Meera & English Speaking Pakistani Class!!!

Meera has lately been talk of the media, recent video on facebook made me laugh on our English speaking proud Pakistanis.

Once the video was made public, it was loaded by every other person on the facebook. Meera was on a show with ‘I guess’ Tappu Javeri, she was struggling with English sentence and constantly pronounced it wrong. Uff Meera’s struggle with English made every other person on the internet to have laughing strokes but most of them survived.

Anyways, I am sure most of our so called partially educated English speaking class thanked God that they speak English and some of speakers with accent must had felt proud.

In no other country language skills considered superior than the substance or the thoughts of an educated person. Unfortunately, so called educated English speaking class lack social consciousness and substance, focus more on linguistics skills than the actual knowledge base. No one denies the importance of English in today’s world but it is not the only criteria to judge a persons skill or depth.

All of them who shared the video, must had been to colleges or universities and their comments made me laugh and depicted the depth of their academic profile.

I am sad to see this in Pakistan, in entire globe, for instance during my last trip to Japan, I saw people giving a lot of importance to education not English or the language. In Pakistan, most of the elite make it to English medium schools to learn the language, when it comes to substance; unfortunately hollow generation is being developed.

If English is the criteria than lets laugh out loud on majority of Pakistanis, I am sure they can not speak English.

Pakistan Fashion Week Goes Bolder!! We are Not Extremists!!

Whenever I talk to any of my friends in US, they think Pakistan is a place dominated by Taliban & their supporters. General perception is that women are forced to stay back home and streets are full of extremists with long beards and weapons.

No way, it is not our Pakistan, there may be small tribal areas one may find such pictures but when it comes to Karachi, Lahore or Islamabad, we are moderate as well as modern in our outlook towards life.

Lately Pakistan Fashion Week kick starts in my city Karachi, it was postponed, venue was changed, amidst threats from minority extremists but the show goes on. Karachi defies extremism and says no to barbaric minority " unfortunately its known fact that some elements in Pak security institutions do back such elements to maximize so called strategic gains, but Pakistani majority does not support all."

Karachi shows the true image of the people of Pakistan. Hope western media depicts the other side of the coin where majority belong i.e., moderate and modern Pakistani society.

Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan !!

I came across an interesting poetry, just wanted to share;

سوچ رہا ہے پاکستان
نہ کوئی دھندا نہ کوئی کام

بم دھماکے، ٹریفک جام

جیتا مرتا ہے گمنام

ہو سکے نہ دونوں رام

طالبان، القاعدہ ادغام

مدرسے بند، تعلیم ابہام

این آر او صیاد کا دام

ساری تدبیریں ناکام

دنیا بھر میں پھر بدنام

ہوگا اس کا کیا انجام؟
سوچ رہا ہے پاکستان

My Love For Omar Khayyam !!

I came across Persian Poet Omar Khayyams Rubaiyat, preaching about living each day instead of worrying for future. His writings remind me the words STOP WORRYING AND START LIVING. His message is very powerful message and is still valid.

Omar Khayyam, Iranian poet, philosopher, mathematicians, astronomer born in 1048 AD. His work translated by Fitz Gerald in English, making his work available for rest of the world.

Here is his powerful Rubai, living life in Today instead of worrying for tomorrows reward.

Alike for those who for TO-DAY prepare,
And those that after a TO-MORROW stare,
A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries
"Fools! your Reward is neither Here nor There."

Ah, fill the Cup:—what boots it to repeat
How Time is slipping underneath our Feet:
Unborn TO-MORROW and dead YESTERDAY,
Why fret about them if TO-DAY be sweet!

One Moment in Annihilation's Waste,
One moment, of the Well of Life to taste—
The Stars are setting, and the Caravan
Starts for the dawn of Nothing—Oh, make haste!

How long, how long, in infinite Pursuit
Of This and That endeavour and dispute?
Better be merry with the fruitful Grape
Than sadden after none, or bitter, Fruit.

To celebrate his writing there are various active Omar Khayyam Fan Clubs, they meet and share his writings.

Hillary’s Hijab & Nilofar’s Parachute Jump!!

Hillary Clinton wore Hijab in her recent Pakistan visit, showing deep respect and understanding for Pakistani culture. Americans involved in foreign affairs do go through rigorous process of learning about their area of interests’ culture, language and values etc.

