Adil Najam
Tomorrow we will all celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day – Yom e Azadi.
Today, let us take a moment to think about just what ‘independence’ – Azadi – means.
Azadi – independecne – is not a destination, it is a journey. It is not something that we ‘achieved’ on August 14, 1947. It is something that we must earn, and preserve, every day.
On this particular Yom e Azadi, there can be no better reminder of just what the continuing journey that is Azadi really mean than the daily struggles of internally displaced Pakistanis (IDPs). Those who remain homeless in their own homeland.
Some IDPs have indeed begun to return to their homes. That is good. Too many, however, remain displaced. And even those who have returned home continue with the struggles of displacement with their lives dispersed and the ugly shadows of Talibanism hanging heavy over their every move.
We at ATP wish to take a moment today to reaffirm that we have not forgotten these displaced Pakistanis. And that we will not. It is far too easy to get distracted by the hot news of the day and to forget the sacrifice that these Pakisatnis are having to bear in defense of their own and of all of our Azadi. We have not, and will not, forget.
Over the last many months ATP has had two separate fund-raising efforts for IDPs in Pakistan. During the first our readers contributed US$ 4,780; during the second they contributed another US$ 1,806. To this we at ATP have added, in various tranches, an additional of US$ 3,414. In total, therefore, a total of US$ 10,000 (Pak Rs. 820,000) has now been sent to support IDP relief works on behalf of you, our ATP readers. As we have mentioned before, this amount has been equally distributed between the Edhi efforts in Pakistan and UNHCR.
Today, we wish to take a moment to thank all of you for all of this.
As we all prepare to celebrate our Azadi, it is your Pakistaniat that reaffirms our own. It is your passion that ignites our hopes. It is your commitment that gives us strength.
The IDPs remind us today that the struggles for Azadi are always hard, but never futile.
Some efforts from our side..
The Plight of Internally Displaced Pakistanis in Swat
http://www.chowk.com/articles/16105
We have been able to raise around PKR 1.5 Million for Round-3 and team is preparing to distribute the goods to Swatis soon.
Here is excerpt from our Team Lead, Fadil Aleem.
“IDPs have started returning back home. Some NGOs have now started helping with the food problem and we will now not be focusing on that in Round-3.
The important need now is to somehow help them rehabilitate/settle down and help them towards a somewhat normal life.
There are different areas in which we can help : healthcare, education, reconstruction, sanitation etc…
We have some ideas but the actual need and feasibility will be clearer when a small advance team goes there to survey around 8th August.
We plan to go there on 14th August to help our fellow countrymen and show solidarity on our Independence Day.
If you can please once more ask your friends/family to donate again (rehab is costly!) for this round (before 12th August), I will be grateful.
Another way you can help is by suggesting useful/practical ideas/projects we can implement with this amount.
You can pitch in your idea right here. Who knows it might work.”
We are working to come up with a business case to help Swatis settle down. Some areas like Healthcare, Education, Water, Electricity are in scope..
We will seek funding from various organizations in US.
-Shiraz
-Tears evaporating from my eyes
-my sight seeking for the skies
-my hands tremor`ing
-my feets tremberling
-my heart filled with anxiety in each chord`
yet one dua is filled with dard`
-may we be able to leave a better Pakistan for our children.
Adil Najam and Owais Mughal and to the team behind
PAKISTANIAT.COM
-do please accept my appreciation from
the deepts of my hearth, for giving me and others the opportunity to remember and celebrate our Pakistan
day in and day out,
and not only on this special occasion.
Shukriya.
-a humble adam
What a positive move!
Efforts of Pakistaniat.com are appreciable.
Long Live Pakistan
Your reminder is timely. In fact, the IDPs need the most help now. Unless their transition back to normal life goes smoothly they will just become (specialy the children) new recruits for Taliban and Taliban supporter propaganda of anti-Pakistan thoughts.
You really know how to bring the Pakistaniat out in us. I am reading this and swelling with pride and feelings of patriotism.
Well done Pakistaniat.com and thank yo to all of you.
You make us proud.
Pakistan zindabad.