The basics…

 By Lubna Jerar Naqvi

Recently, a student was severely beaten by her teacher in Punjab for asking a simple question. Our teachers need to widen their own horizons and be taught the skill of teaching and tolerance. You! takes a look...

There is a scarcity of teachers in Pakistan, and when we say scarcity we mean educated, trained teachers who actually impart education and train their students to become useful components of the society. But due to the low salary and the mushrooming of private schools in every lane and street, the demand for teachers is way higher than supply which means everyone joins this field, whether they are suited or not. It is the government's responsibility to provide incentives and facilities to teachers so that more and more educated people join this field and maybe the quality of education will improve. But since that is not happening, our schools are full of people who select teaching to while away their time, these people are hardly educated themselves but they start teaching because they have nothing better to do. Most of these teachers are young women who are matriculates or have just achieved their intermediate certificate and are waiting to get married. Therefore, they are neither interested nor up to the mark to take up education as a profession.

However, the quality of education and teachers in Pakistan is a vast topic which cannot be discussed within this space and therefore I will come to the point.

In the first week of October, a small news report tucked away on the news portals declared that an 11-year-old girl hailing from Dharema, a small town near Islamabad, was severely beaten by her teacher because the child showed courage and questioned the teacher's logic.

The young girl Nadia Iftikhar, student of class 6th at the 'Bright Future Academy' - a local evening coaching school - was ruthlessly beaten by the head teacher for saying she was a Pakistani citizen.

Allegedly, the teacher was teaching the students about the culture and people of Pakistan and read out a sentence from a text book, saying 'We are Pakistani and all of us are Muslims'. To which Nadia interrupted and said that she was also a Pakistani but she was not a Muslim but a Christian. To which the learned teacher allegedly replied that girl's homeland was some where in Europe or America. After which according to the other students the teacher beat her with a stick for challenging her views of Islam. The child became unconscious. The family did not contact the police and according to reports the child will return to the school after her wounds have healed.

This incident exposes two things: the brutality and intolerance of teachers, revealing that these educationists need to widen their own horizons and be taught the skill of teaching and tolerance. Teachers have to be taught to accept questions from their students and try to satisfy their curiosity by answering them without being biased.

Secondly, should all Pakistanis be Muslims? If so, then what about Muslims living in India, US, UK etc?

Reading the preamble of the constitution which was coined on April 12, 1973, it is obvious that all Pakistanis are not necessarily Muslims and anyone who thinks so is gravely wrong. The constitution's preamble reads, "Wherein the Muslims shall be enabled to order their lives in the individual and collective spheres in accordance with the teachings and requirements of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah; Wherein adequate provision shall be made for the minorities freely to profess and practise their religions and develop their cultures." This clearly reveals that Pakistanis can be Muslims as well as non-Muslims. Does this mean, God forbid, that educated people running educational institutions like Dharema's Bright Future Academy don't have any idea what their country's most important document says about its citizen? If that is so, the head teacher who assaulted Nadia should be booked for her crime not only towards a minor, but also for her ignorance and lack of education. But the sad thing is that a large portion of Pakistanis don't know what their constitution says, and it is up to the government to make it mandatory for all citizens to read and understand the constitution, which is supposed to be the most important document for any country.

So, for the benefit of the likes of her (the teacher) and other Pakistanis who have never read the constitution, I will take the liberty of highlighting the text which pertains to Pakistanis who belong to the minorities section of the Muslim society.

Again according to an excerpt from the preamble: "Therein shall be guaranteed fundamental rights, including equality of status, of opportunity and before law, social, economic and political justice, and freedom of thought, expression, belief, faith, worship and association, subject to law and public morality; Wherein adequate provision shall be made to safeguard the legitimate interests of minorities, backward and depressed classes."

Further the constitution states, "...so that the people of Pakistan may prosper and attain their rightful and honoured place amongst the nations of the World and make their full contribution towards international peace and progress and happiness of humanity."

The constitution further states under Fundamental Rights and Principles of Policy that:

Freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions: subject to law, public order and morality: every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice and propagate his religion and every religious denomination and every sect thereof shall have the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions."

