Trip to Lahore

I went to Lahore in the first week of November for giving of 4 lectures. I had planned my lectures before going to Lahore. Since Lahore is my home town, I always look forward to going there and Lahore gives me relaxation and comfort.

Four lectures in Lahore

As these 4 lectures which I was due to give were planned for four consecutive days, obviously there wasn’t going to be any time for me to settle down. My first lecture was at the famous Kinnaird College for Women. It was my first lecture at a women’s College. Naturally I was feeling a bit nervous on seeing so many people in the auditorium. The Principal of the college introduced me to the audience and left the stage to me.

Getting a standing ovation at Kinnaird College

The title of my speech was “Overcoming Obstacles”. As I began my lecture gradually my nerves settled down and my confidence began to rise high. Haven given a lecture at so many institutions gave me the self-belief in my abilities and my faith in God helped me get through as always in such situations. At the conclusion of my speech I was given a standing ovation by all the women present there. The principal of Kinnaird College presented me with a Certificate of Appreciation in the end.

Learning experience

The three remaining lectures were at two branches of Beacon House School and at Lahore Grammar School. I was satisfied with all the lectures except for one which took place at Beacon House School. The reason being that the arrangements made at the school were below par and there was no teacher present there. My lecture was held in a cramped class room and there were only 15 students present there. On seeing all this I was very reluctant to give a lecture, but on the knowledge that I had come from Karachi for this purpose encouraged me to give my lecture. This was definitely a learning experience for me.

Change of Fortune for me

The next day my lecture was at another branch of Beacon House School. I cancelled my lecture as I was very unhappy with the experience I had had the previous day. After cancelling my lecture I got a number of phone calls from the school asking me to come, as all the arrangements had been finalized and everyone was waiting for me. My aunt who is at a high post at Beacon House School also asked me to go as it would not look nice. Upon her insistence I decided to go for my lecture and the arrangements were in total contrast to the other day. The Principal of the school was there to greet me along with other teachers. My lecture was held at an auditorium on the ground floor. I would have to say that really enjoyed giving the lecture in front of a very lively audience. The Principal himself listened to my lecture and a number of questions were asked by the students. Afterwards I joined the Principal along with other teachers for tea. I would say that I really enjoyed giving the lecture at Beacon House School, where I had least expected after the experience I had the previous day.

Relaxing in Lahore

After giving four lectures in four days, I was feeling very mentally very tired and decided to take it easy the remaining three days in Lahore. It was a good opportunity for me to unwind myself and enjoy the beauty of Lahore. Indeed Lahore was looking very beautiful and I also decided to take a sight seeing tour. I went to the famous Badshai Mosque, the Fort and Minar-e-Pakistan. It was a lot of fun to have a look and learn about the ancient history of the Mughal Empire. I met a few of my friends and had dinner with them.

Mission Accomplished in Lahore

In Lahore you definitely feel closer to nature with its beautiful parks everywhere. You can feel peacefulness and a feeling of relaxation in Lahore which is totally unlike Karachi. The major difference between Karachi and Lahore is the greenery in Lahore and the easy paced life. I would say that my mission had been accomplished by giving four lectures and motivating people. I look forward to giving more lectures in Lahore next year.

Trip to Lahore

I went to Lahore in the first week of November for giving of 4 lectures. I had planned my lectures before going to Lahore. Since Lahore is my home town, I always look forward to going there and Lahore gives me relaxation and comfort.

Four lectures in Lahore

As these 4 lectures which I was due to give were planned for four consecutive days, obviously there wasn’t going to be any time for me to settle down. My first lecture was at the famous Kinnaird College for Women. It was my first lecture at a women’s College. Naturally I was feeling a bit nervous on seeing so many people in the auditorium. The Principal of the college introduced me to the audience and left the stage to me.

Getting a standing ovation at Kinnaird College

The title of my speech was “Overcoming Obstacles”. As I began my lecture gradually my nerves settled down and my confidence began to rise high. Haven given a lecture at so many institutions gave me the self-belief in my abilities and my faith in God helped me get through as always in such situations. At the conclusion of my speech I was given a standing ovation by all the women present there. The principal of Kinnaird College presented me with a Certificate of Appreciation in the end.

Learning experience

The three remaining lectures were at two branches of Beacon House School and at Lahore Grammar School. I was satisfied with all the lectures except for one which took place at Beacon House School. The reason being that the arrangements made at the school were below par and there was no teacher present there. My lecture was held in a cramped class room and there were only 15 students present there. On seeing all this I was very reluctant to give a lecture, but on the knowledge that I had come from Karachi for this purpose encouraged me to give my lecture. This was definitely a learning experience for me.

Change of Fortune for me

The next day my lecture was at another branch of Beacon House School. I cancelled my lecture as I was very unhappy with the experience I had had the previous day. After cancelling my lecture I got a number of phone calls from the school asking me to come, as all the arrangements had been finalized and everyone was waiting for me. My aunt who is at a high post at Beacon House School also asked me to go as it would not look nice. Upon her insistence I decided to go for my lecture and the arrangements were in total contrast to the other day. The Principal of the school was there to greet me along with other teachers. My lecture was held at an auditorium on the ground floor. I would have to say that really enjoyed giving the lecture in front of a very lively audience. The Principal himself listened to my lecture and a number of questions were asked by the students. Afterwards I joined the Principal along with other teachers for tea. I would say that I really enjoyed giving the lecture at Beacon House School, where I had least expected after the experience I had the previous day.

Relaxing in Lahore

After giving four lectures in four days, I was feeling very mentally very tired and decided to take it easy the remaining three days in Lahore. It was a good opportunity for me to unwind myself and enjoy the beauty of Lahore. Indeed Lahore was looking very beautiful and I also decided to take a sight seeing tour. I went to the famous Badshai Mosque, the Fort and Minar-e-Pakistan. It was a lot of fun to have a look and learn about the ancient history of the Mughal Empire. I met a few of my friends and had dinner with them.