On the one hand when I saw Hillary in Hijab, a question came in my mind, will any in US start calling Hillary a lady influenced by Islam, Pro Taliban or Pro Islam etc. On the other hand another question came in mind, if any Pakistani woman visits US, shakes hands, wear western dresses, will all of us ignore it, and accept it as if one was showing respect to US culture or brand her pro west and make hue and cry.

I still remember the hue and cry, once Nilofar Bakhtiar, former Pakistani Minister for Tourism, opted for charity parachute jump in France. I remember the clerics stated that it was "an illegitimate and forbidden act, and that without any doubt, she has committed a great sin, and that Muslim women must stay at home and must not venture out uncovered”.

We are so biased in our approach when it comes to women, we love regulating social behavior, and impose code of dressing etc, why don’t we let women to decide what to wear and what not !!!!!

Pakistan's Drift into Extremism, Allah, the Army, and America's War on Terror !!

War on Terror is getting bloodier, resulting into bleeding Pakistan, dying civilians, bomb blasts, insecurity and killing of innocent civilians.

Pakistanis generally believe that war on terror is imposed by Bush on Pakistan; invasion of Afghanistan is a scheme of US, India and Israel to destabilize Pakistan resulting in the break up and ultimate capture of nuclear weapons.

It is well known that Islamists have always been used to extend Pakistani influence in Afghanistan, it has always been considered Pakistani backyard that provides strategic depth.

It is also believed that in an environment of distrust and insecurity, it is imperative for Pakistani security agencies to find proxies to minimize insecurity posed by regional powers.

To buy security various groups were recruited as proxies “Sept 09 Newsline Magazine writes”, Madrassas nurturing armies of young Islamic militants ready to embrace martyrdom have been on the rise for years in the Punjab. In fact, South Punjab has become the hub of jihadism. Yet, some how, there are still many people in Pakistan who refuse to acknowledge this threat.

Four major militant outfits, the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT), are all comfortably ensconced in South Punjab (see article “Brothers in Arms” in Newsline). Sources claim that there are about 5,000 to 9,000 youth from South Punjab fighting in Afghanistan and Waziristan. A renowned Pakistani researcher, Hassan Abbas cites a figure of 2,000 youth engaged in Waziristan”.

To me, it is logical that actions should be the by products of strategy, it is well known that strategically the extremist outfits have never been considered a threat by Pakistani security thinkers.

US so far failed to address the security mindset, failed to remove their insecurities. Instead of addressing the issue at strategic level, US focus is too narrow, pushing reluctant Pakistan to act, forced to cooperate at tactical level. In short US failed to buy security for Pakistan and it seems two allies are pursuing different goals, relationship lacks goal alignment.

Recent Hillary Clinton visit to Pakistan demonstrate that instead of focusing on changing the mindset , Ms Clinton again pushes reluctant Pakistan, New York Times writes, “ Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, on a visit meant to improve relations with Pakistan, strongly suggested Thursday that some Pakistani officials bore responsibility for allowing terrorists from Al Qaeda to operate from safe havens along this country’s frontier.

“I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are, and couldn’t get to them if they really wanted to,” she said to a group of Pakistani journalists on her second day here. “Maybe that’s the case; maybe they’re not gettable. I don’t know.”

US actions requires two pronged approach, alter the mindset that finds security for Pakistan in nurturing the extremists.

US should work on convincing Pakistan that it is not in their benefit to use extremists, -help in buying them security esp. Indo-Pak ties and Afghanistan.

On the other hand, problem is so deep; Can Pakistan affords to detach itself from religious ideology, security mindset visualizes the world through religious glasses, it means choosing friends and foes on the basis of religion?? Can it survive as democratic secular, non interfering welfare state, having peaceful relations with neighboring countries or national security state is the answer???

It is complex, only a win-win approach is going to be fruitful, US strategy must buy Pakistan security, otherwise any action imposed, may have random results.

Extremist monster will haunt Pakistani society, region and result in an insecure world. It is time to act before it is too late.

More I Think More I Hate!!!

More I Think More I Hate!!!

