Timeline: 25th December; A Date to Remember - Aabi Asif

Note: This article is dedicated to my grandfather, Iqbal Ahmed Siddiqui, who was a journalist. He not only worked alongside the Quaid, but he shared his experiences of the partition. I consider myself to be lucky to have recieved first hand information from someone who actually had seen Pakistan made. He gave me the best gift anyone could have given me, a treasurey of knowledge; the beautiful collection of his books that I refer to from time to time. The speeches I have included in this article are from one of the books he gave me. May his soul rest in peace. Ameen.

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As soon as the first of December arrives there is an air of celebration in the air all over the world. People adorn their houses with lights, streamers, wreaths. They invite each other over, exchange gifts and cards, sing carols and praise their lord as it is the month when Jesus Christ was born.

We in Pakistan also celebrate however in a unique style. All over Pakistan official buildings, roads and in some cases houses also are decorated with lights and the whole nation is also celebrating; our festivities are two fold as we show solidarity with the Christians to celebrate the birth of Christ. Secondly, it is also the day our beloved founder Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born.

Jinnah was born on 25th December 1876, in Karachi at the Wazir Mansion to a merchant family of Khoja sect. He was educated in Karachi and Bombay. He left for England in 1892 to study Law at Lincoln’s Inn and was called to the bar in 1897. After returning to Bombay he joined the Bombay High court.

Jinnah at first stayed away from the sub-continent politics; however, he then started to propagate a united India free from the rule of the British and for the benefit of Hindus and Muslims.

“My message to the Mussalmans is to join hands with your Hindu brethren”. {Jinnah and Gandhi; their role in India’s Quest in freedom: Pg 37}

However, after seeing the connivance of the Hindus Quaid-e-Azam decided to part ways and fight for a separate homeland for the Muslims. He wanted that the Muslims should be able to breathe in an environment where they are able to practice the teachings of Islam freely. Where they were not afraid to pray, to offer sacrifice and in short to lead their lives in free land.

He worked hard day and night along with his devoted team of freedom fighters to establish a country without the British or the Hindus. After that there was no looking back and it was with sheer hard work and dedication that Quaid-e-Azam managed to create a homeland for the Muslims which the Hindus and the British thought not possible.

He won Pakistan for his people with his own unflinching spirit and people’s trust in his sincere and dauntless leadership. Quaid-e-Azam in his message to the nation on 15th of August 1947 said:

“My thoughts are with those valiant fighters in our cause who readily sacrificed all they had including their lives to make Pakistan possible”.

It indeed was because of the tireless efforts of these great leaders that we are what we are today and are living a life of freedom where our children can live without any fear.
We still posses the same spirit and enthusiasm that the Muslims had when Pakistan was being created. The youth of today can very easily give up their life for the sake of protecting what is ours, Our Nation, Pakistan.

December 25th rejuvenates the spirit each year as we show our appreciation to the Quaid by seeing documentaries, plays based on his life.

“Pakistan had come to exist forever and it will by the grace of God exist forever”

Quaid-e-Azam’s words, “Pakistan had come to exist forever and it will by the grace of God exist forever” makes me more energized as I am filled with hope and aspiration that there is still light at the end of the tunnel and we are on the right track.

Pakistan Zindabad!!!

Jerry's Take: Phoenix from the Ashes - Jarrar Shah

Pakistan the T20 Champs 2009

Pakistan cricket is back with a bang!! and so it seems are our collective spirits. Overnight the mood of the country has changed from despair to euphoria and why not. For us cricket is not merely our favorite spectator sport. Its more than that. In India they say its a religion. For us its that and also something more. It defines our identity, shapes and strengthens it. The Brazilians love their soccer like the Indians love their cricket but for Pakistan its cricket that makes us forget our differences and makes us feel one, makes us feel proud Pakistanis. I don't know how this happened but over the years its our cricket team that has managed to transcend our ethnic,sectarian and provincial differences. Either we all despise them when they lose or we all lose ourselves in Ecstasy when they win. from the fisherman of gawadar to the tourist guide of gilgit, from the chai walla of Karachi to the gun maker of Khyber, we stop doing our own thing and start feeling as one, thinking as one, reacting as one, mourning as one or celebrating as one.

We will have our differences. There will be inter provincial disharmony. There will be ethnic tensions in Karachi and elsewhere. Sectarian violence cant be wished away nor the menace of extremism. In spite of all these things our journey as a nation will continue onwards .

Islamabad Celebrates

Celebrations on Sunday night, our response to the earthquake, the lawyers movement, our stiffening resolve against extremism all symbolize our pakistaniyat. With time after weeding out the divisive elements within us, those who gain from pitting us against each other we will attain the promise of this nation. The promise that all of us in our heart of hearts believe in. The promise that led to so many of our forefathers, ordinary citizens sacrificing their lives during partition. The promise that led so many of our compatriots to leave everything they knew for a distant ideal called Pakistan.

Lahore Celebrates

Our bad governance, corruption, lawlessness, load shedding, worsening economy weigh us down. Makes us despair, even leads some to harbor thoughts of abandoning Pakistan. However its moments like Sunday night that make us forget all our problems. It makes us feel truly proud to be Pakistani, a feeling that emanates deep down from inside every Pakistani. No divisive politician or militant, foreign agencies or armies can ever overcome this feeling. its just not possible. Our national heroes, our amazing cricket team just proved that.

