Posts
My greetings to all the fellow bloggers and friends who had the chance to have a look at my blog and also to the ones who posted. I heartily apologize for my disappearance from this blog; I was extremely busy while trying to cater to the tasks brought about on me by my education. I will definitely start posting more articles now.
Hope all of you are doing well.
Sincerely,
R Zaib
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Monday, August 16, 2010
A Drought Stricken Country, Flooded
Recurrently being mentioned in the media for dreadful incidents in the past week, Pakistan is a country victimized by yet another deathly mishap which peculiarly happens to be a natural disaster. This year’s monsoon rains caused a calamitous flood to occur in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan – now known as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – and left infinite number of families homeless and destitute. Over 3 million people have been reported to be affected and about 1.3 million acres of crops are said to be destroyed, according to the Punjab Relief and Crisis Management.
Recent weeks have turned out to be grievously disastrous for the residents of Pakistan as they faced a plethora of horrific accidents, which lead to numerous deaths and repeated occurrence of the country’s name in the news. The nation had not fully recovered from the loss of their acquaintances or relatives due to a lethal plane crash in Islamabad, when another tragedy – pertaining to the assassination of a prominent political party’s member – evoked and intensified various acts of violence. Deleterious floods proved out to be another vicious blow to the poverty-stricken part of the nation – which happens to be the majority – residing near the flood-prone areas due to their inability to afford a safer habitat. Furthermore, to the nation’s additional dismay, Pakistani President Zardari opted to harbor a stoic attitude towards his indigent nation while delightfully cruising on foreign lands.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Goodbye
This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 13; the thirteenth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.
There was a congenial time long ago when people – specifically the elders of eastern communities – heartily believed that their revered lifestyles and established practices would be relived and continued throughout the subsequent generations, by their own off-springs. Unfortunately, such a belief lasted only for quite a bit and later came the era of some absurd fashions which foolishly happened to be asinine mixes of both the west and the east. And now, I take you on a journey which – after much introspective thoughts – I have earnestly named Goodbye to the Eastern Traditions.
Before completely diving into the details, I would like to sincerely point out that the usage of the term “eastern” refers to both the countries – India and Pakistan – which are considered extremely wealthy in terms of renowned traditions. Most of Pakistan’s traditions are a variation of Indian traditions since both the countries were one unit in the olden days.
Monday, August 2, 2010
A Moronic Desire
An epitome of asininity…An embodiment of blind illiteracy…An absolute exemplification of heartlessness…All defined by a single desire – of having a male being born in the family – demonstrated by most of the residents of Pakistan. A daft so-called tradition which has victimized almost the entire Pakistani nation and isn’t being questioned considering the massive number of people posing as ardent supports privately, if not publicly.
A marital knot, tied between a strong man and a delicate woman, exhibits the initiation of a new beginning towards a supposedly prosperous life and an unbreakable commitment of being together for eternity; but what the in-laws fail to put forth is the condition suggesting dissolution of this contract, if and when the newlywed bride is unable to conceive specifically a son. Whether she is capable of reproducing or not, is an altogether different scenario at this point primarily because the mother-in-law – in particular – doesn’t cater to extrapolate on that scenario, thus heartily assumes the bride to be fertile.
The destitute woman in question, while succumbing to her purported mother – aka mother-in-law which I will refer to as the purported mother from now on – actually tries to fulfill the wish upon which her life continuously hangs. Unable to comprehend, as to why she would be held responsible if a son isn’t produced, she prays day and night in an attempt to make her newly founded family glad. As for the purported mother, she has a back-up plan in reserve; a plan which suggests her son’s second marriage if her desire isn’t brought to completion. To the utterly oblivious wife’s dismay, her supportive life partner also turns out to be a part of this atrocious scheme, no matter what the reason. Now, a notion worth-mentioning proves out to be the reaction of especially the purported mother after the birth of her grandchild. If luckily she is bestowed with a grandson, then she runs out on the streets and screams with joy and gives her blessing to her son; on the other hand, if a granddaughter is born, she endlessly blames the mother and shares her exasperating thoughts with her son. I can’t help but notice the importance of the wife – who gave birth after going through the troubles of pregnancy – in both the scenarios; she remains neglected and a mere medium of childbirth in this God-forsaken evil society.
