Katra katra baham darya….

Katra katra baham darya….

 

 this was specialy true for the flood of 2010. The worls watched in awe as tiny drops of rains joined forces and became overwhelming, ravishing anf devastating floods! But by the grace of Allah the omnipotent, this was also true for helping hands. We as one nation rose to the occasion and helped the flood victims with food and shelter. With our joined efforts we have rebuilt hundreds of villages, with better facilities now than they had before the floods.

Dekha: we ARE a nation. A nation of kind, hardworking and giving people!  This Eid let’s give something to these pakistani, who seem to be forgotton in the daily humdrum of life.  I think we should give them an Eid-gift.  Nothing big or expensive. Just simply something to show that they are NOT forgotten,sending a strong message that they are loved and cared for. That their lives DO matter.

I would suggest:Take a shoebox, fill it with some small things of your choice, and an Eid card that sends a message of thoughtfulness and support.

For example: 2 small toys, soap, a comb, some pencils, a copy or colorbook, kaida, and something sweet that travels well, chooriyan and, now decorate the box, with ribbon, a dupatta, paint, wrapping paper or anything you like. Be as creative as you can. It must look like something you would give to a loved one!  Send the box to any of the newly built villages. If you cannot find any see:http://imrankhanfoundation.org.pk/village.html

Not to be put in the box

:- Food that spoils easily and fruits

-  War toys: like guns and tanks etc!

- Animal toys etc.

- clothes & shoes (as this makes the box too heavy and let’s face it is a shoebox not pandora’s box;P)

If Allah has given you enough, instead of filling one box with luxury item, make two! Do gharon mein jaega, do gharon mein khushian aur muskurahatein hoongi. If filling one box is beyond your means, have your whole family help you. Everyone adds one thing and before you know it the box is full! Dekha katra katra baham darya!

A Pray by Pakistan to Almigty Allah

My dearest Allah Ta’ala,

The passage of each day feels like a burden to me. I feel like I am living just aimlessly, like a body without a soul. Technically I am alive but like someone in their last stages of cancer, it feels as if my loved ones have already given up on me. If not in their beliefs then definitely in their actions. They say they love me, they even think that they love me but I hardly believe that. Not that I am being ungrateful, I am just getting sick of their short-sightedness. They spend so much time, energy and efforts to cure me, at least some of them do. Its a small percentage alright but I can’t help acknowledging the lengths they go to, for my sake- trying to enhance my image in front of the world, progressing in fields like education, sports, technology, commerce, working towards dwindling poverty, decreasing unemployment etc.

I truly admire their efforts but what leaves me rueful is that all of these positive changes are towards adorning my physical appearance. No one pays attention to how many sufferings my soul is going through. Do they really think that a decrease in poverty is good for me when the greed of wealth has spread like a disease amongst my general population? Do they honestly believe that an increase in the number of PhDs for my educational system when majority of these accomplishments involve a great deal of corrupt practices and wrong means? What modernism are they talkling about when the stark division of income groups has reached such a degree where the maid and the chauffer can’t even sit on the same table to share a meal with their employers?

Needless to say, efforts are being made only to improve my personality, to make me appear glitzy to the world but when it comes to my character, I am poorer than a beggar- where quality of lifestyle is determined by material prestige, quality of education is judged by monthly salary and quality of beauty is weighed by outward looks!

My soul bleeds at the limitless depravity that I feel within me. And the irony of it all is I am the only country to be created in the name of Islam. Alhamdulillah the majority of my population is Muslim. While some people have the audacity to doubt the noble reason behind my creation, others are verily proud of my ideology. But unfortunately their pride does no more than make them sing national songs, spend time on the Internet claiming their love for me or at the most praying for my well-being and blaming the politicians whenever a bomb blast happens or any target killing occurs.

Under the circumstances, I couldn’t help taking a trip down memory lane, to search for the lost traces of my identity, the basis of which was a promise that my people made to You all those years ago- that promise involved the establishment of Your Divine Law within my boundaries in all aspects of life, for me to be the STARTING POINT for the revival of Islam. I know my pathetic state is only the result of breaking that very promise for which I hold my people responsible. My people whom I consider my family betrayed you and are still betraying you, much to my growing humiliation. Be that cheating on a mere academic test by a student or a fraud of millions of rupees by a bureaucrat, with every single act of corruption, they are embarrassing me and disrespecting You.

