Inside

Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Goodbye to good old days of Daydreaming!

Monday morning took me to a Park with renewed energy. It felt good to see lively kids and unexpected students this early to a Park. I got there by chance, as I said Monday Morning energy brought me 40 minutes early to office and I had to wait in this small but beautiful park. As I watched the kids hanging and laughing and the students making final minute revision before exam, a strong energy beamed from each of them. Probably they were living that moment and each moment of life. Or may be I had returned from a lazy week to find other people so lively.

Human beings find ways to love nature

While I was watching those people, I started getting visualization. The kids were playing when I joined them as their contemporary age mate. I then turned to my right and found myself studying with the students. I got back in time, I started preparing anew for my intermediate exams. Then I came back to life. The rail of daydreaming had already gained speed. I had abandoned this engine many times but it kicks-in on getting fuel. Today lets talk about daydreaming. Daydreaming not as a phenomenon but a state of mind. It usually crawls in to our mind, gradually but steadily eats up human energy and leaves no room for creativity. It is destructive creativity.

Guess what? I would have touched the highest echelon of being a writer by now had I not given this creature free hand to trade inside my mind. That's true. Oh, you doubt it! Please don't tell me that... Okay fine, I would have been a widely read blogger of my country had I not given up to combat daydreaming . I hope that sounds logical. Or, for that matter I would have developed a brilliant writing style. Happy now?

Daydreaming was my favorite activity of  academic life. I sat in solitude for hours, literally hours, as long as 6 hours a day. During those uncontrolled contemplation I came up with ideas, stories, what-if scenarios and most of the time I emerged as a hero from those stories in the world of my own. There were moments of happiness, success, sadness, pain, suspense, failure, romance and love.

Once there lived this most amazing person on earth. He was so humble, caring and handsome. He took every pain to be part of all the social activities in his village. In a single day he got involved with a group of people digging out channel through a hilly terrain to irrigate the village's field, and the next hour he went to the school for teaching kids from his region. He would then return home for completing some ongoing chores there. It did not stop here, he offered his prayers regularly, and in the night he embarked on academic growth. This gave him a strange privilege and made a content life. Along with the activities what changed was his attire. He wore an old jeans with heavy joggers and full sleeves shirt with its color raised when he was at work with villagers. In school he put on decent dress.

During these activities he became part of the sweet chatters among elders, he listened to them and laughed with them. There were innumerable incidents on the way to work or home. Like, a stone slipping his feet and missing someone below the slope, or a stone rolling down a hill and missing him by scratch. Or, the amazing questions from some of his students about God, Science etc., and his own interesting findings during his study hours.

If you sit with your friends to tell and compile all these activities mentioned, with their minute details, it is going to extend to at least 2-3hours discussion or theater. And, for the above drama the stage was no other place than my brain in idle and busy hours of the day. The person was none but myself in the world of adventures. I went up to the extent of killing myself and I visualized my funeral many times. I saw people gathering; friends, family members and strangers, at my funeral. I listened people talk about me and my life. So strong was the appearance of my family and friends in the visualization of my daydream that their reaction left me weeping for minutes.

Why did I indulge in daydreaming? What was the benefit to me? Well, in the early days once our physical instructor at school (Jahageer) talked about daydreaming and the disease it leads us to, after finding many absent minded students among us.  I asked out of fear, "Sir what if it has become a habit of ours? How can we counter it?" His response was a warning not to let it become a disease to kill our creative brains. He instructed us to remain attentive and keep ourselves busy with activities. So to me the benefit was zero and there was consistent waste of precious time.

Why did I daydream? Because, I kept thinking about doing activities, instead of starting on the ones I wished to do. I have always yearned for keeping a journal in life since school days. But, every time I opened a diary or thought of starting on the first page of my diary, the thinking process kicked-in in a matter of seconds. This led me to imagine many beautiful and memorable passages in my journal 50 years from then. And made me look at numerous decorated stories of my life as a retired old man. When I would be back, a full hour or two had passed with the journal still blank in my lap.

Chase your dreams, it curbs the seeds of laziness

These kids in the park were chasing the idea of having fun early in the morning. A small wish of few friends to be together in the final minutes before their exams led some students to this serenity to embrace nature. They gave each other company before their educational combat. All of the above characters could have easily excused themselves for not coming here. The best possible option for the kids was to remain in slumber and kill the thought of early morning walk. Or they could have delayed it for the next time hence missing the opportunity for a lifetime. Or each student could have excused himself for self-preparation and thus missed a cheerful company. But, they said yes to their inner voice, thus eradicating the seed of laziness. At the same time they did not allow to stock "I wish/want" items in their brain. This ultimately stopped them from seeding daydream. They had the experience of what they imagined and now they won't sit imagining other possible outcomes of the idea which they had already accomplished.

Once we have an idea we should start following its action plan rather than deploying too much energy on thinking how and when to make follow up action. This thinking process once started finds ways to make the idea better but, only inside the human mind. Hence, it spreads the germs of delay; a thought that we might do it later, or next time or when we have proper time at our disposal so that we meet the best criteria set by our mind to complete the generated idea. This is the foundation of daydream. A sea of unlimited thoughts that engulf our mind, seeking possible outcomes for the ideas we wished to do in life but haven't dared to start it practically.




Morning Park and Bliss



The kids were embracing nature and nature was embracing them. They found happiness today, and they will aim for more blissful day next time which will lead them to experience nature in different ways. No matter how trivial idea you possess, keep chasing it and act to materialize it. If you want to write a poem scribble it, if you want to draw create some shapes, if you want to play go out in the field, if you want to walk get out of your room and if you want to smile do it before anything else worries you. They are your inner voices which directs you towards a destiny more aligned with your 'being'. Locking the voices inside your mind will only cause damage to your existence, your creativity and your life. Laziness is the only natural compliment of daydreaming. The opportunity cost for daydreaming is a human life itself. And daydreaming is not worth any human life on earth.

Do before you get lazy enough to destroy your God gifted resources; your life, creativity and future. Act, do not give life any chance to regret.

Saturday, December 31, 2011

1988 & 2012: an equidistance journey to and from millennium 2K


In 1988, when I was born, I was 12 years away from the new millennium and in 2012 I am again merely 12 years away from the new millennium.

The difference off course is nothing but the morphological changes.

Today I ponder over an amazing topic, a question and the most romantic idea: “I want to become a (profession) when I grow up.”

It’s amazing when you hear from children about the future profession they want to choose. It feels as good to hear as to imagine the child one day achieving that professional career that s/he utters. I never knew (neither did I inquire) about my future ideal as a child. May be my school teachers would remind me. I do remember that by grade 8th I would reluctantly respond to the question “what is your future plan?” with “doctor”.

Time slipped and so did matriculation. Perplex with the option of deciding between Pre-Engineering and Pre Medical, I consult few of the best career counsellor and professionals and somehow cling to pre-engineering. Well, to their question “what is your future goal?” I respond, “I guess I want to study management sciences... or maybe I want to become a doctor... no I feel like becoming an engineer...”

Finally, I am in Lahore and in the first day of the college our Urdu professor sir Tahir Masood asks a million dollar question during an introductory dialogue. “Please one by one introduce yourself: your name, your region, your school and what do you want to become?” Why would the teacher ask us our future plan? Doesn’t he know that we are pre engineering students and we will become engineers? My heartbeat has already raced off, as I for the first time in my life hear the words “Electrical engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Civil Engineer, Electronics Engineer, and Computer Engineer” while students in the front row respond and Tahir scribbles every detail on his file paper.

It’s my turn and I haven’t yet decided my specialization in engineering, I speak “...I don’t want to be an engineer (50 students and the teacher startled at my statement fix their eyes on me) but, I want be academician and I plan to do PhD in Physics” This was brilliant; it not only surprised the audience but myself. Now the biggest joke to share with you all, the same year I drop physics in examination.
 
Well, this is 2012 and I stand here with a degree in my hand. I am not a doctor, neither an engineer. It is as if I have done everything and yet nothing. While I travelled the first half of the equidistance to the year 2000 with my parents and teachers, I wandered in the next equidistance journey from 2000 to 2012 on my romantic ideas. That made the 24 years of my life. I do not regret for not having a clear goal all these years, I wish to start anew, with clear and defined path for the rest of my life.

Happy New Year- Happy 2012


Towards a destiny with clear road map

(P.S. I loved art and Architecture)

Saturday, December 24, 2011

A wish for Pakistan, A wish for myself


As the nation is about to celebrate the 135th birthday of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, many initiatives are being carried out for commemorating the day. One such initiative is taken by Dawn Newspaper where people are invited to the forum to participate in "Tell us, tell the Quaid" discussion.The least I could do was to think of a competitive strategy for Pakistan, I find the idea and material in the brainstorming and thought provoking exercises conducted by the honorable teacher Dr. Farid A. Malik during our academic program.


