Sammilogger

Return of Modi is being seen with scepticism as well sanguinity. Once something goes beyond our control best of optimism demands creating of opportunity out of a challenge. Modi is a reality, notwithstanding our preferences. Is he going to be a blessing or a curse for Pakistan, only time will tell. However, certain foreseen dynamics make me believe that he may not turn out to be as bad as being perceived. We should not fear him we should rather grudge him. On two accounts I feel he is going to be a blessing in disguise. Firstly, in strategic terms, centre of gravity of India is perceived to be in Secularism and that of Pakistan in Armed Forces. Coexistence of multi religious communities and exclusion of religion and religious considerations is a sine-qua-non for existence of India in present state. Rise of Hindutva is going to be a Vernichtender Schlag for secularism. By implication Modi is striking at his own centre of gravity. If an enemy hurts his own centre gravity he is in fact doing our job thereby a blessing in disguise for us. Fillip in Kashmir & Khalistan movements and other fissiparous tendencies in India under Modi are visible manifestations. Secondly, BJP Government led by PM Vajpayee turned out to be a blessing in disguise for us. He provided us a casus belli to go nuclear. Had we missed by merely 3 years and 9/11 had happened, global powers would have not let us go nuclear. Besides this through escalations BJP helped us to plug gaps in our defences. Vajpayee government also went very close to resolution of Kashmir dispute. This time again, I believe Modi is going to be a blessing in disguise for Pakistan. There is a greater possibility of resolution of Kashmir dispute. Keeping fingers crossed.

I borrow the title from book of Andrew Small. In the setting of global power shifting from West to East (Parag Khanna) Pakistan chose and was also compelled to tilt towards China. For this tilting Pakistan is facing wrath of US through economic pressure. CPEC goes in interest of Pakistan but gains of China outweigh that of Pakistan. However, the way China is displaying indifference towards Pakistan’s economic woes is mind boggling. I see two possibilities. First, China is not fully sincere to Pakistan and feels that an economically stressed and vulnerable Pakistan will be more amenable and favourable. This possibility leads us to Debt Trap Diplomacy. Second, China is sincere to Pakistan like an elder of a family. It is intentionally letting Pakistan (seen as a bad boy) suffer so that we mend our ways. Earlier I had written that I see China as a bullet train with a vintage bogie (Pakistan) attached to its tail. Bullet train will aim to pull along this vintage bogie. Being optimistic I see second possibility as more likely and hope and pray that China will intervene much before total exploitation of Pakistan. Long Live Pakistan China brotherhood.

1. In any human setup, it’s not people with intelligence who matter, rather it’s people with concern (EHSAAS) who matter. Yet another unfortunate incident which brings me back to the point, that as a society we need to change. Loss of son of Qamar Zaman Qaira along with his friend and many more highlights how misdeed of one person becomes price for another. Road safety, chaotic traffic and non-functioning air bags were not of the making of the young souls we lost but plethora of incompetence and indifference of people being paid for these matters. Whether we see spread of garbage, criminal activities, heinous crimes, loss of lives and plenty of ills of our society – one thing glaringly appears lacking is EHSAAS. Allama Iqbal also mentioned, ESAAS E ZIYAN JATA RAHA (concern for loss is gone). We fail to take corrective measures because we lack empathy. We don’t feel other’s loss as our loss. Our systems protect the culprits. Mafias still continue to be stronger than the government. If I was to say one attribute we must create and nurture in our society, (in us and in our families) I would say EHSAAS. If we don’t change, if we don’t understand then this is what Hazrat Allama Iqbal had projected. “If you don’t understand oh people of Hindustan, (for that matter Pakistan) you will be obliterated and your history will be lost for ever.”

Na samjhoge to mit jaoge ai hindostan walo

Tumhari dastan tak bhe na hogi dastanon men

A picture is worth thousand words. The after Iftaar (breakfast) scene of Faisal Mosque speaks a lot. This is the contradiction I see in my society. Ramzan is the holiest month when religious solemnity is oozing out of every body. However, the picture tells how much we genuinely care for basic injunction of Islam ie Safai Nisf Imaan hai. Allah may help us to shun ritualistic Islam and be true Muslims.

