Zia Mohyuddin's Faiz missing

Caption: The missing CD

I checked half a dozen shops including all the ones in Fortress, Wapda Town and Johar Town but had no luck in finding Zia Moheyuddin's recitation of Faiz's poetry. The CD's were available, but once you ask the shopkeepers to test play them, it ends up being someone else's recitation. All SHAHZAD Audio stores had this problem. Since some of these folks haven't heard of Faiz's poetry, to them Zia Moheyuddin is probably reciting Faiz in that exquisite style of his.

The futile search taught me an important lesson: Even pirates can fuck up.

However, I found a poor audio quality CD from one of the stores in Liberty. Will have to make do with this and extract the small rendition of a poem for the current documentary am working on.

Corporate Video for Rozee.pk

Hailstorm Hits Lahore

A vicious hailstorm hit Lahore with hail the size of golf balls raining down across the plains of the Punjab. The rice paddies are likely to suffer from this onslaught. The rice crop was already estimated to witness a large loss due to India's storing of the Chenab water at the Baglihar dam.

The hailstorm though bringing in pleasant weather, doesn't bring any good tidings and only adds to the economic problems of the country.

Turkey: The model for Pakistan

It is no secret that the Turkish people have an enormous reverence for Mahomed Ali Jinnah or Cinnah as written in Turkish, honoring him with Cinnah Avenue, a major artery in Ankara. It should not be surprising as both Jinnah and the founder of modern-day Turkey, Ataturk, were modernist Muslims educated and tailored in the western traditions. Both dedicated their lives to uplift the economic and political cause of their people. The similarities between the two men also include both being members of minority communities within the religion of Islam. Jinnah was an Ismaili-Shia, a community following Imam Agha Khan while Ataturk, born in Salonika, was a Muslim of Albanian-Macedonian parents. Their roots outside of mainstream Islam were significant in determining their modernist, secular ideology which was accutely aware of the 'tyranny of the majority' and desiring of equal rights for those whom demographics did not favor.

But more than this, it was the economic degradation of their communities that encouraged them to lead their people.

In pre-1947 India, the Muslim population was primarily illiterate with little or no significant role in commerce, which was almost exclusively owned by a non-Muslim majority. Jinnah however, was part of the coastal Ismaili Muslim community which unlike most Muslims, was more interested in enterprise and bourgeoise professions and thus could grasp the need to set up a state - be it within the Indian union or without - whereby the members of his Muslim community could have opportunities allowing them to gain a stake and representation in the economic system.

In similar respects, the Young Turk movement, of which Ataturk was a member, also aimed to establish a state where the Muslims held economic power. Due to the abhorent decadence of the Khilafat-e-Usmania, the Muslim community had become the equivalent of 'white trash' of the Khilafat while the minority communities like the Armenians and Greeks prospered as they opted to adopt western legal codes. The biographies of Ataturk and the early 20th century indicate how the non-Muslim Ottoman neighborhoods were well lit with paved roads and had the best schools and hospitals. It was Ataturk's desire to see the majority Muslim community achieve the same modern life style denied to them - a denial he and many of the Young Turk movement linked to the Khilafat's archaic legal codes and traditions.

Unfortunately, while Turkey has stuck to the ideals of Ataturk, Pakistan has quickly forgotten Jinnah's almost single-handed struggle to build a prosperous nation. While the Islamic-bent AKP party of Turkey today ferociously supports Turkey's union with the European Union as part of Ataturk's modernist legacy, Pakistan is fraught with internecine civil war, religious bigotry, a self-destructive obesession against India, and whose Army is now wrecking havoc against its own people in the FATA region, for a war fought on someone else's behalf. Whereas Turkey has always stood up for its national interests and been the only country to militarily attack Europe since WW II (through a military assault it forcefully occupied 40% of Cyprus in the 1970's) and refused $25 billion in aid from the United States to assist in the war against Iraq, Pakistan has capitulated in a dramatically tragic manner to the whims of foreign powers.

While Jinnah and Ataturk had many similarities and would not mind enjoying a glass of Turkish wine if they met, there is a massive gulf between the leadership of Pakistan and Turkey today. What can Pakistan learn from the successful model adopted by Turkey? What does modern day Turkey have to teach us?

