A new day signifies a new beginning whereas ends do not mean the termination, they are just indicators that something else is about to begin. In fact there are many things that don’t really end, they just reinstate in a new way. Therefore, we welcome the New Year, bringing with it the opportunities and the excuse to make a new start.
If we look back at the year 2016 then we find a mix of sweet and harsh memories. Some of the fortunate and unfortunate events include attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda; suicide bombing at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park Lahore; assassination of renowned qawal Amjad Sabri; untimely death of Abdul Sattar Edhi aphilanthropist, ascetic, and humanitarian who founded the Edhi Foundation; Supreme Court lifting travel ban on Pervaiz Musharaf; inauguration of Gwadar Port and dream of CPEC materialising into reality; Panama leaks and intense internal political confrontation; retirement of General Raheel Sharif from his position of Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and succession by General Qamar Bajwa; and last but not the least tragic PIA plane crash.
There were some victories and some failures but victories should be appreciated and failures should be taken as an opportunity to begin again more intelligently. Just remember, as long as we are breathing, it is never late to start a new beginning. Lessons should be learnt from the past mistakes to handle them more effectively and efficiently in the future. Only then it will be possible to make a new day better than yesterday. Since yesterday does not matter as much as today does, therefore we all must focus on the day ahead and make it a day to remember, not a day to regret. The new challenges may lie ahead but they can be faced with strength and vigour. It is hoped that the feeling of optimism would prevail in the year ahead and the belief that new beginnings could create new and successful outcomes would continue to flourish during the coming year, throughout.
Syed Ali Qasim
