The Express Tribune

The Nobel Peace Prize is given to those who have “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”.

I wonder which work of young Malala Yousafzai fell within any of these three criteria. To be fair to her, Malala did not ask for the Nobel Peace Prize, nor did she lobby for it. In all probability, her handlers did, because for them, it was the crowning glory of the agenda they have been pursuing through her ever since she was whisked away from Pakistan. Intelligent as she is, I wonder if the thought has ever occurred to her for even a moment that she is being exploited. For me, Malala was a precocious, innocent and sensitive Pakistani girl. I believe her intentions then and her intentions now are unquestionably… noble. No pun intended. What I also believe is that once she was taken abroad for treatment, she was methodically and professionally put through a process whereby someone else took control of her still formative thought-process. Someone else has bewildered this girl with their effusive caring, their apparently selfless intentions and their meticulously planned and executed promotion of her at forums which would enchant even the most urbane adult. Pakistan actually lost Malala the day she left these shores. And this is what I lament; not her winning the Nobel Prize whereas it should have gone to someone else, but the fact that we have lost her to the machinations of the international establishment. The West has projected through a brain-controlled Malala that the Taliban are against girls’ education and that it is a rarity in this country. Take a look at the accompanying photo. Is this girl in a government school uniform, taking two other girls to or from school, riding a bike to or from school, any less determined to promote girls education than Malala? So by creating a specific perception internationally, Malala’s handlers have projected that the war against the Taliban is justified. Hence the drone warfare is justified. If thousands of innocent civilians get killed in the process, well that’s just collateral damage we have to live with, isn’t it? These people must be guzzling the bubbly in celebration even now, for the monumental PR coup they have pulled off. Pakistan is debased as a failed state globally, while Pakistanis are neutralised lest they react, by arranging the Nobel Peace Prize for a daughter of Pakistan. Yes, Taliban are against female education, but they are a minor impediment. The real enemies of girls’ education have been successive governments who allocate a pittance for education in the annual budget. The real enemy has been the apathy of civil society, of people like you and me, who are now singing Malala’s praises but have personally done little if anything for giving the underprivileged, girls or boys, the opportunity to get educated. Should she have refused the Nobel Prize, taking the higher moral ground that she did not really deserve it, in light of the criteria for the prize as mentioned in the first paragraph above? I know if I was in her position, I would probably not have declined. Only one person has ever refused to accept the Peace Prize – North Vietnamese leader Le Duc Tho, who was awarded the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize together with Henry Kissinger for their roles in brokering a Vietnam ceasefire. Tho declined to accept the award, saying actual peace in Vietnam had yet to be achieved. US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger had no qualms accepting it, even as the US was carpet bombing Cambodia at the very same time. That’s not all. Before, during and after his acceptance of the prize, Kissinger would be implicated in assassination, war crimes and the slaughter of civilians in a number of countries – East Timor, Pakistan, Greece, Cyprus, Chile, Argentina, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. He was also a part of the alleged US complicity in ‘Operation Condor’, a mid-1970s campaign of kidnapping and murder, coordinated amongst the intelligence and security services of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. Two Norwegian Nobel Committee members resigned in protest at Kissinger being awarded. Is the Nobel Peace Prize anything more than a “thinly veiled political statement it invariably makes”, as the Times of India has written? Has at any other time, the citation for the Prize drawn specific attention to winners’ religions as it has done now? Are Malala’s ‘achievements’ equal to those of the co-winner, Indian children’s rights activist, Kailash Satyarthi, pursuing his mission for 34 years since 1980, and reportedly freeing over 76,000 children from child labour? Should he not have been the sole winner? The Nobel Peace Prize, however, has not been without controversy. Some previous examples entail:

The 1992, The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Rigoberta Menchu, for “her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples”. The prize-winner’s memoirs, which had brought her to fame, turned out to be partly fictitious. In 1994, the Nobel Peace Prize was shared by Yasser Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres for the Oslo Accords. Of these, Peres was a man who started several wars. He also played a major role in helping apartheid South Africa procure weapons when it was under an international embargo. Yet, Peres was one of the winners and Mahmoud Abbas, who had signed the Oslo Accords together with Peres and had worked for years towards Palestinian-Israeli peace, was ignored. The 2010 Prize went to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, for “his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China”. Liu was perhaps also a ‘brand ambassador’ of the international establishment, for earlier he had participated in organisations that received funding from a US organisation. Then the world gasped in shock when Obama won the prize in 2009, for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people”, at a time when he had been in office just eight months! The New York Times euphemistically called it “a stunning surprise”. And since winning the award, Obama’s peace-promotion record includes signing the National Defence Authorisation Act into law, making it legal to indefinitely detain US citizens, increasing deadly drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen, waging a war in Libya, escalating the war in Afghanistan, and to top it all, a secret “kill list”, revealed this year by The New York Times, which grants a select few American officials the option to mark perceived national security threats – foreign citizens or otherwise – for assassination.

We talk about the sinister and nebulous, yet ubiquitous, ‘establishment’ being behind all conspiracies in Pakistan. Well, then certainly there is an international ‘establishment’ too, perhaps even several, pursuing an agenda that seeks to maintain and enhance world domination by certain countries. This international establishment fights its wars on several fronts. For example, the military front, in which a sovereign country like Iraq, can be invaded, taken over and ruled for 10 years, with a million citizens dying in the process, all on the basis of a lie about weapons of mass destruction. Perhaps this establishment can resort to an economic war, with trade barriers, boycotts, sanctions, freezing of assets and what have you. A third avenue is a political war, fought one on one, or in the guise of a coalition, or even through controlled international organisations. Whichever route is taken, the guiding principle, time-tested from early colonial days, is ‘divide and rule’, applied in a variety of ways. This causes a lingering friction between different ethnicities of a target country, create class-based divisions within one nation, or select, groom, glorify and skilfully exploit ‘brand ambassadors’ from within a target country, to credibly and widely disseminate your messaging, and try and create mass support for it. Remember Mukhtaran Mai, the darling of the West not so long ago? She suffered a level of debasement which no one should ever suffer. The West took her over, projected Pakistan as a country no woman is safe in. Then Mai, having served their purpose, disappeared from public discourse. Is rape endemic to Pakistan? Did you know that there are about 90,000 rapes in a year in the US? That’s about 250 rapes every single day. And that’s only the reported ones. Another example is Aung San Suu Kyi, built up by the Western media into a Gandhi, till she got the Nobel Peace Prize, which incidentally was never given to Gandhi. Something that all agree has been the Peace Prize Committee’s greatest ever failure. But I will forever remember Suu Kyi for her deafening silence over the atrocities unleashed on Rohingya Muslims, on which the CNN queried, “has the Lady lost her voice?”, and The Guardian wrote,

“It seems impossible to resist the impression that ‘the Lady’ is a paragon no more – and certainly no human rights defender.”

Now if promoting female education is the criteria for winning the Nobel Peace Prize, and if the process is fair, transparent and with no hidden agenda, then may I be permitted to say that the winner should have been The Citizens Foundation (TCF)? This education non-profit organisation has established over 1,000 schools across Pakistan in only 16 years and is educating about 150,000 students, half of whom I dare say, are girls. Not to mention the thousands who have already passed out, many going on to get higher education, even at Harvard, and countless having taken their families out of poverty and going on to become responsible and useful members of society. If 22 organisations can be awarded the Peace Prize previously, why not TCF now? Because no one from TCF was orchestrated to speak at the United Nations (UN), or spend some time with President Barack Obama, or have an audience with the Queen of England? Anyway, what I wish now is for Malala to grow up still remembering her roots, understanding the world as it really is, finding out even who created those very Taliban she is fighting against, forming her own ideas on how her mission should be followed up, and finding friends and supporters within her own people. I want Malala to come back to Pakistan to actively pursue her mission. I want Mr Naya Pakistan to guarantee her security. Surely he can do at least this for her, if he is the one to bring radical betterment as he professes. I want her to donate her prize money (she is already a millionaire without it) to TCF, for without any doubt, this organisation is doing the most for female education than anyone else, individual or organisation. And to all self-proclaimed and vociferous Malala supporters, I say, please do something else for her mission than just trying to outdo each other in extolling her. Otherwise, like Mai and others, Malala and her mission too will soon be forgotten by the very country she took a bullet for. [poll id="363"]

Another day. Another perfect state of affairs. Perfect in a picturesque Pakistani way. Why the surprise then? Because they say there is light at the end of the tunnel. But you just dragged that iota of light further away, reassuring us that there is no light. It is only an illusion built by psychopaths like yourself, all set to be served to naive humanoids like us. Why the surprise then? Because in the battle of good versus evil, you just slashed open the throat of good and left the body to rot in a manner even vultures would find ugly. Your nerve, the impulse inside you to shatter every sense of decency known to mankind, just took a giant leap. You have outdone yourself in multiple shades of spectacular. Why the surprise then? Because you treated this man like a hero, you wanted him recognised on the global arena. You wanted him championed on every platform. You never raised a finger at what he did, how he did it and why he did it. You cried wolf when a teenage girl won the Nobel Prize and he didn’t. But then you abused the same man. You pushed him against the wall and robbed him of more than just material things. You robbed him of the resolve that made him the man he is today. You robbed him of trust. You robbed him of belief. Why the surprise then? Because you still refuse to take a cold, deep look at yourself and identify the savage monster you have become. You refuse to believe that something vile runs through your blood. You are busy in political slogging, media campaigning and electoral chest pounding. But you don’t have the time to be human. You don’t have the time to show compassion or a sense of dignity. Why the surprise then? Because this is not the end; your imagination stretches far and beyond anything this world has known. You multiply. You don’t divide. The world will give you ugly. You will make it uglier. The world will give you angry. You will make it angrier. The world will give you bad. You will make it worse. Edhi is only the start. This is only the trailer. The main show still hasn’t started. Why the surprise then? Because your crime and twisted state of mind will dissolve itself in the mudslinging of opposing groups that takes place every day. We will never identify your face, your name or any other part of your identity because that is not how we operate. We operate in a mode where one man’s poison is another man’s meat. We operate in a manner where one man’s nightmare is another man’s dream. We operate in times where we are right and they are wrong. This is precisely why you did this to Edhi. This is precisely why you succeeded. Congratulations on a job well done.

There’s something about Abdul Sattar Edhi that makes Pakistanis feel safe... almost protected, like a child feels with a parent around. He is old and frail and sickly. But he is there. He is alive. And till he is alive, we have hope. We have hope that goodness prevails, and that there exist those we can look up to. With Edhi around, we have an elder. This August 14^th, I happened to celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day with children from the Edhi home who were attending an event held for them.

“Edhi abbu got us these clothes for Youm-e-Azadi,” said a 14 year old, smugly flaunting a bright green shirt and white pants and shoes, the pants with bits of grass and soil smudged on to it as the kid was sitting on the lawn.

And so it goes. Edhi abbu he is. A father figure for Pakistanis. The man is one person the country’s leftists and rightists and centrists agree on. Thus, Edhi has done more than raise abandoned babies and feed the hungry and lift laawaris laashain. He has not built bridges – he IS a bridge in an otherwise exceedingly polarised society. Pakistanis are like estranged siblings a lot of times; we are united in our gratitude towards Edhi abbu. The common responses to Edhi and his staff being held on gunpoint and looted of gold and cash worth around Rs 30million had reactions that went like this:

“Speechless.” “Don’t know what to say.” “Edhi hum sharminda hain.” “ Edhi Sahab we don’t deserve you.” “May those who did this to you rot in hell.”

The most heart-wrenching was him saying in an interview,

“I am heartbroken.”

The nation’s intelligentsia and literati are still reeling from the post-Noble Prize discussions over whether Malala deserved the prize or not. And those who were from the Malala camp saw this as an opportunity to even scores with those who had dared to question the young girl’s win and had dared to say that Edhi would have been a more deserving candidate.

“Why don’t all those who wanted Edhi to win make up for his loss now?” was a common sentiment on the vent-ground called Twitter.

But then, what do we expect from a people that have been through what Pakistanis have? The marauders, mind you, were a sample part of the whole. And the whole has suffered, and continues to. There is corruption, insecurity and a lack of governance and that is costing us lives, honours and sanities. A few examples stating the obvious: we lose 92000 children annually to Pneumonia because they do not have access to a vaccine that can save them. In the last one month we have seen 40 plus new cases of Polio. In 2013, 1600 plus Pakistani women were killed in the name of honour. Just last month, a girl withdrew charges of gang rape against a minster’s sons. Our maternal mortality rates are almost the highest in the region. Some one million IDPs have dimming hopes of returning home before harsh winter sets in. Our mothers kill their children and commit suicide as the hunger is too much, and at the other end our affluent class bathes in wealth. Our politicians continue to pledge service to the masses in public, and continue to spew powerful narratives that fuel anger. Ironically, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s Karachi jalsa and the promised historic speech was hours ahead of Edhi Sahib being looted, and was a case in point. We are an angry, intolerant nation. And those dacoits were a part of us. Why, then, the naive surprise? They saw money, and they decided to loot it. It was may be too trusting of Edhi Sahab to think they would not do this to him. He should have learnt a thing or two from our political leaders and kept the money somewhere no one can touch it. Money is money. It’s tempting, everyone wants it, and is out to get it. And in this quest, they are not even going to spare a man who is an emblem of humanity. So what is Abdul Sattar Edhi going to do now? Well, he is going to do exactly what he has been doing. He will pick up the pieces of a broken heart, and continue to try and put in his share of healing the aches and pains of humanity, as a good Pakistani and as a human par excellence. If we have any respect for him and have learnt anything from him, then we must do the same. We cannot let hope wilt, and cannot become jaded cynics saying “nothing’s going to get better”. I can make myself better, can’t I?

