04th January, 2011

4^th January, 2011 was the longest day for Pakistan. With an attack on a school bus followed by killing of a professor and ended up with an assassinating Governor of Punjab. There are neither rules nor limits to this ugly game anymore. Anyone can be or becomes a target. The object here is to terrorise the masses which is successful so far.

A remote controlled bomb has ripped through a bus carrying children (age 8 to 12) of paramilitary soldiers in southwest Pakistan. The area of attack was Turbat. One might ask what kind of a strategic advantage is in mind while attacking a school bus. It was not a supply line, no arms and ammunitions for neither the soldiers nor any soldier was present in the bus.

The next news of the day was of Professor Syed Munir Hussain Sherazi who was shot in Dera Islamil Khan (D.I.Khan) by the sectarian terrorists yesterday. There was a time when teacher was a respectable figure in our society and people looked upon him for guidance. But now you will be judged by your belief and faith rather than to be allowed to profess your religion freely. In the past, the fundamental rights were fought for by us but now they are being fought by us for our interpretation of freedom.

The last news was a déjà vu for something similar had happened long time ago in India. Prime Minister Indra Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguard. On the dreadful day of 4^th January, 2011 Governor Punjab Salman Taseer was brutally assassinated. Both assassinations were religious in nature but were very different from each other. Salman Tasser protested against the abuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan as Muslims will victimse non-Muslims, especially Christians. He was killed by being shot by his bodyguard and then the murderer surrendered by giving up his rifle and is now being praised as a hero all over the country. National Assembly adjourned the session without taking any agenda item to mourn the killing of Governor Punjab.

A terrorist attack followed by an ethnic murder and then a political assassination. Enough to prove that we are still not civilised enough to settle our differences without a gun. We once believed in fundamental rights and now we are too selfish to allow anyone to practice his right of freedom to life, religion, association and property freely. In Quran, only ‘Life for a Life' and no murder of any kind is allowed. The second possibility is when the mischief is responsible to spread lawlessness. Islam always professes that a murder of single human being is a murder of entire humanity.  No one has a right to take a life because of  a person's belief. We are allowed to profess our freedom without encroaching on the freedom of others. We are no longer a true Muslim let alone a decent human being.

Justice and Revenge

The law and order situation in Karachi is completely out of control.March 15th, 2011 and around 36 people have died in just four days. The promises of State to provide protection and justice are like pie crust, made to be broken. There is no sign of remedy anywhere in this anarchy. The citizens of Karachi have finally crossed the thin line that has long separated revenge from justice. This sort of news is not new but will always remind us of our savagery when it happens. There is a long list of dacoits who were tortured, burned and even killed by the people of Karachi. These sorts of incidents are being encouraged and it is being argued that this will prove to be deterrence against all the outlaws and criminals.


People will gather and start beating the mugger or dacoit ruthlessly and mercilessly. Instead of handing him over to the authorities, disappointed with the ineffective and inefficient justice system, the citizens will take the matter in their own hands and kill him. They can torture him or burn him alive. The justification may seem acceptable in face of weak government and justice system. But let us not forget the tragic event of Sialkot (a city of Punjab) when two innocent children, tied with blood relation to each other, were killed by a crazy mob. There was no justification of such a barbaric behavior but it was justified then. The justification is of no importance, may it be a dacoits or innocent brothers, when savagery is dictating all the rules of the game.

We are no longer a civilized nation. The words like law and justice means nothing to us. We will do anything and are ready to cross any limits. We will kill in the name of religion, blasphemy, target-killing, political gang wars and the virus of arms will continue to be injected in our youths. We have guns, rifles, pistols of every kind and every sort. We have reasons, though not justifiable, to kill and die. There is no cause and no purpose behind our sacrifice. We have reduced the value of life; let it be ours or anyone else.

Karachi: The city that burnt

28th December, the city of lights lost its heritage as the oldest and the most revenue generating business hub costing billions of Rupees and priceless family traditions caught ablaze by those who are knowingly unknown. Such occult practices burnt clusters of business communities to ashes. People lost assets worth millions and there is no justification for the quantifiable loss they have to suffer.

Regardless of the material loss, people had invested their entire life building those shops and generations passed carrying out their businesses and making key relations with suppliers and customers. Who would have thought that there will be no chai-wala to offer them morning tea and customers falling in as they sip the ever refreshing dhoodpati. All is lost in dark with no hope to guide them to light.

