Ghostly Encounters And Their Realities

Several years ago, I stayed in a small apartment adjoining an old cabin. The property was far from ­city lights, and on clear nights, the shadows could be a little spooky. Sometimes, especially in the dark evenings of the fall and early winter, I had the uncanny sense that I wasn't alone.One night, while I was in the apartment, I heard a muffled thump that seemed to come from inside the cabin. Ordinarily, I would have dismissed the sound as the settling of the century-old building. But it was an eerily still night, and I already found the terrain around the cabin unnerving after dark. After hearing the sound several times, I started to wonder whether something supernatural was at work, but I hesitated to investigate. In the morning, I heard the sound again while I was outside. When I turned to see what it was, I saw an apple rolling across the grass. Testing a theory, I picked up the apple and dropped it. The sound was identical to the one that had frightened me the night before. In daylight, looking at the fallen apples under a tree, the idea that the cabin could be haunted seemed silly. But dark nights and old buildings can cause even the most skeptical people to wonder about the existence of ghosts. According to a 2005 Gallup poll, more than a third of Americans believe that houses can be haunted, and about 32 percent believe specifically in ghosts [Source: The Gallup Poll News Service]. According to believers, a ghost is the spirit of a dead person that either has not moved on to the afterlife or has returned from it. The definition of "spirit" can vary. Some describe it as a person's soul, while others believe it is an energetic imprint that a person leaves on the world. Humans have believed in -- or been skeptical about -- ghosts for thousands of years. They're even mentioned in the oldest known written work of literature, "The Epic of Gilgamesh." Ghost stories are part of most cultures' folklore, although the details vary considerably from region to region. In the next section, we'll take a closer look at ghostly encounters. Ghostly Encounters People describe ghostly encounters in lots of different ways. People see apparitions or strange lights, sense a presence in a room, hear noises or feel a sudden drop in temperature. They smell a deceased relative's favorite breakfast cooking in the kitchen or hear a favorite song playing while the stereo is off. Objects fall from shelves and doors open and close on their own. The electricity goes haywire, causing lights to flicker or televisions to turn on and off by themselves. Sometimes, people don't experience anything unusual at all, but they notice strange apparitions or shapes when they look at pictures they've taken. Is it a ghost? Some ghost stories involve visible apparitions that are bound to specific locations or families. These ghosts often appear as a warning that someone is going to die. They aren't always human -- some take the form of animals. Similarly, some reports of ghosts involve apparitions that inform friends or family members of recent deaths or impending crises. Some paranormal researchers classify this as a form of telepathy rather than an actual ghost. Other ghosts are reported to be the spirits of people who died violently or suddenly; they may re-enact their deaths or try to seek vengeance. For example, some people believe thatNorth Carolina's Brown Mountain Lights -- flickering lights that appear on the slope of the mountain -- are the spirits of Native Americans who died in battle. Sometimes, ghostly reproductions of inanimate objects, like sunken ships or crashed cars, reappear after accidents or tragedies. Then, there are the ghosts who are simply sticking around, either unwilling or unable to leave the Earth. Paranormal researchers often refer to these ghosts as earthbound spirits. An earthbound ghost may haunt a specific location, like its home, its favorite place to visit or the place that it died. It may be trying to pass a message to friends or loved ones, to complete a task that it started while alive or to hold on to its home or possessions. Some researchers and mediums claim to be able to encourage these sprits to let go of their ties to the Earth and move on to a spiritual realm. For a lot of people, seeing, hearing or sensing a ghost is enough to prove their existence. But researchers have found several possible explanations for the phenomena most often attributed to ghosts. We'll look at them in the next section.

