Independence

Extracted by me from the Internet sites through Google Search: { please read and understand then evaluate our circumstances from the stand point of a supposedly Independent country:

• Freedom from control or influence of another or others
• Independence is the self-government of a nation, country, or state by its residents and population, or some portion thereof, generally exercising ...
• free from external control and constraint;
• autonomous: (of political bodies) not controlled by outside forces; "an autonomous judiciary"; "a sovereign state”
• The state or quality of being independent; freedom from dependence; exemption from reliance on, or control by, others; self-subsistence or maintenance; direction of one's own affairs without interference.
• independence - freedom from control or influence of another or others

  independency

  freedom - the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints

  autonomy, liberty - immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority: political independence

  autarchy, autarky - economic independence as a national policy

  self-direction, self-reliance, self-sufficiency, autonomy - personal independence

  separateness - political independence;

Independence is the self-government of a nation, country, or state by its residents and population, or some portion thereof, generally exercising sovereignty.

The term independence is used in contrast to subjugation, which refers to a region as a "territory" —subject to the political and military control of an external government. The word is sometimes used in a weaker sense to contrast with hegemony, the indirect control of one nation by another, more powerful nation.

Independence can be the initial status of an emerging nation (often filling a political void), but is often an emancipation from some dominating power. It can be argued that independence is a negative definition: the state of not being controlled by another power through colonialism, expansionism or imperialism. Independence may be obtained by decolonization, or by separation or dissolution.

Although the last three can often coincide with it, they are not to be confused with revolution, which typically refers to the violent overthrow of a ruling authority. This sometimes only aims to redistribute power—with or without an element of emancipation, such as in democratization—within a state, which as such may remain unaltered. The Russian October Revolution, for example, was not intended to seek national independence; the United States Revolutionary War, however, was.

Autonomy (in slight contrast) refers to a kind of independence which has been granted by an overseeing authority that itself still retains ultimate authority over that territory (see Devolution). A protectorate refers to an autonomous region that depends upon a larger government for its protection as an autonomous region. The dates of established independence (or, to a lesser degree, the commencement of revolution), are typically celebrated as a national holiday known as an independence day.

Sometimes, a state wishing to achieve independence from a dominating power will issue a declaration of independence, the earliest surviving example being Scotland's Declaration of Arbroath, and the most recent example being Abkhazia's Act of State Independence. Another example is the U.S. Declaration of Independence issued in 1776.

Causes for a country or province wishing to seek independence are many. Disillusionment rising from the establishment is a cause widely used in separatist movements, but it is usually severe economic difficulties that trigger these groups into action. The means can extend from peaceful demonstrations, like in the case of the Indian independence movement, to a violent civil war.}

 

During our recent 14th August ceremonies and celebrations a thought struck me, what is it that we are actually celebrating?!

1947? what is it about? obtaining freedom from the Indian/British control and domination? what else did it really mean for us and for those who finally accepted and agreed to allowing us our freedom?

Because as far back as I can remember we have always been in chains, of one form or another; when, I ask you, have we ever been really free?! simply put, NEVER!

We have, from day one, been getting handouts with conditions and provisions, we never suffered in our existence because we believed that our fore-fathers did that for us, when they fought for the independence, of the Muslims; we have not suffered in the process of building this Motherland, not an iota! WE have not given, never given of ourselves, while we have stood on the sidelines and let others do what they deemed fit even though we knew that it was NOT in the Motherlands prime interest, but in an individual’s personal interest to do so. By our silence we have unwittingly led them to believe that we support them or at least, dont disagree with what they do in the rape of the poor and down-trodden and the Motherland that is now ours to contend with.

Contend with it we must if we seek a future full of promise for ourselves and for the generations to follow, only you and I can through our single effort can unite each one together if we try!

It is not too late let us begin the silent revolution, not through bloodshed but through creating the awarness needed to unite!

There is no better time than right now!

Is it not time for reconciliation and change?

Everyday the papers and the TV are focused on just one aspect of our existence in the Motherland; is this hype about attracting viewership? I ask myself, or is it out of true concern for this land and its people? You be the judge.

I ask because is it not high time that we focused on the core issues plaguing our beloved Motherland, and discussed solutions to the challenges that face us all.  Is it because we are now an intellectually bankrupt lot of people, ore are we all too self-centered that we cannot see beyond our our immediate selves.

WE are also busy making sure that the education that our future generations are getting is soold and out of date that the are not equipped to handle this country’s challenges. It is only when these younger Pakistanis get to go abroad that it dawns upon them how ill equipped and insufficient their years of hard work in School and college has been!

More importantly how different the method of delivery of their knowledge is abroad there is no parrot style ‘rattoe-ing’ of  material involved there. no crib-sheets to memorize or guess papers to cram. Its all in the way their methodology…..aur ithar hum maar kha jahtain hain!

This must change, not just in the elite schools, colleges and universities but in every institution and I include the madrassas too!

Its time to call a spade, a spade, to end all that mud-slinging and take the turn required to begin the bulding into a unified country and a nation, because in it lies our salvation, not the begging bowls syndrome that comes second nature to us, but by the whole country tightening our belts even doing without what we enjoy most our our will that we impose on one another work only to creat the building blocks that we need to build the nation all over again.

Now is the time for reconciliation and change!

The Chaos continues….

Since I have returned from my holiday abroad, I realised that I have missed out on developments here at home!

Each day the papers carry stories and the TV Channels run programs anchored by the same personalities that have bewildered viewers in the past; I am part of the bewildered part of society who has no inkling as to what on earth is going on in the Motherland!

The stories of corruption, the stories of pay-offs, retainers and complexities of  associations between the establishment and the politicians, while retired persons of these groups also waded into this mirky chaos we term the government of our Motherland.

I must admit that stories of misdeeds and corruption, were overheard in the drawing rooms of the 50s and 60s when I was growing up; it  has not stopped or finished, it has continued unabated in its every hideous form and permeated throughout society from the highest rungs to the lowest in the land.

Our youth have grown up to take it as par for the course! they do not know any different, its SOP for everyone to use the mechanism to their advantage or as it suits them or they think fit.

The news both electronic as well as printed, is so full of it, it is said that even the anchors are paid off to project certain interests!  The courts of the land pose themselves as above board, but I ask myself to what extent? Have they really madea fresh start or done a turn around? In my heart the answer is NOT at all reassuring, simply because their actions speak louder than their words, sadly! How amny courtrooms will be needed how many lawyers will be inducted or judges appointed before the common man will feel that he has had his fair day in court?!

When will are school teachers stop their corruption and their greed to exploit the innocence of virgin minds and when will mothers and fathers of those very same children stop participating in corruption; all in the name of getting what they want by short cut rather then the normal way which is the way of the world!

As the British say, you line up and take your turn, its so simple!

Driving licenses continue to be issued to people who cannot pass the test, why don't we try the authority who issued the license, for murder, because the driver killed someone after getting the license, only because one one let him loose in a car without ascertaining the competence  of that driver!!!

The youth of today is being bombarded with corrupt ways and means to make a success of their lives, so then what does the future hold for them, our time has run out we must yield to them and induct the youth into mainstream politics so that they may choose and decide.

