It doesnt seem ok to be commenting on the events of yesterday because Imay be led too far in the slight tinge of hope that came with the culmination of Nawaz- Zardari meeting. For dont we know, when it comes to politicians and actually sleazy characters like Zardari, that nothing is done until it's actually done. The Murree declaration proved to be just another photo-opportunity, media grabbing paper signing washoff. 30 days on, the judges still wait for the green signal to go to the courts. C'mon is it as difficult as the PPP ministers would have us believe? AS someone said, all it requires is political will, which Musharraf had when he set abput sacking these judges.For Musharraf probably it was more than just political will-the boot and the gun was also there. That which politicians can never boast of posessing and that which has proved more potent for Pakistani governance than anything else.
Anyways, all hats off to the media. Som,e may say that it sensationalises and often reascts out of proportion but why do we expect the media to cover just the ordinary or ordinary at all? My writing a blog or going to college unscathed isn't news. Politics is, violence is, poverty is, inflation is news. yesterday GEO reported that despite 8 hours of loadshedding everyday, VVVIPs were getting a regular supply of electricity to their "mansions". And that list of VVVIPs includes ordinary citizens of Pakistan whoi arent even MNAs. Like Shahbaz Sharif; who pays for his expenses???Coming back to the media, this kind of reporting has completely changed the ruler-ruled relationship in our country. I remember how Talat Hussain grilled the new law minister (PPP ovcourse) on the judicial crisis. It was simply awe-inspiring the way the law minister was being made to justify all his statements. the real might of the people was on display. We probably didnt realise this phenomenon until Feb 18 and after because the government before that was never considered representative enough of the masses. Therefore lying almost in the same category as musharraf, "interrogating" them, mpointing out issues to them was a DONE thing. The masses took interest in all that as a subjugated detatched lot, enjoying those few breaks where the tide turned the other way. Now, however, these programs represent the true face of democracy rather that anything else. We respect these people but dont idolise them to the extent that accountability is overlooked.
The media's role in keeping the judges issue alive is also commendable. Zardari fails to realise the strong impact of the media. Yers some may get disillusioned by this continous harping on one issue, but others revel in the enthusiasm of representation. These are my views being aired, my concern for the judges flashed all over, I am one of those people jo" daikhain gai".The express news "jo wa'ada kya hai, nibhana parray ga..." gives a clear message too. The GEO countdown struck a cord with lots of people anxiously waiting for the mUrrre declaration to take effect. The over a week long coverage of this issue on all current affairs program, will not let these politicians go back on their word. Zardari being the worst of the lot, Nawaz sharif is no angel either. He is playing for the next elections and going back on his word or showing any flexibility on key issues wouls be like throwing axe on his own feet, especially in the 24hrs glare of cameras around him. The media waits on every word, on every expression. Probably that's why zardari has been avoiding the media the last few days. but if this is what he is mind, he may never leave his Dubai abode again. The camera is out on the hunt.
Fingers crossed, waiting for the Lahore announcement. Hope it augurs wwell for Pakistan though Zardari says they have reserved their reaction till after Sharif's announcement. And that makes me wonder if Zardari had it all on his own, could we have even anticpated a change? Sharif vpoters deserve a pat on the back for bringign in a pressure group right in the corridors of power which wouldnt let zardari rest, chasing him all the way to DDDUBAAAAAIII where "I dont do politics, young lady!"
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Caught OFF GUARD!
Courtesy yesterday's attack...
Night isn't over yet and you sing praises of daylight...!
huh....
Night isn't over yet and you sing praises of daylight...!
huh....
Thursday, December 27, 2007
benazir assasinated
It is horrible. It is unbelievable. It is shocking beyond words. She didn't deserve to die like this. Despite all her faults, she was a popular leader. She was worshipped by many. She was followed like a guru. She was intelligent; she was shrewd, she was fearless. She was a LEADER.
