A concerned citizen's letter!

Below is the letter attached which made my mind think and would allow the readers to do the same.Its a Pukaar for the donors of Pukaar! The letter was directed to Pukaar campaign officials.

Dear Madam,

Your organization has very diligently been looking after the interests and rights of the citizens of Pakistan. Your role and untiring efforts in making our society transparent and free of corruption are commendable.

We, as concerned and responsible citizens of Pakistan feel a duty to bring to your attention the Pukaar Campaign of 2010. The Pukaar campaign was initiated by Mr. Imran Khan- Chairman Pakistan Tehreek Insaf to provide relief to the flood victims and to rehabilitate them. Huge sums in donation were collected through various means including telethons. Over 2 billion rupees were donated by the people of Pakistan to Pukaar to facilitate its relief effort during the devastating flood of 2010.

It is extremely unfortunate that Mr. Imran Khan and his Pukaar campaign was nowhere to be seen during the relief and rehabilitation efforts. The citizen's of Pakistan demand an explanation as to where the 2 billion rupees were spent and in what way. This is a very serious matter and it may please be looked into, as the trust of the people of this great nation has been betrayed yet again.

Regards,

Muhammad Abubakar Umer

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We as a nation look forward to the answers!

Majid Tamoor

Nawaz Sharif at Siachen!

It has been more than 10 days since the Pakistani soldiers have been trapped buried under the snow avalanche at Siachen.The whole nation is praying for the frost warriors and expecting a miracle that those 135 lives are safe.

PML N Chief Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Siachen was an important highlight of the week. His visit was not only been broadcasted on electronic media but was also trending on social media. In general ,Pakistan masses appreciated Nawaz Sharif’s gesture of gratitude and solidarity towards the brothers trapped under ice. Nawaz Sharif ,despite the bad weather, reached Siachen which was appreciated not only by masses but journalists like Hamid Mir,Mubasher Lucman and Dr Shahid Masood.

Nawaz Sharif along with himself carried relief goods and stayed at Gyari for half an hour and then met the families of the soldiers buried under ice. He offered 5 lakh for each family with a job in Punjab govt.Whereas back in Lahore Maryam Nawaz was receiving appreciation, on behalf of Nawaz Sharif for his for his gesture , on twitter. Nawaz Sharif’s demand, of unilateral pull of troops from Siachen by both sides, was highly endorsed by different media people from both countries.
It is sign that change is afoot since leaders like him now vouch for peace. This means that there is an evolving consensus for the need of peace across the political ideological spectrum. Mian Nawaz Sharif’s gesture must be appreciated regardless of party affiliation as he has put the right foot, and words, forward.It’s high time for both sides ,India and Pakistan, to realize that they are not gaining much by losing precious lives.
Nawaz Sharif visit was not only important to show solidarity towards the brothers fighting there but also showed his concern for his people.Nawaz Sharif proved to be a national leader winning over all those who claimed to be more closer to the public.Nawaz Sharif noble gesture should be appreciated and I pray to God that other leaders follow the same path.Long live Nawaz Sharif!

Orginaly published in Pakistan today!
 http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/?p=179333 http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/?p=179848

The Frost Warriors!

For 28 blustery, shivering years, the Indian and Pakistani armies have been fighting a war along the frigid peaks of the western Himalayas -- in an area named for the Siachin Glacier and known as the battleground on the roof of the world.

Siachin is the world highest battlefield at over 20,000 feet. The harsh conditions and severe weather has caused many mothers to lose their sons. The lion hearted warriors risk their life to protect our frontiers so that we can sleep in peace. More than 2000 people have died in this inhospitable terrain, mostly due to weather extremes and the natural hazards of mountain warfare. The highest temperature at that area is the lowest of one can imagine surviving.

