Edhi, One of Pakistan's greatest Humanitarians passes away

Once there was a legend, who consumed his life for humanity. He set new standards of selflessness and charity. His services for humanity has surpassed all the bounds. This man was a Pakistani who was admired and revered by all and sundry. But alas, as of 8th July 2016 at the ripe, old age of 88; this soul is no more among us but he will live in our hearts forever. He is a true role model for humanity.

Even leading up to his untimely demise, he wanted to help and thus, donated his organs. Though, only his cornea could be used as the rest of his organs weren't healthy. I hope whoever receives his cornea not only gets his sight but also his vision for the world. His now, famous quote, 'No religion is higher than humanity" can not be any more relevant in these times with rampant extremist attacks, ultra-nationalistic xenophobia on the rise among other things. 

PTA at it Again (Banning Progressive Facebook Pages)

Ahh PTA, when will you ever learn? First Youtube, then Twitter and even SMS packages because its 'immoral'. And now banning progressive and Liberal pages preaching for a more tolerant and hate-free Pakistan such as Roshni, Taliban are Zaliman (oppressors), Bhangvi and Laal. Ironically pages and websites linked with extremists groups are free and accessible for everybody calling for open-hatred and persecution of minority groups and anti-state action.

I would have written more but since I have my exams I think this excerpt below will describe my thoughts just fine.

In 5th June, 2014 Pakistan Telecommunication Authority connived with Facebook to ban nearly all Pakistani progressive, secular and liberal pages campaigning for a Pakistan with human rights, social justice, equality and no terrorism. 

The irony is that anti state, Taliban pages operate with impunity while the voices of moderation and sanity are silenced by the state organ responsible for regulating telecommunication.  

Pakistan is a country haunted by a troubled past and its involvement in Afghan Soviet war tattered the social fabric, society was deeply radicalized religiously and space for progressive discourse shrank over the years until broadband internet penetration began to see a stellar rise in Pakistan under General Pervaiz Musharraf's reign. The introduction of broadband internet provided some space for the progressive and moderate forces

This development also blessed the embattled progressive Pakistanis with an unparalleled opportunity to channel their narrative to a much larger audience and that too without the fear of persecution in a society where being aligned with liberal thought alone merits ones life to be taken away. This was because the web offered a certain degree of anonymity. 

The social media, particularly Facebook effectively started giving a new picture of things earlier obscured because a variety of factors including state censorship. This increasing spread of awareness potentially has the ability to contribute to a change in the Status Quo with a better aware policy.

Wanna-be's but never Will-be's: The Pakistani Diaspora

Credits: Mirsub Ali Fazlani. Yes, I know I wrote Diaspora wrong. Silly me.

This is a Guest Post by Feriha Jazeb.

Life is full of endless twists & twirls but how you whether through them defines who you really are.

Enough has already been penned and reported on the issue, but we just don’t seem to come out of this eloquence.It seems baffling at first, the substance that GENERALLY, we trend to think that dwelling in another domicile, being international, is appealing all the time, but yes, ethics cannot be confined to an entire race, culture or civilization (States are not Planets Of Hats). Those who are sweating to adhere with Brits (This is the good idea), you will feasibly fail instead of whatever preparations you try, but you can do a fairly good job if you are entirely focused.

Let's turn on steam at Pakistani people living abroad,who had implanted themselves as British citizens, would never dump their British nationalities. Although by their tone, language, convention and customs, they are Pakistanis but by passport they are British nationals. They are modernized and adapting to western society. They have compensated their cultural tradition, heritage and identity for a western custom (Black on the outside, white on the inside i.e; coconut). They remain un-uttered about their national pedigree, just to avoid useless trouble. After every effort they made to hook up with Brits they are still not accepted and are sabotaged by western society. They in fact are marginalized. For British society they are “too black” or “too Asian and back home (i.e.,Pakistan) they are anticipated as “too white” or “too western\"(chocolate coated westerners). As we look further into this behavior, we realize that they do have genuine reasons. Pakistani Diaspora being slurred in their workplaces; our students being slammed and contra-distinguished against in the developed world, Pakistani passport raises eyebrows at airports. I can personally uphold for the straight stuff that anyone who is not a local or a gora, is subject to serious injustice, and Pakistanis too are pierced in a meticulous manner.

Stuck in a rut: Pakistan's Political Scene

This is a guest post by Usama Guddar. (hey, I came up with the title).

With Raja Pervaiz Ashraf getting the premiership, I decided not to worry about Pakistan anymore. I was determined to move from here as soon as I find an opportunity. However, today again I feel like I should post something. It's all about the "selection" 2013. (Yeah you heard that right! Not election, I said selection)

Starting from the fiascoes of the PPP government to Nawaz Sharif's so called opposition party, to Pervaiz Illahi's becoming the deputy premier (that was an invention, btw) to Imran Khan fever among all the kiddos of the country, I have a lot to say. Lets not talk about PPP or Nawaz Sharif and confine ourselves to Imran Khan today. Allow me to talk about the "Jinnah" of this gumrah-kun nation.

