• Each moment offers that choice: to add to the weight of the world’s problems, or to lighten it, however slightly, with our actions.

By Abdullah Usman Morai | Sweden

There is a saying often repeated in discussions about responsibility: “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” But life is rarely that simple. In truth, most of us exist somewhere in between contributing, consciously or unconsciously, to the very issues we criticize, while also holding the power to help resolve them. Whether the topic is corruption, environmental destruction, inequality, or social division, our daily choices place us both inside the problem and inside its potential solution.

The Mirror of Accountability

It is easier to point fingers than to hold up a mirror. We blame “the system,” politicians, corporations, or social media for the ills of society, but we rarely stop to question our own role in sustaining them. Every time we stay silent in the face of injustice, tolerate dishonesty for convenience, or waste resources without care, we strengthen the very structures we wish to dismantle.

Take corruption as an example. It is common to condemn corrupt officials, yet many of us participate in the same ecosystem when we offer a bribe to “get things done.” Similarly, we criticize environmental policies, but still rely on plastic, ignore recycling, and prefer convenience over conscience. This hypocrisy is not unique to one society; it is a global human tendency. The uncomfortable truth is that systems persist because ordinary people enable them. Once we recognize this, the path toward becoming part of the solution begins with personal responsibility.

The Layers of the Problem

Being “part of the problem” doesn’t always stem from malicious intent. Often, it is rooted in ignorance, habit, or helplessness. For instance, many social inequalities, gender bias, class divisions, or prejudice are deeply embedded in culture and language. People may unknowingly reinforce them through everyday behavior. Jokes, traditions, or comments that seem harmless might carry the weight of centuries of discrimination.

The same applies to economic and social systems that favor a few at the expense of many. In societies where privilege determines opportunity, silence from those benefiting from privilege perpetuates inequality. Neutrality, in such cases, becomes complicity. The absence of action allows injustice to thrive.

However, it is also important to recognize that awareness takes time. People must first understand how they are involved in a problem before they can change their role. Education, open dialogue, and self-reflection are essential steps in transforming passive complicity into active engagement.

Becoming Part of the Solution

Being part of the solution doesn’t always mean starting a movement or launching a campaign. It begins with small, consistent acts of integrity. When individuals choose fairness over favoritism, honesty over convenience, empathy over judgment, they shift the moral climate of a community. One person’s ethical choice inspires another’s, creating a ripple effect far greater than it may appear.

In workplaces, for example, the decision to speak up against unethical practices can encourage others to do the same. In schools, challenging stereotypes helps shape more open-minded generations. In daily life, reducing waste, respecting diversity, and practicing compassion all contribute to collective well-being. Every solution begins with individual reform.

The transformation also involves the courage to admit our own faults, to unlearn, and to improve. It is easy to identify villains in society; it is harder to identify the small fragments of those villains that live within ourselves. But when people start questioning their role in any dysfunction, genuine progress becomes possible.

Collective Responsibility and Systemic Change

Of course, personal responsibility alone is not enough. Many problems are structurally rooted in laws, governance, economics, and power. But even systemic change depends on the moral energy of individuals. Laws don’t emerge in a vacuum; they evolve through social demand and public pressure. When enough people care, act, and refuse to tolerate injustice, policies shift, and systems reform.

Take environmental activism as an example. Decades ago, climate change was dismissed as a fringe concern. Today, because of millions of individuals who raised their voices, changed their consumption habits, and pressured governments, the issue has become central to international policy. The same principle applies to movements for human rights, equality, and accountability: collective awareness begins with individual awakening.

However, this process requires balance. Some people focus so much on identifying blame that they exhaust the energy needed for solutions. Others avoid discussing problems altogether to maintain comfort. The ideal lies in the middle to recognize the problem clearly, accept our share in it honestly, and work persistently toward its solution.

The Role of Perspective

Our perception shapes whether we see ourselves as victims or contributors. A person who sees litter on the street might either complain about civic authorities or bend down to pick it up. A teacher may either lament students’ disinterest or adapt his/her teaching methods. A citizen may either curse the government or participate in improving community life. The difference lies not in circumstance, but in mindset.

