"The Three R's"

Liaquat Bagh, the historical venue set for this Jalsa at Rawalpindi on 27^th May 2012 by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf marked a new chapter in the city’s political culture. Thousands swarmed on the streets of Rawalpindi to gather at the site, the visual extravaganza was worth watching, experiencing and remembering for a long time. Pindiites proved to the rest of Pakistan that they are politically vibrant, aware and very much in the center of changing the chronicles of governmental influence on this city which stays otherwise quiet compared to Lahore and Karachi.

Formerly known as the Municipal Park in the heart of Rawalpindi this venue went through a name change after the assassination of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan in 1951. Later Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto (an ex-Prime Minster then) too was assassinated on the same ground. Thus the repute of this place has had a political significance as well as that of a “bloody” ground. A place that took away: Two Pakistani Heads of State were lost in the name of extremism.

With thousands swarming the venue and outside on the streets that day the mood was jubilant, vividly marking a victory over the otherwise thought of “HUB” of PML(n) league. This was the first time such a humongous gathering had taken place other than the PML(n). Major seats for National and Provincial Assembly in the past have been secured by the N league from this area. It was a total white-wash day for PML (n) which should now think of serious pragmatic strategy to win the lost hearts of Rawalpindi.
With elaborate speeches from the Rawalpindi District PTI members to top leadership the emphasis was laid down upon a complete rejection by the participants of the venue on corruption by the ruling parties, they were one voice on the agenda to finish off nepotism, unemployment, price hikes, load-shedding, misuse of public funds by stake holders and stood united on all to fetch a change on this.
The budget speech that was delivered days later by Mr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, the federal finance minister of the ruling party PPP, further justified the presence of thousands on the streets when PTI held its Jalsa in Rawalpindi. With no relief to the masses (as expected) the fifth budget of this Government has proved again to be “personal friendly” to those in power and “less friendly” for the people of this country, of whom pay through their sweat and blood for all those perks and benefits the Government enjoys. Therefore, proving the point that PTI, the third major party of this country at the moment was rational in all its demands it made on the Jalsa day, before that and after that.

The post budget press conference by Khan sb in Islamabad reflected that the parties of status-quo will never let each other down in maintaining power, neither the opposition of today that has friendly alliance with PPP will ever step down nor will they bring any valid improvement in the condition of the country and its people. The price hikes in daily commodities and worsening economy of the country is a clear cut indication of mismanagement in Governance and administration by the Government. Chairman PTI stressed that once in power he will reduce the spending of Armed forces and the rest of the institutions. He rejected the possibility of any alliance with PPP or PML (n) since he pointed out that if the two were sincere to the country, they would bring back all that money that is being kept off shore for the welfare of Pakistani nation. He said that according to a survey conducted by Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), in the last four years; about 2.8 million air conditioners were bought, while bills for only 185,000 were being paid.

Figures presented in the fiscal budget 2012-2013, revealed an extortionate addition of funds to maintain the President house, the PM secretariat, the upper and lower house of Parliament. The huge abode of President Zardari has been allocated Rs.617 million this budget year, an increase of 27.8% as compared to the previous figure of Rs. 483 Million. The PM Secretariat this year was allocated Rs. 702.83 Million, an increase of 28% this year compared to Rs. 546.58 Million. Salaries of government employees have also been increased by 20%. The Prime Minister House will be converted into an institute for advanced studies and the prime minister will live in a small house (hard to believe!).

“For the progress and development of solar tube-wells, subsidy will be given to them, so that the energy crisis can be curbed… No matter how much money is needed to curb the energy crisis, we will provide it,” said finance minister. An allocation of: Rs.183 billion to deal with the energy crisis. APP reported that the government had apportioned Rs.22, 877 million for 37 development projects of the Pakistan Railways in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2012-13. “All items which have a GST tax of more than 16%, efforts are being done to bring their tax down to 16%.” Rs. 70 billion for BISP (Benazir Income Support Program) and Only Rs.47.8 billion allocated for education. According to the budget, the government will open up to 2,000 new utility stores, in an effort to provide relief to around 300,000 families.

 “The government made a sacrifice of Rs70 billion to relieve people from the rising petroleum prices,” Shaikh points out.