In continuation of my blog on Evolution of Human Personality, I come to focus on Ego. Merely three letter word having tremendous impact on our personalities. The picture above gives a huge message, “we have egos bigger than universe”. I also read, “smaller the man, bigger the ego, bigger the man smaller the ego. Sigmund Freud in his Psychoanalytical Theory has divided human personality into three parts ie id, ego and superego. Our behaviour is determined by interplay of these three components. There are also three levels of Consciousness ie Unconscious: outside our awareness all time, Preconscious: knowledge and memories and Conscious: current awareness. Id, is instinctual and biological component. It remains infantile, does not change and is not affected by reality, logic or outside world. It operates in conscious part. Id seeks pleasure and avoids pain. Id is mostly headstrong. Contrarily, Ego is the structure in our brain that gives a person an identity. It is backward and less developed part of our psyche. It is our psychological component. Like id, ego also seeks pleasure and avoids pain. Ego has no concept of right or wrong. Ego is modifiable and is decision making component which operates according to reality principle. All negative emotions like, envy, anger, lust, greed and sloth are associated with ego. There are 12 functions of ego. Id is like a horse and ego is the horseman. Superego is social components it tells ego what is right and wrong. From this discussion we can conclude that ego is vulnerable in front of headstrong id, it is modifiable and we need to bridle it. I wonder why we are mostly overpowered by our ego. Is it that in my society their is bulk of small people with big ego. Forgiveness, ability to letgo, overlook and ignore is highly wanting here. On TV, I see politicians shooting at each other. Every word spoken by opponent has to be responded in same coin. Silence is the best response but it requires small ego. Let us bridle our ego. Letgo Ego.

Safai Nisaf Imaan Hai. This is an injunction of Islam. We all know how far we are in this most important aspect of human life. We should be still indebted for great services of ex German Ambassador in Islamabad, Mr Martin Kobler. He stood out amongst diplomatic fraternity due to his love and concern for people of Pakistan. And here we are getting a wake up call from Dr Jens Jokisch, Charge D’ Affaires in embassy of this great nation. I salute his courage and concern that he along with his son opted to go to streets of Islamabad holding a garbage bag and broom in his hands. I at least have my head dropping down in shame that an attribute which we should be teaching to other religions is being taught to us by a friend of Pakistan. I once heard from an elder that if we allocate 100 marks to life, 50 should go to cleanliness as Islam itself says Safai Nisaf Imaan Hai. 25 should go to education as Prophet PBUH said seek education even if you have to go to China. 15 should be allocated to our dealings with each other and 10 to Faith. He said if you allocate these marks to Westerners and Muslims. In cleanliness Westerners will get 45 and we shall stand at 5. In education they will get 20 and we get 5. In dealings they get 10 and we get 5 and in faith they get 0 and we get 10. Over all they will secure 75 and we would be at 25. Isn’t it that our Islam is confined to rituals. We still believe we shall pass in test of life by getting full marks in faith ie 10. Indeed we shall not be forgiven for merely full marks in faith.

A friend of mine once said to me that there are a lot many Think Tanks in Pakistan, we should also have Action Tank. I wish we could join hands to make first ever Action Tank in Islamabad. A Cleanliness Squad. I shall love to follow example of German Ambassador and devote some time in daily or weekly routine to do brooming in streets of Islamabad. Please raise hands.

Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is turning out to be centre stage of rivalry for 21 Century as rightly envisaged by Robert D Kaplan. Since early years of century we are witnessing a Sino- Indian rivalry in IOR with overhang of the US; the sole superpower. China laid out a strategy of String of Pearls which was countered by India’s Necklace of Diamonds. In fact there is a ‘Battle’ for ports going on in IOR. China and India have port each in Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Maldives and Seychelles. Duqm Port of Oman is with Indian where as nearby Djibouti is with China. Gawadar is with China and Chabahar with India. Rise of China is being contested by the US and India. Thucydides’ trap is apparently in play which projects likelihood of a conflict once a rising power challenges an established power. China is waxing while US is waning. World should realise that an agitated, reactive and frustrated sole superpower led by a mercurial leader is extremely dangerous. What recently unfolded in Sri Lanka should serve as an eye opener. Trail of involvement of India in the Easter Carnage and reports of US seeing Sri Lanka as future bastion of ISIS have a lot to tell. Sri Lanka and it’s Hambantota Port are strategically most important for contestation between US and China in IOR. US and Israel are also gaining foothold in Oman which is directly opposite Gawadar. Geopolitics is getting uglier in IOR.

