Zahra speaks

Time is funny. Sometimes it goes by the pace of a turtle and sometimes a year seems like a moment passed by. It passes in a blink of an eye but one thing is for sure that every year teaches us something new. It's not what happened in the year. It's not about the achievements and failures or the highs and lows. It is about your transformation and what you learned out of it. Every year a new chapter initiates in your life. You begin the new year with a new version of yourself, the evolved version. For me, this year has been good and I learned a lot in this particular year. I'd call this year, the year of “the stranger”, my book. My first book got published from two platforms. As a writer, it was the biggest thing that could happen. The feeling of your book being out there for the people to read is an incredible feeling. A real sense of achievement. It felt very different but not for a moment I was apprehensive. I have seen people getting nervous about these things but for s

I have always been patriotic and very vocal about my opinions. As much as I love this homeland, I am deeply concerned and affected by the recent turn of events and their aftermath. I am not the person who judges people for their opinions and I have repeatedly talked about the difference in opinion being alright but recently, some people wrote comments on social media that moved me or should I put it this way, they shook me. I have never lost faith in my country. Even the thought of leaving this country used to haunt me but the first time in my life, the words that my fellow countrymen wrote broke my heart and I felt disappointed to be a part of such a society. People were spewing venom, literally. There is no discrimination in being compassionate towards people who are suffering, you just need to be human but unfortunately, the latest case of Dua Mangi made it very clear that people from our country have almost lost humanity, let alone being sympathetic. When such cases against w

Life is weird. Sometimes it takes to travel the world and experience the most beautiful places that exist on the face of the earth to have an encounter with the soul but on the other hand, there are times when you don't even have to move an inch to find your soul. I speak with experience. While I was bedridden, my world was limited, confined to my room. My world was no longer comprised of beautiful buildings, hustle-bustle of the city, social gatherings, it was just that one room. The time that seemed to be the most difficult time of my life now seems like the most significant period of my life. If I hadn't gotten that solitude, it is highly probable that I would have died before feeling His presence. I became an insomniac, it may be the effect of medicines or just the fact that my world was facing a whirlwind and it was difficult to swallow all the new realities. I don't recollect what I used to think about but I remember feeling a gentle warmth with me all the time.

The most underestimated and misunderstood power is love. In the world where materialism is everything, love has also lost its value and meaning but the only power that can lead us into a future with peace and prosperity for all is love, not the absence of hate but just love. There is a difference. We have to start loving ourselves first, stop loathing yourself for the things that you don't control or change. Most of the time we are so engrossed in hating ourselves that hate becomes the dominant emotion in our personality without even realizing it. Do not be hard on yourself if you don't want the world to be hard on you, you will be hated by everyone if you hate yourself. It is important to manifest the power of love first in your own life to spread throughout. It all starts with “ you” and many great people have already preached the idea of having the whole universe within, explore that universe and conquer it with love and the world around will start catching on! God ha

Creativity is a gift and when you embrace it in your life, everything seems clear. You realize the beauty of the simplest things like the amazing blueness of the sky. You get a new pair of lenses to look at things around you including the people who are closest to you, how they look or talk or behave. You notice. An artist has a mind of his/her own. They have something to say through their work as poets, they convey messages of love, hate, betray and even patriotism. It is like a code that is cracked by the people who conceive their work with an open heart. Either its a painting, poetry, film, story or any other form of art, each represents a part of the artist's soul. They are generous, not everyone dares to share a part of their soul with others. Being a writer, I feel, I notice stories around me. Simple yet profound. There are such great stories just out there, waiting to be told and known by the world, however, I fail to pen them all down. I don't know if I

Supporting Pakistan had been my priority ever since I started watching and following cricket, 10 years ago. I've witnessed some eras of the legends like Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi and Younus Khan. The energy and intensity that these legends showed on the field was eye-candy for the true lovers of the game. However, there has always been a lack of planning within the board which drove to a lot of blunders in the past and it was somewhat the reason behind our team's elimination from the World Cup, 2019. Image Courtesy: ACE NEWS The Setbacks This tournament suffered the biggest set back in the form of weather. Many of the matches were washed away and our points were compromised. In the match against India, however, the case was entirely different. The team's body language was very blue and that demotivated everyone. It wasn't about the performance or the dls, the team was very downhearted, for some reason. Rather than blowing up controversial theories, I'd on

We have to distinguish between education and knowledge. Any school or institute, however great or marvellous it is, does not always render knowledge. There is a clear difference. A person establishes the personality in educational institutes but knowledge comes from experience and it does not necessarily involve education. Children, nowadays, are so stuffed up in studies that they don't get any chance to get any real exposure to the world. The new technology introduced advanced video gaming which officially ended the physical gaming. This is one of the darkest aspects of technology. Previously, people used to send their children off to play various sports or learn talents in the summer vacations but now that has stopped too. The school applies too much pressure on the children in the form of holiday's homework. According to my thinking, this practise should stop. The children should be encouraged to learn new skills or sports for the holidays. The schools can even organiz

