In Search of Universe...

Children in a Conflict

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 22:02:00 +0000

Let’s feel their pain and sufferings
By: Kashoo Tawseef
Human rights’ is the very soul of any sense of nationhood and it starts with children rights’ and their basic right to live. In the words of Frederick Douglass, “it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” There are certain groups of human race which either by nature or because of the situation caught in vulnerable and helpless circumstances and children are one among them. Universally, children, the citizens of tomorrow are disadvantaged in a significant respect, that they are defenseless both mentally and physically. If born and brought up under conflicting conditions are open for exploitation. They fall easy victims to the various crimes perpetrated against them.
Crimes against children those involving violence, physical and mental such as child abuse, forced Labour and child prostitution are becoming matters of serious concern in today’s world. Grace Abbott highlights this issue, “child labor and poverty are inevitably bound together and if you continue to use the labor of children as the treatment for the social disease of poverty, you will have both poverty and child labor to the end of time” and state of Jammu Kashmir is not immune to this.
In conflict places like Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Jammu Kashmir children suffer day in and day out. They suffer because they are subjected to forced labour, physical abuse besides being subjected to frisking like every other individual of the state. They are subjected to torture and molestation. They suffer because parents of so many children remain in jails. There are cases where parents of these children remain absconding because agencies are looking for them and in order to force them to surrender; their children are subjected to torture. Children suffer a psychological torture on account of death of their parents because of conflict. At times they have to migrate from their native places on account of migration they can’t live in all together different atmosphere. They suffer from cultural shock in new atmosphere. At times we find children used as shield during mine clearing operations made to report to nearest security pickets at intervals. So many children are used for all sort of absurd activities.

In the words of Khalil Gibran, “keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children.” But unfortunately the children are uprooted in the conflict places like Jammu Kashmir. They are at risk of human rights violation from both state agencies and armed groups. The state administration is under an international obligation to promote and protect Child right in line with the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the rights of the Child. Armed groups are under an obligation to abide by the standards of International Humanitarian law which strictly forbid the torture, killing and hostage taking all civilians, including children.

Children are deeply affected by witnessing abuses inflicted on their elders, on fathers, mothers and sisters humiliated harassed, injured or killed by law enforcement or agencies armed groups. A large number of children have also had take on the burdens of child labour after the “disappearances” of the main bread earners of their family. Government is obliged to protect all the rights of child- economic, social and cultural as well as civil political. States are not only responsible for the violations committed by their own state officials, but they are also obliged to take positive measures to prevent abuses against children by private individuals, whether in the community or in the family.

International Non Governmental Organisations’ (INGO) namely Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch campaign around the world to ensure those children’s human rights are protected. It calls on governments, opposition groups and all other actors who exercise control over children to adhere to the principal of “best interest of the child” as the primary consideration in all actions concerning children.

Almost all government pay lip service to children’s rights, but most fail to live up to their words. Children suffer many of the same human rights abuses as adults, but are often targeted because they are dependent and vulnerable or because children are not seen as individuals with their own rights.

Children are tortured and ill-treated by state officials, detained in appalling conditions and sentenced to death. Countless thousands are killed and maimed in armed conflict. Millions are forced by poverty or abuse to live on the streets where they are vulnerable to abuse. Millions more work at exploitative or hazardous jobs or are victims of child trafficking and forced prostitution. Discriminatory and unfair attitudes and practices mean girl children suffer gender-specific abuses, such as female genital mutilation, and are particularly vulnerable to other forms of abuse, including rape.

What concern me and should concern all of us, that we have no juvenile homes in most of these places including Jammu Kashmir inspite of the fact that International law require it and supreme court has made it compulsory as A. P. J. Abdul Kalam once said, “let us sacrifice our today so that our children can have a better tomorrow” and feel the pain and suffering of these children and highlight their sufferings as much as possible.

Please leave you comments, if any

A system based on Justice!

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 06:22:00 +0000

A dream to imagine in this day and age!

If parties to the dispute act justly, the issues are solvable!

By: Kashoo Tawseef

In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... and he further adds that for every step towards the goal of justice; it requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals and such individuals make up the system or a nation based on justice. The various systems and nations that exist in today’s world are based on some sort of principle, but the underlying fact is that if any of such system or nation is based on justice, then only one can expect good out of it, otherwise it is not going to last for long and history bears witness to this fact, how systems and nations collapse. One should stand up for justice and side with the just and distance from in-just as Malcolm-X once said, I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against. There are various interpretations to this deliberation as to what justice is all about and how justice can be the principle of any system and how justice can be incorporated into nation building.

When a system is based on justice, all the state of affairs of such a system or nation work efficiently and smoothly as justice is the principle of success of any system or nation. Question arises that what happens when there is injustice? When there is injustice of any shape or form either based on colour, race, religion et cetera, one can’t expect good out of such a system or nation and there are many example in the history. As Albert Einstein argues that in matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same. Everyone is equal and equality is based on humanity and that in itself is based on justice.

In addition, the deliverance of justice is also important. The reason is to make justice functional, as they say “justice delayed is justice denied”, if justice is delivered on time that also helps to rebuild the broken societies, social fabric and systems. There’s a hidden concept called humanity. How important is that? When there is no humanity, you can’t debate or argue the lessons of anything, even lessons of faith or even convince someone towards a particular faith. This concept of humanity revolves around the pillar called justice. One can not impose opinion on others unless their argument is based on rationality, humanity and justice, unless you make others understand, what’s good about your opinion, and when you know your argument to support a particular system is based on justice, you have a lot of good at your disposal to explain.

Such systems bring to the surface statesman and just rulers. When rulers/leaders treat their population as their brethren then only they will be able to do justice, and when there is a gap between the two, don’t expect much from such system or nation. Example of such a system is disputed region of Kashmir. If the parties to the dispute act justly then the issue of Kashmir would have been solved ages ago. The irony is that Kashmir’s are considered as third party to the dispute ignoring the fact that they are principle party to this long dispute in the history and any solution should be according to their wishes. It is so strange that parties to the dispute want to solve the issue without the principle stake holders. This is mockery of justice at its best and at its worst. But the fact remains that there is no justice to the ideas brought on the table to resolve the Kashmir dispute and the result is in front of us that the issue is lingering from decades. The people are suffering, people are dying, youth are unemployed, floods shattered the whole economy, but no one cares; because the system in place is not based on justice. When the rulers are ruling the masses at the cost of their innocent blood that should be enough to explain how much justice is in place. This is the best example of a mockery of democracy in Kashmir where people who rule are ruled by others and the common masses are left at the mercy of almighty.

Another example from present times can be that of Middle-East in general, the rulers are sold out lots and there is injustice all over and the result is chaos every where and killings and sufferings every where. People being killed for none of their mistakes, people who work there from sub-continent are being mistreated for being from poverty stricken places, rulers shaking hands with the worst oppressors of the century to help them in killing the fellow Muslims, injustice at it worst.