I was supposed to be the land of the pure- where the radiance of Qur’an and Sunnah would have safeguarded my people from any gloom of bias and prejudice- where the criterion of judgments would have been integrity and piety instead of status and influence.

I was intended to be the fort of Islam- where Your loyal servants would have passionately held on to Your Supremacy, firmly rejecting any ideas or practices that clashed with Your Divine Decrees.

That dream of Iqbal would have had such a glorious culmination- the fertility of following Your command would have nurtured that elegance of character in my people whom I still love so dearly. They would have possessed that sophistication and wisdom that would have made them beacons of inspiration for the world, the frontliners of progress, the pioneers of true enlightenment!

So has always been Your Promise to those who enrich every chapter of their lives with Your Edicts. Such have always been Your Rewards for those who act on their conviction about the Creator’s Wisdom being far ahead of the Creatures’ understanding.

I am still waiting with bated breath for the ultimate fate of my family. Whether they will let the flawed mortals take over their fate or will they have guts enough to write their own destiny and seek the shade of Your Guidance. How I crave for them to choose the latter!

The glory of Ramadan has engulfed the world already. There couldn’t have been a more suitable juncture to embark on a mission, to make a decisive choice. It will take daring will and lots of sacrifices to attain the strength of Your Support but despite their past mistakes, I still have a crazy belief in a tiny corner of my heart that my family will willingly surrender before You to safeguard my honour. Could I dare to dream? It is Your Command to hope for the best and simultaneously fear the worst. Better late than never, I have eventually experienced the ecstasy of following Your Command. May my people come to experience it too. Aamin.

Waiting for your final verdict

Your humble servant

Pakistan

An Interview with Pakistan

HOST: Toh aaj humaare saath apni raaye ka izhaar karne ke liye mojood hain Pakistan.

(Pakistan walks into the studio. He is a sixty three year old man, who has a broken leg, fractured shoulder and bandages all over his body. He comes and sits down.)

HOST: Aray aray yeh aapko kya hua? Kisi dushman ne maara kya?

PAKISTAN: Nahin. Mere bacchon ne maara mujhe.

HOST: Kya? Aapke apne bacchon ne?

PAKISTAN: Haan.

HOST: Sagay hain?

PAKISTAN: Main toh aisa hee samajhta hoon. Par woh ek doosre ko sautela samajhte hain.

HOST: Aapki haalat toh bohot kharaab hai, aapne kisi doctor ko dikhaaya?

PAKISTAN: Yeh toh sirf nazar aane waale zakhm hain, mere toh dil mein roz mere bacche churiaan chalaate hain.

HOST: Aapko yeh sab hua kaise?

PAKISTAN: Meri taang firqawarana nafraton ki aag se jalgayi, mera haath pathaan mahajir fisaad mein katgaya, aise mein dushman ne dekha ke mere apne hee mere nahin toh usne bhi faeda uthaaya. Doosre haath par khanjar mere dushman ne chalaaya. Par phir bhi mere kisi bacche ko farq nahin pada. Sab usi tarah ladne mein masroof thay aur ab bhi hain.

HOST: Aap nahaaye kab thay?

PAKISTAN: Roz nahaata hoon. Apne hee bacchon ke khoon se. Kisi din bees logon ke khoon se, kabhi pacchis, kabhi tees aur kabhi kabhi toh acchi tarah nahaata hoon jab sau daidh sau logon ka khoon miljaata hai.

HOST: Toh kahan rehte hain aap?

PAKISTAN: Main? Aadha yahan rehta hoon aur aadha Hindustan ke us paar.

HOST: Yaani Bangaldesh mein?

PAKISTAN: Bangladesh woh tum logon ke liye hoga, mere liye toh woh mera hee hissa hai.

HOST: Toh yahan kaise aana hua?

PAKISTAN: Masjid mein namaz padhraha tha toh dekha ke do firqon ke log namaz padhne ke andaaz ko lekar ek doosre se ladrahe thay. Ek haath baandhne ko sahi bataaraha tha doosra haath kholne ko. Itne mein donon ne haath uthaaliye aur do logon ka jhagda firqawarna fisaad mein tabdeel hogaya.

