Essay On Importance Of Reading.

Outlines:

Introduction

It widens the horizon of thinking

It plays a key role in academic success

it’s an unending company

it brings the best out of someone

conclusion

  Reading has at all times and in all ages been a great source of knowledge. Today the ability to read is highly valued and very important for social and economic advancement. In today’s world with so much more to know and to learn and also the need for a conscious effort to conquer the divisive forces, the importance of reading has increased. In the olden days if reading was not cultivated or encouraged, there was a substitute for it in the religious sermon and in the oral tradition. In the nineteenth century, Victorian households used to get together for an hour or so in the evenings and listen to books being read aloud, But ,today we not only read, we also want to read more and more and catch up with the events taking place around us.

Reading skills are essential to succeed in society. Those who are good readers tend to exhibit progressive social skills. A person who is widely read is able to mix with others. He is a better conversationalist then those who do not read. He can stand his ground. Reading broadens the vision. It is in a way a substitute for travel. It is not possible to travel as much one would like to and reading can fill in the gap created by the lack of travel. Having confidence in reading only comes from the daily practice of reading. A good reader can interact with others in a far better way because reading has widened his vision and point of view. Thus a widely-read man is a better conversationalist and is able to see the other side point of view.

Educational researchers have found that there is a strong correlation between reading and academic success. A student who is a good reader is more likely to do well in school and pass exams than a student who is a weak reader. Good reader can understand the individual sentences and organizational structure of a piece of writing. They can comprehend ideas, follow arguments and detect implications. Good readers can extract from the writing what is important for the particular task they are employed in and they can do it quickly. Educational researchers have also found a strong correlation between reading and vocabulary knowledge. Students who have a large vocabulary are usually good readers. This is very surprising, since the best way to acquire large vocabulary is to read extensively and if you read extensively you’re likely to be or become a good reader.

Books are no doubt very faithful friend of a reader. They never betray but accompany the reader, either sitting alone or traveling. Those who are habitual of reading feel comforted with books. It soothes and relieves tension and loneliness. Medically it also plays a vital role to eradicate depression and unrest. Books are great assassins of boredom. It just kills the boring time.

We are the dwellers of this speedy advancing world. Everything is moving so fast just like a rocket. To keep the pace, we must also need to do things that benefit us. Reading is no doubt a stupendous habit. It can make a stagnant, barren mind rich and cultivatable. It pours rich thoughts in minds. It brings the best out of someone. Reading also helps one to see the present in relation to the past and the future and thus develops a historical perspective. But, care is needed to ensure that reading doesn’t become a substitute for the real life. The moment one ceases to enjoy the ordinary pleasures and happiness of life and is content to enjoy them vicariously through fictional and historical representation, one loses all the benefits of reading and loses contact with life.

As a result of reading books over a period of time, a learning process is formed. There are a great many benefits to be gained from reading books. It is proven that in this technological society the demands for higher levels of literacy are creating unfavorable consequences for those who fall short. This is even more of reason to get into the habit of reading books, but with the cinema and television taking up a great deal of attention of children, teenagers and even adults, the habit of serious reading is dying out. We must never let it die out.

Essay On Internet

(880 WORDS)

INTRODUCTION

HISTORY

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

CONCLUSION

According to the definition provided by oxford dictionary, the internet is an arrangement of connected computers, which lets the computer users all over the globe exchange data. At the present time approximately 2.1 billion (33%) of the total population has accessibility to the internet. The internet is an extraordinary entertainment and learning too that may be utilized in a number of modes to increase the ability of a user to collect information. With the passage of time, the internet has become the most effective business tool in the contemporary world. It is a global meeting place, where people from every corner of the world can come simultaneously. The internet carries a number of advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are so huge that they outperform the disadvantages quite easily.