Imran Khan rose up with such a momentum that we all thought he will clean sweep this time. Those music concerts, t-shirts posing IK as the revolutionist of the century and the heated speeches of him (not to mention those memes) are still up on my mind. To tell you how much our people got obsessed by him, those idiots started comparing him with Jinnah. I got this text from someone counting the similarities between the two. Jinnah was in the Hall of fame of his university and so do Imran. Jinnah did this and Imran also did the same. Guess they wanted Imran's photo on the currency notes instead of Jinnah's. Isn't it too much?

The Sarabjit Conundrum: India-Pak tensions rise again

This Amateur artwork is presented by yours truly, Mirsub. Microsoft Paint, you have saved me once again.

Note: As admin, I've seen this whole drama unfold on Twitter and in the media and it's simply ludicrous. Strayed from the Punjab? Yeah, O.K.
-Mirsub

Guest blog by Fatima Sajjad. She writes for the Tribune.

I am not a blogger or writer and never have I tried my hand at it but the Pakistan India topics are always an interesting choice to begin with! Moreover the Sarabjit Case and the false potrayal of him as 'just a farmer' has forced me to let it out.

I am not an anti-Indian but the way they have reacted to this situation and similar ones has changed my view of them. Lets start with what their very well know and learned people had to say about Pakistan, Javed Akhtar called Pakistan a 'petty establishment' after the death of Sarabjit and others termed Pakistan as an insensitive nation. I ask them,if Pakistan is a petty establishment why did they release several other prisoners convicted of terrorist activites,examples can include Gopaal Daas and Surjeet Singh who were recently pardoned and sent back home safe and sound! If Pakistan is a petty estabilishment why did our soldiers send the little Indian girl,that too with new clothes,candies etc,back to India with full safety! Also,is not India a petty estabilishment too as after the Sarabjit Incident one Pakistani prisoner was attacked by his inmates in Jammu and just by the way he has been struggling for a living as well why is this not telecasted?

Karachi. Here we go again.

Karachi is up to it's same old antics again. Another week, another bombing; the residents here have become used to this. So used to it that we tend to forget that these are not mere stats and figures but people. With lives. 

Some of us rush to social media sites expressing our 'grief' and school-going kids go contemplate whether tomorrow shall be a holiday or not. Let's not forget the good ole' media sensationalizing this by playing un-authorized dramatic soundtracks from movies showing or showing mother clutching their dead sons to their chest.

But as-always the residents of Karachi shall stay strong. Now I've lived in Karachi for almost half my life, if it's one thing it has. It's hope.

Messiah's, Assassinations and What-not!?

Hey there guys, sorry for not posting again after some time. Blogging been taking a bit of a back-seat for me lately. Started making music again (After almost year, due to school).

Anyways, back to topic. The past few weeks for Pakistan have been volatile to say the least. Another MQM official shot dead in Karachi, and Tahir Ul Qadri; a Pakistani-Canadian Sufi Scholar turned Politician/Messiah is taking the centre stage. 

His call for a "million-man march" in favour of reforms and against corruption has propelled cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri to the status as the champion of Pakistan's middle class. Although the protest in Islamabad will achieve little, it casts a spotlight on the population's growing displeasure and it's dwindling faith in Pakistan's mainstream political parties. His liberal views, his open condemnation of terrorism does have my support; though not sure on his motivation for suddenly returning to Pakistan. If he is what he says he is, then he might just turn things around or be another let-down.

The Beauty of Hypocrisy

Guest post by Ibraheem  Nadeem. He Blogs.

"History never remembers the good"

This quote is as immortal as the people it is talking about. Adolf Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, Jack the Ripper. You shudder to think of these men. How could they have possibly lived with themselves? Such unspeakable acts, too macabre to even speak of in casual settings. But alas, we know more about them than we do about Ghandi or Quid-E-Azam or even the man who uttered this very quote! Remembering small facts about them are onerous  tasks that we eventually get frustrated with and give up on. Now I dare you to think of the scandalous ones, the ones that are gossiped about. Those select few who are worthy enough of your judgemental 'tuts'.

Marie Antoinette, Marilyn Monroe... and Veena Malik?
You may think these women are recalitrant rebels but you only think so because they do not conform to your idea of acceptable. And what is acceptable? To cover yourself entirely in a black cloak while going out of the house?  No no, we're much too evolved to still have that thinking. How about letting your daughters leave the house in tights and sleeveless shirts? Well then be prepared for the honorary speech about how we're still not that far gone in our conservative society. 

