Pakistan News & Discussions

[Ray]

Dr Abdus Salam?

The Ahmediya?

Salam was buried in the graveyard Bahishti Maqbara in Rabwah next to his parents' graves. The epitaph on his tomb initially read "First Muslim Nobel Laureate" but, because of Salam's adherence to the Ahmadiyya Muslim sect, the word "Muslim" was later erased on the orders of a local magistrate, leaving the nonsensical "First Nobel Laureate".

He was not the 'First Nobel Laureate'.

He was the "First and Only Nobel Laureate of Pakistan', who left Pakistan in protest when Ahmediyas were declared as 'Non Moslem'!

Moral values of Pakistan, indeed!!!!!

 

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Urdu bazaar: The world of publishing and printing​

DAWN.COM

Located on M.A. Jinnah road, Urdu bazaar is one of the oldest book markets not just in Pakistan but in the entire subcontinent. Some business owners here are third- and fourth-generation immigrants from India, who began selling books in the area. Initially, it was a small market, comprising 10 to 15 small rustic stalls which were originally located at Mission Road at the time of Independence.

It was in the 1950s that the market shifted to its present-day location. The bazaar is a hub for all services related to printing and publishing, with wholesalers selling paper, stationary and other materials required in the publishing industry. Still present in this market are publishers who have been printing Islamic and books on religion for over 50 years.– (Photos by Hussain Afzal/White Star)

Educational and course books are the highest-selling items and their demand remain steady throughout the year

Interestingly, here people can purchase books and stationary at retail as well as wholesale prices.

Non-educational books such as fiction as well as other items such as stationary are also sold here. According to Sajid Fazlee of Fazlee Book Super Market, Islamic and literary books are always in demand. In the past, people often went to libraries for new books but after the decline of libraries in the city, bookshops became popular.

If sifted through carefully, customers can also find classics that are easily a couple of centuries old, and sometimes even a first-edition...

According to several people in the bazaar, people prefer to purchase and read religious books in Ramazan and Moharram.

 

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Many booksellers told this reporter that the publishing industry is flourishing in Lahore when compared to the slower pace in Karachi

In 1992, Urdu bazaar was destroyed by a bomb blast. It took about two years to rebuild the market.

Mr Afzal of Qayyum Book Depot has inherited quite a legacy in this business. His grandfather, Sultan Hussain, published a book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah (pre-Partition) and was declared a traitor by the government. Hussain then moved to Pakistan and set-up shop in Urdu bazaar.

The works of Allama Iqbal, Ahmed Faraz, Ashfaque Ahmed and Mushtaq Ahmed Yousufi are all-time best sellers.

According to the head of the Urdu bazaar Market Association, Mr. Aslam, various other book markets have flourished in Karachi such as the Sir Syed Urdu bazaar in Nazimabad. But this particular one is still very popular because it provides a one-stop solution to all printing-related services. Even some of the stationary sellers who were located on Marriot road, have slowly shifted to Urdu bazaar over time.

 

[Ray]

Pakistan Leads World in Online Porn Searches


Pakistan may be known for its strict public morality laws, but it is also the world leader in online searches for pornography, Fox News reported Tuesday.

According to Google Trends and Google Insights, which compile search statistics for keywords, Pakistan is No. 1 in the world in searches per person for words such as "sex," "sex video," and "rape video." The Muslim country has maintained its lead on the list for five to six years, Fox said.

Pakistan regulates the Internet for religious content, banning access to 17 overseas websites that blaspheme or deny Islam. Western portals such as Google, Yahoo and YouTube are on its watch list.


http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/07/15/2010071500368.html

 

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Delhi flays Islamabad over terror charges​

What's happening in Pakistan is its own doing, says Indian government officials

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier stands beside the wreckage of a police van after a motorcycle bomb blast in Karachi on Tuesday. Pakistani intelligence and military officials, in an interview to Gulf News last week, accused India of "playing a dangerous game" by supporting extremist groups believed to be behind recent bombings in major cities of Pakistan.
Image Credit: AFP
New Delhi: Reacting to Islamabad's most recent accusation that the Indian government was "playing a dangerous game" by backing terror groups in Pakistan, New Delhi on Monday said that it was a classic case of "burning one's hands" while playing with fire.
"Terror groups active in Pakistan are nothing but Pakistan's own creation. For long, Pakistan has been sponsoring terror in India. What's happening in Pakistan is its own doing. It's like you play with fire and you burn your hands," highly placed sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) told Gulf News.
Pakistani intelligence and military officials, in an interview to Gulf News last week, accused India of "playing a dangerous game" by supporting extremist groups believed to be behind recent bombings and target killing in major cities of Pakistan.
Wild allegations
India on Monday condemned Pakistani authorities for making such "wild accusations". "Indians have always been the victims of terrorism openly backed by ISI [Inter Services Intelligence] and Pakistani military. It's rather strange that now they are holding us responsible for the mess that they are in," the sources stated.
However, India expressed concern at the loss of lives caused by a spate of recent bomb blasts and other terror activities in various parts of Pakistan.
"We sympathise with Pakistan over the loss of lives. We know that so many families have been destroyed and so many children have been rendered orphans. We are the victims of terror so we know what loss it is when innocent people die for no reason. We feel unhappy when we hear about terror attacks in Pakistan," the sources added.
India also advised Pakistan to "de-activate" terrorist groups flourishing on its soil.
"Pakistan has the switch to de-activate terrorist groups. It's up to them what they want. India has nothing to do with terrorism. Absolutely nothing," they averred.
When told that ISI officials and some senior army personnel in Pakistan allege to have "evidence" of Indian involvement in the terrorist attacks in Karachi and Lahore, the government said that "those at the helm of affairs in Pakistan need some outlet to release their own frustrations".
Destabilisation fear
"Pakistan has a clear distinction of a rogue state. It also has a clear distinction of a terrorism-sponsoring nation. The leaders there just need to vent out their frustrations," said sources at senior positions in the External Affairs Ministry.
A senior ISI official had alleged last week that India attempts to "destabilise Pakistan" by supporting, by "funds and arms", militant groups in Karachi, the economic hub of the country.
"People are getting money from India to create problems for Pakistan in Karachi and other areas. India should understand that it will be affected most if Pakistan is destabilised," the Pakistani intelligence officials had told the Gulf News in Islamabad.
Reacting to the statement of the ISI officials, the sources said that India does not believe in any kind of terror — neither good terror nor bad terror.
"There are two kinds of terror for Pakistan: if it's directed against India, its good terror but if they can't handle their own monsters, its bad terror."

http://gulfnews.com/news/world/india/delhi-flays-islamabad-over-terror-charges-1.755182

 

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Transition in Swat​

THE gradual handover of Swat from the army to civilian law-enforcement agencies, as reported in this newspaper yesterday, must be cautiously welcomed. The horror that was Swat under the 'rule' of the Taliban two years ago will not easily be forgotten, and locals will be fearful that a premature exit by the army may open the door to the return of the Taliban. However, from the few details officials have shared, it appears that a phased handover over a period of years is to take place, with the pace depending on the situation on the ground. A good idea in principle, but much will depend on its execution.

At least three things will be critical to success. First, infiltration from areas like Dir and Bajaur Agency must be guarded against. The army appears to be aware of this threat, but it is exceedingly difficult to protect against. Militants have gained access to the length and breadth of the country, setting off human bombs and causing other forms of mayhem. So success in Swat on this count must be judged against a realistic yardstick. Second, the problem of so-called 'high-value targets' still at large will need to be addressed. The factors contributing to the resilience of the Taliban are not fully understood, but it seems plausible that as long as the top commanders are not captured or eliminated, they will be plotting some kind of unrest. Patience and a solid information-gathering network are the only sure-fire ways to eventually find and remove top-level commanders from the field.

Third, the laws for dealing with terrorists and militants need to be overhauled urgently. This seemingly 'procedural' issue in fact has far-reaching consequences. In Swat alone it is estimated that there are perhaps 2,500 militants in the custody of the security agencies, but an uncertain legal framework means that the law has yet to start to take its course. Essentially, the security forces are faced with the unpleasant prospect of militants being set free because courts will find no other option under the existing laws. From the status of such persons in custody to strengthening the anti-terrorism court framework, many legal loopholes and inconsistencies need to be addressed. That they have yet to be resolved is a damning indictment of civilian indifference. The law and interior ministers are routinely seen and heard from, making all manner of statements that may or may not make sense to the average person. Why cannot they work instead on protecting Pakistan from militants more successfully? Lastly, as they leave Swat security forces must be reminded of the consequences of their last withdrawal, when locals seen as 'army sympathisers' were executed by returning militants. The current strategy will have failed if Swat's population is left vulnerable as a result of it.

 

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Notes from Jaipur: The Pakistani writers​

The last few sessions at the Jaipur Literature Festival included a strong input from the rather exciting Pakistani contingent. - Photo courtesy: www.jaipurliteraturefestival.org
Karachi – January 31, 2011.

