Youth day, day before yesterday.
Youth day was celebrated all over the world day before yesterday, they say, with full vigour and vim. Same must have been the case in Pakistan because we are a part of this world believe it or not. An important part since our dictator decided to side with might instead of abiding by what was right.
I am a part of Pakistani youth; being a part of this section of society is a completely different experience. Experience that our elders have passed through and children are yet to gain.
The question is whether the Pakistani youth is being up to the mark in helping this country prosper and progress against all odds that surround it. The answer is neither simple nor short. Rather the question is much more primaryin nature, 'Does Pakistani youth know what needs to be done to help Pakistan?'
I think making our youth realize the need of the hour is the need of the hour. Our youth is in disarray and distracted. Everyone I see around me asks everyone else the same question, 'What am I doing here?' No one seems to have the answer. In these 57 years of our existence our elders have failed to provide us with sense of purpose and failed to inculcate in us the idea of our existence as one nation state. How could they have done this when they themselves were busy in cutting each others roots and conspiring against all those who sought remedy for the disease. The result is this present state of utopia that the Pakistani youth is living in. We can see definite divisions among our youth similar to those that we see in our society. One reason could be politicizing of the youth into unhealthy political system of our country and the other can be the already existing monetary difference in the society and still one reason could be the wide cleavages in the provinces based on petty differences of language and interests. All these factors and many more, along the short history of this country, have added to the problem and very little has been done to negate their effects.
Whatever efforts have been made to outline the problems, faced by the young generation of the country, have suffered from lack of interest from all corners of the society. No one is ready to help the youth in their times of trouble. All seminars and workshops are held in the cozy comfort of five star hotels with top elite in attendance. The remaining 90% population is almost always neglected.
We need to take much broader based steps in order to convert the docile and disheartened young man of today into a productive and enthusiastic person to the society tomorrow. For this we need to educate masses. It goes without saying that education lies at the center of all progressive activity. New and effective methods of providing education, of highest level, to everyone need to be introduced. At the same time quality of education must be ensured.
On the other front the whole nation is afflicted with the curse of divisions and docility. Good leadership needs to come up front and start a movement to re-energize the souls. Our young men have all the potential we only need a good leader to steer us to the point of emotional high where we all work not for ourselves but our country.
If we need to build our nation into one which doesn't bow to the dictates from outside we need to work for economic and moral progress, day in and day out. For this we need to build a momentum to the likes of the independence movement in 1940's. This will assure our success at all fronts. Feelings of patriotism are important and much needed.
Then again we must look at the cause of confusion in our ranks. We have completely severed our ties with our past. We don't have any connection with our ancestral values. This in my opinion is one of the primary cause of our failures. We see that our young man is ready to listen and talk endlessly about Western heroes and ideals but feels hesitant or incapable of discussing Saadi, Rumi, Ghazali, Ibn-Sina because he has been kept unaware of their important contribution to our society. Most of our culture is best represented by books written in Persian and Arabic and regional languages. Our young man has not been made to realize the importance of referring to those books for guidance. No one right now likes to read any of the famous writers of our past. ask any student about any of the books of over 300 by Ghazali alone and the predominant answer would be, 'How would I know.' Here I don't suggest completely reverting to our past but to take anecdotal messages from what our ancestors have contributed to the literature. This makes us feel secure psychologically and help in defining our image as an individual.
There is a need for a book revolution in the country. Publishing houses must be set up to translate and reproduce works in familiar languages and at reduced prices. With the help of libraries reading habits must be improved in the society. Such a movement will have a many fold benefit both in short term and long term.
Steps must be taken seriously to limit the population growth of the country so that resources can be used more effectively and where they are more needed. The logic is simple, you sleep hungry one night and you are more prone to stealing the next day.
And in the end initiatives must be undertaken to help confused people like me.
Youth day was celebrated all over the world day before yesterday, they say, with full vigour and vim. Same must have been the case in Pakistan because we are a part of this world believe it or not. An important part since our dictator decided to side with might instead of abiding by what was right.
I am a part of Pakistani youth; being a part of this section of society is a completely different experience. Experience that our elders have passed through and children are yet to gain.
The question is whether the Pakistani youth is being up to the mark in helping this country prosper and progress against all odds that surround it. The answer is neither simple nor short. Rather the question is much more primaryin nature, 'Does Pakistani youth know what needs to be done to help Pakistan?'
I think making our youth realize the need of the hour is the need of the hour. Our youth is in disarray and distracted. Everyone I see around me asks everyone else the same question, 'What am I doing here?' No one seems to have the answer. In these 57 years of our existence our elders have failed to provide us with sense of purpose and failed to inculcate in us the idea of our existence as one nation state. How could they have done this when they themselves were busy in cutting each others roots and conspiring against all those who sought remedy for the disease. The result is this present state of utopia that the Pakistani youth is living in. We can see definite divisions among our youth similar to those that we see in our society. One reason could be politicizing of the youth into unhealthy political system of our country and the other can be the already existing monetary difference in the society and still one reason could be the wide cleavages in the provinces based on petty differences of language and interests. All these factors and many more, along the short history of this country, have added to the problem and very little has been done to negate their effects.
Whatever efforts have been made to outline the problems, faced by the young generation of the country, have suffered from lack of interest from all corners of the society. No one is ready to help the youth in their times of trouble. All seminars and workshops are held in the cozy comfort of five star hotels with top elite in attendance. The remaining 90% population is almost always neglected.
We need to take much broader based steps in order to convert the docile and disheartened young man of today into a productive and enthusiastic person to the society tomorrow. For this we need to educate masses. It goes without saying that education lies at the center of all progressive activity. New and effective methods of providing education, of highest level, to everyone need to be introduced. At the same time quality of education must be ensured.
On the other front the whole nation is afflicted with the curse of divisions and docility. Good leadership needs to come up front and start a movement to re-energize the souls. Our young men have all the potential we only need a good leader to steer us to the point of emotional high where we all work not for ourselves but our country.
If we need to build our nation into one which doesn't bow to the dictates from outside we need to work for economic and moral progress, day in and day out. For this we need to build a momentum to the likes of the independence movement in 1940's. This will assure our success at all fronts. Feelings of patriotism are important and much needed.
Then again we must look at the cause of confusion in our ranks. We have completely severed our ties with our past. We don't have any connection with our ancestral values. This in my opinion is one of the primary cause of our failures. We see that our young man is ready to listen and talk endlessly about Western heroes and ideals but feels hesitant or incapable of discussing Saadi, Rumi, Ghazali, Ibn-Sina because he has been kept unaware of their important contribution to our society. Most of our culture is best represented by books written in Persian and Arabic and regional languages. Our young man has not been made to realize the importance of referring to those books for guidance. No one right now likes to read any of the famous writers of our past. ask any student about any of the books of over 300 by Ghazali alone and the predominant answer would be, 'How would I know.' Here I don't suggest completely reverting to our past but to take anecdotal messages from what our ancestors have contributed to the literature. This makes us feel secure psychologically and help in defining our image as an individual.
There is a need for a book revolution in the country. Publishing houses must be set up to translate and reproduce works in familiar languages and at reduced prices. With the help of libraries reading habits must be improved in the society. Such a movement will have a many fold benefit both in short term and long term.
Steps must be taken seriously to limit the population growth of the country so that resources can be used more effectively and where they are more needed. The logic is simple, you sleep hungry one night and you are more prone to stealing the next day.
And in the end initiatives must be undertaken to help confused people like me.
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