In the course of human history, there have been many milestones. The wheel, controlling, flight, space travel, telephone, radio, television and the most recent the internet. The internet was the result of some visionary thinking by people in the early 1960s that saw great potential value in allowing computers to share information on research development in scientific and military fields. Instant communication all over the world, via satellite was dream come true for the armed forces. It was far cry from using light flashes or stringing wire across a battle field. J.C.R Licklider of MIT( Massachusetts Institute of Technology) first proposed a global network of computers in 1962 and moved over to the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in late 1962 to lead the work to develop it. Then was developed the theory of packet switching which was to form the basis of internet connections. Lawrence Robert of MIT first connected a Massachusetts computer with a California computer in 1965 over a dial-up telephone lines. The early name of internet was ARPANET. The idea grew and progressed to the Internet we have today nobody knows where it might lead us tomorrow.

Similar to any other invention, the internet carries a number of advantages and disadvantages. Nevertheless, the advantages of the internet are more than its disadvantages. Talking about the advantages of internet, are as follows:

The biggest benefit offered by the internet is information. It functions as a valuable resource of information. You can find any type of information on any subject with the help of the search engines like yahoo and Google. The primary goal of the internet is communication. It has extremely done well in this field, however the development process is still going on to make it more dependable and quick. By sending an e-mail we can contact a person who is physically present thousands miles away within the fraction of a second’s time. Internet functions as a popular medium of entertainment. A wide variety of entertainment including video games, music, movies, chat room, news and others can be accessed through the internet. Sales have grown rapidly over the internet. E-commerce has become a fantastic option through which we can hop anything. Internet helps of community and forum formation. Here a number of people can participate in different types of debates and discussions express their views and gather valuable knowledge. A variety of services are offered via internet for example job searching, online banking, buying books, hotel reservations and consultation services etc.

Having so much good qualities internet also has many disadvantages. The electronic messages sent over the internet can be easily snooped and tracked, revealing who is talking with whom and what they are talking about. Personal information like name address, credit card, bank details can be accessed by culprits. It has negative effects on family communication. The time spent on net later associates in declining communication with house family and acquaintances. Some psychologists believe that internet is a true psychological disorder with definable symptoms. The symptoms are comparable to any addiction loss of relationships or job and significant time consumption. Children using the internet has become a big concern. Most parents do not realize the dangers involved when their children log onto the internet. When children talk to others online, they do not realize they could actually be talking to a harmful person. Pornography is also a major issue concerning the internet. There are thousands of pornographic sites on the internet that can be easily found and can be easily found and can be a detriment letting children use the internet. Computers are mainly getting viruses from the internet. Virus is software which disrupts the normal functioning of your computer systems.  Due to these viruses computer hard disks also get crashed.

The discovery of the internet is no doubt a blessing. It has brought much development and betterment for the people throughout the world. Due to internet the world has made progress that is beyond imagination. As every invention has advantages and disadvantages so do the internet. Different people with different mind sets live on this world. Some think for the betterment of this world and some create troubles, but internet is just a medium which has quick access to. Now it’s the responsibility of the parents, teacher and well-wishers of this world to educate their children to differentiate between the good and the bad. We must all work for the betterment of this world and make it a better place for ourselves and for our coming generations.

Essay on Mother

Outlines:

INTRODUCTION

MOTHER- A GIFT FROM ALLAH

MOTHER- THE FIRST AND BEST SCHOOL OF A CHILD

MOTHER IN ISLAM

MOTHER IN TODAY’S SOCIETY

MOTHER- OUR BEST COMPANY

RESPECT OF A MOTHER

CONCLUSION

Agatha Christie says, “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path. “.

Mother being the supreme lover, loves her child like nothing. A mother dissipates the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts when we are helpless in the wilderness life with her kind precepts and counsels. From the moment we are born till we are cradled in the chariot of death, we come across many relations. Some are just for time being, some are to betray you, some are to leave you alone when you need their presence the most, some are with you just because of your attributes and some are compelled to stick with you due to blood relation compulsion and restrictions. But, there is one being who surpasses the love, care and affection of anyone related to you and she is ‘The Mother’. The love of a mother has no match nor can one replace her love. A mother’s ageless love and care cannot be exemplified. When you were in her womb; she took every step so gently and carefully not to bother you from your deep sleep. This abysmal depth of a mother’s love is immeasurable. Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) said that kindness to one’s parents was of the best deeds and disobedience to them was amongst the major sins. Allah has exemplified His love for the humanity by descending mother as an example.

