Pakistan bites the dust as Afridi bites the ball!

As Pakistani cricket team suffered another humiliating defeat today, to complete a white-wash of the ODI series after murder on the ground by Australian team in the test matches, we saw another great spectacle of carelessness/stupidity by our own, Shahid Khan Afridi.

The man famous for his exuberance and flamboyant attitude on the cricket field became too exuberant and careless once again. Previously our own, Shoaib Akhtar and Muhammad Asif have been known to be “stupid” on and off the field, recently,

Then Afridi had his moment of madness. While talking to his bowler, he decided to take a bite of the ball, trying to hide from the 26 cameras trained on him. Afridi should never try and pass himself off as a master of deception, because it was so obvious what he was trying to do.

There was another incident at the WACA on Sunday. The moron who ran out on the ground and tackled Khalid Latif from behind late in the match. While the Pakistani opener laughed the incident off, the fact remains that no amount of fines can detract these idiots from acting in a completely irresponsible manner and risking the health and safety of others.

Pakistani cricket needs reforms, as the Pakistani nation needs it too. PCB needs a re-think, as the government of Pakistan needs a re-think too. Are only PCB and Pakistani government to blame when the players and common people of Pakistan are so apathetic, careless and selfish?

Shahid Khan Afridi

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From Delhi to Lahore: The other side of the border

Shagun, a friend from India who visited Pakistan for a youth conference in 2006. She wrote this some time ago. I have had some differences with her over how things are, understandably, but the “mango-man” of both Pakistan and India yearn for peace. Two countries where millions die of poverty, spend billions of dollars on expanding their military capabilties. Now, as the scenario has changed and both countries are nuclear armed, one wonders, what more military advancement at the cost of education, health and basic necessities of life can justify piling up arsenal and missiles. Every missile that is made, every tank that is engineered steals from a poor woe-struck Pakistani/Indian who cannot get two times of food, clean water and basic health facilities. It is easy for a elite group of youngsters sitting in their drawing rooms, in Islamabad and Delhi to talk about F-16s and Sukhoi’s, ask from a poor, incidentally, nearly 50 percent of our population is below the poverty line. I have seen some fanatics talk about how war is the only solution between the two arch rivals, and I ask them, a war between two nuclear armed rivals would mean nearly 1/5th of humanity ceases to exist, over 1 Billion human beings ( including Approx. 200 million Muslims from here and 200 million from India). Yes, the likes of Shiv Sena and Taliban-Extemists, who know no other way would want a bloodshed of humanity, we the “mango people” have to give basic human rights to our countrymen first.

 

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BORDER – By Shagun Rana

 

It was 05/08/2006, usual day of me working late night in institute to finish assignments – nothing different. It was morning in sub continent, so came online to say hello to friends. My friend Asma was online from her office in Islamabad. We were talking about usual stuff and in bloom she asked me “Shagun, do u want to really come and see Pakistan?” I said “Yes, I do want to”.

She sent me a link. I was a bit confused with it but after reading what’s on the website, I felt that I should try. So that was turning point and that usual day became my best day. I filled in the form and within one hour, I got reply from a guy named Umair Ashraf that I have been registered for the conference. Now came the visa, I applied my visa from Vancouver. I was not getting any positive reply of any sort. I was leaving Canada and I had no clue about my visa, I was sad but I felt what wrong we common people did that we are not allowed to meet our own friends? Cannot we have borders like USA and Canada? Why visa is so tough for us? Why so much time is taken? Why so much torture…..?

With a disappointment I came back to my country. I was happy that I was back in my country but at the same time, one thing bugged me that neither my application was accepted nor rejected so I wanted to know the answer for this. So, at the last I was standing in front of Pakistani embassy in New Delhi with all my details along with my mom. I wanted to know if I am rejected and if yes. then why?

