To humanise our youth

Being young in any society in whichever period of time is tough and exhilarating. Being young at this time in Pakistan is exceptionally challenging. It is a journey from adolescence to adulthood that is a veritable crisis of identity and becomes all the more hazardous in an environment of extremism, intolerance and social suppression.

But unlike in other times in history, the youth in Pakistan now constitute a distinct majority and must bear the burden of shaping the nation’s future with whatever wisdom and skills that they can acquire. This also enhances the obligation of the generation that is in power to enable young people to realise their potential.

These and other related thoughts were inherent in a seminar held at the GHQ in Rawalpindi on Thursday by ISPR in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The subject of the seminar was the role of the youth in rejecting extremism. Its significance was marked by the presence of COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa. His keynote address was the headline of the day, though it was upstaged by the preliminary order of the ICJ in Jadhav’s case, which was announced at the same time.

In addition to senior army personnel, youth representatives and media professionals, the vice-chancellors of the universities of Pakistan also attended the event. In fact, the congregation of almost all the vice-chancellors of public as well as private universities made the seminar truly exceptional. We will have to wait to see if this could be the source of some improvement in the realm of higher education that, sadly, is in a poor state.

Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan was moving away from major operations against terrorism towards more intricate, targeted operations against a residual threat under the ambit of the Operation Raddul Fasaad. Hence, “we must also find ways to ensure that the causes behind terrorism are addressed and the National Action Plan is actualised”.

The message, simply, is that while the army has been fighting against terrorists and terrorism – after having made significant gains in this enterprise – it is now society’s task to deal with extremism. Gen Bajwa said: “Let’s reduce violence in our society so that we are able to rebuild Pakistan”.

While it does make sense that the war against extremism should be fought on our campuses, this project belongs to the civilian authorities and the administrators of our educational institutions. That extremism is endemic in Pakistani society is evident. This is certified by many reports on a daily basis. However, the brutal murder of Mashal Khan on a university campus by a lynch mob that largely comprised students is a tragedy that raises questions about the very survival of this country.

It is possible that this incident became a catalyst for the seminar and may explain some comments about why the ISPR should be leading this campaign. One point that the COAS stressed was: “You cannot impose your views on anyone. There is no compulsion in religion”. In a larger context, the universities should then demand – and exercise – more academic freedom to promote genuine educational activities on the campus.

So far as the role of the youth in rejecting extremism is concerned, many different aspects of this subject will have to be taken into consideration. Some of these issues were picked up in the six other presentations of the seminar. I happened to be one of the speakers and my focus was on the role of the media in pursuit of an alternative narrative. The intention here is not to present a reportage but to share some thoughts about why extremism has seeped into the lives of young people.

In defence of the youth, I would say that our traditional society does not cater to their needs and aspirations. In the process, the great urges that propel the youth in many different directions are forcibly suppressed. The young women, who are living in a global world that is digital and virtual, have to suffer the most. At one end of the spectrum, honour killings define this diabolical repression.

I am reminded of a Youth Development Index compiled by the Commonwealth Secretariat which stated that Pakistan was one of the worst countries for young people (between the ages of 15 to 29) to live in. The index was based on 18 indicators and it placed Pakistan at 154 – below India (133), Bangladesh (146), Iran (94), Sri Lanka (35) and Nepal (77). Truly, we do not need any international survey to grasp the reality.

A more severe problem is our collective intellectual, educational and moral degradation. This is something that I speak about a lot – and with a lot of pain. One of my refrains is that while there is so much stress on physical infrastructure, there is no concern for what I call intellectual infrastructure – such as libraries, bookshops, museums, concert halls, theatres and public spaces – that would allow interaction among literate and civilised citizens.

Indeed, one point of my presentation on Thursday was that while the media remains obsessed with politics, it does not adequately cover the society, which is in tatters. Extremism is one reflection of a mindset that is nurtured by intolerance and bigotry. In the name of religion or nationalism, an environment of fear prevails. Consequently, our young people are ignorant of the art of being human.

One purpose of Thursday’s seminar seemed to be the need for an alternative narrative that was recently advocated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. I am also aware of some exercises in this context that are being conducted by think tanks and relevant NGOs. The Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (Pips) is holding its national seminar on countering violent extremism, after 10 national-level consultations, on next Thursday in Islamabad.

But the pity is that there is no serious review of the existing state narrative or the ruling ideas that have led us to our present state of affairs. After all, why should there be any need for a new narrative if the national sense of direction, as defined by the rulers, is inviolable? Perhaps we need another grand seminar to identify our past lapses. Ah, but we have diligently been hiding from history.

Can our campuses become a silver lining in the prevailing darkness? It is a hard task, considering the paucity of intellectual resources that are available to our universities. A steady decline in standards is another barrier to our progress.

However, it is natural for the youth to struggle with difficult questions and search for their own answers to fundamental questions about life and death. That is what Mashal Khan was trying to do.

The writer is a senior journalist.

Email: ghazi_salahuddin@hotmail.com