The sky was a pool of black ink, dusted with stars at midnight. Arsh looked out from the window — she saw many little streets sprawled out below. She had only known these streets from inside the walls of her room. She had never walked on them. She had never been under the open sky. She looked at these streets longingly. To her, these streets and everything else of the outside world was a distant dream.
Arsh was thinking about him. He came again tonight. Her caramel skin flushed bright pink as he folded her into his arms. Her heart fluttered as his fingertips grazed her bare skin. She had never felt so close to a man before. Over the years, many men held her, touched her, felt her — but he was different from all the others. She fell in love with him.
She waited for him each night. She longed for him, as any lover would. On the nights he didn’t come, she was restless. She waited for him till she saw him next, till he told her how beautiful she was.
As she stood by the window and watched darkness engulf the sky, she decided she’d tell him what she felt for him. Maybe he’d take her away somewhere far. Maybe he’d relieve her of this life.
Overhead, a star blinked in the dark sky, as if telling her it was time.
The morning sun filled the brothel. It was bright inside. Arsh slipped into plain white clothes and went downstairs.
The morning is always bright. It’s the night that’s dark. It’s always the night that’s dark.
“Arsh!” Farnaz called, with a cigarette clenched in the corner of her mouth. “You look happy! I’ve never seen a bigger smile on your face.”
“I’m going away,” Arsh said in low voice, so that nobody else could hear.
Farnaz laughed. But then her eyes were suddenly wide with concern, and her skin shone pale under the gleam of sunlight.
“You know you can’t go away,” Farnaz said quietly.
Arsh smiled in reply and bustled away.
The rest of the day, she was tangled in her thoughts. She didn’t even know his name but she knew he was the one who’d save her. The world glittered with promise.
“Take me away!” Arsh whispered into his ear.
There was a steely glint in his eyes.
“Please take me away!” Arsh’s voice crackled at the edges.
He slapped her so hard her teeth rattled.
“You’re a whore,” he spat.
Arsh swallowed everything else that she had to say. The words dried up in her throat.
It was near dawn but Arsh was wide awake. She looked into the mirror, her dark eyes sunken in an ashen face, stared back at her. Her lips were stained in a dark, blood-like red. Her hair, black and velvety like the sky at midnight, carelessly tumbled down her back. Her angarkha, heavily embroidered in gold and silver threads, danced around her when she moved. 'A whore,' she thought.
She felt sparks of resentment cascading in her as she looked at herself. She felt angry. But then her anger melted and she started crying. And as a tear caught in her lip, she realised her lipstick was smudged at the corners.
His words filled her head. They were sharp, piercing—they cut through her like knives. Even after he left, the word ‘whore’ twisted inside her. It crushed her. It tinted her entire existence. It was a small word but it encompassed a bitter world — a whore’s world.
Arsh had endured years of abuse. There were different men in her bed each night. They treated her like an object. They used her and then discarded her. She was perceived as an unthinking, unfeeling being. Her existence only sparkled in the dark hours of the night. They forgot she was human too.
She looked at the faded sky from the window. She spread out her hand towards the sky, trying to reach for it. It was close but far away. Maybe just like the man who she thought would save her.
Khudkushi (suicide). The word echoed against the big, bare walls of the brothel. Its weight settled on all women who lived inside. It grew heavier and heavier, thicker and thicker, folding them in, needling them all over. It hung in the air, sharp and poisonous. 'Khudkushi,' they murmured in small voices, afraid not to say it out too loud. They didn’t want anyone else to hear. A silence spread in the brothel, full of fear and anticipation. It was suddenly dark inside, and empty despite the people. Outside, the day shifted from morning to night. And the air smelled of earth and ash and rain. And faintly of death.
Arsh took away her life. She cut her wrists and bled to death. For her, death wasn’t just an end—it held meaning. It meant freedom. It meant floating somewhere far, untethered. It meant relief from a corseted existence.
Khudkushi became Arsh’s freedom. She finally fled from a life she did not want to live.
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When khudkushi became her only freedom
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Iran and Iraq may not be tourist hot spots, but they offer a spiritual journey like no place else
I was recently invited to a trip to Iran and Iraq by a group of close friends from Lahore, and as I had never been to these states before, I decided to take the opportunity to visit the shrines frequented mostly by Shia pilgrims.
After all, how else was I going to be able to travel through war-torn Iraq (where the Islamic State has only recently been defeated) and gain access to the heavily sanctioned country of Iran? Mesopotamia – the cradle of civilisation and home to many Imams of the Islamic world – has been off-limits to most ordinary tourists since the days of Saddam Hussein.
We took off from Lahore and a few hours later found ourselves landing in Baghdad, the famed city of The Arabian Nights. The airport was small and run-down, and we had to wait for at least two to three hours for our group visa to be cleared. We waited patiently and entered Baghdad at dusk; there were palm trees galore and the roads were smooth enough.
Our excitement was mounting as we headed straight for the illuminating shrine of Ghous Pak (Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani). We paid our respects at the beautifully lit white shrine, ate the delicious langar (communal meal) of rice and chicken (provided by a Pakistani family from Faisalabad) and then headed to our hotel. We felt more than welcomed to a city founded on the west bank of the Tigris in 762AD by the Abbasid dynasty.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The beautifully illuminated shrine of Ghous Pak[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] The door to his shrine[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="419"] His final resting place[/caption]
We stayed at Hotel Palestine, which is located near the ancient Tigris River, with a colourful history of its own; it was a favourite among foreign journalists during the Gulf wars and had been shelled!
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] View of the Tigris River from Hotel Palestine[/caption]
There are roadblocks all over Iraq and paramilitary forces with armoured vehicles can be seen on all major roundabouts. The receptionist at our hotel smiled and clapped joyfully when she discovered we were Pakistani and gave us comfortable rooms (our recent military standoff seems to have made them happy).
Baghdad looks like it is stuck in an 80's time warp – the buildings all seem to be from that era. However, most of the debris from the bombed-out infrastructure has been removed. We found it to be a bustling city with crowded restaurants and bad traffic jams.
We crossed the Tigris River many times, the last one being to visit the shrine of Persian mystic Mansur al Hallaj. He is known for his saying, “I am the Truth”, which many saw as a claim to divinity resulting in his execution, while others saw it as an instance of annihilation of the ego.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] The tomb of the Persian mystic[/caption]
We also visited the burial place of Abu Hanifa, the founder of the Hanafi school of Sunni jurisprudence. However, the highlight of our Baghdad stay was the visit to the north of the city to Kazmain, where Imams Musa al Kazim (AS) and Muhammad al Jawad (AS), both direct descendants of the Prophet (PBUH), are buried.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Outside the Ziyarat of the Kazmain Imams in Baghdad[/caption]
This is a world famous shrine and one of the most important mosques in the Islamic world, with a huge gilded dome and four minarets rising above its courtyard, all covered with gold, Kufic inscriptions. There are canopied balconies, mirror mosaics, glazed tiles, and endless floors of marble. The final resting places of all the Imams buried in Iraq, we were to discover, were equally awe-inspiring.
