Page 4 - Pakistan Link - March 22, 2024

P4 - PAKISTAN LINK - MARCH 22, 2024 OPINION
Pakistan Link n By Mowahid Hussain Shah Victim Mentality projects are constantly being subvert-
ed by infusing a provincial color. So,
ne of the dominant blights instead of cohesion, fault lines along
that characterize the 21st ethnic, tribal, and sectarian fissures
Advisory Board
Dr Sohail Masood Ocentury is victim mentality, are inflamed and sharpened.
which has been exponentially ampli- There are areas now in Pakistan
President fied and exacerbated where the Pakistani flag is scarcely
Arif Zaffar Mansuri by social media. It seen. So, the dilemma then emerges:
ArifMansuri@PLpublications.org demoralizes by fos- how to protect Pakistan from Paki-
tering the sense of stanis?
Editor
Akhtar Mahmud Faruqui being marginalized. Lahore witnessed a surge of food
afaruqui@pakistanlink.com It induces in its wake fraud and food crime when donkey
helplessness. It be- meat and pork were peddled to un-
Editor Urdu Link & Bureau Chief comes a self-defeating and self-per- suspecting consumers. These were
(Pakistan) petuating trap. It is meek acceptance fellow citizens preying on fellow citi-
Shabbir Ghori
urdulink@yahoo.com of lack of control and blaming oth- zens.
ers for negative circumstances, while The true casualty is that victim
Resident Editor Urdu Link exempting oneself from responsibil- mentality self-victimizes by paralyz-
& Director Video Operations ity. ing self-responsibility. It enfeebles the
Anwar Khawaja
akhawaja@pakistanlink.com Victim mentality was always there, fighting spirit. Great leaders realize
but often in the background, not at this.
Manager Sales & Advertising the very center of the stage. Over-em- Victim mindset is a corrosive problem in Pakistan, wherein nation-building To cite the Quaid: “The weak and
sales@pakistanlink.com phasis on ethnic and cultural identity projects are constantly being subverted by infusing a provincial color. So, in- the defenseless, in this imperfect
is akin to pouring gasoline on em- stead of cohesion, fault lines along ethnic, tribal, and sectarian fissures are in- world, invite aggression from others.
Regional Offices
bers. Rational logic has very little to flamed and sharpened The best way in which we can serve
YKKB do with it. the cause of peace is by removing the
ykkb03@gmail.com Ironically, surveys have revealed flicted/induced terror is more conse- Modi to the forefront of Indian pub- temptation from the path of those
that many non-college educated Cau- quential than the routine carnage at lic space, with his complicity in the who think that we are weak and,
Sacramento, CA casians see themselves as disempow- home facilitated by the spinelessness Gujarat massacres burnishing his therefore, they can bully or attack us.”
Sacramento@plpublications.com ered victims in the changing demog- of their own lawmakers to stand up “strong-man” imagery and escalating A victim mentality run amok plays

San Fransisco/Bay Area, CA raphy of America, which, in effect, to gun terror. his popularity in the so-called largest political football with the very fate of
Sanfrancisco@plpublications.com is a slow-motion glacial browning of Elsewhere in other parts of the democracy in the world. a nation. It dilutes one’s confidence
society. It is this combination of rage, world, strains of a similar virus are Victim mentality also induces self- and competence to overcome difficul-
New York, NY
Newyork@plpublications.com fear, and frustration that was propel- evident. It may come as news to some pity by side-stepping the necessity of ties.
ling Trump. beleaguered Indian Muslims that a self-scrutiny. Can the evil of injus- Victim mentality is now virtually a
Houston, TX Too many Americans have been significant swath of the Hindu major- tice be fought by avoiding it? Victim cottage industry, fanning “us” versus
Houston@Plpublications.org
brainwashed into believing that the ity community sees Muslims as over- mindset is a corrosive problem in “them” conflicts. Its polarizing after-
Phoenix, AZ pinprick element of externally in- pampered. This sentiment brought Pakistan, wherein nation-building math fragments the state and society.
Phoenix@Plpublications.org
Ontario, Canada
Ontario@Plpublications.org Ramadan: Reimagining a New Self such, we have even created “pack-
Letters to the Editor ages” of good deeds, e.g., doing a
certain number of rakahs, finishing
Readers are welcome to express their Qur’an certain times, etc., that will
opinion in these columns. Please keep guarantee us a house in Jannah and
your letters brief and to the point. Let- n By Haroon Hashmi, PhD
ters without full name, complete ad- Boston, MA so on and so forth.
dress, and a daytime phone number will Perhaps it is time we reflect on the
not be published. Also, copies of letters here is a unique mercy in Ra- transformational nature of our Deen
sent to other newspapers are not en-
couraged. Letters can be mailed, faxed madan that anchors ordinary and not reduce it to merely a trans-
or e-mailed to the Editor at the Pakistan TMuslims in a realm of religi- actional one. Perhaps this Ramadan
Link Headquarters address listed below.
osity and spirituality: we willingly we can reimagine a new “self” for
Pakistan Link (ISSN 1074-0406) is pub- adapt to a new rhythm of our days ourselves by focusing on the aspects
lished weekly for $85 a year by JAZ LLC, and nights to submit of God-Consciousness in the verse
DBA PL Publications, LLC.
to the Will and Com- that Allah revealed: “O you who be-
Periodical postage paid at Anaheim, CA mand of our Lord. lieve, fasting is prescribed for you
and additional mailing offices.
