so how many of us here know what our fundamental rights are according to the
fundamental rights are according to the
fundamental rights are according to the Constitution of Pakistan and how many of
Constitution of Pakistan and how many of
Constitution of Pakistan and how many of us here know how to file in a fire at
us here know how to file in a fire at
us here know how to file in a fire at the police station if there’s a robbery
the police station if there’s a robbery
the police station if there’s a robbery in our house have any of us ever been
in our house have any of us ever been
in our house have any of us ever been taught how to file taxes or do we know
taught how to file taxes or do we know
taught how to file taxes or do we know how elections work and what the
how elections work and what the
how elections work and what the difference between a provincial and
difference between a provincial and
difference between a provincial and federal government is why do so many
federal government is why do so many
federal government is why do so many people in our society still support
people in our society still support
people in our society still support military rule when there have been mass
military rule when there have been mass
military rule when there have been mass movements in the past kicking the
movements in the past kicking the
movements in the past kicking the unconstitutional dictators out of power
unconstitutional dictators out of power
unconstitutional dictators out of power now the first time I was struck by these
now the first time I was struck by these
now the first time I was struck by these questions and by this ignorant of
questions and by this ignorant of
questions and by this ignorant of knowing our rights and how the system
knowing our rights and how the system
knowing our rights and how the system works was when I was when I was a
works was when I was when I was a
works was when I was when I was a student in school this was 2007 to 2008
student in school this was 2007 to 2008
student in school this was 2007 to 2008 and Musharraf had imposed emergency in
and Musharraf had imposed emergency in
and Musharraf had imposed emergency in Pakistan so a lot of us were going and
Pakistan so a lot of us were going and
Pakistan so a lot of us were going and protesting in the Loess movement a lot
protesting in the Loess movement a lot
protesting in the Loess movement a lot of us were demanding that the depot’s
of us were demanding that the depot’s
of us were demanding that the depot’s chief justice be reinstated and a lot of
chief justice be reinstated and a lot of
chief justice be reinstated and a lot of us were sneaking out of our houses
us were sneaking out of our houses
us were sneaking out of our houses because we were not allowed to protest
because we were not allowed to protest
because we were not allowed to protest um and that’s when we realized when each
um and that’s when we realized when each
um and that’s when we realized when each time my friends and I would go up to our
time my friends and I would go up to our
time my friends and I would go up to our other class fellows and we’d be like hey
other class fellows and we’d be like hey
other class fellows and we’d be like hey there’s a protest please join the
there’s a protest please join the
there’s a protest please join the protest because you know we need to do
protest because you know we need to do
protest because you know we need to do this for our country and they would list
this for our country and they would list
this for our country and they would list down a list of fears they would say
down a list of fears they would say
down a list of fears they would say they’re afraid of going to protest they
they’re afraid of going to protest they
they’re afraid of going to protest they would say oh we’ll get in trouble
would say oh we’ll get in trouble
would say oh we’ll get in trouble they’ll say it’s not right at Sacre
they’ll say it’s not right at Sacre
they’ll say it’s not right at Sacre etcetera so then what my friend and I
etcetera so then what my friend and I
etcetera so then what my friend and I did then is we listed down the fears
did then is we listed down the fears
did then is we listed down the fears that people told us they had about going
that people told us they had about going
that people told us they had about going out and protesting and then we listed
out and protesting and then we listed
out and protesting and then we listed down all the fundamental articles in the
down all the fundamental articles in the
down all the fundamental articles in the Constitution that gave us the
Constitution that gave us the
Constitution that gave us the fundamental rights of assembly of speech
fundamental rights of assembly of speech
fundamental rights of assembly of speech and expression of Association and
and expression of Association and
and expression of Association and essentially of protesting against what
essentially of protesting against what
essentially of protesting against what citizens thought was wrong now why why
citizens thought was wrong now why why
citizens thought was wrong now why why does this what what is this really
does this what what is this really
does this what what is this really highlight and what is this really
highlight and what is this really
highlight and what is this really highlight and at that time in our
highlight and at that time in our
