Profile- Zuleikha Sahto- A volunteering Adopter of illegitimate children

 In this busy world, where everyone is pledge to their own lives. People are concerned to only themselves. They don’t even care about their neighbors, relatives and not even their own children. So whenever any illegitimate children is born in this society, their parents throw them in garbage and let them be the prey of street-dogs and other predators.

But people like Zuleikha Sahto are also present in the world, who dedicate their whole life in helping others. The lady from Tando Mohammed Khan has become the voice for illegitimate and stray kids, to whom society show disgrace, hate and are not even accepted by their families. She adopt them and make them able to live on their own. Inspite of having very little resources, she has foster many illegitimate kids, has provided them shelter, good education and has become their guardian.

I know her from my childhood, as we live in the same city. We children used to call her Benazir because her personality and way of walking resembles to her. In those days, she roam around the city to ask help for the children she has taken supervision of.

After interviewing her, I come to know that she along with her daughter Razia work for the upbringing of these children and her son Riyaz who is an employee support them through his income and fulfill their medicinal needs. She has been working for these kids for 20 years. Due to her work she got identity in the city and with support of the peoples she won municipality elections two times.

She told me that the motive behind her struggle is to aware peoples and make them realize that the illegal children are also human beings. They also have right to live like other beings. These innocent children haven’t done any sin but their parents did. So why do we abuse and mistreat them? She discuss her idea with Pir Ahmed Jan Sirhandi, the president of human rights of the city at that time, who was engaged in these kind of issues and has approached to media and many institutions for the purpose of human rights. After his guidance she started doing action on her ideology.

She has named her home as “Zuleikha Madadgar Center”.  And has placed a cradle outside of the door for these illegitimate kids so that their parents can put them in this cradle and do not throw them in garbage.

She faced many difficulties in her path but she solved them merrily. And she get happy after watching these children living a better life. She told me that she has never made them realize that they are adopted. She considers these kids as her own children.

Talking about upbringing and education of the children. One girl got job in NGO’s and after that she got selected as LPC- lady police constable. And the second girl has recently completed intermediate and is in search of good job. Eight other kids are studying in school, one is infant and one is disabled. These all kids live together like siblings, share same home, same caste and same religion.

After asking about any help she got, she told me that not a single institution like Baiit-ul-mal, Zakat foundation, Income support program has helped her. She has helped herself and raised these naïve children by the grace of Allah. She also narrated the poetry of Shah Latif:

جنھين ڏاند نه ٻج، تن پڻ تنھنجو آسرو

پو۽ اڀارين سج اول ڏيئن ڪنن کي.

Allah almighty has given her honor to serve the mankind. She’s 65yrs old now. In her whole life, she has just received a shield of honor from radio FM 100.2 and verbal appreciations in many programs and functions.

And in last, she delivered the message to all common, uncommon people that: help the orphans, poor and needy persons, bring them near you. God will bring you near him on the day of resurrection.

https://mass-comm2k18.blogspot.com/2020/03/taqwa-sirhandi-profile-english.html

Social Issue-- Drugs trafficking in Tando Mohammad khan, Sindh

 Drugs addiction is one of the most common and serious problem of Pakistan specifically of Sindh. One in five people in a society is a drug addict and the reason that they take drugs is that they want to release their stress and to overcome anxiety.

Teen-ager are more addicted to drugs as compare to elders. They take drugs to fit in the society, to release stress, or they had faced any trauma or abuse.

Drugs addicts can be recognized from their appearance, behavioral changes, and attitude. Most of the drugs addicts look inactive, anxious or less confident. From their bloodshot eyes and puffy face they are easily recognizable.

The main reason of drugs addiction can be easily access to the drugs, environmental influences. According to the survey most of the teenagers are introduced to drugs by watching their parents who are addicted. Some teens experience the drugs for the very first time with their friends and colleagues.

Tando Mohammad khan has become the house of drugs. Smoking cigarettes of Marijuana/ Hashish (Chars) or tobacco is very common in the city. This city might be not famous at all in other fields but it’s very much popular when it comes to drugs trafficking.

