“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
Over the years as Pakistan has grown from a totally Islamic state to a modern and democratic state with a major decrease in the implementation of shariah laws. Calling ourselves a totally Muslim state that follows all the rules of Islam yet we fail to recognize the sole truth that we lack in modesty, humanity, in faith and unity.
Living in a world where we are taught that each and every human being is entitled to their own opinion and they can express their opinions in any way they desire as the expression of thought/opinions is a fundamental part of the basic human rights each individual holds. But everything is certainly not what it seems.
Having a major population in our country that isn’t well educated, Doesn’t have access to basic educational facilities. we as a nation do not realize how our rights are suppressed and controlled by the government to the extent that we have no control over what we can express or feel.
The government of Pakistan placed an advertisement in the national dailies inviting the attention of the general public, Media Houses and Social Media users to the freedom of expression allowed under article 19 of the constitution and the areas where utmost discretion is required to be exercised. The advertisement also mentioned the punishments that can be awarded to the violators of the constitution under the Pakistan Penal Code. The article 19 of the constitution reads “Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression and there shall be freedom of the press, subject to any reasonable restriction imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defense of Pakistan.
Mashal Khan, a young boy who studied in Abdul Wali Khan University was murdered brutally on the 13th of April 2017. Mashal Khan was dragged out of his university by a crowd of hundreds of his fellow students all because the public present in his university considered his opinions to be a part of treason and eventually leading it to be considered as a Blasphemous attempt. Mashal Khan had expressed his opinions about his university that were highly criticizing in nature because in his opinion the students of Abdul Wali Khan University were being forced by the higher authorities to study in uncertain conditions and the teachers would not cooperate at all. He stated “everyone in the authority is a thief here” but none of his comments mentioned religious content or blasphemy. This belief was furthermore shared by Mashal Khan’s mother as well as she had stated this when she found about her son’s brutal murder as his body was lying down in front of her covered by a white cloth as the entire room filled with beloved relatives and loved ones grieved. Mashal Khan’s mother; Syeda Bibi said that she had raised her beloved son like others raise their daughters — protecting him from the outside world.
“I worried about the radicalising influence of mullahs and terrorists. I taught my children religion at home because I felt I knew it better than what they teach.”
After being tortured for hours, Mashal was shot from a close range and again his dead body was tortured. Who knew that one of the basic human rights being freedom of speech and expression would have such drastic consequences!
On 14th April, the body of a young teenager who was brutally murdered by the public that used to surround him at his own university was buried. Sitting in Mashal’s whitewashed room with his pictures lined on the wall as his beloved loved ones gave their condolences and grievances. No matter what happened, what such an event speaks out about the general public of Pakistan only adds up to the negative image that is faced by pakistani’s all over the world. What was Mashal Khans fault? he expressed his views. his opinions? his thought on the education system of which he was a part of?
These acts of violence that take part in our country right before our eyes when the government does nothing but overlook them, blaming Mashal Khan for portraying the acts of treason and Blasphemy. It is unbearable to imagine how the brutal murder of a teenage student was overlooked by the government of Pakistan. But that couldn’t stay like that for long as Mashal Khan became the voice of the entire youth of Pakistan that was outraged over the fact that how they could live in a country where an individual had to prepared of all the possible negative outcomes and consequences in return for expressing their own thoughts and opinions. In the light of the major events that took place, the murder of Mashal Khan and the alleged kidnapping of another expressionist for their free speech point the light in one direction- how can the government possibly save us from the merciless mentality of Mashal’s killers?
How can anyone of us be truly secure and at peace- mentally and physically, knowing that the murderers of Mashal Khan are out there and this can happen to anyone?
Freedom of speech seems like nothing but a vague term that is only present intangibly but is also highly inaccessible by all those living in the country of Pakistan. The events of Mashal Khan’s death and the kidnapping of other 26 journalists clearly shows How a harmless opinion can take a form of sadism and ferocity to mend and break a situation. 
Are we allowed to express our opinions at all? If yes, then what guarantee do we have that there won’t be another case similar to the one of Mashal Khan, waiting to be stamped as a case of blasphemy and treason?
Pen & Paper 