Little Things

Happy New Year :)

2011-12-28T21:49:00.009+04:00

(Some Random Thoughts)

We have finally passed another year successfully !!! Doesn’t it sound great ? It feels really worthwhile to look back and find yourself somewhat better than you used to be. Obviously, each year brings new experiences and new lessons to learn from.

For a person , like me, who resides in another country, but wishes to keep links with her roots, the things never leave me unastounded . My each visit to Pakistan, gives me an idea what I had been missing. Being a woman, for me, the changes in local fashion, tastes and life styles are always worrisome. Once I landed here in dark red suit, only to get critical looks while everyone was wearing pastels !!! So before coming, I always make a point to be ready with extra cash and time for exclusive shopping which would make at least look like a normal local resident. Apart from these, there are other things which cannot go unnoticed. For example, the changing general attitudes of people. I do miss the same old warmth, friendliness and hospitality. Are they slowly becoming the words of yesterday?

Is this the same world ?

As if it was some relief to such negative thinking , I just came across this news that the world population has reached 7 billion and the next 1 billion will be added in another decade. I checked when I was born, this figure was around 3 billion and … here I am living in a world with more than double that number of people !!! Does this have to do anything with what we are having as today’s life ?

Living in a megacity : Dream on…

Of course, the price of such a population explosion has to be paid. I saw, the playgrounds, where being a kid, I used to run around, play, have fun with friends, are no more existing. I remember, there were such big empty grounds that my mom always warned me not to go far away to avoid getting lost. Now you see the same areas filled with thousands of houses. People living in congested neighbourhoods, mostly talk about dearness and their sickness/ hospital visits (another added feature I have been seeing lately, probably due to increasing pollution, lack of clean drinking water and impurities in food stuff ). You can see over stretched markets and shopping malls but you cannot find a parking for your car. There are no walking paths, or by chance if you see them, are mostly occupied by street vendors. People keep flocking to these vendors for some bargains but leaving hardly any way for passersby. The cities are bulging with population overwhelmingly and more people keep migrating and settling here. No wonder, Karachi has become the third most populous city in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_proper_by_population

Kudos to those living and coping in such conditions, not to mention the daily problems of strife and terrorism. The city still thrives as modern shopping malls and hypermarkets are being opened every other day. The best thing about Karachi is that people still have high hopes.

The Future ?

Back to the place I have been living for last 16 years (UAE), they have already unveiled a year 2030 vision, where I found quite futuristic town planning, emphasizing on the sustainability of environment. There are plans for changing main streets of the city turned into traffic free places and initiating an alternative carbon free transportation system. There will be an extensive network of tunnels and new roads to manage estimated increased traffic. And as per the set targets, they have started working on it by shifting city residents to suburban areas and making the city center exclusive for businesses. I see the people of the UAE having a bright future with a nice clean environment for their kids. Each year will bring more and more opportunities for them.

Our Future ?

On this new year’s eve, is it too much to ask, when and who will plan for me and my children’s future in Pakistan? If we really love our motherland, we have to start thinking now. It has nourished us and gave us a ground to stand. Now its our turn to give back whatever we can.

Looking forward to hopefully a better future. HAPPY NEW YEAR :)

Lets be Serious - Pakistan

2011-09-10T19:52:00.000+04:00

I remember meeting the editor of a widely published newspaper in Karachi , in 1980s. Somebody asked what did they think was the future of Pakistan, during Martial Law regime, while all the political leaders were still in their 30s. (Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif & Altaf Hussain). The editor's reply was instant. " Let them reach 60s, then everything will be OK" .
Everybody enjoyed the spontaniety of the thought but felt the light of hope for a brighter future of the country.

One of the leaders Ms Benazir Bhutto never reached that age but still managed to become Prime Minister of Pakistan twice and initiated some commendable programmes for the poor and needy. Now Nawaz Sharif and Altaf Hussain (the leaders of other two bigger parties according to election results) and others have yet to show their best (or worst, ... in a lighter mode).

One must remember that its not 80s anymore. Only spiritual leaders like Dalai Lama may be followed forever. The times are changing as well as demographics of the country. The population is now consisting of 65% of enterprising and ever enthusaistic youth. Many of them have achieved the education and experience of highest international standards and have had exposure to wide variety of scenarios to work in.

International corporates and businesses were first to identify and utilise this potential to a very large extent and despite some of the setbacks, it has always been rewarding.

Time has come that public administration and politics also remove the barriers to entry for these young professionals. Especially in the third world, and the countries like Pakistan, this paradigm needs to be shifted.

Pakistan needs young leaders, who are aware of the aspirations of the population of this country. It is not difficult for political parties to find and train them.

Sadly, there has been enough fun and mockery about various leaders of the country. Now there is dire need for sincere and energetic youth to be brought forward and hand over the rule to them.
Senior politicians can best guide and advise them, for the experience has no alternative in the course of actions.

This is the last resort to save the country. The majority of the population deserve to rule their country. This is their chance now. Dont deprive them. They have the best intentions and capabilities to manage this land of great opportunities.

Pakistan Zindabad !!!

Lets Revive the Ideology of Pakistan

2011-08-26T18:01:00.014+04:00

Pakistan is a great nation with a rich history of bravery, tolerance and hospitality. Now facing one of the most difficult periods ever experienced. The insecurity of our people and inability of our rulers to handle that, is, in fact, giving rise to the notion of making Pakistan a SECULAR country. Our youth are now being puzzled in solving the basic ideology given by its founders, instead of looking forward to the progress and prosperity here. No doubt, the extreme flow of information is also working towards our confusion about religion and the ways to live.
We have seen religious, ethnic, sectarian, including many other types of conflicts and the end to this is not in sight. Someone has to stand against all this, tell the nation, where is it all going wrong and what are the remedies.

Did we have a Vision?

The leaders who dreamt and fought for this separate homeland, had a clear vision for this country. All of them respected each other's views and never belittled any one.
Sadly, after, they were gone, the country fell in the lap of a whole new generation, who had not been any close to the founders of Pakistan, had no clear vision about it, leave aside the ability to guide or lead the masses.

As a result, this led to a confusing mix of points-of-view , pro-western, Islamic as well as leftist.

Its not only about religion..

What we need to think is, the building of a nation is not based on the beliefs only, it also depends on the culture and the examples set by its leaders. The lack of good sincere leadership was the real reason behind the dilemma we have been facing since long.

I would like to mention just one example from the life of my grand father, Maulana Hasrat Mohani, who was a fierce freedom fighter, fearless speaker and well respected by leaders from all spheres.

Very few people know that Maulana Hasrat Mohani had suggested ARABIC to be made the national language of Pakistan in a Muslim League meeting, in the presence of Quaid e Azam and many other leaders. The reasons given by him were that with Arabic as a national language, the new country could have closer ties with Arab/Islamic block of countries. Also, it would be accepted by people from all corners of the country as a single language of Muslims. He also said that it could be waited for 10 or 20 years to make Arabic a national language, so all people could learn it, to be implemented completely everywhere.
As expected, this suggestion was not supported by many, including Quaid e Azam, as there were administrative and communicative problems to be faced. Hasrat, being a supporter of democracy, always accepted the decisions of majority so he did not insist on this point any further.

Our Lost Path

Today, its a matter of sheer grievance that people speaking the same unanimously accepted national language of Pakistan, including many others too, are being discriminated, targetted, mocked upon and even killed in the Land of the Pure.
This shows how we have lost our path by not conducting democratic dialogue, becoming increasingly intolerant and not looking ahead with even a little confidence in ourselves.

Above all, we have divided our choice of leaders with respect to either religion, political or influential background. Hence we have forgotten the concept of a true leader, who has to be inspirational and forward looking.

