Our Q&A with Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize winner and education advocate

By The Lily

In the past two weeks, Malala Yousafzai turned 20, graduated high school, joined Twitter and set off on a summer-long trip throughout the world to meet with young girls and help them fight for their right to education. The Girl Power Trip is taking Yousafzai through North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

She answered these questions for The Lily over email after spending time in Nigeria, the country with the highest number of out-of-school girls in the world.

The Lily: Whose idea was the Girl Power Trip, and why did you want to make it happen? How did you choose which countries and communities to visit? What portion of the trip are you most looking forward to? Could you highlight issues in specific countries that prevent girls from attending school? Were any of them a surprise to you?

Malala Yousafzai: I worked on the Girl Power Trip with the team at Malala Fund. We wanted to do this trip because the reasons girls are out of school vary between regions and countries. This is a complex problem without a single solution, but I believe we can see every girl in school in my lifetime.

In the Iraq and Kurdistan, violent conflict and wars have forced many girls to flee their homes — and their schools. In Nigeria, government spending on education is so low; millions of girls live in poverty and can’t afford private schools. They have dreams to be bankers and nurses  —  but instead they’re out of school and working low-paying jobs.

Next I’ll be making my first visit to Latin America and I’m excited about that. It’s the only continent in the world where child marriage is increasing instead of decreasing. That really surprised me. Teen pregnancy is also a big problem.

Girls are de-prioritized all over the world — in big and smaller ways. In some communities, girls don’t even have access to working restrooms at school, forcing them to choose between their dignity and privacy or their education.

TL: Since circumstances are different in each community, what advice do you typically give to girls trying to get an education?

MY: The Girl Power Trip is really about me listening to girls  —  hearing their stories and the challenges they face in going to school. I do try to encourage them, but they don’t need my advice. They have faced incredible hardships like child marriage, wars and poverty  —  and they’re still so determined to go to school.

I can stand with them and support them, but they don’t need me or anyone to tell them how to fight for their rights. They’re already fighting.

[Malala Yousafzai: From a schoolgirl to a Nobel Peace Prize winner]

TL: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve gotten amid the hardships you’ve faced pursuing an education?

MY: I often say that I tell my story not because it is unique, but because it is the story of many girls. I think realizing that you’re not alone, that you are standing with millions of your sisters around the world is vital.

TL: Throughout your advocacy  —  and on the Girl Power Trip stops so far  —  you’ve likely met countless young girls and women who have had a difficult time trying to attain an education. What’s one story that you will never forget?

MY: I’ve been campaigning for girls’ education since I was 11 years old. And I’ve met many, many brave girls on my travels around the world.

I carry them all with me every day. But right now I am thinking of a girl I just met in Kurdistan. Her name is Najla and she’s a Yazidi girl. When she was a young teenager, her family wanted her to get married. She ran away from home in her wedding dress! She told me, “I left my high heels because I couldn’t run in them.”

She was ostracized from her family but still able to go to school. Then ISIS came to her village. They shot at her as she fled and hit her in the hand. She showed me the scar where the bullet hit her.

Today she lives in a concrete shell of an unfinished building without electricity or running water. She walks over an hour to school. But she’s happy to be free and back in a classroom. These are the incredible things girls will do to get an education and choose their future for themselves.

Malala Yousafzai in a group discussion with some of the students at Yerwa Girls School in Maiduguri, Nigeria, on July 18. (Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)

TL: You’re a passionate education advocate leading an organization and a full-time student. What do you do for fun when you have time to relax?

MY: I read a lot and go out with my friends. I also try to have fun with my little brothers, but it often ends up in arguments and fights!

TL: What has been the hardest part about living in the U.K. as opposed to your home country of Pakistan? Do you keep in touch with your friends? Were many of them able to complete school and pursue college?

MY: It took me a while to adjust to the new environment and culture in the U.K. When I first started school here, I didn’t know if I would make any friends or if anyone would feel comfortable talking to me. But I’ve made great friends and they’ve helped me have a normal life.

I do talk to my friends in Pakistan as well, especially my best friend Moniba. I hope we will be reunited in our hometown someday.