Furthermore, the constitution also 'safeguards against taxation for purposes of any particular religion - No person shall be compelled to pay any special tax the proceeds of which are to be spent on the propagation or maintenance of any religion other than his own." And the most important rule is:

 Equality of citizens: All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law. Which if followed would end a lot of evil in the society.

Unfortunately, this is probably one of the most abused laws in the country. Whether people are equal before law or not, they sure are either above or below the prevailing legal set up. The rich and powerful arm themselves further by rising above the law and breaking it whenever they want to and of course get away without being punished. If they are ever caught, they either buy their way out or dump the accusation on someone else. While the marginalised part of society, which is a large portion of the population, is the one that has to bear the onus of law. Guilty or not they are the ones who generally face the music.

They don't have the required amount to get themselves bail for the pettiest crime, let alone buy their way out. In fact, there are a large number of such people languishing in jails because they are unable to pay bail. And God forbid they are asking for justice against a rich citizen, they can rest assure that their existence will not go further than the local police station because the influentials usually control these. So, it is ironic that basic rights provided by the constitution to its citizens is disregarded on a daily basis.

And if one can't be bothered to read the constitution, the 11th August 1947 speech made by the Quaid while presiding over the constituent assembly should be enough.

He said: "...If you change your past and work together in a spirit that everyone of you, no matter to what community he belongs, no matter what relations he had with you in the past, no matter what is his colour, caste or creed, is first, second and last a citizen of this State with equal rights, privileges, and obligations, there will be no end to the progress you will make. I cannot emphasise it too much. We should begin to work in that spirit and in due course of time all these angularities of the majority and minority communities, the Hindu community and the Muslim community, because even as Muslims you have Pathans, Punjabis, Shias, Sunnis and so on, and among the Hindus you have Brahmins, Vashnavas, Khatris, also Bengalis, Madrasis and so on, will vanish. Indeed if you ask me, this has been the biggest hindrance in the way of India to attain the freedom and independence and for this we would have been free people long long ago. No power can hold another nation and specially a nation of 400 million souls in subjection; nobody could have conquered you, and even if it had happened, nobody could have continued its hold on you for any length of time. Therefore, we must learn a lesson from this. You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place or worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State."

Some facts about Minorities:

Recent massacres of religious minorities in Pakistan have focussed new attention on the predicament of minorities in a country which is generally perceived to be a homogenous Muslim nation. The need for the protection of minority and gender-based rights across communities is an important factor which cannot be ignored.

- The role of the military, the political use of religion by governments and a weak civil society, all pose enormous challenges to the minorities in Pakistan.

- Events within and beyond the region have influenced developments in Pakistan.

- Efforts to rein in militant elements and provide security for all citizens, particularly minorities, seem inadequate and ineffective.

- Pakistan's population is generally estimated to be c. 142 million, although according to the official census reports it is c. 137 million.

- According to the census of 1981, out of a total of 84,253,644, Muslims accounted for 81,450,057; followed by 1,310,426 Christians; and 1,276,116 Hindus. Ahmadis accounted for 104,244; Parsis 7,007; Buddhists 2,639; Sikhs 2,146; and 'others' 101,009.

- In 1990, it was estimated that the minorities were 3.1 per cent of the total population. According to these estimates, there were 1,769,582 Christians in Pakistan; 1,723,251 Hindus; 9,462 Parsis; 3,564 Buddhists; and 2,898 Sikhs, while the 'others' collectively were estimated to be 13,640.

- The total figure for the minority population was c. 3,663,167. Two years later, the aggregate figure stood at 4,267,463; with Christians and Hindus almost equal at 2,061,306 and 2,007,743, respectively.

- The Ahmadis, Parsis, Buddhists, Sikhs and others were estimated to be 163,982; 11,021; 4,150; 3,374; and 15,888, respectively. It is interesting to note that even the Parsis, despite some outward migration, had registered a slight increase. The census of 1998 showed the minorities nearing 11–13 million.

