Sammilogger

Above is a link of 19 minutes clip on the subject. Optimists will see it positive and pessimists negative. I shall call it balanced and an excellent depiction. The style, content and knowledge is marvelous thus strongly recommended. The clip also retells, how well Pakistan is blessed – albeit betrayed by our incompetence. In the reemerging geopolitics, Pakistan’s geography is getting preeminence. Rise of China which is inhibited by geographic limitations and contested by the US has rendered greater importance to geography of Pakistan. The regions occupied by Pakistan were first traversed by Alexander the great for an access to the subcontinent. Second time these regions became areas of contestation between British Empire and Soviet Empire in early part of 20th century. After creation of Pakistan, in 70/80s these regions became battle grounds for Cold War between the US and USSR. Yet another time in the start of 21st century these regions saw worst of bloodshed due to Global War on Terror. Thus, in modern times merely in nine decades Pakistan’s geography has come into lime light four times because of rivalry of two giants. However, unlike past three times which involved fighting and destruction, this time it’s for growth and development but with inbuilt dangers of conflict. That all bespeaks of importance of geography of Pakistan. We need to brace ourselves to make best use of this blessed geography. Opportunities are blessed by Allah whereas we can convert them into blessing through hard work or curse through incompetence. Allah may bless us and Pakistan.

https://sammilogger.blog/2019/04/26/islam-despiritulized/

I wrote above referred blog in Apr 19. Today came across this clip which is highly meaningful, relevant and thought provoking. Let’s shun ritualistic Islam and practice practical Islam. Our religious teachers confines us to ritualistic Islam as it suites him.

Education is always considered as panacea for all our social ills. Indeed it is, but if we truly realise this then our pursuits should be directed towards improving education. While travelling on Murree expressway many a times I observed huge and sprawling infrastructure on the slopes of opposing hills near Murree. I always presumed that it was a university or an educational institution. Somehow or the other, I could never presume something different in that serene environment. However, I felt pity, pity and pity once I learnt that those were Murghee Khana (Chicen Farms) of Hamza Shabaz. I have no words to explain this pitifulness. Another occasion while travelling in Lahore Cantonement I noticed an underconstruction beautiful building, again my silliness came my way and I presumed it must be a school building. I was once again horrified to know that infact it was a marriage hall. If these are our priorities then no wonder we ought to be what we are. We shall keep talking about education but will keep acting to mint money.

Human actions are measured on various parameters like gains, stakes and moral grounds. In civility, moral grounds take the highest precedence. India and Pakistan continue exchanging strokes. India and Pakistan are also known as siamese twins. Neither they can live together nor away from each other. In India off late we are witnessing a mindset of ‘might is right’, machiavellian politics, haughtiness and stubbornness. Wiser Indians are continuously raising concerns on the way India is heading. Intolerances, subjugation and antisecularim forces are ruling the roost. Every day brings an event which takes India to further darkness. As if subjugation of Kashmir wasn’t enough Indian Supreme court passed a judgement on allocation of Babri Mosque land for construction of a temple. The timings morality of such a decision couldn’t have more absurd. While, across the divide Pakistan was busy in morally soundest act of opening of Kartarpur crossing, in India the court was dictating a shameful decision of quelling rights of minorities. Pakistan’s action has taken it to higher pedestal of moral grounds, while Indian action has taken it down the drain in morality. BJP government in India is already bent upon hurting country’s centre of gravity ie secularism. Learned and honourable judges have also jumped the bandwagon. It’s highly ironic and bizarre that complete system of India is up against minorities. One wonders where the sanity has gone in India.

https://sammilogger.blog/2019/06/14/the-future/

What a powerful message?

I have always been critical of our societal decay. I feel appalled and hurt to see such incidents. The savage people in this clip are not uneducated by our standards. However, it’s not real education they seem to he hoding. Unfortunately, we have adopted a culture of exploitation of the weak. Certainly these goons will not act similarly against a peer of similar strength because they will fear retribution. Still more appalling was empathy and indifferent attitude of police present at the scene. It is so sad to note that custodians of an aspect are themselves in lead to trample the same very apsect. Maulvi is trampling religion, teachers are trampling education and lawyers are trampling the law. Our uneducated earlier generations had decency to behave in respectable way with ladies and children. Social media is proving useful to bring out ugly faces of the society so that we realise to make amends.

