PTI Trolls

Youth have played a pivotal role in revolutions and movements that have changed the course of history and as Herbert Hoover said, “Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die”.

In modern times, Obama’s 2008 campaign and the Egypt Uprising are examples of how the power of youth was utilized by older leaders to create history. However, it can also be said that the politicians and leaders in both cases struck a chord with the youth who were resentful, dissatisfied and angry at the status quo. In both the cases, the youth passionately advocated the ideals of democracy and social equality and made sure that their voice was heard so that the degeneration of a political system or the whole society could be prevented. These youth really wanted to change the world and they made sure the chance they had was not wasted. And, the wily politicians exploited that masterfully.

The case is almost similar to PTI and specially Imran Khan’s story as well. It’s popularity among the Pakistani youth is mostly due to its effective use of social media, the presence of which has changed the political landscape of Pakistan by exposing the life and lies of well known personalities both political and nonpolitical. In social media, the youths of Pakistan have certainly found a platform where they can express themselves and make their thoughts heard by a large audience. Well, with this growing number of social media users, you also get occasional ‘trolls’ who disrupt normal debates and conversations with their own brand of reasoning which is pretty much detached with reality and rational thought. But is there any method to their actions, especially of the ‘alleged’ PTI trolls? One is led to believe that the PTI trolls are just random masked idiots who’s only aim in life is to disrupt conversations and malign the people who’s allegiance lies with any party except PTI. Normally their behavior is alleged to be such that if you don’t like, revere, love or hold Imran Khan and PTI in high esteem then you are a western agent or unpatriotic. Well some of them are certifiably like that but the classification by our liberals, media personalities and rights activists that all youths supporting PTI are like that is demonstrably wrong. I am in no way an office bearer or on the payroll of PTI but I do support it because of its principles. But does that mean that I am a troll? Would I attack liberals and all personages anti-PTI just because they disagree with me? But we must ask ourselves, what compels those other youths to attack online anybody disagreeing with their political views? For one thing, one is angered by the amount of criticism hurled down by political parties and certain journalists and ‘enlightened’ individuals whose own past is tainted –rather heavily- by corruption, disreputable behavior and links to terror, all which is well documented .  How, a ‘PTI troll’ thinks, is it so that those political parties, which have led Pakistan to this catastrophic situation, have the audacity to criticize a political party, which hasn’t come into power yet. That youth /aka PTI troll is angered by this and when unable to effectively communicate his thoughts and grievances, then adopts trolling as a medium of protest, yes it is true that that ‘troll’ abandons rational judgment of differentiating right from wrong and doesn’t criticize his own party but the blame lies on the vile and loathsome mess that our elders, liberals, conservatives and political parties have created.  But the leadership of PTI must also take steps to prevent this from happening because that tarnishes its own image. Trolling is extremism in its truest form and while it cannot be stamped out, but it certainly can be reduced. The youths supportive of PTI that I know are very good communicators and open minded. The actions of a few must not reflect on the majority.

Trolling also tells us something about our society that has engendered those trolls, trolls are just not on the internet, they are in offices, mosques, institutes and gatherings. Our society has become such that it provides the right ingredients for the creation of a troll.  Strict adherence to any ideal, lack of critical analysis and open mindedness are now becoming the characteristics of our society and that is reflected in the verbal jousts taking place on the social media.  The sad part about these trolls is that they tend to be youth, the same youth that are supposed to lead the country in the future but alas, their actions warrant introspection by the society itself.

To Mourn the Death of a Political Activist

On 27^th March, “unidentified persons”, shot dead an MQM activist, within hours of the incident numerous buses, hotels and shops were set ablaze and several casualties were reported in the aftermath of the killing. Then on 29^th March, some ANP activist was killed by some “unknown people”.

Those people who think that setting ablaze shops and buses would somehow quench their thirst for vengeance, are wrong, it is not right. It is never right, by any law, by any code or by any moral standard to injure and maim people in vengeful anger and the political parties are utterly and entirely to held in blame for this carnage.

These knights of vengeance forget that when they set about to avenge the death of their comrade, the people would only mourn for the loss of their own personal property or worse their loved ones. Just for the death of two political activists, 7 Karachiites were killed,

is there any justification for that?

I ask you, how many of us actually shed a tear for the death of a political party of any standing. Majority of us do not, because we have other important things to do in life, struggle to earn bread for the family, study for exams or look after kids. Well, if we don’t care as a nation then why does the ticker on the news channels reads like, “ aaj------kay karqun ki halaqat kay sog per Karachi main shutter down hartal”, so are these news channels telling me that the Karachiites are shutting down their businesses and educational institutions as a protest?

As a consequence of strikes and shutter downs Pakistan suffers a loss of 15 billion rupees and Karachi alone suffers a loss of almost 2.5 billion rupees.

Would a hard-pressed shopkeeper actually even think of closing down his shop for a day just because some activist died?

Would a day laborer actually sit at home as a protest against the target killing of some obscure political activist?

Would a CEO actually think of bearing a loss on revenue for a day just because a political activist died?

No, nobody ever does that, except of course the political parties. How can I think of mourning the death of a political activist of any party when my city burns, when my city loses billions of rupees, just because of political chaos? How can shed I tear for those dead activists when innocent patients cannot get treatment because nurses and doctors fail to turn up at the hospital as a result of the strike. How can I grieve the death of those activists, when a day laborer is unable to feed his family because he could not go out to earn money, just because “some political workers died”.

No, in all honesty and sincerity, I would not grieve, mourn, or protest against the death of the political activist if it means chaos and carnage in my city.

We are much intelligent beings then what we consider ourselves to be. As intelligent beings, God has given us brains to analyze and process complex thoughts, surely we can figure out better ways of protesting, but no, we have to kill, maim and torture our own people to avenge the death of our comrade in arms. All I can say is that the Quaid would be disgusted.