Truth, Lies and the grey areas

There would not be a single hand standing on the side which says that it is good to tell a lie. No matter to what religion, cast or nationality we belong to, in the end we all mutually believe and agree that everyone should speak truth. But then what about the third kind? The ridicule of the truth itself is that there are hardly any circumstances where we say either a truth or a lie. Delicacy of the situation, wrong timings, selfishness, fear, concern, love and hate are some of the reasons forcing us to mold the truth in a design that it doesn’t fit in any of the above category. We call it the Grey Areas!

Manipulating truth is sometimes as indispensable as breathing air. But how to decide that when it is necessary to do this expurgation and when it isn’t? That is something that could vary from one individual to the other. Generally the molding that we do for our own interests is considered to be unjust, but then again who is going to decide? Our politicians, bureaucrats, civil servants and even common people have their own grey areas. For people like lawyers, exploitation of truth is the bread and butter. Hence, from the ruler to the one, sitting at a fruit stall everyone feels it their astuteness to manage saying what sounds good!

We find many people who declare that they can not stand a lie. The question that is needed to be asked here is that are they really willing to listen to a naked reality and what if it is about there own self? The answer is by and large in negative. We want to listen what we like. From inside we hope and pray that it may turn out to be true and when that doesn’t happen we tend to start behaving irrationally. On the other hand grey areas suit everyone. It is a convenient option that makes us feel satisfied and glad at the end of it. The thing is that we prefer to pick the truths of our own choice.

A leader will sing odes of love for humanity and expresses his desperation to spread peace and justice on the land. He definitely wants to do that, till the time he doesn’t get a hold on the seat of his dreams. After then of course priorities are different. One party shout aloud to reveal the scratchiest facts of the rival party but ignores even the crystal clear realities of their own dark sides in order to gain sympathies of masses. Contempt of court, suo-moto, reconciliations, memo-gate and all the other ongoing hit numbers of the court rooms are also revolving around the stretching and molding of truth. They twist the fact in a way that it goes in there favor and neglect the one that is against their respectable clients.

Likewise a marketing head of a company tells you all the good things about his product, but what about the bad ones? No, they are sternly trained that the bad things are supposed to be discussed only in the board meetings and then are better being forgotten. In the same way a shopkeeper put all the fresh peaces on the top of the counter and once you get your eyes off, he’ll add few of the rotten ones in your bag as well. Hiding is not lying right!

And then the news channels playing tug-of-war with each other, philanthropically raising death tolls before proper substantiation and exploiting non issues to get their ratings and to claim the number one slot are also part of the game.

Thus, in the end we can safely say that we never lie, it is just the other way out to get things done!

From Patriot-ism to Party-ism

"Roti, kapra aur makan, mang raha hay herr insan"

"khpala khawra khpal ikhtiar” (Our Land, Our rights)"

"Qadam bharao Nawaz Sharif, Hum tumharay saath hain"

"Jo Quaid Ka Ghaddar Hay Wo Maut Ka Haqdarr hay"

Sorry if anybody is being overlooked, as these are the most common slogans that we see zealous and energetic people chanting on the streets, outside the assemblies, in colourful rallies and during the blood-spattering protests around the country. With all the bad things involved with this slogan-culture, what is required to be praised here is the commitment and devotion of these people towards their respective parties. Without any discrimination, every party worker no matter what he is going through in his personal life due to the party hassles, always ended up saying that his party is the most steadfast and effective group of the country and he is proud to be a part of it. 

These passionate people are so blindly in love with their Quaids that they don’t even take a back in a do or die situation. Killing and being killed has never been an out-of-question scenario for them. Just a thump from their leader would be motivating enough for them to get out of their houses and start combating even against the police, army or the state itself. These (generally poor) people who have no else power in life get very keyed up after getting this new and first-in-a-lifetime right in their hands. This is the very first time that they have a guideline, a book of principle (no matter right or wrong) and a common path to move on. So, they try to prove theirselves and work on a sole purpose that is, to give supremacy to their party. They do it without even thinking that this power would only leave them with a hand full of arms but a pocket without a penny. 

In this love-makes-the-world-go-round saga, we could only think that why the very same people are not as enthusiastic and fervent about their own country? Why is that, we don’t see people who say Jo Mulk Ka Ghaddar Hay Wo Maut Ka Haqdarr hay? That is may be because this attitude will force them to agree with the people who might belong to the other cast or party, but are saying the truth. They, then have to stand for justice, rather than their party agenda. People would be free to think and to say what they want to, despite of defending their leaders’ ideologies. People, no matter what cast they belong to, would start gathering on common grounds, and will quit the politics of disagreement.

-Responsibility and respect of others and their religious beliefs are also part of freedom-

Political parties’ disrespect towards each other is one of the main causes of anarchy in our country. No it doesn’t mean that there is something wrong in having reservations or diversification of ideas between two individuals, nor there is an issue to have a leader for guidance. The problem arises when you start acting as a blind conformist of  a particular figure of power.  The dilemma is that in this sightless following, those who are supposed to strive for peoples’ rights start skirmishing on non-issues. Why is it that a party member has to disagree even on the issue where there is nothing to differ on? To show loyalty toward their leader they forget to differentiate between the right and wrong. This eventually ends up in cutting the throat of their own brothers.

A party should be a tool to make people work for their county, but somehow people surrender themselves for the party, to work as a tool against others, completely ignoring the responsibility of striving for the country. Till date, rivalry between groups has caused great social and political disarray and countless ethnic killings in this part of land. The sad part is that even religious sectarian parties have also led to violence in the society. The need of the time is to evaluate your leadership, to check that either your party is taking you towards a nationalistic struggle or the war of their own interests.

It is very important to regain peace in the society that members of all political parties shall conduct themselves in a manner that respects the rights and democratic interests of all citizens, political parties and shall avoid behavior that brings the whole electoral system into disgrace!