At around 7.30am, Professor Yusuf was tending his son’s grocery shop near his own home in Rachna Town when two masked persons drove up to the shop on motorbikes. They immediately fired two shots at Professor Yusuf and thereafter fled the scene.

Upon hearing the gunshots a son of Professor Yusuf came running to the grocery shop and found his father seriously wounded. The wounds were indeed fatal and Professor Yusuf died on route to the local hospital.

The Jamaat has faced a great deal of opposition in the Rachna Town area and this opposition has markedly increased in recent times. Banners are seen around the area stating that Ahmadis are ‘Wajibul Qatl’ that is that they ought to be killed. Further, a number of anti-Ahmadi rallies have taken place in the area inciting others to violently oppose and harass all Ahmadis. One such rally took place yesterday. A number of Ahmadis in the area had also faced death threats. Police have been made aware of all such incidents yet no action has been forthcoming.
Professor Yusuf was a greatly loved and well known personality of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. He is survived by his widow, four sons and one daughter.
He was a gentle and loving elderly man. It is a grave reality that no Ahmadi – man, woman or child – is safe in Pakistan. A country founded on principles of tolerance and religious freedom has transformed into a country of hatred, extremism and cruelty of the highest order.

Last year 11 Ahmadis were killed in Pakistan for no other reason than that they belonged to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. This new year of 2010 is not even a week old and already the blood of another Ahmadi has been shed.

May God grant patience to the family and friends of the deceased at this time of great trial.”

By Naimah Asad Siddiqui

A night in varsity hostel When I got admission in the University of Karachi, my parents were migrating to the United States for good. I asked them to let me stay in a hostel, but they didn’t permit me. Like most of the Pakistanis, they think that the image of a girl residing in a hostel is not a good one. They also consider hostels unsafe for girls. So I was left at my home with my elder brother and a maid.

At the university, I made friend with few foreigners, who live at the varsity hostel. Eman, who is from Nairobi, often invited me to the hostel. Knowing that living in a hostel had been my dream, she threw a party and invited me with another friend Mehnaz to spend a night at the hostel.

Though it was a very difficult task to ask for my mum’s permission, I somehow managed to convince her to allow me for attending the party.

It was Friday. I packed my accessories and reached the university. After attending the classes, at around 5pm we— Mehnaz, Eman and me— marched on foot to the hostel, Aiwan-i-Rana Liaquat, situated at an isolated and serene place, far from departments, on the university premises. It took us almost 20 minutes from our department to reach the hostel, but it didn’t seem long at that time as I was quite energetic and vigorous and wanted to reach the hostel in a jiffy.

At last, we reached there, entered the hostel and after passing through a small garden we were in the lobby. In front of us was a beautifully decorated visitors lounge. There are two passages, one on the right and the other on the left. On the left is the warden’s room, ahead of that are rooms for girls. On the right is a library and ahead of that too are the rooms. At the end, these two spacious passages are linked to each other and the only thing that separates them is a dining hall with a huge television screen.

The lush green garden with benches is the most striking feature of the hostel. This living facility comprises of the ground and the first floor with small, cozy rooms side-by-side. Each student is given a separate room as the rooms are so small that there are hardly any place for more than one. But sometimes the students have to share a room.

As we walked pass the rooms, we saw slippers, shoes and sneakers in front of the rooms. Even kitchen utensils were kept on the boundary wall. Every door was decorated with greeting cards, quotable quotes and even with holy verses. All this was done just to create a homely environment and to kill time. The students are allowed to keep computers, CD players and refrigerators in their rooms. Eman even had a microwave in her room.

The hostel also has a TV lounge and a room for indoor games like table tennis. Girls can prepare their own meals in the kitchen.

There are four wings which divide the hostel into four compartments— Nargis Wing, Zaitoon Wing, Saba Wing and Shafaq Wing.

Every Saturday, girls of one wing select a menu for the weekend grand dinner, which is pasted on the kitchen door. On other week days usually pulses, grains and vegetables are served for meals.

While we were roaming on the premises, the clock struck 6. It was the time to close the main gate. Now nobody could enter or leave the hostel, thinking this I felt like being a hostage. The girls living in the hostel have to reach by 6pm, after that they are forbidden to leave or enter the premises.

Eman’s room was on the first floor, where, after surveying the hostel, we arrived at last. It had one bed with a study table and a built-in cupboard. Her parents’ portrait was hung on a wall. We left our belongings there and came out again in fresh air as the tiny room was very suffocating.

At 8pm Eman and my other foreigner friends fixed a dinner for us. Everyone cooked their own specialty like spiced chicken casserole, Arabian rice and other stuff with chocolate coffee and soft drinks. After that delicious dinner, we came in the garden again where I met several other girls from across the world.