I am back home in Karachi and finally able to write of the Jaipur's LitFest's last sessions which a strong input from the rather exciting Pakistani contingent. This included a lively session "Pulp Fiction" with Faiza S. Khan and Pritham Chakravaty. Faiza spoke of her discovery of the Urdu detective novel Chalawa by Hussain Iqbal featuring a dashing and rich female sleuth Sabiha Bano. She read a lively extract which had been translated by Mohammed Hanif for The Life's Too Short Literary Review of which Khan is the editor-in-chief. Pritham Chakravaty read extracts from the anthologies she has compiled of Tamil fiction translated by her.

The session was chaired by the well-known Indian novelist Namita Gokhale who is the co-director of the Jaipur Literature Festival. Gokhale was among the panelists, together with Kamila Shamsie, Anjum Hasan and Jaishree Mishra in a session called "Popcorn Essays: What Movies Do To Writers". The title is that of an anthology edited by Jai Arjun Singh who chaired the session – and all four panelists were contributors.

Gokhale read out a vivid account of her years with a 'gossip driven' film magazine Super; Kamila read out essay on the period between her novels Broken Verses and Burnt Shadows, during which, in an attempt to move away from her previous Karachi-based work and the written word, she immersed herself in films which made her think further about the difference between films and books. Kamila was also a participant in another panel "Imaginary Homelands" with Ian Jack, Junot Diaz, the Nepalese novelist Manjushree Thapa (Tutor of History) and the British novelist of Ukranian origin Marina Lewycka (A Short History of Tractors), all of whom discussed concepts of home and belonging in this mobile age – though Jack pointed out that his only migration was from Scotland to England.

As time wore on, it became increasingly difficult for me to choose between sessions and so I took to "session-hopping". This was not really the most brilliant of solutions – I missed Richard Ford's apology for the omission of American women writers in an earlier panel that he was to discuss American fiction, but I was there in time to hear him read from his work: every nuance reminded me of why, I have been so spellbound by his short stories – and in Jaipur, I picked up a novel of his.


There was a packed audience for the British historian Alex von Tunzelmann who was interviewed by Karan Thapar on her critically acclaimed book Indian Summer: The Secret History of End of Empire which tells the story of Partition, as well as that of Edwina and Nehru.

In recent years I have become increasingly interested in the creative memoir and literary non-fiction and found the dicussion "The New Non-Fiction" between Ahdaf Soueif, Basharat Peer, David Finkel, Martin Amis and Waheed Mirza to be full of insights. Many of them spoke of how the techniques of the fiction they had read influenced their writing. Pulitzer winner David Finkel, author of the Good Soldiers described how, as an "embedded" reporter in Iraq, he wanted to report, not daily events of the war, but what war did to the men who fought in it. While Waheed Mirza remarked that although his novel on Kashmir, drew on daily realities, he found fiction a better medium to express and imagine experiences which would have been restricted, had he limited himself to facts. Later on, I went to Will Fiennes talk about his creative memoir The Music Room and was spellbound by the extract he read about his relationship with his epileptic and handicapped brother.

There absolutely no place for me to sit for Mohsin Hamid's lively and witty session in conversation with journalist Shoma Chaudhury, because it was crowded and during which, the Harvard educated Pakistani scholar Aliya Iqbal Naqvi read out an extract from the Hindi translation of The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Later, in answer to a question, Mohsin spoke about the complexities of making the text of The Reluctant Fundamentalist so ambiguous: once it was written, it was not just Chengiz's story, but 'yours' i.e., each individual reader and it becomes a playground for what goes on in the reader's head.

Ahmed Rashid was as erudite as always – in conversation with the well-informed William Dalrymple. Ahmed spoke of the many years that he has covered the Afghan conflict, from the time Soviet troops rolled into Afghanistan. He went on to speak of the changing face of the regions, the difference between the mujahadin and the Taliban and the grave danger that Pakistan faces today as radicalisation spreads.

It was quite a treat to hear Vikram Seth talk about his work and his plans for a new novel A Suitable Girl, which takes the story of Lata his protagonist in A Suitable Boy, forward to the present day and examines her relationship with her children and grandchildren. But I also managed to catch the Pakistani writers Zaheda Hina, Shahyrar Fazli and the Bengladeshi novelist Shaheed Akhter discussed their novels about war and violence in the sub-continent – Zaheda Hina's on 1957, Fazli and Akhter's on 1971. This session was moderated by Urvashi Butalia, who is among the advisors of the festival.

The next day – on India's Republic Day – I discovered that both Urvashi Butalia of Zubaan and my publisher, Ritu Menon of Women Unlimited, who had co-founded Kali, the first feminist publisher in India, had both been awarded the Padma Shri Award for their contribution to literature and education.

So its seems that congratulations are in order all round – to Urvashi and Ritu for their achievements, to William Dalrymple, Namita Gokhale and their team which includes the immensely helpful Sanjoy Roy, Sheuli Sethi and Kritika Gupta, for a very successful festival.

I had a wonderful time.

Muneeza Shamsie, in Karachi

 

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Smells like revolution, but not in Pakistan​

I recently visited Egypt with friends. Our trip started in Luxor (once known as the city of Thebes) where we gazed in awe at some of the wonders of the ancient world. We munched on falafels, sipped on mint tea, smoked shisha, and sailed along the Nile. We drove along the Sinai coast, snorkelled in the Red Sea, and sunbathed in Sharm el Sheikh. In the metropolis of Cairo we shopped at the Khan el Khalili market, visited the Egyptian Museum, and made difficult dinner choices from an array of international cuisines. We had a fantastic time – good enough to write about in a travel blog.

But that was some weeks ago.

Today, airlines from all over the world are sending chartered flights to Cairo to bring their citizens back home. Over the last week, scores of tourists have seen their holiday take an unexpected turn. Massive street protests demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak have paralysed day to day activity in the Egyptian capital. On Sunday, January 30, over 10,000 protesters gathered in Tahrir Square, in downtown Cairo.

Shocked or in awe?

Efforts by the Egyptian military to dissipate protests have largely been unsuccessful despite the use of bullets, tear gas, and tanks. The people of Egypt are clearly enraged; they hold their president responsible for unemployment, food inflation, and poverty. At this point it looks likely that the thousands of protestors on the streets may very well achieve their goal – the end of Mubarak's 29 year reign.

For some, this state of affairs is shocking; for many others it is spectacular. Egyptians seem to have been roused from complacence. They seem to have realised 'If not us then who? If not now then when?'

This story is all the more compelling, given recent events in Tunisia, earlier in January, where President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali was forced to flee for his life after riots erupted in the city of Sidi Bouzid. Like Egypt, Tunisia was ruled by a dictator who had been in power for nearly 25 years. Years of imbalances had resulted in growing inequality as well as rampant joblessness, particularly among the educated youth.

Revolution is in the air

Worth noting is that the same socio economic conditions are not uncommon in other Arab countries and it now seems possible that the resultant sense of injustice could bring people out onto the streets in places such as Algeria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen. Arab rulers appear to be aware of this and efforts have been made in some Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to make food and fuel more affordable. Though measures such as these might play a role in calming emotions, they have not been enough to quell the notion that revolution is in the air.

Should the sentiment of rebellion endure as an appropriate response to economic injustice, Pakistanis may feel that they too have a role to play. After all, if the citizens of Cairo can be incensed despite having uninterrupted electricity, solid infrastructure, inexpensive fuel, and almost no crime, Karachiites protesting on the street should come as a surprise to no one.

Pakistan will not stir

Past experience suggests that it is likely that the events in Arab countries will leave Pakistan unchanged. Protests only become spontaneous after a certain critical mass is reached. Before that, they are contrived.

Protesters tend to be successful in making an impression when they are united by one or two straightforward demands. In the case of Egypt this is the departure of Hosni Mubarak. Also, protests need to be planned by organisers. In Egypt this was possible thanks to opposition parties who were proficient with Facebook, Twitter, and cell phone text messaging.

Protesters demanding regime change also need to present either a viable alternative or demand fresh elections. In Egypt, street activity has gained momentum as opposition groups have expressed their support for Mohamed el Baradei, a Nobel peace laureate and former head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency. In the absence of any efforts to create similar options in Pakistan, disgruntled Pakistanis are likely to remain just that.