Mission Accomplished in Lahore

In Lahore you definitely feel closer to nature with its beautiful parks everywhere. You can feel peacefulness and a feeling of relaxation in Lahore which is totally unlike Karachi. The major difference between Karachi and Lahore is the greenery in Lahore and the easy paced life. I would say that my mission had been accomplished by giving four lectures and motivating people. I look forward to giving more lectures in Lahore next year.

Trip to Lahore

I went to Lahore in the first week of November for giving of 4 lectures. I had planned my lectures before going to Lahore. Since Lahore is my home town, I always look forward to going there and Lahore gives me relaxation and comfort.

Four lectures in Lahore

As these 4 lectures which I was due to give were planned for four consecutive days, obviously there wasn’t going to be any time for me to settle down. My first lecture was at the famous Kinnaird College for Women. It was my first lecture at a women’s College. Naturally I was feeling a bit nervous on seeing so many people in the auditorium. The Principal of the college introduced me to the audience and left the stage to me.

Getting a standing ovation at Kinnaird College

The title of my speech was “Overcoming Obstacles”. As I began my lecture gradually my nerves settled down and my confidence began to rise high. Haven given a lecture at so many institutions gave me the self-belief in my abilities and my faith in God helped me get through as always in such situations. At the conclusion of my speech I was given a standing ovation by all the women present there. The principal of Kinnaird College presented me with a Certificate of Appreciation in the end.

Learning experience

The three remaining lectures were at two branches of Beacon House School and at Lahore Grammar School. I was satisfied with all the lectures except for one which took place at Beacon House School. The reason being that the arrangements made at the school were below par and there was no teacher present there. My lecture was held in a cramped class room and there were only 15 students present there. On seeing all this I was very reluctant to give a lecture, but on the knowledge that I had come from Karachi for this purpose encouraged me to give my lecture. This was definitely a learning experience for me.

Change of Fortune for me

The next day my lecture was at another branch of Beacon House School. I cancelled my lecture as I was very unhappy with the experience I had had the previous day. After cancelling my lecture I got a number of phone calls from the school asking me to come, as all the arrangements had been finalized and everyone was waiting for me. My aunt who is at a high post at Beacon House School also asked me to go as it would not look nice. Upon her insistence I decided to go for my lecture and the arrangements were in total contrast to the other day. The Principal of the school was there to greet me along with other teachers. My lecture was held at an auditorium on the ground floor. I would have to say that really enjoyed giving the lecture in front of a very lively audience. The Principal himself listened to my lecture and a number of questions were asked by the students. Afterwards I joined the Principal along with other teachers for tea. I would say that I really enjoyed giving the lecture at Beacon House School, where I had least expected after the experience I had the previous day.

Relaxing in Lahore

After giving four lectures in four days, I was feeling very mentally very tired and decided to take it easy the remaining three days in Lahore. It was a good opportunity for me to unwind myself and enjoy the beauty of Lahore. Indeed Lahore was looking very beautiful and I also decided to take a sight seeing tour. I went to the famous Badshai Mosque, the Fort and Minar-e-Pakistan. It was a lot of fun to have a look and learn about the ancient history of the Mughal Empire. I met a few of my friends and had dinner with them.

Mission Accomplished in Lahore

In Lahore you definitely feel closer to nature with its beautiful parks everywhere. You can feel peacefulness and a feeling of relaxation in Lahore which is totally unlike Karachi. The major difference between Karachi and Lahore is the greenery in Lahore and the easy paced life. I would say that my mission had been accomplished by giving four lectures and motivating people. I look forward to giving more lectures in Lahore next year.

My experience at Kinnaird College

On the 1^st of November I was to deliver my lecture at Kinnaird College. Before leaving for Lahore I had spoken to my Khala about giving a lecture. My aunt has been teaching at Kinnaird College for 31 years.

After getting the permission from the Principal, my aunt had made the arrangements and my lecture was all set for 1^st of November.

Kinnaird College is exclusively for women and one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. Giving such a lecture was indeed an honor for me.

 

Excellent arrangements

My lecture was scheduled for 10am which was right after the assembly.

As all girls are present at assembly, my lecture was kept right afterwards to ensure that the maximum number of girls could be present.

There was a big auditorium where I was due to speak, with the girls gradually filling the auditorium.

When I was ready to begin my lecture the auditorium was filled with girls, including the Principal, and the dean. Another relative of mine had also come with me to listen to my lecture and was also present in the auditorium. This was my first experience of speaking at a women’s college.

 

Having the belief in my abilities

Naturally I was feeling a bit nervous on seeing so many people in the auditorium. The Principal of the college introduced me to the audience and left the stage to me.

The title of my speech was “Overcoming Obstacles”. As I began my lecture gradually my nerves settled down and my confidence began to rise high.

Having given a lecture at so many institutions gave me the self-belief in my abilities and my faith in God helped me get through as always in such situations.

 

Overcoming Obstacles

I began with my life story and how I have successfully managed to overcome the 4 main obstacles in life namely Sports, Work, Social Life and my Daily Routine.

My school days and how it felt when I was transferred in a wheel chair for the first time was also described by me. 

My disease known as Friedrich’s Ataxia was also defined by me and it being very rare in Pakistan.

I mentioned the 3 factors which have helped me at all times including never giving up in life, faith in God and having belief in my abilities. 

The importance of getting motivated and inspiration plays an important role. Swimming giving me motivation was stressed by me and surprised a number of students and teachers as to how I was able to swim. 

 Roger Federer from the world of tennis being my top inspiration was described by me and his 3 qualities which make him number 1 for me. They include never giving up, always being focused and his ability to come back from impossible situations.

