If you are in your mid-teens, you would currently be facing the daunting task of choosing a career. The task is indeed difficult considering that is going to impact the next 30-40 years of your life. In this blog, I will give some suggestions on how you can arrive at a sound decision.
Dream Big
While choosing a career and hence your future, the best thing you can do is to dream and dream big. Recently I wrote a blog on ‘Why Must We Dream’, you can read it here.
In one line, dreaming big would mean making a choice that will have the most profound and positive impact on your society. Base your decision on ‘impact caused’ rather than on ‘money earned’ or ‘fame gained’.
Think about leaving behind a legacy rather than assets.
Do not follow your passion.
The most common advice given to teenagers is to follow their passion. This is the most stupid advice that can be given to someone who is just discovering life and everything within. Knowing what you are passionate about and whether it will last for a lifetime is unrealistic. No one can do it, even in their 40s or 50s. Many researchers like Carl Newport have busted this advice here.
Choose a career and then get passionate and serious about the work that you do.
Choose a field that would be in the future.
Selecting a career that’s not only in demand today but will also remain sought after in the future is crucial for your long-term success. Do online searches and ask for insights from professionals. Take some time on this step and don’t be in a hurry.
At this point, your goal is not to identify a job title or job description but rather to identify an area e.g. I would like to do something in Artificial Intelligence and its applications OR I would like to do something Mining Engineering.
Consider the Opportunities in your immediate surroundings.
One effective way to discover promising career paths is by closely examining your surroundings. Consider finding out the specific challenges or opportunities that exist nearby. For instance, if there’s a shortage of medical professionals within a 100-kilometer radius of your location, pursuing a career in medicine could be a valuable option.
If your region is rich in mineral resources, exploring the field of mining engineering may be a good strategic choice. Or, if your family operates a restaurant, envision yourself as a chef, crafting innovative recipes to enhance the culinary experience.
Furthermore, if your family runs a business, explore how you can contribute to its growth and take it to new heights. Perhaps you have access to fertile land, making Agricultural Sciences a fitting pursuit.
In essence, by harnessing the opportunities within your immediate surroundings, you can accelerate your progress with minimal barriers to overcome.
Understand your limitations.
An essential part of deciding your career is to understand your limitations. You must have a clear understanding of your constraints in terms of time, energy, and finances. Some education and career paths will place a high demand on your time and energy. Some will require less time but more expertise.
Some education paths will be very expensive, in which case you would need to look towards scholarship and financial assistance programs. Some would require you to study 14 hours a day, just to pass, while some would not place such a high demand on time spent, but would require a higher degree of understanding of complex topics. Are you up for it? Can you handle them? Now would be a good time to understand, rather than finding out halfway through your degree program or career.
Prepare yourself for multiple responsibilities.
In the future, you will be required to balance multiple responsibilities, so you might not have as much time as you have today. You would become a father, mother, husband, wife, son, employee, manager, etc. To lead a complete and fulfilling life you would need to cater to your spiritual, familial, career, and personal needs. Sacrificing any one of these facets can lead to feelings of unhappiness, discontent, and unfulfillment. Understand the future roles coming towards you and whether you would be able to balance them with the career you chose.
Understand the corporate culture.
Corporations are not charities, who will hire and pay you without any expectations. Corporations have cut-throat competition with other corporations. And they ensure that the employees they hire will help them beat the competition. So within an organization things are both competitive and political. The only way that you can be successful in such environments is when you have the ability to continuously provide value. That you are so good that they cannot operate without you. In order to be that good at that time, you have to start from now.
Take advice from your parents.
In your bid to carve out a successful future for yourself, you cannot ignore the advice of your parents. They are the only people in the world who know the most about you and have your best interest in their hearts. They also know, while you don’t, some of the challenges you will be facing in the future.
In conclusion, dream big, research, seek advice, decide, and prepare to work hard.
The dreams we have at night may be random and fleeting, but the dreams we have while awake are the ones that matter most. They are the embodiment of our deepest aspirations and desires, and they are what make us human giving us a sense of purpose and driving us forward, even when things get tough.
Dreams can be noble or vile. Noble dreams chase equality and brotherhood bringing people together. Vile dreams chase money and fame driving people away from each other. Noble dreams cause the progress and development of humanity. Vile dreams cause their destruction through wars and famine.
For many people, the dream is to make money. But they fail to realize that beyond a certain amount, money would stop providing any additional value to the quality of their life. That is why making money should never be the sole objective of our lives, rather, it should be treated as a tool that would help us to realize loftier and bigger dreams.
Humans have been given a mind to think and a heart to feel. Using both together can help us craft bigger and nobler dreams.
Dreams and their impact
Noble dreams have the power to unite people. Consider Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream which positively impacted the lives of countless Americans and continues to do so.
“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood”
Martin Luther King Jr.
His dream centered on equality and brotherhood and not money or fame.
In our own history, Allama Iqbal presented a vision for the Muslims of the subcontinent.
I would like to see the Punjab, Northwest Frontier Province, Sind, and Baluchistan amalgamated into a single state. Self-government within the British Empire or without the British Empire, the formation of a consolidated North-West Indian Muslim state appears to be the final destiny of the Muslims, at least of North-West India
Allama Muhammad Iqbal
This dream, too, was not driven by financial gain or fame but rather by the aspiration to grant Muslims in the subcontinent the freedom to practice their religion and way of life without fear of persecution and hatred.
Dreams as tools to fight adversities.
Bigger dreams often come with greater challenges and hardships, yet they also give greater strength. The struggles of the black community in America, and the millions of lives lost during the partition of the subcontinent tell us that while the adversities were high, so was the willingness to sacrifice. When these communities compared the hardships required for the potential future, the sacrifices needed seemed inconsequential.
Nelson Mandela was given life imprisonment in 1964. During his trial he said
“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
Nelson Mandela
Dreams and their everlasting impact
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 and Allama Iqbal died in 1938, well before they could witness the realization of their dreams. Both these examples are proof that when one’s dream is driven by a purpose greater than personal wealth or fame, the dream stays alive long after their physical presence has departed.
Dreams give us a bigger purpose.
Dreams give purpose and meaning to our lives and stop us from being influenced by petty emotions.
Nelson Mandela’s remarkable journey serves as a clear example. After spending 27 years in prison, one might have anticipated a thirst for revenge upon his release. Yet he writes in his book ‘Long Walk to Freedom.’
“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.”
Mandela chose to forgive, recognizing that his dream of a democratic South Africa where everyone enjoyed equal rights transcended personal emotions of hatred or revenge. Four years later, South Africa witnessed its first multiracial elections, which wouldn’t have been possible if Mandela’s actions were driven by hatred or revenge.
Conclusion
We might not be Allama Iqbal or Nelson Mandela, but we too can envision a future that we want to see. Maybe our names would remain unknown, but deep inside we would be satisfied that we lived a life of greater significance and provided more than we took.
“We all dream while we sleep, it is about time that we have a dream that will not let us sleep.”
Dr. Abdul Bari
This blog borrows a lot from the lectures on Strategic Visions delivered by Mr. Suleiman Ahmar, which are freely available on YouTube.
Last year, I wrote some of my analysis on the political situation and what we can expect. You can read the blog here. I believe it’s time for another one.
So here is where the situation stands. There are two major forces in Pakistan who are fighting for power. Nawaz Sharif and Establishment. All the others are just insignificant side actors.
First, let us see what cards each party holds in their hands.
Nawaz Sharif has key players planted in Bureaucracy, Military Leadership, Businessmen (especially retailers and real estate), Judiciary (all levels), Police, Election Commission, and above all media.
Establishment cards are never public, but they look particularly weak at the moment. I don’t think they have the support of the Judiciary anymore. After their last U-Turn, their mouthpieces in the media are either dead, out of the country, or in prisons. This would make it difficult for them to build a narrative of their choice.
As per my analysis (not prediction) this is what is going to happen now.
NAB cases of Sharifs are reopened, but they would be cleared by the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court will clear Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz’s jail sentences.
Nawaz Sharf will arrive in Pakistan and start his campaign.
In January, or even before, whenever Nawaz Sharif says, elections will happen.
Elections will be managed through (a) Prepoll Management and (b) Election Day management. Included in the prepoll management is to keep PTI Leadership in jail preventing them from campaigning and distributing tickets or even fielding polling agents. New voters are already registered by the Election Commission, so whatever the numeric majority of PTI might be, will be covered by these new (mostly bogus) voters. Election Day management will be done by the Election Commission, polling staff (nominated by Bureaucracy), police, and interim governments.
Nawaz Sharif sweeps elections and comes to power. His side of the media will start singing praises.
After gaining a majority in Parliament and Senate, he brings in a President of his choice.
Once Nawaz Sharif comes to power then he will have the required majority in parliament, senate and eventually presidency. Adding to the cards that he already holds, this would mean that he will be holding all the major cards in his hand.
And that is when Round 4 of Nawaz Sharif versus Establishment will start. Nawaz Sharif would want a major say in postings and transfers within the military and would do anything to bring the powerful military in line with this agenda. His ‘selected’ military leadership will try to help as much as possible, but I am not sure till how long they would be able to resist and desist and stifle institutional pressure.
This is my just my analysis based on the present situation. It is not a prediction or anything. I too will be sitting and watching of how much of it becomes true.
It was around 4,000 years ago that I walked on a curvy dusty path toward a booming market right in the shadows of a tall, towering fortress. My body was sweating from places that I didn’t know existed, still, I took wide steps with my chest out and chin high, confident even though I was entering a centuries-old market.
Markets
No matter what period of human history we are in, markets have always been a meeting place of two parties; the buyers and sellers. The sellers always try to compete for the buyer’s attention using various methods like thunderous calls, bold and colorful signage, or, in the case of bakers and fishermen, the enticing aroma of their products. The buyers are always busy evaluating the various products on display while the sellers are busy evaluating the buyers; their social status, their buying power, and their overall interest in the products they sell. Some merchants called out to me, but I was not there to buy anything. Nothing, for me, was attractive enough to buy in this centuries-old marketplace.
The Naughty Wind
And then, amongst all the hustle and bustle, there was the naughty wind. Completely free from any sense of urgency or responsibility. Blowing around without any pattern or design, just like a small child who runs around aimlessly all day round. The wind was playing with tiny dust particles when it saw me and decided that I was ready to play – with a gush it tried to blow my hat, but I caught it in time.
‘Well, if it wanted to play then let the games begin’, I told myself.
I stretched my arms, telling the wind to bring it on. After a few light gushes, I gave the wind a mocking smile. Angry, it desperately tried to increase its intensity but there were just too many people and shops, who resisted the wind and supplied cover to me. Finally, the wind gave up. I smiled and confidently walked deeper into the market.
The Old Man with Penetrating Eyes.
A few meters inside the market I noticed an old man. He was sitting on the edge of a cabin, his legs hanging over the edge while his arms supplied support. His cabin had some sort of spices, but he didn’t look very keen on selling them. His face had an unkempt beard and a blank expression. I tried to look away from him, but there was something familiar about him. Maybe it was his eyes. Dark, murky but shining, telling his life story and the things he had done. Things he could have avoided but didn’t. Things he would probably do again if he had power in his limbs. He looked scary but I knew that he could do me no harm. Confident, I walked up to him and pointed towards the fortress asking for its entrance. He pointed towards his right and then looked away from me.
The Entrance and the Enchanting Arches
The fort was surrounded by a deep moat all around its strong impenetrable walls. A wooden bridge took me over the moat and into the fortress. Inside, I could see many crowded passages and openings, except for one passage which had diamond-shaped arches made from stone bricks. The arches had a pointed tip, pointing towards the blue sky. Its artistic nature looked odd in an otherwise box-shaped fortress; a fortress probably built to protect rather than amuse.
The entrance to the passage was manned by two guards in smart red and brown uniforms, spears in their hands and armor on their chests. I walked up to them, but they pointed me towards another passage which felt like nothing but a dark tunnel. I was not amused as I wanted to see the arches from a closer range. I looked inside the dead eyes of the guards till a soft voice called out to them. I couldn’t recognize the language, but it was unmistakably that of a young lady asking the guards to let me in. As I stepped inside, my eyes fell upon the gracious figure who had allowed access to me.
She sat gracefully on one of the stone recesses, draped in a regal purple and white gown. A small canvas rested on her lap, her skilled fingers busy sketching the intricate outlines of the very arches that rose above me. I marveled at the geometrical symmetry of the arches and their timeless beauty. Upon seeing my amazement her expression radiated with pride, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she had been its designer.
I pointed towards the arches and then gently towards her, raising an unspoken question. She responded with a nod, her lips curved in a proud, confident smile. I tilted my head to the right and gave a gesture of admiration. In response, her smile widened acknowledging my praise.
Centuries would pass but people would still admire these diamond-shaped arches.
Me & The Wind
I walked through the passage and climbed a few stairs and was on the top of the eastern wall of the fortress. There were many guards there, but none bothered to stop or question me. Probably only royalty could have passed through these stairs, so they didn’t bother.
I stopped for a breather on the eastern wall when the naughty wind recognized me and came swishing around me with all its force. In one swift motion, my hat was dislodged from my head and away it went. I laughed and tried to catch it, but every time I came near my hat, the wind would come back and blow it a few more inches, away from me.
Seeing me playing in one of the more secure passages, a guard called me out. I stopped in my tracks. The wind, too, stopped, as if realizing like a naughty boy that something had gone amiss, and punishment was on the way. Like a remorseful child, the wind returned my hat which I quickly put on my head. Three guards moved towards me from each side intending to arrest me. I didn’t actually understand what the fuss was about, and I was not afraid. As they moved towards me, I looked towards them. They stared back at me with their dead eyes. I smiled and snapped my fingers which made them vanish into thin air.
I looked around, I was all alone on the eastern wall. The calm waves moved from one part of the enticing blue sea towards the shore. A few boats were docked on the shore far away. I returned my gaze to the emerald blue sea where the sun was setting, casting a wonderful reflection. A view that never ceases to marvel no matter how many times you have seen it.
The ‘Nobility’
After spending a few moments on the eastern wall, I took a flight of stairs into a narrow passage, which then opened into a wide courtyard. The courtyard was full of small but richly designed shops, neatly arranged in columns and rows, with enough room to walk. It looked like an orderly and organized version of the marketplace outside. This probably was the market for the rich and elite. The merchants too looked sophisticated and well-mannered. They greeted their patrons with a short slow bow and a smile.
