Talented Daughter of Pakistan

An Open Letter and Fiery Advocacy for Nominating Dr. Maleeha Lodhi as Pakistan’s Candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations

O sons of the soil kissed by the Indus!
O daughters whose eyes carry the fire of resilience!
O people of Pakistan, inheritors of Iqbal’s dream and Jinnah’s resolve — awaken!
The wheel of destiny turns once more. The United Nations, that grand yet troubled temple of human hope, seeks its next guardian. The world bleeds from old wounds and new storms. At this sacred hour, Pakistan must not whisper — it must roar with pride and purpose.
From the depths of our national soul rises a name that shines like the crescent on our flag under moonlight: Dr. Maleeha Lodhi — the Talented Daughter of Pakistan!
I still remember the autumn of 1990. The lawns of the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad were alive with the quiet murmur of journalists attending the first evening tea hosted by Pakistan’s newly elected Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. I found myself standing directly across the tea table from him. To my left stood Maleeha Lodhi, already one of Pakistan’s most respected journalists and editors. A few steps behind us, as if history itself had invited him, stood BaBa Tal.
The Prime Minister prepared a cup of tea himself. He added sugar, stirred it gently with a spoon, placed the spoon back on the saucer, and extended the cup toward Dr. Maleeha Lodhi. At that precise moment, however, she had turned her head and was engrossed in conversation with someone else. The offered cup remained suspended in the air for a brief second.
Then came one of those tiny moments that never find their way into official records. The Prime Minister looked up. Our eyes met. Without a word, he smiled slightly, shifted the cup toward me, and offered it into my hands instead.
BaBa Tal [ the Bell-man] ‘s little brass bells gave the faintest whisper as he leaned toward me and murmured,
“Bacha, history is often remembered through speeches. But character is revealed in the silent seconds between them.”
As the evening breeze carried the scent of jasmine, “BaBa Tal” leaned in once more, his voice soft yet piercing like the call of destiny:
“Remember, the truly great do not wait for the world to recognise them — they prepare the world to be led by them. This daughter of Pakistan already walks that path.”
The Quran honours women with power, intellect, and leadership. Allah says in Surah An-Nahl (16:97):
“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer — those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged, even as much as the speck on a date seed.”
The Holy Prophet Muhammad [Peace and blessings be upon him] further empowered women through his actions and words. In a well-known Hadith, he said:
“The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it.” (Sahih Bukhari)
— a teaching that elevated women scholars and leaders in early Islamic society and continues to inspire capable daughters of the ummah like Dr. Lodhi to rise and serve.
From Western literature… Shakespeare… Eleanor Roosevelt:
7 “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
Why Maleeha Lodhi Embodies the Ideal Secretary-General
She is not a fleeting shadow in the corridors of power. She is the enduring flame…
This is the woman we have among us! This is the Talented Daughter…
O leadership of Pakistan! … Nominate Dr. Maleeha Lodhi.
I cherish the hope that, when Dr. Maleeha Lodhi takes the oath as Secretary-General of the United Nations, I shall invite her to the Delegates Lounge for a cup of tea. It is a promise of gratitude I have quietly owed since that memorable evening.
QUATRAIN [ coined by T. Hejazi- where poetry becomes tears, and tears becomes poetry]
°°°
O Daughter of the Crescent, with wisdom’s sacred flame,
From Indus banks to UN halls, you carved your noble name.
Let eagles of destiny lift thee to the highest seat,
Pakistan’s pride, humanity’s hope — in victory complete!

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