Be Proud

If Jinnah and Iqbal were alive today, they would have been so proud of us. Iqbal would have kept on saying, “Khudi ko kar buland itna ke har taqder se pehle, Khuda bande se khud pooche bata teri raza kya hai”.   

Pakistan, isn't ideal, but so wasn't the independence. Our constitution has many flaws, but so did the Muslim Leagues mission statement in 1906. Independence gave us a piece of land to call ours and every day we fight against all odds to keep it that way. 69 years and running, they would have been proud of us.

It's an interesting story of ours. To be the fastest developing country till the late '60's, producing excellence in music and sports, the first Islamic country to have nuclear power, to be the brains and muscle behind leading companies such as Emirates airlines. This would have made them extremely proud.

We have two noble prize winners in Dr. Abdus Salam and Malala Yousafzai. That's something to be proud off. Though, I fear Jinnah and Iqbal wouldn't have been too proud of the way some countrymen treated both the individuals. We have a two-time Academy (Oscar) Award winner in Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy. Truly Incredible!

Our drama industry is remarkable and our film industry is on the rise. We have a flawed education system, yet we continue to produce brains unlike any. We have no sports structure, though every now and then, we manage to pull an incredible win, like the recent win against India's Yadwinder Singh by Pakistani's mixed martial arts fighter Uloomi Karim. They would have been proud of this.

The War against Terror has taken many lives, but Zarb-e-Azb is producing results, in less time than imagined. Our economy, while victim of corruption, is improving day by day. Democracy has enjoyed a stable platform since the past 8 years and political awareness is on the rise. Jinnah would have been proud of this.

We have days to criticize, but today, let us focus on our goods. Let us create an environment of positivity. Let us encourage the 8 year olds and the 12 year olds to go out and run with "sabz hilali parcham". Let us tell the 16 year olds about the struggle our forefathers did for this land. Let us tell the 18 year olds that they are the future of Pakistan and hard work today, will lead for a better tomorrow. Let the above 50 convey stories of the wars and of the early days of Pakistan. It is time to re-install the patriotic feel that is ever slowly dying.

Spend a few minutes and you'd find a hundred names that make you proud of this country. Haroon Tariq, Tariq Jamil, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Jahangir Khan, Shabbir Sharif, Rashid Minhas, Karnal Sher Khan, Abid Parveen, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Amjad Sabri, Amir Khan, Imran Khan, Shahzad Roy, Atif Aslam, Fawad Khan, Pervaiz Hoodboy, Jansher Khan, Syed Babir Ali, Mrs Nasreen Mahmud Kasuri, Nabeel Shaukat Ali, Sara Raza Khan, Mahira Khan, Waheed Murad and many many more. Jinnah and Iqbal would have been proud of them, they would have been proud of us.

This 14th of August, be proud. 

Pakistan and Kashmir : Wronged for love

Having a McDonald's burger today at the airport with my parents, my eyes caught sight of the television screen. A political party had won the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly's election. Joy for them and agony for the others. We did not have time to sit and see who puns who or who blames the other for rigging the elections, though what I did have time to see, was that nobody at the airport seemed to care about the result. I understand the result did not affect the people here, but after all, it was an election, it was a process of democracy, a process for which we have burnt down tyres, closed down the streets, create havoc and chaos and eventually gave in precious lives.

Kashmir has been a bone of contention between us and our partner in crime, poverty and intellect, India. While we may often scream, 'Kashmir hamari jaan', or some other patriotic phrase, which gets us excited for a minute or two, we have almost failed our brothers. 51 and counting, in "Makboozah Kashmir" and we spend our resources on a television ad. It's quite funny, how the people of Kashmir still hold the Pakistani flag up high, while we argue on how Brexit will turn out to be or how unsafe Europe is becoming. Don't get me wrong, these are issues of international consequences and while discussion on every issue is a way to progress forward, we must remember a famous proverb, "Pehle jaan pr jahan". 

Pakistan and Kashmir make the greatest of love stories ever written and like every love story, when connection is lost, everything is lost.

You look at the history of Kashmir and take in account world history on similar matters and the human brain blows up. For at times, Pakistan has made terrible mistakes on their part, which had it not, Kashmir might have not bled so much. On other occasions, India, the largest, not greatest, democracy in the world has carried out unimaginable acts of terror as a nation in Kashmir, yet resistance has always grown. Eight Hundred Thousand, if my figures are not wrong, is the amount of Indian Army personal that is on duty in Kashmir and on its borders. That's a mind blowing figure. It certainly scares me, I wonder how it hasn't frightened the Kashmiri awaam. The international community is truly a wonderful character in this play. They are neither the good guys, nor the bad. They pass acts and condemn, then they stop. Then comes a part where they become proactive and then they go into hibernation. I would reference them to "winne the pooh" , but I adore him, so very much.

It is a depressing story, a depressing live play. It really is. And though it has been going on since 1947, what I fear today is that the Pakistani awaam, not Pakistan's government but the people, especially the newer generation is losing its connection with Kashmir. In world politics, arms and diplomacy do the magic, but in cases such as this, a populations committed to the other and a populations support, can very well do wonders. Pakistan and Kashmir, have always shared that. They have lost blood for us and we have spent nights and days praying for them and wishing that the cruelties end. If this ends, I fear the resistance will lose its strength and we'll lose our jaan.

