I am pakistan

I am not just terrorism, poverty and corruption. I am Abdus Sattar Edhi's philanthropy. I am Ansar Burney'scompassion. I have the courage of Rashid Minhas. I posses the beauty of Sadequain's calligraphy. I am Arfa Karim's brilliance. I am Pervez Masih's sacrifice. I am Shahid Afridi's exuberance. I am Jahangir Khan'sconsistency. I am the 1992 Cricket World Cup. I am Sharmeen Obaid's Oscar. I am Cowasjee's pen. I amDr. Abdus Salam's Nobel Priz. I am Gulgee's masterstrokes. I am Noor Jehan & Mehdi Hassan's voice. I am Ayub Ommaya's invention. I am Adeeb Rizvi's humanitarianism.

I am home to the ancient civilizations of Indus Valley, Moenjodaro, Taxila and Harappa. Himalayas and theHindu Kush are a part of me. The world's 2 nd highest mountain peak, K2 , is my strength. I am Shandur , the highest Polo Ground in the world. I am Gawadar , one of the world's largest deep Sea ports. Karakoram Highway, the 8 th wonder of the world , resides within me. I have Khewra Mines, the world's second largest and oldest salt mine. I am Shah Faisal Mosque , the ninth Largest mosque in the world. I am multi-ethnicand I speak more than 60 languages.

I am the 5th largest milk producer and the 3rd largest cotton producer in the world. I have the 5th largest coal and gold reserves . I am blessed with the 10 th largest workforce in the world. I have the27th largest economy . I have the potential to become the 5 th largest telecom market in the world. I am Asia's 2 nd best performing stock exchange . I am the 9th largest English-speaking nation in the world. I am the 7th largest standing armed force .

I am a country of 180 million people. I am an ever-expanding middle class. A proud nuclear- Armed state yet peace loving, I have the highest number of troops in UN peacekeeping missions. I am a model of survival. I am 40,000 deaths for global peace. I am an epitome of resilience. I am hospitality . I am a goldmine of opportunities . I am a sea of untapped potential . I have Athar Ahmed, Mehmood Arshad & Irfan Haider to expose my potential and I have world renowned business leaders like S.M. Muneer, Tariq Sayeed & Iftikhar Ali Malik to guide.

young blood of pakistan

Pakistan along with its envious strategic location and a plethora of natural resources possesses another exceedingly important resource, a resource that is oozing with power and determination and overflowing with ambitions to make Pakistan a better place to breathe in. The human resource of Pakistan.

Now let’s take a brief trip to the past. Over the last 64 years of independence, Pakistan has duly witnessed the results of young blood boiling within its youth. With worth appreciating youngsters who have succeeded in taking Pakistan to a newer level altogether, victories were made.

Battles conquered. Dreams fulfilled. Stars touched. Skies reached.

Given the fragile state of the nation today, one wonders if the Pakistani youth is doing enough for their mother country. Are they fulfilling the responsibility of taking Pakistan forward?

With this question in mind, I researched for a couple of days, emailed tens of people, particularly youth icons and university students, interviewed some and finally came across some inspiring individuals with admirable endeavors to steer their home country onto the way of advancement.

Keeping in mind the dire need of education, we have the Sooch Welfare Organization, which educates and grooms underprivileged children and provides them with an environment that could mould them into enhanced citizens.

The Sooch team at work – Photo courtesy Sooch Welfare Organization

When the president of Sooch, Rabbiya Abdullah was questioned about how Sooch came into existence, she said that they always noticed people who didn’t even have the basics around themselves and became drawn towards helping the less privileged. However, they desired to do something more permanent than giving a beggar a few rupees and sending him away.

Initially they started with raising money to feed people on a daily basis but then decided that instead of giving a man a fish a day and creating more dependency, “we should teach them how to fish which led us into focusing more on education and teaching the children that lived in the squatter camps around our campus.”

Moreover, she stated that, “what we are aiming at, is to help those around us develop an ability to think independently.”