highlight and at that time in our society amongst our students it was this
society amongst our students it was this
society amongst our students it was this acute and conspicuous lack of civic
acute and conspicuous lack of civic
acute and conspicuous lack of civic education at
education at
education at and educational institutions we are
and educational institutions we are
and educational institutions we are never taught how our government works we
never taught how our government works we
never taught how our government works we are never taught how our country
are never taught how our country
are never taught how our country functions and we are never taught what
functions and we are never taught what
functions and we are never taught what the laws are and how we as citizens can
the laws are and how we as citizens can
the laws are and how we as citizens can use them and that is why I personally
use them and that is why I personally
use them and that is why I personally believe that civic education should be a
believe that civic education should be a
believe that civic education should be a mandatory subject in all educational
mandatory subject in all educational
mandatory subject in all educational institutes in Pakistan that all students
institutes in Pakistan that all students
institutes in Pakistan that all students should learn what are their rights and
should learn what are their rights and
should learn what are their rights and they should learn how to file their
they should learn how to file their
they should learn how to file their taxes they should learn how to file an
taxes they should learn how to file an
taxes they should learn how to file an eff fire and how to deal with police
eff fire and how to deal with police
eff fire and how to deal with police when they’re stopped and they should
when they’re stopped and they should
when they’re stopped and they should learn how elections and how governments
learn how elections and how governments
learn how elections and how governments work and how they can hold government
work and how they can hold government
work and how they can hold government officials accountable now why is this
officials accountable now why is this
officials accountable now why is this important why is it important to hold
important why is it important to hold
important why is it important to hold government officials accountable and why
government officials accountable and why
government officials accountable and why is it important to push the system that
is it important to push the system that
is it important to push the system that we live in of politics of government of
we live in of politics of government of
we live in of politics of government of things we hear about in the news all the
things we hear about in the news all the
things we hear about in the news all the time why is it important for us to be
time why is it important for us to be
time why is it important for us to be involved in this there are two reasons
involved in this there are two reasons
involved in this there are two reasons why it’s important to be involved in
why it’s important to be involved in
why it’s important to be involved in this first of all it is your money it is
this first of all it is your money it is
this first of all it is your money it is our money that is running the government
our money that is running the government
our money that is running the government so it is through our taxes whether it’s
so it is through our taxes whether it’s
so it is through our taxes whether it’s the twenty five percent tax we pay on
the twenty five percent tax we pay on
the twenty five percent tax we pay on each mobile phone upload or whether it’s
each mobile phone upload or whether it’s
each mobile phone upload or whether it’s the income tax that slashed off our
the income tax that slashed off our
the income tax that slashed off our incomes every month of our salaries is
incomes every month of our salaries is
incomes every month of our salaries is that is what is running the government
that is what is running the government
that is what is running the government that is what paid what is paying the
that is what paid what is paying the
that is what paid what is paying the salaries of your policemen of your
salaries of your policemen of your
salaries of your policemen of your politicians of your judges are fear
politicians of your judges are fear
politicians of your judges are fear generals and of everyone that works at
generals and of everyone that works at
generals and of everyone that works at as part of the state institutions and
as part of the state institutions and
as part of the state institutions and the second reason it’s important for us
the second reason it’s important for us
the second reason it’s important for us to be involved and it is important for
to be involved and it is important for
to be involved and it is important for us to hold our politicians in our state
us to hold our politicians in our state
us to hold our politicians in our state accountable is because it is through our
accountable is because it is through our
accountable is because it is through our votes that the our government really
votes that the our government really
votes that the our government really comes to power so it’s by virtue of our
comes to power so it’s by virtue of our
comes to power so it’s by virtue of our taxes that were paying and off our votes
taxes that were paying and off our votes