The cause of the purported mother’s proclaimed superiority (even though she is a female herself) you may ask? There are two; one is her ability to produce a son, even if he happens to be the only child and after whose birth she became infertile, and second is her misconception pertaining to the asserted fact that the grandchild would serve to be a support for not only his parents - but also his grandparents. All other irrelevant thoughts – dealing with karma − do not matter and never will because she has a son and everything else is absolute garbage. She miserably fails to grasp the significance of having to see the face of an angelic child, let alone being blessed with a baby boy.
There is nothing more beastly and cruel than this asinine tradition of fostering desire to have sons or grandsons. Such women shouldn’t be granted with children of their own, let alone the penchant for having grandchildren. I consider it one of the major dilemmas of Pakistani society, which if eliminated can, not only lead to a powerful society of women but also can eventually halt their brutal deaths and murders, be it physically or mentally.
A marital knot, tied between a strong man and a delicate woman, exhibits the initiation of a new beginning towards a supposedly prosperous life and an unbreakable commitment of being together for eternity; but what the in-laws fail to put forth is the condition suggesting dissolution of this contract, if and when the newlywed bride is unable to conceive specifically a son. Whether she is capable of reproducing or not, is an altogether different scenario at this point primarily because the mother-in-law – in particular – doesn’t cater to extrapolate on that scenario, thus heartily assumes the bride to be fertile.
The destitute woman in question, while succumbing to her purported mother – aka mother-in-law which I will refer to as the purported mother from now on – actually tries to fulfill the wish upon which her life continuously hangs. Unable to comprehend, as to why she would be held responsible if a son isn’t produced, she prays day and night in an attempt to make her newly founded family glad. As for the purported mother, she has a back-up plan in reserve; a plan which suggests her son’s second marriage if her desire isn’t brought to completion. To the utterly oblivious wife’s dismay, her supportive life partner also turns out to be a part of this atrocious scheme, no matter what the reason. Now, a notion worth-mentioning proves out to be the reaction of especially the purported mother after the birth of her grandchild. If luckily she is bestowed with a grandson, then she runs out on the streets and screams with joy and gives her blessing to her son; on the other hand, if a granddaughter is born, she endlessly blames the mother and shares her exasperating thoughts with her son. I can’t help but notice the importance of the wife – who gave birth after going through the troubles of pregnancy – in both the scenarios; she remains neglected and a mere medium of childbirth in this God-forsaken evil society.
The cause of the purported mother’s proclaimed superiority (even though she is a female herself) you may ask? There are two; one is her ability to produce a son, even if he happens to be the only child and after whose birth she became infertile, and second is her misconception pertaining to the asserted fact that the grandchild would serve to be a support for not only his parents - but also his grandparents. All other irrelevant thoughts – dealing with karma − do not matter and never will because she has a son and everything else is absolute garbage. She miserably fails to grasp the significance of having to see the face of an angelic child, let alone being blessed with a baby boy.
There is nothing more beastly and cruel than this asinine tradition of fostering desire to have sons or grandsons. Such women shouldn’t be granted with children of their own, let alone the penchant for having grandchildren. I consider it one of the major dilemmas of Pakistani society, which if eliminated can, not only lead to a powerful society of women but also can eventually halt their brutal deaths and murders, be it physically or mentally.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
The Label Of Infertility
This demanding world isn’t perfect but the little chunks of happiness most of us attain by the fulfillment of our never-ending prayers or by some supernatural help doesn’t seem to last long enough to truly experience them nor the feelings of thankfulness. Happiness is an emotion which usually struts away from a female’s life in Pakistan, especially if she has been brutally held responsible for being infertile.
Fertility, a feature which is acknowledged by every human as an ability bestowed upon mankind by God yet when a woman is declared sterile, it is somehow her exclusive fault. Countless women in Pakistan, during their first year of marriage, distress themselves with a pain-staking thought questioning their fertility; a question with a long wait and the answer to which -when available- will be used as a basis to make decisions of their life. But till the time comes, they need to ponder upon the possibilities which happens to be only two; either becoming a mother or sharing their so-called life partner. Such a female harbors an agonizing fear prior to her firstborn, pertaining to her mother-in-law’s utmost desire of a child and that too a boy in particular. The feelings of condolences might have been fostered by the mother-in-law, had she encountered the same issue but since that is not the case, the wife is left unconsoled.
