Foreigner in My Land

Re: # 75

Sounds more like a company than an NGO! People in the corporate world can also contribute by filling in the gaps. As in the case of Shahji targetting a sector which needs a lot of work in developing countries,i.e.Human Resource development.

Nature_lover though has in response used the opportunity to paint everyone with the same brush.Like everyother sector the NGO sector too has it`s good, not so good and it`s bad.

He has also targetted Ali Asghar Khan.

On the one hand calling him a role model, a hero and on the other, trying to malign him for starting an NGO as a lucrative business. During the earthquake I had an opportunity of volunteering with Omar Asghar Khan Development foundation for a while (website www.oakdf.org.pk). I was deeply impressed by the committment of all the staff.The way they seem driven by a sense of service and sacrifice. It clearly showed they were in it for more than just a salary.

Ali Asghar Khan, a much sought after and successful architect, did not need to start an NGO for financial benefits. In his own words he started it to continue the work of Omar, his brother who was found murdered under mysterious circumstances more than four years ago. He works in a voluntary capacity for the foundation and is not compensated for his time. If anything his architectural work must have suffered as the amount of time he can spare for it must be extremely limited. It is a seven days a week committment working in remote and dangerous areas not in plush offices.

As far as what his family decides to do with their property is their concern. I have walked past the annexe mentioned just a couple of weeks ago. ( Nature lover has stated that it has been demolished and all the trees chopped down....not true) Though stated to be structurally unsafe and further damaged in the earthquake. It is still untouched and no trees have been chopped down.

Anyway, not all development is bad. It is how it is handled and how it compensates the environment for what it is altering that is important.

It is people who distort the truth, make irrational comments, do not base their arguments on facts, merely criticise others and do not offer rational solutions, that have done more damage than good to advocacy campaigns.
Let us resolve to support our heroes and role models, criticize constructively, appreciate them rather than try to tear them down...... there are after all so few of them around.

WOW! Gr8 article n so is ur effort 2 prove ur country n ur ppl!!! Keep it up! U hav all my support!

Great article there seems to be a lot of cynicism here, i would be interested to find out if you still have any projects running in pakistan, inshAllah i will be leaving the UK for the punjab where i have family and there are certainly people there who you have identified in your comments that i could help. Any advise?

Re: # 78
burpinder - I totally agree with that.

Re: # 74
You don`t need to apologise for anything. You have your viewpoint and I have mine. Just one thing though- I have observed two broad kinds of expats- those who can`t get enough of the country they have adopted and use every opportunity to diss the ole homeland (the kind you have a grouse against), and those who throughly detest their enforced exile, if you can call it that, dreaming of the land of milk and honey back home they were forced to leave, clinging onto their ``values`` and ``culture`` from back home till it becomes an unbearable burden to bear. Both are equally strange to me.

Re: # 67

Abey khammy, as the ``majority`` you have no right to get upset by the racism shown by any minrities, that is rule#1....welcome to the Hinju club :)))

Re: # 75
Nature_lover
You obviously did not read all the comments. We already had this talk about NGO. But yes, you are right, people have done so in Pak. However, we do not take or receive donations. We only accept fee against service and provide a receipt for it. As do most minds, yours defined a concept all on its own since it could not comprehend what it really is. Another reader was polite enough to ask me a number of questions before ``ASS U MING`` anything. I have always EARNED my money and bought my luxury with JUST that money.
And let me tell you one more thing, people who do such thing ALWAYS PAY BACK. You may see them living happy, they are not.

Most of the interactors couldn`t get the main point of this article.

The main point is that Shah Ji started a non profit society or an NGO and he built his life just like our other heroes did.

Our heroes, who once were raising slogans in Moscow, but now living in posh and comfy flats of Islamabad, lahore and Karachi, running their own NGOs.

Shah Ji writes: `` I was totally broke now.`` and when his proposal got accepted and he got donations from donors then he tells us that how he ``established`` himself, and how he got his ``jannah`` his paradise in this world and he had pillows behind him and he was reclining and had servants working for him, he writes:

`` In 6 months time, I had a million rupee plus business. My apartment was totally renovated and I had 4 people working for me in the house. Cooking for me, cleaning - providing security. I never bought a car. I had my own personal taxi driver who had customized the car for me. On call 24 hours, he worked ONLY for me. I bought all my staff cell phones and had a special number on the landline for me apart from two other cell numbers``

Shah ji could have started his peeri mureedi business in fertile Sind or Punjab, or Shah Ji could have contested for elections under the benign shadow of military developers and could have ``served`` his country men, but he prefered to be his own boss and started audit free and fashionable NGO business.

NGO businesses are booming now a days, and role models and heroes like Ali Asghar Khan chose lucrative fields of women rights and environmental protection by using the name of Omar Asghar Khan development foundation, but at the same time cut down centuries old trees and build a commercial plaza at the residence of Omar, violating all norms of common sense or laws.

