Youth charter

The youth is frustrated and disappointed with the old order. They have only seen older politicians looting the country, and thus limiting their chances of gainful employment. Most of our youth is unemployed. Can you imagine what a big disaster that is for the economy? In a situation where the demographics favour a productive workforce, we have that workforce unemployed. It is sinful to waste, says Allah Almighty. Well this is massive sin that you have left an entire workforce on the footpaths begging; or in the cities and villages in their homes twiddling their thumbs waiting for the employment messiah. In my 1,193 days in Parliament, I worked vociferously for the rights of all, including the youth. Their jobs were being sold, merit was ignored and institutions were made professionally bankrupt. It is a big sin, not a small one. Others who were not so competent but could pay for the jobs were given those jobs in locations that were not allowed on rules of business. Most of these people have jobs on paper and get paid for them, but dont bother showing up for work. Obviously, it is a money making business for all such people who give and take bribes/rishwat, which is haram. We are one country, but we have something called local job quotas, which are blatantly ignored by these looters. I have seen the youth protest, block roads and sit for days on the footpaths. They have suffered enough. On some of these occasions, I have joined them too. All politicians who have hearts or alternatively wish to take political mileage by pretending they have hearts do join the protests. Some join them for seven days, while others for seven minutes. That hasnt solved the root cause. They still have no jobs, or they still have no regularisation. So, the strategy needs to change with the looters. The old order is changing. I think it is time to turn the tables on these looters. Now I want my youth to turn their force into a positive force. If the looters dont want to give them jobs, we will work for our nation, our sweet dharti and our sweet people, voluntarily till better sense prevails. Let the society see that things will only change when the youth change themselves and take charge. We are not a dead nation though with looter leaders, we are becoming fairly dead. With better leaders, we will awaken. From today, it is a fresh start. My volunteer force, which already exists in different parts of Pakistan and needs to expand fast, will now have a new motto: Work, work and only work. It will set models for others to follow till the youth are actually doing alternative government and putting to shame the actual government. We will fill in the blanks in this decaying society as much as is physically possible. Maybe then the society at large will awaken and realise that there is a leadership, and there are people with the guts to follow them. Where we see the sewerage team is not doing its job, we will chip in. Hopefully, that will be a slap on the face of the administration and they will awaken and start doing their jobs. Where we see that the Forestry Department has not cut the woods and roads are being closed, we will cut it to open up the roads. Where we see the beaches are polluted, we will clean them. Where we see the teachers are not showing up in schools, we will chip in by teaching our children. Where we have no administration in hospitals, we will set up parallel medical camps to bridge the gap. These are some of the obvious jobs. But the main job we will do is the most dangerous one for the looters. We will be the pied pipers, who will spread the message of the rights of the people of Pakistan so that they choose a better leadership next time. The looters days are numbered. That message of the rights will be as follows: i Society members must awaken and stop choosing the wrong candidates. They must select or elect candidates from themselves; they must trust the poor to lead them. i Society must take care of its health, its hygiene, nutrition needs and demand its health rights from these looters, and keep their neighbourhoods clean, according to Islamic values. Society must stand in queues and be patient. i Society must acquire skills to serve their family and country better. It must work, even if it is not paid for that work. So that examples are set. i Society must not allow the terrorists to terrorise their neighbourhoods. They must clamp down on them by making civilian neighbourhood watches. i Society must stand up against the wadera, the chaudhry, the sardar and the industrial mafia man. They must speak up for their rights. They are not alone. Our youth will be standing next to them when they do. They are not orphans. i Society must not accept illegal occupation/qabza or batha. They must have the courage to say no. Our youth will stand next to them. i Society must stop going to jalsas where tried and tested leaders are giving false hopes. Or where the not so tried and tested leaders are making promises on the shoulders of the tried and tested looter candidates. They must reject them all. i Society members must send their children to school and demand that teachers show up. They must know their rights as parents. Our volunteers will help them with substitute teachers. i Society must take care of their environment and stop non-green activities. Our volunteers will help them. i Society must stand next to the discriminated in their neighbourhood against whom human rights violations have taken place. Our volunteers will stand by them too and get them their dignity back. The idea is that Pakistanis must help Pakistan, and stop grumbling and start working. When they start working, they will realise what a lot of work the government is not doing and then maybe the 'Pakistani Spring will happen. It is a 'work revolution. It is not a talk revolution. Our pied piper approach of preaching this message will move from the city to the village. Our caravan will increase and soon the rain drops will become a storm. I have faith in my people because I know they believe in huqooq-ul-ibad. I know they want the best for their children. The youth will be the catalyst. I will be calling on the youth from every corner. Not calling on them for jalsas, but for work. That is the difference. The youth leaders can call the youth. The old leader cannot understand the youth. How can they understand how frustrating it is to have a degree and not a job? How can they understand how dreams can become a reality? The youth needs to understand that they will not be alone, if they follow the Quaids work motto. We will be working with them. They will have a plan and they will work with unity, faith and discipline. And when the time is right this new force will be the alternative political party and government Inshallah. No shortcuts Just work I invite the youth to join the youth workforce by sending me their name, phone number, address, CNIC number, educational qualification, skills, and current job title on marvi.nmemon@gmail.com The writer is a former Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan.