Jerry's First Take: On Contradiction and Compliance.

So as usual Pakistan is at a crossroads, passing through the most critical phase of its history. Shahzad Roy had it right in his latest album. every 10 years we seem to be at the most critical phase of our history. If ever there was a country where the adage "history repeats itself" holds true its our motherland.

We crib endlessly over meals and tea, at tea stalls and drawing rooms yet very few of us do anything about it and those who do, do so in an individual capacity.

Now all 170 million of us have grown tired of this. Many have resigned themselves to this fate. Those who can have gotten non green looking passports as backups while very few continue to maintain this disastrous status-quo. We crib endlessly over meals and tea, at tea stalls and drawing rooms yet very few of us do anything about it and those who do, do so in an individual capacity. We blast governments of all hues and stripes and rightly so. Yet very few among us dare to introspect. Many among us lie and cheat regularly to make a quick buck. we have fake doctors and pirs. Our "conservative" merchants jack up prices of essentials just prior to the onset of Ramadan. Hoarding is common place. Treating traffic laws as a nuisance that's better ignored is more the norm than the exception. As a society we take great pride in calling ourselves an Islamic society yet we treat humans, animals and our environment with the utmost contempt.

Our "conservative" merchants jack up prices of essentials just prior to the onset of Ramadan. Hoarding is common place. Treating traffic laws as a nuisance that's better ignored is more the norm than the exception. As a society we take great pride in calling ourselves an Islamic society yet we treat humans, animals and our environment with the utmost contempt.

"safai nisf imaan hai" cleanliness is 50% of our faith yet our streets are filthy, our garbage strewn everywhere with open sewage creating a dream home for all those elements that make our lives a nightmare. Basically what I'm getting at is that we need to take not only ownership of our home but ownership of our streets, of our mohallas, of our cities and finally our Pakistan. little things matter. We worry about the American/Israeli/Indian conspiracy to break up our country yet we do nothing about the pile of garbage on our street corner that mind you, in addition to being an eyesore, is giving rise to a host of easily preventable health problems. We worry about the sheer incompetence of our politicians yet we vote them in time and time again.

So far I've been talking in the most general terms and that's because this is my intro post. I'm sure there are many of you out there who are actually doing something, who are taking responsibility and ownership. We need to spread this. We need to have an awakening, a renaissance. The status-quo wont do anymore. The incompetence of the politicians wont do anymore. We can no longer afford business as usual. The stakes have become just way to big for us to remain oblivious anymore and all of us can do this. We can make a difference.

We are the 6th largest country in the world, one of 7 nuclear weapon states, sitting at the crossroads of China, Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. We have, in spite of the efforts of various governments created a platform but now its time to truly achieve our potential because time is running out.

We are the 6th largest country in the world, one of 7 nuclear weapon states, sitting at the crossroads of China, Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. We have, in spite of the efforts of various governments created a platform but now its time to truly achieve our potential because time is running out. The extremist so called Muslims are here and (were, fingers crossed) making gains. but once these extremist thugs are defeated and they will be, then what? back to the days of political musical chairs amongst the two families? the biggest challenge to this country does not come from the extremists, at least not yet. Our biggest challenge is our demographic composition.

100 million Pakistanis are under the age of 25. approximately 3 to 4 million new jobs will have to be created each year for them to be employed. The highest number of jobs our nation has ever created is 2.5 million jobs in one year back in 2004-05. Now we have always had a law and order problem in our country. Apart from the extremists and sectarian problem, we have been plagued with street crime, robberies and dacoities since before i was born. Just imagine the pressure on this society, on this country if we fail to cater to the youth of this country in the coming years. Actually we don't have the luxury of even that. We needed to start catering to them yesterday. Apart from petty crime the ranks of extremists could easily be swelled by unemployed, frustrated youth from across the country. However there is a silver lining.

Whereas this happens to be our biggest challenge, it can also become Pakistan's biggest opportunity. These 100 million or so are our version of the 'baby boomers'. If most of them end up with jobs the amount of consumption these guys will undertake from buying homes, cars, electronics, eating out,planning vacations etc will drive our country from the third world into the first in one generation. Wishful thinking? Perhaps. but this has happened else where before and frankly what other choice do we have?

We must do what we can to make this country a better place to live. We must ensure that the political governments are held to account and that they actually start governing. We need to shake off our political apathy (and drawing room conversations are political apathy) and make our voices heard.

Finally in conclusion, all of us have to take ownership of this country. We must do what we can to make this country a better place to live. We must ensure that the political governments are held to account and that they actually start governing. We need to shake off our political apathy (and drawing room conversations are political apathy) and make our voices heard. Do a letter campaign, hold protests, come on the media, write blogs and/or for newspapers and do what we can to create awareness. If you know people who have access to the corridors of power, talk to them, bring about a change in their thinking and attitude. We need to get off our collective backsides because like i said before what other choice do we have?

Pakistan Hamesha Zindabad!!!

PS: Congrats to the Cricket Team and all of you on reaching the T20 semis!!