 

Getting motivation for my lectures

I could see that there was total silence in the auditorium and all the students were totally focused on listening to me. I continued saying that it is very imperative to remain positive when you are faced with a hurdle in life like I was. 

I talked about an individual by the name of W. Mitchell who despite of being physically challenged has become one of the leading motivational speakers in the world. I get the motivation of giving lectures from him and seeing his quality of sharing his story with other individuals inspired me.  

It is his motto in life which I try to follow and have endorsed it in my lectures. It is “It is not what happens to you it is what you do about it”.

 

Power of Positive thinking

Stephen Hawkins example shows the power of positive thinking illustrated in the best possible manner. Despite of being paralyzed from head to toe, what he has achieved is for the world to see. 

It underlines my notion of having a positive mind set to overcome any obstacle is vital. I went on to say that it also shows that people having some sort of physical disability make more use of their inner strength and have a stronger will power.

 

Being determined and focused

In conclusion I talked about the importance of Overcoming Obstacles and what we need to achieve in order to overcome them.

Obstacles are not the end of the world and are character building. It helps us to grow physiologically and a person needs to be determined and have a positive mindset to overcoming them. 

People who have overcome obstacles in life have made the required sacrifices needed to achieve their goals, have been totally focused and passionate in their work and have never listened to those who said It can’t be done. 

I ended with a quotation “The difference between possible and impossible lies in a person’s determination”.

 

Getting acknowledged for my lecture

I received a standing ovation from the audience upon completion of my lecture.

There were some really interesting questions asked by the students and the teachers which demonstrate their attention on what I talked about. A lot of girls came up to me and took photographs with me. 

I was given a Certificate of Appreciation, a mug and a bouquet of flowers from the Principal. Later we joined the Principal, and the Dean for tea. Also present were my relatives.

 

Accomplishing My goal

It is hard to describe the way I felt upon receiving a standing ovation.

The Principal of Kinnaird College said "We at Kinnaird College salute you for your courage to rise above your problems and make a difference in not only your life but the lives of other people."

All I can say is that my goal of motivating people in having a positive mind set has been successfully implemented. This was definitely one of most memorable lectures I have had.

My experience at Kinnaird College

On the 1^st of November I was to deliver my lecture at Kinnaird College. Before leaving for Lahore I had spoken to my Khala about giving a lecture. My aunt has been teaching at Kinnaird College for 31 years.

After getting the permission from the Principal, my aunt had made the arrangements and my lecture was all set for 1^st of November.

Kinnaird College is exclusively for women and one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. Giving such a lecture was indeed an honor for me.

 

Excellent arrangements

My lecture was scheduled for 10am which was right after the assembly.

As all girls are present at assembly, my lecture was kept right afterwards to ensure that the maximum number of girls could be present.

There was a big auditorium where I was due to speak, with the girls gradually filling the auditorium.

When I was ready to begin my lecture the auditorium was filled with girls, including the Principal, and the dean. Another relative of mine had also come with me to listen to my lecture and was also present in the auditorium. This was my first experience of speaking at a women’s college.

 

Having the belief in my abilities

Naturally I was feeling a bit nervous on seeing so many people in the auditorium. The Principal of the college introduced me to the audience and left the stage to me.

The title of my speech was “Overcoming Obstacles”. As I began my lecture gradually my nerves settled down and my confidence began to rise high.

Having given a lecture at so many institutions gave me the self-belief in my abilities and my faith in God helped me get through as always in such situations.

 

Overcoming Obstacles

I began with my life story and how I have successfully managed to overcome the 4 main obstacles in life namely Sports, Work, Social Life and my Daily Routine.

My school days and how it felt when I was transferred in a wheel chair for the first time was also described by me. 

My disease known as Friedrich’s Ataxia was also defined by me and it being very rare in Pakistan.

I mentioned the 3 factors which have helped me at all times including never giving up in life, faith in God and having belief in my abilities. 

The importance of getting motivated and inspiration plays an important role. Swimming giving me motivation was stressed by me and surprised a number of students and teachers as to how I was able to swim. 

 Roger Federer from the world of tennis being my top inspiration was described by me and his 3 qualities which make him number 1 for me. They include never giving up, always being focused and his ability to come back from impossible situations.

 

Getting motivation for my lectures

I could see that there was total silence in the auditorium and all the students were totally focused on listening to me. I continued saying that it is very imperative to remain positive when you are faced with a hurdle in life like I was. 

I talked about an individual by the name of W. Mitchell who despite of being physically challenged has become one of the leading motivational speakers in the world. I get the motivation of giving lectures from him and seeing his quality of sharing his story with other individuals inspired me.  

It is his motto in life which I try to follow and have endorsed it in my lectures. It is “It is not what happens to you it is what you do about it”.

 

Power of Positive thinking

Stephen Hawkins example shows the power of positive thinking illustrated in the best possible manner. Despite of being paralyzed from head to toe, what he has achieved is for the world to see. 

It underlines my notion of having a positive mind set to overcome any obstacle is vital. I went on to say that it also shows that people having some sort of physical disability make more use of their inner strength and have a stronger will power.

 

Being determined and focused

In conclusion I talked about the importance of Overcoming Obstacles and what we need to achieve in order to overcome them.

Obstacles are not the end of the world and are character building. It helps us to grow physiologically and a person needs to be determined and have a positive mindset to overcoming them. 

People who have overcome obstacles in life have made the required sacrifices needed to achieve their goals, have been totally focused and passionate in their work and have never listened to those who said It can’t be done. 

I ended with a quotation “The difference between possible and impossible lies in a person’s determination”.

 

Getting acknowledged for my lecture

I received a standing ovation from the audience upon completion of my lecture.

There were some really interesting questions asked by the students and the teachers which demonstrate their attention on what I talked about. A lot of girls came up to me and took photographs with me. 