taxes that were paying and off our votes that who are giving that the government
that who are giving that the government
that who are giving that the government really is able to perform the government
really is able to perform the government
really is able to perform the government is really able to exert the power they
is really able to exert the power they
is really able to exert the power they do over us now the issue with this
do over us now the issue with this
do over us now the issue with this really is two-prong it’s not only
really is two-prong it’s not only
really is two-prong it’s not only citizens that are not active and not
citizens that are not active and not
citizens that are not active and not demanding their rights but it’s also the
demanding their rights but it’s also the
demanding their rights but it’s also the government and the state machinery that
government and the state machinery that
government and the state machinery that is not really equipped or is not really
is not really equipped or is not really
is not really equipped or is not really used to you know being accountable to
used to you know being accountable to
used to you know being accountable to citizens I’ll give you an anecdote an
citizens I’ll give you an anecdote an
citizens I’ll give you an anecdote an example of what I personally experienced
example of what I personally experienced
example of what I personally experienced so in
so in
so in in 14 I filed around three right to
in 14 I filed around three right to
in 14 I filed around three right to information requests with one government
information requests with one government
information requests with one government Authority and with one ministry there’s
Authority and with one ministry there’s
Authority and with one ministry there’s a stipulated time under law of 21 days
a stipulated time under law of 21 days
a stipulated time under law of 21 days for them to give a response to your
for them to give a response to your
for them to give a response to your information requests I got no response
information requests I got no response
information requests I got no response so then the procedure back then was that
so then the procedure back then was that
so then the procedure back then was that you appealed to the federal Ombudsman
you appealed to the federal Ombudsman
you appealed to the federal Ombudsman office and that senior retired
office and that senior retired
office and that senior retired government officials that then called a
government officials that then called a
government officials that then called a hearing between you the citizen and
hearing between you the citizen and
hearing between you the citizen and between the officials from the
between the officials from the
between the officials from the government department that did not
government department that did not
government department that did not respond to your request now we sit sit
respond to your request now we sit sit
respond to your request now we sit sit at the hearing and this is 2014 and we
at the hearing and this is 2014 and we
at the hearing and this is 2014 and we find out from the officer from the
find out from the officer from the
find out from the officer from the government ministry that in the 12 years
government ministry that in the 12 years
government ministry that in the 12 years since that Freedom of Information
since that Freedom of Information
since that Freedom of Information ordinance was promulgated in that 12
ordinance was promulgated in that 12
ordinance was promulgated in that 12 years they had never received a right to
years they had never received a right to
years they had never received a right to information request and they did not
information request and they did not
information request and they did not know what a right to information request
know what a right to information request
know what a right to information request was
was
was now what happens next is very interested
now what happens next is very interested
now what happens next is very interested in and it will explain a lot of what I
in and it will explain a lot of what I
in and it will explain a lot of what I talked about earlier so our request was
talked about earlier so our request was
talked about earlier so our request was about the legal procedure for how the
about the legal procedure for how the
about the legal procedure for how the government is censoring websites in
government is censoring websites in
government is censoring websites in Pakistan back then YouTube was still
Pakistan back then YouTube was still
Pakistan back then YouTube was still blocked and my friends and my
blocked and my friends and my
blocked and my friends and my organization we were very very angry
organization we were very very angry
organization we were very very angry about how we could not hacks as so many
about how we could not hacks as so many
about how we could not hacks as so many websites in Pakistan without any
websites in Pakistan without any
websites in Pakistan without any knowledge of why they were blocked so we
knowledge of why they were blocked so we
knowledge of why they were blocked so we find out that in 2006 an
find out that in 2006 an
find out that in 2006 an inter-ministerial committee for
inter-ministerial committee for
inter-ministerial committee for evaluation of websites was formed and
evaluation of websites was formed and
