Writer: Amir Mir
The News
Date: 13th July 2025
Far too often Pakistan, envisioned by Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a democratic welfare state, has been a witness to the labeling of those writing or speaking an inconvenient truth as a “traitor” or “enemy of the state.” This criminalisation of dissent and the equation of free expression with rebellion are a reflection of a tragic decline of democratic values. Against this backdrop, Prof Waris Mir – eminent scholar, writer and fearless public intellectual – is remembered for raising his voice against tyranny. To him, a journalist’s allegiance was not to authority, but to truth and to the people. That loyalty, he believed, was both his noblest virtue and his greatest vulnerability.
In the 1970s and 1980s, as Gen Zia-ul Haq’s military dictatorship imposed strict censorship, Mir refused to retreat into silence. Instead, he wielded his pen like a weapon against injustice and repression. As head of the Journalism Department at Punjab University, Mir endured intense state pressure to echo the regime’s propaganda. He refused to comply. For this, he was branded a traitor and an enemy of the state.
Despite relentless persecution, his commitment never faltered. Prof Mir stood tall during one of the darkest chapters in Pakistan’s political hostory, becoming a symbol of resistance. His untimely death at age 48 shocked the nation, but did not silence his voice. His final article – a bold rejoinder to a speech delivered by Gen Zia labeling progressive intellectuals as “ideological fungus” – was initially returned by the publisher. It was only allowed to be published posthumously in daily Jang. Had he survived, it has been speculated, it night not have seen the light of day.
In that last article, Waris Mir wrote: “Those who use their pens to serve a dictatorship are rewarded with certificates of patriotism. The conscientious writers who strive to save Pakistan from intellectual decay are being labeled as ‘ideological fungus’.”
He argued that Zia’s harshest words were not aimed at separatists like GM Syed, but rather at progressive minds who envisioned Pakistan as a modern, progressive and democratic society – free from ignorance, poverty and religious exploitation. Those who advocated for enlightenment, economic self-reliance and cultural dignity, he wrote, were the true patriots. Yet, they were being vilified by the Zia regime.
The greatest triumph of Prof Waris Mir lay in his fearless devotion to truth. He never faltered, never bowed and never went back on his word.
Waris Mir contended that the ruling elite’s primary goal was not national welfare, but the preservation of their own power. Writers who resisted their agendas were criminalised, while loyalists were lionised. Would the history would, he raised the question, celebrate or condemn rulers who abandoned the ideals of Iqbal and Jinnah in pursuit of regressive dogma?
Writing the truth in Zia’s Pakistan was risking one’s life and limb. But Waris Mir never flinched. He denounced hypocrisy, the exploitation of religious references and authoritarianism with unmatched conviction. He challenged the so-called Sharia laws introduced and promoted by Zia and denounced those as instrument for prolonging his dictatorship. He argued that the campaign was detrimental to both Islam and Pakistan’s interests.
In 1984, he opposed Zia’s “referendum,” which was designed to legitimize his presidency. Later, he also condemned the 1985 partyless elections. He wrote: “Just as many tyrants in history have exploited scripture for political gain, Pakistan’s unelected ruler is using religion to consolidate power.”
For this, Waris Mir was declared not just anti-state- but also anti-Islam. Zia’s polilitial ally Jamaat-i-Islami carried out a campaign against him. He was persecuted and dragged into concocted court cases. Yet, he remained steadfast. Journalism, to him, was not just a profession – it was a noble mission, steeped in literary excellence and truth-seeking scholarship. His writings were never ephemeral – they endure as intellectual treasures because they remain relevant even today.
As Prof Waris Mir once said: “A living nation protests [against injustice] even if gagged, even if shackled,whether through a whisper or a sigh. The chains begin to speak when a writer truly wishes to break them. Genuine writers are never anybody’s tool – they serve humanity and envision a better tomorrow. They reject weapons and embrace the pen, entrusted to them by the people.”
Though the final years of Mir’s life marked by many a hardship, his conscience was clear. He never compromised his integrity. He died a dignified man, having defied oppression and continued guiding the nation with wisdom and conviction.
The greatest triumph of Prof Waris Mir lay in his fearless devotion to truth. He never faltered, never bowed and never went back on his word. His pen remained an emblem of integrity in an age known for compromise. That is why, to this day, he dwells in the hearts of those who uphold the dignity of truth.