Once again, the people of Pakistan have been wronged. Their wisdom has been challenged; they happen to be the worst losers yet again. The country is simmering with discontent and the police, found very active when it comes to peaceful protests is actually asking people to stay indoors while the cities are left at the mercy of angry protestors who have gone on a rampage, especially in Karachi. It was bad enough for the UN to convene a special meeting on the 12th May incident calling for all the countries of the world to come together to handle the situation in Pakistan, worse for Pope Benedict to call Pakistan a "tortured" region amongst others such as Afghanistan, Somalia to name a few and today UN once again has convened a special meeting to discuss the situation in Pakistan. Recently while talking to an American friend preparing to go to Africa with the Peace Corps, I wished that he would come here too "obviously and hopefully, not with the peace corps...". This addition to my statement expressed a dread of such a possiblity, particularly in these circumstances. Now, i am even more shattered, that dread nagging my mind even harder than before.
It's very heartening to hear that Nawaz has announced a boycott. Better late than never. Probaably sad tragedies like these can run home some points. But in the disconcerted circumstances of today, it's even more clear that whoever maybe behind this incident, dictatorships cause unrest eventually. I used to hear about colleges shutting down for weeks on ened because of unstable political situations. I grew up in the 90s era; such a scenario in comparison to these times felt so distant. Despite one period of lawlessness that was rife in one point in time in the 90s, there was no particular major issue in the country. Despite the economy and the political rivalries, the country wasn't divided. Political heavy weights didnt fear for their lives as much as they do today, the bullet proof podiums and indoors 14th August and 23rd March ceremonies being introduced in Musharraf's time. I remmebr how Nawaz Sharif used to mingle with the crowd after his 14th August address in Islamabad and how we mocked the Indian primeminister's high stage and shielded dais. Today, we suffer from the same turmoil; infact a more pronounced state of affairs because of the small size of our country.
Elections are not the issue. One man rule has to end. We cab't afford another Bangladesh kind tragedy. For this country to survive, some issues have to be settled once and for all. Elections are just a cosmetic step.
We can wait to vote till elections become a symbol of empowerment; when all of us start owning pakistan; when leaders do not feel threatened, when this country is not talked about in hushed tones behind closed doors by the powers-that-be.
Let us all march to the same tune today.
Aur raj karegi khalq-e khuda
--------------------------......
hum ahle safa mardud-e haram
masnad pai bithaiay jaian gai
Once again, the people of Pakistan have been wronged. Their wisdom has been challenged; they happen to be the worst losers yet again. The country is simmering with discontent and the police, found very active when it comes to peaceful protests is actually asking people to stay indoors while the cities are left at the mercy of angry protestors who have gone on a rampage, especially in Karachi. It was bad enough for the UN to convene a special meeting on the 12th May incident calling for all the countries of the world to come together to handle the situation in Pakistan, worse for Pope Benedict to call Pakistan a "tortured" region amongst others such as Afghanistan, Somalia to name a few and today UN once again has convened a special meeting to discuss the situation in Pakistan. Recently while talking to an American friend preparing to go to Africa with the Peace Corps, I wished that he would come here too "obviously and hopefully, not with the peace corps...". This addition to my statement expressed a dread of such a possiblity, particularly in these circumstances. Now, i am even more shattered, that dread nagging my mind even harder than before.
It's very heartening to hear that Nawaz has announced a boycott. Better late than never. Probaably sad tragedies like these can run home some points. But in the disconcerted circumstances of today, it's even more clear that whoever maybe behind this incident, dictatorships cause unrest eventually. I used to hear about colleges shutting down for weeks on ened because of unstable political situations. I grew up in the 90s era; such a scenario in comparison to these times felt so distant. Despite one period of lawlessness that was rife in one point in time in the 90s, there was no particular major issue in the country. Despite the economy and the political rivalries, the country wasn't divided. Political heavy weights didnt fear for their lives as much as they do today, the bullet proof podiums and indoors 14th August and 23rd March ceremonies being introduced in Musharraf's time. I remmebr how Nawaz Sharif used to mingle with the crowd after his 14th August address in Islamabad and how we mocked the Indian primeminister's high stage and shielded dais. Today, we suffer from the same turmoil; infact a more pronounced state of affairs because of the small size of our country.