I was given a Certificate of Appreciation, a mug and a bouquet of flowers from the Principal. Later we joined the Principal, and the Dean for tea. Also present were my relatives.

 

Accomplishing My goal

It is hard to describe the way I felt upon receiving a standing ovation.

The Principal of Kinnaird College said "We at Kinnaird College salute you for your courage to rise above your problems and make a difference in not only your life but the lives of other people."

All I can say is that my goal of motivating people in having a positive mind set has been successfully implemented. This was definitely one of most memorable lectures I have had.

My experience at Kinnaird College

On the 1^st of November I was to deliver my lecture at Kinnaird College. Before leaving for Lahore I had spoken to my Khala about giving a lecture. My aunt has been teaching at Kinnaird College for 31 years.

After getting the permission from the Principal, my aunt had made the arrangements and my lecture was all set for 1^st of November.

Kinnaird College is exclusively for women and one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. Giving such a lecture was indeed an honor for me.

 

Excellent arrangements

My lecture was scheduled for 10am which was right after the assembly.

As all girls are present at assembly, my lecture was kept right afterwards to ensure that the maximum number of girls could be present.

There was a big auditorium where I was due to speak, with the girls gradually filling the auditorium.

When I was ready to begin my lecture the auditorium was filled with girls, including the Principal, and the dean. Another relative of mine had also come with me to listen to my lecture and was also present in the auditorium. This was my first experience of speaking at a women’s college.

 

Having the belief in my abilities

Naturally I was feeling a bit nervous on seeing so many people in the auditorium. The Principal of the college introduced me to the audience and left the stage to me.

The title of my speech was “Overcoming Obstacles”. As I began my lecture gradually my nerves settled down and my confidence began to rise high.

Having given a lecture at so many institutions gave me the self-belief in my abilities and my faith in God helped me get through as always in such situations.

 

Overcoming Obstacles

I began with my life story and how I have successfully managed to overcome the 4 main obstacles in life namely Sports, Work, Social Life and my Daily Routine.

My school days and how it felt when I was transferred in a wheel chair for the first time was also described by me. 

My disease known as Friedrich’s Ataxia was also defined by me and it being very rare in Pakistan.

I mentioned the 3 factors which have helped me at all times including never giving up in life, faith in God and having belief in my abilities. 

The importance of getting motivated and inspiration plays an important role. Swimming giving me motivation was stressed by me and surprised a number of students and teachers as to how I was able to swim. 

 Roger Federer from the world of tennis being my top inspiration was described by me and his 3 qualities which make him number 1 for me. They include never giving up, always being focused and his ability to come back from impossible situations.

 

Getting motivation for my lectures

I could see that there was total silence in the auditorium and all the students were totally focused on listening to me. I continued saying that it is very imperative to remain positive when you are faced with a hurdle in life like I was. 

I talked about an individual by the name of W. Mitchell who despite of being physically challenged has become one of the leading motivational speakers in the world. I get the motivation of giving lectures from him and seeing his quality of sharing his story with other individuals inspired me.  

It is his motto in life which I try to follow and have endorsed it in my lectures. It is “It is not what happens to you it is what you do about it”.

 

Power of Positive thinking

Stephen Hawkins example shows the power of positive thinking illustrated in the best possible manner. Despite of being paralyzed from head to toe, what he has achieved is for the world to see. 

It underlines my notion of having a positive mind set to overcome any obstacle is vital. I went on to say that it also shows that people having some sort of physical disability make more use of their inner strength and have a stronger will power.

 

Being determined and focused

In conclusion I talked about the importance of Overcoming Obstacles and what we need to achieve in order to overcome them.

Obstacles are not the end of the world and are character building. It helps us to grow physiologically and a person needs to be determined and have a positive mindset to overcoming them. 

People who have overcome obstacles in life have made the required sacrifices needed to achieve their goals, have been totally focused and passionate in their work and have never listened to those who said It can’t be done. 

I ended with a quotation “The difference between possible and impossible lies in a person’s determination”.

 

Getting acknowledged for my lecture

I received a standing ovation from the audience upon completion of my lecture.

There were some really interesting questions asked by the students and the teachers which demonstrate their attention on what I talked about. A lot of girls came up to me and took photographs with me. 

I was given a Certificate of Appreciation, a mug and a bouquet of flowers from the Principal. Later we joined the Principal, and the Dean for tea. Also present were my relatives.

 

Accomplishing My goal

It is hard to describe the way I felt upon receiving a standing ovation.

The Principal of Kinnaird College said "We at Kinnaird College salute you for your courage to rise above your problems and make a difference in not only your life but the lives of other people."

All I can say is that my goal of motivating people in having a positive mind set has been successfully implemented. This was definitely one of most memorable lectures I have had.

Fight against all Odds

Everyone in life has got obstacles to overcome be it mental or physical. In order to achieve something in life, you have to fight against all odds, get out of your comfort zone, have a positive frame of mind and be focused. This involves taking risks and doing a lot of experiments in life. People who have succeeded in life have never given up and in no way let failures prevent them from what they wanted to achieve.

Accepting the Various Complexities of Life

In order for this to happen we do have to accept the various complexities of life. We have to learn to live life to the fullest and enjoy it. As you know that life only comes once and one should try to make the most out of it. There is no reason to feel frustrated or down about something, because you do not achieve anything through it. In my opinion the two things which play a crucial role in one’s life are positive thinking and self determination. It is very important in life to be able to struggle for something even though you may not succeed. Just the ability to struggle shows the qualities of a person, whether he gives up easily in life or he is willing to fight it out. There are countless examples of people who have been a failure in their youth, but have never given up and have gone on to become the most famous people in history.

