Ten Things To Learn From JAPAN

Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster gave the picture of Japanese to the world which has a lesson for all other nations. Pakistan has many things to learn from this great nation of the world as in one decade it has faced two major natural calamities, earthquake (2005) and flood(2010), and many man made crises in the form of terrorist suicide attacks.

In internet I found an article named Ten Things To Learn From JAPAN which got my  appraise as I made a video on it. I believe, people prefer to watch than to read.

Global Food Crisis and Pakistan

THE 9 BILLION PEOPLE QUESTION is the title of special 14 page report of The Economist, American weekly journal, published on 26^th February, 2011. The report discusses reasons of the current rise in food prices, raises a question about feeding growing population and suggests few solutions to be implemented on wide scale depending on their successful results after implementing in smaller scale in the different parts of the world. Food prices have shot high twice in less than four years which is the reason of global food crisis and towards which the report draws our attention. Higher food prices have resulted in addition of millions of additional people below the poverty line across the globe. These volatile prices of food items are becoming the reason of upheaval in many countries, like Tunisia, Egypt and other Arab countries, and can be reason of many upcoming revolutionary movements in other developing countries with large poor population.

Report says that many of the reasons of second highest spike in the food prices after 1984 are temporary but other reasons, which always have been the prime mover of food crises in the world, cannot be ignored. These hidden and always present factors must be brought into consideration and panacea to the food crises must be concocted by the world leaders and leading organizations to prevent the large portion of the world population from falling in the abysmal chasms of abject poverty and to avoid the crisis which will originate with the growing population in coming years.  Recent highest price spike after 2006 world’s food crisis has many temporary reasons including drought in Russia and Argentina; floods in Pakistan, Australia and Canada; weak value of dollar, trade restrictions and policies; restocking and hoarding by exporters; high oil prices in global market and increasing demands of two giant devouring nations India and China. This year wheat crop in China has been severely affected which has generated the threat of drought in China which will exacerbate the food crises and poor nations will have to absorb the shocks of further spikes in food prices. World population is increasing with the rate of almost 1 percent per year and by this calculation the world’s population will approximately reach to 7 billion in the end of 2011 and will become 9 billion in 2050. In coming 40 years the production rate must rise by 70 percent to fill 9 billion stomachs but it seems difficult because of many factors, as enlisted by report, like little available unformed land, shortage of water, change in the world’s climate and many other factors related with agriculture. These are the obvious causes which can be controlled, to some amount, and avoided, to a smaller level, in many parts of the world but many other factors including farmers’ income, distribution of food, consumerism, policies and democracies causes famine in the world.  Moreover, low production rate of wheat and rice, two important constituents of food, as compared to the world’s population growth rate alarms of the further increase in food prices and global food crisis.

The main target of report is on feeding 9 billion people in 2050 but these questions are also related to feeding 7 billion current population of the world. Current global food crisis has drawn world’s attention towards the deficiencies in the current agriculture system of the world and climate change in the form of global warming and demands change in the current agriculture system and implementation of modern techniques and effective policies to help poor countries to feed their people. Rise in food prices has devastatingly affected the poor people’s living standard as large population of the world spends more than 50 percent of their income on food. People are becoming poorer and disturbances among nations are escalating. Current springing up of rebellious movements in many countries, like Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Middle East, are outcome of growing poverty, severe food crisis, higher unemployment and corruption catapulting their lands. Similar kind of revolution, in headlines of mainstream Pakistani media, is discussed to be erupted in the land of the pure as people are suffering from higher prices of food items, utility bills and oil products. Unemployment and abeyant business opportunities in the country have frustrated the youth who are sick of mis-governance, nepotism, corruption and indifference of the ruling party in Pakistan. Most of the reasons of these crises are domestic but many global factors define the complexity of our crises equation as spike in food prices globally has caused rise in food products in Pakistan.

This report is helpful for Pakistanis to know about the factors causing food crisis globally and concerns of feeding growing population which will add 2 billion more persons in next 40 years. In Pakistan agriculture accounts for 23% of the GDP and employs 44% of the labor force and 25% of total land is under cultivation with world’s largest irrigation system. Pakistan must not be affected so easily by exotic food crisis due to strong agricultural infrastructure and nature’s favor. But the reality is opposite to the expectations. Pakistan is facing double-digit inflation rate which is increasing with passage of time. The ruling Pakistan’s People Party famous for its electioneering slogan “roti, kapra aur makan’’ has become notorious for the same slogan as it has not only failed to provide basic necessities of life,  food, shelter and job, to the people of Pakistan but also has narrowed their sources of income by levying heavy taxes.