Pakistan hamesha zindabad!!

Karachi Celebrates

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Photos Credit: AP

Tu Hai Kahaan?

Time to Rise Pakistan

Stand Up for the Champions

Pakistan Zindabad!!!

Cricket beats Terrorism!

May the best team win the Match,But Cricket has already won this one!!

I Spy: Blame it on Lahore, An invitation to visit the City - Sadaf Zarrar

Each week since this blog started, I eagerly await to post my column. Each week my mind is bustling with ideas on what I want to talk about... That unfortunately, didn't turn out to be the case this week. I have to very selfishly, blame it all on Lahore.

My love affair with this city started back in 1996 when I came to take an entrance exam at National College of Arts which fortunately or unfortunately I didn't pass. I had decided long before the result that I wasn't going back to Kharian/ Islamabad both of whom I called home. And hence went ahead an enrolled myself at Kinnaird College.

I fondly remember Lahore as my grandparents town while I was growing up and associated all things fun to it. The most fun of all being the Hico Truck! Back in the day, the ice cream wasn't available on retail and just the thought that Nano would have called Hico people to have a load of ice cream delivered to satisfy the bottomless pits of stomachs that her grand kids had, pretty much made our holiday... But then that wasn't all...

How can I tell you about Lahore in a way that it would do justice to this town? I can not even figure out where to start. So I will start by telling you about the famous Punjabi saying 'Jinney L'ore Nai Wakhiya Jamiya Nai', roughly, it means 'You're not truly born if you haven't seen Lahore'.

Located on the banks of once the Mighty River Ravi, Lahore is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its rich Mughal heritage. It is also often called the cultural heart of Pakistan, as it is the center of Pakistani arts, films and intelligentsia and also as the City of Colleges... I am sure there are many other names this city goes by also. To me it simply is... Home.

This particular time, was like any other. Having lived in Lahore long enough before moving to Islamabad a couple of years ago. I take it for granted mostly, No visits to the touristy destinations for me, nor any shopping sprees unless absolutely required, I don't indulge in cultural activities unless I am bored to death but you know, not only should you visit Lahore, you should dive into the beauty and cultural diversity of this city heads first!

If you're fond of eating, and trying out various cuisines... You're in the right City. Lahoris are known for their love of food and eating. While Lahore has a great many traditional and modern restaurants, in recent years Western fast food chains have appeared all over the city. Recently the food streets in the historic locales of Lahore (Gawalmandi, Anarkali, and Badshahi) have attracted tourists. Food streets have undergone restorations and are cordoned off in the evenings for pedestrian traffic only; numerous cafés serve local delicacies under the lights and balconies of restored havelis (traditional residential dwellings). Some of the trendiest restaurants in Lahore are concentrated on the M M Alam Road in Gulberg. Here, dozens of high-class culinary outlets, ranging from Western franchises to traditional, ethnic, or theme restaurants, attract all classes of Lahore's citizens. New restaurants are constantly opening, and the business is extremely competitive. Many boisterous restaurants of Lahore are open late into the night.

The origins of Lahore are shrouded in the mists of antiquity but Lahore is undoubtedly ancient. Legend has it that it was founded about 4,000 years ago by Loh, son of Rama, the hero of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana.Historically, it has been proved that Lahore is at least 2,000 years old. Hieun-tasng, the famous Chinese pilgrim has given a vivid description of Lahore which he visited in the early parts of the 7th century AD. Lying on the main trade and invasion routes to South Asia, Lahore has been ruled and plundered by a number of dynasties and hordes. Muslim rule began here when Qutub-ud-din Aibak was crowned in Lahore in 1206 and thus became the first Muslim Sultan of the subcontinent. It waxed and waned in importance during the Sultanate. However, it touched the zenith of its glory during the Mughal rule from 1524 to 1752. The Mughals, who were famous as builders, gave Lahore some of its finest architectural monuments. For those interested in History and Culture, Lahore offers the best of the Mughal era as well as British Colonial Heritage.

If you intend on shopping till you drop, once again, Lahore is it. Lahore offers the best of Desi delights in terms of fabrics, accessories, leather goods... incidently all at a price so low they are bound to turn a shopaholic out of anyone!

I have to confess, Lahore is no Party Capital of the world... But that by no means denotes that Lahories do not know how to party. Living it up Lahori style is an experience worth going through, where loud is louder and happy is happier.

I recommend you get your hosts to find you an invitation to a wedding. Considering that a normal Pakistani wedding has a few hundred guests, I am sure you won't find any trouble being welcomed with open arms. Given the famous Lahori hospitality, I doubt you'll have trouble landing an invite anywhere... But a wedding is a not just a wedding, it is a cultural experience in itself with atleast 3 functions and no end to the upper limit.

Honestly, there is so much to tell about Lahore that for this particular article, the best I can do from here on is give you pictorial glimpses of Lahore. I can however promise you, that if you visit Lahore not only will you forget to write your Friday Ed Note, you will definitly not want to come back... After all Lahore Lahore Aye (Lahore is Lahore).

Postcards from Pakistan - Faraz Niaz

SoapBox: The 3 P-Bombs of Pakistan - Zahid Husain

In the late 80’s I was attending a seminar being held at the Avari Hotel in Lahore, where a lady from an NGO was talking about the money being spent on our nuclear program, and contrasted it against the 3 bombs we already possessed!

