Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar – Insight on Kashmir

Bahawalpur Main Ajnabi: a book review by Javed Khan

Believe it or not, man is a traveler from eternity. He is on travel from his birth to the next destination.

And this was a common belief not only in Semitic religions but also Aryan. According to those religions, we all will go to heaven after death.

Such belief is continuing to this day. The philosophy of transmigration of souls says that man has many births and he comes and lives in different forms in different births.

It is a fact that man is extremely attached to his past. Countless human beings have come and gone on this shell (earth), and some are passing.

Many have yet to pass. Many civilizations have risen on this earth and been buried in the dust.

Curious to find them around, people of later times kept wandering on this earth.

The proof of this search is in many forms of collected knowledge such as old manuscripts, huge piles of books, impressions, libraries, and historic buildings standing on the chest of the earth.

Why the mankind loves the past so much? Maybe, curiosity, passion, and quest often cling to it.

This knot will probably be solved by someone in the future, it could be another Freud of his time.

I have got this book titled “Bahawalpur Main Ajnabi” in my hands which is written by Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar. The book is divided into two parts.

The first part is based on the author’s brief stay in Bahawalpur, which includes a tour of the present city of Bahawalpur.

It mainly features the old city which he himself calls the city of Nawabs- the royal family of the state of Bahawalpur.

And the second part consists of two beautiful short stories. If I could say from the heart, these two short stories (afsanay) are also flowing in the spirit of the first half of the book namely journey.

Man is a mixture of emotions. For him (author), the flow of emotions and thoughts is also a journey.

Misery and poverty in society, caste system, ups and downs of a peculiar mindset, economic inequalities, civilization, and culture; all these external factors create a sea of contradictions as they rake up in one’s self.

These contradictions create a commotion.

It is the character of a sea that can bear the brunt of its own tumultuous nature.

Yet, it is not possible for a sensitive human being to face such an unrestrained flow of emotions without having an impact on his own personality.

All these external factors bind a sensitive person. Then they find a direction for him and set out on a journey. This journey becomes a journey of creation.

Mazhar’s journey of creation is predictable. He writes about what he sees in the life around him.

Such as, in the short story titled “Aik boond pani”, it is the journey of his soul that witnesses the sighs of sobbing humanity and dying wells in the villages spread all over the map of the Thar desert.

He portrays the true passions of the Eastern civilization in his short story ‘Dil Mandir’.

In the journey to Bahawalpur, the author travels alone but he keeps his homeland with him.

The childhood memories of Kashmiri pears, Kashmiri students in Bahawalpur, the identity campaign of the Bahawalpur region, and the destiny of the Seraikis and Kashmiris.

Pick any topic from this book and you will find a loving reference somewhere to his ancestral land.

His memories are fragrant with a deep sense of belonging to his homeland as he instantaneously paints a grim picture of those memories.

The author, occasionally, makes strong and blunt references to the shackled history of Kashmiris.

Such as there is a bitter truth in this sentence and it is a very strong thought.

“Apart from nationalism and patriotism, the singers of Islamism, Annexism ( the annexation of Kashmir), communism, and countless other ideologies are still receiving praise for their committed and melodious tone”. Not everyone can swallow it easily.

Bahawalpur has many colors. Inside Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur’s sweet Seraiki language, culture, Nawabi era architecture, cultural heritage, and the Sarafa (Jewellers) market, all these colors have been presented by the author in his book by painting a glorious picture of this city.

By reading the book, it seems as if you have reached the Nawabi era of Bahawalpur.

The red-brick buildings of the Nawabi era, luxury lifestyle, stories of the Nawabi era, everything in this book takes you on a journey.

Even after reading the two stories in the book ‘Dil Mandir’ and ‘Ek boond Pani’, it seems that the impression of desert life is deep in the author’s subconscious.

Especially the story ‘Dil Mandir’ is full of romantic and eastern atmosphere.

There is such a strong focus on detail and painting in every scene that not a single place in the story can be counted as just fiction, it’s more than that.

About the writer

Javed Khan is an author, environmentalist, and teacher.

Environmentalists stress government to take comprehensive measures to solve environmental problems in Azad Jammu and Kashmir

By Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar

The environmentalists have demanded comprehensive measures from the government to solve the growing environmental problems in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. They have also emphasized the need to spread awareness on a large scale with the collaboration of the public and civil society.

The environmentalists including academics, social activists and concerned citizens were speaking in a virtual dialogue on Sunday, August 7. The event was organized by Press for Peace Foundation to discuss environmental issues in two cities Kotli and Mirpur.

Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar (Writer/ Event Host)

Environmental experts Prof. Dr. Siddique Awan, Dr. Faraz Akram, social activists Aqeel Butt, Shamaila Khan, Director Press for Peace Foundation Prof. Zafar Iqbal, , former DG EPA Raja Razzaque, were notable among the speakers. The virtual event was hosted by Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar from London.

The environmentalists stressed that the local administration should take strict actions on issues of the destruction of forests, the absence of a modern solid waste system, and the indifference to the water pollution in Mangala Lake.