Pakistan has a geostrategic location, rich with natural resources. The current situation of Pakistan is very critical. The country has the greatest proportion of youth population and it has traveled 63 years with a consistent problem of political leadership. This translated itself in the institutional structures and became the basis for indifferent citizens. Religious institutions got misused and fundamentalism and militancy strengthened.

In such a scenario competitive strategy for Pakistan shall primarily focus on youth development programs. Its investment in education sector will be a building block for the nation’s development. This shall include reaching out for the rural populations, reforms and improvement in technical education and development of uniform curriculum that encourages critical, intellectual and conceptual thinking.

Furthermore, institutions like Scouting and students’ political bodies shall be extensively launched. The blend of well designed practical approach curriculum will produce well informed political thinking. Moreover, scouting will help in cultural, religious and ethnical interaction to saw the seed of pluralism in the hearts and minds of the youth. This will address today’s religious fundamentalism, extremist religious rhetoric and ‘winning the heart and mind of peoples’ issue.

The next level strategy shall focus on exploration and utilization of the natural resources within our country. From natural resources I mean the fertile soil, fuel, water, fruits, gem stone and others. There are several coal mines including the Thar coal mine to be efficiently utilized as fuel source. Water is not scarce in Pakistan, but lack of proper planning cause draughts and floods in case of fluctuation of its flow. So dams and systematic control of water from macro to micro level will not only save water but also improve agriculture, stop or reduce the effect of natural disasters related to it. Health issues will also get under control.

The third competitive strategy for Pakistan could be suggested as transforming its foreign policy to have flexible and diplomatic relations with all its neighboring counties. This should include acting as a gateway for central Asian countries for trade through the sea routes. Also, it will be in the favor of Pakistan to create genuine bilateral relations with India. Pakistan could open the doors for investment and business for India and advance in technology instead of military advancements.

Pakisatan
To conclude, the youth of Pakistan in this turbulent time are the asset as well as liability of the state. Investment in them will automatically translate itself into skillful, enlightened and tolerating leaders. Pakistan will be a model for pluralism and peace rather than terrorist labeled state. Our focus on the strategic location and its invaluable resources can help us grow the business activities by providing opportunities for investment, and industries like the tourism industry to flourish. 


I wish to be part of the team for railing back Pakistan on the track of prosperity and peace. My wish on the Quaid's birthday.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

The Yarzrich Episode



They are Wakhi (Xik) guys.They went to Chapursan Gojal to collect their resources. When they reached Yarzrich late night, Mir. M Nawaz tells us how Sabz Ali was able to open the house of Uncle Muhammad Zia. Then there is the a glimpse of the fun they had. Irfan goes on with his little philosophy of 'terr terr terr'.

While the video seems fun, nevertheless it captures a memorable episode of the travels and events of the guys, which indeed will remind others of their activities while traveling.

I hope you enjoy watching it.





Monday, May 30, 2011

Gilgit Baltistan Traditional Dance by Formanites


Keeping alive the long tradition established by Gilgit-Baltistan Formanite students, a grand farewell party was arranged for the Senior batch of 2011, by their juniors. While the event  had many colorful parts including the flashback and memory sharing by seniors, delicious food, and photography, but it also included this one amazing segment of traditional dance,  to keep in touch with our identity & enjoy in lively way.

In this segment you watch dancing two seniors of 2011 batch, Zahir Shah (Me myself :)) and Najeeb Ullah (Sarkar) the great wakhi companion of my 4 years.

"We thank the lovely GB Formanite community for honoring us and providing us with opportunity to present a local GB dance."

I hope you will love watching it, remember to provide comment :)

Video Credits: Mujeeb Alam
Copy Rights: Gilgit-Baltistan Production

Special Thanks to: Hassan Abbas, Shah Faisal, Mujeeb Alam & Malik Zulqarnain for making this possible, and Ali Barcha (The DJ) for providing us with the video, & the whole junior batches.

Note: No copyright infringement intended. The video is being posted by the owner's permission.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Volunteers’ misfortune or the Disaster hit peoples’ hard luck?

