By Muhammad Zeb, Peshawar
Silence has always been a political choice, and in today’s world it has become the most convenient one. While wars rage, civilians suffer, and entire communities are pushed out of normal life, global powers often respond with quiet diplomacy, selective concern, or calculated inaction. This silence is not neutral. It carries a cost—and that cost is paid by ordinary people.
Across the world, conflicts are no longer measured by human suffering but by strategic importance. Some crises dominate headlines, while others fade into obscurity. Lives lost in one region provoke outrage; lives lost elsewhere barely register. This selective response reveals an uncomfortable truth: in modern global politics, moral clarity is frequently sacrificed for geopolitical comfort.
Silence is most evident when international institutions fail to act. Statements are issued, meetings are held, and resolutions are discussed, yet meaningful action remains absent. For affected populations, this gap between words and reality deepens despair. It signals that their pain is negotiable and their suffering secondary to political convenience.
For countries like Pakistan, and particularly for provinces such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the cost of global silence is not theoretical. It translates into rising fuel prices, disrupted trade, inflation, and growing insecurity. Conflicts elsewhere create pressures that fragile economies must absorb, even though they had no role in shaping those conflicts.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa knows this burden well. Years of violence, displacement, and neglect have taught its people that global attention often arrives late—if it arrives at all. When international actors ignore crises at our borders or overlook humanitarian consequences, the responsibility quietly shifts to local communities with limited resources.
Silence is dangerous because it normalizes injustice. When violations go unanswered, they become acceptable. When aggression faces caution instead of consequence, it invites repetition. Over time, silence reshapes the global order—not into one of peace, but one where power defines truth and morality becomes optional.
The people of Peshawar, like millions across the developing world, may not shape international agendas, but they live with their outcomes. Their questions remain simple: Why does justice depend on geography? Why does humanity lose its voice when interests are at stake? And how long can the world afford to remain silent?
Breaking this silence requires more than speeches. It demands moral courage, consistency, and a willingness to place human life above political alignment. Silence may protect short-term interests, but it corrodes long-term trust. In a world already fractured by conflict and inequality, the cost of silence may ultimately be far greater than the cost of speaking out.