The speakers noted with concern that the government was failing to fulfill its responsibilities regarding a healthy and clean environment.

They also lamented people’s indifferent attitude towards the cleanliness of streets in residential and commercial areas in both cities and their surroundings. It was stressed during the discussion that the political and social leadership, public representatives, and educated people should come forward to point the public behavior towards the environment in the right direction.

There is a need for education and awareness on a large scale to awaken people in this regard.
Prof. Dr. Siddique Awan, a world-renowned researcher, and botanist said that the fish species in Mangala Lake are fast decreasing.

He emphasized with research data that unchecked fishing has played havoc in the last ten years as various diseases are increasing due to water pollution in the lakes. Unfriendly fishing contracts have been awarded which require a check and balance. People and civil society should go ahead and play their role to solve environmental problems.
Aqeel Butt, a social leader and businessman from the city of Luton, United Kingdom, said that the problems of the environment are very serious in his hometown Kotli due to the chaotic traffic, heaps of garbage, and inactivity of the institutions.

The general attitude of people towards the environment is pessimistic. The people’s attitude towards the cleanliness and environment is heartless as they routinely pick up the garbage from their house and throw it in the street.

In the pattern of developed countries, the government and the people should work together to develop a waste management system to dispose of waste on a scientific basis. Pollution problems cannot be controlled without the active role of the community and civil society.

The environment departments of municipal bodies in both cities need to be revamped. If there is an increase in the awareness level among the people, then the problems will hopefully be solved.

Environmentalist Dr. Faraz Akram said that 4000 incidents of forest fires were reported in Pakistan last year, of which 1500 incidents were related to Kotli.

The timber mafia first cuts down the pine tree and then systematically set the forest on fire, not only erasing the evidence of the crime but also destroying the environment.

Kotli forests are the habitat of endangered wildlife but due to the hostile attitude of the people against these animals, we are losing a national wealth. Despite the actions taken by the local wildlife department against the illegal activities along the Poonch River and Gulpur Dam, fish are being hunted. The efficiency of the state institutions in this regard is questionable.
Shamaila Khan, a social worker of Hajira (Poonch district), said in the light of her observations during the work done with various social institutions, that a large amount of garbage is thrown into the drains from Hajira town and surrounding villages.

The garbage then moves further down the Poonch river and other national water bodies. She said that an initiative by a non-governmental organization to stop the local population from this environmentally unfriendly activity has also failed due to the non-cooperation of the local community.

She said that there is a need to introduce the model of systematic disposal of solid waste at the community level in Azad Kashmir under the auspices of the government.
Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar, the head of the environment department of Press for Peace Foundation, said with reference to various reports of international organizations that the richest people in the world are playing a greater role in spreading pollution.

He said that solving the environmental problem is not the responsibility of the government only. The public and civil societies have to play their role in dealing with major environmental challenges.

Former DG EPA Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Razzaque said that the temperature of the Mirpur region has increased due to Mangala rising. Urban garbage including hospital and industrial waste from Kotli and Mirpur is flowing into Mangala Lake, causing fatal effects on aquatic life. Also, stone crushing is a major problem which is having harmful effects on the local environment and population.

Environmentalists call for necessary legislation & administrative measures to deal with deforestation and industrial pollution in AJ&K

By Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar

Environmentalists, on Sunday 17 July 2022, called for necessary legislation & administrative measures to deal with deforestation and industrial pollution in AJ&K.

They observed that the loss of precious human lives and damage to forests could have been avoided if trained personnel had been appointed instead of daily laborers in the forest department of district Bhimber.

According to a recent BBC report, the forests in the southern district of Azad Jammu & Kashmir(AJ& K) had turned into piles of gunpowder due to the lack of rain for the past several months.
The dialogue was organized between environmentalists and residents on the topic of “Environmental Issues of Bhimber”.

The event was organized in connection with an environmental awareness campaign by the Press for Peace Foundation UK. The panel discussion was hosted by Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar.

The participants were Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ishtiaq (Mirpur), World Renewable Energy Expert Dr. Azhar Fakhruddin (Germany), Botanist Dr. Mehwish Maqbool (Bhimbar), Education and Social Development Expert Shah Shoaib Hashmi (UK). , environmentalists Dr. Siddique Awan and Dr. Basiruddin Qureshi, former DG Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and IUCN member Raja Razzaque and others were involved.

The participants of the talk agreed that forests are indispensable for human survival but they are being cut down ruthlessly, posing serious threats to humans and wildlife. Mass afforestation and public awareness are needed to reduce pollution hazards.

The participants strongly demanded that public committees be formed to protect forests from fire. Trained personnel should be deployed to deal with large-scale fires and safety equipment should be provided and zig-zag construction methods should be adopted to reduce the harmful effects of brick kilns and the government should provide loans to the kiln owners. Kiln owners should be obliged to plant trees in the affected areas to improve the environment.