Besides the rich merchants and the lavishly dressed nobility, there were many slave men and women, busy with various tasks, which they carried out with serious and humorless expressions. At the far end, I could see a worker bringing a heavy sack of spices through a flight of stairs. Towards the right of the courtyard, a slave woman struggled to hold a naughty child, while the child’s mother, unconcerned, walked a few meters ahead. Suddenly, the child broke from the stranglehold of his nanny and ran straight towards the worker carrying the heavy sack of spices. It was inevitable. He crashed into the worker who lost control of the heavy sack. The sack was about to fall on the child, when the worker, just in time, pushed it away from the child. The child was saved but the entire content of the sack was spilled on a man dressed in nobility. The entire market paused for a while and then started laughing at the sight; delighted that the prompt action of the slave had saved the child but had turned a man of nobility into a canvas of multiple colors.
However, the ‘noble’ man didn’t like what had happened and in order to keep his pride, he started shouting at the worker. It was quite clear that nobility is not in clothes, privilege, or wealth. But very few noble people realize that. Anger, when not checked on time, can lead to catastrophes, as was about to happen. The begging worker and a few merchants trying to diffuse the situation, could not stop the nobleman from pulling out his dagger. He raised his dagger and was about to spill blood to quench the thirst of his pride when I snapped my fingers and made his dagger disappear. Surprised, the man looked towards me. The worker was still begging for forgiveness but now the entire market was looking at me; the merchants, the slaves, the royalty – even the nanny and the child. I looked towards my feet and swooshed my hand. As I looked up, the entire market and everyone inside of it had disappeared.
Built To Last
It was a hot and humid day. I was standing in the middle of the ruins of a once-impregnable fortress. All around me were crumbling walls desperately trying to hold up the weight of history and intrigue. In a matter of seconds, I had traversed a chasm of 4,000 years. Traveling through imagination is remarkably swift and endlessly enjoyable. Beyond the now-empty courtyard, I could see the towering fortresses of the modern era.
Just like the crumbling fortress I stood on, were they too ‘Built to last?’
I strolled through the remains of the grand fortress; the courtyard, the diamond-shaped arches, the thick walls desperately held up by steel bars, the doors, the passages, and the moat. Once, the fortress would have hosted nobles, the elite, and the merchants. Slaves would have walked through its passages and the guards would have secured its walls. It would have witnessed bustling markets, melodious songs, joyous dances, and lively festivals. It would have seen politics, conflicts, and wars. Yet, today, it lay in ruins.
Perhaps its architects and builders would have told their patrons that the fortress was built to last. Yet, the relentless passage of time had reduced its impregnability to a captivating array of ruins.
The Old Man with the Penetrating Eyes
I walked out of the fortress. The old marketplace had vanished leaving behind crumbling ruins. I rounded a corner, and a gentle cool breeze caressed my neck and back. Unlike the naughty wind from my imaginary world, it didn’t try to blow my hat away. I was enjoying the nice breeze when I noticed him walking towards me; the old man with the wild, penetrating eyes from the old market. He walked a determined stride with an expression conveying urgency and intensity, prompting me to ask myself.
How did this man survive, when I had swished everyone away?
I snapped my fingers, clapped my hands, and blinked my eyes desperately; trying to make him disappear. Yet, he persisted, steadily drawing nearer. He grasped my shoulders firmly, his eyes ablaze with purpose. In that moment of intense closeness, I realized who he truly was – me. The face behind the wrinkles and the beard, the protruding cheekbones were all mine from a few years in the future.
His voice echoed with a sense of urgency as he repeated multiple times.
‘Don’t you see? Don’t you realize?’
I asked, my voice hesitant and meek, “What?” even though I already knew the answer that my future self sought. The impending weight of the answer was already pressing down upon me.
‘From dust everything was created, to dust everything would return. Everything! Even you! Even you’, he said and vanished into thin air.
I stood there, immobilized, as if under an enchanting spell. The cool wind still blew around me, yet its touch felt distant and insignificant. Past, present, and future, all danced before my eyes in a haunting symphony. In a fleeting moment, I confronted an epiphany that had eluded me for years. I had walked on dust all through my life with an unwavering confidence; chest out, chin high. Yet, just like these crumbling walls, I too would turn into dust – walked upon by men with unwavering confidence; chests out and chins high…
As I walked through the crumbling walls of the Bahrain Fort, I couldn’t help but imagine how strong this fort would once have been. I moved, with the help of my imagination, 4,000 years back when the fort would have stood in all its newly-built glory. Strong and impregnable. Maybe a bit similar to how I think of myself, today. But like this fort, I too, would one day crumble and vanish. Even my traces will be forgotten. I thought to write about it as flash fiction. Hope it helps as I pray that it will help me. Do write in comments about similar experiences you might have had.
I have seen several breathtaking wonders of nature and every time the first expression that came to my mind was ‘Subhan Allah’ (glory be to Allah), for only HE can create such wonders. But the first expression that came to my mouth, on seeing the Wahbah crater, was ‘Auzu Billah’ (I seek the protection of Allah).
Reaching The Wahbah Crater
First, let me provide some context so you have an idea of what I was feeling when I reached the Wahbah crater. From Kuwait, I drove to a city in Saudi Arabia called Dhulm which took around 1,000 km and 11 hours of continuous driving. We reached Dhulm around sunset and did nothing except eat and sleep. The sleep was as comfortable as it can be in a new place with my brain flooded with various concerns regarding the trip. We left Dhulm immediately after Fajr prayers since our plan was to reach the Wahbah crater before the sun started to produce unbearable heat. The drive of around 200 km was on an impressive road infrastructure and we did not face a single stretch of off-road driving, even though the last leg of the drive was between various mountains and hills.
After Dhulm our next destination was Al-Baha where we planned to make an overnight stop and then move towards the hill station of Abha. The long journey ahead made me question whether this 200 KM detour to the Wahbah crater was even worth the time and effort. An inner voice was telling me ‘What is there to see, some mountains and a hole?’
With these apprehensions, I parked my car in the provided parking area. There were some facilities such as washrooms, Masjid, and a visitor center but all were closed. I don’t know if the closure was because it was off-season or because we were early. Anyway, it didn’t matter. We were not there for the facilities, but rather for the crater, which was open 24/7.
From the parking, I was not able to see the crater, but I started feeling a bit anxious. Maybe it was my paternal instinct to sound alarms about the safety of the place. From the parking lot, I remember climbing to the nearest viewing gallery and seeing the crater for the first time.
Immediately, I was taken aback by a haunting feeling, and the words ‘Auzu Billah’, came automatically to my mouth.
Before I begin describing my observations, it’s essential to emphasize that for me safety always takes precedence, especially when it involves my family and children. Prior to our visit to this location, I conducted thorough research, watching videos and viewing images of people not only admiring the crater from a secure distance but also descending to its base. I saw entire families, including toddlers, exploring the depths of the crater and even tasting the salt on its floor. So, in my mind, this adventure seemed perfectly safe.
However, upon reaching the designated viewing point and gazing into the crater, a sense of unease washed over me. Perhaps it was due to the crater’s sheer size and depth, which hadn’t been adequately conveyed in the pictures and videos that I had seen earlier. It might have been the presence of a mysterious white mist rising from the crater’s base and extending to several hundred meters into the surrounding mountains or the fact that we were entirely alone at the site. Or maybe it was a combination of all these factors that left me with a feeling of uncertainty.
How the Wahbah Crater Looked
The diameter of the crater was about the size of 8 full-sized soccer fields and the depth was almost about 100 stories of a standard apartment building
The crater has a diameter of 2 kilometers, which is around the size of 8 full-sized soccer fields, and a steep fall of around 300 meters (about 984.25 ft) which is almost 100 stories of a standard apartment building. The floor of the crater was white as it was covered by white sodium phosphate crystals creating a striking contrast with the surrounding dark volcanic rocks. I noticed a foggy mist rising from the base of the crater to a few hundred meters above the mountains, something that I had not seen in any of the videos or pictures. The fog was something that was adding to the overall haunting feel of the Wahbah crater.