It must be understood clearly that an eye wash for Pakistani’s today of any sort in the 21^st century cannot work for the rulers of this country. People of this country are very much aware of what is being done for them; they are in dire need of reforms, relief & recovery from the perk enjoyers. Unless there is a solid thing done for the masses, people will keep supporting and joining PTI which has covered all the three R’s mentioned above. Instead of ridiculing this party, the Succession of Inheritance bunch parties should understand the new dynamics of getting people’s confidence otherwise they should say goodbye to their beloved perks and privileges and head home!

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  The above article has been published on the following links::

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http://www.islamabadtimesonline.com/the-three-rs/

http://dailyausaf.com/epaper/2012/06/07/page/15/

http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=159770

"Heaven in my Mind"

This poem has been added to my book "Building Bridges" which was published in October 2011. I wrote this poem in the summer of 2009 after I woke up from a dream, the contents of which I explained in the poem later.

A trip to heaven in my mind
Was to leave all the love behind
 I just wanted to see
Just how beautiful Heaven could be

The most beautiful pearly gates of white
Behind the shimmering radiant light
The cool flowing rivers of milk
And the lush green grass of satin silk

I saw the things which I had read about
What an experience to me it brought
With an angel passing me by
So ethereal that a tear fell from my eye

I walked the cool of evening along the meadows
Breezy wind; the streams of crystal water flows
Tall lush trees swaying with the beat
Gently lifting me off the ground as it caresses my feet

It became evident to me the world’s deception
And why this Heaven was called an exception
For those who showed their utter humble and devotion
Lie here in the Paradise’s intoxicating potion!

Copyright ©2011-2050 Ayesha Zee Khan. Reproduction: Poetry/articles/stories strictly prohibited. Watermark template. Template images bymicheldenijs. Powered by Blogger.

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"Gilani's Extravagance"

Mr. Jinnah, our founding father 

Wisdom tells us leaders depict the present and carve the future of a country’s destiny. Sensibly, acting as those who “lead” when they know all their stakes lie in their country of birth they take the reins of bandwagon in their hands and try to steer it clear of puddles, bumps, speed-breakers etc. so that the journey in their time of delivery is as smooth for the passengers as possible. If such is the case then Pakistan seems to be in the hands of very incompetent, highly irresponsible, extravagant, greedy people who call themselves “leaders” of this nation. For the ride they have given to the citizens of this country has been rocky, bumpy, and steep with rash turns speedy curves which are now coming to a complete breakdown!

With the crumbling economy, national treasury on aid, almost a shutdown of major public organizations in the country, price hikes, widespread poverty, industrial units almost shut, electricity shortage, gas inadequate, unemployment, zero incentives, no foresight, corruption at its record high since the birth of Pakistan, favoritism of nincompoops at its peak; a common Pakistani wonders at the blatant audacity with which the rulers thump their chests and claim they have the peoples vote, they are doing “justice” to those who gave them their years of honor and swimming in perks. Claims of this Government in achievements have been a mile high, with PM’s previous speeches that depict he does not keep his word, the end result has been disastrous. With tax payers money they flaunt all the benefits of their offices, misusing their trust and power confided to them and yet claim to be people friendly!!

Our Prime Minister who is dearly known in his home town Multan as “Murshad Paak” (the pious guide) has been convicted by the highest court in the land and yet he made a maiden trip after the honor was bestowed upon him by the Supreme Court. The entourage accompanying the condemned premier was (70-90) people. From visa to plane fuel to boarding lodging at London’s most expensive hotel; “Churchill” to hiring of 30 limousines and rest of the paraphernalia is being paid by sweat & blood of people of Pakistan. An estimate of this tour is approximately 600,000 pounds or 8.7 Crore rupees. One wonders if they have any feelings left in their chests!

A brief look at history as it was:: When Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan made his first trip to the United States in May of 1950, he took an entourage of 5/6 people, with his wife Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan accompanying him, stopping at New York, Washington, Houston and Kansas City. President Harry Truman and our PM gave a joint press conference. He addressed the House of Representatives or the lower house of Parliament, a parade was held in honor of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan's visit to New York City marching by City Hall. Begum Liaquat Ali Khan, wife of Prime Minister, addressed Washington's Junior League which was women’s charitable organization in the U.S.  PM visited the home of “America’s Quaid-i-Azam,” George Washington, located in Mount Vernon, Virginia. Columbia University's Head Dwight D. Eisenhower conferred a degree upon Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, of Pakistan. Columbia University is New York’s oldest institution of higher education, founded as King’s College in 1754. Eisenhower later became the first American President to visit Pakistan. This was a rare accolade afforded to very few visiting foreign leaders. It was a trip that signified simplicity, austerity, sophistication and at the same time pride in representing a free state.

