Heroes.... I wonder

Heroes - a word that always drew a picture in my mind as men in colourful spandex, flying to the rescue of the people, protecting them from the bad guys or fighting crime. Just a myth I always presumed… who would ever stand up to save anything or anyone if their safety was being compromised? Selfless – another word that has completely lost it’s meaning in the world of today… do heroes exist? Does selflessness exist? I wonder. “They” always say it takes one person to make a difference, one person to stand up for his/her belief, one person who can start the change in this world. “Be the change you want to see” – does all this have no meaning? Just rambling on such pseudo intellectual crap doesn’t make one any better than the rest. Why do we human beings so easily talk, but when it comes to acting upon the words…well lets just say ”Havaii Firing” gets nothing done, gets you nowhere, and changes nothing . “Actions speak louder than words” – right on. Sure, it’s easy to sit in the comfort of our own homes, air conditioner on, laptops and PCs connected to the internet, Plasma TVs running the same heart-breaking news on every channel and us… sitting and saying “that is terrible”, “what horrible people”, “wish we could help”… hah. What we really mean is, “wow it is sad, but what can we really do about it”… right? Yes people, sitting in front of your televisions, discussing what “they” (whoever THEY are) should be doing or should have done…doesn’t mean anything, doesn’t help those in need, they don’t need our sympathy they need us to make a difference. What about when you’re sitting with your TV tray, eating scrumptious meals, while watching people all over the world starve, suffer, cry helplessly…Would you give up one car or one television just to fill that one family’s stomach? Stop that one family’s tears? I wonder. Ok I think I made my point there. Back to my discussion on Heroes, but before that a brief history about myself. Grew up in a typical burger environment, or rather as I like to call it my “bubble”, where everything has always been shiny, colourful and happy…and till the end of my teenage years, I didn’t really think I needed to help anyone out… yes I was too self absorbed. For me it was important that I go shopping, live up to what society expected of me, hang out with my friends and everything else that a normal human being would/should consider extremely shallow. Then it hit me, who says I have to be this way? Nurture? I don’t think so, Nature? I highly disagree… So what most of us really are, are just soulless, high maintenance zombies strutting around as if the world starts and stops with us. Time for a reality check I said to myself, and now I am determined to make those like me realize…that the world needs us, Pakistan needs us, the people need us. If we just give up a tiny portion of our luxury, we could make one family’s life so much better …wouldn’t you want to be a part of that? Not everyone is a bad guy, sure there are some who are morally challenged and get a kick out of robbing people, but all of them are not that way. Mostly, they are people who are just desperate to make ends meet, to provide for their family, to just survive on a day to day basis. And us? Lavish dinners, parties and what not…think about it with an open mind, if you will… Do we really need to have massive dinners where we cater to filling the stomachs of people who probably would never appreciate the food beyond 15minutes? I’ve been around the world and seen the way people live their lives there, very practically…watching every penny they spend…do they need the $5 pack of biscuits or would the $1 pack be sufficient… Their weddings are limited, simple…yet memorable, their birthdays and other such occasions? The same. There is not one day that goes by when I do not see the people of Pakistan, or should I say “Pakistan” (by our definition – the 1% that we are) become more and more pretentious. It’s all about what one is wearing, where one eats or where one is seen…I’ve met people who can barely make ends meet, yet they like to keep up that pretence just to be accepted into “society.” Hmm SOCIETY, this could bring me to my next point but I think I’ll save this topic for a rainy day, because that seems to be an issue on a whole new level….anyway moving on. I apologize for constantly wavering off my actual point, so here goes. Heroes – a reality. Not men in colourful spandex flying around with their magical horse or dog by their side, you don’t need any make-belief super powers to be a hero; you just need to believe in your cause and work hard to make it a reality. If this was the world of Marvel comics, MRP would be a whole new force, with Fawwad Afridi being the leader of the team. Mission Rescue Pakistan (MRP) was just a dream not too long ago, and I distinctly remember Fawwad talking about it excitedly, passionately optimistic, and I had thought to myself at the time, “I wonder” He stood strong, gathered his army of selfless individuals all who shared the same dream – to work towards a better Pakistan. It took this one person to start a movement of nothing but peace and unity, it took this one person to walk on the path and lead the people to a better future… clearly many have followed. MRP came about with no religious or political affiliation, when this one citizen of Karachi, rose to the challenge, when the world shot negative accusations towards Pakistan, Fawwad decided it was time to show the world that Pakistan is not what they believe it to be, it is not what the media portrays and the people of Pakistan will not stand by and let this false assumption spread like wild fire. The power to be a hero is in our hands, as MRP has clearly proven, but can we spare a tiny part of our life and time to contribute to this cause? I think so! What the world is going through at this point in time, what Pakistan is going through…can be fixed, all is not lost. We as the people of Pakistan, have to stick together and make a difference, MRP has given us this opportunity in a silver platter… so the time has come, for Pakistan to act upon this… (And I mean us, the 1% of Pakistan who have had all the luxuries in the world), it is time we gave something back to the people of this country; it’s time we make Pakistan what it was dreamt to be. It is truly refreshing seeing this handful of educated, hardworking, selfless citizens; take a step towards becoming the voice of the people. Hearing those crying for help, lending a helping hand…MRP is a breath of fresh air, and it makes me proud to see how well they’ve done already, if this isn’t heroism I don’t know what is. Good luck MRP, keep doing what you’re doing! By Sarah J.K