This comment really drew everyone’s attention, and we were all ears to learn about these three mysterious weapons we actually had in our arsenal, and till now, had no inkling of!!! A break for tea was announced, and the room was suddenly abuzz with spontaneous discussion to find out if anyone knew of the 3 bombs the lady was alluding to! We couldn’t get the tea down fast enough for the speaker to resume her talk and relieve us all of our intellectual tension and misery!

Slowly she began to draw our attention to the largest section of our Population, the poor, undernourished, uneducated, unemployed and marginalized folks all over Pakistan; those were the days of an authoritarian ruler who had just religion on his mind, so much so that the impact, even today, we are suffering the effects all over our Motherland, and steadily we continue to multiply!

Thanks to that same bigot who began the journey down the road of religious confusion, we note with horror how we have multiplied our numbers when every resource is stretched to the limit as a result! Family planning was made to take a back seat in an agenda that furthered the cause of his time!

In recent years I was party to a nikah ceremony being held at a mosque in a seminary. The sermon before the ceremony lasted by contrast, for 45 minutes! While the nikah, took 10 minutes! The sermon included the subject of procreation, the message was very loud and clear! Go forth and multiply, we need the numbers if we are to win the global conflict!

In recent years I was party to a nikah ceremony being held at a mosque in a seminary, (I refuse to use the M word because it conjures up all sorts of images! And believe me the attitudes and demeanor displayed there was distasteful). The sermon before the ceremony lasted by contrast, for 45 minutes! While the nikah, took 10 minutes!

The sermon included the subject of procreation, the message was very loud and clear! Go forth and multiply, we need the numbers if we are to win the global conflict! OMG! I thought, we are headed for oblivion! Today you see the effects of such preaching on our streets, under bridges, in kutchi abadis, in rural and urban seminaries, everywhere they can possibly seek respite from all the ills that plague their wretched existences.

Having successfully projected a picture of this segment of society, she then, began telling us of how we all were actually choking the Motherland to death, simply by not having set up an effective way to dispose of our waste and garbage! How we all worked to make sure that our homes were clean and spotless, without casting a thought to what happens when the cleaner walks away with the day’s waste and garbage. How it all ends up at the street corner or is just dumped over the wall, or outside the front door for a phantom collector to clear!
Planned waste management was still in its infancy and the afghan kids had yet to take up this lucrative livelihood, of making money from rummaging thru our waste and garbage.

Till recent years, they never addressed the final fate of the heaps that have now become landfills despite which we continue to suffocate and choke the atmosphere, with the smoke of the heaps of burning garbage, the naalees, the nalluhs and the canals of our Motherland!! Only recently private enterprise has got involved in setting up projects to address the challenge, while making a pretty penny for their pocket, challo, I condone that, as they are beginning to scratch the surface of the pollution challenge. She then drew our attention to the smoke belching out of vehicles on our roads, 20 years down the road; we have yet to resolve this challenge of Pollution!

Look around you, everywhere there are the deprived, lesser people of this Motherland, but we all continue to elect those who continue to loot and plunder, heartlessly, our beloved Motherland, including most of them in today’s Management Team.

Finally the lady drew our attention to the crisis of the economically challenged.
In a previous article I had mentioned the US Aid program that directly converted us into a Nation of beggars! Ever since, we have adopted our nick name of Kashkoleistan! And despite all the money that has found it way into the coffers and pockets of the Motherland there is no change in the living standards of the majority of the population! Look around you, everywhere there are the deprived, lesser people of this Motherland, but we all continue to elect those who continue to loot and plunder, heartlessly, our beloved Motherland, including most of them in today’s Management Team.

The poor are still relegated to their permanent existence without any hope of seeing any ray of hope in their lifetimes! Poverty will reign supreme!

To be fair though, the numerous, genuine institutions and NGOs who are bravely attempting to support and provide for them while provincial and federal governments continue their mere lip service of their good intentions and responsibilities.

There you have them! What you ask? The 3 P-Bombs of Pakistan of course! With lit fuses, slowly burning away until they finally explode!

POPULATION, POLLUTION AND POVERTY!

Pakistan unites against Taliban!

Moderate Madrassa Students protest against Taliban Extremism.
Photo Courtesy: The Daily Times, Pakistan. 20.06.09

Writer's Block: We fight to win! - Bushra Hassan

Rozan in Islamabad, needs helpers. It needs volunteers who will help them do whatever they aim to do for the IDPs. Rozan needs people like you and me, who have an hour or so free, to lend a hand in their work for the IDPs.

I’m sure Rozan is not the only organization that needs more support. The task at hand is enormous. From shelter, to rehabilitation, food and health issues. More than everything else, they need some one to just spend time with IDPs and care. The IDPs are like us, no different. Had Talibans actually reached Islamabad, as the media tried to portray, then we would be like them too. Forced to leave our jobs surviving on what little we have of savings, moving in with relatives we don’t necessarily get along with. It’s a test of human sacrifice, of patience, of resilience. But resilience we have plenty of.

“Forced to leave our jobs surviving on what little we have of savings, moving in with relatives we don’t necessarily get along with. It’s a test of human sacrifice, of patience, of resilience. But resilience we have plenty of.”




