The Meaning of Development

The increasing poverty in many parts of the world and the impact on the environment has led many people to question the meaning of development.

In mid twentieth century development was measured mainly in terms of economic growth. Those countries which had the most economic growth were viewed as developing the fastest.

However these countries also experienced acute social problems, such as crime, racism, inner city decline, drug abuse, alienation, family and community breakdown, and the growth of an underclass.

Development equated solely with economic growth also led the global problems, such as the divide between the North and the South, and the impact on the environment. Developed countries achieved their economic growth in some cases at the expense of the poor nations.

The quality of life and integrated development

As the twentieth century drew to a close, broader meanings of development were suggested. While economic growth was seen as an essential aspect of development, so were social development, culture and the care of environment.

In many countries people searched for a lifestyle where material wealth was not only their aim in life. Aspects such as health, creative use of leisure, access to nature, self development, and spiritual contentment were considered as equally important.

Happiness is not something that can be guaranteed by wealth alone. Human beings by nature are more than material beings, and seek for non-material pursuits in their lives. A broader understanding of development takes into account aspirations related to both material and non-material human life.

Material and spiritual balance

The balance between material and spiritual aspects of life is one of the central tenets in the Islamic vision. Human beings are not only physical entities, but have the divine spark within them. The physical side of a person reflects only one of his or her being. It has to be viewed alongside other facets such as the intellectual, the cultural, the social and the spiritual.

Islam is concerned with both din and dunya, spirit and matter, distinct but linked, neither to be forsaken. Din is the spiritual life of a believer expressed through an active relationship with the sacred. The earthly life, dunya is a preparation for the life to come.

In the Ismaili tariqa of Shia Islam, this principle is given great emphasis. The Imam guides the murids on seeking a balanced life in the changing circumstances of each age. He alerts them to their material and spiritual responsibilities.

From an Islamic perspective. development is viewed as both material and spiritual; one is not possible without the other. The spiritual guides and inspires the material, while the material reflects the spiritual. A murid seeks to be whole by attending to both the material and the spiritual in his or her life.

Culture and development

The principle of the balance between the material and the spiritual also applies to the development of communities and societies. Development from an Islamic viewpoint includes economic progress, but it is also concerned with the cultural, intellectual and spiritual development of a community.

One of the major spheres of development for the AKDN institutions is culture. In seeking to improve the quality of life of people in need, AKDN programmes do not focus solely on material progress. A central principle in their work is to integrate the material progress within the larger context of the cultural life of the people who are being helped. Culture is recognised as a vital clement in the overall development of a community.
How the communities will attain the holistic development: Please download the GUIDELINES on this link as the standard operating procedure.

In Hunza, development is defined as holistic, community-driven progress that bridges traditional heritage with modernity. Rather than just economic growth, it means protecting the fragile mountain ecology, empowering marginalized groups, expanding equitable education, and managing tourism sustainably so it directly benefits local residents. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Defining development for the communities of Hunza requires balancing several interconnected, localized priorities:

1. Sustainable & Regenerative Tourism

• Community-Led Models: Residents prioritize tourism management where locals govern destination offerings, preventing mass commercialization from degrading the natural environment and local culture. [1]
• Cultural Preservation: Protecting intangible heritage (e.g., traditional music, crafts, and architecture like Baltit and Altit forts) by converting historic spaces into community centers and heritage guesthouses. [6]

2. Economic Diversification

• High-Yield Agriculture: Shifting from pure subsistence farming to high-value commercial agriculture (like organic cherry and apricot farming) and efficient water resource management. [7]
• Digital and Vocational Hubs: Initiatives by organizations like KADO provide digital and vocational training to empower women, youth, and persons with disabilities, creating income streams beyond hospitality. [5, 8]

3. Climate Resilience

• Environmental Conservation: Developing infrastructure that respects the fragile alpine ecosystem, as the area is vulnerable to climate change and the environmental footprint of heavy tourist traffic. [4]

