By Professor Jahangir
( writer is a renowned educationist, journalist and motivational speaker )
Sylvia Plath, in her multi-dimensional poem, ‘Poppies in October’ draws the attention of the readers by elaborating the appalling uncertainty, insecurity, temporarin
ess, loneliness of the gentle souls and cold-heartedness of the world towards the existence of the virtuous and well-wishers of humanity. These philanthropists are surrounded by the multitude of misanthropists, so their beneficial beings are rusticated by inhuman and insensible powers that claim a conquest to a great extent in turning this tremendous earth into ‘a forest of frost’. Here, ‘nothing is to be done’ as sadly said by Samuel Beckett and stagnancy is spreading swiftly like the mad-race of materialism. These gruesome gurus of the planet are making the gracious factors something like gullible beings ultimately nothing happens worthwhile in the world. Let us evaluate, whether the world has turned into a forest of frost or there is some silver lining in the darkest clouds.
Firstly, as far as education is concerned, Einstein said, the main objective of education is to enhance imaginative and visionary approach of a person but these hostile powers of knowledge have transformed education as a collection of data, figures and facts and cramming of these things, students waste their vitality, creativity, time, money and quite ironically think, they have acquired something marvellous but in reality education mafia, in the form of fiend’s followers win viciously in forming the world into ‘a forest of frost’ where only evil forces are flourishing at the cost of simpletons’ sacrifices.
Secondly, there comes the turn of economics. These tactful tycoons have prevailed such an economic system which cannot permit anyone to excel financially, on the contrary to remain in the chains of main economic Titans like IMF and World Bank. Even those countries that developed amazingly but still their people have to work untiringly for fourteen hours daily to make both ends meet, its best example is South Korea. All economic power, its planning and propagation is in the clutches of those unkind minds who don’t want to view any equal distribution of wealth, so that the world is confined to be ‘a forest of frost’ where all efforts for its uplift are multiplied by zero.
Thirdly, in media, these massive minds shape the world as they dream, they hire the services of big channels with the aim to keep the world disordered, derailed and disarranged, just like a forest of frost. That’s why media of today has involved in propagandist activities instead of providing impartial news to the innocent laymen.
Fourthly, in politics, these game-changers and shape-changers of the world promulgate such policies and philosophies which cannot authorize humanity to have some relief and relax but to suffer from exploitation, division, injustice and anarchy by appointing their puppets and cow-parsley politicians. These so-called leaders don’t consent to culminating actions but only to dreadful deeds so that this blissful world would remain baleful and seem ‘a forest of frost’.
Fifthly, the medical field which was once valued as the best way of serving the suffering humanity but now the next war is being called a biological war means the medical mechanism will show its fatal face instead of gentle gesture, its glimpse can be contemplated in the current catastrophes of corona turning to be brutal biological battle settled at many soils to humiliate the sanctity of human life and framing the world into ‘a forest of frost’. What a pity!
And lastly but lamentably, if someone really has a heart to feel a factual forest of frost then imagine the night of 7th January, 2022 in the mournful city of Murree, where dozens of innocent and civilized citizens died due to the negligence, greed, selfishness and cannibalistic approach of primitive times shown not only by govt. officials but also by hotels managements, angel like children were dying helplessly but devil like authorities were enjoying the luxuries of life. Here, the point to remember is that the leader of the nation has been raising bombastic slogans to make this country the fabulous and fascinating attraction for foreigner as well as native tourists by promoting tourism astoundingly, see the performance and actual situation. How miserable it is to live in fools’ Paradise!
In brief, our claims to call ourselves proud Pakistanis, a brave nation with a high and dignified sense of self-esteem seem suitable and attractive only in songs. Once the elected leader of this unfortunate land while addressing in General Assembly said, if in the west animals are killed cruelly, people raise their voices against it and feel their pain, is there anyone who will feel pain and pangs of these human beings died in such merciless circumstances and the grief of their grieved families? It is a futile hope if expected from the corridors of powers definitely. May God save our country to show such a scene of ‘a forest of frost’ in the future! (Ameen)