After a struggle of 3 months for a cause’s sake, all seems void and null. They were all students working on it, and they all were regular and there were 90 of them. But, a single blow from the administration of Forman Christian College, Lahore seems to have settled the fire in all the unanimous volunteers, who had stood up for their people’s sake. I have a respect for the administration’s decision, and their valuable suggestions, but the reaction has triggered some interesting thoughts, confusing and complicated though, and I want to know the meaning of these complexities. Constraint, Propaganda, Agenda, Inflation Or The Fate of The People Of Gilgit-Baltistan (Hunza in particular)…

It has been 3 months and the volunteers of Forman Christian College, Lahore are working on a project. The project called Attabad Welfare Project was planed with the department head of Sociology, Prof. Shahid Rasheed, and the team’s advisor Asst. Prof. Ather Azeem. Initially, it was decided to start work in the aftermath of the outflow from the spillway. Fortunately, the downstream destruction did not happen. Thus, Attabad and villages of Gojal (from Ayenabad to Passu) were chosen as the target audience to be addressed.

‘Forman volunteers’ as they started to call themselves had a successful project with the people of Swat, during the period of ‘war against terrorism’. The team went there and served the Swat IDP, and this had an unprecedented result. After a year, the resettled families came to meet the volunteers and invited the volunteers to get a chance to serve them. With a similar notion of showing sympathy and love for their own people in the time of crisis, Forman Volunteers launched the Attabad Jheel Welfare Project. The first goal was:

“To go to the affected area and people themselves so that cultural and social differences are bridged and understood, besides serving them.”

And, the response of our administration to the proposal was nothing but a straight forward denial, which is their right. True that there are administrative constraints and the decision based on inflation, restrictions and the institutions policy regarding extending financial support is fathomable. But, there are three areas that did not sufficiently satisfy me, and neither will it satisfy any other person, after the fact that the proposal was canceled.

Firstly, on the issue of sending an official request to other universities for putting a funding stall by Forman volunteers our administration had interesting proposal. Our university can’t send official request to other universities’ student affairs department, but Forman volunteers should request any society of other university, collect fund through them, and deposit it in the account created by us. This will then be a joint collaboration of “Forman Christian College & Particular University”. How will other university societies agree to us on unofficial request? How will it be called a joint collaboration of FCCU & Particular University, if your students’ affair department can’t send formal request?

Secondly, we supported Swat IDP because it was “war on terrorism”, but this is “a natural disaster/Issue”. What does it mean to support war against terrorism whole heartedly, but to think that the sufferers of natural disaster are receiving good treatment and this is not the pressing issue? Isn’t both situation same on humanity ground, that in each case our people have suffered?

Thirdly, you can work on your personal relations (PR) for funding, but we need to know and “evaluate” your personal relations for why are they ready to give money. “Even if we you are not using FCCU platform”. If we are not using FCCU platform, and if we are standing as volunteers for humanity cause, for the people of Pakistan, for creating a bridge between diverse culture and traditions through a goodwill gesture, why do we need to get our PR evaluated by the administration.

Next, whatever money you have collected using FCCU platform, and whatever fund you may collect from PR, the “best” and “effective” way is to send the funds to a functional NGO, or send it to the people on monthly basis. When our goal is to not just feed the people who are already getting aid and support from various NGOs and the Government itself, rather to have a people level interaction in the time of crisis, utilize the funds on institutional level for e.g. for equipment needed. True that our goals are not ‘holy scripture’, true that this suggestion is a possibility, but what is the problem with giving the dedicated youth a platform for having a chance to serve & bridge gap.

Finally, after all the above, “we are with you, & we appreciate your work”. I hope you really are with the volunteers.

But, the volunteers are going to have a decision based on the current scenario on what are the possibilities of doing the cause. Whatever the decision is, the people of Hunza will receive the message of your sympathy, and your stand on their behalf, for their sake. They will remember you all in their prayers. They will understand the circumstances through which you have been during the campaign, and even after that.


Friday, May 28, 2010

The memorable days in Lahore.. With Aslam Ghalib... The lupyor


Aslam Khan Ghalib is a guy who does not need an introduction. He struggled hard, he had passion for education which ultimately led him to AKHSS Gilgit. When I joined AKHSS as his junior, I was amazed at his sociable skills and his communication skills. He would catch people anywhere around, on his way to the room or to school and start conversation in English. This built confidence in his juniors to speak, share thoughts and learn.

