Silver Lining-Tayyaba Case

In the past few days, we witnessed a horrible crime against humanity being committed in a household that’s headed by a person responsible for being just. Irrespective of the fact that any and all details pertaining to what happens inside is personal and cannot be pried upon; it wouldn’t be wrong to say that such a house constitutes in its existence the very idea of dignity and decency. However, as the grave events suddenly appeared and unfolded many remained baffled, horrified and simply depressed. How could a lady inflict such harm to a minor? How could a mother even allow her child to work at someone house in such an age? How could a judge remain quiet after witnessing his life partner committing such horrors? The very nature of this society has become questionable. There are plenty of things that we are to answer for but this horror; regardless of any religion, social standard or law this is a direct violation of the most basic of human rights.

In light of the fact that all involved were Muslims, I’d like to point out the two things that Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W) emphasized upon in his last moments: One was Salat and the second one was the instruction to always be just, kind and generous to your subordinates. I’m not going to focus my argument on faith alone but this goes without saying that in the eyes of Muslims and in accordance to Islam; this is a grim sin.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to pay homage to the Chief Justice who took suo moto notice on the situation and brought the case to the court. His first statement pertaining to the predicament was what strengthened my belief in humans and humanity. He ruled that this was a violation of basic human rights and thus a settlement would not hold any legal substance. Let’s keep in mind, that there was an attempt at solving the matter via finances. The parents of the victim already signed the settlement forgiving the wife of the judge for a feeble sum of 30,000 PKR.

As the case surfaced, the girl too was hidden from the courts. Thank fully however, she was recovered by the police and presented in the court. From the way things are going, despite the grim nature of this entire ordeal I cannot help but be hopeful. I hope that justice will prevail and those who were intoxicated by their power and authority learn how despicable their acts were. Maybe this case, will be the beginning of human rights being delivered to everyone regardless of their social or economic status. Maybe, this will be a start of a revolution where children will not be forced to work like this. 

Lives that could’ve been saved-Death Toll of Railway Accidents in Pakistan

Before I present the stats of lives claimed by railway accidents during the tenure of Khawaja Saad Rafique. I’d like to express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the Lodhran accident that happened today in the morning. I will also take this opportunity to express my condolences to all the lives affected by the poor management of Railways in Pakistan. The statistics presented have been collected from various news reporting agencies and articles written by their reporters.

2013:

On 6^th July, 2013 a rickshaw collided with a train at a level crossing near Sheikhupura, Punjab. This accident claimed the lives of 14 people while one person was injured.   

On 26^th July, 2013 a train heading from Rawalpindi to Lahore was derailed near Gujranwala. This lead to the sad demise of 2 people whereas several were injured.

2014:

 On 7^th May 2014 Karakoram express was derailed near Bandhi railway station, which is located at least 55km from Nawabshah, claiming the innocent lives 2 people while 15 others were injured.

11^th November 2014 witnessed a major accident when a passenger coach collided with a truck near Theri Bypass in Khairpur leading to the loss of 58 lives.

2015:

On 3^rd July, 2015 a passenger train derails as a bridge over a canal near Gujranwala collapses from under the train. 19 passengers died while several were injured among the total 300 passengers.

On 20^th July, 2015 Six members of a family die as their car collides with a Karachi bound train at an unnamed railway crossing at the Pale Jani railway station in Matiari.

1^st November, 2015 witnesses the Aab-e-Gum derailment. The jaffar express derails at Aab-e-gum leading to the deaths of 20 people and injuring 96 others.

2016:

On 15^th September, 2016 a passenger train collides with a freight train near Multan leading to the death of 6 people and injuring more than 150.

On 3^rd November, 2016 two passengers train collide near Karachi Landhi railway station claiming the lives of at least 21 people and injuring more than 60.

On 8^th October, 2016 a freight trains collides with a bus carrying workers of a factory at Landa level crossing near Gujjar chowk. This collisions takes the lives of 4 people while 10 others are injured.

