“My heart breaks for my beloved country. I want to do something extra-ordinary for the betterment of my people, and I invite you to join me in a national cause by volunteering your time and expertise for this country,” says a high-level government official holding Rs. 1500 million budget for a national science project.“Sir, but this is a commercial entity. I have no problem working for free for an orphanage or an NGO but, since you will make millions (by selling your services to other governmental and commercial entities) once this project is complete, why cannot you spare a few thousand rupees for consultants who can tell how to setup this facility?” I replied. And, as expected, I received the same response that I’ve been getting at least once a week since I came back to Pakistan: “This is your country; it is your responsibility to serve her. It should be your top-most (and, in fact, the only) priority to work for her. If you want to make money go back from wherever you came from, we don’t need you. Pakistan doesn’t need you. This country was made in God’s name and He will guide us in these troubled times.”
I am still struggling to differentiate between patriotism and free labor. I believe that we all are patriots, as long as we are doing what we are supposed to do, or until we do something unpatriotic. I am loyal to my country, but I have family responsibilities as well. I cannot do research, or work for the betterment of the society, if I am not able to feed my family, or provide them with basic necessities of life.
Unfortunately, we have developed a tradition of slapping everyone who wants to bring the change in the status quo with the charge of insufficient patriotism. Personally, I like to show my patriotism through my work and not by my words. I don’t like to come up with the creative ways to prove how much I love my country, as Parveen Shakir once said:
What’s more, working for free has a negative effect as well: It doesn’t matter how good you are or what you are capable of, if you are doing something for free, no one takes it seriously. At least this has been my experience so far.
So, if we are to pay researchers for their work on public projects, the question arises where should this money come from? To answer this question, consider this. If I were to make an analogy for Pakistani research community and industry/government agencies, I would equate them with the example of two cows: One is frail, sick and cannot even stand on her own feet, while the other is healthy, productive, and full of milk. The wise approach would be to milk the healthy cow, sell the milk, and take care of the sick cow from the money received from selling the milk. By feeding the weak cow from the cash received, we can expect that she will soon be healthy and productive. Research community in Pakistan, in general, is the weaker cow. It cannot and should not be expected to produce ready-to-use products. The stronger cow (government agencies and industry) has to feed her first with the start-up grants, consulting assignments, confidence, recognition, and respect. And then, we can expect some real output from the research community.
To build this relationship between industry, academia and government, we should focus mainly on the needs of young researchers. It will take far less effort, and resources to get young researchers on board, than what we are already spending on foreign consultants. I believe that they have the skills, up-to-date knowledge and expertise to get the job done. Besides, all the other necessary ingredients that we ask for upfront — patriotism, love for the country, etc. — are inherent properties of these young minds.
I admit that universities are also at fault for this broken relationship. We, the academics, have not been able to prove our capabilities or build the trust that is required in such contracts. We have to mutually grow this relationship, so as to create an environment that is conducive to research. To promote academic-industry-government partnership, HEC, Pakistan Science Foundation, ICT R&D Fund, Punjab IT Board and other organizations can play a role. They can bridge the gap by providing a platform that can take project/consulting requirements from the government/industry and assign it to young researchers, while facilitating and maintaining the research funds. This platform can also help build one-to-one relationship between a university researcher and a government official for future projects.
There are around 600 scholars, 400 or so who are currently studying on HEC scholarships and another 200 or so on Fulbright, who are expecting to return to Pakistan in 2010-2011. These scholars have been trained and educated on Pakistani tax payers’ money. We have to start trusting our own people and their expertise. And, I believe, they have the potential to exceed our expectations. By investing in them, not only will we be saving thousands of dollars that we spend on foreign consultants, but we will also build local capabilities. If we fail to build a system that makes use of the expertise of these returning scholars, I am afraid that most of the money spent on foreign scholarships will be wasted, either by scholars leaving the country for better opportunities or by not utilizing their full potential.