Many unlicensed small breweries are made in the houses of the people who make liquor in home which is commonly known as Kachi Sharab or Moonshine. Most of the business of illegal drugs selling is done by Bhatti, Jiskani and Hindu community of the city.

Drugs trafficking is illegal but the people of this city do sell drugs freely without any fear of police raids. Even the women of drugs sellers are included in this business and they help their husbands to make liquor.

By asking a woman whose husband is a drugs seller I come to know that they willingly support their husbands to do this illegal work and even the police doesn’t take any action. Whenever any of them is arrested for selling drugs, they get discharged by the second day.

Due to lack of awareness and education the poor people are also addicted to drugs. The men and women of the lower class families have drugs addiction and they purchase this Kachi Sharab on the daily basis. The money which they should spend on their food and clothing they use it to buy liquor which is the reason why these sellers have much more income than a labor.

Nasvay (Naswar) and Betel quid/ Chewing tobacco (Gutka/ Mawa) is quite common in the youngsters as well as elders. Afyum is a narcotic drugs made by the plant of opium is very much popular in the city, people of old age take this drugs to release their stress. Cannabis Sativa (Bhang) is a common drink which is mostly served in several occasions of Hindu community. They consider bhang as an energy drink and even their kids drink it .

Here are some news from Tando Mohammad khan related to drugs trafficking in 2019-2020: Anti-Narcotics Force Karachi carried out raid at a place situated in Cattle Colony, Tando Muhammad Khan, Sindh and recovered 4.2 kg charas and 300 gram opium from personal possession of the drugs sellers named Abdul Sattar Alias Kalu, resident of Tando Muhammad Khan. As per reports, the accused is involved in local drug peddling.

In July 2019 The ANF Police Station Hyderabad intercepted a motorbike near Malang Hotel, Tando Muhammad Khan Road and arrested accused Rasheed Jatoi and recovered 2.500 kg Hashish from his possession.

In October 2019 The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Sindh Hyderabad Police Station done a raid conducted on a house in Mir Mohalla, Tando Muhammad Khan arrested an accused and recovered huge quantity of drugs. An official informed that accused Zahid Ali s/o Ali Bukhsh was arrested while 11.500 kg charas and 3.600 kg opium was seized during the raid.

Police conducted raids on February 2020 and rounded up eleven Gutka and Mainpuri sellers, including three women against manufacturers of  injurious substance on the strict instructions of SSP Abid Ali Baloch.

He said that the raids were being carried out and so far more than hundred fresh cases had been registered, under section 337-J (Causing hurt by means of a poison) of the PPC, which lays down 10-year imprisonment.

Few years back in Karimabad people died by drinking toxic liquor (Moonshine) they died because the quantity of chemicals in that liquor wasn’t in correct ratio. It was a great loss of innocent lives, who knows that they had to pay this much cost for just a glass of wine.

Sindh IG Allah Dino Khawaja expressed a lack of knowledge as to why compensation has not been made for around 50 people of the Hindu community who died after consuming toxic liquor in March, 2016. He further added that: “We want to see the police serve the people and protect their lives and assets without discrimination or political interference.”

Drug abusers don’t only effect themselves but they effect their families, friends, colleagues and the whole society. The citizens of Tando Mohammad khan are so worried about the freely approachable drugs. Even police doesn’t take action and whenever they do any raid, its just effective for one or two days. The situation is getting worse day by day because the authorities are not controlling it.

We can stop drugs addiction by educating group of people who have more chance of getting addicted to drugs. We can spread awareness by doing seminars. It’s an era of social media so we can spread awareness  through social apps by educating our youth who have more chances of becoming a drugs abusers.

https://know-the-media.blogspot.com/2020/11/drugs-trafficking-in-tando-mohammad.html

Travelogue- Graveyard of Pir Sarhindis.

 Death is basically a new beginning not a termination and we will be pay for what we have done in our life. So Cemetery is a great reminder that help us to remind our death, we often forget that our life is given to us for a specific time and we all have to return back to Allah.