The shrine was very crowded during our visit and there was a long walk to it as it has been bombed in the past, which is why the nearby streets had been cordoned off.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Armoured vehicles and soldiers guarding shrines are a common sight in Baghdad[/caption]
The other highlight of our Baghdad visit was to the 2,000-year-old Persian monument Taq Kasra, or Arch of Ctesiphon, the world’s largest brick vault. Somehow it has survived all the recent wars and is truly a sight to see, given its immense scale and elegance. Taq Kasra is located near the shrine of Salman al Farsi (RA), a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the first Persian to convert to Islam.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Taq Kasra[/caption]
On our last day in Baghdad, we headed to the ancient town of Samarra to visit the 10th and 11th Imams, Ali al Hadi (AS) and his son Hasan al Askari (AS). Both are buried in a heavily-guarded shrine, which has been bombed twice in recent years and had to be rebuilt. Adjacent to the mosque is another domed building built over the cistern where the 12th Imam, Muhammad al Mahdi (AS), disappeared; hence the title of the Mahdi, the Hidden Imam.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The last place Imam Mahdi was seen[/caption]
We were sorry to leave Baghdad – there was much to see and such little time – but we had to move on to Karbala, where rain greeted us. Powerful energy emanates from this city, the burial place of Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), near the place where he was martyred during the Battle of Karbala in 680AD. Within the shrine of Imam Hussain (RA), we found the mass grave of all 72 martyrs of Karbala who fought and died alongside him, despite the heavy odds they faced.
We soon joined the thousands of people jostling to enter the Ziyarat. Opposite is the shrine of his brother, Hazrat Abbas (AS), who was also martyred during the Battle of Karbala by Yazid’s men while bringing some water from the Euphrates River for the Prophet’s (PBUH) family. There is a lovely walkway lined with palm trees between the two shrines, and we often went there to sit and pray as our hotel was nearby.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Hazrat Abbas (AS) shrine glistening as the sun sets in Karbala with the walkway in front[/caption]
Our next stop was Najaf, and luckily our hotel was located right next to my favourite Ziyarat: Imam Ali’s (RA) resplendent shrine. He is considered the father of Sufism, as almost all Sufi orders claim their descent from him.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Imam Ali's (RA) shrine in Najaf[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] The entrance to the shrine[/caption]
After visiting his peaceful shrine, we went to Kufa to see the great mosque, one of the oldest in the world, where Hazrat Ali (RA) was struck by a poisoned sword and passed away after two days. We visited his simple but elegant house next to the mosque (thankfully preserved by the Iraqi government) where his body was washed before being buried in secret. Imam Ali (RA) had earlier dug a well in his house and even today one can drink its healing waters.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The Great Mosque of Kufa[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The house in Kufa has been preserved by the Iraqi government[/caption]
Our final stop was the city of Mashad in Iran, home of the eighth Imam, Hazrat Ali Reza (AS), whose shrine is really the heart of the city – all roads lead to his Ziyarat! We took a short flight from Najaf to Mashad, which is the second most populous city in Iran. Mashad means the place of martyrdom; Imam Reza (AS) was poisoned by Caliph al Ma’mun. A fact I learned during my journey is that none of the Imams lived to an old age – all were poisoned or assassinated.
Imam Reza’s (AS) ornate shrine is enormous, with its many courtyards and mosques, and is considered the Vatican of Iran, run in an efficient and orderly manner. It is also gorgeous, with its Persian carpets and crystal chandeliers galore. We were lucky enough to eat from the shrine’s famous langar and enjoyed the Imam’s hospitality!
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The underground crypt where people can pray and meditate[/caption]
Mashad is a clean, modern city, and feels like it could be anywhere in Europe, except all the women wear long black chadors.
Before we knew it, our visit was over, and tired but rejuvenated we found ourselves on the plane back to Lahore. There were so many memories to treasure and so many adventures to retell. Iraq is slowly recovering from war and getting back on its feet, and I would recommend everyone to go visit this fascinating country alongside Iran, regardless of your religious beliefs. As we were told wherever we went,
“Ziyarat qubool.”
(May your pilgrimage be accepted)
(All photos by author)
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Rawalpindi: A chaotic labyrinth, caught between heritage and heresy
In the post-modern world, the topography of the city has undergone a drastic shift. Rapid urbanisation and growing job opportunities have resulted in many cities in the developing world being swamped by an increasing number of people coming in from the villages and suburbs. In order to accommodate this burgeoning populace, the intrinsic structure of the modern metropolis has had to evolve.
Countries such as India and Pakistan have had to grapple with the dual ambitions of wanting to urbanise their cities while also wanting to hold onto their rich architectural heritage. The complex history of a multi-ethnic country such as Pakistan has been razed to the ground in order to erect soulless towers to replace the colonial monuments which have served as a reminder of our turbulent past.
[caption id="attachment_81733" align="alignnone" width="600"] Heritage building encroached on by local traders at Jamia masjid road.[/caption]
Rawalpindi is an example of a city wrestling with these two seemingly dichotomous aims. On the outskirts of the Rehmanabad Metro station lie some old houses with large verandas and an edifice which is almost reminiscent of the homes in Downtown Abbey. Erected in the early 1960’s, they adorned the city with their marvellous porticos and the locality came to be known as Satellite Town. During the time that Islamabad was being built as the nation’s new capital, Satellite Town functioned as a diplomatic enclave of sorts, with many embassies located there. The Victorian-style houses were thus built to accommodate foreign dignitaries residing in the city.
[caption id="attachment_81748" align="alignnone" width="600"] A night view of Jamia Masjid Rawalpindi which was founded in 1905.[/caption]
Over the years, however, as Islamabad became the diplomatic hub, Satellite Town found itself shrinking in importance, and the neighbourhood was consumed by a city which was expanding at an unprecedented rate. The old houses of the locality now stand like ghostly relics of the past.
[caption id="attachment_81678" align="alignnone" width="452"] Chan bazaar, Rawalpindi.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_81734" align="alignnone" width="450"] A view of Raja Bazaar road.[/caption]
In a house on Sadiqabad road lives an old engineer who has closed the gates of his house, along with his heart, to the outside world. The resident is Afzaal Ahmad, a man who comes from a distinguished family of army personnel. While looking at his old photographs, Ahmad recounts:
“The Rawalpindi I was raised in was a marvel, an image straight from the British calendars. Smooth clean roads, small markets, coffee shops along with a nice book shop (London Books company), low traffic and an orderly crowd.”
