People bring peace and understanding

The school year has started again in America. Pakistan is on the minds of many returning to campus. A bright young sophomore at the University of Southern California has an interesting essay on how she spent her summer vacation in Lahore. Author Greg Mortenson has been visiting campuses sharing his stories of humanitarian efforts in the hills of Pakistan.

Natasha Khan spent a wonderful three months in Pakistan this summer. Her friends at USC cannot believe it: she actually had a good time! "Yes, summer in Lahore was safe. Moreover, it was both wonderfully relaxing and exciting".

But Natasha what about all the political turmoil?

How... the networks broadcasted the major Pakistani stories... I do not know... my time in Lahore was golden.

In her opinion piece for the USC student newspaper, she breaks down the hot stories of the summer, one by one. She writes about being in the courtroom when the decision to reinstate the Chief Justice was reached. She sees the so-called crisis for what it was: a long overdue separation of the judiciary branch from the executive branch. It was not the break-down of civilization in Pakistan as so many Western media sources portrayed it.

One night while in Pakistan, "at about 10 p.m., the government announced that the country may fall into a state of emergency". However, later that night, the government relented. Another evening there was a serious bomb threat. "That night, all the restaurants were as full as usual, business was roaring". Life goes on!

She concludes with "A country only reaches an equilibrium when its people are at peace with themselves and their governing system, but people need to find this peace for themselves... A great exercise of of autonomy is the right to improve your country yourself, without external forces shaping the answer for you".

Over at Montana State University, Greg Mortenson spoke to the students about his adventures building schools in the Pakistani frontier. He once became lost in Pakistan while traveling to climb Summit K2. Village people took care of him and brought him back to health. He made a pledge to come back and build a school for the village children. He has fulfilled that pledge many times over. As the founder of Central Asia Institute, he has been responsible for having 61 schools built in the mountainous regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

His message to the students centered on the idea that "Politics is not what brings peace... People bring peace". His other points included:

The CAI emphasizes girl education because "If you educate a boy, you educate a person. If you educate girls, you educate a community."

"You can't have democracy unless you have education and land ownership."

He reported that the Taliban is actively destroying schools because it is easier to control people through ignorance.

"It is said that only when it is dark enough can one see the stars."

Mortenson brought a similar message to the students of University of North Carolina Charlotte where the University Honor Students held a successful fundraiser for the CAI.

Mortenson's book is "Three Cups of Tea". It should be on everyone's bookshelf.

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