At hostels one definitely misses his family as well as freedom because one has to live on his own abiding by various rules. But this kind of life teaches to cope up with the hardships and challenges of life. Life in the hostels certainly is very tough, but it builds self-confidence, which helps in creating one’s personality. I think, one should opt for this sort of experience at least for a small duration, once in a lifetime.

Though I will truly cherish the golden moments spent at the hostel, the memories of which are still fresh, but still I will say there is no place like home.

I wonder if those who called for a day off could convince us how staying at home, listening to music,watching a nice movie and surfing internet could help the nation?I wonder if the government was at all interested in opposing it.And I wonder if our people could take the courage to work extra hours as a protest…

Imagine how our enemies would feel if out of anger we decide that we would work for endless hours…

Imagine how do they would feel if we say for once we are not scared..we are prepared to lose anything to win over you.

There comes a time in life when all you can do is sacrifice,fight no matter what you lose.

I read some where probably a quote by Hazrat Imam Hussain R.A

Zulm ke khilaf jitna der se awaz uthao kurbani utni ziada deni perey gi…

Lets fight..trust me it feels great to lose when its for your own good.

    This is not the end of the world.  There’s always a new beginning after an ending.  And you should accept it.  take control of what you have and don’t let it go.  Find good company and set some new priorities.  Get on with your life the better will always find you.  You won’t know where it hit you.  Seek help in a proper manner.  Forget about those who don’t stand up for you.  The best thing to do is gather up with those who can actually support you. 

   Like for me I chose to stand with those who can change and make a difference.  I have courage to stand up with the right people and be a vocal idiot.  I am ready to tell the truth, to speak on everything that is wrong with the intention to make it right.  And after all self correction, I can make others realize that they are wrong.    These are the places where I dwell from now on….http://lifestream.faisalqureshi.net and www.peoplesactionmovement.com.

     Sary bazar bolo, khul kay bolo aur such bolo.

I study at an International Medical College but seriously I think they should remove the word “international”.   Just making a new campus or a well furnished building does not bring it to an international standard. Let me start from the hostel.  Yes, its a very big and beautiful building with fountains, shiny floors, and sunlit hallways.  Beside just focusing on the outer look I think they need to improve their services.

The food provided is just average, sometimes not even edible, and there have been cases of food poisoning.  I mean we didn’t request for anything out of the ordinary,  just good, EDIBLE food.   We order out almost every other day, plus pay for the food we sometimes dont even touch.  I think a proper breakfast includes milk, juice, bread and its accessories.   Not just a bag of bread and jams that are NEVER properly stored and probably months old.  Yes we have a water cooler but the bottle is NEVER changed, just refilled with boiled water.  Once a week, just once on that day there is distribution of  juice or milk.  Do they really think we’re being fooled?    Like children at some Edhi homes, we are handed juices or little milk packs (at dinner time ONLY) and they expect us to be happy.   OH! The best time of the year is when a high official comes to visit the hostel..the STAGE that is set to fool them as well.   The Governor of Sindh, Vice Chancellor of our university and other high officials have visited the hostel.   On those wonderful days, our dining hall tables are spick and span, there are tissue rolls on every table, soap in almost all the soap dishes, half a dozen bottles of mineral water and soda on the food counter along with great food.   But unfortunately that only lasts only for as long as our visitor is present.   After he/she leaves they go ”pack it up people, the show is over”.   And when our lovely visitors question us about our hostel environment we have to put up with the stern looks on our warden’s faces as if their saying “Say something against us and we’ll deal with you later….” I mean this is TERRORISM! Using the thousands of rupees our hard working parents pay them, to do something else, but show something else to the authorities.     Utmost HYPOCRICY!       

 Then we have the problem with cleanliness, and this is a MEDICAL school we’re talking about. Height of Miserliness:  There are twelve basins in our dining hall, but only one of them has a half a piece of soap in the soap dish! Seldom we find a single small size tissue roll on the food counter to wipe our hands with.   And rarely are all the tables in our dining hall wiped clean after we are done eating.   The mess made at dinner is still there till morning when we come down for breakfast.   DISGUSTING! Not to mention there are cats running around too!…  The maids increase rates for whenever they want.  I mean increase the rates but then provide us with better service.   But, NO! The service gets worse with the rising rates.  In order to get your room cleaned one must request the maid at least five times and sometimes even that doesn’t work.   Knowing that we are dismissed from college at 3:00, thier duty time ends at 4:00! So after I come back from school, have my lunch and by the time I tell one of the maids to clean my room they would say “ab tho time khatam hone wala hai, kal kardenge” when there is still at least 45 minutes left! SICKENING! If you tell them to wash your dishes, the dishes are never returned (well atleast they weren’t to me).   As long as I know it’s a GIRL’S hostel, then what are MEN doing here?! Cooking and making rotis? Couldn’t they find more women to do these jobs?

