“Ye Pakistan Hai”

Today, as I dropped my kids off at their school and I was on my way to my work, an Hiace, a public vehicle shot past a bike, hitting the biker. The left side of the biker could not sustain the impact of the collision, and the bike along with him toppled. I was a few yards behind and on the right side of the scene. Naturally, I slammed down on the brakes, and gradually skidding to the left, I pulled over a few feet ahead of the spot. I was concerned. The biker I knew needed help. As I tried to estimate and understand the situation at the scene, another helmet clad biker rode up to me, and as I lowered my window, said, “Did you hit the bike?” I said, “No. I just think the victim needs help.” He assured me, “He’s alright. You may leave.” Relieved, I was like, “Ok” , as I pushed the ‘right’ indicator. The anonymous helmet clad figure returned to say, ” Aisi naiki na kren jo gale ka phanda bn jai. Aap doctor hein na. Ye Pakistan hai. ”
It hurts to hear that. This is our land, our country, our region. It bears only what we sow. Having said that, I wonder, why? Why on earth this land is so averse to ‘naiki’. Why would and why should one think before helping out someone, if that will or won’t be good enough an act? It is just not normal. This just does not sound right. Think about this for a second. What if you are the victim? Wouldn’t you want some medic stopped by to help you. Better still, imagine for a while, if that was your son, or daughter, or brother, father, sister or mother, in place of that victim? You and I would have prayed, angels descended from the sky to take care of our loved ones. Why do we feel threatened helping out people, who are just like us, our neighbours, our colleagues, other drivers, random men, women, children and especially the aged all around us? Why, if not threatened, we are reluctant to stand out and give a helping hand to the boy who spilled his basket of fruit on the road? Why are we only thinking about how fast we can reach our destination, once behind the wheels? Why are we only contemplating at the back of our minds the ‘shorter-cuts’ we could have taken?
Charity begins at home. Goodwill must begin at home too. As individuals our only responsibility was never to grow up into money-making machines. This does not define nations or nurtures our young, how effectively or how quickly we managed to move from a hand to mouth living to a more lavish one. How little it took me to change my bike into a Porsche, or a Limousine will never leave my kids with any worthy inheritance. All inheritance, other than the values and morals to live by, is vanity-conceit, and a deceit.
Our generation is living by the principles of ‘ easy money-making’ and ‘a desire to be able to own the best car, best house and adorn the best brand ‘. Still, we saw parents and elders who had an iota of humanity, concern and empathy, I shall say. We, i.e., our generation, are icons of apathy, indifference and selfishness. We won’t be able to leave our kids with spine, enough to combat the woes and pathos of the reality.
It is never too late to go back and start improving on ourselves. It is never too late to start helping humanity. I do not say human beings because, our attitudes have given rise to serious issues confronting, rather threatening the very essence of HUMANITY. Let’s stop running the rat race. Let’s decide to stop, reflect, DECIDE to help out others, just FOR THE SAKE OF HELPING OUT, and then let’s just do it. Let us then say, ‘YE PAKISTAN HAI’.