We’re a country that’s fought three wars, lost a significant part of it, undergone martial laws, civil rights violations, bans of various kinds, massive earthquakes and nation wide floods nearly every other year, and all this while living in an environment of poverty, corruption and political chaos. However, here we are standing firm and standing tall. Half the women survive legalized rape, domestic violence and lack of basic human rights, while the other half work in corporate offices, wear unisex clothes, speak their minds and outperform men in all walks of life.

Women strive for empowerment, the youth for liberty, and men for respect. Most importantly we strive therefore we understand, how we’re all the same, why our cause is the same.

The IDPs issues hit our very hearts because it latches onto our vulnerability of existence, and the IDPs remind us of our fight, of our courage and our daily misfortunes.

“The IDPs issues hit our very hearts because it latches onto our vulnerability of existence, and the IDPs remind us of our fight, of our courage and our daily misfortunes.”

Mostly they remind us of how blessed we are, better off, just plain lucky. As a result we can feel for them more, because we were spared this ordeal, and therefore, we wish to do more. We, the nation, are in this together. We’ve realized this through our survival over the decades. We’re all one, one nation, standing under one flag, reciting one kalma, and bowing our head to the same anthem.

“This is Pakistan, these are our people. From the shelter camps to the Oval Cricket ground, this is us, and we do not play to lose!”

This was never more obvious than last night, when the entire nation stayed awake till early morning to pray for and rejoice in the semi-final victory of the young men of our cricket team, who fought a heavier, mature, more accomplished adversary, not bowing out of fear or resolution to fate.



This is Pakistan, these are our people. From the shelter camps to the Oval Cricket ground, this is us, and we do not play to lose!

To Volunteer for IDPs: Call Zeest @ Rozan at 051-2890506-7 and 0345-8507181
Images courtesy: http://bariisiyobasto.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/images-of-the-idp-in-pakistans-swat-valley-region/
and http://cricket.yahoo.com/photos/Semi-finals-South-Africa-Vs-Pakistan_12453498364794#10

The Tell Tale Heart: Soul Jam - Mehreena Aziz Khan

In the last few days, many of my fellow countrymen have been posting videos from Coke Studios second season airing this month on Pakistani television channels. Sitting in my apartment unit in Sydney, Australia, the status updates and YouTube posts keep me well updated on what is happening back home, whether it’s the bewailing of another deadly bomb attack, jubilation over restoration of the judiciary, or the laments and joy over cricketing performances.

For one accustomed to chilling reportage of the Swat operation, shedding tears over fallen martyrs in the war against the Taliban or cringing at videos of young girls being flogged in public, the Coke Studio videos were a veritable breath, nay gust of fresh air.

For one accustomed to chilling reportage of the Swat operation, shedding tears over fallen martyrs in the war against the Taliban or cringing at videos of young girls being flogged in public, the Coke Studio videos were a veritable breath, nay gust of fresh air.

This is the Pakistan I know and the one I grew up in. Rich with talent both folk and pop, both classical and modern. Where talented music and video producers have the skill to conduct creative experiments and come up with top-notch productions despite meager resources and training. Knowing a lot of the people behind the project personally, I know for a fact that most never attended a musical academy or formally studied production. They just have raw talent and determination, while their skills are self-taught. Whether it was learning to strum the guitar or the keyboard keys through books, or learning the ropes of music and video production from the internet.

One by one, the performances began and ended with aplomb, with every performer putting their soul into it, and the jam sessions began to feel like a balm for the embittered Pakistani soul - a soul wounded by violence and internal strife. This is the Pakistan that easily married the glory and timelessness of traditional folklore with modern pop. Where globalization and modernization enjoyed a peaceful and respectful camaradie with the historical and classical.

When two girls from Peshawar sang timeless quatrains of Omer Khayyam at the melodious strumming of the rabab, they evoked nostalgia for the beautiful heritage of the war-torn mess Afghanistan and parts of NWFP have become. Before the time where girls had their faces burnt with acid, their schools shut down and their teachers shot. Before CD shops were burnt, before ancient statues were ruthlessly bombed and before classical musicians were issued death threats and boycotted into oblivion. If only we could manage modernization and progress while preserving our culture as smoothly as the adept synchronization of western percussion instruments with the classic rabab by Rohail Hyatt's team.

All the performances were marked with the same characteristic. Saieen Zahoor's melodious rendition of verses of ancient wisdom reminded one of the Sufi poetry and mindset that once helped spread Islam in the Subcontinent. A time when love, poetry, tolerance and a deep respect for human values was the mode for propagation of religious sentiments. How the scene has changed since then. And as Saieen's voice died down, a fashionably bearded Ali Noor and his brother Ali Hamza took up the tune… both dressed in western attire, both ably carrying the tune forward and representing the modern face of Pakistani music with a sensibility and respect for their musical heritage.

The performance evoked memories of Zia-era PTV when Muhammad Ali Sheikhi and Allan Fakir's "Allah Allah kar bhayya" became hugely popular as the original pop-meets-folk ditty. A time when the likes of Nazia and Zoheb were banned from television. The triumphant re-emergence of pop music after the end of the Zia era, when youthful raw talent like Vital Signs and Jupiters sang jubilant and hope-filled anthems on the eve of Benazir's promised era of liberalization.

