Ancient Wisdom

Once I wrote a long email to my professor who was abroad. In this email, I wrote about my difficulties I was facing, suffering I was going through, problems I was having at that time, etc. The email was full of complaints about office, about friends and about the unjust world. He replied me in single line: "My son! Life is never easy."

  I am fortunate to have friends worldwide who provide me with direct and indirect feedback about us Pakistanis. Understanding Pakistan can be challenging if you haven’t visited. However, those who have had the opportunity to visit and interact with the locals have countless enchanting stories to share. Over the past forty years, face-to-face interactions between Europeans and Pakistanis have been minimal, primarily due to the wave of terrorism since 2001 and the influence of Talibanisation and emerging extremism. Pakistan’s uniqueness lies in its geographical diversity: it boasts the Arabian Sea, towering mountains like K2, the stunning lakes of the Northern Areas, the Cholistan Desert, historical buildings, and ancient civilisations like Harappa and 'Mohenjo-Daro'. It is also home to rivers, canals, and agricultural land. The country experiences a wide range of climates. In one part, temperatures can reach 52 degrees, while another part might be blanketed in snow. This geogra...

Once upon a time, in a land where religious tension was rife, a man found himself standing before a group of religious extremists. His mission was daunting - to transform these individuals, known for their fiery sermons and divisive speeches, into tolerant beings. As he stepped into the room on that fateful Friday, he was met with a sea of stern faces. The room was filled with an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional whisper of, “Oh Sir! Teach whatever you want to teach.” The question hung in the air, “Why have you invited us?” The man felt a wave of confusion and embarrassment wash over him. He had never encountered such a situation before, and he was at a loss for what to do next. He had come prepared with booklets, attendance sheets, and registration forms, but they lay untouched. The men refused to sign anything, their distrust palpable. But the man was not one to be easily deterred. Gathering his courage, he began to weave a tale. He spoke of an old man who had four sons, e...

  A man once found himself in a predicament when his outdoor Sui Gas meter was stolen. He reported the theft to the Sui Gas office, only to be handed a lengthy procedure list. The first step was to file a First Investigation Report (FIR) at the local police station. The police station visit was an ordeal, filled with endless questions. However, a swift exchange of five hundred rupees from his friend to the investigation officer expedited the FIR process. With the FIR in hand, they returned to the Sui Gas office to lodge their complaint, only to be met with a seemingly endless procedure involving meter deposits and charges. Upon returning home, his friend made a startling proposition: for a ten-thousand-rupee bribe, he could have a new meter installed within 24 hours. Skeptical, the man agreed to a bet. To his astonishment, a broken Sui Gas meter was hanging outside his home the very next day. A month later, while at work, he received a call from home. The Sui Gas team was there, pu...

  At the tender age of 23, I found myself working as a volunteer for an NGO. My role was to mobilise school teachers to organise a study trip to the National Museum of Science and Technology before the summer vocation. On sweltring day, June 5, 1991, I sought permission to meet the head teacher of the corporation school. The head teacher, a man of about 58 years with only two years left until his retirment, was seated in his chair. As I began to explain the purpose of my visit, he interrupted me. "Oh, young man," he began, "I pity your youth. Nothing will change here. Why are you wasting your youth?" Go back, try for the civil services, find a good job. Leave this volunteer work....? His words left me embarrassed, confused, and shocked. Gathering my courage, I addressed him, "My dear teacher, someone once asked a football why people kick it?" The football replied, "I was hanging in a sports shop. Someone came in, pumped air into me, and then people st...

One day a younger office came to me and said that his director has delegated him responsibility to conduct one hour session on "Multi-Grade Teaching" and he doesn't have enough confidence to stand in front of participants.   He further said that he may not speak in front of participants. He is really worried about it. I replied, "Look!, never worried about it. Think you they are your friends and you are going to tell them your own experience of teaching. When you stand in front of them, think you are most important and privileged person who has enough knowledge and wisdom to share with them. Never judge yourself from their eyes. Judge from your own eyes. Confidence comes from inside when we think we are important. We loose confident when we think others are important and we are not. Never hide your eyes. Always look into their eyes. However, first practice when you are alone in your room while keep in mind that audience is watching at you. Prepare your slides and not...