[caption id="attachment_81736" align="alignnone" width="600"] The main entrance of the Afzaal Ahmad's house.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_81737" align="alignnone" width="600"] Old magazine ads from the collection of Afzaal Ahmad.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_81745" align="alignnone" width="600"] Rawalpindi's Kashmir Road in the 1960's. From the records of Afzaal Ahmad.[/caption]
The markets at the time were quite small and there was only one major road in Saddar at the time, Mall Road, which catered to everyone's needs. Ahmad recalls that the famous road had a hairdresser, a laundry shop and few clothing outlets as well. He adds:
“I remember most of my classmates in Station school were British or Anglo-Indians. Anglo-Indians were considered to be the most educated after the British. I still remember this one Anglo-Indian traffic sergeant who used to roam around alone on Murree road. People were so afraid of his discipline that they wouldn’t cross the road until he had gone away.”
[caption id="attachment_81738" align="alignnone" width="600"] Backyard of the house.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_81743" align="alignnone" width="600"] An old building occupied by partition migrants in Saddar.[/caption]
For Ahmad’s generation, and the ones which followed, things took a downward turn after Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came to power. Fearing the consequences of nationalisation and increasing religiosity, many foreigners fled the country. The Anglo-Indians too fell prey to this and many migrated to America and Australia. The resultant vacuum gave rise to a new emerging class of locals who had a different mentality. They were hungry to tear down the old to make way for the new.
[caption id="attachment_81744" align="alignnone" width="338"] An old temple in miserable condition in Moti Bazaar.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_81749" align="alignnone" width="475"] A name plate outside a house in Dhakki mohallah, Angat Pura.[/caption]
Rawalpindi as a city has always had a storied history. Punjab has been ruled by Graeco-Bactrian Kings and later by the Sakas, Iranian nomads, and in 1765 Sardar Gujjar Singh controlled the area which is now called Rawalpindi. The city remained under Sikh rule till 1849 when it was taken over by the British. Hence, this land has had many identities, and one can find linkages to an extraordinary past through the city’s buildings and districts.
[caption id="attachment_81679" align="alignnone" width="600"] A view of Moti bazaar, Rawalpindi.[/caption]
Despite the removal of the Sikh Raj, the Sikh community remained an integral part of the cultural fabric of Rawalpindi till 1947. Their remnants are still visible in Kartarpura, Angatpura, Arjun Nagar, Mukha Singh state, Old Banni and adjoining areas. The city was predominantly influenced by Rai Bahadur Sujan Singh whose haveli (house) still stands in the old Bhabra Bazaar.
Rawalpindi at one point in time was a jewel, a unique blend of both old and new architecture. Over the years, people that have been allotted these vacant properties have damaged them due to sheer negligence, and today these buildings are but a shadowy reflection of their former glory.
[caption id="attachment_81739" align="alignnone" width="600"] An old pre-partition haveli in Saidpuri gate trying to save its colors from the wrath of the modern age.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_81741" align="alignnone" width="600"] A colonial style balcony on College Road, where famous Indian actor Balraj Sahini grew up.[/caption]
Rawalpindi today is a chaotic labyrinth. Building laws and municipal regulations are virtually non-existent. Politicians and profit-driven land owners have given local municipal authorities the approval to demolish heritage buildings and sites. Commercialisation has trumped heritage. Heretics have squashed history. Rawalpindi still has the potential to become the epicentre of regional heritage, but only if preservation work is begun immediately.
Today, the view from the metro bus offers a gloomy look at a frenzied skyline onto a city which does not know what it wants to be because it has forgotten what it once was.
(All photos by author)
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Raw and poignant, A Place for Us beautifully sheds light on familial love
It had been some time since I cried while reading a book. And A Place for Us changed that. Fatima Farheen Mirza’s dazzling debut novel tells the story of a South Asian Muslim family living in America.
The family members find themselves torn between discovering their individual selves, while also grappling with their respective roles within the family. As a result of living in a deeply polarised American society, the characters in the novel are in a constant battle with themselves, their family and the world around them, each looking to find relevance, liberty and peace.
Interestingly, one of the main talking points with regards to this book has been Sarah Jessica Parker's involvement in its publication. The Sexy and the City star chose Mirza’s novel as the first book to be published under the Parker imprint for Hogarth publications.
A Place for Us begins at the wedding celebrations for the family’s eldest daughter, Hadia, in California. The occasion, however, is made all the more special due to the youngest child and only son, Amar, coming back home after having fled three years ago. The story thus revolves around the circumstances which led to Amar’s estrangement from the family and the narrative is interspersed with memories from the parents, Rafiq and Layla, and their children, Hadia, Huda and Amar.
What I found particularly inventive about the narrative was how the story unfolds through the point of view of a host of different characters, with the same memory often being shown through different perspectives. We are thus able to see how the same moment impacted each member of the family in a wholly unique manner.
Mirza beautifully brings to light the nature of familial love, which can be limitless and unwavering, but also envious and petty. The depiction often seems like that of a typical diaspora family, with parents trying desperately to instil both Muslim and South Asian values in their children and encouraging them to speak their native language at home. The author explores the subtle dynamics of the household, from the siblings safeguarding each other’s secrets, to the family following Islamic rituals and customs like fasting in the month of Ramazan and observing Muharram.
But that’s just the feel-good part of the book. What is heart-wrenching, poignant, and particularly relevant for our part of the world is how Mirza explores the pressure parents tend to put on their children. South Asian parents often have their own expectations from their children, insisting that they must be obedient, unquestioning Muslims and top performing students who go on to become either doctors, engineers, lawyers or entrepreneurs. The novel attempts to illuminate how pitting children against one another, failing to acknowledge past mistakes and the inability to express love can tear a family apart.
Hence, when Amar leaves, a part of Rafiq and Layla’s souls also leaves. But by then it’s too late to mend their broken ways. Perhaps the saddest thing in the world is to see your child leave you because of your own mistakes. Not feeling at home with your own family is a tragedy, one which Mirza renders beautifully on the page.
And so, I cried when the family was torn apart because of secrets, betrayals, and the smallest of estrangements which could no longer be brushed under the carpet. The last section of the book, told from Rafiq’s perspective, is absolutely devastating. The feelings of an emotionally-reserved father, who falls prey to his own shortcomings, are expressed in a remarkably raw and affecting manner, which is quite an achievement for a debutant writer.
Mirza has done a truly commendable job at penning down the story of a family over decades, and it is no surprise that her novel has received great critical acclaim. The recurrent themes of children trying to find their own identity and parents trying to protect and understand their children resonate at a deep level. After this stellar debut, one hopes that Mirza is able to pack the same amount of authenticity into her next novel, one which I am eagerly awaiting.