Centuries old mature evergreen wild olive trees got chopped down in the historic graveyards on Nathiagali road near Abbottabad, which were mentioned in Mughal books...

Centuries old mature shade trees got chopped down in sizzling Mianwali, but environmental NGOs couldn`t share their multi million dollar funds with those money hungry tree murderers.

Donors like UNEP couldn`t purchase those trees by giving few million rupees to those tree murderers, as all funds were going to people like Shah ji while they were busy developing their country.

There are lot of tricks and hints, which Shah ji`s brilliant article is giving to simple minded Pakistanis.

Re: # 61
Burpinder

I never once said that an expatriate is lacking in anything or I am greater than anyone. My words were directed at people who ridicule their own homelands in the countries they work in. It is very negative to raise your children outside your country and make them think that their own country has nothing to offer. Thats why I did what I did. As far as experience and know how is concerned, before going to Karachi - I studied, worked ( even odd jobs at college) and ran a successful firm in Europe whose first client was the college I went to and thus I recovered 50% of my tuition fee. The experience WAS there.

If you are in a situation, then please do tell what it is? This article my dear was not written to ridicule anyone. I have enormous respect for people who work hard anywhere - the whole point is - do not condemn your own country and your own home. I myself am not in Pak anymore - but a point was made at some time in the past and I wrote about it - thats all. I also agree, that most people would not be able to or have time to do what I did. I myself cannot repeat it. Time passes, we grow older and we cannot do what used to be able to do. But, experiencing something teaches us ways to cater to challenges and more than that advise those that are currently facing those challenges. Imagine, some people HAVE to go back home - this article COULD inspire them - right? And in fact - I gave my full details and contacts - they can even call me and I promise I will do what I can to help them adjust and live happily back home - or anywhere. Thats all what my intention here is.

I am truly sorry if any of what I have written made you feel negative in ANY way.

Re: # 70
I think Chowk admin is doing right by not responding to this. I wonder when this racism and prejudice will stop. It is pure and simple ignorance. The fact that humans still need borders and boundaries between eachother because they fear eachother so much, shows how ignorant mankind remains. Sad.

Re: # 65
Chauhan Bhai,

I agree that KHI was badly polluted and raped even. But lets move on, this is the human condition. Races quarrel and there is always this phenomena.. We can overcome it.

#68, Khamkhwa {``if they continue to ignore our protests then they might just name it mohajir chowk and be done with it , most of the punjabis will leave you in peace ``}

Mr. Khamkhwa,
With a boatload of refugees set to arrive from a sinking ship, now would not be a good time to threaten your imminent departure. There are many talented, polite, and wonderful people ready to arrive here and put that oxygen you needlessly inhale to better use. :) When you leave, please make sure that the door ...

... chowk admin`s continued silence on punjabi bashing exposes their own agenda... while the hatemonger who has sworn to undo pakistan to complete Bharatmatatells us to address the issues of india and pakistan in a polite manner...i wonder if chowk admin considers punjabi-bashing relevant to this or any other article ...

...over to you chowk editor/ administration/owners/shareholders...

Re: # 68 You mean...``parts of so-called Azad (Pakistan-controlled) Kashmir and the Northern Areas.``

#67, khamkhwa {``salim chauhan`s racism needs to be stopped now by chowk administration...he has been dissing 65 million pakistani punjabis day-in day-out without reason or rhyme...it`s time some realism and even handedness is shown by the administrators of this site...if they continue to ignore our protests then they might just name it mohajir chowk and be done with it , most of the punjabis will leave you in peace instead of boasting about all those lofty ideals... ``}

Mr. Khamkhwa,
I have expressed my viewpoints about the problems plaguing Pakistan several times. One of the most troublesome issues is the tendency of many Pakistani Punjabis to insist on hegemony over the rest of the country. This is neither a racist observation nor an attempt to ``diss`` anyone. The facts supporting this observation were present in the successful secession of East Pakistan long before many of us were born. Those same facts are confronting us today in Baluchistan, Saraiki areas of Punjab, NWFP, Sindh (especially the cities of Karachi and Hyderabad), and even parts of Azad Kashmir and the so-called Northern Areas. If, instead of confronting and rectifying these issues, you feel that a threatened ``walkout`` is apropos, then, sir, you are entitled to take your intransigence anywhere you like. The rest of us will address all issues affecting the peoples of both India and Pakistan in a polite and comprehensive manner. Thank you for your concern.

... salim chauhan`s racism needs to be stopped now by chowk administration...he has been dissing 65 million pakistani punjabis day-in day-out without reason or rhyme...it`s time some realism and even handedness is shown by the administrators of this site...if they continue to ignore our protests then they might just name it mohajir chowk and be done with it , most of the punjabis will leave you in peace instead of boasting about all those lofty ideals... personally i find the owners and editors of chowk hypocrites and liars who constantly violate the chowk guidelines they so proudly throw in your face...