Elections are not the issue. One man rule has to end. We cab't afford another Bangladesh kind tragedy. For this country to survive, some issues have to be settled once and for all. Elections are just a cosmetic step.
We can wait to vote till elections become a symbol of empowerment; when all of us start owning pakistan; when leaders do not feel threatened, when this country is not talked about in hushed tones behind closed doors by the powers-that-be.
Let us all march to the same tune today.
Aur raj karegi khalq-e khuda
--------------------------......
hum ahle safa mardud-e haram
masnad pai bithaiay jaian gai
Friday, December 14, 2007
...contd
My response went like this. It hasn't been published so far, I dont think it will be. I am forcing myself to believe that it's because the newspaper editor wanted to close the debate but I also have a hunch that probabaly the last laugh was already booked. Anyways here goes,
"This is with referance to the letter by Ms Huma in reply to a few letters, including mine that appeared in your magazine against the article “ Covered up Fashions”. Before commenting on the arguments presented, I’d like to say that Ms Huma’s letter would have been taken in as just another academic argument to a constructive debate had it not been for the accusations of “orchestrated attacks” and “brash dogmatism” that she has hurled on those who beg to differ from her viewpoint. “Dogmatism” would rather be described by the attitude of “not (being) obliged to read the article after a few lines”, having found the article offensive, an attitude that she so graciously suggests. Though she doesn’t offer any counter arguments to my letter, I’d still like to comment on some of the points deliberated upon so extensively by her.
Firstly, no one supports or defends the treatment meted out to “those who do not subscribe to the view point of Ms Sana Baloch…” or in the most extreme of cases the beheading of women to satisfy the chauvinist tendencies of a society, in the garb of Islam . All that most of the letters advocated was tolerance of each others’ views and practices as long as they don’t hurt the society. There will be numerous cases of social boycott that can be cited by the “other” divide in peculiar environments and circumstances. And screwing someone’s views that differ from one’s own, to stereotype society into small cliques such as the “moral brigade” is another expression of the intolerance that pervades our society from left to right. And though there may not be one Islam, as interpretations of the faith may vary and which itself is provided for in the religion to accommodate human individuality and unique expressions that ensue from that, there isn’t any brand either. The identity issue as explained by the writer through the words of Dr Manzoor Ahmed is an apt representation of the insecurities that are so evident in writings such as this letter and the article in question. Why and how on earth does a “10 inch piece of cloth” cause such a reflex action in great intellectuals and insightful people to go all out on a rampage against the hijab? And then to talk about the “dread” whatever it may be, in muslim societies, is such a contradiction. As Ms Huma would probably know, many nations have turned back on symbolic representations of their national character especially in times of crises, African Americans being one case in point where “blacks” and “nigger” was proudly replaced by African. Nevertheless for me, identity issue is not that strongly linked to the hijab, as wrongly construed by the writer as much as it is about religious conviction. Lastly, without going into the merits and demerits of the Indian and “Islamic” culture just a short comment that Pakistan wasn’t just a matter of chance; we chose to break away from that Indian identity for reasons I’d rather accept, as were of the majority of those who opted for Pakistan, the “secular” versus “ideological” debate being a very recent one. Also, there’s nothing wrong in being ashamed of one’s culture if one disagrees with the value system it advocates. How would the modern world respond if the Germans started taking pride in their Nazi history, which by the way wasn’t as unrepresentative of the German sentiment at that time, or comment about the advent of religions over history that were meant to do away with immoral, despicable cultural practices, or the heinous crimes such as satti, karo kari, swara or even the jirga system which in most cases acts as a parallel judicial system which are an integral part of the culture of those peculiar areas. The image problem that the writer mentions at the end of her letter is not because of the bearded and the hgijab donned muslim population; it’s because of the desperate attempts by the “modernized” elite to disparage the hijab and the beard with greater ridicule than done even by the detractors of Islam."