As I reflect more on my recent blog, “My Description of Life”, I feel life gives us an innings to play. It presents us certain choices, opportunities and challenges. It leaves to us, how we play our innings ie like Shahid Afridi (bold and aggressive) or like a player who is timid and over calculative. It presents us friends and rivals. It exposes us to good as well as evil. It leaves us to pick gold or trash. Modern life is akin to travelling on a bullet train with quick glimpses of so many things. It’s our choice what we pick and what we leave as a trash. Life will exactly become something based on choices we make. We can make it a blessing or a curse. We come across people, good and bad. Good people teach us how to behave and bad people teach us, how not to behave. Choice still stays with us. However, there is also juxtaposition of our destiny. All is not based on our decisions. Taking a cue from James Redfield’s Celestine Prophecy: An Experiential Guide, no coincidence in life is free of a design. All our encounters and experiences are based on a design; which seems to be nothing but our destiny. So thereby a question, how much is the liberty of action we are blessed? Answer to this question was once given by Hazrat Ali KUW, when he asked the questioner to lift his one foot and then his second. Obviously he could not lift his second foot. Hazrat Ali then explained these are bounds of our liberty of action. To say the least, life is an enigma, hard to describe but at the same time a beautiful gift of Mother Nature.

Islam is the youngest religion of the world. Concept, prophet and book are the best. Why is it so that practitioners are not the best? Where have we gone wrong? Role of religion in a human being’s life in Pakistan is 93 percent which is highest in the world where as, it is lowest in France at 13 percent. By this analogy our society should be 7 times better than that of France, whereas we are not. Basic instincts of all humans are common so these can be set aside. Is it that we have not been taught true essence and spirit of Islam? Is it that we have sublet Islam to obscurantist maulvis? We have confined beautiful concepts of Islam to mere rituals. Sacrifice is confined to slaughtering of animal, whereas while kissing Hajrae Aswad we don’t want to sacrifice. Cleanliness, discipline and mannerism are confined to the mosque. Outside mosque everything is low. Islam is confined to Kalima, prayers and rituals. Hajj is an event which should inculcate, patience, discipline, sacrifice and forbearance. If these were there, there would be no stampedes; unfortunate hallmark of this event. I feel we even misuse our faith. While venturing on a pursuit we stay low on hard work and hedge behind wish of Allah. At the end of pursuit we intentionally do not admit our short comings and find solace in, ‘this was wish of Allah’. On these accounts, Westerners make fun of us. I am reminded of an author who was once travelling by PIA from Peshawar to Kabul to interview Osama bin Laden. He narrated in his book that on taking off, there was a recitation from Holy Quran and responsibility to take the flight safely to destination was assigned to Allah. Further on he commented, ‘seeing condition of aircraft, this was wisest thing to do’. Lately, it is being observed that not all, but many bearded Muslims are committing crimes by befooling people with their facade of religious outlook. I wonder, whether thieves have grown beards or bearded have become thieves? Whatever, the case people with beard are being seen as less trustworthy. How ironic? These goons are maligning Sunnah of Prophet PBUH. If we take into account injunctions of Islam, Holy Prophet PBUH, Quaid e Azam and Allama Iqbal, we are betraying all through our misdeeds. Allah may bless us to understand and follow true essence and spirit of Islam. We shall not be pardoned by Allah merely due to our beards, prayers and Kalima.

What is life? Is it primordial, eternal or temporary? Here I want to focus on worldly life ie from birth to death. It may be very hard to define life. Like beauty we might say description of life lies in the eyes of beholder. Every person will see life through own frame of reference. Having lived little over half a century I feel like attempting to define life. One word that comes to my mind is, ‘struggle’. It is a perpetual struggle. Struggle to assume life, Struggle to maintain life. Struggle to improve life. Struggle to succeed in life. Struggle to create and succeed life. Struggle between good and evil. Life isn’t a motorway. It’s rather a bumpy road. It’s a struggle to circumvent or bypass these obstacles. Life is a struggle in pursuit of excellence. It is a struggle to seek knowledge. It is a struggle to pursue objectives set by oneself. In initial stages of life one is living for oneself and then we grow to live for some one else. Life is a time slot given to us to do our part. Life is an event to play out our destiny. We are programmed to achieve something or be a source for some one else’s achievement. In life we are slaves of destiny. Our body is temporary dwelling for life. The dimension of time blessed to us is defined by ourselves through our resolve, effectiveness and perseverance. Prophets achieve much greater in lesser time than a common human. We take birth from already living systems, are brought up in a set of environment, exploit our faculties, take on various journeys, exhaust our resources, die, and take new form of life. We can also say life is the spirit which keeps our body living. Where does spirit come from and where does it go? It goes back to, from where it comes by abandoning the nonliving part right here on this planet.