DIVERSITY is the key

Here again , we can take the example of Hasrat Mohani, a multi-faceted personality, known as Maulana, a religious scholar, a staunch practising Muslim, who never missed a single prayer in his life and performed 11 pilgrimages to Makkah.
On the other hand, he was an open-minded and always fought for the freedom of expression in literature and speech. He had supporters and fans from all walks of life, beliefs and sects. He saw communism as a tool for correcting economic inequality in the society. ( "Sufi momin hoon Ishtraki Muslim"). He is said to have actually founded The Communist Party of India first in 1921.
He strongly believed in sufism and always visited the shrines of various Sufis. Even, he went to Hindu places of worship and wrote a few poems in praise of Krishan and on other sacred themes.
His wife always accompanied him and actively participated in all the campaigns without having her face covered traditionally. Surprisingly, no one ever doubted on his belief in Islam or could label him as a kaafir.
He was incomparable in simplicity and honesty. In the words of Allama Iqbal, one could see the living example of Hazrat Abu Zar Ghaffari (RA), a companion of Holy Prophet (SAWS), in the form of Hasrat Mohani in 20th century.

Today we need to revive this spirit of diversity, combining religion and practical life. Religious tolerance is supposed to be the hallmark of any developed society in today's world.

This is the dilemma, of such a great nation, that we dont know, who to accept as a leader.

We have religious leaders /politicians / liberals /landlords /industrialists /scholars...but there is clear lack of capability of inspiring and gathering the masses on one platform, as one nation.

Lets pray together, may Allah give us guidance and vision to become good humans and to find and follow good leaders, who could take us to the road of peace and prosperity.

Who is Killing? Think Again

2011-08-19T01:02:00.011+04:00

I am short of words today… the madness continues and no one knows who is carrying out the brutal killings in almost every part of the Pakistan especially in big urban centres.

Everybody is in the state of shock to see the scale and the methods of murders all over the cities and rural areas.. Firing, burning, bombing, mutilated dead bodies is what would be unfathomable in a country created in the name of peace (Islam).

Its a long debatable topic that who is killing whom and why? There may be many answers to this question just as many stakeholders and political parties in this scenario, each having their own interpretation of the incidents being taken place.

At this moment, what I could do only was, to look back into something someone shared with me long ago.

This was about 10 years ago. One of my senior Indian colleagues Mr. Abdullah ( lecturer/Hafiz e Quran, about 80 years old, not alive anymore, the name is changed for privacy concerns) told me an incident which gave me some answers to common questions like :” Is this Islam? What kind of Muslims are these killing each other, even in the Holy month of Ramadan? “

Mr. Abdullah told us about his visit to Karachi, Pakistan 10 years ago, during his summer vacations to meet his relatives here. He used to visit a mosque near his residence at PECHS , Karachi regularly. He, just like many others, used to discuss the same issues as what kind of Muslims would kill other Muslims.

Once during a Jumah prayer, he saw a familiar face praying just next to him. It suddenly flashed in his mind that the man was actually his neighbour in Delhi, two years ago,and surprisingly, he was not a Muslim. This guy was offering prayer in the normal way as all other worshippers.

Mr. Abdullah could not wait and as soon as the prayer ended, called his name (R, imaginary name) asking how come he was in Karachi and praying in a mosque. He first thought may be R had converted to Islam and had come to visit friends in Karachi. But to his shock , R, looked at him in horror, got up and hurried to escape in the crowd. Mr. Abdullah was an old man, could not follow him so quickly. He tried to tell other people that he had seen a non-Muslim praying in the same mosque, but people did not take it seriously, as in Pakistan, there are very few non-Muslims, and it made no sense why one would come to pray in a mosque with Muslims.

In our cities, there is no check and every one is allowed in mosques. Do we really know how many foreign elements have penetrated in our society living just like us and killing our fellow beings? We only keep hating and cursing ourselves, but never think beyond that.

But till when? Should we allow them to completely wipe us from the face of the land? Or identify them.

Be alert. Be aware. Be Safe.
May Allah help us. Amen

Karachi Riots = London Riots ?

2011-08-10T23:15:00.016+04:00

We may be absolute fools when comparing the two of these... as Karachi has been through much more than what Londoners have seen...Yet it would rather be wise to recall the initial days of riots in Karachi, especially in 1986, which changed the city and its future forever.

Karachi : pre-1986:

Before this year, I remember my friends in other cities, jokingly called Karachi youth lazy, dumb, only interested in fashion, VCRs, movies and entertainment.

These riots/ burning/ looting which erupted in Karachi in 1986, left us all with no choice but to come out and defend our streets and communities. ( Note: Nobody knew about MQM then. Later people found it as a saviour. Many of our neighours joined it too..)

How it all started?

Anybody who was there in 1986, can never forget the incident of the death of Bushra Zaidi (a student who died in a road accident by a van), which, later, led the most of Karachi towards chaos. Students from nearby colleges and offices came out to protest for her killing.

It was almost the same time, when the police decided to raid Sohrab Goth, a market famous for drug sales. Ultimately, the drug dealers/ mafia, as previously announced by them, punished the whole city by spilling out from there, torching whatever came in their way.

That very day is still fresh in my memory, when I reached home with my friends after walking several kilometers, as there was no traffic on the roads. After a few hours I heard firing and sirens of ambulances.

I went up to the roof of my house, and all I could see was the smoke rising from various places in my vicinity. It was unbelievably horrible scene for someone who grew up in such a lively city playing and enjoying childhood in the open parks and grounds. First time, I heard many people reciting Holy verses of Quran and Azan loudly from their roof tops. They were shouting and telling everyone to be alert as the danger was near just in the next block.

How the rioters looked like and what stopped them ?

As it was expected, the rioters came in two trucks, having lathis/ batons in their hands, shouting as they were going for a battle. The people in our neighbouhood had instructed their ladies to stay indoors or on roofs. We were told to collect stones on our roofs in case they raided our houses. These attackers were believed to have been jumping inside the houses and creating mayhem.

Many of us tried calling police, even with the help of some influential officials/ministers. Police had nothing to say except that they were helpless, as there were many areas being attacked at the same time.

I remember, in my block of FB Area, only one retired army officer had a pistol. He immediately fired at the rioters, as they entered our locality which made them to step back. This one shot stopped them and they started running back to their trucks.

The Outcome:

Since then, many of us learnt a lesson that we had to defend ourselves. No wonder, after this nightmare, people started contributing to buy more bullets/ (or any thing which could serve as a small weapon) for future security.

One thing is for sure... after this incident, the lazy, dumb image of Karachiites was changed forever...

Still that VCR / relaxing / peaceful pre-1986 period seems like a dream now.

Still I miss that Karachi.

WILL ANYONE EVER SEE IT AGAIN ?

Are there any lessons for us in history? Can we learn something from it?

Our Woes and Foes

2011-05-27T13:56:00.007+04:00

Is not this high time we, sincere Pakistanis, got our thinking straight… and decide where it all went wrong ?

1. We may have provided them with refuge, and a congenial breeding home ground for their life time settlement. With our traditions of being the greatest hosts, we may have supported our guests in getting them work and let them practice, the only thing, they knew… warfare.

2. May be we have been deceived by the long beards and the continuous recitation of the Holy verses of Qur’an , without even their knowing the meaning or true interpretation of the Words of Allah.

3. May be we forgot that our religion teaches us the most precious lessons of tolerance, peace and harmony. Although, we say “Salam” (Peace) as we meet anyone yet we found inspiration in those who were all up against this very word.

4. May be we were deceived by their anti-Christian, anti-Jews, anti-Hindus and anti-any-Non-Muslim attitude and found it very similar with what our religion teaches us.

5. May be we thought that having such uncontrolled warriors in our homeland, will be a source of security at our borders as we were not sure of our own army’s strength.

6. May be all that seemed right, at the time, when we decided to tread on the path of patronizing warfare in our tribal areas only while being our peaceful lives in urban centers unaffected.

BUT TILL WHEN…. will we not see the ground realities, the misery and grief, inflicted upon us , by the presence of our most “revered” and “protected” foreign guests?

NOW… the signs of the times insist that we should look back and think for a while.. what was not right in what we did.

1. We provided them a with a place for refuge for a temporary period… not for ever …and definitely not to practice and teach their gun battles skills on our land of the Pure, to our upcoming generations.

2. We took pride in giving respect to those long beards and their recitation of Holy Qur’an, although we had no dearth of true believers and practicing Muslims within our own people. Instead of understanding the words of Allah in the true sense, we mistook it, and believed and practiced how and what was interpreted by them.