POST MASTER: Send address changes to Every pang of hun- as it was prescribed for those before
Pakistan Link, P O Box 1238, Anaheim, ger and every desire you, that you may develop God-con-
CA 92815 to wet our parched sciousness” (2:183). Consciousness
The management has the right to re-
fuse to print any advertisement, news, lips remind us of the describes our awareness of internal
article, letter or any other material. In state of obedience to our Creator. We and external stimuli; imagine if all
case of any errors in advertisement the even begin to see the better side of us What can we do differently this Ramadan that transforms us not just for a aspects of consciousness are an-
management will not be liable for more
than the amount paid for the advertise- in aspects of our own created self from month but transforms us for longer? Saudi chored in the ultimate Source of all
ment to the Link. being upright, speaking truth, giv- that is Beautiful, Pure, and Good.
Advertisements in Pakistan Link are ing charity, being merciful to others, way to the not-so-pleasant one, the change our transactional mindset Perhaps if this Ramadan we can re-
placed in good faith. The newspaper is
not responsible nor endorses the con- etc. But then what happens to all of rancor, the envy, the greed. The heart when it comes to our faith. We seem flect on what having God-conscious-
tents of any advertisement. In case of a us when we leave the confines of this that just started to feel its pureness, to see our religious duties and acts ness truly means and how can one
frivolous lawsuit, the plaintiff will bear
the total cost of the suit, including but sacred month? Why do we become so starts feeling diseased again. only in the framework of give-and- develop and practice it in their life,
not limited to the Link’s costs and the unanchored? We gradually slide again What can we do differently this take or reward and punishment, maybe the spiritual bliss and special
attorney’s fees. into “ghaflat” and get trapped in the Ramadan that transforms us not i.e., we give God a good deed, and connection we feel with our Lord in
Information for mendacity of this life. The very beauti- just for a month but transforms we expect to receive some unit of Ramadan will continue to stay with
Subscribers ful side of our own self begins to give us for longer? Perhaps we need to “sawaab” in return from Him. As us beyond it – inshaAllah!
The printing of Pakistan Link is un-
failingly completed by Wednesday
every week and its copies are hand- Views and
ed over to the mailing house for Imran Predicts Govt’s Fall, His Release the property for Rs9bn but sold it for Imran acquitted in two more FIRs
prompt dispatch to the subscribers. in Four to Five Months Rs18bn. Mr Khan said Hassan Nawaz Meanwhile, the judicial magistrate opinions ex-
The Link should reach its destination pressed by
on time if there is no delay at the (Continued from page 1) should be asked to provide the mon- of Barakahu, Suhaib Bilal Ranjha, ac- authors and
post office. If a delay is occasioned it ready been made and termed the pro- ey trail. quitted Mr Khan, Shah Mehmood
is in no way attributable to the per- contributors
formance of Link’s management. In ceedings a mere formality. The PTI founder said that the cur- Qureshi and others in a case related in articles,
case of delayed receipt of Pakistan Mr Khan said the case against rent state of affairs had exposed the to inciting the protesters for violence letters, opin-
Link or missing issues, please contact
your local Post Office and submit a him was baseless, claiming that the entire system, adding that everything on May 26, 2022 during a march or- ion pieces, reports, advertise-
“Publication Watch” form. exchequer did not suffer any loss as was being manipulated; the ECP, the ganized against then PDM govern- ments, etc appearing in Paki-
Tel: 714-400-3400 the amount transferred from the UK caretaker government and the estab- ment. stan Link and Urdu Link are
Fax: 714-400-3404 was held by the government, and lishment are all in it together. Judge Ranjha observed that pros- their own. The paper neither
E-Mail: Editor@PakistanLink.com shares nor endorses them
there was no element of criminality. Mr Khan lamented that Pakistan’s ecution did not produce any tangible
Pakistan Office He said Malik Riaz transferred the ties with Iran and Afghanistan had evidence that could connect the sus- and thus should not be held
responsible for the views/
42 Rehman Court amount for the purchase of a house been soured and expressed the ap- pects with the crime. He acquitted opinions of the writers & ad-
Plaza Square, Off M. A. Jinnah Road in the UK, adding that the seller was prehension that this would lead to an the suspects, observing that there was vertisers.
Karachi-74400, Pakistan Hassan Nawaz Sharif who had bought increase in terrorism. no chance of conviction. - Dawn
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