Yeh Watan Tumhara Hai

Ye Watan Tumhara Hai
Ye watan tumhara hai,
Tum ho pasban is ke,
Ye chaman tumhara hai,
Tum ho naghma-khuaaN is ke.

Ye watan tumhara hai,
Tum ho pasban is ke.

Iss chaman ke phoolon par,
Rang -o- aab tum se hai,
Iss zameen ka har zarrra,
Aftab tum se hai,

Ye fiza tumharee hai,
behr-o-bar tumharey hain,
kehkeshan ke ye jaley,
rehguzar tumharey hain.

ye watan tumhara hai,
tum ho pasban is ke.

Iss zameen kee mitti main,
khoon hai shaheedon ka,
arz-e-pak markaz hai,
qaum kee umeedon ka,
nazam-o-zabt ko apna,
meer-e- karwan jano,
waqt ke andhron mein,
apna aap pehchanno.

ye watan tumhara hai,
tum ho pasban is ke.

ye zameen muqaddas hai,
maan ke pyar kee soorat,
iss chaman mein tum sab ho,
barg-o-bar kee soorat,
dekhna gawana mut,
dolat-e-yaqeen logon,
ye watan amanat hai,
aur tum ameN logon.

ye watan tumhara hai,
tum ho pasban is ke.

meer-e-karwan ham thay,
rooh-e-karwan tum ho,
ham to sirf unwaN thay,
asl dastan tum ho,
nafraton ke darwazey
khud pe band hee rakhna,
iss watan ke parcham ko,
sar baland hee rakhna,

ye watan tumhara hai,
tum ho pasban is ke
ye chaman tumhara hai,
tum ho naghma-khwan is ke

PIA - Brand of the Year 2008

AREN’T we living in interesting times? The Pakistan International Airlines, the sole national flag carrier which because of its mismanagement has suffered a colossal loss of Rs32 billion in the last 10 years while in the first three months of the current year has lost Rs3,954 million, has been awarded ‘Brand of the Year 2008’.

The award was conferred by the prime minister on Nov 30 at a ceremony held on behalf of the Brands Award Council and was received by Capt Mohammad Aijaz Haroon, managing director of the national carrier, as reported in Dawn’s advertisement supplement of ‘Brand of the Year Award’ (Dec 8).

The ‘Brand of the Year Award’ has been organised by a Brands Award Council of Pakistan (BCP) in collaboration with the Brands Bureau International Ltd, UK, and the first awards were distributed in the year 2007.

The selection criteria for nomination are: a) Company profile, b) Current Year Brand Market Standing and c) Nationwide Consumer Survey. Of course there is no free lunch as the aspiring company has to pay Rs35,000 as fee and subsequently Rs65,000 (net of all taxes) through cheque in favour of ‘The Exhibitor (Pvt) Ltd’, which organises the whole show, just to find place of its ‘success story’ in the brands year book.

The condition for prequalification is prior registration along with submission of complete company profile, which is to be reviewed by the BCP according to the selection criteria which will be forwarded to the Brands University for Focus Group and Survey.

This organization, in collaboration with Brands Bureau International, London, will then conduct a nationwide consumer survey to determine current market standing of the brands and their popularity amongst the consumers. The report prepared on the basis of the survey shall then be handed over to the Brands Awards Council which will congratulate the successful candidates for achieving the ‘The Most Acclaimed Brands of Pakistan’.

At least from a consumer satisfaction point of view no company in Pakistan, barring some exceptions (if there are any), can satisfy the ‘Nationwide Consumer Survey’ if the assessment is conducted transparently.

Here, because of the nonavailability of effective consumer protection societies and proper regulatory systems, the companies find themselves at liberty to make as much profit as they can without maintaining even the required health standards; they feel hardly any moral and ethical duty in providing standard goods to the people.

The resistance of the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association towards installing equipment to purify sugar, as referred to by Badar Jatoi in his letter, “Pakistan’s standard enforced on sugar quality” (Nov 26 and Dec 7), is a case in point.

Similarly, the BCP’s selection of an organisation like PIA on the basis of ‘quality’, ‘familiarity’, ‘affordability’, ‘availability’ and ‘brand market standing’ as the best airline leaves much to be desired. How the loss-incurring airline that has lost its most lucrative European market recently for not maintaining aviation standards can turn out to be the best in 2008 is quite baffling. Besides, adverse reports published sporadically through the Letters to the Editor coloumn about poor consumer services is an everyday affair.

I think it is time we accepted our failures instead of living in cocoons by saying that “the winning of this award is a proud reflection of PIA’s popularity”.

This is the only recipe to put an end to self-delusions so that right decisions can be taken to come out of the serious and multiple predicaments the organisation is suffering from.

The ‘Brands of the Year Award’ group, claiming to be associated with a UK-based organisation, having registered with the Chamber of Commerce, Stock Market, IPO Pakistan and, above all, the organisation like the Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority can only prove its worth and credibility if it selects those businesses/companies which are providing best quality services to the people of Pakistan.

Picked from Letters to the Editor, Daily Dawn (Monday, December 15, 2008)

ALTAF HUSSAIN QURESHI

Hyderabad

Man kills wife on suspicion

This is a news in today's (Monday, December 15, 2008) Dawn that a man killed his wife on suspicion. He with the help of three brothers killed his wife with a TT pistol. Taking someone's life is that easy for some people. I would just end it by asking myself that "Are women human and worth respecting or a tool to be used to escape himself when taking revenge"

Human Rights

On December 10, entire world celebrated Human Rights Day with a commitment to ensure the human rights for all the people living on this earth. Campaigns were launched and speeches were made. I am curious to know about the percentage of people who have ever read about their rights or about general human rights. We live in society where we interact with people, create relations, develop expectations and justify our acts. Do we have some standards. Everybody has his own interpretation of laws, religious orders, norms, values and customs. Do we at some point consider that we need to know what are the expectations from us...what is the common interest of society and people. I believe that we all should think seriously to bring a change from within. Lets see what are the rights that UN has in its charter. This is a brief document and detailed document can be seen on UN website.

Intersex people - An object of ridicule

Ever wonder why don't we find any columns or rights for third gender “intersex” for the people having both male and female sexual characteristics and organs. These intersex people are humans just like us with all the feelings, sentiments, relations and belongings but the treatment of people with this gender is so very disappointing that they can not even take education with others and same is with their professions. We leave them alone to beg on signals and roads or to get involved in weird sexual activities. Intersex people get their gender by birth and should be treated equally but reality tells another story.
In Pakistan these intersex people have virtually no right and due to the pathetic and narrow-minded social taboos, we even refuse to recognize this problem. Moreover, these intersex people are an object of ridicule, fun, derogation, and they are merely used and abused by the people for their warped sexual fantasies. As intersex people are not entertained anywhere in education, jobs or welfare, they resort to prostitution and crimes for their survival.
To address this issue, Government of Pakistan should take serious steps by not only allocating quota for them but also giving them all the due rights as humans. What we need to do is to change our attitude towards them and accept them like others. They should not be not left as inactive part and should be respected as civilians. In this technologically advanced era, we are still living with stone age approaches. Lets try to see this issue with a different eye.

Do we need to use the term "HATE" in our lives

Imagine if we don't use the term "hate" in our lives anymore. What will be the impact. The term "hate" has so much hatred in it that itself is negative and lead to discrimination. Isn't it better to use "dislike" instead of "hate". We as human being have all the rights to dislike anything but not to hate. The difference point between animals and humans beside the concept of soul is mature senses and respect that humans have for others. To us as Muslims, no matter what but this word is unacceptable in any situation. So, Lets hope and try implementing it in our lives.