When at PU Lahore every single person from GB and majority of his colleagues from elsewhere were his friends. This was all because of his skills as a listener, a speaker, a narrator of folk/traditional funny circumstances and, important of all, a helper.

I remember, in our (4 matriculate friends) first tour to Lahore he accompanied us from Islamabad, gave us shelter for the first day before we could reach our respective relatives.

This picture was taken at his room in PU hostel number 18.


Thursday, May 13, 2010

His maxim of Sports And Mine of Study

This is our freshman year, the 2nd semester. The month is no doubt March, when the annual atheletic championships of FCCU are held every year. This guy Mr Najeeb Ullah Khan (who as of this date i.e. 2010 calls him SARKAR) played for the soccer team of Gricewold Hall.
I on the other hand was a day scholar, and with my hanging bag I used to take all the burden of Managmment, Economics and Business Communication courses. I am seen with my uniform, which we wore untill it no more remained comulsory in 2008.

Najeeb won the 1st price in Parade (March) while leading his hall. He could be seen in the other Image holding his trophhy. This was the only time he participated with zeal and energy.

Cherished Moments


Some moments are worth cherishing in life. This picture of Bahawal: dude at FCCU, is a snap of the trend of our life those days at FCC. There were ambitions, worries, likes and dislikes. The road side discussions, our analysis of our institution and its rank, opportunities we could trade on and nity grities of the university life. There were thoughts on the same frequency, there were chit chats in which sentences initiated by one were completed by the other. There were small things to be happy for. 

Defining Bahawal in the image at that particular point in time would go like:
  • Energetic
  • Rigorous
  • Focused
  • Visionary
  • Thoughtful
  • Analytical
MINUS Love and Humor.... = The guy in the image at that point in time.

He removed his mustaches shortly after this event. And yes in the event he made an impromptu speech.

Event:Environment day
Speech Theme: Drawbacks of Smoking/Cigarette
Timeline: Our 2nd Semester, Spring 2008.

Past: Lahore craze

Bald man is... Sabir
Bring back your healthy look.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Save Gojal, Save Gilgit-Baltistan, Save Pakistan... Protest in Lahore






Photo Credits: Nisar Ahmed, IRC Lahore

The civil society of Gilgit Baltistan, based in Lahore, on 28th February 2010 registered a protest in front of Lahore press club. The motive behind the protest was to get the attention of the Federal government, in particular, and the Punjab provisional government, in general, towards the snail speed rescue work in Gojal Hunza regarding the January 4th 2010 disaster. Participants held various banners and chanted slogans against the poor effort of the federal and local government of GB for the rescue operation.



The disaster of 4/01 in Attabad Hunza blocked the KKH and Hunza River and killed almost 20 people. Currently, the up streaming of the dam towards Gojal valley has reached almost 25km. It has already destroyed Ayenabad village of Gojal. The next threat is to Shishkat, Gulmit and Passu villages.

People speaking in the rally reminded the government of the strategic importance of Gilgit-Baltistan to our country in terms of defense, economy, and tourism industry. They criticized the federal government which so far shunned the disaster and did not take any effective measure to release the water. They directed the government’s attention towards the damages the water could make down stream, once it gets over the derbies.



Speaking on the occasion Javed Ali Manwa, a student of Forman Christian College, said that this issue should be raised in the parliament. He pointed out the hardships of the people of Gojal in terms of economic and agricultural activities and blamed Speaker GBLA, Wazir Baig, for his amateur attitude towards the people of Gojal who had elected him in the GBLA by giving him 90% votes. Reminding the government authorities of the many affected students, Manwa demanded for at least two years educational compensation for them.


Zahir Shah focused on the sacrifices of the people of Gilgit Baltistan for the country since their independence, and regretted the situation that the same people had to beg for their safety from the government. He appealed the government to bring the affected areas of Gojal under emergency plan and do every thing possible to ensure their maximum safety. He also pointed out the flaws in health care units and demanded a proper medical facility at various clusters.

Others speaking on the occasion denounced the government’s rejection of the proposal from international community for effective rescue operation. They requested the media for proper coverage of the scenario of the disaster and save the people of GB.

An appeal was also made for the CM of Punjab, Mian Shahbaz Sharif, for supporting the people of GB.

Overall the protest remained successful as almost 90% of the civil society members of GB based in Lahore participated most, most of them being students.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...