Victory for Mamdani

Iwent through Chief Editor Syed Jawaid Iqbal’s thoughtful comments, “Mamdani matters” in the August 2025 issue of SouthAsia Magazine. Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim candidate of the Democratic Party USA, is contesting the Mayoral Election of New York, which will be held in November 2025. I am very confident that, by the grace of Almighty Allah, he will defeat his opponent by winning the election for mayor. I pray for his success for several reasons. First, Mamdani dislikes Indian Prime Minister Modi because he believes that Modi was responsible for the massacre of Gujarat Muslims (Mamdani’s ancestors belong to Gujarat). Second, Mamdani desires freedom for Palestine. Third, his win as mayor of the world’s financial capital, New York, will be very beneficial for Muslim immigrants who face problems with their integrated identification in foreign countries, as well as for the depressed poor having no shelter and food to upkeep their livelihood.

Muhammad Farooq Chundrigar,
Latifabad, Hyderabad, Pakistan.

Preparedness for Climate Change

Similar to this year, Pakistan had the worst floods in 2010 and 2022, but no attention was paid to improving rescue and relief institutions. Our country lacks a national institution that anyone can call for help from any part of the country in case of an emergency. Then there is neither mobile signal nor internet everywhere in the mountainous areas. If people are caught in a disaster, only luck comes to their aid. They never get timely help. Pakistan is responsible for just one percent of the carbon emissions emitted worldwide, causing climate change. Still, it is among the top ten countries affected by carbon emissions. We have to raise this issue before the international community, as we are not responsible for even one percent of this carbon emission, and all the destruction is happening to us. It seems that the entire balance of nature has been disturbed due to climate change.

Mehtab Ali Janjua,
Islamabad, Pakistan.

In Search of Destiny

Pakistan was created not merely to attain geographical independence but to establish a state that would ensure the welfare of the people under democratic principles in the light of Islamic values. Democracy is a system that empowers the people, but unfortunately, democracy has always been subject to trials in our country. The question is not which political party the government belongs to, but the main thing is that the government is political and democratic. Whenever the court talks about the supremacy of the constitution or the parliament demands its rights within the constitutional limits, it is immediately accused of bias or political affiliation. However, the autonomy of institutions and the rule of the constitution are the foundation of any civilized state. If we start considering every constitutional step as a political ploy, then the existence of the state will be a victim of chaos and uncertainty.

Engineer Ali Bangash,
Malakand, Pakistan.

Children and Online Safety

Saving our kids from online hazards is crucial. In this regard, YouTube has started using artificial intelligence to identify children posing as adults on its platform in a bid to protect minors from sensitive content. The new safeguard is being introduced in the US as Google-owned YouTube and other social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, are closely monitored to protect minors from adult content. According to YouTube, a version of AI known as machine learning will be used to estimate the age of users, which includes various factors such as the type of videos watched and the length of the account. This is a welcome initiative, and more necessary measures must be taken to ensure a safe online environment for our kids.
Ruksana Jabeen,
Sylhet, Bangladesh.

Islamophobia in the UK

The British government has recently appointed a new body, the British Muslim Trust (BMT), to monitor anti-Muslim incidents, a move after the government ended its funding for the previous organisation, Tell Mama. The BMT has been appointed as the new recipient of the ‘Ending Anti-Muslim Hatred Fund’ and will begin its regular monitoring in early autumn. The British Muslim Trust was formed in partnership with the Aziz Foundation and the Randeri Charitable Trust and is led by renowned social activist Aqila Ahmed, also the founder of the ‘British Muslim Network’. BMT receives direct government funding, while the British Muslim Network is a non-governmental platform that does not receive government funding. This initiative by the British government is vital as the newly-appointed organisation will remain fully focused on its government responsibilities, which include reporting and monitoring anti-Muslim hate speech online and offline, providing direct support to victims, identifying and raising awareness of hate crimes, and promoting reporting within the Muslim community.

Anjum Altaf,
Manchester, U.K.

Future of Democracy

The greatest virtue of democracy is that it has room for reform. If a government fails, it can be dismissed, but when the path of dictatorship opens, it neither gives a chance for questioning nor an answer. However, history is replete with the bitter truth that whenever democracy was sabotaged, the country suffered irreparable damage on the political, social, and economic levels. In a democratic system, leadership emerges through continuous electoral processes, and the nation progresses towards collective consciousness. The example of India is before us. There are many problems there too, but since democracy continues, it is considered one of the world’s largest economies. Democracy is not just a political system but a guarantee of national survival. On the contrary, we have repeatedly fallen victim to experiments, and the nation has lost each time. In democratic societies, accountability is of institutions, of policies, and above all, it is of the people, but in a dictatorship, there is neither a place for opinion nor voters. Unfortunately, some elements in our country are still indebted to dictatorship.

Rana Hayat,
Rawalpindi, Pakistan.