from work

Pakistan ~
---

Thanks for your kind words.

It is the gloomiest day in our history. I am really speechless. I and along with Rukhsana (my wife) were out for dinner at the time when the news broke about the assassination. We narrowly escaped from the riots. They were carrying guns, sticks and hitting people inhumanly. They put fire on the buildings and on the roads. When we escaped we had to drive by the fire. It was terrible. There was absolutely chaos in the city. I had never faced such scenes in my life. I can't explain to you.........

The current situation further affirms our faith to continue the work we are carrying out with more dedication and commitment. I have been pleading at various international platforms for the last three years of the desperate need to engage young people, especially those living in low-income communities in Pakistan. There is a youthquake in Pakistan.

Currently, Pakistan houses the largest number of youth in its history. These young people, if not involved, will continue to be a prescription for disaster. We are really sitting on a tickling time bomb. We have witnessed that so many young people in Pakistan have committed suicidal attacks during the last two years. The numbers of hopeless and helpless young people are increasing everyday in Pakistan. Unfortunately these figures are not lit on the billboards of the cities so that everyone can see it. I strongly believe that if we spend 20% of the amount we are spending on countering terrorism or dealing with terrorism to engage young people living in low-income communities, we would change the world. I believe the reason terrorism is growing in Pakistan, and also elsewhere, is because terrorists find it so easy to reach out to vulnerable young people and offer them things which are missing in their lives, such as a sense of purpose in life, an emotional bond with others, a sense of connection, an identity and a sense of usefulness.

I wish I could reach out to each and every young person in Pakistan in a flash and offer him or her an opportunity to transform themselves from victims to true leaders.

Once again thanks for reaching out to us at all these difficult times.

best,
Ali

---