Inqalab

By Muhammad Murad

A few days ago, I got an opportunity to deliver a speech in a declamation contest. The topic for the contest was from one of the verses of Faiz Ahmed Faiz,

“Aey Khak Nasheeno Uth betho wo waqt karib aa puhncha hai,

Jab takht girai jaingay, jab taaj ochaalay jaingay”

There were two separate sections for the contest, the school section and the College/University section, with 36 speakers for the school section and 20 for the College/University section. I was shocked to hear the word “Inqalab” from almost every speaker because chottay moon bari baten (small mouth, big words)! I couldn’t digest. They were shouting and making statements regarding revolution as if we were there to argue for the government to step down. For a few minutes I thought we were near to bringing the so called “Inqalab” but alas!

Those speeches were made just to win the competition, not to bring change in Pakistan. When it was my turn, I literally forgot my speech because of the irritation created in my heart and mind by the word “Inqalab”. I was in a state of shock and was asking myself, “Can only words, without implementation, bring change?” I spend 5 minutes convincing the listeners that, “Agar bolney se inqalab anaa hota tou tou kab aa chukka hota” (if only words had to bring change, it would have come by now).  We need to stand united and implement all those statements which the speakers made while delivering their speeches. I hope I convinced them but if not, I must have confused them. The answer of my question is quite simple but unfortunately we are unable to answer it because we are a sleeping nation. We don’t care when our neighbor is being looted; don’t bother to call the police when someone is dying on the roadside.

It is commonly said that saying and doing are two separate things but unfortunately it has never been taken seriously because we are good at saying but when the time for doing comes, we simply ignore. If you ask me to speak on the topic “Inqalab” I’ll speak without any hesitation but if you say, “Let’s bring a change” then I am sorry I won’t support you on this. We, as a nation, are not ready to take action but only to make statements. Implementation of these statements seems to be an impossible job.

I would conclude that in order to bring “Inqalab” in the country, we first need to bring “Inqalab’ in ourselves. Implementation must exist behind every statement we make because I personally believe;

“Be-Amal dil ho tou jazbat se kia hota hai,

Dharti banjar ho tou barsat se kia hota hai,

Amal lazim hai takmeel-e-tamana kay liay warna,

Roshan khaayalat se kia hota hai”.

I am responsible for all statements made above.