Males, Pakistani males to be specific, do not happen to be penalized by their mothers if they actually aren’t able to reproduce, primarily because either they have a sacrificing wife who would willingly pose as if she is at fault or they have a mother who knowingly would blame her daughter-in-law as being incapable of reproducing. Furthermore, there would be no benevolent soul who could advice the head of the household to not to commit the torturous act of marrying another woman without the consent of his first wife. The oh-so-famous “Be a man, you can do anything as you please…and Islam gives you right to marry four times” statement has done enough to effectively brainwash the males of this male-dominant society. Thus, it would be safe to present a claim suggesting men at an advantage due to their purported superiority which they employ when conjuring up comebacks against their avid supporters also known as their spouses.
What position and importance of women – victim to the label of infertility – does this asinine logic constitute? I assure you, it is not a very good one. Instead of being cherished for being subservient and amiable lifetime-supporters for their husbands, sterile woman are heartlessly tormented and mercilessly accused of being unable to procreate. It’s about time; such people realize the extent to which a female’s feelings hold importance and the chances of an instance when they themselves could have suffered through the same agonizing label of being sterile.
Posted on Guppu on July 30th, 2010
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Fertility, a feature which is acknowledged by every human as an ability bestowed upon mankind by God yet when a woman is declared sterile, it is somehow her exclusive fault. Countless women in Pakistan, during their first year of marriage, distress themselves with a pain-staking thought questioning their fertility; a question with a long wait and the answer to which -when available- will be used as a basis to make decisions of their life. But till the time comes, they need to ponder upon the possibilities which happens to be only two; either becoming a mother or sharing their so-called life partner. Such a female harbors an agonizing fear prior to her firstborn, pertaining to her mother-in-law’s utmost desire of a child and that too a boy in particular. The feelings of condolences might have been fostered by the mother-in-law, had she encountered the same issue but since that is not the case, the wife is left unconsoled.
Males, Pakistani males to be specific, do not happen to be penalized by their mothers if they actually aren’t able to reproduce, primarily because either they have a sacrificing wife who would willingly pose as if she is at fault or they have a mother who knowingly would blame her daughter-in-law as being incapable of reproducing. Furthermore, there would be no benevolent soul who could advice the head of the household to not to commit the torturous act of marrying another woman without the consent of his first wife. The oh-so-famous “Be a man, you can do anything as you please…and Islam gives you right to marry four times” statement has done enough to effectively brainwash the males of this male-dominant society. Thus, it would be safe to present a claim suggesting men at an advantage due to their purported superiority which they employ when conjuring up comebacks against their avid supporters also known as their spouses.
What position and importance of women – victim to the label of infertility – does this asinine logic constitute? I assure you, it is not a very good one. Instead of being cherished for being subservient and amiable lifetime-supporters for their husbands, sterile woman are heartlessly tormented and mercilessly accused of being unable to procreate. It’s about time; such people realize the extent to which a female’s feelings hold importance and the chances of an instance when they themselves could have suffered through the same agonizing label of being sterile.
Posted on Guppu on July 30th, 2010
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Sunday, July 25, 2010
A Deviated Concern
A cogitative account on the exaggerated and ardent concern harbored by Pakistanis, regarding the successes of foreign countries, especially India. When strictly talking about Pakistan-India encounters; if India wins – in any competition possible between the combative neighboring nations – Pakistanis become extremely interested in ranting about the reasons and malpractices causing such a win. On the other hand, if Pakistan wins, again people are intensely involved in discussions pertaining to India’s loss rather than Pakistan’s victory. From what I have seen, in such competitions, Pakistan’s victory becomes glorified if it is against our purported arch enemy; our neighboring nation.
