TIMES REPORT
QUETTA: Bringing the human cost of systemic failures into the national spotlight, the Freedom Gate Prosperity (FGP), in collaboration with MHMWG Secretariat Balochistan, held the official provincial launch of the novelette Before the Valley Drowns by Senior Policy Advisor and author Shafqat Aziz Mallick. The launch took place during a high-level provincial gathering and was attended by a diverse cross-section of society, including senior government officials, parliamentarians, development partners, civil society leaders, and members of the media.
Before the Valley Drowns is a gripping climate and policy fiction narrative that draws heavily from the raw, lived realities of Pakistan including facts gathered from Balochistan. Speaking at the event, author Shafqat Aziz Mallick detailed the inspiration behind the work. “This story is deeply rooted in the soil of Pakistan including this province,” Mallick stated. “It features characters inspired by real individuals on the frontlines of our most pressing crises. The goal was to pull their struggles out of the shadows, bypass traditional bureaucratic reports, and bring the human reality of these ticking clocks directly into the national policy discourse.”
The publication garnered strong endorsements from provincial leadership for its unique approach to advocacy. Provincial Education Minister Ms. Raheela Hameed Durrani commended the initiative, noting, “Such literary efforts are vital to raising awareness on our most critical development issues.” Echoing this sentiment, Member of the Provincial Assembly Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch praised the narrative’s impact, stating, “Shafqat Aziz has done something truly remarkable by giving these silent struggles a powerful voice.”
Dr. Tahira Kamal Baloch, Chairperson of the MHM Working Group Balochistan, also shared brief remarks during the ceremony, highlighting how the book successfully bridges the gap between abstract policy making and actual human dignity, humanizing the very reforms the sector fights to implement daily.
The publication of the book marks a significant milestone for its publisher. In a special message delivered for the occasion, Muhammad Anwar, CEO of Freedom Gate Prosperity (FGP), reaffirmed the organization’s dedication to bold storytelling. “FGP is deeply committed to supporting narratives that challenge the status quo,” Anwar noted. “We are proud to publish a story that demands genuine systemic change and equitable climate resilience.”
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