Road to HARVARD .........

THE ROAD TO HARVARD ..........

Anum Fatima " s story is very inspirational for all of us . She along with her four siblings attended TCF school near Steel Town , Karachi . Her father is driver at a local company they can't afford to attend private schools . She became the first girl in her family to pass 10 th grade then she did intermediate in Commerce subjects . Later on she got admission at IBA , Karachi which is Pakistan " s leading business school . Anum Fatima was awarded a three month summer prog scholarship to Harvard University this year .Fatima is currently enrolled in the MBA programme at Institute of Business Management, Karachi and will be attending the summer school at Harvard University at the end of June. The three-month programme, an initiative by the US-Pakistan Women Council will allow her to attend classes at Harvard University and also provide her with internship opportunities.

Her parents did not know that their daughter was offered a prog at Harvard ; Anum " s teachers told them it is the same college where Benazir Bhutto went to study . Anum Fatima wants to become CEO of a multinational company and want to help TCF foundation , may her dreams come true!

Shakespearean Tragedies

SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDIES 

Shakespearean tragedies were written in a seven-year period between 1601 and 1608. These include his four major tragedies Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth, along with Antony & Cleopatra and Julius Ceaser . Romeo and Juliet was written before all these . Even after so many years they are appreciated by students of English literature all over the world . People still discuss the phrases and depth in story . Many movies and theatre plays have been made on them . I personally like Macbeth the complex tale of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth who was sort of a villain along with the three witches .

I also like the sad saga of Antony and Cleopatra ; story set along the backdrop of Roman and Egyptian Empires , how they both killed themselves . Shakespeare's tragedies almost all have some evil forces working against them and end with death of the main characters .

A NEW POLITICAL HEIRESS

Maryam Nawaz is the 38 year old daughter of Mian Nawaz Sharif the "to be Prime Minister of Pakistan " and leader of PML ( Nawaz). She played an important role in her dad" s campaign . Maryam Nawaz Sharif is a new face on Pakistani political spectrum. The lady is getting popular with each passing day with her involvement on social media. She seems to be greatly inspired from her father and want to carry his vision forward. For the last 15 years, she has been managing the Sharif Trust and the family’s philanthropic initiatives, which include a hospital, schools, and colleges in the province of Punjab . Ms Sharif was by her father" s side when he gave his victory speech around midnight in may 11 th 2013 .

It has been stated that she wants to work on bills for Balochistan, across-the-board accountability, transparency in the wealth declarations of elected officials, affirmative action for women in the public sector . I wish her all the best and I hope she will learn from the past history of Pakistani politics.

the revolution in the making "

It was jan 1990 when Imran Khan , Pakistan" s legendary fast bowler visited my college St Joesphs College ,Karachi . He was the superstar adored by everyone and you could imagine how difficult it would be for him to walk from the college door to the pavilion in front of the library when the entire girls college all about 400 girls were running , chanting after him . He spoke breifly about his mother and how she died and the Cancer Hospital he is building to save hundreds of other moms and dads . He was on a school / college tour across Pakistan to collect funds for his charitable Cancer Hospital . He said " I know it's a tough road but I know if I work hard God will help me to achieve my goal" ......I still remember the determination in his voice . At that time in the early 1990s he engaged the youth of Pakistan to help him collect funds for his hospital and now after so many years in 2013 he is once again engaging the youth of Pakistan to get up become registered voters , to vote for a new party his party Tehrik e Insaf to help defeat corruption , feudalism and terrorism .....to help rebuild a better Pakistan .

I think this time too he is fighting with the same determination for his " Mother" ......his Dharti Ma !!!  It is true that a Nation is praying and chanting , once again for a Cricket Captain who has become a politician . They want him to win his battle , most notably young voters many of them first time voters are supporting him........Yes He Will Win , We Will Win ......God will help us , we will rise once again , long live our Captain and our Pakiland !!!

PAK SAR ZAMEEN SHADBAD

PAK SAR ZAMEEN SHADBAD

I remember watching the 1992 Cricket World Cup in Australia ......Pakistan lost almost all it's earlier matches then drew one rain affected match , two days later under the bright flood lights Pakistani team defeated Australia on its home ground .......the team and the nation waited to watch the result of the next match , only a West Indies win could secure a spot for Pakistan in the semi finals .......eventually Pakis made it to Semi finals where they defeated New Zealand ...... the team came together under its captain to defeat England in the final, they were not the favorites yet the victors .....the players came together under their captain Imran Khan , everyone prayed ....Yes We Did It ....... fast forward 21 years the Nation is praying again for a Captain to win his battle , his final match, he is the one who is not scared of his own people, the one that doesnt need a bulletproof glass to give his speeches, the one who is a leader

.....Yes He Will Win We Will Win ......God will help us , we will rise once again , long live our Captain and our Pakiland !!!

THE EVER GROWING GAP BETWEEN THE " HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS"

On my recent visit to Pakistan my biggest concern was the huge and rapidly growing " gap " between the haves and have nots . I have always believed that " middle class " is the most important part of the society but it so sad that middle class has almost disappeared from many third world countries and most certainly in Pakistan.

The Asian Development Bank has been urging many third world countries in Asia to address the widening inequality between rich and poor, in terms of income and access to education and health care .

It is true that there has been a rapid growth in the economies of some of these Asian countries, the gap between rich and poor had continued to widen. This, it said, might cause social unrest and rise in criminality.

It was some what heart breaking to see Rs 50,000  ladies designer dresses hanging in posh boutiques in Karachi and Lahore while average household income in the country is less than Rs 20,000. On one side some one buys a Rs 50,000 dress to wear few times and on the other side a family of 5 or 6 people has just  Rs 20,000 or maybe less to spend on food , clothing , school for 30 days .