4. Equitable Social Development

• Inclusive Education: Sustaining the region’s high literacy rates by focusing on critical thinking and conceptual learning over rote memorization for both boys and girls. [2, 3]
• Grassroots Empowerment: Continuing the holistic, all-encompassing community mobilization pioneered by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) to ensure marginalized groups have a voice in local decision-making. [2, 9]

Hunza Development Forum (HDF)- A Civil Society Platform

I would like to apprise you of a new approach adopted here in Hunza (part of Gilgit and Baltistan) that could be the future for many societies. In an era of rising expectations and unmet needs in our part of the world, the civil society sector plays an essential role in the provision of social services, the protection of the marginalized, the delivery of development programmes and the promotion of good governance. Its work is especially critical where governments are weak or non-performing. The concept aims at generating a common long term vision amongst wide array of organizations that have a presence in public life, including faith-based and charitable organisations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labour unions, professional associations and foundations, village and women’s groups, neighbourhood self-help groups, social movements, business associations, microcredit organizations, coalitions, advocacy groups and above all the government. With this aim we are working to strengthen this concept through HDF (Hunza Development Forum). The attached extracts from our web site (www.kadohunza.org/hdf and HDF) will give you a fuller picture. I hope you will take out some minutes from your busy schedule to grasp the concept and extend help achieving the noble targets for the common good of community in this part of the world.

Specifically I am seeking following information with future possibilities for collaboration:

information about university/institutional programs in specific areas of Alternative Energy, Hydro-power, Earth Sciences, Social Sciences, Skill Development programs in Gems, Fisheries, Furniture, tourism and Languages, their costs, prerequisites for participation and any enabling provisions by the institution/governments and actions to avail the opportunities.

RELATED, ROAD-MAP, HUNZA DEVELOPMENT FORUM

Rehabilitation Planning for Land slide Victims in Hunza

Rehabilitation Planning for Land slide Victims in Hunza

Since the situation is more or less stable now, the government (along with its agencies) and the civil society elements need to evolve a coordinated plan for rehabilitation. The basic planning data available (on 02 Jul 2010) through NDMA and FOCUS is tabulated as under:

Displaced Families / Individuals

	NDMA DATA	FOCUS DATA
Due to Land Sliding	141 Houses (1652 individuals) of Village Attabad & Sarat displaced due to land sliding on 4 January 2010.	The landslide disaster has displaced 1163 people from Attabad.
Due to Inundation	starting from 10 January onwards till date):- Village Ainabad 32 Houses Village Shishkat 130 Houses Part of Village Gulmit     61 Houses Hussaini      10 Houses Gulkin         7 Houses Total     240 Houses Grand Total: (including Atta Abad & Sarat)    381 Houses	Two more households in Gulmit were declared IDPs, taking the total number of IDP households to 42. The number of households displaced in Shishkat is 92, in Ayeenabad 32 and Hussaini, 2.
Due to Blockage of Access Roads	All the valleys upstream of the lake, to include Shimshal, Sust, Chupurson and Misghar, where no damage has occurred, but people are suffering due to no economic activity and non availability of items of daily sustenance (total affected population 25000). Boat service has resumed from 24 June onwards. Heli service is being provided to sustain the population upstream	Damming of the Hunza River has created issues and challenges for over 25, 000 people stranded in the Gojal valley due to destruction of the Karakurm Highway, economic lifeline of the region

It may be pointed out that there is a noticeable difference between the two data sources. I therefore recommend to the Regional Council in Hunza as well as district administration to sit together and remove the anomalies in the planning data so that rehabilitation plans are formulated and executed without the frequent hitches that we see in our country in similar situations elsewhere.

My comments on David Petley's Blog:

"I wish you had seen the site of slide before it happened on 04th of Jan 2010. You would have reached the conclusion that I have reached long ago, that the lake is there to stay without any danger of bursting for a long time to come. Please join me in recommending to convert this disaster to an opportunity - by using it for generating 40 MW of electricity in winters and 400MW for the three months in summers." 