When will the change take place? I ask myself. not in my life time I tell myself, from the look of what is unfolding on the tube we are so glued to every available hour, so mesmerized, and in a stupor while we watch it all unfold, without a single constructive conclusion!

Jago Pakistan Jago!

May Ramadan bring Peace to all... Eds.

SoapBox: Corruption the cancer that has wrecked Pakistan - Zahid Husain

Having been away in a foreign land for the better part of 5 weeks, I can only say its really good to be back! Yes indeed there is never any place like home, in this cas The Motherland, may it always be secure and peaceful.

So what have I learnt, while abroad you may well want to know, the thing is there are always 2 sides to everything,; and so it was in USA. I told you about the traditions and the respect for the law, the considerate humane approach, the respect for individual’s rights; the list goes on and on.

Amidst, all this there rises the ugly head of corruption, while I was there I learnt of 9 Mayors of various towns/cities being arrested for their misdeeds, a Senator who had to resign because he was a married man and was having a relationship with another woman, then there is the matter of the doctors who are under investigation for the death of Michael Jackson, because there is evidence that some wrong doing has occurred.

The Law enforcement and the justice systems work hand in hand to address all the ills of their society; that is why they are held in high regard and society responds to the system as it works to protect each individual while ensuring due punishment for wrong doings.

So, back home why are we any different, lets admit it we are ! the sooner we accept it the sooner we can start to bring about the change. You and I are the ones that must assume the responsibility of starting by first as individuals we refuse to be part of the cancer, if you see or hear that an elder is not fair in their dealing then you and I must stop them then move outwards into society, if we set a goal to convert one person at a time and each converted person does the same we will become a formidable force to reckon with! It is the power of one.

You all of the younger generations, must vow right now not to facilitate, be a part of or allow anyone to perpetuate the Cancer of Corruption. This is paramount for our survival, look around you point the finger, blow the whistle, or whatever it takes but stop it!

Dont tell me about the powerful people who are corrupt, they only are because we do not raise an objection, if we did and we demanded that both arms of the system take responsibility, then they will be left with no other choice but to do our bidding!

For you and me to make it work we too must come out of our drawing rooms and classrooms to object.

That is all it takes! believe me!

Sun is Shining in my Valley Again: The Diary of a Pakistani

by: Zulfiqar Gul (gul.zulfiqar@gmail.com )

On the 17th of February 2009, I left Swat after militants had established their base close to our place in Barikot , Swat. Before that, Barikot used to be a peaceful area in the valley. I still remember at that time the role of our security force was very dubious. While coming back from Mingora to my hometown in cloudy and drizzling evening, I saw them patrolling Barikots markets and then got vanished in no time.

Just after few hours at night, the militants pouring in Barikot for the first time. They were less bother to take decisive action against the militants who were spreading their wings at will. Maybe, our soldiers did not have the clear-cut order from Islamabad where judiciary issue was still overshadowing the looming threat exploding in Swat. While traveling to Mingora , my eyes caught the debris of Qambar High School blown up by the fanatics recently, leaving hundreds students without education. Even before going outside, my mom used to tell me forcefully not to speak up my mind against those fanatics in public places as my head would be without body next morning. Such was a brutality there that every morning we had to bear that vicious news that somebody was slaughtered last night and the body laying on Mingora's Nishat Chowk. And, the Mullah would proudly announce on FM radio that how many people they have slaughtered today. And while watching TV up stirs, I had to slow down the TV volume just to avoid being caught by fanatics spreading so-called vulgarity.

At nights, before hitting the bed, I used to think that our policy of 1980s and 90s of installing proxy government in Afghanistan and bleeding India in Kashmir using private groups with the religious ideology overdosing, has got backfired quite badly and now the same have begun putting their sharp sword on our naked heads.

Finally I had to say enough is enough and left Swat for Islamabad on 16th of February. With 20,000 Rupees in my pocket, I started a persistent search for the job and found myself visiting every office in Islamabad. After few days effort, I got myself a job in a British Call Center. Everyday I had to get newspaper to hear something positive about Swat, all in vein.

In March, the controversial act of Shariah in Malakand Division was passed by the national assembly and also justice Iftikhar Chuodary was restored. That action of Government for peace was considered a weakness by the militants and they moved into adjacent Bunner District that got West Media panicked , spreading propaganda that Taliban now just 60 miles away from occupying Islamabad to have their hands on the Nuclear Weapons .

Then in month of April , we had that video hitting the airwaves of different TV channels where teenage girl somewhere in Swat being flogged by fanatics for going out with father in law. I watched that bone-chilling video during lunch break and left me so broken that after I finished , I decided to have a walk from Rawalpindi double road to Faizabad so that I could whip with my heart out. While crying going to my place, I was pleading to Allah to send a messiha so it could get us free from those brutal butchers who were ripping us off.

In second week of April , I went back to Swat to spend my holidays there. During my brief stay there, I found that entire valley was being taken over by the militants, hitting the roads and streets at their will with heavy weapons in their hands. CDs shops were being blown up and Dish TV being kept hidden by the locals from wrarth of militants. Seeing the valley being pushed into Stone Age and inaction form the government's side, got us boiling big time.

After coming back from Swat, I got myself busy again working in call center. I was not making enough sales and that was something bothering me everyday. In the call center, the role is simple, when on does not hit the sales often that means the person will be penalized by the management soon. I was fortunate enough that my floor manager was not tough and always guided me how to go about this whole thing.

Meanwhile, in the third week of April operation against militants was launched in Buner with main concentration on getting the militants uprooted from the area using massive airpower. In no time people from Buner started migrating to safer places around Mardan and Swabi. Fighter jets and Gunship Helicopters also shelled the mountains of Karakar which separate Swat from Buner . The mountains are just 11 KMs away from our place. My family used to inform me on phone that they could smell the operation being extended to Swat valley as well since militants had taken over the Mingora city.

In the first week of May the militants openly begun challenging the government rite by occupying government's offices in Mingora. That action got Islamabad woke up from slumber of having fake peace in Swat after they conceded so much to them with a so-called peace accord.
While here, I moved to another British call center located in F-11/2. I had to make that move since I was not getting paid on time. On my first day in this call center , I hit a sale and received a clap of appreciation from entire floor. But since then, it's been tough going.

In the first week of May, the operation was extended to Swat, Mingora was pounded heavily by the fighter jets and gunship choppers, leaving many people trapped there. During few days pause, the locals started fleeing the area for Mardan district. Due to lack of transport, the locals had to covers miles on foot. Barikot , my hometown, was still safe from this conflict, came under fire for the first time when gunship helicopters sudden started shelling militants hideouts that made my family move to uncle's place in Peshawar. Only my two elder brothers: Sajjad Gul and Iftikhar Gul opted to stay in Barikot to make sure our place is not occupied by the militants that would result in security forces hitting our only shelter, leaving us homeless forever.

In the third week of May, our family moved to a flat rented by me and my brother Tahir Gul who is English Teacher at FG School Sihala Marzian Islamabad. While being here, I used to argue with shopkeepers about everything is so expensive here but soon I realized that stuffs sound to me expensive since I am not earning enough.

In that intense conflict, one night, the militants blew up Fazaldad Colony Primary School where my brother Iftikhar Gul was teaching. The accident had deep impact on our minds thinking that all doors of learning in swat being shut down rapidly.