 

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School first, fish later: Little fishermen now getting an education​

KARACHI: You know something is afoot when a madrassa shuts its morning shift to allow its students to attend the new school that has opened in the neighbourhood. But this is exactly what Qari Ahmed Raza did to make way for the Dawood Usman Goth Primary School in Rehri Goth, Bin Qasim Town.
"Most people in the area believed Nazrah and Islamiat was enough for their children," he says. "I shut down the morning shift because I believe students should be educated so that they can excel in life."
And while the foundation that funds the madrassa stopped its support, Qari Raza feels he has done the right thing. He's noticed that the children are more polite now and want to dress up properly.
The school has been adopted by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and Indus Resource Centre (IRC) who fixed up its skeletal frame and opened it six months ago. According to PPAF education project manager Bilal Hasan, they received an overwhelming response. The sheer number of Montessori enrollments indicates that parents are making the right choice.
"The school was not functional ever since it was set up in 1992," he says. "There was only one room and the teacher who was posted here would be absent most of the time." According to its records, only 40 children had enrolled and none of them had progressed beyond the fifth grade.
Amir, along with 173 other poor children, can now march to school every day in Rehri Goth, a small fishing village, where boys are expected to set out to sea with their fathers at a young age.
Principal Abida Mehmood says the residents were so encouraging that she started a remedial class for girls who have missed out on their primary education. Thirty-six girls are enrolled in the six-month programme today. "Getting the older boys to come is difficult," she says, though. "Most of them start going out to sea during the fishing season and lose interest in their studies at an early age." It is either school or earning up to Rs1,000 a day catching crabs.
Tasneem, who has three children studying at Dawood Usman, says she is happy with the opportunity. Her husband has also been telling their daughter to keep it up and they even hope she can pursue higher studies as well.
The school has not just tackled education, teachers have been tackling the children's gutka addiction.
Even the Montessori students found it difficult to quit. But one summer camp, the school roped in students and parents to warn them about its dangers and now they keep a check on all students.
The project has gone so well that the IRC has acquired another ghost school right across Dawood Usman and is planning to open a secondary campus by April. Remedial classes for boys will be housed in the building for seniors then. Space is an issue for now as Dawood Usman's second, third and fifth classes all sit together in one room. Irfan Ali who teaches all three, says a lack of space has forced the administration to cram the students together in one room. He divides the blackboard into three parts and teaches each grade individually. There is currently no fourth grade, however. None of the students qualified for it when they took the admissions test.
For now the syllabus consists of English, Sindhi, Urdu, General Knowledge and Math but the teachers and administration hope to open a college section soon.
And if the drop-out rate stays low, its is likely the students of today will be taking college Mathematics tomorrow.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2011.

 

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Sitting out fifth grade​

SIALKOT: Over 15,000 students in the Sialkot division have been unable to appear in the fifth grade board examination because they were not issued their roll number slips in time.
On Tuesday afternoon, parents of thousands of students protested outside the offices of the Sialkot EDO (Education). Fifth grade examinations have commenced all over the province and thousands of students have been unable to sit their exams this year. "We have been complaining to the Education Department for over a month because of issues with the registration but nothing was done," said Razia Farooq's mother Naila. The new registration involves downloading the forms and processing them online and there have been repeated issues with the Education Department's server.
Residents said that the Sialkot Education Department needed to be held accountable for the fact that over 15,000 students were not issued roll number slips for this year's exams. "These students might miss an entire year of schooling because of computer glitches and delays and no one seems to care enough to do something," said government school teacher Kashif.
Parents of several fifth graders complained that even students who were allowed to sit their exams faced a lot of problems. "The exam papers arrived three hours late and students remained locked in the examination hall for hours," said fifth grade student Liaqat's father Rahman Qamar. Parents said that many exam centres did not even have furniture or stationary and students were forced to sit on the floors or outside in the sun. "If anything, these exams should make the education department improve services for students but things are only getting worse," said a government girls' school teacher Sadaf.
Over a thousand protesters gathered outside the EDO education's office on Tuesday and protested for several hours. "While our children were waiting to get their exam papers in the hall, we have decided to protest to make the authorities take action," Qamar said.
The EDO's office refused to comment on the situation and Education Department officials have previously stated that the new online system is being implemented throughout the province. Earlier in the year, parents protested about registering their children online and Education Department officials clarified that several glitches in the online database were being repaired. "We have been hearing about the repairs for nearly a month now but it isn't making any difference. I understand that the new system will take time but that doesn't mean that my children shouldn't get into school," said Fatima Sultan's mother Iraj.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2011.

 

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High achievers: On top of the (Cambridge) world​

KARACHI: "Are you sure it's 'in the world'?" asked Meiryum Mohammad Ali of the Karachi Grammar School after every five minutes. She topped in the world in mathematics in her O' Level exam and she could not believe it. Her parents could not either. "They kept saying, 'What, what, what?' when I told them," she said.
The University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) announced on Monday the winners of the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards of secondary school learners in Pakistan for the June 2010 Cambridge examinations. Around 250 learners will receive awards for an exceptional performance in the examinations, according to a CIE press release. Fifty-three students achieved the highest marks in the world, while 48 attained the highest marks in Pakistan in a single subject.
Learners who have achieved the highest cumulative total of marks across a number of subjects will also be recognised. These students outperformed thousands of candidates worldwide who sat the Cambridge O level, IGCSE, AS and A' Level exams.
Abdul Rafey Siddiqui of St Patrick's High School topped in the world in O' Level statistics. He has started making a list of things he is going to ask his parents as his reward. "This year's paper was not easy and quite confusing. But when I completed it, I could not spot many mistakes," said Rafey, breathless with excitement. "But I had never expected a distinction!" The "quiet nerd of his class" is also a scrabble and chess champ and is also known to have the best finish in football, said one of Rafey's classmates.
Unlike the all-star Rafey, Husnain Habib Malik was surprised to know he had topped in A' Level history as he considered himself an average student. He modestly passed on the credit to his teachers. "It all goes to say that my teachers taught me really well. Kudos to them!"
Meanwhile, Zain Umar thought it was all a prank. A Nixor College student, Zain came second place for having the best score in five A' Level subjects. His parents dismissed the news and simply stared at him, confused, as they were not used to their son being a high achiever. "I wish the results had been announced a few weeks earlier because I just sent all my college applications – and this really would've really helped," regretted Zain.
William Bickerdike, Cambridge's regional manager for Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan said in a press release, "I am very proud to congratulate learners across the country. The results are a reflection of the enormous talent in Pakistan, not only amongst the learners but also within the teaching profession." He told The Express Tribune via email later that Pakistani students have been consistent high achievers. "This year, students from Pakistan have scored the highest marks in the world in no less than 26 different syllabi, demonstrating mastery not only in popular subjects but also in subjects that are less widely taken, like psychology, sociology, law and thinking skills."
Karachi Grammar School (KGS) has been the most consistent high-achieving school in Karachi, bagging the top positions every year. But some lesser known schools now entering the list of high achievers: Sargodhian Spirit Trust Public School, Rashidabad and Bahria School. However, St Patrick's High and St Joseph's Convent saw a decline in high achievers this year as compared to their previous years of glory.
After KGS, the relatively new Nixor College also grabbed a number of top positions in A' Levels. Nadeem Ghani, the Nixor College Dean, said while he believes that there is no such thing as competition among schools, he does feel proud of his students for achieving the top positions without tuitions.
Meanwhile, some educationists stressed that achieving the highest in the world rank was only part of the picture. Happy Home School principal Ghazala Nizami said, "Even if we don't have the tops any year, we have really good results overall." However, the top position is a motivation, not just for the students but for teachers too, she added.
(Disclaimer: Meiryum Mohammad Ali is a columnist for The Express Tribune. She writes Khayaban-e-Nowhere each Sunday.)
Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2011.

 

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Talking 'bout a revolution​

You know things are out of control when the Middle East starts protesting dictatorship. It only took that part of the world most of the post-Pliocene period to consider the possibility of democracy. To be fair, maybe countries like Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan just wanted to make sure the rest of the world had gotten the kinks out of the system before trying it out. Now though, with all of Egypt posing in front of tanks and Hosni Mubarak having to consider the possibility of living the rest of his life in Saudi Arabia (hotels in Jeddah offer a free breakfast voucher to all exiled former dictators seeking refuge), it seems as though change is well and truly at hand. All it took was for a lone fruit seller to set himself on fire in Tunisia to set off a chain of events that might just see the largest collection of autocracies this side of Africa discovering the power of the mob. That and decades of authoritarian oppression, failing economies, crumbling infrastructures, rising unemployment and bottomless corruption. But chances are it's the fruit seller who will be remembered. Not since Gavrilo Princip kick-started World War I by leaving a deli just in time to get a few bullets into Archduke Franz Ferdinand, has one man affected so much change with a single act of violent protest.
Mubarak's fate was, of course, sealed the day Hillary Clinton announced that the government in Egypt had things under control. Any Pakistani dictator can tell you that nothing signals a fast approaching end like show of support by the United States. The last week has seen truly inspirational footage of impassioned Egyptians battling valiantly for an end to authoritarianism. Which will make their subsequent disappointment with the reality of democratic rule all the more depressing. It's not all freedom of speech and cakes for dessert after the first free and fair election. That is something any Pakistani civilian can tell you. That's our missed opportunity right there: Maybe we should advertise ourselves as consultants specialising in Post-Dictatorship Democracy. We know all the ways of doing it wrong. Let someone else learn from our mistakes.
Those in Pakistan getting too readily aroused about the possibility of a revolution here need to be reminded that we already had ours. We just recently removed our dictator through the agitations of the (increasingly ironically titled) Civil Society. President Zardari won't have to worry about the ripples of revolution reaching him, largely because we can just vote him out next election. Our own Long March to Freedom didn't have quite the same domino effect across the rest of the world because the rest of the world views us less as a source of inspiration and more as a slapstick routine that involves pratfalls, pies in faces and an ever-inflating sense of self.
Very soon Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, maybe Jordan, definitely not the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (their populace is too busy suffering the effects of endemic lethargy and tossing phone numbers into each others' cars to worry about freedom and self-rule type stuff) will have to learn that while dictatorships mean an unrequested abdication of responsibility for the population, democracy means something much, much worse: Taking responsibility back. Their failures will be their own fault now. So if they find themselves persecuting minorities, celebrating murder, indulging in Olympic levels of corruption, killing each other in the streets, using religion as a means of cynical political gain, effecting economic ruin through a combination of negligence and incompetence, refusing to acknowledge the threat posed by extremism, using ignorance and fear to increase television ratings and not firing Ijaz Butt, they will have only themselves to blame. Fixing those problems won't be as easy as a few mass protests. They require real hard work and time. Welcome to freedom Egypt. Don't let it break you.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 3rd, 2011.