There are many precious things that Allah has bestowed on us however a mother is one of the unique gifts of Allah. She is the embodiment of sacrifice and love. Life without mother is so dull and colorless. The beauty of life is in the lap and under the shade of mother’s love and care. Those who are bestowed with this gift don’t quit feel it but those who are deprived of this gift feel it from the core of their hearts. Says Abraham Lincoln “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.”

A mother turns a house into a home and home is the initial school of a child. Mother is our best teacher and trainer. She never gives up training us to speak “Am’ma (Mamma)”. She walks by knees to help us in our first steps. She teaches us the behaviors lessons. She never gives up on us. Mother teaches us the philosophies of life. Mother is the instinctive philosopher whose philosophies help us in every walk of our life. She teaches us how to love, cherish, and respect who we are, and what it takes for us to become the adults we will one day be.

When a female becomes a mother, her heart gets filled with immense amount of love for her child. She carries her child for 9 months in her womb, bears all the pain and trouble in that process and when her child comes into her arms, she forgets all the pain and loves her child unconditionally. Before Islam, mother was not given any rights and respect but was only treated as a female who could be loved but not at the expense of self. But Islam gave the mother all the respect, love and status in the society she ever deserved. Kind treatment of one’s mother is the best deed for strengthening or rectifying one’s relation with Allah. Holy Prophet P.B.U.H says, ” Jannat lies under the feet of the mothers.” By this hadith we come to know the greatness and status of a mother in Islam.

A mother holds a great respect in Islam. But in our today’s society few mothers are dealt with those of the housemaids. Order her, make her do work and in return give her nothing not even respect which is of no cost. As she bears too much pain and faces several troubles to fulfill our needs but when she grows old and weak and needs a shoulder, we just throw her away like she meant nothing to us. We tell her that she is now old and has now gone crazy. Not we think of our past? Not we take notice of the sleepless nights she had spent for us? Not we remember her support in every moment while we were young? Not we remember, while we were afraid of our own shadows and she was our only lifeguard? Not we even remember the way she wiped our tears when we used to cry over our broken toys? —-Respecting our mother must be our top priority as we were her top priority while we were young.–Quran Says 17:23 “Say not a word of disrespect (to your mothers).” Allah Almighty strictly orders us not to say harsh and disrespectful words to your mother, for she is your best lover among your relations.

After Allah and His prophets a mother is the most respectful person. It’s a reality that a mother loves her child even more than a father does. Says Aristotle—“Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own.”  Mother had cared and will always care for us as ever more than anyone related to us. We must never let her down. When we are born we are so helpless and dependent, and she is our only help in that stage. She shrills her voice and talks in a funny loving manner just to bring a smile on our face. While we are asleep in our comfortable warm cradle she sits aside, looks at us and curses herself a thousand times for us. She is ready to bear any pain but never wants a scratch onto us. She never feels boredom in our company. She is the supreme lover on this earth no one can surpasses her boundaries of love. How deep is her love!

We must never let her down. We must always try our utmost to be the reason for her smile, not the reason for her sorrows and sadness. Muhammad P.B.U.H has ordered us to be good to our mothers. He has told us about the great rewards for that person who is good to his mother and punishments for those who are disobedient to their mothers. We must look after our parents even more when they are weak and old. We must be gentle to our parents and speak to them in a nice and polite manner.

To me, my mother is my security blanket. No matter how bad of a day she had, she will always be there with a shoulder to cry on and a sympathetic ear for me. Even if she’s been screamed at all day, she will still be eager to hear my drama-filled gossips. My mom is my personal miracle. Whenever something becomes too much for me, she is there calming me down with just a hug and a kiss on my forehead. She is always there to company me.