On this date what we see is a crumbling Pakistan and the situation worsening, weakening and diminishing our hopes of a glorious Pakistan. I may call myself and thousand others like me conspiracy theorists that would put this blame on any of the three entities; the Pakistani Government itself, Taliban or America for that reason.

For those who pick our dynamic Government would certainly believe it to be a strategy to revamp Karachi by demolishing structures that stood for over 100 years built during the British Raj in order to build sky scrapers and a new Lego- world of concrete. Another school of thought would claim this to be a well sought out plan by the opposition parties to destabilize the current government.

For those who believe in what is told to them would certainly consider this an act of ridicule by our poor overrated world enemies, Taliban and Al-Qaeda. It amuses me how the words “Taliban” and “Al-Qaeda” are officially entered in Microsoft Word’s dictionary. Anyhow, for those who are always anti America would go on to say that this is all done by the invisible hands that virtually run and dictate our country. And some who really think a lot would even go beyond by saying that India and America ventured a covert operation to destroy and eventually invade Pakistan to get control over China.

Whatever the case may be, it is evident that Pakistanis are consistently going to struggle and suffer unanimously while we all wait for a Superman to rescue us. The problem lies in everyone one of us. We are the solution. We all want the mess to be cleaned up without getting our hands dirty.

Our parents don’t want us to join politics, we don’t choose to join army nor do we engage ourselves in any socially/ politically motivated events like rallies and protests. On the contrary, we break signals, we bribe the policemen and say “they are corrupt” and we don’t question authority. If we don’t obey the basic laws, we don’t really have a right to ask questions. The best example I could give you is of France. Now the French Government is the kind of Government that one could only dream of. They take responsibility for everything; from Healthcare to Education, they would even send a back-up mom to wipe your baby’s poop. Now that’s a Utopia we are talking here. Who would go against such an extremely beautiful Government? Recently French students in Paris and Lyon took over the city and the Police for disrupting their reforms regarding the curriculum (http://www.javno.com/en-world/thousands-protest-against-school-reforms-in-france_216314). This is the passion to fight for their right.

I have nothing much to say about the youth. I feel you would be disappointed. I remember visiting a party lately where there was this really interesting conversation going on about Islam and what Muslims are supposed to do and how there is no compensation and forgiveness when it comes to prayers. I was disgusted by that entire half drunk crowd who was a part of this conversation and the pious gentleman holding a bottle of Blue Label initiating that conversation. You drink and take the name of thy Lord. I mean where are the priorities set? Well the party was fun, had a great time mocking.

In a nutshell, demographically, the old aged have lost their hope in Pakistan, the middle wants their kids to run away from here and the youth is facing a severe identity crises. It is unwise to be extremely optimistic about Pakistan; it would in fact disguise all the discrepancies and incompetencies that prevail in a puppetized democracy. Nonetheless, one shouldn’t be a pessimist either. What we should be looking for are thought provoking realists’ ideologies, one that promote free will and opportunity to rise no matter where you come from.

In the Memory Of Moin Akhter

Undoubtedly, Moin Akhtar was a comic genius. He had comedy lovers across Pakistan and beyond guffawing at his natural wit long before Pakistani entertainment became what it is today - glamorous, glossy, heavily-financed and yet often mundane. Moin began his foray into Pakistani comedy back when all we had was theatre and the one TV channel. But for a genuine entertainer like Moin Akhtar, this platform was more than enough to win over the audiences. Pakistanis the world over grew up rollicking to his uncannily accurate impersonations and hilarious dramas. His death this Friday, due to a coronary heart failure, has left his fans and friends shocked and grief-stricken.

Scriptwriter Anwar Maqsood once said about him, “Moin Akhtar is one of the rare entertainers who doesn’t need to be told how to enact a comic script. Most actors have to be instructed on dialogue delivery and timing. But Moin has always had the comic acumen to know exactly how to carry out a parody. All I have ever had to do is give him a script and he’ll transform it into an uproarious, unforgettable performance.” Anwar Maqsood wrote the scripts for most of Moin’s most memorable roles and often appeared alongside him on television. Saddened by the shock, he was unable to comment on his friend’s death.