Not a single week passes that I don’t find someone shouting at me to go back to where I came from. But, I am not going to leave. I will stay here to make the naysayers obsolete. If we keep moving abroad out of frustration, we are, in fact, handing over our own motherland to these people. We will not, and we should not allow this to happen. The people who are opposing change are really old and they will retire in a few years. I have to stay here to wait for that vacant position and whenever there is an opportunity, I will opt for it to bring about the change my country deserves. And, in the meanwhile, I will create a generation of young minds to help me build a prosperous Pakistan. This is my country, I am here to stay, and I dare to stay!
Dr. Zeeshan-ul-hassan Usmani is an assistant professor in the faculty of Computer Science at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Science and Technology. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of STEP.
Dr. Usmani, somehow, this seems a little odd coming from you, given that when you were a Fulbright scholar in the US, you had sent emails to almost all the Pakistanis working in the US asking for their help in finding you a job “in the US” even though you knew that you were a Fulbright scholar, and were supposed to return to Pakistan. I still have that email in case you are wondering “what in the world” am I talking about?
I hope you really meant the words ‘This is my country, I am here to stay, and I dare to stay’, because the email that you sent asking for help in finding a job “in the US” doesn’t resonate well with the note (reproduced above) on which you ended your post.
Dear Reader
Thanks for your note and keeping the record of my emails. I did an OPT (Optional Practical Training, allowed by the Fulbright at that time) after my MS. However, I didn’t sent an email or tried to get a job in the U.S. after my PhD.
Regards
if you are not a patrotic pakistani, then you dont have the right to comment on some patriotic person, the love for the country is the part of our eman, i hope you may not be a muslim pakistani.
Dear Anonymous Reader:
I cannot the point of your message; regardless of what you perceive Dr. Usmani tried to do (he has since clarified the issue), why do you insist on focusing the messenger and not the message? I think it is about time we come out of this mentality of “you are either perfect or you don’t deserve to talk” and focus on the main point being conveyed. Dr. Usmani is absolutely right in that patriotism does not mean starving yourself and your family; neither it means not demanding what is your due right.
Dear ‘Un-Patriotic Pakistani’,
Given the audacity of your claim (and the lack of cajones by not telling us your name), I can only suggest you try and settle abroad. Pakistan does not need people like you, she needs people like Dr. Usmani. What he says is right, and how he says it is even better.
Best,
Kaka Manna.
Please share those emails to bring the facts, I hope what Zeeshan is saying true , he sound more like a leader then a learned person , so most probably result will be otherwise what he has been saying.
The skepticism that ‘Un-Patriotic Pakistani’ is not surprising. A very large number of Fulbright scholars that I know personally have not returned to Pakistan as required by the Fulbright program.
Instead students have completed 2 years in the US and then tried to find loopholes so that they can work in places like Singapore or Dubai instead of returning to Pakistan.
It seems Zeeshan is unlike many other Fulbright grantees in that he has returned to teach in Pakistan.
It shocks me that many well educated women and men of Pakistan would try to cheat an organization that is funding them. I know some of them personally and when I confronted some of them they pretend like breaking the rules is not a big deal. Shameful really.
“These scholars have been trained and educated on Pakistani tax payers’ money. ” Seriously? This is all US-aid and that’s why number of Pakistani students getting Fulbright scholarships went up from 3 in the nation to hundreds. There is NO tax payers’ money in Pakistan, unfortunately. Most people don’t pay taxes and the little money that is gathered from the taxes usually vanishes into the thin air.
From the Fulbright website: (http://www.usefpakistan.org/)
“USEFP administers a number of scholarship programs, including the Fulbright, the U.S. government’s flagship scholarship program”
From the USAID website: (http://www.usaid.gov/pk/sectors/education/hecfad.html)
Funding: $4,000,000
HEC-FAD is providing technical assistance to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and 11 Pakistani partner universities by creating viable financial aid and development systems within those institutions. It assists in managing scholarship funds and in raising funds through providing skills for establishing public-private partnerships towards university development.
Please don’t try to justify your exit from the USA based on your loyalty to Pakistani tax-payers.
Dear Haq-Baat
Where did I mention anything about my return for Pakistani’s tax payers’ money?
