ISLAMABAD: Former Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani has expressed concerned that intellectuals are refusing to accept civil awards conferred on them in recognition of their services.
First it was Sindhi writer Taj Joyo who refused to accept the Pride of Performance, 2020, because his son like so many others was missing- allegedly picked up by security agencies, he said in a press statement on Friday.
Former Senate chairman said, recently the daughter of renowned poetess Fehmida Riaz has announced that as protest against the kidnappings and torture of journalists and writers, she will not accept the award on behalf of her late mother as it will be a negation of her life’s struggle.
According to Rabbani these two cases are the tip of the ice berg of frustration and despair which is born from what he called fascist policies that are being followed and implemented.
“In a society where intellectual growth is stifled through state policy and the power to question by a citizen is crushed, such societies die”, he said.
History is witness that when the ruling elite gagged the growth of intellectualism those societies have withered away to the dust bin of history.
The state must be warned that by not allowing intellectualism to grow, denying federalism, tinkering with the parliamentary form of government and promoting centralisation they are pushing the Federation to an edge, he said.
