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September 11, 2020Abdullah KamranBlog

For years now we have been living in a world which has been scarred by the violence of wars, feudal conflicts, and other crimes against humanity. Sadly the war effected people do not only deal with the carnage and the bloodshed of wars and their consequent casualties but also sacrifice a great deal for their mere survival. For the first time in the history of this world September 9 of 2020 has been declared to be the international day to protect education from attack, something which has been most often compromised or at the very least has suffered irrevocable damage is because of the instability of war conflicts.

Education allows us to grow and mature our understanding of life and its happenings. Along with teaching us how to be humble servants of humanity, loyal patriots of our respective nations and persons of conscience, it helps us with our socio-economic progress as well. Lately However, about 75,000,003 to 18 years old children of 35 crisis crippled countries have had their futures snatched away from them by the deprivation which follows in the wake of war and other social calamities such as poverty. As a result, such children are not only robbed of their innocent present but are also denied the tools with which they were to groom themselves for a prosperous future.

To think that political gains and feudal rivalries, an attempt to gather and control resources and establishing a country’s regional dominance, would leach all honour out of the warring nations is simply too much for a conscientious person. For blinded by their subjective causes, they violate one of the most ancient laws of any war of not harming women and children. How do you think would such children retaliate in their futures? Would it then be surprising at all, if such children were to rise as another generation of revenge consumed terrorists?

It then falls upon us dear brothers and sisters of humanity to do all that we can and take a firm, an unwavering initiative for the protection of such children and their education. No matter who you are, from which part of the world, if you have a heart which bleeds for the loss of such children and can hear their silent appeals to the world to not let their lives be scarred forever, then surely you and I, all of us together have an opportunity to show our support and save the education of such children. For instance, Human development foundation has also made it a purpose of their existence to safeguard the future of all the children under their care. As a result, they successfully rescued many children who are now respectably employed and are bread earners of their families. Likewise, each and every one of us can also be a saviour should we choose to invest whatever is conveniently possible for us.

So let us not terry any longer and spend our time, money and energies to protect the future of all such children by saving their souls from being consumed by the anguish of loss and revenge! Let us not put them at risk and donate whatever we can for their welfare and for the progress of humanity!

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September 9, 2020ZAHID Ali SHAHBlog

Every eighth of September is celebrated as the International Literacy Day. To make our world a place where every person has an equal chance of quality education, where each and every one of us is appreciated as a persevering learner of the truths offered by knowledge, is a dream we all share. The international literacy Day presents us the opportunity to reflect upon how and why we should be educated and ensure the education of our family and friends, our fellow countrymen, and in effect the entire world.

Today our global society is grappling with multiple notions of the concept of education. Notwithstanding the fact that though all these notions are most admirably justified in their respective scenarios, it should be acknowledged that the general prevalence is only of two broadly recognized understandings of education. Firstly, most of us believe that it is only through education that we can even begin to have a semblance of civilization. Secondly, education is often viewed as a means to an end, a tool with which we are to shape our professional careers and subsequent futures in the competitive arena of our modern world. However, while both of these notions are important contributory factors in our education and its impacts, by no means do they describe the difference between an educated and an uneducated person. For one thing, the rising unemployment across the globe is indicative of the reality that the relevance of socio-economic progress to our education is lesser than what we would like to believe. For statistics show that an overwhelming number of degree holders spend at least months, if not years on job hunt and still end up unemployed. Also, civility and mannerisms have little to do with our being educated. For holding a doctorate degree does not necessarily mean that the person would have a cultured and a well-groomed bearing over others. In fact it has been seen that greater the degree of qualification, more proud and arrogant would be the educated person.

