Thursday, December 31, 2009

Good Bye 2009 Or Hello 2010?



Well for me it never works to plan things. Its best to take things and yes accept them too as they come. Briefly it would be okay to say that my quest for getting to know my ownself better in the year that went by continued. The best part is I can't say if I was successful or miserably failed. But I tried. Isn't that great!!!


Do I have any regrets? Yes I have one. Just an hour ago I was being called by someone from a spooky phone number but I couldn't receive it because I was on air. That person never called me back! and surprisingly I can't get back either.


No use reviewing the year. You would be able to watch and read plenty of related material. I was touched by some overseas greetings...people who remembered me despite the fact that I am no longer part of their lives ....physically atleast. Out of sight out of mind is not always true...hehe!!


That day, I went to deliver a lecture at a university to boys and girls in their mid twenties....it was nice to come across enrolled students ......I think every age group has its own characteristics that appear, stay and then disappear automatically. There is something intoxicting about youth...may be its the arrogance.....Its plain enigmatic.


No new year resolutions but a pledge within myself to keep the romance in life alive! The rikshaw driver the night before , halted by the roadside and pointed out towards the moon to tell me how beautiful he thought it was and that he could see a reflection of a human face in it. I had to pop up my head out in the cold and look for it. It was beautiful. But the rickshaw wallah taught me alot. SOmething on the lines of ...stop by and take the time to smell the roses!


Here are some new year quotes that you might enjoy........... Happy New Year All!!


Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey


In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, but never in want. -traditional Irish toast


New Year's is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls and humbug resolutions. -Mark Twain


One More!


Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. -Oscar Wilde

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

PARADIGM


The way things and developments are going these days, it is difficult to predict what will happen in the days to come. By the way it’s never been possible to predict what the future holds.

With United States now hinting very clearly at the presence of Al Qaeda in Yemen which in a way hints at Somali involvement too. The extent of Somali involvement is not so clear however. But with all of that in mind, clashes on Saudi border with Yemenis become more poignant. UAE signing civilian nuclear energy deals in the same troubled region might have more meaning to it.

Talk of US exit strategy from Afghanistan is also doing the rounds for quite sometime now and that too at a time when the debate of Pakistan Army’s targeting an enemy which is not what United States wants it to, has matured.

And at the same time, newspaper reports surface that reveal that recently when the Pakistani authorities put their foot down on not giving visas to quite a few US citizens was for the reason that Pakistanis were severely convinced that those applicants were Black Water agents. How true is that ………well if you frequent Islamabad markets these days you would succeed in spotting some young looking foreigners. The only way to ascertain if they are US diplomats or black water agents or some other nationals is to ask the foreign office people or the foreigners themselves.

Interestingly, when I got a chance to speak to Haji Adeel of ANP trying to get his reaction on the sad developments of yesterday in Karachi where an Ashura procession was targeted, he clearly mentioned Jamaat e Islami and Imran Khan’s Tehrik e Insaaf supporting Terrorists! In the same hour, I was lucky enough to speak to Qazi Hussain Ahmed former chief of Jamaat. When I asked about the allegations against his party, he said the Governments policies were no good and that the army was killing its own people in the country and there were no successes in Waziristan.

Feel free to link up all of what is happening in any way you like. Because the situation is still brewing…..but something that we know for sure is that innocent people died yesterday, renowned TV star Sajid Hasan ( injured) and his family among the victims.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas!


St Matthew-in-the-City Church in Auckland, which erected the billboard that you can see, said it had intended to provoke debate.
What they are trying to do is to get people to think more about what Christmas is all about,"

"Is it about a spiritual male God sending down sperm so a child would be born, or is it about the power of love in our midst as seen in Jesus?"

But as expected, this has not got down too well with many Christians in New Zealand because it negates the Christian tradition of 2,000 years is that Mary remains a virgin and that Jesus is the son of God, not Joseph. This poster was therefore described as in appropriate and disrespectful.

But it is Christmas Eve today and a very chilli one in most of the western world. Santa is somewhere out there riding his sleigh of God knows how much RP (Reindeer Power)!! I do miss the Christmas hustle and bustle that I used to enjoy in Super Market, people strolling around the market and some waiting around the steaming espresso machines. A Christmas tree here and there.

Ah, the good old times! What do we all need??

World Peace …yeah! World Peace

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

DUTY BOUND


Journalists are determined to report from the volatile NWFP even after their beloved Press Club in Peshawar comes under attack. The first direct attack on a media institution. It’s a profession that can only be pursued with passion and desire.

What happened?
As around 30 journalists waited on the upper floor of the Peshawar Press Club for a press conference to begin, a suicide bomber casually walked up to the main gate and detonated the explosives when he was not allowed entry.