Similar was the case with President Ayub Khan’s trip in July 1961 to the United States. His daughter, Begum Nasir Akhtar Aurangzeb accompanied him along with 6 people in the entourage. The President took the national airline for the visit and never bothered to Charter a plane for himself and his daughter. His activities included: A state dinner at Mt. Vernon, a visit to the Islamic Center of Washington, a parade in New York City. President Ayub’s visit also included a trip to San Antonio where he toured and laid wreath at The Alamo, followed by a barbeque hosted by Vice President Johnson at his ranch in Stonewall, TX. Mind you, those were days when Pakistan’s economy was termed as “the Decade of Development” which was at its way up according to the graph indicators.

The culture of expensive and large entourages were started by Mr. Bhutto, followed by General Zia-ul-Haq which has now increased in spending and number of people travelling with a Pakistani head of state. One is left to wonder: If the two premiers Liaquat Ali Khan and Ayub Khan could carry out their state visits to the US in austerity, where they were greeted twice with open arms, warmth, and affection by the host country, couldn’t our present day premier do the same? Gilani’s lavish expenditure, taking free loaders to the UK wouldn’t have made any difference to the British dignitaries or people of that country; In fact, if PM Gilani had some anguish in using the public funds he would have been given higher pedestals of respect by UK, anyhow, this excursion has made another dent into the ailing treasury of Pakistan. One wishes the PM’s mammoth ego can understand that the Lordship behavior applies to rich monarchs and flourishing economies and not to a poor country’s representative. That wastage of funds by him only deepens the misery and deprivation people of Pakistan face.

Another point of shameful agony was faced by citizens of this country after watching a horrendous interview given by our Premier to CNN. The interviewer Becky Anderson asked many questions among them a few gave jolts of embarrassment for any Pakistani with a logical mind. She referred to the other countries and pointed out that if corruption charges were put up on any minister they leave the office on Moral grounds, what credibility does he have to stay in the office till the last straw snaps? Then she gave the Gallup Poll survey which was released during the last year it indicated: “Less than one third of Pakistani’s have confidence in the national Government, local police and honesty of elections. 81% see the Government rife with corruption, only 20% that one in five people approve of their national leaders. A Damning Indictment! A Dysfunctional Society!”  Our Premier’s reply was: Either you say democracy or you say dictatorship. (What democracy Mr. Prime Minister? Sir, this is more like Plunderocracy!) Then she preceded to the last question which revealed the true face of our leader when she announced; “A third of Pakistani’s want to leave the country, this is what the latest Gallup Poll says,” Lo and behold, the premier replies, “And why don’t they leave? Who is stopping them?” The smile on his face was enough to silent the interviewer, & the ones who watched later. What a Shame! Mr. Prime Minister, you are in the office because of people, and this is the attitude you carry? What incentives, reforms have you given to the masses? With excessive borrowings that equal the amount of the rest of country’s history what makes you credible to remain in seat?

Unfortunately, Mr. Jinnah our founding father who lovingly brought people to this country in 1947 must have tossed and turned in his grave or would have quivered with disgust today if he was alive. Mr. Jinnah was also a man who minced no words, stood no humbug, and called a spade a spade. His golden quote: “Faith, Unity, and Discipline” has been twisted today by the likes of our premier to: “Money, Clan, and Swindling.”

Copyright ©2011-2050 Ayesha Zee Khan. Reproduction: Poetry/articles/stories strictly prohibited. Watermark template. Template images bymicheldenijs. Powered by Blogger.

Published on the following links:
http://dailyausaf.com/epaper/2012/05/17/page/15/

http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=155705

http://www.islamabadtimesonline.com/gilanis-extravagance/ 

" Youth Collaborate"

In every society we see youth taking part in the developments that happen around them. Their contribution always come in as a solution to grave problems. They say: When a youth of a nation mobilizes itself that is where changes start to happen for better. The energy, brightness and Vibrancies of young minds act as torch bearer for a nation. On the contrary, countries that fail to realize the importance of this lag behind in every department of life. This is one of the reasons Pakistan is backward; the youth lacks proper patronage. Developed countries are totally aware of this treasure’s worth; that is why they emphasize on Education, Employment, Welfare activities and Social Awareness programs etc.

