Ideals Can Be Implemented Through Action

This song, Kya Derta Hai by Shehzad Roy, is much lighter that the previous one. While it is a little silly, the message that is trying to be promoted is extremely important. In a country like America where no one would think twice about stopping at a red light, it can be hard to grasp the idea of life functioning in a world where nobody seems to listen to rules and policies that are for the order and safety of society. Pakistan is not short on technology such as stoplights, but I, myself, have seen the total disregard of their presence by its citizens because there is absolutely no enforcement; driving becomes a free-for-all and can be quite dangerous. In a country where its leaders are criminals themselves, how can we expect crime to stop? Therefore, while we Americans can criticize the government all we want, we should be thankful for even the simplest things, such as the ability to call 911 whenever we need help, because we are much better off than the majority of the world. Furthermore, if we truly do want some sort of change in any aspect of the government, or for that matter, in any aspect of life, we need to stop complaining and start doing, because if everyone looks at the next person to get the job done, the job will never be completed.

Lyrics:
Tu dekhta hai, par bolta nahi.
Tu sochta hai, par bolta nahi.

Keh de-keh de rang badal na hai.
Dhalna hai, nayi taqdeero mein dhalna hai.

Tujhe jiska hai intzaar,woh tu khud hai mere yaar.

Uth baandh qamar, kya darta hai?
Phir dekh Khuda kya karta hai.

Seena taan ke chal, mat jhukk, par pyaare signal par toh rukk.

Verna log kahange, kahange, kahange, log kahange,

"Tu signal par kharra nahi hota, apne pairo par kaise kharra hoga?"

Halaat tujhe badle, tu halaat badal de yaar.

Uth baandh qamar, kya darta hai?
Phir dekh Khuda kya karta hai.

12 crore haath uthe jo milke saath,
Muskil din, mushkil raat ikk pal mein aasan ho jaye.

Badlenge yeh halaat, badlenge hum.
Kya sochta hai?

Uth baandh qamar, kya darta hai?
Phir dekh Khuda kya karta hai.


English Translation:
You see, but you do not say anything.
You think, but you do not say anything.

Say, say that you want to change colors,

Want to saturate, saturate yourself in new fates. 

The one you are waiting for is you, yourself, my friend.

Stand up, tie your waist. What are you afraid of?

Just see what God will do. 

Stand tall, don't stoop, but at least stop at a stoplight.

Or people will say, will say, will say, people will say,

"You can't even stand (stop) at the signal. How are you going to stand on your feet?"

Circumstances will change you; you change the circumstances my friend.

Stand up, tie your waist. What are you afraid of?

Just see what God will do. 

When 120,000,000 hands raise together,

difficult days, difficult nights will become easy in seconds. 

We will change the circumstances.

What do you think?

Stand up, tie your waist. What are you afraid of?

Just see what God will do. 

I could not find a translation for the lyrics of this song online so I had to translate it myself. Put simply, it is not easy to translate from one language to another, even if you know both well. Also, the speech the artist made at the end is not included in the lyrics, but it is just reiterating the same idea - the youth, in its vast numbers, can do anything if it works together.

Allah kay Hawale [Leaving you to God].

Working Toward Progress

The youth is so important in shaping the world. We can determine what the future is going to be like. This power that only the youth holds is especially vital in places like Pakistan, where the present is beyond terrible due to corrupt and ineffective leadership on both the small scale and the large scale. We need to realize, though, that unless change is brought to the current conditions of areas such as education, the youth will not be able to utilize their influence in future society and consequently, nothing will ever change. Pakistan needs change. I wanted to share two music videos, one in this post and one in the next one, that are meant to look at this topic of youth and hopefully provide a glimpse into the music styles of Pakistan as well. 

This first song is called Umeed-e-Sahar and it is by the Laal band. The lyrics of the song were actually written by a Pakistani poet named Faiz Ahmed Faiz whose work, at the time, was very controversial due to his support of communism. In the video, the main struggle is between a young man, whose mother is dying in an ambulance, and the police, who has blocked off traffic for the passing of some rich person, presumably a politician. And, yes, this does happen in Pakistan. Please take away some sort of a message from this video, whatever it may be, to apply to yourself in your thoughts and/or actions.

Lyrics:
Jigar dareeda hoon. Chaak-e-jigar ki baat suno.
Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno.

Alam raseeda hoon. Daman-e-tar ki baat suno.
Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno.

Zubaan bureeda hoon. Zakhm-e-guloo sey harf karo.

Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno.

Shikasta pa hoon. Malaal-e-safar ki baat suno.
Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno.

Musafir-e-rah-e-sehra-e-zulmat-e-shab se,

Ab iltafat-e-nigar-e-sahar ki baat suno.

Umeed-e-sahar ki baat.

English Translation:

My heart is torn. Hear the wounds of my heart.
Listen to the hope of a new dawn.

I'm stricken with grief. Listen to my being soaked with tears.
Listen to the hope of a new dawn.

My tongue is dry and unable to talk. Talk to my gaping wounds.
Listen to the hope of a new dawn.

My feet are tired. Listen to the sorrows of my journey.
Listen to the hope of a new dawn.

From the one who travels in the dark desert of tyranny,
Hear him speak of the beauty of dawn.

Hope of a new dawn.

Salam [Peace].

A New Beginning

I wish that we could start the world over again and make it so that labels like race, ethnicity, color, religion, and gender did not matter. Rather, attributes such as positive attitude, morality, determination, and integrity were considered important. One was not judged by what was on his back, but rather by what was in his heart. Feelings and circumstances would be considered in this new land, as would be other important topics like poverty and equality. Apathy would not even be in the dictionary.

This dream of mine cannot happen, so I have accepted the inequality, the superficiality, and the ignorance of the world. I have accepted these characteristics as being inevitable for all of humanity, myself included. All I can do, from my speculations, is be the best person I can be in my everyday actions and hope that this influences others to do the same, because if we all do the best we can in our own little minuscule sphere of the world, then one day my dream might just actually come true.

Khuda Hafiz [May God Keep You Under His Protection].