People lost conscious
People have no civic sense
They defy human sanctity
They say no to civilization

People love Lying
It is a national character
Backbiting is entertaining
It is a national sport
We love talking in the back
Joy, fun, frolic is kick ass
We love our religion
Moral policing is second nature

Ohh Women
Stay away from women
An object of sin
So keep her away
Save pious men

She is to be beaten
She is born slave
Man is superior
Women is naïve
Keep her as sex slave
Produce babies
And keep her in the cave

Kill her in the name of honor
Kill her in the name of morality
Make her parade naked
Bury her alive, she brings shame

More I think more I hate
More I think more I hate
It is an ugly society
I can not relate
I feel alien
I feel odd
More I think more I hate
More I think more I hate

You screw around
You are a macho
You are a Man
She enjoys freedom
She is fast
She is slut
She is whore
She is to be beaten
She is born slave

More I think more I hate
More I think more I hate
It is not the place i relate
It is not the place i relate

The Kite Runner; Stealing is the only Sin????

I came across an interesting movie/novel, following words made me think about the whole concept of morality.

Conversation between child and father conveys a universal message;

"Now, no matter what the mullah teaches, there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft. Do you understand that?

"When you kill a man, you steal a life," Baba said. "You steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness. Do you see?"

Think about it.

Saudi Female Sentenced to 60 LASHES!!!! Poor Muslim Woman !!!

I am stunned to hear the news that a Saudi female journalist has been sentenced to 60 lashes over TV show. It was a show in which a Saudi man talked about his extra marital sex life.

Well, in general Muslim men are the worst when it comes to Booze and Sex esp. whenever they are traveling abroad. It is not hidden truth that they are repressed, just like hungry cow, when they see green pasture, they run like crazy.

We as society do not question anything goes behind the scene but when it comes to talking we become the most pious and self proclaimed moral police.

Well that report says “A female journalist in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to 60 lashes over a TV show in which a Saudi man described his extra-marital sex life. The programme, made by Lebanese satellite network LBC, caused a huge scandal in conservative Saudi Arabia when it was shown several months ago.

The journalist is one of two female LBC employees who have been arrested. The station's offices in Saudi Arabia were closed down and two of its producers - both female - put on trial.

Ironically, however, LBC is part-owned by the Saudi media mogul and billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

Roasters; Stop Throwing Bread Bowls…Consumers Wake Up!!!!!!

Roasters Gourmet Coffee House is one of my favorite dine out places. Lately, I was shocked to hear that left over food is thrown, instead of sharing it with hungry homeless people.

Last week, I was working late; had an interesting discussion with two of my colleagues on various aspects of cruel capitalism and pseudo green branding of brutal blood sucking Multinational Organizations.

I shared a story, how Coke Branded schools in US and disallowed them to discuss anti Coke topics such as their investments in dictatorial African countries!! Discussion moved on with citations on Shells alleged killing of environmental activists in Africa.

One of the colleagues lately tried soup in bread bowl at Roasters Restaurant Zamzama Karachi, no one questions the delicious foods, deserts and aromatic coffee, what bothered my colleague was their throwing of full bread bawl. He was assuming that left bread is shared with homeless on the streets, in the midst of sky rocketing flour prices in the country. When he asked one of the waiters, it was informed that left over breads bowls are not shared with homeless people rather dumped in garbage bin. It shocked him and I was also stunned to hear that.

I still remember that in developed societies consumers have strong power; they go all the way to buy green products or support organizations having strong corporate social responsibility track record. During my Feb 09 US visit to Wall Street, I was surprised to get to know about Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

These restaurants exist because of the consumers, if we question, influence restaurants, small step may force them to share the left over food with homeless and it would make a difference.

It may a beginning but as consumers, we can force organizations to act in responsible manner.

Just think about it, we can make a difference!!!

Women; An Object of Sin !!!! Oh Mullah

One of the LUMS students Malia wrote a poem in protest against “Moral Policing Mentality” in Pakistan.