With the determination to know why my file was stuck in Canada, I applied again in India. Within 24 hours, conference would start in Islamabad and I knew that. I got visa from Pakistani high commission in New Delhi and for that I could only say thanks to my mom who was there with me and trying to boost me up and understood me that I wanted to know the reason of rejection of my visa. Second thanks for the official who gave me visa without hassle. I came out with visa. I was never as happy as I was that day. Within 24 hours I was at international airport, the same airport where I was four days back but this time not for western world but for a country which was said to be same as my, which had same history as we had.

I landed in Lahore and my friends were waiting outside the airport for me. I was scared for sure because I was alone in Pakistan. I could not believe I was in Pakistan. The country I heard so much of. I could not say that it was like Delhi because it was too small as compared to Delhi but at the same time, it made me feel I was in India. Whenever I saw billboards I used to feel no I am in Pakistan. I thought every girl would be in burqa or cover their head but to my shock nothing was like that. At 1 am, I started my journey for Islamabad but I felt Lahore never sleeps. I never saw Delhi ISBT to have so many people there at 1 am. Biggest shock came when I saw a bus hostess in luxury bus at 1:30 am. I never imagined that an Islamic country would allow that.

Next five days were in conference. I loved being there. I was meeting lot of people and trying to find answer to my questions. Shireen Naqvi, Saima Khan and Kamran Rizvi – the best people and halts off to them for their work.

Every new person enquired whether I am an Indian girl. It was awesome. I enjoyed every movement there and at the same time, learnt so much. It made me more proud to be Indian every moment and by end of fifth day, I made up my mind to observe a difference between the two countries. I came back to Lahore. Every day I was shopping or seeing places. My only interest was to see difference. Whenever I was on road I was trying to compare what difference is between India and Pakistan but I could not find.

I am shopping at 1 in night which was a shock to me. I did miss my India also because when I wanted to wear cargo or salwar kamez without duppata I felt odd one out. Best Rabree (a sweet dish made of milk) I ever had, was in Lahore. My eyes were glued to chapals in JJ store (Junaid Jamshed’s) and Lawn fabric. Every time when I told that I was Indian, I was given big welcome. I remember I was in a beauty parlor for Mehndi. Every single girl there came to me asked me how’s India. Is it like movie show? Do you watch serials on Star TV, dresses in India are so nice, and don’t you girls have more freedom there?

On streets you could hear Hindi songs and in car the most I heard was YA ALI from gangster movie. So where was the difference?

There was no difference. The difference came because we were told like that. We were shown a picture which was totally different. Back home, my family was scared that girl is alone in Pakistan. The asked me to go any where but not Pakistan, but I wanted to see the part which was once in India how can it be so different from another?

This year I am again applying for visa for Pakistan. Now I am in management team of the conference I attended last year. I don’t want to stop these steps which I have taken. I do hear a lot many times from people that I take too much interest in Pakistan and I reply “come with me and watch from your own eyes, we are one”. Both countries need peace and the OTHER SIDE BORDER NEEDS RESPECT AS MUCH AS WE NEED FROM THEM. My last message is that if you are true then come out and make some difference

– Shagun Rana

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The World Bank estimates that 456 million Indians (42% of the total Indian population) now live under the global poverty line of $1.25 per day (PPP).

As per the 2001 census, 35.5% of Indian households availed of banking services, 35.1% owned a radio or transistor, 31.6% a television, 9.1% a phone, 43.7% a bicycle, 11.7% a scooter, motorcycle or a moped, and 2.5% a car, jeep or van; 34.5% of the households had none of these assets.  According to Department of Telecommunications of India the phone density has reached 33.23% by Dec 2008 and has an annual growth of 40%

Indian Defence Budget Touched US$ 40 Billion In 2009

Poverty in Pakistan is a growing concern. Although the middle-class has grown in Pakistan to 35 million,nearly one-quarter of the population is classified poor as of October 2006. The declining trend in poverty as seen in the country during the 1970s and 1980s was reversed in the 1990s by poor federal policies and rampant corruption. This phenomenon has been referred to as the poverty bomb.The government of Pakistan with help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has prepared an Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper  that suggests guidelines to reduce poverty in the country.