One morning , Army convey came under ambush at 5am at Fazaldad Coloney, outskirts of Barikot's Bazar, injuring four soldiers. The fight lasted for five hours. Even my two brothers, who were running for safety, came under fire from FC soldiers positioning themselves on the mountain top over looking our house in Shahi Nagar, Buner Road. Luckily they escaped that fire. That accident forced my elder brother Sajjad Gul to say goodbye to Shahi Nagar, Barikot. He tried his level best to convince Iftikhar that there is not point in saving our house with sudden death looming on our head 24/7 and even had a tough argument with him but Iftikhar stuck to his point and opted to stay home,In that big house, the only source of being connected with world for Iftikhar was Radio On Buner's dangerous route, Sajjad made it to Islamabad on 27 the May.

In last week of May, this flat became jam-packed with 12 people accommodating themselves by sleeping on the floor. Soon my family found too hard to get themselves going in hell of a expensive Islamabad and they started missing the economical rates of Swat. The only sources of income for my family during that crunch time of our life was my dad' pension and Iftikhar 's salary being paid at national bank of Pakistan Mardan Branch.

Swat had been without electricity, telephone and mobile service for almost one and half month, so we were clueless about my brother's well being staying in Barikot. All my salary was being eaten away by daily expenses. Everyday while going to my workplace, I used to cry seeing Swat burning. There was that deserted place in street 20 F/11, just close to my office, where I used to weap my heart out at our agonies and frustration.

Meanwhile in Last week of May. security forces launched a decisive ground operation against militants occupying the Mingora City which is a heart of Swat. It took security forces few days to get the area cleared of militants but not before that bloody urban warfare saw few of our soldiers accepted shadad. They next target was Koza Bandai (down town) , Bara Bandai (uptown) and their strong hold Charbagh across the river. Before launching operation n those areas, the security forces used massive air power, making the way cleared for grounds troops to move in but still security forces had to bear few casualties. The reports were suggesting the 80% of militants were grinded by meat grinder of our armed forces but still possessing a fair amount of threat due to guerilla warfare friendly terrain of Swat.

On 21 the of June around 10.35pm, we received a called from Swat, with Jubilant Iftikhar sharing his moments of joy with us that Pakistan has won the twenty20 world cup which brought tears in our eyes. I heard his voice after one and half month. This victory worked as a tonic for IDPs who had finally something to cheer for. On 15th of July our family left for Swat after government had deemed the Valley safe and secured. When I came back from work, I found, this flat giving me a painful deserted look and blaming myself that I was not earning enough to help my parents and others in this crunch who have done so much for me.

On the 13th of August, around 4.45pm , I reached Landake, entering point of Swat, the security forces thoroughly checked us and let us go The gunship helicopters were hovering over our heads. At 5.20pm I reached my hometown Barikot, after four months……it was peacefully calm but lost its innocence having seen so much bloodshed in recent times.

On 14th of August , the valley is celebrating the independence day with full vigor , security forces are patrolling the markets to make us assure that butchers have been eliminated . 300 soldiers have lost their precious lives and 900 injured in this 4 months' long conflict so far. They have sacrificed their today for our better tomorrow. May my Allah rest their souls in peace, Amin!. I would like to thank my friends and office collogues who were there heeling my wounds during that moment of test. There are hopes in the air of having that old peaceful Swat again. Business being started again, markets being seen full of shoppers However these isolated incidents here and there, are establishing that the war is far from over and we need to be persist and remain agile. Right, now, I am meeting my old friends in Barikot bazaar, Yes, I can see that Sun is back in the valley...

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This article comes highly recommended by the Ed Panel.

Little Drops of Water-by Shaista Hussain

The recent trend of minority killings in Pakistan, specially targeting the Christian community has disturbed us a lot. I am disturbed particularly because I spent eleven years of my life in a Christian School in Rawalpindi and I have beautiful memories of those formative years. What I learnt at school was well in line with the basic teachings of Quran, our own religion.

When I was in a playgroup, we would receive milk and biscuits for lunch, and my parents would fondly recall that every time I would have anything to eat at home, I would close my eyes, put my hands together and say, ‘Thank you God for the milk and biscuits, Thank you!’. The school had taught me my first basic lesson, to be grateful to God for all my blessings.

Our school was more than a 100 years old, and we would occasionally have visitors (old goras mostly) who would come and visit the school and tell us why they remember it so fondly. The school had a character of its own and the motto was true to what it believed: Not Self but God and Others.

A regular day in school would start by the school choir leading hymns (pray books) that all of us would sing out loudly and cheerfully. There was a school prayer that was to be recited and included the school motto to remind us all of the vision that the school stood for. We ended up in the National Anthem and the school would then disperse to start the regular classes.
I recall how the annual Christmas play was such a glamorous event every year (The angel Gabriel would be the most beautiful girl in class 10! And all of us would look at her in awe) and each year all of us would participate with excitement and joy. I had the pleasure of being the narrator of the Annual Christmas play twice, and our parents would almost always attend the annual play because one of us would be participating.

Then, there was the annual milad and you would see all Christian and Muslim students preparing naats with zeal and excitement for the big day. It was not just the Islamiat (Islamic Studies) teacher who would be leading the event, it would be our Christian teachers too participating with equal enthusiasm, encouraging and coaching us all to do our best.
I was recalling one of my most favourite hymns ‘Little Drops of Water’ from back in the day, which was a classic example of the teachings of our school, that respected us all as equal human beings and not discriminating against any one student because he/she would be from a particular sect or religion. Then I wonder, this tolerance and equality and respect for humanity is also reflective of the teaching of our religion as well. So why is it that when it comes to Islam, the most tolerant of all religions in theory as far as I know, is turned so intolerant in practicality by its followers that we react to a situation before we even think about the consequences? We can at the minimum, reflect upon the situation itself in its own merit. Is it because our sense of self righteousness has inflated so much that it does not allow us to distinguish between the right of any other religion against what ‘we’ see as the right thing to do? Who has given a common man on the street the authority to assume the role of the ‘moral police’? Are all of us so pious in our own doings and actions that we can go around putting any house on fire because we ‘think’ that they have done some harm, without having any proof whatsoever? Whatever happened to unity, faith and discipline which were to be the motto of our motherland? The voice of one nation? Can we not all go back in time, and like that small school of mine, situated somewhere in a small city, learn to live together, accepting our differences and respecting each other’s right to religious freedom? Obsession with one’s religion should not come at the cost of failing to recognize the other person’s basic human rights.

I am reflecting on that little hymn we would sing in the morning in the school assembly, and can only hope that this August 14, as we all raise our national flag, we do see the white rectangular border on the left hand side of the flag as representing the minorities of our country. My flag is not complete without that white band and I cannot relate to the Pakistani flag without that beautiful white border that merges so well with the green majority.

Little drops of water,
little grains of sand,
make the mighty ocean
and the beauteous land.

And the little moments,
humble though they may be,
make the mighty ages
of eternity.

Little deeds of kindness,
little words of love,
make our earth an Eden,
like the heaven above.

So our little errors
lead the soul away,
from the paths of virtue
into sin to stray.

Little seeds of mercy
sown by youthful hands,
grow to bless the nations
far in heathen lands.

Glory then for everbe
to God on high,
beautiful and loving,
to eternity.

