THERE are a number of issues for people in Pakistan to really feel rebellious about. Instead of launching ‘rebellion’ against the government or institutions, one should rebel against anarchy, violence, hatred, terrorism, corruption, disinformation, division and anything that harms Pakistan or its institutions.

An actual rebellion should not be about destruction and disorder; it should, in fact, be about standing firmly against chaos while choosing the path of truth, peace, integrity, justice, accountability, unity and the rule of law.

Such a rebellion would only arise out of love for Pakistan and the gratitude for the independence and security made possible through the high and mighty sacrifices of the country’s martyrs.

In its absolute spirit, such a rebellion should be against those who exploit grievances, spread propaganda, create distrust between citizens and institutions, promote ethnic or religious division, or turn peaceful protests into violence. Lies should be answered with truth, violence with peace, hatred with love, and corruption with integrity.

There are valid reasons for having hope in the youth of Pakistan because they are the active builders of the nation’s future. Their energy must be transformed into a focused and sustained national effort through relevant platforms, mentorship, education, skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation, reading, critical thinking and the ability to counter propaganda and disinformation.

We should strengthen the existing bond between our youth and our own institutions while promoting tolerance, mutual respect, peace and harmony, teaching the young that being a rebel means being a problem-solver rather than a troublemaker, a builder rather than a destroyer.

This is the very essence of true rebellion rooted in love rather than hate, hope rather than fear, faith rather than doubt, and a commitment to our collective future rather than being trapped in the past.

It seeks to build bridges rather than walls, peace rather than conflict, inclusion rather than exclusion, humility rather than arrogance, patience rather than impul- siveness, wisdom rather than recklessness, and patriotism without blind or extreme nationalism. Such a rebellion will always be peaceful, persistent and collective in its approach.

We have a long and difficult road ahead of us. There is no doubt about that. Negative forces are powerful and deeply entrenched. They have resources, they have networks, and they have the advantage of operating in the shadows. But we have something that they do not have.

We have the truth, we have the moral high ground, and we have the love of our nation. We have everything we need to succeed. Failure is not an option because failure would mean the end of our dreams, which is something we would never allow to happen.

We will fight, we will struggle, we will toil, and we will surely persevere. We will rebel, we will resist and we will certainly rebuild. And, we will do all this with a smile on our faces, with a prayer on our lips, and with a fire in our hearts.

Abdul Basit Alvi
Muzaffarabad

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2026