Shocks of global food crisis felt in Pakistan also but it is not the only reason of current price hike of food items in Pakistan. There are multiple intricate factors which need to be brought to the parliament and tables of the policy makers if they really want to work for the welfare of the people.

Menace by Pakistanis is Menace to Pakistan

Terrorism has become Pakistan’s domestic problem and concern after owing the war on terrorism triggered by America and its allies to curb the momentum of Islamic militant organizations, al-Qaeda and Taliban, bolstered and funded by America in the cold war era to fight against the Soviet army invading Afghanistan. Thousands of citizens have lost their lives in last eight years in terrorist attacks conducted in different parts of the country by asinine and roughshod militants targeting mosques, shrines, markets and political and religious processions mostly. Suicide bomber has become the greatest threat to the people’s lives than any weapon invented by cynic minds. People in Pakistan are under the threat of suicide bombing all the time and it has installed perpetual fear factor in their minds. This fear factor is rooting deep in Pakistan’s social setup and is anticipated to be characteristics of the nation if check on terrorism is not made sure and stringent.

Terrorism has deformed the whole face of the country and is pushing the country towards the point of no return. The year 2011 started with sad news of the assassination of the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, by his own security guard in the capital of the country. The assassination itself was condemnable and excruciating but people’s response on it worried liberals and intellectuals of the country as this event will be the turning moment in upcoming history of the region. Assassin of Salman Taseer, Mumtaz Qadri, got people’s applause and was showered with rose petals as he reached the central court for judicial trial. People of Pakistan regard Qadri, murderer of the Governor, their hero as he took ‘courageous’ and ‘audacious’ step to ‘teach lessons’ to people seeking reforms in the Blasphemy Law. Salman Taseer started a dialogue on reforming controversial and mis-used Blasphemy law and supported a Christian poor woman, Asia Bibi, accused of committing blasphemous activities and got death sentence as penalty from Lahore High Court. The public reaction was not new in its spirit as throughout the history of Pakistan people of Pakistan have gathered on streets for the sake of honor of the religion. Riots of 1952 against Ahmadi community in the length and breadth of the country and public ire against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, former prime minister, which turned into mob protests in every nook and cranny of the country in 1978, two major events in the history, are epitomes of religious fundamentalism integrated in Pakistani society. Religious fundamentalism is less fatal than religious fanaticism. People’s jubilation over assassination of Taseer and appreciation of Qadri over taking law in his hands is fanaticism and lunacy. It removed mask from the hidden face of the society condoning fundamentalism and fanaticism.

Pakistani people, divided into different sects and factions, are not religiously zealots but they have always gathered as religiously fundamentalists for honor of their religion. It is characteristic of Pakistani Muslims irrespective of their sect and ethnic identity. This characteristic fundamentalism was misused by America against soviet forces in Afghanistan when Mujahedin factory was established and flourished in the northern mountainous areas of Pakistan by then government of tyrant General Zia ul Haq with the support of military intelligence agencies most notably ISI – Inter Services Intelligence. Fundamentalism and adherence to religious values were geared and lubricated by Jihad mantra and people of Pakistan fought proxy war in the name of religion. It will be unfair to say that Pakistani people were manipulated by anti-Soviet forces. India has always been considered as the biggest enemy of Pakistan and before war in Afghanistan Pakistan has fought three wars with India and many people were fighting voluntarily as Mujahedin in disputed Jammu and Kashmir to ‘help their Muslim fellows’. So taste for jihad or ‘holy war’ was in their blood and religious fundamentalism has always been the characteristic of Pakistani people. This fundamentalism proved vital and effective for the proxy war which Pakistani guerrilla fighters (mujahedin) fought against soviet army.