evaluation of websites was formed and what that committee was doing was
what that committee was doing was
what that committee was doing was censoring all the websites that were
censoring all the websites that were
censoring all the websites that were being censored in Pakistan however
being censored in Pakistan however
being censored in Pakistan however before this nobody knew about this
before this nobody knew about this
before this nobody knew about this committee and it was not public
committee and it was not public
committee and it was not public knowledge what we then realized is that
knowledge what we then realized is that
knowledge what we then realized is that this inter-ministerial committee is
this inter-ministerial committee is
this inter-ministerial committee is actually unconstitutional and it is not
actually unconstitutional and it is not
actually unconstitutional and it is not legal for it to exist so my organization
legal for it to exist so my organization
legal for it to exist so my organization biloba we challenged the
biloba we challenged the
biloba we challenged the inter-ministerial committees existence
inter-ministerial committees existence
inter-ministerial committees existence in the High Court and what happened then
in the High Court and what happened then
in the High Court and what happened then was that the court ordered that it was
was that the court ordered that it was
was that the court ordered that it was actually unconstitutional and that
actually unconstitutional and that
actually unconstitutional and that committee was disbanded now what is this
committee was disbanded now what is this
committee was disbanded now what is this show us had I not filed that Right to
show us had I not filed that Right to
show us had I not filed that Right to Information request we as citizens would
Information request we as citizens would
Information request we as citizens would never know that this committee existed
never know that this committee existed
never know that this committee existed and would never know that this committee
and would never know that this committee
and would never know that this committee was unconstitutionally censoring
was unconstitutionally censoring
was unconstitutionally censoring websites on Pakistani internet but once
websites on Pakistani internet but once
websites on Pakistani internet but once we had that information we used the
we had that information we used the
we had that information we used the legal route of the court to challenge
legal route of the court to challenge
legal route of the court to challenge that and we got a favorable response
that and we got a favorable response
that and we got a favorable response from the court
from the court
from the court so if citizens are ignorant and if
so if citizens are ignorant and if
so if citizens are ignorant and if citizens are not holding the government
citizens are not holding the government
citizens are not holding the government to account the citizens are not asking
to account the citizens are not asking
to account the citizens are not asking their officials what exactly they are
their officials what exactly they are
their officials what exactly they are doing if citizens are not using the
doing if citizens are not using the
doing if citizens are not using the tools available to them in a democratic
tools available to them in a democratic
tools available to them in a democratic system then the government and state
system then the government and state
system then the government and state officials will obviously abuse the power
officials will obviously abuse the power
officials will obviously abuse the power they have they will obviously be corrupt
they have they will obviously be corrupt
they have they will obviously be corrupt and they will obviously not have any
and they will obviously not have any
and they will obviously not have any interest in maintaining you know the
interest in maintaining you know the
interest in maintaining you know the government system the way it’s supposed
government system the way it’s supposed
government system the way it’s supposed to go constitutionally because the
to go constitutionally because the
to go constitutionally because the citizens do not know and because the
citizens do not know and because the
citizens do not know and because the citizens are ignorant abusive power is
citizens are ignorant abusive power is
citizens are ignorant abusive power is very very easy
very very easy
very very easy now there’s an explanation for this lack
now there’s an explanation for this lack
now there’s an explanation for this lack of democratic culture in Pakistan if we
of democratic culture in Pakistan if we
of democratic culture in Pakistan if we look at our history for hundreds of
look at our history for hundreds of
look at our history for hundreds of years we were we had monarchy crew we
years we were we had monarchy crew we
years we were we had monarchy crew we had the Mughal dynasty and other
had the Mughal dynasty and other
had the Mughal dynasty and other dynasties who ruled over us until the
dynasties who ruled over us until the
dynasties who ruled over us until the fall of the Mughal dynasty and then came
fall of the Mughal dynasty and then came
fall of the Mughal dynasty and then came British colonial rule for two hundred
British colonial rule for two hundred
British colonial rule for two hundred years
years
years we were a colony we were under the
