Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Love through thick and thin
Valentine’s Day is a festival that celebrates love and romance in all forms. Though the festival commemorates the martyrdom of a Christian saint called St. Valentine, the festival as it is celebrated today, has a very little religious significance.
Valentine’s Day is supposed to be an occasion to display love, affection and care for our families, friends and romantic partners. But today, it does not seem that way anymore, for families and friends are mostly wiped off list, leaving only partner in it.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
Sheer need
of freedom
of speech
This is one of the major shortcomings of our society and its importance needs to be understood. When there is no availability of freedom of speech in any country or society, the nation can never progress without knowing the thoughts of its people. Whenever a person wants to raise voice against something that is directly or indirectly contradicting the policies of our government or the flaws of our society, the system of this country shuts him up. This is just because of the lack of acceptability and tolerance in every single person.
Superiors are living their life in superiority so how can they let any person come and speak against their reforms and actions? Because this will take their power and superiority and then how will they dictate every single thing according to their perspective? The sheer importance of this issue should be focused on. If there is a continued lack of this freedom we can never grow and progress in order to become a developed state. State is developed not only with sources and resources but also when there is justice for every human living in that society and they have equal and just rights.
Government should provide such platforms for people, especially to the youth to come forward and give their points of view in order to bring any change in any policy, rule, act or law. When the government and our educational institutes collaborate with each other to work for the betterment of the nation and society, it can bring a bigger change that can help out in eradicating the curses of the “mighty is always right”. Freedom of speech is not forcing anybody to agree…it is just giving opportunity and the right of speaking up. And this should be learned that we can agree to disagree, not always imposing our point is right.
FATIMA KHAN
Lahore
Social media addiction
Use of social media and networking services such as FB, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Snapchat, Tiktok, etc have become an integral and inseparable part of our life and idea of life without internet seems incomplete to us. We can’t deny the fact that quality of our life has enhanced through social media but it’s a fact too that it has brought more negatives than positives in our life.
One of the problems which is associated with social media is social media addiction. What makes social media so addictive? Social media addiction looks much like any other substance disorder and produce same neural circuitry or sense of pleasure that is associated with gambling and recreational drugs to keep consumers using their product as much as possible. Whenever you get a like, a share or a favourable response to a post, it can trigger the release of a rewarding hormone “dopamine”. The more you are rewarded, the more you want to spend time on social media which makes you addictive to social media.
People mostly teenagers and adolescent are made to feel inferior than their social media influencers because they tend to share only happy moments of their life rarely the low points that everyone experiences. Fear Of missing out (fomo) that others are living more happy life is exacerbated by use of social media. This can make you feel insecure about how you look or what’s going on in your own life. It compels you to check for updates every few minutes.
Teenagers feel pressurized to fit in their social media friends. If you prioritize social media interaction over in person relationships, the more you are at the risk to face mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Whenever teenagers feel depressed, they start spending more time on social media instead of socialize in people which make them addictive and more depressed.
MUZNA HASHMI
Lahore
Women empowerment
According to a study, it is estimated that between 10 and 20pc of women in Pakistan have suffered some form of abuse. Physical violence, dowry deaths, low economic status of women, acid attacks, honour killing, less education and job access, lack of awareness about women rights and psychological abuse of women are the issues faced by women worldwide including Pakistan. To empower our women, we have to spread awareness which is possible through education. Second step is to change the mindset of our women from Sinf-e-Nazuk to Sinf-e-Ahan (Womn of steel), because when the mindset changes, things on the outside change also.
In a battle that took place in Bayt Lahyah near Ajnadin, a knight, in black attire, with a large green shawl, wrapped around his waist broke through the Roman ranks as an arrow. Many of the Muslims thought that he was Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (RA) until he appeared.
After her brother, Hazrat Dhiraar (RA) was captured by Byzantine army, she fought the battalion and scattered the enemy ranks. She was Queen of Islam and Sinf-e-Aahan: “Khawla Bint Al-Azwar RA)”, a legendary Arab Muslim warrior, a companion of the Last Prophet (PBUH), a noble daughter and a sister. She set an example that one should never accept defeat and one should fight for what he or she believes in.
There is a long history of women oppression in our society. Solution is to empower our daughters with education and Queen mindset so that they can take stand against any inujustice and violence. Unlike the princess, who’s always looking outside of her for acceptence, a Queen looks within her innterself, and knows who she is and what she values. If we want to empower our society, we have to empower our women because women empowerment is a key to build a future we want.
MUZNA M HASHMI
Lahore