(Draft Gazette notification – Government of GB)

Government of Gilgit Baltistan

Gazette Notification

Rehabilitation of Affectees of Ataabad Disaster

Issued by Authority

Chief Minister’s Secretariat

Gilgit, Saturday, July 17, 2010

Government of Gilgit Baltistan declares Attabad Lake formed as a result of massive landslide on river Hunza in District Hunza-Nagar as ‘private property’ of the LSO formed by the affected families (381 households) retro effectively from 4th of January 2010 till it lasts. As such all economical activities connected with the lake will be the source of income for the present and coming generations of the affected families.

Syed Mehdi Shah,

Chief Minister                                Dated: ------------------------

Proposal for Progressive Steps in Rehabilitation

1. District administration in Hunza/ Govt of GB declares Ataabad lake as 'private property' of the LSO formed by the affected families (381 households) - and updates government records; as such all economical activities connected with the lake will be the source of income for the present and coming generations of the affected families.

• A ferry company is immediately formed. The requirement of finances is met from a small portion of Government allocations announced for the rehabilitation, funds donated by the foreign governments, civil society, NGOs and philanthropists. Following will be the broad outline of the functioning:
• The shares of this company are given to the affected households in proportion to the value of property lost.
• Upper Hunza residents and their goods are charged at actuals, while all the others are charged at a rate designed to earn a reasonable profit for this company.
• Any investor other than the LSO of affectees will pay 'user fee' to the LSO for any ferry service (or any other economical activity such as fish farming/ tourism related etc.)
• The LSO elects or selects the governance for this company and others that are listed below. Management is inducted by the governance. Principles of governance, management and financial control in accordance with the eight AKDN guide-line booklets. AKRSP to arrange training.
• Another company or committee of the LSO initiates Fish farming with the technical guidance from the government department concerned, with domestic and export markets in sight. Indigenous expertise in fishing industry is already available through traders in Karachi, hailing from Nazimabad .
• 4.     Yet another company or committee of the LSO looks after tourist related activities, such as those current in Kashmir Lakes (Dull, Wuller etc).
• 5.     For large scale projects such as electrical generation, the affected populations get 51% shares for 100% investment by in country or foreign investors(incl government investment)- Govt of GB to legislate on top priority (Law on IPPs in Pakistan may be adopted with minor modification to ensure requirements as noted)
• 6.     Apart from generating electricity the water channel is also used for irrigating the barren land belonging to Ganish villages within Hunza Boundaries (well defined in 1901 judgment).This is preferably donated to affected households ( Recall historical practice in Hunza of ‘ADOPTION INTO A CLAN AS A BROTHER) or else reasonable charges are paid to the traditional owners.
• 7.     Land plots are allocated in proportion to the property lost through landslide and/lake engulfment, and development costs are met through the resources mentioned above.
• 8.     All these activities are supervised by District Administrations but executed by Agencies such as AKRSP and LSO combination.
• 9.     Submitted for consideration of the action committee, elected representatives, VOs/WOs of the affected villages, government of GB, AKRSP and Civil Society organizations such as council in Hunza.

NOTE: Emotional attachment and demand to regain the engulfed properties by dredging/blasting etc may render the rehabilitation plans unrealizable for an indefinite period with indefinite results with associated enormous costs.

Summary of Social Organizations in Hunza

Summary of Social Organizations in Hunza

This is a preliminary list which will be, hopefully, updated on the basis of information communicated by the readers of this blog.

The purpose of this post can best be explained through following Extract from the AKDN site:

“01 December 2007 - Although democracy has been growing in the developing world, the UN still categorises 40 percent of its member states as "failed democracies". It has become clear to many governments that successful states require more than the introduction of democratic elections and political parties. Civil society, particularly indigenous NGOs, must play a central role in promoting good governance and accountability.”

[CLICK CIVIL SOCIETY]

In view of the above it is my fervent hope that the civil society in Hunza, and for that matter GB, will carry out a review of their “Procedure Manuals” and “VISION, MISSION, STRATEGY, PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS” in the light of the eight guideline booklets which also provide the templates for  Governance, Management and Financial control of such entities.

