“If you want to do something big in your life, you must remember that shyness is only in the mind. If you think shy, you act shy. If you think confident, you act confident”
- Arfa Karim (1995-2012)

An article on someone’s life?! ((Yawn))…turn the page!..that’s what normally everyone of the present generation(including me!) does..it was a bizarre idea to me that how on earth can someone else’s life inspire me?! Also, never have I read more than 10-15 pages of a biography..But God had some other plans..

1st Februray,2013 our C.C.A Quiz competitions were going on. From a question in the finals, the name of Arfa Karim, the teenage sensation who passed away at the age of 16 cropped up. Later I googled and saw her interview on PTV:

Interviewer : You had set a goal that you’ll receive worldwide fame and by God’s grace when you achieved this by becoming the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional, you were just 9 years old.
Arfa: (in her killer cheerful tone): No! 9 years 9 months 11 days 6 hours 10 minutes 2 seconds!

She was such a lively and cheerful person and her fun filled side was wrapped in a layer of maturity unbelievable for her age. She was called by Bill Gates to U.S and in this meeting he asked her about the inequalities of women in Pakistan. She replied by instead stating and asking -”I’ve observed that there are very few women working in Microsoft, why?!!” The other people present there said that Bill Gates was more awestruck at her than she was at him!

She was also extremely talented in poetry. From light sentences like- ” He is a very busy man Sleeps 8 hours a day below the fan” (from the poem she gave to Bill Gates)
to heavy, spiritual topics like-
“Knowing that they (mankind) have to return to him (God) Why do they not refrain from bad deeds” (Translated from Urdu)
“Gol Gappey” was her favourite dish and she would bribe her mother by singing (in which also she was God-gifted) in return for ‘Gol Gappey’!!

Even though at such a small age she had received so much fame, awards and titles like “Princess of Bill Gates”, etc she was just so humble and down to Earth and just like any other normal kid! Even when they went to village, when everyone complained about the water, etc, she was never at discomfort, roaming around in tractors!!

Her dream was to use software as tool for providing education in rural areas, start a “Digicon valley” and HRD centre in her country.
There is so much to learn from the small life of this girl. Thank You so much Arfa for inspiring me and permanently incepting in my mind that the purpose of life is a life of purpose.
If anyone wants to know more, please watch ‘Arfa’s interview on ptv‘ and ‘Princess of Bill Gates’ as starters and like her official facebook page. If even a few begin to idolise her and get their lives elevated, I would feel so grateful that I’ve been able to repay to at least a small extent for all she has meant in my life. Thank You, Arfa!

By Kaustav Kashyap Das - Guwahati, India

Various development projects worth Rs140 million have been proposed by the city government to develop the village, Chak no. 4 Ramdewali, PPI reported.

Divisional Commissioner Tahir Hussain held a meeting at Arfa Kareem Nagar and reviewed the development projects on the spot.  DCO Muhammad Amin, Arfa’s father Colonel Retd Amjad Kareem and officers from different departments were also present on the occasion.

The meeting was informed that a monument would be constructed at the grave of Arfa besides the establishment of a library and a museum in the premises.

The commissioner said that a Girls’ Degree College and Technical Training Centre would also be set up in the village along with the up-gradation of Boys’ and Girls’ Schools and a basic health unit.

The establishment of a playground, improvement of drainage scheme, pavement of streets, provision of potable water and agriculture equipment were also be included in the scheme for developing the Arfa Kareem Nagar as a model village, he added.

Colonel Kareem said that the first death anniversary of Arfa would be observed on January 14, 2013.

The case studies of Ali Moeen Nawazish, Arfa Karim and Moosa Firoz were also quoted to prove the mental aptitude of the Pakistanis. Ali secured 22 As in A-levels exams; Arfa Karim had earned title of the youngest Microsoft Certified Expert; and Moosa recently won the World Mathematics Championship.

KARACHI: The occasion seemed to mark a different set of emotions for the people present at the dock. For the minister, it seemed to be proof of the good work undertaken by his department. For one father, however, it all came down to memories of his 16-year-old daughter.
Federal minister for ports and shipping, Babar Khan Ghauri, unveiled the plaque marking the inclusion of two ferryboats, Arfa Karim (named after the late child prodigy) and Afza Altaf (named after MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s daughter) at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on Sunday.
“I feel really proud. What else can I say,” was all Amjad Karim Randhawa, Arfa’s father, could manage. He had flown to Karachi with his wife for the occasion.

