For justice

World Day of Social Justice is celebrated all over the world, including in Pakistan, every year on February 20 to highlight the significance of social justice in society, as declared by the UN during the General Assembly session held on November 26, 2007. On this occasion, the international delegates realised the universal truth that social progress and social justice are indispensable for maintaining everlasting peace among nations living in different regions of the world.

Achieving social justice is a dream that has struggled to be fulfilled by mankind since ancient times. Historically, the rise and fall of many empires have been directly linked to social justice. During the reign of a just ruler, there would have been periods of internal peace and prosperity, while the rule of a tyrannical king would have resulted in unrest, humiliation and destruction.

In the five thousand years of ancient Indian history, there are numerous instances when several prominent kings like Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka the Great and Prithviraj Chauhan ensured the implementation of a justice system in their empires without any bias. In ancient Indian society, the family Panchayat system was introduced to decide disputes at the grassroots level, while the judicial system gradually reached the court of the king.

During the Mughal era, the justice of Jahangir gained worldwide fame when the emperor installed a chain outside his royal palace to mediate with complainants seeking justice. When the British imperialists took control of India, they also made the establishment of legislation and a judicial system top of their priorities to provide justice to the local people.

The Code of Hammurabi belongs to the ancient Mesopotamian civilisation, located in present-day Iraq and surrounding lands in the Middle East, and is considered one of the ancient legal, moral, and constitutional codes of law. It emphasises protecting the vulnerable to maintain social justice. In ancient Egypt, truth, justice, and morality were emphasised to ensure social justice. In ancient Egyptian society, there is evidence of different individuals holding high positions based on merit.

Athens, the capital of present-day Greece, holds a prominent position in terms of introducing democracy and social justice in ancient Greek and Roman civilisation. During this period, many philosophers including Aristotle, Socrates, Hippocrates and Plato highlighted the importance of citizen participation in the process of government formation and civic rights. Even today, in the 21st century, numerous Latin words used in the Roman era can be found in legal matters and court decisions around the world. Similarly, if we examine different religions, one common value is the protection of oppressed and marginalised individuals, including the poor, women, children and minorities, for maintaining social justice.

Today, if we look at modern history, the fall of the Soviet Union also took place due to social injustice, while the primary reason for two world wars fought in the last century was also social prejudice. Even today, many conflicts at the global level, including the Kashmir issue, are unsolved due to social injustice. Those living in the Palestinian territories, as well as Rohingyas, who have been living in their native lands for centuries, are facing the worst kind of social discrimination.

The World Day of Social Justice demands that every human being must ensure fairness and justice in their behaviour. As good citizens, it is our social responsibility to support truth and justice in every matter without any prejudice. We should understand that supporting a powerful culprit for temporary advantage leads to unrest and chaos, and even God Almighty takes away the blessing from the life of the one who adopts wrongful and illegitimate ways to manipulate the situation. Today, the world powers must play their due role in resolving global conflicts amicably and the international community should take a principled stand to support marginalised communities regardless of their economic interests – otherwise, I am afraid that the ongoing social injustice would lead towards World War III.

The writer is a member of the National Assembly and patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council. He tweets/posts @RVankwani