According to the Human Development Index (HDI), 60.3% of Pakistan’s population lives on under $2 a day, compared to 75.6% in nearby India and 81.3% in nearby Bangladesh, and some 22.6% live under $1 a day, compared to 41.6% in India and 49.6% in Bangladesh.

Pakistan’s Defense spending is set to rise to 342.9 billion rupees ($4.2 billion) for the 2009/10 fiscal year beginning on July 1, compared with 296.07 billion rupees allocated in 2008/09.

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Once a dictator, always a dictator – General (scared) Musharraf

SOME OF THE GRAVE CRIMES OF MUSHARRAF’s REGIME

Compromising national Interests and fake Statistics 
  

From stupid decisions like day time saving scheme to the arrogant measures of mutilating the Constitution, it is a long list of the black deeds of Musharraf regime. However, the recent report of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) on “Effects of Operation Enduring Freedom on Economy of Pakistan” has exposed two grave crimes committed by this regime.   
  

1. It has been telling lies about the extent of surrendering national interests.
2. It continues to dish out fake statistics about the state of national economy.    
  

This fact sheet aims at making the nation aware of the details and implications of these misdeeds.    
  

Musharraf’s Deception    
  

In his televised address on September 19, 2001, General Pervez Musharraf told the nation that he had agreed to provide only use of airspace and logistic support to the United States for military operation against Afghanistan. He said: “Trust me. I will not disappoint you and there will be no compromise on Pakistan’s security and sovereignty.” That was a gross misstatement bordering on blatant lie, and a masterpiece of deception. He had actually accepted the devastating seven US demands that US Secretary of State Colin Powell put to him on telephone.    
  

The prompt willingness with which Musharraf accepted these demands surprised Powell, who elatedly reported his success to the National Security Council meeting in the next room. But no body in Pakistan knew that Musharraf had not merely compromised but in effect surrendered the nation’s security interests and sovereignty to the imperial interests of the United States.    
  

CENTOM Revelations      
  

It was left to the CENTCOM to tell the world how that surrender was translated into actions. General Pervez Musharraf kept all these facts concealed, though some of the media persons in the country knew at least the nature of support that the generals in power had been providing to the US forces, but they were forced into silence. The regime had succeeded in keeping the nation ignorant of this great betrayal until CENTCOM revealed it all. That is why the CENTOCOM report led to panicky protest by General Musharraf, and the US government obliged him by removing the Pakistan data from the CENTCOM website immediately. However, the facts are now on record, and these could be possibly used as evidence in trials of treason sometime in future.    
  

Contradictory statements      
  

The CENTCOM report has also exposed the fallacious claims of the finance managers of General Musharraf about the about the state of Pakistan’s economy. According to CENTCOM, Pakistan economy suffered a staggering loss of US$ 10 billion due to Musharraf’s participation in the American war on terrorism.    
  

Musharraf’s financial wizard Shaukat Aziz tried to hide his embarrassment, and true to his habit of spinning tall tales, told reporters in Islamabad on May 30, 2003 that the CENTOM estimate was not based on facts, and that actually Pakistan had lost only one billion dollars. But Dawn quoted same day an officer of his ministry saying that “Pakistan planned to seek $8 to 10 billion from the United States as further compensation for the losses it suffered for cooperating with coalition forces during the US-led assault on Afghanistan.”    
  

The officer also admitted that the Finance Ministry had started preparing fresh estimates of losses only after the appearance of the CENTCOM report.    
  

Interestingly, Shaukat Aziz’s comment has proved the age-old adage that a liar has no memory. After Musharraf’s declaration of unconditional support to USA at late night of September 11, 2001, Aziz CNN and other media that Pakistan economy will lose around $1.5 billion as a result of its alliance in the operation against Afghanistan. Last year he amended his estimate and said the loss would amount to 2-3 billion dollars, but last month it again came down to one billion!    
  

