Nothing is over |
THROUGHOUT history, the production and repetition of discourse has been a strategic instrument of power in every society.
The state plays a central role in shaping narratives by repeating them relentlessly until they are normalized and accepted as unquestionable truths. To strengthen these narratives, states often rely on renowned personalities—individuals with large followings whose words are perceived as authentic and authoritative. In doing so, these figures become beneficiaries of the state, consciously or unconsciously promoting discourses that ultimately legitimize the exploitation and denial of the public’s basic rights. A recent example depicts a clear picture.
Last week, we organized a youth sitting titled “Let’s Listen to the Youth.” During the sitting, a young participant repeated a familiar claim frequently echoed by individuals from the NGO sector: that the state lacks sufficient resources to employ all graduates. This statement is not accidental; it is a carefully circulated narrative. When young people internalize such discourse, the state has already accomplished half of its objective—normalizing hopelessness, cultivating frustration and indirectly encouraging youth to leave the country in search of better opportunities elsewhere.
However, this narrative collapses when examined critically. The same state that claims scarcity of resources routinely spends billions on futile and symbolic expenditures. If even a fraction of the budget allocated to tea and biscuits at the President’s House, Prime Minister’s, or Chief Minister’s House were redirected to small-scale organizations or local enterprises, hundreds of jobs could be created. Every year, millions of rupees are spent on literary festivals and events that fade from public memory within days. These activities function as a theatrical performance of politics, enabling those in power to pass 365 days peacefully; such spectacles benefit them by ensuring that the public remains distracted and unable to question the denial of their basic rights. Had these funds been invested in small industries or youth-led initiatives, sustainable employment opportunities could have emerged for countless young graduates? The issue, therefore, is not the absence of resources but the absence of political will and priority. Youth development is consistently sidelined, while entertainment is promoted to divert public attention from fundamental needs such as education, employment, dignity and security. We, as youth, reject this recycled narrative of inevitability and helplessness. We refuse to accept that unemployment is a natural outcome or that the state bears no responsibility toward its educated population.
The emerging Gen-Z discourse challenges this logic directly. It asserts that providing dignified employment and prestigious positions to deserving youth is not charity but a fundamental responsibility of the state. Every year, every graduate deserves a future within their own country. This is not an ending; it is a beginning. We will actively negate exploitative narratives propagated by Janus-faced figures who speak in the language of reform while sustaining systems of exclusion. We will question every so-called renowned voice that justifies injustice. The discourse has shifted—and now, the youth will repeat it until it becomes impossible to ignore.
—The writer is a contributing columnist, based in Hyderabad, Sindh.