There are generally no population figures available for Pakistan's smaller minority communities. Overall, minorities represent c. 8 per cent of the total population. Pakistani minorities consist of Ahmadis, Bahais, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Kalasha (of Chitral), Parsis and Sikhs. Except for the Ahmadis, they all agree on their being non-Muslim.

          -Compiled

Sparkling pieces

This week You! talks to jewellery designer Shafaq Habib and takes a look at her exquisite jewellery pieces...

 By Sara Zia Khan

Jewellery is all about rhythm and fluidity, capturing the essence and sensuality of the woman. The word jewellery is derived from the word jewel, which was anglicised from the Old French word 'jouel'. Further tracing leads back to the Latin word 'jocale', meaning plaything. Jewellery is one of the oldest forms of body adornment. It is an expression of one's own personal style and attitude. In line with the higher demand in fashion is the growing need for jewellery and accessories. Practically every girl wears it at some point in her life: costume jewellery is a great asset to any piece of clothing or outfit that she's wearing. If you are looking for exquisite jewellery especially fine jewellery that you don't normally find at your local jewellery store? Look no further!

Recently, the opening ceremony of Shafaq Habib's jewellery show at The Boulevard, Park Towers, Karachi was a spectacular event. The bevy of socialites and fashionistas in attendance testified the designer's popularity. The theme of the show revolved around a robbery scene and it was staged very tactfully. All the models - Iraj, Nadiya Hussein, Kiran and Humaima Abassi - were dressed in black velvet and staging a robbery scene. Iraj, in her element, was acting out a theft scene with enough oomph and fire to outclass other models, and the audience couldn't help but cheer her on. To accentuate the jewellery, the models had a neat hairdo and smoky make up for that 'mysterious look' and wore some of the necklaces as head gear. The over all look of the models gelled well with the theme of the show. With the thespian set up and theatrical music, the show was very dramatic and well presented, just the way the designer wanted it to be.

Talking to You! Shafaq says, "I wanted the event to be dramatic and different from other such events. Just like my jewellery, my event was unique too in its own right."

Shafaq has been designing jewellery for the past 28 years and has worked with renowned jewellery stores in New York before she decided to bring her work to Pakistan because she felt that the jewellery needed reformation and wanted to see Pakistani women wear something unique and eye catching in their everyday life as opposed to wearing heavy chunks of gold. "I wanted practical jewellery for my clients or rather the women in Pakistan because many a time I visited leading stores here and didn't really like what I saw. I put emphasis on cut and design."

Her line mostly consists of light pieces with minimum use of gold and more use of stones, an idea which has not been ventured into our country. "My target market is basically working women and those who want something unique and different, which is why my designs are light too, and can be incorporated into everyday life. However, I design for brides and formal occasions too." she explains.

This wasn't her first exhibition, she shows twice a year in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad and plans on updating new designs to her collection every month.

The jewellery is divided into single pieces and complete sets so the clients can buy whatever they want without having to purchase the entire set.

Choreography:

Frieha Altaf

Event management:

Catalyst

Letters

Dear Nadine,

I am a 30-year-old married woman. I am working at a prestigious position in a multinational company and my husband also works on a good position in an international company. Financially, we are doing very well. We have been married for the last 5 years but we do not have kids. I am actually the one with the problem. I have severe hormonal imbalances because of which I have not been able to conceive. Also, for the last four-and-a-half years, I have been on medication and I have gone through painful treatments but without any success. IVF is still an option and we are soon going to try that. Up till now I have kept myself very strong, but as the days are progressing, and knowing that my condition is going to get worse with advancing age, I think I am breaking down. I am frustrated and depressed most of the time and sometimes cry the whole night. But whatever happens I avoid showing my feelings to my husband or anybody else, not even my mother. I believe that everything is in God's hand and nobody can do anything about it, so why lament in front of humans? Also, in the beginning I tried to share my frustration with my husband, but then he blamed me for everything and we ended up fighting. He thinks that I have not done enough despite the fact that I have tried everything I could to be able to conceive which includes losing weight. I lost 10 kilos and came down to the normal-weight category, exercising, going through two painful surgeries and heavy medications. Things are getting very rough between us and I understand that my husband is also frustrated like me, may be more than I am since he is not the one with the problem. He has asked me on several occasions to get khula from him, as he says that I am wasting his time and that by now he would have had three or four children had he married a normal woman. Nadine, a baby is the only thing that I could not give to my husband; apart from that, I have always fulfilled my duties as a wife and as a daughter-in-law. I even give my salary to my husband; out of which, he gives me a fixed pocket money and the rest he spends the way he likes. Five years ago we had nothing - no savings, no house, not even good jobs - and I had to sell all my wedding jewellery to help my husband rise in his career. During the last five years I not only struggled to get into a position that I am in today but also helped my husband with his career, and now I only get taunts and cruel words from my husband just because I could not give him a baby. I feel that our relationship now is devoid of any love despite the fact that ours was a love marriage. No matter what I do is never enough for him and I can never be a good wife because I am infertile. On the other hand I never get the love, affection and respect that a wife should have from him: he sleeps in another room when I am sick so that he can sleep well. Twice I had surgeries and both times I was all by myself. He calls me and my mother names; he starts shouting at me in the public if I do something he dislikes. It seems that I do not matter to anyone now; neither to my husband nor to my family. My husband's constant mental torture, the talk of divorce and khula and also the fact that I don't want to waste anymore of his time have made me think about getting a divorce. I have decided to give IVF one last try and then if that ends up unsuccessful, I would ask for divorce. Do you think it is a wise decision, or do you have a better suggestion for me at this point? I have tried everything I could to make our relationship better but failed.

H

Dear H,

As you have stated yourself, you have been extremely brave up till now. You have faced very difficult circumstances with fortitude and as such you have been a very good wife to your ungrateful husband. Infertility is distressing for men and women alike, but what people need to understand is that there are things over which humans do not have any control. You are undergoing treatment and still have few years to try your options, including IVF treatment. Holding you responsible for this deficiency is very dastardly on your husband's part who seems to have forgotten all the sacrifices you have made. There are many childless couples who are enjoying good lives after trying to have children and then accepting that God has some other purpose for them, and we all must submit to His will. The main thing is to understand that children are no doubt of prime importance, but life doesn't end for married couples if they cannot have children. Anyway, at this time you should go for IVF treatment and I pray that you meet with success. If, God forbid, this does not work out, you can also consider adoption. Have you discussed this option with your husband at all?

On no account should you go for khula; if he is set upon divorcing you he must take the blame himself. Khula is the option granted to women who want to leave their husbands but their husbands are unwilling to do so. In such cases, women can waive off their mehr or even 'pay' their husbands money to divorce them. Since it is your husband who is thinking about putting an end to your marriage, he should not ask you to apply for khula. It shows what a mean person he is. Not only will you be blamed by even your own family for not trying to save your marriage, you will have to waive your right for your mehr, which may or may not be substantial. But the fact that he is asking you to apply for khula shows that your husband wants to lay the responsibility of ending the marriage on your head.

My dear, you should also try saving your money for a rainy day. Since your husband is earning well, he doesn't need your money. Why do you give it to him? Does he force you to do that? All working women should invest their money for themselves if the circumstances in their homes allow them to. It is always better to have this strength, especially in your old age. It's time you start saving money from your salary. Instead of giving all your money to him, invest it for yourself. Tell your husband that you have to save it as your future with him is not secure, plus you might need it if God willing your IVF treatment works out for your baby. Remain brave and don't give up. Keep praying to God to do what is best for you. Good luck!

Dear NJ,

You have been through a terrible ordeal because of your family members who did not have the sense to make sure that you were looked after and protected. However, they have a point when they ask you to leave everything to God. My dear, your family set up that you have described is positively gothic, and that includes the family of your in-laws to be. No one would believe in your innocence. Even if they do, they would not spare you. So take your family's advice and remain quiet. The offender is out of the way and would not jeopardise his reputation by saying anything, so don't be afraid on that count. And most importantly, stop blaming yourself. It was not your mistake and you need not tell anyone about it. Best of luck!

Problems that need a solution?

You can e mail Prof. Nadine Khan at nadinekhan_34@yahoo.com

Note: If you feel you need someone to talk to when you are alone, to share a problem with, or just to get something that has upset or disturbed you off your chest, share it with us. 