The boats were purchased from Bangladesh’s Western Marine Shipyard at a cost of $4.6 million as it was the cheaper option.
While originally bought to ferry KPT employees between Keamari and Manora, KPT chairman Aslam Hayat said that the public will also be able to use the 200-passenger boat for commuting to Baba, Bhit and Salehabad islands. “This service will be free of charge,” he added.
Ghauri also compared the performance of departments under his ministry, including KPT, Port Qasim Authority and Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, which have all reported profits, with those of money-haemorrhaging public entities such as PIA, Pakistan Railways and Pakistan Steel Mills.
Randhawa said that his daughter reflected some of her desires into a poem she wrote. “One of them was to become a fish, so that she could swim in the water. I think that one has been granted today.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2012.

Prior to her death, it was reported that her condition had started to improve and every one thanked God including Chairman Microsoft, Bill Gates who sent her best wishes on hearing the news. But suddenly her condition deteriorated and she was announced dead.

Lahore IT Park where Govt. of Punjab intends to open an IT University

Maj. Ahsan Randhawa, Arfa’s uncle, has said that doctors could not understand how to handle the case. She was not being operated, she was just on the ventilator, said Maj Ahsan.

Arfa was being treated at CMH Lahore. She had an epileptic attack on December 22 and she went into coma.

Earlier Bill Gates had created a team of specialists who offered Arfa’s family to shift her to US for proper treatment, but local doctors had turned down the request as her condition was very fragile.

Her funeral prayer has been offered and she is to be buried in her ancestral village, near Faisalabad. Various political figures, her school friends attended the funeral and expressed their condolences on the sad loss.

Chaudhary Zaheer u Din of Muslim League Q (PMLQ) has said that a resolution will be moved in Punjab Assembly tomorrow (Monday) to have an approval of building an IT university in the name of Arfa Karim who brought fame to Pakistan by becoming youngest Microsoft Certified Professional at the age of 9 – a world record so far.

Arfa’s father has said that he is grieved but proud of her and she will remain alive in our memories. What we must do is to make possible what he dreamt of. In an interview to a TV channel, Arfa had expressed her desire to open a Digicon Valley in Pakistan, similar to Silicon Valley that is considered to be the backbone of global IT industry.

Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif, had already announced to start a dedicated IT university in Lahore. Hopefully, he will announce the same in the name of Late teenage genius.

He said the tallest building of the province had been named after the youngest IT expert Arfa Karim and no other name could be better for the building. He said Arfa Karim won laurels for the country and made the nation proud and she would always be remembered.

He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Arfa Software Technology Park constructed with the cooperation of China here on Thursday.

Shahbaz said the Punjab government had taken revolutionary steps for promotion of information technology. He said the software technology park would prove to be a milestone in IT promotion and a campus of the Information Technology University of international standard would also be set up there within next few months.

The CM said thousands of students from Attock to Rahimyar Khan were benefiting from new inventions and modern knowledge through IT labs set up in more than 4,000 schools of the province at a cost of Rs 5 billion. He said the project of distribution of 120,000 laptops would help produce IT scholars and they would carve out a prosperous future for the country.

The chief minister said metro system was being launched with the cooperation of Chinese company Norenko whereas the work on first Bus Rapid Transit System in the history of the country had started with the cooperation of Turkey. He said that Pak-China friendship was strong and the IT tower was its proof. He said the Punjab government was jointly working with Microsoft for setting up e-government and promotion of information technology and cooperation was also being sought from other companies for the promotion of IT in the province.

He lauded Chairman Planning and Development Javed Aslam, Chairman Information Technology Board Dr Umar Saif, former Chairman Information Technology Board Dr. Javed Ghani, engineers of China State Construction Engineering Corporation and the entire team made for the completion of the Arfa Software Technology Park.

Father of Arfa Karim, Col (r) Amjad Karim Randhawa and head of China State Construction Engineering Corporation Madam Li Hau and Commercial Consular of China also addressed the function. (Courtesy: The News)

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had given approval for the commemorative stamp in recognition of Arfa’s achievements at such a young age.

Today (February 2) also marks the 17th birthday of Arfa – the youngest ever MCP from Pakistan, who died earlier this year at the age of 16 after suffering an epileptic attack.

The Punjab governor also announced of forming an IT chair at the Punjab University in Arfa’s honour.
The chairman of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Postal Services, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla on Thursday said that the issuance of commemorative postage stamps on Arfa Karim, the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional was a good initiative.

Talking to APP outside the Parliament House, he said that the issuance of postage stamps was a tribute to her contributions.