What's ironic is that Marilyn Monroe was at the height of her career almost sixty two years ago doing exactly what Veena Malik is doing now. Marilyn Monroe was crowned as the worlds biggest sex icon and still holds that title. She was renowned for her flirting, her notorious break downs and marriages and not to mention the nude photos. Marilyn Monroe knew no bounds and yet no one judged her. She did whatever she did with grace and elegance. She retained a jocular attitude towards life that entranced everyone. Thought a lot of people often justified her actions with, "She had a troubled past and that's bound to haunt her" it was more to justify why they empathise with her rather than why she did the provocative things she did. 

They pitied her a lot of the time and she either hated it or thrived off it. Even now her quotes are infamous for the pain they held. But I am not here to justify her gyrating ways or her troubles. I'm here to ask a question.

Why is she any different to Veena Malik? Their careers are built on the same sex symbol title, they both did the same things to achieve it. But then why is it that she was accepted sixty two years ago when people are believed to have been more narrow minded, than Veena Malik is now in our so called evolved society?

Burn Your Own City, Pakistan Film Protests

 The crudely made "Innocence of Muslims", produced by US-based extremist Christians has triggered protests in at least 20 countries since excerpts were posted online, and more than 30 people have been killed in violence linked to the film.

 I find it amusing to see how the "followers" of the Prophet (p.b.u.h); the man who preached peace, have set out to honor him by destroying their own country and fighting their own countrymen. Don't they realize, that they're playing right into the hands of the makers of the video in the first place? 

How does smashing the windows of innocent motorists have ANYTHING to do with this?  How does burning down our own cities, wrecking our own private property and injuring our OWN people going to solve this? And we're doing this all for what? A  low-budget film made by a nobody.

Pakistan Coming to It's Senses: Rimsha Bailed!

Rimsha Masih,  the Pakistani Christian girl accused of blasphemy for allegedly defacing the Qu' ran has been released on bail.

Even the most veracious supporters of the blasphemy law have come out in support of the 11-year-old girl allegedly suffering from Down’s Syndrome.

Khalid Jadoon Chishti, the Muslim Cleric who fabricated evidence against Rimsha in order to get the christian community in his area to leave (a claim which he denies) to leave has been arrested and himself accused of blasphemy.

Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are based on British colonial laws dating from 1860 and were amended in the 1980s to add life imprisonment and the death penalty by then dictator General Ziaul Haq. 

Prominent figures like Salman Taseer (the former governor of Punjab) and Shahbaz Bhatti (the Federal Minister for Minorities) have been assassinated for their opposition to the blasphemy laws.

Good thing to see Pakistan coming back to it's senses, I can finally sleep at night knowing that there's still a glimmer of hope of this Country.

Monsoon Season....b*tches

Ok... before for you go "No shit, sherlock..." it's raining in Karachi (and in some parts of the punjab and probably Mumbai too.

What's a monsoon you say?

''Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes ...''

Or in other words....a shit-load of rain for the next week or so.

Other then the nice weather....an added bonus is that schools get closed due to heavy rain fall (like mine, today).

My Very Own 'Eid Memes' (Eid-ul-Fitr 2012)

Before I begin....Eid Mubarak!

So one morning in Eid while randomly 'googling' stuff, I had this Idea that I should make a meme of myself! Since it was Eid, why not mix the two-up!

So this is what yours truly came up with! (Yes, if your wondering...the person in the picture is mee).

Here goes nothing.... 

That's it for the memes I've made. I'll end this post with another bunch of funny, Eid related memes.

 

Mobile Phone Services suspended in Pakistan for Eid 'Security'

LAHORE: Cellular and data services were blocked in some parts of the country, including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta and Multan.

Federal Minister for Interior Senator A. Rehman Malik said that mobile phone service will be suspended in some cities/areas of the respective provinces due to possible terror activities. 

While talking to Media on Sunday after chairing a high level meeting, Rehman Malik said terrorists can strike on Eid days in Sindh, Punjab Balochistan.

Guess these terrorists will have to be content with using landlines instead. Shutting down cell phones in the name of security is not acceptable, it is total failure of the Government. I will give them props for trying, however. It's a step. 

On the bright side...I won't be flooded with forwarded SMS Eid wishes.

P.S. Happy Eid Mubarak all those muslims reading this blog!

A View From Both Sides : India and Pakistan

Note. this is a guest post by an Indian Blogger who wishes to remain anonymous. He is new to blogging so I helped him out and added some of my points here and there.

I have a theory, that if if I were really drunk, and wake up in Karachi somehow, I won't  know I'm not in India; the vegetation is similar, the people are brown, the cars are same online the adverts/brands will be different and to an extent, the language.

Sadly, the stereotype is that Pakistani= terrorists. Not in all communities, but thats just how it is. It's sad, but true. Especially since kasab and all that.