You can read Shaista's regualar blogs at her personal website: http://shaistathinks.wordpress.com/

Writer's Block - Lessons to Learn….by Bushra Hassan

I am cheating this week. I'm quite unwell and dont really have the ability to write (or even talk), so I am pasting an old article. Its been published before so forgive me for that. Pls note that my daughter is now older and for the record, although I wrote this, I still have not learnt from her, and passed on my own negativity to her. But perhaps, it will give you all some food for thought.

My apologies once again!

Lessons to Learn

My daughter turned one year this month. As I pondered over the highs and lows of the past year, the personal growth her father and I went through, the absence of self indulgence and a new knowledge of our capacity to nurture, there remain many things that make me anxious. My daughter has her whole life ahead of her and I wish to be a mother she can be proud of. A mother who taught her all things right, a mother who had some thing of value to offer her. Luckily I have some faith in my judgment. I married a good man, learnt from wise and loving parents, live a wholesome life and have surrounded myself with positive people. However, increasingly the challenge of parenting worries me. This concern was answered when I observed that all I need to be a good parent is to learn from what my daughter teaches me today.

When she was handed to me, she was a bundle of dependency. God put in her this instinct of self preservation and now in one year I have this blessing of a child who has taught herself to sit, stand, crawl, walk, grab, hold, smile, talk, bite, chew and much much more. In one year she has learnt so much, on her own, with little help, by simply challenging herself and she continues to do so. She tries to stand without support, although she may fall many many times in her attempts, it doesn’t stop her. Her attempts continue. She doesn’t lose heart. She can’t walk without support now but she knows she can, and she will, because she challenges herself and she tries. And when she fails, she doesn’t cry and stop trying. She continues. Failure doesn’t discourage her. She doesn’t know the term failure yet. She doesn’t know what it is and that it even exists. She just knows she has new boundaries to break and she will continue to do that until she learns to give up, like the rest of us.

She has an incredible zest for life. An enthusiasm that is never ending, inspiring, her energy can move the people around her. Her vigor can make any day beautiful and she just uses a single smile to drive all my fears and stresses away. She gives. Unconditionally she gives. She gives love and all her time and attention. She has but few needs in life. Her food and hygiene taken care of, she will be happy with almost nothing. Her life is not about needs or things. She doesn’t need toys. She simply doesn’t need. I may give her gifts, but all she needs truly, is love. And this is what she can give in return. The simple pleasures of life. The give and take of love and attention, of smiles and of caring.

In the past one year she has been through various bouts of sickness. Prone to asthma and allergies, she has been up most nights, she has had trouble breathing, was nebulised frequently. She very often had fever, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lack of energy. But here is what is strange. In the midst of it all, she never forgot to smile. She never gave up. As soon as the medicines would begin their work and her fever would start to drop, her smile would return and she would find something to amuse herself with. While, her father and I moan endlessly about another sleepless night we watch with her with astonishment, amazed at her resilience, her strength. She has but few reservoirs of strength in her, yet she is determined. But more than determination, simply, she hasn’t yet learnt to complain, to whine, to ramble non stop over the tragedies that inflict her. She hasn’t yet learnt to be an adult and oh! How beautiful that makes life.

Today as she played with her favourite play pals, I saw one of them purposely hit her. As a protective mother, I yelled as she cried. The perpetrator, himself a mere child, hid in the arms of his mother. And as I carried my child to make her feel secure, within minutes, she was exchanging smiles with her friend. She forgave, she forgot, she was ready to play again, despite the risk of another injury. She forgave. And although I had my concerns, the same boy handed her his toy, a gesture of friendship, of peace. She accepted with a smile as I watched over. She forgave and forgot. I see her do this all the time. She forgives me for my neglect. She doesn’t complain when I chat on the phone as she yearns to talk to me. She finds something else to do.

As I look for various ways to amuse myself on an empty weekend, some cooking, some book reading, catching up with friends, she doesn’t need anything to be happy. Her self reliance is amazing. She can be by herself for hours and not feel disturbed. The contentment that is on her face I long to have. She enjoys her own company, her independence, without being selfish or self involved. She will jump with joy when I try to join her game. Always welcoming my attention, but never complaining at the lack thereof.

She can adapt, simple. Adapt to new people, new places. We have taken her to new cities, new homes, around new people, all kinds of weather and she has learnt to love them all and accept them all. She is far more comfortable in new places and new people than I would ever be. It is terribly easy to make her smile, to amuse her, to make her laugh. She giggles, crackles, and I am afraid of the time when amusement and laughter becomes rarer and life becomes complicated for her.

She is the most non-judgmental person I know. Despite her purity, her innocence, her impeccable nature, she finds no fault in others. Perhaps unlike adults, she doesn’t know what a fault is, what ‘wrong’ is, what ‘fake’ is. She will love all those who offer her love, will reach out to those who genuinely seek out to her. And although I have discovered her magical ability to assess between people who genuinely love her, and those who do not, she will accept them all with her purity of soul.

But her most incredible strength, in all her self reliance, social skills, is that she knows the value of family. To her, no one comes before her mother. And although she has formed other relationships, she knows who to call when she needs help, when she is sick. Her love is not one based on need and dependency. She gives love back. Not just through smiles, and gentle touches and communication but so much more. For instance, she can sense when I am sick and even at 12 months of age will help, by crying less, by needing less, by giving me space. She knows how to value her mother, some thing we adults forget too easily.

I never knew the wisdom God put in children. It’s like a default programme which is corrupted as time goes on. My daughter will change soon. Change because she will be influenced by her father and I, by her peers and by all our friends and family. She will learn to judge, to give up, to hurt, to be hurt, to let-go of the purity that she carries today. I don’t know whether or not I want her to retain all her wonderful qualities because the world is no longer a safe place for them, but I do know I’d like to take some of these from her and keep them in me, grow them in me. So someday I may be truly worthy of her.

Writer's Block- The Ways of Our Youth-Part II- By Bushra Hassan

About two years ago, my boss, who has a penchant for delegating, asked me to become an “Intern Supervisor”. Ours is a small-ish office, with few people but lots of interns. It is one of those places where important people like to send their children to polish up their CVs and young adults come to think they can influence change. In less than two years I have supervised over three dozen teenagers. By now, I’ve acquired the talent and wisdom to judge a child before they have even sat upon the chair, prior to the interview. I know them before I meet them. I see them from their CVs, and in the subsequent time they spend in the office, my beliefs are confirmed further.

The subject of youth interests me immensely. I was the youth less than a decade ago, so I’m amazed by the changes the country has undergone in such little time. But more than that, I’m a mother who wants to understand the youth, as my child will be one of them soon and I do not want the generation gap to be too wide. This blog is about my experiences with those interns.