I just knew Pervez Hoodbhoy as a respectable intellectual. But I found this clip misleading and bizarre. An intellectual is expected to carry out dispassionate analysis. His views ought to be different than commoners. His views should not be tained by his prejudices. He has raised certain key points in this clip:

-Two nation theory should be burried

-Comapred Pakistan with Bengladesh

-Bengladesh people do not have Army on their heads and they don’t cut throats

-Bengladesh does not pick up trouble with bigger neighbour; India

-Bengladesh invests on people rather than weapons

-Pakistan didn’t get dividend of nuclear weapons

I do agree to some of his assertions. Pakistan hasn’t faired well in managing its house. We failed to invest in our human resource. But it is a matter of realisation that some of the issues are of our own making but few were thrust upon us. Three time arrival of super powers in our back and front yards wasn’t of our making. Coming to his points. Firstly, comparing Bengaldesh with Pakistan is like comparing an orange with an apple. Strategic location, strategic challenges, national demeanour and orientation are way different. Dumping of our ideology is like denuding Pakistan of its spirit. Bengla Desh was born as a manifestation of negation of two nation theory. Indra Ghandi had boasted that she had thrown two nation theory in Bay of Bengal. So, at ideological plain Bengla Desh is negation of Pakistan. Bengla Desh is a vassal state of bigger neighbour who quashed two nation theory so they complement each other. There cannot be anything more cruel than suggesting to dump Pakistan’s ideology. Modi has given new life to two nation theory and here we are suggesting to dump it. LOL. Instead of blaming Army to be overbearing it will be worthwhile to analyse why it is so? Pakistan has remained a security state for over four decades. Besides our perennial enemy India, Pakistan remained repeatedly sandwiched in rivalry of giants. Army got exaggerated role in national affairs and to aggravate the problem further, politicians failed to look beyond their nose. They remained shackled with their vested interests. I have been to Bengaldesh and people there curse politicization of their armed forces where as here our pseudo intellectuals are talking of opposite. Yes people of Bengladesh do not cut throats but we shouldn’t forget they did same in 71. Biggest dividend of nuclear weapons lies in our integrity. If nuclear weapons were not there Mr Pervez Hoodbhoy wouldn’t have enjoyed his intellect. Pakistan would have been overrun by our enemies. Talking of nuclear dividend to wage war for Kashmir is an illogical argument, to the least. By all means Pakistan has option of emulating Bengladesh. Let’s burry our ideology, accept hegemony of India, let kelptocracy rule Pakistan, forgo Kashmir, stop worrying about our future water needs, be a vassal state to India; kill our identity, national esteem and pride, forget the dictum, “one day’s life of a lion is better than 100 day’s life of a jackal”. We shall surely do better than Bengladesh. Prescriptions of Mr Hoodbhoy are right but diagnosis is wrong. We must invest in our human resource. All institutions should function within domains of constitution. For all this will be guaranteed by true democracy and patriotic leadership.

https://sammilogger.blog/2019/05/11/letgo-ego/

A conscious human should always seek excellence. It can be best done by riddance of bad vices and nurturing of good ones. Ego is one bad vice which affects our attitudes and behaviours the most. My earlier blog referred above and vedio clip can help in pursuit of excellence

https://sammilogger.blog/2018/02/13/climate-change-a-threat/

Today attended a very fruitful session at NUST Institute of Policy Studies (NIPS). Pakistan is facing a threat of water scarced country by 2025. It was excellent initiative by NUST. They are leading the campaign to bring awareness of this daunting challenge. Eminent and accomplished speakers highlighted the issues and generated a fruitful dialogue. Once again it was highlighted how badly we are betraying blessings of Allah. We are oblivious of the needs of our future generations. Indian water manoeuvre gets further compounded by our negligence and indifference. Subsurface water level is dropping in all major cities with Quetta 6 meters per year, Lahore by 3 meters per year and Islamabad by 1 meter per year. Pakistan needs drastically cutting down tubewell drilling and has to substantially increase number of storage dams. It was highlighted that through floods of 2010, 11 and 14 Pakistan accumulatively lost 90 MAF of water. 1 MAF is equivalent of US $1B. If we had constructed storage dams this water wouldn’t have been wasted to the sea. It was also brought out that every year for last 43 years Pakistan is wasting 29 MAF of water to the sea. Accumulative worth of the wasted water is over US $1200 B. Pakistan’s resilience is well established to ward off all kind of challenges however, resilience will be irrelevant in face of water scarcity. Needs of water are simply same for a resilient and non resilient person. It’s high time that we should stop wasting our resources and should leave better Pakistan for our futue generations. Or else we shall be cursed and devoid of prayers from those whom we might leave behind water scarced.