So far, our dramas have revolved around the vicious circle of poverty, a miserable daughter-in-law suffering at the hands of her evil in-laws, societal customs, dowry issues, giving birth to a male child or the perfect ‘rishta’ (proposal). Indeed these are issues which need to be addressed in dramas or movies, but there are other issues that require our attention as well. With the passage of time, we, Pakistanis, have come across many complex issues segregating our society into small groups, each intolerable for the other. We have issues ranging from the Shia-Sunni to the Punjabi-Pukhtun, anti-women empowerment to pro-women empowerment, even from the pro-Malala to the anti-Malala groups. These issues are addressed in one way or the other in Urdu dramas within a specific cultural framework. But as far as Pukhtun dramas are concerned, they rarely address these issues in order to raise awareness amongst its audience. Despite the liberalisation and easy access to media, we have not witnessed any significant change in the so-called orthodox issues in Pukhtun dramas and movies, whose plot remains to be family enmity filled with killings, bloodshed and misinterpretation of women. The misconstrued notion that militancy arises from the hub of Pukhtun culture needs to be addressed. The attitude of Pukhtuns towards militancy and liberal women is also, more often than not, misinterpreted. Their dramas and movies entail songs, dancing and a hero with a gun and a blood-stained face. They are not war-mongers or hateful people and this is not what their culture is about. In actuality, they are peace-loving, patriotic and hospitable people. So why this ugly depiction of them and their culture? It may be easier said than done, but raising awareness is far from easy; it requires an effort, commitment and an initiative towards the right direction. The one person who has taken the initiative to portray the Pukhtuns and their culture in a realist light is Azeem Sajjad, writer and director of ‘Za Pakhtoon Yum’ (I am a Pukhtun). Not only has he set the wheels in the right direction, he has also set a benchmark for upcoming dramas and movies, and hopefully, it will change the repetition of exhausted plots. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1k2f3k_za-pakhtoon-yum-pashto-new-drama-2014-first-look-trailer_music[/embed] The drama has raised different complex issues regarding the Pukhtuns and their culture. The first and most important issue addressed in the drama is the misconception that terrorism is associated to religion and the region. The drama explores how innocent people are trapped by impostors, possessing a manipulated knowledge of Islam, for the sake of ‘protecting’ and ‘reviving’ Islam. The drama starts with the murder of a folk singer in a tribal area monopolised by a terrorist group who identify themselves as the ‘defenders’ and ‘true preachers’ of Islam. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540"] Photo: Za Pakhtoon Yum Facebook Page[/caption] Secondly, Sajjad has focused on the role of patriotic citizens – students, writers, singers and/or people from other professions showing how well aware they are of their responsibilities towards their country, all-the-while performing their duties in their own unique manner. In the drama, the tribal head (Bahadar Khan) raises his voice against terrorism being carried out by the group and ends up being martyred in the process. His daughter Laleen, a medical student by profession, takes it upon herself to carry forward her father’s formidable task. She observes the situation and concludes that the Taliban are nothing but a foreign agenda and do not represent Islam from anywhere. She devotes her life to creating awareness amongst the people of her tribe in order to reveal the true face of the Taliban and struggles to get rid of the impostors of Islam. In one of the scenes, she is seen educating terrorists about the true spirit of Islam whilst being in their custody. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="539"] Photo: Za Pakhtoon Yum Facebook Page[/caption] Nowadays, the image of our police force is clouded with allegations of corruption, dishonesty and inefficiency, a vision this drama endeavours to fix in order to restore faith in our police force. SP Adam Khan, in his role, does exactly that; his duty to serve his nation is sacred to him. He loses his only child in a battle against terrorism, but his rebellious nature keeps him going until the end. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="431"] Photo: Za Pakhtoon Yum Facebook Page[/caption] Above and beyond all the other preconceived notions people may have of a Pukhtun society, the one it tackles head-on acknowledging the importance of educating women in a Pukhtun society. It ventures into its viewers minds and undoes the knot of misconstrued ideas they may have of the way Pukhtuns treat women. Zarmina, wife of SP Khan, plays the role of a well-known columnist and plays a considerable role in the drama. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="538"] Photo: Za Pakhtoon Yum Facebook Page[/caption] This drama exhibits the versatility present within the country and should be appreciated for trying to correct the contentious view, fueled by misconceptions, held by many about a very large population of Pakistan. It forays into the real life of a Pukhtun, his love for his country, respect for culture, language and yes, women too. It has been scripted and presented in Urdu so it can be viewed and understood by everyone and not just one ethnicity in particular. The power and influence of the media is unquestionable; why not make it a source of awareness as well as a medium for entertainment?

It feels really good to be a Pakistani woman these days. It brings a big smile to my face when I see five Pakistani women in the list of BBC’s 100 women of 2014. And no matter how controversial one may call Malala’s Nobel Peace Prize, there is no denying the fact that it has brought Pakistani women at the centre stage again. Yes, the world is often quick to assume that women in our country are weaklings – damsels in perpetual distress. For a very long time the west has considered them little more than slaves of their male counterparts. Their assumptions are based on certain facts we unfortunately cannot deny. The Global Gender Gap Report has pushed Pakistan to the second last position in the world in terms of gender equality. But is that the complete truth? There are stories that this Gender Gap Report won’t tell and yet these stories exist because of this very gender inequality in Pakistan. Our women have proved, time and time again, that they simply do not give up in the face of any opposition. Not too long ago, they stood along men to demand independence from the British rule; they have continued to stand up to demand their own freedom in the independent state of Pakistan. Here are a few of the many incredible stories worth remembering today. The story of freedom fighters: I don’t know if young Fatima Sughra heard about Jinnah’s speech in Aligarh in 1944 where he proclaimed,

“It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up within the four walls of the houses as prisoners. There is no sanction anywhere for the deplorable condition in which our women have to live.”

But she defied the four-wall prison and much more when she climbed up the Civil Secretariat Lahore during protests in 1947 and pulled down the Union Jack to proudly hoist the flag of Muslim League on the building. It was a remarkable thing to do. She was only fourteen at that time and she probably did not realise the symbolic importance of what she had done. Pakistani women would climb over barriers, buildings and even mountains to push the boundaries of their own emancipation for decades to come. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Women activists during Ziaul Haq's era.[/caption] Fast forward to Ziaul Haq’s regime – a time of great tumult in the lives of Pakistani women. They are being told that if they are sexually assaulted or raped they would require four male witnesses to prove the crime in the court of law. They were also being informed that from now onward the evidence of two women would be equal to that of one man. Pakistani women did not sit in the four walls of their houses on hearing this. They could see a shadow falling on the future of their daughters to live safely in the land of the pure and they would not sit quiet. Outraged, they came out on the streets to protest. They were baton charged but did not give up. This was the time women emancipation campaign gained strength in the country. We see prominent activists, like sisters Hina Jilani and Asma Jahangir, emerge out of this chaos and help create organisations like Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and Women’s Action Forum (WAF). Work done by female activists in this era became a blueprint for future feminist movements in the country. The story of education advocates: Women empowerment and education go hand in hand but education is a dangerous thing. It makes us aware of our surroundings and our place in the world. It nurtures a questioning mind and uplifts the spirit that seeks freedom and justice and equality. Therefore, imparting quality education to masses – especially those living in the rural areas of Pakistan – has remained extremely difficult. In the past, women have been deprived of education more than men because they are not seen as bread winners for the family and education is largely seen as means to get work. By taking the right to education away from our girls we have also snatched their right to justice and freedom. One of the first schools for Muslim girls was founded in 1895 by Amina Tayabji and was a result of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’s bold campaigning for education for Muslims. Later, in 1906 Begum of Bhopal, the female ruler of the princely state of Bhopal opened an exclusive girls’ school in Aligarh. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Pop singer Madonna with activist Humaira Bachal and filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid. Photo: Madonna Facebook Page[/caption] Today this is a cause close to Malala Yousafzai’s heart and while she is on the forefront, we should not forget that, thankfully, she is not alone in her struggle. There are girls like Humaira Bachal, fighting for the right of education in Pakistan every day. Bachal was the first woman from her family to receive an education despite the opposition from community elders and even her own father in the little Mawach Goth in Karachi. At an impressionable age of 12, she began teaching underprivileged children in her neighbourhood. This practice became what is now Dream Model Street School. She has received many international awards for her struggle and achievements including Women of Impact Award at the Fourth Annual Women of the World Summit in 2013. Then there is Begum Jan, a doctor who grew up in South Waziristan and attended a boys school because there was no school for girls in her village. She is the founder of Tribal Women Welfare Association, which not only educates tribal women about their rights but also gives them basic medical education. She was the first Pakistani woman to receive the International Women of Courage Award in 2008. The story of storytellers: While we are speaking of courage, let’s talk about a certain Zaibun Nissa Hamidullah. She was the first female English language columnist and political commentator in Pakistan but left the paper when reprimanded for her political commentary. She launched Mirror – a monthly publication, which became critical of Iskandar Mirza’s rule and was later banned. A famous street in the heart of Karachi, Zaibunnisa Street, is named after her. She has inspired hundreds of women reporters, editors, publishers and storytellers to join her tribe. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Zaibun Nissa Hamidullah[/caption] Stand back and look at Pakistan’s literary scene. There is an array of female writers of both poetry and prose who have most eloquently conveyed the struggles of Pakistani women in their writings. We have Ismat Chughtai, Quratulain Haider, Zahida Hina, Bano Qudsiya, Fehmida Riaz, Ada Jafri and Parveen Shakir to name a few in Urdu literature. Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah and later Bapsi Sidhwa were trailblazers for dynamic writers of English fiction like Sara Suleri, Kamila Shamsie and Uzma Aslam Khan. Today, there are many prominent female directors, photographers, and artists magnificently shaping the visual culture of Pakistan. In recent years the unstoppable Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy has captured the stories of previously unseen Pakistani change-makers in her camera and has mesmerised the world with her storytelling. The story of social architects: Then we have women laying the groundwork for development in impoverished regions of the country. One of them is Dr Quratulain Bakhteari who spent the formative years of her life living in a refugee camp in Karachi after the partition. She was a young mother of three kids by the age of 22 but managed to complete her Masters degree from the University of Karachi and later completed her Doctorate from Loughborough University in England. Today she is the founding director of the Institute For Development Studies and Peace (IDSP) – a training ground for young change-makers from underprivileged communities. She has been working for the development of rural communities and girls’ education in Balochistan and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. [embed width="620"]http://vimeo.com/56813587[/embed] And when we talk about community work, may we never forget the resilient Parween Rehman who assumed the helm of The Orangi Pilot Project in 1999 and helped empower over 113 settlements in Orangi by providing the residents with right training and guidance with a belief that people are their own best resource. She was assassinated while returning from work after receiving several threats to her life for her work. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Parveen Rehman. Photo: NPR/File[/caption] The story of game-changers: Just last year we saw a new tribe of change-makers emerge in Swat Valley. International media reported with great interest the formation of an all female jirga as a reaction to the normal male jirgas. The story made headlines when Jan Bano took the case of her deceased daughter, Tahira, to the female jirga, after rejecting a verdict given by a local, typically all-male jirga on her daughter’s death. Young Tahira died after spending 14 days in agony when her husband, Subha Khan, threw acid on her. The police refused to register the case. Local jirga decided that one of Khan’s sisters should be married in Tahira’s family to compensate for her loss but by this time Jan Bano already had enough of the jirga’s misogynous approach to justice. She had heard about the all-women jirga and approached it for help. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

In this photograph taken on June 20, 2013 women attend a jirga in Saidu Sharif, the twin town of Mingora, the largest city in Swat. Photo: AFP[/caption] While critiques may see jirgas – either men’s or women’s – to be fundamentally flawed for they exist parallel to the existing law of the land, it is reassuring to see women especially in the more conservative tribal areas of Pakistan standing up for themselves. Surprisingly, reports suggest that many local men are supportive of the female jirga for they too have seen the injustice in male-dominated verdicts in the past. It would only be fair then to give Pakistani men due credit. Just as all Pakistani women are not damsels in distress, not all Pakistani men are tyrants and abusers. There are men fully aware of the rights and place of women and who have supported women emancipation in their homes and social circles over the past several decades. There are perhaps just not enough of them yet. So when we talk about Mukhtar Mai, let’s not forget it was a local cleric who encouraged her family to file a case with the police against the injustice of the local jirga and when we talk about Malala, let us also remember it was her father who first encouraged her to take up the cause of education seriously. The women who have not found support from men in their lives have turned the very opposition into their strength. They have achieved what they have achieved not because they are women but because they have refused to believe that being a woman in Pakistan puts them at a disadvantage. They have exercised their right of choice and in doing so have shown great courage and strength. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Ayesha Farooq. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Unfortunately there is no scale to measure courage. We cannot measure how our first female fighter pilot Ayesha Farooq has inspired young Pakistani women. She said in an interview that after losing her father as a child, she grew up to become a young soldier in her family. I wish we could count how many more young soldiers live amongst us, hidden from public recognition. We all know women amongst us working to support their families, multitasking like mad to make sure their houses remain spotlessly clean, and the food is ready and their are families happy. There are courageous women who speak up against domestic violence and abuse even if it means a breach of their private life. There are daring women who take up a career of their choice and marry the man of their choice even if it means they will be shunned from the family forever. Brave women who are making all the choices in their lives, demanding that they be counted and treated like independent human beings and nothing less. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Samina and her brother completed their trek up Mount Everest. PHOTO: theyouthrepublic.com[/caption] On the other side of the scale, suffering will continue. Honour killings, domestic violence and forced marriages will not disappear magically but these atrocities do not define the future of Pakistani women. Be it Fatima Sughra who hoisted the Muslim League flag on the Civil Secretariat in Lahore in 1947 or Samina Baig who unfurled the flag of Pakistan on Mount Everest in 2013, women of Pakistan are telling the world to acknowledge them for what they do and what they are capable of doing. Nothing can stop them from conquering their own fears as well as new horizons they have found beyond the four walls of their houses.

