Tonight the world will be celebrating the New Year Night. Jamaat-e-Islami’s youth wing Shabab-e-Milli has already warned people against holding the New Year celebrations. I remember that Jamaat-e-Islami was an important part of MMA government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and there was complete ban on different cultural activities including singing and stage dramas and also on celebrating New Year Nights. However, still the functions were going on in Peshawar Garrison Club and the MMA government could not stop such events.
Peshawar for the last few days is in grip of terror incidents especially after the recent militants’ attack on Bacha Khan International Airport and the security risk prevails in the provincial capital.
However, this does not mean that with the fear of terrorism we will sit in our homes and will not celebrate any occasions. No doubt the celebrations must be within limits. The hullabaloo that is created on the occasions like 14th August when the youngsters riding the silencer-less motorbikes create irks for the elderly, women, children and patients should never be encouraged.
However, we should also not stop these youngsters to celebrate the Independence Day. My request to the youth of Peshawar would be that they should celebrate New Year Night and should not listen to Shabab-e-Milli’s claim that such celebrations are unIslamic. But at the same time there must be some decency in such celebrations.
The youth must act like youth of a civilized society and instead of making noise at the highest level which can disturb not only the peaceful environment of the city but can also be painful for many with weak nerves.
Similarly, police should check on one wheeling done by the youngsters on such occasions and should not only keep it to the statements in press but should also perform and should stop such illegal and deadly acts.
What we can also do is to hold special prayers on the day as we had done on the first day of the new Islamic calendar for the prosperity of the country and safety of its people.
No society in the world puts bar on celebrations. However, these celebrations must be done in a sophisticated manner. I hope this year the youth of Peshawar would celebrate the New Year Night in a civilized manner.
