(+92) - My Identity

I have been born and raised in those times when people really cared about Pakistan. When popular and respected figures wrote about Pakistan in their autographs. I can never forget Shaheed Hakim Muhammad Saeed's trademark 'Pakistan se muhabbat karo, Pakistan ki taa'meer karo' autograph. We hardly have such people any more. Who put Pakistan as their priority. Who portray Pakistan as their pride. Our generation has a lost sense of patriotism. We think wearing the green jersey and cheering team Pakistan in a cricket match is what patriotism is all about. We only celebrate Pakistan when in crowd (match-screenings etc), we only show concern for Pakistan on occasions (national level crisis or some jalsa demanding change). At collective level, we are considerate enough to give SOME of our time from daily lives to Pakistan. This won't do the job. Pakistan needs more. Pakistan is in a terrible state. Corrupted to its roots. Mafias everywhere (from hawkers at the street to the public transport, from police to public). Everyone has been selfish lately. Concerned about their trivial individual daily matters, least caring about Pakistan. When a nation is at such a stage, the only saviour can be 'ME'. Be the change that I want to see. We all have a responsibility to this state, no matter how much we ignore it. It is time to redeem and respond to the call! We all must do more than we expect of ourselves. That is the only way towards positive change. We've gone numb by all the wrongdoings our entire life that we don't expect much. We'd break the traffic rules because we won't be reprimanded, we'll trash our homeland because we don't consider it our home any more. Make yourself exceed your own expectations. Prioritize Pakistan. Put Pakistan as a major factor in your decision-making. Only then you are patriotic. Only then you are a Pakistani.

There's a tide in the affairs of men,

Which, taken at the flood,

Leads on to fortune,

But ommitted, and the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and miseries,

On such a full sea are we now afloat,

And we must take the current when it serves,

Or lose the ventures before us.

This post is dedicated to the person who made me realize I had not yet truly taken Pakistan into account in any of my decisions throughout my life.

Football Is Life

I had learnt what it means to play football. It's not just about the sports. It's a metaphor for life, not only the most watched sports in the world; it's the most exalting and heartbreaking and potentially tragic. It poses every conceivable element to the player, and more; disappointment, adrenaline, unspeakably bad luck, unthinkable beauty, unmatchable elation, hopelessness, helplessness, and above all a great, deep self-questioning. During our lives we're faced with so many different elements as well, we experience so many setbacks, and fight such a hand-to-hand battle with failure, head down in the rain, just trying to stay upright and to have a little hope. Football is not just a sport, not at all! It is a test. It tests you physically, it tests you mentally, and it even tests you morally. (excerpt taken and edited from It's Not About The Bike - My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong)
In football, as in life; you've got a goal to achieve and you've got companions who share the same dream. In football, as in life; you'll meet resistance in the face of opponents who are determined to not let you succeed. In football, as in life; you'd sometimes need a moment of individual brilliance. Other times, you'd have your companions who'd help you win. In football, as in life; there'll be moments that take your breath away! In football, as in life; when you achieve your purpose, you are complete and you have your companions to celebrate with you. In football, as in life; you've individuals by your side who will always be willing to go the extra mile with you, to throw their bodies on the line for you. In football, as in life; you'd need assists and you'd need to assist others. In football, as in life; you'd have the moment of glory and you'd have your days of gloom. If there's a defining characteristic of football as opposed to life, maybe it's that football makes sense.

That letter 'f' in life stands for football. Without it, life remains just a lie.