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By Zubair Khan

” Oh Taxi Fahrer is noch mal da” Oh taxi driver is again here, is the English translation of aforementioned German sentence the receptionist uttered, when Mr Mansoor, wearing a Jean and shirt, entered a hotel to use toilet in his routine travelling with in Germany. On reaching at information desk, the receptionist again took lead by declination of any knowledge to have ordered for taxi. When Mr Mansoor introduced himself as tourist searching for toilet, yet did not bring any repent to the receptionist. Very rudely when he guided Mansoor towards toilet, the receptionist once again nodded, the Pakistani appearance and dress worn by Mansoor is oft used by the Pakistani taxi drivers of the surrounding area. During next couple of weeks, the title of taxi driver for Pakistanis kept on storming the mind of Mansoor and he became determined to take some concrete measures for washing away this image of Pakistanis looking similar to him.

Since 2004, he along with Ms Humera Ashraf and Ms Naheed Ashraf is leading successfully a cultural organisation known as “Pakbann”. This name was once used in Saudi Arabia for overseas Pakistanis and Mr Mansoor liked it to have for the organisation he represents. Every year various cultural programs are very successfully organised by this upright and upcoming team. For 2012 the team took a bold decision and proposed a novel idea of bringing self accomplished successful Pakistanis on the podium to show to German Nation that Pakistanis also has entirely a different face in the civil society. To present the new face of Pakistan, the team selected Dental Surgeon Muzafar Bajwa, Lawyer Atia G Bhatti, Professor Jamal Malik, PhD student Sahzia Saleem, Lecturer Bushra Shamim and Journalist Muzafar Shiekh. Renowned German HR-TV Presenter Ms Alexandra Müller moderated the program while Frankfurt Integration Minister Dr Ms Eskandari-Grünberg gave the key note address on the occasion. Each participant narrated his/her account of success explaining various factors contributing towards the success. Parental guidance, peer cooperation, teachers, continuous hard work, fair and just societal treatment were mentioned as the key contributing factors for the success of each individual. Audience were also very much impressed how these hardworking Pakistanis struggled to achieve success in an entirely new and different societal atmosphere. Chief Guest in her address also saluted to the self accomplished Pakistanis and hailed the continued hard work to become a successful member of the German society. Last but not the least remarks came from a German audience who very honestly opined that prior to his participation in this event he has always viewed Pakistan as a land which nurtures terrorism, provides safe heavens to extremists and housed the world most wanted terrorist OBL for many years. However after hearing the struggle and accomplishment of these successful Pakistanis at this forum his view point about Pakistanis has now totally changed and considers Pakistanis as great people if provided with appropriate and suitable opportunities for grooming.

Another hall mark of the event remained the excellent harmony and understanding between Pakistanis stemming from different ethnic and religious back grounds. Members belonging to different provinces, different religious beliefs dressed in different clothes were presenting only one picture, all originating from Pakistani back ground. When I asked Mr Mansoor for such an excellent harmony he replied smilingly that his organisation considers every one as Pakistani and that’s all.  He is not bothered to which ethnicity or religious belief some one belongs.  As long an individual has Pakistani origin he is an asset of Pakistan and Pakbann always feel proud to entertain such accomplished Pakistanis. Alas those who matter back home can also adopt similar attitude and thinking in order to achieve the societal harmony.