When I had returned to Pakistan in 2004 after spending a number of years in Germany, I found a vastly changed media landscape in the wake of the satellite television revolution. But a stark dichotomy was visible in television content as one click would take you from devout rant of Aalim Online or bearded mullahs talking about the intricacies of performing ablution, to the tantalizing gyrations of the likes of Nimra or scantily clad local models at a glitzy fashion show. The neutral majority found itself feeling alienated by both.

When I had returned to Pakistan in 2004 after spending a number of years in Germany, I found a vastly changed media landscape in the wake of the satellite television revolution. But a stark dichotomy was visible in television content as one click would take you from devout rant of Aalim Online or bearded mullahs talking about the intricacies of performing ablution, to the tantalizing gyrations of the likes of Nimra or scantily clad local models at a glitzy fashion show. The neutral majority found itself feeling alienated by both. The Coke Studio performances on the other hand seem to symbolize a balanced middle ground between the two extremes. At the same time they are a quantum leap from the pre-millenium PTV era of uninspired performance clips featuring rubab, tabla and other folk instruments that would dot the broadcast back then.

So hats off to all involved with the production and that, along with the welcome news of Pakistan's victories in the Twenty20 World Cup at the moment, is what I want my news of Pakistan to keep on being filled of: feats in arts and sports rather than deadly bombings and floggings.

Until next time its cheers from Aussie mate!

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http://www.cokestudio.com.pk/ for more on Coke Studio

Soap Box: The Power of One - Zahid Husain

Between 1944 and 1985, so much happened in the Motherland, some of it I was not part of, as I reacted to the dictates of the Government in power in 1972; I was stationed in Karachi, then with a young enthusiastic and politically aware spouse, who supported my view, that as Pakistanis we were NOT going to start speaking Sindhi just because we lived there! By the way we were not alone in this belief, Karachi was in turmoil then and curfew was imposed upon a free spirited citizenry. So we sold our belongings and along with a friend of the same ilk, we set out to face the Big Wide World.

We wandered where we fancied in Europe, taking in the Old World and all it offered and stood for, while taking for granted the spirit with which we were welcomed everywhere, we felt like we were at home, thus drawing out in us the best we had to offer our hosts, as proud PAKISTANIS; seldom did we look over our shoulder and regret our decision.

As I look back now, I recall, that all the while I was growing up in my Motherland, never once was there ever any mention or news of racial, sectarian, religious, caste, rich or poor or social tensions; we all grew up then as fellow Pakistanis, proud to be able to sing our national anthem, to stand when the Flag was displayed in a cinema hall, and to stand in silence with respect while the anthem played!

We were afraid of the policemen, when we rode double-sawari on a bicycle, one would jump off or he would take the air out of the two tires, while we stood sheepishly bye feeling very guilty, for having broken the law; and making sure we had lights on our bikes if we were going to be out in the dark!

In school, we had a class period, when our class teacher Mrs. Jamaluddin taught us moral science and character building! That subject is no more part of any curriculum or syllabus in any school I know of, in Pakistan

My point is that with all that in the background, we never once looked at one another as anyone else, as anything other than as being a Pakistani! We were then moving towards Nationhood, one people, one country, one PAKISTAN.

We had great Bengali friends, throughout school and college; never did we discriminate between each other’s backgrounds or beliefs, there was peace and harmony, till we got US-Aid, that’s when our real troubles started. And when our people started going abroad to work in the Gulf where they were brainwashed and discriminated against by the sharper, shrewder, cliquish Indians and Arabs, thus forcing us to adapt and adopt ways that were till then alien to us.

Over the past 25 years we have transformed in to our present selves, forgetting our oneness true Pakistanis, and descending into the pits of this strife ridden society as all sorts of people first and Pakistanis afterwards! We muster under numerous flags that we believe represent our being and our association and forget what our forefathers’ sacrificed their all so that we could inherit a Motherland called PAKISTAN.

You notice I steer clear of the how’s, who and whys of our situation, because we now need to steer ourselves back into the right frame of mind by discarding all those misguiding ways, beliefs and views of each other drop the provincialism to 2^nd level and bond together as One Nation under One Flag on the 1^st level as PAKISTANIS FIRST AND FOREMOST!

NO other flag counts or matters, they ALL must be shed, and we all MUST only look to the Green & White Crescent & Star as the only path to our salvation as a Nation! This is very simple to achieve, and the quickest way is to start with oneself, I mean YOU, yes! YOU; Believe you are a Pakistani first and ONLY a Pakistani, nothing else matters or counts Forever!

Then make or convince your own family to change their thinking process that they are ONLY Pakistanis. Then move to your inner circle of friends and make them understand that they are Pakistani first and ONLY Pakistani

And so on, if each one of us can do this every day, day after day, 365/12, we will just begin to build ourselves into a NATION as the Quaid e Azam envisioned. Our recognition around the world is that we are PAKISTANI and our salvation on earth, lies in building a strong, united, faithful and disciplined country called PAKISTAN, We will then automatically think first of our country, the MOTHERLAND, also then ask yourself what it is that you can and must do for your Motherland not what can the Motherland do for you!

May the Almighty give us all the strength to give up our old hateful thoughts and ways and accept Pakistaniat.

Have a great Day! Pakistanis, where ever you may be!