TL: Where will you be attending college, and what do you hope to study?

MY: I won’t know about my university acceptance until later in the summer. I plan to study philosophy, politics and economics.

TL: What is your favorite book or who is your favorite author?

MY: My favorite book is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho.

Recently I read “Stolen Girls” by Wolfgang Bauer, in preparation for my Girl Power Trip stop in Nigeria. “Stolen Girls” tells the stories of brave and resilient women and girls kidnapped by Boko Haram.

[‘I am heartbroken’: Malala criticizes Trump for ‘closing the door on children’ fleeing violence]

TL: You’re a role model for so many people, young and old. Who is someone you look up to and why?

MY: My parents. When I was 17, someone asked me, “Who would you have been if you were just an ordinary girl from the Swat Valley?” I said that I am an ordinary girl from Swat Valley. But if I had an ordinary father and an ordinary mother, I would have two children by now.

My parents didn’t think I was less than my brothers because I’m a girl. My father Ziauddin says, “Don’t ask me what I did. Ask me what I did not do. I did not clip her wings."

TL: You’ve written a blog and a book and continue to write for your website. Do you keep a personal journal to document your life?

MY: I try to. But my schoolwork and my travels with Malala Fund keep me from writing as much as I’d like. As school is finished now, I might start writing in my personal journal more often.

TL: What was the best thing that happened to you on your birthday?

MY: The night before my birthday, I went to an amusement park in Kurdistan with girls from camps for internally displaced people. Girls in this region — Iraqi, Kurdish, Yazidi, Christian — they have all suffered so much in their young lives. It was great to see them forget their fears for a while and laugh and enjoy the rides.

One of the girls brought a 6-year-old orphan boy named Yusef with her. Even though it was an outing for girls, I think he had the most fun.

Women Filmmakers Are On The Decline In Pakistan

Adnan Murad

Pakistani cinema is going through a growth phase, and although one cannot always vouch for their quality, the quantity of films being produced each year has generally shown an upward trend. Fading female presence If we go by the stats, eight films got wide release throughout Pakistan in 2013. This year proved to be a landmark year for Pakistani cinema.

Meenu Gaur's and Farjad Nabi's Zinda Bhaag became the first Pakistani film in over 50 years to be submitted for Oscar consideration, Two—one of them co-directed—out of eight films were directed by women Bilal Lashari's Waar became the highest grossing Pakistani movie of all time. Subsequently, the expectations of people from local cinema escalated. They wanted to see more of local films. However, the next year was a disappointment for the growing industry as there were only six mainstream releases, out of which only Nabeel Qureshi's Na Maloom Afraad stood out.

Then 2015 saw a revival. The number of films almost doubled in 2015 as 14 films made it to the local cinema houses—a mix of highbrow, middlebrow and lowbrow.

Two out of eight films were directed by women in 2013. However, there were only four films, out of 26, directed by women in 2016. Unspooling at a languorous pace, films like Moor and Manto found their own niche. On the other hand, films like Bin Roye, Jawani Phir Nahi Ani and Wrong No. had audiences flocking to cinemas, making the film business more lucrative than ever. This was definitely a good year for the Pakistani cinema with Moor being sent as Pakistan's official entry for an Oscar consideration.

In 2016, almost 26 films got mainstream release in cinemas throughout Pakistan. Ho Mann Jahaan, Janaan, Actor in Law and 3 Bahadur: The Revenge of Baba Balaam had a good run at the cinema. However, the other releases couldn't make a strong mark at the box-office. This year was quite good if we talk about content. Filmmaker Ahmed Jamal adapted Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, director Nabeel Qureshi Actor in Law brought the satire genre to Pakistan, and Mah-e-Mir used poetry as a motif to reminisce loss of culture and heritage. Yet, it was quite evident that the percentage of releases by women filmmakers had dropped by 7% over the course of four years. Two out of eight films were directed by women in 2013. However, there were only four films, out of 26, directed by women in 2016. This is a shocking trend that we all must take notice of in order to address gender parity in film business before it gets too late.