After 911 the world’s history started getting changed and so the Muslim world’s also. Pakistan, being the epicenter and factory of global terrorism, appeared on the global radars as a key player to curb the terrorism. Pakistan had choice no other than joining war on terrorism to maintain its role in global politics. Joining the war divided Pakistani people into two fringes – one who were against terrorism and thus in favor of the war and second faction who were opponent of fighting America’s war in Pakistan’s land. From 2004 momentum of domestic terrorism increased every year and people further divided into factions. Few people keep the opinion that the current spate of terrorism is the retaliatory activism against drone strikes in the Northern areas by American spy agencies and thus they in silent words condone or legitimize terrorism. Another group has the similar opinion about the cause of terrorism but they condemn overtly it. But brighter part of this picture is that many people from all circles of life strictly condemn this activism and demand from Pakistan government and military to curb this menace as early as possible to bring normality and stability in the country back. Stance on terrorism is clear by a large population of the Pakistan so the world must not be skeptic on the aim of Pakistan to end this scourge.

Stance on terrorism is by liberal, enlightened and intellectuals of the country. Majority of the country is mostly illiterate, gullible and manipulated by the local clerics. So, fundamentalism is still present in every part of the country but in different shapes and forms. Anti-Americanism is one shade of it. Heroism of Mumtaz Qadri is another and newest one. Every incident opens a veil from the society and denudes the actual facade of the society. Religious fundamentalism is not taught only in madrassas and mosques rather it is implanted in the textbooks of school going children in which animosity against India is bred.

Pakistan is facing new challenges among which countering religious fanaticism needs a large portion of the national attention. If intellectuals and clerics do not realize the gravity of this threat, Pakistan will become the most intolerant nation on the earth and it will be less dangerous to the outer world than its own nationals as Pakistan is the hub of different religious and ethnic factions. Religious tolerance and ethnic pluralism is the only way following which will lead the country to come out of the quagmire of the conundrums. Intolerance, fundamentalism and fanaticism will only worsen the situation and push the country to dystopia. Countering terrorism is not possible without checking growing fundamentalism in the society and discouraging people’s response as seen after the assassination of Salman Taseer. No nation in the history has murderer their hero. Only Pakistan will have if people of Pakistan do not give place to tolerance and freedom to open dialogue in their society.

So the greatest threat to Pakistan is by its own nationals.

Welcome Fresh Change

British Prime Minister, David Cameron, came on day-long visit on first week of April. I as a Pakistani citizen welcome the British premier on change of Britain’s mood towards Pakistani people and the government. Fresh change in the strategic dialogue between two countries is welcomed by the whole nation. Pakistan is facing wide swath of problems among them terrorism and poverty are iterated frequently on national and international platforms.  During this crucial period, Pakistan needs more friends and no foes.

 

David Cameron’s day-long trip, signing of a document titled ‘Enhanced Strategic Dialogue’ with his Pakistani counterpart and announcing education aid of £650m are surely signs of his changed perception and policy towards Pakistan. Our government should step forward to handshake with him to give Britain the gesture that Pakistan believes in keeping good relations with the outer world to play its part in the global village as a responsible and earnest player.

 

Pakistan always needed some foreign assistance for its military and economic development. David Cameron announced the education aid for Pakistan with his concerns over the lack of good governance in Pakistan. In his own words,

“My job is made more difficult when people in Britain look at Pakistan, a country that receives millions of pounds of our aid money, and see weaknesses in terms of government capacity and waste.”

This statement is the most important thing that Pakistani government must consider before going abroad to seek financial assistance from the international community. Pakistan’s image in the international community has severely been contorted by domestic corruption and mis-governance. Any government of foreign country announcing financial aid for Pakistan is answerable to its people if the purpose of supporting Pakistan is not fulfilled. David Cameron pointed out the same concern.

 

Pakistan’s premier, president and parliamentarians must take it as a lesson and stand against corruption in national institutions if they want to get support of the foreign governments and nations. In addition, Pakistan must ameliorate its image by using foreign aid for the right purpose.

 

Connectivity Revolution

We are living in the era of Ubiquitous Connectivity. It’s an era of exploding information and hyper-connectivity. Mobile phone, internet, mobile internet, social networks, blogosphere, video uploading, picture sharing and tweeting are modern terms we daily encounter more than basic needs of ancient human being food, water and air. In the end of 2011 world’s population is anticipated to reach 7 billion. Who will be the 7^th billion child born in the world will no more be a mystery as you will definitely get a link of YouTube video uploaded by some media content developer on your Facebook home page. I know most of you will share it. World has seen the swiftest penetration rate of mobile and internet market is the first decade of 21^st century. More and more people are getting connected daily and it is anticipated that at the end of second decade of this century all of the population will be in the communication nexus. Chain of people connected with each other is growing rapidly and future of the world is in future of strength of this connectivity chain.