Remember “PAKISTAN hum sub ke Char-devaaree hai, is kee hefaazat hum sub key zimadaree hai” PAKISTAN PAINDABAD FOREVER!

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!!

Timeline: 11/9 or 9/11, A date that has changed our past, present and our future! - Aabi Asif

What the world knows now to be 9/11 wasn’t what I knew of it when I was growing up. I never knew the extent of how one incident could entirely over shadow another in a way that not only would it change not only how we see our present, but also how we view our past.

Before the uneventful incident where planes hit the twin towers of the World Trade Centre, 11th September had a totally different value in the hearts of Pakistanis. 11th September 1948, was the day when our beloved founder Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah passed away, leaving the nation without a leader, a void that has perhaps not been filled to date.

As a child I remember that 11/9 was observed as a very somber day with the President and the Prime Minister along with the Governor of Sindh visited mausoleum of the Quaid the armed forces gave a 21 gun salute and they laid wreaths. It used to be a gazetted holiday and all the day through talk shows, interviews, documentaries and dramas based on the life of Quaid-e-Azam were aired. Special supplements of the newspapers were published with similar information.


As a result we learned a great of our history through the media. We had quizzes at school again based on history and on the life of the great leader; we sang national songs and were well aware of what the day was all about. Unfortunately for us, the significance of this day as a day of remembrance for our dear Quaid is no more.

Quaid-e-Azam was a man who had studied in London, and had the opportunity not to come back but he chose to come back to the sub-continent. He managed to create Pakistan for the Muslims because he wanted that we should be able to live in an independent state and lead our lives according to the teachings of Islam.

His speeches were filled with plans on how Pakistan should proceed. What our policies should be and how should we take Pakistan into a bright future? Treatment of minorities, taking the leaves out from the way the Khulfa-e-Rashdeen ruled adopting the Islamic rules to deal issues of all kind.

It is indeed a shame that his death was a big shock for the state but what did we do?
We have just placed his picture in all of the government and non government offices and printed millions of books on his life filled with his speeches but don’t bother to implement what he actually propagated.

After 2001, the incident not only affected USA and its citizens; it has had deep impact on people all over the world and in particular Pakistan.

First and foremost we had to side by USA in the War Against Terrorism. News channels, newspapers and the internet are filled with only the tragedy that struck USA that day and the death anniversary of Quaid has moved backstage.

It no longer is a gazetted holiday and the children of today only know of the twin tower hitting incident.

The other day in the school where I teach we had held a special assembly on the life of Quaid-e-Azam and students of grade 6 and 7 were asking what was the other event that happened besides 9/11.

It’s amazing how we have conveniently prioritized the events and have placed the events that will help our next generations to understand our history in the background and have given importance to dates that are significant for other countries.

Although progression and gaining knowledge of current affairs is good but I feel that we need to be strongly rooted in our history to grow strong in our future. For us to be real patriots and appreciate our country we need to make sure that we know where we hail from and how much was sacrificed to attain what we have in our hands today?

Pandora's Box: Introduction - Aabi Asif

Pakistan is a country fortunate to be blessed with many treasures. Four provinces that have diverse physical features - the plains and mountains of Sarhad, the coastal line of Sindh, the rich fields in Punjab the land of five rivers and the minerally rich mountain range of Balochistan.

Not only do these provinces differ in their physical features, they all have a world of their own with their special and unique culture. The food, dresses, music, life style, architecture all vary from each other and have added colour in our lives.

I look forward to exploring all of these wonderful treasures each week with you.

Pandora’s Box will include all these areas individually each week starting with the land of five rivers, Punjab. We will explore one area each week to add to our local knowledge.

Adios till next week
Aabi

Postcards from Pakistan: Badshahi Mosque - Faraz Niaz

Donate Blood!

What's your plan for the day? How about fighting along your troops and security forces? Or saving a life otherwise? It's sometimes very easy to forget the importance of donating blood.

Whether it's the sons of this soil fighting for your safety because they choose to or security forces getting injured inorder to save you from harm or our fellow countrymen fighting an unfortunate circumstance... You can make a difference!

Would you think twice before donating blood for those who are not thinking twice giving their life for you?? Find your local Combined Military Hospital (CMH) or Military Hospital (MH) and be the blood running through the veins of the Defenders of this nation!

Donate Blood. Be the Hero.

Pakistan Youth Alliance - Swat Refugee Initiatives

It was on February 16, 2009, much before operation ‘Rah-e-Rast’ had begun, when few young individuals came on the streets of Islamabad and Lahore to raise money for the women of Swat who had been deprived of the right of education. When others were only protesting against the growing effect of ‘Talebanisation’ in Swat, these individuals were in fact on the roads to do something about the next generation of Swat who were likely to grow up without the light of education if the situation persisted. In no time, they were able to collect Rs 250,000 for the burnt schools in Swat from the streets of Islamabad.

When the war drums started beating and tanks began rolling in Buner, these young individuals were sitting in a TV show vowing to put aside their differences on whether they support the operation or not, and to launch an effective relief campaign for the internally displaced persons. Their faces wore determination and compassion, and they appealed to the youth to step forward, and to live the change instead of demanding one. These individuals were from Pakistan Youth Alliance, a youth based and youth administered non-political organisation.