Baby steps do count

27th March 2016. Another black day is added to our history.

This month has seen many terrible, inhumane acts. A few days ago, the people of Brussels were caught in the fire of terror. Yesterday, Pakistan lost its children, when terror visited a park in Lahore. Every human being condemns these horrific acts.

The event of Brussels, bought the attention of the whole world and rightfully so, but did Lahore manage to get the same attention from the rest of world? The Huffington post did tweet with the hashtag #PrayforPakistan and the Omni Dallas Hotel in US displayed the Pakistani national flag on its facade. CNN also gave a few minutes of coverage to the terrible act, but that was it. I do not intend to build on hatred or present a conspiracy theory, but just to tell the world, if we continue to discriminate between those who die here in Asia and Middle East, with the people who die in Europe or America, we, and I say this with great dismay, will never win this war.

To defeat this monster, we need to change ourselves. The change needs not to start on the higher scale, but slight changes in how we spend our daily lives, how we talk, how we think about the other individuals that are with us, how we treat the elders and the young ones, how good we are to people who do not share the same religion we do, or do not speak the same language, or belong to a different city, town or village. If we, as a neighborhood, society and as a nation, could reform ourselves a touch and learn to trust and compromise in our daily lives, we can achieve greatness. 

Our enemy has no ideology, but a strategy. The strategy is to use our weaknesses as a society against us. Why do young men and women go to the mountains and fight against their own soil? Intolerance and illiteracy. Educating this country is a long term plan, but removing intolerance is something, individuals together can accomplish.

We need to break many walls that have been built inside our cities and towns to divide this nation. It won't be easy and it won't be quick, but we have to. How? Small baby steps would do. As a state, we have made some. Holi was declared a public holiday, which is a very big achievement. However, many more need to follow. If we could start talking, if the people of Pakistan could start discussing issues, with an open mind, with the objective to achieve a rational conclusion, after listening carefully to the other persons point of view, this nation could achieve great heights.Conversations make relationships. For us to break the walls between our people, talking has to flourish.I understand that any talk on nationalism, sectarianism, provincialism, on ethnicity, race, culture, likes and dislikes, one's profession, is bound to invoke a rush of blood, but we need to develop control over that. We need eradicate the fear of not discussing issues that are directly related to us and this will only be possible if we build our lives on truth and compromise. The day we, as individuals, start being fair to others, the day we treat them the same as we treat our families, Pakistan will prosper.


Pakistan Zindabad.

To you, my 132 friends

16th of decemeber 2014 was the day my mother did not ask about how my day at school was or how bad was my paper. She just stayed quite. I didn't understand why till my eyes saw the television screen. My heart felt this pain I can't describe and my eyes turned red. I'm not exaggerating. Everyone felt the same that day.

16/12/14 is not a usual day of the past. It was the day when we buried 132 bright and happy souls.

It's been a year since that day but everyone still sheds a tear when we hear about you all. We try to control our emotions knowing that you all are in a good place now. Happy, safe and well.

16/12 is your day, so I thought I should do something and this letter or blog or whatever is for you and about your sacrifice.

Pakistan is united now. Well, some say it still isn't but between you and me, we know how twisted their intentions are for this country. Where was I? Oh, yes as I was saying, thanks to you, each and every Pakistani has gotten together against the enemy. I'm sorry you couldn't see the united Pakistan but believe me it's better and will get better everyday. I hope this gives you comfort.

I hope you know that your parents are proud of you and so is Pakistan. Everyone knows about 16/12/14. It's a day, that has had an impact on every single person in this country and that has helped us have an upper hand in this war against evil. Who would have thought 132 brave children would defeat the enemy? It took your bravery, our broken hearts and education to damage the insane,  the inhumane and cowardly enemy and it'll take just a little more of will power to free this land from the human animals.

Aps Peshawer is doing amazing. Did you know, you have your own cricket team. How cool is that! "Peshawer Zaalmey". We also named 132 schools in Islamabad in your memories. I'm telling you, you got us united and we so never forget our greats.

I have seen your pictures and I imagine you smiling in heaven. We're trying to do well here. Keep watch on us from up there, okay?

We love you.
-On behalf of Pakistani ky awaam.

Are we discriminating the dead?

8:05 Saturday:

"Did you hear what happened in France?"
"No, what happened?"
"143 people died in the six different attacks that took place in Paris last night!"

I could not believe what my friend had just said. France being 5,927 kilometers away from Pakistan and it still felt as if the attack was on us. I,as well as every other human being on this planet, share the pain of those affected by the inhumane attacks carried out against the people of Paris.

The outrageous incident has made headlines and rightfully so, however, it has helped make clear that status and power matter in death. 44 people died in Beirut on the same night but no one felt the pain.

The world stands together with France against these horrific human animals, as every life matters. But to end the terrorist and their ideology, we have to stand together with everyone. 