 

World of internet is amazing. More than 2 billion people, 28 percent of the world population, uses Internet – network of networks. This means 1 out of 4 persons in the world knows what the real blessing of internet is and 3 out of 4 knows what the internet is. Internet is becoming virtual world of most of the technology-savvy people across the globe. Cellular connectivity has connected more than half of the world’s population with number of total cellular subscribers acceding 5280 million. 3 out of 4 persons in the world use a cell phone and it is the revolution of connectivity. Internet on mobile phone is the next milestone for technology concoctors and promoters to be achieved and a large part of this success story has already been written in few years as Mobile Broadband Subscribers are more than 1 billion in the world. It is really amazing! Mobile phone made it easy to be connected with your loved ones via call and short text messages. Internet on mobile has opened new horizons of connectivity and now information is at the access of everyone with need of just pressing one button on your cell phone.

 

Watching news at 9 pm on PTV, the state’s only television channel is not the only source of getting INFORMED now. Now news finds and reaches you, you don’t find news. It’s revolution of Dispersing Information. With one click on your desktop PC or Laptop or tablet computer or Smart phone you can listen, watch, read any news which you must know with a simpler subscription facility provided by many news agencies’ websites. Social networking sites are another exciting face of internet revolution. More than half billion people are Facebook users and more than quarter billion people tweet regularly. A single internet user spends 5 hours, on average, on Facebook per week.

 

It is the amazing world of Ubiquitous Connectivity. Pakistan is among top countries where broadband internet, cellular connectivity and proliferation of technology are at higher rates. This year total mobile subscriptions reached 100 million in Pakistan. More than 90 percent Pakistanis has access to mobile or fixed line telephone. Internet users in Pakistan are also increasing with the passage of time and at the end of 2010 more than 20 million internet users were subscribed. Facebook is as popular in home as in the outer world with more than 40 million Pakistani people subscribed. At the end of 2010 only 20 million of Pakistanis were Facebook users and in almost 12 months their strength got doubled on Facebook. Similar taste of statistics is found in twitter, YouTube, linked in and other social networking websites.

 

How the world is using internet and how we Pakistanis are using this blessing needs consideration. I have more than 250 people in my Facebook profile and I know only few of them dare to upload a status. Most of the statuses uploaded by them are either poetic verse copied from their mobile phone SMS inbox or some quotation copied pasted from other websites or other’s profile. Very few people write original statuses to give words to their thoughts. It is my observation and you may have opposite observation. But the point under the bottom line is that Pakistani people are generating very less genuine, original and creative content as compared to the other nations. How many videos you uploaded on YouTube in last year and how many were made or edited by you? How many pictures you shot, photoshoped and uploaded on Facebook on any special event like 14^th august or Eid Festival? Do you Blog or visit regularly a Blog? Most of you will be with laconic reply, No!, because most of the Pakistanis don’t develop original content even when it is so much easy.

 

We are lagging far behind in the marathon of creating original content. It is alarming as when other nations will be known by the content generated by their nationals we will be among viewers of this content only.

 

Potentials of modern technology are not covert. Everyone who uses internet 1 hour per day or even 2 hours per week knows answers of all questions started with what, why and how related to the internet. Knowing is not fathoming and realizing the gravity of the issue. That’s why our young Pakistanis see internet and mobile as only source of entertainment. It is more than it. Upheaval triggered in Egypt which ended in ouster of Hosni Mubarak on 11^th February, 2011 was a paragon of using internet for a cause. Egyptians set a fabulous example in the modern history of the world when a fan page on Facebook brought millions of people from their homes to the streets of Cairo to get united for their fate. I don’t see it just as an example; it will be bandwagon for revolutionists in other parts of the world. So, it is the need of time we Pakistanis realize this gravity and play our part in bringing healthy and necessary reforms in our society through internet and mobile phone.

