Child Labour

                   Joe continued to pick up the remnants of a once mighty Turkish vase. Though it was just stranded alone in the corner, it got all the respect and homage once it was no more. Every piece of it was related to the long ancestry and for every passing second its value doubled. It was not a mistake Joe has committed, it was a sin. A sin for which there was no repentance, which will forever strangle him and remind him of the moment he took just a breath of air outside his set boundaries. ‘The sin was unpardonable and the price has to be paid’ said Ms. Cilia. ‘The child must be reminded of his bounds and such a lesson be taught to him that he never forgets it his whole good-for-nothing life’ spoke Ms. Cilia in a proud tone. Joe cursed the time he even thought of behaving out of norms in the Brooks’ Mansion.

                Joe came to work from a tender age of 6 and his luck has turned its face away from him from that very day. All the day he was involved in chores ranging from running errands and doing any thing that might pop in Ms. Cilia’s mind. A perfection of 100% was expected from his at all costs and he was required to present his best when assigned a job. Joe was supposed to respond whenever called by saying “At you service, mistress” and report back immediately when a work has been done. Ms. Cilia was an extremely calm personality. Even in the wake of a rage, she’d act as if nothing has gone wrong at all. This was the reason she succeeded over the Brooks’ Empire even though she has brothers elder than her. She was a silent observer in her nature; she’d notice rather observe every thing rather than pointing it out and look for a more appropriate situation. Joe has learned at this early an age to watch before he step and when he gets caught, he’s trapped deep in the clutches of monster.

                Couple of weeks earlier Joe went to the market to get the groceries and other related stuff from the market. He had borrowed a fellow servant’s bicycle. During his visit to the market, he suddenly lost track of time for the market was new and he was too involved in the lights and flashes. When he had done with everything and decided to come back, another doom awaited him. The bike was gone! He had been in troubles before leaving a mark unpolished on the shoes or spilling drops of water of the dining table was nothing compared to what had happened now. He came late and ended in and inquiry by the butler. Joe confessed that it was just a bit of negligence on his part that the bike was lost.  Ms. Cilia listened to what Joe has to say and maintained a stern yet calm attitude towards the issue. He still remembers the beating he took from the butler and the bicycle owner and how he starved for two weeks in order to repay the damage he owed.

                This time he knew that the doom is so impending that I will certainly not make it. The vase was though just in the corner, it was because of the water that Brian, Ms. Cilia’s 14 year old, has spilled all over the place that he slipped and tripped over the vase, causing it to disintegrate in a thousand pieces. Still it was held his fault for not being careful enough. Butler has complete support of Ms. Cilia on his actions and he was responsible to maintain law and order in the mansion. The types of measures he took were he said ’to make sure verdict of law kept and the order maintained’. Joe ended up with heavy bruises on his back due to the belt lashes he received, a swollen cheek, fractured finger and a concussion over his wrist. With every piece he picked of the broken vase, he shed a tear. He cursed his being, his existence, his presence in hell. The droplets were falling freely; at this rate, he thought, he would’ve filled the entire vase! He let out a giggle on the thought and suddenly all the gloom vanished away.

                Joe couldn’t turn a side on the bed that night for his back has swelled twice the size. He stood on a side, facing towards the window. Moonlight was falling over his face and he started staring at the moon. He stared and for a long time his mind was preoccupied with him recalling his past, analyzing his present and the doubtful future. He started crying again at the thoughts of his past and present. A hot drop would generate itself in his eyes, travel all the way across his swollen cheek where he was punched by Butler Mark. He brought more of his past in his mind and more he felt warmth on his face. But yet he copes to gather much of him everyday and to give the best he had all the time. He’s innocent he knew that and that was all that he needed. He managed to pull over the sheet with his shivering tender little hands and shut his eyes in the belief ‘There Is a God’!

Write a letter to an athlete or sports figure you admire to explain what the Olympic Games mean to you.

I hope my letter finds you in best of health. I have been swimming since I was 8 and I bet you would never find a fan greater than I am of yours. I have been watching you sweep gold medals from 2 Olympics now and honestly you deserved them all. With an athlete of your caliber and capacity, I guess that achievement would’ve been mere a piece of cake!