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Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini: A father’s lament of the barbarity we call human beings
“My dear Marwan, I look at your profile,
In the glow of this three-quarter moon, my boy,
Your eyelashes like calligraphy,
Closed in guileless sleep.
I said to you, ‘Hold my hand.
Nothing bad will happen’.”
These are a few verses from the context of Sea Prayer, the fourth book by Khaled Hosseini. Hosseini is a well-known author of three books, including the international bestseller The Kite Runner, and is the Goodwill Ambassador to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Sea Prayer is a 40-page book, or rather, a free verse poem beautifully complemented by Dan Williams’ illustrations. It can best be described as a small prayer to the sea by a helpless father on a moonlit beach, who is going to cross the Mediterranean with his child as soon as dawn arises but in less than ideal circumstances.
The story begins with the remembrance of the happy days spent by the father in Homs, Syria when the city was at peace, with its bustling and crowded lanes and streets. Of a time when the stirring of the olive trees and clanking of pots used to awaken him, and when this city of western Syria was not dismantled by bombs, starvation and death. The father wishes for his son to remember some of the more pleasant memories of Homs.
The story has been inspired by the three-year-old Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi, whose body washed up by the sea on the shore of Mediterranean Sea in 2015 as he fled the Syrian War. While talking in an interview, Hosseini became teary-eyed even as he remembered seeing the photograph of Kurdi.
“I was gutted,” he says. “I tried to imagine, as a father, what it must be like to see viral photographs of your deceased three-year-old lying face down on the sand at the water’s edge and being lifted into the arms of a stranger.”
He also stated,
“I hope that this book Sea Prayer is a small tribute not only to his (Kurdi’s) family, but also, on a broader level, I hope it highlights the unthinkable despair that thousands of other ordinary people face every day to abandon home and community and take a chance on this brutal and often lethal journey across the sea.”
Hosseini thus pays tribute to Kurdi’s family through his Sea Prayer, while portraying the tragic and wretched condition of millions of refugees all over the world with help of Williams’ illustrations.
The beautiful memories of Homs are like a dream now, not only for the son but also for the father. Protests followed by the atmosphere of fear and beleaguerment, the black skies showering bombs and bullets instead of rain, and the sight of living bodies buried under devastated buildings is all that remains in their memories of Homs.
In Sea Prayer, Hosseini not only points out the way in which the war imposed by mighty powers upon Syria has destroyed the childhood of millions of innocent kids, but also highlights the emergency and the growing crisis of refugees being forced to leave their homes and approach smugglers in search of safe shelters which are in actuality not safe at all.
A heartrending letter from a father to his son provokes in us the thought of the thousands of refugees who risk their lives on the threshold of death every year just in search of shelter, while many of them simply perish at sea without leaving anything behind. Every night they sleep among the remains of human flesh burnt by explosive bombs, with their own bodies stained by blood, dreaming of a better future – a hope for a safe shelter, a desire for a home. Carrying their misfortunes, they are longing for acceptance and searching for a place where they are welcomed.
But no one cares. Not even the sea.
The sea is deep. It is vast. A large swarm of unwelcomed and unasked bodies of flesh are waiting impatiently at the cold beach for the sun to rise. The father sees his son, his only precious cargo, and tries to console his sleeping being with his words, while praying that the sea knows his worth. It kills him every time he thinks of the depth and vastness of the sea and the helplessness of his own self. At this instant, the mother’s voice comes up:
“Oh but if they saw, my darling.
Even half of what you have.
If they only saw.
They would say kinder things, surely.”
The book will make tears fall out of your eyes silently as the deep ocean engulfs the bodies of thousands of refugees fleeing war and persecution. Some pages are without any words, and here the illustrations speak more powerfully than words ever could. Quietly, they will make your heart wail in silence due to the barbarity of what we call human beings. Humans, the greatest creation ever to be created, that cannot even feel the pain of its fellow beings.
Every word, every illustration in this book will leave a deep mark on your heart. The demonstration of the transformation of a peaceful, crowded and bustling Homs into the city of death; no one could have written this better than Hosseini. No words could carve out such an impression on a heart other than his own. This book deserved to be written purely, with a heart that could feel the pain and emotions of thousands of homeless Syrians, Afghans, Somalis and Iraqis. Then who would be better than Hosseini to write it? After all, no one could feel the pain of a refugee better than a refugee himself. As he stated,
“If I was a father on a moonlit beach about to take one of these journeys, you can bet that I would... say one of these prayers too.”
Sea Prayer is about questioning your own self: what would you have done if you had to abandon your home and cross a deep sea on a cold night? How would you have reacted if you had lost your loved ones in the same sea?
Imagine them dead. Imagine their fates being ended as a feast for the sea. Imagine the struggle of their last breaths before they were taken forever. Imagine them being washed up by the sea at the shore itself. How would you have felt? Imagine how a father would have felt to see his three-year-old like this?
Hosseini leaves the grave questions for the mighty powers of the world to ponder through his short work of fiction!
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Is Pakistan’s N-CPEC+ vision finally beginning to take shape?
Pakistan’s unique geostrategic location at the crossroads of East, South, West, and Central Asia enables it to function as the “Zipper of Eurasia”, as I wrote over half a decade ago in September 2015 for the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies. I built upon this observation in March 2019 to declare that the creative leveraging of the unprecedented trans-regional connectivity potential offered by CPEC enables Pakistan to become the Global Pivot State. This ambitious vision is finally beginning to take shape after Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Uzbekistani Minister of Transport agreed to pursue a trans-Afghan railway line on Wednesday.
I previously proposed such a corridor in my April 2019 debut analysis for CGTN about how “CPEC+ Is The Key To Achieving Regional Integration Goals”, which described the northern branch of CPEC through Afghanistan into Central Asia as N-CPEC+ (“N” referring to North). Eventually, this corridor could expand as far northwards as Russia to create a new North-South integration axis across Eurasia which aligns with President Putin’s vision for the Greater Eurasian Partnership (GEP) like I explained in an academic article that I co-authored over the summer that was republished by the prestigious Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC).
As Pakistan begins to take on a more prominent role in trans-Eurasian integration processes, its strategic importance to both China and Russia will continue to rise. Both Great Powers have a shared interest in the South Asian state fulfilling its destiny to unite the supercontinent through CPEC+. It’s only through this connectivity paradigm that a true Convergence of Civilisations can occur, like I explained in an analysis for CGTN in May 2019. The outcome of Eurasia’s diverse civilisations cooperating on trade and other forms of integration could powerfully discredit Huntington’s infamous prediction about a coming “Clash of Civilisations”.