3. We held these migrants from across the border in great esteem, while growing hatred and hostility toward our own residents, Sindhis, Pukhtoons, Muhajirs , Biharis, and many others who had been living here and had contributed a lot in the development of our country.

4. We failed to realize and still do so, that why our citizens would create havoc and easily carry out such bloody & barbaric massacres ?

5. We were blindfolded by the huge amounts of foreign aid to counter terrorism and tried to play games with international community, never knowing that they could easily find our “open secrets” and embarrass us in our face and leave us in ever more dangerous situation.

6. We are now witnesses to the barbaric acts of these reckless anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Jews, anti-non-Muslims … as they apparently kill less of those and more of their fellow Muslims.

7. We now know that it was not about the preaching or promoting our religion or values… but a massive drama of creating terror, securing wealth, and finally establishing an undeclared parallel rule on the land.

When will we wake up? When will we stop sympathising with these foreign elements with a pre-set agenda? Are we waiting for them to reach our streets and doors and blow them up ?

Have we given up, lost all hope and choose to be their hostages?

Or do we have to resist and fight back?

Why should we have to suffer for big mistakes made by some selfish and irresponsible idiot government officials, who played with our nation’s image and destiny?

Think no more.. Things are very clear. Its time for action..

Stop supporting them, even morally…..

We deserve more help than them now.
Wake up Pakistan !!!

Move On - Pakistan !!!

2011-05-04T11:59:00.017+04:00

This is where today’s media has brought us. Embarrassment , confusion, grief, fear, future uncertainty… And for something which we, common Pakistanis, never did and never knew of..

Still a large segment of the population of Pakistan does not believe any repeatedly changing stories of the killing of Osama Bin Laden ( almost 9th time recorded in the media)

The news like this have appeared in newspapers several times:"Is Osama Bin Laden dead or alive?- Many think he died 8 years ago in Tora Bora Caves in Afghanistan"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8444069.stm

Media has proved to be the most powerful force of today to carry anyone’s integrity, honor, self respect and reputation tumbling down to the dumps. It is now possible with a few vague reports, fake or no pictures for the proof, and the reviews and baseless accusations by some self-declared experts on politics.

What a Common Pakistani Thinks:
Below are the comments of some of my acquaintances, as how they perceive the whole situation.

Sadia Ghouri, an International Relations Graduate from Karachi University, says:
"This drama is played to present a valid reason to bring back NATO forces from Afghanistan ... disgrace departure as America had in Vietnam …Even people are not bothering to get into the details of this comic fiction of western media ..."

Saman Yusuf, writes in a facebook status:
"Osama has been declared dead 9 times on different occasions off the record by people in authority in US...this was a show to justify the war in the past and now sadly...the war in future (although I so hope that is not the case!)"

Mass Miskin writes:
"This death is simply propaganda. How come in such an open neighborhood nobody had seen Osama living there!? Seriously how dumb can Americans be to behave like children making up stories! “

This is what a common Pakistani thinks about the whole affair, nothing more than a big, pre-planned drama.

However, the damage is done. Remember, there is no escape now. The accusations, blames will keep coming now. Stories will be repeatedly made up and changed, with influential media campaigns backing them, as usual. The more we discuss and talk about them , the more this web of confusion will entangle us.
It may be the beginning of a long debate and then alleged punishment for the crimes never proved to have been committed. So why not prepare to ride through the tough times ahead as a nation.

Can We face It ?

The best way to avoid the ghosts of grief, confusion and guilt, is to MOVE ON .
Yes, move on with our lives and continue the efforts to gain peace and confidence back. What we have to do is, to believe in our strengths and stay firm.

Learn from the past and think for the future.

Above all.. LOVE PAKISTAN…

There is no place like Home !!!!

Teachers, get ready for iPads

2011-03-12T20:11:00.002+04:00

Welcome to the new era of education ...

iPad is seen as making inroads to various sectors of education. We are seeing such new kids on the block, more frequently in the homes and classes now. In some international schools, the online homework is a commonplace .. and what could be more convenient than an iPad, for such an exercise !!! Students already have been practising on these lines making us (teachers) wonder, what more is there to come :)

Its not a new phenomenon in education just as desktops and laptops were adopted by students and teachers whole heartedly in a relatively short span of time, as seen here :

Schools Embracing iPad in Education to Improve Learning, Save Money http://t.co/YPFFCYj

iPad is signalling the opportunity for a transformation in how technology is used in schools, colleges and universities. We should be looking at all age ranges across all areas of the curriculum and keen to see if the iPad makes technology cross-curricular as it should be.

Of course at this stage, we don’t know the true extent of the impact of the iPad on teaching and learning as it is too early to say. However, as it becomes widely available in the other countries outside of the USA, teachers and learners will start to explore its potential and begin to document how they use it, what works and what doesn’t. Especially in the countries, where American and British curricula are taught regularly.There are clearly many more questions than answers and in a way, this is the exciting part. Apple is pitching the device as occupying and therefore creating, a new space between the laptop and the smart phone (and iPod Touch), whilst at the same time describing that it as most definitely not a Netbook.

Although the vast majority of iPod Touch & iPhone apps will scale up to fit the iPad, or can be used in their original format, teachers should be focussing on educational apps which have been written to take advantage of the larger screen size and processing power of the iPad.

One of the great aspects of the whole iPhone and iPod Touch eco-system into which the iPad was launched, is the amount of free and cheap apps written for these devices. The iPad can take advantage of this existing situation and can run the vast majority of the current educational apps on the App Store. Fortunately many of the free and cheaper apps have been re-written for the iPad and its larger screen. Given the current financial situation for most schools, the resource of free and affordable software on the App Store is particularly valuable.

So teachers... be ready and make the best use of a new revolution beyond laptops in the classes....

Semi-liberal OR Semi-extremist?

2011-01-23T22:43:00.008+04:00

The first few weeks of the second decade of the 21st century have already witnessed three momentous events that will impact on global geopolitics in the next few years.

These are: The Jan 4 shooting of a prominent Pakistani politician Salmaan Taseer by his own bodyguard; the Jan 8 shooting of congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords by the right-wing extremist Jared Loughner in the US, and the Jan 4 fatal self-immolation of 26-year-old fruit vendor Mohamed Bouazizi that led to regime change in Tunisia.

The Loughner shooting is a blowback from the nationalistic jingoism that has pervaded public rhetoric in the US in recent years. Overly obsessed with chasing ''Islamic terrorists'' as the primary source of its security concerns, the United States has paid the price of ignoring its own home-grown terrorists.

Similarly, the killing in Pakistan has exposed the influence of extremist ideologies on the common man.

When easily misguided people, regardless of their caste, colour or creed, become victims of incitement, be it via news channels or internet websites or extremist groups, the end result is the same.

But it is the Tunisian revolution that will trigger the most far-reaching change … real change that people everywhere can believe in. Bouazizi's suicide plunged all the supporters of the Tunisian regime into a state of shock.

According to a Gulf News Commentary: ''Colonialism and imperialism may have ended for much of the world in the last century of the last millennium. However, it still remains a reality in much of the Muslim world. Even though our colonial masters have departed, their legacy, policies and clout remain in some form or the other in this part of the world, ruling by proxy.”

In fact, in many places, the common man has lost not only his physical resources for survival but also is losing his all hopes for future amidst all this furore over extremism and liberalism. The frustration and hopelessness is taking toll on his strength to think positively and this is shown in end result of changing the histories of nations in a blink of an eye.

Times are changing at the fastest ever pace
The times are changing at an unimaginable pace that the media goes off into a paroxysm of soul-searching about what happened, how and why it happened, the speed at which it happened, and the most critical question: Where will it happen next?

The example of Tunisia has taught us that now, we do not need expertise of some intellectuals to forecast the future of a country. Any insignificant incident may bring about a massive revolution within days, thanks to fast communication between common people and activists.