we were a colony we were under the
we were a colony we were under the British Raj and we were ruled by them
British Raj and we were ruled by them
British Raj and we were ruled by them until 1947 when we finally got rid of
until 1947 when we finally got rid of
until 1947 when we finally got rid of the British and then for the next sixty
the British and then for the next sixty
the British and then for the next sixty years not a single civilian democratic
years not a single civilian democratic
years not a single civilian democratic government was able to complete its term
government was able to complete its term
government was able to complete its term because it was interrupted by military
because it was interrupted by military
because it was interrupted by military cooze and dictators now the silver
cooze and dictators now the silver
cooze and dictators now the silver lining for us right here right now is
lining for us right here right now is
lining for us right here right now is that the current government is the first
that the current government is the first
that the current government is the first that got power transferred from another
that got power transferred from another
that got power transferred from another civilian elected government so we’re a
civilian elected government so we’re a
civilian elected government so we’re a very young democracy and were very new
very young democracy and were very new
very young democracy and were very new to this whole idea of us being the
to this whole idea of us being the
to this whole idea of us being the owners of the state because what’s
owners of the state because what’s
owners of the state because what’s common across monarchies across
common across monarchies across
common across monarchies across dictators and across colonial rule it’s
dictators and across colonial rule it’s
dictators and across colonial rule it’s the subjugation of people and the lack
the subjugation of people and the lack
the subjugation of people and the lack of accountability but now that we’re a
of accountability but now that we’re a
of accountability but now that we’re a democratic country now that we are
democratic country now that we are
democratic country now that we are voting now that we have taxes and we
voting now that we have taxes and we
voting now that we have taxes and we have a system it is our responsibility
have a system it is our responsibility
have a system it is our responsibility as citizens to demand greater
as citizens to demand greater
as citizens to demand greater accountability and to get rid of that
accountability and to get rid of that
accountability and to get rid of that culture where we have word eras and we
culture where we have word eras and we
culture where we have word eras and we have politicians thinking they own us we
have politicians thinking they own us we
have politicians thinking they own us we own them we pay them we pay the taxes
own them we pay them we pay the taxes
own them we pay them we pay the taxes and we give them the votes so we’re
and we give them the votes so we’re
and we give them the votes so we’re entitled to every bit of good governance
entitled to every bit of good governance
entitled to every bit of good governance and every bit of our fundamental rights
and every bit of our fundamental rights
and every bit of our fundamental rights as they’re guaranteed in the
as they’re guaranteed in the
as they’re guaranteed in the Constitution so how is it that you and
Constitution so how is it that you and
Constitution so how is it that you and me as citizens can really hold the
me as citizens can really hold the
me as citizens can really hold the government accountable and can really
government accountable and can really
government accountable and can really hold the
hold the
hold the State accountable and can really get
State accountable and can really get
State accountable and can really get them to run the country the way it’s
them to run the country the way it’s
them to run the country the way it’s supposed to be run so first of all I
supposed to be run so first of all I
supposed to be run so first of all I already talked about Right to
already talked about Right to
already talked about Right to Information requests so any of fun any
Information requests so any of fun any
Information requests so any of fun any one of us can submit a right to
one of us can submit a right to
one of us can submit a right to information request with the government
information request with the government
information request with the government Department and demand information and if
Department and demand information and if
Department and demand information and if you do not get the information it’s very
you do not get the information it’s very
you do not get the information it’s very fun going to the Ombudsman and
fun going to the Ombudsman and
fun going to the Ombudsman and complaining and having a hearing and
complaining and having a hearing and
complaining and having a hearing and saying merit tax app Ethan haria up Muji
saying merit tax app Ethan haria up Muji
saying merit tax app Ethan haria up Muji information abhi they and I’ve done this
information abhi they and I’ve done this
information abhi they and I’ve done this right the second way you can do this is
right the second way you can do this is
right the second way you can do this is now you can contact your representatives
now you can contact your representatives