 

Barrack Obama is said to be good in internet and it became the reason of his success as he became first black President of the United States of America. He, actually, is very good in internets. Official website of the White House is hallmark of his vision and foresight. He has a large media entourage which captures each of his moment in the White House or during the process of architecting destiny of Americans and future of America outside the White House in pictures, uploaded regularly on Flickr and Facebook fan page; records each of his word spoken by him in any domestic or global platform for his nation or any other faraway nation plunged in chaos, uploaded on YouTube and shared on facebook fan page; and release press releases and his weekly address on the official website. He defined the real potential of internet and set an example for all leaders of the world. His connectivity is source of hope for Americans as they get aware of what actually is happening in the White House by the person sent by them to listen to their voices and work for them. If a person cannot meet him face-to-face he can watch President’s weekly address and it reduces the communication gap between the ruler and the subject. This happens in America but not in Pakistan where president hardly visits a public ceremony or addresses his nation on the state’s television.

 

I believe, future of the world will be decided online by people connected via internet and mobile phone. As more people are getting connected they are getting more aware about the wide swath of issues which were previously rarely discussed or known by the majority of the human population.

 

We Pakistanis should come forward in this battle to bring change in our social and political system, ethical and moral development of our nation, assuaging extremist and radical thoughts and present mild and progressive image of the country to the outer world. Instead of copying and pasting content developed by other people we must upload fresh content. We have a lot of options to forward our message and spread our voice to millions and billions of people. Make short films and upload on YouTube. Maintain blogs and comment on international blogs and invite them to your blogs. Make a fan page for a cause and share with a large population on Facebook. Be amateur photographer; capture every worth-sharing moment and upload it on flickr. Join fan page of international news agencies and TV channels on Facebook and comment regularly on their links to share your pointy of view.

 

The more you realize this responsibility of playing your part in the world’s internet revolution the more ways of playing your part more effectively you will keep on discovering. It all depends on the user and responsibility-bearer. So make a resolution right now and check your skills. Set a target and start developing content of any kind on the internet. May be one day your fan page reach 1 million likes or your channel on YouTube has more than 10 thousand subscribers. Be a part of the Internet Revolution – Connectivity Revolution!

 

64 facts about PAKISTAN

Pakistan is our country. There are a lot of things about it to be proud of. All we need is true leadership to drift the whole nation towards the right direction. you will be pleased to know the potentials of the land of the pure.

 

1

• Largest Volunteer Ambulance Organization in World Belongs to Pakistan – founded by Sattar Edhi
• Worlds largest deep sea port is located in Gwader
• Asia’s Largest Mosque – Faisal Mosque
• World’s highest Polo ground at Shandur
• Haleji Lake is the Asia’s largest Bird Sanctuary
• Karakoram Highway World’s highest highway
• Largest WiMAX Network is deployed in Pakistan

2

• 2nd Most populous Muslim Country
• 2nd Largest Salt mine (Khewra)
• 2nd Highest Peak of the World – K2

3

• 3rd biggest Mango Producer of the World

4

• 4th biggest producer of Sugarcane, Cotton and Apricot
• 4 times winner of Hockey world Cup (1971, 1978, 1982, 1994)
• 4 out of 14 Highest Peaks of the world

5

• 5th largest Milk and Onion producer

6

• 6th largest nation of the World

7

• 7th Nuclear power
• 7th largest pool of Engineers and Doctors
• 7th largest standing arm force
• 7th largest Dam of the world – Tarbela dam

8

• 8 out of 1000 people have a Car
• 8th biggest producer of Wheat & Rice

9

• 9th largest labor force
• 9 hundred cable operators are providing satellite TV transmission nationwide
• 9 crore Mobile Subscribers

10

• 10th largest English Speaking country
• 10th largest producer of Oranges
• 10th biggest city of the world – Karachi

11

• 11 thousand Pakistani military personnel serving in UN peacekeeping operations worldwide

12

• 12th biggest tea consumer of the world

13

• 13 hundred IT companies are working

14

• 14th World’s Biggest Pharmaceutical Company – Getz Pharma

15

• 15th Biggest Internet Users’ Nation

16

• 16th biggest Uranium producer

17

• $17 billion export

18

• 18 thousand km-2 total forest area

19

• 19th best country for offshoring

20

• 20th biggest Coal Reserves

21

• 21st largest cement producer

22

• 22nd largest Salt producer

23

• 23rd largest Defense Budget

24

• 24th largest country with Internet users (23 million)

25

• 25th biggest Railway Transport Network

26

• 26th biggest Natural Gas reserves

27

• 27th biggest Landline Communication Network

28

• 28th biggest economy of the world

29

• 29h biggest Copper producer

30

• 30th biggest Air Line of Asia – PIA

31

• 31 million Middle Class with average annual income above $10,000

32

• 32nd biggest Electricity Producer

33

• 33rd largest country with High IQ population

34

• 34th largest Motor Vehicle producer.