Then why exactly are we so concerned to be educated and so desirous of increasing the worldwide literacy rate? If it does not guarantee a courteous character and has a limited role to play in our socio-economic progress, why are we struggling to continue our education even under the stress of the Covid 19 pandemic? The answer dear reader, is perhaps somewhat bitter but simple. It’s merely in hopes that we would realise the forgotten purpose of education and redeem ourselves accordingly that the world still persists in striving to make education as accessible as possible. The true purpose of education is to acquire the virtue of humility by learning how to see the world from different perspectives. It is the only difference between an educated and an uneducated person. The latter has a limited scope of acknowledging this world from multiple perspectives while the former learns grade by grade to understand everything from varying points of views. With such a diverse and dynamic standpoint to perceive life and its happenings, we are to be humbled before the truth of our knowledge.

The overwhelming power and majesty of nature and its ecosystems, the impeccable precision of its mechanisms, the countless tales of trust and treason, of the rise and fall of great nations that history teaches us, the mysteries that surround the hidden depths of the great oceans and their marine life, the vast expanses of the hitherto unexplored heights of the astronomical regions spread throughout the universe, all converged to teach us the humble significance of our tiny being in the greatness of the entire universe. Ironically if years of education fail to humble us, and if the life experiences and exposures of a person who has never stepped in an educational Institute has learnt to be humble, then Who Do You Think is the educated person? and who has lost the truth of his/her literacy?

So let us choose to be humble and educated people and not knowledgeably illiterate!

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September 8, 2020ZAHID Ali SHAHBlog

Every fifth of September is celebrated as the international day of charity. The fact that this virtue of generosity is acknowledged worldwide on the day of demise of mother Theresa; a person whose warmhearted charity left a lasting impression upon the world, is enough for an insightful person to appreciate the magnanimous nature of her contribution to the welfare of the needy. Even after she has passed away after giving more than 45 years to the service of humanity, her very name has now become an expression of kindness and compassion, sacrifice and nobility. So it is that to complement a commendable contribution of a person he/she is often honoured by a comparison to the likes of mother Theresa and her generosity.

Similarly, Abdus Sattar Eidy also lived a life of sacrifice and charity for the poor in safeguarding their dignity against the ruinous adversities of poverty and its destitution. Likewise there are many other notable names whose hearts and souls were consumed by their passion to lend the light of their own lives, wealth, knowledge, skills and expertise as charity to brighten the lives of many others. Take for instance the example of Clara Barton who was a nurse in American Civil War and help improve the treatment of the wounded soldiers. After working with the International Red Cross in Europe, she returned to America and donated her expertise as a nurse to set up American Red Cross. Another name often associated with charity is of Princess Diana. She was not only generous with her wealth to better the lives of others but also employed her influence as a princess to be charitable in regulating and minimising the use and damages of landmines. She is well regarded for her philanthropic attitude towards prisoners families and palliative care for others especially HIV patients. Bill Wilson explored yet another dimension of charity. Using the knowledge and wisdom he gained by saving himself from his own alcoholism, he shared the strength of his will with other alcohol addicts by initially setting up support groups and eventually establishing an organization (Alcoholics Anonymous),  who has over more than 2 million members and has helped even a greater number of people.

The truth is that these people and others who harbour similar passions of generosity cannot be adequately described by mere words. For there is no expression in a written or spoken language which can depict the hope and happiness, relief and respite of all those who benefited from the shades of their charity. Also, it should be acknowledged in good conscience that the legacy of all such worthy souls is not the organisation or movement which they help spark into existence. For all organisations or movements and other acts of charity or merely an expression of their love and kindness, their concern and commitment, their unwavering devotion to the welfare of humanity.

So no matter if you do not have even a single penny to donate to a charitable cause, if you have doubts about your socio-economic potential to be of service to humanity, just know this that all you need to have is an un-materialistic heart which has enough compassion to feel the pain and suffering of others. Such a compassion would allow you to appreciate the limitless potential you hold to be charitable to your fellow brethren. Human development foundation also presents such an opportunity. It has made it the purpose of its existence to eradicate poverty by working to stabilise and subsequently further develop five core areas of health and education, economic and social development, and eventually by ensuring a sustainable environment for our prosperity. So make no mistake! You and you alone have the power to transform lives of millions, to become a shade under the scorching heat of their poverty by donating any amount of the riches you possess. Whether in terms of your time and energy, wealth or influence, you would indeed become an indispensable asset in your own right to the person or persons whose hope and happiness, smiles and unrealised aspirations, would come to be, owing to your sincere contribution. So let’s be charitable and let our charities become the expressions of our humanity!