And not just Maqsood but the entire Pakistani entertainment fraternity were dejected at his sad demise. As veteran actor Qazi Wajid tearfully commented, “I worked alongside him throughout my career and now that he’s gone, I feel all alone.”

Comedian Omer Sharif was just as desolate. “Moin Akhtar was like a brother to me,” he said. “I acted in my first commercial play, Bionic Servant, with him. His death is a sad loss for me and also for Pakistani entertainment on the whole. He was one-of-a-kind, comedians like him are rare.”

Looking back at Moin’s long, laughter-laden career, it’s hard to single out his best performances. There are just too many! He received both the Sitara-e-Imtiaz and Pride of Performance awards for his exceptional work.

In the popular stage drama ‘Budha ghar pe hai’, he matched wits with Pakistan’s other ace comedian, Omer Sharif. On TV, he took on one hilarious avatar after another. In the drama ‘Eid train’, he enacted a leery, flirtatious old man to the hilt. In the comic sitcom ‘Sach much’ he became a pot-bellied Memon balancing two wives. In the hugely popular ‘Rozi’, he took on the role played by Dustin Hoffman in ‘Tootsie’, of a struggling actor who manages to get hired by dressing up as a female. With a tousled wig in place underneath a dupatta and a flutter of his false eyelashes, Moin added yet another sensational hit to his repertoire. Frequently, he worked alongside actors like Bushra Ansari, Zeba Shehnaz, Ismail Tara and Shakeel, raising the bar for Pakistani comedy.

However, most of Moin’s best work was probably alongside Anwar Maqsood. The discerning, sharp-witted scriptwriter and the intuitive comedian formed a matchless combination as they teemed together in one show after another. Maqsood would always be the interviewer and Moin the interviewee, taking on different characters in each episode. He would come up with hilariously belligerent answers while a deadpan-faced Maqsood would furrow his brows. Maqsood’s script, of course, played a huge role in the success of these shows, merging slapstick comedy with a healthy dose of sugarcoated sarcasm. Nonetheless, Moin’s impersonations were also pure genius. Years ago, the two teemed up for the controversial ‘Studio Dhai’, which was banned because of its bold digs at the government. Lo and behold, soon after, the two were back with an equally audacious script in ‘Studio Ponay Teen’.

 ‘Loose Talk’, the pair’s most recent venture, ran to rave reviews for around 400 episodes with Moin masquerading from characters ranging from a corrupt police officer to a Bengali baba to a tormented husband. Anwar Maqsood stopped penning the show when Pakistan was hit by floods last year, saying that with most of his audience rendered homeless, he didn’t have the heart to continue on with ‘Loose Talk’. But, of course, he would have eventually bounced back with yet more question-answer skits. Except, now with his best performer gone, an Anwer Maqsood show will never be the same again.

Then again, Pakistani comedy will never be the same again without Moin Akhtar. His loss has been felt deeply by the Pakistani entertainment industry as well as Urdu-speaking audiences all over the world. A legend, he will always be remembered for his comic talent and the laughter he brought to our eyes, time and again.

Truth is stranger than fiction??

I find the weirdest things to be thought provoking..While returning home yesterday I read this phrase on the rear shield of a car, and I've been thinking about it ever since..Never mind what exact words made up that phrase,'cause living in Karachi Ive learned alot of people don't even give a damn about what grammar or posture are they composing their statements upon *rolls eyes*..In simple and comprehend-able words,it meant 'Truth Is Stranger In Fiction'..he he yeah make up what you think the Pakistani version of this statement would be :P..
Anyway,I have been thinking about it ever since and I am surprised indeed..Surprised over the fact that how much do we tend to live on assumptions and make believe just because we doubt that we really want to face the reality.

Don't agree with me? I can totally prove it.. lets take up a very recent epidemic common among girls all around..:P Yeah the 'Edward Cullen' mania..(lol) Don't give dirty stares girls..Sure i really liked him too but it was no heads-over-heels things..Its a good,romantic,FICTIONAL book which has all these fictional characters..In my opinion all the girls actually going crazy about this vampire is because they're not very satisfied with their own boyfriends or love life or whatever..Its just like an easy escape from reality..I'm saying that 'cause that's how it is for me..Oh and if you're nodding your head right now...You're just stubborn..:P

Imagination and Fiction seem reality while they last, and sometimes don't we all wish that it would never end? - Alfred Tennyson.