Essay on Cowards Die Several Times Before Death

Man is mortal. Death touches all, the rich and the poor, the young and the old and the ruler and the ruled. Nobody knows what happens after death. One dies leaving behind everything one has. Death has been the subject of study of many researchers, scientist, philosophers and thinkers.

A brave man puts up a brave front when he faces any danger. He is always prepared for the unexpected. he can overcome any situation. Cowards, one the other hand, are unable to face dangerous situations. They runaway from all dangers. They fear death. Hence, it has been said that cowards die several times before death. Death is an inevitable part of life. A brave man lives life to the full, while a coward kills his conscience several times before the actual death. This is because a coward runs away from all dangers.

Human existence is full of risks and dangers. One may be exposed to danger anywhere. It may be at the workplace, home, road etc. The traffic on the road has become unruly which poses a threat to life. Bomb blasts have become a common affair at certain places. A brave man ignores such unexpected dangers. He is adventurous enough to risk his life to achieve his goals. A coward, on the other hand, sits and broods. He depresses himself and also those who are associated with him.

The brave are always willing to take risks. Mangal Pandey was brave enough to challenge the British rule. He was aware of the consequence, but sacrificed his life for the freedom of the country. The freedom fighters were punished harshly by the British, they didn't give up their goal. They felt proud to be a part of the freedom struggle. It is this spirit which forced the British to leave India. Cowards lack such initiatives. They fear punishment. They can't contribute to the society.

A brave man strives for success single-handedly. No defeat can make him lose hope. One such incident is the meeting between Alexander and Porus. Porus was defeated by Alexander and brought before the later in chains. Alexander asked him as to what treatment should await him as a prisoner. Porus promptly replied that he expected Alexander to treat him in the manner a king would treat another king. In such cases, a coward would lose all hope. He would not have the courage to give such answers.

A cowards can't face a crisis. He runs away from it. A brave man confronts danger boldly . In doing so, he gains self confidence and earns respect. One can do an act of bravery at the age of eight or eighty. Bravery knows no age. Every year, the nation gives bravery awards to children who display great courage and save the lives of those in danger. They risk their own lives for others. They, thereby, earn fame, glory and national acclaim.

The brave don't waste their time to brood over matters. They believe in action. They live in the present and have no fear of the future. Their courageous attitude enables them to love life to the full. They don't worry about the future. They don't get disheartened by adverse circumstances. They enjoy life because they accept each day as it approaches.

The cowards are often unable to live in the present. They brood over the past. They remain pessimistic about the future. Fear of the unexpected and fear of the future make them depressed. They lose their self-confidence. They can't face adverse circumstances boldly. They often blame others for their inaction. They hardly enjoy life. They always see the negative side of life. Because of this attitude they can never do anything in life. They are afraid of coming danger and never take risk. That is why they hardly succeed in anything they do.

Life is full of uncertainties. Dangers and difficulties are a par of life. One should be bold and courageous enough to face all the problems and difficulties of life. We should never be afraid of facing the challenges because challenges are often the best tools for empowerment. If we dream, we must have courage to turn dreams into reality. We should be consistent in our efforts and endeavors. Our courage shouldn't be shaken by failures. On the contrary failures should form a foundation for us to dream again. One who doesn't accept this reality is a coward. One should not act as a coward. One should act as a coward, otherwise, he would not die once but several times before death.

Essay - Terrorism In Pakistan: Its Causes, Impacts And Remedies

At present the gravest problem that Pakistan is faces is terrorism. It has become a headache for federation and a nightmare for public. Though, it is a global issue but Pakistan has to bear the brunt of it. Pakistan’s involvement in the War on Terror has further fuelled the fire. We are facing war like situation against the terrorists. This daunting situation is caused due to several factors. These factors include social injustice, economic disparity, political instability, religious intolerance and also external hands or international conspiracies. A handful of people who have their vicious interests to fulfil have not only taken countless innocent lives but also distorted the real image of Islam before the world through their heinous acts. Terrorist acts like suicide bombings have become a norm of the day. On account of these attacks Pakistan is suffering from ineffaceable loss ranging from civilian to economic. People have become numerical figures, blown up in numbers every now and then. Terrorists have not spared any place. Bazars, mosques, educational institutes, offices, hotels, no place is safe anymore.