The Olympics had always catered a special place in the hearts and minds of people since they were started back in the roman times. Nowadays, that place has taken one step further and an Olympic achievement is more like considered an honor in the eyes of people, specifically me. To be able to qualify for The Olympics is somewhat a triumph alone words can’t describe and there you are chucking medals in every other swimming event of Beijing Olympics 2008! When I heard that you got the “Sportsman of the Year” award in 2008, no doubt was there that there had been a more perfect decision.

 I had been an athlete myself and I love sports, with football and swimming being at the top of my priorities. I train myself hard to achieve my dream of representing my college team in the regional sports event, in which I am yet unsuccessful. I know then that what you go through to be the best there is, and it really matters a lot when that stage is of Olympics.

I have always revered Olympics. Since Olympics of 2000, I had hardly missed any event of Olympics and had been regularly watching almost all of them. When I see athletes putting in the best they have to earn their country a medal, nothing motivated me better. In fact, it serves as a source of inspiration and creates an urge in me to represent my country in such a big forum where only the best are there to compete. The Olympics were started by the Greek gods to let the best of athletes be in limelight and their names be written in gold for being such a matter of pride for their respective areas. Now, after thousands of years, that had not changed a bit. Rather an Olympics qualifier or a medal holder holds a very honorable and worthy place in the eyes of people. It is not just about games,  it’s about being the part of a legacy of the best there are, that has been set for thousands of years. And to be just a part of it, priceless!

I had an impression that competing with world class players in Olympics is a matter of extraordinary measures, but seeing you winning all those medals makes it seem so easy! Since I have regularly started to swim, the sport has taken more a form of passion in my eyes. To me, it would be an impossible dream comes true even if I ever qualified for the Olympics. You don’t know what an honorable position you have in my eyes when I see you a part of the legacy and it is all the motivation I need in my dream of being a part of the same legacy. Thanks a lot!

Your DIEHARD fan,

Ali.

Pollution

                Pollution is a major crisis of the 21^st century and the future. It has grown into a global crunch that has proven to be a menace for the environment and the world. It is actually an undeniable fact that humans led themselves in such disastrous circumstances. The pollutants such as CFCs, smoke from vehicles and chimneys of power stations and plastic based synthetic products easily top the list of most disastrous elements in the degradation of the environment.

               CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) are of the most problematic sources of pollution. They are used in Aerosols, Spray cans, Refrigerants and cooling systems. On their own they are not harmful, but when released in the air, they are catastrophic to the survival of human beings. CFCs find their way up to the ozone layer and get suspended in it. When sunlight falls upon it, CFCs chemically decompose and react with the ozone that leads to the de-saturation of ozone layer. Its decomposition is a very fast process and it ‘eats away’ the ozone layer. The thinning of ozone leads to the passage of harmful ultraviolent waves from sun to the surface of the earth that can lead to various skin based diseases. Since its advent, CFCs have enormously damaged the ozone layer. In 1985, a giant hole covering almost the entire region of Antarctic, in the ozone layer was discovered. This led to widespread suspicions and claims regarding reliability of CFCs and its consequences on the future on mankind.

               The smoke that is released from the vehicles or the chimneys of power stations or factories is doing its part in destroying the environment. Smoke released from vehicles majorly contains Carbon Monoxide gas which is highly poisonous. Also it contains some of the lead based elements that are added in the petrol i.e. TEL (tetra-ethyl-lead) which when inhaled cause brain damage, most particularly affecting the children. Smoke on itself causes breathing difficulties and lung cancer when inhaled in excessive quantities. Smoke from chimneys of power stations and factories is the consequence of burning of coal as fuel. When this smoke travels in the air, it creates a very unique type of nuisance. The particular smoke contains major Sulphur contents that accumulate themselves in the rain clouds leading to Acid rain. Acid rain ruins sculpture art, eats away marble and raises the acidity of rivers and lakes leading to mass destruction of marine life. Sulphur in the air also causes photochemical smog, a particular type of fog that causes irritation in eyes.