Volcanic Fog or VOG
The weather around was pleasant but there was no sign of any fog or mist except for what was rising from within the crater to a few hundred meters above the highest point of the crater. The mist, as I later found out, was due to a phenomenon called volcanic fog or vog. Vog is formed when volcanic gases, such as sulfur dioxide and other particles, react with moisture in the air, creating a hazy and misty atmosphere. This volcanic fog can sometimes be localized and confined to specific areas, like the inside of the crater, even when there is no fog present in the surrounding regions. The pleasant weather might have played a role in facilitating the formation of vog, as temperature and humidity conditions contribute to this occurrence. In all the videos that I had seen and the material I had read online, there was no mention of Vogs. The Vog that we were witnessing could contain harmful gases and particles, so I was not sure if we should be climbing down or even being so close to it.
Climbing Down
The kids were excited and wanted to climb down. In multiple videos that I had seen on YouTube, I had seen a path specially created for people wishing to climb down into the crater. It was a maximum descent of about 30-40 minutes for small kids while adults could have climbed down a bit faster. So initially I did not see a problem, except that I could not find that path. And wherever the path could have been it seemed to be closed by some sort of human-caused landfall. Kids tried to discover some paths of their own, but it did not look safe, so we went back up to the designated viewing areas. Later I found out that Saudi authorities had closed the path as it was unsafe because of the VOG. Some locals had to be rushed to hospitals because of breathing issues. So in the end it was good that we did not risk climbing down in the crater.
Whispering Gallery Effect
Another extraordinary experience was that we could talk to each other without shouting even if we were around a kilometer away from each other. That felt creepy and fun at the same time. This phenomenon that we experienced, where sound travels exceptionally well over long distances in a specific area, is known as acoustic mirroring or the “whispering gallery effect.” This effect occurs due to specific acoustic properties of the landscape, such as the crater’s unique shape and the presence of natural reflectors that help sound waves travel long distances with minimal loss of energy. Natural reflectors in the context of the Wahbah crater can be the surrounding hills or cliffs and/or the temperature and wind patterns redirecting sound waves toward specific locations. Temperature inversions can, in some cases, create layers of air with varying densities leading to sound refraction and reflection.
In such natural formations, sound waves can be directed and focused, allowing them to travel great distances even when there are obstacles in between. This can result in clear and audible communication between individuals who are far apart without the need for shouting or using loudspeakers.
The whispering gallery effect is an interesting and remarkable acoustic phenomenon that occurs in various natural and man-made structures, and it was so fascinating to experience it firsthand!
How was the Wahbah crater formed?
The Wahbah Crater, also known as Al Wahbah, is a volcanic crater, and its formation is attributed to volcanic activity. The general process of crater formation might have involved the following steps:
A Volcanic Eruption during which molten magma, ash, and gases are expelled from the Earth’s interior onto the surface. The eruption might have been explosive, leading to the ejection of substantial amounts of volcanic material, including rocks, ash, and gas, into the atmosphere. After the eruption, the emptied magma chamber beneath the volcano could have collapsed due to the loss of support, leading to the formation of a large depression on the Earth’s surface. Over time, the depression might have undergone various erosion processes, including weathering, rainfall, and wind, which shaped the crater’s final form. The white sodium phosphate crystals on the crater floor are likely the result of evaporative processes that occurred when water from rain or other sources interacted with the volcanic material, leaving behind these mineral deposits.
It’s important to note that the exact details of the crater’s formation may vary depending on the specific volcanic activity and geological processes involved.
Conclusion
Wahbah Crater is a remarkable geological feature that offers insights into the volcanic history of the region and continues to attract curious visitors like us. After spending around 30-40 minutes on the various viewing points around the crater, I was quite thankful that I took the 200 KM detour. After all, that is what adventure is all about, you never know whether the destination you are going to will be a boom or a bust. The only thing we missed doing, was climbing down to the base of the crater and experiencing it from there. However due to the mist, it was not safe to be outside the viewing areas, let alone climbing down to the crater.
For more blogs on my traveling experiences, stay tuned to the ‘thepakistandream.com’.
Whenever I am about to start planning for a road trip, my mind becomes a whirlwind of anxieties and apprehensions. Thoughts of my family’s health and safety, my car’s reliability, the enjoyability of the destinations, the friendliness of the locals, and the security of my possessions back home swirl within me. Sometimes these concerns become so magnified that I start questioning the worthiness of the trip that I am planning to embark on. Why not stay cocooned in the comfort of my home, within the boundaries of familiarity? My mind oscillates between two extremes, like a pendulum, one urging me to stay put, while the other whispers tales of adventure, exploration, and, above all, learning. Those close to me have witnessed this inner conflict firsthand, and by now, they’ve grown accustomed to it.
With these inner struggles, I started planning my two-week trip through various cities of Saudi Arabia. As the departure date neared, I found myself oscillating between bouts of lethargy and surges of adventurous anticipation. One day, I dreaded the prospect of driving for countless hours, and the next, I brimmed with adrenaline at the thought of encountering new places.
In this emotional state, my mind served me a memory of a book that I had read years ago. Jahan-e-Deedah by Mufti Taqi Usmani. Along with the memory of the book, came several linked memories and sensations that I had formed and felt while reading the book. Probably, it was this book itself, that made a lazy person like me want to witness magical lands loaded with natural beauty, and historical sites, and see different cultures and people. No amount of reading, viewing pictures, or watching videos could replicate such profound experiences that one forms while traveling. While the book rekindled my longing for travel, I tried to remember whether the book covered any wisdom on the emotional turmoil that I experienced before every travel. With this intention, I picked the book again.
In Jahan-e-Deedah Mufti Sahab writes about his travels to around twenty countries. The book begins with the verse.
Who knows what destinations life has penned on my pages For Travel has become my quest since ages
Mufti Taqi Usmani
A few pages in, Mufti Sahab discusses the turmoil and anxieties that a traveler faces before every journey. I felt like I had hit the jackpot since they were exactly the same concerns that I was having. He then provides a remedy for countering these emotions which is a collection of duas that Rasool Allah (peace be upon him) used to recite before and during his journeys. When I read these duas and their meanings, I felt that they not only helped me address my anxieties but also gave me the opportunity to follow the Sunnah of Traveling.
The duas with their meanings in both Urdu and English are shared here.
After reading the duas with their meanings, I felt a considerable decline in my anxiousness, and secure in the belief that Allah would be with me, whether in a bustling city or on a deserted highway. This, I believe, was the most significant lesson I learned, and I pray that these duas remain close to me before every journey that I make.
In my next blog post, I’ll share the stunning experience of seeing the Wahbah Crater up, close and personal. Follow me on Twitter to know when the post is out.
The Al-Qarah Mountain Range or Jebel Al-Qarah is in the Al-Ahsa Province of Saudi Arabia. Al-Ahsa province is marked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Al-Ahsa Oasis is composed of twelve components and has more than 2.5 million palm trees
They represent traces of continued human settlement in the Gulf region from the Neolithic to the present, as can be seen from remaining historic fortresses, mosques, wells, canals and other water management systems. With its 2.5 million date palms, it is the largest oasis in the world. Al-Ahsa is also a unique geo-cultural landscape and an exceptional example of human interaction with the environment.
