Many people try to rationalize everything but many things cross bounds of rationality. What is the rationale of love? Why people love God without seeing Him? What is the rationality of faith? Why people are magnetized by some personalities despite they look like them? What is the wisdom of patriotism? Why parents love more than they are being loved by their offspring? What is the philosophy of luck? What is the sagacity of sacrificing one’s life for unseen reward? Why some people are blessed more than others? There is endless list of such things. It seems that there is no definite answer and no clear-cut reply to these fundamental queries of human life. Philosophers have failed to give definite raison Detroit of such things. Where human thinking and rationality ends that is the beginning point of faith in a supernatural power.

 Faith, love and luck are abstract words but miraculous and super rational ideologies. Faith in a supernatural power makes a person fearless and most risk taker that is an established law of crowning success according to social sciences. Sincerity is the soul of love that is a matchless passion. To see the miracles of luck let us survey probationers undergoing training at Civil Services Academy of Pakistan and ask the newly recruited civil servants the reason for their success. I have not encountered a single probationer who can claim that his success was solely due to hard work. I have also not come across a single officer who can say that luck has not played any role in his/her success.

In 36th Common Training Program you will encounter a matchless probationer Ms. Saima Saleem who is creating the history of Civil Services of Pakistan in a different way. Her life is replete with successes. She is the first Pakistani blind candidate ever recruited in the history of Civil Services and Foreign Service of Pakistan. She got 6th position in the Central Superior Services and placed on top of the merit list of the successful candidates selected for FSP by the Federal Public Service Commission. On her excellent educational performance, she was awarded Dr. Mira Phailbus Gold Medal for Academic Excellence, Gold Medal in Masters and Quaid-e-Azam gold medal. She stood first in Punjab Public Service Commission examination conducted for recruitment of lecturers and was appointed at the renowned Kinnaird College, Lahore. Moreover, she also got prestigious Women Achievement Award and Madar-e-Millat Fatima Jinnah medal. She has been offered the post of Special Advisor to the Chief Minister Punjab by CM Mr. Shahbaz Sharif which she reclined due to her national commitment of representing Pakistan across the globe. Behind her every success you will see the power of faith in herself, love for her mission, and I have not a shadow of doubt that she is the luckiest and the most respected lady I have ever seen in my life. She receives red carpet welcome by everyone wherever she visits. Even senior most bureaucrats, high placed politicians, veteran journalists and top notch intellectuals feel honor to have interaction and a photograph with Ms. Saima. She has proved the verse of Iqbal:

Tamanna abro ki ho agar gulzar-e-hasti mein

To kanto mein ulaj kar zindgi karne ki kho kar le

(If you want dignity in this world then struggle to live as you are entangled in thorns.)

Rationality cannot produce miracles. In theoretical rationality, hard work is directly proportional to success in a strict mathematic sense. But in practical rationality, hard work is neither proportional nor always leads to success, e.g., a laborer does more work than many people holding the bridles of national affairs. The achievements of rationality are comparable while the miracles of faith, marvels of love and wonders of luck are incalculable, matchless and above human rationality. This troika of faith, love and luck changes well-ascertained rules and regulations, moulds well-established customs and traditions, and bends well-founded values and norms that are considered gospel truth and their amendments are considered beyond level-headedness. Pakistan is blessed to have a genius, Ms. Saima Saleem, who experienced all these things during her career. She has exceptional qualities of mind, amazing traits of wisdom, rare attributes of public speaking and an extraordinary strength of disposition. Such people are born and live on the earth as unique and marvelous symbols of the Creator. Glad tidings of success always smile upon these exemplary icons blessed with power to change lives of the people.