The great Allama Iqbal in his philosophical thought stressed in his expression to leave an impact on youngsters of the nation. In October 1937 issuing a message to a gathering of Muslim Students Federation held at Calcutta he spoke the following words that are applicable in today’s Pakistan, “I hope the young generation is fully aware of the delicate political situation through which the Indian Muslims are passing. Be not afraid of the opposing forces. Continue your struggle. In struggle lies hidden; the secret of life.”
This secret of life, the struggle, has been realized by Pakistani youth after seeing multiple failures in the corrupted society that they live in. For melioration of surroundings the Insaf Students Federation organized a Membership Campaign Drive which was officially held at the Royal Palm Country Club on the 5^th May 2012 for youth to become volunteers, they gather on just one SMS, get registered, no age limit, participate and make history in the change for better. With 10^th May as launch of door to door campaigning to start the youth were urged to fight for the future survival of Pakistan. Showing passion these young people are motivated to participate in the PTI inner party elections in which they give choice to a candidate from with in the party. PTI is thus the only party which has asked its young to determine who fits. It also becomes the only party which will have leaders from the middle class, it is the only party that wants to give a chance to the deserving on merit only. President ISF, Farukh Habib commended his Lahore team for their fine efforts in strengthening the ground work in circulating awareness amongst youth. The crisis management will need a lot of hard work and that can only be poured in by young, strong, valiant persons of this country. 

With 3.7 Million bogus votes registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan, people who had died 18 years ago have voted thrice in the previous elections! In such severe odds, casting ones vote is not just a right it’s an obligation that every individual must take. Not casting a vote is a crime! Problems of this country are grave, but they can be solved with positivity of achieving results, for it is ones approach to determine either you want to stand a winner or a looser in a social system. Governance that is dependent on YOUR vote. Leaders are chosen by people, those whom you chose will have your fate in their hands. Always remember, leaders are not greater than your country. So chose that you can entrust the future of this country with confidence for this boundary of four provinces is your home, it has been given a death sentence by looters, criminals, plunderers who have made a market-place or mandi of “wheel & deal”, “scams”, scandals and money laundering. They will take an exit from here when conditions become unfavorable for them.

If one compares Monarchy with Succession of Inheritance: Monarchs that become King/Queen are the best from the family, most able, most trust worthy, have the highest capability of running the affairs of the state. Whereas the Succession of Inheritance parties in Pakistan, anybody or a nobody can become the head of State! This is a dicey situation for Pakistan, if one takes a casual glace at inherited faces that are waiting in line. None of the political parties in power today will ever have elections within their parties; never will it be that middle class people become the Chairman or Chairperson. That role will always be taken by Inherited Gene pool (able or not it is Pakistan’s fate). Citizens of this country must understand this difference and then decide who best deserves to be their Rescuer.

 Organizers’ & Speakers of this event were: Rafi Khan, Farrukh Habib, Muhammad Usman, Zubair Sabir, Ibrar-ul-Haq, Mubasher Lucman and Hassan Nisar sb. To accentuate this occasion one must understand that: Man is the only creature on which the Almighty bestowed the gift to prosper and develop. Angels, who top in piety and pray day/night, were not given this ability. If one throws a cursory glance on the chronicles of mankind, one observes that whoever contributed to the development was trained and prepared to do that in his/her youth. After all, it is the foundations which determine the rigidity and strength of edifice to be built on them. Likewise, if youth is not prepared or groomed well in time, the nation is destined to doom. It is youth that holds the reigns of a country and steers it to stellar heights.

