Election fever 2013

When I drove from Johar to North Nazimabad to caste my vote; I saw billboards, pamphlets, flyers and other promotional ads everywhere. I wondered what would have happened if these political parties would have used this money to promote Pakistan rather than promoting themselves. The cost of pamphlets, banners, billboards, well decorated cars and God knows what else must be exceeding ARABS. What if they used this stuff to build the country? If they had done it, I don’t think they wouldneed any source of promotional activities today. People would be giving them votes willingly.

Today I casted my vote; there was enthusiasm in the eyes of people. There was a hope to see a new Pakistan where they will be given rights (Well, let us hope so). Today I played my role as a Pakistani. Today I felt what it means to be a citizen of country. I don’t care about the result. At least I tried. I played my role.

I say who ever doesn’t vote today, doesn’t have any right to say anything for next five years. Your right will be snatched to raise avoice; your right will be snatched to curse Pakistan. You will be the one responsible for everything, not only of Pakistan but all the people residing.

Let’s just praythat whosoever comes; works for the betterment of the people of Pakistan and doesn’t work for his own benefit. This time people have great hopes. Let’s see what it turns out to be.

Let’s pray for a new Pakistan, a better Pakistan, an educated Pakistan, a just Pakistan and an honorable Pakistan.  Whosoever comes; works for the betterment of the people of Pakistan. A place where humanity is valued and not disgraced, a place where rights of people are prioritized and not casted away, a place filled with unity and respect. Yes, we pray for us, our nation, OUR Pakistan.

This time people have great hopes. Lets see what it turns out to be.

I wrote the following  post in November 2011 when Imran Khan came back in this game.
https://wafatariq.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/change-maybe-yes/
Its your time to decide. GO VOTE!

Dada- You will always be remembered!

It was around 11:30 pm when doctor called for emergency and on the way to hospital dad got call “Ina lelahe-wa-ina-ilaehe-rajeon”. My grandfather breathed his last on 6^th September 2011 and left this mortal world along with his wife and kids to mourn over his death.

This tragic day came well prepared. One day he got fits and my brother took him to doctor. Doctor declared him perfect but as soon as he reached home, he got fits again but this time they were severe. His tongue got injured and he got unconscious too. Bhai rushed him to nearest hospital which was Remedial where he was admitted in ICU. ICU name itself opens the eyes of people and when your own loved one is admitted in, it gets hell out of the person. My father being the elder son took first flight to Pakistan and reached the same day. Baba wasn’t satisfied with management so he shifted dada to Patel Hospital.

Till this time my grandfather could somewhat speak or could surely make us understand his point through signs. Dada was very conscious about his prayers and he never wanted “na-paki” so he was very disturbed too. Whenever who ever used to go near him, he used to say “Mujhay release kerwao!” and we used to say “Dada ap sahi ho jaeen! Inshallah khud yeh log release daingay!”One day we saw dada scolding ward boy of not releasing him. Like he was not letting him come near him. When he saw bhai watching him he said “MUJHAY YAHAN SAY NIKALO KHABEES!” and I could see tears in my brother eyes. There was nothing in our hand. We were helpless! And we were actually very positive about dada release; we never thought wound will not heal but will only become severe.

Well, as time passed he started losing his strength; even doctor admitted that he is losing his faith in himself. He was not improving. As time passed, he stopped speaking, but still he used to ask baba to release him through sign language. But nothing was in baba’s hand. One of his lung stopped working and then his kidney stopped working. Soon he had tubes for oxygen, medicine and food all over his body. It seemed as if WILL-POWER is everything in a human body. Once a person looses it, he starts declining. So was the case with dada. He was loosing his will power and his body organs at same time. I remember once dada was very uncomfortable and unconscious too. I was feeling weird seeing him so just to check him. I asked smiling “Dada jaldi sahi ho jaeen, dadi wait ker rahi hain!” and got no reply. This was the most awkward moment which I can’t describe.

On exact choti eid day, doctors declared no hope and asked to pray. When happiness was all around, our house was not more than a mourning place. My father who was deeply attached to dada had to declare this news in home. Baba hugging dadi. Phophos, chacho all around hugging baba. It was a scene which I am not able to get out of my mind. On this day I came to know the bitter reality that pain of knowing that you are going to loose your loved one is lot more than knowing you have lost him!

On 6^th September 2011, I guess it was fourth day of Eid when dada breathed his last. Inalilahewainailaeherajeon-  Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.”(2:156). May God give him place in Jannah. Ameen!

He lived his life but left us to ponder over our end of life. What we have done, what are we doing with it and what is our future. Our graph is declining with time. My grandfather who was known as “Ata-ul-Mola Shamsi” became “Mayet” and “dead body” as soon as soul left his body. I wonder is this long a person reputation is which he struggle to maintain his whole life?

In the end of day, every person came alone and will surely go alone so why not to devote our life for the ONE who will benefit us in life after death instead of working for those who never benefited us nor will ever benefit.

P.s- I didn’t tell Baba about this post. I don’t have guts to ask comments, to see him fighting back his tears again. It is enough seeing him getting weaker day by day……………

Happy Winters!!