When we view ourselves as powerless, we surrender agency. When we view ourselves as responsible, even small actions regain meaning. Society changes not when the powerful act, but when the ordinary refuse to remain passive. History’s greatest transformations abolition of slavery, women’s rights, and democratic reforms, were driven by people who stopped seeing themselves as helpless and started acting as catalysts.

Moral Leadership in Daily Life

We often imagine “leaders” as those in political or corporate positions, but moral leadership exists in ordinary lives. It is the parent teaching a child honesty, the shopkeeper refusing to cheat customers, the journalist speaking truth despite pressure, and the student standing up against bullying. Each of these actions weakens a problem and strengthens its solution.

True leadership is not about authority; it is about integrity. A society built on integrity does not need constant supervision but regulates itself through conscience. When people understand that their smallest actions matter, the collective direction of a nation changes.

From Blame to Action

Blame creates division; responsibility creates direction. When people spend energy identifying who is wrong instead of what can be done right, progress stalls. The shift from being part of the problem to part of the solution requires a change in attitude, from complaint to contribution.

For instance, rather than complaining about low literacy, one could volunteer to teach or sponsor education. Instead of criticizing wasteful behavior, one could model sustainable living. Instead of lamenting corruption, one could practice transparency in their own work. Small deeds, multiplied by millions, become a revolution.

The Continuous Process

No one is permanently on one side. Being part of the problem or the solution is a continuous process, changing with circumstances, awareness, and choices. Sometimes, despite good intentions, we may contribute to harm. Other times, our smallest efforts may heal more than we realize. The goal is not perfection but consciousness, a willingness to keep learning, correcting, and improving.

Conclusion: The Choice Within

Every generation inherits a world shaped by both mistakes and wisdom. Whether the next generation finds it better or worse depends on the choices we make today. The line between problem and solution runs not through systems or societies, but through every human heart.

We can either live as silent witnesses to the decay around us or as active participants in its renewal. To be part of the solution is not a slogan; it is a lifelong practice of awareness, courage, and compassion. Each moment offers that choice: to add to the weight of the world’s problems, or to lighten it, however slightly, with our actions.

In the end, the question is simple: when history looks back, will we be remembered as part of the problem, or part of the solution?

Read: Swimming: The Life-Saving Skill

____________________

Abdullah Soomro, penname Abdullah Usman Morai, hailing from Moro town of Sindh, province of Pakistan, is based in Stockholm Sweden. Currently he is working as Groundwater Engineer in Stockholm Sweden. He did BE (Agriculture) from Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam and MSc water systems technology from KTH Stockholm Sweden as well as MSc Management from Stockholm University. Beside this he also did masters in journalism and economics from Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Mirs, Sindh. He is author of a travelogue book named ‘Musafatoon’. His second book is in process. He writes articles from time to time. A frequent traveler, he also does podcast on YouTube with channel name: VASJE Podcast.

The post Hold Up A Mirror, Not Accusations first appeared on Sindh Courier.

• Public transport system, poor condition of roads and infrastructure, sanitation, street crimes and encroachments are some of the serious issues of Karachi

Shahreen Malik

Through your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the concerned authorities and the general public to the worsening problems of Karachi—the economic engine of Pakistan and a city that contributes the largest share to our national revenue. Despite its importance, Karachi continues to face severe challenges that affect the daily lives of millions of residents. If these issues are not resolved on a priority basis, the city’s social, economic, and environmental health will continue to deteriorate.

To begin with, one of the most alarming problems is the chaos in the transportation system. Karachi, with its ever-growing population, still relies on an outdated, insufficient, and unsafe transport network. A majority of citizens depend on old, damaged buses that are neither comfortable nor reliable. Although the introduction of the Green Line and other mass transit projects was appreciated, they remain far from meeting the needs of more than twenty million people. The lack of proper traffic management adds further misery, resulting in daily traffic jams, delays, and a great waste of time and fuel. There is an urgent need for a modern and integrated transport system like BRT extensions, improved railway services, and better pedestrian facilities.

Another deeply troubling issue is the poor condition of roads and infrastructure. After every monsoon, the city transforms into a landscape of potholes, broken streets, overflowing drains, and flooded neighborhoods. Despite repeated promises, Karachi never receives the consistent maintenance required for such a large metropolitan city. Damaged roads lead to accidents, slow economic activity, and increased repair costs for vehicle owners. Furthermore, poor drainage systems cause serious health risks due to stagnant water, which becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes and diseases such as dengue and malaria.

