasphemy laws. Ignorant as I was, I started debating on why our religion has made it vital for us to completely consider the culpable as an outlaw and hence the serious consequences that follow as a criminal law procedure. I could only give the example of the blasphemous cartoons that had been published in Europe, which remained controversial for quite a significant time and I could only say that we should condemn any such act. Perhaps the incident that happened a few days ago should be a wakeup call for all of us. Do we have enough knowledge of religion to give any explanation to anyone regarding the sacred law? Do we have a role to play? What should we do? What should we dont? I think we must be equipped with relevant information, be updated with latest news and develop a sense of responsibility towards our country and not consider these things as granted. We must consult appropriate religious scholars and authorities rather than debating with friends and colleagues on these matters. We must realize the part that we have to play lest that we may be a target of frustration and extremism. We must understand that if there is something wrong we can correct, we should feel obliged to fix it. If there is anyone who can resolve our issues, it would be Pakistans youth.