From the pages of Chitrali social media
Social media came to Chitral almost 12 years ago and gradually it made a huge mass movement towards itself. Today, Facebook is the biggest and only social platform used in Chitral by the common masses, so the trends become popular in minutes. Most of the community using the platform is not mature enough like most backward areas of Pakistan but the use of the local language makes it hidden from the authorities to probe into the matter otherwise most of the comments are vulgar.
In 2018 a girl from Chitral living in the US got the attention of the Chitrali social media sites and became viral on facebook, instagram and twitter. The girl was criticized for her dressing and lifestyle by the conservative side and that is in majority and some people also appreciated her as well. Her videos have now become almost normal after three years and she is a popular social media activist having thousands of followers and the criticism has gone down to some extent.
Recently a group of young Chitrali girls, led by a female soccer player from Chitral, who has represented Chitral at international level as well, are touring the capital city Islamabad to participate in football training sessions. The Chitrali social media has warmed up once again. The girls are being criticized severely and the debate is in full flung. Some of the words used by the commentors are morally not acceptable. But there are a number of encouraging words for the girls as well.
The whole scenario leads to another serious discussion of human rights. The role of women in Chitrali society is to be discussed here. As a Chitrali I would say that most of the works of a home are performed by a woman. She gets up early, makes fire, warms water, makes breakfast, wakes others, serves breakfast, goes for milking and manages for the cattle, cleaning the house, washing dishes, some domestic activities and then prepares the lunch. After lunch some domestic activities depending on the occasions, like serving guests, attending the cattle once again etc. and then the dinner preparation and at last after isha prayer she gets a chance to rest and this routine goes on throughout her life. In the Holy month of Ramadan this becomes even tougher. In the meanwhile most of the men don’t work that much as compared to them. We are not work loving people perhaps therefore just spending the days doing no serious business at all. However there are also brave men who work and help a lot and their contributions cannot be ignored.
Still, mostly in Chitral women education is considered unnecessary as the argument goes on that at last they have to attend the household so it is of no use. Men and women are the equal partners to run the business of life but this is only written on a piece of paper and man dominates the society by power. The religion says that a woman is a mother, a wife, a sister and a daughter and they are delicate so treat them kindly but our actions are not in unity with this statement of the religion. The down fall of a nation starts when there is imbalance of power among the members. Like most of the colonized areas of world this isolated valley of Hindukush Mountain’s is also going through a period of social change. The process con not be accelerated too much, but individual contributions will help a lot in pacing up the process.
Apart from this, most of the population is reluctant to accept the change this means conservatives and that is extremism. In simple words, to use the last option first. The surge of extremism is of no use in current scenario because the social media is showing the mentality of the both sides of the critics. There is a need of “live and let live” kind of opinion to move to a better life style and living happy life.