The lack of cleanliness is yet another major concern. Karachi, unfortunately, has earned a reputation as one of the dirtiest large cities in the world. Garbage is piled up on streets, empty plots, and even outside residential areas. Solid waste management authorities often fail to collect and dispose of garbage timely and properly. In many localities, people are forced to burn waste, which further contributes to air pollution. A city that once prided itself on being the “City of Lights” now struggles with basic hygiene issues. Without an effective waste-collection system, recycling initiatives, and strict enforcement of cleanliness laws, the situation cannot improve.

Read: AI and Satellite Data Reveal Karachi’s Green Space Crisis

Water shortage is also a persistent crisis in Karachi. Despite being Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi does not receive enough water from its main sources. Millions of residents depend on tanker mafias, who charge high prices for supplying even basic quantities of water. In many areas, water contamination is equally worrying, as unsafe drinking water causes widespread illnesses. Authorities must take strong action to repair pipelines, eliminate illegal connections, and upgrade filtration plants so that citizens can receive clean and sufficient water.

Another issue that demands serious attention is the rising crime rate. Street crimes, theft, and robberies have become common in many parts of Karachi. The lack of effective policing, limited CCTV coverage, and slow investigation processes have caused public frustration and fear. People no longer feel safe walking on the streets or using their mobile phones in public. The government should strengthen policing, expand surveillance, and introduce community-based safety programs to restore peace in the city.

Lastly, the problem of encroachments has made public spaces almost disappear. Footpaths are occupied by vendors, illegal constructions block natural drains, and commercial activities are carried out in residential areas. This mismanagement not only creates congestion but also damages the city’s overall planning and beauty. Strict enforcement of building laws and regular anti-encroachment drives are essential to reclaim the city’s public spaces.

In conclusion, Karachi’s problems are not unsolvable; they simply require honest leadership, long-term planning, and continuous monitoring. The authorities must treat Karachi as a national priority, not a temporary political project. I request the government, civic bodies, and all stakeholders to take immediate and concrete steps to restore Karachi’s dignity and livability. Only then can the city truly fulfill its role as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy.

Read: Road Dangers in Karachi: A Growing Crisis

_________________

Shahreen Malik is resident of TBLC satellite town Rawalpindi

The post Karachi Crises: Act Now, Save City first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Men are suffering because of their expectations. Desiring something is not unmanly. But, desiring things which can alter the cosmic equations can be disastrous Most of the suffering that we see in the world is caused by human myopia, and man’s partiality for foolishness.

We are responsible for all the good or evil that we do, and then, as a rebound, is done to us.  

Dr. Jernail S. Anand

Generally speaking, it is the weak people who suffer at the hands of the mighty. In case you are suffering, can it be construed as your weakness? The people who are weak actually break before suffering. But those who are suffering are not weak, but actually the strong people who can withstand adverse circumstances which lead to their suffering. To suffer and sustain, – it is a sign of strength, not a symptom of weakness. If we can see with cosmic vision, we shall find that almost everyone is undergoing suffering and it has a different denomination in each case. Still a case can be made out and proved too that men who are weak minded often suffer at the hands of the rich and the powerful.

To understand the logic of suffering, we need to delve a bit deeper. The simple equation of the powerful versus the powerless does not work.  Even the powerful have to suffer.  Suffering like happiness has divine roots. No doubt, it all depends on our choices, but the divine will lies in how we choose. If we are to suffer, our choices will be like that. If we are not be a sufferer, our choices will be different.

Suffering as the Will of God

Guru Arjan Dev ji, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs, was martyred most inhumanly. He was made to sit on a hot plate and burning sand was poured into his head. But in that condition, he says: Tera kiya meetha lage. [O God, what you do, I find most sweet and agreeable]. The suffering was undeserved, and the Guru was praising God for all that was happening to him. Was this suffering God-given? Were those who were inflicting it on him as His instruments to blame? Yet the Guru just believed in the Will of God. Can we infer from here that all suffering has behind it some divine logic? Are those who give you suffering and pain, commissioned by gods? In other words, are they agents of the Divine as the jailors and others are who put people to eternal sleep at the noose, serve the king?

