Plight of education in Pakistan.

Urooj Raza Sayyami.

In 1981 only 7 percent of women in rural areas were literate, compared with 35 percent in urban areas. Among men, these rates were 27 and 57 percent, respectively. Pakistan's low female literacy rates are particularly confounding because these rates are analogous to those of some of the poorest countries in the world.

Pakistan has never had a systematic, nationally coordinated effort to improve female primary education, despite its poor standing. It was once assumed that the reasons behind low female school enrollments were cultural, but research conducted by the Ministry for Women's Development and a number of international donor agencies in the 1980s revealed that danger to a woman's honor was parents' most crucial concern. Indeed, reluctance to accept schooling for women turned to enthusiasm when parents in rural Punjab and rural Balochistan could be guaranteed their daughters' safety and, hence, their honor.

Comparison of data for men and women reveals significant disparity in educational attainment. By 1992, among people older than fifteen years of age, 22 percent of women were literate, compared with 49 percent of men. The comparatively slow rate of improvement for women is reflected in the fact that between 1980 and 1989, among women aged fifteen to twenty-four, 25 percent were literate. United Nations sources say that in 1990 for every 100 girls of primary school age there were only thirty in school; among girls of secondary school age, only thirteen out of 100 were in school; and among girls of the third level, grades nine and ten, only 1.5 out of 100 were in school. Slightly higher estimates by the National Education Council for 1990 stated that 2.5 percent of students--3 percent of men and 2 percent of women- -between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one were enrolled at the degree level. Among all people over twenty-five in 1992, women averaged a mere 0.7 year of schooling compared with an average of 2.9 years for men.

By Urooj Raza

Multilingual band of Music in Afghanistan for peace

‎3/‎28/‎2011

Music is known as the ambassador of peace all over the world. In Afghanistan when terror of Taliban has not vanished away completely, still there is hope in so many forms of Art. People want to enjoy their lives in peace and freedom and still trying hard to run their daily routines .In war they had not even given up of dreaming and kept on moving according to their dreams & were in touch with their respective favourite Arts.

Kabul dreams, a musical band is a wonderful example of this. Kabul band is 1st rock & pop musical band of Afghanistan and has been performing in other countries of Asia as well.

“Because we don’t have any rock music, they listen to international bands and music from neighbouring countries like India and Pakistan. "It is a real dream to play rock music in Afghanistan" Says 19 years old vocalist of the Band.

“We thought it was about time for Afghanistan to have its own rock band.” Says Ahmed a vocalist of the rocking Band. The group mixes Afghan rhythmic patterns with rock and roll music.

The three vocalists belong to different parts of Afghanistan and speak in three different languages , Pushto,Dari & Uzbek. And what’s more unusual, they sing in English.

They caught up with the three-piece in Delhi, where they took part in the South Asian Bands Festival, which seeks to promote regional cultural ties.

Qardash – who likes indie fashion – grew up listening to Britpop bands like Radiohead and Travis.

With the political turmoil which gripped Afghanistan in the 1990s, all three members sought refuge in the neighbouring countries of Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Iran, where they were influenced by the Western music they heard.

“During the years of the Taliban, we were away and one positive thing for all of us was that we had an opportunity to learn music and have good facilities where we could practise,” says Ahmad, who lived in Pakistan for 10 years and played with bands producing new music.

While original Afghan music is closely associated with traditional instruments like the RAbab etc, indie rock is still a new genre – but it is catching on fast among Afghan youth.“Playing rock music is a risk but we want to play in Afghanistan,” says Qardash, as he tunes his guitar.

“We love our country and we want to change our younger generation, we want to make something new. Despite the challenges, this triad want to bring a musical revolution to the Islamic country, where playing rock music is considered too Western and provocative. Ahmad points out that Kabul Dreams is truly multi-ethnic, consisting of an Uzbek, Pashtun and Tajik.

“Other bands around the world have lots of opportunities and facilities, but we have to do everything ourselves,” says Ahmad.

“We have a single video shoot; we have to take care of everything. There is no production house that we could go to.”

When Civilizations take turns into another development, nothing can stop its way. There is hope that Music will bring change and revolution splendidly in the way of Peace back to Afghanistan.

Multilingual band of Music in Afghanistan for peace