              A creation equally destructive and a conception of the evil mind of human itself is the Polythene and other plastic based products. Plastics and its sub related products are non-bio-degradable products i.e. they cannot be decomposed. Hence, their disposal creates quite jeopardy. Burning plastics and sub related products release harmful and poisonous gases, thus the only way to get rid of it is to bury it. Millions of acres of land every year is being taken away by landfill sites where the plastics are buried, rendering the piece of land useless and unproductive. It also is a source of death of thousands of animals every year who take it mistakenly for food and choke on it. It also causes littering problems due its light weight, as wind easily seems to carry it anywhere.

            We have so much relied on the sources of pollution in our daily lives that is has become almost inevitable to avoid them. We cannot resist the use of CFCs, Factories, Power Stations and Plastics in our daily life and yet these things will continue to have cataclysmic and long lasting effects on the environment, more importantly the world we live in.

..... And i was kicked out of the Classroom.

Guilty in the subconscious yet triumphant, I felt like a million bucks. Nothing would have gotten me out of the ‘clutches of the monster’ but the brilliance of a useless, pathetic and least to mention rotten nerve sack; jimmy was the last specie on this planet I would ever count on, but I should start thinking on re-arranging that list! Alone in the corridor, the echoes of my footsteps were the applause of my victory. I have always respected and abided by the authority but it isn’t fun if you aren’t breaking the rules.

Monday comes while bringing along continuous 5 days of gut-busting, wit-wrenching, nerve crashing workload that buries me nose deep in the ground. I have always agreed upon receiving added responsibilities as a part of growing process but the bachelors program was killing me. I still curse the day I betted with grandpa with his 1983 Harley V-Rod classic with my graduation degree. It is since that day my ill-fated miserable life has got an official initiation. It was hard to call off daily football matches, chatting with neighbor over Skype, midnight must-see movie and of course those long hours of sitting aimlessly in front of the television. Now I was surrounded by a sea of books, theories and practicals that were drowning me slowly day after day. Obvious as it was, I woke on the wrong side of my bed that bet day.

And actually things weren’t really that bad, except for a couple of guys who make it. And I was sure from the very first day that the history instructor had something against me. I had tried to jerk the idea off my mind but she always kept on letting me think again and again. She just nailed it the day she gave me detention for wearing an orange colored T-shirt. Said she didn’t liked the color and gave me a 1500 word long critical analysis on why the Russians were always successful in the wars that were fought in their territory. I had planned to be at the screening of the derby final match that day. For every word I wrote that night, fire of vengeance roared more and more inside me. Apart from finishing that essay at 2 in the morning, I vowed that Ms. Riley should be taught a lesson.

Annual games were coming up and I was dying to be a part of a football team. I was dying to let some sweat out and let my feet do the talking. I always had a nemesis in front of me whenever there’s my time for glory, and this time it was jimmy. He was the only guy I hated (read ‘despised of’) in the whole institution. He being proud for no reason and stupid for all reasons was one thing; I have developed this blind fury against him. Let his name be pronounced in front of me and my temper starts to rise for no reason...... and I don’t know how Ms. Riley learned of this. Whenever there was time for some group work or class project in history class, he was always made my team or group leader.

Things just couldn’t stop getting worse for me. We had a football match coming up against the business section and to my luck, our mid semester presentation was arranged the same day. All the instructors agreed to postpone their presentations for the day except for Ms. Riley. She knew I was playing for the class and there was no way she was going to postpone the presentation and made jimmy my last minute team member. She had made all necessary preparations for me to miss one of the most memorable moments of my till-yet-miserable life. I was trapped, so deeply entangled in a web of misery and desolation that I was going to be a disaster at the presentation, and Ms. Riley was going to make sure I spend another semester with her as well...

The day came, and gloom was in the air from the very first minute. The sky was dark, heavily blanketed by clouds with a chance of heavy downpour. So much for the football match and I had a fever and a sore throat in the morning as well. Life sure had its twists and turns, and mine were in the worst way imaginable! Drove to the university with a heavy heart and went straight to the auditorium, rehearsing for the presentation. It seemed to me that someone was watching me but I kept on what I was doing. Sore throat seem to vanish ever passing minute that neared the presentation, which meant no excuses for the day. Luck sure comes at once in a bunch.