Yesterday, when I was browsing through the internet, two headlines caught my attention. First was that of a terrible suicide blast in Nigeria that killed 47 students and second was of Pakistan Schools’ Federation observing anti-Malala day where they blamed Malala for supporting controversial novelist Salman Rushdie. A similar development took place last year as well when All Pakistan Private Schools Federation banned its members from buying Malala’s memoir claiming that it has anti-Islam and anti-Pakistan content. What is more disappointing than observing such a magnitude of falsehood which is going around in loops since a long time and we find these school federations projecting the same. One wonders what is the point in targeting a teen who brought a Nobel Prize to the country and has been advocating for education all across the world while maintaining her identity as a proud Pakistani and a Muslim. It seems like she is yet again a target for bullets, not from the hands of the Taliban this time but from those who she stood for – her countrymen. It will be fair to present a few excerpts from her book “I am Malala” so that readers themselves can judge the extent of its so-called anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam content. 1. Malala prays to Allah (SWT) to be taller 2. Malala’s mother reciting the Holy Quran when she was in hospital 3. Malala reciting the Ayatul Kursi and praying for humanity 4. Malala delightfully narrates a story about her Khatamul Quran 5. Malala at the first sight of Ka’aba 6. Malala speaks against drone strikes and Raymond Davis 7. Malala speaks about Obama and the image of America 8. Malala and General Kayani 9. Malala talks about the world’s first Muslim homeland 10. Malala praying in Medina [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="362"] Source: I am Malala[/caption] 11. Malala paints for interfaith harmony [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="536"] Source: I am Malala[/caption] While the book has mentioned “Peace Be Upon Him” with the Prophet in the glossary, Malala apologised for not adding the phrase in her content saying,

“It was the publisher’s mistake, which will be amended in the next addition.”

Now, let’s take a look at one of the most serious allegations against Malala – supporting Rushdie. This blatant lie brought me to February 2008 when I attended a lecture by Karen Armstrong in Islamabad. Reflecting back to late 80s and recalling Rushdie’s controversial novel ‘Satanic Verses’, she said something like this,

“Observing the wave of violent protests, I thought this was not going to help in the long run. Many people in Europe had started searching for books to learn more about Islam after the publication of that novel. I felt it may be wise for Muslims to write books on the Prophet so that the West could understand Islam in a better way. When I found that no one else had availed that opportunity (to refute his novel), I myself decided to work on the biography of the Prophet Muhammad.”

The entire hall echoed with claps to appreciate Armstrong. To philosophise it, there are always two sorts of discourses – emotional and intellectual. Armstrong talked of intellectual discourse. When I was reading Malala’s book, I found that she had mentioned that even though her father believed in freedom of speech, he found Rushdie’s novel offensive to Islam. He believed that Islam is strong enough and no (ill-intended) novel can bring any damage to it, further suggesting that they should respond with a book of their own. In my opinion, to be fair, Rushdie’s post-modern fiction was condemnable in the strongest words. Since the novel was banned and was not actually on sale here, or several other countries, Ziauddin Yousafzai followed the same intellectual discourse as that of Armstrong. It is ludicrous to suggest that it was an endorsement of what Rushdie wrote in a deliberate attempt to target the sentiments of Muslims. If that had been the motive, Ziauddin would have never suggested writing a book to counter Rushdie.

It is disheartening to find many renowned journalists twisting her book and even quoting fake excerpts. For instance, Ansar Abbasi and Orya Maqbool Jan tried to frame Malala on blasphemy charge by ‘inventing’ a fake quote from her book. Recently, a new propaganda against Malala came to surface on social media. There was a picture making rounds in which Malala was said to be standing next to Rushdie and Taslima Nasreen. https://twitter.com/shahzad_mirza11/status/468689126632325121 The man next to Malala was not Rushdie but was, in fact, Martin Schulz a German politician and president of the European Parliament. The picture was taken from an event where Malala was awarded European Union’s prestigious Sakharov human rights prize in recognition of her fight for universal and equal access to education. The extent of our hate can devour nations including ourselves. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="501"]

Photo: Reuters[/caption] And this is what Nasreen wrote about Malala:

“She shook my hand with expressionless face. I came from the Indian subcontinent, almost from the same background, fighting religious fundamentalists for women’s rights, but her expression tells me that it means nothing to her.”

Propaganda and manipulation has become a fatal weapon in today’s information war to support or malign someone. Anyone who has observed the hate campaign against Malala on social media can easily recall how a false sentence regarding burqa and beard was attributed to her soon after she was shot in the head. Then she was blamed of conspiring against the country with Richard Holbrooke, US Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, when in reality Malala had requested Holbrooke to assist in promoting educational opportunities for girls in Pakistan. It was proven to be a part of a false propaganda as that picture was taken from a public meeting organised by UNICEF. Since people were running out of conspiracy theories, it was later claimed that there was no assassination attempt and that all of it was staged. This was again proven wrong as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) itself accepted responsibility and threatened to target her again if she survives. Then came the invasion of photo-shopped images all across social media only further attempting to damage her more. Conspiracy theory enthusiasts, like well-controlled puppets, end up basking in such forged content and continue to sharing it with as many like-minded people as possible. Unfortunately, like the many propagandists we have, it seems that even the so-called schools, part of the Pakistan School Federation, haven’t bothered to read her book at all, have relied on hearsay and have, ignorantly, pronounced her book anti-Islamic and even anti- state. The same anti-Malala propaganda that has been making rounds is being regurgitated and fed to our youth. Condemning this is not enough and I just hope that this blog will help people realise that what they are being taught to believe, this propaganda, this lie is just that, a lie. It is a narrative they wish to believe, but it is far from the truth; celebrating an anti-Malala day just shows how ignorant we can be as a nation, and the fact that it is being celebrated by the Pakistan School Federation is just deplorable. The Pakistan Schools’ Federation owes Malala and all the school-going children an apology for misconstruing facts and spreading propaganda in school corridors. We need to be proud of our Nobel Laureate, we need to own Malala and strengthen her cause – not celebrate an anti-Malala day against a 17-year-old.

An exclusive interview with the brains behind the anti-Malala day. Two days ago, the All Pakistan Private Schools Federation headed by Mirza Kashif Ali, celebrated ‘I Am Not Malala day’. It’s said that the association, which represents a network of some 150,000,000 private schools in Pakistan, is planning a ‘Pro-Polio day’ for its next stunt, followed by a ‘Flat Earth day’ in solidarity with the members of the Westboro Baptist Church in the United States. After chairing a panel consisting of six middle-aged men at the Islamabad Press Club, where not a single woman was present in the audience, Ali told The New York Times,

“We are all for education and women’s empowerment.”

He then picked up his mobile phone and rang his wife, demanding to know how many dishes she had cooked for dinner. He continued,

“But the West has created this persona who is against the Constitution and Islamic ideology of Pakistan.”

When asked what that Islamic ideology actually was, he consulted his copy of Maulana Maududi’s ‘Muslims and the Present Political Turmoil’ (Volume three), but was unable to answer the question. When shown Maududi’s quote that the idea of Muslim nationalism was as likely as “a chaste prostitute,” Ali then said that Malala Yousfazai was a supporter of Salman Rushdie, and that was why he opposed her.

“It is clear that Malala has a nexus with Salman Rushdie and is aligned with his club.”

He was asked to identify the name of the club, to which he responded,

“I am not sure, but it is either the Sind Club or the Manchester United Football Club. Both are well known for their anti-Islam, anti-Pakistan content.”

When asked if he had ever read either ‘The Satanic Verses’ or ‘I Am Malala’, he responded in the negative.

“Why should I read books? There is no need to read books. Pakistani students only need to know what happened in the seventh century. And since there were no books at that time, there is certainly no need to expose students in Pakistan to books.”

Responding to a rumour that he did not actually know how to read, he responded angrily,

“That is not true. Of course I know how to read. It’s only girls who should remain illiterate in this day and age.”

He said that he hoped the anti-Malala day would catch on all over Pakistan.

“We hope to make it even bigger and better next year. We’ll hold anti-Malala processions, anti-Malala debates in all the schools, and we will produce a film about why Malala’s message of universal education for children is a Zionist, American plot. I will star in this film as the hero exposing Malala’s evil plot to the world. Salman Rushdie will be approached to play the role of Malala. Malala’s father will be played by a Christina Lamb.”

At this point, Mr Kashif Ali asked to be excused, saying that he had to go celebrate his birthday, otherwise known as ‘Illiterate Fools Day’. This post originally appeared here. Disclaimer: This post being satire is for entertainment purposes only.

