Saturday, February 26, 2011

Who is next?

After the discussion was over. Lahore studio of Platform. With Mr.Mushahid Hussain


The latest episode of Platform that I hosted from Lahore was special in more ways than one. I had to host it not only out of schedule but also got to sit down with a very learned guest, Mr. Mushahid Hussain. A well known figure in Pakistan and abroad.


We had an extra minute on air before we wrapped up the show. And because we were discussing startegic policy shifts of the west in the Middle East because of the revolt there, I asked Mr. Hussian questions that many wanted answers to, eversince thye uprising in Egypt.


Can we see a similar upsrising in Pakistan?
To this he said that Pakistan has never been through the kind of suffocation and repression. Pakistan has always had this unique way of recovering from different crises. As a society we have a democratic political culture.

But he did acknowledge that there was a distance between the ruler and the ruled, corruption and unemployment in the youth that had the potential for getting people out on the streets.


In Egypt it was the middle class that got out on the streets and made history. Is our middle class without that spark and enthusiasm that is required for revolution?
His reply was interesting. Our middle class is coming of age politically he feels. Pakistan's middle class is very vibrant. Civil society, media and judiciary -all represent that vibrancy. Therefore, Pakistanis donot , literally, have to come out on the streets.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Valentinian

Photo Credit:WR
Well I had heard much about how the ways of celebrating Valentine’s Day had changed over these years. That special someone is no longer supposed to be the only recipient of your love and affection in the form of chocolates, flowers or teddys. Mothers, Grandmothers, brothers and sisters can all be on your list to bestow upon now. Acceptable.

A friend of a friend thought it was okay to kiss trees on Valentine’s because after all its about showing love to the living and that friend was of the view that trees had feelings too. I thought it was a bit too much but then I came across news of some taking this beyond that..

Some in Rawalpindi chose to show up at the jail where Governor Taseer’s killer is being kept and showed their love for the assassin by bringing flowers and greeting cards for him. Really confusing. Supporting the killer for what he did and celebrating Valentine’s is really something in the opposite direction to each other. I guess it shows the kind of cultural and religious confusion that we often go through as Pakistani muslims.

But these events that often baffle and disturbs most of us who are grown up, are in a way enlightening up those in their formative years. For example on the Holy Prophet’s (S.A.W) birthday I felt like uploading a naat on my facebook page. I was going through different options on you tube , when I came across one naat that had a good dose of music arrangement put into it with the renderer wearing a bright outfit. Just as I was about to upload it my cousin’s 14 year old son came up to me and stopped me from it. I was strangely surprised when he advised me to choose one with no music in it . There could be many with extreme views out there, he said who would definitely not like me uploading the musical naat.He then asked me to choose something that would be acceptable to all.

First I thought the child had been terrorized by what extremists are capable of doing. He was scared of expressing his choice lest he invited their disapproval.
But then I thought perhaps the boy was acting enlightened. He was perhaps being tolerant of the views of those who differed from him. He was willing to adhere to their choice as long as he was also able to get his self across as well. In this case, using a naat to express love for the Prophet (S. A. W).

I guess these difficult times that our country is going through are in a way broadening the horizon of our children and teaching them lessons that syllabi might not be able to explain to them ever.