One more example can be from western world, the states that kill innocents in the other world are the champions of human rights and irony is that they are given noble peace prizes, for what? That they are good in bombing and shelling policies in the other parts of the world where they are least bothered to care for. To the surprise one of the rulers once said that we want to make sure that “our” people are safe in Iraq as if the rest of Iraqis aren’t humans and if they die who cares, again injustice at its worst. The list of examples is endless.

Lastly, let me conclude with the words of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, we should have a State in which we could live and breathe as free men and which we could develop according to our own lights and culture and where principles of Islamic social justice could find free play.

You can join this conversation by posting your comments below.

Peace: What Does It Mean?

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 01:52:00 +0000

Let’s understand the history and facts better to make it happen

By: Kashoo Tawseef

There have been many deliberations about the word peace and so called peace processes in various parts of the world including Jammu Kashmir. What it means to the world and what it means to Kashmir remains to be seen. But Dalai Lama has something interesting to say where ignorance is our master; there is no possibility of real peace. If one puts the words of Dalai Lama in context of Jammu Kashmir; it seems very clear that its ignorance of the facts and history that is a big hindrance in the peace at large.

The struggle for peace is going on in most of the war and conflict ridden areas of the world; for some the state of Jammu Kashmir is part of this on going struggle. Sagar Parsi in his novel Discovery of Peace says the peace is that state in which one feels free to survive. Here a question arises that is this peace persisting in Jammu Kashmir, if yes, how much?

Peace has different meanings to different parties. The way freedom struggle and terrorism are used for same types of acts. One can be freedom fighter for one and a terrorist for other. We have to distinguish between the two as same can be the case in different parts of the world. For oppressors those fighting are terrorists, for people of these areas they are freedom fighters. Peace can be peace of a graveyard were those remain buried along with their aspirations. They can’t resist what ever is done on them. Peace can be a living society where every member of it and every section of it feel satisfied that justice has been served to them as justice and peace are the two sides of same coin. One is peaceful out of contentment not out of helplessness. Peace to me means peace of the second type peace which results out of justice not out of oppression. And to work for peace means to work for justice. Justice being pre-requisite for peace deserves priority for those who want peace out of sincerity not peace as a camouflage for subjugation and perpetuation of oppression. Those who work for peace with justice and not those to whom peace in it self, is an end without satisfaction of those demands and aspirations which led to disruption of peace.

Various set ups at different levels in Jammu Kashmir were part of that process. The composite peace process losses its motion when any thing awful happens in any of the two countries of the sub continent. Peace processes are always fragile unless they get support from the ground level. Peace process becomes mockery when the killing, loot and plunder continue unabated on the ground. Over few years the peace process, despite taking many steps that was welcomed in India and Pakistan has been seen in Kashmir with large uncertainty. The two countries have yet to appreciate that resolving the issue of Kashmir is in their interest also. The dream of India to become a developed nation by 2020 is, most of the political analysts would agree, highly improbable with out resolving the Kashmir knot. We have seen that it is the Kashmir concern which has time and again put cleavage between the two nations and kept them from exploiting the economic avenues that they can otherwise jointly avail in a peace full ambiance. And by doing so it is inflicting heavy economic losses on its huge population living below the poverty.

A king once offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose only between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace. The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest – in perfect peace. Which was the picture that won prize?

The second picture, why? "Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

To embrace the peace process; and to build an atmosphere which is conducive for working out suitable strategies for the future is a peaceful settlement of all the bilateral problems between the two neighboring nation including that of Jammu Kashmir. Let the echelons of the peace wake up and do it for Jammu Kashmir so that every one can survive with peaceful and dignified life. Hope it will be executed and lasts for the better tomorrow as Albert Einstein beautifully sums up peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. Let’s understand the history and facts better to make it happen.

Please leave your comments, if any

Celebration or Observation?

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 01:49:00 +0000

Human Rights!

By: Kashoo Tawseef
Hostility seems never ending in today’s day and age. Bombing, shooting and countless other acts, will the violence ever end? Will peace and stability ever come? The answer is perhaps more complicated than the conflict in itself. What is that which turns these common citizens into killing machines and there is no regard of their basic, fundamental, inalienable and inherent rights called the human rights. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “to deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.” The subject of human rights is one of the most fundamental human issue and also one of the most sensitive and controversial one in contemporary world. During the recent decades, this problem was more political than either ethical or legal. Although the influence of political motives, rivalries, and other considerations have made difficult, the correct formulation of this problem , but this should not prevent thinkers of the world and genuine humanists from probing into this problem and ultimately obtaining a good solution. As Noam Chomsky once said, “the most effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena to unaccountable institutions: kings and princes, priestly castes, military juntas, party dictatorships, or modern corporations.”

In the West, though the issue of human rights was raised by the thinkers of the post-renaissance period, it is only since the last two hundred years or so that it became an issue of prominence among the political and social issues of the Western society and an issue of fundamental significance. Perhaps, when we examine the causes of many social changes and political upheavals, we will find the inscription of its presence and its principle ideals. During the last couple of decades this emphasis reached its pinnacle in the West. With the formation of the United Nations Organization after the Second World War and the subsequent drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10th of December 1948. A concrete model came into existence as a result of this emphasis that can serve as a criterion and basis of our judgment. Analysis of the ideals voiced in regards of human rights during the last two hundred years and especially in the last few decades made such judgment fair. It gave the recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal, basic, fundamental, and inalienable rights of all members of the human family and it was the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. The Muslims, of course, know it very well that if the Western world and the Western civilization have paid attention to this matter in the recent centuries. Islam has dealt with it from all the various aspects many centuries back. The idea of human rights as a fundamental principle can be seen to underlie throughout the Islamic teachings.

The reports by the various human rights organizations like US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International documents the systematic human rights abuses carried in the various nations across the world including Jammu Kashmir with the protection of the command and legal system. These reports are truly an eye opener for those who pretend to make us believe otherwise. But they forgot the prophylactic words of first president of America Abrahim Lincon that you can fool some of the people all the time and all the people some of the time but you can not fool all the people all the time. Addressing with hollow slogans can’t do anything. Since every year we mark “Human Rights Day” on 10th of December, but the question remains, that do we “celebrate” human rights day for human rights violations through out the present globalized world or do we really mean dealing the problem that is to get this appalling juggernaut stopped for once for ever. As Noam Chomsky said, “if we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.”