The first thing that fascinated me about the Al-Qarah mountains was how different they looked from the solid and rugged mountains I had seen before. Al Qarah Mountains looked almost as if they had been made from clay or play-do. The sides of the mountains looked as if they were shaped and filed to give an even look while its top looked as if they have been shaped round and flat by somebody’s hand.
This difference in the outlook of the Al-Qarah mountains, as I later found out, was because these mountains were composed of sedimentary rocks. Sedimentary rocks are one of the three types of rocks (the others being igneous and metamorphic rocks) that are found on our planet and are formed by the gradual accumulation and compression of sediments over an extended period. These sediments encompass a range of materials including sand, silt, clay, and organic matter, which settle and solidify under the weight of geological forces. Unlike the hard and resistant rocks typically found in mountainous regions, sedimentary rocks have a certain malleability due to their composition and formation process. Blowing winds and flowing water have the ability to sculpt and refine the surface of these rocks, resulting in their distinct and shaped appearance.
The Caves
The caves are the major tourist attraction of the Al-Qarah mountain range. The lead-up to the cave is majestic. Slowly we walked up a well-lit path, made tourist-friendly by placing benches, lights, and spots for taking pictures. Normally entrance to caves is small and one has to crawl or at least bend to get in, but that was not the case here. We could easily walk inside as if we were passing the grand entrance of a royal palace.
As we entered the caves, we noticed that the temperature inside was way cooler than what we were experiencing outside. Later, I read a bit about it and found that caves have their own climates due to insulation from sunlight, existent or non-existent passage for airflow, and geothermal heating. It is a fascinating thing to read and research about. So do read up on it!
The walkway inside the caves is well lit up and there are many opportunities for taking stunning pictures. We even found a photographer who had set up his camera and flashlights, for people wanting a more professional photo.
There were many passages inside, some lit up artificially, some by sunlight making way from the roof of the caves, while some were dark, and we had to rely on torch lights from our mobile phones. All the passageways were dry, but I think that during rainy seasons, there might be some sort of water falling from the top. It took us around 30 minutes to explore all the passageways. All of us, more importantly the kids, were super awed from what they saw especially when they saw that some of the rocks seemed to be hanging from the roof.
There were no recognizable patterns or organization of these passages inside the caves. Some of them were wide enough for 2-3 persons to pass through them at a time and some were so small, that only a kid can pass through. Passing through them and thinking about what I was seeing, I wondered how they were formed in the first place. These caves even had no pattern or symmetry like some of the caves shaped by human civilizations like Petra. Was it because these mountains were submerged under the sea once, and water used to flow through these caves, shaping them? Did the water recede underground or due to tectonic shifts the mountains appeared above the surface? Considering that Al-Ahsa is an Oasis this was the likeliest of all possibilities.
Whatever the answer to how they were formed, one cannot help but be amazed at the many different expressions of our Creator. When I design or create something I fret about ordering and arranging things into a symmetry, but here I saw that our Creator has created these mountains and many similar structures worldwide, without following any geometrical shape, design, or symmetry. And yet they look so majestic and spell bounding! One can only wonder at the powers of Allah, who makes all of this happen by just saying, Kun.
About the site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site: Al Qarra mountains and the Al-Ahsa province in general is a UNESCO world heritage site and one must include it in their bucket list to explore and see for themselves why it has been nominated as such. More information can be read from the UNESCO website.
Tickets and Services: Tickets were 50 SAR for Adults and for children under 13 the entrance was free. The location also has a small museum, a masjid, clean washrooms, small shops for souvenirs and groceries, and a restaurant. The exploration time takes around 30-40 minutes and even more, if you want to climb up the mountains and look at the view, which is definitely recommended, especially to witness the sunset.
Presence on Instagram: @landofcivi is their Instagram handle. I messaged them about their timings and received a reply on the same day, which was really cool of them.
A life that enjoys the fruits of modernity without compromising Islamic laws is a life lived by the Pakistan Dream. I try to live that life and share my experiences in this blog. I would love to hear from you and learn from your experiences so be sure to write in the comment box.
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I knew she was dead. She had died a few years ago. Still, I was not surprised to see her. I was standing with my friends when I saw her. Her clothes were torn and full of sand. Her hair spread over her shoulders, disheveled and dirty. I had never seen her like this before. She hurriedly entered the compound and went to her apartment. I wondered why was she in such a state? I was missing her since so many days. Would she stay? Would she go back? I don’t want her to. But can I stop her, can I make her stay? Do humans have the power to give life to their dead.
A few moments later, she came out, all neat and dressed in her white saari, full of grace and humility. She was with her son, who opened the door of his car for her. She entered the car and her son drove her off. She would never come back now. At least not in this state.
I knew she was dead, still, I was not surprised to see her. Because in my dream, I knew I was dreaming.
Sometimes, I find myself planning expensive vacations so that I may experience nature up, close and personal. However, I realized that nature is not confined to distant exotic destinations—it surrounds us in abundance as a priceless gift bestowed upon us by our Creator. Regardless of our wealth, age, or gender, everyone has the opportunity to revel in the splendor that nature has to offer. The vast sky above, the graceful flight of birds, the refreshing air we breathe, and the tall majestic trees —all serve as magnificent showcases of Allah’s countless blessings upon us. I had one such magical experience at Al-Kout beach, Kuwait, which I recount here.
In early June, when temperatures in Kuwait reach as high as 50 degrees, I decided to visit Al-Kout beach and have a swim in the sea. Al Kout beach is located in Al-Fahaheel area and is around 20 kilometers from Kuwait city.
Because of extreme high temperatures during the day, we left our homes 30 minutes before sunrise. The beach is very close to Fahaheel’s residential and commercial areas, so when I reached there, I could already see some families at the beach site. Nature all around us
Nature all around us
As I dived into the sea I felt that the water was a bit cold and it took us a while to get used to it. A pleasant breeze both welcomed and sent shivers through our wet bodies. The brown color of the sandy beach teaming up with the blue colored ocean was majestic to look at and be a part of.
I went to enjoy nature and nature didn’t disappoint me. First up, was the sight of the sun, coming out of the sea. It was like an orange colored ball that was casting a majestic reflection onto the sea. As I looked towards it, the sun was so close that I felt that I can grab it with my hand, it was so mellow that I could stare at it, without the fear of burning my eyes. It was hard to believe that within a few hours, the same sun will cause the temperatures to go as high as 50 degrees!
White Damsel. I am no expert but they somewhat looked like these
After enjoying the sight of the sun rising from the horizon, I put on my goggles and dived inside to explore the ocean’s bed. I couldn’t believe my eyes, when I saw a flock of fish swimming so close to me. Their skin was milky white and they didn’t seem threatened by my presence which made me wonder if they had actually come to greet me. Their size was as small as my palm but few of them were slightly bigger. As I enjoyed watching the fishes swim in random patterns I wished I had brought snorkeling equipment so that I can stay underwater longer than I am able to hold my breath.
After swimming, exploring and cleaning the ocean floor, I decided to surrender to the serenity of the moment. I spread my arms sideways, turned my face and chest towards the sky, floated on my back and allowed my body to be cradled by the gentle waves. I opened my eyes and gazed upwards towards the sky. The vast expanse of the clear blue sky greeted me, captivating me with it’s flawless perfection and immaculate craftsmanship.
