Daily Times

In this imbalanced world, we have unequal shares of justice, joy, and jeopardy without much convincing rationality. Many concede due to their belief in Divine Distribution. Abusive powers bow out to many others. This mirrors either their helplessness or a diplomatic knack. Some slip-ups that could support professional flops in the industry called social development and activism include reading books, humans and their society, and no-nonsense analysis. These traits very often frown on those in authority and of celebrity statuses. Being correct and honest are usually mutually exclusive. For instance, if one becomes fond of reports popularising a set of development agenda items, one is professionally correct. However, suppose one is a believer in whatever is written in case studies about betrayals of a public trust like the lords of poverty and sees deception in such reports. In that case, one is honest but politically correct.

In a new era of computers, many from Generation X could not help build this perception rather faith that new technology would be a game-changer in ending inequalities. Professor Alice Marwick is known for her remarkable insights on gendered online harassment and flagship report media manipulation and disinformation online. Her book, “Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity, and Branding in the Social Media Age,” bluntly exposed the myths of meritocracy and entrepreneurship. Guided by her informed verdicts, many of us started palpating digital elitism. Prof Marwick exposed the allegory of the universality of digital experience. This terminated the ties of my likes with this “faith.” Carefully curated and manipulated trends on Twitter and the virality of many meaningless and hollow posts on social media giftedly divert the consumers from real issues. In a nutshell, the wretchedness of billions of human beings always serves to sell hollow slogans and maintain the status quo of the elites.

Cherishing intellectual garbage and confrontations in cyberspaces are short-lived tactics and do not guarantee victory.

Many human stories and historical facts could never be “marketed” successfully and command the much-required attention of human rights “defenders.” The reasons are complex and intertwined too. Elite capture and pedigree very often dictate the rules of business in this world. The voices of solidarity for many genuine causes are too often very few, weak or silenced. No wonder several thought leaders and dissenters are disliked, even regarded as traitors in their homelands. Noam Chomsky and Arundhati Roy are the best examples in this league.

Talking about Pakistan in this context is quite risky as my beloved country has been made a playground for practicing religious and ethnic fanaticism and fascism. The primacy of structural and cultural patriarchy is also not a secret. Over the years, sham democracy and sham politicking have made alarming evolution. Our elites (who are everywhere in politics, NGOs, civil service, UN, World Bank, etc.) pick matters prudently. Audacious observance of selective amnesia and falsification as per the circumstantial need is, thus, accepted functional competencies.

An apt example in this vein is the deafening silence on the repatriation of Pakistani Biharis stranded in the ghettos of Bangladesh. In the last few years, I have written and talked about it quite extensively yet single-handedly. Very few responded to my invitations to even to listen to the list of “mistakes, fault and sins” of these most unfortunate people who fought with the Pakistani army for a united Pakistan and were stripped of their Pakistani identity. The less hostile or the kinder ones repeatedly asked me to get rid of the “past” and move on. This was saddening but not surprising. Difficult conversations deliver difficulties. Some reactions like being bullied, threatened, and humiliated online were traumatic. Many decorous ones not only shunned and stigmatized me in my capacity but my entire community ( east Pakistani Biharis) was besmirched. Those who have never comprehended the betrayal, and arrogance causing the rape of women, killing of intellectuals, and creating a heart-rending history are personalities with clout and command. Day in and day out they are spotted on social media, TV, conclaves etc. championing the cause of missing persons, mistreatment of journalists, yelling against the state, governments, army, and whatnot.

Life is full of ironies and relativities. Admiring freedom, equality of opportunities, and citizens’ rights in the West and citing the examples of countries like the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, etc. having so many “immigrants” in the parliaments is more fitting than to even think of having similar autonomies and diversity in our homeland. A vast majority of liberals, feminists, and humanists here are also hatred-filled nationalists. They are fiercely possessive about demographic distribution if they are proposed that Pakistan should bring back Biharis who are patriotic Pakistanis to Pakistan and “allow” them to get settled in any part of Pakistan. Discretion of the double-dealer activists is deplorable.

This December, again, while relating to the everlasting grief of the mothers of martyred APS kids and army men I dare to draw the attention of all change-makers towards stranded Pakistani Biharis. They have been missing from us like today’s Bangladeshis since 16 December 1971. The latter got a new identity, and their new country made exceptional progress on human development indices. The former, however, are still stateless with the status of collateral damage. The cost of their lost lives, identities, and honor is not on the list of human rights violations. Giving up this issue with the hope that this case will be filed in the court of Allah appears as a preferred and practical option. However, an inconvenient one is not to become voiceless and speak up. The elegance of a nation is defined by resolves and reliability. Cherishing intellectual garbage and confrontations in cyberspaces are short-lived tactics and do not guarantee victory. People are the real assets of a country. Let’s rise above biases, egos and myopic vision. Let’s continue to remind all concerned that doing nothing should not be an option. Intellectual courage to accept the facts, showing remorse, inclusivity, and empathy could do wonders in closing the wounds.

The writer is an unconditional lover of Pakistan.