It is high time that the concerned institutions of human rights must realize their responsibilities as Chomsky points out that states are not moral agents, people are, and can impose moral standards on powerful institutions. Instead of working on other trivial issues let them think about the basic core issue of human rights. How can institutions help to resolve it peacefully otherwise it is going to craft distances among the hearts of the people rather than amalgamating them. History is awaiting the political leadership of world to take decisions in this direction to move forward. We can hope for the better outcome as it’s only this hope left; we now can bank on and leave better future for future generations.

Bottom-line: In the words of Abraham Lincoln no man is good enough to govern another man without his consent.

Please leave your comments below.

Volunteerism!

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Fri, 06 Nov 2015 07:41:00 +0000

A Noble Concept Called Volunteerism!

Let’s Join Hands to Serve Humanity

By: Kashoo Tawseef

Every religion including Islam talks about humanity (Insania) umpteen times, as it does on justice (Haq) and charity (Sadaqat) one needs to understand these concepts. To help humanity in any shape and form is the best endeavor one can do and volunteering is one such action that can add to your deeds much more than anything else. To volunteer is an integral part of the lives of many people, communities and societies in the world who want to serve humanity across the board rising above the differences of class, race, sect, colour, gender or nationality that exists in certain societies even today. Individuals in need benefit from the valuable assistance of volunteer work in many ways who not only share their knowledge and expertise, but other things including skills, valuable time and resources in the areas like social services, humanitarian support, technical assistance, and so on.
Usually volunteers do not expect material remuneration for their work with exemplary compassion and love for others. Among them the most challenging part is their valuable time that volunteers contribute with remarkable dedication and commitment. Take an example of last years floods - the local volunteers played a major role in rescue and rehabilitation process, as the administration in place was invisible and helpless as the magnitude of disaster was enormous.

Presently, volunteering is backbone for many societies and cultures both in western and eastern part of the world. The beauty of the concept is that those who volunteer give their time, energy, expertise and expect nothing in return. Recognizing volunteers for their efforts is an important part of retaining and recruiting other volunteers’ especially young ones for future. Societies and institutions should show their appreciation to get more and more people involved in this noble concept to attract these youngsters to help with their cause. Their efforts and invest in any form for this cause must be recognized. Volunteers are joining hands in different ways and in various fields across the world. No matter what way one works or what cause one worked for, it is important to have something for them to make their efforts appreciated so that they will be inspirational for the future generations.

In the present times, where there are killings in every part of the world; either because of the conflicts or other reasons including the natural disasters, the world is witnessing a flow of support to this noble concept of volunteerism and especially in the field of social service, which the present world is deficient of. This concept was strongly supported by the United Nations, which declared the year 2001 as “International Year of the Volunteer”. Even before this, efforts have been exerted to promote the concept of volunteerism and to recognize the volunteers’ contributions in nation building, international cooperation and peace building. One other significant move at the global level was the declaration by the United Nations in 1985 of the International Volunteer Day (IVD) every December 05. The states should invest in this concept and promote more awareness about this noble cause.

The concept needs public awareness and appreciation for the contribution of volunteers’ work. This creates the environment for volunteerism and recognizes volunteers as partners in development process, and in the peace building especially in conflict places were peace has turned into pieces. All sectors of society – government, NGOs, academic institutions, corporate groups and individuals can join to participate and promote this agenda that supports the concept of volunteerism. It may involve different events and activities depending where you work which includes initiating and organizing volunteering events. Activities that may include information dissemination, volunteering or mobilizing volunteers for humanitarian, social services and technical assistance, reconstruction and rebuilding in the conflict ridden areas and around the different parts of the world and supporting volunteerism causes through resource generation and advocacy drives.

Good example can be volunteering helping in building public libraries in every town and city, inviting people to donate used books and literature. Involving students to voluntarily work in such libraries while working they will be learning. Inviting guest speakers from various fields like science, social science, law, computer science to deliver lectures in such libraries. Having public discussions and debates on local and state issues. Arranging public awareness campaigns on issues like health and hygiene, climate, natural disasters. The above mentioned example is achievable and doesn’t need funds that will be hard to arrange. Similarly many such activities can be operationalised.

The concept of volunteerism should be introduced at gross root levels that can be in schools, colleges and in the universities. More professionals at higher level can be professional volunteers and can be a helpful human resource especially in the need of emergency and rescue like floods and earthquakes. This concept is more needed in Asia unlike other places as in the part of the region are many conflict ridden areas and more prone to natural disasters. One can join this noble cause wherever in the world he or she is, and or at least give suggestions to others by posting their thoughts and ideas in the various forums available to them and surely will be much appreciated by everyone.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s join this noble undertaking to celebrate volunteerism, be part of the growing noble concept to make our contribution and serve the humanity and help to bring the peace on planet earth. Let me wrap up with the words of H. Jackson Brown Jr., remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more. Giving can not necessarily be financial but in any shape in Farsi they say kadamai, sukhamai, dirhamai (if you can’t support financially at least do by walking means give some of your valuable time, or by talking means give your valuable thoughts).

Please leave your thoughts below

A system based on Justice!

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 21:59:00 +0000

A dream to imagine in this day and age!

If parties to the dispute act justly, the issues are solvable!

By: Kashoo Tawseef

You can join this conversation by posting your comments below.

Third and First World

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 23:04:00 +0000

With each passing day, gap widens!

By: Kashoo Tawseef

In the words of Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, a politician and revolutionary who served as Prime Minister and then President of Cuba, more than 820 million people in the world suffer from hunger; and 790 million of them live in the third world. Question remains why? Every nation has something good to offer and the word ‘under’ makes the difference between developed and (under)developed nations. It kept bugging me for a long time, especially when I was a kid, what is the difference between “third world” and “first world.” I had this imagination that may be first world is in a different planet, somewhere in the solar system; but in-fact the countries that make the first world exists on this very planet, yes the same planet or may be is it that the people living there are different, but in-fact they are same people as the ones in third world, they eat, they drink, they sleep, and they work pretty much same way. They have the system of governance in place; they also have some system of management, and they too have dreams for the better future. Then what is the difference? To dig into this difference there are many aspects to look take into consideration. The next couple of paragraphs will explore some of the possible reasons.

At the very outset, it’s up to the people of any nation to change their destiny as nations are build on the concept of nation building philosophy. When populaces of a nation are committed to their philosophy of nation building, there is every chance that such nations will prosper and deliver best for their future generations. Japan is the best example of this philosophy, how they have overcome the nuclear destruction especially in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and how in the twenty first century they are representing the strongest economy of the world.

The nations need leaders to build and prosper and lead. Leaders with vision and foresight to think ahead of their time and be competent to contemplate what is going on in and around the world. Third world hasn’t produced such leaders to change their destiny that why one sees so much disparity on every front from birth to death, from top to bottom and from bottom to top at every level of life. Exceptions are always there. Irony of the third world is that leaders sell their nation for personal gains and leave the nation at the mercy of others. VIP culture is best to describe this paradox; where there is VIP entrance and VIP exit for everything from schools to hospitals not to mention other spheres of life. Otherwise why are there different laws and rights for different classes of people?