  Here is a brief look at the stats, graphically: 

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Number of Pakistani films released between 2013 and 2016

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Percentage of film directors (gender)

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Films included in compiling the data

San Diego State's Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film in a recently published report noted: "Women accounted for 25 percent of directors working on narrative features screening at the festivals considered in 2016-17, an increase of 6 percentage points from 19 percent in 2015-16, and an increase of 10 percentage points from 15 percent in 2008-09. This is a recent historical high."

The report further highlighted:

"Women comprised just 7 percent of all directors working on the top 250 domestic grossing films in 2016. That figure represents a decline of two percentage points from 2015's 9 percent."

Dr Martha M. Lauzen, the author of this report, commented:

"The findings indicate that women who direct films actually lost ground in 2016. The current small-scale remedies for women's underemployment, while they may be well-intentioned and benefit a handful of individuals, are ineffective in addressing this issue. The efforts, such as the mentoring and shadowing programs, are simply too meagre to create the kind of shift that is needed." In this age of inclusion and diversity, the struggle for pay parity and equal opportunities has become more crucial. However, the percentage of women filmmakers has also significantly declined in Pakistan in 2016. In fact, it got worse in 2017. Out of the seven films released so far in 2017, all films have been directed by men. This is a worrying trend.

How to address this problem?

Pakistan's Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb, in the past, has encouraged the revival of Pakistani cinema. The recent announcement by Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif to facilitate filmmaking has also been a positive step in this process of resuscitation. The government and relevant ministry have to be more mindful of the stark decline in the percentage of women making films. The government and relevant ministry, however, have to be more mindful of the stark decline in the percentage of women making films. It should be the relevant ministry's top priority to address this issue in order to avoid widening gender gap further.

It would help, perhaps, to pay heed to the findings of research conducted the Female Filmmakers' Initiative (jointly launched by the Sundance Institute and Women in Film to encourage gender parity for women working behind the camera): First, it is essential to conduct a detailed study of film school enrollment and experiences in order to understand the interests of women filmmakers. This research must take into account the ambition of women to direct feature films and the circumstances under which they want to direct films. Second, it is important to analyse the relationship between market factors and gender. This will help the industry to determine how directors—male or female –influence the profitability of films.

Let's start with these steps to transform the local cinematic landscape for women. Here's hoping for a brighter future.

Pakistan officials fear Islamic State trying to recruit university students

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Sindh Police, Pakistan said that terror outfits like the Islamic State are trying to spread extremism and recruit students of leading universities.

Pakistan’s counter-terrorism officials fear terror groups like ISIS are trying to recruit varsity students as they held a series of meetings with vice- chancellors of 11 universities in Sindh province to counter any such attempt.

The vice-chancellors of the universities have been asked to increase the vigilance, security and intelligence network to save students from being brainwashed by terror groups.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Sindh Police said that terror outfits like the Islamic State are trying to spread extremism and recruit students of leading universities.

“We have found clear evidence that these terror groups are now targeting university campuses where they are trying to recruit students from well-off families to join their extremist mission,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Umar Khattab of the CTD.

He said there is also clear information that some youth who had gone to Syria to fight for the ISIS had returned to Karachi and were now forming groups to carry out terror attacks.

“We have briefed the vice-chancellors of 11 universities and told them there is a need to increase the vigilance, security and intelligence network to save students from being brainwashed by such groups,” he said.

A Pakistani television channel last week had reported that four girl students were questioned when they submitted admission forms to the Karachi University.

In April, a 20-year-old second-year medical student was arrested after her husband was killed in an encounter in Lahore. She had travelled to Syria in February to join the ISIS and receive weapons training.

In a video confession played during a press conference, the woman said that she was to be used by the Islamic State as a suicide bomber on an attack to be conducted on a church on Easter Sunday in Lahore.

The CTD recently also held a workshop where all the heads of the varsities in Sindh province were invited and lectures were given on the issue of terror groups trying to recruit students.

Suicide bombing spree in Balochistan

By Naveed Elahi 


Balochistan is home to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)since the corridor’s flagship project Gwadar Port is based here. Ever since Gwadar started taking concrete shape, foreign powers, big and small, friendly and unfriendly, have turned their guns towards it.