Apart from Sooch, Pakistan is proud to have college students such as Mohsin Rasheed Memon whose brainchild is Nixor Hospital. The hospital’s vision is to positively change the healthcare infrastructure of Pakistan while its mission is to provide medical assistance to more than 15,000 patients each year.

Volunteers of Nixor Hospital cater to the patients in their clinic in Gizri, Karachi. – Photo courtesy Nixor Hospital

In the course of the last two years, the students have raised more than two million rupees and have given medical assistance to more than 6,000 patients with the help of eight medical camps in Sindh and a clinic at Gizri in Karachi.

Mohsin said, “I am very proud of not only telling the figures and the number of camps, but of saying that everything is done by the youth of Pakistan.”

Providing healthcare services is just one aspect of this NGO that they are accomplishing, but there is a hidden achievement too that nobody actually notices; it is the ray of hope shining on the faces of these underprivileged people who were once devoid of hope.

At the moment, the social project is led by Muhammed Kabeer Jadoon who is working hard to enhance the health conditions of his fellow Pakistanis.

Moreover, Justuju Welfare Organization is another youth led NGO which deals with the education system of Pakistan and plans to revolutionize the education in the country by bringing all the schools to an equal platform, changing the ideology that has dwelt in the minds of people regarding education and providing equal opportunities for quality education to all strata of the society along with uplifting the government schools to the level of the private schools.

“If there is a will, there is a way.” The Justuju team has made this ideology their mission.

Mohsin Rasheed along with the students taught by the Justuju Welfare Organisation.

Currently Justuju has adopted some schools in Gizri, Karachi. It is providing training to the existing teachers and also bringing in new instructors.

Furthermore, when the prominent anchor Faisal Qureshi was asked about his thoughts on how Pakistan can be a successful state, he only believed in one philosophy – better yourself and Pakistan will be a better place. Be morally and socially alive and Pakistan’s condition would improve within “less than 24 hours.”

In his exact words, he said “Haq baat bolo, Haq baat karo!”

Moving on, the renowned band, Strings’ member Bilal Maqsood opined that the youth’s potential is gigantic and that the youth needed to make the most out of their opportunities. Moreover, he urged the young blood of Pakistan to develop “a positive attitude, cling on to the strong thread of hope and to rise against the tide.”

Moving on, he also advised the youth to stay out of politics and instead channel their energy into effectively utilizing their education for Pakistan’s progress.

Interestingly, singer, philanthropist and the President of Zindagi Trust Shehzad Roy had the opposing viewpoint. Roy believes that the state can be recovered if, “the youth gets involved in politics as it is the youth only which can truly bring about a positive change in the society.”

With massive talent sprouting out of the Pakistani soil and uncountable potential-fountains streaming from every nook and corner of Pakistan, how can Pakistan possibly not reach out for the epitome of accomplishment?

Nixor Hospital’s motto is “Our People, Our Responsibility!” If today, each and every Pakistani youngster gradually transitions from “My Neighborhood, My Responsibility!” to “My City, My Responsibility!” to “My Country, My Responsibility!”, then how can Pakistan possibly not be one of the most developed countries in the world?

youth challenges and opportunities

It is not rare to hear the phrase; “Pakistan’s future is very bright, because we have a seven crore youth population.” Most don’t even know whether the exact number is six, seven or eight! Yet, this has become part of the most widely used rhetoric about our country’s future and this rhetoric is even more prevalent on our national days. But, the problem with this assertion is quite simple, an army can have the best weapons in the world, but if it doesn't use them properly and effectively it still loses the war.

The same is true for our youth; I would be stupid to deny the fact that our youth in a large percentage of our population (66% in fact) and that it is full of talented people who have great potential.

Yet, the problem remains the same if they and their potential isn't used and channelized effectively there won’t not only be anything to gain but also there would be much to lose.

We must remember that, it is misguided youth caught in empty rhetoric that is donning suicide jackets, turning to crime, committing fraud and killing in places like Karachi. So what does this “proper and effective” using of their potential mean and what challenges stand in the way of doing so?

The first challenge is the education emergency that Pakistan is facing. Seven million children are missing out on primary education in Pakistan, enrollment in secondary schools stands at a mere 23% and only a mere 5% of Pakistanis make it to university. 25 million children are being denied their basic constitutional right to a free and compulsory education.

