Malala Yousafzai, a representative of Pakistan?

Yesterday was yet another big day in the history of Pakistan when a Pakistani citizen, Malala Yousafzai got a chance to address the UN assembly. (Malala Yousafzai was a BBC blogger and an activist of women's right to education. She was supposedly shot by a Taliban gunman on 9 October 2012 as she rode home on a bus after taking an exam in Pakistan’s Swat Valley). As a Pakistani I was pretty excited to see a fellow Pakistani addressing the great UN assembly. I was comfortably seated on my living room couch before the news channels began broadcasting the speech. Malala was dressed as a typical Pakistani girl in light pink shalwar kameez with a matching head scarf and had loosely wrapped a white shawl around her shoulders. Malala’s attire pleased me more than a little and I wished that her speech too pleases me. I paid thorough attention to each and every word she uttered but my hopes were turned into sheer disappointment by the time she finished her address.

I was disappointed in Malala for telling the BIG LIE to the world that there is a country called Pakistan where if a girl goes to school she is shot in the head not just a few girls in a specific region, but ALL GIRLS. I am disappointed in Malala for reinforcing the prejudiced image in the minds of civilized world that Muslims and especially Pakistanis are barbaric and women are treated as cattle. I am disappointed in Malala for so faithfully serving the Jewish controlled media which is giving you unprecedented coverage and persuading world's most prestigious organizations to shower you with honors

I wonder why Malala forgot to mention so many women from Pakistan who have won laurels for the country. Why did she not mention Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy who won an Oscar award for her documentary, ‘Saving face’? Why did she not mention Naseem Hameed a Pakistani athlete, who became the fastest woman in South Asia when she won a gold medal in the 100-metre event of the 11th South Asian Federation Games? Why did she not mention Sana Mir, the captain of Pakistan’s Women Cricket Team? Why did not mention Badam Zari of the Tribal Areas who had the guts to contest in the elections from an area where women are not allowed to vote let alone contest?  Why?

Only if she had known, it was a golden chance of clear the negative image of Pakistan and put ahead of the world a brighter and much more peaceful picture of the country.

As a matter of fact it’s all over again. Benazir’s 'Jamhuriat kay lyay qurbani' is now Malala’s 'taleem kay lyay qurbani'. That’s how the propaganda machines work. Getting shot at is not an achievement. We don't even know the name of the school teacher who escaped the burning vehicle and then came back and died trying to save the children. We don't know the name of the 23 year old girl who stood in front of an Israeli bulldozer and got run over. We don't know the names of these heroes because they don't serve the purpose of the people who own the global propaganda machine. 'It is easier to fool people than convince them that they have been fooled’.

Read Malala’s speech here: http://www.ibtimes.com/malala-yousafzais-speech-un-full-text-1344117

NOTE: This article is purely based on personal opinion and has no intentions of imposing personal views on anyone else.

The True Spirit of Ramadan?

With the Holy Month of Ramadan approaching, we witness a number of people engaged in preparations. Yes, preparations. Sadly these preparations usually revolve around all worldly things. Some people are busy planning Aftar parties, some are found to be preparing large quantities of food items for Sehri and Aftari and others are just to busy to be bothered about anything at all. We would often hear a number of people exclaiming, ‘Oh this time I’m going to throw the biggest Aftar party in my friends’ circle’ or ‘I wish I knew how many Aftar parties I have to attend this Ramadan so I could’ve got a new dress for each of them’. Do we ever hear people saying that, ‘This Ramadan I would seek forgiveness for all my sins and abstain from doing them in future’ or that ‘Instead of wasting my money on Aftar parties this Ramadan I would rather be feeding the poor.

Have we? Unfortunately we haven’t.

We have lost the true spirit of Ramadan. We have deliberately forgotten the real meaning of this Holy month. Today what Ramadan means to us is a month when we stay hungry during the day and party in the evening. It is a month when we can sleep hibernate during the day and stay up all night. It is a month when we can diet and be rewarded for it.

Today the question that I ask you all is that why do we, Muslims, Fast during the month of Ramadan? According to the teachings of Islam this practice is intended to help Muslims learn self-discipline, self-restraint and generosity. To help Muslims understand the agony of the poor and helpless who bear food deprivation for days. Fasting doesn’t simply apply to being hungry and thirsty from sunrise to sunset but it also implies to abstain from all bad deeds and performing all righteous deeds through out this period.

It is the month in which the devils are chained, the doors of Hell are closed and the doors of Heaven are opened. It is that month in which Quran was revealed. It is the month of piety and forgiveness. This Ramadan let us all seek forgiveness for sins. Let us all feed the poor and needy instead of organizing grand Aftar parties. Let us all pledge to live this month in its true spirit and give up all ill practices which corrupt the true spirit.

Ramadan Mubarak!