Daily Times

We are a generation that moved on bicycles, read books, and had to box for self-defence. The first stop while visiting any place was the cycle stand, there were weekly visits to the library, and a monthly or quarterly round of boxing as the situation demanded. Coming from a family of fighters, fighting for self-preservation and dignity were taken seriously. My father always kept licenced weapons. His armoury included a double barrel shotgun and a pistol, both top of the line. He was battle hardened as he had to fight to save his neighbourhood from Sikh and Hindu zealots in Ludhiana during the partition in 1947. He escaped just in time to be saved from the gallows despite head money of Rs5,000. My uncle, his younger brother, was a street fighter and knew well how to box, and so dida cousin of mine in Karachi.

Books were also around. There were two large family libraries. My father’s uncle, Dr Anwar Iqbal Qureshi, took a job with the International Monetary Fund in the 1950s; he stored all his books in our house. It was an impressive collection. After his death, his daughter donated his library to the Chand Bagh School. The second library was of my mother’s uncle, Dr Khalifa Abdul Hakim, who lived on Waris Road. Most of his collection is now with his daughter, Dr Rafia Hassan. In school, I was a library prefect, and manned the place for a few hours every week. In college and then university, books were held dearly till the National Book Foundation started publishing expensive editions of imported books at reduced prices.

In school where most of the fights took place, I had a serious height disadvantage for boxing. So, I took to wrestling. While the opponents prepared to box, I would get in between their legs and topple them. Once on top I would box them at will till they surrendered unconditionally, or someone intervened for truce. Life was basic and simple, owning a bicycle, a few books, and the ability to self-protect were enough to survive and grow.

As a fading generation we have to give up boxing and learn the soft skills of the younger population as the future belongs to them

Frankly speaking, while growing up we could never imagine that one day we would be drinking water out of a bottle or own a personal handheld communication device. Motorcycle yes, but that was later on in university when study hours were long and distances far, which could not be covered with paddling. But the romance with bicycles has continued todate.

A generation raised with motorcycles and cars, mobile telephones and mineral water is definitely different. Cycle stands have been replaced with parking lots, books are now downloaded, and boxing is outdated. Everyone drinks water from plastic bottles. It is a new globalised world. Book stores and libraries are in retreat. We have nothing much to offer other than our money to add another ‘M’ to their tally-motorcycles, mobiles, mineral water, money-whilewe live with our three ‘Bs’: bicycles, books, boxing. The gap is real and should be understood.

I have been told by expatriate friends that this trend is worldwide. Young people now live from day to day. Planning for rainy days or old age is an approach of the past. In the 20th century there were strong movements for equitable distribution of wealth. With three revolutions-Bolshevik, Chinese, Iranian-andtwo world wars, the millennium was bloody with a very high human toll. Imperialism retreated but capitalism survived and outpaced socialism. Perhaps the splurge and consumption of the new generation will produce a new equilibrium between the haves and have-nots.

For an organised change leading to a new world order some concepts are being discussed that include democratic socialism, a welfare state and Riyasat-e-Medina. Consumption by the elite will not result in an equitable distribution of resources. At best, it will produce more waste and heartburn. Change requires an organised methodology; otherwise, confusion prevails as it did in Russia after the breakup of the all-powerful Soviet Empire. By contrast the People’s Republic of China kept its revolutionary course to evenly distribute state resources.

So far there have been no major international conflicts after 1945 but injustice and flashpoints remain. Unless a better mechanism of sharing wealth, both within and amongst nations, is developed, clash seems imminent as the gaps are widening. Globalisation, privatisation and deregulation combined with the free market approach has not helped. While new alliances are being built some old ones are collapsing. Brexit has resulted in the most recent shrinking of the European Union.

Enjoyment and fun have become common pastimes. No one wants to miss out on the pleasures of life. As a generation we are blamed for being conservative and frugal. Roughing it out is not in fashion anymore. While the use of drugs and alcohol has gone up, smoking has been contained to a great extent. Organic food is back in fashion, together with expensive designer clothes. Then there is the digital divide. Those who are tech savvy have a definite advantage over the others. This divide will also widen over time with the “Analog Generation” lagging behind. Careers paths are also seriously threatened. Pension and social security funds are under pressure worldwide.

It is a changing and dynamic world, and despite all its divides and faults it remains interesting. As a fading generation we have to give up boxing and learn the soft skills of the younger population as the future belongs to them. Let us learn to paddle our way through the digitally dominated universe. Tesla has started booking for moon landing sometime in the future. Man set foot on this planet when we finished school, now it is time for us to visit it. The era of fossil fuels also seems to be ending. Let us learn to coexist and keep moving forward in the direction of the new world till our time is over. I still enjoy bicycle rides and hunt for good books while no one around me seems interested.

The writer is Ex-Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation