amazing.brilliant.shining.hope

i dont remember any other moment of such pride in being pakistani as the moment i entered the PAF museum. Stunned. I was. Spirited. People were. as we drove in, the 2 km driveway was full of cars-young boys, families, school girls, teenagers, all heading to help in whatever way they could. I seriously think there were more people than the biggest musical concert, the largest entertainment gala.

Inside the field, someone had organized the goods being donated into medicine, blood, kafans, food, blankets, etc and all the while we were there, the constant stream of trucks brining in rice, cartons of water, medicine, blankets, tents, did not let up. Karachiittes had opened up their hearts and their homes, and whatever they had they were prepared to give. More than the trucks what was really inspirational to see were the aged couples walking in bringing 3 water bottles, a few sheets, some biscuit packets-whatever they could afford-and helping in distributing it all.

The first public gathering of its kind where mullah-types, trousers-clad girls, rowdy young boys etc were all working together without judgement, without any catcalls, where girls had flung their dupattas off to really get to work without caring about the looks. It was brilliant and i wanted to bottle the spirit present in the air.