4 people were killed. Around 17 injured. Head Constable Riazuddin, who was deployed for the last 3 years because he recognized all members, gave up his life to save many others.

Injured were rushed to a hospital.

Is this significant?
The death toll is negligible keeping in view the amount of innocent killings that just the city of Peshawar in NWFP has recently witnessed. But this is a direct attack on people who bring information from a region of the country that is at the war front. It is not very easy to provide information from the sensitive area. Journalists work under immense pressure in the area. They are caught between the security forces and militants. Reporters have to be immensely watchful of talking about sensitive issues that might upset any of the parties involved. There is also the national interest that needs to be protected. And the life too.

Clearly the way journalists have been reporting and the ways their messages have been broadcast by the electronic media have had an impact. It clearly has left a bad taste in the mouth of the aggrieved party and hence this attack.

The job is being well done that means.

Is there a solution?
A journalist from Peshawar Iftikhar Firdous tells me that Pakistan climbed up to tenth position in the list of countries with untoward conditions for journalists to report from.
This should not be able to stifle the precious voices. Safety training and capacity –building measures could be helpful. All media organizations should take steps to provide fair pay and adequate support for their safety and protection. Insurance schemes are very useful to give a sense of security in the event of injury or worse.

Monday, December 21, 2009

JAMES TREACH AND ONE LOVE!

The adventures of James Treach was a piece of writing that my 10 year old nephew showed me...and it somehow signified the importance of wild imagination and to keep on dwelling in our self created world of our own. I hope Omar completes that book one day.


And its always useful in one way or the other to be with younger generation.So the other day , on arecent trip to my hometown in Islamabad , I had to drop a couple of teenagers to their house. On the way while driving I asked them what kind of music was a hit these days and they named David Guetta.

Well , I dont know what genre of music this exactly is, but it is music to the ears ....This song is called One Love!

I like the lyrics because they are very inspirational some how. You could like it if you are in love and even if you are kind of suffering from heart ache....there is a chance you'll like it. And even if you are chaste , do listen to it. Its peppy.


Here's the link on you tube.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Amw-BYXZMI

I present you with the lyrics too.....( forgive me for the bad formatting)

Can anybody help me im outta plans
guess I left my world in somebody’s hands
I don’t like to hurt but but everyone gets weak
someone to rely on that’s what I really need
Now here we stay its all that were worth
I’ve been thru the pain and been dragged thru the dirt
whatever they tell you were bigger than words
I’ve been where your standing
I know how it hurts let this be a song now
and this be a day and we stand together well be okay
Because were survivors were making it work
expecting the best when they hope for the worst
One love - this is the way we found
One love - even though they'll let you down
One love -nobody’s perfect now
One love -don’t let that hold u down
One love - lets stick together now
One love -we got to stand our ground
One love - its easy to believe in
One love - believe in u and m
eOnee loveeeeeeeee
Now I cud try and fix this all by myself
but I know it’d turn out better if u help no one likes to hurt but but everyone gets weak someone to rely on that’s what everybody needs
Now here we stay its all that were worth
I’ve been thru the pain
and been dragged thru the dirt whatever they tell you were bigger than words
I’ve been where your standing
I know how it hurts let this be a song now
and this be our day
and we stand together well be okay
Because where survivors were making it work
expecting the best when they hope for the worst
One love - this is the way we found
One love - even though they'll let you down
One love -nobody’s perfect now
One love -don’t let that hold u down
One love - lets stick together now
One love -we got to stand our ground
One love - its easy to believe in
One love - believe in u and me
Onee loveeeeeeeee,
its oneee loveeee
,Im here to tell you its one love
, ohOne loveeeee,
said its one loveeeeSing with meee one loveee
,One love to be oh that’s all we needOne love.

CHANGES


"Gone are the days when Adam wove and Eve span"I remember this expression from a speech delivered by a fellow in school ......

And today after so many years , it applies in its full spirit to the Miss World beauty contests. What I mean to say is that this contest has kind of lost the oomph that it possessed once . Back in 1951, in the UK when it was started by Eric Morley, I am sure the western society was far more careful on what was modest and what wasn't . So the sight of contestants sashaying in swim suits and revealing gowns must have been a treat to watch.

In the new millenium , the cosmetic, film and fashion industry have all undergone a revolution.....making both men and women very conscious of how they look. Result: you see beauty kings and queens all around you all the time. People feeling beautiful all the time ( physically I mean). I want you to dig that the winner of Miss World is no longer the defining element of whats hot when it comes to how one should look. Its not globally accepted.