And HEC (a government institute on public money) provides major funding for the Fulbright program (the reason why we have so many scholarships now). http://www.usefpakistan.org/FulbrightHECUSAID.html
Regards
and here is a link confirming that HEC is paying like 15 Million US$ for the Fulbright Program.
http://islamabad.usembassy.gov/pakistan/h05040601.html
Excuse me! I pay tax on daily basis, I give 23 Rs per litre of patrol to government, I pay tax on electric, water, and gas bill, and I pay tax on sales and purchase. What you are talking about?
If government is spending the money, it is coming from the pocket of the citizens one way or other. and even if it is coming from the loan, we are the one who will pay the debt through generations to come.
Your frustrations with the system and not finding the career that you may have imagined are very obvios. So obvios that people have advised you to go back. I also understand the need for a change in the way many systems have been running in Pakistan, but if the above comments posted by an “un-patriotic Pakistani” are correct, then the above article is nothing but a job application.
Dear Adnan
Thanks for your comments. Al-hamdullilah, I have a good job and the number of consulting projects. This article is not an attempt to get a job, infact, I might have less “consulting” after this article :-)
Dear adnan we pakistani will never change our mentality. if some one (Dr usman) try to change the mind of young people, i don’t know why the people object on his efforts.
I will see after few years when you will be done with your bond with HEC. Dont tell me that its a way of paving grounds in advance for leaving pakistan after few years.
Dear Unknown
Thanks. I went to Fulbright in 2004 and the HEC wasn’t involved with the Fulbright at that time, Furthermore, later I had a full waiver from HEC (since my father didn’t have anything to put on collateral).
Keep me in your prayers
One word for the article “brilliant” thanks for sharing your thoughts, I couldn’t agree more.
One word for responders “WOW”. Please stop jumping to conclusions. And who the hell you are to tell someone where he can work or not and when he can leave the country. He is here and teaching that would be enough. If he decides to go back we can’t stop him. This article is not about the author. It is about the system. We should focus on what is written instead of who wrote it.
And Mr unpatriotic would you be kind enough to save these comments in your hate database so you can smash it on my face down the line in 10 years if I happened to post some negative comments for the same author.
It is common to see such problems… & not just in Pakistan. I hope Usmani sb. “tundi-e-bad-e-mukhalif” se ghabraanai walaai nahi. & I also believe keh Iqbal ki Pakistani mitti “baRee zarkhaaiz hai”…. So Dr. GIKI, u dont need to take such minute things so seriously…. rather u need to become “Saqi” in Iqbal’s sense ;) Also, keep visiting abroad to keep ur research linkages fresh… research needs interaction!
baqi for the first 3 people, who seem to be “jaanai pehchaanaai”… sharam karo be-sharmoo… Itni taleem ne bhi tumhaaraa kuch nahi bigaaRaa :P
Dear Brother,
may Allah SWT reward you for the sincerity and patriotism you have of our nation and it’s future. It is obvious that your efforts and initiatives will always be remembered and written in good words by the righteous patriots, despite of the current situation(s) you are facing. I would just like to add some to the above form brother Anwar Ul Haque email,in hope that righteous people get active and let’s make efforts to awake the nation. [Political comments removed. -- Ed.]
very well said.May Allah bless you.amin.I really appreciate that few people among us still have that thinking.a true patriotic thinking.what ever we are now is just because of that country,Pakistan MY Pakistan your Pakistan our Pakistan.Pakistan has truly given us lot.now its time for us to give it back.Most of the people don’t understand the meanings of Pakistan.Pakistan is a piece of land,rich of natural resources,man power,the best educational institutions and many more good things.How do we make use of these things, is up to us.no doubt this sacred piece of land is facing difficulties.but we should never forget that,these are nothing in comparison to what it faced,when it came into being.our elders had given many sacrifices to achieve that beautiful land for us and only for us. May Allah give you the strength to steadfast on staying in Pakistan and find the followers, inshAllah we will build a new Pakistan the one which our elders dream for us.
A very good article, a cool breeze in this damp environment. A passionate person like you is the need of the hour and InshAllah you will get the strength to stay and do great for our beloved country.
