Is Pakistan’s youth ready to change the nation’s course?
By Maha Jaffery
“Pakistan is proud of her youth, particularly the students who have always been in the forefront in the hour of trial and need. You are the nation's leaders of tomorrow and you must fully equip yourself by discipline, education and training for the arduous task lying ahead of you. You should realise the magnitude of your responsibility and be ready to bear it.” (Quaid-i-Azam, address to the Punjabi Muslim Students Federation, Lahore, October 31, 1947)
Youth is considered as a period during which a person prepares himself or herself to be active and fully responsible member of the society. It is a period of transformation from family dependent childhood to independent adulthood and integration in a society as a responsible citizen. Luckily Pakistan is privileged to have 63% of the total population comprising youth below 25 years of age. The young population of Pakistan is one of its most valuable assets. In this age of competition the presence of educated young people can play a significant role to bring change but it can only be possible if the government provides them equal opportunities.
Pakistan’s youth historically apathetic toward the country’s political system. Unsustainable democracy, weak political parties and the influence of cleric class are some of its major causes. Since 1988, two main parties have dominated the political scene of Pakistan–Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), led by the Bhutto family, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), led and run by the Sharifs. These dynastic political parties failed to provide basic opportunities to people particularly to the youth throughout their tenures. Instead, these political parties were involved in corruption, transferring wealth out of Pakistan and undermining government institutions that attempted to question their policies.
On July 25, 2018, the second consecutive democratic transition of power has taken place successfully and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) with cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan at the helm, emerged on the mainstream politics of Pakistan. Imran Khan got a historic victory in this election. People particularly youth inspired with his agenda to become a self sufficient nation by eradicating corruption, paying back international loans, providing impartial justice system and equal health and education opportunities to all along with job opportunities. Khan’s commitment to change the course of Pakistan’s future by abolishing traditional politics raised many questions like how Imran Khan’s government will bring change with old faces. Will the traditional forces allow him to work freely? Will he provide equal opportunities to youth in his new Pakistan? Let’s take a look on some dimensions.
Pakistan has been precariously trying to balance between Islamists and modernists throughout its brief history. The majority of Pakistan’s youth is inclined towards right wing politics with conservative political ideals. This inclination is because of the influence of cleric class which has been increasing since the time of dictator Zia-ul-Haq during cold war. The cleric class usually manipulates the mindset of people, specially living in rural areas. Over the years, they kept them away from the country’s main issues and didn’t allow them to have any role in independent decision making. Though, in the recent elections, religious parties apparently failed to gain popular votes in the name of Islam yet a large number of youth study in Madaressah which somehow serve as a breeding ground for youth to develop their ideology based on fundamental thoughts. Later on, this squad of youth equipped with its specific ideology can have impact on national politics when they come in direct contact with liberals – an unending fight starts between conservatives and conservatives based on their distinctive ideologies.
Similarly, status quo in a country’s politics is very powerful and can be a big hurdle at times in bringing change like changing the influence of feudal lords in politics. Feudalism has a stranglehold on the economy and the politics of Pakistan. Pakistan is a democratic state where every citizen has equal rights according to the 1973 Constitution.
Unfortunately due to monopoly and feudal politics, the effects of democracy never reached to the masses. Feudal lords do not let their subjects to be educated. As a result, a large section of population remains backward and their lives remain at the mercy of feudal lords who are the masters of their destinies. Moreover, feudal class impedes social growth and impinges on human rights. Pakistan is severely damaged by this evil and it is a major hurdle in the way of progress and prosperity of the country.
Beside, the new emerging trend of women participation in Pakistan’s politics left people amazed and spellbound. Now more and more women are joining mainstream politics after breaking the traditional barriers. For the first time in Pakistan’s history women stepped out of their homes to exercise their constitutional right to vote. The long queues of women in Upper Deer and Waziristan, the two deeply tribal and religiously conservative areas, show that they come out with the hope of change. Will these traditional voices accept change in Khan’s new Pakistan or create turmoil throughout his tenure? Only time will tell but youth are galvanised and are willing to change.
Many of the writers, thinkers and analysts opine that after 71 years of creation of Pakistan, the vision of the Quaid seems to be taking shape. It is a high time that we thoroughly review the historical records to find out as to what the vision of the Quaid-i-Azam was about Pakistan as a nation state and what broad features he had in mind to model the state upon.
In spite of the security threat and worst bombing in Quetta where a suicide attack killed 31 innocent people, the voters went to the polling stations to cast their votes to elect a new government. It shows that the people rejected terrorism and they had a hope to see “Naya Pakistan” in reality. People have done their job, now it is Khan’s turn to deliver his best for the country. People hope and pray that he lives up to his promises, rids Pakistan of its multiple ailments, makes Pakistan prosperous and self reliant and restores the dignity of nation.
—The writer is a student at the Department of History, University of Karachi. Her areas of interest include cultural and constitutional history of Pakistan. She can be reached at:
mahajafferyuokgmail.com