July, 2013
Vol. 1, No.1
PROGRESSIVE YOUTH FORUM (PYF)
NEWSLETTER
~Editorial~
PYF has decided to start its
newsletter with an aim to provide
platform to young Pakistanis for
expressing their views. This will
be a monthly publication that for
time being will be maintained
online and in English only.
You can send your original
writings (in English only) &
political sketches/drawings or
comments to
sidrasaeeds@gmail.com
Editorial Board
Progressive Youth Forum is a joint platform to rural and urban
youth so that they can play their role and utilize their potential
competencies for building welfare, progressive and social
democratic Pakistan.
PYF emphasizes in establishing links with left wing political parties
and civil society which struggles for same ideology. Its solid
intervention enhances the leadership quality of youth in decision
making processes and brings political activism among them. PYF
believes that it is the mouth piece of nation who raise their voices
against the violation of civil and political rights (particularly, military
dictatorship) in Pakistan and promote the democracy including all
pro-people social and political movements.
The percentage of youth in Pakistan deserves to formulate youth
friendly policies at government and non-government level in
Pakistan. PYF is a joint platform for youth to provide them alternate
policies. This aims to lead our youth for social democracy for
peaceful, progressive and terrorism free Pakistan.
Visit PYF Website: http://pyfpakistan.org
Ms. Sidra Saeed
Editor
Email:sidrasaeeds@gmail.com
Objectives of PYF:
Mr. Arsalan Barijo
Associate Editor
Email: pyf.pakistan@gmail.com
Developing & strengthening leadership capabilities among youth to
play their role for peace and progress in Pakistan
Mr. Mukesh Mehgwar
Associate Editor
Email: pyf.pakistan@gmail.com
Mobilize youth for recognition of education as basic right and state
obligation towards youth of Pakistan
Making Pakistani
discriminations
society
free
from
ethnic
&
religious
Advocating for educational curriculum that include modern
scientific researches and social democratic values
Campaign for peace in Pakistan & to coordinate and learn from
international and regional peace initiatives
THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM OF “LEFT” IN PAKISTAN
LET’s QuoTE ThEm!
“Progressive
--------------------------------------- Centre-Left
art
can
assist people to learn not
Pakistan Peoples Party
only about the objective
Pakistan Peoples Party (Sherpao)
forces at work in the
Pakistan Peoples Party (Bhuttoist)
society in which they live,
Pakistan Social Democratic Party
but
Pakistan Socialist Party
intensely social character
Pakistan Awami Tehrik
of
also
their
about
interior
the
lives.
Ultimately, it can propel
people
--------------------------Left-Wing
toward
emancipation.
social
”
Awami National Party
~Salvador Dali
Mazdoor Kisan Party
Pakhtun-khwa Milli Awami Party
Socialist Movement Pakistan
Awami Workers Party
Join PYF!
--------------Far-Left
If you wish to join PYF as
member, send an email
of form for membership
request to:
Communist Party of Pakistan
Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party
Communist Party of Pakistan (Thaheem)
pyf.pakistan@gmail.com
--Ultra-Leftists
PYF On FaceBook at
“Progressive Youth
Forum”
Al-Zulfiqar International
Peoples Peace Committee
PYF on Twitter at
@PyfPakistan
From editorial desk
Howling Crisis in Pakistan and Role of Media- A writing from past
Pakistan is at the cross roads in its geopolitical history. It is perceived as the source of current
terrorism and the centre of attention in the global war against terror. The country is faced with a
vicious, prolonged internal conflict (Like; Judicial crisis). But most importantly, after having held
elections in February 2008, Pakistan today finds itself in the third year of a challenging transition
towards democracy. The present development marks a historic nexus with an opportunity to establish
a sustainable democracy. Pakistan is a delicate state, threatened by economic crisis and the effects
of a continued mutiny. The civilian government has been facing difficult tasks including the problem of
NFC Awards, Provincial autonomy, abortion of 17th amendment, war on terror and so on.
Moreover, The Constitution of Pakistan, domestic laws and international instruments prohibit torture,
yet torture continues to be practiced and intensified due to Pakistan’s proactive role in the war against
terror. Security operations resulted in internal displacement of over 200,000 people, one of the largest
displacements in historical time. People are often being tortured having links with the Taliban or
extremist groups. Extrajudicial killings, disappearances, mass arrest of suspects by police after any
incidence of terror have emerged in the security threatened era. The pre existed culture of impunity
augmented by crisis of judiciary and priority shift of state towards day to day emergency response
create a vacuum where the issue of torture remained unaddressed.
Furthermore, Pakistan has a vibrant and free media landscape; among the most dynamic in South
Asia. To a large extent the media enjoys freedom of expression in spite of political pressure and direct
bans sometimes administered by political stakeholders. More than 40 television channels beam
soaps, satire, music programs, films, religious speeches, political talk shows, and news of the hour.
Although sometimes criticized for being unprofessional and politically biased, the television channels
have made a great contribution to the media landscape and to Pakistani society. Though Pakistani
media enjoys relative freedom compared to some of its South Asian neighbors, the industry is
subjected to many undemocratic and regressive laws and regulations. During terrorists attacks
killings, physical attacks and coercion are constant concerns for many Pakistani journalists. Pakistan
is currently ranked number one in the world in the statistics of journalists killed in 2009.
However, Pakistan is faced with a huge task ahead as it has to establish internal peace and
prosperity for its citizens. Aware of the important role the media needs to play in this process, and
alarmed by reports of the deteriorating security situation journalists face in large parts of the country
but unfortunately the media is currently selling out its products sometime in the shape of ShoaibSania’s wedding case and some other unnecessary issues which are beyond the ethics. Being the
mouth-piece of common people, media has to highlight the issues of peace, price hike, high inflation,
load shading, unemployment and poverty because people having nothing to do with the issues of
Shoaib-Sania and Asif-Veena.
By: Abdullah Dayo, PYF-Pakistan
The Other Side of Being Young!
Young people are considered fuel to economy and development of any country in general and one
can actually predict the future of a nation by analyzing the trends of development among young
people of it.
Abundance of projects, work lines, political agendas on both international and national scales are
being built that specially focus young people. A young person in today’s world is very important
because we won’t have ample of them in coming times of say about after 15-20 years. Young people
of today will naturally make up the elder generation meanwhile. And well educated and aware people
now prefer to have smaller families as opposed to concept of bearing 6-7 or even 12-13 children in
limited economical resources. This gives a future picture of less percentage of younger population
than today on the face of the Earth. What does this mean to us as young person today?
While growing old and finding less young people around gives us a situation where we need to be
more responsible by the time and much aware today. Creating a cadre of young people today who
have all the important skills to create a future that could make use of energy of less number of young
people in effective manner, must be the topics of discussions
How the modern Genetics and Science will behave to cope with the lesser number of young people
on Earth? This is the question that takes me to the evil side of science of human cloning and
selective breeding through Genetic Engineering. Loudly thinking---infact imagining if human
development inside mother’s womb could be condensed down to 3-4 months than normal 9 months
in future to promote reproduction in humans!
The coming time is bound to challenge us as human beings and we must be ready enough to counter
it. The outcome of the counter depends on what kind of seeds we sow today. The time has actually
come to think about it today.
The other side of being young today means living, thinking and acting more responsibly!
By: Sidra Saeed, PYF Pakistan
Sketch of the Month
By: Arsalan Barijo, PYF Pakistan