Recently Pakistan soldiers were caught by an avalanche and are now buried under it. The whole nation is praying for the sons of the soil. For a soldier, Siachin is where hell freezes over, a 46-mile river of slow-moving ice surrounded by stupendous towers of snow. Temperatures swoon to 50 below, and sudden blizzards can bury field artillery in minutes. Men sleep in ice caves or igloos and breathe air so spare of oxygen that it sends their hearts into a mad gallop. Fainting spells and pounding headaches are frequent. Frostbite chews its way through digits and limbs. The soldiers are the frost warriors.

At Siachin while some troops fall to hostile fire, far more perish from avalanches and missteps into crevasses that nature has camouflaged with snow. The war for survival against nature never stops at Siachin. More warriors die because of the severe weather conditions then in a combat.

The recent event have forced both sides to think over to reach some decision about the serious Siachin issue as more lives have been lost on both sides then gaining some fruit. But sadly the topic will be discussed for a few days and then be dusted again and the cycle will continue.

A Pakistani soldier who once was posted at Siachin says, “We are prepared to battle on the roof of the world forever.”

All I can say in the end is “Aa Rahey Haq ko Shehedo ,wafa ki tasveeron.tumhay watn ki hawain salam kehti hai”. Martyrs never die and rule the hearts of people .You shall never be forgotten!

orginally published in TFT http://www.thefridaytimes.com/beta3/tft/article.php?issue=20120420&page=10

Leader on the Rise!

It has not been long since Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Nawaz Sharif, stepped into politics, but the young lady is gaining popularity rapidly. From the laptop distribution ceremonies, the lady has picked up some fan following and her speeches have shown that she possesses a rather rare combination i.e., beauty with brain. She has become a youth icon.

She is educated and probably the best one to lead the youth. She might be relatively young but she is mature in her. Being a high-spirited and extremely energetic individual, these traits will allow her to work solemnly for the people of Pakistan and to pave a road for development of the country.

Maryam’s entry into politics is a sign of optimism. Her astute understanding of the present challenges faced by our country and her eagerness to work for their correction and to bring about prominent changes and developments has brought hope to many people. Her presence in politics has filled a void in the present political scenario of Pakistan. She had to go through the sufferings of exile. Her Newsweek interview has also given a better insight to her personality and hence shows her potential.

MAJID
orginally published in PK Today http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/04/04/comment/editors-mail/leader-on-the-rise/

Tsunami Receding?

Warnings of 'the Tsunami' have been toned down in the last few weeks. Perhaps it has receded and we are all safe. The cancelling of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf's 23rd March public meeting in Quetta is a sign that a giant wave was mistaken as a Tsunami.

Marvi Memon declined to join the PTI this month and pledged support for Nawaz Sharif instead. That will boost the PML-N's image because it needed a youth icon. She is more popular amongst young people than Shah Mahmood Qureshi or Javed Hashmi.

One major reason the Tsunami has subsided is that Imran Khan has changed his stance too often and makes contradictory statements.

I think it is time our youth should understand that if it was about winning the world cup for your country, Dhoni and Ponting would be the future prime ministers of their countries. And if social work makes one worthy of being a prime minister, why not Edhi?

I wish Imran Khan well and hope he realizes we need a change and not a revolution.

Majid

Orginaly published in the friday times http://www.thefridaytimes.com/beta2/tft/article.php?issue=20120316&page=10

The mayor visits!

The past week Lahore witnessed the environment of festivity because of the visit of Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topas. The Mayor was here to inaugurate the revolutionized mechanized solid waste management project of Shehbaz Sharifs government .The visit was not only important to Lahore or Punjab but diplomati...cally for Pakistan. The visit and the reception showed the never dying ties of love between Turkey and Pakistan. I was lucky to see the visuals of inauguration on my TV screen. The CM and Mayor inaugurated the project by driving the sweepers, which will be used for cleaning roads, showing their determination to serve the masses. The speeches by both the leaders, CM and mayor, were of great emotional value. CM Punjab revealing that the Turk Companies waived of millions of rupees as a gesture of kindness and friendship. The Mayor also told that Turkish government shall assist Pakistan in each and every manner to lead towards prosperity. I personally admire CM Shehbaz policies and believe that his vision can lead Pakistan to new heights. Let it be the Ashiana Housing Scheme, the public rapid transport service, the yellow cab scheme or the E-youth initiative the man has left no stone unturned for serving the masses. I salute this man for what he has done and best of luck for the future. Thank you Shehbaz Sharif for Clean Lahore and healthy Pakistan!--
Majid

Responsible Media!

