A letter to overseas Pakistanis
By Imran Ahmed

I have been fortunate enough to travel abroad and meet successful, young Pakistani entrepreneurs. It’s always refreshing to talk with fellow countrymen in foreign lands but seldom is the topic of the political climate, or general atmosphere of Pakistan, avoided in these talks.
Many Pakistanis living abroad are very passionate about their country and its people. They play active roles in contributing towards the welfare of their country, by supporting charitable causes that are close to their hearts. However, amongst them are a few who tend to hold an extremely negative outlook for Pakistan and have lost hope in it.
By writing this letter, I urge them not to give up hope for Pakistan. There are many here, in Pakistan, who fight for justice, for equality, for education and for freedoms. Let me enlighten you about a few Pakistanis, who are risking their lives every day just to make a difference.
Humaira Bachal is a young 25-year-old Pakistani girl, who quietly campaigned in her Karachi neighbourhood of Moach Goth to educate girls after being denied her own education. She currently has 22 teachers and 1,200 students working with her.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, a young female journalist and film-maker, through her documentary, Saving Face, was able to raise awareness globally of heinous crimes committed in Pakistan against women.
Mohammed Jibran Nasir is a young Pakistani Muslim lawyer, who had recently returned to Pakistan after completing his education in the UK. He didn’t only stand in the elections as an independent candidate but has been able to challenge the religious extremists on the intolerance directed towards minority sects such as Ahmadis and Shias.
Zindagi Trust, a charity set up by the famous Pakistani celebrity Shahzad Roy, is a non-profit organisation which has since 2006, enrolled approximately 3,000 students of which nearly 1,500 have graduated and are looking to continue their education.
Aman foundation is another non-profit charity set up in Pakistan that not only provides health care and education to the underprivileged but is also creating opportunities for unskilled manpower in the country.
One charity that needs no introduction and is considered amongst the largest ambulance service providers in the world is the Edhi Foundation. It hopes to build emergency hospitals every 100km on Pakistan’s highways to help with accidents and trauma related injuries. This foundation’s relentless efforts and services to the people of Pakistan have led to numerous awards, including the nomination by the prime minster for the Nobel Peace Prize for its highly respected founder Abdul Sattar Edhi. This foundation is dependent on nearly 3,500 active workers and thousands of volunteers, who help out on a daily basis.
Last but not least, I want to include in this letter, the traffic wardens and other governmental security personnel in Pakistan, who stand in the scorching heat to keep our country moving everyday and protect our citizens.
If you still feel there is no hope for Pakistan, pause and think of the millions of Pakistanis living here, who are trying to make a difference, battling for a brighter future.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2013.