Similarly, the controversy around the concept of beauty pageants is invalid. People are leading far more liberated lives now...relationships of different kinds are getting legally accepted , lifestyles changed every where, the woman somehow became more intelligent and is now , no longer expected to fit the house wife profile......Its more of what you are capable of doing than what you look like. Its about how much secure you are in surviving the pressures of the life today!

But that doesnot mean that you should not watch the contest. You could test your eye....find out if you are the beholder in whose eye, beauty lies. Select a candidate and watch what's her destiny. Winner or loser!

But isnt this years winner pretty?

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Great Expectations


As many waited in the biting chill of Islamabad outside the Supreme Court, me here in Lahore felt quite anxious awaiting the short order of the Court on the fate of NRO. Though my auto cue read "verdict expected soon" for the last four hours , I changed the script to "any time now" .....that any time also lasted another hour!
Call it a land mark judgement or a historic verdict or ask me what am I talking about in the first place, but the declaration of NRO being Void ab initio and against the constitution is bound to create some ripples and come down hot and heavy on the youthful dermocracy in the country.

Analysts and legal experts appearing on numerous television channels , all drumming the same issue were happy on the verdict and tried to make sense of legal implications of the verdict...which is not so easy untill the detailed judgement comes out, the Presidential spokesman was quick in making it clear that there was no question of the President resigning. Well if you lust for political debate , you are in for a sinful ride because there is enough fodder for the media to chew upon for the many many days to come.
But the common man couldn't care less what the verdict meant. One of the staffer asked me today, yes today after NRO's death ...what was the fuss all about?? Because the junta has a different expectation from the independant judicuary ....something on the lines of speedy justice.




But if you know how difficult it is to acquire even the stamped paper from the Kachehris ( Courts) that expectation does seem like a tall order.




Hope that does not turn out to be a case of great expectations! By the way I love this movie that stars Ms . Paltrow in the role of Estella.

Monday, December 14, 2009

REALITY


The intelligently silent air about him made him quite intriguing somewhat mysterious. But when he spoke he was so gentle and unassuming that I was encouraged to ask my own questions about the Tribal Belt in our country. And I got detailed answers. All of this was coming from a person who I had never met before and answering my childish questions must have been a waste of time for him. He himself had been picked up by insurgents. There was something about him that commanded respect.

Fast forward a couple of months and I see him sitting in the news room, again with that aura of mystery….. I went up to him and offered him my hand and then introduced myself. He got up from his chair and shook my hand without a smile but with a very affectionate expression. That’s it. No other words were ever exchanged between us. And that is all I knew about Sohail Qalander- renowned journalist!

But when I got the news of his sudden death, I was in disbelief and shock as if some one I had known for a long long time had died. The grief- indescribable.

It is after his death that I found out that:

· He had enjoyed a spectacular career as a journalist and made it to the top in a span of just ten years.
· He was a self made person. Usually this term is used to describe people who achieve success with sheer hardwork.

· Known in his circles for raising his voice and pen for the rights of the aggrieved.

· So generous that many homes awaited his regular financial assistance.


The above list is of course not exhaustive. May his soul rest in peace.
Death, they say is the only reality of life.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Meeting, Greeting and Condoling

Winter jackets are out. For a person like me who finds it difficult to receive and believe a compliment, its somehow getting easier to give one with the passage of time. That is why when someone approaches with a look in their eyes asking for praise for their jacket, I always tell them it looks nice. And most of the times the jacket DOES look good. But I am still unsure of what kind of a jacket do I want for myself?

Haajis (Pilgrims from Makkah) have started returning. Most of them wearing masks to protect against Swine Flu perhaps and a swagger indicating that they have done it…not quite understanding the true spirit of this long and tedious travel to the Holy Land. Even then, I am all for the celebrations that follow…dates and Aab E ZamZam..all being distributed to people who make it a point to come and give the returning haajis a hug.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs featured the most in the Pakistani Haajis’ paryers as they raised their hands in unison before Allah….because the ministry gave them dingy rooms in which they were crammed up, with other stories that said the toilet in the room was without a latch and so one Haji would wait out side while the other finished his thing inside, lest someone else barged inside and saw everything! The dispensary was also without any proper medicine stock….No transport was arranged for the Haajis to return back from Muzdalifah…they were on their own! But Ministry would be quite satisfied because their Indian and Bangladeshi counterparts meted out a similar treatment to their citizens.

It’s just a matter of some years when I think that people will make the switch from Bakras (male goats) to Cows and Bulls for good. This was very evident in the market in Islamabad and Pindi where the bigger animals were in larger number for sale. And an interesting reason that one shepherd gave me was : not enough rain received this year, that’s why bakras had not teethed properly! Hence majority of the Bakras were Kheeras!!

Condolences to the families of Parade Mosque attack victims and many more laying down their lives almost everyday. Salutes!