There is some Twitter chatter about the PhD scholars, including myself, who settled abroad & didn't return to Pakistan. I am going to explain my position in this thread. This explanation is for those who believe in reason. No explanation will be good enough for those who hate me

for not believing in their politics & not siding with their narratives.

It is not easy to talk about personal matters here on Twitter and to explain to those who you've never met or knew in real life. But I will give it a try.

1. PhD scholarships are awarded on merit. I also won one for my PhD and completed my PhD from Germany. The monthly stipend that I got was barely enough to support living expenses of a scholar. Education is free in Germany so I didn't had to pay tuition fees. Thankful and lucky.

2. The institute that funded me signed an agreement with me that after completion of my studies I would return and serve in the institute for 5 years and in case I fail to live up to the terms dictated, I would have to pay back all the expenses incurred including a penalty of

100% of the expenses. Education is an expensive pursuit and not everyone can afford it so I had no other choice but to agree to all the terms dictated by the institute. This holds true for all such agreements that are signed between a scholar and an institute in Pakistan.

3. When my thesis was being reviewed, those acting on the institute's behalf wrote a malafide letter to the review committee in an attempt to destroy my work and reputation. I sought an explanation from the institute but they never gave me one. I never found out the

actual motives and people behind it but this issue became a matter of self-respect and reputation for me. I requested the institute to take this letter back, or issue an apology that I could forward to the reviewers where my reputation was at stake. I got none.

4. Like in any other place, there are people who wish well & good upon others for no interest of their own & there are also those wish ill on others for no reason. Some Babus not happy with me for avoiding sending them 'gifts' & others were upset because

I didn't 'surrender' to their will.

5. Skipping many details here but this was the point that I decided to resign and return the amount to the institute. According to the terms of the agreement that in case of any dispute, a civil court shall settle the matter, I went to the

court for the same. The other party NEVER showed up. After an year, they file a separate suit in order to drag me there. So now the case is in the court and once decided I will happily oblige.

6. Remember few days back there were protest by Baloch and Pashtun students against their institutes for squashing their scholarships? Imagine if these students were bounded to work for years according to the wishes of others. Trapped under debt and forced to work.

Doesn't it sound like modern slavery? Does it happen anywhere else in the world? Lets just not discuss the working conditions, TTS, non renewal of contracts, Babugardi etc.

Scholars don't launder money nor they seek to write-off billions of rupees of loans against them. The stipend they get is something they can afford a simple meal of three times and an accommodation. If facilitated they all can play their roles positively for Pakistan.

7. As I said, I am not crying victim-hood here at all. I signed an agreement and am acting totally within its terms no matter how harsh they are.

8. Shall I use this ill-treatment of myself by few powerful to hate the institute and the country? Not at all. The segment of the Twitter that are engaging in plain shameless slander against me are more upset at the fact that I don't amplify their narrative and not because

I am not in Pakistan. I never thought that these seasoned politicians and their Twitter lackeys would feel that much threatened by my few tweets. This is the lot that have directly or indirectly benefited from the 'loot' of their politicians. Dig out and you will find out

numerous NGOs they worked for which got funding from the govts of their political party. But I am not interested in playing their game, dirty or clean, I just can't afford to do that.

Do I feel threatened by them? Yes, I do. I know those who were destroyed for opposing them in one way or another. But do I fear them? No, not at all. I'll continue to challenge those views that are obstructing the dvlping of peaceful society on both sides of Durand line.

Just imagine had I claimed "self-exile" and to justify it participated in one or another "civilian supremacy" forum or worked for any well-funded "counter-terrorism" think tanks funded by foes of Pakistan & Islam. All would have been well had I killed my conscience.

I have my photo, photos of my kids on my profile, mentioned the university I worked for in my Twitter Bio. Never hid behind anonymity. Expressed my work and views publicly in my own name.

And will continue to do so in future as well InshaALlAH!