The past is another country and my almost dementia-inflicted mind often fails me when faced with challenges of recalling timelines. I think it was back in the late 80s when my family and I moved to Model Town, a Lahore suburb and a remnant of the British Raj. Model Town was a classic, green and well-planned community that took pride in being a self-sustained and resident-funded operation. At the time we moved to Lahore, we were not too familiar with Punjab, its politics or even our surroundings. Across from our house was a nicely paved, lush green, linear patch, informally known as the Nawaz Sharif Park. A mile away, eastward, was the circular, Model Town Park. Compared with the rest of Lahore, Model Town was an amazingly organised, beautiful establishment equipped with smartly lined up trees, a street light system and sidewalks that reminded one of the more advanced countries of the world. Lo and behold, as we got ourselves oriented, we discovered that all the development that we noticed around us was the brainchild of the Sharif family. The Chief Minister, Mian Nawaz Sharif, as he was then called, lived in Model Town with his clan; a tightknit group, residing in seven, palace-like dwellings. Our little, colonial house stood about half a mile from the Sharif’s. Those were good times. One would often see Nawaz driving around, without security detail in his shiny Mercedes, windows down and often waving at the residents with a smiley, pleasant expression on his face. Mian Sahib was a much younger but balding, vibrant soul then. He was a regular feature at the Lahore Gymkhana, playing cricket with his buddies and at the Race Course Park, jogging merrily and chatting with the older ladies whom he addressed as ‘Aunty ji’. Likewise, I remember lights being turned on in the Nawaz Sharif Park in the wee hours of the morning so that the patriarch of the Sharif clan, (the late) Mohammad Sharif, could take a brisk walk with his entourage. In the afternoons, one would usually come across a group of young Sharif family kids out and about with their domestic staff in the neighbourhood. One of their cousins was a regular feature at the Model Town Club, playing squash in the cemented, open top squash courts. Every Eid, the Sharifs would hold an open house and welcome people of different tenor and texture with lots of generosity. I remember tagging along once with my dad and little nephew to one of those events. We were lucky enough to not only get close to Nawaz but my nephew was also given a huge hug and a kiss on his cheek by the then chief minister. I wish I had a taken a picture but those were not the days of smartphones or selfies! Life even beyond Model Town was pretty good overall. Thanks to booming business activity, Lahore of those days was buzzing with activity. Under Nawaz, there was relative calm, crime rate was low, sectarian strife was negligible, educational institutions were generally peaceful, and the middle class still existed and thrived. Of course, just like now, Lahore being Lahore, everyone knew everyone – a small town that turned into a big city but still maintained its old virtues. Meanwhile in Islamabad, things had changed a bit. Benazir Bhutto had taken oath of office as the prime minister with the dreadful Eighth Amendment still entrenched in the 1973 Constitution. With the army keeping a close eye and control on politics even after the exit of tyrant-in-chief, General Ziaul Haq, Nawaz and his camp decided to go national, a step that essentially signalled farewell to simple life and times. Nawaz, the hometown boy, was ready for bigger and better experiences. At least that’s what he and members of his coterie believed. Beyond a certain point, the battle lines of a new political paradigm were drawn. Centre-province (the province in question being Punjab) relations were strained. Benazir-Nawaz confrontation became an everyday affair. Chamchas and chamchees of both sides hurled abuses at each other and the Sharifs turned into the biggest pain in the neck for Benazir and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Model Town, our heaven on earth, turned into a bickering field and a political playground for every Tom, Dick and Harry who previously claimed to be close to the Sharifs now kindled aspirations for political office. Nawaz got what he wanted badly – he was elected as prime minister at the end of 1990. Not surprisingly, matters became complicated. While he promised economic prosperity to the nation, distribution of wealth, business opportunities, hefty government tenders, all ended up in the hands of his inner circle folks. These corrupt individuals brought bad name to the Sharifs as their popularity nosedived. Around that time, I left Pakistan and while I stayed in touch, I was told and felt that the Model Town that the Sharifs developed with their heart and soul was degenerating and had fallen into the wrong hands. Lahore’s socio-economic and political dynamics was no different than Model Town. The decade of 90s was nothing less than a shameful political circus between Benazir and Nawaz. Nawaz was unceremoniously booted out in ’93 but made a comeback to the Prime Minister house in ’97, surrounded by leeches of the highest order. Looking from a distance, it seemed that his second stint was worse than the first, one that was too fleeting and obnoxiously mortgaged to the army’s whims and wishes. Frustrated, perhaps ashamed or maybe, intoxicated by power, he messed up matters with the generals. October 1999 saw him arrested and eventually kicked out of the country and exiled, supposedly for good. The local boy of Model Town ended up becoming the bad boy of politics. Nawaz proved himself to be a tough cookie. He didn’t give up and came back to Pakistan in 2008 and did a darn good job being the leader of the opposition at the centre as well as running the province of Punjab. After several pitfalls and legal battles, the guy is back in the saddle as the prime minister. Here’s where all the troubles start. It appears that he’s lost his way. Almost a year and a half into his rule, he seems to be a lost puppy, faced with insurmountable problems. His popularity is nowhere close to the reasonable mark. No one likes him that much. People want him out. It’s unbelievable that he was elected through a general election. While he carries on stubbornly, not caring about what’s going on outside the walls of the Prime Minister House, lording over a broken infrastructure and a highly fragmented country, the ominous presence of the dharnas and the opposition calls of him stepping down must be ringing bells of disaster in his head. Or, maybe not since his last two exits were brutally unceremonious. A man with a vision or foresight may have undoubtedly done a better job planning a smarter exit strategy. He claims that he won the 2013 elections by a landslide margin but his opponents say that it was nothing more than a mudslide – a sad day for a country that’s already tottering and reeling under pressure of terrible domestic issues. Nawaz must go. Seriously, he must. And I’m saying this as someone who has no political axe to grind. I’m telling him to show himself the door in a graceful manner as someone who saw Nawaz, the human, during my days in Model Town. It’s no use hanging by the thread and losing one’s dignity and self-respect. Let’s understand that every peak has its trough. Nawaz has had a great ride. Call him lucky, fortunate or just a good old opportunist, being the prime minister of Pakistan three times is no mean achievement. He’s achieved whatever he could have and he’s at a stage in life whereby he can retire peacefully, live comfortably, play with his grandkids and get some well-deserved rest. Go home, Nawaz. I’m sure, unlike yours truly, the residents of Model Town haven’t forgotten or written you off. You can still earn back the trust of millions and perhaps think about doing some goodwill stuff. Join hands with Abdul Sattar Edhi and help him out with your boundless wealth and connections? How about using your abundant sources to bring Malala Yousafzai back to Pakistan and spreading the light of education to the darkest corners of the country? How about working on cleansing the society and culture from the scourge of corruption? Speak and act against religion-based extremism? Be an ambassador of unity? Work with India and spread the message of love around the sub-continent? There’s a lot to be done and the good news is that Nawaz is not an ordinary Joe. All he needs to do is eject from the political can of worms and the world is his oyster. The sky’s the limit. With his 65^th birthday fast approaching, it’ll be nothing but befitting that he gifts himself some long overdue freedom, freedom from the shackles of power that is slipping fast away from his hands. Nawaz should walk away. This is the right time to bow out and be remembered as a leader who left the scene in a decent manner. Despite all the hideousness, he still maintains the youthful demeanour. He can do a lot better than what he’s already accomplished. A little insight and sound, timely advice will help him. He’s got to trust his gut, tread back to his roots and rediscover himself.

You can burn down our schools, tear the lives of families apart and ask minors to recite the kalma before you shoot them in the head. You can wage a war against humanity, impose a rule of tyranny and redefine oppression. Your guns can shoot, but their voices will never echo louder than the resolve of this nation. Your flames will burn out, but a nation will still emerge from its ashes, even if it is battered, bruised and beaten. You will run out of lives to give, but there will always be a Pakistani ready to lay his or hers down for their homeland. It is, without doubt, the epitome of cowardice to target the most innocent creatures of all, children going to school. Yesterday, you took away from us our next generation. We have nothing left, but a will higher than ever before to not let you break us. We will not forget December 16, and we will not forget the 130 plus. You may attack our schools, but for every attack you plan and execute, there will be hundreds of thousands of students out there to lead vigils, burn candles, pray for the deceased and strive to bring you down. We will not forgive. We are, by no means, a nation of quitters, we will not let go. We have never been afraid of sacrifices, and we do not forget those you have taken away from us. Every day as you impose your tyranny on us, our resolve to fight you only grows. It is with deep discomfort that I realise I have but words to answer you. Your insecurities are shown by the fact that books and pens frighten you. You can shoot down Malala, martyr Aitzaz and end the life of over 130 children in Peshawar. But the Malala’s and Aitzaz’s of this country will never stop emerging and they will never be forgotten. For every life you take, you create even more mortal enemies. Your apologists in our mainstream media and politics fail you, for they can no longer hide you behind a faceless mask that hides and protects your identity. This nation of millions is out to get you, your kind and your ideology. It will not stop nor will it take rest until the very roots of the menace like yourselves are exterminated from this country. Whether it be the Karachi Airport, the Wagha border or the Army Public School, we will not lock ourselves up in our homes and give in to your attempts at frightening us. We will show up again, the next day, with the same commitment and greater resolve. This nation of millions has endured a lifetime of sacrifices; we are no strangers to losing our loved ones for causes greater than ourselves. And by God, this cause is greater than we will ever be. You threaten our way of life, our religion and our ideology. You threaten an entire civilisation and all the future of generations to come. You plan to impose on us an extremist ideology that would put to waste the sacrifices we have made over hundreds of years, we will not let that happen. My heart bleeds for the children that will not make their way home again. It bleeds for the mothers who forced their children to go to school despite their insistence to take a day off. It bleeds for the families who will never be whole again. It bleeds for the friends who will never meet again. It bleeds for the children who will never be able to go to school without looking over their shoulder. It bleeds for the children who will not forget the sounds of what happened in Peshawar yesterday. It bleeds for the children who witnessed bloodshed and violence that will affect them for the rest of their lives. But it finds solace, in the millions that came together to condemn you as one. It finds rest, in the hope that there will be a tomorrow without you. It finds pride in the children who will continue to go to school. Books will always be mightier than your guns. They will always have an impact more lasting, resounding and great than your weapons can ever have. Every child with a book and a pen will learn to abhor you. Every parent who sends their kid to school would have done their duty for their nation. We’re not a nation which stands down this easily. We’re a nation built on resolve, commitment and a sense of duty. We are a nation built on the foundations of Unity, Faith and Discipline – and these ideals will be greater tomorrow than ever before. We are Pakistan.

It was September 22^nd of last year; one of the blackest days in the history of Pakistan. It was a day when the Taliban targeted a church in Peshawar with a pair of suicide bombers who ripped through a congregation 500 strong. The savage destruction that followed resulted in the death of over 78 Pakistanis with nearly 150 wounded. It was an act of terror in every sense of the word, and casualties included both women and children. We watched in horror on our television screens as tragic images of injured Pakistani worshipers flooded news channels. At first glance the aftermath resembled a butcher shop, and we could only imagine the agony of the victims and the trauma forever imprinted on the hearts of the loved ones left behind. Finding it difficult to process the nausea, we looked to our leaders to respond in the strongest possible way. We wanted action. Condemnation. Anything. Instead we had to listen to insensitive politicians playing politics. Not three days later, PTI’s Imran Khan, chairperson of the party that governs Peshawar, rubbed salt in the wounds by reiterating his stance that the Taliban be allowed to open an office in Pakistan. Such comments were insensitive at best after such a horrific attack. To make matters worse, he once again failed to unequivocally condemn the killers who were openly taking credit for the attack, and disturbingly enough, provided an indirect defence for their actions. Khan’s dangerously flawed argument was that we were hitting the militants too hard for them to be convinced into surrendering their arms. But as last week’s barbaric school attack in Peshawar has shown, apparently we hadn’t been hitting them hard enough. If anything, PTI’s pro ‘good Taliban’ stance has always remained consistent, yet curiously enough, PTI has taken a significantly harder stance on the TTP since the school attack in Peshawar. In what is a definite change of pace, members of PTI and Khan himself have expressed strong condemnations on TV and social media. What’s more, they have been more in favour of retaliation than ever before. This isn’t the first time TTP have slaughtered countless civilians, yet it is the first time PTI has hinted at taking the gloves off. Perhaps the difference is that the victims here are Muslims and not a minority group like the Christian community or the Ahmadis. Or perhaps the minimisation of drone attacks has meant that PTI has lost an important tool in its propaganda machine. Another reason could be the Pakistan Army’s successful Zarb-e-Azb operation; the militants aren’t as threatening as they have been. While there can be no doubt of Khan’s bravery, considering his open presence during street movements (he boldly took to the streets when former president, General Pervez Musharraf, was at the height of his brutality), PTI cannot function without the feeling of safety; had the Taliban been openly targeting PTI, supporters would be unable to join the protests so freely to strengthen PTI’s important street power. Khan may have also realised that he has ridden the wave of religious sentiment as far as he can, and is now better off concentrating on his new hook – the election rigging issue. Khan has been struggling on the political scene for eons and failed to make a dent until recently. Many Pakistanis were tired of the familiar political parties taking turns at sucking the nation dry and were desperate for someone to sell them change. In our desperation, we turned to a man who won us the World Cup and is a proven philanthropist with immense reserves of resolve. But our need for a clean political party wasn’t enough to win PTI enough votes. Imran Khan needed something else to galvanise the masses. Here is the truth about many from our nation. A truth that is on the surface for some and lies deep for others, only waiting for a crisis to rise; we like to blame others for our predicament, especially on the subject of terrorism. After the Peshawar school attack, social media memes went viral where angry letters were written to Barack Obama, David Cameron, and even CNN, blaming the West for the creation of the Taliban. For some reason, we tend to trust bad ‘so-called Muslims’ than any non-Muslim. After the Peshawar school attack, our neighbours in India displayed moving solidarity, taking the losses to heart as if they were their own. Meanwhile, across Europe and USA, candlelight vigils were held in remembrance of the school children killed. On the other hand, our own so called Muslim brothers in the Middle East have been largely quiet on the issue. Yes, whenever there are acts of terrorism in the nation some of us like blaming India and the United States, yet we never blame the wealthy Middle Easterners who have influenced the radicalisation of madrassas. Nothing is more contradictory than the abuse Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai continues to face. Like the Peshawar victims, she was also attacked by the same militants, yet she faces mistrust simply because she was hailed by the Western media. Granted, Pakistan has been used as a chessboard by several Western powers over the years, but our constant mistrust of the West is like a poison that grows in our hearts and blinds us to a more direct threat. Imran took advantage of this sentiment to gain some popularity. It began when he paraded for Dr Afia Siddiqui’s cause, demanding her immediate release. Did it matter to him that reports suggested she had married the nephew of a 9/11 attacker? That her own former husband finally broke his silence to say that she was radicalised, manipulative, and on the path to violence? That she was so closely associated with militants? That she was not even a Pakistani, but a citizen of the United States? It certainly earned Khan some brownie points even if it fuelled Pakistan’s paranoia about the West. But the PTI chairman never had the heart of Quaid-e-Azam even if he openly wishes to emulate him. Clearly, he is inspired by Quaid’s position and not Quaid’s character. At this moment in time, protests against extremism are taking place at Lal Masjid led by independent politician Jibran Nasir, a man with more in common with Quaid-e-Azam than Imran Khan. Khan’s most controversial stance was on the drone attacks – a stance that has seemingly changed, since the drone attacks resumed after the Peshawar tragedy without a word from PTI. The drones proved to be PTI’s golden ticket into the limelight as Imran managed to find the issue to rile up the feelings of victimisation in every Pakistani. On some level we all believe that the West is out to get us, and PTI’s anti-drone drive certainly ignited all the drones sitting at home on their couches and behind their keyboards. While many of his arguments against drone attacks were just, by creating the illusion that militants existed because of the drones, he played a significant role in swaying public opinion in favour of the ‘good Taliban’ and hence against army action. It is this apologist attitude that earned Imran Khan the title of ‘Taliban Khan’. It was a nickname that was used widely across Pakistan’s media, yet it was only Geo Network blamed by the PTI chairperson for creating the name. The accusation was staggering because Khan was obviously ignorant of the actual reason he was being called Taliban Khan and seemed to be in some form of delusion that it was a conspiracy started by media house. Now, I am not someone who enjoys watching Geo. In fact, I’d rather watch paint dry or houseflies procreate than watch Geo News, but I certainly feel for the network’s people. Invariably, Imran fuelled hatred against the network by taking jabs in every speech through a barrage of allegations that weren’t accompanied by evidence. On the other hand, the network’s reporters constantly tweet images of facing violence at the hands of PTI supporters. Khan says he has never asked his supporters to take up violence against the network. While this may be certainly true, it would be naïve of him to assume that his ‘passionate’ supporters wouldn’t be instigated by his fiery words. But for Khan, there never seems to be a fruit that hangs too low. Likewise, Imran Khan certainly had a right to his belief that Ahmadis don’t qualify as Muslims, but perhaps he should have kept that belief to himself rather than further isolating an already marginalised minority. But the statements were never surprising. After all, since he began playing cricket, Imran Khan has always been a crowd pleaser.