Why suffering?

Why suffering? This is the original question which remains to be answered. The Guru’s suffering was the highest. What we suffer are minor misfortunes. Accidents, deaths can be ascribed to fate, and fist-fights in the name of religion, and colour, to human folly. Most of the suffering that we see in the world is caused by human myopia, and man’s partiality for foolishness. Just imagine, what is your problem if the other person is a black or a white? Whether you are a Sikh or a Parsee? Does it make him any less human? Then our education causes segregation in society. If there are some superior people, they are superior because some others are inferior. There is a divide and sometimes it comes to a head. Take out your fists now. What are you waiting for?

Expectation & Moderation

Men are suffering because of their expectations. Desiring something is not unmanly. But, desiring things which can alter the cosmic equations can be disastrous. This needs moderation, which is an internal system. If time moderates you, it will not be without pain. If someone else moderates you, it can be full of shame. If you have an internal setting to moderate your dreams and desires, you will pull up a moderate face, and present yourself to the world as a man or a woman, who understands the logistics of the empirical and the divine. And it will not ruffle the feathers of the people unnecessarily. On seeing light, insects develop wings, and we men, develop fantasies, which cause a lot of romance, like coloured balloons, but it brings us down, rocking and shocking.

The Correction Force

What is the role of Police? Iron cuts iron. Evil cannot be contained by Poetry. Thieves need the fear of bullets to keep under check, not films with a reformist bias. Can punishment reform them? It is a moot question, when we look at Victor Hugo’s ‘Les Miserables’, which comments on blind application of law.  What foxes me sometimes is: suffering to the people is caused by evil doers, thieves, killers, and marauders. Then, the soft work by the police starts. And they are sent to jails to suffer for their psychopathic fantasies. It is a strange hypothesis: that just as police is the correction force of the earthy powers, these thieves, killers, and marauders are evil forces working at the divine command to punish people for their moral and spiritual crimes, which remain undetected by law.

Why should people suffer?

Why should people suffer? If there is an accident, and a man loses his arms, who is responsible for it? The car that collided with his car is normally responsible for the suffering. And the law of the land will arraign the person driving the car. But, is it all about suffering? Has suffering no spiritual cognizance? Why he collided? Why only he was chosen for this suffering? And why this suffering was restricted to his arms? Why his eyes were spared?

Accidents are not accidental

It is an accident, but it is not accidental. The man was chosen. Now the question is who chose him for this eventuality? I believe, we are responsible for all the good or evil that we do, and then, as a rebound, done to us. In this way, this suffering too was self-inflicted. We might have done something which was waiting to involve us in that accident.

It may seem too farfetched.

Divine metabolism

But, I personally feel, that as CCTV cameras capture your physical movement, there is an ICCTV camera which is not only capturing but evaluating not only our actions, but our thoughts also which precede them. And, this divine metabolism makes sure we do what is essential for us to do. It is no overstatement if I say Gods are very kind to their men. Forget Lear and Gloucester. Gods ensure that only good is done to you. So, they are always guiding us in our thoughts and actions. And if we want to do something and we cannot do it, then, it should be inferred that gods wants us to engage ourselves in some other task. This is the Divine Will, to which we found our Great Guru subordinating himself.

Now, to this accident, it is squaring of some deals, bringing us even with some incidents. We go on acting, but we do not keep count of our excesses. But Gods do not let slip even a good thought that we entertained from their notes. All the day, thinking and acting is going on. And the addition and subtraction goes on in divine computers. Such accidents are like some issues cropping up in the computer. Nothing more.

Read: ANATOMY OF TERROR

__________________

Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, President of the International Academy of Ethics, is author of 167 books in English poetry, fiction, non-fiction, philosophy and spirituality. He was awarded Charter of Morava, the great Award by Serbian Writers Association, Belgrade and his name was engraved on the Poets’ Rock in Serbia. The Academy of Arts and philosophical Sciences of Bari [Italy] honored him with the award of an Honorable Academic.  Recently, he was awarded Doctor of Philosophy [Honoris Causa] by the University of Engineering and Management, Jaipur. Recently, he organized an International Conference on Contemporary Ethics at Chandigarh. His most phenomenal book is Lustus: The Prince of Darkness [first epic of the Mahkaal Trilogy]. Email: anandjs55@yahoo.com

Link Bibliography:

https://atunispoetry.com/2023/12/08/indian-author-dr-jernail-s-anand-honoured-at-the-60th-belgrade-international-meeting-of-writers/

https://sites.google.com/view/bibliography-dr-jernal-singh/home

The post SUFFERING’S CHILD first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Being the resident of Larkana, the Divisional Headquarter, and being gravely concerned to the situation prevailing in this politically and historically important city besides its great contribution in the economy of the country in general and Sindh province in particular, I am rightful to ask the rulers ‘have you ever bothered to pay a visit and take stock of the situation?