HOST: Aapne kya kiya?

PAKISTAN: Main kuch karne ka qaabil kahan raha hoon? Bas wohi kiya joh humesha karta hoon. Aansoo bahaaye maine.

HOST: Kuch log kehte hain ke aapko banaakar ghalti ki. Kya yeh sach hai?

PAKISTAN: Aise logon ko unke maa baap ne banaakar ghalti ki. Agar main naa banta toh tum satrah crore musalmaanon ka kya hota?

HOST: Musalmaan? Musalmaan yaani konse musalmaan?

PAKISTAN: Kya matlab?

HOST: Musalmaan yaani sunni ya shia?

PAKISTAN: Donon hee musalmaan hain.

HOST: Acha? Khair, waise yeh joh pathaanon aur mahaajiron ka phadda hai ismein qasoor kiska hai? Pathaanon ka ya mahajiron ka?

PAKISTAN: Siyasat ka. Donon beqasoor hain bas siyasat ka shikaar hain. Mahajir mere woh sabar waale bacche hain joh apna sab kuch Hindustaan mein chorhkar mere paas aaye thay aur Pathaan mere woh mehnti bacche jinhon ne humesha mere liye kaam kiya aur mujhse mohabbat ki. Aaj bhi apne gharon ko chorh chorh kar camps mein rehrahe hain kyunke unke ilaaqon mein army operation horaha hai.

HOST: Aap konsi party ko support karte hain?

PAKISTAN: Koi bhi is qaabil nahin jinka saath diya jaaye. Sab hee ghaddaar hain. Mujhse nafrat karne waale, mujhe nuqsaan pohonchaane waale, mere bacchon ko aziyat dene waale.

HOST: Log kehte hain ke Pakistan mein rehna mehfooz nahin hai. Log mulk chorhkar jaarahe hain. Kya isliye banaaya tha mulk?

PAKISTAN: Dekhiye, joh mujhe chorhkar jaaraha hai aur meri fikar nahin kar raha main uske baare mein sochkar apna waqt zaaya kyun karoon? Mere paas aaj bhi aise kaafi log hain joh mujhse mohobbat karte hain aur woh mere saath hee rahenge.

HOST: Aapki haalat kab theek hogi?

PAKISTAN: Yeh toh tum logon ke haath mein hai beta. Jis din yahan sooba, zabaan, firqa aur mazhab logon ki maut ka baayis nahin banenge us din. Jis din pathaan aur mahaajir ek saath kaam karenge, us din. Jis din shia aur sunni bila aitraaz ek doosre ko tolerance ke saath apni baat ka izhaar karne denge, us din. Jis din Ahmadion ko ghair musalmaan nahin kaha jaayega us din. Jis din do eidein nahin manaayi jaayengi, us din. Jis din jaahil maulvion ke kehne mein aakar musalmaanon ko kaafir nahin kaha jaayega, us din. Jis din ek Christian apni church, ek Hindu apne mandir aur ek Sikh apne gurdwaare jaane mein mehfooz mehsoos karega, us din. Jis din bina darr ke log kaam par jaayenge, us din.

HOST: Yeh list toh bohot lambi hai. Kab tak poori hogi?

PAKISTAN: Iska jawaab bhi tum logon ke hee paas hai.

HOST: Toh bhai aakhir aapko kya maalum hai?

PAKISTAN: Mujhe sirf itna maalum hai ke Allah ne mujhe 27th ramzaan ke din isliye takhleek nahin kiya tha ke main itni asaani se tootjaaun. Mujhe todne ki saazishein mere banne ke agle din se ki jaarahi hain par nakaam hain, mujhe khatam karne ki soch rakhne waale khud khaak bankar udgaye. Main itna jaanta hoon ke joh kuch bhi yeh siyasatdaan aur mere dushman chahte hain woh kabhi nahin hoga. Main inshallah ta qayamat aise hee qaayam o daayam rahunga, chaahe laakh musibatein aayen. Islam ke naam par takhleek kiya WAAHID mulk hoon main. Aise kaise tabaah hojaaunga?