Take the cities of Karachi and Mumbai for example. Before partition, Karachi and Mumbai were known as twin cities. Karachi faces political violence with the PPP and MQM at each others throats and Sindhi vs. Urdu speaking (Muhajirs) communal conflict. Now I see why.all the above is true for Mumbai, just replace Sindhi with Maharashtrain and replace Muhajirs with Bihari. You have sea view road, we have marine drive.

We're like two pieces of the same jigsaw puzzle.

Veena Malik's Ramadan Transmission dropped

Glad to know they've finally came to their senses. Though, AFTER getting their much needed publicity.

Hero TV (before this I've never heard of this channel before) decides to drop their transmission of Veena Malik's Ramadan show called "Astaghfaar". 

The promos show us a teary-eyed, over dramatic Veena wearing a modest duppata over her head. In stark contrast from her usual attire.

The people expressed their annoyance through blogs (like this one), twitter, Facebook etc. Sure, turn the Holy Month of Ramadan into a race of ratings. 

Shame on you. 

In Other News: Veena Malik to host an Ramadan TV Show

She couldn't get any more controversial, could she? After the recent nude cover shot for FHM India (or top-less as she would call it). She decides to get all Religious and decides to host a Ramzan show on Hero TV called "Astaghfaar"

Now I know what your thinking " *face palm* Paagal Aurat (Crazy woman)".  But then again, this is VEENA MALIK we are talking about here, she's no stranger to firing mufti's up. 

The Curse Of A South Asian Couch Potato

 
 Note. This is a Guest Post by Adeena Siddiqui. She Blogs and tweets.
 
I gave no interest in Pakistani shows whatsoever and in this post I’m going to tell you just that. Thank you Mirsub for giving me a chance to tell all of you the error of our television industry.

So first off, let’s talk about the horror that is the morning show phenomenon. *dhang dhang dhaaaang*

Not far are the days when somebody just smashes their heads in the TV because of Nida Yasir’s ‘wedding week’ or Shaista Wahidi’s take on Supernatural. I mean, morning shows are about waking up and enjoying a cup of coffee  with your viewers and talking about current affairs and have interesting guests around. I’m sorry but I don’t remember the last time I saw that happen.

Supposed ‘Blasphemer’ Burnt Alive by Angry Mob

When I first heard about this, I was a little taken away. I couldn't believe what I was reading. 

A MENTALLY unstable man was burnt alive by a mob on 4th July in Bhawalpur, Pakistan after being 'accused' of blasphemy.  They poured petrol on him and set him on fire. 

This isn't the Islam/Pakistan I know. If this trend goes on for a few more decades, the few people who still have their sanity would have packed their bags and left years ago as the country heads into deeper turmoil. 

I mean the man was CLEARLY INSANE and everyone was well-aware of his condition and what'd they do?
Burn him alive and beat him mercilessly, of course. 

'Gold Diggers' in Our Society

For the record, I am NOT talking about Kanye West's rap song.

There's the Optimist, Pessimist, realist and then comes the Opportunist (a.k.a the Gold Diggers). We like to think our Asian women are less materialistic & demanding than Western ones. The reality is however, quite different. Just look at our society in the Indian subcontinent: most parents prefer their daughters getting married to someone based in a first world country over a local "candidate". Just because a girl is pretty (even if she is insecure and has zero personality, & is a nuisance & a pain in the arse), she thinks she is entitled to the very best in the world. It is very hard to feel sympathy for gold diggers in our society, but the way our society is structured, the gold digger always progresses in life, whereas the fiercely independent and secure woman always treads her own path in life, never fully appreciated by society.


Our society is brimming with women who'd much rather lather themselves in make-up from head to toe, have a sorry excuse for a career and have their intellectual prowess extend very little beyond 'Novels' and a good command of the English Language.

This sums up things pretty nicely.

Why I Hate Pakistani/Indian Talk-Shows

I hate talk-shows in general but I hate Pakistani/ Indian talk-shows even more. All I find when I flick the TV on is annoying talk shows. These talk shows give rise to other talk shows that are later talked about on other shows… and the cycle goes on and on. Your watching the same goddamn thing over and over again.



You must have noticed on that boring Sunday afternoon when you have nothing better to do and you have the TV remote in your hand, you start flipping through channels, browsing for something that sparks your interest. But all you find is a bunch of people making a mockery of them selves. One guy is screaming his guts out to get his point across, one's blabbing away like a maniac and one guy calls out all the shots and makes snide remarks throughout the show.

One-way discussions that don't have any conclusions (as there too busy yapping away, to make any real sense).
 Here's an example (Even if you're not Pakistani and can't understand what they're talking about, judging by all the commotion there making, it's safe to say that this really isn't worth wasting your sunday morning in)

Yes, I know all that Bitch-slapping seemed awesome, but mostly just a bunch of blabbering mongrels.