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Lahore Grammar School feedback
I did a lecture titled “Youth Responsibility” at LGS yesterday. This led to many comments on my blog as well as on facebook, which I’d rather not have seen. I didn’t really want to engage all those comments, but felt there was a need to, because I didn’t want to leave them unanswered on the internet. They were defamatory and could have been discouraging for the brilliant young ladies of LGS as well as outside guests present at the forum. I feel honored and lucky enough to have received the following note from one of the participants of the said lecture. I am reproducing it, with her permission.
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I wasn’t able to talk to you properly the other day since I have always had problems talking my heart out in public, no matter how confident I am.. that’s something I’ll probably always have issues with. I’ve been following your shows since 2005 for the very reason that you always have something useful to talk about. I think there are very few people left in the country left who can actually convince people to stand up and feel motivated to do something, and I must confess, seeing you talk yesterday moved me like I’ve never been moved.
I come from an extremely middle class background, where my parents have worked their lives off to educate the siblings that we are. My parents’ siblings, all of them have been settled in the States ever since I know. My siblings did the same, they completed their education and when they could have actually been of some use to the country, they packed their bags and moved out of the country. They’re very successful there, they make more money in a month than my parents did annually. But at the end of the day, there’s no use of such money that you’re making to stabilize an economy that is working against the interests of your country. I’d be very honest with you, I have very middle class problems. There’s often no water in the taps, the telephone bills, the electricity bills, the ever rising gas and electricity prices, the load shedding, my parents would never install a generator because according to them, you value things more when you don’t have them. It’s now that I realize that I certainly can not stand and MAKE A BIG CHANGE in a day, it’s going to take a lot before I can bring about that change. I’ve started to work on a very small level since I don’t know much people around me who’d support me in this, in my O’ levels I usually came home and gave like 3 hours to my kaam wali’s son so he could at least develop an independent rational thought process, I don’t believe education at that level is about learning, what you need to do with the children is develop an ability in them which allows them to use their mind rationally. It’s been four years, I convinced all the kaam wali community in my locality to send their children to school, I talked my siblings into this, they send me money so I can give them to their parents to afford the education.. and I make sure it’s being spent on it and nothing else. After they’re done and when I’m home, all of them come and we sit in my room and we talk. These kids have evolved into such sensitive and sensible little children that it’s sometimes hard to believe that they’re coming from that kind of background. Since I’m alone at home most of the time, with no cousins no siblings around, whenever I have to dine out I take these kids along. And trust me, the kind of happiness they get out of sitting in my margalla.. people wouldn’t even experience that sitting in their BMW’s. They’re hardly about 8 children, I call them mine because I’ve grown up into what I am with them. I see a lot of people talk about social issues, address them on large forums but when you go out asking for support, people give you the kind of look which puts you off like anything. I’m a member of the Student’s Action Committee and what I tell those people is that you guys can bring in the best leadership of the world to Pakistan, but we won’t change until we change ourselves. We, Pakistani’s.. when we’re required to do the right thing, we pull back because we are ashamed to take the initiative.
I love this country, I wouldn’t have been anyone if it wasn’t for Pakistan. No matter how deep seated the problems are these days, I want to stay back in this country and MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I don’t believe in talk, people here assume chattering to be knowledge. I don’t want that, but I want a platform through which I can at least bring about a little change in people’s mindsets. It’s true we do not bother to stop at red lights, we do not care to pick up litter that others have thrown, we do not care to wait for our turn in ques and the worst part is that no matter how strongly you feel about this stuff, unless you have a very strong support system and a strong platform, you cannot get yourself heard. We can blame the government for cheating us, but we’re the same cause we cheat others too when we use our contacts to get admissions/jobs. How can people ever expect the leaders to be honest when the public is like that, leaders come from the public. I have gotten into fights on main roads when people spit there, I have gotten into fights when people throw litter in places that should be made beautiful, not destroyed. Nobody listens. I can stop one person from doing it, I don’t know how many other are doing it when I’m not there. I thought doing your job responsibly, being a good citizen myself was enough but it wasn’t. I’ve never cheated not even on a class test because I do not want to be cheated. I’ve never littered anything because I don’t want people to come and litter my home, I fail to understand why people do not consider this country THEIR HOME. They can spend billions on making their houses look presentable, but they’d throw all the litter right outside the homes to make MY country look dirty. What to talk of our leaders and the manipulation they do, we’re not ready to change ourselves. When I had to pay my dues in college during the beginning of the semester, I stood in a queue and waited for my turn as I would always do. I joined the queue at 9 am, I was standing their till 1 because everybody would either ask someone to keep a place for them, or they’d go inside the office and pay their dues there. What I’m trying to say here is that I, as in individual cannot make the kind of difference that I’d die to see in Pakistan.
What I want from you after taking all this time of yours is a platform where I have other people with me who can go out and be that change they want to see around them. This country has given all of us so much that we’d never be able to payback, but I want this country to be an example for the rest of the world. I’d kill and get killed for Pakistan, and I’m sure there are a number of people who share the same sentiments.. I want all of them with me and since you’re quite an influence on most people, I’d be very very grateful to you if you can help me out with this.
Maham Zahid Hussain.
Popularity: 64% [?]
Lecture at Lahore Grammar School
First of all I must comment on the fantastic campus of Lahore Grammar School (DHA Campus). A sign at the entrance said “Ustaad Vilayat Khan”, and his work was playing on the school P.A. System. Beautiful lawn, fountain, and the works. Exquisite architecture, and immaculately clean passages showed attention to detail. Students’ artworks adorned the walls of the school, and I was quite impressed (not easy to do) with the quality of work. The vice principal though a bit over cautious gave me great comfort, since she’s taking care of an all-girls school, which comes with its own responsibilities in Pakistan. Overall it was an amazing and very encouraging experience for me.
I was asked by Lahore chapter of Mensa Pakistan to come and talk to the group of people taking Mensa entrance test. Since it was happening at LGS, the participants were pre-dominantly young girls of A-Levels. This is my second interaction with children of A-Levels in Lahore (First was at Beacon House - Liberty Campus), and its quite obvious that the young girls in Lahore are a few notches above the rest of the country. Their desire to make a difference and also their practical efforts give me great hope in the future. However, as always majority of these kids are aspiring to leave the country for “better opportunities”.
I hope with my lectures I will, one day, be able to convince more and more educated children to stay back and pay Pakistan back what they’ve taken from it.
In particular I’d like to mention a young girl Meher, who had a strong presence and an air of achievement around her. I hope Meher and others like her decide to stay back and work to make this world a better place.
Popularity: 62% [?]
Efficient use of resources
Efficient Pakistan. Superior Customer Service.
- I have a cel phone connection with telco X
- My phone is linked to a high limit credit card for auto-debit
- I want to change my GPRS plan and that requires me to pay a security deposit of Rs. 1000/-
- The operator wants me to actually come to their business center during their work hours to pay that deposit.
- I tell them to simply debit it to my auto-paying account.
- He says it’s against our policy
- I ask to talk to a manager
- Manager is not available
- I ask for a supervisor
- I hold for a few minutes
- Supervisor avoids call.
- Finally get supervisor
- I tell him I will record the call
- He threatens to drop the call.
- I tell him if he can record the call, why can’t I.
- He says tough luck. That’s how it is.
- I request him to save the nation petrol wastage and time and just bill my card for the amount.
- After about 5 minutes of arguing and humble requests I lose.
- I have to now go to the business center, which is incidentally closed because of Ramadan.
- So, I will now tomorrow try to go to the business center, which would waste approximately Rs. 200/- worth of petrol, and my priceless time.
Popularity: 54% [?]
11th September
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And oh. By the way.
Popularity: 43% [?]
Islamic Republic Of Pakistan
March 2, 1941
The vital contest in which we are engaged is not only for the material gain but also the very existence of the soul of Muslim nation, Hence I have said often that it is a matter of life and death to the Musalmans and is not a counter for bargaining.”
Quaid-e-Azam ( Muhammad Ali Jinnah )
Predisential Address devlivered at the Special Pakistan Session
of the Punjab Muslim Students Federation March 2, 1941
September 10 2008
Source: Kuwait News Agency
Explosion in Mosque kills 25, wounds over 50 in PakistanISLAMABAD, Sept 10 (KUNA) — More than 25 persons were killed and over 50 others were wounded Wednesday night in an explosion in a Mosque in Pakistan’s northern district.
At least two bombs ripped through a mosque in Lower Dir village of Sawat district when a large number of worshipers were offering Taraweh Prayer (performed after the night Esha prayer during the holy month of Ramadan), police sources told KUNA.
Sources said the explosions badly damaged the mosque and killed more than 25 persons, mostly children. They added that more than 50 others were wounded and feared further rise in the death toll.
There were conflicting reports about the incident. Some local news channels citing local police sources said that suspected Taliban militants attacked the mosque with bombs.
Popularity: 41% [?]
You tell ‘em Khan Saheb
The following statement appeared on Afghan Online Press.
Pakistan threatens to retaliate against US
Press TV (Iran)
Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:31:27 GMTA spokesman for Pakistan’s army, Major Murad Khan, has slammed Washington for
killing Pakistani civilians, warning of retaliatory action.“Border violations by US-led forces in Afghanistan, which have killed scores
of Pakistani civilians, would no longer be tolerated, and we have informed them
that we reserve the right to self defense and that we will retaliate if the US
continues cross-border attacks,” Khan said in an exclusive interview with Press
TV.His warning came after US forces launched cross-border attacks in tribal
areas in Pakistan’s North Waziristan, killing at least 20 civilians and wounding
25 others on Monday.In recent months, there has been an increase in missile strikes on what the
US claims are militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas. US strikes on Pakistani
territory have killed scores of civilians this year and have sparked national
outrage.The US accuses Pakistan of not doing enough to contain militancy in its
tribal zone. Washington claims that Pakistan’s policy of holding reconciliation
talks with tribal leaders has led to an increase in the number of militants
crossing into Afghanistan to attack American soldiers.But Khan maintains that “Pakistan is capable of fighting tribal militants
without foreign help.”
