Dear Chowk Staff:

I am in complete assertion with Manto on the issue of constant abuse. Freedom of speech is admirable and must be encouraged, but hate should not and must be identified and effective measures taken immediately.

In addition, to what Manto has identified, my view is that by the very fact that Pakistani are out-numbered 6 to 1 by Indians, we must be extended some security.

By the very fact, that there are more Indians with computers at their disposal, we are out-numbered and we must be extended some security.

By the very fact, the present global situation is beyond our control, we do not have a level playing filed, and the Indian interactors are taking full advantage of this.

At the very least, Chowk should be a place of understanding and harmony, and it is not. It will be very difficult, for future interactors to participate if careful protection and specific protection is not put in place.

I am submitting this as an appeal for enhancing our ability to develop a balanced place for articulating our point of view.

Respectfully submitted,

Behram B. Atashband

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#1, Manto,
You have got to be kidding.
Chowk Staff and Management have double standards - look at how they allow Scout and Saminasha to utter pure simple nonsense. Yet they ban others at the slightest excuse. When I see real justice on Chowk, I will say there is a chance for the type of moderation you suggest.

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Dear Chowkstaff,

I wish to register protest at how some of chowk’s finest have resorted to abuse and insults aimed at Aisha, Behram, Godot and Hamidm for disagreeing with the Indian point of view (Gandhi in the handmaid’s tale)
It is a matter of great concern that the citizens of the world’s greatest democracy act like quite the fascists when things are not to their liking.

It must be remembered that the whole chowk ideology is pre-disposed to pro-Indian stance since within the collective imagination of chowk staff and chowk cosmos, the Pakistani narrative is at best a well meaning but misguided separatist strand and at worst an outright unreasonable communal narrative. Therefore the Pakistanis here are already forced to argue from a position of weakness which has more to do with the implied ideological bias on the website than the reasonableness of Indian claims.

Therefore, any abuse on part of the ’’Treasury benches’’ of chowk should be taken note of and made example of by the Chowkstaff, which acts after all in the same capacity as a speaker would in a democratic parliamentary body.

Sincerely

YLH

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