[CLICK:   GUIDELINE BOOKLETS]

This, I am sure, will go a long way in helping these entities with the noble aim of achieving the mission that they have set for themselves.

A second desire is that all these organizations should study the concept of “HUNZA DEVELOPMENT FORUM” and help in not only bringing it on ground but also coordinate in the attainment of targets as defined and also help refine these collective targets.

[CLICK:  HDF]

[My thanks go to Zeenat Shah in compiling this as yet incomplete list of Civil Society Entities in Hunza and also established by HUNZUKUTZ elsewhere]

To read or down load the list click:   List of Social Organizations in Hunza
TO READ 'WHY' AND 'HOW' FOR ONE SUCH ENTITY CLICK: HCF 
The speech covering civil society in AFGHANISTAN

Heroism Award

Also read: ANOTHER EPISODE OF HEROISM

                 Helicopter Heroism: HOGE Sling Rescue at 18,040 Ft

James T. McKenna

IT WAS MIDDAY ON AUG. 8, 2005 when Lt. Col. Rashid Ullah Beg got the call to rescue a mountaineer from an elevation of 20,670 ft (6,300 m) on Nanga Parbat.

The Pakistan army aviator at once made a few calculations and concluded it was impossible to hover his SA315B Lama at that altitude at the prevailing temperatures. He recommended the mountaineer be brought down to, say, 18,000 ft, where a rescue attempt could be made. He heard nothing more and assumed his advice had been heeded.

That was until late that evening, when his corps commander told him he must undertake the mission. (The climber, Tomaz Humar of Slovenia, was a world-renowned mountaineer, and notorious for making solitary ascents by the most difficult and dangerous routes.) From that point, Beg considered it a military mission. "We had to attempt to accomplish it," he said, "even at the cost us of grave danger to our lives."

Beg contacted the famous Pakistani mountaineer Nazir Sabir, who had arranged Humar’s expedition. He painted a bleak picture. Humar was on the Rupal Face, a near-vertical wall more than 14,760 ft high. No one could climb to rescue him, Sabir said, and for him to attempt a descent would be suicidal.

The weather forecast for the next two days was favorable. After that, it would worsen for several days. Humar might not last that long.

Beg quickly ruled out a hoist operation for weight, center-of-gravity and power considerations. The density altitude would be nearly 23,000 ft. Hovering, even in ground effect, was impossible with his aircraft’s weight, he thought, let alone hovering out of ground effect (HOGE) and picking up a 150-lb (70-kg) man. The only hope was a sling rescue, he concluded.

The Lama was the right helicopter for the mission; it still holds the absolute altitude record of almost 42,000 ft. But Jean Boulet had stripped his Lama to an empty weight of 1,870 lb for the record flight. Beg’s Lama weighed more than 2,640 lb.

Beg drafted a plan that, he said later, "had very bleak chances of success, but was the only thing we could do." They would fly the mission with two Lamas and one Mi-17 in a support role. Beg and Maj. Khalid Amir Rana would fly one Lama from Qasim army aviation base in Rawalpindi to Astore, a village about 15 nm northeast of the climber’s base camp. Lt. Col. Ubaid ur Rehman and Maj. Mueen ud Din would fly the Lama from Skardu (along with the Mi-17 crew) at Astore.

From there, the three helicopters would fly to the base camp at 11,150 ft, where they would strip the Lamas of excess weight and rig the sling rope below the helicopter.

At 1415, they got word that the clouds had lifted and the Rupal Face was partially visible. Within 45 min, they landed at the base camp.

A day earlier, an Alouette from the private company Askari Aviation had photographed Humar’s position on the Rupal Face.

"When we saw the position on a photo and correlated it with the ground," Beg said, "our worries magnified a thousand fold."

In addition to the sheer face, there was a mushroom of snow on an outcropping 100 ft above Humar’s position. The only foothold was where he was clinging to the mountain by a small rope and an ice screw. Fresh snowfall made that mushroom an avalanche waiting for a triggering action, such as the wash or noise from a helicopter’s rotor.