35

• 35 out of 100 women in Pakistan are literate.

36

• 36% people live in Urban area

37

• 37th largest renewable water resources

38

• 38th biggest Iron producer.

39

• 39th largest country having Airports

40

• 40th biggest Gold holding country (65.4 tones)

41

• 41st largest Industrial Country

42

• 42nd largest GDP

43

• 43 million Pakistanis have access to satellite television

44

• 44h Rank in Globalization Index

45

• 45th biggest Nation using Broadband Internet

46

• 46 out of 50 Pakistanis have access to Mobile phone or Fixed Line phone

47

• 47 percent literacy rate

48

• 48th-largest economy in the world

49

• 49% of Pakistanis now reside in towns of 5,000 people or more

50

• 50 thousand tourists visit Pakistan annually

51

• 51 thousand Government schools for primary & secondary education

52

• 52nd biggest Oil reserves

53

• 53rd largest country having Foreign Exchange Reserves

54

• 54th Rank in the list of countries having Freedom of the Press

55

• 55 million Labor Force

56

• 56 Top in the World awards have been won by students in Pakistan (2009)

57

• 57 minerals are under exploitation on small scale

58

• 58th highest population density

59

• 59 out of 100 Pakistanis have a Mobile

60

• 60 reserve seats for Women in National Assembly

61

• 61 medals winner in Commonwealth Games

62

• 62nd highest Industrial Production Growth Rate

63

• 63rd highest GDP Growth Rate
• 63rd Biggest Exporter

64

• 64 years of Independence (2011)

watch this video by zeefilms…

The Different Case of Pakistan

Arabs have been mobilized to wipe out tyrannies from their lands. Suicide of a graduate unemployed hawker ignited people’s furry which forced president Zane ul Abaddine to flee from the country. On the footsteps of Tunisians the angry and deprived people of Egypt came out of their homes, gathered on the roads of Cairo, Suez and Alexandria raised slogans against the 6 time self-selected president Hosni Mubarak and demanded departure of the despot from the throne of power. They are still on roads and the whole international community is waiting to see a shift in the fate of Egyptians.

The settlement of activism in Egypt will be a significant event in the modern history if it is in accordance with the wish of the people of Egypt. It will shape fate of many other nations’ especially Islamic and particularly Arab. Out of 23 Arab countries only three have democracies. Islam, the official religion of Arab world, gives supreme authority and sovereignty to Allah Almighty. But despots of these states enjoy power beyond the limitations set by the state’s religion. People of these countries are suffering from destitution, unemployment, corruption, misgovernance and wealth equities. Most of the states are under the rule of a despot for decades. People of these nations are watching Tunisia and Egypt with bated breath. Decision of destiny of these two states will define paths for them to follow their fate.

Few people, in Pakistan, are saying that the story of Egypt and Tunisia does not fit in Pakistan’s tome. Pakistan is a different case. No doubt, they say rightly. Pakistan is really a different case – more severe one. Luckily Pakistani people, three years ago, said goodbye to a military ruler Pervaiz Musharaf whose ten year tyranny ended by democracy as revenge. Otherwise these people have gotten a catchphrase to dissuade gullible people of Pakistan for similar kind of revolution in Pakistan. Now Pakistani people see, daily on different new channels, the angelic face of democracy which has become demonic by the poor performance of the ruling party. The case of Pakistan is different, aberrant and errant. So it needs different kind of treatment.

In Pakistan military rulers stayed in the power for more than forty years. Democracy could never be flourished properly. Total age of democracy in Pakistan (subtracting true democracy bestowed by the military rulers) is accumulated to less than two decades. That’s why Pakistan’s case is different. Pakistani people are acquainted with the taste of democracy and tyranny both. So, they can better distinguish both of them. What used to happen in the last six decades is tale of the past now. Memories of halcyon days have been stored in the attic. Now people are suffering from the blessings of democracy. So, the case of Pakistan is different that of the Arab World.