Interns are of different kinds and backgrounds. I may be generalizing a little, and you might think I’m making sweeping statements, but the truth remains, every word is true. Here is how it goes:

a) The “cool” only sit and mingle with the cool. The children of the elite (who come through a top-down way) only befriend children of the elite. The young interns from humble backgrounds stick together.
b) Boys and girls check each other out in the first few minutes. The girls from simpler background lose out sooner, and frankly, care less about the “love in the office”. They are more focused and hungrier to achieve.
c) Many interns are accompanied by either of their parents for the interview, who without realizing it, stifle their child’s personality and/or confidence by being over protective and over imposing. You can see the child’s discomfort, every time. I have personally seen that these kids have the worst time adjusting and finding themselves during their time in the office.
d) There are no apprehensions, whatsoever, about little lies on the reference letter. I ask them to keep a list of the tasks performed, so at the end of their internship period, in their reference letter, I may add them. In all the interns, only two have been honest. The rest copy-paste from others, or just create things to sound impressive. It is a minor thing for them to ask me to extend the duration on the letters. It saddens me, this level of morality, so early in life.
e) Most boys, if not all, smoke. I have yet to meet an intern who does not smoke. They may hide it from me, but they do.
f) Interns are angry. Within six months of graduation, the youth is bitter and angry. They see jobs going to other children, and the cry “nepotism”. There is little acceptance that perhaps, just perhaps, they did not get a job because the other person was indeed better. They all believe they are the best there is, and they deserve all there is. And any decision to the contrary is corruption of the system. Within months, if not weeks, they are convinced that the system is unfair.
g) Most young men believe that they will move abroad and all problems with automatically disappear. Going abroad either through immigration (sponsored by daddy), or through education (whether scholarship or again, by daddy) will help solve all their life’s problems.
h) The kids genuinely believe they know everything. They are less open to new ideas, as their ideas have been formed and carved in stone. It is indeed difficult to convince them and to prove that honesty does exist. That nepotism only gets you so far. They are shown around our office where every one was hired on merit and merit alone, and they toss it aside as being the only office where this is so. This hurts me most.
i) They all enter the office to be an officer. All the interns I’ve had, had to be taught, that photo-copying and spiral binding are important things to learn. That you do not get to delegate to “support staff”, that you do not get tea on your table and the support staff is not supposed to clean after you. The helping yourself and helping others, is greatly replaced by “being helped”. The office support staff is made equivalent of domestic help. And there is little respect for the work they do. Every one is in a hurry to become a big “afsar”
j) There are two kinds of girls I get to supervise every year, who annoy me most. These are the ones who are either too humble, quiet and submissive; or too clever and passive aggressive. Many have both these tendencies simultaneously, like split personalities; sing whichever one suits them most. They start out as poor victims, and within weeks become the exact opposite. There is little balance. I realize now that these girls come from households that suppress their individuality, and this is their coping mechanism.
k) There is little interest in learning how to write. Everything is copy-pasted from the web. There is little credit to individual thought and innovation. Children are afraid of making mistakes, as it would cramp their style. So they don’t take risks, ask questions. It takes me a week so build the confidence in them to make mistakes, ask questions and think of the answers. Sometimes it takes longer. Our education system has dulled their intellectual creativity.
l) Most importantly, they want to change things for the better and they don’t know how. They have no one listening to what their dreams are and what they want to do. They have parents who either don’t care, or care only for them to become engineers or doctors. They are lost and want some one to hold their hand and listen to them, and guide them.

They are lost.

It pities me to see them like this because this is not their fault. There is a fault in the system that lacks quality in both the education and the upbringing. Both the “taleem” and “tarbiyat” have flaws. Most of the observations above are simply a result of inadequate time by the parents. Perhaps I am being too quick to judge, but two years and over forty interns has taught me plenty. It worries me that perhaps too much self awareness is a bad thing, because it leaves little space for growth and change.

It is never too late to change. I have learnt the mistakes I must never make with my child. I have learnt what I need to teach these interns the most. They have become like my children, they are the children of this nation, and our future is in their hands. Perhaps, when you see some one young and confused, you can hold their hand a while. In the meantime, their hands are held in mine.

San Francisco

Ok so my visit to this enchanting city is turning into quite an adventure!

The other day I was confronted by the fact that my better half left the house to catch a bus, and had left her cell phone behind!

I knew that if I stopped to put on some socks and shoes she would have been long gone! So I charged out after her bare foot down the road trying to get her attention, after 2 blocks she finally heard me! and I gave her the phone so she could stay connected.

All the while I walked back to the apt building, I wondered if I would have been able to run bare foot on the street in my city, the pavements here are so darned clean, by comparison, of course; I still went home and washed my feet, mind you! Bare foot! on Divisadero Street, while people watched me do the 2 blocks at a run, havent run a long while mind you I was quite pleased with my performance!

Then we went to the Theatre the ‘Orpheum’ where WICKED was playing, a treat from my Son Taimoor, when we exited, the place after the show, we began to look for a taxi, as everyone was doing the same, with no luck, we headed for the bus stop, as we turned the corner on McAllister, there before our eyes was a real live scene, from Starsky and Hutch ! for the uninitiated, it was a cop serial of the 80s 4 cop cars blocking the street and surrounding the bad guys, who had assumed the position! by that I mean legs apart hands high and apart up against the wall!! I was very tempted to whip out my camera and start getting some shots, but being unfamiliar with the cop-public reactions I thought better of it. Wow! We witnessed our first real life police action in San Francisco.

But getting back to the theatre, The Orpheum, it was magnificent! the interior took me back to the old world charms of the ones in London, it truly was so beautiful inside! I wanted to photograph the interiors but was stopped my the ushers as photography was not permitted inside the theatre, what a shame! I so wanted to share the sight with you!

I was walking along the street on a pavement, oh! yes I forget we dont have them much in my city! they barely have room for the traffic! leave alone the pedestrians! and you know what the minute you step up to the edge at a crossing cars immediately slow down and make sure that they stop when the light permits pedestrians to cross!

at each crossing I also noted, while I waited for the lights to change so I could cross, was this message:

                  

That is how they make sure the streets dont fill with rain water, when it starts to pour! like its doing in another city in my country! They even encourage you to report anyone polluting the streets!

they even have a concept of citizen’s arrest! You as a citizen can arrest another citizen if you find them breaking the rules and laws of the city!!

 

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Here are some of the areas I have seen for you to enjoy!

Made in Pakistan

MADE IN PAKISTAN.....A documentary motivated by New York Time's cover story declaring Pakistan as the "most dangerous place in the world".

Produced by Pakistani filmmakers, it follows the lives of four ordinary citizens during Musharraf's rule in an effort to break Western stereotypes about the country. More details on Pak Tea House at the following link:

http://pakteahouse.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/made-in-pakistan/

The film is being screened in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

Lahore: 14-18 August09
Karachi: 31 July-2 August09
Islamabad: 8-9 August09

Venue and other details are discussed in the blog.

I think we should all make the effort to go watch the movie and to encourage such efforts by Pakistani filmmakers.

Mehr Zahra
Islamabad

Lahori Fashion

Hey readers! I'm back after a long break with a fashion update for you guys :)

All over Pakistan, especially in Lahore, summer fashion includes straight pants with loose painchas, closer to the culots style, reminiscent of the early 9O's. Shirts are also longer and for those of you who feel bad as you've got small shirts stitched worry not as you can put satin ribbons on the daman, sleeves and collar as they not only increase the length but is also in style :) Dupatta has become complimentary and even optional, depending on the style you're wearing! Pastels are IN, as are floral prints, as opposed to geometric designs.Once stepping out you need to carry a water bottle, plenty of sun block, wear your sunglasses and tie a scarf on your head to protect yourself hair from the sun and the scorching heat!!