2017:

Today on 6^th January, 2017 a rickshaw collides with a train at Lodhran Punjab. This leads to the sad demise of 8 people in total; comprising of 7 students and the rickshaw driver while 5 more students are severely injured.

If we were to formulae statistics based just on deaths and injuries per year, the graph would look something like this:

These deaths may have been reduced if not avoided completely if we had implemented the internationally practiced safety standards. As you may have heard, if you had listened to the Lodhran incident, that the operator of the gate/crossing didn’t have any communication equipment. He stated that when it wouldn’t be foggy, he would see the train coming and close the gates. Or if it was foggy, he would listen to the whistle and close the gate. Such primitive techniques at such an age is an insult to the entire railway industry.

Why hasn’t the ministry employed engineers and implemented simple yet effective sensor based technology to deal with the opening and closing of gates? The concept of these operators is not necessary. If we went for automation and regularly maintained and checked these sensors and the affiliated technology, we can effectively regulate the flow of traffic and thus avoid so many deaths. All the previous ministers and especially the current minister are answerable as to why despite the world evolving around them; they have worked hard to make sure that our railway remains in the stone age. Thus consequently, our innocent people end up becoming victims to it.

The responsible should answer for the lives that could have been saved. They shouldn’t just collect their fat pay checks. This too falls as their responsibility and as it is evident that they have not delivered, they must now be held accountable; it is only just.

Opportunity For Engineers

Fauji Fertilizer Company limited is looking for Management Trainees; they advertised the following advertisement on various news papers:

You can apply to your relevant field by accessing datacells.nts.org.pk. If you don’t already have an account there, I suggest you make one so you can gain access to alerts such as this one. And remember to keep checking it from time to time. The test schedule for the NTS test pertaining to this opportunity is as follows:

Remember the last date of application submission is 14^th January 2017. If you miss this one, then you will miss out on the test being held on 29^th January 2017 and then you’ll have to apply for the next one. As it is written on the ad that it’ll be a repetitive cycle so don’t fret if you miss the first chance.

I recommend to all my fellow engineers who are currently searching for opportunities to try out for this one. Fauji Fertilizer has been working in the manufacturing industry for ages and we’ve heard the name since childhood so it goes without saying that this experience can be very useful in our professional careers. So don’t miss out. 

Illogical Ad Trends

In this article, I’ll be discussing my point of view pertaining to the common ad trends. These ad trends are as observed on the channels aired in Pakistan. When we look at the ‘good old days’ and the ads that were aired at the time, we see that they were strictly pertaining to the product or products; as it should be. If they did include music then it would be include a customized song written for the express purpose of promoting the company or product. Even now we can remember a few of them and hum the tune; like the dentonic ad or the Norus ad or the ad for candy. Now all of these were advertisements and had music in them but the lyrics was dedicated for promotion. So it still made sense and was highly logical. Actually considering the advertisements of the time, these were creative and innovative strategies that worked marvelously.

Now let’s fast forward and look at the ads that are running amuck these days. There are rarely ads with actually relevant music. Nowadays, it’s also becoming a trend to include dance. Even for a cell phone advertisement, the cell phone isn’t the ad much but the dance is. The focus is on the model or the dance moves and not the phone; highly illogical and strange advertisement strategy. Consider the latest Tulsi ad; sure the model is super trending and liked these days but please, at least focus more on the product. The lyrics I don’t have a problem with, they’re old but they are so old that everyone knows them and loves them. However, how the ad is made is just illogical. Clearly, this is the work of a mind that wasn’t suited for such a thing.

Why such illogical ads have now become common? Well we can blame a lot of people for that. The media became more rating oriented than actually intellect oriented. Journalists don’t do much journalism work; writers aren’t creative anymore and the models are brainless enough to do just about anything. In the old days, the actors were actually intellectuals and were really talented. They could act and they thought about the roles they took; even if it was just a simple ad. The writers would actually think before writing something.

Yet again, I’ll point my final finger towards the system. The system is to blame for giving the undeserving the opportunity and for crushing the talent of the actually talented.

Finally, I’d like to say that this article isn’t just meant to point out mistakes. Even if somehow they’ve made it and now they’re responsible for such things. They should start working and thinking and should devote themselves to their work.