No doubt eyes are the great blessings of the Creator but if they cannot see the reality of the world then what is their use! In this context, some supernormal people can see and perceive more than people who can see with eyes. They can judge the purpose of their life due to power of optimistic thinking process. Highly respected Ms. Saima suffered from visual impairment due to Retinosa Pigmentosa at the age of 14 years that resulted in gradual loss of her eyesight. However, all visual memories of her early age are imprinted on her mind. Now she cannot see what we can see with our eyes. But she never let this disability to prove a barrier in carrying out her everyday tasks, studying and writing. Loss of eyesight has proved a blessing in disguise that has made her highly focused and instilled missionary spirit in her. Therefore, what she can see, perceive and judge, a normal person with two eyes can only dream of once in a blue moon. She has an extraordinary strength of perception.

Human beings are very strange creatures. They consider themselves very powerful. People accept them as intelligent giants of society. They consider themselves towers of wisdom. But some realities are beyond the grasp of their perception and intelligence. Some things are so inimitable that they can never be judged and gauged by the worldly scales. When our national celebrity Ms. Saima Saleem appeared in the Central Superior Services examination conducted for the most prestigious posts in Pakistan, she faced two problems. One is the female gender that has negligible contribution in the social, political and economic sectors of the country. And the second was her visual impairment. But this unrivaled lady never let these patriarchal and disability barriers to create impediments in her way in achieving her goals. The examiners failed to evaluate the God-gifted qualities of the most talented and sagacious candidate on the basis of rigid rules, time-honored traditions of the assessment process and their own years of experience. Some people are supernormal and cannot be grasped by the kaleidoscope of human brain and book of rules that are framed and used for normal people. These people force the brains of giants to accept their frailty. The book of rules let itself to be revised.

According to the rules and regulations of the Federal Public Service Commission, people suffering from visual impairment were to be accommodated in only four occupational groups namely Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service, Commerce and Trade Group, Information Group and Postal Group. Although, Ms. Saima was not permitted to give preference to the Foreign Service of Pakistan because it does not fall in the category of aforementioned groups. But she did because she was bound to play a greater role that was designed for her. The erudite lady marched against the powerful current with indomitable will and dauntless courage and forced the men at the helm of affairs to review rules and reconsider their own views. The determined and wise lady compelled relevant authorities to amend rules in her favor that opened window of opportunities for such candidates in the future. Such exceptional people can change destinies of moribund nations through instilling inspiration and indoctrinating motivation through their speaking, writing and practical steps. Their whole life becomes an example for the millions to follow.

Ms. Saima believes in self-reliance not in subjective sense but in practice. She used to make preparation for the examinations in a very distinctive way. She scans the books and can read and listen on computer. Although, it is a difficult and laborious method of studying especially if you have habit of studying a lot but for her it has become a routine to carry out such tasks. She took the CSS examination on computer as she has acquired marvelous speed of listening and typing due to continuous practice. Therefore, carrying out official responsibilities in her carrier as a successful and rising star diplomat is not any difficulty for her. The Civil Services Academy and the Foreign Service Academy should facilitate this only one of its kind national celeb in the best possible way due to her crowning achievements. I hope that the officers of my proud nation would spare no effort to encourage this highly reputed lady out of the way to pay tribute to her hard work, dedication and sacrifices for the national cause.

Ms. Saima is a source of inspiration for everyone especially for those who blame physical disabilities, financial constraints, lack of opportunities, etc., as obstacles in their way to success. She has proved that these barriers cannot impede your move forward if you are determined and have courage to walk on pavements replete with spikes and spines having hearts of fire for achievement of greater goals. Instead of becoming hurdles in her way of goals achievement, they became steppingstones leading her towards her destiny with jogging strides. Foreign Service of Pakistan is blessed to have an officer having such rare qualities. Due to possessing unique traits she is the emerging shining star of the Foreign Service of Pakistan. O’ my dearest countrymen let us follow the example of this valiant, committed and unwavering national celebrity to bring our country out of the current morass.