Thousands of miles away, in a candle vigil for the children of the Peshawar attack, the Mayor of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Bonnie Crombie said,

“The children lost in Peshawar were not just Pakistani kids; they were our children, the children of this planet.”

I shuddered to imagine the paranoia of millions of parents in Pakistan on the day that their children will have to go back to school after winter break. And along with them, my mind wandered to the other children on the planet – the children who have lost their lives and so much more. I couldn’t help but think of the 200 plus school girls that Boko Haram kidnapped in Nigeria. Will these girls ever be able to return to school again? Last September, Gaza was short of almost 490 school-going children, as schools reopened after a 50-day war with Israel during the summers. Many of the kids who survived had lost their homes and family members. The Israeli kid who died after rockets were fired from Gaza was also a child of the same planet. How can one not think of the millions of displaced children of Syria currently spending their fourth winter in refugee shelters, attending makeshift schools in the camps, while nearly 14,000 have perished? My heart aches for the children who have been brutally beheaded by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) for not converting. Hearing the spine-chilling stories of Yazidi minor girls who are being sold as sex slaves makes me tremble.

“They will sell my girl for $10.”

This cry of a Kurd father from Sinjar haunts me to date. So does the recount of a 19-year-old Yazidi girl who managed to escape:

“One day we were given clothes that looked like dance costumes and were told to bathe and wear them. One girl killed herself in the bathroom. She cut her wrists and hanged herself.”

In a lesser heard Central African Republican, almost 6,000 to 10,000 children have been snatched of their school lives and have been forcibly recruited as child soldiers, some being as young as eight-years-old. There are child soldiers recruited by Iraqi militias and ISIS too. Amnesty International reports there are 250,000 child soldiers world over. Closer to home, around the time of Malala Yousafzai’s incident, 12-year-old Mehzar Zehra was shot on her way to school and while her father became the victim of target killing for being Shia. I also think of little Rimsha Masih, who had to languish in jail, and Aitzaz Hasan from Hangu, who lost his life while averting a bomb attack in his school. Let’s not forget the Hazara kids who either perished or were injured in Mastung and other attacks on the Hazara community. Let’s not forget the hudreds of children who have died during the drone attacks in Waziristan. Forgive me for not being able to enumerate every child who was lost to meaningless wars happening around us. Echoing Mayor Bonnie, each of these are children of the same planet. And it is incumbent upon humanity to ensure them a safe childhood. According to a UN report,

“More than one billion children under the age of 18 were living in areas in conflict or emerging from war. Of these, an estimated 300 million were under age five and more than 18 million children were refugees or internally displaced.”

As the calendar flips to 2015, there will hardly be anything new for these children. Those who have perished shall sleep below heaps of earth with their innocent dreams buried in their hearts. Those alive will continue to bear the trauma of bare survival, feeling lucky to have lived another day, no matter how. This is not all. Beyond active warfare, vested interests in media, state or faith-based groups also subject children to psychological abuse by preaching warmongering and hatred. A child’s video on Memri TV telling tender Palestinian children about evil Jews, a seven-year-old boy from a madrassa who sings jihad against infidels, or a 10-year-old boy from a Gurukul who spews hate and desires to combat Muslims – these are just a few examples, and not a concoction of my mind. Even on social media, we violate war-torn kids by sharing gory pictures of disfigured or dead children to evoke emotional propaganda. Is this the quality of life the children of our planet deserve? Why are we so disgustingly insensitive about how detrimental something like this could be to a child’s health and potential? Would you put your child through this physical or psychological politics of hate and violence? Why do we fail to think of the long-lasting adverse consequences of violence on their tender minds and bodies in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Do these children even have an idea of the geopolitics, war on resources or hegemony of sects or tribes, for which they are subjected to the worst form of violations? The hope kindled by voices like Kailash Satyarthi or Malala or Edhi is only momentary. The scale of the war industry is too huge to be countered by a few sincere souls. UN reports reveal a change of war tactics in current conflicts that have made children even more directly exposed to warfare. This only makes the future grimmer. Violence and hatred are not inborn. They are learned behaviours, and we, as adults, are the culprits who have taught our kids through words, actions and inactions. Even if we can’t create a world without conflicts, can we at least be civilised enough to spare children from being caught in this crossfire of hate and violence? Garcia Machel, UN’s Secretary-General, correctly stated,

“It is unforgivable that children are assaulted, violated, murdered and yet our conscience is not revolted nor our sense of dignity challenged. This represents a fundamental crisis of our civilisation.”

Indeed. But yes, yes, do wish each other a happy new year.

2014 was like any other year for Pakistan in the last decade, with socio-political and religious excesses taking the lion’s share of space in the newspapers of the country. And yet, despite being overshadowed by dismal news, there was no dearth of winning moments for our country. In retrospect, this may just prove to be the year in which the foundation for a consolidated effort was laid, in the country’s quest to reclaim its lost glory of the 1960s. Progress was made in all domains of life. Some of those winning moments are herein under presented: Admittedly, in a country forever under the sword of Damocles, constantly in trepidation where the next act of violence may stem from, steering the economy in the right direction is a daunting task; one that our policy makers seem to be doing just fine. The country ranked third in the top ten best performing markets in the world for the third consecutive year running. The light at the end of the tunnel is more intense than ever before, as the country proved to naysayers that no amount of persecution can diminish our resolve. Much like on the day after the Wahga attack, we jump back stronger every time things are not going our way. In a rare show of proprietary, the country was finally able to raise questions on the unassailability of the two power brokers of the country, the malignant element within the armed forces and the hatred spewing preachers. The usurpers were given a fitting reminder of their culpability when Musharraf was presented in the magistrate’s court after having spent eight years as the country’s top boss. And the monopoly of the religious elite was checked when the civil society shouted out “wrong number”, in a PK-esque manner, to the callings of Maulana Abdul Aziz, of the veil episode fame (who had tried scurrying away from Lal Masjid fiasco like Alfrid does from warzone in Hobbit 3, in a women’s garb). Also, to add cherry to the top, the VIPs were finally reminded of the essence of punctuality when former interior minister Rehman Malik was thrown off the plane. Throwing down their hands in exasperation, the public for the first time in history put its entire weight behind the armed forces, and the sympathies for the militants’ dissipated as the country chanted in unison, “Zarb-e-Azb”. This led to many a militant wetting their pants, as they scampered to get rid of the only Islamic element about them, their beards. It became evident more than ever before that the religion of these militants, and the hard lines they draw, revolve around their own well-being. Just for exposing this fact, the Pakistan Army boys definitely deserve a pat on the back. The politics of the country witnessed the vigour of 1969, 1977, and 2007/2008 without immediately being followed by a changing of guard at the top. It was a double win; we finally rose to rally for what is ours, while the armed forces in turn, reaffirmed their resolve to keep their khakis out of politics, and restrict themselves to barracks where they could best defend the nation. The country acquired international recognition in its cause of educating children, notwithstanding the adversaries, when the city of Oslo witnessed the youngest person ever lifting the Nobel Prize amongst thunderous applause. Together with this, NGOs like Alif Ailaan kept the country on its toes, with constant reminders that more needs to be done, and more is being done! Home-made drones (Pakistan is now also assisting Turkey in making drones), new industries regardless of the load shedding and venturing into the tablet market are all hallmarks of 2014. But the pick of the list is the auction held last April, due to which 3G and 4G systems of communication became available in the country. The next aim should be to make the country an export surplus nation in the domain of electronics. Dramas and songs had never stopped but the return of the public to cinemas, that which has been gaining strength for some years now, only saw a rise in the last year. Moreover, nothing says tenacity and courage better than the fact that despite the constant barrage of news stories documenting violence, the top three grossing Pakistani movies – Na Maloom Afraad (earned more than a 100 million rupees), Operation 21 and The System – too had an element of violence about them. Although there were a few low points, but the progress within this sector was too hard to ignore. Pakistan bagged silver medals in both Champions trophy and Asian games in hockey, Muhammad Waseem excelled in boxing, and the country was finally able to whitewash Australia in Test cricket after 32 years. Also, the game of musical chair for the chairmanship of PCB came to an end ushering in a period of stability, and an international cricket team’s – Kenya’s – visit to the country portends a return of the cricket to the Pakistani grounds. So there, even if a vast number of stories surfacing seemed gory, there is no denying that the country continues to stride towards a better future. And if this write-up seems too long, what can we say, Pakistan has a lot to show for itself!

It’s been a while since I last visited Pakistan; long enough that the kids I knew have now grown up to become functional, responsible adults. The friends I made are descending into the middle-age bracket. Many of the relations I had have either passed or are in the late stages of their lives. In a nutshell, a tremendous amount of transition and transformation has taken place as far as my personal life, as well as those I left behind, is concerned. I keep a close eye on a regular basis, thanks to the great tools of technology, on how the Pakistani society has evolved and continues to grow rapidly. Those who know me often suggest that I should visit South Asia to witness first-hand the incredible changes and the good stuff that’s happening in the region. I guess I’m too lazy and not young enough anymore to embark upon a journey that might entail and stir up some unwarranted emotional feelings. For some odd reason, although I travel extensively, putting Pakistan on the itinerary has been a tough proposition. I’ve often been accused of being judgmental and unkind when it comes to Pakistan and its culture. To be honest, that’s not true. Having lived in the country long enough and observed it from outside for eons now, I have, more than often, been overcome with dejection and disappointment and hence, at times, I sound like a jerk when it comes to Pakistan. One is disappointed only when one has hopes and aspirations for certain people or a particular nation. My feelings are similar to a father having dreams of success for his offspring but ends up bitter and devastated when he finds them not doing too well or unable to meet his expectations. Such has been my love-hate story with Pakistan. Pakistanis are doing wonderfully well in the West, to say the least. I see them everywhere, smart, sharp, successful and industrious. They are blessed with all kinds of skills and contribute productively to the societies they reside in. Needless to say, they are law-abiding, futuristic and well networked. In the backdrop of this phenomenal effectiveness of the community, I cannot but question Pakistan’s steady decline into a sad, unsystematic, scattered polity that is blessed with such great folks who survive and thrive when faced with the toughest of odds and environments elsewhere. Why this dichotomy? Why this inability to raise the bar and make Pakistan a better place when the same exact people are able to make a positive impact outside? I’ve scratched my head hard but I doubt there are any easy answers. It’s a complicated situation, one that only worsens when we start looking for solutions. I know for sure that Pakistan suffers from a crisis of leadership. Politicians, generals, all seem to have failed to deliver. The current crop of office bearers consists of a bunch of self-aggrandising nincompoops who seem to be running around like headless chickens. The issue of leadership crisis further deepens when one realises the fact that the people elected the guy who failed twice before for the third time as the prime minister. It goes to show that there’s not many options to play around with; no fresh blood that can inculcate a true spirit of socio-economic development and lead the nation to a certain level of prosperity. Imran Khan, apparently the sole beacon of hope, continues to get rejected so much so that he’s now out on the streets, declaring blatant disobedience and acting like a headless chicken himself. Pakistan has a religion problem. Back in the day, it wasn’t such a huge deal. In fact, people were secular minded. Now it appears that religion is an ultra-sensitive affair which is not to be discussed and only leads to anger, madness or killing if one dares to speak up. Granted that an overwhelming population of the country is Muslim, the spirit of true Islam is, for the most part, missing in action. Politics is heavily intertwined into matters of faith and hence India, Kashmir, Israel, the US, our nuclear program, religious minority issues are in essence dealt with combative, superfluous and non-peaceful ways. While Christians and Hindus are relentlessly maimed and murdered by ignorant zealots, starting a conversation regarding the reform of blasphemy laws is a no-go area. There’s too much of emotional heat found in the system. It seems as if people get worked up when it comes to issues like India. The element of logic makes a convenient exit when one talks about making peace with the ‘archenemy’. Peace is not a bad thing and pretty much a gettable concept. So then why is it so impossible to initiate a realistically prudent dialogue with India? Why is it considered an act of cowardice to intermingle with our neighbours across the border? Why this hatred when Indians and Pakistanis are intrinsically one people who lived together for centuries until only about seven decades or so ago? A groundswell of economic opportunities can appear on the horizon if Pakistan and India make peace with each other. Other than the Palestine connection, does Pakistan have any points of friction with Israel? How much do the Arabs care about Pakistan? Thinking outside the box, if an olive branch is offered to Israel, such an act can pay rich dividends in terms of business opportunities and foreign investment. Radical, yes, but something worth pondering over. Lately, I’ve come across grand stories of corrupt officials, bureaucrats and politicians being ‘disciplined’ by the public at large. This is a wonderful development, one that must carry on without hindrance. However, the irony is that the government is not pushed to check the problem. Unless the cancer of corruption is removed from the national arterial system, Pakistan and its citizens cannot be expected to make any economic headway. The growth of social and electronic media has had an overpowering influence in creating awareness but the bottom line is that people power must necessarily be backed by government authority to get things done. Here’s another question that I, for the life of me, can’t find an answer to – why this disgust for Malala Yousafzai? The girl is the darling of the West. Does it bother folks that she’s a globally active and popular figure? Would it not be great if she’s appointed as a goodwill ambassador for enhancing Pakistan’s image? Doesn’t Pakistan need all the Malalas of the world to bolster its image internationally? Granted that the public believes that she did not deserve the Nobel Prize, but the reality is that she got it and no one can deny that. Now let’s move on, think about making the best use of an invaluable resource who can help put in a good word across the globe. Use Malala as an asset and stop condemning her. Is that too much to ask? Sooner rather than later, Pakistanis will have to make hard choices. The days of mediocrity are over. Nations that have fire in their bellies, the ambition to progress and better the lives of the common lot are the ones that excel in modern times. All this militancy, war mongering, macho-istic statements of bravado don’t mean much. What matters in today’s world is how strong a country’s infrastructure is, how resilient its systems are, how much trade and commerce is carried out, volume of exports, flexibility of attitudes and, of course, committed leadership. All this counts toward an A or an A+ rating, and that is what the ultimate goal should be. It’s only a matter of shifting priorities. There is absolutely no dearth of talent, energy and vitality in Pakistan. People, in fact, are yearning to make a positive impact. Young folks are clamouring to step up to the plate. They are suppressed because of the few influential people who think Pakistan is their dad’s personal ranch. One is sure that there are leaders waiting in the wings to introduce fresh thinking into the mix. We can’t see them since the waderas (feudals) and the jagirdars (feudal lords) like to keep the general populace in the background. There are plenty who want to make sensible choices with respect to India, Islam and all things extremist. The gladiators of change and moderation must get together and fight the existing disorderly state of affairs. No hurdle is insurmountable. If Pakistanis can work wonders all over the world, they can turn their own country into a rock solid example of progressive thinking and modernisation. Let’s not think too hard about issues that no longer have much relevance. Let’s just focus about what’s important to build a strong Pakistan and focus on creating a contemporary society. With courage and a sense of initiative and integrity, Pakistanis can certainly rise to the occasion. In the meantime, while I remember the gorgeous Karachi seafront, miss the sweet smell of the Lahore spring and long for hiking in the Margalla Hills, I’ll sit back and plan a trip once the good times roll in.