6 months ago, after the Charlie Hebdo attacks, the anti-muslim attacks went up by 23.5 %. That is worrying. After the attacks of last night, muslims have had to come and condemn the attacks again and again, as these would result in more hate crimes against the muslim community. 

To paint 1.5 billion muslims as terrorist is foolish and to not care about the sentiments 1.5 billion muslims have is sad.

2,977 people died in the terrible 9/11 attacks. Does anyone know how many innocent non-Americans died after that in countries where the body colour is brown? According to Madeleine Albright, the once US ambassador to UN, said that the death 500,000 children in Iraq was justified as it won them the war.

If the world continues to call one death justified and the other outrageous, the dream of making this world a better place will never turn into reality. The discrimination needs to stop, for the better of the world.

"To kill a single innocent human being is to kill the entire humanity." 

That is the point and if these seem to you as "logically inconsistent arguments and nothing but ad hominem attacks which make me the halfwit laughing stock", then I am sorry but you sir, with all due respect, are discriminating the dead.

I wish I was...

Hum Tou  Mit Jain Gay Aae  Arz-E-Watan,

Laikin Tum koo Zinda Rehna Hai Qayamat Ki Sahar Honay Tak

I wish I was there in the midst of the war of '65. I wish I was the person who gave his cycle to Air Marshal (R) Amjad Hussain, whose plane had been damaged by debris of the enemies plane.

I wish I was a part of the civilians that marched down to face the enemies army. I wish I was part of the army who told its civilian countrymen to stay back as they were capable of protecting the country, even though they faced a force that was three times stronger then them.

‘Jab tak na jalen Deep shaheedon k Lahoo se 

Kehtay hen k Jannat me charaghaan nahi hoti…

I do not think I can match the level of courage and bravery, our soldiers had, when they fought the mighty Indian tanks and gave their lives for our homeland, but I wish I could have been there.
I wish I was there standing side by side with my country men after the 17 long days. Shoulder to shoulder, thinking about how to move forward. I wish I could have sensed the feeling of "all for one, one for all".

I wish I could have said a few words about the martyrs. I wish I could shake hands with the Ghazi's (War hero's). How I wish I could have roamed the streets of Pakistan with the saabs hilali paarcham and screamed on top of my voice, "Pakistan tujh pr jaan qurbaan". 

I was not there but I can feel. My eyes turn red and my lungs squeeze up. My mouth says nothing, my eyes shed tears, while my ears hear the war stories. And then again my heart says-"I wish I was there".

The jawaan and the awaam of 1965 is the reason why I am proud of being called a Pakistani. How can I not be proud when every single person was ready to sacrifice their precious lives for their and our homeland? I can't cry on something I and the whole nation is proud of. I can not cry when I hear that a solider who was shot in his leg, felt ashamed, because he did not know how to face his mother after she had sent him to war with the message, "beta, goli seeney mea kahini hai, fakhir k saath" (Son,get shot in the chest for this nation, with pride.) Later, it turns out that, that bullet was found in his chest and he embraced Shahadat. Subhan Allah!

This is in your remembrance. Thank you, Jawano!

Sada Watan Ki Haar Ik Sarhad Par Goonjti Hai,

Utho Ke Tum Ko Watan Ki Miti Pukarti Hai 

Independence

The day is here. The flags are out. People are excited, yet it doesn't seem right. The country is in a state of war against outside-forces, yet we feel insecure from the activities of the Political Parties. People are being gunned down by different groups, yet no one has been called accountable. Is this the Pakistan Jinnah wanted? Is this the Pakistan we are to give to the upcoming generations?
I won't go stating the wrongs in Pakistan on 14th August, even though we are facing the worst of times. This day is the day every Pakistani should feel accountable to its mother-land. Yes, due to different group of people, Pakistani's have suffered in their own home especially the poor and the mediocre standard of people and they might feel a touch bit of anger at Pakistan for causing the misery but people make up nations, nation doesn't make people.
The world is not a better place. It is not only Pakistan. Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, Palestine all are in a suffering state. Even the big guns like the USA, UK, Germany and all are from time to time facing troubles. Muslims are killing muslims in the world even in Pakistan. Death in numbers has become a daily routine. But this is not only in Pakistan, yet it looks as if this continues Pakistan will be in a deeper pit it has ever been in. Why? Why do other nations come out of the bad times and get even better? Why are we always on the relieving end of trouble and are then even blamed as well? The answer is simple. We are not united. The people have no discipline, neither do the organisations in the country have any. And we lack Faith.
"Unity, Faith and Discipline". Someone very dear to this land said this some 67 years ago and time has proven this time and time again though we are just so arrogant that we keep on and on ignoring it and then blame the ideology of Pakistan in the first place. Shabash Pakistanio!
67 years, have brought goods as well to Pakistan. But it is about time we actually start caring for this land and stop with the conflict of personal interest. Indeed Pakistan will have a bright day which will turn into months then years and then decades but that won't come free. "Taleem" should be our focus and the we should implement of the words of our founder, irrespective why he always wore a suit.

I feel pride in being a Pakistani today. We have achieved much, though we have not done enough to say that "our founders died for something worth great". Happy Independence Day.