HOST: Future mein aap kisko dekhte hain? Bilawal ko ya Monnas ko?

PAKISTAN: Main future mein apni asal aulaad ko dekhta hoon. Aur yeh meri aulaad nahin. Saare bilawalon ko unke sharaab ke glass aur saare monnason ko unki najayaz zameen mubaarak ho. Ab baari inki nahin meri asal aulaad ki hai. Bohot bhargaya swiss bank meri awaam ke khoon paseene ki kamaayi se. Aaj bhi Switzerland mein duur duur tak khoon ki bu aati hai kyunke wahan meri awaam ka paisa hai. Khoon ke badle dollar lene waalon ka waqt ab khatam. Ab hukumat awaam karegi! Ab bacche school jaayenge, ab koi ghareeb ilaaj ke paise naa hone ki waja se nahin marega, ab government protocol ki waja se ambulance mein koi buzurg dum nahin todega, ab saare naujawaanon ko mulk mein rozgaar milega. Ab sab log pehle PAKISTANI phir kuch aur honge.

HOST: Inshallah aisa hee hoga. Waise koi paighaam dena chaahenge logon ko?

PAKISTAN: Jee. Bas mujhe itna hee kehna hai ke main boodha hogaya hoon. Agar mera sahaara nahin bansakte toh kum sekam maa baap ke sahaaron ko unse matt cheeno. Bujhaado in nafraton ki aag ko ek hee baar mein. Main bhi ek aam boodha baap hoon joh sukoon se apne bacchon ke saath rehna chahta hai. Khuda ka waasta hai mujhe apna baap hone ki saza matt do. Apne behen bhaiyyon se pyaar karna seekho, aur kisi ke liye nahin toh mere liye hee. Jab bhi ek laash girti hai main khoon ke aansoo rota hoon aur yahan toh roz kayi laashein gir rahi hain. Khuda ka waasta hai ab baaz aajao. Khuda ne tumpar azaab bhejne shuruh kardiye hain, Hazrat Nuh ke qisse se sabaq seekho, badaljaao. Kyunke jab tak tum nahin badloge, yeh mulk nahin badlega. Turn to Allah before you Return to Allah.

HOST: Thank you. Toh nazreen yeh thay Pakistan joh…

(Pakistan gets up and starts walking with difficulty)

HOST: Aapko madad ke zaroorat hai toh kisi ko buladoon?

(Pakistan looks at the host and smiles)

PAKISTAN: Abhi aisa waqt nahin aaya hai aur aayega bhi nahin ke mujhe kisi aur ko bulaana pade. Allah ne mujhe banaaya hai aur Allah hee sambhaalega. Bas sambhalna ab tum logon ko hai. Kyunke mujhe kuch nahin hoga, tabaahi tum logon par aayegi agar ab bhi baaz naa aaye toh. Apna khayaal rakhna.

A Star In The Making

Not me, PAKISTAN! As much as some people don’t like to believe, the reality can’t be changed that a star IS in the making. Limitless glory and bliss has been destined for this country (as much as our ‘darling’ media tries to claim otherwise). The selection process for the torch bearers of this Glorious Fate has begun already. Merit is determined by spiritual beauty, not physical charm (bummer…). This is not a corporate recruitment that fancy degrees and glamorous appearances matter one bit (strike two!). And the worst part is, we can’t use our contacts and other ‘adorable’ attributes to qualify for this exclusive membership (And here we thought everything is fair in love and war).

Now for me, I am one of those insanely-in-love-with-Pakistan nutcases. Arguing with the not-so-much-in-love Pakistani folks was my favorite pastime. It was almost as if I forced them to love Pakistan. But then I realized how futile this pursuit is (yeah I am a tubelight). Instead of investing my energy in forcing people to love Pakistan, I could spend it with those friends who are already in love with Pakistan. And together we can help each other to qualify for the previously mentioned Hall of Fame. Too bad there are no Anees Hussain crash courses for this one like there are for IBA, LUMS and Agha Khan University. But HEY, anything for Pakistan! So who’s in?..

Note: This article is written By Mehreen Misbah was first published for PakistanZindabad a youth magazine