Meer Hazar Mazari
Recently, when i was reading online news, came to know a news that was not only amazed me but also compelled to recall the history. The news was about annual matric examinations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was declared by the Chairman of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Peshawar that upcoming matric examinations would be held after Ramdan. Prior to this, examinations was scheduled to be held in March 2024. Almost, all the other respective Boards KPK decided to hold exam in same way.
It compelled me to recall a same event that happened in West Pakistan in March 1958. It was the time when Malik Feroz Khan Noon was the Prime Minister and there was political upheaval in country. When matric examinations was announced, exactly, Ramdan was taking place in March 1958. Clergy of Pakistan emphasized government not to hold examination in holy month because it would interrupt in the prayers of students. The government of that time compelled to re-schdule examinations date due to strong pressure from clergy.
We are still confuse in these matters but on the the other hand, the nations of world even our neighboring countries are being develop very fast. Our condition is so miserable as much as we can say. India has become fifth largest economy of the wolrd. Now, it became from regional to an International power. We are still confined within region. Even though, we could not address our actual problems at home. Detached youth, frustrated public and fast growing economic and political grievances amongst masses created a sense of hystria. Majority of the youth is making to try their luck abroad rather their home country. Bengladesh is one of the fast growing economies of the South Asia. Even we lag behind Ethiopia, Rwanda and Libya.
According to the report of United Nations Wolrd Food Program, Pakistan was third after South Sudan and Madagascar which had been most affected country in terms of floods and droughts in 2022. The floods affected nearly 33 million people and killed 800,000 livestock. Moreover, Ministry of Planing and Development of Pakistan assessed in her report in October 2022, that 8 million people were displaced. Pakistan comes most vulnerable countries list in terms of climate change. International Donors also pledged more than $10bn at the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan in January 2023. But, the flood affectees of peripheries such as Derajat of South Punjab, Northern East of Balochistan and Sindh did not get any substantial relief from government of Pakistan and so-called International donors.
However, another report revealed that “Pakistan is ranked in the ‘low human development category’ at 161 out of 192 countries listed on the Human Development Index for 2021-2022 due to its poor education, health and income indicators.” In the same report, India was placed at 132, Bangladesh was placed at 129 and Sri Lanka was placed at 73. Millions of children are out of school in Pakistan. Unemployment has continued to rise due to over-population and other factors. The children of peripheries are facing malnutrition deficiencies. Those, haves, could manage their education and health related matters. Those, have-nots, continue to suffer.
Moreover, According to the 2022 Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International, Pakistan was placed at 140 out of 180 countries. On the other hand, India was placed at 80 and Nepal was placed at 110 out of 180. In Pakistan, police and judiciary remained most corrupt institutions. One, is responsible for security and law and order and Second, is responsible for justice. Unfortunately, both of them touching the sky of infamy. Our justice system is questionable.
Besides this, the recent surge in terrorism is catastrophic and the policy maker should think about it more than seriously. As Amar Ali Jan, rightly quoted that we are living in a permanent state of emergency. Maulana Fazal al-Rehman is mediating between Pakistan and Afghanistan governments. But, these efforts do not seem to be fruitful. But, it is too early to say something. However, a question is irritating me that, whether T.T.P’s masters in Afghanistan will take any sound action against T.T.P while having same ideology and objectives.
However, my actual question is that, as a nation, where we stand? India successfully landed her chandrayan-3 on the moon. It became fourth country to land on the moon after Soviet Union, the U.S.A and China. We are still stuck in the stuff as I earlier mentioned in the first paragraph. Our children can study in Ramadan but can not set in examinations only for three hours. It does not make sense and not a rational decision to postpone the exams. Other nations are going forward but, unfortunately, we are going backward to repeat history time and again.
The Writer is Islamabad-Based Researcher and an MPhil scholar from Quaid e Azam University, Islamabad.