ALL of us like the escape to fiction,to avoid the reality,to avoid the truth.Oh,and this time the Y-chromosomes creatures are in too..:P if you're still nodding your heads in disagreement..well you are stubborn :P but i want you to get a bite of this..WHY in world are all of us so in for all movie like Transformers and Star Wars etc..if you're coming up with words like 'Megan Fox' and ' wicked action sequence ' get the hell outta here!!

I doubt any body over here would say they've never made up imaginary friends..Its a part of every kid's childhood to make up a friend who always wants to play whatever they want to,who always looks up to them and always gets along with whatever they want to do..:) there's nothing wrong with that..but have you ever thought why you made up those friends?? the answer is quote simple, its either because you had a lonely childhood,like being an only kid or having no siblings close to your age or if you had many friends and siblings close to your age its because they didn't along with you very well or if they did they weren't around all the time like you wanted.

So basically the point is,do all seek refuge in fiction to escape reality even if it is for a few minutes or hours??..Because I think its a fact,TRUTH IS MORE UNWANTED,THAN FICTION.

Things I Love and Hate about Karachi

Things I love about Karachi:

SEA:

Obviously, sea is the only feature which makes Karachi distinct from all other cities in Pakistan. It is the only city to be blessed with such exquisite, breath-taking locations. A place where Karachiites can go and refresh themselves. A place where they can go and leave behind all the stress of their busy schedules. This is hands-down the top most reason why I love this city.


Winter Season:

Winters in Karachi rock. The only reason being that it brings the perfect kinda temperature, neither so cold nor hot. People neither get stuck in their houses shivering down their spines nor do they sweat and stink like in blazing heat in summers. Winters just give me a good mood, keep me cool. That's enough reason for me to fall in love with this season.

Malls:

Man ! What else a person who enjoys buying could wish for. Karachi has all what a person could possibly want. For house-hold stuff there are Makro and Metro. For anything else there are just uncountable malls so many of which are still left to be explored by me.

Roads/Flyovers:

Shahra-e-Faisal can be a dream for drivers (when its not crowded). Drive as fast as you want and cops are too busy with their own business to come and chase you. All the Flyovers are awesome too and the one I love is KPT interchange, specially when it sparkles with all the lighting at the night time, simply amazing !

People:

Of course, how could I leave this reason out. People of this city simply rock. They're simple, friendly and so innocent. They never show off the way many insecure people do (at least most of them). They will never make you feel bad and even if the do, they'll smooth things up using their extra-ordinary ability known as 'humour' before you even know it. You guys rock !


Things I hate about Karachi:

Stupidly disgusting red stains:

These red stains are found almost everywhere in this city. There is no road, wall, pavement or anything (including one of my friends) left who's not got shot yet.

Crowded local buses:

What would you expect from your day when you get a start with a full bus and all you get is a little space on the enter/exit opening of the bus to hang on to. This city needs some immediate transport revolution.

Wall Chalking And Advertisements/Slogans:(From Kiran)

The wall chalking part in the hate list as well because its so disgusting to see our walls covered with stupid advertisements n slogans. and the amount of litter we throw on seaside is unbearable.

Travelling Kimari To Manora

 

Karachi the city of lights

Karachi,the Pakistani version of the city of  lights,it is only called the city of lights according to my thinking because of the bomb blasts and tire burning.I think almost every day  cars are burnt, tires are burnt and bombs are blasted.This all happens because of some political mafia  who have their hands dirty in a lot of conspiracy and deaths.You can't imagine how many people are killed that is burned,decapitated,cut piece by piece and even  assassinated.Almost all of the people are living in poverty they dont have homes,food or even justice.The justice is really blind in Karachi.Karachi is an example of the modern dark ages!

The New Lays Limited Edition

I don't know when I turned into a chips critic, but here I am. Blogging about the four new flavors that Lays has come up with for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. I got all today from Chase. Oh you know the one next to Naheed supermarket. The pack says 15 rupees but they charged just 14. No wonder Naheed Supermarket seems deserted now.
Anyway, I am posting them according to my liking. Which means the first photo is the one I liked the most and the last is the one I liked the least.

Sadly the Pakistani Chicken Achari tasted like the regular Masala one. So what's your take on the new Lays?