The first world cares about their people, for them people’s lives matter, they have some degree of justice unlike third world; where people’s lives have no value and no one cares about them. Take the issue of child labour as eye opener and how it affects the third world in every sense of development while fact remains that the end user of such a labour is the first world as Noreena Hertz describes child labour may be distasteful to westerners, but does boycotting goods made with child labour improve or exacerbate the lot of third world children? Trusting the market to regulate may not ultimately be in our interest. As a bolt from the blue one of the westerner told me that South Asia is called the “dust bin” of the world. Again the question remains why?

Furthermore, third world nations are lagging behind in taping their natural resources, while as the first world not only taps their resources but have reach to the resources of third world countries. With huge natural water resources people still struggle to have clean drinking water as Bjorn Lomborg said, my suggestion is that we should first work to ensure the third world has clean drinking water and sanitation. Such things look trivial for the development but it’s these issues that make first world “first”. If water resource management and conservation is properly implemented, people won’t be left thirsty.

Moreover, in the third world, ‘people’ think about themselves first and then about their nation, resulting in corruption and mismanagement at every level of life, while as in the first world, nation comes first and then personal interests, although exceptions are always there. Take an example of corruption in third world countries, if a child is born; to get the birth certificate, people bribe and if someone is dead; to get the death certificate, people also bribe, so one sees the pattern of corruption from birth to death. There is disparity in the wages, people don’t get paid rightly for the amount of work or efforts they put in a particular job; while as others get paid hefty for no reason.

When all such things are missing, the difference will remain, take another example of "Brain Drain"-what is happening in the third world countries, the best brains don't feel honored and valued; they find their honour and respect in the first world countries. Rather than helping their own countries, they are making the first world countries more strong and developed, and this trend is increasing day by day. It appears this difference will remain; in fact it will grow more, although time will tell for how long. There are many more reasons to talk about and space of this newspaper will probably be less to cover all those. I will let readers to ponder on rest of the reasons.

Let me conclude with the words of Aristotle, the ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival. Why would people be exploited in the third world countries if they strive to contemplate rather than prefer to get exploited for their survival? Question remains how long it will take third world nations to realize the importance of contemplation. Time will tell when they will stand up against the exploitation. Till then disparity will exist in the third world nations whether we accept it or not.

You can post your comments, if any, in the box below.

Word K

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 23:49:00 +0000

Interchangeable lexis of twenty fist century

By: Kashoo Tawseef

Freedom is a timeless value. The United Nations Charter encourages respect for fundamental freedoms. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights mentions freedom more than twenty times. All countries have committed to protecting individual freedoms on paper - but in practice, too many break their pledge, these were the words of current Secretary General of United Nations; but Mr. Ban Ki-moon, these declarations and charters’ are being torn apart every day and night in Kashmir.

Presently, killing is Kashmir and Kashmir is killing. Killings, particularly of the youth have become a daily ordeal in Kashmir. People who take to the streets for their legitimate reasons are also being killed by the so-called security forces of the so called democratic state. Such killings are a routine phenomenon from the last three decades now. Some are getting killed at the border, some in their houses, some while going for work to make their living, and others by unknown gunmen like the duo father and son in Sopore town. The latter is being perceived by some as neutralizing strategy by agencies using non-state actors against each other. Time will tell if that holds any truth. If the state administration has to maintain law and order, why do it at the cost of innocent and young lives? Why kill civilians this way? Can someone explain them that there are better ways out there!

Native author of the land, Mirza Waheed, in his book, The Collaborator, sums up the current situation accurately, “there were people dying everywhere getting massacred in every town and village, there were people being picked up and thrown into dark jails in unknown parts, there were dungeons in the city where hundreds of young men were kept in heavy chains and from where many never emerged alive; there were thousands who had disappeared leaving behind women with photographs and perennial waiting; multitudes of dead bodies on the roads, in hospital beds, in fresh martyrs' graveyards scattered casually on the snow of mindless borders.”

Is innocent human blood in Kashmir so cheap? Or has it turned cheap over the years due to the political conflict and rivalry of two nuclear nations? There are hundreds of ways to deal with the law and order situation other than bullets. There are softer ways of handling such situations even in worst times. It is really condemnable that bullets are becoming an easy tool for administration of the day and their bosses in New Delhi to tackle every issue including the protesters protesting for pay rise or employment.

The fact of the matter is that political space in Kashmir is shrinking day by day and the young generation is choked and they don’t find any way to vent out their frustration due to the mistreatment at the hands of the so called state administration and security agencies. By the way, they’re many agencies operating in Kashmir, and you never know. Unfortunately, people at the higher echelons’ are missing the point that unless the political issue of Kashmir isn’t resolved, no matter what you name it, there will always be a law and order situation be it any small or big event. That is why one sees that on every Friday’s, every Eid, and every Muharram there is law and order problem. Even in a small protest like teachers protest, daily wagers protest, etc there is law and order issue. In reality, life has no value in Kashmir and the daily killings bear witness to this fact. I remember a family and how there lives were shattered after losing two of their family members. Two decades ago, one of my family relatives lost their young son at the hands of Indian army while he was sleeping in his room and the bread earner at the hands of unidentified gunmen while going to office and examples of such cases are many. Statistically the number of lives lost from last two to three decades is in thousands and if you break it down annually, the number is in hundreds and if you look at district wise it’s shocking and nerve wrecking.

Killing and Kashmir are synonyms now. Everyday the newspapers are full of news items about the killings and the only difference is numbers. It seems no one is bothered about why killings are happening in Kashmir, and no one is concerned how to stop such killings. The most strange fact is there’s new culture of unidentified gunmen which have evolved recently and no one knows who is killing who and why? There’s complete anarchy and it seems something disastrous is in the offing.

But the question remains when will such killings stop and who will take the responsibility of all these killings and when will justice be served. When will perpetrators of mass killings including innocents, youths, women, and children be booked as per law? The Amnesty’s recent report on human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir bears witness to this injustice, about this report, the Senior Director of Global Operations at Amnesty International, Minar Pimple, said that till now, not a single member of the security forces deployed in the state has been tried for human rights violations in a civilian court. This lack of accountability has in turn facilitated other serious abuses. To those who act as a mute spectator to this injustice in Kashmir remember the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

In the words of Nelson Mandela, to deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity. Kashmir is a living example of how humanity is being challenged in twenty first century every day and night, and the world is acting as mute spectator. Today it is Kashmir and tomorrow it will be your home town and your neighborhood. Come forward and help in stopping these killings and help in solving the Kashmir conflict to make peace and stability of South Asia achievable vision. Unless the “K” word is not resolved, killing and Kashmir will remain synonym.