Though terrorism has no accepted definition, yet it can be defined as the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aim or the calculated use of violence or threat of violence against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature, this is done through intimidation or coercion or inciting fear. According to FBI’s definition, Terrorism is the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objective.

The religion of Islam (Submission), advocates freedom, peace and mutual agreement and admonishes aggression. The following verses make it very clear.

“And do not aggress; GOD dislikes the aggressors”. (Quran 5:87)

“You shall resort to pardon, advocate tolerance, and disregard the ignorant”. (Quran: 7:199)

The relations of Muslims (Submitters) with others are based primarily on peace, mutual respect and trust. The theme in the Quran is peace, unless there is oppression or injustice that cannot be resolved by all the peaceful means available. The true religion of Islam forbids the killing of innocent people, irrespective of the cause, religious, political or social beliefs.

“...You shall not kill * GOD has made life sacred * except in the course of justice. These are His commandments to you that you may understand.” (Quran 6:151)

“You shall not kill any person * for GOD has made life sacred — except in the course of justice.” (Quran17:33)

In Islam, an amazingly powerful emphasis is laid on developing love for mankind and on the vital importance of showing mercy and sympathy towards every creature of Allah Almighty, including human beings and animals. For indeed, love and true sympathy is the very antidote of terrorism.

Injustice is one of the foremost factors that breed terrorism. When the grievances of the people are not redressed they resort to violent actions. So this is the case with Pakistan where timely justice has always been a far cry. Hence, the delayed justice is working as incentive for victims and dragging them to the swamp of terrorist organisations.

Illiteracy is the root causes of extremism and terrorism. More than one in five men aged 15 to 24 unable to read or write, and only one in 20 is in tertiary education. such a high illiteracy rate has made Pakistan vulnerable to terrorism. furthermore, technical and vocational education, and adult literacy, are especially important but unfortunately have been neglected the most in Baluchistan, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and the Tribal Areas. Illiteracy and lack of skills provide fertile ground for those who wish to recruit young men and women to their cause, especially when significant monetary payments are attached.

Regarding poverty, it is also an incubating cause of terrorism. And it is said that “a hungry man is an angry man.” Notably, majority of people in Pakistan are living below poverty line. While especially for the youngsters, unemployment has made the matter worse. In these adverse circumstances, some people go to the level of extremism and even commit suicide. These are the people whose services are hired by the terrorist groups and they become easy prey to terrorism.

Food insecurity is also linked with militancy and violence. When people remain unable to afford food and cannot meet their basic needs civil strife grows. A report by the Islamabad-based Sustainable Development Policy Institute The highest levels of food insecurity, for instance, exist in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, according to the report, where 67.7 per cent of the people are insecure. The next highest level is in Baluchistan, with food insecurity at 61.2 per cent, and then in Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa, 56.2 per cent. In Pakistan some extremist forces are exploiting the feelings of lower and lower middle class food insecure people. They are motivating their unemployed youth to commit heinous crimes such as suicide attacks against innocent people.

Another reason of terrorism is dissatisfaction. When a person is dissatisfied with the rulers and thinks that his rights are being humiliated or exiled, his living of life has not been compensated, he is deprived of rightful inheritance to office, wrongly imprisoned and property confiscated then he joins some religious parties. It does not matter which organisation it would be. None of the organisations has any importance for him. Adopting an organisation would only save him from the critical situation he is in and leaves him to play in the hands of his so-called leaders who destroy his public sense of security.

Today’s Pakistan is facing democratic turmoil. A path chartered by the military regime of Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan then of Zia-ul-Haq was altered by yet another military regime that of Musharraf. All these regimes produced political instability, poor governance, institutional paralysis, by passing the rule of law, socio-economic downfall and so on. These fragile conditions along with deteriorating law and order situation have provided a fertile ground for terrorism to grow.

