From east to west the sky was lit up with red, green and white colors of fireworks. As far as the eye could see, the sky was filled with col...
From east to west the sky was lit up with red, green and white colors of fireworks. As far as the eye could see, the sky was filled with color, light and light. The melodious music of the splashing was enough to enthrall the thousands of people scattered all over the beach. People from every country, every nationality, their families and children were busy capturing these beautiful views with their camera phones.
Although these sights are seen here almost every year, but not everyone is able to find time for it every year, most of the people migrate back within a few years, so this sight was very entertaining and valuable for everyone.
Although I spent the whole day under the Burj Khalifa watching the New Year's Night fireworks at 12 midnight, it was nothing compared to the fireworks on the beach in Abu Dhabi. This sight was something different in itself.
It was the 8 km long corniche of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which on the occasion of National Day was filled with visitors from all over Abu Dhabi, Dubai and other states, with no distinction between Arabs, Europeans, Americans and Asians.
Few people know that the capital city of UAE is Abu Dhabi which is several levels ahead of Dubai in its emirate, security, facilities and lifestyle.
So it was the biggest celebration celebrated on UAE National Day i.e. 2nd December for which people gather here from every state. From early in the morning, full of cars, people from all around with chairs, tables, food items, children's toys, bicycles, scooters, tents and barbeque equipment appear on the Corniche Road and on the Corniche, on the beach and its surroundings. They go camping in all the nearby parks.
By midday, the surrounding roads fill up and traffic slows down. Where people take an hour to reach Abu Dhabi from Dubai, these days it takes 4-5 hours to reach the Corniche from the center of Abu Dhabi. That's why wise people try to reach here early in the morning before the rush and get a seat of their choice.
The fireworks display usually starts around 8 or 9 pm which is often held on the regular 2 days i.e. 1st and 2nd December. But the celebrations on this Corniche start from the 30th because November 30 is celebrated here as Martyrs' Day.
For four days, the fair is held on the Corniche so that people can participate in it at their convenience and leisure. Due to the wide beach, even with the presence of a large number of people, it does not create a suffocating atmosphere here.
The year we saw the festival, the fireworks were preceded by an aerial display by the Emirati fighter jets at 5pm on the same beach, in which the jets performed spectacular stunts. Not only this, but a big stage was built on one side of the longest beach on which songs and songs from Syria were played.
Dances, songs and regional dances were presented by various schools and colleges. This one-of-a-kind concert continues for 4 days late into the night. The music and arrangements are so high that we don't get to see them even in the most expensive concerts. The security is so strong that the entire emirate is on the beach but no one dares to touch another.
Not only this, going forward, different games were arranged for children by creating separate compartments in many parts. In this, the staff take turns helping each child play different types of games under their supervision and not one but many such playgrounds were built.
Best of all, all the arrangements, from fairs to concerts, and air shows to children's games and fireworks, are absolutely free. People are sitting in their places watching all this. Children are participating in various games lined up. Whether you go for one day or all four days and enjoy the free picnic, it's a fun day out for the whole family.
The United Arab Emirates is a rich country, but if you have the talent and passion to work with wealth, it becomes a problem. Where every year billions of rupees are pocketed by Pakistan's powerful circles, politicians, bureaucracy or sent to foreign accounts, if some of it is spent for the happiness of the people, what is wrong with it? All you need is passion and intention.
Emirates has a National Day, that is, the day when all the seven states were united, but ours is Independence Day, when we not only gained independence from the British after a lot of sacrifices, but also got a separate country for ourselves. What is the role of the public in holding parades and flag hoisting at safe places away from the public?
No celebration or arrangements made by the government for the public on this important day in the capital of Pakistan? Then how about the complaint that the people go out on the streets to fight and play drums. When you don't have a plan for them, they will do whatever they can.
لوگ کہتے ہیں کہ تنقید کرنا آسان ہے، بہتری کے لیے تجویز دی جائے، تو سوچا کیوں نہ کچھ تجاویز دے دوں کہ میں نے دیکھا ہے ہر چھوٹے سے چھوٹے اور بڑے سے بڑے محکمے میں ایک چھوٹا سا ایسا طبقہ ضرور ہوتا ہے کہ جو وہ کرنا چاہتے ہیں کر دکھاتے ہیں اور سچ یہ ہے کہ ایسے ہی لوگوں کی وجہ سے یہ سارا نظام چل رہا ہے۔
تو جناب کیا پورے اسلام آباد، لاہور، کراچی، پشاور، کوئٹہ کے آس پاس یا اندر کوئی کونا ایسا نہیں جہاں اس جشن کی حکومتی تیاری ہوسکے۔ کوئی میلہ، کوئی مینا بازار کوئی کلچرل شو جہاں سارے شہر کے اسکول اور کالج کے بچے ملی نغمے گا سکیں؟ جہاں کوئی ایک دو گلوکار لائیو گیت گا سکیں؟ جہاں بچے اور نوجوان مختلف کھیلوں اور مقابلوں میں حصہ لے سکیں؟ اپنے جوش اور جذبے کا اظہار کرسکیں۔
یہی عوام جو گانے سننے جلسوں میں چلے جاتے ہیں، کیا ان کے لیے ایسا کوئی مفت کا بندوبست حکومت نہیں کرسکتی جہاں ہر طبقے کے لوگ پورا ایک دن تفریح کرسکیں اور جشن آزادی منا سکیں۔ کچھ جھولے کچھ تفریح بچوں کے لیے، کوئی آتش بازی اس عوام کے لیے جو آزادی کے اس دن کو منانا چاہتی ہے مگر منا نہیں پاتی۔
اگر ایسا کرلیا گیا تو یہ جو جگہ جگہ سڑکیں بند ہوجاتی ہیں، ہم اس سے بھی بچ جائیں گے اور جشن بھی چلتا رہے اور کاروبار زندگی بھی۔ لوگوں کے پاس اس روز کچھ کرنے کے لیے کوئی جگہ کوئی اہتمام ہو۔
زار ہزار پردوں میں ہونے والی پرچم کشائیاں اور پریڈ سے عام عوام کو کیا ملا ہے؟ ایک نظارہ تک نہیں! کیا اس میں سے اس روز عوام کو کچھ حصہ نہیں مل سکتا؟ بس یہی عرض ہے کہ کچھ تو کیجیے کہ جس میں کبھی کبھار عوام اپنی ریاست سے خوش ہوجائے اور اس کا ناچنے کو دل کرے تو اس پر شرمندہ نہ ہو۔ پھر چاہے آپ باجے بین کردیں اور موٹرسائیکل کے سائلنسر نکال کر چلنے والوں کو گرفتار کرلیں۔ مگر جب تک آپ جذبات کے اظہار کا محفوظ بندوبست نہیں کریں گے وہ اسی طرح سے ابل ابل کر سڑکوں پر امڈتے اور ضائع ہوتے رہیں گے
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