On Monday my family decided to go to our ancestral cemetery to visit the graves of our grandparents and offer prayers for those who are buried there. Graveyard of Pir Sarhindi is situated in Ganjo Takkar, (Barren Hill) in Hyderabad. Ganjo Takkar is a hilly range in Hyderabad and it’s rarely populated, so it’s hard to see any cabin or shop in the way. We took a cab and packed some food with us for lunch and on road we stop the car near a flower stall and bought some flowers and garlands from there to place it on the graves of our ancestors.

We took the road from Mulakatiar because it’s easier way to get there, but we can also go to Ganjo Takkar by Khattar route. On road I saw some flock of sheep wondering and grazing. And then we get a glimpse of Indus River. The dewdrops on the window of car and fog in the morning was making this view more beautiful than ever. So I’ll suggest you to go on the this hilly mountainous place in the winter morning. The view of cattle grazing on these little hills was so eye-catching. In fifty minutes we covered the distance from Tando Mohammed Khan to Ganjo Takkar.

We reached to Sarhindi graveyard, it’s white marble and tiles make it such a elegant place. There is the tomb of Hazrat Shah Abdul Rehman Jan Sarhindi a great saint whose family lineage belongs to Hazrat Mujadid Alf Sani and then to Hazrat Umar Farooq R.A. Hazrat Mujadid Alf Sani was a great Islamic scholar who is famous for his contribution to Islam. His real name is Shaikh Ahmed Sarhindi. He was called Mujadid Alf Sani means “reviver of the second millennium”. He opposed din e ilahi of Mughal Emperor Akbar and rest is the history. Hazrat Mujadid Alf Sani was a great example for his followers. He arranged Naqshbandi Sufi order. All his descendants are from the lineage of Hazrat Umar Farooq R.A, they are called Farooqi, Sarhindi or Mujadidi. Hazrat Mujadid Alf Sani revived Islam in Hindustan and people were inspired by his Contributions for Islam and became his followers. Then the Sarhandis migrated to Afghanistan and after that they were called in Sindh to spread teachings of Islam. People were amazed by the miracles of Hazrat Shah Abdul Rehman Jan Sarhindi and  people believed that Allah fulfill his wishes quickly so they came to ask him for make dua for them.

Thousands of people are his mureeds (followers of Sarhindi Pirs) . When a murshid dies they makes his son the new murshid, so this Silsilah of murshids is still continued. So Sarhandis have many followers from all over the Sindh and people come to visit the shrine of their Murshid or Aulia in Ganjo Takkar.

The first thing I did after reaching there was to recite fatiha at the grave of Hazrat Shah Abdul Rehman Jan Sarhindi. He lived in Tando Mohammed Khan, and made many devotees by his devotion to Islam. Hazrat Pir Shireen Jan Sarhindi was also a great saint who lived in Samaro, a town in Umarkot Sindh. People from Samaro, Mirpur, Matiari also come here to visits Graveyard of Pir Sarhindis.

Then I along with my family placed flowers on the grave of his two sons Pir Hassan Jan Sarhindi and Pir Hussain Jan Sarhindi. I spent one of clock reciting Quran Pak there and after that we went to the graves of women’s this portion of graveyard is the separate portion of this place surrounded by walls, other than sarhandis are not allowed to go there.

After that it was time to recite duhr prays there’s a mosque where we recite our prayers and then we distributed some food among people who cleaned this place they are called mujawirs or caretaker. There’s musafir khana for people who come from a far place can take rest there.

Besides Sarhindis cemetery there’s Sayed’s Cemetery where most of the people from Sayed’s of Tando Mohammed khan and other regions are buried there.

Then it was time to get back to the home so we decided to climb the mountains before going to home. It was a fun part because we never had been there before. There were huge mountains around the graveyard we decided to climb the highest mountain there. Me and my siblings started to climb the mountain and it was so difficult because we weren’t used to of climbing. I must tell you to not wear flip-flops on mountainous or hilly places because the rocks and bushes are too hard and thrones can injure your feet. You must wear some kind of boots or joggers for climbing.

