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