I like your analogy of the week/strong cow, Its a great idea and the strong cow can be the Pakistanis living in abroad, who really want to do something as they don’t spend a single day to see the unjust in every sector. As they follow the current affairs of Pakistan with more sense and devotion than the Pakistanis living in our motherland. And I hope that they must be ready to donate and participate with their money/resources to start this venture of nourishing the research in our motherland.
It better to ask the Pakistanis living abroad, keeping in view the state of our government officials(evident from the article) as they clearly not follow the same standard that they want for others to follow. If he was looking for some volunteers, he must not take any salary from govt. of Pakistan and then he is morally legitimate to ask the same gesture from other Pakistanis. But I can’t agree more with you on this ‘I cannot do research, or work for the betterment of the society, if I am not able to feed my family, or provide them with basic necessities of life.’
May Allah give us a good leadership which not only willing to donate us with their organs but also open their bank balances to feed the poor and help the young researchers to participate actively for the betterment of our country.
I want to get in touch with u, much can be done and all that is needd is the ‘doing’ itself, i might be useful in linking industry with research. Am a big believer in r&d, due to my own background and experience. Please mail me asap as im in pak for a limited time,
Hmm..interesting how the real issue got barely mentioned in the responders posts…
I work for an NGO and I witness how much of the funding for the development sector heads back where it came from through the exorbitent fees paid to foreign consultants. On the other hand, the government wants to buy local expertise for free? It doesn’t work that way.
The word voluntteerism means that the person concerned should opt for doing something out of his own conviction and free will, not be guilted into doing something. I don’t care even if a researcher demands money not just to feed his family, but to buy a BMW or a farmhouse. If he is worth anything to the project that he is being asked to volunteer for, the program will and should pay him money; if not, then they shouldn’t. How can anyone insist that someone else volunteer?
Not taking money for services offered is not the only show of patriotism. Everyone expresses patriotism in their own unique ways, much as we express love, anger and creativity in our individual ways. For me, working in /traveling to remote regions of Pakistan, deprived communities lacking basic amenities etc, is also a show of patriotism. Am i paid for htis work? You bet! But I have some power to decide which of these wtrips i wil or i won’t make, so the fact that i do venture out of the comfort of my office to work with those who need me the most, spells patriotism to me. Does it involve any sacrifice on my part? Hell, no! I love doing it , which is why I do it. Patriotism doesn’t mean making yourself and everyone else miserable for some real or imagined purpose. Last I checked, the word for spreading and living such misery was ‘sadism’ not patriotism.
It is perfectly okay for us to search happiness, satisfaction and material well-being through our work. Anyone who feels differently, please go ahead and volunteer your life away and tell us all about it. Zeeshan you should have asked the gentleman in question to donate some of his salary to you for the research, since he was so noble and lofty himself. Aargh! these double-faced people and their rhethoric makes me sick
Spot on!!
love all u said !
Thanks Ayesha for sharing your experience. we need more persons like you. If the author (God forbid) have said that he needs a BMW, you would have seen a thousand comments on this article by now full of hatred and insult.
I will agree to Dr. Usmani viewpoint. I have observed MS/PhD scholars returning from abroad with motivation to do something for this country. But they are not supported, in many cases, no encouragement, no support either financial or administrative to conduct their work. After all, they need some tools and softwares and for PhD cases RAs etc. to lend a helping hand; and also basic infrastructure facilities and above all “time” which they are made here to waste in “planning and development meetings” where someone brags of ownership and tells then there was someone magical who did something in days when there were far less pays and far less facilities available.He will end up with some abstract goals he’s expecting from some abstract capable person present around assuming they understand themsleves whom he’s addressing.
If an asst. professor cant get a basic lab with 5-6 computers and some development boards etc. for use of his group and there are no graduate students ready to be involved with him for they are doing part-time jobs or doing part-time studies only, what are you expecting from the scholar. Similar, if not same, applies to many cases.
Do we think of scholars as some sort of fully loaded machine guns brought from outside who will crack some fires to make the “viewers” happy. And we expect them to do something miraculous often.