Having a history that starts from Musharraf’s Emergency rule, PYA had stood up when and before no one even cared. A group of youth were more politically and socially aware then their peers, which realized the dream of having an unbiased platform for the youth of Pakistan, different from the “student unions” which were used by political parties to realize their shady motives. Casually dressed in jeans young boys and girls, ostentatiously representing the ‘urban elite’ which is often labeled as apathetic, were out there in scorching heat of noon in Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi, when they ought to be sitting in their air-conditioned homes. It was a heart warming sight as they had not only set up camps at various market places but they also reached personally to people and asked them to contribute generously. It all started from Bahria Town, Islamabad where Rs 100,000 were collected in few hours on May 16, and they targeted Mardan Khas government school on the very next day to distribute the relief items. The first relief effort was successfully completed in 36 hrs, and the spark they ignited had to spread amongst masses and turn into a big fire.

With every passing day their ranks started to swell as more and more young people joined the cause and donations started rising. They held fundraising campaigns during the whole week in different cities, and on the weekends instead of sitting on comfy sofas at some eating place they reached those far lying schools of Mardan and Swabi which were holding fresh refugees. PYA had representation of local young individuals who knew the region well, and this made the task of need assessment easier. In this manner they touched hundreds of families. On their second trip they distributed relief items of worth more than half a million rupees in schools of Mardan Khas and Daula Zai. This practice continued for the weeks to come as they also reached families in the areas of Shakrial in Islamabad and Topi, Swabi.

Their work still continues as they believe that these relief efforts must not be worn out by time. The work of PYA has been acknowledged by various segments of media and people belonging to different walks of life. By posting pictures, documentations and receipts on various social networking websites like facebook, they were open to all to ensure transparency and accountability, which appealed greatly to the donors. The pictures of young kids of Swat smiling celestially and wearing tags and shirts of PYA have often replaced apathy with the feeling of empathy in the hearts of many. They proclaim to “Live the change” instead of just proposing it and how well have they lived up to their words.

What is enthralling about these people is that they are not an outgrowth of some political party or a NGO. PYA comprises of bright young individuals belonging to various universities, or who have different jobs, and they know no divides on the lines of sectarianism or provincialism. Rather than limiting themselves in daily drudgery, they take some time out of their daily routine to ponder how they themselves can be the change they believe in.

As Wordsworth had written about the French Revolution, “Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive... But to be young was very Heaven.” The current wave of youth activism is a silent revolution, not a rebellious one indeed. And it is very heaven to be young these days.

The ways of world have changed
Tune is new, Instruments have changed
Free your mind from mental slavery
Make the young masters of the old
- Husham Ahmed

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More on PYA coming soon...

Pakistan Youth Alliance

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Citizens Trust Blog, takes immense pride in presenting to you... Pakistan Youth Alliance.
What follows is a compilation of material from various sources. We urge you to read, review and watch everything... If this doesn't wake you up... Nothing will!





An Interview with the Founding Force of Pakistan Youth Alliance.
By Khadija Ranjha on January 23, 2009

Source: The Viewspaper

Mr. Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi is a 22 year old man, who lives in Islamabad, Pakistan. Very recently, he, along with his friends, started a youth movement, that by the looks of it is all set to change the course of our country. With planned and organized rallies being held throughout the country, the Pakistan Youth Alliance is serving its purpose well by providing a platform for the youth of today.

The PYA, although only initiated a few months back, has already shown its potential, and will hopefully lead Pakistan forward! I got a chance to talk to Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi about the PYA, the difficulties he had to face, and his achievements and the future of Pakistan, and his commitment to his cause is a force to reckon with.

VP- Tell me about your movement, the Pakistan Youth Alliance. What is it about?

PYA- PYA is silent revolution; it is by no means a rebellious initiative. We don’t like to point, we aim to change! We don’t mean to burn, we aim to spark! PYA is a youth motivated, youth run, and youth centered non-political/ indigenous movement which aims to wake the youth of Pakistan from the sleep of apathy. We have had it with the flaws, we have had it with injustice and we have had it being quiet. The anger in us all boils our inside so much that we wish to scream, but if we come out on streets in an unorganized manner, no one would listen.

We are educated, we are enlightened and we wish to change the mindsets! We start from self-accountability and self realization (Khudi - Iqbal) and then wish to spread the vibes in our schools, universities and neighborhoods. We want to realize the dream of Iqbal and make it Quaid’s Pakistan. We want to change the attitude “this is Pakistan, everything works!”. We want to make the kids realize that they would have to lead this country, in whatever capacity they would be, so they must be mentally prepared to put their country’s interest before personal gains and lusts. We wish to nourish their souls, so that 160 million souls coincide to form such a strong bond, that it won’t be broken and no one would dare challenge our sovereignty and eye our land!

We started as three people, we are getting hundreds of e-mails and calls every day of youth wanting to join us. From Bajaur (non-Talibanized youth) to Toronto, Pakistan, the youth yearns to be noticed and we will provide a stable platform for them, so that they are heard! And they have the courage to challenge what is wrong, even if it is a small matter in their vicinities. From individual to a collective level – that is how we aim to live the change we want to see in this country

VP- What motivated or inspired you to start this?

PYA- I was like everyone else. I was sitting at Hotspot with some friends, who were here from Harvard and some who were just angry at what drama had unfolded in the country, I am talking about the time of emergency, when the only emergency seemed to be in President’s House. The moment emergency was announced, we started roaming around in the capital to see where the emergency was at, but we couldn’t find it anywhere.