Write to Prof. Nadine Khan, c/o Editor 'You!' magazine, The News, Al-Rehman Building (4th Floor)  I.I Chundrigar Road, Karachi.

rendezvous

All for women

Recently, an art exhibition was held in Karachi. You! takes a look at the beautiful works of art...

 By Sara Zia Khan

They say beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder; I respectively disagree with this notion. Beauty lies in the strokes of the painter, the magician who can bring fantasies and illusions to reality.

Painting is a mode of expression, and the forms are numerous. Paintings can be naturalistic and representational (as in a still life or landscape painting). If we take the example of a portrait painting, it is an artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. Figure painting is another form of the visual arts in which the artist uses a live model as the subject matter of a two-dimensional piece of artwork using paint as the medium.

Recently, an art exhibition was held at the Grandeur Gallery, Zamzama, showing the works of A.S. Rind, Arsalan Naqvi, Ghalib Bakkar, Babar Moghul, Rafiya Naeem, Mehtab Ali and Akbar Ali. These artists managed to bring different moods and situations of women to life. The paintings were all magnificent to say the least but what is really intriguing is the fact that some of these painters captured real life expressions so well that one could almost feel the emotion the model was trying to show. Even though an array of painters were displaying their work of art together, each artist managed to hold his/her own ground and their individuality was quite evident through their work.

Back to basics

A.S. Rind and Mehtab Ali both displayed very traditional women in their paintings, appreciating the value of culture and folklore, talking to You! A.S Rind said, "I wanted to show the beauty of our own culture which has been forgotten over the years, the clothes, jewellery and the setting is all very traditional with elements of Thar, Rajistan, Cholistan, Rahim Yar Khan and such places. I wanted to show that our traditional women are still very beautiful in their own place and the ornament of traditions never gets old, the bricks and the buildings are also a sign of heritage and the pigeons are used as a symbol of loneliness."

Mehtab Ali shared the same view, his paintings were all about women of the Mughal era and he wanted to share the love he has for it with everyone. "I wanted to show different moods of oriental women and since I mostly paint women, my inspiration this time came from the Mughal era, that period saw some of the most beautiful women on the face of this planet," he explained.

Fantasy to reality

Babar Mughal's painting were also about women and their moods but he took a different approach to them and showed them in a very sensual way, the use of water colours enhanced the effect he wanted and the paintings were a treat to the eye. "I think of myself as a fantasy artist, I try to bring sub-conscious images to real life and I did just that. I portrayed my model in a very sensual way, and gave her eyes a lingering depth. I believe my paintings are not obscene at all, but are courageous and delusional," shared Babar.

Ghalib Bakkar's paintings were also very romantic, his main focus was on sunsets and sea shores but the way he executed the job was close to a miracle. His paintings were magical in their own right, they spoke volumes about romance and loneliness, and the on-lookers could actually feel the magic being cast on them.

Event management:

Catalyst

recipe

Grilled Lamb Chops

Eid-ul-Azha is not too far; why not try some delicious meaty recipes beforehand to serve them on the occasion? This week You! has collaborated with the food maestro Lubna Shariff to tell you the scrumptious recipe of lamb chops. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Lamb chops                5 - 6

Tomato sauce                2 tablespoons

Worcestershire sauce      1 tablespoon

White vinegar                1 tablespoon

Brown sugar                1 tablespoon

Mustard paste                2 teaspoons

Chilli powder                1 tablespoon

Tabasco sauce                1/4 teaspoon

Salt         1/2 teaspoon              

METHOD:

- Mix all the spices and sauces together.

- Now rub the mixture on the chops and allow it to marinate for about 2 to 3 hours.

- After that place the chops on a hot BBQ grill or oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.

- Keep on rotating and turning the chops regularly.

- If desired, a bit of oil can be used. Just dab it over the chops before keeping it on the grill or oven.

off the beaten track

Much ado about nothing

 By Yasir Pirzada

Honey! You are looking really gorgeous today. This red lipstick suits you so much."