"This is with referance to the letter by Ms Huma in reply to a few letters, including mine that appeared in your magazine against the article “ Covered up Fashions”. Before commenting on the arguments presented, I’d like to say that Ms Huma’s letter would have been taken in as just another academic argument to a constructive debate had it not been for the accusations of “orchestrated attacks” and “brash dogmatism” that she has hurled on those who beg to differ from her viewpoint. “Dogmatism” would rather be described by the attitude of “not (being) obliged to read the article after a few lines”, having found the article offensive, an attitude that she so graciously suggests. Though she doesn’t offer any counter arguments to my letter, I’d still like to comment on some of the points deliberated upon so extensively by her.
Firstly, no one supports or defends the treatment meted out to “those who do not subscribe to the view point of Ms Sana Baloch…” or in the most extreme of cases the beheading of women to satisfy the chauvinist tendencies of a society, in the garb of Islam . All that most of the letters advocated was tolerance of each others’ views and practices as long as they don’t hurt the society. There will be numerous cases of social boycott that can be cited by the “other” divide in peculiar environments and circumstances. And screwing someone’s views that differ from one’s own, to stereotype society into small cliques such as the “moral brigade” is another expression of the intolerance that pervades our society from left to right. And though there may not be one Islam, as interpretations of the faith may vary and which itself is provided for in the religion to accommodate human individuality and unique expressions that ensue from that, there isn’t any brand either. The identity issue as explained by the writer through the words of Dr Manzoor Ahmed is an apt representation of the insecurities that are so evident in writings such as this letter and the article in question. Why and how on earth does a “10 inch piece of cloth” cause such a reflex action in great intellectuals and insightful people to go all out on a rampage against the hijab? And then to talk about the “dread” whatever it may be, in muslim societies, is such a contradiction. As Ms Huma would probably know, many nations have turned back on symbolic representations of their national character especially in times of crises, African Americans being one case in point where “blacks” and “nigger” was proudly replaced by African. Nevertheless for me, identity issue is not that strongly linked to the hijab, as wrongly construed by the writer as much as it is about religious conviction. Lastly, without going into the merits and demerits of the Indian and “Islamic” culture just a short comment that Pakistan wasn’t just a matter of chance; we chose to break away from that Indian identity for reasons I’d rather accept, as were of the majority of those who opted for Pakistan, the “secular” versus “ideological” debate being a very recent one. Also, there’s nothing wrong in being ashamed of one’s culture if one disagrees with the value system it advocates. How would the modern world respond if the Germans started taking pride in their Nazi history, which by the way wasn’t as unrepresentative of the German sentiment at that time, or comment about the advent of religions over history that were meant to do away with immoral, despicable cultural practices, or the heinous crimes such as satti, karo kari, swara or even the jirga system which in most cases acts as a parallel judicial system which are an integral part of the culture of those peculiar areas. The image problem that the writer mentions at the end of her letter is not because of the bearded and the hgijab donned muslim population; it’s because of the desperate attempts by the “modernized” elite to disparage the hijab and the beard with greater ridicule than done even by the detractors of Islam."
All in all, just a reminder that "At the end of the day, a woman who wears hijab is veiling her beauty, she's not veiling her brain..." as noted by Dr Faeghehs Shirazi, an Iranian American scholar in her lecture at Forman Christain College in Lahore on the 13th of December.
*smirks*
P.S. I still had the last laugh!
An interesting debate
An article titled "covered up fashions" apppeared in a weekly magazine run by an English daily. Its link is given below,
http://dawn.com/weekly/review/archive/071115/review2.htm
Having fpund the article greatly disturbing and offensive, i wrote this letter to the newspaper which was published and the link is given,
http://dawn.com/weekly/review/archive/071129/review9.htm
Reading all these letters I got a little excited thinking that there were probably lots who prescribed to the viewpoint I so strongly hold. All didnt present the same arguments but atleast the crux of most of the letters was similar in nature; tolerance and acceptance of each others' ideals and values. However, the very next week this appeared in the magazine,
http://dawn.com/weekly/review/archive/071206/review13.htm
This letter elicited a response...