 

[Rage]

Pakistan's youngest rock band​

Zoya and Ali Sultan made their debut at the Young Music Competition in 2010. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

LAHORE: Biting his lower lip, 10-year-old Ali Sultan, head bangs as he drums "Don't Cry" by Guns n Roses. His sister and fellow band member, Zoya, 15, sings along as her fingers fly across the strings of her electric guitar.
Ali and Zoya debuted as a band at the Young Music Competition in the beginning of 2010 where Zoya sang Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" and was accompanied by Ali on the drums. Bass guitarist for the band, Vicky, 19, was hired by Zoya and Ali's father and band manager, Uzair Sultan, in 2009 to complete the band, The Others, started by his children.
The Others went on to the semi-finals in the competition and this event was followed with the band getting a 20 minute slot on City FM 89 with DJ Pony. Now the two youngsters are opening for concerts two or three times a week and have even opened for Strings at the City School, the Cheapmunks, Josh and Ali Azmat.
How did these two get interested in rock music at such a young age? "I began singing and playing the guitar when I was 10 years old and Ali practised on a drumming kit, a present our parents gave him for his sixth birthday," said Zoya.
"Our father got both Ali and I separate tutors for a year. After this I began learning guitar through tutorials available online, meanwhile, Ali took up drumming again and practiced day and night. This is when we decided to play rock music together."
The brother and sister also compose their own music, "We have composed a few songs but can barely find time to concentrate on making music as we're always busy preparing for the shows our father has booked us in for," says Zoya.
Of the three band members, Ali gets the most attention as he's the youngest. "Women and girls of all ages rush up to meet him after a gig," says Zoya. Ali adds, "It makes me feel uncomfortable at times."
After completing her A levels, Zoya plans to go to the Berkeley College of Music while grade four student, Ali, said that currently completing his homework is a challenge but his mother ensures that he does, regardless of any gigs or any performances he may have the same day.
The band's name, The Others, was partially inspired by the hit TV series "Lost" but there was another reason behind the name as well.
"Being raised by a liberal-minded father and a Russian mother, Ali and I always felt a little different from the other kids we met. We will go to weddings dressed casually and eat at odd hours. Our father always encouraged us to do what we wanted, unlike a lot of other parents who only want their children to study. So, after Vicky joined, we changed our bands name from Zoya aur Ali to The Others," said Zoya.
Their parents, Uzair and Aleena, accompany their children to every gig and said, "Protecting them and seeing that they are among the right people is our responsibility."
Currently this young band is still learning and experimenting with music, but one daythey plan on writing songs. For now, they draw inspiration from established names such as Bryan Adams, Guns and Roses and Iron Maiden. They also listen to other underground bands from Pakistan with Co-Ven as their favourite. The band is already becoming popular with 1,100 fans on their Facebook.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2011.

^^ That is all very good.

But there's a thread here: http://defenceforumindia.com/showthread.php?t=18924

 

[Ray]

THE TALE OF TWO NATIONS

No change to be made in blasphemy law: PM
January 17, 2011

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said government is very sincere in blasphemy law adding no change will be made in this law nor the government has ever thought about any change in the law.

" If we don't honor blasphemy law then who will do it. We will not introduce any amendment in the constitution or law nor have we constituted any committee. We are sincere in blasphemy law. We will neither amend any constitution nor bring any change in this law. We have never ever thought to do so. However I will say if there is any law it should not be misused", Prime Minister said this while addressing the inauguration ceremonies of regional offices of Allama Iqbal Open University and Baha ud Din Zikriya University here Monday.

Those who were criticizing should not waste their time and join hands with the government as we were facing challenges of terrorism, poverty and unemployment, he stressed. "We should fortify institutions, media and democracy.

Politics of reconciliation being pursued by us should not be considered our weakness, he underlined.
"We gave 18th and 18th amendment to the country and got NFC award approved with consensus. We will take forward the mission of Benazir Bhutto so that no one could raise any finger that this area was breeding terrorists. People of this area are not terrorists. They are patriotic and they have rendered unprecedented sacrifices for the sake of democracy, he underscored.

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/17-Jan-2011/No-plans-to-amend-blasphemy-law-PM

Girl whipped to death by clerics for illicit affair in Bangladesh

PTI, Feb 3, 2011, 04.25pm IST

DHAKA: A 14-year-old girl was whipped to death by clerics for allegedly having an illicit relationship with a married man triggering massive protests across Bangladesh.

The clerics ordered 14-year-old Mosammet Hena to be whipped by 100 lashes in a Fatwah or a religious court at a village in the outskirts of the capital on Tuesday for allegedly carrying on with a married man.

The girl collapsed midway after being lashed 70 times publicly with a bamboo cane and had to be rushed to hospital where she died hours later.

The 40-year-old man with whom Hena was having an affair was also sentenced to 100 lashes. But the man fled to escape the punishment.

The street fury prompted the high court to demand an explanation from the government for failure to save the girl, despite a court ruling banning religious courts from taking action in such cases.

A two-member high court bench took a "suo-motu" notice of the punishment meted out by the religious court and asked the district police chief and two other administrative officials to explain within 15 days why they "failed" to protect the girl.

The bench comprising justices Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain also asked them what action had been taken against the culprits who ordered the lashings.

Another high court bench comprising justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and justice Nazrul Islam Talukder in a nearly identical suo motto order on Wednesday asked law enforcement agencies to submit a report within three weeks explaining what steps were taken to comply with its earlier order to stop "extra judicial killings" in the name of fatwa.

Fatwas are illegal in Bangladesh, a Muslim majority nation.


The bench also ordered the information ministry to run a media campaign to create awareness among people against extra-judicial punishments by religious courts.

Media reports and officials, however, suggested that the girl was a rape victim but the influential village leaders and clerics instead of taking actions against the rapist ordered Hena to be lashed 100 times for "illicit relations".

This was the second such incident of Islamic courts handing out extra-judicial penalties since October last year.

Following the court intervention, police claimed they had arrested four clerics.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Girl-whipped-to-death-by-clerics-for-illicit-affair-in-Bangladesh/articleshow/7418546.cms

Both were one nation at one time.

Yet, one has to see the vast difference in mindset.

One is a rationale country wanting to keep pace with the times, whilst the other is heading at neck break speed toward antediluvian and mediaeval times.

Maybe the racial difference plays a part in the tolerance of one, and the abject intolerance of the other!

 

[ajtr]

US dilemma for Pakistan ​

K.P. NAYAR
Washington, Feb. 3:
The crisis of the Arab Street is slowly spilling into South Asia.

In Lahore, it has surfaced in demonstrations since Sunday against any attempt to release a US consular employee, now in custody for the murder of two Pakistanis, and has spread to the US chancery and the foreign office in Islamabad.

In both cities, the establishment is walking a tightrope, hoping to direct the pervasive anti-Americanism cutting across Pakistani society away from its own rulers. That may be easier than dealing with what is emerging as the worst diplomatic stand-off between Washington and Islamabad.

In an effort to secure the release of Raymond Davis, the consular employee, President Barack Obama quietly sent Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, for a meeting with Pakistan's army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, but to no avail.

So far, at least. Worse, the Pakistanis made public the general's trip from Afghanistan without, of course, saying that Davis was his reason to see Kayani.

Obama sent Petraeus following consternation on Capitol Hill here that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari had turned down a plea by a six-member delegation of US Congressmen to free Davis.

The delegation was made up of members of the US House of Representatives, Stephen Lynch, Brian Higgins, Todd Platts, Jason Chaffetz and Raul Labrador and led by the powerful chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee, Darrell Issa.




Many Congressmen think they own Pakistan because of the control the US Congress exercises on the purse-strings of the huge aid to Islamabad and Zardari's refusal was a rare slap in their faces.

But, for the establishment in Pakistan, the Davis case has come in handy: during crises of the street, it is not uncommon for foreign nationals to become pawns in the games for power. It has happened in Saddam Hussein's Iraq, in Idi Amin's Uganda and in China during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.