They mention the ”MODERN TECHNOLOGY”  in the prospectus, but let me clearly state that “THERE IS NO MODERN TECHNOLOGY!”  provided.   We pay for our own internet and electrical appliances (microwaves, electric kettle, fridge etc.).   We have a library in our hostel with no books, a masjid with no rugs, a common sitting room with nothing but a table.   Plus NO aironditioning at any area in the hostel! How do they expect us international students to survive the summer heat with just a single fan in the room.  We are not allowed to possess an airconditioner, and if we get any other kind or air cooling device we must get it at our own expense!  I think a personal apartment would cost me much less!

Well I’ll stop here now because my brain is growing tired. But don’t worry I’ll be back with PART TWO! of my wonderful experiences and possible solutions.

wHAT !!!

Let us burn some cars, I will burn yours,

then I will burn yours …

HAY NO! I will not let my car burn!!!

Why??? I am also giving my car!!!

OK … but where is your car???

Oh Its on a road nearby.

Where???

Come, I will show you.

Ok

Hay there; you see the car coming with speed!

YES~!

This is my car… lets get the car evacuated and BURN it!

Ahaan!!! But Why is that anyone else is driving your car???

Oh never mind, this is my country, this is my city, then the cars must also belong to me nah!!!

Is that so??? Then this is my country too!!! And the car behind that is mine then!

So deal naH! I will burn YouRs and You are going to burn mine. Hay! Keep in mind DoNOT let That GO! Other wise I will burn twice of yours!

WaHHH! IF you will burn my two cars then I will burn 3 of yours!

I don’t mind!

Hay there IT comes!

Buddy there are children in that one.

Oh dosent matter yaaR… do you forget we have NO FeeLings!!! OK; You WANT fun OR NOT???

But who will take the responsibility of this all havoc???

Now just shut UP man! This is not OUR concern … The blame game is upto the different parties in this city. Its THERE JOB, Let them do Atleast THIS!

Umm… Ok lets do IT…

BANG BANG … get out of the car… Hay lit it LIT it!

RUuuuuuuuuNnnnnnnnn……………

Because it is useless to write or learn any thing if one can not implement any thing on self first. If a person do not have any authority to take a decision on his own he have no right to make others aware of the problems in this life.

Here is my reasoning. My Father being a very intellectual and very well informed person about the environment has seen almost every thing in his life. Through hardships to comfort zone, has seen enough of political massacres very closely in his youth, has been to almost every part of Pakistan and some other countries as well, have a very clear and informed approach to any decision he leads! He being a civil surveyor has provided us bread through day long hardships in direct sunlight through his whole life, and being in contact with almost all types of landlords and authorities by the time; he have very profound news which he never share with us to make sure our mind remain peaceful.

Now, what bothers me is that, “I am not allowed to go any place or do something on my own unless I get permission to do so”. I am provided with home, car, best food, best clothes, laptop, TV, air conditioning, exercise material to table tennis’s table, money, educational facilities, and almost all the facilities that a person can imagine for. The thing is I am restricted to remain in home until there is a must go outside situation or a very much desired or helpful one. I am not allowed to roam any place alone or with friends most of the time because may be I am not eligible or the ENVIRONMENT IS NOT SAFE. I cannot join a gym because of the people there can be of vicious nature and may harm me. I cannot go to any gathering where there are smokers because I a patient of asthma. I cannot go swimming because I also have sinus problem for which I had to go through an operation but still a problem. I can not do internship because there is no need in terms he is proving me with all the things I require for living, and doing internship means I will have to go out of home!

All I should do is to sit in home all day and to study and study but nothing else! I should not sit in front of laptop or TV day long which cause my eye side week. I should not talk to relatives in India who are the only one I feel comfortable shearing my every feeling. I am not allowed to talk back if my elders are doing something I don’t like because it is unethical! And I am sure if I ask him to join any physical training institution where I could learn self defence; I will hear a big NO!

There are times when I suppress my feelings and desires just to make sure that he remains happy. But how long will I remain under his nose. I will have to face this world one day. And for that time he knows that I am a very childlike or as people say DUMB person. But how would I learn if I wont get first hand experiences.

I feel I should contribute anything for the betterment of our society but I cannot because doing that will put me in risk and I am not allowed to do so! I do not have any real close friend because as the time pass, they find me boring and not so outgoing.

Now, me violating laws! I stick to computer in order to spare my time, possibly playing all the time and rarely also reading, chatting or making friends out of complete strangers to share what I cannot do with relatives or friends with a possibility of being embarrassed. Today it all came out because in last week or since I joined university, there was times where I had to skip on many occasions with a lot of fun which I feel I missed because my family also can’t get enough time to have activities like going to places or picnic spots, exhibition or just out of home for fun purpose.

Does it really need to be posted here? I don’t know! But I think this is a main hurdle many would face just for being innocent or bhoola.