Russian, Chinese, and Pakistani interests are all directly served through N-CPEC+. Moscow’s regional allies can become more internally stable as their economies grow upon securing access to the global markets that this corridor provides through the Indian Ocean, as could Russia’s resource-rich Siberian region. Beijing, meanwhile, will see its Pakistani-based CPEC investments put to use as a springboard for trans-continental integration processes and could also secure contracts to construct parts of its northern branch expansion as well. As for Islamabad, it would financially benefit by having its ports facilitate Central Asian trade with the wider world.
N-CPEC+ is therefore more than just a connectivity corridor, it’s a grand strategic concept for the future of intra-Eurasian relations in the emerging Multipolar World Order. Russia, China, and Pakistan are coming closer together as each country realises that they need the others in order to fulfill their shared vision of stability in the supercontinent. In fact, continued movement in this direction might even lead to the creation of a new multipolar trilateral between them to replace the stalled one between Russia-India-China (RIC). The end result could be that a Golden Ring rises between them, Iran, Turkey, and Azerbaijan in the Heartland of Eurasia.
To be clear, this won’t happen overnight, but the progress that was just made on agreeing to the Peshawar-Kabul-Mazar-e-Sharif trans-Afghan railway shows that the political will is certainly present to take this vision to its ultimate conclusion with time. Some formidable obstacles still remain, however, such as the unresolved conflict in Afghanistan and the efforts of external powers like India to sabotage this vision. There are also obvious questions of financing and other issues related to project implementation, as well as identifying which companies in the region and beyond are most eager to immediately tap into this project upon its completion.
Nevertheless, there are plenty of reasons to remain optimistic, especially since it’s becoming undeniable that Russia and China both appreciate the strategic significance of Pakistan’s N-CPEC+ initiative to their GEP and Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) respectively. In fact, as GEP and BRI continue to synergise their connectivity capabilities, their patron states are realising that N-CPEC+ is indispensable to the success of their joint vision for the supercontinent. This understanding is accelerating trilateral integration between them and therefore leading to one of the most exciting geopolitical developments of the 21st century thus far.
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100-bed Kohati Gate hospital to become operational
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Health Department will operationalization the 100-bed Kohati Gate Hospital within six months through Health Foundation.
A decision was taken at a meeting chaired by K-P Health Minister, Taimur Jhagra and Higher Education Minister, Kamran Bangash on Thursday. The meeting was held to review the health facilities inside the walled city of Peshawar.
The meeting decided to use Nishterabad Hospital not just for Covid-19, but as a secondary hospital, with facilities for hematology and breast cancer screening.
To revamp Sifwat Ghayyur Hospital through its hospital management committee on a fast track basis, it was decided to allocate Rs60 million, including Rs35 million to resolve the water drainage issue of the hospital.
The meeting decided to uplift the Maternity Hospital Hashtnagari, also through its hospital management committee for which Rs25 million will be provided in two phases.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2022.
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Heatwave to persist for several days in most parts of country
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Saturday warned about another heatwave in the coming four to five days, saying it would grip most parts of the country.
The day temperatures are likely to remain unusually high in most parts during the next few days.
Day temperatures in Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Sindh and eastern Balochistan are expected to rise significantly above normal.
Occasional dust storm or dust raising winds may also blow in the afternoon or evening during the period.
The heat wave is likely to be followed by the rain spell in the upper and central parts of the country.
About the possible impacts of the heatwave, the Met office said dry period and heatwave conditions in the country may cause water stress to the standing crops, vegetable and orchards.
Also read: Pakistan faces 100% high chances of setting new heatwave records
It advised the general public not to venture in the direct sunlight and adopt precautions to avoid a heatstroke.
It added that all authorities concerned have been particularly advised to remain alert during the forecast period.
It was reported last month that Pakistan and India face 100 per cent increased chances of setting new heatwave records due to the current trend of climate change.
The report by the British Meteorological Agency also said the region should expect weather warmer than the hottest weather of 2010 every three years.
The Met agency had further said that such weather would have been faced only once in 312 years without climate change.
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‘Price inspection’ drive stepped up in Ramazan
District administration of Dir Lower was taking solid measures to facilitate residents during the holy month of Ramazan by ensuring edible items were available at affordable prices.
As part of such efforts, Additional Assistant Commissioner Samar Bagh Sher Rehman on the directives of the Deputy Commissioner Capt (retd) Aun Haider Gondal on Monday paid a visit to various markets and checked the quality and prices of several edible items.
During the visit, he directed shopkeepers to display price lists at prominent places and sell edible items at prescribed rates.
He added that strict action would be taken against those shopkeepers who took law into their own hands by overcharging or hoarding commodities.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2022.
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'Heavy rainfall' to hit most parts of country from Thursday
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Tuesday advised the relevant authorities to remain alert in the wake of monsoon rains starting from Thursday (June 30) in most parts of the country.
According to the advisory, moist currents from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are likely to enter the upper parts of the country from tomorrow (Wednesday) which may intensify and expand to the southern parts by the end of the current week.
Under the influence of the system, rain-windstorm or thundershower is expected in Islamabad, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Swat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Rawalpindi, Murree, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahuddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Okara, Sahiwal and Bahawalnagar from June 30 to July 4.
The Met Office added that isolated heavy falls were also expected in the areas during the aforesaid period.
Meanwhile, rain-windstorm or thundershowers with isolated heavy falls are expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Dadu, Zhob, Ziarat, Barkhan, Loralai, Kohlu, Quetta, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Naseerabad and Sibbi between July 1 to 5, it maintained.
Also read: Karachi receives first spell of monsoon rains
About the possible impact of rain, the PMD warned that heavy falls may generate urban flooding in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, and Faisalabad from July 2 to 4 and in Karachi and Hyderabad, from July 3 to 5, advising fishermen to remain careful due to rough sea conditions during the time-span.
It further warned that flash-flooding is also expected in local nullahs of Kashmir, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Naseerabad, Awaran, Barkhan and Kohlu during the aforementioned period, and added that heavy rainfall may trigger landslides in Kashmir, Galiyat and Murree.
The rising temperatures, the advisory noted, are likely to subside during the forecast period but windstorms may damage loose structures at vulnerable locations.
It further observed that rainwater would be beneficial for the sowing of rice crops.
The PMD advised travellers and tourists to remain extra cautious during the forecast period.
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Man, woman killed in name of ‘honour’
A woman and a man were shot dead in the area of Habib Canal within the jurisdiction of Gujar Khan police station on Sunday. The suspect fled after committing the crime.
Police said that Sidra was staying with her parents at their house after her divorce.
On Sunday morning, her bullet-ridden body along with that of 30-year-old Usman, belonging to Mandra, were discovered.