Media has always demanded freedom and surely deserves it. But does that mean that the media takes undue advantage of the expression of freedom and uses it as an anti-state tool? This mail is regarding the news that Punjab government threatened a private news channel anchor on exposing the bad performance in Punjab government. The term “threatened”, according to Najam Sethi (a renowned anchor), was misused as the appropriate term would be “protested”. The media should behave maturely before going on to a media trial of any person or political organisation.

Media thinks it’s always right and there is no room for any argument of any story that’s being told or published. If someone does try to register a protest or differ from their views, the person is either wrong or threatening the media. I by no means want to say that the entire media is doing it but a faction of it is surely doing it. Media should be independent and vibrant but at the same time responsible too.

MAJID
Orginaly publishe in PK TODAY http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/02/09/comment/editors-mail/responsible-media/

20th Ammendment!

Our constitution was drafted in 1973. But, due to marital laws, the amendments have been consistent. The 20th Amendment is the latest achievement of the government, they have managed to include a clause which takes away all the power from president to appoint interim PM or cabinet.

This is one of those rare moments when opposition and government are sitting on the same side of the table. Not only for the parties sitting in the parliament is this a good news, but also for those who despite not being in the parliament have stated that under the current president there can be no free and fair elections. This to me and many others is a good step for free and fair elections. It will not be wrong to give credit to PML(N) for bringing the amendment as they took a stance for it in the parliament.

As much as I appreciate this amendment, I am against amendments. Amendments mean that this constitution is not the perfect one so it requires a bit of working. If it is so, then why not draft a proper one?

MAJID
Published in Pakistan today and The Nation. http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/?p=163777 and http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/letters/23-Feb-2012/20th-amendment-one-of-those-rare-moments

Punjab and E-youth!

Recently CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated the laptop distribution scheme in Punjab University. Many critics have been criticizing the CM’s step as wastage of money. But the critics as I feel were wrong and distribution of laptop will encourage student to do hard work for getting awards. The laptops in today’s competitive environment will enable students to stay up to date with the world and many online resources available help in learning different aspects of subjects. I being part of Cambridge education system have always felt that Pakistan’s education system is one of the weakest around the globe. Innovations was never there and students are only limited to book. This e-youth initiative will break the ice and introduce a revolutionary setup in education system of Pakistan. Computer has been a blessing for me as I can find online resources from numerous websites. As much as I praise Mr Shehbaz Sharif I would request him to introduce a uniform system of Education all over Punjab that meets the requirement of modern education standards so that future students decide to do matric or Fsc rather than O and a level and doesn’t give an opportunity for a person like me to criticise Pakistan’s education system. I don’t know why but I have a strong belief that this man Mr Shehbaz Sharif can do it!
MAJID
Published in The Nation http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/letters/02-Feb-2012/the-e-youth-initiative

Tsunami, Where?

The cancellation of PTI’s public meeting of March 23 at Quetta proves that the ‘tsunami’ its leaders didn’t tire of mentioning was merely a giant wave. If winning the World Cup could make someone eligible for his country’s premiership then I see Dhoni and Ponting as future prime ministers of their respective countries.

And if it’s social work which entitles one to the coveted position, why not choose Abdul Sattar Edhi?

Majid
Published in the News (http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-11-97249-Where%E2%80%99s-the-tsunami)

Underpaid?