Reality is hard to digest, please record any indigestion.

Jour (na) lism

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 23:46:00 +0000

Everything but journalism

By: Kashoo Tawseef

Some media houses are of the opinion that if they do good journalism that will have financial, political and social repercussions on them, on the contrary, a leading journalist, Christiane Amanpour, believes that good journalism, good television, ‘can make our world a better place,’ by simply following ABC’s of journalism. Media tells news stories to its readers (in the case of print media) or viewers (in the case of electronic media) but there are always two sides to it. And if they are able to present both sides, they have done justice to it, otherwise these are not balanced news stories, and there are different names that come-up with that kind of news stories; some call is plainly as ‘biased’ news story, while as others call it one-sided report, and if media houses just exaggerate the story, then other names follow like yellow journalism etc.

If it is not possible to get all the facts related to a particular news story, but at least media houses should try to gather and present the maximum facts to their readers/viewers, so that there’s room for readers to think rationally and make up their opinion, not what media houses wants them to think about that particular story. Misrepresenting the stories is doing injustice to the characters and subjects involved in the news. When people don’t know the complete story, it develops an opinion among the people that is based on half truth, and that leads to the biased views towards certain news elements involved in that particular story.

If such things happen, which does happen; that means not the both sides of the particular news story are being present to the readers/viewers. When such things happen, media analysts refer this as “one-sided version” by such media houses of a society in this day and age. Those who expose the hypocrisy of such sections of media in this world, and their so called sermons over freedom of speech need appreciation and support from their respective societies. For example, not every news media in the world act partially, in-fact, they acted as responsible media players in the world of journalism. And yes, some sections of the so called free media including corporate media claim to be the champions of "freedom of expression" and "free journalism", yet they show one-sided news to their readers/viewers. You can't be selective while talking about freedom of expression, is it freedom when it suits you? And when it hurts you, you freedom vanishes in the air! To be honest, those claims are BIG JOKES of this century! As Dan Rather says “ratings don't last. Good Journalism does”.

Big media houses like Al-Jazeera, CNN, Times Of India talk loudly about the impartiality and fairness in their news coverage across their respective domains but if you look at Al-Jazeera, they want to talk about everything and every news but Qatar; how much did they report about the abuse of workers especially workers from South Asia in Qatar? Let the viewers of Al-Jazeera be the judges. Same way, media house CNN wants to talk about everything but USA, how many times they covered the wrong policies and decisions of US foreign affairs that killed thousands and made hundred thousands injured in recent history? Let the viewers of CNN be the judges. Same way if you talk about, Times of India wants to talk about everything but India, how many times they reported the atrocities and wrong treatment of people of Kashmir by India state? Let the readers of Times of India be the judges.

Sometimes one gets very disappointed about certain news items in the media sections. The reason of their disappointment is the unprofessional and yellow journalism on part of media houses by randomly publishing news without any research and not even following the ABC standard of journalism that taught us how journalism should include Accuracy, Brevity, and Clarity.

A suggestion for them, not to agree with someone’s disappointment but do some research before you publish any news about any news byte. It is highly recommended to the editors and producers to revisit the facts in order to counter check the facts. Good journalism can help in mobilizing the masses not by force but by a message, and that will be to stand with justice and oppose falsehood. Hope sane minds will take the lead and will show some professional journalism and take into consideration the ABC of journalism (Accuracy Brevity and Clarity) and won't publish such news reports which are not based on research or facts.

No doubt, any attack on freedom of expression, is a condemnable act, reprehensible act, vicious act, and deplorable act, and it invokes the debate about freedom of speech and tolerance, but at the same time the yardsticks for media organisations should not change with respect to different news stories, that's purely, DOUBLE STANDARD!

Today, the love and faith binds every human together to act patiently but don't take advantage of that tolerance, by doing so, media houses are just exposing themselves. Let me conclude with the words of whistle blower, Julian Assange, who is currently living in exile in an embassy compound in United Kingdom that it is the role of good journalism to take on powerful abusers, and when powerful abusers are taken on, there's always a bad reaction. So we see that controversy, and we believe that is a good thing to engage in.

You have every right to disagree, please pen down your disagreement, if any

Floods Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 23:43:00 +0000

Did we learn any lesson?

By: Kashoo Tawseef

No one can forget this month as it marks the anniversary of deadly floods that shattered the Jammu and Kashmir in all its shape and form last year, but the question remains; have we learned any lesson? The floods last year this month surprised everyone as the floods were disastrously jiffy in almost a century in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. Death and destruction was at large scale and left thousands homeless and many more destitute.

The local administration of that time failed completely to deal with that situation instead the local volunteers in their respective areas did a commendable job and some lost their lives while saving others and now are real heroes in the eyes of ordinary people, history will not forget them. In the words of Daryn Kagan, bad things do happen in the world, like war, natural disasters. But out of those situations always arise stories of ordinary people doing some extraordinary things and Kashmir was no different.

In most parts of the world and in usual circumstances, there is a disaster management system in place that makes sure the area of their jurisdiction has both the infrastructure and manpower to deal with any natural or manmade calamity and its aftermath or at least make the precautionary arrangements, if need arises. Not only that such systems as in other parts of the world also make sure that general and public properties in particular like schools, hospitals, fire stations, public offices etc take health and safety into consideration both while in construction and even after construction to make sure those human lives can be saved at the times of natural calamity. Simple example can be, by making fire drills or earthquake drills and even flood drills so that in case of fire or earthquake or floods people of the area know what to do and where to go. Such system also makes sure that there are emergency exits in all general and public properties in particular and early warning system in place to minimize the damage and human loss as unfortunately natural disasters cant be avoided but minimized at least.

Another example of such system is that such systems in their respective places study the landscape under their jurisdiction and the challenges in case of natural disasters like floods and earthquakes. They also advice the local administration if there is any violation in construction or design development that can disturb the local eco-system, which in turn can result in the disastrous calamity in the future. Many experts gave their reasoning for the Jammu and Kashmir floods last year and what led to the huge devastation afterwards and mostly the opinion was that there is a huge disturbance to the ecological system like construction at wrong places, erosion of local water bodies, no proper drainage system, no water management like dams and reservoirs, choking of water flow of the existing natural water bodies and water channels etc.

The horrific scenes from the 2014-Jammu and Kashmir floods made everyone concerned and shocked, I too got worried and out of that uncertainty wrote a letter to an international organization for their assistance to the local administration in whatever capacity they could to minimize the destruction and save the human losses. To my surprise, the response received detailed that they haven’t been approached neither by India nor by Pakistan governments to offer their assistance. In the said response, they mentioned their various projects at different levels that are undergoing particularly in India but unfortunately none of such project was in Jammu and Kashmir as if such problems do not exists in the Jammu and Kashmir, and as if this part of the world is perfectly functional as some try to portray to rest of the world on Twitter and Facebook by putting fancy status and pictures of ‘paradise’.