He appreciated Pakistan Post for issuing the stamps and inviting Arfa Karim’s parents and her entire family for the unveiling ceremony.

Arfa – the name speaks for itself. I first heard about her when she made the world record by being the youngest MCP in 2005. I watched her PTV interview with Tauseeq Haider and I was in a state of awe when I looked at the way she spoke with the anchor so confidently and even cross-questioned the anchor at some points. The first impression – this is not an average kid. I saw her about a couple more times after her big feat when she received some civil awards, etc. It was not until late December, 2011 when the news started circulating about her deteriorating health.

I have never had the honor of meeting her but I wish to do so now when it’s not possible. Go on and call me whatever you want to. But the truth is I never knew much about her remarkable personality. Now that she is gone, I’m sure she has inspired not only me but thousands of other youngsters in the country and around the world. My curious nature did not spare me. I read every article about her on the internet and watched interviews after interviews to get a hold of what her personality was like and what made her so successful in life not only academically but in so many other aspects of life. After all that jazz, I understood that ‘being a genius’ was not the only factor; multiple factors came into play and helped Arfa where she was today.

She was a girl who achieved so much when she was barely nine years old. People several times her age aren’t able to do even a fraction of what she did. I agree that she was a genius mashaAllah and there is a clear difference between a genius and a hard-worker. It is a God-gifted ability and only a few are blessed with it. But this shouldn’t let you down. It’s not about making world records; it’s about your ability to do something that you’re best at selflessly for the benefit of your country and the people around you. Arfa took more pride in being called a Pakistani hailing from a village near Faisalabad and in being able to present a positive aspect of Pakistan internationally than making a world record. She was more interested in making IT labs all across Pakistan so that more Arfas could be produced in the country who will participate actively in the development of a better Pakistan.

She was equally good in cooking, playing guitar, singing, socializing, being the head-girl of her school, as she was in Computer Science. From understanding Iqbaliyaat to reciting a poetic piece at the right time during a conversation, she was the paradigm of a successful human being. Not only was she down-to-earth even after winning national awards and being recognized internationally, but she was also a helping hand to anyone and everyone around her.

In short, she had all that we should strive to achieve. All it needs is a spark that is within you. Like she had the curiosity for everything, we need to develop that thirst for knowledge to attain our goals. Arfa in her last email to Dr. Ata-ur-Rehman expressed that she wanted to opt such field at university level in which she could explore and discover things to satisfy her inquisitive nature as Pakistan Observer mentions. We need to trigger that spark, develop that inquisitive nature and keep it alive so that we can accomplish much more and do something that the country could be recognized for. This motherland has produced sons and daughters like Ali Moeen Nawazish, Ibrahim Shahid, Sitara Burooj Akbar, and many more who have so many hidden talents that if we start displaying them in the international fora, we will rise from this state of hopelessness immediately.

I hope that through the Arfa Karim Foundation that will be headed by her father, we would be able to reach many more Arfas who have the will power to do anything for the benefit of their country.

Indeed, people like Arfa Randhawa are born in centuries and we won’t ever be able to replace this unbearable loss. May Allah bless her soul and give her a higher rank in Jannah. Ameen! Arfa has recited this Iqbal’s shair at numerous events and I would like to end my piece with it:

Faza-e-badr paida kar farishtay teri nusrat ko,

Utar saktay hain garduu’n say qataar andar qataar ab bhee!

Written By Pakeezah Saadat

The minister, who also visited Arfa’s parents in Lahore on Saturday, donated Rs1 million to the Arfa Karim Foundation on behalf of the government.
The young girl, who died at the age 16, received her engineering certificate at the age of 9. The founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, personally met Arfa and got in touch with her parents when he found out the little girl was in a coma.

She remained in intensive care at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) after suffering an epileptic seizure and cardiac arrest. After battling for her life for 26 days, one of Pakistan’s brightest brains passed away on January 14.
The Arfa Karim Foundation will support intelligent young people who do not have full access to educational opportunities.

Talking to media after meeting Arfa’s parents, Dr Awan said Arfa was the daughter and pride of the entire nation and had given a roadmap to the youth through her revolutionary thoughts and vision.
Lauding the efforts of the late Arfa, she said that her name should be highlighted across the world as she had enhanced the respect of the country with her own initiatives.
Amjad Karim Randhawa, Arfa’s father, told the media that he wanted to highlight the cause of her daughter to the whole world and expressed his determination that the family would work for the youth of the nation through the Arfa Karim Foundation.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd, 2012