Why The Twitter Campaign Against Asfandyar Wali Is Actually Hurting Pakistan

The Awami National Party (ANP) was once the single most important Pushtun political force in the country. Since its formation in 1986 – when ANP served as a key player in the restoration of democracy movement – till 2013, ANP was not merely politically relevant but sporadically also at the helm of power.

However, a long history of sub-par governance and systematic terrorist attacks on its leadership together pushed the party in the shadows following the 2013 polls.

Read: A Timeline Of Attacks On ANP In The Last Six Years

Its followers had hoped that ANP would rise again to regain its lost glory during the recently concluded elections. However, ANP failed to impress and secured only 2 seats in the 272 members’ National Assembly. At the provincial front too, the party met with a crushing defeat with only 6 seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

Following the elections, ANP joined other political parties to allege that the results were deeply rigged and engineered.

Whether there is any substance to these allegations can certainly be debated because even the staunchest critics of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) believe that it would have still surfaced as the largest political party in the parliament even if the contentious constituencies had not been compromised.

Read: PPP Must Do These 3 Things To Regain Its Lost Glory

That said, what cannot be contested is ANP’s right to speak. Even if what the party leadership has to say is harsh; even if what they have to say is not what most PTI voters would like to hear and even if ANP’s demand for re-elections seems rather dumbfounding – even then, absolutely no one has the right to stifle their voices.

Unfortunately however, more than any other political party – yes, even more than PML-N – it is ANP that has found its voice gagged through coercion and malice. From being perpetually labelled as traitors to being blown to pieces in countless acts of terror, ANP’s leadership has faced it all.

Read: 3 Reasons Why Imran Khan Deserves Appreciation For His Victory Speech!

And so, even though I might have a lot of nits to pick in the way ANP governed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when it was in power, and as a Pakistani (and Punjabi) find some of their slogans downright offensive and racist, I cannot stand by silently as they are persecuted.

I say this because I choose to strive for a Pakistan that embraces and celebrates its diversity of opinion rather than one that is spitefully polarized. There are many ways to articulate one’s disagreement but labeling the opponent a traitor and demanding persecution is certainly not one of them.

I dearly hope that all those who believe that running the “#غدار_ابنِ_غدار” campaign on Twitter makes them better patriots will take a step back from the hate and reflect how their words are widening the gulf between Pakistanis rather than propelling the country towards unity.

#غدار_ابنِ_غدار 🇦🇫 ANP is a KNOWN traitor hostile political party who always served Indian RAW/Afghan NDS interest

— Zinnia malik (@zinniamalik786) August 1, 2018

Being called a #traitor by a Punjabi is the highest honor you can give to a Pashtun.#غدار_ابن_غدار #Pakistan

— Lamar (@DrLamar999) August 1, 2018

Be audible in your disagreement but please be respectful for if we continue to tag each other as traitors, very soon, we shall each stand alone and weak.

Read: Why Neglecting The All Pashtun National Jirga Is Unpatriotic If You’re A Pakistani

More than ever before Pakistan requires its citizens to standby and safeguard each other for a country attains nationhood only when its people learn to love, respect and protect their own. And whether you like it or not, Asfandyar Wali Khan is, in fact, one of us.