Pakistani people have never seen worst democratic period in 64 years as they are seeing now. They are introduced with a refined version of democracy because of the mercy of beneficent ruling party. People have never seen a friendly opposition in Parliament as they are seeing now in the name of PML (N) – a friendly opposition which works in cohort with the plunderers of people’s fortune. Double digit inflation rate has pulled 70 million Pakistanis below the poverty line. It is mercy of the ruling party who took revenge from the dictator in the form of such a democracy. Foreign investment has been staunched and unemployment is destroying people’s composure. Pakistan’s debt has been reached to an unprecedented level of 9.5 trillion rupees. Terrorism has marred the face of the country. Intolerance has taken the place of kindness in people’s hearts. Vipers of insecurity and violence affright people. Corruption has become norm rather than exception. Tension and disappointment has pilfered the peace of people’s mind. The escalated might of wealth has made poor people pusillanimous. The equities of wealth have resulted in destitution. These are gifts of the democracy of the ruling party. If it is a new morph of democracy than definitely the case of Pakistan is different.

Pakistan is a different case in two aspects. Military is not in power (directly) and fledgling democracy is corrupt, incompetent and fumbling. But Pakistan’s case is more severe because of two aspects. Military continues to play its role behind the scene and democracy is morphing to a newer form which is grievous than dictatorship. So, Pakistani people need different approach to fight against venal politicians and power-hungry military. Military must be forced to live inside barracks and be subservient to the civilian government. Corruption should be wiped out from the governmental institutes and politicians must be made answerable to the people. Judiciary should be effective, unbiased and free. Justice should be in reach of everyone. Equities of wealth must be narrowed by giving equal opportunities to the deserving people. Merit should be respected everywhere. Education system should be reformed and efficient. Security of a common man should be made sure. Violence and intolerance must be eradicated. War on Terrorism should be conclusive. Economical environment of the country should be made favorable for the foreign investment. Economy should be overhauled and triggered. Research and development projects should be funded. Higher education must be promoted. Peace and harmony must be brought with neighboring states. The state of hostility with India must be come to halt. Inter-religious and inter-sect coherence must be developed among people. Right of an individual freedom should be respected by everyone.

All of the above described things remind you of a utopia. It seems unachievable. But nothing is impossible. Pakistani nation needs to unite for the welfare of the whole country. It’s high time for the nation learnt from Tunisia and Egypt, come out from their havens and fight for their rights. Pakistan does not need a revolution like that of Tunisia or Egypt. Pakistani people need change of corrupt system and audacity to fight for their rights. Pakistani people need to unite together irrespective of any regional, religious or sectarian differences and discrepancies for the common purpose – change of fate of the nation. The passion and courage with which Tunisian and Egyptians started fighting for the change in their countries is need of the time for Pakistanis to develop in them with the same intensity. If people remain in their havens and do not play their part in raising voice against present futile venal system then serpents of destruction will keep on biting their fate and their venom will paralyze the whole system.

Plagarism – A Dilemma of Pakistan’s Higher Education Institutes

Plagiarism is, no doubt, an unethical and disgraceful activity. It is not merely cheating others work but is some sort of intellectual theft. So, it is prohibited and considered abhorrent all over the world in academia.

Recently in many higher education institutes and universities of Pakistan, like UET Lahore, GCU Lahore, Karachi University and Punjab University, many cases of plagiarism have been popped up.  Many PhD professors have been accused of plagiarism. They are charged of plagiarizing others work in their transactions, papers or thesis. It is demoralizing and embarrassing situation which can brutally affect higher education progress in Pakistan in many ways, like

1-    Foreign aid for the development of science and technology in Pakistan can be cut down.

2-    Pavement of Pakistani researches in various fields of science and technology can be discouraged and considered bogus.

3-    Students who are studying abroad can encounter prejudice on the basis that they have past academic records from a plagiarism condoning institute.

4-    It promotes cheating and dishonesty in higher education institutes and discourages advancement in technology and research work.

Plagiarism in universities is not a new thing but recently few accusations have stirred the media to report them. There are very few renowned universities in Pakistan which are promoting higher education and research work. Condoning plagiarism degrades their rank both in Pakistan and abroad. These reputed institutes have been providing talented, skillful and shrewdest engineers, doctors, researchers, teachers, economists and journalists to the state for many years. Prosperity in Pakistan is also tied with the promotion of higher education and plagiarism just weakens this tie.