now you can contact your representatives so if you if I don’t know how many of
so if you if I don’t know how many of
so if you if I don’t know how many of you knew this but all the telephone
you knew this but all the telephone
you knew this but all the telephone numbers of your public representatives
numbers of your public representatives
numbers of your public representatives of your members of provincial assembly
of your members of provincial assembly
of your members of provincial assembly National Assembly and Senate are on the
National Assembly and Senate are on the
National Assembly and Senate are on the website so if there is any policy or any
website so if there is any policy or any
website so if there is any policy or any law or any issue you worried about in
law or any issue you worried about in
law or any issue you worried about in your area or overall you can simply
your area or overall you can simply
your area or overall you can simply contact them through a text message or a
contact them through a text message or a
contact them through a text message or a phone call you can also call and any
phone call you can also call and any
phone call you can also call and any citizen of Pakistan can call a public
citizen of Pakistan can call a public
citizen of Pakistan can call a public hearing in the Parliament in the
hearing in the Parliament in the
hearing in the Parliament in the National Assembly or the Senate on any
National Assembly or the Senate on any
National Assembly or the Senate on any issue that you think is important and
issue that you think is important and
issue that you think is important and they have to respond to you so any of
they have to respond to you so any of
they have to respond to you so any of you can interact with them and ask them
you can interact with them and ask them
you can interact with them and ask them hey why is this issue not being worked
hey why is this issue not being worked
hey why is this issue not being worked upon why is education and a mess at
upon why is education and a mess at
upon why is education and a mess at sat/rad sector so there’s a lot of
sat/rad sector so there’s a lot of
sat/rad sector so there’s a lot of different tools that are really
different tools that are really
different tools that are really available to us that we really need to
available to us that we really need to
available to us that we really need to start using now personally when I
start using now personally when I
start using now personally when I realized the need for civic education
realized the need for civic education
realized the need for civic education when I applied for my Master’s my
when I applied for my Master’s my
when I applied for my Master’s my application was based on me wanting to
application was based on me wanting to
application was based on me wanting to come back and to work on civic education
come back and to work on civic education
come back and to work on civic education so when I came back along with a few
so when I came back along with a few
so when I came back along with a few friends I made a curriculum and we did a
friends I made a curriculum and we did a
friends I made a curriculum and we did a few trainings but then as mentioned
few trainings but then as mentioned
few trainings but then as mentioned earlier I was able to really write a
earlier I was able to really write a
earlier I was able to really write a curriculum on fundamental rights in the
curriculum on fundamental rights in the
curriculum on fundamental rights in the Pakistani Constitution and that is now
Pakistani Constitution and that is now
Pakistani Constitution and that is now being tested at 11 universities in
being tested at 11 universities in
being tested at 11 universities in Pakistan as mandatory and now hopefully
Pakistan as mandatory and now hopefully
Pakistan as mandatory and now hopefully if we keep trying to hold the government
if we keep trying to hold the government
if we keep trying to hold the government accountable if we keep pushing for our
accountable if we keep pushing for our
accountable if we keep pushing for our rights to be known to us if we keep
rights to be known to us if we keep
rights to be known to us if we keep pushing for a civic education curriculum
pushing for a civic education curriculum
pushing for a civic education curriculum and we keep letting the state and the
and we keep letting the state and the
and we keep letting the state and the government machinery know that we’re not
government machinery know that we’re not
government machinery know that we’re not silent citizens who will be ruled like
silent citizens who will be ruled like
silent citizens who will be ruled like we’re subjects of a monarchy which were
we’re subjects of a monarchy which were
we’re subjects of a monarchy which were democratic citizens of a democratic
democratic citizens of a democratic
democratic citizens of a democratic Pakistan who are paying taxes and were
Pakistan who are paying taxes and were
Pakistan who are paying taxes and were voting and we demand better governance
voting and we demand better governance
voting and we demand better governance and better rights and I think for me
and better rights and I think for me
and better rights and I think for me that is the way forward thank you
that is the way forward thank you
that is the way forward thank you you
”
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