Furthermore, those who are being educated face the issue of attaining a quality education. According to the Education Emergency report, 50% of rural school children cannot read a sentence and only 35% can read a story compared to 25% of school children.

The second challenge is that of employment and economic prospects. According to the Next Generation Report, Pakistan will need 36 million more jobs in the next 10 years with our population increasing by 44% over the next 20! Our current unemployment rate stands in excess of 20%. This also partly contributes to the much talked about brain drain, because there simply isn’t enough room to accommodate a large part of our youth and what is more unfortunate that most of our talented students end up doing menial jobs abroad.

The third challenge is one that became more apparent to me over the past two weeks. Through interactions over Facebook emails, twitter and sms the level of depression, confusion, differing perspectives and the degrees of these segmentations became hauntingly clear. It is also not the varied opinions that are the challenge. Varying opinions and different beliefs are healthy and encourage diversity; however, it is the extent of blind faith and a lack of willingness to engage in dialogue, which is alarming. There seems to be no consensus on even the most basic of issues ranging from systems of governance, education and to some extent even terrorism.

The responsibility for creating and now meeting these challenges of course primarily lies with the state and its leadership, where leadership does not just mean the government, but it also includes: politicians, civil society, and the media. However, it is unfortunate that many a times the youth has just been reduced to a brand name that has been exploited by the same. The government holds one event a year, and then dismisses the youth until the next. Political parties only use young people for their street power and rallies, never including them in the decision making process. The media tries to use the youth for ratings; it calls them but by engaging them in rhetorical and conclusion-less debates only

These rhetorics lead to the hopelessness or the false hope that the youth are engulfed in today. The government needs to work on education with a solid political will and create economic opportunities. Political parties need to listen to the youth and not just exploit them, and the media needs to engage the youth in more productive debates. But what about the youth’s own role?

It is time that the youth realizes its own role and tries to mark out its own path. The time for waiting for messiahs, leaders or anyone for that matter is over and we have to start addressing our issues ourselves in whatever capacity we can.

Depression in a way is a sign of good, because it shows love and a strong connection to and concern for the country.

However, at the same time depression coupled with hopelessness and very strong opinions becomes an impediment to the successful resolution of issues. Opinions are good and we hold them because they are a means to an end. We all are working towards the same end, a prosperous Pakistan, then our opinions should be formed after dialogue and though not inherited or accepted blindly.

The youth needs to come out of this endless cycle, and act. This action doesn't mean coming out on the streets, protesting and falling prey to empty rhetorics, but on the contrary it means developing capability, capacity and competence.

If Jinnah wasn't a lawyer, if Iqbal wasn't a philosopher and poet, if Dr Abdul Qadeer, Dr Abdus Salam, Dr Samar Mubarak and Dr Umar Saif weren't scientists and Babar Iqbal, Ibrahim Shahid and Zohaib Asad weren't good students could they have done what they did for Pakistan? Education needs to be the top priority for all those who are luck enough to receive it. Only after developing themselves will the youth will be able to develop Pakistan. I am not suggesting a total disconnect from politics or the ongoing situation of the country but the right priorities, where “jalsas”, talk shows, protests and political “chaskey” come only after educational responsibilities. Those lucky enough to receive an education must not waste it and they should also encourage and follow the work of people like Master Auyb (who has been teaching children free for the past twenty years in a park).

Action for young professionals can mean trying to excel in their respective fields, to become entrepreneurs and create jobs and economic opportunities for others as well. There are so many start up companies doing well in Pakistan and there is room for a lot more. The journey isn't going to be easy. A lot of people talk about the fact that conditions aren't welcoming or fruitful for their purposes, but this is more or less true for everyone.

No one has ever had everything handed to him or her on a silver platter. Neither did the Prophet Muhammad SAW have the ideal conditions in Mecca to spread Islam nor did Muhammad Ali Jinnah had the ideal conditions to form Pakistan, yet they like so many others persevered and succeeded in time. Change is never overnight and it takes time, but is a worthwhile endeavor to work for.

