Muhammad Wasif Javed

November 20th - Children's Day And its Motives!

2010-11-21T00:19:00.001+04:00

The world celebrated Universal Children's Day on November 20th. The day was established to encourage all countries to institute a day to promote the welfare of the children and it was also chosen as the day to celebrate childhood. As per UN the main objective of this day is to promote ideas for the welfare of children according to Children Rights marked in 1959.

In 2000 world’s leaders outlined Millennium Development Goals [MDG] which range from having extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education till 2015. These goals are specifically for the children in-fact as per UNICEF 6 of the 8 directly relates to children.

Sad to know that regardless of all efforts made by UN & its organizations number of children suffering with hunger, illiteracy & diseases keep on increasing each day. Recent natural disasters of Earthquake in Haiti which affected more than 1 Million children and recent Flooding in Pakistan which made 3.5 million children lives under threat because of lack of safe drinking water, food & non-sufficient medical facilities added more numbers to total children suffering around the globe.

Though natural disaster can happen to any country but the real concern UNICEF has is to save the next generation from hunger & thirst, provide primary education and save them from life-threatening diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Malaria etc. and biggest hurdle its facing of is lack of funds its getting [Donate To UNICEF Here] plus countries themselves not putting enough money to secure their future. There are millions of Children Living on Streets especially in under-developments countries of Asia & Africa where also a high rate of HIV/AIDS Infected Children as well. Along with that Child Abuse cases are on the rise in whole world which is the biggest concern right now.

If we can just spend a bit of our money from our luxuries and share with children living around us with no proper food or clothes and Save the Innocence of few at-least then it will be great help to humanity. Do whatever you can in your capacity, GOD loves the smile of innocence and so does the people who make them smile :-)

Most of the link & info taken from UN Website.

Is a Thalassemia test too much to ask?

2010-10-09T13:29:00.002+04:00

Image Courtesy: tribune.com.pk

[Posting on behalf of Ayesha Mehmood - Official Spokesperson @ www.thalassemia.com.pk]

As I typed the list of thalassemia centres all over Pakistan, my cell-phone started ringing and diverted my attention. On inquiring who was calling, I heard a sad and depressed voice on the other end. A father’s voice

I usually get calls but there was something special about this particular one. The guy got married around two years ago to the love of his life (who was his cousin). Now they have a one-year-old baby… and that baby is a thalassemia major.

According to him, no one in their family had this disease, but both of them were thalassemia minor and they didn’t know about it before.

He asked me “Why did it happen to us?”

I couldn’t stop myself from asking him “In this advanced age, why didn’t you know about a simple blood test?”

People usually think I am against cousin marriages, though I am not. I just wish for people to go through a simple blood test. If every existing thing has a reason behind it, then the thalassemia test has a reason too!

After talking to the father for more than 30 minutes and telling him what he should do now, what are the options etc; I ended the call with the realisation that there is still a huge section of our population that lacks awareness regarding this issue. I believe the media has a strong influence on people and they should come forward and take part in raising this awareness. I bet if a TV ad ran on every single news channel for just a short period of time, it would save several lives.

Once again I will state I am not against cousin marriages, but if you are going to get married please get yourself tested!

A simple blood test can save your next generation… is it too much to ask?

This post was originally published on Tribune.com.pk
For more details & info on Thalassemia you can follow Ayesha Mehmood on Twitter @BlessedAyesha as well

Make 14th August - A Day of REVIVAL!

2010-08-14T00:09:00.001+04:00

courtesy: http://tribune.com.pk

A country came into being on holy month of Ramadan facing its toughest time after 63 years since the time of its partition in 1947. With around 2000 peoples lost their lives, thousands still missing, more than 4,000 square miles of land under water and heavily infrastructural lost, this massive flood is Pakistan’s worst natural disaster and will take years in rebuild process as it has already been hit by massive earthquake 5 years ago in 2005.

Massive flood have left many areas beyond outside help & communication by knocking out cell-phones’ towers, ripping away roads, collapse bridges. Millions of people are without electricity after grid stations & transformers collapsed plus without clean drinking water which may cause diseases among them. The number of people suffering from the massive floods in Pakistan exceeds 16 million - more than the combined total of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the UN said on 9th August 2010.

Moreover, international aid remains low this this time as compared to 2005 earthquake disaster according to Guardian UK

(Click here to see some pictures of this disaster. courtesy: The Big Picture – Boston.com)

This time people in Pakistan in particular and people (and world) around the globe (expats) are not contributing as much as they’ve done in 2005 earthquake. Main reason behind is ‘Lost of Trust’ being there are so many Fake NGOs around, having the most Corrupted Govt. including all institutions with no accountability system in place (we need to blame ourselves to elect that kind a people our rulers) plus the ill-Attitude we carry of “Oh God, it is terrible happening out there” and the next moment “Lets do some fun-stuff, getting bored here” being we are safe :-/

The so called Free Media we have is more focus & busy in fighting for his own-made rights and Zardari’s Shoe issue than massive flood and its impact. For media is just another money making issue – a business … who’ll give more & more breaking news and rather than showing some kind a hope they are spreading depression and adding more misery to the current situation.

Now how can we Rebuild Pakistan?

After God, WE people are the only hope if WE stand as 1 Nation with Strong Belief & Disciplined Attitude. WE can really make the relief efforts successful and help bringing life back to normal. Though it is tough & time consuming task but not impossible if WE shows patience and give our best efforts for at-least 6 months.

The only thing WE need to do is to go out and find out the agencies / groups carrying the relief goods and join them in whatever capacity we fit in or if WE can ourselves manage some resources then do it on our own. Do whatever WE can to help victims, no matter physically or verbally. Remember, our each step and initiative is going to create a history of makeover of a great nation.

Take it as a good chance to learn how to survive and work towards the REBUILDING of a country.

The destruction has been massive. The loss has been immense, yet WE survive… WE go on… And it clearly defines our physical & spiritual strengths. Our Beliefs in Almighty and our own will can do wonders and they surely will... WE will survive and stand up again as a better and sturdy nation. (Insha’ALLAH)

In 1947's Ramadan, we got independence. In 2010's Ramadan, there's need to rebuild it and regain our strength. Lets move forward and take Pakistan to the heights our forefathers dreamed of especially Quaid-e-Azam & Allama Iqbal in particular.

Make this 14th August a day of REVIVAL of our hopes and strengths. Make this day of Independence, a day to remember in history... May ALLAH help us in these difficult times. (Ameen)

Now here I share 1 wallpaper on Pakistan's Independence Day, hope you all like it and place it as your Display's background :-)

courtesy: http://www.iexplorepakistan.com/

Request:

Politicians & celebrities kindly avoid visiting the affected areas because the whole machinery get stuck in providing you protocol and people left annoyed :-/ especially politicians & other authorities do some planning to tackle the after myth of this massive flood which soon going to hit in a month time with lack of Petrol, Gas & Electricity resources, commodities unavailability & diseases (God forbid) … so rather than get busy in begging stand up in unifying the 140 million people of Pakistan to help out their 20 millions brothers & sisters.

Blog Inspiration: Special Thanks to Ms. Rumaisa Mohani for allowing me to use her blog post :-)

Ignorance of the Ability brings Disability !!!

2010-07-03T18:11:00.001+04:00

1 minute short movie by George Paul proving "Disability is state of mind" so never let it control your mind :-)

Take care & have a blessed weekend ahead :-)

Drug Abuse - World Anti-Narcotics Day

2010-06-26T17:30:00.002+04:00

Few days ago I was walking through the streets of Naif Bazaar and saw some people using drug to relax their mind & soul (so called by the drug addicted peoples) which made me bit shocked being living in Dubai for 3+ years, I've not seen this happening openly in streets.

I've seen plenty of times these kind a things happening while I was in Pakistan with various reasons behind taking drugs with poverty is top of the list. In past few years sad to know that this thing is becoming part of our social life in big cities and lot of teenagers getting addicted to them which are future of the country. There are several reasons behind getting addicted to drugs with from family & friends, socioeconomic status, quality of life, peer-pressure, physical & sexual abuse, stress and parental involvement top the list. Among the teenagers & children it has been monitored that the atmosphere at their houses lead them towards drugs.