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September 1, 2020Abdullah KamranBlog

Let us drink from the spring of humanity, let us taste the agony of its pains, the ecstasy of its joys, the happiness of its triumphs, the sorrow of its defeats, together as one, as one entire being. For “No man is an island, entire of itself”, Each is incomplete without the other. So it is that in serving humanity we all have the power to lend each other the strength of our individual virtues, and protect each other from the harms of all our vices and shortcomings.

The writing series Servants of Humanity is essentially centred upon the fact that each and every one of us is in effect a servant of humanity. Whether we live our lives as mere individuals or with a collective approach, the end product of all our services is to further the cause of humanity. As such, every person has his/her own story of their self-discovery, and of acquiring a set of qualities and virtues from their individual experiences. Consequently, all of us are teachers just as much as we are students of each other. Should we choose to, we can teach and inspire each other by teaching the lessons we have learned from living our own lives. If we are willing to groom ourselves to our better versions, we can avoid making the same mistakes as another by heeding their stories as their humble students. All that it takes is for us to have the will to grow, to let our worldviews evolve to encompass as many perspectives as we can.

By understanding each other’s perspectives of life and its happenings, we can teach ourselves to be patient in compromising with another’s shortcomings, and avoid any unnecessary prejudice or resentment we may experience due to their and changing habits and expected mistakes. Also, the projects undertaken for the service of humanity are often of magnanimous proportions because of which they can never be accomplished by isolated efforts. As a result, it is essential that we have enough empathy to sincerely trust and appreciate our fellow servants as indispensably significant to our cause. Such respect and confidence generates the spirit of devotion which in its essence is what fuels and sustains us servants of humanity.

This writing series would explore the story of one such servant every week. So that we may know that every person is master of a hidden fortune he she has made themselves, and as such they should be learned from, and honoured for their efforts. So let us become each other’s strength by understanding each other’s individual stories! Let us learn to avoid the same mistakes as our friends and colleagues by heeding their experiences!

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September 1, 2020Abdullah KamranBlog

Every 30^th of August is globally acknowledged as the international day to raise our voices together against all those who abuse their powers to enforce unjustified disappearances and subsequently cause unimaginable agony to the relatives of such victims. It also presents us with an opportunity to become such people’s social, moral, and emotional fallback in times of their crisis. Consequently, the day can be understood as a tool to determine the extent of our own humanity by bringing our own actions in stark contrast to those who defile its sanctity for the purpose of accomplishing their own political or socio-economic agendas.

To begin with let us first understand what exactly qualifies as an enforced disappearance. According to UN declaration of December 18, 1992, an enforced disappearance occurs when: “ “persons are arrested, detained or abducted against their will or otherwise deprived of their liberty by officials of different branches or levels of Government, or by organized groups or private individuals acting on behalf of, or with the support, direct or indirect, consent or acquiescence of the Government, followed by a refusal to disclose the fate or whereabouts of the persons concerned or a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of their liberty, which places such persons outside the protection of the law.”” Simply put, when any powerful entity or institution may it be political, social, or even religious, forcefully apprehends any individual, they not only deny them their basic rights of freedom and liberty but are also guilty of withholding their right to a fair judicial proceeding to be condemned or condoned accordingly within the precincts of law. Such people believe themselves above any moral and ethical obligations. They have a firm conviction of being beyond any legal ramifications for their actions. As a result, their victims are often subjected to cruel sometimes even brutal experiences which know no bounds.