I was the chosen the first to deliver the presentation on the fall of Roman Empire. I went unexpectedly smooth, in fact great! I was thinking that soon as I end up with this I am headed straight for the field that awaits me. Ms. Riley was surprised at the presentation but she banned my leaving the room until everybody was done. Yes, I hated her more than ever now. Jimmy was sitting next to me, observing all that I was going through. It felt to me that he was looking at me for quite some time as if analyzing the situation. Just then without warning he spilled a glass of water over me. I was already red hot from what was happening and this move of jimmy made my volcano erupt. I pushed him and he fell from the chair, moaning as if he’d broken his wrist. Ms. Riley halted the session and came over. Jimmy said the water spill was an accident and I brutally pushed him that made him fall and most probably sprained his wrist. What else was Ms. Riley always waiting for, she at the very instance kicked me out of the class. I stood numb at what the hell was happening around me.

Just as I was about to leave the room, I looked back at Ms. Riley who was attending jimmy. She was taking some bandages out of the first aid box when Jimmy’s eyes caught mine. He kept on looking at me and I constantly stared back. All of a sudden he winked at me and gave me a smile.  That wink explained everything!

You’re a Pakistani when…

There isn’t a day that passes by when we aren’t proud of our mother nation, the’ Islamic Republic of Pakistan’. Every hour, every minute, every second realizes us how lucky we are to be born in such a blessed nation, whose natives are called ‘Pakis’ in the Europe (Britain of course!) and terrorists in ‘Amreeka’! But we don’t take such racial rants to the heart, because we got loads of other things to deal with. Yearly floods in Baluchistan and Sind, sky-rocketing prices of goods, lack of political parties, ‘healthy’ railway network, sea of ‘honest’ politicians, hourly power failures, the ‘drone games’ of KhyberPakhtoonKhawa, efficient educational sector, constant ascension of value of Rupee in international market, extremist aggression towards novel ideas…… and the list goes on describing the very features that are considered while locating Pakistan on the world map. But that’s not all of it, there are some special habits (read: lunacies!) you got to have to be declared fully as a citizen of ‘Islamic Republic of Pakistani’.

1.       You had a really tough day at the job. Luck began with waking up late, running for your things here and there, got an over-speeding ticket on your way to work, ran into boss while sneaking your way in your office, left the presentation at home while leaving in a hurry, your arch-rival gets promotion the very same day, you broke up with your GF because you had promised her lunch on her birthday, spilled coffee all over your clothes, forgot to pick stuff from your aunt’s house, had a flat tire on your way back home……. The day just can’t get any better. But wait, while you  were busy warming your sheet at 3:00 am, the silence of the snores break and your best buddy is on the highway, some 5 kilometers from your home and his car broke down with you in all-the-choices-left-to-him-on-earth.

2.       You’re an undergrad student and term paper is due tomorrow. It’s been assigned since three weeks but you woke up last day, just to find that your windows are corrupted. A friend agrees to tolerate you at his place until you have the capability to keep his stomach busy! You’re just half way through your work when you realized that you are low on ‘firewood’. The same instant your friend’s mother got a call and had to be somewhere really urgent. Though they had 3 drivers at their place, his mother insists that he drive. Time’s running low and you just think of the nearest net café. The computers there failed to impress you but still as long as you’re going smooth, they are ‘The Biggest Blessing’ to be showered upon you by Allah Almighty. Last minute is racing 360 degrees and you’ve just done it, proof read it and checked it at least twice for any errors. Just the very instant you are about to click the submit button, the light went out.

3.       A protest began in the early hours of the day with people raising slogans, carrying banners and placards against the anti-democratic activities of the Government, quite a calm view. After they had been in the sun all day, their leader arrives in a bullet proof Mercedes Luxury Coupe. People had been silent till then but suddenly they had been charged. With their batteries that had been set in the sun for the last couple of  hours waiting for him, they are mad now. Mad at the establishment, mad at the Government, mad at everything because everybody else in responsible for where they are at the moment. Leader spoke for 5 minutes only, enough to make that mob burn down the whole city, they shape the law in any form they like and will bring a change in the country. Their movement just began and it’s going to be a matter of time their names will be in the books of history. But their memorable journey and golden era comes to a halt at the instant the police and law enforcement squad arrive at the scene. It takes tear gas and charge-at-will cane slashes to rip those pages off of the books.