Copyright ©2011-2050 Ayesha Zee Khan. Reproduction: Poetry/articles/stories strictly prohibited. Watermark template. Template images bymicheldenijs. Powered by Blogger.
Published on the following links:
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http://www.islamabadtimesonline.com/youth-collaborate/

                                                

"Viva Balochistan"

Much has been seen, heard and written about the state of affairs in Balochistan post Sardar Akbar Bugti’s death on (26^th August 2006). The whole nation grieved over that mishap, to this day no one can still come to terms as to why such a mammoth personality had to suffer in the name of terrorism! The sadness of that incident multiply to neglect of  Baloch people at the hands of Central and Provincial Government  especially post-Musharraf, who deserted the province; where army and ISI had an overwhelming role, because of which the insurgency/mistrust is now getting out of Islamabad's control. The behavior of the powerful political parties and the center of Islamabad remind one of the captain and crew of the RMS Titanic sailing into the night, heading straight towards an iceberg! The civilian, military and judicial authorities are locked up in a tussle colored by political positions and personal egos. And there is a dangerous disconnect between Islamabad and the enormous problems that loom on the Pakistani horizon. 

It shows why reconciliation efforts, like the 18th Amendment and the NFC awards, have been unable to stop the Baloch from pursuing what they call a nationalist movement. The HRCP’s statement in December 2011: This land of extra judicial killings, disappearances, Security forces (SF) high handedness, and repression, as well as a playground for terrorists operating. The Province witnessed 711 fatalities, including 542 civilians, 122 SF personnel and 47 militants in 2011, as against 347 fatalities, comprising of 274 civilians, 59 SF personnel and 14 militants in 2010, Overall fatalities in 2011 thus increased by 104.89 per cent over the preceding year. Incidents of killing rose by 116 per cent, from 150 in 2010 to 321 in 2011. The number of major incidents (each involving three or more fatalities) increased by 152.17 percent, with 58 such incidents recorded in 2011, as against 23 in 2010. Bodies of: At least 225 ‘missing persons’ recovered from various parts of the Province since July 2010. Situation is particularly a grave one, for non-Muslims, minority Muslim sects, like the Hazara group. As many as 80 members of the Shia community have been killed in the Province in 2011 alone, for no reason other than their religious belief.HRCP also has serious concern at targeted killing of teachers, intellectuals and non-Baloch ‘settlers’ in Balochistan. The murder of two HRCP activists and three journalists in the Province in 2011 signifies the dangers that those highlighting human rights violations face on a daily basis. It is a matter of grave alarm that 107 new cases of enforced disappearance have been reported in Balochistan in 2011, and the ‘missing persons’ are increasingly turning up dead. It is scandalous that not a single person has been held accountable for these disappearances and killings.

To top all the above atrocities: With lack of education, no jobs, health facilities, water shortage the people of Balochistan have faced deprivation and have endured much at the hands of the rulers of Pakistan. Mistrust and alienation had been built on the center since the demise of Nawab Bugti, with no amenities provided to the common people. The mainstream political parties too never showed a helping hand or their presence in that area. They never tried to even address the symptoms of the Baloch insurgency let alone the causes. At the end of the year 2011, all political parties in power were at the same spot where they were found in the beginning of the 2010 as far as the Balochistan issue is concerned. Though Nawaz Sharif belatedly tried to display some solidarity with the marginalized people of the restive province, those too were just a few tribals and with that too, he could not go beyond rhetoric!

The brave people of that province showed their love, support and a will of co-existence with Pakistan when Imran Khan visited Quetta on the 20^th April 2012. It was as if a new contact was being established between Balochistan the province and its citizens in that historic visit. Khan Sb’s gallant move in such a scenario to see the Baloch integrated into the mainstream of Pakistani social, political, and economic life, and to ensure that democracy is a fixed element of Baloch society to achieve Baloch consolidation with the rest of Pakistan. His reiteration that:  The center should work with Baloch Sardars rather than fighting with them by encouraging a dialogue between the center and the periphery. An ending of fighting be it military or separatist, because this approach consistently failed in bringing progress to the common people. A fair share for Baloch in royalties for the natural resources extracted from Balochistan so that the economic base of the province could be fortified.

To change the environment of fear and insecurity in the province, assuring the people that their grievances would be addressed by PTI when they take power by peoples vote and pledging to alter the fate of the province once and for all. With the National Anthem of Pakistan, the crowds sang and cheered Khan Sb when he pledged to resolve the issue of Balochistan through dialogue involving all concerned stakeholders by taking them on board to alter the fate of the province. He regretted that at least three military operations had been carried out in the province in the past, and urged the Baloch leadership to talk to the PTI, assuring them that he would not deviate from the promises he would make to them.    
Chairman Imran Khan, Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Balochistan President Qasim Suri and other PTI leadership met Hazara Community at Imam Bargah Nachari Alamdar Road Quetta and offered Fateha, condolences and condemned the killing of innocent Shia people who had been targeted for being a religious minority in the province. He stressed that: The frequent occurrence of sectarian violence under the present regime is a clear indicator that the President and Prime Minister with their top leadership are disconnected with the occurrences/killings in the province, and that no security was being provided to vulnerable communities deliberately.