This article is regarding a story published in an English daily about the perks and privileges given to the parliamentarians. The story was well-written and very convincing and forced me to do a bit of research on the topic. It was one of the few occasions that I could use my internet for gathering some important information rather than watching YouTube videos and updating statuses on Facebook.

To my surprise, the story was contrary to facts. The facts included that every member of the assembly was paid Rs 54,000 per month without any daily allowance, 20 air tickets to the capital and back home, no telephone bills or any other utility bills are paid, no free transportation, no office maintenance allowance given and the children’s educational fees are not paid. The story published stated quite to the contrary.

I personally feel stories like these contribute in maligning the democratic setup and dishearten the parliamentarians. On the other hand, the Indian parliamentarians receive about Rs 85000 monthly as well as Rs 3500 daily allowance. Other facilities given to the Indians MPs include daily allowance of Rs 750 for a personal secretary, free rail transport all over India and free air tickets for attending assembly sessions, free telephone calls and free electricity. The total that Indian government is spending on one MP is about Rs 380000.

After reading what the Indian’s MP gets, I was surprised and shocked that India spends so much on its parliamentarians. But this also made me think that if they are given all the facilities, they will work in a more effective manner and this shall reduce the corruption rate. A 16thgrade bureaucrat is given more salary than a parliamentarian, not counting the perks and privileges. A parliamentarian is an elective representative and certainly deserves more. We as a nation criticise our politicians regardless of knowing the facts but would never try to understand the difficulties they face. We should not criticise the system for the sake of criticism always but give it time to evolve into a mature setup.

MAJID
Published in Pakistan today (http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/01/20/comment/editors-mail/underpaid/)

Social Media and politics!

The term social media is known to many Pakistanis now but is mainly misunderstood. Many limit the social media to social networking sites whereas it includes web-based and mobile technologies used to turn communication into interactive dialogue. Social media in Pakistan has evolved into many shapes from being used for communication with friends or advertisements. Political parties have now also started using social media for interaction with their supporters. Social media can be an important tool for political parties to communicate to a large number of people as Pakistan has 113 million of mobile users and 5.9 million Facebook users and about 21 million internet users.
PTI and PML(N) are the two Pakistani political parties acting as social media giants. PTI is there on social networking site since last 3-4 years whereas PML(N) just launched there Facebook page in November 2011. Social media has allowed both parties to communicate more effectively to the public. Many have termed PTI as a social media terrorist because of their hostile behaviour towards criticism. As soon as you post something against Imran Khan or PTI, you should be ready to have the comment list filled with abuses by the PTI fans. To draw a comparison, PML(N) has used its medium of social media responsibly and in an effective way.
One should realise that only limited audience uses social media and work should be done on ground level rather than establishing a Facebook government. PML N’s “Kal kay Quaid” seems a promising event for finding leaders among youth rather than PTI using youth to abuse on social media. Now as I have criticized PTI a bit, I shall be open to receive abusive comments from PTI-wallahs.
MAJID
Published in Pakistan today http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/01/22/comment/editors-mail/social-media-and-politics/

Politicising the youth!

Many politics parties have started giving the youth demographic much importance but this is not necessarily a good thing. Some political parties are trying to hijack the youth and only limit them to politics and use them for their own interest. Political parties should give the youth a platform to express their respective talents but must refrain from using them for violent ends and to promote polarisation. There is a difference between healthy and unhealthy politicisation.

I feel political parties should organise different kind of events for the youth to demonstrate their true talent. Events like declamations contests and Model United Nations (MUNs) should be organised to inculcate leadership skills. Likewise, sports ands and other events should also be organised to channel the youth’s energies into positive directions.

MAJID
Published in Pak Today http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/02/17/comment/editors-mail/politicising-the-youth/ 

The Wasted youth!

Sixty percent of Pakistan's population is made up of young people. These young people have more opportunities and access to technology than the previous generation. But is the youth of Pakistan ready to lead this country to prosperity? Or is it just lost?