Furthermore, lack of proper government set-up and lack of coordination and information sharing between various institutions of government is also a cause of behind the escalating terrorist activities. Not to talk of providing security to common people, our law enforcing agencies (LEAs) have completely failed to protect high officials of the country. In the absence of law and proper trial the terrorists are entrenching their roots firmly. Failure of the (LAEs) to bring the terrorist to book has emboldened terror mongers to strike at a target of their choice at will. Schools, hospitals, markets and places of worship have become their favourite targets.

Religion became the dominant force during the Zia regime when the Islamization of laws and education became a state policy. And the Islamic legislation was promulgated and a number of Islamic enactments were made, including the Hudood and blasphemy laws. One may also mention the vital role of the jihadis in their fight against the Soviet military occupation with the American support, as well as the generous patronage extended by the government to the religious parties and groups. It may be added that various religious groups benefited from the support they received from abroad, in particular from Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Religious Madrassah is not something new for the Islam or our country. But after Russian attack on Afghanistan it took a new dimension. They were being used as recruitment centres for jihadis. Thousands of Mujahedeen were trained and sent to Afghanistan for so-called jihad. After the fall of Russia, a sizeable number of the jihadis who returned to Pakistan got involved in terrorist activities.

Religious intolerance is another factor which is adding fuel to the fire of terrorism. youth, educated through religious Madrassahs, are indoctrinated with extreme ideas. They become intolerant towards other religions and even other sects of their own religion. They impose their own extreme ideas and vent their fanaticism thorough violent actions. Intolerance makes society jungle. It is proving destructive phenomenon for social harmony, political stability, and economic growth.

The soviet Afghanistan war was the most critical event responsible for spreading militancy and intolerance in Pakistan. A fundamental change that altered the very character of Pakistani society occurred after establishment of the soviet backed communist regime in Afghanistan. The aftermath of the soviet withdrawal exposed the damage, transformation of violence and Weaponisation into Pakistani society. It ultimately plagued Pakistan with a new trend commonly referred as “Kalashnikov Culture” and “Talbanisation”. This was perhaps an end to our long established pluralistic culture and values. Result was a wave of vicious cycle of Sectarian and Inter-sect and Interfaith violence/terrorism.

Religious extremism that took its roots in Pakistan after the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 has proved venomous for Pakistan. The increased danger of sectarian motivated acts of violence, have gained in power and influence over the recent past. External as well as internal influences have impacted the sectarian issues and have served to further intensify the magnitude and seriousness of the problem. Sectarian violence, therefore, was an extremely rare and unheard of phenomenon in Pakistan with sectarian disputes being very localized and confined rather than being frequent and widespread.

This religious extremism took a new shape of terrorism after 9/11. After the incident of 9/11 suicide bombing in Pakistan has become a norm of the day. The American invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, as well as the military operation in Pakistan, along with the American drone attacks, have served to fuel religious radicalism leading to violent reaction. The breakdown of state structures in Afghanistan created a void which was quickly filled by groups and individuals who took it upon themselves to continue the lost battle. Some of them also intruded into Pakistani tribal areas, thus inviting the US displeasure. Flushing out these foreign fighters by Pakistani security forces made Pakistan a battle ground, as foreign militants and some of their local hosts, joined hands to counter the security forces.

The drone strikes have increased anti-Americanism in Pakistan society and the region. The terrorists have used the collateral damage to maximize the environment and society to their benefit. Families of people killed in collateral damage become ideal nursery for suicide bombers In Pakistan society drone attacks are popularly believed to have caused even more civilian casualties than is actually the case. The persistence of these attacks on Pakistani territory is continuously creating public outrages and alienating people from government and Army. The drone is a tactical weapon and has certainly given good results tactically to support coalition forces operation on their sides of the border but strategically history has many unanswered questions.

On account of anti-campaign and drone attacks scores of people have become homeless and even some have lost all their possessions Coupled with this, governments indifference towards these internally displaced people has further deteriorating the situation and encouraging people to join anti-state actors. Negligence on the part of government has alienated the people and has placed Pakistan in an undesirable situation domestically.