Just as I marveled at the clear blue sky, a formation of pigeons gracefully soared above us. Their synchronized flight added an extra touch of enchantment to the already idyllic scene. In the presence of the cool water embracing me, the light breeze caressing my skin, the mellow sun casting its warn glow, the playful fishes beneath me, and the azure sky above, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the abundance of natural beauty surrounding me. It was a harmonious symphony, orchestrated by Al-Musawwir, reminding me of the extraordinary wonders that HE has created all over the world. I just couldn’t help but recite.
The Al-Kout Beach
I was impressed by how well-maintained and clean the beach was. It was evident that considerable effort was being put in maintaining its cleanliness and beauty. Even at this early hour, workers worked tirelessly to keep the beach and its surroundings clean and spotless.
However, I wish I can say the same about the visitors visiting the beach. While most take care, some treat the ocean as a large trash can, where you can throw anything that you don’t need. As I dived towards the ocean’s bed, I could see plastic wrappers, empty cola cans and water bottles. I can only wonder how people can be so careless towards this blessing from Allah.
Al-Kout is a public beach and access to it is completely free. There are running and jogging tracks as well as numerous restaurants and fishing spots. While most restaurants open in the evening, some restaurants like Starbucks and McDonalds were open to serve their breakfast menus. It was quite thoughtful of the authorities to provide the convenience of public washrooms so near to the beach-side. It added to the overall experience and allowed me and my kids to wash and change easily.
Conclusion
Overall me and my kids enjoyed this early morning rendezvous to Al-Kout beach, so it is something that I would highly recommend to people who want to explore nature. While it may be tempting to bring recording equipment to capture the enchanting moments, I personally find it more fulfilling to immerse ourselves in the beauty of nature without the distractions of technology. No camera or microphone can truly encapsulate the splendor of the scenery, the captivating aromas, and above all, the overwhelming emotions that arise when one is in such close proximity to the wonders of nature.
That being said, I do suggest bringing along some light snorkeling equipment. It allows for an extended encounter with the mesmerizing underwater world and offers a unique perspective on the marine life thriving beneath the surface. The ability to linger and observe the fishes in their natural habitat is an experience that shouldn’t be missed.
For those who are curious to know, I have provided the link of the location below. Do visit Al-Kout beach to create your own unforgettable memories. I would love to hear from you, so don’t forget to share your experience in the comments section.
Due to the easing of restrictions on Saudi Tourist visas, it was finally possible to undertake the journey of Umra from Kuwait using one’s own vehicle after a decade-long hiatus. We all were quite excited. Our family had grown from 4 to 6 and the older ones are teenagers now, making this their first adult Umra.
To ensure a safe and smooth driving experience, especially when you have a 14 year old car, adequate planning and preparation is very necessary. I began the planning around a month before.
Before The Journey
Applying for Saudi Tourist Visa. The entire visa application process is online and very simple and straight forward. After filling in the form and paying the fees, the visa is sent to your email address within 5 minutes. Impressive!
Per person the cost was around 35 KD, which is not very cheap and not very expensive. Considering you can enter Saudi Arabia multiple times during a year, I would say that the price is just about right. The only hitch in the process was the multiple payments that one has to make for a single visa application e.g. Medical Insurance, Processing fees, visa fees etc. In all, if I remember correctly around 3-5 payments have to be made for one application, so if you, like me, are applying for your entire family from the same credit card, then your credit card will get blocked. In which case, either call your banking service provider and have it unblocked or use a different card.
Car Servicing and Repairs (if needed) Since the entire journey was to be made in our car, therefore, I had my car serviced and checked from the main service center. I also took a second opinion and then undertook the necessary repairs. Since we were going in winters therefore I didn’t bother myself with AC checkup and repairs. A day before, I had the tires rechecked, since they have to bear the brunt of the journey 🙂
Read and revise the steps of performing Umra, the restrictions of Ahram etc. Umra, like all acts of worship (ibadah) must be performed according to specific requirements and steps. Neglecting any of them may render the entire effort void. Also, it is not something that one does regularly, therefore we gathered as a family and revised the steps and requirements, explaining the entire process to ourselves and our kids, with special emphasis on the mental and spiritual conditions (adaab) that must be maintained during the journey. While the older kids had to adorn the Ahram in the proper way, for the smaller kids we bought stitched Ahrams, so that they too, get feel and understanding of Umra.
Planning the Route Finalizing the route is also an important step and must be done before the start of the journey. Your hotel bookings, packing etc are all dependent on that. There are two main options that one can chose from, a brief detail is provided for each option below.
Madina First.
The first option is going to Madina first, which is nearer to Kuwait. Around 12 hours drive from our home in Kuwait to the hotel in Madina (with one hour of border time), provided you prescribe to the speed limits of the various highways. The time only caters for small breaks like fuel and prayers.
Makkah First This is a longer route that takes around 14-16 hours with 1 hour of border time. The stoppages would have to be minimum (only petrol and prayer breaks). In order to take this route one has to leave quite early in the morning i.e. around 2 AM, so that maximum trip is covered in day light. The last 2 hours of the trip is a fenced and properly highlighted highway, with a speed limit of 140. so driving at night shouldn’t be much of a problem.
During the Journey
We decided to go with the option # 2 i.e. Makkah first, therefore we left our home around 3 am. Passing the border proved quite cumbersome for us as it took us over 3 hours to get through. This was quite unusual as most of my friends passed through within 1 hour. Our delay was mainly due to some unexpected rush at the fingerprint counter and an unusually long line at the security checks.
Speed Cameras Quite early I noticed that there were many speed cameras installed at various points. The cameras are supposed to detect not only high speed but also seat belt and mobile phone usage. A few miles in, I decided to put my car in cruise control i.e. set the prescribed speed limit and enjoy the view instead of focusing on following the speed limit.
The Views! The weather was generally very nice and kept on changing throughout starting from foggy to raining to extremely windy towards the end. But, Alhamdolillah, the visibility stayed clear throughout. The nice weather plus the ever changing views made it a drive to remember. While everyone slept in the car, the calming silence allowed me to engross myself in the wonders of nature around me, so many I was able to see and capture, and so many I just drove by without noticing. The entire experience brought out the meaning of phrases like ‘Life is a journey’ marching in my brain.
Life Is a Journey!
Driving through the vast and diverse lands of Allah allows us to see nature changing it’s colors, shapes and sizes. Some areas are fully and some partially developed, but the most serene were the areas that offered nothing but raw nature. Wonders, like a lone green tree standing in the middle of the desert, looking both peculiar and perfectly placed, or the silky and shining sands changing it’s colors every few hundred kilometers or the clouds coming down to play with a mountain. All felt like master strokes by the Master.
Clouds Covering A Mountain
My Busted Tire
Safety The road conditions, throughout, were pretty good. I didn’t notice any kind of rash driving and the highways were properly patrolled. There were a lot of sign boards along the way highlighting the emergency call numbers. Towards the end of my journey my tire busted. Within a few minutes, while I wondered what to do and whom to call, a police patrol arrived and helped me in calling a maintenance truck. The maintenance truck arrived in around 20 minutes and did the needful. On a nearby shop I was able to find a new tire.
All the highways were in excellent condition, except for a small patch where we had to take a detour.
Pit Stops Although I noticed that many old petrol pumps were closed, maybe due a government initiative, but there were still plenty open ones available. Some of them quite cool, flashy and well maintained. I wondered what is the science or maths of building such petrol pumps, as I noticed some were pretty close to each other while the others a few hundred kilometers apart. Definitely a topic for a later blog.
The only thing I found wanting though, was the absence of mobile service providers. I had to practically stop in a few cities to search for an open mobile service provider as I needed to get a SIMM card. Although, due to it being a Friday, most of the shops were supposed to open after 4, but I found a few were closed even after 4.