In Pakistan, there seems the rise of a new large segment in our society ---> Semi-Liberals or they may be called Semi-extremists (Neither Rightists nor Leftists) .. They are coming out in the open media and expressing their concerns about their image of being Muslims & Pakistanis being manipulated and projected in the most unwarranted ways.

Not long before a decade, hardly a few knew what it meant to be a nationalist / communist / socialist / extremist / moderate . Today, there you can find ample amount of definitions for all such terms everywhere.

In today’s world of free media and freedom of expression, young minds are choosing and adopting the opinions and philosophies of their choice, whichever they seem to fit in. This flood of information and awareness needs to be filtered, as it is leading to the growth of a new generation of ideologies and opinions, for which we are seemingly not yet ready.

Its high time, our leaders, intellectuals, thinkers, opinion-makers took up the challenge to pool this flow of information in the best interest of our nation and the world at large.

Yes, I am a Teacher :)

2010-12-24T13:04:00.026+04:00

“Oh.. so you teach !!! “
“awww… well and what are the subjects?”

“but there could be better jobs.. if you just could look out for them !! “
“oh yeah… my all friends have opted for teaching… they didn’t know what else to do . "

These are some of the comments I receive, when I tell someone about my chosen profession .. Teaching.

YES … I AM A TEACHER …. And a happy and proud one :)

Have you seen a gardener’s face which brightens up while looking at the bloom of fresh flowers in his garden ?

OR may be the divinely affection in the eyes of a mother holding her newly born child, the very first time…

OR perhaps close in your home, the joyous smile of someone who cooked a delicious meal :)

OR even a child happily coming home after getting a prize in school ?

Nothing comes close to the joy of nurturing, caring and seeing one’s students passing out with the hopes of making all their dreams come true….

Being a teacher, I see all my students as little fragile buds, who would grow up someday into beautiful flowers, each one with its own special hue and fragrance; OR a newly born baby; OR a delicious meal in the making , OR the astray kids who are going to discover a hidden treasure and surprise everyone !!!

To me, they are like young birdies, who will, someday, after gaining some strength and learning some basic skills, will fly away to unknown destinations, never looking back to where they started from…

Leaving them makes a teacher both sad and happy at the same time…

We just keep smiling, waving at them while having all the good wishes for their future habitats… but the prospect of watching them doing big things …. is like a big REWARD or PRIZE which is given to us , only by ourselves…

Educating people has been emphasised by almost all the major beliefs and philosophies of the world. In Islam, its like "sadqa e jaariya" , which means permanent source of rewards and blessings promised by the Almighty.
Practically, whatever we teach, is not only going to the one student, but all the coming generations.

Makers of Successful Nations:

Teachers have always been the makers of successful nations and this divine rule will never change….

The little words of hope, inspiration and knowledge are never wasted.. and sometimes this only can bring about a whole lot of POSITIVE change in a society and its future.

Are we willing to change our future for the better?

If yes, then, we have to give a respectful place to teachers in our society…

What we can do is to invite and encourage good, sincere and knowledgeable citizens to take up this profession seriously ….

Ask people to become teachers, and do justice with teaching..

The coming generations will always be thankful to us… and the FUTURE will be brighter than ever before…

EDUCATE & MOTIVATE ... are the two words that can make us GREAT !!!!

Pakistanis Abroad !!! We Need YOU

2010-10-10T07:59:00.019+04:00

(Note : It was heartening to see this blogpost "Pakistanis Abroad: We Need YOU" in Google Top Trending of Pakistan http://twitpic.com/2wc73e/full ~ Rumaisa Mohani -10/10/2010 )

Pakistan’s flood crisis has left an already unstable country on unsteady ground. This calamity has affected 20 million Pakistanis and is said to be the largest disaster of our time by the United Nations.

Today hungry, sick and suffering children and families are looking towards us. They are waiting for us to rescue them and take them out of sufferings and miseries. It is not a matter of one religion, nation or race. All inhabitants of this planet must help since, those poor people are not the ones responsible for these flood. Global warming caused excessive evaporation in Indian ocean and fast melting of glaciers in Himalayas that caused this flooding and devastation.

The worst part of this tragedy is that there is no guarantee that this will not happen again, since there is no end to global warming. All one hundred and sixty million people in Pakistan are affected and need relief as well as long term solutions.

The problem is that there seems lack of knowledge, interest and coordination between various sections of society to overcome this biggest crisis of our time. No doubt, many international organizations around the globe joined hands in rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.
At this juncture, the role of overseas Pakistanis, cannot be ignored. They came forward with great sense of responsibilty and worked tirelessly to raise funds and awareness among their fellow citizens in different parts of the world.

The Real Problems Are Emerging NOW :
However, as the time is passing.. we see the spirit and enthusiasm, does not look the same, as it has been in the beginning… yet the suffering of the flood victims is on the rise.

The effects are now even being felt on the urban centres of Pakistan too. The people in Karachi and other big cities are facing the problems of over-population, congestion, sanitation, reduced supplies and ever-increasing , uncontrolled prices of food stuff, vegetables, meat, dairy products and other household items. It is unclear, if some authority is assessing the income levels of the masses, but everyone can see very high levels of inflation, unemployment and poverty prevailing around…

The situation calls for more serious and continuous relief work that should not be slowed down at any cost… while we see the real long term rehabilitation and settlement problems are now emerging. The hopelessness and uncertainty is leading to crime and injustice. The children, future builders of our nation, are facing the challenges never known to their forefathers.

What Can We Do Now ?
This nation needs encouragement and hope… for which a huge responsibilty lies on the shoulders of Overseas Pakistanis… Pakistanis settled abroad need to make groups with an aim to raise voice and funds on a permanent basis for helping the sufferers... A coordinated network of associations, groups and individuals is the need of the day, which will work round-the-clock for helping the sufferers.

We see a lot of riches, luxury and waste of resources in some of the wealthy countries.. An awareness programme can be planned to pool those resources and divert towards our people. Another most needed attempt is the support for Pakistani products abroad. There is no dearth of humanitarians and venture capitalists in this world.. Only we need to make them see and realise our problems and potential.…

Many others have also carried out this before... Now its our turn and chance to utilise our experience, exposure and contacts to work in the interest of our brothers & sisters.

Lets take it up as a DUTY towards our nation.. Lets rise to the occasion and work to make the most of these available resources in other places of the world.

This is the best time to utilize the youth of Pakistan, as they have stood up and are ready to do the physical work on the ground… Trust them, finance them, coordinate with them and let them build a NEW PAKISTAN.

EID / Floods / Pakistan Go Green

2010-09-10T08:11:00.061+04:00

Pakistan Go Green (facebook page) reached 15,000 fans today, which turns out to be Eid ul Fitr in Pakistan..What better could be expected as an Eid Gift to The Green Team by Pakistan lovers from all over the world?

A hearty THANKS to all who initiated it, pushed it forward, joined and took it to the hearts of thousands of people.

Today, if we just stop for a while and look back into a brief one year old history, it seems as it was a great ride of passion, enthusiasm and inspiration.

A NOTE FROM THE HISTORY : “DID IT START A CENTURY AGO?

If one remembers the Indo-Pak Independence Movement in early 1900s, it were the poets / litterati of Muslims who first started to bring up the core political issues to the masses silently.
Is it a coincidence that exactly after 100 years, in 2009, some sincere, honest and hardworking citizens have taken up the cause of reviving the spirit of Patriotism and love of their fellowbeings - Pakistan Go Green?”

On Jan 7, 2010, when I wrote these lines as a note on Pakistan Go Green’s facebook page , none of us at Pakistan GG had the slightest idea what the new year 2010 had in store for us.
And NOW, as we mark EID Day, there seems no dearth of violence, suicide bombings, target killings, land grabbing and above all, we witnessed the biggest disaster in our history – a Super Flood, which affected nearly one-fifth population of Pakistan.