Furthermore, indiscriminate and brutal persecution of innocent citizen of Kashmir and Palestine by Indian and Israeli forces respectively is further boosting the monster of terrorism. the people of Kashmir and Palestine have been denied their basic rights for decades. Hence their feelings of antagonism springing out in the form violent acts and also their supporters are conducting these types of acts here in Pakistan in order the draw the attention of the world towards the injustices being done to them.

Pakistan has done its level best to rid terrorism and terrorists from its soil. In first step, many terrorist organisations were banned by the Musharraf government. After those successful military operations namely Rah-e-Nijat and Rah-e-Rast have been conducted. Pakistan army has fought bravely against terrorist and has destroyed their safe dens. It has broken the backbone of the terrorists and has forced them to flee. These operations still keep ongoing in some tribal areas. In this context, it is worth-mentioning that public support to military operations is very essential, and without people’s backing no army can win this ‘different war’ against terrorism.

For Pakistan the consequences of being the epicentre of the war on terror have been disastrous physically, psychologically and economically. Nobody understands terrorism better than us (Pakistanis). We have been victims of various manifestations of it since the Soviet Afghan war. Since 9/11, the wave of suicide bombing has so far killed scores of innocent Pakistani civilians and muffled the already slow pace of our economic growth. The financial cost of the ongoing global war on terror in the last two years alone has been $35 billion. This has badly affected in particular, the socio-economic development of Pakistan. Lest we forget, we even lost our prominent political leader Benazir Bhuttoto an act of terror.

Since September 11, 2001, 21,672 Pakistani civilians have lost their lives or have been seriously injured in an ongoing fight against terrorism. The Pakistan Army has lost 2,795 soldiers in the war and 8,671 have been injured. There have been 3,486 bomb blasts in the country, including 283 major suicide attacks. More than 3.5 million have been displaced. The damage to the Pakistani economy is estimated at $68 billion over the last ten years. Over 200,000 Pakistani troops were deployed at the frontline and 90,000 soldiers are fighting against militants on the Afghan border.

The ongoing insurgency has accelerated the already dismal economic situation and has affected almost each and every economic aspects of the country, particularly in FATA and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. All the main resources of revenue in affected areas have been hurt, including agriculture, the tourism industry, manufacturing and small-scale industry.

Due to insurgency, the loss to agriculture alone amounts to Rs.35 billion. The breakdown in law and order situation has damaged the fruit based economy of the northern areas. It has rendered billions of rupes losses to the landowners, labourers, dealers and farmers who earn their livelihood from these orchards. Also, the Economic survey of Pakistan report shows that the share of agriculture in the gross domestic product (GDP) has been constantly falling. It accounted for 25.99 per cent of GDP in 1999-2000; however, gradually its share shrank to 21.3 per cent in 2007-2008. The figures show that terrorism has not only decreased the productive capacity of agricultural activity in these regions but also in the entire country.

The manufacturing sector has been hard hit by frequent incidents of terrorism and has created an uncertain environment resulting into low level of economic growth. The manufacturing sector is witnessing the lowest-ever share of 18.2 per cent in the GDP over the last five years. In addition, the small and medium-size enterprises which are key area of manufacturing in Pakistan have been affected across the country because of power shortages and recurrent terrorist attacks.

According to a Harvard study (December 2000), higher levels of terrorism risk are associated with lower levels of net FDI. In case of Pakistan, terrorism has affected the allocation of firms investing money in the country. As a result, FDI, which had witnessed a steep rise over the previous several years, was adversely affected by the terrorist acts in the country, especially in FATA and other areas of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.

According to the World Economic Forum, Pakistan ranked 113 out of 130 countries in 2009 as a tourist destination. The low ranking is attributed to incidents of terrorism and the lack of a tourism regulatory framework in Pakistan. On account of persistent terrorist attacks many hotels in the northwest areas have been closed. According to government’s own estimates, the hotel industry in Swat valley has suffered a loss of Rs. 60 billion. Many workers have lost their jobs and transport has also face a severe blow.