4.       No soul on this soil will find more peace than by switching on his/her TV and tuning on PTV. Of course, there are only two channels that guarantee peace and calm throughout the globe; Animal Planet and PTV. With the motto of saying all the truth and delivering all the truth, PTV has embarked on a mission to provide its viewers with all that is happening around the country and the globe in its most ‘unadulterated’ and actual form. Whether it is a matter of dissolution of assemblies, murder of an important leadership in the country or unrest beyond the borders, PTV makes sure that it gets it ever increasing number of viewers carefully administered reality that is focused upon the very peace and inner harmony of the people.

5.       How can one not relate in a way or the other to the day Pakistan gained independence, 14^th of August. It’s a day when the Patriotism of every Pakistani is put to test. The only way to get through is to the ‘world’ know how much you love your country. To be the best, you must be amongst a group of at least 50 bikers, got a green Pakistani cricket kit shirt on, green paint all over your face; painting your ride green is an added bonus. Race your way across the traffic, blow loud horns all night long, be amongst the truck-load of people who unload themselves at every traffic signal and dance their hearts out, irrespective of the fact that the traffic jam so caused will take the whole night to disperse.

6.       And it would be shameful to call yourself a Pakistani is you hadn’t abandoned your every form of work just to watch Pakistan-India cricket match. A true Pakistani would arrange a huge projector screen and of course let there be a ticket on it too! One should be cheering in all forms for his country, a gasp of joy on every ball, deafening shouts and cries on every boundary and bhangra on a sixer. And do wait for the moment whenever a baller in green kicks any of those sorry Indian asses on the strike. Also when leaving to enjoy the ‘epic battle’ with your friends in the neighborhood, don’t forget to hand over your mother a Jaye-namaz and a Tasbeeh!

My Philosophy Of Life.

            Life. It's merely a composition of 4 alphabets but a myriad meaning in context. Life is the name of purpose, hopes, ambitions and desires. Of course, the ultimate goal of every living human being is to achieve peace, both mental and moral. And the only way through is by satisfying his/her desires, contenting one's self. Almost all of us are driven by a common motive: happiness and peace. Our aims and ambitions might be different but our destination, same.
             Philosophy of life is different from person to person. One’s philosophy will vary depending on one's life experience. In fact no two people will have seen life in the same way. There would be many people with similar philosophy on life but none of them would be exactly the same. The study of philosophy is a very complicated. There are so many different questions who's answers are not easily comprehendable. It is then philosophy that takes over and provides solution to quench the our thirst on topics that are beyond the reach of science and religion. And from this an urge is developed to think on issues our mind has never set foot on.
            We all have an innate quality of reasoning and therefore can make our own decisions. And because we can make our own decisions, we are to be fully held responsible for our actions. This responsibility includes those of the personal and social nature, and a token of maturity and seriousness with which one takes things in life.
            It is impossible to get the maximum essence of life without facing the actual realities of life. It might be easy for us to drive our way but we might not be able to appreciate the actual blessing unless we take a public transport or walk or way. The spirit evolves even more when we try to do things in a more oridinary way without the use of any things we take for granted. A bit primitive approach to a particular job/work makes one realize the blessings of that particular 'blessing'! It is then the vulnerability of human power comes in limelight and at the same time a sympathy for those who do not have access to these 'applications of mordern advancement and technology'. The flavor is totally different when a touch of sacrifice is involved. Only it is then we learn that to get the most out of something, we need to give away the best we've got. Though one can complain about endless issues of badluck and misfortune, but at the same time these are the reaping of the evil deeds done.
          It is a common conception of thinking of life to be cruel, unjust......... Yes, i do agree, but to some extend. Life may not be the same thing for those who hadn't had the best of oppurtuinities to exel of prove themselves. It is true that destiny plays a much significant role in our lives than we had thought of. At the same moment there lived legends who began their journey ragged and rejected, oppressed, depressed, left alone in a world of their own by this world. And so they created a world so enormous that left the inhabitants of this world baffled and intrigued to their heads and serve today as mentors to the millions! Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstien, Mother Teressa to name a few.....
          The way i have seen it, Life is all about randomness. Be prepared and the life gives up upon you. Stay anonymous and you'll see how you get the courage to achieve realms far and beyond. Like in the famous words of late Steve Jobs, "Stay hungry, Stay foolish".