Khud means self in Urdu. They are tirelessly working from 3 years to change the lives of underprivileged children by equipping them with digital skills and crafts. There is a persistent educational crisis in Pakistan. The main and immediate problems include the lack of schools and teachers. However, Khud is exploring alternatives by providing the children with a proper self-learning environment that gives them a fighting chance to compete in the modern, highly digitalised age. Their focus is to interject a digitalised approach to education in Pakistan. They have designed a number of digital curricula for various subjects. It facilitates a project based self-learning experience to the children harnessing the curiosity to learn. Khud aims to have over 500 kids graduate from their digital program and by the end of this year, the digital curriculums would be made public to reach the kids even from the remote areas. To give these underprivileged children a fighting chance for a better

HAPPY RAMZAN! Here's wishing all my readers a very happy and prosperous Ramzan. May all your deeds, prayers and fasts get accepted and rewarded. Ramzan is a time when you ponder on the blessings of Allah by fasting the whole day. It isn't about being deprived of food and water, the idea of fasting is much broader than that. It demands us to purify our souls from all the negativity that surrounds us throughout the year. Being hungry and thirsty is not enough, you must thank the Almighty for all the blessings that He has bestowed upon us. Water, for example, is a hugely magnificent blessing but do we realise it? Fasting makes us embrace God's blessings the way they deserve to be cherished. Gratitude for the smallest things purifies our soul and brings it closer to the Maker. There is a very popular reference that Satan is caged in this month. It is true but in reality, our own inner demons become dominated and even more powerful in the absence of "Satan". I

Ageing is astounding, from childhood to adolescence to adulthood and many more stages that we cover throughout our lifetime. Nevertheless, the most precious and best face of our life is childhood. Marching into adulthood is always fascinating but experiencing being an adult is completely different from our expectations. We all have been there, done that. Every individual faces this phase where he/she looks back at the childhood and desires to be a child again. Childhood is the time when we don't worry about things, our future and it's planning. It's the time when we only worry about being happy and doing what we want to do. In the process of becoming a mature adult, we forget these two important portions of our life: Gathering happiness out of the smallest things and doing what we want. As adults, we keep our happiness on the back foot while following the norms of society and doing what others want us to do. We become busy in setting our goals, following deadlines and

After a prolonged winter season, we are finally moving into summers, this transitional period is known as the spring season. It is one of the most celebrated time of the year because the flowers have blossomed in this era. We see beautiful colours and magnificent fragrances everywhere. The weather is also reasonable because along with the blistering sun, the winds are also prevailing. This season does not continue for a very long time, especially in Pakistan but we love this season and try to celebrate it to the fullest. Basant is a festival that was widely celebrated in this season but because of certain aspects it is not celebrated anymore but there are a lot of flower displays and Basant Melas throughout the country. This season also comes with a lot of mental health issues. It is scientifically proven that changing weather can affect your mental health. Many of us face a lot of mood swings during this season and we don't understand why we feel anxious, angry or depressed.

Life is very short to please others and if you keep trying to please others, it will fall out of your hands sooner. It is a very common dilemma when you have to choose between your own happiness and satisfying others. The sad part is that most of the times we sacrifice our own happiness for the sake of pleasing others. Let me break something to you, you simply cannot satisfy anyone. If you give them 2, they would want 4 and if you give them 4, they will demand 6. The most accurate solution to this problem is to stop trying. Sometimes it is very painful but the reality is pinching and we have to learn to live with it. I have seen many people striving to satisfy others and they sacrifice their peace of heart in the process. My only question is, is it worth it? No, because they will always want more from you. Many people spend all their lives to please others and in the end there only left with regret. They give up on their dreams and follow a path that is not made for them. The for

The main characters of my novella “the stranger” are Sara, 21 and Roy, 34. It is a story of Sara's struggle to adapt with a whole new life and the disloyalty of a person who she once loved with all her heart. She is a very emotional girl and values relationships more than anything. The immense courage and natural instinct to protect her family are discovered when she faces a life-changing incident. She is curious and takes any challenge hands on. She lives with her parents and sister but due to circumstances, moves to London for further studies where she meets Roy. Roy is a middle-aged man with an enigmatic persona. He is very elegant and smart. His life is packed with secrets and mysteries. He is soulful and caring. The life was not very easy for him either as the story progresses, he reveals his inmost secrets to only one person, Sara. Despite all the distress and ongoing matters, he has the most positive attitude, a very hopeful approach towards life. Unlike other protagon