The route also took us through various cities like Affif, Mujammah. So in case of any tiredness etc, a hotel can be taken in any of these cities. Due to some issues in the car, we made a stop in Dhulm, which is the last city before Taif. The price of the room was reasonable SAR 200 with excellent facilities for the price.
Before going into Makkah, we stopped in Sail Al Kabeer which is the Meeqat for people coming from Kuwait. We took a small room there for an hour and took a bath and adorned the Ahram. There are many shops selling Ahram and related stuff at a much cheaper price than Kuwait, so if one has a need then it can be fulfilled from there as well. After adorning the Ahram, we set off towards Makkah.
The Last Mile! With our car echoing with the sounds of Labayk and our hearts filled with anticipation, we headed towards the holy city of Makkah. The proverbial last mile was around 70 Kilometers and it is hard to describe it in words. We reached Makkah and after a few twists and turns were able to reach Kudai car parking. From there I moved towards our hotel and then eventually towards Masjid-e-Haram for performing Umra.
More about our experience inside Makkah in Part 2 of this blog. And then the trip to Madina and back to Kuwait.
Dani Shapiro, in her book gives a deep insight into her process of writing and what it takes and gives back to her. Rather than reviewing the book, for which I don’t find myself qualified, I will be looking into how I connected with and what I learned from the book.
I have been writing occasionally but I haven’t published much. Along the way I have had some good ideas on plot summaries, characters and dialogues. But when I actually wrote them, I didn’t like them as much. And what I don’t like I don’t publish. After writing many a pages of unpublished work, I started wondering how the big guys do it. What are their processes, rituals and rhythms. Do they practice and if they do, how? Do they always like what they write? Do they have a magic wand that changes garbage to gold? Do they, too, have a huge amount of unpublished work?
I picked up ‘Still writing’ because it had the potential of providing me that insight.
First Impressions
The first impression that I got after reading the book is that writing is hard. It requires discipline to form strong habits around your process of writing. One-off inspirations can be good for short term but are never a reliable long term strategy.
I also learned that the writer has to search deep inside himself and try to bring whatever he is able to on paper. Some of these things might not be pleasant, for the reader, the people mentioned in the book or even the writer himself. Irrespective of the fact, the writer has to continue with his process of writing.
Structure of the book
The book is divided into three sections the beginnings, the middles and the ends, co-relating with life itself. Each section has many small chapters of 2-3 pages. Depending upon the need, one can always come back and re-read a chapter or two.
What I didn’t connect with & Why
For me it is never about the quality of the writer or his work. It is always about how I, as a reader, connect with the book in my hand. Dani has connected her writing with her life and the philosophy of life, as she understands it. She seems to be most connected with the Buddhist, Hindu and Yogi philosophies and has referred to them quite often. I never found myself connecting with any of these philosophies before, or while reading the book, as they are too cloudy and open to any sort of interpretation. So such parts of the book were least appealing to me and sometimes surprising as the writer seemed to be struggling with some basic questions for which half of the world already knows the answers of.
What I did connect with and how
Still Writing had a lot of fascinating things that I immediately understood and connected with. The overall reading experience was very good. The writing was nice, easy and fluent and the writer was able to put her points across. I took some notes on things that I was amused with and things that I want to implement in my writing as well.
Everything you need to know about life can be learned from a genuine and ongoing attempt to write. Although ‘Everything’ is a superlative which I don’t believe in pursuing through my writing, but the words that struck me the most were genuine and ongoing. If I have to write anything appealing, the effort that I make should be full of sincerity and discipline.
One word. One image. One detail. Go ahead. Then see what happens next. I often tried to start writing once the full story or a plot was in front of me, which rarely happened, and when it did happen and I wrote it out, I felt that the story sounded much better in my brain than on paper. The author tips us to focus on that one scene, one feeling, one smile. Just take care of that one small piece and then see what comes next.
So much can be accomplished in one focused hour, especially when that hour is part of a routine, a sacred rhythm that becomes part of your daily life. One of the best advice that I got from James Clear’s Atomic Habits, is to embrace an identity and form a habit. Make it regular. Don’t stop. Here Dani re-enforces the same message.
There is no difference between practice and art. The practice is the art. Simply beautiful. Totally connected with it and plan to implement it.
Write for an audience of one. Doesn’t have to be alive or on the planet. Do not think about the judges on the Pulitzer Panel, or your wife or children. Write for that one imaginary person and forget about the rest.
Read the words aloud and see how they sound.
Engage the five senses of the reader.
Excitement —whether the happy kind or not—will make the work all but impossible. Too many times I have become too excited with what I was writing. I was seeing Pulitzers, bookers and film contracts (which I politely decline). Excitement always came in my way of some good writing. I found that my best work has always been when I was able to put all kinds of emotions and excitement aside.
Two other things that stood out for me in the book, were
Impeccable set of instructions by the poet Jane Kenyon.
Protect your time.
Feed your inner life.
Avoid too much noise.
Read good books, have good sentences in your ears.
Be by yourself as often as you can.
Walk .
Take the phone off the hook.
Work regular hours.
And a fascinating fact about author Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope each time when he finished a novel. He drew a line across the page beneath his final sentence—and then he started a new one. No time to think. No time to mull over all the reasons why not. He just simply . . . kept going.
Conclusion
I have learned some exciting things from the book. Who knows if I would ever be able to find the discipline of writing a novel. But I definitely plan to use many of the above tips in writing short stories, blogs or even emails! If you want to have an insight into the process of writing, then I would definitely recommend this book, along-with ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King.
Pakistan is yet again facing a political turmoil. Nothing new for Pakistan and it’s politics which has always been searching for political stability. At the core of every turmoil there is one ‘indecision’ that Pakistan has always managed to put itself into. And that is; Shall we be part of the American Block or not. Half of Pakistani powers that be, find benefit in being part of the American block while the other half doesn’t.
I will dump my thoughts on the background of this assessment sometime later, but for now, after some un-emotional analysis, I have drafted the following series of events that Pakistan is going to pass through in the coming months.
As time passes, I will come back and review and comment on how correct or incorrect the predictive analysis was, which is always the fun part of any such exercise.
Starting from April ‘2022
Imran Khan’s / PTI’s government is removed and a new government is formed.
The new government is going to look something like
Shahbaz Sharif / Khaqan Abbasi as the new Prime Minister.
Bilawal Bhutto as Foreign Minister or some other important position. But FM to stay with PPP.
Shahbaz Sharif / Hamza Sharif as CM Punjab.
Maulana Fazl Ur Rahman as President or Governor KPK.
Son of Maulana Fazl Ur Rahman also gets some important ministry.
Immediate Tasks of New Government
Start preparing budget.
Roll back electoral reforms i.e. Voting for Overseas Pakistanis and EVMs etc.
Roll back orders debarring Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz from contesting elections.
Prepare for election engineering. Placing key stooges in key positions.
Start improving relationships with India to create front against China and halt China’s development.
Facilitate US in creating instability in Afghanistan, KPK and Baluchistan. This is to help US in forming a front against Russia.
Keep Imran Khan busy in cases against him and/or in Jail.
Appoint the new ‘compliant’ Army Chief (highly unlikely that any Army Chief will be compliant). But it will be tried.
Appoint the new Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, which will help in rolling back orders against Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz.
Fissures in Opposition.