You cannot even imagine how the people live in Larkana?  It may be called 4th largest city of Sindh but have you ever thought that this title to this city suits it or not? No doubt the government has been claiming ‘doing as much as they can’ but what about the ground realities?

I want to make aware the government that a lot of problems have engulfed the Larkana city. There is acute problem of water supply, and the hell problem of load shedding of electricity all the year making the lives of people miserable especially in scorching summers.  The citizens don’t have proper sanitation and drainage system. The roads and streets are littered and inundated by sewerage water.

And yes, the city also lacks law and order – not a single day passes without crimes like robberies and theft.

There are lots of other issues and this is our right as a citizen to raise questions about facilities we are lacking.

We also don’t forget to mention the work of government which they have done for the people of Sindh. Government has taken a very effective step by introducing people’s bus service in some cities of Sindh and Sindh Solid Waste Management Board has awarded contracts for door-to-door collection of municipal waste but it needs to be supervised for ensuring its effective work. The government of Sindh is introducing Pakistan first electric bus service in Karachi which need to be appreciated but it’s our responsibility to remind the rulers about the issues and some things which need to be fixed.

I hope this will not prove to be the Cry in the Desert.

Areeba Altaf

Larkana Sindh

The post A lone voice in the wilderness first appeared on Sindh Courier.

ANJUM ALTAF

1.

First, a longish prologue about Pakistan’s problems to which there is no resolution. Not because solutions are unavailable – they are and are not rocket science – but because the desire and the capacity to implement them are missing. And the absence of desire obviates the necessity to invest in capacity leading to further erosion of the latter to the point that it is now non-existent.

Sure, there are some very bright people around but they can never be enough. I am mind-boggled how Bedil (1642-1720), a poet who lived over 300 years ago, could have such a profound understanding of what it takes to overcome the darkness of ignorance, something to which our rulers are still oblivious thinking they can get by with prayers and miracles. Rather than go to China to seek knowledge as directed, our good and obedient Muslims believe they can prosper by begging for some yuans instead.

Read carefully. Here is what Bedil said (translated and explained in a lovely collection by Dr. Syed Naeem Hamid Ali al Hamid):

چراغِ برقِ تحقیقی ، نمی باشد درین وادی

سیاهی کرد این جا ، گر همه خورشید پیدا شد

نہیں ہے جب چراغِ برقِ تحقیق اس زمانے میں] [اندھیرا ہی رہے گا لاکھ ہوں شمس و قمر پیدا

(Without the lamp of research in this valley,

ignorance will not be dispelled no matter how many suns are born)

2.

What we have are too many cooks in the scullery (they refer to each other as crooks much as the British aristocracy enunciates ‘off’ as ‘orff’) engaged, instead of cooking, in stabbing each other in the back or pulling them down by their legs while trying to sleep their way up to the kitchen.

And what can one say of the above-mentioned bright suns. Once in a while, when a c(r)ook gets trumped out of one of the moulding kitchen cabinets, it is astounding to see him or her turn into a fount of wisdom knowing everything that needs be done to produce a gourmet meal, and one bows down to pray with Ghalib:

رکھیو یا رب یہ درِ گنجینۂ گوہر کھلا

(Lord, please keep open this door of the treasury of pearls)

Alas, as soon as they find a way to squirm themselves back into the kitchen the door is firmly shut and it as if they had never in their lives known what they were pronouncing so recently from the rooftops of leading institutions. Quite an ironic reversal to where Ghalib had expected the outpouring of pearls to occur:

بزمِ شاہنشاہ میں اشعار کا دفتر کھلا

(In the king’s gathering a register of verses opened)

Gone are those days. Now mums the word in the king’s gathering. Not just that, the O-so-recent champions of enlightened advice take on, with unseemly alacrity, the task of strangling any further loose talk. Even as this is being written, a flurry of actions suggests someone having received an approving nod to criminalize criticism of those who have themselves admitted foul play. One has to heed Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984) and say what needs be said before the already-narrow window closes altogether.

