Urbanization in Pakistan

In September 1931, when Allama Iqbal was in England to attend the second round table conference, Italian Government sent its emissaries and requested him to visit Italy. While in Italy sometimes in November 1931, Allama Iqbal received a message through Dr. Scorpa, the Italian Councilor in Mumbai that Mussolini wanted to meet him. Dr. Iqbal accepted his invitation and met the Italian Dictator on November 27 in his 'famous hall'.

During the course of the meeting Mussolini asked Iqbal, “What you except we Italians to do?”

Dr. Iqbal replied, “Europe has left with no moral values. Stop blindly following Europe and learn lessons from the East.”

Mussolini then requested Dr. Iqbal to give few more suggestions. Iqbal said, “Limit the size of the population of a city and don’t allow overcrowding of the cities. After a city reaches this limit, create new settlements and cities for the people.”

A bemused Mussolini requested Iqbal to elaborate further. Iqbal said, “As population of a city increases, its moral values and economic power start waning. Worst, immoral activities start challenging the cultural strength.”

Mussolini looked at Allama Iqbal in disbelief for a moment but in the next moment stood from his chair and shouted in excitement, “What an excellent idea!”

There are notions to this advice being extracted from a Hadith that I cannot confirm as yet (if a reader could confirm provide the reference, it would be great) however the very idea is something we are totally overlooking while (mis-)managing our cities. With Karachi's population crossing 13 million mark and Lahore's 10 million, we are still not implementing any laws to restrict the boundaries of our cities.

Why are we inclined to develop Islamabad into another unmanageable city like Karachi (and posssibly Lahore). Same is happening with relatively smaller cities e.g., Faisalabad, Multan, Sargodha, Gujranwala. We should be developing central cities in all parts of the country with best in class education, medical, communication and business facilities so that people do not have to come to the bigger cities for their needs. Even more so, the villages should be developed to reduce urbanization (we can't probably halt it).

A step to be taken right now!

Areas to look for when you are analyzing yourself!

Career—Look at all aspects of your present job. Is it interesting and enjoyable? Do you have sufficient responsibility? Will your job allow you to fulfill your career ambitions?
Money—Decide how important money is to you. Do you make enough presently? Would it be better for you if you spent less time earning money and had more time for the other areas of your life?
Health—Do you feel in good physical shape? Do you get enough exercise? How about your diet—are you eating and drinking as you should?
Relationships—Do you see enough of your family and friends? Are you happy with your significant other or your spouse? How committed are you to your children and your parents?
Self—Are you satisfied at a personal level; are you gicing enough time to fulfil your obligations to God and yourself.? Is there something you've always wanted to learn, such as a foreign language or a hobby you've wanted to explore, but have never done anything about it?

Adapted from:
http://www.channelconnect.com/HaveyouevercreatedalifeChart/tabid/734/Default.aspx

FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT DO - IN YOUR OFFICE

1. Being a sloppy e-mailer - best time to respond is less than 4 hours and remember, your words depict your personality
2. Confusing informal with disrespectful - be careful when communicating with managers and colleagues; choose your jokes smartly
3. Taking advantage of leeway - if you are not caught one day, don't make it a habit as you may be caught another day; also people keep forming opinions about you even when you don’t know it; short cuts, cut your professional life short
4. Acting as a resident contrarian - don't negate just everything, be logical otherwise people will start leaving you out of decision making
5. Bad mouthing about the company - don't do it; poses questions on your loyalty in current and future assignments; stay positive

Thanks to Sidra Iqbal (Corporate Coffee, PTV)

Jinnah's portraits removed from Presidency and PM House

Saturday, June 27, 2009, the News International, Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The portraits of Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah have been removed from the Prime Minister House and Presidential House, Geo News revealed Saturday.Two days ago, President Asif Ali Zardari hosted a reception in the honour of national cricket team on winning the ICC Twenty20 World Cup title. On this occasion, the team players and officials had a group photo with President Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.There are pictures of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal Zardari Bhutto and President Zardari without any picture of founder of Pakistan are seen hung in the backdrop of photo.Similarly, an Internship Award ceremony was held with PM Gilani in chair on Friday. On this occasion, the stage was decorated with the pictures of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, President Zardari and PM Gilani; however, there was no picture of Quaid-e-Azam.In a similar photograph, President Zardari was administering oath of Federal Mohtasib to Dr Shoaib Suddle; however, the backdrop flashed with a picture of Quaid-e-Awam sans any photo of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah.Similarly, in a meeting with US delegation, no photograph of Muhammed Ali Jinnah was visible.Under law, to hang the portrait of Quaid-e-Azam at offices of government officials, President and Prime Minister is compulsory.