All I mean to say is the scholars should be given some definitive realistic goals and objectives. They should be provided essential funding and resources and should be accordingly evaluated for further funding and/or growth. We cant make it all abstract. Research and Development is a phenomenon different than the case of student at undergrad, intermediate or matric level who is motivated somehow and shows exponential progress overnight without any mentionable investment.
Nice article !! Very nice content !!
I would like to add one more point. This is not a problem of only the scholars who have come back but of those as well who r studying outside still. In fact, this is the very reason for many of opting to not come back. Its not that they r not patriotic or anything!! But we as youth of Pakistan should try to motivate each other to face the challenge and make the environment more and more conducive for R&D. So that more and more ppl can come back and stay.
Nice work Dr. Usman. Keep the articles coming.
actually, it is the problem with local scholars as well. we do have quite a few local students who are as good as any other returning scholar, but they have to face double discouragement, one as pointed out in this article and another of being “local qualified”. Isn’t ironic that a PhD from a Pakistani university with all these extra-ordinary measures of quality assurance cannot even get half of the salary as his/her foreing-qualified peer?
Why would I waste 6 years of my life getting a PhD from a Pakistani university where I can easily get a Phd in three years from UK and will be eligible for double salary.
Nice article .. I think the problems highlighted by Dr. Usmani are present on many levels in our country and are the reason for dead-locks in not being able to carry out even small tasks .. We should get out of the habit of taking our people and resources for granted and start valuing them .. this will also generate motivation to achieve our goals .. We can not expect that motivation will come just because ‘patriotism should be part of our eman’ ..
And with your permission, sir, i would like to reproduce a quote from ur email signature for those who try to snub every positive and practical voice:
‘Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing’ — Aristotle
Nice article. I absolutely liked the foreign consultant point, which may show the mentality and approach of our government official not trusting our own scholars.
I will definitely say to the Government officials that “For God sack the foreign consultants are deceiving you with a few English sentences. Trust on our own scholars because in my point of view our own scholars are 100 time better than them, because they know the surroundings.”
Yes, this is the case with most of the “Afsar Shahi” type people in Pakistan who never count when they are spending a huge amount of money on their luxuries but spoke (and even try to convince) for patriotism when they found a place or chance to express their-self as very honest & patriot only person in the Country.
Well, Society have to realize the difference between two concepts and courage for not discouraging others especially our youths.
A lovely article. I couldn’t agree more. I work at one of the government’s project related to “so-called” research. Here, we waste most of our time in meetings and making flashy reports for high-ups. That’s it.
Having said that, I would like to highlight another point. Even if we want and like, we cannot hire/incorporate reseachers into our main stream day to day business. We can buy 100 winchesters, or 10 bullet proof jackets if there is a need, but there is no budget alotment for hiring a researcher or even buying a laptop.
We are mainly restrained by our local procurement mechanism, that is quite non-cooperative for research or any kind of R&D.
Until, we have proper fix percentage of R&D in our annual budget, these articles are not going to change anything.
Good luck anyway!
100 percent true
3 years ago I gave a presentation to police officials in karachi on geo-profiling to find street criminals who are usually involved in snatching a mobile or money outside an ATM machine. The officials loved the presentation but then said that they don’t know how they can purchase my software or services. At the end out of frustration. I offered them to have it for free but they said they still can’t hire a person who will operate the software or even have no money to buy a computer. I am wondering how they can buy cars and plots and have no money for a PC
Kandeel, can you provide more information about this project? Perhaps you can upload the presentation for us to see.
Dear bilal. I am sorry that was like in early 2007. I don’t have that presentation. I ended up selling my work to brazilian police :-)
Btw. After that experience I stop working with any govt organization in pakistan.
Kandeel,
can you please provide some reference to the project that finally was used by Brazilian police? Or are you bound by some IP worries (which are totally understandable). However, it is facinating to hear you providing a solution and getting it working, and hence we (or atleast I) would love to hear more about it.