بول، یہ تھوڑا وقت بہت ہے

جسم و زباں کی موت سے پہلے

بول، کہ سچ زندہ ہے اب تک

بول، جو کچھ کہنا ہے کہہ لے

(Time enough is this brief hour

Until body and tongue lie dead;

Speak, for truth is living yet –

Speak whatever must be said.)

[Translation: Victor Kiernan]

3.

None of Pakistan’s leaders are rooted in its soil the way they are in normal countries. Prime ministers, ministers and advisors fly in from London, New York and Dubai and fly back when they are trumped out.

We began with a claim of the absence of desire. It remains not to substantiate something obvious to the naked eye (the word being used under advisement in a land where everything would rather be veiled), but to explain why that is the case. It is because none of Pakistan’s leaders are rooted in its soil the way they are in normal countries. Prime ministers, ministers and advisors fly in from London, New York and Dubai and fly back when they are trumped out. Others decamp as soon as they retire, often with planeloads of toshakhana gifts, to villas in the UAE, ranches in Texas or farms in Australia. Their energies are devoted to extracting as much as possible as long as they can before the boat capsizes. Perhaps the loot is needed to buy permanent residence in their safe havens. How else to explain the ease with which they, some with criminal charges against their names, are permitted to settle abroad in places where ordinary folks have to wait more than a year to just be interviewed for a visa? People whose own survival is not at stake need not distract themselves with the desire to fix anything.

4.

Given the above, I am not really bothered by those who insist on the delivery of a “solution” to Pakistan’s problems. There are many others doing that and I am more interested in diagnosis than in prescription. As a matter of fact, I find it quite odd that the complainers do not question the point of offering advice to those they simultaneously accuse of never following it. For that it is sufficient to refer them to the poet Mir Taqi Mir (1723-1810):

میر کیا سادے ہیں بیمار ہوئے جس کے سبب

اسی عطّار کے لڑکے سے دوا لیتے ہیں

(Mir is so simple, he is seeking a cure

from the same perfumer’s lad who gave him the disease)

5.

The solution to Pakistan’s cricketing woes was a man named Mickey Arthur and some others, all foreigners, because a foreigner is “willing to make no compromises. 

Be that as it may, I have often wondered if I would be able to conjure up a solution if a gun were held to my head. For long I thought I wouldn’t be able to save my life till the glimmer of a possibility appeared from silly mid-on. It was courtesy of the newly-selected chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board who immediately sacked all local coaches and selectors and insisted the solution to Pakistan’s cricketing woes was a man named Mickey Arthur and some others, all foreigners, because a foreigner is “willing to make no compromises in team interest.”

I did have a nagging reservation because it’s no secret that past chairmen and patrons have also made compromises similar to those of local coaches and selectors or have allowed the latter to do so under their watch when it suited their interests. Far be it for me to take the mickey out of the chairman, it being polite convention to exempt present company, but I felt the logic of his sound argument ought naturally to percolate upwards.

The point remains that no matter how much we love them, the locals in charge of economics and politics are not up to scratch

Still and all, given the paucity of alternatives, I convinced myself I should push the Chairman’s logic as far as was possible and see whether it would leave us in better shape than we are in now. I felt it was worth exploring the Mickey Arthur solution especially given that politics and economics should have higher priority than cricket although, it must be immediately conceded, one can never be too sure in Pakistan. The extent of attention devoted by the Prime Minister, as patron, to fix cricket while the country was falling apart, does call into question any presumptions relying on mere rationality.

6.

