View from my window

On 16th March, right before Navrouz when the Persian world has traditionally celebrated the advent of spring, Pakistanis wrote a new chapter. We are told that it is an unprecedented event. It is as uncommon an event as laying off, so to speak, of a head of Justice in a country. What was done has now been-hopefully-undone. Whether it is the advent of Spring after a long drawn winter is yet to be seen. For now, we celebrate, in the hope of a new season. Among others two things are foremost on my mind. One, since I live in USA presently, it is inevitable that I try to fathom US's reaction to events in Pakistan. During the Long March there were many reports coming from US regarding their interest in our events, firstly it was reported that US Joint Chiefs of Staff had persuaded our General Kiyani, like a little child is persuaded, to refrain from taking over like his predecessors, then we had reports that Madam Clinton had warned Mr. Zardari and Mr. Sharif that if they did not settle t...

When watching Academy Awards or Indian Film Fare Awards how many of you thought about our own Nigar awards. And if anyone was reminded of them it must have reminded them of our actors and actresses and the short revival of Lollywood with films like Sargam, Ghonghat, Jeeva, Inteha and maybe a few others that we actually went to the Cinema to watch. Don't you miss Reema, Saima, Noor, Meera, Resham, Nirma even Atiqa on the silver screen and Shan, Moamer Rana, John Rambo (Cockroach killer), Salim Sheikh and Baber Ali. But where is Pakistani Cinema right now? Apart from the obvious fact that it is an artistic vacuum, it also means that all those who were associated with the industry, actors, directors, distributors, cameramen, writers, sound engineers etc are jobless. Even if the industry churned out bad films at least the industry existed and hope was there that new blood will cleanse the industry. But a popular medium like Cinema has been allowed or maybe even systematically destroyed...

Haven't written in a while and those following my blog would know by now that whenever something disturbing on the world scene happens, I stop writing. Its an irony because usually writers provide solace through their writings while I, lose all power of expression when I am disturbed. And then what is there to write? Follow any newspaper from around the world and there is only one message that you get: Pakistan is rapidly slipping into an abyss! I was born in the 70s and have grown up in the 90s, I have vague recollection of the 80s even though I was not old enough to understand what life under Zia's martial law was like but I have seen relay race of power between Benazir and Nawaz Sharif in the 90s but never in our history have we been so unsafe. Where every person big or small, significant or otherwise, powerful or weak, rich or poor is exposed equally to this invisible enemy. Call it what you might, Taliban, extremist, jihadi, Al Qaeda, seperatist, a murderer by any name is ...