Youth Intelligentsia : The Way I See It

Youth Intelligentsia, as I see it, a group of boys from different universities, mostly private institutions like LUMS, Iqra University, SZABIST, Biztek, MAJU, etc, gathered because they have a sense of patriotism and the desire to see Pakistan on the top of the world. Previously it has been a common misconception that students from the private institutions are mostly the “Bigri hui Aulaads”, no offense the private institutions can only be affordable to the elite class sue to their high fees and standards. But Youth Intelligentsia has proved that in the private institutes youth can bring a positive change in the way of thinking of their fellow students. Right now this group is working for the betterment of Pakistan as much as they can do within their reach and domain. They have a facebook page with more than 600 likes, and a large number of events which they had organized; they upload details and pictures of every event they organize so that the people far beyond the reach can also see the activities and this motivate members to participate in the upcoming events more efficiently.

End of the spring, Youth Intelligentsia planned a picnic, but the intention behind the picnic program was something more interesting. They stayed and camp in the undeveloped area of Thatta, the intention was to invite the uneducated child labors and introduce them to the light of education. They have with them lot of educational stuff, small books for the beginners and stationary. In the beginning no response has been seen, but to achieve the mission to attract children towards the education, they went to the area inside and distributed some books. At last the marketing strategy worked and one by one children started coming and joining the session at the educational camp.

Writing helping beginner’s books and stationary are provided to the children, also every member was there to help and mentoring, they were showing them “how to write” as it might be the first introduction of the children to the education / writing. The program seems successful as a number of children from the nearby area visited and took active part in the activity, they were so much excited about the learning experience this is visible from their glowing faces and energized voices. The effort made by the Youth Intelligentsia seems to have attained accomplishment.

Faryal, Aisha, Dr. Lata.... The Happy Ending?

This all started with the conversion of three female citizens who converted to Islam. Rinkal Kimari embraced Islam and her new name given “Faryal”, Eesha became Ayesha, while Dr. Lata accepted the ideology of Islam and became Hafsa.

As soon as the news was released, in some areas of the country people started celebrations while in some areas people were protesting. The celebrations were because the embracement of Islam is an achievement for the preachers of Islam as well as the Muslims across Pakistan and the whole world. On the other hand the protestors have the opinion that these ladies are forced to accept Islam, and are kidnapped before the conversion. Later a video message was on-aired on all the news channels, this video also become viral on the internet and the social networking websites. According to their video message which was on-aired on the news channels that they converted on their own and want to live their lives according to the Islamic principles. The young lady Faryal Shah who was Rinkal Kumari before said that she had accepted Islam and she has done this on her own, she was not kidnapped but she and her husband were hiding because she had threat from the community that she might be murdered. She read the Kalma on the TV and said she want to live with her husband and requested all to let her live her life.

Surprisingly, this was not accepted by the liberal and secular community as they started protesting against it, they started social media campaign about the awareness that Faryal is actually a victim. It was surprising because the liberal always speak for the “freedom of speech”, “freedom of expression”, “the freedom of so-and-so” but this time when a lady who was converted to Islam by her will and requested all that let her live her life freely with her husband, then what is the reason of their protest.

Another issue which was hot during these days was the appearance of the nationalist parties in Sindh, major nationalist parties in the interior Sindh, started protesting because the ladies belong to Sindhi community. They used the issue for their own objectives but later they failed in making it their own issue and thus the Faryal case came forward independently.

The debate was on channels, on social media and in the public circles, while the matter was in court and on April 17, 2012, news was on-aired in silence, because media don’t want to show the defeat of the liberal and secular lobby and their objectives. The Supreme Court announced that the ladies are free to either join their families or husbands, the ladies chose that they want to live with their husbands.

The media might have tried so hard to save the faces of the secular lobby but the inner hatred of them does not remain inside, after the court decision they started abusive language on the social media. A liberal social activist Marvi Sirmid was found calling name and using abusive language on the topic and to the people who were giving each other congratulation on this news. She was gone extreme in the abusive language that an educated person can’t tolerate it. Despite the media efforts and supports to Seculars they exposed themselves by their own actions.

What was the reaction of media when they accepted Islam and what is media doing when the court decision was announced, a great action of hypocrisy which can not be ignored.

If a Muslim might converted to other religion the foreign authorities, USA & UK might offered him/her security and shelter like they did to Malo’on Salman Rushdi, while the NGOs might had soared their throat by severe screaming on the media. But Faryal is a Muslim now and she did this all by herself.