Dear Affan and Imran. Sorry I can’t discuss this case. I’ve signed an NDA with the buyer. My software is based on spatial statistics and inspired from Dr. Kim Rossmo’s serial killer algorithm. If you are interested you can have a look at Rigel or ECRI – Environmental Criminology Research Inc. However, my software also have some fancy and intelligent GIS and Behavioral patches. I am still sad that it couldn’t be used in Pakistan.
Kandeel, Can you please advise where we can get look of police project.
I love it! I have a suggestion for young researchers or anyone who is interested to do research for Pakistan or to solve local problems. If we wait for the government or other officials, they will never listen. Corruption is their default behavior and complaining is not going to solve anything. We might become another Pervaiz Hoodbhouy or Zaid Hamid, but we won’t be able to solve or achieve what we want. So here is a suggestion and I am willing to help to the best I can.
We can start a platform/organization (like The Citizens Foundation, Rotaract Club, Lions Club etc) of young researchers. The board (comprises of pioneer members) can select a few projects of national interest and upload their summaries/project plans on some website. and then we can ask the public to fund those projects, if government is willing to donate, why not? but, our main audience should be the public, even a single rupee counts. We can start the projects from the public and for the public. If Madrasah, Edhi Centers, Masjid, Darul-Aman, Schools, Free-food centers, Clinics and hospitals can run on chairty in this country why can’t we do research.
Think about it, something like RFP (Research For Pakistan)
Good Luck!
I like your idea. Even we can invite pakistani living abroad to fund and or vet the projetcs. Count me in
I don’t think it would be that easy.
A lot of transaction costs are involved, so to say in the language of institutional economists.
I have some experience, albeit on a very small scale, with volunteerism and I must say getting people’s willingness to contribute and that too on a (not-so-much-in-real-life) united cause was very very difficult to say the least.
However, a very strong and charismatic leadership can do wonders.
Well done Dr. Usmani, well timed, well said words.
ahh! just what we need. And we have some successful models of projects funded by charity too e.g Shoukat-Khanum in Lahore, Sughra-Shafi in Narowal etc.
brill idea :) Charity Researchers ..hehehe .. count me in..
Nice idea.
i am already planing to establish a platform to facilitate research in Pakistan.
Anyone (whether you are Student, Ph.D, Professional or simply a Pakistani) having some idea or want to do something in this regard, come, let’s do it together.
See here. Zafar Habib one such brilliant guy from Samundri(near Faisalabad). http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1380752515
He is developing educational softwares for schools. Few links of his works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4swtgugnQ8
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1222425885707
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uVCkTsyswI
All of the debate comes to basic question. How can a healthy mind flourish under the presence of classes in society/country?
With the existence of classes based on private property and wealth possessions, you can never work for yourself or for masses of Pakistan. All you work will be for rich capitalists to increase their profits. Weather you are doing consulting job, job in univ. or in industry, you are bound to serve capitalists with all your energies, efforts, knowledge and time.
lot of people come back to Pakistan after being well educated abroad and then leave to their training destination.
Developed countries are far ahead not only in terms of technology but also its application in society as general. All their industry, state departments,laws, customs, institutes and lifestyle are well tuned to acquiring latest technologies and its application.
Unfortunately our society in Pakistan is kindda backward society. We are just trying to progressed from feudalism to capitalism whereas world has progressed to capitalism 400 years back, enjoyed fruits of capitalism 200 years back and now capitalism is facing downfall.
Dr. Sahib went through the same pain but he is fortunate that there is one institute in Pakistan which is totally aligned with developed world
in serving their conglomerate for profits. Hence he is lucky to secure job here.
But as the working class condition of Pakistan is bad and becoming worse day by day. life is becoming unbearable even for decent salaried persons interms of better health care, education for kids, decent housing, security, job security, freedom of work, workplace environment etc etc.
Situation is not favorable even in developed countries nowadays. With high level of lay offs, short termed contracts, extra workload, strict workplace performance evaluations, low wages, no increments, high cost of living, huge developing class difference provoking competition, security issues etc etc have turned western world’s not a worthy place to spend your remaining life years till death. Ofcourse still bit better than Pakistan. But class depressions might be same.
Only solution to these problems is that working class should engage in struggle against capitalist class to bring about socialist revolution.