I’ve heard about a lake which is recently found near Ganjo Takkar so I requested my family to go there. I can’t believe that this lake is really in Hyderabad because its so beautiful. People says that this lake is made by the rain water and it’s so clean and pure. The blue water of this lake and this mountainous view make this place more mesmerizing. The plus point of this lake is that it’s recently found so the people don’t know about this location and this place is clean and has no garbage.

I captured pictures of this beautiful lake and mountains and of course the pictures of our ancestral cemetery. I must tell you that this place is not for kids, because they mostly like amusement parks and gardens. But if you’re a wanderlust person so you should visit Ganjo Takkar hill there are many things you can explore here. Like I discussed about the ancient graveyard of Sayeds and Sirhandis and a beautiful lake you will surely enjoy this place. This place should be visited in a cool weather and I’m sure that you can capture many beautiful photographs of this amazing place.

https://know-the-media.blogspot.com/2020/12/taqwa-ahmed-travelogue.html

Feature Writing- Joint Family System: heaven or hell?

 Asian countries like Pakistan still has the culture of Joint Family System where more than one generation live under a single roof hold same property in common and live with love and care. People prefer to live combine in a family because it helps them to maintain their relationships with their families, want their children to have the love of their grandparents.

Living and eating together reduce the load of the work and responsibilities of ones life. It’s interesting to hear it but not easy to live in becacuse nowadays privacy has been priority to us. As the world is changing, our perspective of living has been changed. You don’t want to spend your whole life following instructions and footsteps of your family members, while you know that they will never be satisfied with your efforts.

One of my friend shared her experience of joint family and she told me that she has enjoyed her life fully with her family (a family full of peoples).she explained me both the negative and positive sides of the joint family system. She has grown up in a joint family where she lives along with her uncles who are government employees and her father is a teacher and her mother and the other ladies of the home are just housewives. The area was not likeable for a child to grow up so her parents didn’t let her to play outside of the house. They kept her inside the home and was urged to play with her cousins. She enjoyed her childhood with her cousin’s gang and experienced the environment of the home. Then she got admission in school. As she was growing up her parents compared her abilities and skills with her elder cousins that ‘if they can do better in studies then you can do it too’. By living in a joint family Sila has to sacrifice her privacy, her uncle and Aunt  always interfere in her matter which was very annoying most of the time. This was the moment from where every kitty fight turned into a huge conflict.

One day Sila’s elder brother and her cousin got into a fight and her aunt get involved in it and this little argument turned into a quarrel. Her aunt always compare her family with Sila’s family and argue with her husband that her father has good income you have to give me the comfort which your brother is providing to his family, why can’t we live a life like them?  It created jealousy and problems between the families and disputes and quarrels made them upset. That was not only one thing happening in their family but many more like comparison between the two cousins. One has become the eye-candy of the house and the other one has to follow him/her. Sila’s parents want her to be like that one cousin who is successful in his career. They want her to follow his footsteps and she began to forget her own abilities and tried to adopt the qualities of his elder cousin. Her personality her interest vanished from time to time and her aim was to fulfill the demands of the family and to be the one who they want her to be.

Sila has always listened to the taunts sometimes on her dressing, sometimes on the way she speaks, sometime for the friends she have and sometimes for the meal she eats. In joint families there’s a member who is ready to taunt you everytime. Her Grandparents have set the elder and successful youngsters of the family as a role model to follow for the upcoming ones.

Her parents shifted to Hyderabad for her studies. Now she’s living in a nuclear family. And she narrates that:Inspite of all the problems she love her whole family. They have fun together. In evening the whole family sit in the TV launch for tea and her mother bring snacks for the kids and they  talk on different topics. Everyone take participate in the never tiring conversation. One of them share their ups and downs and the whole family give varieties of suggestions for their problems. And after that the cousins of her age  get together and play different games like Ludo, Carrom, Dump charades, hide and seek etc. Evening is never boring for a joint family. Everyday you have different things to do.