While the helicopter needed to be light enough for HOGE, it had to be heavy enough to descend almost 10,000 ft in 10 min to keep Humar from freezing to death on the sling. The crews stripped the Lamas to bare essentials to reduce the weight, then prepared the sling rope.

They took off at about 1630. At 17,400 ft, they encountered clouds. Climbing further, they were almost in whiteout conditions. They finally decided to call off the effort for the day.

The next day, they could depart as early in the morning as possible. The air then would be denser. But the heavier air creates the downward flow of katabatic wind, which could be a big disadvantage. As the sun shines over a slope, the reverse happens and anabatic winds start blowing up the slope. The disadvantage there is the rising temperature would loosen the snow and increase the risk of an avalanche. The crews decided 30 min to 1 hr after sunrise would give them the maximum advantage. They planned to be in position when the sun had been below Humar’s position for almost half an hour.

On Aug. 10, they reached the base camp at 0545. A layer of clouds still hid Humar, but the sun was shining below him. The Lamas took off, the crews expecting the anabatic wind to push the cloud layer up as they climbed.

Beg and Rana did a last hover check at 20,000 ft pressure altitude while Rehman and Din in the other Lama took the lead in searching for Humar. Beg’s helicopter was stable enough, but the power pedal went to the limit. The lead helicopter spotted Humar, then cleared out for Beg and Rana, who initiated the approach to a spot slightly off the point where Humar was. They kept the wind on their power pedal, since a headwind approach was impossible. They saw the area from a close angle and executed a go-around to come in again. Now they were committed.

They hovered again, stopping the helicopter with Humar at 9 o’clock, the power pedal fully in. Beg said it was becoming extremely hard to maintain heading as they were running out of tail-rotor authority. They began inching to the left. Beg said the collective pitch indicator was reading.98 (or 98 percent power being consumed), barely enough to pick up 150 lb.

As they inched in, the force of the anabatic wind grew. They stopped to keep the rotor tips from hitting the rock. The collective pitch indication had dropped to.95-.96, Beg said, and a bit of power pedal was still available. Beg saw through his sling mirror that Humar was trying to grab the sling rope by reaching out with his ice axe as far as he could, but it was too far.

At this point, Beg and Rana were taking quick turns, alternating with one on the controls and the other breathing oxygen to avoid hypoxia.

They didn’t want to wear their oxygen masks for fear of the facepiece fogging up. Beg would hand the control to Rana and go on oxygen for about a minute, then Rana would do the same.

Rana, on the left side, had a better view of the rock face, and would tell Beg to stop movement when the snow started to blow just below the rotor disc. The outside air temperature was -8C (18F).

Beg pulled back, then moved back in and stopped short of the rock to swing the rope toward Humar. It was high-risk maneuver, but it worked. Humar grabbed the rope and clipped himself on. Rana, who then had the controls, said he felt a load on the collective. Humar gave the pilots a thumbs-up. Beg asked Rana to pull up.

Humar’s weight should have equaled a collective pitch rise of.02-.03, but the pilots saw it rise almost twice as much. Now the helicopter was hovering with 100 percent power and still not lifting up.

"Sir it is not pulling out," Rana said.

Suddenly, the helicopter started to sink and vibrate. Beg thought they’d entered vortex ring state and soon they’d all be dead. Beg looked into the mirror and saw the sling rope in full tension.

"Oh God," he thought, "he probably has not been able to cut his rope."

When the aircraft sank again, Beg took the controls and moved the helicopter to the right to the rotor tips hitting the rock. He then felt "a pronounced jerk" and the helicopter felt light.

"Sir," Rana shouted, "I think he has dropped." That sent a cold wave down Beg’s spine, but just then he saw Humar swing to the right on the sling rope. He immediately moved the helicopter further right so Humar would not swing back and hit the rock face.