Though there are lots of Drug burning ceremonies happening today to mark the Anti-Narcotics Day but I've not seen any major step taken especially from under-development countries where it is one of the biggest threat they are up to in near future.

On World Anti Narcotics day today we should take some really serious act against drug abuse by keeping in mind that is is a preventable disease. There should be some prevention program at the family, schools, colleges, community & media levels to ensure the message reaches the maximum. Especially media being the most influential tool in that so in my personal opinion media should not encourage or show celebrity-scenes related to drugs (smoking, drinking) unless they are for some good message to convey for and celeb & other starts should not show off such things publicly if they're addicted to some kind a drug like smoking drinking etc.

Today on International Day against Drug Abuse glad to find out few conferences happening in the capital of U.A.E to raise awareness among the peoples, still searching for any in Dubai so can be a part of it.

Have a blessed weekend and keep smiling :-)

Image Source

Food, Taste & Hunger !!!

2010-06-24T18:53:00.002+04:00

Last week there were some suicidal incidents happen in my home town Lahore because of poverty. Though most of the media channels started criticizing the govt. on these incidents but I personally feel we were also either equal or more responsible for it being Lahories are well known of their generosity all around the world, how can they were (relatives & neighbors of the victims) not aware of what is happening around them :-S

I know there are plenty of reasons behind people's change of attitude and they are wary of helping or caring each other like the way the do before, terrorism acts, increase in crimes due to poverty and unemployment, widen of differences between rich and poor so we are becoming materialistic and selfish but at-least we should do whatever can be done easily to help people around us which can keep them going.

This video I'd shared with my friends on facebook and tweeted it as well last year almost same time around.

An awesome short film which ranked top in 56th Berlin International Film Festival 2006.

The figure mentioned in the end of movie were as of 2006 when economic downturn wasn't happen so I'm afraid the figure now will be much much higher than that :-/

Being not suffering from any kind of problem like that I've no words other than being humble and thankful to GOD for all His blessings upon I and pray that He may give me and others strength to help people around us and not letting them die at-least because of hunger. (Ameen).

Take care and have a blessed weekend along with your family and friends :-)

16th June - A Day of the African Child

2010-06-16T17:08:00.002+04:00

The day of the African Child is marked on June 16, but many children, parents and leaders are not aware that such a day exists. This day should be used by all who love children to reflect on the future of our country. It is important to keep in mind the issues of children planning for a country.

Ugandan & Somalian children are endangered by cruel acts such as defilement, forced and early marriages, incest, physical and emotional abuse and child sacrifice.

These are serious social, health and policy issues. This year's theme: "Planning and budgeting for the wellbeing of a child: A collective responsibility for all" is an eye opener to leaders because they hold the mandate of planning for their constituents.

But here problem is not only in Africa but all around the world especially in under-development countries like India & Pakistan the issues related to child always not at forefront plus the amount allocated in budget for them is not even worthy of called an amount.

Usually the budget allocated for issues related to children is around 0.5% in Africa, 1-2% in Indo-Pak whereas in USA it is above 12% which shows how much USA concerns about its future.

But we should not always blame governments for such kind of issues as being the part of system we need to contribute in improving children education & health in our respective areas as much as we can do.

For an example; many of us having housemaid at home to do household works and in Indo-Pak especially usually they come along with their little children to do household works in houses so if we can help their children at-least by providing basic education and necessary facilities so that he or she can play some kind a role in our society in future that would be really awesome and fruitful for us in both worlds.

My aunt back home is helping her housemaid's daughter to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor and now she is waiting for her intermediate exam's result :-) my aunt treats her own daughter and servants equally and that is what humanity teaches us as well so we should do whatever is in our power even if we can just bring Smiles to their faces by being kind to them at-least :-)

I believe in we shouldn't just point out the issues but we should play our part in resolving them by becoming the 1st drop of rain and lading the example for others. Who knows a child raise by us can be really handy at time when we may old and need some kind a assistance.

Being Football world-cup is happening in Africa this time so I personally thinks the human rights foundation should highlight the issue during the event especially today so that message should convey world-widely and have global impact.

Hope the world we leave for our children will be a peaceful with food, health & education available to them and well in their reach :-)