A large number of young people have been going to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf public meetings and say that Imran Khan is the last hope for Pakistan, although they do not know what policies he would follow if he comes to power. The party says it will bring change, but it is yet to announce how it is going to do that.

Many young people see Imran Khan's rallies as an opportunity to show to their friends that they are politically aware while they enjoy a picnic and a concert.

Young people should look at all the strengths and weaknesses of political leaders before voting for them.

Majid

Orignaly published in The Friday Times http://www.thefridaytimes.com/beta2/tft/article.php?issue=20120120&page=10

A change never wanted.

The time we live in is dark; hopeless yet with a hope of change. Are we heading towards a revolution? Every change doesn’t mean a revolution but every revolution means change.

Seeing Libya’s revolution many Pakistani spectators started saying it’s high time for Pakistan’s revolution. Yet they failed to realise that we don’t require a revolution but an evolution. Libya’s revolution meant a change from dictatorial setup to democratic setup.

We already have a democratic setup and just need to give it time to evolve into a mature setup. The revolution in Pakistan will mean going back to the dictatorial setup from democratic one which sadly Pakistan is heading to because of the Memogate and other contributing factors. A change we never needed.

MAJID
orginaly published in Pk today *http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/01/09/comment/editors-mail/a-change-never-wanted/

Nawaz or Imran?

Is the youth of Pakistan ready to lead this country to the path of progress and prosperity? Well, the answer is not clear. The youth is lost and not goal-oriented.

Many of the youngsters who are part of the PTI were kids when Nawaz Sharif came into power in 1997. So, they don’t know what Nawaz Sharif has done for this country.

Yet, they criticise Nawaz Sharif because they have seen their leader doing the same. Sharif is a seasoned politician with a better knowledge of running the state affairs whereas Khan is politically naïve and inexperienced. Nawaz Sharif might not be a perfect leader but he has learnt his lessons. The youth should carefully weigh their options before voting.

Majid
published in The News (http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=86505&Cat=11)
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The youth of Pakistan, being a significant part of the population, could prove to be a significant factor in the upcoming elections. This places a burden on them to educate themselves about political parties and to choose their affiliation carefully.

Many youngsters join a political party and head towards their rally whether they understand its policies or not. The PTI is one such party. It is gathering a lot o fpublic support but it is yet to announce how it is going to bring about the change that it talks about? Many of the youngsters joining PTI were kids when Nawaz Sharif came into power in 1997 and don’t understand the dynamic of Nawaz Sharif’s politics, yet they criticise him.

If Imran Khan has no concrete policy, then why does the youth flock towards his rallies? Do they go there to have a good time and enjoy the music and festivities? Or do they go there because they believe in change. It is true that his rhetoric exercises a great pull on the youth. But because of his vague populist rhetoric, people believe of him what they want to believe and project their hopes onto him.

Technically speaking, there is no comparison between Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan. Nawaz Sharif is an experienced and seasoned politician with better knowledge of running a state whereas Khan is politically naïve and inexperienced. Will it be right to compare a leader who was exiled from his country by a dictator with the other who was sitting along with that dictator and is now thinking of forming an alliance with him?

Nawaz Sharif might not be a perfect leader but he has learnt his lessons. He showed his concern for the people of Pakistan when he came out for the restoration of the judiciary. Many in Nawaz Sharif’s teams are those who fought against the dictator and were subjected to hardships. On the other hand, Imran Khan’s team comprises of many people from Musharraf’s teams. Is it so easy to forget the Lal Masjid issue, the Bugti murder and many other issues of the Musharraf regime and vote for the people who supported these actions just because they are now with Imran Khan?

The youth should seriously consider the flaws of each leader before voting rather than being swept away by the tide of populism.

MAJID
published in Pakistantoday (http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/?p=153346)

Unanswered Questions

The whole nation is chanting one slogan and that’s change. But do we really need a change or it’s a mere useless desire. We definitely need change and a change of a different kind.