Pakistan Fights Back in Shikarpur

This post was originally written for the Daily Times, appeared as my weekly column BAAGHI on Monday November 14, 2011

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan saw yet another moment of national shame right on the day of Eid-ul-Azha when four Hindus, including three doctors, were brutally killed in broad daylight. Conflicting media messages and false claims about the motive are but an ugly attempt to justify the crime. According to the story given out to the media, the murders took place after a boy from the Hindu community sexually assaulted a girl from the Muslim Bhayo tribe. Bhayo is the third most influential tribes of Shikarpur after the Jatois and Mahars in Chak town of Shikarpur. Hindus make around 6,000 out of the total 40,000 people in Chak town and are the predominant contributors to Sindh’s economy through trade and other professions. In the local politics of the area, the Hindu community has never been as muted as it is now, after the advent of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), working openly through their unmarked offices and representatives since at least a decade.

One was appalled listening to the people of the town about the immunity with which the SSP operates in Shikarpur in cahoots with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan-Fazl (JUI-F) and with the support of local tribal chiefs and state machinery, especially the police. The accused Bhayo tribe has its members in not only the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (the main accused Babul Khan Bhayo is district head of the PPP), but also in pro-Taliban JUI-F and proscribed militant extremist organisation, the SSP.

According to the details gathered from the local communities, a young girl from Bhayo community went to see her Hindu friend on Diwali night. The girl was seen entering the autaq (sitting area used by males), which was unusual in the local culture. Discovering the boy and the girl together, community elders (Hindus) reportedly beat the boy and sent the girl back to her home. The event triggered the ‘honour’ of the Bhayo tribe. What made things worse was the boy’s religion. The Bhayos felt doubly humiliated.

The Bhayo members of the SSP and the JUI-F started threatening the entire Hindu community since that day. The community requested the police for security after which the police established a small picket near the Hindu neighbourhood. But two hours before the incident, policemen vanished from the scene only to come back half an hour after the ambush. Just when the police pretended to start searching for the culprits, SSP and JUI-F workers gathered around the police station and amid the slogans of Allah-o-Akbar (God is Great) and Jihad Fi Sabilillah (war in the cause of God), they intimidated the police staff and asked to close the case. Resultantly, the FIR could only be registered around 36 hours after the crime. The victims’ family does not agree with the facts described in the state-registered complaint.

Noteworthy is the fact that the victims were not even remotely related to the Hindu boy accused by the Bhayo tribes of being ‘karo’ (accused boy). According to a much-criticised tradition, when an unmarried couple is caught together, they are murdered after the Panchayat is informed. The accused girl (kari) is usually murdered before or with the accused boy (karo). According to the tribal code, karo can only be the one directly involved in the ‘illicit’ relations with the kari. In this case, even the principles of this tradition (unapproved by educated Sindhis), karo-kari (honour killing), were not followed. It is a case of simple and direct targeting of the Hindu community, which remains an endangered one after the religious extremists were installed in the area for running the madrassas.

Madrassa tradition in Shikarpur is almost 40 years old, which is the age of the oldest madrassa here. According to the locals, Pashto speaking Niazis from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjabis from south Punjab were brought in over a decade ago. Totally alien to the local culture and traditions, they tried to impose strict Islamic code, which initially did not work. But after more than a decade, an entire generation has been out of these madrassas in the social life of Shikarpur. When I spoke to over a dozen people from the local Muslim community, I found them extremely opposed to and fearful of the Islamisation being brought to Sindh, which they saw as a part of the larger design of ruining the Sindhi culture.

The fact that the common people still value local pluralistic culture is evident from the fact that over the last few days, people — mainly Muslims — are coming out in the streets every day in almost 500-600 villages and towns of rural Sindh against this incident. It was heartening to know that not only thousands (6,000 according to a conservative estimate by a member of the local Press Club) of Muslims participated in the funeral of their four fellow citizens; hundreds of them have taken upon themselves to ensure the security of the frightened Hindu community. They stay day and night at the entrance of the Hindu neighbourhood. These common people, one Hindu resident of the area said, are not only from the influential Mahar and Jatoi communities but also some Bhayos are seen among them.

When asked how the SSP and JUI-F guys got such an influence in an otherwise sufi and secular culture of this city, the people proudly said that the fact that these extremists need political backing, support of the tribal influentials and police machinery, is enough evidence of their weakness. Had they had a popular support, they would not have needed any of these tactics. A local rights’ activist (Muslim), who is a key organiser of a protest rally today (Monday) at 12 noon in Hyderabad, wanted me to tell the world that Pakistanis would fight extremism till the last drop of their blood.