How cheap is the mentality up there and how childish our rulers are...

No further comments!

Reference: http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=81600

Office emails

1. I wonder why do people keep emailing each other while a trivial issue can be resolved on a 5 minute phone chat.

2. Have you ever thought how hard it is to give words (in writing) to your feelings/ body language? Email is useful but at times does not convey the point properly even if you have a large vocabulary available to your support.

3. Should official email be used for sending jokes, news and infotaiment to your friends? (Ethical dilemma!)

PEACE?

Our soul may never rest in things that are inferior to itself!

YES, we can!

We are living in interesting times. The last couple of years have shown the otherwise disconnected and disappointed Pakistanis the possibility that they are still relevant and can utilize their energies to change their own destiny a bit, if not all. The principle-centered lawyers’ movement led the people to a change no one had thought of. Notwithstanding all the complications being cited, there is no second opinion to the fact that November 3, 2007 judiciary is back and that alone gives some sense of accomplishment to the success-starved people of Pakistan.

No doubt, we have lost one whole year, at least, in foolish political war-mongering. A number of politicians proved to the core that they are unable to comprehend the metamorphosis taking place in our society in the past few years. In a way, it has been a blessing in disguise as all the events have taught a number of lessons to the people as well as to the politicians probably. Many of the political bigwigs have been exposed and many others are apparently forced into a damage control exercise.

The events that took place in the last year indicate that we have two types of politicians (I am not calling them political leaders because there is huge trust deficit for them in masses still). First are the ones belonging to the urban and relatively media-aware areas who know that their voters have started to understand and exercise their rights to question the ways of governance. This segment feels the most aware (or threatened) about the possibility of being thrown onto the backstage during the next elections, if they are not performing well and are not sticking to the principles, their voters believe in.

Second segment belongs to the rural, largely feudal elite, whether old or young, male or female, who consider their election success a definite reality of life. Although people in their constituencies are being affected by awareness campaigns indirectly through their urban friends, the pace of change is relatively slow. These politicians are the ones resistant or rather least bothered about any sort of change within Pakistan. They are living in a separate world altogether and will probably be at ease when changing loyalties whenever required.

In between, we can find groups using fear factor to stay in power and the opportunists who know the art of staying in government, thus enjoying the luxuries. On similar lines, there is a divide within the civil and military bureaucracy who along with their children are either planning to or already settled abroad. The people of Pakistan, on the other hand, are the ones who themselves as well as their children aspire to live their lives on their own soil. Even if they send their children abroad, they want them to come back and serve this nation while living among their countrymen.

The question is how we, the people of Pakistan, could build on the momentum generated in the past two years. Apparently, we appear to be running short of time with all the hype created regarding possible breakup of Pakistan and the wave of terrorism triggered on us through Afghansitan. But let’s remember that all great transformations are started by a small minority at a stage when there are skeptics dominating the optimists. We have to believe that there is no greater power than that of the people. We have to keep exposing those who have no stakes in Pakistan, may these be in politics or in any form of civil and military bureaucracy. We have to ensure that these politicians do not fail us again. We have to counter any possible threats to democracy, free speech and human rights. The people of Pakistan will have to develop the social pressure to ensure that the government involves them in problem resolution and does not consider them a problem only. So everything probably needs to be done us. We have to move and challenge the human rights violations in courts ourselves and not put all the pressure on the Chief Justice of Pakistan for suo-moto notices. Apparently, too much to ask, but there is in fact no other option. We, as Pakistanis, have to take our destiny in our hands.

Media has to play an even more responsible role. It has to become more principle centered and focused on national agenda. It has to raise even more awareness in people regarding human rights. It has to push the political reconciliation and dialog culture, an independent election commission, the Charter of democracy, perhaps everything that helps us evolving into a just and organized society.

One of our politicians, who has been a beneficiary during almost every government in the recent past recently said, “Pakistan is getting out of “our” hands.” Let’s all work and pray that our country surely gets out of “their” hands and gets into the hands of the people of Pakistan. Together, we have to be optimist that we can do it, and believe me, as I mentioned earlier, we have no other choice.

The article can also be read at http://www.chowk.com/articles/yes-we-can-muhammad-akhtar.htm