Terrorism is the tool most readily available to them to hinder the project. Initially, the indigenous and low intensity Baloch insurgency was being used for this purpose. Its ineffectiveness to stir the desired level of trouble provided an opportunity to home-grown terrorists like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates to fill the void. Ever since the TTP has taken shelter in Afghanistan, their handlers have turned them towards Balochistan.

A quick look at the history of suicide attacks in Balochistan during the last fourteen years makes the maze of mayhem quite clear. In 2003, one suicide attack took place in a Shia mosque in Quetta in which 54 persons were killed and 57 others were injured. 2004 did not experience any suicide attacks. In 2005, a suicide bomber targeted the shrine of a Shia saint in Jhal Magsi resulting in 51 casualties and injuries to more than a 100 people. 2006 witnessed no attacks. In 2007, three suicide bomb attacks took place. 49 people, including a senior civil judge and lawyers were killed and 80 others were injured. In 2008, one suicide attack took place in which two persons, including a female student, were killed and 22 others were injured. In 2009, two suicide attacks occurred; one on a madrasah (seminary) in Pishin and the other in a hotel in Kalat. As a result, 12 persons were killed and 12 others were injured. 2010 witnessed a substantial rise in terrorism as 3 suicide attacks occurred in Quetta, one on a hospital, one on an Al-Quds rally at a minister’s residence and one on the Chief Minister of Balochistan. About 88 persons were killed and 239 were injured in these incidents. 2011 remained equally tragic as four suicide attacks took place in Quetta; on a DIG of police, at a Shia gathering at Eid-ul-Fitr, on DIG FC and on a political figure. As a result 60 people were killed and 124 others were injured. 2013 experienced a further rise in suicide bombings; 9 suicide attacks occurred in various areas of Balochistan, causing 233 deaths and injuries to 407 others. 2014 witnessed 4 suicide attacks on Shia pilgrims, Hazaras, on Maulana Fazalur Rahman and during a search operation against suicide bombers. As a result, 12 persons were killed and 64 others were injured.

In 2015 one suicide incident took place in which 2 persons were killed in Quetta.In 2016, seven suicide bombings took place targeting para military forces, a shrine and a hospital in which 224 persons were killed and 435 others were injured.

In 2017, three suicide attacks have taken place so far in which 43 persons have been killed and 64 have been injured. Over the last fourteen years, these 39 suicide attacks in Balochistan have killed 787 people and injured 2360. These attacks also show how terrorist activities and resultant casualties have fluctuated in the province.

Violence and killings caused by guns and grenades and other terrorist methods are in addition to suicide attacks.

The upsurge and persistence in the use of suicide bombers in Balochistan not only shows the resilience and resourcefulness of the terrorists but also reveals their designs and desires to strike at the soft belly.

The lethality of attacks has increased which indicates that the terrorists are being imparted professional coaching and training by strategists who are adept in insurgency and terrorism. The interests of the TTP and its sectarian affiliates like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Jamaat-al-Ahrar (JuA) align strongly with hostile foreign agencies like India’s RAW and the Afghanistan’s NDS which has resulted in these entities collaborating.

A look at the choice of targets confirms that TTP and its affiliates find their favourite fodder — Shias and Hazaras — in abundance in Balochistan, while they continue to attack soft targets such as courts, educational institutions and hospitals.

The destabilisation caused by such terrorist attacks serves the purpose of RAW and NDS, backed by some other hostile forces, of derailing CPEC, Gwadar and preventing normalcy in Balochistan and in Pakistan in general.

The National Action Plan, a bulwark against terrorism, seems to be falling apart due to apathy caused by internal political commotion. The terrorists and their handlers must be gloating over the opportunity coming their way due to a weakened NAP.

The government takes pride in its efforts of effectively countering terrorism, and rightly so, but it should take all measures to zealously guard the advantages gained due to its brave initiative.

Despite the ongoing hullabaloo, the Prime Minister should hold meetings of Apex committees or of the National Security Council to keep the NAP on track and to foil the evil designs of terrorists and enemies alike.