Additionally, the relatives of such sufferers find themselves imprisoned in an all-consuming torment of not knowing what exactly has happened to their spouses, their siblings, their children or other loved ones. Such uncertainty cripples not only their psychological and emotional well-being but in some cases ruins their economic stability as well. If the abducted person is the Bread earner of his/her family, their sudden disappearances push their families into a series of socio-economic deprivations, a trial of knives which, if becomes unendurable, absolutely crushes their spirit to survive and rips apart there will to hope for the return of their fathers or mothers, brothers and sisters, their sons or daughters. Eventually, their weary hearts begin to be bitter and distrustful of everything which in effect harms the very fabric of society, causing everyone to feel a disquieting unease even fear.

Notwithstanding the fact that people who enforce such disappearances do not care for any gender considerations, often amongst those who are left behind to fend for themselves are women. As such, depending upon the cultural pragmatics of their respective societies they begin to face problems of their own including sexual harassment and an unruly manipulation of their obliging predicament. How do you think can such a behavior be tackled? Do you not think that we have an obligation to words people in such a pain and suffering?

Indeed dear reader, an organized movement, demanding the rights and legal action with respect to the victims of enforced disappearances and those who are responsible for such a defilement of humanity, appears to be the only effective method to rattle the cages. Meanwhile however, Let us not wait for the disappearance of somebody we love, somebody of our own acquaintance to even have an idea of what it feels like to be in a limbo… not knowing the fate of somebody you care about while feeling obliged by your love to not let go of your hope no matter what. Let us do all that we can, little though it may be, to ease the burden of such families by lending them financial aid, if it is affordable; If not, then at the very least by providing them unreservedly our social and moral support to sustain their psychological and emotional well-being. Let us become the very expression of humanity by standing together with those affected by the inhumanity of practices like enforced disappearances!

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August 23, 2020ZAHID Ali SHAHBlog

The world we live in is an interdependent place. As such, each and every one of us is the owner of its lands and its oceans, its mountains and its deserts. As a result, every person who breathes the same air as we do is not only a brother and a sister inhumanity, but also shares this ownership, and deserves to enjoy the freedom of thought and action, the Liberty to be treated with kindness and courtesy, to be accorded with respect and dignity as worthy men and women of our own kind. However, not so long ago, some of us whose hearts had iced into unfeeling stones, and whose blood had blackened to an ashen cruelty, would practice the buying and selling of our brothers and sisters in the name of slavery. It is to commemorate the loss of life and dignity, of pride and honour which sustained slave trade and it’s despicable realities, and to celebrate its abolishment, that every 23^rd of August is globally acknowledged as the International Day for the remembrance of slave trade and how it came to an end.

It is important for us to own the fact that people like ourselves were enslaved merely because of their poverty, there races, casts and creeds, or even simply due to the colour of their skins. For recurrent patterns of a similar kind of enslavement can also be witnessed today in our modern societies. For instance, before the abolishment of slavery the rich and powerful would consider it their right to augment their socio-economic status by purchasing as many slaves as they could. They would treat their human merchandise as it suited their own whims and wishes. Physical and emotional abuse was a norm amongst slave owners while relative treatments of kindness were considered a generosity. Nevertheless, where such an attitude is now frowned upon by all, not to mention that it is illegal and socially unacceptable in most of the societies around the world, there are those amongst us who still belittle human existence by withholding and exploiting the rights of their inferiors.

According to Dawn News, Just this year an eight years old girl Zara, employed as a maid servant, was beaten to death merely because she was guilty of setting free precious parrots. Earlier in 2019, a 10 years old girl experienced severe burn injuries owing to the hot boiling water thrown upon her by her employers. Still before that incident, an additional judge and his wife were arrested for torturing a 10 years old girl Tayiba who lost her life to their brutality. All such cases and many other which remain unreported for one reason or another illustrate that though slavery in form has indeed been abolished, its inhumane attitudes have survived and still plague our societies.

