SEI in Charsadda

Photographs: Courtesy Maryam Raza Zaidi

Visit to Nowshera

While the Pakistani media has more than overwhelmed us with heart-wrenching footage and pleas for donations, I can only say that one cannot possibly realize the extent of the devastation until one sees it with ones own eyes. Monsoon will soon end, as will rescue efforts but these people will need us more so when they begin to rebuild their lives, overcome disease and battle hunger - their hopes rest solely on people like us. In the camp that we visited this Friday, while some families are settled in cemented units that were meant to be workshops, most spend their nights in tents under the open sky, without clean water and electricity. Please keep the donations coming, this is not a one time effort, we need to be on our feet constantly. We owe this to our people.

Children of the Floods

Shajar-e-Ilm's officers and volunteers just returned from a relief mission in Nowshera, one of the most devastated areas in the wake of unprecedented flooding in Pakistan. Below are some images we captured of children suffering in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Donation Collection Appeal--Shajar-e-Ilm

Pakistan has been hit by a most devastating natural disaster in recent days, with unprecedented flooding. The number of people suffering from the massive floods in Pakistan could exceed the combined total in three recent mega disasters - the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake - the United Nations said Monday, with an estimated toll of 13 million people affected.

Shajar-e-Ilm, along with civil society member in Islamabad, has been carrying out relief activities in the affected regions of the Swat Valley. First consignment of food/clothing was dispatched to Swat valley yesterday by members of civil society. Shajar-e-Ilm's own volunteers and officers will be traveling to the Swat Valley and other affected regions from Friday onwards to distribute family packs including atta, (wheat), ghee (butter), lentils, dry milk, sanitary napkins, soap, and water purifying tablets.

Now we are short on funds and need more money, immediately.

To contribute personally, contact the following persons:

Stanford: Asfadyar Ali Mir at alimir07@stanford.edu
Los Angeles: Madeeha Akhtar at madihah.akhter@gmail.com
Islamabad: Shiza Shahid at shiza.shahid@gmail.com
Lahore/Islamabad: Mariam Zaidi at mariamrzaidi@gmail.com
Lahore: Hamza Malik hamza_cancerian@hotmail.com
Islamabad: Myra Iqbal at myra.iqbal@gmail.com
Karachi: Nehel Khanani at nkhanani@gmail.com

For more information, keep checking:

www.shajareilm.org
http://shajareilm.blogspot.com/

Relief Efforts after Pakistan's Devastating Floods

by Shiza Shahid


Pakistan has been hit by it most devastating natural disaster in recent days, with unprecedented flooding. The number of people suffering from the massive floods in Pakistan could exceed the combined total in three recent megadisasters - the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake - the United Nations said Monday, with an estimated toll of 13 million people affected.

Shajar-e-Ilm is raising funds and will be personally distributing them in the affected regions of the Swat Valley. Volunteers will be travelling to the Swat Valley on Friday to disribute family packs including atta, (wheat), ghee (butter), lentils, dry milk, sanitary napkins, soap, and water purifying tablets. To contribute personally contact Shiza Shahid at shiza.shahid@gmail.com, Mariam Zaidi at mariamrzaidi@gmail.com, or Myra Iqbal at myra.iqbal@gmail.com

A matter of matter

The academic achievements of Dr. Abdus Salam are well-known and often cited. Now, the new generation of Pakistani researchers is also proving its mettle in the field of physics. Jamil Aslam, a young physicist at Quad-i-Azam university, has collaborated with colleagues at the German Center Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY) to write an exciting new paper. This may lead to the discovery of "new matter", if supported by planned experiments.

It is heartening to see a devotion to scholarly activity and to know that contrary to popular belief, there is definite scope for scientific research within Pakistan.

Image: Creative Commons, Flickr user nasafan1/MSFC

"Why did you do this?"

Madeeha Ansari

In this talk at TED, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy talks about the conditions in which this reservoir of suicide bombers has been created. Most of us know probably know these things, but it's quite a powerful bit of footage.

"And when God asks on the Day of Judgement, 'Why did you do this?'
He may be seeing the blood and the fire
And I will say: I have laid down my life in your name."

Wherefore liberation?

Another female lecturer has fallen victim to attacks by the Baluchistan Liberation Army. Anybody see a pattern?

