The Costal Courier

Once upon a time there lived a farmer named Bahad with his good looking wife. By the time Bahad was 32, none of his sons survived and he was constantly praying for the survival of a son who could be a helping-hand for Bahad in his fields. Bahad had also resolved in his heart that if God gave him a son he would sacrifice a very healthy goat to the will of Allah and would give feast to everyone in his village as an expression of his humility. After a long period of time when Bahad's wife came near the time of delivery, Bahad was in his farm, ploughing his fields with two bullocks. After Bahad heard that he had became a dad, he rushed to his home promptly and wanted to hear a great news but with his surprise when he saw that he had been the father of a girl child, he made ill marks against his wife. "What have you done to have given birth to a daughter? Would she give me support or she would only sit at home, eat, rest and give birth to babies?" "I have been destroyed?

  Photo Credit =Freepik.com  In the bustling city of Madina, young Ahmed eagerly awaited the arrival of Ramadan. At eight years old, he was determined to fast for the first time, just like the grown-ups in his family. With the crescent moon signalling the start of the holy month, Ahmed embarked on his journey of fasting with excitement and anticipation. The first few days of Ramadan passed by smoothly for Ahmed. He woke up before dawn for Suhoor, enjoyed hearty meals with his family, and eagerly awaited the call to prayer signalling the end of the day’s fast. However, as the days wore on, Ahmed began to encounter unexpected challenges. One scorching afternoon, as the sun beat down mercilessly, Ahmed felt the pangs of hunger and thirst grow increasingly unbearable. Despite his best efforts to distract himself with prayers and Quranic recitations, the relentless heat took its toll on his young body. As the sun dipped below the horizon, calling the end of the day’s fast, Ahmed rejoiced at

Freepik.com  On the Eve of World Teachers' Day, Shahjan, a notorious and perennial back-bencher, cared little for the occasion. His disdain for his school teachers ran deep, stemming from the harsh beatings they had subjected him to over the years. Being an IT and artificial intelligence enthusiast, he yearned for a day when humanoid robots would replace these human educators. "They wouldn't beat me anymore, and life would be so much better," he muttered to himself. "I'm tired of these human teachers who report my misdeeds to my father." The other day, with the golden rays of the sun casting warmth into his room, Shahjan made a decision to explore the long-forgotten storage room in search of an IT-related book. Despite being off-limits and overrun by insects, Shahjan's parents had warned him not to enter it. However, with everyone out of the house, he couldn't resist the temptation. He cautiously entered the room and uncovered a dusty, old diary

  Photo Credit: Freepik.com  Why I lost my parents? Why is the God only unfair to me? Why do troubles only follow my family members around? These are the thought-provoking questions that frequently pop into our mind when some of us lose our parents and loved ones.  But this is what Jacques, 13, doesn't bother himself about. Being a very mischievous boy of the neighbourhood, he is up to bullying someone . Suddenly, his eyes rest on a boy in the nearby shop. He plans of snatching the plastic bag, filled with snacks, which could fuel his appetite. Not knowing what is going to happen, the boy sits on the saddle of the bike, wears the helmet and gets ready to leave when in no time, Jacques tiptoes and forcibly snatches the plastic bag. The boy cries at the top of his voice and leaves. As the sun sets, Jacques swiftly finishes the snacks,wipes his mouth and heads towards his home. Jacques's parents expired in an incident when he was a neonate. Beside his parents, it was his uncle

Messi, a 13-year-old boy, constantly disregarded his parents' advice and wasted food daily. It was a routine for him to pile his plate to the brim, only for the leftovers to end up in the trash. When dining out at restaurants, he would order a table full of various cuisines but could never finish them. Consequently, he became overweight. His parents, Mr. Napoleon and Tayler, were deeply concerned by his wasteful habit and repeatedly urged him to be more mindful and not to waste food. Luckily, the leftovers were taken to orphanages since they were useful and it seemed a waste to throw them away. Messi didn't realize how cruel he was until one day. After many tiresome efforts during the day, he slept late at night. He found himself in an area where there was neither food nor water. It looked like a desert. Messi was petrified. He couldn't help but wander here and there to find a way home but to no avail. Everywhere he went, he saw nothing out of the ordinary but abundant cact