SUCCESS OF MRP PEACE WALK

By the grace of ALLAH, the peace walk 2009 was a success. The team members had undoubtedly made exemplary efforts in organizing this event. By 11:00 Am, the venue was buzzing with patriotic citizens who were being hospitably welcomed by the core team members and the volunteers of MRP. A large Pakistani flag was pinned to the table in one corner on which the citizens were being requested to jot down their signatures and patriotic messages. Free tee-shirts, MRP stickers and Pakistani flags were generously distributed among the participants of the walk. A Pakistani citizen who had arrived with his daughter and wife told a member of MRP that his family had been up till late night to make hats, posters and charts with patriotic slogans on them. The event was also given media coverage and several TV and radio channels had arrived with their camera crew to permanently capture the spirit of patriotism of the MRP PEACE WALKERS on their tapes. Peace walk started at 12:00 pm sharp with the collective voices of all Peace Walkers singing the National Anthem. Doves were released in the air. School children from DHA phase iv also participated in the event. Principal of DHA DEGREE COLLEGE phase 8 Mrs. Nasreen Nasir participated in the walk along with other senior teachers of the renowned college. The arrival of National heroes such as Jahangir Khan and Shoaib Muhammad, doubled the morale of the walkers. MRP CORE members were assisted by MRP volunteers who diligently helped in completing small tasks and welcoming citizens. At the End of the walk, speeches were made by guests and fellow citizens. Throughout the walk, the peace loving people of Pakistan kept singing patriotic songs and hollering slogans of PAKISTAN ZINDABAD. MRP whole heartedly thanks everyone who stood by us in this event, those who support the cause and off course each and every patriotic citizen of Pakistan. REPORTED BY: Summiyah Malik (MRP Volunteer)

Why Do they Blow up !!!

There is a weakness in everyone. I am not defending either the taking away of education from women or the killings. I'll say some words and I want everyone to atleast think about it. What does an unclear mind with nothing to live for does when it is backed into a corner? What would EVERY ONE of YOU do if people killed YOUR FAMILY , KILLED UR YOUNG SONS, RAPED UR MOMS, ABDUCTED UR DAUGHTERS ... SLAUGHTERED UR FATHER in front of your very eyes? And what would be YOUR step when you want to go over to the Security forces for registering reports of that crime and realise that its the law-makers themselves who have authorizes the bloodshed ? How would YOU seek out justice ? If you had a simple life, a small home, with a life that barely scrapes through, what else would you want other than to take revenge, to let out the hate that has built up in you ? Think not with a clear level-headed mind ... think with a mind that is already ravaged of life's niceties, a mind that is already not happy with the affairs of state, not happy with how the Super Powers run the ruthless game of monopoly? How will THEY make themselves heard? Try to imagine a scene where your 4 yr old daughter's body is drilled with machine gun fire ... try to imagine what would you want to do the guy who killed her. Imagine what would you do when you realise you cant bring the authorities who authorize this, to justice. That is how THEIR minds work. Remember, great injustice leads to great violence. It's easy for us to make rational comments but it's not so easy for THEM! Remember the Treaty of Versailles after the World War1. Remember how Germany was unfairly stripped off its rights. Remember the uprising of the Nazis, of Adolf Hitler. Remember the Concentration camps and the blitzkrieg all over Europe by Nazi armies. Germans were an oppressed and frustrated nation. They needed a passionate character like Hitler; who's ideals were full of flaws ... but it gave the nation a hope. What resulted was PURE VIOLENCE AND A WAR SO DREADFUL people still recall it with shivers. 12 million dead people. And that's just what was REPORTED ! Like Hitler's views of revenge and aggression werent right, even the views of Talibans, Al-Qaeda and the supporting militants in Pakistan are not right. But they are born of a staggering injustice to the muslims of their part of the world and the rest. Why is it so easy to brainwash a muslim to blow himself up and fight for the cause ? Because it's damned easy to make him realise how much the muslims are in pain all over the world and how nobody cares. It's easy to make him drool over fake xpectations of Shahadat over a cause that is in EVERY WAY totally correct! Bosnia, Kosovo, Sarajevo, Kashmir, Palestine, Gujarat .... what is happening to Muslims out there? How much progress has been made to solve it? Now think about East Timor and think how quickly it was separated from Indonesia. Think about East Pakistan. How quickly it was separated from the West Pakistan. Think about Israel. How the whole world calls them great democratics and the Hamas, a mere terrorist organisation. Think about how our own Pakistani Government calls Kashmiri freedom fighters as not one of our priorities. Think about how all the powerful Arabs have already sold their souls to the West. What has an average poor Muslim got to lose? Nothing really, but he gains SHAHADAT ( that is what he wrongly thinks, but in his view, he thinks that way nevertheless ). The whole world knows the key to solving the terrorist problems. Remove the injustices of the world, and you cut the power of terrorist organisations. The leadership of these organisations might be evil, but the recruitment would dry off when they dont have the artillery to pollute and brainwash a muslim mind. That is when the people will openly come out and condemn terrorists who blow their people off. Right now, the muslim masses are in a dilemma. How can they condemn n put a stop to organisations that associate themselves with Islam ( right or wrong is beyond the point), when they see Zionists, Americans etc killing Islam and muslims in almost every part of the world ? Condemning the shutting down of schools n the killings wont matter to those organisations ONE BIT ! Who will you be protesting to ? The Government? They are already carrying out their best efforts to finish terrorist networks, which is a stupid move, as my whole write-up suggests. I have laid down my views on this whole issue. I dont support Talibans or any organisation that likes blowing people up. But I have tried my best to make you people think the way i think about this. THINK ABOUT IT. Hamza Ahmed Khan

PRESS CONFERENCE

WHO WE ARE: Mission Rescue Pakistan (MRP) is a neo-generation, non-political movement, driven by responsible and like minded citizens who realize their responsibility and necessity to contribute towards addressing social issues crippling our society today. As individuals we may not feel that we have much power to effect change, but collectively, we can make a difference. OUR MISSION: • To promote Peace • To create awareness of our social responsibilities as Pakistanis • To advocate freedom of patriotic expression, transparency and accountability • To promote and perform community services for the poor and less fortunate, irrespective of their gender, caste, color, race or religion. EVENT: “Peace Walk” at Seaview, on 15th Feb’09, at 11’o clock, from McDonalds till Floating Ship. WHAT WILL HAPPEN: We will set off in single file at a slow steady pace, from the clearly marked “Starting Point” few meters ahead of McDonalds till “Finishing Point” at Floating Ship Restaurant. What's The Point? Most walkers agree that simply being outdoors for an hour with your own thoughts can be quite uplifting, stimulating, relaxing, who knows - everyone is different. And as there is no other agenda than Peace, each walker brings and takes away with them peace from their own perspective, by gathering under One Flag. A great opportunity to gather like droplets, from all walks of life, to form a wave and send a message to the world that we want nothing but Peace. Peace Begins at Home - ‘Change Begins in Me’ ASSURED PARTICPANTS: Different Educational Institutions, Schools, Colleges, Celebrities, Organizations and Private Sector firms are participating in the event. We have been speaking to public at different forums, such as schools, shopping malls, seminars and Sunday bazaars, where we have gathered a very positive response. SUPPORT FROM OUR MEDIA FRIENDS: To help us spread Peace Message, by successfully portraying a softer image of Pakistan to the world. A small step towards peace - starting with this one