More from Balochistan

The Baluchistan Liberation Army has taken responsibility for the murder of Nazima Talib, assisstant professor in the mass communication department of Balochistan University. According to the coverage in Dawn News, she had been teaching there for 23 years. The targeted killing was carried out under the pretext of revenge for the treatment of female political workers. It makes no sense.

Why so Inefficient?

by Meeha Irfan

Public education over the world seems to be the way of life and children of each area go the public schools provided for them. Then why do we in Pakistan look down upon Government Colleges and Schools? Why are private schools the only 'right' type of education system for us?

Correct, it's the buildings, the curriculum and the teachers (or lack thereof). Nadia A. Rehmani (link to article), elaborates on all the points that make education in Pakistan a 'problem' and never the 'solution'.

The problem has been identified, we need to work towards the solution.

Photograph: Dawn.com

Education at Risk

Shiza Shahid



Measures of hindering education have recently escalated with the deteriorating condiditions of the country. Acts ranging from campus intimidation to falling standards of discipline have become common accepted norms in the society. The deteriorating quality of education has given way to loosing the educational institutions all at once. It not only poses a serious threat for the youth at large but adds to the dire conditions of the country at hand, leading to a massive destruction of the infrastructure of Pakistan.

Quetta killings - targeting potential

Over the last five days, 18 people have died as a result of targeted killings in Quetta. The latest victim was renowned educationist Fazle Bari, principal of the boys' school Tameer-e-Nau. He was shot down while driving to work this morning. His death prompted a protest by 250 students later in the day.

Balochistan is the largest, most underdeveloped province of Pakistan. The arid and inhospitable terrain is only part of the reason for its lagging progress. A huge reservoir of untapped resources exists in the form of minerals and human capital, but its potential is yet to be realised.

Creative Commons image: flickr user Wenchmagnet

Bachay sab hee achay

Madeeha Ansari

Crime is a complicated phenomenon. There are always so many things behind it that it is difficult to blame the hand that steals any more than the invisible one that pushes it forward.

Whether or not they are directly responsible for their first alleged crimes, rehabilitation becomes a serious concern for juvenile prisoners. That is why not-for-profit actors like Voice of the Civil Society (VOTCS) are now working to establish schools and workshops within juvenile jails, so that the imprisoned youth can access a different way of life. Exposure to new ideas can only be a good thing. Philanthropist Irum Farooque told Dawn how she discusses "an array of topics with the young inmates, from a young man’s responsibility to his parents, how to behave with women, and even topics like jihad and suicide bombing."

However streetsmart or hardened they may have thought themselves to be, the youth have responded to being treated with respect.

"They started understanding me and they started waiting for me,” said Farooque.

Of course.

Deadly Blast in Swat Valley

A tragic bomb blast in the Swat Valley, a suspected Taliban suicide attack, ripped through a busy market in Mingora on Monday, killing 8 people.

In response to our concerned messages to Ziauddin Yousafzai, the owner of the Khushal Public School in Swat Valley, he replied:

"Let us not loose heart for our usual life must continue despite all hurdles. This is life and we should keep on crawling for survival on our own. This blast took away eight people, but we are blessed for thousands survived. Let us change our perceptions to think positively. Let us try to stay safe, brave and determined."

Our hearts go out to the people of Swat Valley, to Ziauddin, and all our school-girls over there.


[Picture: Ziauddin at a Shajar-e-Ilm Retreat with Mariam Raza Zaidi]

Pakistan's Public Schools
An American newsmagazine FRONTLINE/World provides yet another intiative for highlighting the importance of education. Such efforts will only be able to surface the gap on both sides and bring forth any form of communication.

Gulf News: Quality of Indian and Pakistani Education Under the Scanner

While Pakistani education standards at home have been the subject of much debate and criticism, Pakistani schools in Dubai are also coming under the radar. This story in Gulf News today reports that Knowledge and Human Development Authority scrutinized 3 Pakistani schools in Dubai, recently, two of them being stamped "unacceptable" at the end of investigation.

Insights on Poverty

Madeeha Ansari

Hans Rosling is brilliant. Like any true intellectual, he speaks with wit, simplicity and modesty. Stay to the end - these 19 minutes are unexpectedly worthwhile for anyone with or without an interest in development!