Many folks justify this questionable behavior by describing the extent to which India despises Pakistan, due to which such a victory becomes beyond glorious and also that the “shove-it-in-your-face” logic actually becomes acceptable. No matter what the reason behind shoving one’s victory in other nation’s face be, no matter how much the nation happened to deserve it; it is not – and should not be – admissible, by any means. A few other plebeians try to persuade the ones against such actions by taking use of a tu quoque logical fallacy, suggesting an approval of such behavior merely because the person/group in question is caught demonstrating it as well. For example, if India resorts to being deeply concerned about Pakistan’s loss rather than its victory, then undoubtedly Pakistanis also have a right to exhibit similar behavior.
The main point, due to which this post was given birth, refers to the idea of being devotedly involved only in Pakistan’s performance or victory, and noticing other nations’ accomplishments/losses but not dwelling on them. Moreover, we need to cater to our own flaws which are causing us to lag behind and improving them in an attempt to win this competitive race of life. In the end, only Pakistan matters and should be the center of Pakistani nation’s attention.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Pakistan and its Bans
The title alone might be sufficient in order to grasp the theme of this rather stirring article. Pakistan – which happens to be a land of mischief these days apparently – has been on the verge of breaking a world record for the immense number of propositions for various kinds of bans. Be it anything – measured according to relevance in relation to matters being global or national – from as minute as boycotting a local organization to something as paramount as a complete media ban, Pakistan is becoming notable to many as the king of either proposed or practiced bans.
The cause you may ask? Well, to be bluntly honest, God knows best about the – whether irascible or contemplative as well as theoretical – thoughts behind the proposed bans. Just about any group, at any time, would try to adduce some sort of embargo due to the improper behavior – improper mainly for them since they overtly don't cater much to other's opinions about the matter – of the subject in question.
A recent example to illustrate this point includes Ali Zafar's new movie Tere Bin Ladin, which is a movie one might search on and find some good reviews as of yet. It is claimed to have a humorous and witty take on the recently famous issue pertaining to terrorism but unfortunately Pakistan firmly opted to ban it, due to which the current news was furnished with a headline which claimed the movie to have released everywhere except Pakistan. It might be because of many reasons, but the reason mentioned repeatedly pertains to the idea of Pakistan being increasingly vulnerable to additional terrorist attacks. Now, I can understand why the government might be intensely concerned regarding this notion but the need of a solid ban for it escapes me and is truly beyond my rather profound thoughts. Moreover, the apparently taunting – yet true – headline seen at many websites and newspapers is adequate enough to rule Pakistan out of the whole world.
Another example might include boycotting Facebook in an attempt to display an utter annoyance for the page/group, which contained blasphemies and enraged the Muslim community throughout the world. Again, I can fully comprehend the distress people – especially Muslims – might harbor pertaining to this dilemma but I, yet again, fail to grasp the result a boycott for Facebook might have. Seemingly, it only lead people to label Pakistan with the discordant mark of intolerance, while other Muslims nations kept a patience stance either out of the faith of God taking care of the person/group in question or due to the fear of their reputation being tarnished by any asinine actions.
There are many other examples which can be mentioned when talking about bans which have been suggested or practiced in the past or even recently. The reason why I feel the compelling need to discuss this issue of bans in Pakistan, is because Pakistan needs to stop presenting itself as a considerably delicate and vulnerable nation in order to halt the embarrassing mockery. Firstly, as I mentioned above while talking about the movie ban, Pakistan unintentionally ended up being excluded from the term "everywhere" and appeared as a deserted intolerant; which caused it to be heartlessly ridiculed and be branded as a chauvinist or as a conservative nation. Pakistan, already being incinerated bit by bit by the fabricated Muslims, doesn't need additional distress by being criticized on various kinds of media where the world can bicker about it.
My suggestion would be to ignore the term ban from being affiliated with Pakistan, so that the nation of Pakistan can have the honor of seeing at least one day which doesn't have Pakistan being harshly criticized by the media. Avoid the bans in their entirety and if there absolutely has to be a ban, then support the bans which encounter social and traumatic issues such as domestic violence, illegalities of law, etc. Let's make a better Pakistan, first by making rational decisions.
Posted on Rally Pakistan on July 21, 2010
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