When some people thought that keeping us in the dark and blocking media and outside world contact might help us absorb what they were doing, we had this sudden revelation that we have to stand up. If we won’t, who will? This anger in us, when channelized properly, gave us the strength and courage to stand up and make ourselves heard, and by the grace of God, we are at least trying.

VP- What difficulties have you had to/still face with regard to the development of the PYA?

PYA- Difficulties! The more precious the thing is, the harder it is to get. Nature teaches us that. The more the struggle, the greater the rift and the in the end, the greater the prize! We are facing pressures from everyone, families to intelligence to big shot political parties, this has never happened in the history of this country. We are being stopped in every step. They try to malign what is so needed, you can’t ignore it! You have to fight and remain true, like a soldier in war, we won’t give up, even if it takes everything away from us.

VP- What would you call your success milestones over the years?

PYA- I got a call from Bajaur agency, a young passionate Pakistani who loved Pakistan to the core, his village was bombed, 42 members of his family died and he still had the purity to love his country! He called and wanted to join us, I met him and he melted my heart.

I did an event that got postponed to another date due to weather conditions, a woman in green Vitz with a Pakistan flag souring high from her window came with her little kids, I stood there and it melted my heart.

I get e-mails and calls daily from America to Japan, passionate Pakistani youth wanting to join us. That is my milestone, and that is what gives me hope and instills in me, greater faith! We are good people, Pakistanis, we just need to learn from our past and wake up. Like Iqbal says, “God hasn’t changed the state of that nation, that which in itself does not want to change!” We need to understand Iqbal; his words are enough to guide us and show us light.

VP- What reaction did you get from your family and peers when you told them your plans regarding the PYA?

PYA- Initially, my family didn’t support me. They had issues with me being a “kid” and “trying to be a hero” but with time they realized that a person has to do what he has to do. They realized that if they, the educated lot would stop me from trying to wake people up, imagine what would happen to the rest 70 % of the uneducated?

I request every parent/guardian/teacher reading this, that it is your responsibility more than mine to try and change the mind sets of the strayed youth of this country. We are 60% of the total population. We are the future of this country, you did a terrible job and brought us here, at least realize it now and prepare little soldiers in your houses. If you would discourage them, we would cease to be. The whole world is after us!

VP- To what extent is the media influential in enhancing the mental development of the youth?

PYA- Media can play the role of the catalyst to reform our society, it needs to be more responsible and create the right “hype “. All this negativity won’t help! How many programs have you seen on these 30 odd TV channels with good looking women being the newscasters and reporting that Shahrukh Khan’s new movie has been released? They need to set their priorities straight and play the role of a catalyst rather than making fuss all the time!

VP-Can the PYA ever serve as a foundation for a political career in the future for you?

PYA- I am already being contacted by big shot political personalities asking to join them. But the seeds that I have sown will take time to grow, let it grow and if this dream transforms into reality, you will see us running this country.

VP- What does the youth of today mean to you?

PYA- Youth of today is a dark house. Youth of today is the light at the end of the tunnel. Youth of today would define who we would be in 2020. Youth of today can lead us. They are the ONLY HOPE!

Very few people at such a young age actually take the initiative to work towards such causes, and I, like many other people my age, was thoroughly impressed with what the PYA has planned in the near future. Such movements have potential, and will hopefully, go a long way!

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Everyone who wants to be a part of this unprecedented movement can
E-mail at pakistanyouthalliance@gmail.com
Phone: +92.333.4532030
Facebook Group “Pakistan Youth Alliance”
Web Portal: http://www.pya.org.pk/

Mobilink Camp becomes operational - First Families Move In!

In just one week since Mobilink announced its formal commitment to establish a relief camp for 1,000 displaced families and has committed $ 1 million to it, it is an honour to share that the first families have begun to move into the camp, with approx. 200 families expected to be inhabited by end of week.

Mobilink camp, situated at Kund Park near Nowshera, is located on the confluence of the Indus and Kabul rivers where NWFP meets Punjab province. This park is a tourist destination with greenery and lush vegetation providing plenty of shade. Children’s recreational areas are also available on site such as swings.

With the dedicated efforts of our various teams including Procurement, Security and Marketing, in consultation with the implementing partners, the camp establishment has been divided into phases to ensure that the IDPs are accommodated at the earliest. In the first phase, approx. 200 tents have already been pitched. Latrines and sanitation areas as well as water tanks have also been installed on-site to ensure adequate access to basic amenities. Upon registration, each family is provided with the following items:

· Tent
· Bedding
· Water buckets & Jerry cans
· Chatai (floor mat)
· Kitchen utensils including cooking pots, cutlery and crockery
· Food rations
· Personal Hygiene kits including towel, washing and laundry soaps, tooth paste and toothbrush, combs
· Water cooler
· Mosquito nets

Incoming families will be provided with cooked food for the first couple of days as they settle in. Planning to set up a Basic Health Unit as well as primary and secondary schools is underway.

Procurement of items has been personally conducted and supervised by a team of Mobilink employees to ensure that quality standards are maintained.

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The blog admin urges you to make hearty donations. Donations can be made at Mobilink offices at Special Donations Camps set on site.