Adil Najam
This Father’s Day brings a mixed bunch of feeling for me. I am traveling for work and literally thousands of miles away from my three kids. Missing them, and missing them especially on Father’s Day. There is nothing in the world that compares to parenthood - the greatest of joys, and the greatest of responsibilities!
On the other hand, since I am in Pakistan, I am with my own father on this day; and a time and an age comes when you start cherishing those moments more than you ever did before.
I thought I might put my kids photograph up today. But, actually, those photographs have been up on ATP since Day 1 - if you look at my ‘hum daikhain gay‘ video, the three kids ‘jo daikhain gay‘ who appear right at the beginning, are my own!
So I went back and re-opened the post I had done last Father’s Day. It was not about my kids. It was about the millions of father’s in Pakistan. What I wrote then, I think, is still valid and worth repeating. So, here is the post in full.
I know we are supposed to put cute and cuddly type of stuff on Father’s Day. But being a father is serious business. All the more serious in developing countries like Pakistan.
This picture was taken soon after [the 2005] earthquake, but you can see a scene like this — a desperate father frantically trying to get urgent medical attention for his child — ever day in hospital wards across Pakistan.
Happy Father’s Day, Everyday!
I know many won’t agree but these ocassions were developed with a commercial point of view.
In Britain, every major store take advantage of these special ocassions & earn huge money.
Very nice to remember father’s day…..but I have to point out mother’s day was last month and I did not see any ATP posts on that!
I agree that Fathers Day is not a Pakistani tradition. But as post says we must celebrate Pakistani fathers, and mothers.
Both pictures are really nice and bring out important aspects of fatherhood.
When I think of the Middle East, I think of a bunch of people walking around with long robes on covering all of their bodies. I also think of snake charmers and very simple musical instruments creating very simple musical tones. However the music scene in Pakistan has no resemblance of the picture…
We can understand your feelings Adil sb and we dream of a Pakistan in which children don’t literally have to travel thousands of miles away from their fathers especially in their old age not only on Father’s day. And Father’s don’t have to travel thousands of miles away from their children especially when they are young. But no pain no gain that is the story of mankind I have understood so far.
I agree to Moeen Bhatti these days are nice to celebrate, but I am afraid like western societies our love for our parents should not be restricted to these two mother’s and father’s days. These are the few good things we are left with care for our elders, these are the only things for which westerners look forward to us.
My son is 3 years old. I opened his bag today which he had brought from school yesterday to see what did he learn on friday. There was nothing inside except a big 8″x11″ card saying “I love you Dad. Happy father’s day”. I was (and still am) touched beyond words. One probably needs to be a father to understand how nice it feels. My son didn’t write the wishes himself. His teacher did. He also forgot to give the card to me himself BUT he had colored the card inside and outside for me and just that little gesture made my day.
Happy fathers day to all the parents and all the children out there.
Adil i wish you get back to your family soon.
Please give my regards to your family. I was just wondering, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day etc are very nice things to celebrate but when did they become part of Pakistani culture? I don’t remember these days while I was growing up. Anyways, Happy Father’s Day.
A friend of mine remembers his father in a very special way.
He also has a webpage dedicated to his father.