Everybody might be aware what socialism is, i.e. finishing of private possession of properties, institutes and companies by individuals and families and give them under democratic control of workers working in them. Under such situation the land, company, institute will operate and produce for the needs of all working class rather than profits of few.
Just an example; under socialism, Textile workers committees will produce cloth for all the population, farmer committees will grow for all the population, transport comittees will transport stuff, builders comittees will build houses for all, doctors comittes will cure for all, scientists will do research beneficial for all, engineer committees will develop for all. Not worrying about their day to day struggle for necessities of life to live.
And health, education, housing, JOB and basic necessities will be fundamental right of each person freely provided by state through democratic communities.
THERE WILL BE NO PRIVATE PROPERTIES, ALL WILL BE UNDER DEMOCRATIC CONTROL OF WORKERS COMMITTEES WORKING IN THEM.
The new technology will decrease working times of workers and increase shifts w/o decreasing their social compensation. Unlike nowadays whereas new technology is producing force of unemployed people.
The struggle has already been started and has gained tremendous momentum in working class population and youth throughout the country.
In-short Socialism is the only solution to crisis all over the world including in Universities and research centers.
I concur with Dr.Zeesshan. It is high time we start trusting our nation’s talented youth, and they undoubtedly have the capabilities to surpass our expectations. We should put an end to this attitude of looking up to other nations for help. We have to get self sufficient now!
I agree with you Dr. Zeeshan. Good luck with all your endeavors.
Everyone seems to be throwing thier views. The good idea stated from Dr. Zeeshan is to be implemented.
I think we should start with any kind of patriotic act not beat about the bush.
Alhamdulillah, our classmates are running a little resolution (absolutely not political) for helping the poor person. This is what we little youngsters can do, by collecting small amount of money from our classmates. But We also want to spread this resolution. But we are afraid, it might be considered as political.
So, Dr. Zeeshan and all other viewers, not just post your commments. Come with any practical act with leadership.
We are here to show patriotism
Mehwish, in case you want to scale your effort or need any sort of help .. here are few guys who are already doing such things .. ‘Join Hands’ :)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=399722186065
You raised really good points Dr. Usmani.
I strongly doubt anyone boasting about his/her patriotic feelings. Its the same as a salesman’s swearing.
Asalam Elekum
I fully agree with Dr. Usmani as well as with Parveen Shakir message quoted above. I also think the idea of “Research for Pakistan” is great.
Hey guys wish me and my country good luck, I am returning in May 2010…count down has already started.
Vasalam
Murtaza
Dear Zee;
I told you to serve the countrymen to bring them over to North American Hemisphere, at least they can get qualified and can be recognized for their hard work, will not be BEGGED for volunteerism, like you are been given empty words “serve the country”, while most of these people’s children are out of Pakistan, and more likely not be returning due to their safety and many more reasons, who speak country country country.
I have been repeatedly asked by several people, will you go back, I always said give me one good reason, and I will. My father was in army service as civilian, and was retired from grade 19 ceiling, at his retirement he owned a bicycle, and I know it and I am an evidence that almost everyone (not all fingers all same) had several cars in their car porches, and children out of country, if someone will argue here that they all (perhaps some) were rich, no absolutely not, and the salaries they earned could not even by them one car rather living in auspicious places and traveling by air on government expanses.
My father, may he be blessed in Jannah, aamin, always advised us speak truth no matter, what happens to you, be punctual and never give or take bribe or another most dangerous disease “SIFARISH”.
As long as I lived in Pakistan, it was obvious that, I could not run my errands if I was stuck in any situation, where any governmental office is involved.
I will strongly suggest you to work with private sector as long as you want to stay there, otherwise, Earth is made by Allah and you are an equal human to go and live, where you are welcomed as who, you are, that is the lesson we as Muslims are taught by our beloved prophet Hadhrat Muhammad PBUH. The migration to Madinah from Mecca is an excellent example, even he (PBUH) entered in his homeland Mecca as the best conquerer, he still went back to Madinah.
I know your capabilities, finish your required tenure and get back, at least you will be out of stress of the people, who would like you to serve them (not the country) as GHULAMs used to do before Islam came on horizon.