The stories that came in media after the floods like the relief cheques didn’t got cleared from their respective banks were shameful and false promises made to innocent people added salt to their bleeding wounds. Worst was the politicians kept arguing and accusing each others and about the availability of funds, not only that but begging to those who were and are responsible to the mess both politically, economically and infrastructure wise. It is still not too late; that the best brains in the higher echelons of the state affairs from present dispensation approach some professional international organizations and get their assistance to at least establish a disaster management team and how to recover the state from the destruction and at least common people will have some better future, if not best. Let there be a disaster management or emergency management plans through which communities at local level can reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters in the future.

With the failure of both the local administration and New Delhi then and even after one year in dealing with the devastation of the floods aftermath and with the all political uncertainty and non seriousness before and now, it seems people will have to suffer the way they have been suffering from decades now. Let the people in administration both in India and Pakistan make their respective governments understand and allow the international team to at least do some survey of the area in the respective countries and come up with a report of devastation so that it will give everyone a chance to know the state of affairs that the people went through and are still going through. It may bring some tears in the eyes of those who have sense of humanity in the humane world. Let me conclude with the words of Martin Luther King (Jr.), an individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.

Reality is mostly hard to digest...but cannot be ignored!!! You can record your indigestion, if any

New Media Helps To Documents The Events

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 23:39:00 +0000

There is even difference of opinion between Indian and Pakistani administered Kashmir.

By: Kashoo Tawseef
Kashmir has been bone of contention between subcontinent’s two nuclear giants, India and Pakistan for which they have fought four wars in 1947-48, 1965, 1971 and 1999. The sensitivity of the conflict, as Asad Shah, a political science graduate says, can be realised with the fact that there are United Nations missions UNMOGIP (United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan) ‘located in both parts of the divided region’ and are ‘observing the ceasefire along the line of control(LoC)’. The recent cancelation of NSA’s talks once again proves the point that unless Kashmir issue is not solved, the India Pakistan relations are not going to move forward, he adds.

According to the study by author, new media is being used by the people of the region at large and are exchanging the ideas at various levels on various issues including Kashmir. It has helped in bridging the gap that exists between the people and document the events first hand. The study, conducted by author, along with Peter Dean, Associate Dean (Student Experience), Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies and Science, in a University in United Kingdom, included two parts. The first part of research involved an online survey based on a questionnaire designed with the questions. To have more comprehensive and specific understanding of the subject (new media vis-a-vis Kashmir conflict), the research questionnaire were distributed in India, Pakistan and Kashmir-(The Indian administered Kashmir and the Pakistan administered Kashmir), respectively. In addition to this, the questionnaire was designed in such a way that it comprises of both ‘close ended’ and ‘open ended’ questions so as to have more in-depth responses and to draw a better conclusion.

According to Waseem Yaseen, analyst in Santandar, a UK based bank, ‘analysis is one of the key elements about the reflection of things on ground’. It is essential to analyse things to the smallest level, ‘because solution to resolves biggest problem some times lies in small details,’ he adds. To meet this goal, the second part of this the research involved a method to validate micro-blogging messages on Twitter to measure the impact of new media on political landscape of Kashmir conflict. Given the samples size, text analysis of the sample was used. The two approaches of collection of data involved in the methodologies were carried out simultaneously during the same period of time span.

According to McLuhan, ‘media has a great influence to the societies to the extent that it not only influences ‘what we think but also how we think’. The boom of 24/7 news and with the advancement of communication devices puts media, information, and communication-oriented development at the front in conflict as in other walks of life. Study shows that the population of the region (Indian-subcontinent) is familiar with the global brands of new media like Facebook, Twitter, Online Videos, etc but more needs to be done to make it accessible to all. It was also learned that this boom of advancement has challenged the Gate-keeping theory in the region including framing, priming, and new media is the alternate way of such journalistic imperialism as the conventional media maintained before its inception that citizen journalism is resistance to that imperialism with many boons of new media available at present. As noticed in the study new media has facilitated the production and flow of media content contrary to that of traditional media environment.

The study also stresses that there is even difference of opinion among the people of Pakistani administered Kashmir with that of Pakistan and between people of Indian administered Kashmir and that of India as more diverse views can be a sign of healthier political environment of a nation better for the political prosperity. Furthermore, people are now using new media and are getting news from multiple sources and do discuss the issues related to the conflict online as witnessed in the twitter analysis of this study whilst people are not very much optimistic as the study finds-out, probably because the people have suffered a lot and have seen many ‘ups’ and ‘downs’ and treaties and peace agreements but the issue is still there where it was decades ago however ‘the research studies and information sharing within people and within the organization of media and can be helpful in designing a program and project execution for understanding of role played by media in conflict resolution and that in-turn can bring out democratic transition in that conflict area’.

Additionally, the study reveals that new media has helped the people from ground to document the actual happenings around them, and thus helps in promoting mass communication and awareness throughout the world. It has also given a chance to mainstream media of both India and Pakistan (including the international media) to examine the situation neutrally and more objectively.

According to Gulshan Rasool, a media student of Pakistani origin, ‘it helps people outside the region to get a grip of what has been going on there’ as was reflected in this study. New media empowers people, if people are empowered nation is empowered and if nation is empowered-that is a sign of a strong democratic and developed nation. Anyone with even a mobile phone has started participating in the process of nation building through democracy. New media has never been so successful and significant to influence development at all levels in the society. ‘It has deepened the democracies and broken the huge monopolies’ Jerin, a marketting student of Indian origin adds.

It is high time that the best brains from India and Pakistan lead the example and quit harassing and demonstrating muscles at one another, quit blaming individuals for being peaceniks only in light of the fact that they don't need the carnage and murdering of innocent individuals from both sides of the divide as Mahatma Gandhi delightfully said, an eye for an eye, just winds up making the entire world visually impaired.

Reality is basically difficult to digest...but reality can't be disregarded!!! You can record your heartburn, if any,

Win-Win Prevailed Over Lose-Lose

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 18:29:00 +0000

Take-aways from The Deal

By: Kashoo Tawseef

After months of negotiation, the so called P5+1, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, Russia and Germany -- and the European Union, came up with a long-term comprehensive nuclear deal with Iran, according to them, this will prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. At the very outset, it was never proved that Iran had one nor it was proved that Iran is acquiring one. In addition, this deal is to ensure that Iran's nuclear program is exclusively peaceful, same argument that Iran has been insisting on from last more than a decade substantiated by IAEA reports time and again.