The point remains that no matter how much we love them, the locals in charge of economics and politics are not up to scratch; they are leading us over the edge and there won’t be room enough for the plebs on the helicopter when they lift off. Faiz may well have had them in mind when he said:

تیرے ہونٹوں کے پھولوں کی چاہت میں ہم

دار کی خشک ٹہنی پہ وارے گئے

(Longing for your lips, dreaming of their blossoms

We were hung from the dry branch of the scaffold)

سمجھنے والے سمجھ گئے ہیں

نہ سمجھیں ۰ وہ اناڑی ہیں

(Those who understand have understood

Those who don’t are but amateurs)

Mickey Arthur solution would be to bring in on one- to two-year contracts foreign consultants who are qualified, competent, unbiased and have hands-on experience

To repeat: The situation is dire and the executioner is tightening the noose. It is not that solutions are too complex; it is just that the ability to execute is non-existent given decades of erosion of human capital via mind-numbing school curricula and various hybrid experiments seeking the most self-seeking, servile, and pliant proxies to govern the country.

In such a situation, the Mickey Arthur solution would be to bring in on one- to two-year contracts foreign consultants who are qualified, competent, unbiased and have hands-on experience. More importantly, they must have a feel for the toxic local culture that is a minefield for the unwary. Pakistanis with memory would recall the poor chap who was brought in from Lufthansa to run the fast sinking national airline and was instead conned within no time into a Houdini-like disappearance of a plane.

The critical financial situation threatening to unravel the economy calls for sophisticated debt restructuring via negotiations with both private lenders and multilateral agencies like the IMF and the World Bank. There is simply no one more qualified for this task than Avinash Persaud who as Special Envoy to the Prime Minister was central to a similar restructuring in Barbados and is also a global leader through the celebrated Bridgetown Initiative in linking climate financing with conditionalities of debt repayment. Readers can convince themselves by reading any of the host of news reports about his credentials.

The State Bank needs a very experienced hand at the helm and for that I would turn to Raghuram Rajan. For economic policy, I would tap Arvind Subramaniam. And for crafting a vision for the future, I would rely on Kaushik Basu who, after Karl Polanyi, is among the few economists who understand how the economy is embedded in society and how asymmetrical relationships of power shape economic outcomes.

7.

Prejudice in our society is so entrenched that we even shun the little talent we have available.

Given that this is Pakistan, there is little chance the experts recommended would be welcome and my intention in naming them is only for readers to look them up and see the huge difference between the capabilities available outside and those with which we are attempting to address our problems. This is a difference that cannot be bridged in decades given what is being taught in our schools and colleges.

Prejudice in our society is so entrenched that we even shun the little talent we have available. At a recent conference on tolerance in Pakistan at a prestigious university, intended to highlight the life of minorities, one representative was disinvited at the last minute leaving his seat unoccupied. It is actually preposterous to think that individuals of such caliber can be biased. As the chairman of the PCB has said of Mickey Arthur and others he plans to add: “a foreigner does not bring excess baggage.” Such consultants would more likely look upon the assignment as a personal challenge to demonstrate their skills in reviving a near comatose patient.

8.

It would be nice to imagine a scenario where the entire ruling group could be given a golden handshake much like employees of bloated public sector organizations

One final problem remains: What is to be done with those who would be telling the consultants what to do and responsible for implementing what they are advised? If the present lot is not scary enough, the next generation of Rajapaksas is positively frightening. My ‘solution’ is not intended to be taken seriously but now that I have entered candyland let me push the fantasy to its limit.

It would be nice to imagine a scenario where the entire ruling group could be given a golden handshake much like employees of bloated public sector organizations. They could continue to draw their salaries; the savings in efficiency from their staying away would outweigh manifold the payments to keep them engaged in playing golf on their exclusive courses or relocate to their villas, ranches and farms abroad from where they would be free to visit for the occasional wedding or funeral.

Instead, each province (plus AJK and GB there being no reason to deprive them of the benefits) would be outsourced to a country that has demonstrated it knows how to govern its economy and society. This would be a scaling-up of the model so successfully innovated by Pandit Nehru when he founded the set of IITs in India in the 1950s. Each one was run by a different foreign group who competed to demonstrate the prowess of their model. As a result, the institutions attained international prominence and are considered hugely successful in contributing to the outsized presence of Indians in the world of technology.

In choosing whom to outsource the governance and management of Pakistan’s provinces one would do well to avoid the big powers that have a nasty habit of using such interventions to advance their own global interests. Countries with smaller global footprints but with successful track records would make for better choices and there are many to choose from – Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Netherlands, Finland and Sweden, for example. Five years of free reign for any of them would turn Pakistan around.