The Benefits of having a joint family is everyone share their ideas with each other. Whenever there’s some event or wedding at home everyone put their efforts to make it perfect. They help each other in their good and bad. The most interesting thing in joint family is you can taste same dish of different flavor. Every joint family has a aunt whose handmade briyani is loved by whole family. Shopping with cousins is different kind of fun you get better suggestions from them because you know each other very well. You can borrow clothes from your cousins for parties. You get help in studies. They help you in hard times.

If there’s no spice in life then how will you come to know that what sweetness is? In the same way every family has some problems but you get even more closer to your family after solving them together. It’s only depend on you that how you handle it.

“The Family is one of the nature’s masterpiece”  George Santanyana

Take care of your family, if you have them.

https://mass-comm2k18.blogspot.com/2020/02/taqwa-ahmed-feature-english.html

Article- Introverts in the world of extroverts

 The world is full of different kinds of people with different nature, attitudes and personalities. Similarly “Introversion is a trait or tendency to avoid social interaction”. People who are introverts in their nature feel shy to confess their feelings and emotions with others. They preoccupied in their own thoughts and enjoy to spend their time alone.

Have you ever wondered why a person becomes introvert? The water will take the shape of the mold in which it is placed in, similarly, when the children is brought up in a society where talking in a high pitch or asking questions from elders is considered as insult then how can you expect that he or she will try to learn expressing his or her emotions in front of others?

Introverts suffer with invisibility. If we take an example of any school, the school Teacher pay attention to those students who are more active and have loud voice. So the shy one get unnoticed and tends to not to give answers in the next class. The extroverts take away all the limelight while the introverts stay in the shadow.

The society value a person who is outgoing, frank, bold and confident. Inshort everyone prefer to be an extrovert. The upbringing of the child, the role of the environment plays a major part in the development of human behavior. Sometimes the incidents and the situations make a change in your personality. You are not borned as an introvert, but the Society Made you! We must pay attention to those who are shy to come forward and encourage them to talk.

We live in a society where talking less is considered as rude. I have always heard that you must be talkative and confident to face the world and to become everyone’s favorite. But what if you don’t like to mingle with people? I like to give time to myself to enjoy my own company. But unfortunately, this society prefer social butterflies and introverts often face tough time to maintain their relationships with extrovert friends and later they got dumped by their buddies because they don’t want to go parties and public places. Their isolation leads to depression and anxiety.

Being an introvert I feel anxious sometimes when things get awkward in parties or when I’m with my relatives. Pakistan is a country where family relations and friends are valued. So your presence is mandatory in functions and events specially family weddings, you can’t skip them. Imagine what the wedding is like for an introvert person! Everybody drag you on stage and insist you to dance and click pictures. And your parents play crucial role to keep you in limelight so you can get better proposals. Parents are always anxious for their introvert child. They face many challenges and are concerned about why their children is being so shy? Why doesn’t he/she participate? Why doesn’t he/she enjoys social gathering? Parents must try to understand the psyche of their each children. If your children is not dominating the conversation as your other children that doesn’t mean that he’s not dump. “There’s zero correlation between the best talker and having the best ideas”. Said Susan Caine.

There are many living examples in our society who are introverts and they are successful in their respective fields. They don’t consider their trait of Introversion as their weakness.

The co-founder of Microsoft, and the world’s richest man Bil Gates is an example. He says: “ I think introverts can do quite well”, “If you’re clever you can learn to get the benefits of being an introvert”.

Susan Caine in her book “Quiet; the power of introverts” Wrtites: “You don’t need to be loud to have great ideas”.

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook who has connected the world through his social app is an introvert himself.

You’ll be astonished to know that many celebrities who have fan following in millions are actually introverts.

The childhood crush of every children Emma Watson, Harry Potter’s star admitted that she’s an introvert and she feels nervous at the parties.  Reported by: Daily Mirror.

It’s a positive thing to be an introvert, you can be a creative thinker, good listener, and a brilliant observant.

Smile, breathe, remember you are safe and loved even out of your comfort zone.

https://mass-comm2k18.blogspot.com/2020/01/taqwa-ahmed-english-article.html