Wherever you go in Dadyal or anywhere else in Azad Kashmir for that matter, you'll come across people who will constantly go on about going to England. It makes you think, is there anyone who doesn't like the idea of going to England? It might come as a surprise to some, but the answer is yes, there are some local people who prefer living in Dadyal and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Typically, they are youngsters who have gained a good education, can communicate well in English, have relatives who have gone to England, etc. These guys and girls understand that England is no land of dreams, they wouldn't mind going there for a holiday or if they had a good job offer, however they are not ready to sacrifice themselves in order to jump on that flight. Basically, England is an option for them, not their only hope i.e. they're not banking on it.
They are also put off by the way their brothers and sisters are treated in England, they don't want people to make jokes about their immigration status or how they got their visa. These are the people that represent the spirit of Dadyal, these are the lions and lionesses of the region, I salute them for their courage, for their hard working attitude and their will power to succeed in life. Some of them will have started their own businesses such as clothes stores, web design, wedding movie production, medical stores, etc. Another group of these youngsters will be studying at academic institutions be it in Dadyal, Mirpur, Islamabad or Lahore. Then there are those who are working for companies in Pakistan, staying in say Islamabad or Muzaffarabad for work purposes and coming home to their families in Dadyal when they get a chance.
There is a lot to learn from all of the above, it's quite simple - education changes people for the better, it gives them a mind, gives them their own thought's, the ability to reason, to discuss, to defend themselves and to change things for the better. Education is the need of Dadyal, it's not money or big houses or massive weddings, over the top election campaigns, etc. Our people need education today more than ever before, if we want to be something on our own without having to look towards another country to help us, then we have to have our own mind - something that many people in the region simply do not have.
Sameer Hussain
Dadyal.pk & Dadyaal.com
Posted in: Articles
