SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES PAKISTAN. JANUARY 01, 2025 (2025-1)

 

INTRODUCTION:- SOS Children's Villages Pakistan is a private social welfare organization dedicated to providing homes for orphans and abandoned children. It is registered with the Directorate General of Social Welfare, Government of the Punjab, Lahore vide Registration No. DSW (Pb) 75-812 dated September 10, 1975.

The special feature of SOS Children Villages is that these are not traditional orphanages: they provide children with a warm, family-type environment. Every effort is made to enrich children with strong moral values, sound education, and skills that will enable them to become productive and  dependable citizens.

OBJECTIVES:- The primary need of children deprived of their natural parents is to be placed in a situation that is as close as possible to a natural home.

SOS Children's Villages meet this need by providing them with security and loving care. They are enabled to live normal lives and be instilled with a sense of confidence so that they can develop  to  their  ful l potential.

SOS Children’s villages play the role of their family and provide them with higher education or job training according to their aptitude. SOS Children's villages are working towards the day when it will be able to provide shelter to every deserving child in the country. SOS Childern's villages consider this a realistic target as it admit only those children who are either complete orphans or, those we categorize as 'social' orphans, i.e. those whose mothers cannot keep them because they have remarried or they have an incurable disease such as cancer or mental illness.

AFFILIATION:- SOS Children's Villages of Pakistan is affiliated with SOS International, which is the umbrella organization, with its head office in Innsbruck, Austria. It is one of 130 member associations in different countries, many of them being in Asia, Africa, and South America. SOS International is the largest child welfare organization in the world and has so far established over 2800 projects.

PHILOSOPHY:- The philosophy of SOS Children’s villages is simple and very basic. Every child has the right to good nurturing. To provide the children with a normal environment, four principles are adhered to, and form the basis of all the work of the organization.

These are:

•             A Mother

•             Brothers and Sisters

•             A Home

•             The Village

The Mother is the person with whom the ultimate responsibility rests for meeting the child's physical and emotional needs, and for providing essential love and care. In the final analysis, the quality of care provided by the mother determines the success of our efforts. The SOS 'mothers' are selected with great care. They are usually single women, often widows without their own families, and are thus able to commit themselves completely to the responsibility of being in an SOS Village.

Brothers and Sisters are essential in any family pattern. Boys and girls of various ages grow up together as brothers and sisters. Real brothers and sisters are not separated and are always accommodated in the same house. On reaching adolescence the boys are shifted to a Youth Home.

The Home is the focal point of the Village. Here the children find security, a feeling of 'belonging' and having their place in the world. An SOS home is a self-contained unit and is as close as possible to a normal home in all respects. Every house consists of a living area, kitchen, separate bedrooms for girls and boys, and a small room for the mother. A kitchen garden is maintained by the family.

The Village is the community in which the child lives and finds shelter and support from other members of this 'family'.

An SOS Village is generally comprised of 15 family homes, a community hall, an administration office, a mosque, a director's residence, a grocery shop, a workshop, a  dispensary , essential  staff  residences,  and  adequate  playgrounds.

Religious instruction is an integral part of the children's routine. Extracurricular activities are also organized in which the children enthusiastically participate. Scouting, Girl Guides, games, cooking classes, art classes, and sewing are some of the many diverse activities available to them.

A special feature of SOS Children's Villages is that the organization takes responsibility for the children in its care till they can support themselves. After matriculation, both boys and girls receive career counseling. Higher education is provided to those with merit and, otherwise, technical education. The boys remain in our care till they are capable of earning their livelihood and the girls till such time as they are married. The marriages of the girls are arranged by the organization.

SOS PAKISTAN PROJECTS:- SOS Children's Villages of Pakistan was founded in 1975. The first project to be opened was the SOS Children's Village in Lahore and since then over 64 projects have been established nationwide, of which 35 are exclusively for orphans.

SCHOOLS:- SOS Children’s villages consider that a good education is the greatest gift we can give to our children and for this purpose schools are established in conjunction with every SOS Children's Village. These schools provide quality education, not only to our children but also to other underprivileged children. Outside children far outnumber the SOS children and thus these schools serve a dual purpose - they enable our children to integrate with the community and also contribute to the vital sector of education.

SOS YOUTH HOMES:- SOS Youth Homes are opened wherever we have SOS Children's Villages and boys are shifted there upon reaching adolescence. They do not leave the care of SOS Childern's  villages  till  such time  as  they  are  able to  earn their  livelihood.

AFTER LEAVING SOS:- The ultimate proof of our success is the assimilation of our children into the mainstream. So far, several hundred children have passed through our hands and are generally well-settled in life.

They are working in diverse fields such as banking, computer companies, teaching, industry, the armed forces, and private enterprise.The girls are also encouraged to train for careers and their marriages are also arranged by us.

They return once a year for a reunion and, otherwise too, keep in touch. We are always available to applaud their success or lend a helping hand.

On the SOS Children's Villages Pakistan, the commemorative postage stamp is being issued by Pakistan Post of the value of Rs.50/- each denomination on 1st January, 2025.

