Awoken Nation

Imran Khan: The Symbol of Resistance The story of Imran Khan continues to grip the nation— As I narrate this, Khan has spent  500 days in Adiala Jail , and what’s remarkable is their  unbreakable spirit.  No matter how one views him, history will record this man as an “unbelievable” figure—a storm of resilience. I can’t help but think of the times he’s been compared to  Nelson Mandela , who endured decades in prison yet emerged as a liberator. Mandela’s story was tough, and his struggle was monumental. But Imran Khan’s battle feels even more nuanced: He isn’t fighting colonizers but the  mental slavery  and power structures of his own people. Khan is no ordinary prisoner. He is a man imprisoned for refusing to compromise his principles. They locked him up to break his will, to coerce him into silence. But instead, he became even larger than life —a symbol of defiance and hope. The Forgotten Lives and the Blood of November 26 If you think this story stops h...

  This is an extract from a media talk delivered by Faisal Chaudhary outside Adiala Jail. The Start of a Battle Standing in court today, I felt the weight of an unfair system bearing down on us. A criminal case had been registered against us in the marketplace, and charges were filed without any solid evidence. To make matters worse, we haven’t even received a copy of the charge sheet. Despite repeated requests for this crucial document, our pleas seem to fall on deaf ears. This isn’t just negligence; it’s a blatant disregard for legal processes. Our call for CCTV footage—a key piece of evidence—remains unanswered. What struck me most was how this one case stands isolated while other FIRs have been separated. The accusations revolve around incitement, but there’s no proof. Those who stayed loyal to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are being targeted, while others who abandoned the party are walking free. This selective justice is painful to witness. Political Victimization in Ful...

I never quite understood why the United States had such deep-rooted gun laws. To me, the idea of ordinary citizens owning firearms seemed dangerous, chaotic, and unnecessary. However, as I’ve seen events unfold in Pakistan—where citizens often find themselves at the mercy of unchecked power, state tyranny, and lawlessness—I’ve started to understand why the founding fathers of the United States emphasized the importance of the right to bear arms. It was not about encouraging violence but about preserving independence and protecting freedom. The American Founders and Gun Laws The United States was born out of resistance to colonial oppression. When the founding fathers drafted the Constitution in the late 18th century, they knew firsthand what it felt like to live under a government that could strip people of their dignity, wealth, and lives. The Second Amendment, granting citizens the right to bear arms, was their way of ensuring that Americans could defend themselves if such tyranny ev...