I suggest the writers to consider the wise words of Bill Wheeler on the matter:

“Good writing is clear thinking made visible”

Besides pointing the flaws of the advertising industry, I’d also like to take this opportunity to commend Mr. Adeel Hasmi for his creative and innovative ways of writing as can be seen in Ufone ads. 

The Talented Corrupt

Corruption is becoming more and more difficult in the new age as even the sleeping agencies start to move. Sadly, as the means become difficult and challenging; smarter and more talented corrupt appear on the stage. They find means that facilitate their desires in a way that goes undetected. We could blame the system for it or we could argue that the agencies responsible to watch over such acts are to blame. When people bribe their way to attain positions and when the undeserving acquire jobs and positions that allow them be corrupt; what do we expect? We’re giving a mouse a piece of cheese and expecting them not to eat it? Then how can we really blame the mouse for eating the cheese?

If we talk about the fraud worth 176.72 million, that was reported on 11^th April, 2016, pertaining to the NIB bank. The accused were a Regional Distribution Head and an Operational manager, who were later arrested. Regardless of what happened about the case, I’d like you to think about these designations. When we think about such high tier designations, we know that they ask for serious experience and high quality education. Which implies, that the accused and those who committed the fraud were both experienced and educated; not to mention, were also highly paid individuals. Sure, greed did came into play but if they really were qualified and educated, they wouldn’t have done it.

This also doesn’t mean that our system isn’t to blame either. Let’s take a look at yet another incident that happened because our system allowed it. The one reported today about the land scandal of 193,000 kanal. Said land was acquired via verdicts of fake courts, lawyers, judges and witnesses. In other words, people became land owners by manipulating the system. This means that they had enough knowledge of the system to manipulate and bypass it. This also means that our system allowed this to happen. Our system had the Achilles heel that despite being almost perfect; due to the lack of monitoring, it allowed such fraud and corruption to take place.

Even our educators do not spare a chance of corruption; they also do their best to exploit situations when they get a chance. I am not speaking in general but I do mean to address the authority. And I’m not speaking based on hearsay either; I speak out of personal experience. I too fell victim to bribery when I was forced to pay for my HSSC certificate. My former principal had acquired the HSSC certificates of my batch and had placed them in the care of a teacher. After tracing the whereabouts of the certificate, we found our way to her home and she demanded the unnecessary payment of 500 PKR. As we were aware that no such payment was necessary, we demanded a reason. For which we were answered, that everyone was being asked to pay it. Therefore, having to deal with a female, a mother and a former teacher; I had no choice but to give in. As a last resort to deter her from her wrong doing, I even demanded a receipt of the payment to which she gladly complied. Here is an image of the receipt that I got for paying the amount to acquire my HSSC certificate.

Our choices have given birth to this form of corruption. If the board hadn’t given my certificate to the principal, I wouldn’t have to fall victim to this bribery. If the bank had given those designations to the truly worthy, that fraud wouldn’t have happened. And if the agencies responsible to monitor corruption had kept an eye on these fraudulent claims; the land fraud would not have happened. All of it could have been avoided from various methods but none of it was.

In conclusion, when we ask for a change we must start from ourselves. The educated must think of the responsibilities that fall on them and they should know that they are accountable for what they do.  

A peaceful Ummah

This maybe a taboo topic for most Muslims, it is for me as well. Where we can present facts and logic about what our religion actually preaches; we’ve been portrayed in a matter that we have now become the oppressed. In light of the latest twitter trend #oppressedmuslimummah; I too shall speak out and reach out to the world in an attempt to rebel against the general stereotype that has been skillfully created over the years. Those who take our religion’s name and shout that they embody the teachings of our religion and then kill innocents; have done their part. What proof does the world have that these people were actually muslim? It’s easy to blame and it’s easy to refer to every violent act as a result of radical Islam than it is to actually find out the reason and perpetrators behind it.