When we look back at our history, almost every country in the world has experienced some form of foreign occupation, colonisation, massive violence and bloodshed simply based on either regional, religious, ethnic, or racial conflict. And while most of the leaders, who’ve led such warfare and occupations, have been violent and tyrannical, there have also been a few, very few, leaders who have gone against the status quo, and only believed in and promoted non-violence. These exceptional leaders have hailed from all over the world, of which some prominent examples include Baha’u’llah from Persia, Martin Luther King Jr from America, the Dalai Lama from Tibet, Nelson Mandela from South Africa, Mohandas Gandhi from India, and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan from our very own Pakistan. Yesterday, January 20, marked the 27^th death anniversary of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, also widely known as ‘Bacha Khan’ – translating to ‘King Khan’ from Pashto. Born in 1890, in the town of Utmanzai in what was formerly known as the ‘North West Frontier Province’, in India, Bacha Khan dedicated the majority of his life teaching his fellow Pukhtuns the value of tolerance. His main exertion often centred on their education, mannerism, self-respect, well-being and self-reliance. Though he lived a fairly long life, roughly one out of every three days of his life were spent in prison — eventually even surpassing the number of years the legendary Mandela had spend in jail. And this was mainly due to his activities towards the betterment of Pukhtuns, which worried both the religious leaders and British rulers, who speculated threats to their power in the subcontinent. Following the partition of 1947, Bacha Khan – being a close friend of Gandhi and a staunch Pukhtun nationalist – suffered severely at the hands of the Pakistani establishment; his alleged separatist sentiments often putting him on the wrong side of those in power. His passion towards education, for both girls and boys, and the creation of schools in villages especially created quite a melee; his work was not seen as positive reinforcement but taken instead as ‘rebellion’ – an opposition. And, yet, despite being constantly persecuted, Bacha Khan incessantly defied their ill-intentions and retaliated with selfless devotion and preaching of nonviolence. Often compared to Mohandas Gandhi, whom he met in 1919, he was given the title of the ‘Frontier Gandhi’. However, I personally disagree with this title simply because Bacha Khan is his own unique person and should never have to be referred to or viewed in someone else’s shadow (or name, in this case). And, though he and Gandhi shared similar visions, they were undoubtedly two quite distinct individuals. Shortly after meeting Gandhi, for two decades thereafter Bacha Khan and his army of Red Shirts, a nonviolent, democratic and secular liberation movement that he founded called the ‘Khudai Khidmatgars’ (Servants of God), struggled alongside Gandhi and the Congress party for a united, democratic and secular India. The British, in turn, responded brutally by carrying out a terrible massacre at the Qissa Khawani Bazaar (the storytellers’ market) in the then peaceful Peshawar city in 1930, where it was their first major confrontation with the non-violent demonstrators. It was the Khudai Khidmatgar’s dedication to Bacha Khan and his approach to nonviolence that infuriated and perplexed the British even further, compelling them to torture and humiliate the great leader, resulting in countless accusations and imprisonment. Yet, Bacha Khan refused to be defeated, time and time again, notwithstanding his peaceful and liberal views, especially with regards to secularism and women’s rights. He is famously quoted as saying,

“If you wish to know how civilised a culture is, look at how they treat their women.”

It was here that Bacha Khan became a Pukhtun folk hero. There is no doubt that his incredible life and struggle for peace are one of the greatest unprecedented stories of our time. Besides the excellent biographies written by Rajmohan Gandhi titled ‘Ghaffar Khan: Nonviolent Badshah of the Pukhtuns’ and Eknath Easwaran’s, ‘Nonviolent Solider of Islam’, there is a brilliant documentary by Teri McLuhan, called ‘The Frontier Gandhi – Badshah Khan, A Torch For Peace’. Very little is otherwise known and written about Bacha Khan, especially in the West. Even more unfortunate is the fact that almost everyone in the world knows (and talks/writes) about Mahatma Gandhi, yet not too many people do so about Bacha Khan. The great leader is remarkably absent from many Pakistani history books — or, worse, referred to in passing. He has rarely been mentioned even in the media, until very recently, when Malala Yousafzai mentioned him in a speech she gave at the UN, in 2013, in which she stated,

“...This is the philosophy of non-violence that I have learnt from Gandhi jee, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa. And this is the forgiveness that I have learnt from my mother and father. This is what my soul is telling me, be peaceful and love everyone.”

So, let’s commemorate this great man not only on his death anniversary, but every single chance we get. Do it in whatever manner you can; blog about him, write articles, make films, or just talk about him on social media – don’t forget your own. Let his struggles serve as a reminder that one doesn’t need to be violent in order to bring about change, for change can be possible through peaceful means as well. It is about time the world learns from the struggles of this great non-violent leader.

American president, Calvin Coolidge, once said,

“A nation that forgets its heroes will itself soon be forgotten.”

It was a moment of relief and glory for Pakistanis when a hero, who was later turned into a ‘villain’ by conspiracy theorists, won the noble peace laureate on October 9, 2014. Yes, it is our brave Malala who is the youngest recipient in the world to have received this prestigious award. She will continue to be despised by those who consider anyone getting an international acclaim a ‘yahoodi agent’ (Jewish agent), ‘ghaddar’ (traitor), ‘kafir/ mashriq’ (non-Muslim/ Western) or a ‘drama’. However, whenever someone mentions Malala and the Nobel Peace Prize, there comes an automatic flashback of our much forgotten and never duly acknowledged, first ever Nobel Prize winner, Dr Abdus Salam. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="533"]

Malala Yousafzai. Photo: AFP[/caption] Today, January 29,2015, marks the 89^th birthday of Dr Salam. He was a genius, to say the least; topping the matriculation exams at Punjab University, with the highest marks ever recorded, and later getting scholarships at the Government College, University of Punjab, Saint John’s College, and at Cambridge for his PhD. He excelled wherever he went, so much so that 42 honorary doctorates were bestowed upon him by different universities of the world. Men of his intellect are seldom born in the history of nations and are the greatest asset of any country, but it’s a pity that he was not treated justly by his own countrymen. He is buried in Rabwa; while it is shameful that he was not even given a state funeral, what is worse is that the word ‘Muslim’ was removed from his grave epitaph on orders of the judiciary. The grave now reads ‘First Noble Laureate’. He won the Nobel Prize for his contributions towards the unification of electroweak forces. Dr Salam was at the forefront of theorising the Higgs Boson particle in the 1960s and 1970s and who, along with Steven Weinberg, applied the Higgs mechanism to electroweak symmetric breaking. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Dr Abdus Salam.[/caption] His contributions in the field of natural and physical sciences are exemplary, and not only has he won many awards and honours, many documentaries have been made on him. The rest of the world acknowledged the contributions that Dr Salam made so much so that roads – CERN in Geneva where the Higgs Boson particle was finally discovered – and institutions have been named after him. The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy being one such example. [embed width="620"]http://vimeo.com/58447727[/embed] But how many people in our country know about this brave hero? Can we ever imagine his name in our history books along with Tipu Sultan, Jinnah, Allama Iqbal or more precisely, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan for that matter? All of us know the answer to this and the reason as well; his religious belief took precedence over his innumerable achievements. This is the pluralistic and democratic Pakistan we live in, the suffocating land of the ‘pure’, where the ‘other’ and the ‘impure’ are condemned to insignificance, regardless of what achievements and rewards they bring for the country. It’s a shame that the world celebrates our heroes and we not only forget them, but never even acknowledge their contributions in the first place. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="533"]

Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. Photo: Reuters[/caption] I was once walking outside King’s College near the Somerset House in London. While reading the profiles of the notable alumni, the name Sir Chaudhry Muhammad Zafarullah Khan caught my attention. Truth be told, this was the first time I had ever heard of him. As I continued to read his achievements, there developed a mixed feeling of pride and shame inside of me. Mr Khan was a barrister from Lincoln’s Inn, a law graduate from King’s College and the only Pakistani president of the United Nations general assembly. In 1970, he was elected as the president of the International Courts of Justice in The Hague. Moreover, he was an active member of the Pakistan Movement, presided at the Delhi meeting of the All India Muslim League in 1931 and advocated the cause of Indian Muslims through his presidential address. He participated in the three Round Table Conferences held in the years 1930, 1931 and 1932. Furthermore, Mr Khan was appointed the judge of the Federal Court of India in September 1941 and was the first ever appointed foreign minister of Pakistan by Mr Jinnah himself – a post which Mr Khan held from December 25, 1947 till 1954. But since he also belonged to the Ahmaddiya community, his contributions were never fully acknowledged or remembered. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400"]

Sir Chaudhry Muhammad Zafarullah Khan. Photo: Wikipedia[/caption] Similarly, Mr Cecil Chaudhry is yet another example of a forgotten hero. He was the first photo-journalist of Pakistan, a veteran fighter pilot who was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat for shooting down three Indian aircrafts in a mission in the 1965 war and Sitara-e-Basalat for his services in the 1971 war. His name was mentioned in the history text titled ‘Humaray Ghazi aur Shaheed’ but is not included in our history books any more. Mr Chaudhry was interrupted in 1983, when returning from his designation in Iraq, and was told that he would not be promoted any further. He has recorded that the discrimination in the forces started against the minorities from the Ayub era, where,

“Many generals felt it would not do if a Christian general one day stood up and took power in Pakistan.”

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="533"]

Cecil Chaudhry. Photo: PAF archives[/caption] Later, he asked to be discharged in 1985 and emerged as a human rights activist and educationist, holding the position of the principal of Saint Anthony’s College, Lahore and Saint Mary’s Academy, Rawalpindi. He contributed to bringing education and electoral reforms and his efforts culminated in the creation of a joint electorate system in 2012. In 2013, former president, Asif Ali Zardari, approved the conferment of the President’s Pride of Performance Award upon him. But Mr Chaudhry is not widely known in our generation nonetheless, nor is Wing Commander Mervyn Middlecoat, who was martyred in the 1971 war. However, there have been some distinguished minority figures who contributed towards the betterment of the country without demanding any acknowledgment in return. These include Justice Rana Bhagwandas, Justice Dorab Patel, Justice AR Cornelius, Bapsi Sidhwa, Ardeshir Cowasjee and Julius Salik. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Top: Julius Salik (L), Ardeshir Cowasjee (C), Justice AR Cornelius (R)
Bottom: Bapsi Sidhwa (L), Justice Rana Bhagwandas (R)[/caption] Generally speaking, there is, comparatively, still some room for acceptance when it comes to celebrating heroes who happen to be ‘ahl-e-kitab’ (people of the book). But those belonging to the Ahmaddiya community are strictly outcasts when it comes to being celebrated as heroes. It is ignominious that though the father of the nation embraced the minorities and spoke of pluralism, his message has been lost and was never followed upon. Instead, it is covered by the smokescreens and propaganda of religion and ‘conspiracy against the state’. This is not the Pakistan Mr Jinnah had envisioned and is definitely incongruent with the ideology of the Pakistan movement. So where did the subsequent drafters of the constitution get their inspiration from? Article 25 of the constitution clearly states the equality of citizens but despite this general provision of non-discrimination, there are laws which are discriminatory by every definition. We should learn from our neighbours, where Muslim heroes, despite being a minority, are celebrated – Akbar, Amir Khusrau, Ustad Bismillah Khan and Dr Abdul Kalam, to name a few. Unfortunately, we are wasting our potential, our pride and our honour, and before we become forgotten as a nation, let us start celebrating our heroes unconditionally.