During her teaching tenure at Kinnaird College Ms. Saima was an inspiring soul for the students. Now she has deep impact on her colleagues and superiors. As she fought against all odds and ends of circumstances to get recruitments against a post of Foreign Service of Pakistan; therefore, she loves her occupational group that is the fundamental requirement for working dedicatedly and with a sense of commitment by adhering to the principles of pride of performance. Being a patriot she has deep concern for the condition of her country. I am confident that she will play a decisive role in determining and shaping destiny of my dearest country.

Ms. Saima Saleem is also a very fine and prolific writer and poet. Her prose and poetry reflect her penetrating insight, speak volumes for her acumen and mirror her oozing intellect. As being a student and a teacher of English literature she has full command on English language. She completely knows how to use assortment of words into strings of moving verses. Her words seem excellently fit in the framework of her pieces of writings as jewels are embedded in a crown. She is writing a book, “Vision behind the Shadows” to share her life experiences with the international community that would definitely be an excellent manuscript. It would be a great source of inspiration and motivation for the readers.

The incomparable national luminary has vast study that has made her very broad minded due to encountering diverse point of views. During her training when minds of all probationers fail to answer any question asked by the instructors one can find only one hand waving in the air, i.e., of Ms. Saima. She answers the questions very precisely. She is blessed with incomparable wisdom, unrivaled success, unequaled intellect and matchless voice. She knows very clearly where, when, what and how to speak. When she speaks on any issue on the stage, the audiences remain spell bound. She has so melodious and influential tone of voice that directly strikes the strings of souls. She is very soft spoken. Her voice and wide reading would be an asset in her career as a very successful diplomat. Moreover, it would also be fruitful in her inspirational writings in the future.

Ms. Saima has a magnetic and charismatic personality to have deep impact on the lives of the people. She has a very noble and pious soul enjoying blessings of wisdom, health, success and prestige. She has a definite set of principles that she follows to a fault. She has great tolerance to bear patiently and courageously any untoward incidence in her life. She is very jovial and hurls very apt remarks. She takes decisions in life very wisely but once she decides; she puts her foot down and moves towards her goal with unwavering will power and no circumstances can deter her. Her views favor power of positive thinking. She firmly believes in spiritual aspect of life. She wants self-actualization in her life.

 Ms. Saima is the emerging legend on the horizon of Pakistan but her influence like beams of moon will not be restricted to Pakistan because she has to play an international role. She has stepped into the shoes of the father of the nation by wearing jewelries of hard work, resolution and wide reading. These will definitely prove magnificent treasures in her career as a brilliant diplomat. She is an asset of our motherland. Her head is most suitable to be honored with crown of pure gold embedded with most precious pearls and jewels. O’ matchless and exalted state celebrity and our national heroine, this nation salutes you. We are all proud of you. You are unique gem on this earth that will play a significant role to determine fate of this nation state.

 I am very optimistic about her global role. She will do what others cannot dream of. She will project the soft image of Pakistan in the constellation of nations that has been badly tarnished by the media of hostile countries. In fact the FSP needs her more than she needs it, this nation needs her more than she needs it, and this world needs her more than she needs it. In the end I can only say that my words are insufficient to define the potential and pay tribute to the unique entity. There are many more facets of her distinctive personality and I find my brain incapable to grasp and describe them.

The words of Ann Rynd that she expressed in one of her well-recognized novel aptly fit on personality of Ms. Saima, “Man cannot survive except through his mind…But the mind is an attribute of the individual. There is no such thing as a collective brain. There is no such thing as a collective thought…We can divide a meal among many men. We cannot digest it in a collective stomach. No one can use his lungs to breathe for another man. No man can use his brain to think for another…The moving force is the creative faculty. This creative faculty cannot be given or received, shared or borrowed. The creator originates, the parasite borrows. The creator faces nature alone, the parasite faces nature through an intermediary. Men have been taught that it is a virtue to agree with others. But the creator is the man who disagrees. Men have been taught that it is a virtue to swim with the current. But the creator is the man who goes against the current. Men have been taught that it is a virtue to stand together. But the creator is the man who stands alone.”