Sadly, if education or grooming were to be considered a solution, we might not have seen this inhumaneness exuding from well-educated and socially respected families. The problem is not a lack of education or awareness. The problem dear reader, is the same pride and arrogance which festered within the hearts of those who had wealth and power in ancient societies and still infect the self-obsessed of today. Indeed it would not be falling short of Mark to believe that today one of the bases of such apathetic and unyielding arrogance is possessing many academic degrees and qualifications without imbibing even a shred of their truest essence, humility.

In essence, humility is the fundamental expression of one’s humanity. Let us safeguard our hearts against an all-consuming pride and arrogance by being humble! Let us realise that if we do not do so, we are crueler than the slave owners of the past! For they followed a social norm while we would be guilty of hypocrisy too!

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August 22, 2020ZAHID Ali SHAHBlog

Interfaith harmony is an expression of a civilised society Where everyone values and respects the diversity of thought and action while simultaneously maintains the honesty and uniqueness of their own identities. For every faith cherishes the progress of its followers in this world and in the hereafter. So it does not belittle any person regardless of their belief in its ideology. Consequently, every 22^nd of August is globally celebrated as the International Day to commemorate the victims of acts of violence based on religion or belief, and require us all to take some time and think over how can we make our respective societies more tolerant towards minority religions.

It is indeed a sad reality that no matter how hard we try, religious conflicts arise to disrupt our every attempt at establishing interfaith harmony. However, it should also be acknowledged that notwithstanding those miscreants who benefit from such conflicts, most of us who harbour a desire for peace within our societies are often able to engage in conferences, seminars, and social media forums to create awareness with respect to the religious rights of minorities. Even so, in terms of effect and influence, we End up as mere bystanders who just helplessly watch and do nothing. When in truth, each and every one of us has the responsibility of acquiring the true understanding of our religions and leave no stone unturned in the dissemination of their actual message of not causing unnecessary offence to anyone.

Additionally, those of us who do manage to create some semblance of interfaith harmony, do so at the cost of blurring the boundaries between their own belief system and the one they are trying to harmonise with. It is one thing to respect and value another religious community as fully functional and recognised part of our society, and quite another to compromise your own identity in trying to consolidate interfaith harmony. For instance, it has been seen that often in events of interfaith harmony one community would try to compromise its own beliefs and even practices to be looked upon with the favour by others. By no means can this be appreciated as interfaith harmony. For it fails to serve the purpose and allow the miscreants to manipulate masses by merely pointing out that such harmony is impossible owing to the fact that we cannot refrain from merging with other communities one way or another. This And eventually, they begin to manipulate people’s religious devotion to wreak havoc upon the innocent and to cause general mayhem in the society. When this happens, most of us very conveniently get outraged and throw the entire blame on to the miscreants, not realising that primarily it was due to our own ignorance in not maintaining the boundaries of interfaith harmony that the miscreants were able to exploit the opportunity which we presented them with.

In essence dear reader, let us not forget that the most fundamental principle of interfaith harmony dictates that with pride in our hearts for our own faith, and with the firm conviction in its truth, we are to be most respectful and understanding towards other communities who foster similar feelings for their own ideologies. For every religion pursues what it deems true of its ideology; and as such, if we begin to blur the boundaries of interfaith harmony we not only disrespect every religion but also demonstrate our own imprudence and irrationality with regards to our own. So let’s be kind and considerate gentle and generous towards all communities! But be faithfully proud and upright with respect to our own!

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August 21, 2020ZAHID Ali SHAHBlog

Every 21^st of August is celebrated as the International Day in remembrance of the victims of terrorism and as an opportunity to pay a worldwide tribute to the heroic survivors of this brutality against humanity. Consequently, it naturally becomes an occasion to appreciate the unfathomable depth of human resilience and endurance in face of such overwhelming pain as the one which we have experienced in the wake of terrorism and its subsequent trail of sorrow and sufferings.

the atrocities of terrorism have indeed severely affected countless people. however, their survival stories and tales of their bravery in enduring their afflictions are deeply awe-inspiring. They teach us that no matter what happens human heart has the resilience to return from the severest of calamities. Here I would like you to kindly consider the following story of one captain Ahmed.