This deal was drafted in the form of Joint Plan of Action (JPOA) and the framework how this Plan of Action will be implemented, and what are the requirements for the deal between P5+ 1 and Iran to follow. Now, with this deal in place, there is a lot of talk about whether it was a good deal and bad deal and will be debated in respective capitals for sixty days from the day of deal. Each side has to convince their respective constituencies that whatever was agreed in Vienna is best for them and world at large.

Much was said about this nuclear deal between P5+1 and Iran in various parts of the world as everyone has right to talk and right to talk nonsense but as someone sums it up that "the right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins." As was evident in Vienna where each side of the negotiating team were eye bowling other for many days and finally came up with the comprehensive agreement what they called JCPO.

Some political scientists analysed this deal as a “win-win prevailed over lose- lose,” and some were of the opinion that diplomacy can work even in this century (of wars) to avoid war. Others are very cynical that this deal will be a success as goes the old saying, even a stopped clock is right twice a day, so even by that standard this deal can be trusted keeping in view all the cynics of the deal.

Economy has a major role to play in any nation building and its relation with the world and how the world will like to have relation with that particular nation. This economy has direct correlation with the populace of its nation, and for them what matters at the end of the day is the meal on their table, how this will contribute to that will have a major impact on the approach of people towards this deal over the period of time once it is fully operational.

As a matter of fact defense budget of Iran is around 30 billion dollars and that of United States’ is 600 billion dollars so that helps us to understand why Big Brother is showing muscles to Iran. At the same time, one should realize that oppression by anyone can not be classified by virtue of place and person, its either Haq(truthfulness) or Batil(falsehood) and unfortunately in this century world affairs work unfairly even a layman fails to understand what principles and parameters are used to bomb countries in-fact to bomb the people. The same question that was posed to Obama by the host of the daily show- that which side we are on or which country are we going to bomb next? And Irony is that this was a comedy show and Obama and laughed while answering this question. Alas! Laughing at the blood of innocents! One fails to understand why only few countries have the right to make nuclear bomb and even use it while as others don’t even have the right for peaceful use of nuclear technology, and strangely those having such inhuman weapons claim to be protectors of human rights by violating such rights left and right every day and every hour. Propaganda is always the best at last tool for them to fool people and make them believe what even people don’t know what they believe in. Time will tell what was right and wrong, and shut the mouths who survive on propaganda and falsehood.

Another matter of fact is the concept of “Muslim Ummah” in this day and age while most Muslims are being massacred by Muslims. How can a Muslim kill Muslim and how can a Muslim nation bomb another Muslim nation. With respect to this deal also no one bothers about the “Muslim Ummah” or the “Muslim Unity” instead they want United States to bomb Iran so that they will enjoy the wealth they have accumulated overlooking the fact that millions of Muslims are dying without food and water across the world. Post Iran deal has started affecting the way the geo-politics of the world in general and of the Middle-East in particular.

One wonders what made United States to go ahead with this deal and all of a sudden were did this love for Iran come from, some argue United States wants peace with Iran that is why they did deal with them, hold on, the reason is United States knows that they can not bomb the nuclear knowledge of Iran. This is what United States Secretary of State, while testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said. According to Kerry there is no solution but to accept reality, whether someone likes or not and the solution is this deal.

If this deal is success then that might give some credit to the noble prize that Obama received even before doing anything for peace besides his efforts in the resumption of relation with Cuba will add to the legacy of Obama when he leaves the office as his second term is in its last phase. While as some are suggesting that US secretary of state, John Kerry and Iran’s foreign minister, Jawad Zarif deserve the Peace Prize as they stopped another war.

This deal has a underlining message for Kashmir that to achieve something as a nation, it needs determination and sacrifices and commitments and vision and leaders, if there are no direction all sacrifices will go waste. What were recently revealed by the ex-RAW chief in his book looks all the protests and hardships in the past were mere tools of those who were running the show.

It is this determination of Iran that made them able to negotiate with rest of the world “super powers” and for that they have paid a heft price with worst sanctions imposed on them and at the end people suffered in every shape and form be that basic right to have access to medical facilities to right of education, not to mention others.

Please leave your feedback, if any

Freedom

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 19:58:00 +0000

Freedom

By: K Tawseef

Freedom− Yes!

It is absolute− others doubt

Yes it is not

They say absolute freedom doesn’t exist

There are limits

They quote

One's freedom ends where another's begins

Ones freedom is others displease

Freedom− Yes!

Can’t be at the interest of others

Ones freedom can be others transgression

They say no one has that right

Freedom− Yes!

The right to freedom− Yes!

Liberty to speech− not to insult

Laxity to talk− not the vilify

Choice to disagree− not to shut others

Free will to dispute− not to hurt

Freedom to express− not to slander

Freedom− Yes!

Not to desecrate the privilege

Not to despoil the dispensation

Right to freedom− Yes!

[Please leave your feedback, if any]

Change

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 07:35:00 +0000

Change

By: K Tawseef

Change begins, begins and begins…

With alteration of thoughts,

Modification of ideas,

Variation of situations,

They say− change is natural!

Change begins, begins and begins…

Revolutionizes the feelings,

Renovates the beliefs,

Transforms the personalities,

They say− it develops to adapt!

Change begins, begins and begins…

Transfigures the persona,

Develops the power of contemplation

Modifies the behaviour,

They say− it bends the attitudes!

Change begins, begins and begins…

Hardens the soft,

Moulds the hard,

Deviates the undeviating,

They say− change is enduring!

[ Please leave your feedback, if any ]

Soul

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 04:06:00 +0000

Living Soul

By: K Tawseef

Existed, existing, exist;
Incessantly and ceaselessly,

Still breathing;
Enduringly and everlastingly,

Alive as always;
Unendingly and perpetually,

Live without end;
Continually and evermore,

Never dies;
Lives undyingly,

Leaves memories;
Recollections perpetually,

Memories full of reminiscences;
Lastingly and eternally,

Living soul lives;
Lives life of living,

Please leave your feedback, if any

Thought

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 04:03:00 +0000

In a deep thought

By: K Tawseef

Considering the considerations;

Contemplating various contemplations,

In view of opinions,

Thinking good, thinking bad,

Deliberating over deliberations;

Pondering over thoughts,

Conflicting in nature,

Thinking big, thinking small,

Need an attention;

Time for reflection,

For the right manifestation,

Thinking right, thinking wrong,

Need an idea;

For an inspiration,

Not only a notion,

Thinking left, thinking right,

Please leave your feedback, if any

Patience

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 04:01:00 +0000

Patience

By: Kashoo Tawseef

Patience is endurance for survival;

For the existence, for the subsistence,

Patience is staying power;

To hold strength, to hold vigor,

Patience imbibes tolerance;

In soft times, in hard times,

Patience is lack of complaint;

What you have, what you haven’t,

Patience teaches persistence;

In achieving goals, in accomplishing targets,

Patience makes you fortitude;

To challenge everything, to challenge anything,

Patience brings in serenity;

For the tranquility of soul, for harmony of persona,

Patience is desirable value;

To lead the life, to lead as exemplar,

Please leave your feedback, if any

Conscious Souls

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 05:30:00 +0000

Conscious Souls

By: Kashoo Tawseef

World− full of pain, full of agony,

World− full of distress, full of sufferings’,

World− full of hungriness, thirstiness,

World− full of starvation, full of famine,

The conscious souls;

Are they observant?