"Oh! Come on (blushing) don't flatter me. You are matchless yourself."

"Well, sweetheart! It's your love for me otherwise I am pretty ordinary stuff."

"No darling, don't say that. You have such a manly personality. Look at your grown beard, these thick moustaches...you can be any girl's dream."

"And I am so happy that you are the girl who is living this dream. I love you darling."

"I love you too. You know what... my friends really envy us. In fact, Faiza was saying the other day that she won't marry unless she finds a man like you."

"Ha ha ha! She won't find anyone like me as you know I am quite unique."

"Indeed you are. How lucky I am! Promise me that you will be mine forever!"

"I promise my love. We will remain together not only in this world but in the hereafter as well." "I wonder whether every couple enjoys marriage the way we do. And whether they love each other  the way we do?"

"I don't think so because we are ideal love birds. Look at my friend Samir and his wife Sara. Samir had tall claims at the time of marriage. But now only after a few months of marriage both of them can't even stand each other. Poor them!

"Well... in my opinion, it was your friend Samir's fault because he started snubbing Sara after marriage."

"After all he is the husband, he was right in doing so, Sara should have compromised!"

"I don't understand why all husbands want their wives to compromise all the time?"

"I think it's quite natural and explicable. A man is the breadwinner and when he comes home after a tiring job, he expects some kind of respite. On the other hand, the woman always seems to welcome him with a pile of problems at the doorstep."

"And what about (a little crudely) all the house chores performed by the woman? Running a house is much difficult than earning money!"

"It's the money, which I earn, that runs this house ... (sarcastically) otherwise even a maid can also do dishwashing and housecleaning "Ok... let's hire a maid then."

"Aha... you want to get rid of whatever little work you do in the house so that you can watch those absurd morning shows on TV uninterrupted."

"By the way, you haven't paid the cable fee on time as usual so there is no way one can watch anything on TV... be it morning shows or your Bay Watch kind of movies!"

"It's my hard earned money; I need to spend it prudently."

"Every Tom, Dick and Harry earns lot of money nowadays; I don't know why it is such a gigantic task for you? Look at my brother, he spends thousands daily."

"Ha ha ha...your brother...? Don't you remember last time when we went for dinner, he had Manchurian with Nan!"

"And what about your brother who wears joggers under a three piece suit?? And your elder sister who is such an ill mannered lady that whenever she visits us she always comes empty handed along with her five spoiled kids."

"Shut up! This is her brother's house, she can come anytime anyway."

"Aha... no objection policy for your family and what about my family and friends?"

"Your friends come every other day, I never object to that."

"Yeah...and I know why... because you want to have some chitchat with my female friends... I am not a fool, I know you have gifted a new Nokia cell phone to Faiza last month."

"Are you in your senses? (Angrily) I will throw you out if you ever talk to me like this."

"Ok... fine... (screaming) throw me out... this is the least you can do to me. You think I can't survive without you!"

"Whoosh... what will you do at the age of forty? Second marriage? Nobody even wants to take a second look at your ugly face, and you are thinking of second marriage. Huh..."

"And what about you?? You think you are irresistible with your bald head and ballooned tummy?? Even men don't think you're worthy of a second glance, talk about women!"

"Thanks for my pen picture but I am not short of girls; you better be concerned about yourself because with a whopping 80 kgs on your body, you always look ..."

"Oh shut up! It's enough now... I am going to my parent's house... no sane woman can live with you."

"Then what are you waiting for... pack your bags and leave my house... and please never come back."

"You are forgetting something... this is my house as everything here came with my dowry... so it's you, who will leave, not me!" "Well... (scratching his head)... I think you have taken it too seriously... I didn't mean it that way."

"Really?? Then why did you say that I am ugly looking?"

"Oh darling... how can you believe this? Just look at yourself... you can make anybody crazy with your stunning looks ... this red lipstick suits you wild. I love you."

"Oh you are such a naughty husband... and dashing... I love you too!"

"By the way honey... who told you that I bought Nokia for your friend Faiza?"

"Why?? (with a surprise on her face) Did you really buy her that gift?"

"No no... I was wondering who could have told you that?"