Although, this year, Eid is being spent amidst pain of lost loved ones, homes and other belongings yet each affected individual, be it a man, woman, or children, all are surviving by looking forward to better days. And they have every reason to do so ...In such a major catastrophe, how can one be able to survive without THINKING POSITIVELY.
A Pakistani blogger Faisal Kapadia, who had been to Interior Sindh for flood relief activities, writes : “I have also seen the resilience of an old man in Shikarpur, doubled over with pain but still in love with this country, claiming that as long as Pakistanis are there for one another - we need nothing else.” http://blog.dawn.com/2010/09/08/sparing-the-eid-spirit/

Pakistan Go- Green

Pakistan Go Green - A mission of reviving hope and love towards our nation, was a small venture of only a few individuals led by Farhan Masood …and after more than a year of its creation, (July 2009) it is still serving as a glowing candle warming hearts and enlightening minds.
It has been a unique campaign in the sense that it was first of its kind on the social media in the entire world.
Kudos to those, who had vision to bring forth the notion of “One Nation- One Identity –Pakistan” at a time, when our identity was being questioned and debated even in the national media. This was the time just a year ago, when being “Negative” and “Critical” was a common trend. Pakistan Go Green boldly came forward and promoted the ideas of “BE POSITIVE” & “BE GREEN”.
PGG turned 85,000+ display pics of people with GREEN colour, not only because it is the main colour of Pakistani flag, but also a colour depicting life, freshness, optimism, and as a sign of a “Go Ahead”.

The “BE POSITIVE” idea, served as a motivating factor when many of us realised the gravity of the situation of flood affected areas even before Independence Day 14th August, 2010. It was not difficult to grasp, that the time for Action was NOW or NEVER.
By seeing this and many more incidents of assistance, gratitude & thankfulness, one can only feel the pleasure of being able to do something for our countrymen.
Also, one can easily make out that now we are entering the stage of RE-BUILDING PAKISTAN and this time, it is bound to be deep-rooted in the society, Insha Allah.

The only thing we must be careful now is not to indulge or support any NEGATIVE or demotivating propaganda, unnecessary favouritism, based on ethnicity, class, status, or personal preferences.

What NEXT ?
We must remember, that revolutions do not come just by one big personality, it is the result of the tireless efforts and sacrifices of millions of people. One of our major mistakes has been that we forgot or even deleted the names of some great heroes from our history books. Therefore, we have no idea, how a country-wide Independence movement reached each and every home. We never heard about our unsung heroes, who personally went to everyone and convinced them to fight for their cause.
Thankfully, now, we have media and especially social media, which can play a vital role in re-awakening of people.
Pakistan Go Green tried to lit a candle and now many candles are being lighted … but as the darkness and hopelessness runs very deep inside our souls, more organized work needs to be done on a larger scale..

The next but not-so-easy stage is “COORDINATION” and “SELF-SUPPORT”. We have to refer back to our history again, when numerous local movements joined together under one umbrella named All India Muslim League, having one agenda which led them to achieve their goal.
Are we ready for this next stage ? -----
Think. Act. Inspire.

The Real Pakistanis Are Awesome !!!

2010-09-04T08:23:00.007+04:00

Why Hopelessness?
Why is it we just see hopelessness everywhere? Why are we just sure that our future is nothing but darkness and misery ? Whereas at the moment, thousands of men, women and children are working tirelessly for flood relief efforts. Salaried people are donating a part of their hard earned money in relief funds. Little girls are giving away their Eidi or the the shopping money for bangles and gifts to various relief organisations.

Thousands of young enthusiastic volunteers have been working day in and day out to deliver the relief goods to the needy while fasting in Ramadhan. They have reached from the northern mountains to Punjab and then to those inaccessible areas of Sindh, where hardly anyone from urban Pakistan had ever been.

Overseas Pakistanis are more worried than those in the country. There is no place in the world from where the aid is not coming. Tents, food items and cash is flowing in at an unprecedented rate. Airports have hardly any place left to store more goods as there is no organised system of outward distribution.

There have been fund collection campaigns in schools, colleges and universities. Prayers are offered in Mosques, Christian and Hindu community centres.

Online communities and bloggers have also been playing an important role in raising awareness among those not directly in touch with flood victims around the world. Many international organisations and celebrities have asked their fans and followers to help Pakistani flood affectees. New ways of attracting more aid and relief are being thought of …

There must have been hundreds or thousands of incidents which are unheard of yet due to such kind and humane activities thousands of people are being helped.

Real Pakistanis Are Working !!!

How can be we inable people? How can Pakistan be a Failed nation when such generous and hard working are there within us?

Can we think of any other example the way our people have showed passion and shared griefs of their needy countrymen?

We are being labeled as the BRAVEST Nation of the World by Newsweek. It is befitting reply to those who always spread negativity about Pakistani people..

Pakistan’s image has been built by the ruling elite, who were never sincere to their country and always kept a significant distance from their people.

The REAL PEOPLE of Pakistan are great humans and its only they, who can rebuild Pakistan in a positive sense.

The REAL Pakistan is made by its people and they are working !!!

Pakistan is a great country and so are its people… only being hindered by influential and selfish politicians, in achieving its true position in the nations of the world.

The Bravest Nation of the World - Pakistan

2010-09-02T08:35:00.015+04:00

Air crash, violence, corruption, target killings, Super flood, and what not …. The general sentiment prevailing among our youth nowadays is “What is POSITIVE about Pakistan ? Every day there is a bad news coming. We guess Pakistan is now really failed.”

Look into your hearts and remember when was the last time you failed miserably in some important stage in life… You and everyone related to you could just figure out you could not go ahead because you had FAILED… But as the time passed , you carried on and here you are still working, even progressing and have further future plans.

Its a popular saying that you never FAIL until you THINK so ....

Then, why a big STATE like Pakistan can be FAILED ?… There is nothing like a FAILED STATE in the world.. If one could gather that the term FAILED STATE was coined only for Pakistan, especially after the SWAT crisis in 2007 in some media reports… Its only we , who are carrying this as a guilty feeling, otherwise if you see things POSITIVELY , then the world is actually observing this in awe and envies our braveness and the ways of survival. Some of the reports of our bravest behaviour are :

Locals use stones, sandbags to stave off flood http://tinyurl.com/36tyhb3

Donkeys come to the rescue in Pakistan floods http://tinyurl.com/3557uv5

Death visits relief camps for flood victims http://tinyurl.com/38m9bcl

Flood victims help each other to cross a damaged railway http://tinyurl.com/3ym3cve

The world is also watching and has not turned back on us .. No doubt, it has taken a little more time to gauge the magnitutde of the destruction, but now the aid is flowing in and people, including various celebrities are raising voices to help this nation in peril.

Recently Newsweek has called us as the BRAVEST nation of the World !!!

Now, the rest lies on us, the people of Pakistan… Its time to leave behind the losses and pain of this massive disaster of our history….and start REBUILDING…

We just cannot sit idle and hopeless at the bank of rivers watching the washed away fertile soils and lands and lost homes.. There are humans left who need our help and encouragement. A huge responsibility lies on the urban society, mostly unaffected by he floods, to come forward, raise hope for future among the flood affectees.

The HELP criteria may be advertised and publicized by the word of mouth, even in the areas known for any terrorist breeding or such culture. Especially very young boys can be motivated to help rebuilding their own towns, to disengage them from questionable activities.

Remember, this is a great lesson of unity, sacrifice and hope for us and we have no choice except to learn from it.

Lets change ourselves forever … and start from our homes cutting down our unnecessary expenditures, showing off wealth and luxuries, living a simple life and setting an example for our children… They are the ones who will reap the fruits of our efforts and then pass on the tradition to the next generations…

That is the way, PAKISTAN will always be a SUCCESSFUL state.. May Allah help and guide us. Amen

Wake Up Pakistan !!!

2010-08-16T13:34:00.011+04:00

Pakistan's worst floods in recorded history began more than two weeks ago in the mountainous northwest and have spread throughout the country. Some 20 million people and 62,000 square miles (160,000 square kilometers) of land — about one-fifth of the country — have been affected.

Once the floods recede, billions more dollars will be needed for reconstruction and getting people back to work in the already-poor nation of 170 million people. The International Monetary Fund has warned the floods could dent economic growth and fuel inflation.

While local charities and international agencies have helped hundreds of thousands of people with food, water, shelter and medical treatment, the scale of the disaster has meant many millions have received little or no assistance. The U.N. has voiced fears that disease in overcrowded and unsanitary relief camps may yet cause more deaths.