CONTD
http://dawn.com/weekly/review/archive/071115/review2.htm
Having fpund the article greatly disturbing and offensive, i wrote this letter to the newspaper which was published and the link is given,
http://dawn.com/weekly/review/archive/071129/review9.htm
Reading all these letters I got a little excited thinking that there were probably lots who prescribed to the viewpoint I so strongly hold. All didnt present the same arguments but atleast the crux of most of the letters was similar in nature; tolerance and acceptance of each others' ideals and values. However, the very next week this appeared in the magazine,
http://dawn.com/weekly/review/archive/071206/review13.htm
This letter elicited a response...
CONTD
Monday, November 26, 2007
Never has the plight of that nation been changed which doesn't want its lot to be changed...
that's the best translation i could come up with of the Quranic verse which has also been put into poetic word by Iqbal, but for all those who know it in urdu and th way it goes, take my word..i mean every word of what i just wrote.
This sunday our street was abuzz with VIP activity. It was learent that Shaukat azia and prolly musharraf was going to pay a visit to this extremely sycophantic of all journalists around, rather a newspaper owner who happens to live just two houses from ours. Five sweepers instead of the regular one were busy scrubbing off the road, truckload of gravel was standing nearby to fill in any of the small ditches in the street; fortunately for them, not a lot of work was needed since our street is pretty well maintained already. Wonder of all wonders, they piled back this truckload of concrete that my father had ordered for the repair work going on on our roof since that pile full of concrete would have scraed the president to death. Work was put on a halt cuz security demanded no movement on the roof tops.
Everything mentioned above is a routine affair in pakistan. That day it was, earlier it used to be someone else and tomorrow some other tax paying citizen of this country would be disgusted into cursing the system, the country, its leadership for sucking the blood out of us, for destroying the lot of the decent hard working people of this country and may seriously contemplate running off, abandoning everything, adopting some identity which would atleast afford him/her the pride of association, the satisfaction of recognition, the confidence in the leadership, the responsibility and stakes of ownership of the state. The rest, that unfortunate who couldn't make it out for some reason or the other can sit back, suffer and get used to the dynamics of a social order gone berserk.
But no one would take the responsibility, realise the stakes involved. My idea of hanging a black flag on our house as a sign of protest at the arrival of a usurper of OUR rights, a dictator, someone who gets scorned at in every drawing room of this sector where I live, was brushed aside. Who, When and How will then we register our protest? When will we assumne responsibility and own this country? For how long will we look to providence for miracles. Wasn't the Bandladesh debacle enough for us. As someone noted, Pakistan ceased to exist as the Quaid's Pakistan, the day we broke up and the meagre existance that we pledge our loyalty to on every 14th of August since then was wiped off legally by the suspension of the constitution on the 3rd of November. Are we still going to keep waiting???
that's the best translation i could come up with of the Quranic verse which has also been put into poetic word by Iqbal, but for all those who know it in urdu and th way it goes, take my word..i mean every word of what i just wrote.
This sunday our street was abuzz with VIP activity. It was learent that Shaukat azia and prolly musharraf was going to pay a visit to this extremely sycophantic of all journalists around, rather a newspaper owner who happens to live just two houses from ours. Five sweepers instead of the regular one were busy scrubbing off the road, truckload of gravel was standing nearby to fill in any of the small ditches in the street; fortunately for them, not a lot of work was needed since our street is pretty well maintained already. Wonder of all wonders, they piled back this truckload of concrete that my father had ordered for the repair work going on on our roof since that pile full of concrete would have scraed the president to death. Work was put on a halt cuz security demanded no movement on the roof tops.