Copyright ©2011-2050 Ayesha Zee Khan. Reproduction: Poetry/articles/stories strictly prohibited. Watermark template. Template images bymicheldenijs. Powered by Blogger.

Published on the following links:

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http://dailyausaf.com/epaper/page/15/

http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=153881

"The Role of Media"

“Pakistan a Hard Country” is a title given to the book written by Anatol Lieven, where he categorically points to the resilience of the nation. This country of nearly 200 million people has witnessed quite a lot in terms of tragedy, death, and misfortune. One such incident happened on Friday 20^th April 2012, when Bhoja Airlines flight B-213 on its route from Karachi-Islamabad met an unlucky fate near “loi beer” a small village near Chaklala Air force base at 6:40pm PST. The 127 (the crew and passengers) people on board that flight were killed, with its remains scattered in a 5/10 mile km radius on land. The passengers: 110 adults, 5 new born babies and 6 other children were onboard in crashed plane.
There are many questions that a logical mind asks: Foremost being, with people perishing in such a disaster why in the name of God was Ministry of Finance & Ministry of Defence hasty in granting license to a bad reputed company of yester years? Why was political pressure on the Director CAA specifically for this airline? Why hasn’t the previous airline crash of July 2010 been an example to cover up those ill’s that have cost innocent people’s lives now (157 people died in Air Blue crash that year).Why a plane such as Boeing 737 which is no more being manufactured, given an A-okay certificate to fly? A plane whose fuselage becomes weaker because of the repetitive compression and decompression and this isn’t the only thing which could have caused it, weather, malfunctioning instruments and lack of maintenance played a vital role in this crash. Pilots are not to be blamed with such an old machine they were one of the most experienced ex-Air force Pilots!  When the President or PM of Pakistan address the National assembly, helicopters hover on Islamabad city, till he/they finish the speech and return, couldnt those helicopters take floodlights and provisions necessary to the crash scene? Why did it take 5/6 hours in providing just ample light for the rescue operation to take place? 
With ruins of the plane, body parts everywhere in that area, media persons, locals, and loads of others walked around the scene as if it was a Sunday market venue! Shown live on TV Channels all across the world it was as if death and devastation was a spectacle never to be witnessed again. Where crucial evidence for investigation lay open under the raining skies, such people were free to take pictures, videos, pilfer cash and kind of dead people all over the place. What sort of a cordon was that?Private TV Channels in Pakistan were giving minute to minute breaking news of the event, with scenes from that area which were gruesome to watch. Body parts, shoes, luggage, note books, mobile phones, jewellery, laptops, clothes, identity cards, passports, watches were shown as if the camera was in a supermarket and the items displayed had great deals on them for bargain!
Television broadcasts showed footage of distraught relatives, weeping and hugging each other. One such Channel namely “Duniya TV” showed coverage of the event and then swiftly took the viewers to its Karachi correspondent where the anchor of this breaking news was sitting with the family of deceased Flight Purser Ms. Ghazala Malik. Her picture shown on full screen, the anchor (a female), asked the bereaved mother (who was holding her late daughters picture in her hand and who looked stoned by the news), ‘Your daughter was the eldest, an earning member of the family, she was unmarried, you had desires in your heart to see the marriage of your daughter, see her settled and happy in life, now that she is no more; What are your views on her demise?’ Is that a question to ask a mother, who received the news of her daughter’s death minutes ago? Does such footage amount to be shown in a breaking news slot? The sentiments of parents: who have lost their children in an uncalled for crash? Is that what responsible Journalism is all about? Where are the ethics of dealing with a victim’s family? Why to rub salt on an injury? Someone’s relatives could be your relatives too, why to put them through further distress? Does this too amount to media rating? If it does, it is highly an immoral way to do so.
The Media should Understand: Showing graphic images is a challenge to watch for the masses. To be careful in narratives of an incident, to be less descriptive of a scene, let the privacy of someone’s loved one remain intact. Try to maintain a balance of seriousness and avoid hopelessness reach people. A microphone in hand does not mean that the anchorperson should lose all moral grounds, sentences with encouragement to the victim’s family and the viewers should be maintained as priority. Forcing children, youth, old people to comment on their loss or re-live their experience can cause serious Psychological setbacks. Children are particularly vulnerable and may assume an enormous sense of guilt if they feel that they have said or done something inadequate during a media interview. Inappropriate coverage of wreckage, death can undermine the purpose or healing value of the activity. Following should be pointers adopted by people handling the microphone:

 1. Avoid the impulse to titillate or speculate.

 2. Report information only from identified official spokespeople.

 3. Stick to fully verified information that won’t hamper recovery efforts. 

4.  Respect the potentially still fragile state of individuals who were near or lost a loved-one in the crash/accidents/attacks.

 5. Understand the range of potential reactions that can be caused by a traumatic event or the anniversary of an event.

 6. Know the school/College students’ watch television too, do not take away their sensitivity.

 7. Identify & provide information regarding where to access resources on coping with trauma and who to contact if someone is having difficulty.
In an hour of crisis, the media should: Concentrate more on giving out contact numbers of the office concerned to the affected families, to people at large to come up with mass help in reaching out to the authorities concerned. Electronic media should understand that their actions can lead to desensitizing of the public at large. Death is not a joke, let’s be responsible in dealing with national and personal grief.

Copyright ©2011-2050 Ayesha Zee Khan. Reproduction: Poetry/articles/stories strictly prohibited. Watermark template. Template images bymicheldenijs. Powered by Blogger.

The above article got published on the following link:

http://www.islamabadtimesonline.com/aim-of-the-media-cash-the-crash/

http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=152120

                                                                                        

PTI Women’s Convention (Punjab)

The Punjab Women’s wing PTI Headed by Ms. Saloni Bukhari held a convention for women on the 14^th April 2012 at Aiwan-e-Iqbal Lahore. Presided by Chairman Imran Khan, it included the top leadership of the party. Tehreek’s women office bearers and workers from all over Punjab were invited to this occasion which gave a chance to Chairman Imran Khan to listen to their hard work, contributions, their input in the cities and periphery; and how this wing has been working hand in glove with the women from all over the society.
PTI has been committed to promote women, their issues since its inception. Both youth and women play a vital role in character building of any society, our specially need to be rescued on a war footing by the intellect and hard work of females of this nation who constitute a 48% of the total population. They, with their diligent ways can extinguish the fire of destruction that envelopes our surroundings.

 Chairman Imran Khan started his address on this convention with the lines from Surah Fatiha; Iyaka Nabudu wa Iyaka Nastayein (You alone we worship and You alone we seek for help). Khan sb hailed the contribution of women since the start of times in this world. He specified how an educated and knowledgeable mother can make sound careers for her children; similar rule applies to educated mothers transforming a mediocre society to an exemplary one. Stating an example of his mother Mohtarma Shaukat Khanum who stood behind him through his education, learning years and made him the man he is today.

He talked about how PTI (once in power) will protect the rights of women in the different sections of society,  provide security and protection to them, matters relating to female inheritance will be safeguarded for them and no one will be allowed to usurp their share, equal education and job opportunities will be provided for females. No injustice to anyone will be tolerated in our time, no one will be allowed to steal away the riches of this country and “elope” (with their beloved: Money) from here. Tomorrow’s Pakistan that we will uplift will be giving loans to poorer countries; people from abroad will seek jobs here. All we need to do is correct and manage Governance. Pakistan is a gifted soil, having treasures that make up to billions in monetary value; all this will be used for people welfare programs. Ideology of Allama Iqbal and Mr. Jinnah will become a reality in our rule.

He condemned the killings of Shia minority by various groups, pointing to the fact that such entities who kill are neither friends of Islam nor are they doing a favor to the Pakistani nation. What irritates the masses and this party is the fact that we have given undue importance to a war that wasn’t ours in the first place. He condemned the inclusion of Pakistani power houses who side with the policies of USA.
         
Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, he said, is not a party of inheritance. It does not believe in keeping the power in the family, among its relatives to give shares only to which one is related. He stressed the importance of elections within the party so that able, honest and educated people on merit could be chosen from within and that everyone equally works hard and pools in to give a sure-shot win to “Team Pakistan.”

The above article was published on the following links:
http://www.islamabadtimesonline.com/pti-women%E2%80%99s-wing-punjab-convention/

http://dailyausaf.com/epaper/2012/04/25/page/15/

PTI: "Brings forth new life” Launch Cultural Wing (Punjab).

"Together we can achieve it."

Saturday 14^th April 2012, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf launched its Cultural Wing (Punjab) due to the tireless efforts of Dr. Yasmin Rashid. The concept behind this milestone move was to promote and convey the true message of the party to masses, to restore faith in their self and to motivate the general public that a forward moving Pakistan was an achievable dream. The use of Allama Iqbal’s motivational poetry through songs, skits and plays communicate the core ideology of the party.

Adeel Hashmi

Saeein Zahoor

The usage of Saqi Nama, Iqbal’s famous work in poetry, the philosophy discussed in that runs parallel to the theme of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf’s ideology; to bring new life to the ailing society! To start this cultural extravaganza in the heart of Punjab, Lahore, which has been a centre for learning in Excellence. Vibrancies of this city & province have been vividly transmitted in the Era of Data Ganj Bakhsh, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, Allama Iqbal, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Ashfaq Ahmad, Bhagat Singh, etc who were educated and groomed in this versatile land. A unique training continued till only recently, Education was kept officially in our text and grooming was perceptively taken away. To address this, PTI proceeds’ to nurture the minds of people through promotion of Culture with projection of true moral values. This party is fortunate to have grandsons of two great colossus poets; Allama Iqbal and Faiz Ahmad Faiz. Both being a beacon of light in their era transformed the thinking mindset of the masses.

Speaking at the Inauguration ceremony Chairman Imran Khan expressed his good will with the Cultural Wing team. He advised that a purpose or goal set in life gives one the right direction to achieve. While praying, each human being emphasizes on God to show the right path, that which will give eternal glory. Poets, Play writes of this region, had a foresight, a vision which they expressed in their works. Through powerful messages in their poetry stalwarts like Allama Iqbal and Faiz Ahmad Faiz touched the pulse of this nation. What you undertake to do, you must realize what good it will fetch for the people. Education unveiled many avenues of learning; some were positive learning while others were negative. Some education brought beneficial results for human kind while some brought about misery and destruction; Penicillin saved millions of ailing people while Atom Bomb killed maimed millions of people!              

Of all the fine philosophical thoughts that Iqbal gave, “Khudi” has come to be known as the pride of his philosophy. Khudi, to Iqbal, is the inseparable soul and spirit of humanity. It is this very concept which when awakened in someone, not only does it revolutionize the person but through this it provides the human society with the true essence and meaning of existence. Iqbal comprehended well that Allah had created man and blessed him with Khudi so that he is fit for the role of being His vicegerent. Allah created man to be superior thus angels were commanded to prostrate before him. This act not only honored the humanity but also portrayed the rank of human before Allah. To guard the self respect of His Creation God Commanded him to prostrate only in front of Him and no other being, that his sacred forehead should not bow down to every door step.
God gives chance to many people to correct the ills that they see around them, such was a golden chance given to our present day leaders by our Creator, to solve the problems of this country, to spread the power of learning and enlightenment, to remove poverty and to give cushioning to the jobless. Unfortunately, rulers of this land gave zero gains to the nation, while gained in millions for their own benefits, hence bringing their “Self” first! The great Allama stressed in his poetry; freedom from thyself. The rulers and their friendly opposition unfortunately did on the contrary!!

This occasion included speeches by Andalib Abbas, Waleed Iqbal and Adeel Hashmi. Heart touching performances was given by Saeein Zahoor, Soch Band etc. The core essence of this new step to enrich people was summarized beautifully by Adeel Hashmi, grandson of Faiz sb; the rural policy, Energy policy and women policy by PTI are revolutionary and thus every westerner of future will comment upon this history making as, “They were lucky that they lived in the era of Imran Khan.”

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The above article got published on the following link:
http://www.islamabadtimesonline.com/pti-brings-forth-new-life-cultural-wing-punjab-launched/

http://dailyausaf.com/epaper/2012/04/26/page/15/