What we need to do ?

First of all, we, who have not been affected by the disaster directly, should thank Allah and pray for the safety of everyone in the country. The next best thing we can do is to go out and find out the agencies / groups carrying the relief goods and join them in whatever capacity we fit in.
This is not an ordinary time. Our country is facing a major catastrophe and still there are fears (God forbid) that there is more to come. Do whatever you can to help victims, either financially, physically, or verbally convincing people to come forward.

Use Social Media ( e.g. Facebook. Twitter) to raise awareness among all you know. Request your contacts to spread the message for helping the flood victims in whatever way thay can. Remember, your each step and initiative is going to create a history of makeover of a great nation.

What we need most now, is perseverance and focus on providing shelter and basic needs to people. Many affected areas have not seen any government assistance yet. Try to reach and help the people there. Take it as an opportunity to learn how to survive and work towards the REBUILDING of our country.

The destruction has been massive. The loss has been immense, yet We survive.. We go on.. And it clearly defines our physical & spiritual strengths. Our beliefs in Almighty Allah and our own will can do wonders and they surely will.. WE will survive and stand up again as a better and sturdy nation.

May Allah help us in these difficult times . Ameen.

Make 14th August ~ a day of REVIVAL

2010-08-12T13:58:00.026+04:00

This year, our national Independence Day, has come with lots of greivances and hardships. With more than 10,000 square kilometers (4,000 square miles) of Pakistan under water, the flood is “Pakistan’s worst natural disaster” since the country’s creation 63 years ago, and has set back the nation’s development by many years, according to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Mr. Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Floods have left many areas beyond outside help or communication, knocking out cell phone towers and ripping away roads. Thousands are without electricity after grid stations and transformers collapsed, Pakistani television reported.

The flood has submerged an area as large as Lebanon, overwhelming relief efforts by the government and UN agencies. “Our stockpiles are nearly exhausted,” and trucks hauling tents have been blocked for a week by flooded roads, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said in an e-mailed message. The number of people suffering from the massive floods in Pakistan exceeds 16 million - more than the combined total of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the United Nations said on 9th August 2010.

Moreover, international aid remains low this this time as compared to 2005 earthquake disaster according to Guardian UK : http://bit.ly/ayI213

WHAT IS OUR ROLE ?

We, the people of Pakistan are the final hope after the Almighty. We can really make the relief efforts successful and help bringing life back to normal.

The only thing we need to do is to go out and find out the agencies / groups carrying the relief goods and join them in whatever capacity we fit in. Do whatever you can to help victims, no matter physically or verbally. Remember, your each step and initiative is going to create a history of makeover of a great nation.

Take it as a good chance to learn how to survive and work towards the REBUILDING of our country.

The destruction has been massive. The loss has been immense, yet We survive.. We go on.. And it clearly defines our physical & spiritual strengths. Our beliefs in Almighty and our own will can do wonders and they surely will.. WE will survive and stand up again as a better and sturdy nation.

In 1947's Ramadan, we got independence. In 2010's Ramadan, there's need to rebuild it and regain our strength. Lets move forward...

Make this 14th August a day of REVIVAL of our hopes and strengths.

Make this day of Independence, a day to remember in history..

May Allah help us in these difficult times . Ameen.

Give Pakistan a fresh image ...Change YOURSELF !!!

2010-07-31T11:45:00.015+04:00

Pakistan needs a fresh & revived image … and who can produce it ? Only its people..

My visit to Pakistan after 3 years gave me a lot to think. While there has been maasive physical development in infrastructure and technology during this period, it is easy to see a major shift in urban thinking ..

People, in general, seem to be more knowledgeable, but less willing to get up and do something. They are more energetic but dont know where to utilize their talent. We are more aware but have become very fond of talking, long discussions and debates, still while being seated.
We have a good system of interactive media but are now used to just shrugging our shoulders for whatever is happening as if its not our concern. Most of the people keep bragging about their resources (obviously limited) in a way as they hold the keys to strong rooms of a few banks.
Fake degrees scandals have brought a confusion among the genuine graduates as, if anybody even relies on their abilities now.
We also need to look into a large number of educated female population, while they just spend their time at home, watching TV dramas and movies & waiting for the maids to come and do the daily chores for a meager wage.
Then, there are children, who are sent to expensive schools only to pass written exams and no practical training for tomorrow’s competitive world.
On the other hand, there are friends and relatives, who expect great spending on the parties, one is going to throw, on the occasions like marriages, birthdays, wedding anniversaries, etc.
Then, there this lifestyle thing comes…One feels the need to show off their “status” to fit in this scenario.

Who will START ?
Remember, its not only us in Pakistan, who have such problems, but we need to be very quick to address them
It sounds so weird if someone even utters anything against all these traditions, which have crept in our society… but now seems a right time to do that as we are close to our National Day on 14 August 2010 !!! Its time when we really should look back and learn what have we earned and lost.

We need to stop for a while.. and see, where are we going? Who are we fooling? Who are we going to impress and who is actually being impressed ?
Its us, who have to live here and prosper. Its us who have to make the best use of our time to do something fruitful and positive for ourselves and others. This is the only way we can help unhappy, unwell, frightened, confused, and totally frustrated beings in our society.

Its time to change ourselves…

Men, women, children, educated, illiterate, working, non-working..no matter whosoever is there ...
Just start doing something productive, without wasting the time, the best natural gift to us.
We are a nation with one of the largest human potential, yet we remain dull and backward… I know, such things have been said to previous generations too and now they have grown old.. and things forgotten.. Do we want to be like them?
We need to be different.. and that’s where we will be so… OUR THINKING !!!

Be Positive.. Be Green.. Pakistan Zindabad !!!

پیغام ~ [ MESSAGE]

2010-07-24T21:06:00.001+04:00

[A Poem written by me a decade ago.. seems true today too]

یہ ویران پتھرائی ہوئی آنکھوں میں

... مایوسیوں کے بوسیدہ پھول

....یہ سناٹے ، یہ آہیں ، یہ سسکیاں

... یہ سلے ہوئے لب

... نہیں ہے جن میں کچھ تاب بیاں

... یہ کچھ پیغام دیتے ہیں

... ... کسی کا لال تھا یا کسی کی آنکھ کا تارا

... کسی کی ساری امیدوں کا مرکز

... کسی کی زیست کا واحد سہارا

...یہ قدم قدم پہ بے سر و سامان

، بکھری ہوئی، خون آلود انسانی جان

...یہ بھی کچھ پیغام دیتی ہے

... کسی مغموم لہجے میں

.. کرب سے بوجھل، کانپتے ہوئے زرد ہونٹوں سے

..یہ سوال کرتی ہے

... آخر یہ سب کب تک ؟

.... یہ کہتی ہے ، اٹھو

.. بازی گروں کے سجاۓ ہوئے تماشے

... حقیقت کی نظر سے پہچانو

.. کہ ان کے اندر بھید بہت گہرے ہیں

.. یہ کہتی ہے

... چمکتے آئینوں کے خو ل سے نکلو

... کہ آئینے منزل کا پتہ نہیں دیتے ...

The Dilemma of Education

2010-07-05T11:07:00.019+04:00

It is irony of the fact that still some people underestimate the importance of education in our society. Even till the end of 20th century, our political slogans only depicted all the other basic needs but hardly anyone talked about educating people. However, there has been a change in mindset as this issue has been brought forward, thanks to the widespread use of media and communication.

Present Scenario:
The problem arises when we see various systems prevailing in Pakistani educational institutions. We have:
1. Public / Government schools (all provinces having their own set syllabi and books)
2. Private schools ( comprising the teaching of Government syllabi / private boards / foreign boards/ some incorporate Hifz Quran in their curriculum )
3. Religious institutions (mostly covering memorizing Quran/ some also follow government approved syllabi )

Lets see what they have to offer :

1. PUBLIC SCHOOLS :

These schools have been monitored and administered by Ministries / Directorates of Education. They have their boards comprising a panel of highly qualified educationists, who usually select the curriculum according to the requirements and traditions of diversified Pakistani society including urban and rural areas. They curriculum includes National as well as at least one regional language.