This is Pakistan! Those in the charge of things must realise that the people of Pakistan are committed to their pluralistic values ingrained in their sufi culture. Any effort to dismantle plural and secular social base would be met with fierce resistance. The ones who believe that we, the ‘liberal fascists’, are few in number and are irrelevant, should see how this battle is being fought by a common citizen in Sindh, original home to a wonderful Hindu community who made Shikarpur mercantile hub of Sindh before the Talpurs came in. Shikarpur was to the old Sindh what Karachi is today to Pakistan. Having trade links with Central Asia, from Qandahar to Uzbekistan to Moscow, Shikarpur was the gateway of Sindh to the world. And in Shikarpur, it was our Hindu trader community that started the system of payments through cheques. Home to poets like Sheikh Ayaz, this city has produced seers and litterateurs alongside professionals of the highest quality. Today Shikarpur is determined to fight extremism more than ever.

It is encouraging to know that Sherry Rehman moved an Adjournment Motion in the National Assembly on this issue that called for immediate action on the case and reactivation of the Commission on Minorities. However, there is something simpler that can be immediately done. Babul Khan Bhayo, the main accused and PPP district president, should be immediately suspended from the party and arrested. An independent inquiry should be commissioned along with completely removing the presence of proscribed organisations working in the area under whatever name. This is the bare minimum that even the most ardent supporters of the PPP would expect from the party and especially from Sherry Rehman to pursue it.

This entry was posted in Human Rights, Social Issues and tagged Bhayo Tribe, HIndu doctors killed, Hindus, JUI-F, Mahar Tribe, Minorities, Pakistan, PPP, President Zardari, Sheikh Ayaz, Sherry Rehman, Shikarpur, Sindh, Sipah Sahaba Pakistan, SSP by Baaghi. Bookmark the permalink.This post was originally written for the Daily Times, appeared as my weekly column

Marvi Sirmed

Posted by Zaffar Iqbal Durrani

GRANDPARENTS' ANSWERING MACHINE

Good morning... At present we are not at home but, please Leave your message after you hear the beep. beeeeeppp... 

If you are one of our children, dial 1 and then select the option from 1 to 5 in order of "arrival" so we know who it is. 

If you need us to stay with the children, press 2 

If you want to borrow the car, press 3 

If you want us to wash and iron your clothes, press 4 

If you want the grandchildren to sleep here tonight, press 5 

If you want us to pick up the kids at school, press 6 

If you want us to prepare a meal for Sunday or to have it delivered to your home, press 7 

If you want to come to eat here, press 8 

If you need money, dial 9 

If you are going to invite us to dinner, or, taking us to the theatre start talking. We are listening!"  

 If you are not a grandparent (as yet) you will still love this. If you are, it shows how precious the babies are and what we mean to them. 

WHAT IS A GRANDPARENT? 

(Taken from papers written by a class of 8-year-olds) 

Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no little children of their own. They like other people's.  

A grandfather is a man, & a grandmother is a lady! 

Grandparents don't have to do anything except be there when we come to see them. They are so old they shouldn't play hard or run. It is good if they drive us to the shops and give us money. 

When they take us for walks, they slow down past things like pretty leaves and caterpillars. 

They show us and talk to us about the colors of the flowers and also why we shouldn't step on 'cracks.' 

They don't say, 'Hurry up.' 

Usually grandmothers are fat but not too fat to tie your shoes. 

They wear glasses and funny underwear. 

They can take their teeth and gums out. 

Grandparents don't have to be smart. 

They have to answer questions like 'Why isn't God married?' and 'How come dogs chase cats?' 

When they read to us, they don't skip. They don't mind if we ask for the same story over again. 

Everybody should try to have a grandmother, especially if you don't have television because they are the only grownups who like to spend time with us. 

They know we should have snack time before bed time, and they say prayers with us and kiss us even when we've acted bad.