Upon receiving information about the incident, a police team reached the crime scene, with officials stating that the mother of the deceased woman informed them that her son Nazakat shot his sister and the man dead before making his escape.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Gujar Khan Tahir Kazmi said that while the crime appears to be an honour killing case, all angles will be examined with the help of forensic evidence gathered from the site.
The police are carrying out raids to arrest the accused, and the matter will become clearer once he is apprehended and further investigation is carried out, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 18th, 2022.
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‘Rehabilitated drug addicts to get jobs in factories’
Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif has said that government will hold meetings with industrialists to provide jobs to recently rehabilitated drug addicts.
He maintained that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government will launch a decisive crackdown against drug addicts from July 19. He said that they will be arrested and rehabilitated.
He said that Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has convened an important meeting on July 19 to launch a decisive crackdown against drug addicts in the province. He expressed these views at a meeting chaired by Commissioner Peshawar Division, Riaz Khan Mehsud to review progress on campaign launched to make Peshawar drug-free.
Barrister Saif attended the meeting as a special participant. The meeting was informed that since launching of the campaign 50 days ago, a total of 1,188 drug addicts, including 13 women have been taken into custody and their treatment and rehabilitation is underway in various centers.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 16th, 2022.
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PTI protesters pour out onto streets nationwide
Supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took to the streets on Friday immediately after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified its Chairman Imran Khan in Toshakhana reference.
The PTI supporters and workers, led by local party leaders, protested on major and link roads in cities and towns, burning tyres, shouting slogans and at places clashing with police.
There were clashes between police and PTI supporters in Rawalpindi’s Faizabad Interchange, where reportedly one protester was injured. The police resorted to heavy teargas shelling to prevent the protesters from entering Islamabad.
The protests were called by senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, who said that the party would challenge the ECP decision in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and urged people to take to the streets “for their rights”.
Soon after the announcement, PTI workers blocked roads in many cities. The reports of roads and highways closure in various cities created a state of fear and uncertainty among the people.
Islamabad
Tense scenes were witnessed outside the ECP building after the electoral supervisor disqualified the PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana (gift depository) reference.
As soon as the verdict was announced, PTI supporters and party workers began protesting over the decision and workers present outside the ECP office shouted slogans in support of Imran Khan.
Islamabad police reportedly seized firearms from a Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa policeman who was later reported to be the guard of PTI MNA Saleh Muhammad Khan. As the weapon was being recovered a shot was fired.
The capital police claimed that the shot was fired by the K-P policeman, who was arrested. The police later also arrested MNA Saleh. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that “this matter is being investigated”.
Punjab
A large number of PTI workers, led by Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Wasiq Qayyum, protested at various places in Rawalpindi. The protesters tried to enter Islamabad from Faizabad.
However, the Islamabad police started heavy teargas shelling and pushed back the protesters towards Faizabad. In response, the protesters clashed with police and threw stones at them. One PTI worker was injured in the quarrel.
Because of the clashes, the link between Rawalpindi and Islamabad remained cut for several hours. Public transport was also closed during the protests in the twin cities.
Protesters also gathered at various other places, including the Expressway, Rawat, T-Chowk, Gujar Khan, Taxila and the Motorway, causing great hardship to commuters.
In the meanwhile, the Punjab police chief Inspector General Faisal Shahkar issued instructions to the Rawalpindi police range officer (RPO) and other relevant officials not to allow closure of the highways.
The Islamabad police said later that the route from Faizabad towards Islamabad had been opened, adding that the route from Islamabad would also be opened soon. Police said some people were setting trees on fire.
In Lahore, the PTI workers protested at Kalma Chowk and Chungi Amar Sindhu. The workers also blocked the metro bus and chanted slogans against the ECP, according to witnesses.
PTI youths blocked the M5 Motorway near Billiwala on Multan's suburbs, according to reports, while protesters staged a sit-in on Multan road in Vehari, bringing the heavy traffic to a halt. The workers also protested in Chinot.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
Groups of PTI supporters blocked a number of key roads in Peshawar, including the highway connecting the city with Islamabad. The PTI supporters gathered at the Toll Plaza and burnt tyres, disrupting traffic.
The protesters blocked a road near Pir Zakordi bridge and another near Stadium Chowk. They also blocked the road leading to the Lady Reading Hospital.
Similar protest was also held in Farooq-e-Azam Chowk in Charsadda where the PTI protesters were confronted by the ANP workers. However no clash was reported in the presence of heavy police contingent.
Protests were also held in Swabi, Shabqadar, Mardan, Nowshera and other cities. Moreover, Mangora Road in the Swat district had been closed by the protesters.Balochistan
PTI supporters staged a protest demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club besides blocking the main highway, linking Quetta with Islamabad, in Kuchlak and Muslim Bagh.
Former National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri and other leaders led the protesters outside the Quetta Press Club. The workers chanted full-throated slogans against the ECP and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
"PTI will resist this ECP decision,” Suri told the flag-waving party supporters. He warned that the party would intensify its protest across the country against what he called the imported government.
The party workers also blocked the main highway in Muslim Bagh and Kuchlak. Long queues of vehicles on both sides of the road were witnessed as a result of the protest. People suffered difficulties because of the roadblock.
The district administration had taken strict security measures on the eve of the protest demonstration to avert any untoward incident. Baton-wielding policemen were deployed outside the press club to maintain order.
Sindh
A police contingent also reached the party’s offices on Sharae Faisal to pre-empt any untoward situation as the PTI workers gathered there. Police also deployed water cannons in light of the looming threat of violence.
Traffic on the main artery of the metropolis’ communication was disrupted because of the protest. Senior PTI leader Ali Haider Zaidi described the gathering a “peaceful protest”.
Later, the protesters led by Zaidi, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Mehmood Moulvi and others staged a sit-in outside the Sindh Election Commission’s office. The protesters tried to enter the office building but were repelled by the police.
(WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)
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Meeting reviews regularization of WWB employees
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Labour, Shoukat Yousafzai on Friday chaired a meeting to review the pace of work on the regularization of employees of Workers Welfare Board (WWB).
The meeting among others was attended by Secretary Labour, Roohullah, Director Education, Dr Amjad Khan, Secretary WWF and other concerned officials.
The meeting was informed that scrutiny of 2,400 candidates among 2,916 has been completed and remaining 500 employees are under observation and verification of their documents is well underway.
It was revealed that affected employees would be given a chance to personally appear before the concerned committee to express their point of view.
Addressing the meeting, the minister ordered holding a meeting with industries department to discuss matters relating to around 317 technical staff and 18 technical institutes.
He said that provincial government desired to regularize all the employees and added that no one would be removed from his job as per the policy of the provincial government.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2022.
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Action ordered against riverbank encroachments
Commissioner Mardan Division, Syed Abdul Jabbar Shah has directed action against all encroachments on the bank of rivers and nullah with immediate effect, which have caused losses during the recent rains.