Higher Education Commission (HEC) has very categorical policy against plagiarism. Many cases of plagiarism are queued in the Quality Assurance (QA) division inside HEC. A glimpse on this queue reveals that many renowned universities are condoning plagiarism. Plagiarists are either ignorant of HEC Policy against Plagiarism or enjoying freedom of being un-answerable. Most of the recent cases in universities are the part of feud between two professors or group of professors accusing and being accused of plagiarism. So, universities where such cases evolve do not regulate HEC plagiarism policy and also do not take strict measures against plagiarists.

A simple question arises in mind that what advantage is associated with plagiarism? Its answer has many dimensions. Attaining success in shortcut is ubiquitous custom in our society. Plagiarist professors, who are mostly on tenure and supposed to prepare thesis and papers on annual basis, use this tool to prolong their tenure. Many universities get grant on the basis of their contribution in research related fields. So, these universities often condone plagiarism to get aid and/or increment in university’s ranking.

HEC and Education Ministry of Pakistan should take strong measures against plagiarism. They should promote awareness against plagiarism in all universities and higher education institutes among teachers, professors, researchers and students. All institutes should be bound to regulate strict policy against plagiarism both on faculty and student level and healthy encouraging environment should be provided to promote research and development work.

If this dilemma is not be removed from our higher education institutes we will be promoting dishonesty and cheating and we will be wasting our nation’s talent, self-confidence and sapience.

Back To Square One

“We should stop listening Indian music as Indians are buying dead bodies from us as cost of it”, it was a recent facebook wall post by one of my friends in facebook friend’s list. Many people commented that they are “agreed” with this provoking annotation.
I believe “To be agreed” is just a hollow statement without any semblance of acceptance.

Most of us will agree with it but we will not stop listening Indian music. But why do only Indian music? Why not Western music? As America has pushed Pakistan near the hole of “National disgrace”; is challenging our sovereignty with drone attacks and conditional financial aids like Kerry-Lugar Bill and flaming the whole country in her own burnt fire of “war against terrorism”. And also why not music itself?

Should not we ban music of any kind, of any type, of any nationality and of any symbolism in the “Islamic Republic of Pakistan”? But before it the whole nation needs to define what actually they want – An Islamic regimented state or a secular democracy? Pakistan could be carved on the map of the world with bloodily sacrifices of Muslims of subcontinent. These sacrifices breed on the foundation of “Two Nations Theory”. But still, after 63 years of independence, a large number of intellectuals don’t believe that “Pakistan’s Ideology” is “Islamic Ideology”. They want Jinnah’s Pakistan back. They believe that Quaid e Azam visualized Pakistan a religiously tolerant, liberal and moderate Islamic State but not a theocracy. On the other hand, a large portion of people always tried and wanted to introduce Islamic radicalism in the country. Zia’s tyranny is a worst example of using religion as a tool to prolong illegitimate regime and persecuting different religious and ethnic communities. Also Talibanization – the most dreadful stigma catapulting the state into spirals of violence – has seminal part of its history in the same era of exploited Islamic radicalism.

We don’t have a clear desire. We are still confused.

For the time being, if we don’t desecrate the sanctity of “Two Nations Theory” and accept the supremacy of Islam in the state’s affairs and people’s morals then can we get any space for music in our society? Will not we find strict verdicts (fattawa) against music in the pages of jurisprudence? This strict prohibition against music will be vexatious for culture-promoters who’s conviction is that “religion” and “culture” are two independent or, in more careful language, two different parameters defining and establishing a nation’s identity.

Will we let music to take niche in our society in the name of culture? If this group succeeds in proving music as a “cultural aspect” and making its niche in the lives of people then a rudimentary question originates – Is culture restricted by the geographical boundaries? History provides answer to this question. India and Pakistan have a long shared history so a common culture. Then why prohibition is only on music? Why not on other cultural activities, relics, morals and aspects? We are miring ourselves in another quagmire. Or might be we are back to square one.

I think, listening Indian music is not the stigma we are facing. Also, banning Indian music is not the solution to wide-band problems Pakistan is facing in the form of weak futile democracy; power-hungry and maverick military; venal, mean and numb politicians; corrupt and selfish bureaucracy; militancy and extremism; suicide attacks and throes of violence across the country; insurgency in Baluchistan; Talibanization in the southern Punjab and a lot of others…

There are other things which are yet to be explored and/or yet to be endorsed.

Faults do lie in us. Its high time kept our house in order and stop just verbosely blaming enemy for her enmity and atrocity.