In August ‘2022 or even next year once the tasks concerning roll back of court orders against Nawaz Sharif and rolling back of electoral reforms is completed, then fissures will start appearing in the combined opposition. As a result elections will be called. These fissures are just ‘Noora Kushti’ or fixed match, to keep the vote bank of the two parties (Noon and PPP intact). And to dispel the image that Imran Khan has given that the opposition is combined in their agenda of corruption.
Nawaz Sharif returns and leads Noon to a whopping victory and becomes Prime Minister for the fourth time. It will be either him or his daughter Maryam Nawaz.
Imran Khan meanwhile is kept busy in false cases or is in Jail. Imran Khan has only limited or no seats in the parliament after the new elections.
Benefits for the new government
As and when the new government of the combined opposition start fulfilling American demands, the following benefits will start happening.
Pakistan’s removal from FATF. This might be quite immediate. Pakistan has already fulfilled all conditions but is still kept in the gray list. And FATF will not bring out Pakistan from the gray list till Imran Khan’s government is there to take the credit. Will be seen sometime in June/July 2022 after removal of PTI’s government and appointment of new PM from the combined opposition.
As a result of ‘good’/’friendly’ diplomacy with India, India ‘might’ roll back its annexation of Kashmir. There is a very low chance of this happening. But might be used to provide strength to the new government. Can be a few concessions, but nothing big.
Making Pakistan economically strong and independent, is against the wishes of US and even other countries e.g. China, Russia, Arab World etc. But some economic benefits will be seen for local consumption. Immediately starting from June/July 2022.
Dollar Value starts coming down. But not much.
Boom in stock market.
IMF extends further loan or loan facilities but at very friendly conditions.
And more ‘good news’ will come for the economy as and when American demands are met. But again not too much that will make Pakistan economically independent.
This is my assessment and/or analysis. I will not give it a lofty name like prediction or revelation. There is a high chance that it can be wrong, but I will review it over the coming months and comment as and when things start deviating from the track that I mentioned above. Till now we are on track i.e. Imran Khan government about to be removed and combined opposition is intact and getting stronger with each passing day.
You can tell people what is the time, but it is very difficult to tell them what time is!
Recently, I was teaching my kids what time is. And I was at a loss for words. How do you explain what time is? You can teach people how to tell time. You can tell them how to manage time. But how do you define time?
So I did some research to understand what time is, only to find out that time is the scariest thing in this world.
Dictionaries define time as
Time is the continued sequence of events that occurs in an irreversible succession from the past through the present and into the future.
I read it several times to understand and then several times more just to figure out how to explain what time actually is. I ended up breaking the definition of time into smaller parts and that is when things turned scary.
Time is the continued sequence of events, which means that time is continuous and that it never stops. It keeps moving.
Time is a sequence of events, which means ‘something is always happening’ and they are happening in a ‘sequence’ i.e. one after the other. At any point of time an event is thrown at us and we are expected to respond to it.
The events occur in an irreversible succession. You cannot go back in time. So time does not give you the chance to go back and fix your mistakes.
And the final part is, since time never stops and it never moves backward, then it means that time always move forward bringing us from the past, through the present and taking us into the future.
At the end of my explanation, my kids were yawning but my eyes were fully lit up! I guess I never put a lot of time into understanding what time actually is. And now that I had studied it carefully I realized that time is the scariest thing in this world. Why? Because time is going to continuously move forward and throw an event at you asking for a response from your side. And if you are not prepared for it, you lose and time wins. Whatever the result of your previous battle you can’t stop to celebrate or sulk, as time never stops, it just moves forward and throws another event at you. You don’t get time to recover, you don’t get time to celebrate. Whether you want it or not time will move forward. Whether you like it or not, it will throw an event at you. And you have to respond. You can’t quit, you can’t hide because in essence time is always with you.
But all is not gloom and doom. One common thing that you would find in successful people from any walk of life, is that they have embedded this definition of time deep within themselves. At any point of time, they seem to be ready to respond to the event thrown at them. And when they fail, like all humans do, they just get up and get ready for the next event. They keep riding the wave of time as an expert swimmer would. Not stopping, not resting, not sulking about this wave or that. They know, like the swimmer knows, that if they stop they will drown or might never reach the shore. They have to, and they do, keep moving forward. They are prepared for all possible outcomes. They know that their responding action will dictate the next event that time throws at them. So they design their responses accordingly. e.g. They know that they might fall sick, so they adopt healthy habits, they know that one day they would retire, so they save and invest, they know that one day they would die, so they prepare for the hereafter.
And the final scary part. Time is continuous and all continuous things will eventually stop. Time too, at one point, will stop…
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Have you ever seen a rat wheel? It is a small wheel in a small cage. The tiny rat, climbs into the rat wheel, you want to see him play. So you hang a cheese in front of the wheel. The rat swings his legs with massive speed. With each gallop, he feels that he is closer to the cheese, but the more he runs, the more he stays in the same place.
Today’s world is abundant with answers but barren in questions. So let me ask you a few questions, you might have or should have asked, as you moved through life. Right questions sets you in the right path, isn’t it?.
Remember, the best friends you used to have in school. You were in-separable. Life without them; unimaginable. However time moved on. You got separated and grew up. Now you don’t even know where they are. Were they able to achieve their dreams? Were you? Even if you meet them now, so much would have changed, that the chances of you becoming best friends again, are rare. Have you ever wondered; what happened?
Then there was your first love. You were sure. They were the key to your happiness. Life without them; unthinkable. However you grew out of your love. You might have even forgotten their names or how they looked like. It was so long ago. And even if you are to meet them now, the chances of your heart missing a beat, are none. Have you ever wondered; what happened? How can it be? Why things change?
Now you move ahead in life. College, university and job. All of it happens in a flash. And then marriage. And then you start to see yourself in your kids. Everything should be settled by now. But now you have some more questions.
Streets are full of talented people and palaces are full of morons. Have you ever wondered?
Money; you are sure. You just need a little bit more to have a happy life. But as you jump from one desire to another, you wonder; when would it be enough?
This world is like a spider’s web. The more we try to get out of the meaningless and the mundane, the more we get buried in it. But then you move ahead in life, and now your eyes start seeing less, and you start having some more questions…
Is this world a transient station or a destination? If it is a station, where are you headed to? If it is a destination, why you need to leave?
Strange is the world, isn’t it? Especially if you don’t get the answerto all your questions, and stranger are its ways…
The rat, wakes up. He sips some water and eats. And then looks at that extra bit of cheese, hanging from the roof of his home. He climbs the wheel. And starts to swing his legs. He needs to have that cheese. It seems to be coming closer to him. It starts to swing towards him. He is almost there. He is able to take a small bite before it swings away. He loved the taste. He feels that he has accomplished something. He needs to go at it again. He starts swinging his legs faster. He is about to reach it again. His body is aching. But he is very close. He is about to get that extra bit of cheese. He never needed it in the first place. But now he wants it. He comes very close. It is so near…
…but suddenly. He trips. He falls down. His heart is beating very fast. Too fast. His eyes are still fixed on the swinging cheese. He tries to get up. He was very close. He needs to try again. But he cannot feel his legs anymore. Life, is slowly leaving him. His heart is now stopping. He was very close. He sees the cheese one last time as he closes his teary eyes. He knows that the end has come.
Not a second more. Not a second less.
Now the cheese is not for him. Someone else will replace him. Someone else will repeat the same cycle, with the same vigor; and sadly with the same fate. The next rat in the wheel will not learn from his predecessor. Have you ever wondered; why… … or will you ever wonder, that the next rat in the cage
