Remembering the Day of Reckoning

It will soon be a year since the earthquake struck our northern lands. Much has been said about the devastation caused by the disaster and even more has been said about the inefficiency of our government. Articles pertaining to both these things have found their way time and again on the front pages of newspapers and equal coverage has been given to these issues in the media.

However, amidst all this negativity, one major positive aspect has been ignored. No one has really come up and celebrated the spirit shown by the whole Pakistani nation. This spirit was something that rose out of nowhere. In fact, many people in the past have doubted the ability of this nation to rise in the time of need and devastation, and yet, when the earthquake struck, it woke up the nationalistic spirit within our society that had been dormant.

From thousands of volunteers working day and night at the PAF Air Base to hundreds of groups going to the north to help in the rehabilitation of the survivors, our people, especially the youth did more than what was expected of them. People who had observed our society for many years were overwhelmed with this sudden national unity and the were forced to applaud the wonderful effort of our people.

It is true that a lot more could have been done had the government and the respective agencies been efficient. It is also true that a lot of funds went missing and it is also true that a significant amount of supplies for the earthquake survivors found there way into the markets. But these actions aren’t representative of the average Pakistani. In fact, it may well be correct to say that the government and the agencies are not clear representatives of our people!

I felt proud to hear an elderly person tell me that the effort he had seen by the Pakistani youth had reminded him of the war effort in 1965 and the unity shown by the people freshened his memories of the unity that the Pakistani people had shown at the time of independence. i felt proud because my generation had done something parallel to the great feats that those before us had accomplished.

As I know look in the past at that day of reckoning, I realize that even though the earthquakes destroyed the homes of our brothers and sisters, it woke up the sleeping giant that had been within us for a long time.  And i believe that along with expressing sorrow over what happened a year ago, we must also celebrate the spirit that this nation showed after that day of reckoning

Uzair M. Younis SY-L

Bill Clinton at The Labour Party Conference

Former US President Bill Clinton was chief guest at the Labour Party Conference 2006 in Blackpool. He addressed the party making what turned out to be a truly inspiring and momentous speech. What stood out was his presentation of vast ideologies in short phrases that not only delivered tremendous and stunning impact but captured the audience and gave a clear message. He began by praising the Prime Minister Tony Blair, his cabinet and the Labour Party for their successes, especially at battling the problems of poverty, instability and global warming and for preserving the UK’s alliance with the USA. Clinton then began the main part of his speech addressing many current issues and challenges. “It’s a different world. This world has been a really good deal for many of us,” he said. “But fundamentally the fact remains that the modern world is unequal, unstable and unsustainable.”

The world remains unequal because of problems such as economic incongruity, poverty, social contrast and racial prejudice. These problems stem from our failure to realise the principle of equality among all human beings. The former President addressed this problem recalling the day when, during a video conference with Tony Blair, there was news of a breakthrough by scientists in human genome research. It was discovered that all human beings were 99.9% genetically identical. Furthermore if, for example, a genetic sample was taken from one person from an interbred tribe in the Middle East and a genetic sample was taken from a person from an interbred tribe in South America, the two samples would be more similar than two samples from the same tribe. He also presented the fact that most people spend 99% of their time thinking about the 0.1% difference between themselves and others. Therefore we should realise our similarity and equality and try to achieve reduce disparity. “We really believe our common humanity is more important than our interesting differences,” he said. He then continued, “We know that half a world away, trapped in poverty, there’s some little kid … who’s just as smart as our kid and just as deserving of a decent life.”

The world remains unstable because of problems such as political insecurity and terrorism. These problems can only be tackled if their roots are addressed because if they are not then these problems will only resurface. Fighting a war does not address the roots of these problems and therefore it is more appropriate to use more sensible approaches that would save lives and would be less costly. “Since we can’t kill, jail or occupy all of our enemies… we also have to spend some time and money making more and more partners and fewer enemies,” he said. He went on to explain, “It is so much cheaper to alleviate poverty, put kids in school, fight disease, build government capacity and economic capacity in a poor country than it is to fight a war.” Clinton also expressed regret at missing his opportunity during his term to send aid to Pakistan to develop education along with aid he had sent to support Pakistan militarily and now the country was threatened by terrorism as many children who could not afford education went to madrassahs and at some children were taught a twisted version of their faith.

The world remains unsustainable because of problems such as the depletion of resources and global warming. Finding cleaner alternative sources of energy is not only an environmental issue, it has economic implications. The result would be less reliance and demand on non-renewable resources and generally less instability which would be the key not only to future growth but it would be the key to protecting ourselves and the environment from the harmful effects of global warming. He promised that a full commitment to finding cleaner and alternative energy sources would not only prevent natural disasters, save lives, and sustain and protect the environment but would also bring about a fresh round of economic growth.

Clinton’s speech was, to say the least, admirable. It was hopeful and courageous yet clear and precise and despite the fact that in many peoples’ eyes the shadow of the infamous scandal still looms over him, I am sure that the speech itself gained him the respect and appreciation of many.

Walid Sharif FY