A 6-YEAR-OLD WAS ASKED WHERE HIS GRANDMA LIVED. ''OH,'' HE SAID, ''SHE LIVES AT THE AIRPORT, AND WHEN WE WANT HER, WE JUST GO GET HER. THEN WHEN WE'RE DONE HAVING HER VISIT, WE TAKE HER BACK TO THE AIRPORT.''

GRANDPA IS THE SMARTEST MAN ON EARTH! HE TEACHES ME GOOD THINGS, BUT I DON'T GET TO SEE HIM ENOUGH TO GET AS SMART AS HIM!

Note: Situation at Pakistan is different. Grand parents here at Pakistan still normally live with their children  and grand children and are precious. They are respected and looked after.(*_*)

Things You Must Know About Your BodyTemperature

Body temperature is an important indicator of our health. What is normal body temperature? What part of the body gives the most accurate readings? Find out the answers to these and other questions regarding body temperature.

1.Your body is great thermoregulator
Our body has an amazing ability to keep its temperature within safe range to keep you healthy, no matter what conditions you are exposed to outside the body. When you feel hot, you start sweating, which cools you body down. When you feel cold, you start shivering, which is involuntary muscle contractions that generate heat. Goosebumps that appear on skin when you are feeling cold are actually tiny muscles that raise body hairs, which increase their thickness.

2. Normal body temperature
It is commonly accepted that normal human body temperature is 98.6 degrees F or 37 degrees C. However, there is also a number of variations to normal body temperature that depend on manyfactors, such as the time of the day, outside temperature, age of the person and others. Temperature may vary by 1 degrees F (0.6 degrees C), from 97 degrees F (36.1 degrees C) to 99 degrees F (37.2 degrees C), which is considered within normal range.

3. The body temperature varies throughout the day
Body temperature undergoes minor changes throughout the day. It is the lowest in the morning, between 4 and 6 a.m. and highest in the evening, around 6 to 8 p.m. Temperature also changes during sleep. Usually it starts to drop when we fall asleep, ensuring sound sleep and needed rest.

4. Rectal temperature - most accurate
Body temperature is measured with the help of different types of thermometers in various parts of the body. Temperature taken in your mouth may be influenced by many factors and is usually lower, while rectal and ear measurements are slightly higher than oral temperaturereadings. Temperature taken in your armpit may me the least accurate since it may not directly indicate core temperature. The most accurate way to measure body temperature is to take temperature rectally.

5. Fever is good for you
Many of us are scared of fever and try to reduce fever with medications. However, fever is not an illness, but the body's defense mechanism that fights infections and is basically harmless. Fever slows the growth of pathogenic bacteria and activates white blood cells to fightinfection. Fever may range between 100 degrees to 104 degrees F and higher (37.8 degrees - 40 degrees C), but not all of them need to be treated with medications. The general rule of thumb is that fever medicines are necessary when it causes you or your child discomfort or there are other dangerous signs such as trouble breathing or pain.

How a Pakistani Woman took her children from nothing to NUST (National University of Science and Technology)

Living in the bleak rural outskirts of Multan, Razia Mushtaq had a childhood full of hardship. She was from an underprivileged family. There was no silver spoon. Her father was a shoe mender. Such was the bitter reality she had to face, day after day. Their house was a mud-and-brick structure, covered by a flimsy tin roof, incurred at considerable expense. 

Looking back, she says, “Often there were days when my siblings and I shared a piece of bread and had nothing else to eat the entire day.” No one should have to bear such adversity. Her children would not, she resolved. She would make sure they were more fortunate. Though her mother was supportive, she was denied an education because of unforgiving social stigma. Women weren’t meant to study or work for a living, and the orthodox and traditional nature of her family meant she would not be able to pursue her dream. 

Then the world as she knew it came to an end. At the tender age of twelve, she had to bear the worst privation for a child to face. Her mother was no longer with her. She had been involved, along with Razia’s two sisters, in a fatal motor accident. The family was devastated, and everything started moving at warp speed. Within a year, her father arranged for her to marry a man she barely knew, known as ‘Charduga Sahib’. Ill-fortune soon came to haunt this union, as the couple could not have children. Quickly, she was divorced, and sent back into the world on her own, abandoned and friendless. 