What Islam teaches is respect, care and Islam strictly directs Muslims to ensure that the rights of others are exercised. Even in a country drowned in corruption, Pakistan is the embodiment of this very teaching. If we compare what is happening to Muslims around the world and then what is happening to non-muslims in Pakistan; it is evident that Muslims are the ones who are actually oppressed. Verily, there are incidents where non-muslims were targeted but those isolated incidents are negligible to what has been happening to muslims. Our children have been dying, our ladies and our seniors; no one is spared. Millions have died and who knows how many shall die but the media; the global media only pays attention to the non-muslims.

It is without a doubt, inhumane; the killing of anyone whether or not they’re Muslim. That is exactly what Islam teaches as well. Killing of innocents: that is not forgivable. Even at times of war, Muslims throughout history have spared women, children and the old. Despite the fact that our women and children were not spared. Look at Jerusalem, when Salahuddin finally became victorious he allowed the conquered to leave. He allowed the women and children to live whereas the defeated King himself said that If I were you, I would have killed every defeated soul.

What we ask of the world is not special treatment. What we ask for is the elimination of the discrimination? A muslim is taught not to discriminate. A muslim leader is equally answerable to the Muslims and Non-Muslims in his nation. Our concept of Jihad has become so infamous that it is now completely wrongly portrayed. There are plenty of forms of Jihad; one among them is self defense as well. If someone attempts to hurt you or your loved ones and you end up hurting them or even killing them; then that too is Jihad. How wrong is self defense? Even in our current judicial and legal systems, that is very well accepted. How would one wrongly portray such a form of Jihad? Leave that to our dear global media; they’ll find a way to do it as they have been doing it for ages.

With a new beginning of the new year, may be the world needs to understand what they have been doing to Muslims. And those, who claim to be Muslim but are responsible for the deaths of innocents; need to understand and know that in accordance to the teachings of Islam, they are in the wrong and what they’re doing is actually unforgivable.

Let 2017 be the beginning of where we stand together in the formation of a better world. Where we are not the oppressed nor the oppressors. Where we stand together and prove to the world that what they’ve been told is nothing but just a pointless propaganda.   

Banks & Annual Closing

What is closing? It is an internal procedure that every business, institution, organization and company undergoes. However, the closing of banks is the most notorious one because they are the center of all the currency and finances roaming about in various businesses. Even a small business has to do a daily, weekly, monthly and then annual closing to learn about the details of what they spent and what they earned. For banks, it’s about various other details since the banking procedures are governed by various applicable laws. Why did I bring up closing and why are we talking about the annual closing of banks? It is an internal procedure and should have nothing to do with those not directly involved but sadly, it does.

As the year went through the annual closing, banks were all in chaos. People were requested and even begged to leave their savings in their accounts. While large account holders were similarly requested and begged to submit as much amounts as they could. Why? Because the banks were doing their annual closing and they needed the numbers. The numbers that they would use to advertise how great they were doing. It is a sad sad predicament. Yet again, another institution of our country only takes into account its own preferences and doesn’t concern itself with the need, desire and preferences of its clientele.

My person interaction with this situation was that when a needy person needed a certain donated amount to purchase dowry for their daughter; the banks didn’t facilitate them. This needy person was a labor who worked on daily wages and a certain NGO had procured donations to fund the dowry of this person. Even though, donations aren’t easy to arrange they still managed it. The only thing that remained was to cash that donation and purchase the dowry. The banks just didn’t let the NGO to cash out the amount because they were going through the annual closing. How sad and unjust is that? The NGO then managed by using various contacts and by asking favors from local business owners. However, this should not have happened.

The closing procedure is of an internal nature. The banks are service providers so for them, the preference of their clientele should come first. Regardless of whether or not they’re going through their daily closing, weekly closing, monthly closing or annual closing.

This article is written with the intent to point out that this is not appropriate and that banks should revise the way they work. Aren’t bank managers and officials supposed to be educated individuals? If so, then ideally educated individuals in the service provision field should be more caring and humane towards their clientele. Why is it that everything is going in the opposite direction? We really, should go through a process of self evaluation. And in the spirit of the beginning of a new year, we should rethink how we do things.