Imran Khan is the latest agent of change and the heartbeat of millions of youngsters. Despite listening to praises for him from my fellows I can’t blindly head towards Khan’s rally and shout like others. There are some questions that need answering. The first question I want to ask is what kind of a change? A change with the same team as Musharraf had; Kasoori, Jehangir Tareen, Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali and the list continues. Does change mean going back into time and have a different leader but with the same team and same agenda?

The Karachi rally also needs answers. Imran's Karachi meeting was a success. Only couple of months ago, Imran could enter Karachi only with tacit consent of MQM, let alone arrange a meeting. What may be the cause of MQM's metamorphosis? This is a very important question. If it was so easy a matter that just lifting of a finger or move of a baton could pacify MQM, then why was Karachi allowed to be a victim of violence?

The power that made this possible today is responsible for the thousands of deaths over the years. Imran Khan also needs to address how he is going to bring change rather then jus saying change. He should also answer about his special hatred towards Nawaz Sharif when his role has been appreciable of late.

MAJID
The article was oringaly published in Pakistan Today.(http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/?p=149394)

Who should I vote?

The year 2013 is not only a big year for elections but is also an important one for me as I will hopefully vote for the very first time that year. As time is moving on, the nervousness and anxiety is building up as to who I am going to vote for. Watching the talk shows, it seems that nobody is the option and every politician is corrupt. But if I were to adopt such a rigid attitude, my right to vote would go in vain so I’ve got to be flexible. Thus, I decided to weigh the prospectives namely PPPP, PML(N), PML(Q), MQM and PTI.

Where the PPP is concerned, it is a straightforward no for me as they have ruined this country in their present tenure and I will not allow them one more chance to carry out the destruction. PML(Q) is another straightforward rejection as they were the allies of the dictator Musharraf.

MQM’s role has been confusing in the present government which has caused them to lose my vote at least. Now, as there are only 2 options left, the decision might be easy to make but it gets difficult when both the options are already rejected.

PTI’s leader Imran Khan may be the young ones’ favourite but his loss of credibility over the Musharraf deal and his political naiveté and immaturity rule him out, at least in my to-vote-for list.

It seems we are at a deadlock here: I can’t abstain from voting but there is nobody I can vote for. What is the solution? We can’t continue to vote for the same parties over and over again and give them repeated chances to destroy this country. The solution lies in self-effort and hard work. Not only must we participate more actively in politics, we must also enter it professionally. Only when we hold our leaders accountable and invest ourselves in the process, will the tide turn and churn leaders worthy of our votes.

Despite the darkness in the present, I see a bright future that will be due to the sheer effort of the masses.

MAJID
The article was orignaly published in Pakistan today(http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/09/23/comment/editors-mail/the-musings-of-a-first-time-voter/) 

Where is my hero?

Ever since I opened my eyes in this world I never found a hero that I could follow. Since my childhood the negative vibes regarding Pakistan Armed forces have surrounded me and confused me further to get a role model.

Army who has always been poking its nose in the politics has never got any chance to emerge as a hero but the evils of Ayub, Zia and Mush have rather made it a villain, whereas the politicians have also done nothing to get the title of my hero. Let it be the Bhuttos or the Sharifs, greed has always won over the national interests.Moving on towards the entertainment industry, which to me never existed, has contributed a lot to negativity surrounding me. The films have been nothing but a mere show of vulgarity and the so-called revival movies have been nothing more than a way to go to sleep.

The mullhas who are supposed to make religion easy to understand and easy to follow have made religion one of the most complex things to be understood and the infighting between the mullhas have deepened the differences between religion and teenagers.

I was disappointed to find my hero within the sportsmen, who fix the match and bring misery to this nation.

MAJID
The article was orignaly published in Pakistan Today.(http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/06/28/comment/where-is-my-hero/)