Again, she got married; this time, to a neighbor of Charduga Sahib. With him, she returned to Rawalpindi, his home town, where she was introduced to his three children, which she would not treat as her very own. This proved to be a mistake. Her in-laws promptly denounced the marriage and refused to take them in. They were disowned, and put on the streets. Left with no choice, they ventured to Islamabad where her husband managed to find a mediocre job and made modest living arrangements. Razia learned how to sew, and soon managed to get a few permanent customers, providing a meager but stable income. But fortune was not to smile on this family. Just as soon as it had seemed that they would manage to pull through, their landlord and her husband employer let them go. His salary had been their primary source of income, and without that, they had nothing to live on. 

This is how, in later days, one could find Razia in a tent, on a sidewalk; this is what she had been reduced to. All she could call her own in the world was contained within that tent, maybe eight square feet of canvas tent. After a considerable struggle, her husband found another job and they managed to move into a one-room quarter. Penny by penny they saved what little they could, cherishing each little bit. A sewing machine was consequently bought and her hard work and dedication earned Razia a few customers. 

She slaved day and night, aiming for the highest degree of customer satisfaction. Soon, word spread, and more people came to her for their tailoring needs. She had three sons, and zero qualms about her duty in life. She must provide for her children. They must get educated, and there was no question about it. It became her sole focus, and her eyes would sparkle as she thought of the bright futures they could have, the success they could achieve. They were enrolled in a local government school, by all means humble, but the greatest gift she could give her children. 

All was well for some time, but as her sons neared graduation, they started asking for extra tutoring. How was she to afford this? Her little tailoring business could hardly sustain the family now, any additional budget-stretching would surely spell disaster. Even in this seemingly hopeless situation, she kept her head up and went out looking for work, mustering all her courage. Razia started working over 10 hours a day, at three different jobs. She was a domestic servant during the day, cleaning house for a wealthy family. Her afternoons were spent in a grocery store, in a lowly bagging job and at night she was glued to her sewing machine, her trained hands handling the fabric as her she strained her eyes to see in the feeble light. 

“Sometimes I cried myself to sleep. Thoughts of my childhood spun through my mind.” She recollects. Sleep deprived and worked to the bone, she realized she could not live like this. She turned to others for help, the young boys who lived on her street. 

“I felt a burden came off of my shoulders when they agreed to tutor my boys.” 

Sometime afterwards, her husband became extremely ill. His condition was critical, and Razia was under tremendous stress. There was simply no money to pay for his treatment. His family refused to help financially and Razia began to take loans, reduced to begging for her husband’s life. Bit by bit, the money was collected with the help of sympathetic acquaintances and friends. Her husband returned from the hospital awfully weak, and unable to work. Forced to pull her children out of school, a hard decision for any mother, she paid back the loans. 

The couple took one more shot at happiness. They had not given up despite every disaster that had struck their little family. The single property they had was sold, and a grocery store was set up. It slowly picked up pace, and once they passed the break-even point and started making a modest profit, her sons were able to resume their studies. They went back with twice the hard work and commitment, realizing the cost of their education. They passed with flying colors and made it to one of the best universities in the area. 

“My children were my main motivation and foremost priority.” Her family was also very supportive and helped her throughout. Razia went through some very difficult and difficult times which often left her tense and anxious. ‘My life experiences made me think about the life I want my coming generation to have. And it is definitely not the way I lived it.’ She wanted to make a difference in the lives of her offspring. She frequently had to take anti-depressant pills due to all the stress. 

Two of her sons graduated from the National University of Science and Technology and are now engineers. Her eldest son, now working in Australia, graduated from Rawalpindi Medical College. Due to his excellence in academics, he was called to John Hopkins University on a full Scholarship for his specialization. All this aside, they faced a dearth of social differences and many major cultural differences living abroad. Razia rented a house in I-8 to cope with the social problems her sons were facing. Her sons later bought her a house and she now lives in Margalla Town. 