2. PRIVATE SCHOOLS :

Majority of these schools were established during the privatization drive of the government in early 80s. They are divided into two groups : Pakistani Curriculum (leading to Matric/ SSC ) and UK/ US Curriculum (leading to British O Level or American International Baccalaureate). Many schools opted for foreign educational syllabi, like Cambridge / Oxford or American High School Diploma. The main reason to choose such systems was to avoid the regular inspections by government authorities, as these schools did not come under their jurisdiction. These schools have their syllabi, subjects, content,book s and even teaching methodologies approved by foreign boards. Urdu is taught but not as a core subject, with main emphasis on simple write ups and translation into English and vice-versa. You will hardly find any regional language being taught in these schools.

3. RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS :

These Islamic seminaries teach mostly Islamic subjects leading to graduation as a cleric (called maulvi, maulana or mulla) in Pakistan. There are five major governing bodies of Madrassas in Pakistan. Tanzim-ul-Madaras (Barelwi), Wafaq-ul-Madaras (Deobandi), Wafaq-ul-Madaras (Shia), Wafaq-ul-Madaras (Ahle Hadith) and Rabita-ul-Madaris (Jamaat-e-Islami) . A 2008 estimate puts this figure at over 40,000 out of which most cater to the dominant Sunni sect. There are, however, some madrassas for the minority (estimated at from 14 to 20 per cent) Shias.

Their students read accessible books in Urdu as part of comparative religion or training in the beliefs of their sub-sects (maslak). These texts are taught in a rational manner in order to promote reasoning among students and to understand the logics of differences and similarities. This process results in sectarian harmony. Similarly, students are taught about Western ideologies—capitalism, individualism, freedom, feminism, socialism, democracy, human rights—in lessons in order to understand heresy and dangers propagated by the western world.

Future Scenario ?

Now, in near future, our society is going to face a major change as we will see these different groups of educated people entering job market, administration and politics.

The social divide between these various systems of education is easily understandable. A student from his early years till attaining youth, is surrounded by a specifically modified environment. The students have hardly any idea that there exist some parallel educational systems, to which they will be exposed after the completion of their own course. Each student thinks very highly of his own way of education, as they put in hard and serious efforts to study and pass their exams.

This raises the question that who is going to keep a balance in the future set up of our society. Does it call for a “QUOTA” system for all these segments of our educational scenario. Are we inviting another conflict of biased selections of the administrators of this country? Will we need another BOARD to settle such matters as how many will be taken from PRIVATE / PUBLIC & RELIGIOUS SCHOOL SYSTEMS? And finally, who will decide the quality of education being imparted therein at large.

Hopefully, some light can be thrown on this important issue of our future generations. We need authorities comprising educators, having full background knowledge of these local & foreign educational systems, having the capability of incorporating the graduates stepping out of them, in various spheres of society.
Do we have such professionals available? Has anyone thought about integrating this diversification into one whole grand educational structure? … We will certainly need this structure in near future.

Practical Optimism Is What We Need Now !

2010-06-24T21:11:00.025+04:00

Recently, I had been going through the website of Youth Parliament Of Pakistan which focuses on Youth in the country and Youth's awareness education and training in the norms of politics and democracy in the country.

Education, Training & Experience:

Several initiatives relating to the education and training of the youth of Pakistan have been launched and are running successfully, in various sectors of society.

Something, which is mostly ignored in such programmes is creating an effective & balanced approach towards reaching one's goals. This only comes with time and experience.

Present day "become-quick-rich" type mindset has given birth to an attitude which was never seen in the history of business before. Every new entrant is trained to "think" that they are going to make it big, whereas only a few can reach there.

Practical Optimism:

The world has recently been hit by one of the biggest recession periods of history, of which most of the blame was put on the lack of experience and vision of those involved in the businesses.

What is needed from the present day young professionals is more of practical optimism. Imagining and thinking big is not enough. There is always a need to be ready to plan and execute as planned. Optimism is good but not at the expense of overlooking the ground realities. Since there is hardly any time available for gaining rich experience in the field, this often results in major mishaps, blunders and setbacks...and the dream of reaching the pinnacle of excellence never turns into reality.

Moreover, there already exists such a wide communication gap between the young and old experienced generations, that their hard earned experience is just ignored when compared to innovative ideas of a fresh graduate. Therefore, the sole responsibilty of such failure falls upon these new under-exposed & inexperienced youth.

Pakistan's Turn:

As Pakistan is now looking forward towards the next boom in business cycle, we need to inculcate a balanced approach towards our work attitudes and attaining targets. Students should be provided industry related training, as in real life situations. Psychological and moral training may be introduced. They should be made to avoid that easy-come-easy-go attitude and realize the importance of being focused and serious about their work. Being sincere and responsible towards what we do, is the need of the day.

Echoes ~ A Poem

2010-06-17T17:16:00.016+04:00

The doors of memories always remain ajar as with open arms

To welcome the vibes of sheer loveliness and exquisite charms.

Wherever I go, while I am awake or asleep, tired of all the worldly nuisance
Myriad thoughts creep into my mind with all the grandeur and elegance

And the air gets filled with the same wondrous fragrance,

One that makes me cherish my being and its true essence.

I can feel thine breathe as I walk along the promenade pensively

Or while I sit there gazing at the waves making their way towards the shore

I can hear the echo of my heart beats coming from the unseen depths

And I can endure the grasp of the roots of this romance which seems so pure;

And wonder how they have taken me over like never before.

Does it sound superficial if one's heart can break all the barriers

And fly away with the dearest treasures of undying obsession?

While one stands there alone as it has been and will be….

Yet encompassed with those small wonders being a subtle expression

Hence proving them wrong as being lonely!

Riding Through The Wave of All "isms"

2010-06-12T11:12:00.013+04:00

The Youth of Today’s Pakistan are a vital part of its present and future. Most of them are vibrant, being trained to take up challenges, calculate and achieve their targets. They have been successful, shown great potential for achieving unimaginable tasks and brought the laurels to the country.

However, everything is not so shiny and rosy here…There are elements out there to grab, store and use that bursting energy to fulfill some of their hidden evil objectives.

I know I am going to indulge myself in a topic that has been quite debatable lately. Things need to be discussed otherwise a dangerous vacuum of communication is created, resulting in further harm to the society.

Extremes in Our Society:
There are two main extremes being developed among our youth. Pro-Islam and Pro-various-“isms” ( e.g., Communism, Socialism, Marxism ). Although it is assumed that these phenomena are fresh , new and “in” , actually these were created in the 20th century by some very experienced, learned and influential persons. Here, I will not say anything in favour or against them, but what is more essential today is the vision, these ideologies have been inculcating in our youth, who will shape the future of our nation.

No doubt, we are living in the age of open communication and are exposed to all the philosophies. Various westerners have been inspired by Oriental / Eastern religions or ways of life and is becoming a norm in their society. Similarly, there has been a rise in the Athiests and non- conformists.

As global citizens, our youth have free access to all such stuff. Self interested evil elements will be on the look out for young minds, and try to deviate their focus by disillusioning the facts with a pinch of negativity.

In olden days, there were elders, who told them what was right or wrong. Now, elders are not able to cope with today’s fast communications as well as youngsters have no time to indulge in one-to-one discussions, which is a great dilemma of present day society.

Being Responsible is the Key :
This issue can only be addressed by the youth themselves. They need to take up the responsibility of keeping a balance between all the extremist ideologies.

If something comes up which is against your religion or traditions, you should be very careful and critical about accepting it. Think what good and bad it will bring to you or the society at large. If you are choosing a new ideology for the rest of your life, it is not only going to affect you and your loved ones but also those who will come after you... Don’t be short-termist, think about the long term.That’s where you will justify yourself as a responsible global citizen.

Suffering.. Unlimited !!!