9.

This is a fairy tale, of course, and none of this would ever come to pass which is why I began with the claim that there is no resolution to Pakistan’s problems. The Rajapaksa orchestra under the baton of a pious conductor-in-chief on deck with various other off-pitch c(r)ooks in the pit will play on while water fills the holds from below. After that, who knows!

10.

پاک سرزمین شاد باد

کشورِ حسین شاد باد

تُو نشانِ عزمِ عالی شان

ارضِ پاکستان!‏

مرکزِ یقین شاد باد

پاک سرزمین کا نظام

قُوَّتِ اُخوَّتِ عوام

قوم، ملک، سلطنت

پائندہ تابندہ باد!‏

شاد باد منزلِ مراد

پرچمِ ستارہ و ہِلال

رہبرِ ترقِّی و کمال

ترجمانِ ماضی، شانِ حال

جانِ استقبال!‏

سایۂ خدائے ذوالجلال

(Blessed be the sacred land,

Happy be the bounteous realm.

Thou symbol of high resolve,

O Land of Pakistan!

Blessed be the citadel of faith.

The order of this sacred land,

The might of the brotherhood of the people,

May the nation, the country, and the state,

Shine in glory everlasting!

Blessed be the goal of our ambition.

The flag of the crescent and star,

Leads the way to progress and perfection,

Interpreter of our past, glory of our present,

inspiration for our future!

Shade of God, the Glorious and Mighty.)

___________________

Dr. Anjum Altaf earned his PhD from Stanford University. He was Professor of Economics and Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. He is the author of Critical Reflections on the Single National Curriculum and the Medium of Instruction and What We Get Wrong About Education in Pakistan, both published by Folio Books, Lahore, in 2022.

Courtesy: Dr. Anjum Altaf/ The South Asian Idea (Received on Feb 11, 2023)

The post Pakistan and the Mickey Arthur solution first appeared on Sindh Courier.

By Kainat Rao

Now-a-days getting education has become the most significant part of every individual’s life. While time spent in school and college is the happiest experience for most of the students including both girls and boys, but comparatively girl’s education experience is mostly with many hindrances. Girls face a lot of problems while studying at school or college. Every student face problems according to their situation which varies among girl students. However, there are 10 common problems that are faced by girl students during school and college. If you are one of those girl students who face problems on their way to college, get a jump on how to face these issues that may occur in your path. Peer Pressure

Health Issues

Most of the young girls have to face a lot of health issues as some of the students stay away from home. Such students when eats food from the cafeteria and outside meals probably fall sick very quickly. Falling sick means missing important lectures and lessons which can result in poor attendance and loss of lessons. Such students suffer from mental health conditions because of the heightened stress, poor self-care, and lack of sleep in order to cover all the missing lectures.

The solution for such girl student’s health issues is that each student should eat healthy food and get as much sleep as they can after college or school time. Students should also make a habit of washing their hands so that the chances of falling ill can be reduced.

Mode of Transportation

Girl students also have to face transportation issues while going to school and college. As many of the girls fear harassment during travelling by public transport. Public transports are always crowded by men and women have to struggle a lot for finding their safe spot in the transport and while standing among the crowd.

Early Marriage Issues

Some parents force their daughters in early marriages and with new overwhelming relationships studying can be harder than expectations. Girl students can easily get distracted from their goal of studies as they have to fulfill many other responsibilities.

The solution to this problem is talking to your parents about it and take relationship advice in order to better cope up with the relationship and education life.

Girls’ Security & Safety

Many parents get conscious while sending their young girls to schools and colleges. With the growing crime rates, it is very important to ensure a safe and secure zone of education for all female students. Girl students face problems of harassment sometime within the institutes, people outside the institutes. They have to be very careful while coming from their homes to schools and colleges. Moreover, girls living away from home have to suffer from the harassment of hostel authorities.

The possible solution to ensure the safety and security of girls is looking for an institute with a well-known reputation where you can easily control these unpleasant activities. Moreover, parents should try to give pick and drops to their young girls so that they don’t have to worry about their safety.

____________________

Kainat Shoukat Ali Rajput is based in Nawabshah Sindh

The post Problems faced by the girls in education first appeared on Sindh Courier.