He issued these directives while presiding over a meeting regarding the removal of encroachments erected on irrigation channels, nullahs and canals in Mardan and Takhtbai tehsils of district Mardan.
Those who attended the meeting included Additional Commissioner, Mardan Division Naeem Akhtar, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Peshawar, Habibullah Arif, Assistant Commissioner Takhtbai, Gul Nawaz Khan Afridi, AC Mardan Mohammad Shujain, Executive Engineer, C&W Highway Division, Inamul-Haq, TMAs and the representatives of other departments concerned.
The Divisional Commissioner directed dispatching of machinery to all vulnerable localities and monitoring by the relevant officers.
He directed the AC Takhtbai for the cleaning of all the drains in Mazdoorabad and Meraj Colony and removal of all encroachments and opening of all closed nullahs with immediate effect.
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LG training promotes tribal women
Zuhra Bibi had rarely seen the world outside her mud house in Ghallanai, district Mohmand. Sitting at a table with notepads and documents on the local governance system lying around, the council member stared at the things in front of her through the netted veil of her camel-brown shuttlecock burqa. She did not know how to read and write. Yet here she was, attending a training workshop to learn about her role as a local government representative and serve her community more effectively.
“When my husband first told me he wants me to contest in local elections, I thought he was joking. I don’t know anything about politics. I can’t even read and write! How can I hold a leadership position?” the council member recalled. But Gul Sher, her husband, made a convincing argument. He told her that the seat was lying vacant as no woman from the area had come forward. It would be a great opportunity to make a difference, not only for their family but for women in the community.
“He reassured me that the system is new for everyone. We will learn on the way. And that is why we have come here,” she explained, looking toward the other four burqa-clad women sitting beside her at the table.
Zuhra was among the 135 women who participated in a series of two-day training workshops organized to increase the knowledge of elected representatives from districts Bajaur and Mohmand about the local government system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
She was also one of the few women who participated in the trainings twice; once, when the trainings were held for tehsil council members, and second when they were organized for village and neighbourhood council members.
The workshops were arranged by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Merged Areas
Governance Project (MAGP) in collaboration with the KP Local Government, Elections & Rural Development Department (LGE&RDD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
For women of merged districts who have spent most of their lives inside the boundary walls of their mud homes, claiming their space in a room alongside men was an enormous achievement itself.
Discussing her personal and professional growth in both trainings, Zuhra said she was experiencing culture shock in the first training. “Everything was new to me. I could not understand what was going on as I was very overwhelmed. But the second time around, I was more relaxed as everything was familiar. We knew what to expect, where we will sit and how our pardah will be facilitated,” she explained. She also commended the trainers for patiently explaining details in simple terms and encouraging the burqa-clad women to make themselves heard. “The activities and discussions helped us learn and absorb the material. Our illiteracy did not hold us back from learning.”
Sitting next to Zuhra was Aiman who was also from district Mohmand. Although they shared the same cultural background and hurdles, Aiman came from a family that encour- aged women’s education. She grew up near Tarbela Dam where her father worked as an engineer.
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CM invites tourists to Swat’s winter charm
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has reiterated his commitment not to compromise on law and order and made it clear that writ of the government will be established in Swat and across province.
He said that Swat was completely safe and under the control of the government and tourists should come here freely.
Addressing local residents and media-persons at Gabin Jabba during his visit to his hometown Swat on Friday, Khan said that peace has been hard earned after a long struggle and countless sacrifices by security personnel and local population.
He made it clear that no one will be allowed to sabotage this peace or to politicize the law and order issue under any circumstances.
The chief minister observed that his government was being criticized on the issue of Swat without any reason, but neither he, nor the provincial government will compromise on the peace and security in the region.
The chief minister said that maintaining peace and harmony across the province has been the top most priority of his government since day one and there is no compromise on it. Touching upon the self-centered policies of the federal government,
the chief minister said that multiple issues had surfaced ever since the Shehbaz govt came into power which has been involved in ‘immoral politics’ at the cost of national interests.
“These people don’t have any concern for the country and the nation, they have come into power through conspiracies with the only aim to protect their wealth obtained by loot and plunder in the past,” he said.
The chief minister said that the ‘imported government’ has also withheld the due share of K-P in the budget, which is proof of the step-motherly treatment meted out to the province and gruesome politics of the federal government.
However, the chief minister said that despite this, PTI and the provincial government will not compromise on peace and development in the province.
Highlighting the development initiatives taken by his government during the last four years, the chief minister said that the provincial government has completed several development schemes across the province, strengthened communication networks, established education institutions and brought in huge investment by boosting tourism and industrial activities in the province.
He clarified that as long as Imran Khan was in power, everything was going well, but when PDM came into government, problems started to arise and the law and order situation deteriorated rapidly.
The chief minister said that PTI government in the center was deposed after Imran’s unequivocal ‘absolutely not’ remark, adding that the regime changers only wanted politicians with ‘absolutely yes’ attitude who now rule at the centre in the form of an imported cabinet and are not working for national interest. The chief minister also announced the holding of winter tourism in the Swat Valley and invited tourists from all over Pakistan to come here and enjoy the scenic sites of K-P.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2022.
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Floods raise education fears for millions in Pakistan
When flooding devastated northwest Pakistan in late August, 8-year-old Sinain Bibi lost out on about two months of education after half of her school building was swept away, along with the wooden bridge that connected her village with the school.
Bibi must now embark on a treacherous trek each day to attend a makeshift school, held in a tent on a riverbank in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. She is worried about the class time she has missed and said it would take her a while to catch up.
“The calamity has seriously disturbed my studies as I couldn’t learn a single lesson since my school was closed,” Bibi said outside the temporary school in the village of Lagan Khar village, in Swat district.
“I’ve even forgotten those lessons which I had learned before my school was shut down,” she said.
The catastrophic deluge - brought on by record monsoon rains and melting glaciers, both exacerbated by climate change, scientists say - killed more than 1,700 people and has caused over $30 billion in damage.
Pakistan is now facing not only humanitarian and health emergencies - with 33 million people, about a seventh of the population, impacted by flooding - but also an education crisis, communities and officials warn.
Also read: Treacherous winter may kill ‘thousands’ more in Pakistan’s flood-hit areas
The UN children’s agency (Unicef) said last month that the flooding has damaged or destroyed more than 26,600 schools nationwide, while at least 7,060 others are being used as temporary relief camps and shelters for the displaced.
More than 3.5 million children have had their education disrupted, Unicef said, in a country that even before the floods had the world’s second highest number of out-of-school children - 22.8 million of those aged 5-16, or 44% of that age group.