Regards;
Atif
Firstly, comparing North-America and Pakistan with Mecca and Medina of Hazrat Muhammad’s(PBUH) time is totally out of context. He didn’t migrate cz of in search of better institutions or cz he was not able to find work in Mecca.
Secondly, talking about “one good reason to return”, i would say “serve the country” in fact is a really good reason if is said and acted upon in complete holiness. For second good reason, you might want to take care of your mother/father(if any of them is alive). And we can go on .. but that really isn’t the point.
Lastly, we all know the problems currently being faced by people in Pakistan and running away from the problems in really no solution. We need to find solutions and we need to apply them. Nobody is coming down from the sky to solve them. We as Pakistanis have to come forward and take measures to address the short-comings of our society. And in a way people like us, who got quality foreign education and experience, owe much more to this country and people of this country and have more responsibility to take up the problems and address the solutions because we have got and seen much more than an average Pakistani.
May Allah be with us all.
ta ta
“He didn’t migrate cz of in search of better institutions or cz he was not able to find work in Mecca.”
His work was preaching, so he could not find it in Mecca suited for majority of Meccans, rather he saw an institutional approach with understanding of Islam’s education in people of Madina, where he established the institution of Islam, that is why he left Mecca, returned back as a victor to Mecca still did not stay in Mecca and went back to Madina.
“serve the country”
Whose country “Punjabi’s, Baloch’s Sindhi’s, Pakhtoon’s, Muhajir’s or Mullah’s”.
At least I am treated with all due respect, where I am irregardless of my race and religion as an individual.
@Dr. Usmani, very nice article and the best thing on this page are comments on this article.
i am already planing to establish a platform to facilitate research in Pakistan.
your article & it’s comments cleared a lot of confusions in planing.
I’ll discuss it’s plan with you.
Anyone (whether you are Student, Ph.D, Professional or simply a Pakistani) having some idea or want to do something in this regard, come, let’s do it together.
Do setup some forum, perhaps this so called administration have someone, who gets lights on, so far it seems that everyone in the current administration and court system has a load-shedding happening on their minds. Like there is darkness every where in Pakistan. They want to stop or block the information age, time is no longer on their side any more, may Allah save innocents of Pakistan from their very own administration and courts, aamin.
Woh kehtay hain na keh gehoon kay saath ghun bhi pis jaata hay, Allah behtar karay tamam ma’soomon kay liye, aamin.
Zeeshan,
Don’t even bother about these negative comments. I appreciate your patriotism and let me tell you the world is full of pessimists rather than optimists. These people giving negative comments should be ashamed of themselves.
I know, life is tough. You have seen a system which is more or less perfect in almost every sense. I should rather say, more straight than perfect and you are hoping to initiate something like this in a system which has countless twists. Don’t loose hope. Well, give it your best shot. Sometimes, one man can make a difference.
If you can access, enjoy it:
http://www.youtube.com/user/NightingaleConant1#p/u/16/CWOJt1kCYP0
Institute of research promotion(IRP) is working for the betterment of young researchers and can solve this problem.ALl the young researchers are requested to share their innovative ideas on university industry portal (www.irp.edu.pk)from lcci.or contact us for more information.thanks
mujahid@irp.edu.pk 923213692874
I believe our youth lacks the true commitment and resolve to serve the country. There is a strong need to realise the significance of being free…In my article I have mentioned why and have also reflected upon the essence of patriotism…
http://nut.bz/21t35hzp/
Dear Dr. Usmani,
I understand your feelings for which I would like to bring your attention to one such activity that started 8 months ago and is moving ahead and shows that how should industry sponsor Research and Development and that it should be considered as a pilot project for Pakistan.
At VectraCom Group we have dedicated time, funds and human resources pool for Flourishing the same idea some time back that can be reviewed online at : http://www.uok.edu.pk/faculties/computerscience/vectra120410.php
the program is titled “Industry University Coordination Programme in ICT for sponsored Research and Development” (Between VectraCom group and University of Karachi)…
Pakistan Zindabad…