 

The day when you leave the house without any sweater thinking “yaar sardi kaahan hoti hai yahan” and as soon as you leave the house, you start feeling “pehn letay tu acha hota”, travelling all your way shivering and chattering your teeth, still hoping “temperature will get adjusted with time” but when the sun starts playing hide and seek and the AC of room is accidently turned on, you regret rest of the day sneezing and shivering in blanket thinking “Waaat lag gaee yaar! kal say pakka sweater pehn k jana hai” and when you leave the home next day, you pull off your sweater because it’s again the normal temperature!!

That exactly my friend is the point when you realize “ap Karachi may hain boss! Yahan sardi aese hoti hai!”, so scream out loud HAPPY WINTERS KARACHI CITY!!

Change!? Maybe YES!

It’s embarrassing to admit that we should count over selves as those Pakistanis who have become completely disillusioned with the state of affairs of the nation. We are becoming numb to whatever happen to any kind of news, whether it is good or bad, satisfying or disturbing, until and unless it affect our lives, we are CONTENT and living our lives as nothing is happening. This “hopeless” emotion comes when someone is kicked off or if he is cornered and upon lack of attention available, he chooses the option which is most suitable to him, the option of SELFISHNESS which can give him inner satisfaction and minimum amount of displeasure.

Most of the readers will be questioning this sentiment and might be outraged with this idea of mine. From quite few days, whether I am on twitter or face-book, I look in newspaper or flip channels; there is a new BIRTH of an old face. A man considered as Fanatic (JUNOONI), extra patriotic and obviously Idealistic by most of the crowd. Also a Former cricket player- IMRAN KHAN!

There are many followers as well as opposers of him, having different opinions. According to a news paper some say “Yes, that’s who we are looking for — someone who can set us on the way to a prosperous and a disciplined society.” Some even went and said that “He’s bigger than Quaid-e-Azam, new country can be made by anyone, the real task is to rescue drowning country”. Some people are so hopeless that we listens statements like “Each and every politician is equally corrupt. He is just getting youth attention because he is SHARPER than ZARDARI. He will create MASS DESTRUCTION soon- just watch him!!”

If we talk about Imran’s jalsa. Like so many others, I was surprised to see the number of people who attended it and more shocking was the youth who were so enthusiastic to give support to an upcoming-new leader in corrupted scene of politics where there is Haqqani conspiracy on one hand and Mirza’s comments on the other hand. No doubt I admit that at least Imran Khan did better than the rest in stating his plan on how he intends to RIGHT the national WRONGS.

Well, If we keep picking out mistakes in everyone, nothing will work. After all at the end of the day we all have a responsibility for nation. The way we do mistakes, the way we close our eyes from our responsibilities, these politicians can also do the same. We can criticize or bash a particular person who is trying to help or we can applaud him for what he has done for the country so far.

After revival of Imran Khan, I realized that every disillusioned citizen is subconsciously a patriot waiting in silence for someone to inspire his reawakening and maybe Imran Khan did it. We have both options whether to criticize or applaud so why not to TRY some CHANGE!? We already have suffered and tolerated many of the politicians, let Imran Khan try! We can atleast hope for the better future !

Graffiti Zone

Can u name a place where there is anti-government slogans as well as personal objections and from artist based poetry to their own one sided love stories?

There is definitely a place where one goes to attend the call of nature and along it for having a physical and mental relief by “all” means. Public Toilet which is frequently used by all the people to meet a common need has also become the perfect place for the people to speak their heart out.

Public Toilets or washrooms are ideal place for those who are not heard, it’s the ideal place for them to release their body and mind at once. In our cultural settings, public toilets seems to be like a SPEAKING CORNER for our people who can write, speak, draw anything without fear of censorship or whatsoever.

Have you noticed the words and sentences on Public Toilet wall??

The government can ban the people to express their feelings publicly but they can’t ban it within Public toilets. Be it the matter of Judges or current inflation disaster, Presidential thing, thanks to toilets, people can write anything they can’t express in public.

Same goes with Shy lovers who express their love in toilet” I LOVE YOU XYZ” ,”TUM NAY MUJH SAY BEWAFAI KI” are the most common sentences in toilet as if XYZ will come and read just for him!! Furthermore, if you want some update about artists, again I would recommend you public toilets for seeing stuff like “MEERA KI ANGREZI”, “Madhuri kay baghair zindgi adhori”, “Amir ki dhobi”, are the most common and “mentionable” examples.

I think in these public toilets voting boxes should be kept as its walls also offer some serious comments about government, ruling party and organizational matters as well. Every word there needs no further clarification as everything is clear and censor-less. If I could advice politicians, I would have asked them to visit Public toilets frequently to gather public opinions about them because at times it seems that the whole election campaign had been run there.

The differences in contents of Toilet graffiti varies from place to place. In companies or factories, it is mostly about boss or about another employee. Hospitals may have scandals or worst come worst patients write how nurses attend them!!

Many show their poetry skills on toilet walls by writing rhyming couplets and “gutter” poetries. I can say it’s an ideal place to hold “Mehfil-e-Mushaira” too. I think toilet graffiti can be called “MESS-COMMUNICATION”, a unique way of depicting the inner picture on toilet walls by masses.

Our public toilets will remain the way they are, free of diplolomacy, cenorship. We can only hope they change, but dont we always hope of changes in Pakistan?

“SINCE WRITING ON TOILET WALLS IS DONE NEITHER FOR CRITICAL ACCLAIM, NOR FINANCIAL REWARDS, IT IS THE PUREST FORM OF ART”