See you next week:)

No Flowers in your hair

My visit to San Francisco this July after a whole year, it not just a trip to the city, but to actually live in it for a few weeks.

I cannot help but draw comparisons between this place and the one I call home; I tell you, there is no comparison, but then there can’t be! How can I just sit here and compare that every person on a 2 wheeler wears a helmet, even the pillion rider, and they actually wear their helmets, not balanced them on their petrol tanks like where I live.

People only cross the road when the lights permit them to, not wander off helter skelter, and challenge the motorist to the right of way! I see another glaring difference, there are garbage drums along the pavements at intervals and people actually use them; they don’t throw stuff out of their moving cars, there is no litter on the roads, and, even when they take their dogs for walks they clean up after them!! I did too when I had to take our little Havanese dog ‘Hero” out to respond to the call of nature! 

The parks, and there are many!  just like where I live, are beautiful and green no litter no mess just people sitting or strolling, kids playing, dogs running about chasing each other or their masters or playing fetch! Actually ignoring others or expressing curiosity at their fellow species, but not fighting!!! Unbelievable!

Even the dogs are well behaved and mannered!

 

People are polite, they queue up to enter a bus, they queue up to buy their tickets they even queue up to queue up! Traffic lights are not jumped, and there is always a patrol car about when you least expect it, to nab you if you choose to break the law! Now that’s not saying the people here don’t break the law! Yes they do and by the dozens, for every type of crime there is a designated punishment, (you did the crime , you pay the fine or you do the time!)but overall they are law abiding, God fearing, and they have what we don’t back home, the caring for the community to which they belong! i.e. the Neighborhood!

The architecture is so varied, their buildings all have car parks for the residents and tenants and there are parking meters on the pavements for visitors; so there is never an issue about whose parking space it is or that you cant park here because some muscle-bound sumo wrestler chooses to stop you because he can!

The law is supreme.

Talking of which, all of what I have shared with you, is governed by the laws of the city, state and country, and no one and I mean no one is above the law, not even the police chief or the President of the country; people do not cheat, lie or steal, in general but there are exceptions and that is the rule! If you are caught out you have to take the consequences.

In a restaurant, or in a café, people bring their kids, who know that they should not disturb other around them, if the child does misbehave, the parents will leave the café, rather than permit the child to play up and throw a tantrum! I saw this unfold right before my eyes, in fact I saw all that I have mentioned take place; the mother took the child outside and sat down with him on a pavement seating and proceeded to explain but when the child would not stop his tantrum, he was promptly walked home, without any treat! That’s the way it is, here.

I have watched and waited, for an opportunity to record the breaking of the rules or laws, and I continue to wait and watch!

This city has one of the most impressive transport systems I have ever experienced! For $15 one can travel all over SFO on any mode of transit, like buses, cable cars  or BART for a full month! So during the day we mostly get around like that; the buses are are very well run, there are seats for the elderly (senior citizens) infirmed/disabled and even wheel chairs!

I watched as I was asked to vacate a seat which was turned up and floor space was cleared for the motorized chair to come up the ramp which was extended from the bus while the bus actually lowered its suspension on that side where the door is located; so the chair comes up from the pavement into the bus and is parked where the place is assigned for it!

All the while the driver kept an eye on the progress and when all was secure the doors closed and away we went ! The seating is so spacious and everyone is sitting without hassle.

The Bus stops have a read-out that tells you when which bus will arrive and bang on time it is there! Their systems actually work why don’t they work in my city?

 

Lahore's Contribution to Bollywood - Rabiah Khwaja Gohar

I have been reading several arguments from our dear Indian friends about how crappy Lollywood has become, so I decided to look at this situation from a...different perspective.

What has the great city of Lahore contributed to the nation of India?

Ok first of all, India is not in an economical position to make multi-billion rupee films that it presently produces, and we all know for a fact that the films produced now are because of the BIG money being filtered in by the underworld. So if "Bollywood" made films according to THEIR budget, the films wouldn't necessarily be worth watching right? oooops...like they are now? hmmm? Its all there, the big names, the big costumes, the big tears, the big (cheesy) dialogues...the "dishown dishwon fight scenes" but whats missing..??

Before we start hating on "Lollywood" or Lahore, lets remember Bollywood has not been able to bring quality cinema in ages ..with a few exceptions....talent is essentially non-existent, the "hit" and 'super-hit" films are nothing but 'time-pass' or trunk shows for big designers like Ritu Kumar, Manish Malhotra etc... very strategically targeting desi shopaholic housewives. (apologies for the stereotype).
One might argue that Lahore played no role in the creation of "Bollywood", lets put that myth aside..shall we....and take a minute to trace the birth of "talent" through the great city of Lahore.

First and foremost, India's Taran-e-Hindi "Saray Jahan Say Acha, Hindustan Hamara" Written by Dr.Allama Iqbal from Lahore. Yes not many Indians know much about the author hence their disability to give recognition to originality.

I should stop here and rest my case, but I feel compelled to continue.

An interesting fact I recently read:
Teji Kaur Bachchan, the mother of Amitabh Bachchan ,was a prominent lecturer in Lahore University.

::::: And now before you forget what Lahore gave "Bollywood" :::::

Prithvi Theatres was established in Lahore by Prithvi Raj Kapoor a Pathan from Peshawar, who was a stage actor in Lahore at the time. (Pop Culture India by Asha Kasbekar)

Lahore's first Film studio, United Players, was responsible for launching the career of the first woman film-maker of India (Fatima Begum) who made Bulbul-e-Paristan in 1926. (Cinema Studies by Susan Hayward)

The renowned filmmaker of India, Ramanand Sagar, from Lahore, was the head of the Bollywood production company Sagar Arts Corp, wrote, directed, and produced motion pictures, and television programs. His most famous works include the Ramayan (1987) a popular 78-part TV epic. He studied at University of Punjab, Lahore. (Britannica)

The first silent film from Lahore was The Daughter of Today, released in 1924 directed by A. K. Kardar a Lahori, who went on to become one of the most famous film directors of India during the 1930's, 40's and 50's.
His works include Sharda, Dulari, Dillagi, Shahjahan, and Jadoo, all famous for Naushad Ali’s music. (History of Pakistani Cinema by Mushtaq Gazdar)
First talkie produced from Lahore was Heer Ranjha in 1932.
The actress who played the lead in Anarkali, Shahjahan, Shireen Farhan and Daasi was Ragni, also from Lahore.
Om Prakash was given his break by Dalsukh Pancholi (Founder of Pancholi Studios in Lahore) in the Film Daasi.

Lahore gave us legends like Muhammad Rafi, Om Parkash, Dev Ananad saab, Pran saab and Balraj Sahani (one of the most talented actors in "bollywood") and many many more, who started their career in Lahore. Chaitan Anand (Dev's brother) was a famous film director in Lahore. Mohd Rafi was introduced to radio Lahore by music composer Feroz Nizami (Lahori) and made his debut as a playback singer in the Punjabi film Gul Baloch.