Everything mentioned above is a routine affair in pakistan. That day it was, earlier it used to be someone else and tomorrow some other tax paying citizen of this country would be disgusted into cursing the system, the country, its leadership for sucking the blood out of us, for destroying the lot of the decent hard working people of this country and may seriously contemplate running off, abandoning everything, adopting some identity which would atleast afford him/her the pride of association, the satisfaction of recognition, the confidence in the leadership, the responsibility and stakes of ownership of the state. The rest, that unfortunate who couldn't make it out for some reason or the other can sit back, suffer and get used to the dynamics of a social order gone berserk.
But no one would take the responsibility, realise the stakes involved. My idea of hanging a black flag on our house as a sign of protest at the arrival of a usurper of OUR rights, a dictator, someone who gets scorned at in every drawing room of this sector where I live, was brushed aside. Who, When and How will then we register our protest? When will we assumne responsibility and own this country? For how long will we look to providence for miracles. Wasn't the Bandladesh debacle enough for us. As someone noted, Pakistan ceased to exist as the Quaid's Pakistan, the day we broke up and the meagre existance that we pledge our loyalty to on every 14th of August since then was wiped off legally by the suspension of the constitution on the 3rd of November. Are we still going to keep waiting???
Saturday, November 17, 2007
caught in the bud or success atlast???
I thought people were just ignorant towards everything that's happenig in Pakistan, the mockery of law that's being made so vehemently and blatantly but after our black band move being subjected to taunts and jeers and reduced to a mere fashion statement and shugal by a vast majority of students, I have come to the sad conclusion that most of us have become sooo immune to being treated like animals who are content with merely the presence of basic necessities that we don't consider the absence of that chance to question, to doubt, to think as an anomaly at all and those few who do raise their voices are the lowly outcasts, the "ahl-e safa, mardood-e haram" waiitng in vain for their turn to be seated on the "masnad".
The loud cheers when one bus crosses the other on the Islamabad Highway or the mock "inqilab zindabad" and the "Go musharraf Go" placards that they held just for that one photograph and to make fun of our silent protest are a few of the sorry spectacles that they made of themselves out of sheer ignorance and apathy. But probably calling that ignorance is just an excuse;it's almost a justification for their behavior. It wasn't ignorance, ignorance is an innocous tool of the innocent. It wasn't innocense; the depolitisisation of educational institutions in the Zia era have turned a whole generation into a bunch of expedient, disoriented crowd which demands that right to breath, that right to education, to food, to shelter, to profits and material benefits but leaves its intellectual berth docked.
Anyways, it came to a temporary end with the VC calling us in. We talked and chatted and aughed at any random spill out of emotions but all in all it was a triumph. We talked in the VC'S office on politics. We tried to challenge the depoliticeised environment of the uni and we managed to break through that stiff, military air that hangs around the campus and guess what he booked us in on a discussion on politics. And though many tried to bog us down with their stares directed towards our arms bared off their black bands, we came out happy and jubilant.
We didnt win, the thinking, inspired human being in us did, the silent concience, the wailing intellect won.
The loud cheers when one bus crosses the other on the Islamabad Highway or the mock "inqilab zindabad" and the "Go musharraf Go" placards that they held just for that one photograph and to make fun of our silent protest are a few of the sorry spectacles that they made of themselves out of sheer ignorance and apathy. But probably calling that ignorance is just an excuse;it's almost a justification for their behavior. It wasn't ignorance, ignorance is an innocous tool of the innocent. It wasn't innocense; the depolitisisation of educational institutions in the Zia era have turned a whole generation into a bunch of expedient, disoriented crowd which demands that right to breath, that right to education, to food, to shelter, to profits and material benefits but leaves its intellectual berth docked.
Anyways, it came to a temporary end with the VC calling us in. We talked and chatted and aughed at any random spill out of emotions but all in all it was a triumph. We talked in the VC'S office on politics. We tried to challenge the depoliticeised environment of the uni and we managed to break through that stiff, military air that hangs around the campus and guess what he booked us in on a discussion on politics. And though many tried to bog us down with their stares directed towards our arms bared off their black bands, we came out happy and jubilant.
We didnt win, the thinking, inspired human being in us did, the silent concience, the wailing intellect won.
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