The only son of his parents and newly married, Captain Ahmed was far from his family, in a war zone, in Waziristan where, in middle of a Cordon and search operation he spotted a mine which was overlooked by a soldier of his. He shouted a warning to him but the soldier already had his foot on the bomb. With a rushing sense of protection for his men, Captain Ahmed ran to save him but in his urgency stepped on yet another mine. As a result two parallel mines exploded at once. His soldier half dead and he himself bleeding severely, he dragged his man with him and crawled for nearly an hour before he could find his comrades. After which he lost consciousness. When he came around again, he was told that the explosion mostly tore away at the lower half of his body and that he had two amputated stumps where his feet use to be. When asked how was he dealing with the emotional trauma of such a situation? He smilingly replied, there were three things that together became the source of his motivation. Firstly, he was proud of his nobility as an army officer. Allah the Most merciful had blessed him this opportunity to bring to surface his leadership qualities. He now knew that when it came to protect his nation, his men, and his family he wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to sacrifice anything for them, may it be his very life. Secondly, there was a uniqueness of his contribution to his nation. Not many men had the honor of being marked as a proud Pakistani. With a twinkle in his eyes, he often expresses his belief that he now had a story to tell his children. He would tell them how he gave up his feet so that they could walk, How he embraced a lifetime’s worth stumbling to see the smooth and stable lives of his fellow Pakistanis. Finally and most importantly, he said that this great event of his life had made him realize something, that this world is indeed a place of tests and trials. He said, “each and every blessing, including our bodies is actually His Emaanah to us, to be used according to His Will and the way of His Beloved Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. His Sunnah is to take it away at once when we die but we forget that He is the Owner. If He decides to take it gradually, one piece after another, who are we to question His Judgment or His Authority?” Captain Ahmed is still serving as a proud officer of Pak Army.

In essence dear reader, the story of Captain Ahmed along with many similar stories practically demonstrate that each and every one of us has the power to endure the harshest of pains, and to let our souls mature in their agony to become better, wiser versions of ourselves. So let us applaud the nobility of all such survivors! Let us take strength from their strength, and patients from their patients, to deal with our daily life issues by firmly believing in our own resilience!

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August 21, 2020ZAHID Ali SHAHBlog

To commemorate the victims of violence based on religion or belief, every 22^nd of August is globally celebrated as the International Day to show a worldwide support for its innocent victims.

The bond between religion and humanity goes back to the very beginning of time itself. Ever since the dawn of humanity we humans have always found a particular set of ideas and beliefs, acts and practices, to be an anchor for our sanity. As such, from the ancient days till today they give meaning to our existence and are indeed an integral part of every society. Consequently, every religion strives to keep intact the morals and conscience of its followers, and by doing so it attempts to make them realise their responsibilities to themselves, to their societies, to the world at large, and indeed to their faith in God. So it is that If anyone transgresses the limits prescribed upon them by their faith, they not only commit treason against their own faith and religion but also against their very own kind; which in effect, tears apart their conscience, their humanity and make them despicably condemned in the courts of man and God alike.

No matter who we are. Muslims or Christians, Hindus or Jews, our religions teach us tolerance and humility, and on pain of severe penalties, they require us to respect and value human existence in its entirety. However, it also raises a question that if all religions preach peace and harmony, how is it that innocent blood is splattered across the pages of human history and is spilled by those who sincerely claimed themselves to be faithful followers of their respective religions? The answer is simple but bitter. For it requires us to acknowledge the significance of our own roles in such happenings, and needs from us the courage to own our own responsibilities in such matters.