Dalsukh Pancholi, a film tycoon from Lahore (born in Karachi) and the founder of Pancholi Studios of Lahore, studied scriptwriting and cinematography from New York, and played an important part in the careers of stars such as Noor Jehan, Ramola, Om Prakash, music composers Ghulam Haider and O.P. Nayyar. His first film was Gul-e-Bakawli (1938) starring Noor Jehan. Ghulam Haider's "shaala jawaania" one of my personal favorites of Madam, was an instant rage.
His film Khazanchi was one of the longest running movies of its time.
Master Ghulam Haider a phenomenal music director from Lahore, was the man who gave Lata Mangeshkar the break of her career in the movie Majboor (1948)

Pran established his career in Lahore as a villan in punjabi films.

Mohd Rafi's debut also happened to occur in Lahore, at the hands of music director Shayaam Sunder and Pancholi in the film Gul Baloch.

Roshan Ara Begum from Lahore was acclaimed the best interpreter of Kirana Gharana Sytle of Khayal singing in the subcontinent. Composer O.P Nayyar, Ustad Fateh Ali, BarRay Ghulam Ali (the only film he ever sang for was for Mughal-e-Azam) free of charge... only as a favor to Naushad, all are from Lahore.
According to BBC Urdu the most expensive film of India was made in Lahore in 1934. Its cost was 18 Lakh Rupees (at that time). Its name was ‘ShireeN Farhaad’
In the film Shireen farhad (the charactar of Farhad was played by Jayant a Muslim Pathan, father of Amjad Khan whose name is synonymous with the legendary villan of Bollywood Gabbar Singh)
Khurshid Begum and Shamshad Begum--the playback singer made her debut from Peshawar Radio in Lahore. (Not the classical singer Shamshad begum, Saira Banu's grandmother)

Father of the Chopras, B. R. Chopra was born in Lahore. He studied journalism, directed/produced plays, and worked as a film critic in Lahore. Yash Chopra, B. R’s younger brother was born in Lahore as well, later he joined his brother in Bombay to start their own production house.
B.R. Chopra was working on his first film Chandni Chowk when the partition riots began.

Academy Award winner lyricist Gulzar was born in Jehlum, Punjab.

Academy Award winner Shekhar Kapur of Bandit Queen and Elizabeth is too from Lahore. (He is the nephew of Dev Anand)

Grandpa Roshan (Roshan Lal) from Gujranwala, Lahore, was given a chance as an assistant by another Lahori musician, Khwaja Khurshid Anwar (who was in Bombay at the time).
Rudyard Kipling was also a Lahori.

Actress Meena Shorey (Khurshid) the "Lara Lapa" girl one of the earliest bombshells of Bollywood was from Lahore (Raiwind).
Her husband was Roop K. Shorey, a Quetta-born actor/director, and the owner of Kamla Movietone in Lahore. He later moved to India after the partition. His film Mangti ran over 75 weeks in Lahore in the forties, making it his most profitable film.

Actresses Kamni Kaushal, kuldeep kaur,and Anupam Kher are from Lahore
Suraiya (singer and actress) hails from Sialkot.

K. L. Saigal (singer) acquired fame in Lahore then later moved to Calcutta. His last film was in 1947, music composed by Khwaja Khurshid Anwar from Lahore.

Famous Musicians from Lahore who migrated later.
Pundit Amarnath, Shayum Sunder, Gobind Ram, Lachi Ram, Dhanni Ram were more than compensated by the arrival of Ustad Sardar Khan, Ustad Akhter Hussain Khan, Bundoo Khan, Nazakat Ali, Salamat Ali, Amanat Ali Fateh Ali, Bhai Lal and Ghulam Hassan Shaggan. There were musicians who were already in Lahore like Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Inayat Bai Dheerowali, Shamshad Begum, Sohni, Alamgir Khan, Sadiq Ai Mando.

Khayyam the music composer of Umrao-Jaan fame started his career in Lahore.

Many pre-partition films were produced in Lahore. Lahore was considered the 'launchpad' for new actors, directors and producers.

Pre-partition, Lahore happened to be the Head Quarters of India's Northern Circuit in the mid-forties.
There were three major cinemas in the city that primarily showed punjabi films. (Aijaz Gul)
**Partition came with gains and losses for both countries.**
Noorjehan and her director-editor husband Shaukat Rizvi, actor-director Nazir and her actress wife Swaran Lata, director Subtain Rizvi, composers Master Ghulam Haider, Khwaja Khursheed Anwar, and producer-director W.Z.Ahmad all moved during partition.
Sahir Ludhianvi (Abdul Hayee) started his career in Lahore as a lyricist/poet, who later went on to become one of he biggest lyricist in Bollywood.

Raj Kumar of Mother India fame was born in Baluchistan, and who can forget the tragedy king Dilip Kumar (Yousuf Khan) from Peshawar, its not Lahore but yes its this side of the border.
Pundit Nehru, after watching the film Intezar(1956) lifted the ban in India on Pakistani films, and first time after the partition, a Pakistani film was shown in Indian theaters. The cinema walls in Delhi read this:
"Woh geet jo aaj tak aap ne nahin sunay, Woh naghme jo Noor Jehan ne aaj tak nahin gaey".
The love for music in the subcontinent lead Noor Jehan to jump start the careers of many music directors and filmmakers as she took over through her singing and acting talents. After listening to her voice one can forget the boundaries drawn by man. She was and is a wonder that shall remain with us forever.

Recently Lahore has given India Noor Jehan, Nusrat Fateh Ali, Sabri Brothers, Adnan Sami Khan, Reshma, Mehdi Hassan, Abida Parveen, Tassawar Khanum, Atif Aslam Ghulam Ali, Rahat Fateh, Shafqat Amanat Ali---- for their talent truly saturates Bollywood.

Numerous Bollywood films and Indian music directors have taken credit for their work.
Yet they say Lahore has given them nothing? hmm?

These are just a few examples of how Lahore has contributed to the success of "Bollywood"

I find it sad how a line drawn on the map can make people so ungrateful and hostile when it comes to giving credit to such great artists and the great city that produced them.

(The author is the grand daughter of Kh. Khursheed Anwar and currently resides in USA)

Writer's Block-.....Or forever hold your peace - Bushra Hassan

Have you seen the flags all around Islamabad? The flags that fly bold and strong, the flags that are not national but political. The flags that raise eye brows but no questions. Of course in our secret thoughts we wonder why one political party would claim its rights over the arteries and veins of the nation’s capital. Many feel dejected over how each political party must have a show of power. But here is the million dollar question: Why are we, the general public, silent?
Did you witness over half a dozen fires on the Margalla hills that mysteriously appear and disappear? The fires that usually follow a pattern, a line, as if clearing the hills for roads or some other construction fiasco. The fires that have raped the city’s monumental prize, its identity, its prestige. If you have, what have you done about it?
Here is the thought of the week. What is wrong with us that we do not raise our voice over the smallest or the largest of crimes, unless our hands are held by a foreign dictated media? Why is it that we do not rise to protect our own identity? Is it because we are afraid that any criticism of the government will land us in jail? Or because we have given up hope of anyone listening to whatever we have to say? At what point did we stop trying to make a difference? And if we have stopped trying to make a difference, is it the beginning of the end?

Quite frankly, the flags do not bother me as much as I’d like to think, it’s the silence, the fear, the apathy that concerns me. Similarly, while the fire rages in my heart as it does on the hills, I’m more appalled by the silence of the citizens that the hills have watched over, sheltered and entertained for many decades.