Today, a magistrate in Lahore extended the police remand for Davis by another eight days. This week, the central and Punjab governments clashed on the issue and there was uproar in Pakistan's National Assembly over the Zardari government's prospective inability to stand up to pressure from Washington to free Davis.

Islam being the raison d'être for Pakistan, Rawalpindi has always shivered when it rained in Cairo, Tehran or Rabat.

It happened during the siege of the Grand Mosque at Mecca in 1979, again in 1989 after Salman Rushdie published The Satanic Verses and has occurred periodically whenever peace at the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem was disrupted.

Although it is in South Asia, Pakistan's rulers have always had pretensions of being sentimentally closer to the Arab world than to its neighbours because of religion.

But perhaps for the first time, this proximity, partly self-deluding, has put not only Zardari, but also Kayani and the Opposition's Nawaz Sharif in a crisis of identity.

Notionally a democracy, Pakistan's democratic institutions are only slightly stronger than those in many Arab states. As in Egypt, the military is the strongest institution in Pakistan.

Therefore, the potential for a popular revolt in Pakistan against its ruling classes of the Hosni Mubarak variety can only be diverted through the outlet of anti-Americanism.

But the government's and the military's dependence on Washington makes any excessive fanning of anti-Americanism self-defeating.



Pakistan's closeness to Arab despots and the benefits it has received from such closeness from states like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also makes it difficult for Islamabad to decide where it stands in the present crisis.

By late this evening, there were signs that a resolution of the crisis over Davis may be in the offing.

Interior minister Rehman Malik today confirmed that the American is in Pakistan on a diplomatic passport. That will make it difficult for the courts in Lahore to hold him in remand much longer.

 

[Friend]

A sarcastic post on Pakistan by a blogger

Very well written, could you please give the link??

 

[Oracle]

Talks to resume, Pak FM to visit India in July

India [ Images ] and Pakistan have agreed to resume dialogue on 'all issues' and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will visit New Delhi [ Images ] by July to review progress in the parleys.

Unveiling the road-map for resumption of a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan, India on Thursday announced that the home secretaries of the two countries will hold talks on counter-terrorism, including progress in the 26/11 trial in Rawalpindi court, ahead of Qureshi's visit in July.

In a statement titled Agreed Outcome of India-Pakistan Foreign Secretary-level talks in Thimphu' the ministry of external affairs said secretary-level talks on the issues of counter-terrorism (including progress on Mumbai trial); humanitarian issues; peace and security, including confidence building measures; Jammu and Kashmir [ Images ]; promotion of friendly exchanges; Siachen and economic issues will be held in the next few months.

The decision to resume the dialogue, suspended by India in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks [ Images ] carried out by Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Tayiba, was made during talks between the foreign secretaries of the two countries on the margins of a SAARC meet in Thimphu last week.

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani [ Images ] expressed his "satisfaction on the important decision taken both by Pakistan and India to resume the full spectrum of dialogue," according to a statement issued by the premier's office.

Before Qureshi's visit to India, secretaries and officials of the two countries will hold a series of meetings to discuss issues like counter-terrorism, peace and security, Kashmir, Siachen and economic matters

The two sides have agreed to "resume dialogue on all issues following the spirit of the Thimphu meeting between the two prime ministers" last year.

The two sides also agreed that before Qureshi's visit, meetings at the level of secretaries and other officials will be convened on counter-terrorism, including progress on the trial of suspects charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks, humanitarian issues, peace and security, including confidence-building measures, Jammu and Kashmir, promotion of friendly exchanges, Siachen, economic issues, Wullar Barrage-Tulbul Navigation Project and Sir Creek.

Following the mandate given by the prime ministers of India and Pakistan after their meeting in Thimphu in April 2010, the foreign ministers of the two sides had met in Islamabad [ Images ] in July 2010 to review the "current state of the bilateral relationship and discuss steps to promote trust and confidence between the two countries," the statement said.

The foreign secretaries met in Thimphu on February 6 to "carry forward this process" and have briefed their respective governments, it said.

After the meeting of Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao [ Images ] and her counterpart Salman Bashir last Sunday, India and Pakistan have agreed to resume dialogue on all issues.

Source

 

[ajtr]

What the Chinese guy said​

[/COLOR]
[/CENTER]
I entered the departure area nervously looking around for an empty row. This was not the first time that I was traveling alone. I had been living in the chaos of traumatic Singapore since the past two years. I had backpacked and traveled to several countries alone before. I feel more comfortable doing things without a companion: the freedom and the sense of self-determination when you are able to achieve something on your own. But this time I was more excited and anxious than I usually would have been. All because of the destination I was heading off to – Pakistan, a region which was once ruled by Alexander the Great and several ancient empires; a country where some parts are ruled by the Taliban at this moment.

I remembered the moment I received notification of my acceptance to do an internship program in Pakistan. I was sitting in front of my laptop in my room, silently (usually I would sing), trying not to wake my roommate up from his sleep. I opened my mailbox. Several junk mails and one big surprise. I clicked on the one which was sent by the Career Attachment Office, it read 'Congratulations, you have been selected by the Dawn Media Group (Pakistan) without interview'. Excitement rushed through my body.

My parents were not surprised when I told them I will be leaving for Pakistan one month later. I crawled into their bedroom like the way I used to when I was a child. I woke them up and announced, "Mum, I got the e-mail from school about my internship and I will be leaving for Pakistan"¦"¦for six months. I will work for a local newspaper company at their website department." My dad, as usual, remained silent. "Isn't the country dangerous?"

"No, it is not Palestine (white lie), it's quite safe, I'll be staying in the largest city, not the rural area."
"What about the Taliban? And, the bombings?"
"No, that is Afghanistan. Pakistan is very, very safe (another white lie)."
"Okay, if that is what you want, just do it. But, be careful."

And just like that, I was in the game!

Friends began organising farewell parties before my departure. To most of them, this may be the last chance to see me in their entire life (I was guessing). To most of us, what we usually saw in the newspapers and television, Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries amongst the 192 countries listed by the United Nations.

I surveyed my surroundings and examined passengers at the departure area, unaware of a male voice coming from next to me. "Hello, are you going to Karachi?" It came from a bearded, 40-year-old gentleman who was sitting besides me.

"Yes, I'm going there for a university internship program." I replied, uneasily. Thousands of thoughts popped up in my head: Is this guy a Pakistani? Why did he talk to me? Shall we continue the conversation? He looks"¦is he a terrorist? Was he carrying a bomb? (Yes, Pakistanis, just the way you like to think that every Chinese knows Kung-Fu, we often think how any Pakistani may be carrying a bomb! That's how media influences our perception.) Shall I just ignore him?

We continued the conversation. Not that I had a choice. It was wise not to ignore him than make him angry, right? So, for as long as we were talking, I never stopped judging him. This was the first Pakistani man I had ever met in my life. His name was Fahad, a professor from a university in Malaysia. We continued to talk as we walked to the gate after landing. I glanced at the queue in front of us. God, I was the only Chinese in this queue! In fact, I was the only foreigner on the airbus.

​

"It was a pleasant trip, we hope to see you again"¦" the loudspeaker repeated its lines in different languages. Unbelievable, I was finally on Pakistani soil! I passed the security gate and checkpoint easily. The security network wasn't as strict as Changi Airport; I guess, since terrorists who targeted Singapore and the United States won't have much time to bother Pakistan, it was pointless spending much effort to scan every passenger. With Fahad's help, I exchanged my money for local currency and got myself a taxi heading to Murtaza's (the editor of Dawn newspaper's Magazine supplement) house. I hoped the taxi driver didn't see my facial expression before I began talking to him. I was frightened by his appearance. I couldn't help but think how this guy looked exactly like Osama Bin Laden! Although I was sure that he was not Osama, but shock was shock, I couldn't deny it. He started talking to me in Urdu, obviously which I didn't understand. He sensed that I didn't understand what he was saying, so he tried his best to translate his words to English, "Road block"¦New Year's eve"¦die"¦die." At the same time, he posed an odd sign with his finger. I didn't exactly understand what it implied, but it was the same gesture when you used your finger to click the camera button. Five minutes later, he pointed at me with a fatherly gaze, and said "Crazy people, crazy land." His eyes were sincere. I wasn't sure if he was saying I was a crazy guy who landed on this crazy land, or was he referring to crazy Pakistanis who were blocking the roads. At that moment, I wasn't really sure if I could reach Murtaza's house safely, either.

When our speedy car slowed down, I saw a sign board with 'DHA' (Defence Housing Authority) written on it and I knew we were finally reaching Murtaza's house. I pressed the door bell uncertainly, as I was not sure if the driver really understood where I wanted to go. One minute passed, no one came out. It was the driver who pressed the button now. "Jia Wei, here, behind, nice to meet you!" Murtaza called me from his car. Inside his car, I saw a lady and three kids. So, I had finally reached my destination!

