Projecting a positive image

8th October 2005, a day that no Pakistani will ever forget. The day when a massive earthquake hit Pakistan and caused an unimaginable destruction in most parts of the region. Many villages have completely vanished from the face of earth where majority is dead and millions of people have gone homeless. It is a testing time for our nation and the way people have responded to it is highly commendable. Every single person from children to adults has contributed enormously either physically, financially or by spreading the message and praying. The spirits are high which has been a rare thing in history of Pakistan. This moral fiber makes us all remember the 1965 war. The youth about whom our elders thought that they are irresponsible and useless, constitutes the major contribution to relief efforts. We have joined our hands and are united, we have come this far and have made ourselves proud but there should be a much wider approach towards projecting this phenomena.

While America is still searching for Osama, and trying to confirm the fact that is Osama dead in this earthquake or made it to rescue, we should take advantage of this situation and prove the world that what our nation in reality is all about. We should try to project a positive image of our country in front of the world and should show that people of this country are not terrorists and humanity is still alive in us - far better than them. Our media and people as whole should try to project the real Pakistan and the real Islam by making footage and writing articles about the amount of concern and courage that is evident in every gali and kucha of Pakistan.

As far as the spirit is concerned, this should continue. This is just a first step; a huge amount of work has to be done. The relief and charity work should carry on because it will take if not years then several months to rebuilt and rehab these damaged areas. A day should also be dedicated not to this incident but to the soul related to it which can serve as a wake up call whenever we tend to distract from the path. I believe, if our unity remains as it is right now - not only at toughest/sad moments but at happy ones too then without any doubt I can see Pakistan on the top of the world.