“Having already endured some of the world’s longest school closures due to the (Covid-19) pandemic, (Pakistan’s children) are experiencing yet another threat to their future,” Unicef’s global education director, Robert Jenkins, said in a statement.
The ministry of planning says Rs197 billion ($918 million) is needed to meet its education recovery costs - an amount higher than the United Nations’ total $816 million humanitarian funding appeal for the country.
In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, fears are growing over the availability of funds and other help to repair or rebuild schools following the flooding, with education advocates and teachers concerned about the prospect of more school dropouts.
“The disaster has seriously disturbed the reading, writing and learning skills of the children while they remained away from their books,” said Adnan Khan, a teacher at the Government Primary School Bair, which Bibi attended before the inundation.
Also read: IMF seeks flood recovery plan to unlock loan
While the K-P government has managed to establish makeshift tent schools to educate children whose classrooms were destroyed by the flooding, local activists and teachers say there is a lack of space and basic facilities.
The tent in Lagan Khar village - set up by Sarhad Rural Support Programme, an NGO - is too small to accommodate all of the pupils, and lacks electricity, water, bathrooms and heating.
Khan, the teacher, said the latter in particular was a concern with temperatures falling in winter. He worried that a lack of heat would make it impossible for children to continue to learn in the tent throughout December.
About 20 of the damaged school’s 60 pupils have not returned since the tent was erected in late October, said fellow teacher Sher Ali, amid concerns in the community that many children in the poverty-hit area would ultimately drop out of education.
Gulab Khan, a 50-year-old labourer, said most of the children who had left school were helping their families to eke out a living in the aftermath of the floods - from grazing livestock to collecting firewood for cooking and heating homes.
Also read: ‘Relief disbursed transparently’
“School is the only hope for both parents and children of the village,” said Gulab Khan, whose three children attend the Government Primary School Bair. He urged the local education authority to organise funding for a new building.
Zubair Torwali, head of local NGO Idara Baraye Taleem-o-Taraqi (IBT), said it was “unfortunate” that only the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) had so far helped to repair schools, roads and bridges in the area.
The provincial government has done nothing to-date, he said.
“The situation is worrisome for us because the agency (SDC) plans to pack up at the end of November after completing its work and no other organisation so far has extended a hand for the rehabilitation of schools,” Torwali said.
The main problem in the area, he said, is that many of the 70-odd local schools damaged by the floods have been cut off from nearby communities due to collapsed bridges and destroyed roads.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s education secretary Motasim Billah Shah said the local government would “bring all dropouts back to school” as it had done following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government plans to repair or reconstruct all of the 2,000 flood-hit schools in the province within eight months, with initial estimates showing a cost of at least 10 billion rupees ($45 million), according to Shah.
The official said the government would pay from its own pockets but also rely on financial support from institutions such as the World Bank and UNICEF.
In the meantime, the province is renting some buildings to use as makeshift school facilities, he said.
Also read: 125,000 houses damaged in Balochistan floods
Amid the funding and logistics considerations, prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, environment minister Sherry Rehman and other officials called for support at the U.N. COP27 summit in Egypt this month.
Pakistan’s leaders told the conference that the nation needed not only debt relief but “loss and damage” funding - from a new funding facility agreed at the meeting - to recover from the floods.
Pakistan may also be one of the first recipients of help from a new G7-backed “Global Shield” initiative announced at the UN climate talks.
“We are now in the frontline of vulnerability”, despite producing few of the fossil fuel emissions that are driving climate change disasters, Sherry Rehman said.
Back in Lagan Khar, 8-year-old Bibi said she was impatient for her school to be rebuilt so she could more easily finish her education and inspire others.
“I want to become a teacher to ensure no girl in my village remains illiterate anymore,” she said.
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K-P Food Safety Expo kicks off
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety Authority in collaboration with Agriculture University Peshawar, University of Haripur, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), ARID University Rawalpindi, Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial Research and Nutritional International arranged two-day Food Safety and Nutrition Expo 2022.
The event was held at PCSIR Laboratories Peshawar. Secretary Food Mushtaq Ahmad and Director General K-P Food Safety Authority Shahrukh Ali Khan inaugurated the expo.
While addressing the event Mushtaq appreciated the expo and commended the joint venture. He said the expo's purpose is to spread awareness related to safe and nutritious food among the general public.
The event was also addressed by vice-chancellors of various public and private sector universities, who actively participated in the event. Director General K-P FS&HFA Shahrukh Ali Khan said the event will strengthen ties among government, academia, researchers, and industries.
He said this combined effort would help the government ensure safe and nutritious food provision to the people, while ending the menace of adulteration.
He said the expo is first of its kind held in the province, adding that the activity will be held on a regular basis. He also appreciated the active participation of students in the event.
While addressing the event, the VCs commended the expo and said the process should be kept going.
Secretary food said the food safety authority is regularly inspecting marketplaces, and ensuring that safe and nutritious food reaches people.
He said seven mobile food testing laboratories have been established while work on further such laboratories is in process.
Professor Dr Faqeer Ahmad said there is a need for coordination among food authorities across the country.
He said there is a need of an institute which should dedicate its research and innovation towards food safety.
He said that in light of the expo, recommendation should be forwarded to the government for further action.
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Vintage car rally reaches Michni, Khyber Rifles Mess
The 13th Vintage and Classic Car Rally 2022, reached Michni Post and Khyber Rifles Mess in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Landi Kotal town after passing through historic Khyber Pass.
The car rally is being held in collaboration with K-P’s Sports and Youth Affairs department, Land Rover and security forces from December 2 to 4 in Swabi, Peshawar and Khyber district.
The vintage car rally had reached Peshawar on December 2 via Swabi.
On Saturday, the rally arrived at Fort Bala Hisar Peshawar, where vintage and classic cars were exhibited.
The car rally after passing through Bab-e-Khyber reached the historic Khyber Pass and Michni Post, where the participants were briefed about the historical significance of Khyber Pass and Torkham Border.
After the display of cars at Michni Post, the rally reached the Khyber Rifles Officers' Mess Landi Kotal where they witnessed traditional Khattak, Mehsud, Chitrali and other local dances.
On this occasion, the organisers and participants said that vintage and classic car rally is organised every year in Peshawar and Khyber where car lovers from all over Pakistan participate with great enthusiasm, which is a reflection of the fact that the tribal districts are peaceful and the people here are hospitable.
The grand car display show will be held at the Peshawar Services Club on the last day, December 4, to mark the culmination of the rally.
Vintage and Classic Car Rally is organised every year where vintage and classic car owners get a unique opportunity to drive their vehicles on the roads of Peshawar and Khyber district. These cars include Mercedes, Ford, Chevrolet, Buick, Mini and Volkswagen from the 1930s to 1970s.
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