Never give up in Life

I am talking about Thomas Edison the inventor of the light bulb, motion camera being among his many inventions. He did not have much success at school. The teachers used to refer him as being confused or mixed up. He also had hearing problems at an early age, but that did not stop him from becoming one of the most famous inventors. He also founded General Electric one the most publically traded company in the world. Similar is the case with Sir Isaac Newton said to be one of the most influential person in human history. He was thrown out of school at an early age only asked to return to school to complete his education. He later went on to become a English physic, mathematician etc and his law of Gravity being one of the top most discoveries in the world. The point I am trying to make is that one should never give up in life and always have a positive frame of mind. These two examples clearly illustrate and define these qualities.

Will Power

I will talk about people who have some sort of disability or having some type of disease, excelled in life through their immense will power and never say die attitude. The one name which immediately comes to my mind is Stephen Hawking. Hawking has a neuro-muscular dystrophy a condition which has progressed over the years and left him totally paralyzed. Despite of all these limitations what he has achieved is for the world to see. Being a famous British professor at Cambridge and excelling in the fields of cosmology, physics and mathematics. Also being the author of many best sellers including a Brief History of Time. He has travelled all over the world giving lectures and is the recipient of many famous medals including The Presidential Medal of Freedom which he received from President Obama in 2009. In 2007 Professor Hawking took a zero gravity flight in space becoming the first quadriplegic to travel in space. He showed the world what can be achieved in life in spite of his being paralyzed. This clearly defines positive thinking.

Inner Strength

I have always felt that people who have some sort of disability tend to make more use of their inner strength which leads them to do improbable things. As we saw Stephen Hawking accepted the way he was and decided to fight life on his own terms. He was never afraid to run away from his problems and the rest is history as they say. There is one more individual I would like to mention W. Mitchell a motivational speaker and author of many books. 65% of his body was burnt by a fiery motor cycle accident and an airplane crash later took away his ability to walk. He also very easily could have given up and accepted life as it was, but he also fought his way to success. “It is not what happens to you It is what you do about it” is his slogan and what he tells people to do.

Positive Mindset

It is very important to have a positive mindset when you are faced with an obstacle. I can simply go on and on about how people having disabilities have overcome all obstacles through determination and having a positive mindset. When you have two such inspiring stories in front of you, it becomes easier to try to follow in their footsteps. I would like to briefly talk about the problems I have faced. Being diagnosed with Friedrich’s Ataxia at the age of 12 and being transferred into a wheel chair at 20 resulted in all my dreams being shattered. It naturally was a very frustrating time for me. Seeing a wheel chair for the first time was not something I had dreamt about and I was told I will never be able to walk again. This wheel chair felt like a prison for me in the beginning, preventing me from what I wanted to do and confining me where I wanted to go.

Ability to Struggle

Like all my role models whose examples are given above I decided to fight, never give up and have a positive frame of mind. I succeeded in becoming a motivational speaker and my inspiration came from W. Mitchell. Like Mitchell I wanted to share my story with other individuals and my slogan is the same as Mitchell’s “It is not what happens to you it is what you do about it”. I wanted to tell the world who I am and not run away from my problems. It does require a lot of hard work and patience. I would say that I do not have any regrets in life and having Friedrich’s Ataxia instilled in me a stronger will power and the ability to struggle in life at all times.

Face up to Life

My message to all people out there and particularly the youth out there would be to always have a positive mind set and the courage to face up to life and its problems. One should always be what they are and not be afraid to admit their short comings. Pretending someone who you not are will always bring failure to you. The three qualities which have helped me overcome obstacles are 1. never give up in life 2. have faith in God 3. believing in your abilities. If you are able to achieve these qualities, I am sure you will be successful in life.

Fight against all Odds

Everyone in life has got obstacles to overcome be it mental or physical. In order to achieve something in life, you have to fight against all odds, get out of your comfort zone, have a positive frame of mind and be focused. This involves taking risks and doing a lot of experiments in life. People who have succeeded in life have never given up and in no way let failures prevent them from what they wanted to achieve.

Accepting the Various Complexities of Life

In order for this to happen we do have to accept the various complexities of life. We have to learn to live life to the fullest and enjoy it. As you know that life only comes once and one should try to make the most out of it. There is no reason to feel frustrated or down about something, because you do not achieve anything through it. In my opinion the two things which play a crucial role in one’s life are positive thinking and self determination. It is very important in life to be able to struggle for something even though you may not succeed. Just the ability to struggle shows the qualities of a person, whether he gives up easily in life or he is willing to fight it out. There are countless examples of people who have been a failure in their youth, but have never given up and have gone on to become the most famous people in history.

Never give up in Life

I am talking about Thomas Edison the inventor of the light bulb, motion camera being among his many inventions. He did not have much success at school. The teachers used to refer him as being confused or mixed up. He also had hearing problems at an early age, but that did not stop him from becoming one of the most famous inventors. He also founded General Electric one the most publically traded company in the world. Similar is the case with Sir Isaac Newton said to be one of the most influential person in human history. He was thrown out of school at an early age only asked to return to school to complete his education. He later went on to become a English physic, mathematician etc and his law of Gravity being one of the top most discoveries in the world. The point I am trying to make is that one should never give up in life and always have a positive frame of mind. These two examples clearly illustrate and define these qualities.

Will Power

I will talk about people who have some sort of disability or having some type of disease, excelled in life through their immense will power and never say die attitude. The one name which immediately comes to my mind is Stephen Hawking. Hawking has a neuro-muscular dystrophy a condition which has progressed over the years and left him totally paralyzed. Despite of all these limitations what he has achieved is for the world to see. Being a famous British professor at Cambridge and excelling in the fields of cosmology, physics and mathematics. Also being the author of many best sellers including a Brief History of Time. He has travelled all over the world giving lectures and is the recipient of many famous medals including The Presidential Medal of Freedom which he received from President Obama in 2009. In 2007 Professor Hawking took a zero gravity flight in space becoming the first quadriplegic to travel in space. He showed the world what can be achieved in life in spite of his being paralyzed. This clearly defines positive thinking.