Of the many paranoid conspiracy theory, my favorite and most believable, is the one which states that foreign elements are responsible for creating the fires and frequent building collapses (which have been more frequent in the past 5 years than the previous sixty) to raise the level of alarm in the nation, scare them and then immune them to the fatalities, disasters and tragedies. To deprive them of their willingness to protect and rebuild by tiring them emotionally. This is my favourite because this is true. At least about our growing unwillingness to want to protect and rebuild.

Many people have refused to write to newspapers because they feel that their letters would be ignored, not published. But then, you have to choose the papers carefully as well, those known for their credibility or impartialness. More than that, what if the letters came in tens and hundreds; and not trickling in one by one by one. What if we were all one collective force, rather than individual elements trying to make our point? Perhaps then, perhaps then, we might win, we might be heard, we might create change. Perhaps then, we will no longer be dead or dying.

Like always, I will end with a note of hope. I am writing this and sharing this on a site developed collectively. It is not one person’s pursuit for recognition but a collective attempt to affect change. Youth is gathering in small units, through theatre groups or merely through students hanging out at a coffee shop discussing, inspiring and more importantly, waking up. There is still hope, albeit a tiny, flickering one. We have to capture the moment and keep trying. Not give up.

This is beyond parties and flags (although had these been Pakistan flags flying over the capital, the nationalism it would have invoked in our people at this time of crisis would have been historical and moving). This is beyond fires that one Development Authority is trying desperately to control. This is about the people of the country, their innate patriotism and passion, which is dying gradually, unless we decide, today, to change.

I am writing this blog at a time when the new Cyber Crime Act is in place. Where criticism of certain people of consequence is no longer allowed. Now, frankly, I’ve never been a fan of emails and videos that ridicule or scandalize our leaders, true or not. I truly believe that our nation must begin to rise above petty personal criticisms, and focus on policy debates. Personally I have little interest in the Governor Punjab’s family, or how this or the previous head of state spend their evenings. What I do have interest in, is the right of the people to make constructive criticism, rather than living in fear.


What we need is a change in our national outlook, the same that encourages us to judge a person by their clothes, the same that stigmatizes a woman in jeans as a slut, or a well dressed gentleman as gay. It is the passing of judgment over the other, of feeling superior than the other, that I dislike, but this change does not come from being imposed upon by the government, striving to protect itself rather than the people This act will probably have a result similar to that of a child who insists on poking fingers in electric sockets especially when told not to. What we need now, from within us and from the government is a sense of security and pride with who we are, and what we have; and a desire to protect it – be it our forests, our identity and our freedom.

Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair….

I must begin with an apology to everyone, the Blog management and to all the followers, my piece scheduled for last Thursday, got sidelined because of the trip to San Francisco.

Yes, this comes to you from the west coast of the USA, San Francisco, to be precise; having recovered from the 15 hour haul over the North Pole, we got here in relatively good condition; it was not long before I had my camera out and began my collection of Photos of SAN FRANCISCO.

So the first impressions it is always the same, its good be back in SFO! On previous trips We were based out of San Jose and used to drive out to SFO for the day, but this time we are based in the Big City, since my son has moved there 2 months ago. He works with an IT Giant.

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Stepping out with the Family to get a feel for the neighborhood where we are staying with my son, Taimoor and daughter in law Aamnah we walk mostly because parking is always a challenge besides the MUNNI or bus service is so convenient and fun to use. This area is just off centre from the central part of San Francisco, and as you will see it is a very interesting city!

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This beautiful city and very friendly people, is so full of sights and scenes worth sharing with the readers, enjoy them! more will follow.

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More next time, Bye! from SFO for now!

whats going on?

So the local bodies system that has been in place since 2001 has been abolished. The commissioner raj is back. The MPA's and MNA's are back in charge of development funds. We are back to 1999. It seems anything that happened during the Musharraf era good or bad has to be rolled back no matter the consequences. Supporters of the current move point to this fact that since this system was the creation of a dictator it cant be good. Perhaps its execution at all levels has not been good but conceptually this system is the best way of empowering people at the grass roots level.  As the famous saying goes all politics is local. Yet in Pakistan our political dynasties find it anathema to devolve power. Our babus find it disgraceful to let go of their powerful perches as well. Now the all powerful commissioner will carry out the desires of their all powerful political master, the chief minister. People in Lahore will decide which lane of Mian Channu requires street lighting. The head honcho in Karachi will decide which water course to line in rural Shikarpur. Ditto for other provinces. Welcome to democracy Pakistani style. 

Whats my beef here? Well basically we are reversing a system that provides an excellent forum for participatory democracy as well as accountable local government. If lane so in so in Mian Channu requires street lights the residents of that lane can go to their local councilor who can go to the Nazim and get the funds released. This ruffled feathers. This ruffled the bureaucracy who before this systems inception were the all in all and weren't accountable to anyone locally except to someone like the "khadim e Alla" we have here in Punjab these days. It upset our LEGISLATORS (note the emphasis) both at provincial and federal level as well. It deprived our honorable LEGISLATORS of their right to control the funds for development in their respective constituencies. Their grief is understandable given that our LEGISLATORS don't actually legislate so if you take away development funds from them whats the point of sitting in one of the capital cities. Also who knows the local government might throw up future political  challengers to them in their respective constituencies. You will hear critics say that this system bred corruption. Sure it did. But as much as I'm trying to remember the pre 2001 days i cant recall a system in place that was not corrupt. In fact if Transparency international is to be believed we were much more corrupt before than we are now. So all id say is that in addition to power being devolved, corruption also got devolved.

Like any system this system's effectiveness depended on the individuals involved. I'm sure some were bad but then there were others like the Nazim of Karachi who stood out and actually delivered a lot for his city. At the end of day folks, this system gave people all over Pakistan a chance to participate in grass roots democracy where they had people at the local level they could approach for redress of grievances and whom they could boot out if those people were found wanting in their eyes. One final note regarding this system. The empowerment of women that was happening and could have happened even better if this system was retained will be lost. 33% of the 80000 odd councillors were women.

Coming to my second hot topic which is kind of related. Lately the issue regarding the number of provinces has come into the spotlight. Contrary to this nonsensical view that this is not the time to talk about this issue i believe we should have a healthy debate regarding the issue. I for one am in favour of more administrative units as long as these units are not based on ethnic or linguistic lines. The reason I'm in favour of more administrative units is the same for the local bodies system. Majority of Pakistanis don't actually live in Lahore,Karachi, Islamabad,Peshawar or Quetta. A person in some Chak in Rahim yar Khan for instance is light years away from Lahore. Its impractical for a huge number of them to travel to Lahore to have their voice heard. In my opinion more administrative units will also bury the smaller provinces vs Punjab debate. In addition, if done smartly, it could also provide more unity to us all. However there are problems with this proposal one of which is the increase of government expenditure that will happen with the setting up of new capitals. Our new CM's and governors will demand the protocol that our present lot demands and gets.

Finally on a local Lahori note, our famous Food street of Gawalmandi has ceased to exist. it seems the powers that be could not tolerate another of Musharrafs legacies especially in their stronghold of Gawalmandi. Worry not Lahoris because Karachi's famous Barbecue tonight has opened up shop in Lahore. Who needed that tourist and connoisseur magnet food street anyway?