In fact, economic experts had foreseen the massive adverse effects on Pakistan’s economy from day one. For instance, Former Minister of Finance Ishaq Dar was sure that Pakistan economy would suffer a loss of around $12 billion. He had, therefore, asked a common friend, as early as December 2001, to advise Shaukat Aziz to make a claim of at least $12 billion from USA for reimbursement of losses which Pakistan economy would likely suffer in the proposed operation of USA against Afghanistan. That advice was apparently ignored. Shaukat Aziz continued telling lies to favor foreign interests, which is a very serious crime.    
  

False Claims      
  

This episode of contradictory utterances highlights once more the unreliability of the figures and statistics that Shaukat Aziz and his team of economists have been dishing to hoodwink the people of Pakistan. Their latest lie is that the national economy has reached take off stage due to the so-called achievements following the October 1999 coup of General Musharraf.    
  

Forex reserves: Foreign exchange reserve is one of the pegs on which General Musharraf hangs his promises of future prosperity. The much publicized 10 billion dollars reserve is not a measure strong economy for the simple reason that this build up is not due to export earnings. Pakistan’s total export earning in fiscal year 2000-2001 was $92 million while current year’s rather optimistic expectation is that exports will add another $500 million to the earlier figure. Roughly, that’s around 5% of the reserves.    
  

The State Bank has purchased over $4 billion from the kerb market at 2 to 4 rupees above market rate, causing additional loss of millions of rupees. The remaining part of the forex reserves consists of remittances by overseas Pakistanis, who have been rushing their hard earned money fearing the draconian US Partriot Act of October 2001 that authorises US government to seize foreign nationals’ accounts in the name of curbing terrorist activities.  

A protester burning the picture of Musharraf

   

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A voice, like a call: Saeen Zahoor

Saeen Zahoor

Can’t remember where I’ve heard it, but I always carry it around – this idea that the body is the soul. The body is all you have. It is the body that creates, the body that feels, the body that runs away, the body that gives up. You cannot lose more than a body. The body is ultimate.

This idea is reinforced every time I listen to good music. Being musically illiterate, (well, almost), I respond physically to most singing. In fact, my tastes can be summed up in one line: either the music should move me, or it should make me move. If it does neither, it’s not my sort of thing. But if it does, if it moves me, I feel it like food, like fabric, like flowers. Like, my gut responds to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Like, my mouth responds to the peppy fifties filmy songs. Like, my chest responds to Begum Akhtar and Farida Khanum.

Sain Zahoor… I think the back of my head and eyes have decided that he bears a little of that magic. This man, whom the world is comparing to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, this man who sings Sufiana kalam, they say, like the sufis did; this man was singing on the last day of the (awfully named) Hungry Hearts theatre festival. And I was listening. At first, with my eyes wide open. For he walked onto the stage carrying an ektara festooned with bright strings of multicoloured…. what is the word? They are like bunches of colourful parandas that village girls wear in their braids. Like the strings that auto-rickshaws in small towns will hang from their rear-view mirrors. Rarely have these strings acquired such brazen dignity as they did on that ektara.

We’d waited long enough for his performance, but the wait itself had been worthwhile. The first part of the evening, in fact, was absolutely enthralling. Sabir Sain and Abdur Ghafur Sain were on the dhol, in a jugalbandi with Warsi Ballu on the tabla. All I can say about it was that the drumming pulsed in my blood and despite the freezing air-conditioning, I felt warm. If I’d been in an open space instead of being confined to a seat in a packed auditorium, I’d have gotten up to whirl.

[The singer that followed this piece, Mohammad Hanif Multani was, well, alright. I suppose. He was followed by Inayat Ali Beli, who was fun. The energy was tremendous, and the audience was happily clapping along.]

And then, finally, Sain Zahoor walked onto the stage. With strings of ghungroos wrapped round both ankles, carrying his ektara in both arms, like you carry a sleeping child. Dressed in a shimmering, tinselled, red shalwaar-kameez, and a black turban, and quiet confidence. And he began to sing. And my eyes closed, my neck threw itself against the back of the seat; in minutes, I was filled with questions. About purity, about purpose. What is the purpose of this man here, his voice? What is the purpose of colour? Of sound? Of beauty? Of language itself? What are these words he is singing?