Even though her financial and social differences have come to an end, she still runs a tailor shop. ‘Stitching and designing had now become a part of my life. I don’t want to give it up.’ She also designs some embroidered clothes and has hired many workers. She is now one of the best tailors in Islamabad and is well known amongst many old Islamabadis. Razia Mushtaq is at present living a happy, content and satisfied life, but you can still see the tears in her eyes when she talks about her past.

COLORS OF LOVE AND COURAGE

A beautiful young girl was crying for help and weeping her heart out, while standing on the Bridge of Sutlej River near Shujahabad, Multan. Her cries were really tearing the listener’s hearts out. She had fear in her eyes, regret in her body language and a gesture of helplessness.  She was a very pretty Lady but, visibly looked shaken.  People started rushing towards her for want of cause of her such state.

This was a Bright Afternoon of September 1989. The River below the bridge was flowing very fast. Though, it was not full but still, water was about 50-80 feet deep. This Bridge, in normal circumstances, when the river is flowing regular, is about 100 feet above it. This is a multipurpose Bridge used for road as well as Rail traffic. At that point of time, the river water was flowing almost 50 feet below the Bridge.

On inquiry, the Girl, who later told her name as Ms Ejbah, though still weeping, told that she had come for an outing from Multan Cantonment with her Boyfriend, who was a Captain of Pakistan Army, namely Mr. Imran. She narrated that while they were standing on the Bridge and enjoying the view, she jokingly asked Captain Imran, her Boyfriend, as to what can he do for her to prove his love to her. Captain Imran replied, as told by Ms Ejbah, that he would do anything for her, she just has to name it. On this, she asked Captain Imran that can he jump into the river below from where they were standing. She said that Captain Imran asked her as to whether she is serious and on her positive response, jumped into the river, which was flowing very fast 50 feet below and was fearsome even to look at. Now she is crying because it’s been some time and her boyfriend has disappeared into the water and there is no sign of him since.

The Rescue Teams and police were called. Divers took the entire evening and some part of the night to locate the Captain or his body but in vein. The bridges towards the river flow were radioed and all the Villages/Towns all along the river bank were informed and were asked to extend their help. Till late night nothing was heard of the missing Boyfriend. The dejected lady was escorted to her home.

The Army authorities were also informed during the course and they, after getting the necessary information from the Girl, were able to establish the positive identity of Captain Imran and his unit. The matter was reported to the authorities.

Surprise Surprise! Captain Imran appeared his Unit Officer’s Mess by about early Dawn, when the Unit was ultimately about to inform Captain Imran’s parents of the Tragedy.

The Captain revealed that when he jumped into the river, due to the height of the Jumping point, he was drawn deep into the water. Rather he almost touched the river bed. The current of the river was so fast that by the time he surfaced, he was miles away from the Sutlej Bridge and in the middle of the river. He started swimming towards the river bank but, due to the fast current, drifted further another few miles away and was able to ashore.

A disciplinary action was initiated by the Army, as per their rules, against Captain Imran. He was charge-sheeted produced before the Divisional Commander, The General Officer Commanding the division, General “D”.

General “D” asked the Captain as to why did he do such an irrational and stupid act. The reply of the young Captain is part of the Glorious History of Pakistan Army. He said and I quote “Sir, the young Lady has asked me to jump into the River. It was a place from where normal person could feel chilled in his backbone due to fear of height, river current and ultimate death. For me, it was the reputation of the Pakistan Army in general and Pakistan Army Officer in particular at stake. I had no choice but to jump come what may. So I jumped and saved the Glorious name of Pakistan Army by putting my life in Danger.”

The General gave a big laugh and dismissed the case against the Captain.

What was reaction of Ms Ejbah when she learnt about the survival of Captain Imran is anybody’s guess. Her Emotions cannot be boxed into words. I can only say that she survived the quantum of happiness.

She is now mother of Two Kids of Captain Imran (now Brigadier) and thinks million times before asking any further adventure from her beloved Husband and they are living happily.