I would be staying at Murtaza's house before I could find an apartment to settle down. Once inside, Murtaza invited me to have a cup of tea. It was my first cup of tea in Pakistan. "We can go to Japan or Europe anytime we want, as long as you have money and free time but to me Pakistan is not a place where everyone can come. If I missed this chance, I don't think I would ever have another chance to visit this country," I told Murtaza and his wife when they asked me why I chose to come to Pakistan. Unlike the driver, they didn't look like the Pakistanis I saw on television. I wouldn't have guessed that they were Pakistanis or Muslims if they walked in front of me on the streets in Singapore.

It was a chilly evening, and we were having dinner with four guests, three gentlemen and one lady. That was my first Pakistani dinner. To a typical Chinese, dinner meant three dishes and a bowl of rice. What I had at Murtaza's house was entirely different. There were naans (local bread) and various kinds of curry and biryani (the most popular rice dish). I was paying more attention on every single dish than on the conversation that was going on. I was glad because I knew I wouldn't be missing Chinese food in these six months!

When the guests had left, Murtaza's wife told me "Jia Wei, we're leaving for a new years eve party now. Get ready!" She must be kidding. A party in Pakistan? Impossible. However, they looked like they were leaving the house, and I remembered Murtaza told me that we would come back quite late this evening, so I assumed what Murtaza's wife said was right. "Party? Shall I change my clothes?"

"No, you look fine." About 20 minutes later we were heading to a gathering – what the three Pakistanis called 'a party.' I didn't expect any party (if party meant a dance floor and neon lights) scene in this Islamic country. When I finally got out from the car a strange thing occurred. I heard a Lady Gaga song blaring from one of the houses where there were four security guards standing in front of the house with guns on their shoulders. "What is this scene?" I questioned myself. We entered the house, it was dark, and the music was loud. There was a throng of people dancing over there while I got myself a plate of seafood. I couldn't believe what I saw. "Young man, don't be deceived, life is not at all like this!" A lady shouted to me over Lady Gaga's voice. At that time, I was sure that I would love this country more than I thought I ever would!

I woke up quite late the next day. When I finally walked out of the room and met Murtaza, he asked "Jia Wei, would you like to visit your office?" Twenty minutes later, we were on our way to the Dawn office. There were more security guards than I had expected. As we made our way inside Dawn.com, the department where I was supposed to begin my internship, Murtaza introduced me to Qurat-ul-ain Siddiqui, a.k.a, Annie, my soon to be senior colleague (surprisingly, Pakistani girls don't cover their face). It was great to visit the office before I started work, but it was making me nervous. I realized that I have not just come here to see Pakistan but also was here for an internship program. I would start work in two days. Murtaza simply sensed my worry and later he said "you have come here to learn."

That evening, we went to Sea-view beach in Clifton with the three children. Standing in front of the Arabian Sea, I was stunned. Suddenly, I felt as excited as the kids did. I had only heard the name of the Arabian Sea long ago, but I didn't know it was so stunningly beautiful. Gorgeous, calm, peaceful, serene, were all the words that came to my mind that second.

​

The Osama look-alike taxi driver, messy traffic, Murtaza's family, Pakistani food, the Arabian Sea, I saw two completely different pictures of Pakistan. When I wondered how much more this country would make an impact on me, Murtaza said "I am taking the girls to the cinema, you should come with us. We will watch 'Narnia' the movie in 3D"¦"

What? Did he just say 3D movie? I had never ever expected there would be a cinema theatre located in Karachi, and now we were heading to a 3D theatre. Everything in the theatre was excellent, except the part where the electricity was cut off during one of the most stimulating scenes (and I thought there might be a chance that it was cut off due to a terrorist attack before I realized that electricity shortage is part of the daily life in Karachi).

I moved to the YMCA (Hostel of Young Men Christian's Association) on the fourth day. I checked in to a single room, with a bed, a cupboard, a desk and a chair. Most importantly, it was economical. I was quite excited before moving in, though I was sure (and was warned) that the facilities and atmosphere inside the hostel wouldn't be as cozy as what I had got at Murtaza's house. But I didn't really care as I had come here all the way from Malaysia to experience the real Pakistani life. Forget about the comfortable bed and homely feel. I wanted to get an in-depth experience of Pakistani life.

The room was not as bad as I thought; plain and clean, except the corridor to my room was extremely dark and horrible. I moved all my belongings to the room and told myself, "The adventure has officially begun!" After all the necessary cleaning works, I walked to the shared bathroom to take a shower, and then realized that there was no warm water supply! Isn't it winter now? Fifteen degrees Celsius, do Pakistanis not feel cold? (The average temperatures in tropical countries are stably around 28-30 degrees Celsius). I was shivering under the shower when I told myself, "You are going to transform into a real man in six months."




The rickshaw is a common mode of transport in this city and is a good way to explore different areas. I have been taking rickshaws to places like the Bin Qasim Park in Clifton (it was a really huge park), the Mausoleum of Mr Jinnah, the Sunday Bazaar (a weekly apparently cheaply priced mega-market place) and various other areas. Usually, I tried to behave like a local (although I don't look at all like a Pakistani) instead of being a tourist, but you know you have not succeeded in this part of acting when you buy a pair of socks for double the price at Sunday Bazaar after a big bargain.



Since arriving here, being Chinese, I was always getting too much attention that I didn't want, especially when I was walking alone without any Pakistani friends. Strangers on the streets always stopped me and greeted me, insisting I should sit beside them to have a cup of tea. (They behaved like old friends – as if we knew each other for a long time). These were friendly Pakistanis, although it could be annoying, sometimes (like when you were not in a mood to talk, or when you were rushing to the office and you were already late). People simply get curious when they see a foreigner in this tourism starved country, regardless where the foreigner comes from. Funny thing was, people always asked me the same questions, and I almost repeated the same answers every time.

Pakistani: Are you from China? Or Japan?
Me: No, I am from Malaysia.
Pakistani: Malaysia? Are you a Muslim? (Well, this is a tough question).
Me: No, I am a Malaysian-born Chinese.
Pakistani: Do you know Kung Fu? Do you use sticks to eat?

However, what I am telling you is not the worst case. There was this one time when I was being followed by a weird man on the street. It was a crowded evening when I walked out from a restaurant next to Zainab Market (a good place to explore the real Pakistan). This person approached me and asked, "Do you want to accept my friendship? Can you be my friend?" (I didn't even know his name). I tried my best to ignore him until I realized he had been crossing a couple of streets with me. I then stopped, and asked, "Why are you following me?" He finally said, "Friend, I don't have any money now, do you want to sponsor me some money for the bus fare?"

My neighbours at the YMCA were curious about my presence too. I had a very kind neighbour who gave me Pakistani food daily and walked away quickly after passing the food to me. We hadn't even had a real conversation yet (this is the most amazing part), I didn't know his name either and so I named him 'The neighbour'. It began on a normal evening when I was back from Dawn's office. The neighbor knocked on my door.

Me: (Opened the door) "Hi, what is this?" (He passed me a cup of ice-cream)
The neighbor: "You are a Malay Chinese, right?"
Me: "Yes, Malaysian-born Chinese."
The neighbor: "So, this is for you, free!"
Me: "Oh, shukriya! (means thank you in Urdu)"

He must be thinking that I was an Urdu expert, because five minutes later, he knocked on my door again and passed me a plate of dates and beans.

The neighbor: "Jing-ga-lang-ka-jing-ga-lang-ka-jing-ga-lang-ka"
Me: Huh?
The neighbour: "Jing-ga-lang-ka-jing-ga-lang-ka-jing-ga-lang-ka"

Then he walked away, leaving me alone in my doorway with the plate of beans.

I received minced-meat with paratha (oil-dripping bread) from him a few days later, and so on. He still talks to me in Urdu.

I started my work at Dawn.com very soon. Murtaza introduced me to Shyema, the supervisor and Deputy Editor, to me on the same Monday when I moved into YMCA. Shyema asked me why I chose Pakistan and the Dawn Media Group for my internship. We had a brief discussion and then I was told to sit beside Umair, a very unruffled colleague from whom I learnt 90 per cent of the Urdu I have picked up so far (basic phrases and curse words). Umair showed me the official website where we publish the news stories and photos. So, I spent about half an hour studying what was happening on the website. It was attention-grabbing, why? Because there was a lot of (in fact, too much) breaking news. Newspapers and news websites in Malaysia and Singapore would never be that interesting. Work at Dawn.com is quite individualized. Everyone works on their own tasks independently, yet colleagues are caring. Hasaan, now my best hang-out-buddy, gave me a workshop about what he wanted me to do on the second day.

The distance between the YMCA and the Dawn office is about a 10 minute walk. With the intention of living like a Pakistani, I walk to the office everyday instead of taking a rickshaw. I enjoy every sight and event that takes place on the streets. People chatting joyfully (although Pakistanis don't smile much), cars and motorbikes rushing madly like there was no rule on the roads, donkeys resting under trees, the smell of litter and pollution in downtown, and so on. I was totally impressed by this vibrant atmosphere.

