How does slavery exist?

In schooldays we learnt the United Nations International Day for Abolition of Slavery is observed across the world, including Pakistan, on December 2 every year. Do we all remember the day, and pledge to end slavery in any form?

One is looking for a reporter who can tell if any function was organised in any metropolitan on the occasion this year to provide an opportunity to citizens to open their mouth against poverty, illiteracy and exploitation which drive people to slavery.

The common man hit by surging food prices and what he says disheartening utility bills seems to have almost lost confidence in leaders. “Most of them are intellectually slave to monetary institutions,” he asserts.

“There’s crisis of leadership in my country; at least 30 per cent live below the poverty line; we beg billions of dollars as loans from IMF and World Bank on their terms; how we spend such borrowed huge amounts; who takes away the money; and what’s the net result of such financial and economic policies.”

Educated but dissatisfied rural and urban youths say: “We poor masses have no knowledge of real facts; we feel we’re slaves; our children remain at the mercy of feudal landlords and capitalists.”

By the way, one purpose of the Anti-Slavery Day is to remind people that the modern slavery works against human rights, another is to exhort citizens and their governments to translate the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that “no one shall be held in slavery or servitude” through their actions.

Does the Anti-Slavery Day have any impact on members of the United Nations Organisation, like the US, Israel and India?

City elders say the struggle for an independent sovereign Pakistan was to evolve a state with a people’s government based on principles of equality and social justice, in other words socialism which emphasises equality and brotherhood of man, and equal opportunities for all.

God’s last Prophet (PBUH) set up the welfare state as role model for the world. He found that masses were exploited economically and socially by a section of people who practiced usury. He forbade it and introduced the system of Zakat, Sadqah and Fitr.

The distribution of wealth in the society dealt a death blow to capitalism and feudalism. He encouraged the people to turn attention to trade and agriculture. Many such measures contributed to building of national economy. He abolished the slavery system.

Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) raised the status of the slaves, declaring “there’s no service more acceptable to God than the emancipation of slaves.” He himself purchased the slaves to set them free and advised his followers to treat them with kindness and justice.

Worth recalling is the struggle of lawyers, doctors, poets, writers and youths of revolutionary ideas to eliminate the system of slavery in whatever form it existed in the country.

The question is still alive: how to get rid of slavery? Educated youths say answer is simple: civil and military unity with faith in God almighty and working discipline to develop Pakistan into a welfare state with sound national economy and defence.

zasarwar@hotmail.com