2010-06-01T00:09:00.013+04:00

This is not a simple situation.. We and our people are under attack.. and we feel helpless.. We, the writers, bloggers, twitterers, facebookers, who try to act as analysts and come up with solutions, don’t know who will execute those suggestions.
They come out from nowhere and bombard our places of worship, education and healthcare, leaving everyone in awe and despair.
And to add to the misery, with all the security steps in place, it still goes on ....

Who are they?
They are none other than the culprits whom our own people have supported, and take pride in providing a place for refuge.
They are well equipped with strategies and weaponry for the assaults, we know all that…but what have we been doing?
When the government was reminded of the appearances of these terrorists in all the urban centres, they turned a deaf ear to it, rather denying their presence.
Now , its spread all over the land..

and who is the sufferer?
Some might think, they will be safe, afterall... No, ultimately, everyone will have to suffer one day, with violence and raids increasing at such an alarming rate across the country.
But, still everyone is not taking it seriously. Are they waiting for their turn to come across face-to-face with these terrorists? Well, you will have a very slim chance of meeting them again, alive.

How to face it?
So, remove those tinted glasses of favouritism, sectarianism, fanaticism and extremism from your eyes ... and try to see who is the real enemy ?
First of all, we have to assure ourselves of this answer in a broader perspective, then any unified action will be possible...
The hope of our nation is our coming generations. They deserve to know the truth and the training how to tackle it!!!

We should stick to the conclusions already made and avoid indulging in new discussions & debates.That will save a lot of time & give a room for some fruitful action to be taken...

Remember, without being POSITIVE and HOPEFUL, nothing is possible !!!

Ridicule, Protests & Our Self-Respect

2010-05-19T08:29:00.016+04:00

Why would Someone ridicule us and our beliefs?

It has been a tradition that when somebody ridicules us, we just start blaming ourselves, our system, our lack of unity, our bad morals, lack of belief in religion and all the evils in our society….. only making our enemy’s work easier !!!

Do we even realize that whoever ridicules us, is merely a dreamer, an inactive coward, someone who knows his lack of strength to take any physical action against us.

How Come Iqbal Knew All of it in the Last Century?

Iqbal’s concept of “KHUDI” (Self-Respect) is an amazing phenomenon to deal with such situation for present day Muslims.

خودی کو کر بلند اتنا کہ ہر تقدیر سے پہلے .. خدا بندے سے خود پوچھے بتا تیری رضا کیا ہے

KHUDI is seen by him as an elevator for human spirit so much so that they can even decide their fate through its best utilization…. Khudi or Self-Respect is what we are lacking today. We generalize ourselves as a morally bankrupt nation and always have countless examples on our fingertips to prove that.

Let me ask one simple question… Who has given this right to berate ourselves? [ Isn’t it us only?] … Each one of us has a duty to be a good citizen and when we don’t fulfill that duty, why do we think that every other being is like us too?

Time To Decide:

WE have to decide now that “ Do we respect ourselves , as mentioned in the words of Iqbal”? …. Because if we don’t , then we will have to accept what others say about us and do to us.

The pictures, cartoons and insulting remarks are increasing day by day , only because we are getting used to them…. AND that is where lurks the real danger !!!

Time to Be United :

An immediate action can be CONDEMNING any such hurtful act, which is against our religious beliefs peacefully. We can give them an impression that nobody believes them and make them believe that they are wasting their time and effort to berate us…

SHOW OUR SELF-RESPECT !!!!

But, we need to do this as a unified force. We should neither deviate from our focus (i.e.,condemning them) nor getting into petty issues (i.e., our own lackings)… because this is what they want us to indulge in.

The real strength is shown in UNITY … and in this case, ONLINE UNITY !!!!

Use their own weapon to fight them back !!!!!

As in the words of Iqbal :

ایک ہوں مسلم حرم کی پاسبانی کے لئے ... نیل کے ساحل سے لیکر تا بہ خاک کاشغر

“Hasrat Mohani Day, Pakistan, PYR & More…”

2010-05-14T16:02:00.053+04:00

[Some Random Thoughts While Returning From Pakistan]

Where Is Our Next Generation?

Since my childhood, I was always reminded at home that being a grand daughter of one of the pioneers of Pakistan Movement was not about any privileges or fame… rather it came with certain responsibilities.

I remember composing and proof-reading the texts of invitation cards of Hasrat Mohani Day (یوم حسرت موہانی ), typing and posting letters to newspapers and institutions during the pre-internet days.
It is almost fun to recall how was I asked to prepare on-the-spot announcements for the arrival of various dignitaries.
I often ended up reading Welcome Notes for the wrong people … needless to mention that the real guests laughed at my childish mistakes, while advising me to do better in the next year’s Hasrat Day.
I do know that they only did it for their devotion to the heroes of independence and their high hopes from the upcoming generations of Pakistan.

As the time is flying, many of our learned and experienced people are growing either older or weaker. While we were informed about the inability of some of our guests to attend Hasrat Day Programme, due to these very reasons, my mind was looking for the answer to one question…WHERE IS OUR NEXT GENERATION?

Remembering Hasrat Mohani:

Thinking about all this background, I flew to Karachi to attend Hasrat Mohani Conference to be observed at Pakistan Arts Council on 13^th May, 2010. By the grace of Allah, the program went off very well … Very insightghtful papers were read by scholars like Dr. Jafar Ahmed (Director, Pakistan Studies Centre, Karachi Uni), Prof. Sehar Ansari ( Head, Urdu Dept, Karachi Uni) , Dr. Anwar Ahmed Zai (Ex Director, Education, Sindh), a poem by Prof Hasan Akbar Kamal (eminent national songs writer, author and critic), Bari Mian Farangi Mahli ( President, Hasrat Mohani Trust) & Mr. Peerzada Qasim (Vice-chancellor, Karachi University). There were some thoughghtful speeches rendered by Mr. Raoof Siddiqui & Mr. Shoaib Bukahri (Federal & Provincial Ministers). The special messages from Mr. Asif Ali Zardari (President of Pakistan) and Mr. Altaf Hussain (Quaid, MQM) were also read out in the program.

Before the start of the program, two ghazals of Hasrat Mohani were sung by Mr. Rafiq Rana.

More details of this program can be had from Daily Dawn of 14th May, 2010.

Hasrat Mohani and Our Youth

Did I mention my own small speech? My topic was “Hasrat Mohani and Our Youth”, which I wrote while travelling to Pakistan, amidst all the previously mentioned random thoughts.

The jist of the speech was that the life of Hasrat Mohani is a model for our youth.

"Have we ever realized that Hasrat and his contemporaries were doing much more “multi-tasking” than present day fast moving youth?

Think about a life without satellite TV, internet, email, fax, etc. ..

Can someone without all these modern day facilities imagine being a journalist, poet, scholar, writer, analyst, critic, politician, public speaker, even a trader … all at one time?

Hasrat Mohani led a very fast paced life, without all modern day communication tools….

So why can’t we be able to set our goals higher and achieve them?"

Pakistan Youth Revolution – A Hope for the Future? http://www.pyr.org.pk/

This is my firm belief that our youth, well equipped with such ever growing technology, are capable of facing much bigger challenges and succeed. They have the same passion and devotion in their hearts, only waiting to be discovered and utilized in the best possible way. This passion can be easily seen and felt through Social Media interaction.

It was initiated with Pakistan Go Green Campaign by Farhan Masood and its numerous supporters. Later Pakistan Youth Revolution by Jahanzaib Khan came up and thousands of talented and highly qualified young professionals joined it. In a very short span of time, this organization has made us set our hopes high and aim for the best only.

It was indeed a great pleasure to see PYR Karachi Team led by Sarfaraz M Khan accompanied by Abdul Hameed Kath, Hameedullah, Sabir Khalid and others. It was like a breath of fresh air of such an enthusiastic group of people in this annual gathering of Hasrat Mohani Trust, Karachi. Also, it was nice talking to Beenish Qureshi who couldnot attend due to her work. I wish and hope that from now onwards, the message of Hasrat Mohani and other national heroes will be remembered and spread everywhere with great zeal and spirit through the platform of PYR.

Isn’t it the revival of a great task of working together towards a common goal…. i.e., spreading hope and light in the lives of all Pakistanis?

History will tell…. Lets wait and see…