Importance of Voting in Pakistan

                                   It's been two years I've been legal, a legal citizen of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Couple of years back, i would speculate endlessly of the stuff i would have access to as an adult; i'd be a licensed driver above all and would have my very own National Identity Card (NIC). People around me, especially my own parents, would have a greater deal of trust on me. More authority, added responsibilities and a distinguished social status, what else would one dream of. In reality, enjoying the privileges of adulthood are far more complicated than the fantasies of being an adult in a teenage mind. There's one thing i missed, with greater authority comes even greater responsibilities.
                                  As for now, yes, i am living my dream at its best by the Grace of Allah Almighty. As a matter of fact, the so-called-privileges have their moment a month or two. Soon they become history, with most of these reduced to the part of your wallet you never even bother.
                                  But being an adult isn't that all. It requires one's contribution, toward oneself, towards family, towards society, towards your country. Of course, Patriotism is the talk of the literates. Is it? For its been 64 years of diligence and dedication of the people of our country that Pakistan is on a totally different horizon of the developing world. Irony just can't help being a part of our lives, for we are 'Pakistanis'. We talk of progress, (free) education for all, law, order, justice, sacrifice, dedication and equality amongst all, the like of stuff that comes under the sub-heading of basic Islamic Laws of State. For we live in the 'Islamic' Republic of Pakistan. And honestly, no hard feelings there because we are reaping what we had sown. Just take a look at our counter part, India for an instance; they got independence a day later than we got it, but they are light years ahead of where we stand now. With almost equal number of chances (forget the independence period for God's sake now), they have excelled in every possible field. Even some excellence is there in fields Muslims of independent Pakistan should have pioneered. They stand as one, they talk as one, they advance as one and they are united.
                                 We, on the other hand, are a totally different scenario. They are Hindustanis, we are Balochis, Punjabis, Sindhis, Pakhtoons and God knows what else. Even democracy is better practiced there than in our country. Even take China, or Japan if population matters. They started evolution of a newly born (read war torn for Japan) state parallel to us. And 64 years later, we as a nation are on a highway to hell.
                                  One privilege of being an adult is voting. It is for adults for it's no sunshine and rainbows or butterflies. I (till now), like many of the other educated class, have kept my 'qeemti' vote with myself. Why to vote, what difference will a vote create......
                                  Just try reading the headlines of the newspaper these days. Busy....... Catch up with one of the tirade forms media had come up with these days. Enough brain food to keep you pondering for a day or two. US Drone testing grounds of Khyberpakhtoonkhawa, hourly bombings in Quetta and Peshawar, quake-torn regions of North, flood stricken province of Balochistan with Sindh being its latest addition, emotionally motivated rampage in Karachi, epidemic in Lahore.... Depressing list isn't it...! Wait, that's not even the half of it. All left to the wonder of a normal 'Pakistani' would be how Pakistan is managing to remain on the map of the world.
                                And believe me, our leaders think of that as their biggest achievement. And why blame them. For our 'qeemti' vote is right over there, secure in a safe, far from the reach of any politician. Then why stand up? Why question their authority? Why point out these anomalies? They had none of our support, but they are where they wanted to be.
                               It's the oppressed and the poor that are out there to vote. Obviously, give them what they want and they'll place you where you want ( rural community is about 65% population of Pakistan). And the poor, or the oppressed,  don't have much to ask for. Still, it's the call of the masses. They go where media drives them, which is a type of nuisance in a kind of its own.
                              Your vote DOES really makes a difference. There are leeches in the field out there, everywhere. At least point out the ones that are headed to wipe humanity. I don't really accredit Politicians for all this, for it's the power of the 'Chair' that blinds them. Its in human nature to explore the benefits of an authority, then why not filter out the ones that are out there to exploit us. Have your say. Be heard. Cast your vote first. If not for yourselves, then for the future of Islamic Republic Of Pakistan; a tree that grew with the sweat and blood of millions.