ستر سال کا پاکستان اور جشن کس بات کا؟

واصف ناگی

چند روز بعد پاکستان ستر برس کا ہوجائے گا۔ ’’حکومت اس پر70سالہ جشن بڑے زور و شور سے منارہی ہے ،خوب پیسہ لگایا جائے گا، آتش بازی اور رنگا رنگ تقاریب ہوں گی۔جس طالبہ نے اس ستر برس پر ایک لوگو بنایا ہے حکومت نے اسے انعام و اکرام سے بھی نوازا ہے۔ پنجاب کے وزیر تعلیم برائے ا سکولز ایجوکیشن نے اعلان کردیا ہے کہ تمام ا سکولز 15اگست کی بجائے 7 اگست کو کھلیں گے اور اس سلسلے میں نوٹیفکیشن بھی جاری کردیا گیا ہے اور یہ بھی شنیدہے کہ ہر اسکول کا سربراہ اپنے اسکول کی حاضری کو سوفیصد یقینی بنائے گا اور اگر حاضری پوری نہ ہوئی تو کارروائی بھی ہوسکتی ہے۔
اربوں، کروڑوں روپے کا بجٹ رکھا جارہا ہے، مگر کیوں؟یہ سارا کچھ کسی روز سامنے آہی جائے گا۔ بحیثیت قوم اس بےبس عوام نے کیا کمایا؟ مجموعی طور پر قوم کے کردار نے کیا صورت اختیار کی؟ سڑکیں، عمارتیں،پل، انڈر پاسز ،اوورہیڈ برج اور باغ بنانے سے ملک کی ترقی نہیں ہوتی۔ یہ تمام چیزیں ضرورت کے تحت بنائی جاتی ہیں اس میں کسی حکومت کا عوام پر کوئی احسان نہیں کیونکہ ان چیزوں کی حکمرانوں کو بھی ضرورت ہوتی ہے۔آخر ہم کس بات کا جشن آزادی منانا چاہتے ہیں کیا ہمارا ملک ڈنمارک، سویڈن، ناروے، چین، کوریا جرمن اور عرب ممالک جیسا ہوگیا ہے۔ ہم نے ان ممالک کی مثالیں اس لئے دی ہیں کہ ستر برس قبل ان ممالک کے حالات بھی بہت خراب تھے۔ آج ان ممالک کی ترقی دیکھتے ہوئے ایسا لگتا ہے کہ پاکستان ان سے برسوں پیچھے ہے اوردور دور تک ان کا مقابلہ نہیں کرسکتا۔ جن ممالک کے ہم مقروض ہیں وہ ملک اور قومیں کیا ہم پر ہنسیں گی نہیں کہ پاکستان کے امیر ترین حکمران خود کشکول لے کر آجاتے ہیں اور پھر جشن آزادی مناتے ہیں۔ ان کو ذرہ برابر شرم نہیں ا ٓتی کہ آخر ہم کس منہ سے70سالہ جشن آزادی منارہے ہیں؟ اپنا احتساب کرو،بلائو ان لوگوں کو جن کی عمریں اب نوے سال اور اس سے اوپر ہیں سنو ان کے دل کی باتیں ،جنہیں سن کر رونا آجائےگا ۔ آج بھی ا س ملک میں وہ چند لوگ زندہ ہوں گے جنہوں نے اپنے ہوش و حواس میں بھارت سے ہجرت کی،سنو! ان سے ہجرت کے وہ واقعات۔ 
آج جشن آزادی نہیں بلکہ اپنے احتساب کا دن منائو اور سوچو کہ ہم نے اس ملک کو کیا دیا اور ہجرت کرکے آنے والوں کو کیا دیا؟ جنہوں نے اپنی جانیں قربان کرکے یہ آزادی حاصل کی۔ صرف چند پٹواریوں اور کچھ جہاندیدہ لوگوں نے1947سے ہی لوٹنا شروع کردیا تھا۔ آج ان پٹواریوں کے خاندان عزت دار اور بڑے لوگ کہلاتے ہیں۔ یہ بالکل حقیقت ہے کہ ایک طرف لٹے ہوئے قافلے آرہے تھے تو دوسری طرف مختلف شہروں اور دیہات کے پٹواری جعلی کاغذات بناکر(PTO)بنا کر لوٹ مار کرنے میں لگے ہوئے تھے۔ اس وقت ان کی طرف کسی کی توجہ نہ گئی صرف لاہور کو چار پٹواریوں نے مل کر لوٹا ، یہی وہ لوگ ہیں جو اب بھی پشت در پشت چلے آرہے ہیں اور بڑے لوگ بنے بیٹھے ہیں۔