"Means that there is something going on between you and Faiza?"

"Oh for heaven's sake... try to understand... I haven't committed anything like that."

"Well... it seems as if you have some unfulfilled desires in your heart!"

"Don't say a word now otherwise..."

"Otherwise...?? What will you do otherwise?"

"Don't forget I am your husband and I can divorce you."

"And you also don't forget that 5 lac rupees mehar for me is written in our nikahnama so now if you utter one more word about divorce... "

"Oh no honey... you always take me wrong... what I was saying... ah...yes this red lipstick!!!"

(And they lived happily ever after).

yasirpirzada1@gmail.com

health

It's all in the head

A stroke is a medical emergency that can cause permanent neurological damage, complications, and death. Due to the fatal affects of this disease it is vital to spread awareness regarding it. You! takes a look...

 By Saad Bin Jamil

To understand stroke, we first need to understand a bit about our body, more importantly, brain and its requirements. The human body is a complex machine, with almost perfect performance, and the key to it lies in the brain. It is the control center of the body. There are a million processes going in it, every second. Every single function depends on it. And just like the main controller of any machine, it needs a constant, unimpaired, adequate amount of input or energy. Any hindrance to this energy, leads to either an impairment of function or a complete stop. In case of the human body, this energy is given to the brain by blood and anything that causes a break or leakage of this blood to the brain, leads to the deadly condition called 'brain attack' or more appropriately, 'stroke'.

A stroke is a medical emergency. It happens when blood flows to the brain stops. Since it is one of the most vital organs of the body, and needs a constant supply of oxygen the brain cells begin to die within minutes due to lack of blood supply (which carries oxygen to the brain). The results are usually devastating and permanent brain damage may be caused. Although stroke is a disease of the brain, it can affect the entire body. Some of the disabilities that can result from a stroke include paralysis, speech problems, emotional difficulties, daily living problems, and pain. More than anything else it is important to identify the stroke, determine what causes it, and how one can prevent and treat it.

 Diagnosis:

An easy way to identify a person going through a stroke is 'FAST'.  Each of the first three letters indicates a symptom of stroke. 'F' is for face, you can ask the person to smile, and it will be crooked. 'A' is for arms, ask the person to lift both of his or her arms in the air, if he or she has difficulty with one arm this too might be a sign that this person is having a stroke. 'S' is for Speech, ask the person to speak. If his or her words are slurred or they are unable to speak, they might be having a stroke. 'T' is simply for time. If any of the above symptoms are present, it is very important, that you quickly get the person to the hospital. Any minute's delay can result  in paralysis or even death. It usually occurs in older people, above 55 and is rarely found in young people.

Causes of a stroke:

- High blood pressure. It is present in more than seventy per cent of stroke cases

- High cholesterol plays a major role

- Smoking

- Obesity

- Diabetes 

- An abnormal heart rhythm

- Narrowing of the carotid arteries

- Heavy alcohol and cocaine usage is also associated with it

Treatment and prevention:

- The primary goal in treating stroke is to restore blood flow to the brain. Use blood thinners such as an aspirin within hours of the stroke.

- Surgical procedures that can open up or widen arteries may be performed if stroke is caused by blockade.

- Stroke is a preventable disease and a reduction of blood pressure will reduce the risk of stroke by forty per cent or more.

- Control of cholesterol.

- Control on smoking.

- iabetics need to take extra caution of their diet.

Incidence of stroke in Pakistan is more than two hundred per one lakh. This means that there are three and a half million new stroke patients every year. Despite being a major public health problem, stroke has been ignored by the health care authorities. More reliable data is needed to establish the precise burden of stroke in Pakistan. However, it is a known fact that stroke is the most common reason for getting admitted to a neurology ward. It is also known that high blood pressure, the major risk factor for stroke, is very common in Pakistan. A national health survey revealed that more than thirty per cent population above the age of 45 is suffering from high blood pressure, most of whom are undiagnosed and uncontrolled. Precaution needs to be taken and the government should not only launch campaigns to increase the knowledge of  people regarding stroke, but also take a strong initiative focusing on the preventive measures.