50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE COUNCIL OF ISLAMIC IDEOLOGY. DECEMBER 30th, 2024 (2024-16)

The Council of Islamic Ideology was established under the Constitution of 1973, and the concept of its creation is primarily derived from Allama Muhammad Iqbal's idea of parliamentary ijtihad. In his lectures, Allama Muhammad Iqbal proposed collective ijtihad through the parliament, instead of individual ijtihad, for the modern era. As envisaged , this process shall involve the significant role of Islamic scholars alongside the elected representatives of the people. Based on these ideas and concepts, the following institutions for reconstruction of religious thought were established after the creation of Pakistan:

In October 1947, an institution named as the Department of Islamic Reconstruction was established. Its mandate was to highlight and present the Islamic ideological concepts of state-building and societal development, which would serve as the foundational framework for the newly established political administration.

Subsequently, when the formal process of drafting of constitution commenced, Pakistan's first Constituent Assembly presented the Objectives Resolution on March 12, 1949. The Objective Resolution determined the fundamental framework for drafting an Islamic constitution for the state of Pakistan.

In light of the Objectives Resolution, a committee formed to chalk out basic principles for drafting the fundamental structure of the Constitution. To provide guidelines to this committee on the Objectives Resolution and to address, queries, a five-member Board named as the Board of Talimat-e-lslamia was formed under the chairmanship of Maulana Syed Sulaiman Nadvi. Additionally, on February 15, 1951, a Law Commission was constituted, tasked with reviewing the existing laws, in effect, at that time and bringing them in conformity with the Objectives Resolution.

In 1956, when the first constitution of Pakistan was promulgated, Article 197 thereof provided for the establishment of an Institute for Islamic Research and Instructions. The primary objective of this institution was to assist in the process of reconstruction of Muslim society on ideal basis through research and education. Additionally, Article 198 of the same Constitution provided for the creation of an Islamic Commission. The primary functions of this Commission included to ensure that no law shall be enacted which is repugnant to the Injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah, and that existing laws shall be brought into conformity with Islamic Injunctions.

In the Constitution of March 1962, it was envisaged to establish the Advisory Council of Islamic Ideology. The functions of this Advisory Council included providing recommendations to the central and provincial governments to enable the Muslims of Pakistan to order their lives, in all respects, in accordance with the Islamic principles. During this period, the Council submitted reports spanning ten years of time containing recommendations on significant social issues and proposals for bringing existing laws in conformity with the injunctions of the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Council of Islamic Ideology

In the Constitution of 1973, the Advisory Council of Islamic Ideology was renamed as the Council of Islamic Ideology. The provisions of Articles 227 to 231 of the Constitution outlined the obligation to bring legislation in conformity with Islamic principles, as well as the composition of the Council of Islamic Ideology and its functions.

According to Article 230 of the Constitution of Pakistan, one of the obligations of the Council was to submit a final report on review of laws after seven years of its establishment. Clause (4) of this article also mandated that the Council's annual interim report or its final report shall be laid down before the Majlis-e-Shura (Parliament).

In 1996, the Council submitted a final report to Parliament, which reviewed, all laws up to 1973, in light of Islamic principles. Furthermore, under its constitutional obligations, the Council regularly submits its annual report to Parliament and the provincial assemblies every year. Since its inception the total number of the Council's publications exceeds 100, including both annual and thematic reports. In addition, the Council annually publishes a reputable academic and research journal titled "ljtihad."

On the occasion of the completion of 50 years of operations by the Islamic Ideology Council and in recognition of its excellence, a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs. 30/- denomination is being issued by Pakistan Post on 301h December, 2024.

148th Birth Anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. (2024-15)

 

MEN OF LETTERS SERIES MUMTAZ MUFTI (1905-1995) JUNE 12, 2013 (2013-15)

Mumtaz Mufti (times) September 11, 1905 – October 27, 1995- was unique in style and in diction, happened to be a trend setter in Urdu fiction; "short stories, novels, travelogue, persona writings and Radio drama". He was born in batala, British East Punjab earned his early education from there and got graduation from Lahore. He started his career in British Rule as an English teacher in Southern Punjab and after Partition of India, Initially lived at Lahore for some years and later settled for good at Islamabad.

Mumtaz Mufti started writing Urdu short stories much earlier, before partition. His first book was published in 1936. Initially his stories portrayed him a non conformist writer having liberal views, apparently influenced by Freud. Most of his initial short story books and his iconic novel "Alipur ka Aily" were the exhibits of that era. His transformation from Liberalism to Sufism was marked in his most remarkable book "Lab-baik" and later by his voluminous autobiography "Alakh-Nagri" influenced by the closeness of Allah and the association of his friend Qudrat Ullah Shahab (A Sufi writer and senior civil servant). In his book "Alakh-Nagri" he mainly expressed his closed relations to Qudrat Ullah Shahab and tried to explain with his personal experience pertaining to Shahab, especially for the last chapter of his book "Shahab Nama", "Chhota Mou Bari Baat". He told every secret without which that chapter of "Shahab Nama" could not be comprehended. He supported his point of view with his first hand knowledge and as an eye witness to the mystic behavior of Qudrat Ullah Shahab. In the same book he narrated his associations with his contemporary close friends from Ahmed Bashir, Ishfaq Ahmed, Bano Qudsia to Abdaal Bela. He is the only writer in literary world for whom the biggest Anthology of about 1600 pages "Mufti Ge" has been published, compiled by his disciple Abdaal Bela, Mumtaz Mufti has about twenty highly acclaimed valuable books to his credit from "Un Kahi" to "Kahi na Jaye". He has a famous travelogue of India "Hind Yatra" and many persona writing books in addition to his books of Radio drama. His last book "Talash" (Quest) was a summary of his total sum of search for God and men of God. This book is treated as a text book of Sufism in circles of readers.