One afternoon during my second week, while I was walking to the office, I saw a crowd in the middle of the road. In front of the crowd, someone stood on a lorry and shouted something in Urdu aggressively. I felt curious about what was happening in front of my eyes and without knowing what it was, I began walking towards them. There were around 50 people in the crowd, and they seemed to be moving towards a specific direction. Some of them were holding banners while others were repeating what the leader had shouted. They looked upset. Then I suddenly realized, whoa, is it a protest rally going on? (People don't protest in Malaysia and Singapore, I had never ever seen any protest rally in my life). I felt anxious and excited as I didn't know what was going to happen. So, I frantically took a picture with my cell phone, and left the crowd hurriedly before any thing happened to me.



One thing I should really point out (I didn't notice it before Shyema told me), that ever since I got here, 'weird things keep on happening.' Salman Taseer, the governor of the Punjab province was assassinated during the first week (when everything in this country was new and uncertain to me). A 7.2 magnitude earthquake occurred during the second week (miraculously, I didn't feel it!). A foreigner shot Pakistanis on the street in Lahore (I had not seen more than five foreigners in these four weeks). Lastly, on the day of my 22nd birthday, there was a bomb blast in Karachi which killed two policemen. It happened just before I finished my work, when I was expecting an exciting birthday celebration with my colleagues. Suddenly, Hasaan came up to me and said, "Listen, I don't want to ruin your birthday plan, but we have to cancel everything due to a bomb blast in the city." I didn't get what he meant at first, or the correct way to say is, I didn't expect what he said before I replied, "I see, that is fine. We can always change to another day. Are you guys going out to cover it?" So my birthday celebration ended up with a dinner with pizzas and desserts which Hasaan bought from a nearby bakery, added with everyone's laughter. I really admire Pakistani optimism, life is short and bombings could happen anywhere in this country. Pakistanis know how to overlook grief and live happily. Sometimes, we have to let go and my ruined birthday plan was the best example.

Two days later we went to Arena (a recreational club) for bowling (another surprise, there are bowling courts in Pakistan), as a compliment to my spoilt birthday plan. Most of the boys from my office came and we played for around an hour. I was not surprised about being the loser of the game. I was never ever a good bowler. What I was sure about was that everyone enjoyed the game.

Just a few days later I was invited to a 'Mehndi,' a pre-wedding ceremony (full of local dancing and sing-alongs). It was Hafsa's ceremony, one of my senior colleagues at Dawn.com. We didn't really know each other much as she went on leave for her wedding preparations soon after I joined in. This would be an incredible experience for me, to see a local wedding ceremony and get a chance to savour local cuisine. The only issue was that I was supposed to wear the local dress, a Kurta (the long top) and a shalwaar (the long bottom) to the gathering, but I didn't have one. So Hasaan, Rishad (another senior colleague) and I rushed to a store called Khaadi, a favourite among locals for their dresses, at a shopping mall where I also bought a pair of sandals for myself (which I was told was the appropriate footwear to match with the clothes).



I saw smoke lifting from barbequed food being prepared and smelt kebabs as we reached the event. Crowds gathered at the front gate and I followed Hasaan as we entered the gate. Inside, I saw Umair and Taimur (yet another senior colleague). They pointed at a direction where I saw girls waiting outside a small room. "Hafsa is inside, we're waiting for her."

​

When Hafsa finally walked out of the tiny room, we followed the crowd to the main event. Unlike girls wearing red during traditional Chinese weddings, the Mehndi was multi-colored and vibrant. It looked like a festival. Thousands of tiny light bulbs were hanging from the ceiling of the main tent where people had gathered and were talking cheerfully. The music was pretty loud too. I finally spotted Hafsa who was seated on a beautiful stage. Elders were feeding her with 'mithai' (local desserts). It looked strange to me and I couldn't tell why they were doing this. So, I asked Taimur who said, "This is part of our customs, they feed her because they feel happy for her."

​

To a Chinese, food is the key element of almost any social occasion, whether it is a party or a wedding. We basically get satisfaction from the quality of the food we have. So I couldn't wait to move to the queue when they announced that dinner was ready. Standing beside me, Umair was trying his level best to explain Pakistani customs to me. An old gentleman standing in front of us was interested by our conversation and turned around. Obviously he was shocked by what he saw, a strange Chinese guy wearing a Shalwaar Kurta, appearing at a traditional Pakistani wedding ceremony. Curiously, he asked me the same questions every Pakistani was asking me: "Are you a Chinese? Ni Hao (How are you in Chinese). You shouldn't stand in queue, you are a guest. Come here, just stand in front of me," he insisted. So I thanked him and moved to the front with Umair. The odd thing was repeated: the guy in front of us turned back and said excitedly, "You are a Chinese? China is friend of Pakistan. You shouldn't stand in queue, come here." By the end, we were at the front of the queue. It was an embarrassing moment because I knew everyone in queue was looking at me as if I was an alien who just landed on Earth. Chinese say, "Dig a hole in the floor and jump into it." It was exactly what I wanted to do at that second. I quickly put some paratha, chicken tikka, kebabs and some random unknown food onto my plate. The food looked delicious and as I expected I loved the taste of tikka.

I didn't know that I was a spicy food lover before I came to Karachi. However, I am officially in an open-relationship with Pakistani cuisine after staying here for a month. It is hot, juicy and mouth-watering, and possibly the best food in the world, after Chinese and Japanese food. My favorites are biryani and kebab. There are many restaurants in town offering a huge variety of local food. I always walk on the streets near Zainab Market where I began my food discovery journey from restaurant to restaurant. It is really a fantastic way to explore Karachi.

​

However, Chullu Kebab is the best amongst all. The best thing about it is, it is always served in a mega-sized plate (and I am sure the plate is two times bigger than my face), with oily buttered rice, long kebab sticks and juicy fried-tomatoes.

​

​

I had been experiencing several different things in Karachi. I remember that on a Saturday evening, at around nine o'clock while I was reading a book, Hasaan called my cell-phone and asked, "Listen, are you free right now? My friends are gathering for a plan to play volleyball, do you want to join us?"

What? Was he kidding? Volleyball"¦during a chilly winter night?

"Yes, that sounds great, I would like to come along." I heard the inner part of my mind question me: "Dude, are you mad?"

So I finally met some of Hasaan's other friends. There were five guys excluding Hasaan and me. Hasaan was explaining to me the stories between their friendships. "We met in high school"¦This guy is the CEO of (some) company"¦this guy can speak Chinese," he said in his excited smoky voice. The six of them looked totally different (normally, all Pakistanis looked the same to me, just the way all Americans look the same to me – which is when they all said that all Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Malay and so on look the same). The games began with an interesting atmosphere created by my new friends. Volleyball is not a common ball game in Malaysia, we are more into football and basketball. I only played volleyball once during high school. But I would say I really enjoyed the moment when everyone concentrated tossing the white ball, regardless who won the games and how stupid I was during it. It was a completely different experience playing in such cold weather (I was the only one who felt cold). Then I understood why always some international players played worse when they took part in a competition held in a foreign country.

It was a warmer (accurately, less-colder) evening when I was standing in front of Sultan Masjid (a very famous up-scale mosque in the Defence area of Karachi). I was waiting for Zeeshan, a very good friend of Hasaan's who could speak Mandarin, to pick me up to see a play called Bombay Dreams. I researched about the play on Google before I left my room. It was something about Bollywood, music, and dance. Zeeshan's car arrived five minutes later and I was glad when I sat in his car.

A few of Zeeshan's friends joined us later while we waited for them at his house. They were two girls, very westernized-looking (I was always amazed by the diversity in this country, the most conservative people and the most modernized people in the world shared the same sky in this city) and friendly. We headed to the theatre after a quick dinner. I would say, it was not a bad play from a Chinese point of view as I was inspired by the way they designed the whole play: Many crazy Bollywood elements, and actors dancing and singing like they were celebrating a festival. You would not see any of these in a Chinese Opera.

There is one thing that I should definitely mention. Before we reached the theatre, Zeeshan was telling me how Pakistanis are very nice and kind etc etc, and I told him I like Karachi very much. Five minutes later while we were looking for a parking space, a vehicle hit us from behind. Amidst our confusion at what just happened, the car sped away. Later on, while driving back to YMCA from the play, Zeeshan said to me, "C'est la vie."

"Yeah, this is life in Pakistan, optimism that we don't have in Malaysia and Singapore." Everyone keeps on asking how I find Pakistan and Karachi, which is very hard to answer. To me, I love the rich-cultured people and places, specially the combination of Persian and Hindu cultures in this country.

 

[Daredevil]

Urdu media: dirty and dangerous —Farhat Taj

Fake stories are planted in Urdu newspapers to lure young tribesmen into terrorism. It has nothing to offer but only death and destruction for FATA and its people

Some people in Waziristan have requested that I write about a column published in the Urdu daily Mashriq on January 2, 2011. Following is the summary of the column, titled 'Hakeemullah Mehsud's lover'.