Pakistan is in the grips of political turmoil, rampant corruption, fuel shortages and the threat of terrorism, yet the resilience and courage of its women are nothing short of remarkable and awe-inspiring. On International Women’s Day, I felt it was appropriate to commemorate these inspirational women who, despite adversity and hardship, strive hard to shine a positive light on Pakistan’s splintered image. They make Pakistani men and women proud and, in turn, teach us all how to stand tall in the face of troubles and strife. Starting from bottom to top, my 10 most inspirational Pakistan women from 2014-15 are: 14) Ainy Jaffri [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Twitter[/caption] The green-eyed beauty who graced our TV screens in 2010 with her stunning presence, is not only beautiful to look at but is also the voiceover for the Burka Avenger, a televised cartoon series that airs on Nickelodeon Pakistan. The show centres on a superhero, draped in a burka, who avenges those who commit criminal activities; a character who doesn’t take any nonsense despite being covered from head to toe. In February 2015, the program was nominated for an International Emmy Kids Award, a huge accolade and one that no other Pakistan-based programme has been nominated before. Ainy looked stunning in a Sana Safinaz gown when she attended the ceremony and, despite missing out on the award, shone the light for Pakistan and its creative talent. 13) Shaheena Waqar Born in Risalpur, Shaheena Waqar established an organisation known as the Women Aid Trust, along with two other friends, in 1997. Through this organisation, she has been able to help women in prisons by teaching them different skills and educating them so they may be able to sustain themselves once they return to the real world. She believes that this exercise helps build a sense of community amongst these women, who have been convicted for some petty crime, thrown away in prison and now feel dejected and lost. By providing them computer classes, sewing centres and recreational institutes, Waqar is able to produce in them the motivation they need to rebuild their lives. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Photo: Shaheena Waqar[/caption] Her cause is not only noble, but effective as well and we all should be proud of having people like her in our midst. 12) Mahira Khan [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mahira Khan (L) and Shahrukh Khan[/caption] Just as it seemed as if the dust had settled on the Humsafar craze in Pakistan, our neighbours also became fanatics for the drama serial and it skyrocketed Mahira’s fame beyond our borders. After a highly publicised PR event in India, news emerged that Mahira would be starring opposite the maestro of Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan, in a movie titled Raees. It seems that her popularity has seeped through into India and we will be seeing a lot more of the starlet in the future. She will shine the beacon of light for Pakistan within India’s bustling entertainment industry. 11) Naila Jamall Aladin Naila Jamall Aladin is known for her tireless work to establish The Learning Tree School, which found its roots in 2000. What is unique about this school is that it incorporates diversity – it doesn’t just focus on education, it helps children groom themselves for what’s coming ahead. The school caters for all students, including those who have special needs, and helps them understand their strengths and weaknesses so they may fare better. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="323"] Photo: Naila Jamall Aladin[/caption] This school instills in its students the idea of giving back, helping the community and benefiting more than just oneself, and all these traits are much needed for every individual in Pakistan today. Though just a drop right now, Aladin and her school are working towards creating substantial waves and they should be supported and appreciated. 10) Farahnaz Zahidi Becoming a shining emblem for Pakistani female journalists, Farahnaz Zahidi was nominated by Women Deliver, a global organisation that works for women’s rights, as one of the 15 most powerful female journalists around the world, for her features on women’s rights. She is the only Pakistani woman to have made it to this list Farahnaz has been able to bring pressing issues regarding women’s emancipation and health in the limelight and was able to inspire her co-workers and readers alike to strive for a better tomorrow for everyone, especially women. 9) Aamina Jahangir While beginning with just her A-levels security-deposit money as initial capital, Aamina Jahangir was able to establish the fact that Pakistani women can be great entrepreneurs too, if only they use their skills and resources smartly. Running her deliciously sweet business venture, aptly named The Cakery (since she specialises in baked items and cakes), Jahangir has been able to introduce herself as a force to be reckoned with. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Facebook[/caption] The entrepreneur has a diploma in law and she manages her venture by assistance from different companies who sponsor her delicacies – Proctor & Gamble being one of them. The Cakery is making new waves for culinary minds to persevere and realise their own dreams, which is motivational as well as exceptional. 8) Salma Habib Working with children who belong to the more destitute, slum areas of Karachi, Salma Habib has been a positive force in helping children and harnessing their artistic skills. She works with them by providing the resources, stationary and place for these children to draw and showcase their talent. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Facebook[/caption] By helping these children express through art, Habib is able to create a sense of individuality and self-esteem in them, which is often lacking in street children. Every week, she focuses on a band of children and assists them in addressing their qualities, which is inspirational to say the least. More people like Habib need to be present in our society, so that these children may be able to find some colour in their perpetually grey lives. 7) Shabina Mustafa Shabina Mustafa is one of those people who aim towards a goal and do everything in their power to achieve it. While chasing her dream to disseminate education, Mustafa started a school in her own garage, which was later dubbed as The Garage School, where she helped underprivileged children receiving education. This school was formed in 1999 and she has been persevering with it ever since. Today, even after so many years, the school still operates from a rented building in Neelum Colony, Karachi, and has helped hundreds of students over the years. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="431"] Photo: The Garage School website[/caption] 6) Ayesha Farooq Pakistan’s first female fighter pilot is not a woman to be messed around with. Like a scene out of Top Gun, Ayesha dons her military attire and olive green hijab with aplomb and ease, even though she works in such a testosterone-fuelled profession. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="533"] Photo: Reuters[/caption] Ayesha has been involved in purging Waziristan off Taliban strongholds and is thus a hero in her own right for risking her life for the security and safety of Pakistan. She still maintains close links with her faith and culture yet is breaking taboos and cultural norms by pursuing this profession. 5) Reham Khan [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="533"] Photo: RehamKhanOfficial.com[/caption] This was a difficult choice for me because Reham Khan has been shrouded in controversy since her advent into the public eye. Imran Khan’s choice of marriage partner was bound to be just as questionable as his political choices, especially since Reham was a divorcee with three children and a BBC news presenter who wore controversial attire when she lived in Britain. To add to this drama, it seemed that Imran Khan’s family were wholly against the nuptial and Reham’s former-husband even denied the domestic violence allegations made against him wholeheartedly. I chose Reham because she remained poised and graceful despite all the ridiculously cruel comments made about her character. She continued to smile and remained very polite in her dealings with the media. In a society which regards divorced women as tainted, it was very refreshing to see a single mother remarrying in a conservative society like Pakistan. It gave divorced women hope and Reham also set a high benchmark of how to behave when people make all kinds of libellous allegations against a divorcee. A truly graceful lady! 4) Muniba Mazari [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400"] Photo: Twitter[/caption] I first came across Muniba on Instagram and was blown away by her encapsulating smile and positive energy which would often pale her wheelchair into insignificance. In a society which regards disability as some kind of curse, Muniba has risen as a phoenix amongst the ashes to become the face of dignity and refined determination. Not only is she an accomplished artist but she is often seen shedding light on the greyer areas of Pakistani society with elegance and grace. She became a paraplegic following a tragic road traffic accident but instead of wallowing in perpetual grief, she showcases her paintings on her blog, Muniba’s Canvas and stands tall. She also visited the survivors of the APS tragedy in various hospitals and is a strong advocate of children’s rights and education. I am expecting greater accolades from Muniba in the years to come and wish her success in her endeavours. 3) Baroness Syeda Warsi [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="533"] Photo: AFP[/caption] Although Baroness Warsi was born and resides in the UK, she still shines the light for Pakistanis based overseas. Her name is mentioned here not because of her political or lawyerly prowess but the stance she took on Israel’s bombardment of Gaza in the summer of 2014. Warsi sent a strongly-worded letter to David Cameron, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, about how she could no longer partake in mainstream British politics because of the UK’s “morally indefensible” stance on Gaza. This was a slap in the face of quiet servitude within politics and proved that Pakistani women remain strong-willed. 2) Tahira Qazi [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="533"] Photo: Online[/caption] Most principals throughout schools are known for their emphasis on discipline and decorum but Ms Tahira Qazi will always go down in the history of school leaders as being the bravest principal ever. Her strong motherly instincts came into play on that heinous day when APS Peshawar was attacked and innocent lives were lost. Instead of absconding, Ms Qazi remained with her students whom she saw as her “children” and she made sure they reached safety and then she faced the sheer evil of the terrorists. They prodded her for information about where the children were hidden but she remained stoic and said that she was the mother of those children. She lost her life protecting countless students and will always be revered for her heroic stance on that disastrous day. Ms Qazi was a beautiful soul who once again showed how selfless and unselfish a mother’s love is. 1) The mothers of APS’ murdered children When I think about that horrific day the epitome of innocence was shattered, it still raises a huge lump in my throat and tears well up in my eyes. The day that no Pakistani must ever forget: December 16, 2014. The day 145 innocent souls departed this world. It is unfathomable for any mother throughout the world to send her child to school only to find they have been brutally murdered in such a chilling and cold-blooded manner. Those mothers who lost their sons on that tragic day are the true definition of resilience and bravery as they face the prospect of waking each day without being able to hug their children. Their children were taken from them by a war which had absolutely nothing to do with them and these mothers are now making the ultimate sacrifice; trying to move on. While the rest of the country now tries to return to some form of normalcy, these mothers will always carry the gravest of burdens and heaviest of hearts. While they should be running their fingers through their sons’ hair to reassure them, they will be left wanting and wondering “what if” my son was alive today. The pain will never dissipate but remain like a dull ache forever. These women are to be revered and respected for the tremendous loss they bear each and every day and they truly encapsulate everything about Women’s Day. A woman is not just a mother, wife, sister or daughter but she is a bountiful entity who can bear enormous pressure and still remain poised and graceful. The women listed above are a testimony of that. Happy Women’s Day!

This is the year 2050. The Pakistan we once knew in 2015 has changed tremendously. Or has it really? Below is the glimpse of literally ‘Naya Pakistan’. 1. The government vows to end the energy crisis till 3058. Promise. 2. Malala Yousafzai has moved back to Pakistan and is currently running for the office of prime minister, from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of course. She enjoys an unequivocal support from not only the liberal faction within the country, but also from King’s Landing, Meereen, Bravos and Winterfell. However, she continues to face severe backlash from religious outfits and Wildlings, a wave that started back in 2012 when she was allegedly shot. 3. Jibran Nasir has successfully staged 6.7 millionth protests outside Lal Masjid. This time the strength was extraordinarily high, no fewer than 13 participants were seen. Nasir has been struggling for decades to transform Lal Masjid into a coffee house. 4. Farhan Khan Virk has been elected the new chairman of Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). His unparalleled services and countless Twitter trends have finally paid off. While the gullible Insafians throw a break-dance party, the decision has sparked deep chasms in the party. Rumor has it that the party may split into two factions – Suleman Khan led PTI-Haqeeqi and Virk led PTI-Insafi. 5. The Election Commission is still auditing the 2013 elections. Results are expected to be announced real soon. 6. Bilawal Bhutto, having quit politics long time ago, runs his own beauty salon – ‘Mera Nakhra, Totally Wakhra’– in the UK. Yes, he is out. Plans are underway that Bilawal Lovers Organisation (BLO) will soon open a local branch in Karachi. The customers are just pouring in. 7. Asifa Bhutto, vice-chairperson PPP (the chairperson is 95-year-old Asif Ali Zardari), vows to bring Benzair Bhutto’s murderers to justice. 8. Altaf Bhai has tendered his 10 zillionth resignation. 9. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto abhi bhi zinda hai (is still alive). 10. Islam is still in danger, and needs more-aggressive-than-ever saving. 11. The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) is obsolete. The Sharif clan has long since fled to Saudi Arabia. Their last mega project was the 116-lane motorway connecting Raiwind directly to Saudi Arabia with numerous underpasses and fancy overheads. The entire length of the motorway was beautifully adorned with miniature metros, motorways, peeli (yellow) taxis and sasti rotis (cheap bread). 12. Shahid Afridi has taken back his ODI resignation, saying he is still young and energetic, and has plenty of years ahead of him. 13. Meera is still single and looking to settle down. In her desperation, she has proposed to a tree, a potato, a chair, and a few thousand “Will you fraandship me?” strangers on her Facebook’s ‘others’ messages. 14. Ali Zafar will soon release Ebola Remix. 15. Having exhausted all his options, Talat Hussain now appears on Madni TV. His show’s name is ‘Naya Talat Hussain’. 16. Talking to reporters, the self-certified religious scholar, and femininely-acclaimed gay fashion designer, Aamir Liaquat, says he has been divinely inspired to launch designer pants, flashy tees and pink spectacles and watches for men, Masha Allah, of course. 17. A new age of liberal darkness has surfaced in Pakistan. 18. Asma Jahangir III is vociferously campaigning for LGBT rights in Pakistan. She says that had it not been for the army, the LGBT community would have gotten their ethical and deserved rights back in the times of Asma Jahangir I. 19. LUMS has sparked yet another controversy by banning lectures of religious scholar Hamza Ali Abbasi, the former heartthrob and actor. Visibly shaken, PTI Chief Farhan Virk promises to stage a dharna in Abbasi’s defense, and of course, innumerable Twitter trends. Some of the trends include: #LUMSDudeThisIsSoRude #LUMSMustSuccumb #YoLUMSSoBad #LUMSOrSLUM #LUMSTeriShamatAyeea 20. The last date of sim verification has been extended to June 12, 2058. PTA confirms for the nth time that all unregistered sims will be permanently blocked after the last date. This was warning number 679821. The original post can be viewed here.