There are many countries, which are going through or have gone through times similar to the one Pakistan is going through; Singapore, India and even the United States all come to mind.

There is light at the end of the tunnel but only if we have the will and patience to pass through. The youth of this country is undoubtedly its biggest asset and it is up to all of us to make sure it serve its purpose in the best way possible. The purpose of writing this is to not spread despair but to highlight the challenges that lie ahead and to resolve our capability of meeting those challenges, a capability, which is more than adequate only when combined with hard work and patience.

youth in pakistan

Pakistan is a developing country and youth in Pakistan makes up about 35% of it's total population. In the midst of crunching times, when Pakistan is facing severe issues such as terrorism, economic crisis, target killings, disunity and disunity, the burden to take the country out of the whirlpool is upon it's young people.

Pakistani Youth’s Role in DevelopmentThe Pakistani Youth has stepped on a train named as destiny that takes its passengers on the path towards development. Since the establishment of Pakistan, youth had always been crushed and oppressed by teachers, leaders and parents. Moreover the role of youth in politics has always been limited due to corrupt and inept political system. They failed to get exposed to the world that could lead to a new era of modernization. As the clock ticked and time flew, things started to change their discourse. The new century brought about much advancement along with the change in trends of Pakistani youth.

Problems of Youth in Pakistan:Alongside the changing trends in 21st century, problems of Pakistani youth have started to dwindle.The world is a continuous process of change and so it brings with it distinctive features in which modernization in youth plays huge importance. As globalization took place, it became harder for teachers, leaders and parents to further hold back youth in homes. These students found their way to their demands. The supply had always been short but this time these young Pakistanis created their own demand and became their own suppliers. They have started to negate the old irrational conventions that have been down streaming their lives. Through the use of media, internet and self right realization; these rising humans instilled with great zeal and zest have found a common point where they could lead their lives with cultural and contemporary trends.

Talented Pakistani YouthTalented Pakistani youth has started to bring in more innovation and novel ideas than a matured one. The science has lead older people to understand that after living a life of forty years and above, the brain is less able to produce something new and revolutionary. Now we see the youth working in across Pakistan in almost all the fields currently working. From education to films to arts to medicine to engineering to politics; you would not find a place where these young talented people are not functioning. Every day they bring in new ideas such as Street Art Competitions, Sports events, Debates, magazines, public relations and the list goes on.

Power to SpeakA new trend has started to emerge in Pakistani youth i.e. the power to speak. About a decade ago, young people were not allowed to raise their voices against elders. Even if the elders were completely irrational about a certain situation or subject, youth was not allowed to interfere in it. An orthodox behavior was being followed by the elders that was “Old people have a lot of experience and so they speak keeping in mind everything they have learnt from it but young people are careless and innocent. They do not understand the realities of life”. But now these people have started to realize that not all their experiences are applicable in the contemporary world of fast choices. These people realize that they are not the one’s getting exposed to new knowledge everyday; it is the youth who is thirsty for knowledge and who can actually understand the world with a different dimension.

Optimism of Youth in Pakistan:Optimism is an intriguing step that the youth in Pakistan has recently adopted. They have seen their families and relatives living lives in depression and so dying a painful death. They have seen people regretting what they did and sticking to the negative side of the situation and eventually falling into a dig of wasted wishes. Pakistani youth has now chosen a path of positivism. This way they can mould, innovate and produce whatever they think is best. They are currently striving for the betterment and progress of country. They are not self centered rather they have adapted ways which would make the people of Pakistan unite and bring about change as a whole.

Voice of Youth

I have been sitting here for a while listening to all those voices of youth. To feel what you have, you need to forget what you had. Concepts are intellectual. No one is born to be so. People sit on a porch to learn and throw. Nothing is confusing, you are. Life compels you to form images. What you speak is not your tongue but your society. You creep, you crawl, and you walk and run. Is there anything else to do in this family of indifferent relations? If not, then there is yet to begin another stance of local characters (Pakistani Youth) to trigger the features bound to relish the last sip of tea.