Dr. Muhammad Ishtiaq said that poor-quality coal is being used in brick kilns in Bhimbar, which is affecting the health of the workers and adjacent populations, crops, and forests. Government institutions, civil society, and people should work together to deal with environmental pollution. Government and factory owners should fulfill their responsibilities for the health and education of children and other workers working in factories. Trees should be planted around parks and roads. Green belts should be built near the factories. There is a need to build check dams on the rivers.
Education and community development expert Shah Shoaib Hashmi (UK) expressed regret over the absence of a garbage disposal system in Bhimbar and other cities and said that the local government and municipalities should dispose of garbage in a scientific manner. Institutions should start a modern system of recycling. Where is global funding for reforestation going? It needs to be questioned.

Agricultural lands and trees are being destroyed in the name of housing societies. But there is no one to ask them. Destruction of trees that give oxygen to human life in the greed of materialism is sad. Those who sawed a pine tree do not think that it takes three years for its seed to develop.

The government and the people should make joint efforts to protect the environment. In the northern regions of Pakistan, the efforts of non-governmental organizations have been successful in raising the awareness of the public for the protection of the environment, which needs to be spread throughout the country with the support of civil society.

Dr. Azhar Fakhruddin (Germany) said that the average temperature of Pakistan is higher than the rest of the world due to indiscriminate deforestation, population growth, environmental pollution, and other factors. Pakistan has been included in the top tier of countries affected by climate change and due to these changes, the temperature has gone up to 53 degrees. Pakistan is among the worst-ranked countries on the air pollution index.

During the last two months, more than half of the forest area in the Bhimber district was burnt to ashes. Six officials of the forest department were injured and two were martyred while fighting the forest fire. There is a question mark in this that the forest department was not aware of this accident. Stone crushing machines in Barnala and Bhimber are causing environmental pollution. The problem of the environment can be solved only by the government and the people together. He added that the forest staff should be provided with fire fighting training and necessary safety equipment. Town committees have to adopt a modern waste disposal system. There is a need to promote the use of eco-friendly materials instead of cement in the construction of houses.

Dr. Mehwish Maqbool said that climate change is a global problem. Man is harming the environment to fulfill his need. Plants and forests act as lungs for our earth and without forests, the existence of human life on earth is in danger. Due to human activities, the ecological balance of the region is deteriorating. The extent of training and awareness of university students. So far, he himself and the environmental department of the university are playing their part, but the problems are so serious that all the sectors of life have to work together under the auspices of the government.

Former DG EPA and IUCN member Raja Muhammad Razzaque, in his written proposals, said that the biggest challenge in the Bhimbar district is the unregulated operation of crushing plants that are wreaking havoc in the area, resulting in the extraction of gravel making the soil extremely uneven. is cut properly. Natural water flow channels have been blocked, resulting in shifting floodplains that are damaging old settlements. Unplanned urban settlements, conversion of fertile agricultural lands into housing sector/societies, deforestation, and loss are major problems.

The recent plantation drive under the billion tsunami was also blocked by the local population which did not yield the desired results. Tobacco threshing/processing factories have been set up in Barnala, causing environmental destruction and pollution. Such plants are banned in Punjab and KP, which is why they are moving to Azad Jammu and Kashmir as a safe haven for their illegal business. Wildlife in the Deva Watala National Park is under threat. The units of brick kilns though fewer are creating havoc for the environment and need to be converted to zigzag technology by the government. The government should help them by providing loans.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Siddique Awan highlighted the importance of wildlife in the region. He expressed extreme concern over the possible extinction of wildlife in the Bhimber area. He said that the red jungle fowl is almost extinct. Why is the government not paying attention?
Dr. Basiruddin Qureshi supported Dr. Mehwish and said that the world is working on the promotion of forests to deal with climate change, while we are struggling to save the existing forests. Wildlife is also being forced to migrate from its natural habitat due to the anti-environmental actions of man.

Many species of plants, wildlife, and predators are migrating from the plains to the highlands due to unsafe human activities, which is seriously affecting the ecology of the entire region.
The host Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar told the participants that Press for Peace Foundation has been making all-out efforts at the grass root level to highlight the environmental issue in Azad Jammu and Kashmir for the past twenty-two years, which is supported by international and local organizations. Certified and recognized.
In the ongoing awareness campaign to highlight the environmental issues, the public and the conscious and powerful sections of the society have taken a keen interest, which shows that the efforts for positive change in society can be successful together. Publication of books and scholarly and research materials is also being organized under the auspices of the Press for Peace Foundation.
In this Press for Peace Foundation webinar, a large number of people gave useful suggestions to solve environmental problems in the region. Environmental activist Abid Hussain from Bhimbar said that a poor drainage system is the result of groundwater pollution.

A forest firefighter earns 500 rupees a day while the community of this area sleeps unaware. Being the region with the lowest employment rate despite the highest literacy rate, young people migrate to other countries. There is no waste disposal system. There is a dialysis center for the patients without any research into the cause of the disease. He also said that the mining activity is going on without any check and balance system. Environmental engineering is lacking with regard to stone crushing units. Soil erosion is increased. Factors like soil fertility, water harvesting structures, and water table are noteworthy.

The writer can be contacted via Twitter @MIMazhar or email at mazhar.iqbal@pressforpeace.org.uk

#forests #kilns #deforestation #environmentalissues