Writing has always been my passion and I had a lot of stories to tell. Last year, I attempted to write a short story called coincidental love . I received some extraordinary responses on that story and I can absolutely admit, it motivated me to write more of the short stories that I did later on! However, I had the urge to experiment with my skill and in December 2018, I found some motivation in the form of a story. It was like a moment when I decided to write a story and the very same day, I started writing it down. I owe a lot of credit to my readers and I am very happy to introduce the name and cover of my first book that is releasing on the 14th of March, 2019. It is also up and available for pre-order. My first book is named “The Stranger” and here is the cover, The story is very close to my heart and as they say, a writer is always inspired by some true events if not all. When I started the story, I observed a huge difference in my attitude, I started seeking inspiration f

The rivalry between Pakistan and India is not dissimilar but the latest turn of events has established a very intense situation between the two countries. 72 years have passed and it is certainly sure that both the countries never really got along and the rivalry has maintained for many years. In my own opinion, I really think that Pakistan and India can never be friends. It is a huge profession but the extreme opposition has reached a point that it is highly improbable for both the countries to ever be on friendly terms. However, I believe in the philosophy of never say never. “I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.” George Mcgovern Kashmir is the main point of conflict between the two countries and recently, the Pulwama attack claimed the lives of 41 Indian soldiers. This event occurred on 14th February and ever since the situation between the two countries has been deteriorating with every passing day. There were air strikes, payl

PICTURE COURTESY: SAMAA.TV Pakistan Super League has started off very grandly and with Islamabad United winning the opening match, a very firm ground has been set for some outstanding performances. The quality of performances, organisation and production are getting better every year. Subsequently, many more foreign players are opting to play for PSL. It is very predictable that the quality of games will also be phenomenal this year but there is something that is not getting better rather it's getting worst, the useless bantering. Competitiveness is very important for any sport whether it be football, cricket or any other sport and the fans play a huge part in backing the team. It is absolutely true that the support from fans is very essential for the success of any team but some delusional fans out there think that's supporting their team means ridiculing the other teams. This is absolutely wrong and distasteful. Supporting your team means promoting and highlighting th

This year, 14th February is not just like another ordinary day for me. It marks the completion of one year of blogging for me. My incredible journey has completed a milestone with the grace of Allah Almighty. It has been an amazing journey and for the past 1 year, I have been following my passion. Honestly, it feels absolutely amazing and empowering. The sense of being content with what I do is the best feeling. I can confidently advise each and everyone who is reading this blog right now that follow your passion, success will automatically follow you. My blog is just one year old and I have been very dedicated to each and every post. There were days that I got very fewer views, even down to 37 but soon I realise that my only focus is to convey a message and even if 37 people read that message, I have succeeded. Before I started blogging, I was aware of Google AdSense and honestly, like everyone else I also wish to have an approved account of Google AdSense one day but everyone w

Sometimes we get so much caught up in the routine that we unintentionally get tired of our lives. This tiredness is demonstrated in the form of anger or tension and we don't really understand what's going on. We get confused and that confusion leads to anger. Today, many people are facing anger issues and the only reason behind it is the lack of satisfaction and relaxation. It is very essential to understand that we all are humans and we need to relax, to recharge our energies. We excessively drain our energies and feel exhausted both mentally and physically. As a matter of fact, we do sleep at night and recharge our bodies for the next day but mentally we are constantly occupied and that makes our mental health vulnerable to various issues including anxiety and depression. Life goes on and there are going to be problems that need to be resolved but if we don't pay attention to our mental health, there'll be added issues for us to fix. Be very mindful about your menta

Jok Role.  Jok Role's Parents. Last week, one of my very beloved pet pigeons died. His name was Jok Role. A very interesting story is associated with this name. I was scammed by an online employer, I found him on a freelancing website and he posts to be from the United States of America. He made me write over 10k words and the payment was due after a week. On the day of payment, he stopped replying and on that very day, Jok Role was born hence we named him after the fraudulent employer. Well, it was an accident because we would set our pigeons free and later in the evening get them back into the cage. Now he was roaming around on the floor and somebody left the roof door open. I was away, eating my lunch when a cat came into the room and took him away. When I came into the room, he wasn't there. Everyone looked around and tried to find him but later we only found his feathers on the roof of our neighbours. It was heartbreaking. I really loved him and for the first ti

Life as a disabled individual in Pakistan has various aspects. There are many things that need consideration and improvement but one of the things that recently got my attention was the media presence and representation of the disabled individuals. Media is undoubtedly a powerful tool and very crucial in any social change, moreover, it has a very high impact among the masses therefore many of the social trends reach the public through the media. Is the media actually portraying every aspect of society? The answer is no, it's not. Have you ever seen a disabled heroine or hero? Can you recall a high budget movie based on disability?  It is very unlikely that any person with a disability would be considered as a hero or heroine but why is that? The movies are supposed to be a reflection of the society, however, there are a few examples where the people with disabilities have managed to gain some media presence but either they are portrayed merely as villains, motivational speakers