Bulleh Shah.. singing of dancing to please the beloved, and losing his caste, because a dancing girl has no caste. Bulle Shah… singing of black – his black beloved, the black letters of the Quran, and who wants the fair ones?

My heart is sold to words, and I only understand Punjabi in bits and snatches. Bulle Shah makes me work very hard. But Zahoor is making is easier – the words reach me, and even if they didn’t, they wouldn’t need to. His voice is translating them for me into a language that doesn’t beg understanding.

The accompanists weren’t helping. The harmonium was almost drowning out the ektara, the tabla and flute were irritants. I wanted them to stop, and when a stranger’s voice yelled out, between songs – ‘Sirf ektara!’ – it became obvious that that many others did, too.

This is a voice that does not need, and perhaps, does not even brook, any company. It is a voice you want to be alone with. Perhaps, it is not even a voice meant for auditorium and stage. It is a voice that calls to you as if from over a distance, and stops you, inside your head. It is the voice of a wandering singer. The voice of a sain.

Between verses, with a ‘ha!’, or is it a ‘haq!’, the voice snaps its fingers at you. That single syllable, that half-word is like a tap on the knee, and then he stamps his feet and begins to dance in circles, ghungroos filling the room.

And then, Zahoor is singing… Allah Hu…. Hu…. Hu….

And I’m wondering – what is the significance of this? All the sufi singers sing it so – ‘Allah Hu…’ In your prayers, you are supposed to say ‘allah hu akbar’. God is great. But they stop at ‘allah hu.’. God is. And sometimes, only ‘Hu…’ Just the verb. Is. What is this ‘is’? Is it an assertion of being, of existing, and thereby, of everything else?

Each time my mind wandered, with each drawn out, gently warbling ‘hu…’, Zahoor’s voice would drag me back. Like, being tugged at with muslin threads. Like, being woven in and out of a pattern. Of the here, and now. And forever.

Is he like Nusrat sahab? I don’t know. Not really. The great qawwal’s voice had something dry and crackling in it. I never heard him in concert, but even over the stifling distance of a CD or tape, even then, his voice would touch me like a fist. Zahoor is different. Like, something firm and baked.

And finally, when the accompanists are persuaded to stop, finally, after Zahoor has touched his fingers to his eyes and extended his hands to his listeners, and bowed, he is persuaded to sing one last song. There is his voice and his fingers on the ektara, and you can only draw in your breath once, deeply, and exhale.

It is a voice that calls out to you. Like a hand beckoning in a dream.

– Annie Zaidi

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My sisters have come to counsel me – Bulleh Shah

Cutting the long story short, darya ku koozay may bund kiya, Bulleh Shah in this masterpiece replies to all those who discriminate on the basis of caste, race or family lineage. Syed Abdullah Shah (aka Bulleh Shah) was a “Syed”.

Bulleh Shah's tomb in Kasur

Syeds were considered superior in knowledge and spirituality owing to their lineage from Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), they enjoyed special reverence on these basis from others. It was considered “demeaning” for a man to be a syed and have a non-syed teacher/murshid/guide/rahbar. People, even those from his very family (like he mentions in the kalam, his sisters and sisters in law) discouraged Bulleh Shah from accepting Inayat Shah as his master/murshid in spiritual matters as Bulleh Shah had already accepted him as his spiritual guide in Sufi tradition. Inayat Shah was an “Arain”. But Bulleh showed great love and reverence for his master and did not pay any heed to this objection.

As regular practice, first download this kalaam sung by the queen, Abida Parveen. Click here

And then try to understand what he is trying to say.

BULLEH NU SAMJHAWAN AAINAN BHAINAN TE BHARJAIAN

MAN NE BULHYA SADA KAHNA CHAD DE PALLA RAIAAN

AAL-E NABI AULAD-E ALI NUN TOON KION LEEKAN LAINAN

JEHRA SANOON SYED SADDE DOZAKH MILAN SAZAIAAN

JO KOI SANOON RAEEN AAKHE BHISHTEEN PEENGAN PAIAAN

RAEEN SAEEN SABHI THAEEN RAB DIAN BE PARWAAIAN

SOHNIAN PARE HATAIAN NE TE KOJHIAN LE GAL LAAIAN

JE TU LOREEN BAAGH BAHAARAN CHAKAR HO JA RAEEAN

BULHE SHAH DI ZAAT KI PUCHNA-EN SHAKAR HO RAZAAIAN

To counsel Bulleh, his sisters and sisters in law have come
Pay heed to us and give up mixing with the low caste Araeen
You are a scion of Ali,the Prophet, why must you shame our fair clime.
Those who call me Syed, are destined to hell made for them
Those who call me Araeen, have the swings in heaven laid for them
The low caste and the high caste, are created by God who cares not for family
He regards the beautiful and cherishes the not so comely.
If you wish to enjoy the glory of the Garden, go and serve the Araeen
Why bother about Bulleh’s caste? Obey the command that comes from Saeen

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Shazia Bashir Masih: Justice or Just-ice?

On January 23, 2010, an innocent 12-year old child Shazia was reported to have been tortured to death. She had been employed as a maid in Advocate Naeem’s house who, along with his family members, including his wife, son and sister-in-law, has been accused of inflicting torture on her. The brutal murder of Shazia Bashir Masih on one hand urges us to take concrete steps to eliminate child labor and on the other hand, tells us to voice out against inhumane treatment of maid-servants working in rich houses to feed their families – Out of poverty

The murder of 12-year old child Shazia, working as a housemaid in the house of Advocate Chaudhry Naeem (Ex-President – Lahore Bar Association) has been widely reported and strongly condemned by all (including Chief Minister Punjab and the President of Pakistan). It is, indeed, something that we must all denounce.

The accused is a powerful man, for some of my lawyer friends say one has to invest 2-3 Crore PKR (at least) to win LBA elections, LBA is one of biggest Bars of Asia, and the president enjoys a powerful position in our corrupted society. 

The case, when I heard about it from a friend seemed quite simple. I had not known the accused till then, but after getting to know it was him, I tried digging in the case, just to find out if the “lawyer-fraternity” was up to something notorious, something they are aptly famous for.

For those of you who don’t know, lets keep it simple. Have you heard about teenage-boy gangs, fighting with other boys on the back of their “gang”, we call it ghunda gardi. Similarly, some lawyers form “gangs” and force the court/police to do the most inhumane/unjust things on the backs of their “gangs”, the judicial setup of Pakistan is ruled by some of these “gangs”. This particular case, the accused is one of the leading men of such a gang. It is very easy for a man of his influence to utilize his “gang” to his advantage even if he murders someone.

According to her parents, Advocate Naeem told them that their daughter had been admitted to Jinnah Hospital and when they arrived, Shazia was already dead. They brought her dead body back to their residence because the police had refused to register a case or conduct an autopsy (the “gang” was working). It was only after the incident was widely reported in the media and authorities at the highest levels took notice that the police registered a case and took the body for a post-mortem.

The shameless episode of this inhuman drama happened when accused Mohammad Naeem Advocate accompanied with a Brigadier, reached in hut of poor parents of Shazia Bashir and threatened not to raise voice and offered 15000 Rs as bribe. (15000 Rs for a human life, see the worth of human life in his eyes?)

Fortunately, after pressure from high-ups (thanks to media), the police have arrested the main accused.

Defence-A Police produced Naeem advocate before the court on Tuesday. The police submitted that the deceased’s body had 18 bruises, 13 of them were inflicted by a rusted weapon and five were caused by a sharp-edged weapon.

The “gang” worked at its best, in front of the world when lawyers ganged up against media persons as police produced advocate Naeem Chaudhry before a Cantt court on Tuesday. The lawyers, who thronged the Cantt court from all parts of the city, not only barred Shazia’s family members and sympathizers from the court room but also the media persons. They literally pushed the media persons and restricted them to a corner of the court. Policemen present there visibly sided with the rowdy lawyers. Rather they asked the media persons to confine themselves to a corner. The lawyers who outnumbered the policemen and media persons shouted abuses and anti-media slogans. They vented their anger on what they called media trial of a senior lawyer and a former Lahore Bar Association president. Sadly, none of them thought about the poor girl who fell a victim allegedly to the lawyer and his family’s brutality.           

 

Their conduct on Tuesday was that as if a lawyer was above the law and he or she could not be pleaded in a court of law. Reportedly the present Lahore Bar Association office-bearers were instrumental into organizing the lawyers to stop the trail of their colleague and pressuring the police. Their presence in large numbers lent credence to this.

According to the post-mortem report, Shazia had been physically abused for a long period of time and the wounds on her body prove that she had been beaten up ruthlessly with some sharp, pointed tool.

Chaudary Naeem in his statement today, said that the victim fell from stairs. That is the best he could think of. He even tried to change her name when he reported her to the hospital, it was later found out the poor kid was actually Shazia Bashir Masih.

“I do not consider the man a lawyer who hires a 13-year girl as maid” – Athar Minallah, former spokesperson for CJP Iftikhar Chaudary.

The indifferent attitude of “corporate” humanitarians, who rallied for Imanae Malik (another girl of 3, who died due to negligence of Doctors Hospital Lahore and belonged to a “rich” family) and don’t protest on streets, with the same vigor, for a poor Christian maidservant points out at another brutal truth of our society.

I am keeping my eyes open, for if it was not for the media; we had not gotten to know about this atrocity and the accused had easily influenced his way to innocence. So many Shazias suffer daily, only some make it to the news and we shall make sure examples are made – Be it Ex-President Lahore Bar Association, be it GHQ, be it any echelon of power. We shall stand up against injustice, for our “land of pure” will not change as long injustice prevails.

All teams playing in National Wheelchair Cricket Tournament ’10, alongwith the management and crowd will wear black bands to show solidarity with Shazia. And if till then, justice is not served, I promise to protest on streets, even if you stand by me or not. Till then, will Shazia Masih get justice or just-ice?

– Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi

Courtesy: The News, Dawn, Daily Times

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Kahan Thay Pakistani Tum?

Kahan thay Pakistani tum?
Kahan thay Pakistani tum?
 
Jab Aamir nay, Jab Zaalim nay
Jab deen key jhotay aalim nay
Apas may tumhay laraaya tha
Nafrat ka sabaq parhaya tha
Tum apnoon say hi dartay thay
Apas may lartay martay thay
Jab maon behnoon key sar say
Wuh chaadar cheena kartay thay
Aur zulm ki chaahat bhartay thay
 
Kahan thay Pakistani tum?
Kahan thay Pakistani tum?
 
Jab watan-e-aziz ki izzat ku
Wuh paon say ronda kartay thay
Iqbal key shaheen bachay bhi
Ek Haq ki baat say dartay thay?
Jab choor daaku mil kar sab
Taaqat key aiwanoon may
Qanuun banaya kartay thay
Aur qaatil loot key ghurbat say
Gallion may faakhir phirtay thay
 
Kahan thay Pakistani tum?
Kahan thay Pakistani tum?
 
Jab chaand tara jhanday ka
Zulmat ki aag may jalta tha
Tum sooba sooba kartay thay
Aur kaafir kaafir kehtay thay
Uss key naam pey dharti may
Khoon bahaya kartay thay.
Khud kash hamlon say apnay
Kya khoob tamasha kartay thay.
Ab Uss say naala kartay ho?

Ab Zaidi tumsay kehta hai
Key waqt hi tumsay puchay ga
 
KAHAN THAY PAKISTANI TUM? KAHAN THAY PAKISTANI TUM?

Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi – Plastic Tearz: An Insight

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A Conspiracy Theory.

A Poetic Utterance of A Conspiracy Theorist.

Don’t believe the news
It’s all controlled by Jews;
And don’t wear those shoes
They spoil your sacred views?

This is all a propaganda
From Japan to Uganda
We never made mistakes
None of us was ever fake.

Wake up and don’t be weary
This isn’t another theory
I lost my wisdom tooth
They punched me for the truth

Don’t peep inside for faults
We are but sinless vaults
We are the soldiers of God
At us the angels nod

Our faith never shook
We memorized the holy book
Our ways are always right
We perform our religious rites

Zionists are on their way
To grasp their Muslim prey
Don’t correct yourself, just fight
You have the faith and might

At times I don’t have proof
But I know the truth, you goof
Their ways are void of reason
And I expose their subtle treason

They are bigger than you aspire
The very reason of worldly fire
But against me they can’t conspire
Because I am bigger then them, O Sire!

When my Lord had made the call
Iblis “conspired” to make him fall
Adam never committed the sin
The conspiracy brought him in!

And if Zaidi writes this song
To prove my fallacies wrong
He’s also one of them
A traitor not a friend..

– Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi – Plastic Tearz: An Insight. A Madman. A Wanderer

 

 

 

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Mein Baaghi houn, Mein Baaghi houn

is daur k rasm riwaajon se,
in takhton se inn tajoon se,
jo zulm ki kokh se jante hain,
insani khoon se palte hain,
jo nafrat ki bunyadain hain
aur khooni khet ki khadein hain,
main baghi hoon main baghi hoon
jo chahe mujh pe zulm karo

wo jin k hont ki jambish se,
wo jin ki aankh ki larzish se,
qanoon badalte rehte hain,
aur mujhrim palte rehte hain,
in choroon k sardaron se
insaaf k pahre daron se
main baghi hoon main baghi hoon
jo chahe mujh pe zulm karo

mazhab k jo byopari hain,
wo sab se bari bemari hain,
wo jin k siwa sab kafir hain,
jo deen ka harf-e-akhir hain,
in jhute aur makkaron se
mazhab k thekedaron se
main baghi hoon main baghi hoon
jo chahe mujh pe zulm karo

mere hath main haq ka jhanda hai,
mere sir pe zulm ka phanda hai,
main marne se kab darti hoon,
main moat ki khatir zinda hoon,
mere khoon ka suraj chamke ga
to bacha bacha bole ga
main baghi hoon, main baghi hoon
jo chahe mujh pe zulm karo

– Benazir bhutto recited Dr. Khalid Javed Jan’s poem when she returned to Pakistan in 1986 when over a million people welcomed her in Lahore. The poem was written during General Zia’s tyranical rule.

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In response to “Take off your mask”

The response was written by a friend, HK. Original piece can be found at: https://plastictearz.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/take-off-your-mask/

Take Off Your Mask – In Response

You may not see the life I’ve lived,
The scars on my face,
Or my soul within,
The truths that lie covered,
The secrets under my skin,
Where should I start, where should I begin?

Neither is there a tree nor a child behind,
Let the whirlpool of thoughts unwind in your mind,
The things that I do,
The thoughts in my mind that brew,
I will not reveal until the search for the ‘real’ me I pursue,

In clutching shackles,
Mystic fires,
Rising temptations and desires,
Walled my body may remain,
But deep inside,
The essence of my being,
I will reign,

Do you scare me?
Frustrate me?
Intice or irritate me?
The answers to these questions only be heart can decree,

To take off my mask,
How can I risk?
When the reality of my existence you haven’t tried to probe or ask,

Maybe there is,
A little of ‘you’ in ‘me’,
Waiting to be free,
There lies nothing to be exposed,
Maybe you haven’t looked deep enough,
Into my eyes,
To find a ‘you’ standing in disguise”

– Hafsa Khawaja

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