In Pakistan, many of our debates turn into endless arguments because we don’t even agree on the meaning of the words we use. Take politics, for example. For most people today, “politics” is just a dirty game of deception — a shortcut to power, or simply a refined form of cheating. But if we go back to the essence, politics is nothing more than the activity of creating and shaping a government. In its true sense, politics is about responsibility, not trickery.

This problem of meaning extends to almost every concept we discuss. That’s why, before we can build a healthy debate, we must first agree on the language. Words are not just sounds — they carry history, interpretation, and intention.

That is also why I chose the word Hallaqa for this platform. In Arabic, Hallaqa can mean many things — throat, circle, gathering, even misfortune. Out of these, we take gathering as our meaning. Why? Because this space is meant to be exactly that: a gathering of equals, where ideas can be shared, questioned, and tested. By clarifying what we mean, we protect our discussions from becoming senseless arguments.