عزیز قارئین! آپ کو یہ سن کر حیرت ہوگی کہ محکمہ ا سکول ایجوکیشن پرائمری کلاس میں داخل ہونے و الے طلبا کو ڈھائی لاکھ بیگ مع کتابوں کے دے رہے ہیں جس پر گیارہ کروڑ 25لاکھ روپے لاگت آرہی ہے۔ ان اسکول بیگ پر وزیر اعلیٰ پنجاب کی تصویر، پڑھو پنجاب، بڑھو پنجاب کا سلوگن لکھا ہوگا اور یہ36اضلاع میں دئیے جائیں گے۔ 
ارے اللہ کے نیک بندو ان گیارہ کروڑ 25لاکھ روپےسے کتنے اسکولوں میں سہولتیں مہیا کی جاسکتی ہیں۔ ذرا سوچو اور اس پر غور کرو۔ یہ بیگ کیوں اور کون بنارہا ہے اور اس میں دلچسپی کیوں ہے یہ بھی کہانی کبھی سامنے آجائے گی۔ چوہدری پرویز الٰہی جب پنجاب کے وزیر اعلیٰ تھے تو انہوں نے اسکولوں کی کتابوں کے بیک ٹائٹل پر اپنی تصویر لگوادی تھی پھر جب ن لیگ کی حکومت آئی تو وہ لاکھوں کتابیں تقسیم کرنے سے روک دی گئیں۔ کیا ہمارے حکمراںکتابوں اور بیگوں پر تصاویر لگوا کر زندہ رہیں گے؟ کیا لیپ ٹاپ تقسیم کرکے زندہ رہیں گے؟ ہرگز نہیں اگر کوئی زندہ رہے گا تو صرف اپنے کاموں اور نیکیوں کے ذریعے۔ برصغیر کے ہزاروں اولیاء کرام کے مزارات آج بھی بارونق ہیں اور رشد و ہدایت کا ذریعہ ہیں۔ انہوں نے کسی کو پیسے نہیں دئیے تھے بلکہ نیکی کا پرچار کیا تھا، انسانیت کی بھلائی، دین کی سرفرازی کے لئے کام کیا تھا۔کس بات کا جشن آزادی منارہے ہیں۔ کیا پاکستان کرپشن سے پاک ہوگیا ہے؟ کیا اسپتالوں میں غریب کو دوائی مفت مل رہی ہے؟ کیا پاکستان ہیپاٹائٹس اور پولیو فری ہوگیا ہے۔پنجاب کے کئی اضلاع پورے پورے ہیپاٹائٹس بی اور سی میں مبتلا ہوچکے ہیں۔ یہ آفیشل اعداد و شمار ہیں۔کیا اس بات کا جشن منارہے ہو کہ پاکستان میں گوڈے گوڈے کرپشن ہے؟ کیا عوام اور پولیس میں فاصلے ختم ہوچکے ہیں؟ کیا تھانہ کلچر تبدیل ہوچکا ہے؟ کیا ڈاکٹرز اپنی ڈیوٹی پوری طرح کرتے ہیں؟ کیا پرائیویٹ اسپتالوں میں لوٹ مار کا بازار ختم ہوچکا ہے؟ کیا جعلی ادویات اور ناقص غذا ملنا بند ہوگئی ہے؟