And this of course led to:
- let’s accidentally start a war with Pakistan, a very unstable country, with no real leader and nukes
- a mortal threat to Pakistan’s future as a free and democratic nation
I think it’s quite obvious where things are going. Tik Tok Tik Tok.
Popularity: 24% [?]
A hint of what’s to be
Daily Dawn has reported this today:
LONDON, Sept 8: At least one plot has been uncovered involving
Pakistani-based terrorists planning to use nuclear material against a
major European target, says a report in the Daily Telegraph on Monday.“They are exploiting the political chaos in Pakistan in a bid to
acquire nuclear material for a ‘spectacular’ attack, “the DT
correspondent speculated.Colin Coughlin, who filed the report said Al Qaeda, whose terrorist
infrastructure was based in Waziristan, was known to be trying to
acquire nuclear technology to use in terror attacks against the West.Other militant groups in Pakistan, such as the Pakistani Taliban, had
also shown an interest in developing weapons with a nuclear capability,
he said.“Security chiefs fear the mounting political instability in Pakistan
will make it easier for militant groups to develop a primitive nuclear
device,” he added.Quoting a US security official,
Mr Coughlin said militant groups wanted to carry out terror attacks on
a massive scale, and there was no better way for them to achieve that
objective than to develop some form of primitive nuclear device.The most likely terror device using nuclear material, according to the
correspondent, is a “dirty bomb”, where conventional explosives are
fitted with radioactive material.Quoting security experts, he said the detonation of such a device in a
city like London would provoke widespread panic and chaos, even though
the area of contamination would be relatively small.He said western security officials had claimed uncovering evidence that
a Pakistan-based group was planning to attack a European target with
such a device.
Now let’s read the same story again:
LONDON, Sept 8: At least one plot has been uncovered involving
Pakistani-based terrorists planning to use nuclear material against a
major European target, says a report in the Daily Telegraph on Monday.“They are exploiting the political chaos in Pakistan in a bid to
acquire nuclear material for a ‘spectacular’ attack, “the DT
correspondent speculated.Other militant groups in Pakistan, such as the Pakistani Taliban, had
also shown an interest in developing weapons with a nuclear capability,
he said.“Security chiefs fear the mounting political instability in Pakistan
will make it easier for militant groups to develop a primitive nuclear
device,” he added.He said western security officials had claimed uncovering evidence that
a Pakistan-based group was planning to attack a European target with
such a device.
Even more interesting that this has come out the day Mr. Asif Ali Zardari is to take oath as the 14th President of Pakistan. In my personal opinion this could become probably the most “politically stable” government in the history of Pakistan. There may be billions of other issues, but definitely no political instability.
Popularity: 22% [?]
And we wonder why things never change in Pakistan
Mr. Jahangir Hanif is a 46 year old Pakistani millionaire and politician based in Glasgow. Mr. Hanif has also been campaigning against violent crime. Turns out , Mr. Hanif and family visited Pakistan on a vacation in 2005. During the trip, he took his 14 year old daughter Noor, 11 year old son Ameer, 10 year old daughter Zainab, 7 year old daugher Amina, and 5 year old daughter Sana, to Kashmir in a blacked-out vehicle to an alleged military-style training base in mountains near Kashmir. At the range all children were encouraged to fire a Kalashnikov (a.k.a. AK-47 assault rifle).
The proud father also took videos of the whole “training” trip. The video footage, passed to the Glasgow Evening Times, shows the youngest daughter Sana, who was 5 at the time, being helped to fire the gun.
Mr. Hanif is currently in Pakistan, and in a statement issued by the party, he said it was “foolish and inappropriate”, but he also said that the event took place over two years ago, long before he became a councillor.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Bill Atiken feels the action has made him unsuitable for public office. Mr. Hanif has been suspended by his party, while the newspapers have covered the story under the headline “Councillor Kalashnikov”.
It explains why the rich are the biggest rule violators in Pakistan.
More on the story:
Popularity: 71% [?]
Dixie Chick Emily Robison and her husband Charlie Robison have divorced
Emily and Charlie married in 1999 and have three children. Emily’s older sister Marti Maguire (also a Dixie Chick) wrote this beautiful song “Cowboy take me away” about the courting of Emily and Charlie.
Popularity: 56% [?]
Funny Or Die
Lot of people have questioned my choice of personal pictures which I have been uploading on facebook. Some feel it doesn’t go with my image. Firstly, I wonder what my image is. I don’t know why a totally stuck-up reformer (not sure if I want to be called that) can’t laugh or put smiles on people’s faces. I feel that as a nation we have forgotten how to laugh. The state of things and media’s projection of it, has removed the very capacity to be light-hearted out of this nation’s soul.
All said and done, I stand by my comic side, and I feel quite proud of myself when I’m compared to Rowan Atkinson 
Popularity: 59% [?]
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