Mumtaz Mufti has a big group of his followers throughout the Urdu reading woric and happens to be a legend for many notable writers of all time. His writings are unique in diction, Formation, style and appeal. In recognition of his notable extra ordinary devotion and achievements in Urdu literature, he was conferred with Sitara-e-Imtiaz (1986) Pakistan and Munshi Prem Chand Award (1989) of India. He died at the age of 90 on 27 October 1995 at Islamabad and was buried at H-8 Graveyard of Islamabad, close to his life time friend Qudrat Ullah Shahab.

On Men of Letters Series Mumtaz Mufti, a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs. 8/- denomination is being issued by Pakistan Post on June 12, 2013.

MEN OF LETTERS SERIES ISHFAQ AHMED (1925-2004) JUNE 12, 2013 (2013-14)

 

Ishfaq Ahmed (22-) August 1925-September 7 2004 was an eminent, fiction writer, playwright, and broadcaster, intellectual and Sufi writer from Pakistan. He started penning down literature alongside pioneers of Urdu Litrature like, Prem Chand, Bibi, Krishan Chandar, Mumtaz Mufti, Saddat Hassan Manto, Quratulain Haider and Ismat Chugtai. His first master piece, short story "Guddaria" (The Shepherd) become classic as early as 1955.

He was born in Firozpur, British East Punjab and received his earlier education in his native town. In 1947, he migrated to Pakistan and made Lahore his permanent abode. He earned his Masters in Urdu Literature from Government College Lahore, where he met his life time partner and great Urdu writer "Bano Qudsia" and got married with her. Both contributed monumental volumes to Urdu Literatures.

In Pakistan he served initially at Walton Refugee Camp as a volunteer and later joined as Producer in Radio Azad Kashmir which was established in a truck that used to move around in various parts of Azad Kashmir. He also served as Lecturer in Dayal Singh College Lahore for two years. He went to Rome, Italy to join Radio Rome, Italy as Urdu News Caster. He become a professor of Urdu at Rome University, Italy. He learnt various European Languages and earned diplomas in Italian and French from the University of Rome, Italy and Grenoble, France. He also gained a diploma in Radio Broadcasting from New York, USA.

He started writing stories in his early childhood and after return from Europe to Pakistan he established his own monthly literary magazine "Dastaan Go" (Story Teller). He joined Radio Pakistan as script writer initially, and later got appointed as Editor of popular Urdu weekly "Lail-o- Nahar" (Day and Night). In 1962 he started his most popular weekly Radio program "Talqeen Shah" (The Mentor) which made him a remarkable and iconic voice of Radio among masses of Pakistan and abroad. This unique program has the record of the longest weekly program in Asia which continued for over 30 years. In 1966, he was appointed as Director General in the maximum Grade B.P.S. 22 of the "Markazi Urdu Board" which later renamed as "Urdu Science board", a post he held for next 29 years till 1979. He also happened to be the Advisor to the Federal Government in Ministry for Education. He once produced a feature film as well "Dhoop aur Saie" (Sunshine and Shadows).

Ishfaq Ahmed is a trend setter in sensitive, nation building, society reforming and Sufi Urdu Literary writings all times best Radio programmer and script writer of ever green Television Drama series. His television plays include "Aik mohabat sau afsane" (Bunch of Love Stories), "Uchhay burj Lahore dey" (Barbicans of Lahore). "Tota kahani" (Story of the Parrot). "Lekin" (But), "Hairat Kadah" (Surprise House) and "Mun Chalay ka Sauda" (Bargain of the Wanderer). Throughout his life Ishfaq Ahmed endeavoured to reform society through his writings. He authored over twenty five books including a travelogue "Safar Dar Safar" (Long Way Journey), "A series of Zaviayas" (Angles) many other books of drama series and his last famous book "Baba Shaiba". For his notable extra ordinary and remarkable services in the field of literature, television drama and Radio broadcasting he was awarded President's Pride of Performance and Sitara-e-Imtiaz. Throughout his amazing creative life, he happened to be very close in person and thematic thoughts of literature with Qudrat ullah Shahab and Mumtaz Mufti in Sufi trend settings and patriotic creative Writings in Urdu literature. He died of Pancreatic Cancer on 7th September 2004 at Lahore at the age of 79 year and is buried there.

On Men of Letters Series Ishfaq Ahmed (1925-2004), Pakistan Post is issuing a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs.8/- denomination on June 12, 2013.