Prime Minister Erdogan's AKP party started its journey assisting the poor members of the urban Turkish landscape. One of the projects was to offer bread at break-even cost to the poor who were severely effected by hyper inflation. The scheme became so successful, that private bakeries went out of business. More importantly it catapulted the AKP party (then known as Welfare Party) into the mainstream of Turkish politics.

In a similar attempt, Chairman Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is also attempting to find resonance amongst the urban poor of Pakistan who are the suffering from exorbitant food inflation. Thus the Sasta Tanduur project has been set up in much the same fashion as the Turkish party's. However, the Sasta Tanduur project goes a step further by offering subsidized roti which results in each tanduur incurring a daily loss. This loss is expected to be fulfilled by the appeal for donations voiced by Chairman Khan.

Aside from aggressively reaching out to those bruised by faulty economic policies, the other major example to learn from the Turkish Republic is to stand up to foreign powers. Completely redefining the war we are currently fighting is critical as persisting with policies in which our military is massacring our own people will lead us down the path of self-destruction.

Finally and most importantly, the fact that Turkey has pursued a pro-development economic policy beneficially tied to the West without forfeiting its sovereignty is worth emulating. Today, Turkish consumer electronics firms rank among the top three in terms of sales in many of the household product lines.

Standing up for the poor and against foreign powers are the hallmarks of good leadership which Chairman Khan has shown and which our nation needs to adopt. While we cannot be a replica copy of the Turkish Republic, the fundamentals of standing up to western powers and focusing on the have-nots of our society deserve to be copied so that one day, Pakistan too will mirror the glorious image of its founder, Mahomed Ali Jinnah.

Published for www.insaf.pk

Ramzan kay side-effects

It is quite possibly the most unproductive month of the year. This repute is so well established, even foreigners who are looking to invest in the country cross this month off their calendar knowing nothing is going to get done.

While purists will insist the purpose of Ramzan has already been defeated by the unanimous alteration in behavior, it nevertheless is celebrated – with the accompanying advertisements, promotions, and songs – with some degree of fervor mostly propped up I should add by marketing companies looking to fully use the event for profit maximization. The reality is that more and more people no longer see the need to observe this pillar of the Islamic faith.

Last night during iftari, a table discussion took place where it was asked if there was a reason to mandate Ramzan. Putting aside the 1400 years of reasons revealing the importance of fasting, one person suggested that allocating the month to fast was a response seeking to adjust for the annual scarcity faced by the desert outposts like Mecca and Medina. Although it was point out that the early Muslims depended on the lunar and not solar calendar as they were not an agrarian culture like that of Mespotamia, Indus or Nile, and so didn’t follow the crop harvesting schedule, it was suggested that the inconsistent camel caravans transporting food and trade patterns may have affected the Arabs to make this move. Another person asked if the pre-Islamic Arabs also fasted. As many of the traditions of the pre-Islamic Arabia were adopted/accepted by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) under the declaration that they were actually Abrahamic traditions, mandatory fasting could also fit into this schema.

While there is probably some economic rationale to mandating a month to fast and decrease food input (almost all actions have an economic rationale), what is clear today is that this month doesn’t really fulfill any economic reasoning. Excuses like how the body lowers its cholesterol, fat and improves health are apologetics offered. The very fact that economic productivity declines to zilch is an indictment of what this month has been rendered as.

While a large majority remains committed to celebrating this month, those who seek productive behavior are quietly ignoring it. Eventually I see some form of relaxation occurring from the edicts of future ulema-e-Islam on how to ensure people obey the fast without going completely hungry for 12 hours a day.

When behavior disturbs economic activity, there is always a measured reaction that occurs in society to bring it in line with economic rationale. It is unlikely that a people will become more ‘spiritual’ and observe the month like it was supposed to have been observed and work with the same vigor they do the rest of the year. What is likely are people ignoring the fast due to the inconvenience it posts or the ulema-e-Islam stepping and providing avenues of leniency and additions to what is permissible while one is fasting so that people’s bodies can at least get some work done.

UPS units do roaring business

Ulterior Power Supply units have become a household feature over the past few months due to frequent power outages. The basic unit will power a few light bulbs and a few fans when WAPDA supply is cut. The UPS recharges when there is power coming from the 'main' (supply).

While the UPS are a perfectly natural reaction to the power shortage, the behavior reflects a degree of predictability in Pakistanis. The disconnect between themselves and their government becomes apparent. For a variety of reasons the people have little faith in government and expect very little from. There is no consideration given to the fact that the people have always been paying an ever increasing amount of what they earn to the government through a plethora of taxes and therefore should expect at least the basic provisions. The unwillingness to hold the government responsible while continuing to pay up has made us a rather compliant lot. Pakistanis prefer to make quick fixes rather than trying to spend energy on altering the fundamentals of the nation.

The innocent looking UPS is a reflection of a quick fix. It eases life for those who can afford it. WAPDA can be damned. KESC can be damned. When it comes to reforming national institutions, we are helpless, hopeless and humbled. If the ever dependable market economy provides an easy way out, we'll take it.

Expect to spend a minimum of 30,000 rupees for one unit which includes the UPS and two Exide batteries. Also expect to pay up for 'service' charges as there is a regular requirement for adjusting the unit - which is a minimum of 500 rupees per month. In case of a battery malfunction, a likely possibility, a new one could cost as high as a whopping 5,500 - it used be almost half that only a year a go.

Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Trips down memory lane…was recently asked, ‘What made you interested in Faiz?’ a question that can easily be answered by replying with the renowned ghazals one has heard, or the ‘hum daikhain gay’ chant of Iqbal Bano members of all sections of society happily claim to uphold. Lots of usual reasons. Though I’m gradually losing confidence in my mental archives, I did manage to trace two possible starting points for the love affair of Faiz’s poems.

Did one instance occur before the second? Or was it the other way round? Whatever the case, the thing that I can be reasonably sure of is that it doesn’t matter. The fact is I was 14 years old, in love with Christina, had just given Junoon’s Album1 one final chance and didn’t know what to take to class as part of the ‘bring something about your country’ assignment.

In Junoon Volume 1, the song ‘jeeain’ begins with a poem by Faiz…a memorable set of lines, but one which weren’t entirely understood until many months later when I’d read the complete poem. However, it was the other poem which marked a turning point.

I normally didn’t ask dad questions related to studies. I always ended up further confused. But this was a last minute thing and I needed help. So I asked him as he was rushing out for his field work in Wad Madani (we were in Sudan). He quickly took out the first book that came off the shelf which happened to be Faiz’s ‘nuskhaha-e-vafa’ and chose the first poem that came up – it was called ‘Kuttay’ (Dogs) and without considering my obvious displeasure at the selected title went on to explain in detail the underlying theme.

The seeds were laid then and I admit that though not know that well, it is among the best poems of Faiz I’ve read. And for all intents and purposes is responsible for the ideological shift I’d taken, on who I’d select as my heroes and who I would not.

Yeh galiyoun kay avara baykaar kuttay,
Keh bakhsha gaya jin ko zoaq-e-gadai,
Zamanay kee phatkaar sarmaya un ka,
Jehaan-bhar ke dhatkaar un kee kamaii…

[These filthy wandering street dogs,
Who have been blessed with unending poverty,
Life’s aimlessness is their only investment,
The world’s merciless kicks are their only earning…

And after describing the unenviable, poverty-stricken masses who have seemingly no hope, Faiz ends the poem with the imploring lines…

Koi un ko ehsaas-e-zillat dikhladay
Koi un kee soee hui dum hiladay…

[If only they realized the extent of their humiliation,
If only they could be awoken from their slumber…]

Mullen comes to mull

Kiyani and Mullen have met today in Islamabad apparently to discuss why Pakistan won't let the US forces to intrude into the territories of Pakistan.

Shouldn't need an explanation but perhaps the United States is worried over the sudden burst of valor shown by the Pakistanis. For almost 7 years the Pakistanis bent over backwards for the war on terror and now a it seems a breaking point has been witnessed by the nation. The war on terror has gone terribly wrong and the USA has utterly failed to achieve anything in Afghanistan. It's convenient to slander what was a classic banana republic but now with a democratic dispensation, that may not be so easy.

It's best if all parties realize that they should cooperate rather than pursue failed policies over and over again. Hopefully the meeting will conclude with the conviction to eliminate terrorists and help Pakistan rebuild the fabrics of its torn western regions.