To begin with, according to many sociologists since the beginning of time religion has remained and it shall continue to be one of the most powerful institutes of a society. As a result, it has the power to channel peoples energies into creating a better, brighter versions of themselves in establishing a world of wonders and prosperity. For every religion in its essence serves humanity and aims to make this world a better, more secure place to live in. At the same time, its influence can be employed to manipulate the blinding devotion of its followers into becoming the deadliest of weapons to do the bidding of those who have the audacity and the cunning to be their manipulators. For instance, there are politicians who play on people’s emotions to strengthen their vote banks. There are religious leaders who forget that they are merely humble guides to their people in a quest to serve God in good conscience, and mislead their people into committing actions which contravene the very ethics and morality of our mutual existence which only bespeaks their own ambition. And finally, there are those who are manipulated amply because of their ignorant attitudes towards understanding the truest essence of their religions, towards realising that every religious devotion needs to be steered by an honest faith in divine wisdom and by a clear understanding of our respective religions.

In essence dear reader, greed and ambition, sloth and ignorance, are what cause such incomprehensible violence in the name of faith and God. In order for us to have interfaith harmony in our societies, it is essential that we ourselves take the initiative and endeavour to comprehend the actual teachings of our respective religions, and faithfully abide by their injunctions. Also, it falls upon us to do all that we can to minimise the general prevalence of materialism, and in effect of greed and ambition. In doing so however, we owe it to ourselves that we take into immense consideration the legal and social conformities of our societies. Let’s not deceive ourselves anymore! Let’s not play the blame game anymore and own the fact that if we tend to follow a religion, we need to mature our religious grooming and become true followers of our Religion! Let’s be the end to all such violence!

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August 19, 2020ZAHID Ali SHAHBlog

Every person who decides to stand firmly against the troubles of his/her life and endure its consequences is a hero of his/her own story. Even more heroic are those whose initiative is not only limited to their own selves but also undertakes to provide help and relief to as many people in need as they can. It is precisely to celebrate and honour such silent heroes that every 19^th of August is celebrated as world humanitarian Day.

The day is designated as the world humanitarian Day in memory of the 22 people who lost their lives in 19^th August 2003 bombing at Canal Hotel in Baghdad Iraq. These 22 people also included the Chief humanitarian in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. Their sacrifices, like countless others in the cause of serving humanity, compels any conscientious person to acknowledge the fact that in times of crisis the boundaries of caste and creed, race and religion, cultures and countries, our only to be recognised as distinct marks of our identities and nothing else. For no matter who we are, from which part of the world, regardless of the ideology we support, if any 1 of us is in pain and suffering from anything which can be dealt with, the only boundaries need to be considered are of being a person, a part of humanity or of any alien species. And since each and every 1 of us share the same bond of humanity, it is but natural that we understand the loss and anguish of any 1 of us as indeed suffering for all of us.

For instance, the death and devastation caused by the Covid19 pandemic have shaken the entire world to its very roots. Interestingly, it has also revealed many unparalleled heroes of our time. Such as the doctors who have repeatedly put their lives at stake to battle and subdue coronavirus, those patients who have endured its agony to emerge as battle-scarred veteran warriors or to attain the nobility of martyrdom, and those non-profit organisations who have tirelessly spent all their resources to minimise its socio-economic damages to our societies. All deserve to be appreciated and saluted as the heroes of humanity. In Pakistan HDF alone has managed to provide for 5000 below the poverty line families in its regions. Not to mention that there are many other such organisations at work to achieve the same purpose. Additionally, upholding their humanitarian values, many volunteers of varying ages, teenagers, young adults, adults, stepped forth to provide their assistance when and wherever required.

In essence dear reader, world humanitarian Day not only serves to appreciate such unsung heroes of our time but also stands as a reminder to all of us that in our individual capacities we all have the potential to be heroes of our own lives as well as of others. All that it takes is an ironclad resolve to brave the stormy seas of our lives with a placid smile on our faces and an enduring heart to survive its turbulence, to have a heart and broadening our scope of understanding to own every person as a part of our own individual existence. For as John Donne so aptly puts it in his poem:

“No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend’s were.
Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.”

Written by Talha Masood

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