Due to war on terror, local people of war-ridden areas are migrating to other areas of Pakistan. Country has seen the largest migration since independence in 1947. These people have left their homes, businesses, possessions and property back home. This large influx of people and their rehabilitation is an economic burden for Pakistan. Unemployment is still prevalent and now the question of providing employment to these migrants has also become a serious concern. This portion of population is contributing nothing worthwhile to the national income yet they have to be benefitted from it. This unproductive lot of people is a growing economic problem of Pakistan

Social impacts have also been caused by this war. In a society where terror exists cannot be healthy. Social disorganization has occurred due to terrorism. Social relations, economic transactions, free moments, getting education, offering prayers etc. have suffered. Pakistan’s participation in the anti-terrorism campaign has led to massive unemployment, homelessness, poverty and other social problems and ills. In addition, frequent incidents of terrorism and displacement of the local \population have severely affected the social fabric.

On the political front Pakistan is badly impacted in fighting the war against terrorism. It has taken many valuable steps to defeat terrorists. In spite of all the sacrifices the country is making it is branded to be a country insincere or half-hearted in fighting the menace. Every time the country is told to “do more”. It is further alleged for infiltration of the militants inside US-NATO dominated Afghanistan. The failure of the Western troops in the neighbourhood is blamed on Pakistan. This situation has eroded the trust between the governments and caused international image problem for the country.

Similarly the terror has brought in its wake psychological problems. Fear in the hearts of the people is created. Trauma, depressions and confusion have been increased. The people feel insecure and unsafe whenever in their daily life activities, as time and again they watch the terror events taking place in different cities. Those have especially been suffered who have closely witnessed the suicidal bombings.

The religion is also impacted by the war against terrorism. The religion of Islam is perceived to be the one tolerating extremism and terrorism abroad. In the western world people equate violence, abuse against women and minority rights, and several acts of terrorism like suicidal bombing and coercion with Islam and Muslims. Whenever any such inhuman act takes place they tie it with Islam and its followers. When in the UK terror acts were committed the authority blamed it on Pakistani citizens for instance. And why these days Pakistanis are discriminately interrogated and have to be screened before they inter the US is due to the fact that they are Pakistanis and Muslims.

Thorough analysis of the causes of terrorism and its ineffaceable impacts indicate that in Pakistan this phenomenon has not come to fore overnight. It has taken decades to flourish and involves many factors. Since terrorism is a multifaceted, the solution has to be multi-pronged. In view of the root causes described in above paragraphs, the possible remediescould include:

• To begin with, a national commission needs to be set up, which identifies the fault lines and the root causes of the rise of extremism in Pakistan taking into consideration the post-Nine-Eleven developments.

• It should also take up the question of reforming the madrassas. The heads of all the major religious groups should be contacted and engaged to explore short-term and long-term solutions.

• Our universities and research institutes should take up the intellectual task of re-interpreting the Islamic injunctions in the light of modern knowledge and 21st century challenges (with emphasis on social justice).

• The government must improve its performance. Bad governance and corruption have lowered its credibility and clout,

• Parliament must debate Pakistan’s present relationship with the US, with particular reference to the American war in Afghanistan and operations in Pakistan.

• Our government should make efforts to develop sector. Without any doubt, these efforts will play a crucial role not only in providing employment to the millions of people but will also eliminate poverty in the country.

• Pakistan’s government should particularly emphasise the need of technical education by promoting it. In this respect, more institutes should be opened in order to promote technical education.

• It is mentionable that there are two types of terrorists, extremists and moderates. In order to cope with terrorism, our government should neutralise the moderate terrorists through reconciliation by offering them general pardon and asking them to renounce terrorism. Even extremist insurgents can be offered mediation. Nevertheless, those militants who reject the offer could be fought through military operations.

• Nonetheless, for their on global and regional interests, US-led western allies must not only increase the military and economic aid of Pakistan but also provide direct market access to Pak products on zero rate duty to help stabilise the country’s bleak economy in the wake of the war against terror.