They were clear of the mountain, but Humar was swinging badly below. It took Beg awhile to stabilize him. He then asked Rehman in the other Lama to close in and see if Humar was all right. To Beg and Rana’s relief, Rehman said Humar was fine and waving to him.

Beg established the required rate of descent and airspeed, then turned over the controls to Rana. Beg felt drained; Rana looked like he felt.

NOTE: Rashidullah Beg is now a Brigadier, he was awarded "TAMGHA-I-SHUJAAT" by Government of Pakistan and  "The Golden Order for Services" by the Government of Slovenia.

A Modern History of the Ismailis

A Modern History of the Ismailis: Continuity and Change in a Muslim Community

Dr Farhad Daftary

I. B. Tauris Publishers in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London 2010.

Synopsis
Publication page on Google Books

The second largest Shi‘i Muslim community after the Ithna‘ashari or Twelvers, the Ismailis have had a long and complex history dating back to the formative period of Islam. Subsequently, they became subdivided into a number of major branches and minor groups. However, since the beginning of the 12th century CE, the Ismailis have existed in terms of two main branches, the Nizaris and the Tayyibi Must‘alians, who have been respectively designated as Khojas and Bohras in South Asia. The Tayyibis themselves were in due course split into the dominant Da’udi and minority Sulaymani and ‘Alavi communities. Currently, the Ismailis of different communities are dispersed as religious minorities in more than 25 countries of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America.

Numbering several millions, the Ismailis represent a diversity of ethnicities and literary traditions, and speak a variety of languages and dialects. The majoritarian Nizari Ismaili community now recognises His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV as their 49th hereditary Imam or spiritual leader. The Da’udi, Sulaymani and ‘Alavi Tayyibi Ismailis are led by different lines of da‘is with supreme authority while all the Tayyibi Imams have remained in concealment and are inaccessible to their followers.

Until the middle of the 20th century, the Ismailis were by and large misrepresented with a variety of myths and legends circulating about their teachings and practices. This was due to the fact that they were almost exclusively studied and evaluated, in both Western and Muslim countries, on the basis of evidence collected or fabricated by their detractors. These perceptions of the Ismailis have been drastically revised, however, by the results of modern scholarship in Ismaili studies, based on an increasing number of manuscript sources produced in different phases of Ismaili history. The rich and varied Ismaili literature recovered and studied in modern times, especially since the 1940s, has particularly enhanced our knowledge of the mediaeval history and traditions of the Ismailis.

But the modern period in Ismaili history, covering approximately the last two centuries, has not received its deserved share of benefit from the recent progress in Ismaili studies. A major reason for this stems from the fact that adequate textual sources on the modern history of the Ismailis in various regions have not always been available, while it remains extremely difficult for non-Ismaili scholars who do not have the relevant language skills to tap into the rich oral traditions existing in the regions where the Ismailis have lived for centuries.

In sum, it seems that a suitable modern history of the Ismailis still awaits much preparatory work. Only then may we begin to have a better understanding of the evolution of the Ismaili communities of various regions together with their heritage and literary traditions. A Modern History of the Ismailis represents a first attempt in that direction.

This book contains chapters on the modern history of the Nizari Ismailis of several regions where these communities have traditionally lived. These chapters are mostly written by Ismaili scholars, both young and well established, who have the necessary language skills as well as familiarity with these communities’ oral and literary traditions. There is a chapter devoted to the issue of Nizari settlement in the West, an important phenomenon since the mid-twentieth century. A few chapters also deal with the reforms and institutional initiatives of the last two Nizari Imams, Aga Khan III and Aga Khan IV, and their achievements.

A separate section is devoted to the modern history of the Tayyibi Must‘alian Ismailis, now dominated by the Da’udi Bohras of South Asia. The authors of the Tayyibi chapters too are well placed as young scholars belonging to a prominent family within the leadership hierarchy of the Da’udi Bohra community and, as such, have had access to the sources of information required for approaching their subjects.

