Adil Najam
Today, November 20, is Universal Children Day. I wanted to post this picture to commemorate the day because it depicts childhood as childhood should be, not as it often becomes.
The original caption tells us that the old man is telling stories to his grandchildren and that this was taken near Sumandri in the Punjab. The expression on the children’s face is priceless (click on picture to see higher resolution). Even though we cannot see the grandfather’s face, it is clear that he is enjoying his time with his grandchildren as much as they are with him.
This picture is another by Maxloxton, one of the many wonderful young photographers whose works can be found on Flickr.Com. His work has been featured on ATP earlier too in a post titled Badshah-i-Jahan.
It would be unfair, however, if we totally ignored today what childhood really looks like for too many Pakistani children. I wanted, therefore, to repost the very heart-moving video and song based on Ibn-e-Insha’s wonderful poem, ‘yeh bacha kis ka bacha hai’, that was first sent to us by Roshan Malik. Let me urge people to read the entire post we had done on this video and the theme of child labor; also see Bilal Zuberi’s earlier post on the brick kiln workers. Enjoy. And even if you do not, please think and ponder on what this video tells us.
Note: This post was originally published at ATP on Universal Children’s Day, 2006.
The children of today are the future of tomorrow’s Pakistan. It is our responsibility to cater to their needs, and not over work them when it is their age to play and have fun. child labour must be banned!
It is indeed very sad how people now a days have started misusing chidren and have started considering them as a part of labour, as they dont have to pay alot of money to a child for the service they get in return. People should instead, take a step forward to help educate these chidren who cannot afford the expense of studying. If only people could be a little more generous and help such children, it would increase Pakistan’s literacy rate and thus, make a huge impact for the future of Pakistan yet to come.
South Asia average of primary school enrollment is pulled down by Pakistan, the only country in all of Asia and the Pacific with the lowest primary enrollment rate of 68 per cent in 2005. This is 12 percentage points lower than that of Maldives, which, at 80 per cent, has the second lowest rate in Asia and the Pacific. Low primary rate of enrollment in Pakistan raises serious concerns about the future of the nation in terms of the continuing impact of low literacy and human development on its economic, social and political well-being.
For more on this, please read: http://www.riazhaq.com/2008/11/pakistani-childrens -plight.html
The government efforts and UN and international help are necessary but the real success with children will require active participation of private Pakistani citizens of all classes in society. Pakistanis at home and abroad need to come together to light candles rather than curse darkness. Directly or indirectly, all people of conscience should help to alleviate the suffering of the children in Pakistan by volunteering or donating through philanthropic organizations such as Human Development Foundation, Hidaya Foundation, Edhi Foundation and other similar humanitarian outfits in Pakistan.
The future of Pakistan is being sold for some rupees or been given to the Edhi or Chippa. This grim reality should be at the forefront of any agenda put forward by us.
Very nice sentiments and moving video.
I also like picture selection which does bring back so many emotions.