Are they aware?

Are they awake?

Are they alert?

The conscious souls;

Responsive to the happenings,

Sentient to the sufferings’

Compos mentis to the agony,

Woeful to the woes,

They’ve knowledge of pain;

They’re conscious of the problems,

They’re mindful of responsibilities,

They’re sensible to the issues;

They’re sagacious to twinges,

The conscious souls;

Painfully aware of pains;

Sensitive to the situations,

Conscious of their presence,

Responsible to their responsibilities,

Please leave your feedback, if any

Objectivity...

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 00:01:00 +0000

Objectivity

By: K Tawseef

Objectivity is objective;

Objectivity fetches’ independence, freedom, liberty,

The foundation of sovereignty,

Objectivity brings impartiality, fairness, neutrality,

The foundation of autonomy,

Objectivity brings nonaligned status,

The foundation of self-sufficiency,

Objectivity brings control,

The foundation of self-governance,

Objective brings power,

The foundation of self-rule,

The foundation of a nation;

A nation of strength and prosperity,

A nation of equality and sovereignty,

A nation of the people, for the people,

A nation by the people, with the people,

You can’t be selective, you can’t,

Objectivity is above all;

Above self interests, above vested interests,

Above you above me,

Above yours above ours,

Above them and above us,

Objectivity brings strength;

To live, and let live,

Live with dignity, live with honour,

Here and hereafter,

Please leave your feedback, if any

Few Stanzas

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 21:04:00 +0000

In search of peace

By: K Tawseef

Can you be at peace anytime?

Want to search for that time,

The time to be in peace,

Peace in myself, peace in thyself,

Peace in oneness, peace in entireness,

Peace comes with tranquility, harmony,

Where is tranquility, where is harmony,

World is at loggerhead with peace,

Peace which world is yearning for,

Peace of humanity, peace for humankind,

Creation is at peace, peace is in creation,

Missing the peace they are in,

Things are goin’ against creation,

Lost the equilibrium that guarantees peace,

Peace to balance, peace for equality,

Take us there were we can find peace,

Lost peace, the peace of the peace,

Peace of mind, peace of heart,

Peace of soul, peace core,

Peace of myself, peace of thyself,

Please leave your comments, if any

Perfection

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 21:01:00 +0000

Perfection

By: K Tawseef

What composes precision?

Fineness or excellence,

What makes up perfection?

Health or wealth,

What hoards faultlessness?

Beauty or exquisiteness,

What compiles aptness?

Intellect or intelligence,

What classifies Elegance?

Flawlessness or unblemishness,

Can there be perfection?

May be or may be not,

Nothings is perfect, no one's perfect,

No one is, and can be,

Except one and only one,

His oneness, his signs;

The nature, the life,

The land, the sky,

The water, the flows,

The sun, the moon,

The stars, the galaxies,

The living, the non living,

The world the universe,

The here, the hereafter,

Please leave your feedback, if any

Looking

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 00:27:00 +0000

Looking for a leader

By: K Tawseef

Leader− a personality with vision,

Leader− a disposition with foresightedness,

Leader− a revolutionary character,

Ahead of all, in-front of all;

Ready to sacrifice,

Stands for truth, stands for justice,

Before anything, everything;

Thinks about people, thinks for the people,

Made of the people, made for the people,

Always all-time;

Treats all as brethren in humanity,

Treats populace equally,

Upholds principles;

Principle of justice, principle of truthfulness,

Never sells out,

Yes a leader, a statesman;

Has Selflessness, has humility,

Are you looking for a leader? Yes

Is there any out there?

In the world,

Full of injustice, full of discrimination,

If any, let’s find,

Please leave your feedback, if any

Verses From History With Reality!

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Sun, 31 May 2015 06:20:00 +0000

Persecution!

By: Kashoo Tawseef

Being hounded, persecuted, why?

From last 1400 years, why?

Just coz believing in righteousness and,

Deem for justice,

It happened in deserts of Arabia and,

It’s happening now,

It happened in the time of ignorance and,

It’s happening now, yes at this instant,

Be defensive, why?

Always defend and defend, why?

Get killed and killed, why?

Yet, be civil, how can you?

Civility being murdered,

Yes, in front of you,

It was murdered in 680 AD and,

It’s massacred now,

Innocents got slay’d then and,

Virtuous get crucify now,

Then it was ignorance but,

What is it now?

Yes, more than that,

It’s animosity with the righteousness’

It was since times immemorial,

And it’s now,

Please leave your feedback, if any

Few Free Verses

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Sun, 31 May 2015 06:16:00 +0000

Bad Time

By: K Tawseef

Having bad time, strugglin, stressed;

Advice's start pourin, from all sides, all walks,

Every tom, dick and harry advice's,

Personality seems futile to natives,

You’re worthless to you!

No one really helps, just talk for the sake of talk,

Even who don’t know a, b of English chatter?

Even who don’t know alif, ba of Arabic natter?

Do this, and do that, go here and go there,

No one is going to do it for you,

You have to do it for yourself,

Really didn’t know that!

Life is hard,

Really didn’t know that!

No job is worst, it’s our mentality,

Really didn’t know that!

And the advice's flow, flow and flow,

From left and right, right and left,

Every time, at every gatherin, at every party,

But bad time educate you,

Lesson about life, worth millions,

It teaches you ins and outs of life;

How to react, how to act,

Who to listen to, who to ask for,

Prepares you both in worst of worst and,

Good of good, if any,

Remember, life is temporary,

So is this bad time,

Let people talk, chitchat, gossip,

Bad memories stay, bad days don’t,

So will not these days,

Please leave your feedback, if any

Open Air

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Universe...) — Fri, 29 May 2015 07:30:00 +0000

Open Air Prison

By: Kashoo Tawseef

Prison− yes prison;

A four wall boundary,

Yet an open air prison,

You can move, you can breathe;

Yet you are in prison,

Yes prison,

An open air prison,

You can move but you can’t,

You can breathe but you can’t,

You can drink but you can’t,

You can eat but you can’t,

You can do all you want but you can’t,

Coz you are in prison;

An open air prison,

You breathe your breathe controlled,

You think your thoughts controlled,

You feel your feelings controlled,

You love your love controlled,

Coz you are in prison;

An open air prison,

Please leave your feedback, if any