ارے بلائو ان خاندانوں کو جن کے عزیز و اقارب دوران ہجرت شہید کردئیے گئے سکھوں نے ہزاروں لوگوں کو مار دیا ۔ ہزاروں خواتین سکھ اٹھا کر لے گئے ۔ ارے بلائو ان خاندانوں کو ہاکی ا سٹیڈیم میں اور سنو ان کی داستانیں اور شہداء کے لئے قرآن خوانی کرائو پورے ملک میں۔ کس بات کا جشن، آج نوجوان نسل بگڑ چکی ہے، اساتذہ کا احترام ختم ہوچکا ہے۔ اس بات کا سترسالہ جشن منارہے ہیں؟جس ملک میں ستر برس کے بعد بھی سیٹل منٹ کا آفس کام کررہا ہوکبھی سوچا وہ محکمہ آج بھی کیوں قائم ہے؟ اور وہاں پر آج بھی گھپلے کیوں ہورہے ہیں ؟جس قوم کا کردار یہ ہو کہ ایک لیٹر پٹرول کو لوٹنے کے لئے ٹوٹ پڑے اور پھر دیکھتے ہی دیکھتے لقمہ اجل بن گئے، احمد پور شرقیہ کے اتنے بڑے سانحے کے بعد بھی لوگوں کو عقل نہ آئی اور وہاڑی میں ایک اور ٹرک پر لٹیرے حملہ آور ہوگئے وہ تو پولیس نے ان کی جانیں بچالی لیں۔ آج کون سا محکمہ ہے جہاں پر رشوت کا بازار گرم نہیں۔ آج لوگ اربوں روپے کی کرپشن کرتے ہیں جب جیل جاتے ہیں تو گردوں اور دل کے عارضے کے جعلی سرٹیفکیٹ پیش کرکے بچ جاتے ہیں۔ جب لوٹ مار کررہے ہوتے ہیں تو تب کیا دل ،گردوں اور شوگر کے مریض نہیں ہوتے؟ تب تو بڑے تھری پیس سوٹ اور ٹائی پہن کر انگریزی میں بھاشن دے رہے ہوتے ہیں۔
ذرا سوچو! ان ستر برسوں میں کتنے لوگ اپنے دیس میں آکر اجڑ گئے ، کتنے خاندان دہشت گردی کی نذر ہوگئے اور کتنے خاندان آج معذوری کی زندگی بسر کررہے ہیں۔ کسی نے مولانا حسرت موہانی سے پوچھا کہ آپ بھارت میں خوش نہیں حالانکہ آپ نے آزادی کی خاطر جیل کاٹی۔ پاکستان کیوں نہیں چلے جاتے۔اس پر مولانا حسرت موہانی نے کہا کہ بھارت میں مجھے کوئی ہندو، مسلمان کہہ کر ماردے گا جبکہ پاکستان میں مجھے کافر کہہ کر مار دے گا۔ اس سے بہتر ہے کہ میں مسلمان کہلوا کر ہی مارا جائوں۔ سوچیں حسرت موہانی نے یہ بات کتنے برس قبل کہہ ڈالی اور آج ہم کسی پر بھی کوئی مذہبی الزام لگا کر جب چاہیں مار سکتے ہیں۔ دکھ اور افسوس کی بات یہ ہے کہ جس ملک کو ہم نے اس لئے حاصل کیا تھا کہ وہاں ان کی عزتیں محفوظ ہوں گی، اسی ملک میں آج عورتوں کی عزتیں غیر محفوظ ہیں، بوڑھے لوگ دھکے کھارہے ہیں، پنشن نہیں ملتی، رشوت کا بازار گرم ہے، پھر بھی ہم ستر سال کا جشن منارہے ہیں۔ ستر سال میں انسان میں بردباری اور سنجیدگی آجاتی ہے مگر ہم ستر سال کے بعد بھی سات سال کے بچے ہیں؎
کبھی سوچا ہے کہ لوگ تمہیں اچھا کیوں نہیں کہتے
اس ملک نے صرف ان کو بہت کچھ دیا جو سیاست میں ہیں، بیوروکریسی میں اور مقتدر اداروں میں ہیں،دو مرلہ کے مکانوں میں رہنے والے آج کئی کئی ہائوسنگ اسکیموں کے مالک ہیں۔ اس وقت بیوروکریسی، پولیس اور بعض سیاستداں صرف اور صرف زمینوں کے کاروبار میں مبتلا ہیں اس پر پھر بات کریں گے۔

https://jang.com.pk/print/351797-70-saal-ka-pakistan-aor-jashan-kis-baat-ka