Inner Strength

I have always felt that people who have some sort of disability tend to make more use of their inner strength which leads them to do improbable things. As we saw Stephen Hawking accepted the way he was and decided to fight life on his own terms. He was never afraid to run away from his problems and the rest is history as they say. There is one more individual I would like to mention W. Mitchell a motivational speaker and author of many books. 65% of his body was burnt by a fiery motor cycle accident and an airplane crash later took away his ability to walk. He also very easily could have given up and accepted life as it was, but he also fought his way to success. “It is not what happens to you It is what you do about it” is his slogan and what he tells people to do.

Positive Mindset

It is very important to have a positive mindset when you are faced with an obstacle. I can simply go on and on about how people having disabilities have overcome all obstacles through determination and having a positive mindset. When you have two such inspiring stories in front of you, it becomes easier to try to follow in their footsteps. I would like to briefly talk about the problems I have faced. Being diagnosed with Friedrich’s Ataxia at the age of 12 and being transferred into a wheel chair at 20 resulted in all my dreams being shattered. It naturally was a very frustrating time for me. Seeing a wheel chair for the first time was not something I had dreamt about and I was told I will never be able to walk again. This wheel chair felt like a prison for me in the beginning, preventing me from what I wanted to do and confining me where I wanted to go.

Ability to Struggle

Like all my role models whose examples are given above I decided to fight, never give up and have a positive frame of mind. I succeeded in becoming a motivational speaker and my inspiration came from W. Mitchell. Like Mitchell I wanted to share my story with other individuals and my slogan is the same as Mitchell’s “It is not what happens to you it is what you do about it”. I wanted to tell the world who I am and not run away from my problems. It does require a lot of hard work and patience. I would say that I do not have any regrets in life and having Friedrich’s Ataxia instilled in me a stronger will power and the ability to struggle in life at all times.

Face up to Life

My message to all people out there and particularly the youth out there would be to always have a positive mind set and the courage to face up to life and its problems. One should always be what they are and not be afraid to admit their short comings. Pretending someone who you not are will always bring failure to you. The three qualities which have helped me overcome obstacles are 1. never give up in life 2. have faith in God 3. believing in your abilities. If you are able to achieve these qualities, I am sure you will be successful in life.

Fight against all Odds

Everyone in life has got obstacles to overcome be it mental or physical. In order to achieve something in life, you have to fight against all odds, get out of your comfort zone, have a positive frame of mind and be focused. This involves taking risks and doing a lot of experiments in life. People who have succeeded in life have never given up and in no way let failures prevent them from what they wanted to achieve.

Accepting the Various Complexities of Life

In order for this to happen we do have to accept the various complexities of life. We have to learn to live life to the fullest and enjoy it. As you know that life only comes once and one should try to make the most out of it. There is no reason to feel frustrated or down about something, because you do not achieve anything through it. In my opinion the two things which play a crucial role in one’s life are positive thinking and self determination. It is very important in life to be able to struggle for something even though you may not succeed. Just the ability to struggle shows the qualities of a person, whether he gives up easily in life or he is willing to fight it out. There are countless examples of people who have been a failure in their youth, but have never given up and have gone on to become the most famous people in history.

Never give up in Life

I am talking about Thomas Edison the inventor of the light bulb, motion camera being among his many inventions. He did not have much success at school. The teachers used to refer him as being confused or mixed up. He also had hearing problems at an early age, but that did not stop him from becoming one of the most famous inventors. He also founded General Electric one the most publically traded company in the world. Similar is the case with Sir Isaac Newton said to be one of the most influential person in human history. He was thrown out of school at an early age only asked to return to school to complete his education. He later went on to become a English physic, mathematician etc and his law of Gravity being one of the top most discoveries in the world. The point I am trying to make is that one should never give up in life and always have a positive frame of mind. These two examples clearly illustrate and define these qualities.

Will Power

I will talk about people who have some sort of disability or having some type of disease, excelled in life through their immense will power and never say die attitude. The one name which immediately comes to my mind is Stephen Hawking. Hawking has a neuro-muscular dystrophy a condition which has progressed over the years and left him totally paralyzed. Despite of all these limitations what he has achieved is for the world to see. Being a famous British professor at Cambridge and excelling in the fields of cosmology, physics and mathematics. Also being the author of many best sellers including a Brief History of Time. He has travelled all over the world giving lectures and is the recipient of many famous medals including The Presidential Medal of Freedom which he received from President Obama in 2009. In 2007 Professor Hawking took a zero gravity flight in space becoming the first quadriplegic to travel in space. He showed the world what can be achieved in life in spite of his being paralyzed. This clearly defines positive thinking.

Inner Strength

I have always felt that people who have some sort of disability tend to make more use of their inner strength which leads them to do improbable things. As we saw Stephen Hawking accepted the way he was and decided to fight life on his own terms. He was never afraid to run away from his problems and the rest is history as they say. There is one more individual I would like to mention W. Mitchell a motivational speaker and author of many books. 65% of his body was burnt by a fiery motor cycle accident and an airplane crash later took away his ability to walk. He also very easily could have given up and accepted life as it was, but he also fought his way to success. “It is not what happens to you It is what you do about it” is his slogan and what he tells people to do.

Positive Mindset

It is very important to have a positive mindset when you are faced with an obstacle. I can simply go on and on about how people having disabilities have overcome all obstacles through determination and having a positive mindset. When you have two such inspiring stories in front of you, it becomes easier to try to follow in their footsteps. I would like to briefly talk about the problems I have faced. Being diagnosed with Friedrich’s Ataxia at the age of 12 and being transferred into a wheel chair at 20 resulted in all my dreams being shattered. It naturally was a very frustrating time for me. Seeing a wheel chair for the first time was not something I had dreamt about and I was told I will never be able to walk again. This wheel chair felt like a prison for me in the beginning, preventing me from what I wanted to do and confining me where I wanted to go.