Recently, a 12-year-old Indian Muslim girl named Maryam won a contest by answering all the questions asked in the Bhagwad Gita. This is the first time in India’s history that a Muslim girl has broken such a record. The news of the young Muslim girl went viral on social networking portals and sparked numerous debates on news channel. While some highlighted the politics behind it, others praised the young girl’s efforts. Maryam has set a fine example for people who divide masses using religious bigotry. India boasts of diversity, given the existence of various religions, but within its internal system, people are bifurcated on the basis of religion. Maryam has managed to prove a point to individuals who divide people on the basis of caste, creed and colour – that racism can never be as strong as collectivism. She has set a great example by showing how tolerance can be practised, even at such a young age. Her actions are a response to Indian political parties who are running campaigns on the lines of ‘Muslim-free India’. Furthermore, Maryam proved that Muslims can grasp knowledge about any religion without adapting to it and that a child has the basic knowledge to differentiate between right and wrong. Since Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come to power, I have not come across an ‘acha din’ (good day) as yet – something which the honourable PM Modi spoke about and promised his people during his election campaign. My hopes were further trampled upon when the union minister, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, and BJP minister, Giriraj Singh, passed offensive and abusive comments towards Muslims. Such immature remarks by these ministers highlight Maryam’s maturity. In India, we have witnessed how religious bigotry is being used by politicians to divide vote banks in their favour. They use religious slogans to differentiate Hindus from followers of other religions. The Gujrat genocide and the Kashmir genocide are examples of how the politicians have massacred common people for the sake of their vote banks. If we dig into the history of it, we will find thousands of people slaughtered by these political parties for their own gains and their ministerial chairs. In the past, attacks on Muslims were carried out by Vishva Hindu Parisah (VHP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). From campaigns such as ‘Love jihad’ and ‘Ghar wapsi muhim’ to forced conversions, each attack is meant to malign the image of Muslims in India and is done in order to create a split between Muslims and Hindus. In India, Muslims have tirelessly contributed towards every sector of its formation. For instance, the early contributions made towards society, by Dr Allama Iqbal and Dr Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Kalam, have helped India develop a lot. From science to technology to Bollywood, each segment has Indian Muslims contributing to it. The contributions of Muslims have proven that India belongs to Muslims as much as it belongs to Hindus. For some, Maryam is India’s Malala Yousafzai. Malala fought against the Taliban while this young Indian girl fought against religious bigotry. She spread the message of brotherhood and gave reason to thousands of Indians to unite under the banner of religious harmony and shed religious differences aside, which have been plaguing us since time immemorial. Maryam has given India a new reason to build itself. We should not wait on the government to take steps or make hollow promises. Rather, we should come forward like Maryam and build a new nation which will allow Muslims to live without fear in a country they call their own. Now is the time to eliminate discrimination based on religion, caste, creed and colour.

Pakistani women have done us proud again by securing a place in New York Time’s Women of Impact list 2015. The list honours outstanding women from around the world. It is diverse and interesting, bringing home the point that these individuals have managed to carve a place for themselves by standing up for the cause of women and other marginalised factions of society. Out of the 50 women given the honour, education activist Malala Yousafzai and film maker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy have bagged the 36^th and 48^th positions respectively, and we all know that honours and recognitions are not new to them. Both ladies have devoted their lives to women’s rights and the rights of other vulnerable segments of Pakistan. There are many things to be lauded and admired about them but I appreciate them for the enduring struggles. No prize, award or criticism is big enough to thwart their mission; they are always on the go! Resilience is the leitmotif in both journeys. Malala received immense fame and respect but instead of basking in the glory, she employed her success for the cause which has always been close to her heart – education for girls. Malala’s organisation, Malala Fund has been actively working for women’s education ever since. The 17-year-old is also inspiring for her refreshing wit and humour which clearly indicates that the horrid events of her life have not been able to mar her lively nature. Some of the women on NYT’s list have been unpopular in their own country, yet they stood firm by their cause. Malala and Sharmeen both have faced stinging criticism, hatred, mocking and trolling by their own people. Malala has often been maligned as foreign agent and the whole shooting ordeal has been belittled as staged. Despite all this hatred, Malala has continued her work for women’s education. Her strong bond with her father has also helped in rehashing the conventional patriarchal power structure in Pakistan. Ziauddin Yousafzai struck the right chord when he said,

“My daughter is strong because I did not clip her wings.”

It’s the core of women’s rights issues that they must not feel opposition and hostility in their house. Only then they can fight the hostility outside. Sharmeen also shares a special bond with her father as she said in her Emmy-acceptance speech. Her work is poignant, prolific and ground-breaking in Pakistani cinema, culture and women’s rights. “Saving Face” was important not only as a cinematic experience but also because it shed light on some heinous yet underrated crimes against women. I came across Sharmeen’s TED Talk about how suicide bombers are trained in Taliban-run madrassas in Pakistan – her work was bold, detailed and interesting. She clearly loves her work and strives for it, despite every hurdle. Like Malala, Sharmeen too has been criticised for “doing dirty laundry in public”. She has been blamed for exploiting Pakistan’s vulnerable aspect to achieve fame. Yet, she fearlessly continues with her work. Her latest documentary “Song of Lahore” – which celebrates neglected Sufi musicians – was hailed with standing ovation at the Tribeca Film Festival last month. This is Sharmeen’s yet another wonderful idea, another brilliant production. We all feel the dearth of local yet original educational (and entertaining) animations for our children and that’s exactly what Sharmeen’s new project, “3 Bahadur” is all about. Both Malala and Sharmeen truly deserve the spot, not just among women who created an impact and changed the world for the better but also for being awe-inspiring human beings. We look up to them, we relate to them and they are our voice in this gagged society. As Sharmeen said in her “Women in the World Summit” speech,

“Very often, we see women in my part of the world as victims. I hope by putting my camera out there, I am creating heroes in my part of the world for the next generation. I need my daughters to have heroes in Pakistan.”

When I made the decision to move to the notorious land called Pakistan, because of my husband’s job, there were mixed reactions from the community (to say the least). My non-Pakistani and non-Muslim friends were terrified for my safety and were keen on reminding me of the short list of communities; their concerns involved my husband’s salary, the tough humidity, and the eternal inconvenience of load-shedding. Ignoring all concerns, I decided to take on the adventure and assured my friends that I was happy and ready for anything. Boy did I lie. I was terrified – but very much in love. I had been living in the American Bubble As Americans, we value our privacy, our personal space, our neatly scheduled routines and our mood swings. After struggling through some awkward social encounters and unannounced guests coming to my house at midnight for kava (green tea), I soon realised that if I wanted to accumulate the least amount of stress and still be happy, I would have to pop my American bubble. As a new bride, I was treated like a princess. No, seriously; I was a princess. My mother-in-law’s relatives and friends would come to see me and my job was simply to change into gorgeous dresses adorned with gems and embroidery, look flawless and smile. Yes, for a brief five months, I got a small taste of what it feels like in Kate Middleton’s (shoes) sari. Another struggle was controlling my mood swings. Not only could a nosy neighbour or a sister-in-law come unannounced at any time, they expected the gracious hostess (me) to welcome them with open arms, leave all that I was doing, give them company in the living room and whip up some bangin’ samosas. At one occasion I remember comforting my two-month-old daughter, with my post-partum hormones all over the place. The doorbell rang and relatives surprised us. And I mean really surprised us. When I blamed my hormones to be the cause of the messy house and my dishevelled state, the jolly ‘auntie’ told me that today’s generation blames everything on hormones, PMS and a crying baby. Code for: I’ll hold the baby; now go make some tea for us. Would you like a maid with that? My mother-in-law prides herself in the fact that she raised eight children and worked as an entrepreneur without hiring a maid or housekeeper. My father-in-law remembers it a bit differently. According to him, even though ami (mother) never hired anyone, she had tons of help in the form of her sisters, sisters-in-law and neighbours who took care of babysitting, cooking, cleaning and even being part-time masseuses. So, there are two kinds of help in Pakistan: your paid employees or the help network made up of relatives and friends. Almost everyone I know has a part-time maid. At first, I found it strange that women could entrust their entire household duties to a stranger as I was raised to be independent in every sense. Code for: We Americans don’t know how to delegate well or ask for help. In the past five years, I went through five man-servants until I learned how to train, trust and delegate. Trust me; this is one of the greatest blessings of living in Pakistan. Labour is cheap, which means that you can always find someone to work for you and this is one of the reasons why most middle-class families are able to afford housekeepers. It is also the reason why the women have active social lives and always seem to be enjoying themselves through long Skype chats with friends, hosting kitty parties or simply going shopping. Pakistani kids are just as much spoiled as American kids I remember teaching at a private, international school two-years-ago as a Mathematics and Social Studies teacher for grades three, four and five. I was told to speak English slowly as the children were getting confused because of my accent. However, I soon realised that their English was far better than I expected. In fact, their grammar was much better than most Americans. I remember my excitement as I brought in my iPad on the third day expecting them to hover around me in a circle, impressed and intrigued in every way. But boy was I wrong. There they sat, their bored faces staring back at me. Thankfully, one of the fifth graders sensed my wonder and enlightened me to the fact that every single child in that room had an iPad at home. The surprises were not exclusive to private elementary schools. On a visit to my aunt’s house, I found her stressing over her son’s job. He had just graduated college and was looking for his dream job (which might take a while). I suggested that in the meantime, he work as a waiter or become a delivery guy for Pizza Hut. My aunt and my cousin stared at me in disbelief and simply started laughing. Utterly puzzled, I asked them what was funny. Apparently, it was beneath them to work in such a low level job. My uncle and aunt decided to support their son until a more suitable position opened. Where did the burqas go? Let me tell you something; Pakistani women are strong, beautiful and very up-to-date. In fact, wearing a hijab, I’m considered very conservative (and inferior) in many parts of the country. My first time strolling through Islamabad shopping malls, I was baffled. Women and girls of all ages adorned themselves in the latest American and Pakistani fashions, with some even wearing sleeveless dresses. Speaking flawless English, a girl sitting behind me at Thank God It’s Friday (TGIF) – yes, the American restaurant – politely asked me: “Do you wear the hijab even in America?” She was shocked when I replied in the affirmative. Even conservative areas like Kohat and Peshawar have relaxed their cultural customs when it comes to the once-traditional black burqa. In fact, the newer generations deem it old-fashioned and opt for a more modern look based on Dubai-based designers. Women are avid drivers, hold public offices, celebrities, models, have their own morning shows, can be found jogging in the local park, bargaining confidently with shopkeepers, debating fearlessly on college campuses, and even riding motorcycles on Islamabad Highway. I hear Karachi is even more modernised. It makes me wonder why we ever thought that Malala Yousafzai was the measuring stick for all Pakistani women. Even in the smaller villages, women have countless freedoms and girls are happily and actively pursuing their education. In fact, the list of restrictions seems to be diminishing and I simply wonder why these success stories fail to be heard on a global platform. They don’t hate us As a newbie to Pakistan, I was discouraged by many friends and family members to not show open support for Americans. In fact, avoid bringing the topic up at all. Naturally, I was terrified and tried my best to cover up my accent while speaking Urdu. However, as I began to travel and meet more people within the country, I realised something – Pakistani people don’t hate Americans. In fact, they love our lifestyles, our movies, our cities, our food, and our education systems. Whenever people heard me speaking English in my Jersey accent, they wanted to know everything about my life in New Jersey. To their disappointment, I had never met Angelina Jolie. The women respected me more as a mother and treated me as a perpetual guest in their country. In the conservative towns, even the local religious leaders spoke fondly of Americans and focused on the fact that Americans sent the most aid to Pakistan throughout the year. As I waited at the American embassy with my husband to get his visit visa, I was shocked to see the crowds in the waiting room, all applying for a chance to visit the States. The one lesson that I learned was that it is the politicians and media that play with our emotions. The public and the common men are eloquently tolerant and united by the eternal bond of humanity and yearning to learn from each other. So what? My aim is not to defend Pakistan nor do I have a political agenda. I am simply surprised at the perception the international world has of Pakistanis. When I am away from Pakistan, I am only shown bearded men and women in burqas. Even entertainment such as Homeland focuses on the dark side of Pakistan, never shedding light on the greater good. On the contrary, when I am in Pakistan, I am only shown the vibrant Cherry Blossom festivals of Washington, DC or the ferocious life of Times Square. Never do I see reports of the gun violence, police brutality or Islamophobic campaigns in America. I encourage you all to travel around the world. Seize those opportunities and make new ones. In these past five years, I have grown in ways I never thought I could and learned that there are two sides to everything and everyone. Our minds can only open when our bodies make the effort. This post originally appeared here.

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