ملا نے سکھایا اک سیانی کو سبق
کسی زن کے قریب آے نہ کوئی نر
ہے اک یہ ہی رب کا امر
اسی پر تو بس کرنا فکر
اسی پر دین ہے قائم
اسی سے ہے روسّں قبر
اسی سے بنیں قومیں امر
کسی زن کے قریب آے نہ کوئی نر
ہے فرنگی کا مکر Freewill
دخل ذاتیات ہے رب کا امر
بازارمیں بہن کو جوتے لگا کر سوچتا پسر
سوات کا واقعہ ہے قوموں کا فخر
لگائیں زنا بالجبر پراندھی بچی کو کوڑے اگر
تو پھر بھی نہ کرے کوئی فکر
کہ عقل کا استعمال ہے گناہ کبر
یہ قیمتی ہے صرف تو اسے نہ کر
بس ھاتھ میں تو اپنے اب پکڑ
اک موٹا سا ڈنڈا ذر
ااور جا بجا گھنٹی ہر اک کہ گھر
کھل کہ تانک جھانک تو کیا کر
کہ کسی زن کے قریب آے نہ کوئی نر
ہے یہ ہی اک میرے رب کا امر
جو تیرا ہمسایہ گیا بھوک سی مر
کیوں تجھے ھوتی ہے فکر
گر گیا راہ پر جو کسی کا پدر
تو کیوں کر کرے کوئی فکر
بیاہ دے قرآن سے بیٹی اگر
نہ تو پھر بھی کوئی کرے ذکر
چھین لیا کسی نے کسی کا در
بس پھر بھی نہ تو ہو مضطر
یہ سب معاملات کہ تو ہو غافل ذر
اکہ آ سکے زن کہ قریب یہ مردود نر
جھوٹ چوری رشوت سب پر تو کرنا صبر
بس کسی ناری کہ قریب ایے نہ نر
کہ اسی سے بنی قومیں امر
سائنس کی کبھی نہ تو کرنا فکر
معاشیات پر بھی نہ کرنا نظر
اور فنون لطیفہ ہے کیا مکر
کس نے کہا ہے کہ یہ ہے کوئی ہنر
اورانسانیت میں ہے نہیں کوئی ثمر
جب آ گیا ناری کہ قریب کوئی نر

Please Don't Kiss in Public, LUMS Bans Kissing???

As LUMS student, I am sad to hear that premier institute has taken away the personal rights of students, when they announced ban on KISSING on campus. I had been following the email threads and discussions on pros and cons on Public Display of Affection, but I tend no to agree with argument that anything against the social norms should be banned.

Issue was raised when a student peck her boyfriend on the cheek during Ramadan. It was not a French Kiss rather a simple PECK.

Public display of affection is a debatable issue; everyone has his or her limits regarding how much is too much!! Socially if I look at, on the one hand there are many of my friends who do not shake hands on the other hand there are female friends who shake hands as well as kiss on the cheek. To me it is one’s personal choice and matter of comfort, no one should have right to dictate someone what is right or wrong.

Behind the doors as hypocrite society everything is acceptable but in public, majority wears a social mask and looks pious and expects others to behave as per THEIR defined framework. Was Peck on the cheek alarming or during Ramadan, well its personal choice if someone doesn’t follow religion, it is his or her choice. It doesn’t mean that if someone doesn’t follow the defined code of behavior, he or she is being disrespectful to religion or society. Come on, peck on the cheeks is simply a sweet natural human behavior, what is harm in it.

I have seen LUMS in harmony, students working under the umbrella of LUMS religious society, whatever they do they have liberty, similarly music society , Arts and Drama society, girls and guys attending prayers in the central mosque or students dancing in campus concerts, girls in Hejab and girls in Capri’s or Jeans with low neck are not frowned upon. To me, as long as if anything doesn’t affect others people should not have any issue.

I have seen female students sitting on the lap of fellow male students, why one should raise eyebrows, it is such a simple and natural human behavior.

Universities are places, students do not follow conventional wisdom and norms, Hippie culture was the by product of campuses, students defied the prevailing culture. LUMS is a place I came across students questioning the existence of God and relevance of religion, it is positive thing that one must question everything under the sun but at the same time one should not have any right to disrespect or hurt anyone’s feelings.

I guess to regulate student behavior is not going to help; if someone wants to get intimate I hardly think anything would stop him or her.

Its better to discuss the pros and cons of socially acceptable behavior and let students decide out of choice to practice socially acceptable norms or go their own away.

I expect LUMS would relook this; else Student bodies should challenge the behavior regulation.

This blog excerpts published in prestigious Indian media;

Zee News

(http://www.zeenews.com/news571784.html)

Deccan Herald

(http://www.deccanherald.com/content/31284/to-kiss-not-kiss-keeps.html)

Times of India

(http://iplextra.indiatimes.com/quote/0gqK9Zcdv27Ei?q=Pink)

The Statesman

(http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php