Ability to Struggle

Like all my role models whose examples are given above I decided to fight, never give up and have a positive frame of mind. I succeeded in becoming a motivational speaker and my inspiration came from W. Mitchell. Like Mitchell I wanted to share my story with other individuals and my slogan is the same as Mitchell’s “It is not what happens to you it is what you do about it”. I wanted to tell the world who I am and not run away from my problems. It does require a lot of hard work and patience. I would say that I do not have any regrets in life and having Friedrich’s Ataxia instilled in me a stronger will power and the ability to struggle in life at all times.

Face up to Life

My message to all people out there and particularly the youth out there would be to always have a positive mind set and the courage to face up to life and its problems. One should always be what they are and not be afraid to admit their short comings. Pretending someone who you not are will always bring failure to you. The three qualities which have helped me overcome obstacles are 1. never give up in life 2. have faith in God 3. believing in your abilities. If you are able to achieve these qualities, I am sure you will be successful in life.

My Lecture at Indus Valley School

Topic of my Lecture

On the 29^th of September 2010 I had my lecture at Indus Valley School. It was organized by the Students Council. I was asked to speak about my disability and how I have overcome all the difficulties. My topic was titled “Overcoming Obstacles”. I highlighted my life and how my life has been in a wheelchair. It included my overcoming all kinds of Obstacles despite being physically challenged. In conclusion I touched on the topic of accessibility and how we need to make Pakistan more wheel chair friendly.

Excellent Arrangements

The arrangements made at Indus Valley for my lecture were excellent. There was a stage made at the ground floor and they had arranged ramps where ever there was a steep step. I recall having gone to Indus Valley School before to meet someone and it was not wheel chair friendly at all. My chair had to be lifted to the first floor. This was the reason for my being apprehensive before my lecture at Indus Valley. Indeed it was such a pleasant surprise for me on seeing all the wheel chair friendly arrangements.

Thoughtful Students

It indeed was a large audience of around 150 to 200 students. The best part was that all of them were listening very attentively during the course of my lecture. I was using a collar mike for speaking as to make sure I was understood by everyone listening. The questions which were asked were appealing and showed the interest by the students in my lecture. The students showed a lot of awareness on the subject of accessibility and were willing to do something to improve the standard of accessibility in the country.

Getting Recognition for my Lecture

I was awarded with a gift as a token of appreciation by the student’s council. I took a couple of photographs with the student’s council. After my lecture had finished students came up to me and thanked me for my lecture, as well as showing their interest on the topic of accessibility.

I would say that the arrangements made for my lecture were one of the best combined with a very knowledgeable audience. I always enjoy giving lectures at places where the students show their attention. It was a great experience at Indus Valley School for me.

My Lecture at Indus Valley School

Topic of my Lecture

On the 29^th of September 2010 I had my lecture at Indus Valley School. It was organized by the Students Council. I was asked to speak about my disability and how I have overcome all the difficulties. My topic was titled “Overcoming Obstacles”. I highlighted my life and how my life has been in a wheelchair. It included my overcoming all kinds of Obstacles despite being physically challenged. In conclusion I touched on the topic of accessibility and how we need to make Pakistan more wheel chair friendly.

Excellent Arrangements

The arrangements made at Indus Valley for my lecture were excellent. There was a stage made at the ground floor and they had arranged ramps where ever there was a steep step. I recall having gone to Indus Valley School before to meet someone and it was not wheel chair friendly at all. My chair had to be lifted to the first floor. This was the reason for my being apprehensive before my lecture at Indus Valley. Indeed it was such a pleasant surprise for me on seeing all the wheel chair friendly arrangements.

Thoughtful Students

It indeed was a large audience of around 150 to 200 students. The best part was that all of them were listening very attentively during the course of my lecture. I was using a collar mike for speaking as to make sure I was understood by everyone listening. The questions which were asked were appealing and showed the interest by the students in my lecture. The students showed a lot of awareness on the subject of accessibility and were willing to do something to improve the standard of accessibility in the country.

Getting Recognition for my Lecture

I was awarded with a gift as a token of appreciation by the student’s council. I took a couple of photographs with the student’s council. After my lecture had finished students came up to me and thanked me for my lecture, as well as showing their interest on the topic of accessibility.

I would say that the arrangements made for my lecture were one of the best combined with a very knowledgeable audience. I always enjoy giving lectures at places where the students show their attention. It was a great experience at Indus Valley School for me.

My Lecture at Indus Valley School

Topic of my Lecture

On the 29^th of September 2010 I had my lecture at Indus Valley School. It was organized by the Students Council. I was asked to speak about my disability and how I have overcome all the difficulties. My topic was titled “Overcoming Obstacles”. I highlighted my life and how my life has been in a wheelchair. It included my overcoming all kinds of Obstacles despite being physically challenged. In conclusion I touched on the topic of accessibility and how we need to make Pakistan more wheel chair friendly.

Excellent Arrangements

The arrangements made at Indus Valley for my lecture were excellent. There was a stage made at the ground floor and they had arranged ramps where ever there was a steep step. I recall having gone to Indus Valley School before to meet someone and it was not wheel chair friendly at all. My chair had to be lifted to the first floor. This was the reason for my being apprehensive before my lecture at Indus Valley. Indeed it was such a pleasant surprise for me on seeing all the wheel chair friendly arrangements.

Thoughtful Students

It indeed was a large audience of around 150 to 200 students. The best part was that all of them were listening very attentively during the course of my lecture. I was using a collar mike for speaking as to make sure I was understood by everyone listening. The questions which were asked were appealing and showed the interest by the students in my lecture. The students showed a lot of awareness on the subject of accessibility and were willing to do something to improve the standard of accessibility in the country.