A senior female French journalist contacted a tribal journalist form Waziristan via Facebook. The French lady requested him to help her with some research on Waziristan. The tribesman agreed and the French journalist landed in Pakistan. During their meeting, the French lady said that she was madly in love with Hakeemullah Mehsud, a Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander and that she wished to marry him. She also said that one of her friends wanted to marry Qari Hussain, the Ustad-e-Fidayeen or master trainer of suicide bombers in the army of the TTP. She further said that another four of her friends also wished to marry some Taliban commanders from the TTP. Out of utter surprise, the tribal journalist wondered how that could be because people in Europe believe that the Taliban are brutal beasts. The lady blatantly responded that, in actuality, the Europeans are the brutal beasts, not the Taliban. She said that no one in Europe had the courage to speak the truth when it came to the Taliban. Everyone who had the opportunity to closely interact with the Taliban had been deeply impressed by them. Take, for example, the lady journalist, Mariam, who had been imprisoned by the Taliban. She became so impressed by the Taliban that she converted to Islam. People who care so much for their prisoners would certainly be much kinder towards their wives and children. In Europe, the family system has collapsed. Children do not know who their fathers are. Wives have no clue about the whereabouts of their husbands. My friends and I have studied Islam and now we wish to know about the Taliban. This is, therefore, why we wish to marry them. We will burn our French citizenship documents in front of the media in Waziristan to terminate our ties with our native land. We will become tribal women forever. The lady also said that she was madly in love with Hakeemullah and would marry him come what may. "What if Hakeemullah refuses?" asked the tribal journalist. The lady's response was: "The heart speaks to the heart". The tribesman warned her that, under Pakistani law, she could not go to Waziristan. The lady said she would plead to Allah to punish Pakistan for having laws that stood in the way of her and her friends' marriages with the Taliban. The lady was crying uncontrollably. Finally, the tribal journalist, who had full sympathy for the woman but had no means to help her, agreed to spread her story through a newspaper column.

The tribesmen who brought this story to my attention said that the story had been planted by the intelligence agencies of Pakistan to romanticise the beastly Taliban in the eyes of young tribesmen. One of them said that he saw a group of teenage tribesmen discussing this story with keen interest. He tore into pieces the newspaper copy being held in the hands of the teenagers and had a two-hour long counselling session with them whereby he explained to them that such fake stories were planted in Urdu newspapers to lure young tribesmen into terrorism, and that it had nothing to offer but only death and destruction for FATA and its people. The young men seemed convinced, but the tribesman expressed the apprehension that there must be many teenage tribesmen out there who might have been misled into jihad by the story. The tribesmen have no hope in the Pakistani media. One of them even said that the Urdu media was capable of prostituting its conscience to spread malicious information about FATA. They, therefore, request the journalistic community in France to take note of the fake story and remain on guard so that their name is never again misused in misleading the tribal youth into a so-called jihad that clearly threatens the western streets with violence.

The tribesmen also guess that perhaps the journalist Mariam, referred to in the fake story, is Yvonne Ridley. They complain that Ridley has been at the forefront in defending Aafia Siddiqui. If the journalist Mariam is indeed Ridley, they expect her to come forward and condemn those who misuse her name and conversion to Islam — which is her sovereign right — for dirty tricks to lure innocent tribal youth into the fold of terrorism that has devastated FATA and threatens Ridley's own country with violence. For once, Ridley should show that she stands with the victims of Pakistani state terrorism, like the people of FATA, rather than terrorists who enjoy covert state support.

The reason I wish to write about this planted story in Urdu daily Mashriq is to give to the sane-minded Pakistani English readership a glimpse of how the Urdu media has lowered itself in perpetuating the military establishment's inflicted terrorism in FATA. I also understand that the forces of sanity in Pakistan have been reduced to a frightened state of mind by the religious extremists. They could not even rise to the occasion upon the assassination of Salmaan Taseer and the threats to Sherry Rehman. How can one expect them to stand up to the military establishment — the original force behind all terrorism in Pakistan — in support of the people of FATA, the people whose sufferings do not mean anything significant for the wider Pakistani society? I just wish to bring to their notice that disappointment and even hatred against the military is accumulating in FATA. The cowardice of those who should speak up for what is right will also be a factor in the case of any future catastrophe in Pakistan.

The writer is a PhD Research Fellow with the University of Oslo and currently writing a book, Taliban and Anti-Taliban

 

[smartindian]

ANALYSIS: Urdu media: dirty and dangerous

Fake stories are planted in Urdu newspapers to lure young tribesmen into terrorism. It has nothing to offer but only death and destruction for FATA and its people

Some people in Waziristan have requested that I write about a column published in the Urdu daily Mashriq on January 2, 2011. Following is the summary of the column, titled 'Hakeemullah Mehsud's lover'.

A senior female French journalist contacted a tribal journalist form Waziristan via Facebook. The French lady requested him to help her with some research on Waziristan. The tribesman agreed and the French journalist landed in Pakistan. During their meeting, the French lady said that she was madly in love with Hakeemullah Mehsud, a Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander and that she wished to marry him. She also said that one of her friends wanted to marry Qari Hussain, the Ustad-e-Fidayeen or master trainer of suicide bombers in the army of the TTP. She further said that another four of her friends also wished to marry some Taliban commanders from the TTP. Out of utter surprise, the tribal journalist wondered how that could be because people in Europe believe that the Taliban are brutal beasts. The lady blatantly responded that, in actuality, the Europeans are the brutal beasts, not the Taliban. She said that no one in Europe had the courage to speak the truth when it came to the Taliban. Everyone who had the opportunity to closely interact with the Taliban had been deeply impressed by them. Take, for example, the lady journalist, Mariam, who had been imprisoned by the Taliban. She became so impressed by the Taliban that she converted to Islam. People who care so much for their prisoners would certainly be much kinder towards their wives and children. In Europe, the family system has collapsed. Children do not know who their fathers are. Wives have no clue about the whereabouts of their husbands. My friends and I have studied Islam and now we wish to know about the Taliban. This is, therefore, why we wish to marry them. We will burn our French citizenship documents in front of the media in Waziristan to terminate our ties with our native land. We will become tribal women forever. The lady also said that she was madly in love with Hakeemullah and would marry him come what may. "What if Hakeemullah refuses?" asked the tribal journalist. The lady's response was: "The heart speaks to the heart". The tribesman warned her that, under Pakistani law, she could not go to Waziristan. The lady said she would plead to Allah to punish Pakistan for having laws that stood in the way of her and her friends' marriages with the Taliban. The lady was crying uncontrollably. Finally, the tribal journalist, who had full sympathy for the woman but had no means to help her, agreed to spread her story through a newspaper column.

The tribesmen who brought this story to my attention said that the story had been planted by the intelligence agencies of Pakistan to romanticise the beastly Taliban in the eyes of young tribesmen. One of them said that he saw a group of teenage tribesmen discussing this story with keen interest. He tore into pieces the newspaper copy being held in the hands of the teenagers and had a two-hour long counselling session with them whereby he explained to them that such fake stories were planted in Urdu newspapers to lure young tribesmen into terrorism, and that it had nothing to offer but only death and destruction for FATA and its people. The young men seemed convinced, but the tribesman expressed the apprehension that there must be many teenage tribesmen out there who might have been misled into jihad by the story. The tribesmen have no hope in the Pakistani media. One of them even said that the Urdu media was capable of prostituting its conscience to spread malicious information about FATA. They, therefore, request the journalistic community in France to take note of the fake story and remain on guard so that their name is never again misused in misleading the tribal youth into a so-called jihad that clearly threatens the western streets with violence.

The tribesmen also guess that perhaps the journalist Mariam, referred to in the fake story, is Yvonne Ridley. They complain that Ridley has been at the forefront in defending Aafia Siddiqui. If the journalist Mariam is indeed Ridley, they expect her to come forward and condemn those who misuse her name and conversion to Islam — which is her sovereign right — for dirty tricks to lure innocent tribal youth into the fold of terrorism that has devastated FATA and threatens Ridley's own country with violence. For once, Ridley should show that she stands with the victims of Pakistani state terrorism, like the people of FATA, rather than terrorists who enjoy covert state support.

The reason I wish to write about this planted story in Urdu daily Mashriq is to give to the sane-minded Pakistani English readership a glimpse of how the Urdu media has lowered itself in perpetuating the military establishment's inflicted terrorism in FATA. I also understand that the forces of sanity in Pakistan have been reduced to a frightened state of mind by the religious extremists. They could not even rise to the occasion upon the assassination of Salmaan Taseer and the threats to Sherry Rehman. How can one expect them to stand up to the military establishment — the original force behind all terrorism in Pakistan — in support of the people of FATA, the people whose sufferings do not mean anything significant for the wider Pakistani society? I just wish to bring to their notice that disappointment and even hatred against the military is accumulating in FATA. The cowardice of those who should speak up for what is right will also be a factor in the case of any future catastrophe in Pakistan.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011/02/19/story_19-2-2011_pg3_2