These collected studies should not be taken to represent the final word on their subject matters. Several chapters, in fact, may reflect work in progress, as the state of our knowledge on modern Ismaili history is still continuously undergoing revision and enhancement. One main aim here, as with all research and publications at the Institute, has been to facilitate scholarship and to contribute to further progress in the field of Ismaili studies.

Ata Abad Lake

The lake which was created on the 4th of January 2010 near Attabad village in Hunza valley due to a massive landslide blocking Hunza River submerged a portion of KKH and caused considerable damage to life and property in the area.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been monitoring this calamity since its inception and has worked incessantly, in coordination with all the stake holders and line departments, to resolve the crisis by dewatering the lake and normalizing life in the adjoining areas. Currently the water level in the lake is at 368 feet and with an inflow of 1200-1400 cusecs and outflow of 3000-3500 cusecs, the level is consistently coming down with consequent reclamation of more submerged land. The depth of the spillway is 28 meters and currently 04 dozers, 12 excavators, 18 dumpers & 24 compressors are deployed for the construction of the spillway. In addition, 150 jawans of FWO have been deployed in the area. The helicopter support and boat service is available for emergencies in the area.


BACK LINKS: REHABILITATION


Also SEE A RELATED VIDEO:  AZAD KASHMIR

GIST OF A SPEECH AT A RALLY IN BALTIT – ADVOCACY FOR CIVILIZED EXPRESSION OF COLLECTIVE WILL

The continuing behavior of "Hunzukutz", contained in the all embracing word "SUCHI", is based on the guidance of Allah communicated through our holy prophet (PBUH) in which he extols people to settle their affairs through mutual consultation and if they do not reach an accord then leave the consequences to Allah and his messenger (rather than taking the matters into their own hands and resorting to 'FASAD'). Furthermore Imam Baqir asked his followers to include "SABR" (Click Patience) as a basic pillar of "IMAN". The continuing guidance of the Imam on these principles for the time is expressed through terms such as "MERITOCRACY", "DEMOCRACY", "Pluralism" and "CIVIL SOCIETY".

 

It is imperative for the Governance (specially the newly appointed governor) to understand the reasons for civilized (and to others "docile") behavior of 'Hunzukutz' to be this social and religious philosophy rather than interpreting it in terms of weakness and lack of courage. The number of Wartime awards as well as the civil awards for service and achievement earned by "Hunzukutz" are a testimony to their prowess. The Government must as such listen to civilized voices rather than "GHIRAO" "JALOA" and similar violent methods of getting the demands of populations attended. The expectations for dispensation on "JUSTICE" and "MERIT" continue to be advocated verbally as well as through written communication (See the EXTRACTS posted on this blog) to all echelons of governance for the past many decades without any visible impact. As a result I can hear "ANGER" especially from our younger generation and I strongly recommend it to be heard by people responsible for making decisions that affect the present and future of a society. If we study history, be it French Revolution or the Bolshevik revolution, the anger arising from injustice gives rise to "HATE" and in the long run to "TEHRIKS" with uncontrolled consequences. The demand for a second seat for HUNZA in the GBLA is a JUST and MERIT based demand and it must be met as an urgent matter. My presence today and address to populations from a platform of this nature for the first time in my life stems from my devotion and love, like majority of Hunzukutz, for Pakistan, that alone forces me to advocate that such love for Pakistan should not be allowed to decay and turn into "HATE". In the light of what I believe is the right course, and of course as part of example for the country in expression of collective will, notwithstanding existing disappointments and violent methods prevalent in the country, I put forward two suggestions in front of my fellow "HUNZUKUTZ":

 

First we must on 01 Nov between 11:00 to 12:00 O'clock demonstrate our solidarity in a civilized manner. Towards this end all men, women and children must form a human chain from "KILIK" to "MAYUN" on the roads adjacent to their villages without disturbing any traffic or other forms of violence or improper behavior instead showing a festive look in the usual HUNZA tradition.

 

Secondly we must choose two representatives through a very transparent and ideal democratic procedure and present to the government as "REPRESENTATIVES" elected by the people as part of democratic expression.