Getting Recognition for my Lecture

I was awarded with a gift as a token of appreciation by the student’s council. I took a couple of photographs with the student’s council. After my lecture had finished students came up to me and thanked me for my lecture, as well as showing their interest on the topic of accessibility.

I would say that the arrangements made for my lecture were one of the best combined with a very knowledgeable audience. I always enjoy giving lectures at places where the students show their attention. It was a great experience at Indus Valley School for me.

How Accessible Karachi is

Asad Rafi: An Accessible Karachi

Pakistan is not very friendly to the wheelchair-bound people, as physically challenged people need to socialize freely. Asad Rafi says there is a need to improve their accessibility by changing the mindsets, changes which are required at hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, educational institutes and even at clinics as most of these places almost never have ramps that would allow such people to enter their premises. He further emphasizes that laws are needed to bound builders and commercial shops and businesses to facilitate wheelchair bound people. 10% of our total population consists of people who are cooping with disabilities but they are almost never seen around because usually they are kept confined to their houses as they cant get on a cab, or board a bus on their own, they cant even enter any restaurant or park without someone’s help. They feel like they are not welcome in society. We should facilitate for them, we should keep them under consideration when building parks or clubs so they can socialize and do some of their daily tasks independently.

An Accessible Karachi

Karachi being my home city, I have got used to facing all types of challenges but at times it can be very frustrating and annoying. I have become a motivational speaker now and visit various schools, universities and corporate offices for giving lectures. I can tell you from first-hand experience that getting to these venues is no easy task! I recall going to one of the leading business schools of Karachi to deliver a lecture. On arriving there I found out that there was no ramp or lift available. My lecture was on the 2nd floor and my chair had to be lifted by helpers. To say the least, this was not an enjoyable experience for me. During my lecture I made sure to emphasize the point that the building was not wheelchair friendly. Now, I always make sure to find out that the building where I will be giving my lecture is wheelchair friendly.

Similarly I face problems when going to restaurants that have stairs and do not cater for physically challenged people. My chair has to be lifted at such restaurants, which is quite a nerve wrecking experience. Once I remember being invited for dinner at a restaurant that was in a basement. As there was no lift, I refused to go there. Similarly, it was impossible for me to go to a leading café in Karachi because of the non-availability of a lift and I missed out on all the fun. I can also talk about the leading cinemas of Karachi as not all cater for the physically challenged. It requires great effort and determination from people in wheelchairs to go anywhere. We can also not rule out the risk of injury physically challenged people can have while their wheelchair is being lifted or carried.

These in my opinion would be the main reasons why we do not see people with disabilities in public places. One important thing which I forgot to mention is the lack of toilets, for the disabled, at public places. At the leading hotels in Karachi we do not find a wheelchair friendly toilet, which causes a lot of discomfort for me. I am lucky to own a car and have helpers with me to take me to all kinds of places. What about disabled people who don’t have this help?

Indeed, lives of average disabled people who cannot afford the luxuries of life are definitely affected by their inability to go to places that are not wheelchair friendly. Another thing I have noticed is that people tend to stare at a person in a wheelchair when he goes out in public. This makes the person in the wheelchair feel very unwelcome as if they are not a part of society.

On the other hand when I travel to England it is totally wheelchair friendly and I do not have to think about this problem at all. All of their public transport including buses and taxis having ramps thus making it easy for the physically challenged people to travel in them. I can go on and on with the various advantages their shops, cinemas and restaurants have as they cater fully for people with all types of disabilities.I feel that the main difference between England and Pakistan is the attitude of the people and the way they think about physically challenged people and how they show their feelings. People in England appear to be very caring and more humane in every way. In Pakistan, like I wrote earlier, people tend to stare at you. Although I do feel that people have started to understand the rights of the disabled society of Pakistan.

The basis of the lectures I give is to help make Karachi into a wheelchair friendly place. We need to make wheelchair ramps at restaurants, shopping malls, cinemas, hospitals and the list goes on. As most of the outlets have a flight of steep high stairs for accessibility and almost all the physically disabled people couldn’t reach these outlets in a wheel chair, walker, or crutches, this is a Social/Legal Discrimination of the Physically Disabled People.

Right now, individuals in wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches are restricted to a few outlets which are accessible. If there were universal standards for things such as at least one ground level entrance, a usable bathroom for the physically disabled, trained assistances to help them enter the outlet, and wider doorways, people with wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches will no longer be shut out as potential customers. We need to construct an accessibility and a Disabled friendly bathroom in their concern premises for barrier free accessibility for the Disabled Community.

In my opinion the most important factor would be to change the mindsets of people in recognizing the disabled community as a part of society and not be neglected as people who are unable of accomplishing anything. They deserve the right to enjoy life and live on their terms. They should be allowed to work in offices, so that they are able to show what they are capable of achieving.

The way forward:

In order to make Karachi accessible we need to provide wheel chair ramps, lifts and make wheel chair friendly bathrooms. Physically challenged people need access to mix with all segments of the society. There should be a provision for making ramps at all public places including restaurants, cinemas, shopping malls, offices and hospitals. Ramps would be beneficial not only for physically challenged people but also for older people. We can do a favour to all physically challenged people, if we can tell the owner of a restaurant when we go for lunch or dinner to provide ramps. This would do a world of good to people in wheel chairs.

We definitely need to change the mindsets of people as mentioned by me earlier. We would need to contact architects and the builders. There should be laws for builders before constructing a building to provide access to physically challenged people. Ramps need to be constructed and parking places for wheelchairs needs to be provided. A lot needs to be done if we are to compete with the West. Over the past couple of years, I have seen an improvement in the attitude of people towards people in wheel chairs. I feel progress in Karachi towards physically challenged people is being made in the right direction.w