  Photo courtesy: Freepik.com  It was September in Quetta, a month when the chilly wind signaled the impending winter season. The snow-capped mountains added to the valley's beauty, and the cold air filled Maheen's lungs. Despite the picturesque scenery and the cold air, Maheen, a physics fanatic, was consumed by her dream of joining the country's space agency, SUPARCO( Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, Pakistan). Her father, on the other hand, had always hoped to see her become a successful doctor in the city. She was the only female from her village pursuing higher studies.  The day before, Maheen had taken her medical entrance test at the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering, and Management Sciences (BUITEMS). Failing it for the second time, she realized it was because her true passion lay in physics and his dream of becoming an astronaut. She didn't want to disappoint her father, but as she realized her helplessness, a desire t

  Freepik.com  Once upon a time an old man named Chawash lived in a village in Mehrgarh, one of the ancient civilizations of the Indus Valley in Balochistan back in 7000 BCE. Chawash had the knowledge of the scriptures and could understand the signals of nature. He was very intelligent and could predict rain seeing the clouds. The people believed he had been bestowed with a sixth sense. Mehrgarh, in its early days, was a tapestry of life, with lush verdant forests covering the land. Animals like the cheetahs, lions, elephants – freely roamed the landscape. Birds, from the majestic ostrich to the smallest sparrows, adorned the skies above the humblest village in Mehrgarh. The king of Mehrgarh was very happy and content and got an handsome revenue from the agricultural crops. While the people were very kind, hospitable and content with the king. However, the tides of fortune changed as time elapsed. As the population of the village grew, the villagers, unknown of the consequences, starte

  Photo courtesy: Freepik.com  It was a cloudy day in our neighborhood as the wind signaled the arrival of Eid-ul-Adha. At the evening, everyone started to go to their rooftops for the moon sight and the final call of the special Eid day. Like everyone who was watching the fireworks being performed , our grandfather was indulged in taking a cup of tea. An old man with a loose, creased skin and a hunched back, he could barely call out our names properly. He was the eldest of our family and the wisest of our the locality. During Eids, when the family gathers to leave for the mosque, my father helps him into the car. As the next day was Eid, our joint family was together. My parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, siblings, and I surrounded the wisest of us all. Another special thing about Grandfather was his love for cleanliness. He often reminded us that hygiene is loved by Allah and is a part of faith. That night, he started calling out, “Children, come closer.” The children gathered around h

Eid-ul-Adha brings with it a sense of calmness and serenity, with kids witnessing their most-loved animals being sacrificed for the oneness and love of Allah. With the happiness Eid brings, have you ever thought about the difficulties it brings for your parents? Have you ever even reflected upon the fact that when you devour all the cuisines brought to your table, your mother suffers dehydration, being drenched in sweat during the summer when temperatures rise over 45°C degree? And have you ever realised how your father drips with perspiration while sacrificing the animal? As this special occasion rolls around, have you ever wondered how the environment becomes unhealthy, stinky and contagious to our health due to close engagements, when alive, and the hides and intestines of the animals, when sacrificed, thrown on garbage heaps? Consequently, my siblings and I have resolutions for this Eid. I know, it seems ridiculous as making resolutions is typically associated on the New years Eve,

Photo Credit: Freepik.com “Why don’t you stop your chitchat on the phone and study like your siblings?” Ivan’s mother scolded him while making his bed. Despite being one of the laziest students in grade 8, Ivan had some grasp of math, but he preferred unproductive activities, spending his time playing with the rowdies of the neighborhood instead of studying. His parents were concerned about his lack of academic progress and disapproved of his association with unruly peers. Ivan’s closest friend, Nikolai, shared his penchant for skipping school and neglecting assignments. As advancements in AI continued to unfold, Nikolai approached Ivan with an offer to trade knowledge: “You teach me basic mathematics, and in return, I’ll introduce you to an AI chatbot that can instantly solve your homework.” Surprised by Nikolai’s sudden interest in academics, Ivan wondered what had sparked the change in his friend’s behavior. Intrigued by the promise of an easier academic journey, Ivan agreed to Niko