Alif - Review time

On recommendation of few friends, watched Alif (19 Episodes) aired till 8 February. Initially, the cast and then writer Umaira Ahmed caught the attention.

Everyone involved in as asuccessful commercial project as 'Alif' deserves credit, but for me its always the writer and his/ her chosen theme.

Among countless mundane topics in the circuit, Umaira Ahmed is bound to outshine everyone for her selection of theme i.e God. God remains central to her writings. This way Umaira Ahmed assumes the status of a missionary. I would rather dub her a modern Sufi Saint. Saints of subcontinent took the route of poetry and music to the hearts of people. Because impact poetry and folk music were the contemporary art forms. Umaira Ahmed has also resorted to popular art of the day i.e. drama serial. Obviously, her target audience is bulk middle of the society which has hopes of reversion or course correction to say the least. 

But there is a problem with approach of improvised religious preachings through popular art forms. The absorbing poetry and music of Sufi Saints have been replaced with practices on their Mazars, in total contrast to their original teachings. Likewise, most young ambitious minds might draw some 'relevant' conclusions from serials like 'Alif' in total contrast to its actual theme. Risk is that the glitz and glamor of showbiz life produced in 'graphic details' may attract them. They may venture out to do right what 'Husn-e-Jahan' did wrong. Pursuance of three ambitious characters of Momin, Momina and Husn-e-Jahan is highly likely rather than drawing any inpiration from insipid Calligraphy of Abu ul Ala.

Apart from sudden emotional departure of Taha from drama scene, there is not much to fish about the plot. Good watch, if we could keep our wits about. Drama is slow , dialogues are flowing from good actors and and symolism in names of main characters is awesome. Speaks of Umaira Ahmed's attempt to create heartfelt religious experience. 

Theme of God is never out of fashion that is why traders of religion (Ministry of Religious Affairs, Sarkari Muftis, political Maulanas, fully Make upped maulivis at religious programs, mazar walay, firqay walay, sab) are also in business. Difference is that Umaira Ahmed sells the same merchandise in different wrappings. In fact, she is a winner. She calls to God through her message. She makes money (we hope so) and others make good money out of a its commercial value. 

This does not mean any disrespect to her and integrity of her work its just un-acceptance of commercial God.

Only Allah knows the whole Truth. 

اصلی دشمن

 فطری طور پر انسان انسان کا ویری نہیں. دشمنی فطرت سلیمہ کے اورجنل ورین میں نہیں آئی تھی. کسی نے ھمیں ایک دوسرے سے دشمنی کرنی سکھائی. کوئی بھلا کام تو نہیں تھا. دشمنی پالنا دراصل شیطان کی سنت قائم رکھنے کےمترادف ھے. کیونکہ اس نے پہلی اعلانیہ دشمنی کی اور نبھا بھی رھا ھے. اور عقل کا دھوکہ ھی شیطان کی جیت ھے. جتنا ھماری عقل دھوکہ کھاتی ھے اتنے شیطان کے بھنگڑے. کسی صالح کی عقل اس دھوکے میں آجائے پھر تو آل نائٹ پارٹی.

اصلی ازلی دشمن کو پہچانیں بڑا رنگ باز ھے. 

India Today - Part 2

This Kashmir Day merits solidarity with all Indian Muslims.

My Indian Muslim friends wherever I interacted with them outside Pakistan or on social media forums, insisted that Jinnah committed a mistake. TNT (Two Nation Theory) was a farse. We could have made such a huge minority in combined India. Some went on to say look what has become of Pakistan e.g. extremism, Rs 400 per kg tomatoes. They didn't realize that 'huge minority' is an oxymoron. I gave them leverage on freedom, since they were never free, so they didn't know a thing about freedom. I croacher cow and do public BBQ of it. But what would they know about it? I would rather buy tomatoes for Rs 4000 per kg than to be an Indian Muslim by choice. By the way, tomatoes have come down to Rs 50 per kg as we speak. Not only creation but survival of Pakistan has been miracle of some proportions. Its just that its been managed very poorly including the government incumbent. But miracles don't have no purpose, its only a matter of time. 

As it stands, I guess Indian Muslims would have realized the value of TNT. At least, hindu intelligentsia does. Ironically, in India after the introduction of discriminatory CAB, most discussed topic is not Ghandi or Nehruvian secularism rather Jinnah and his TNT.

Thanks to BJP's leadership and its ignorant followers, India after these two decades of 21st Century will never be the same. There is resentment among Indian Muslims and there are country wide protests against Modi-Amit evil mindset, but nothing concrete will come to pass. This is a serious downside of democracy. Once, you hand power to elected, they complete their constitutional tenure regardless of chaos and mayhem they may cause during the term. India is so badly polarized right now and there is no potent political force to check growing hindu nationalist frenzy. Clear cut target of all the tricks up Modi's sleeves are Indian Muslims. And there is a method to this madness. Short term political goals of Modi led BJP have busted the myth of Indian secularism. 

On this Kashmir Day, not only oppressed Kashmiris, we stand by all Muslims of India despite their hitherto insistence on being proud Indians Muslims. Geoghraphic demarcations of states never last for long and our common thread with Indian Muslims i.e Islam and TNT, should remain the beacon of hope on both sides of the wall for alleviation of their sufferings and ultimate reunification, Insha Allah. 

Only Allah knows the whole Truth. 

Just in case, you didn't read part 1 on the subject, click on the link below:

http://asadjamal32.blogspot.com/2019/12/india-pakistan.html?m=1

We the people and change

Discussing Corruption,  personal failings, Hareem Shah & now a boot (by Faisal Wada) is our total political culture. Politicians pull antics and anchors get ratings because people love this kind of nonsense. This is what has become of us. This is our total political, mental and intellectual worth. This is what we are. We the people crave for worthless stuff. We the people complete this vicious circle. In bigger picture, politicians and presstitudes (media) are nothing without people. People elect politicians and people follow presstitudes. 

Any creative work is art. Art reflects a nation's character. There must be great creative minds around but artistic waste has taken their place. Quality of thought in dramas has taken a nose dive with common subjects of betrayal, living together without nikah, extra marital affairs and lately (to my horror) drag queens taking center stage in dog pooh like 'Tum Meray Pas Ho', 'Ishq Mamnoa'. Worst part is that these are popular dramas. Dozen odd writers, two dozen media houses and couple of hundred actors and actresses in Karachi are trying to shape the society with their twisted minds and extremist liberal agenda. But we can't blame those commercial artist who want to make quick money whichever way possible. 

Again, it all sells because we the people love it. So, we the people may keep pointing finger on everyone else but we the people are responsible for whatever happens to us. Most unfortunate part is that we the people are not willing to affect change in anything in our powers and we wish everyone else and everything else around us to change. Nothing that brings us out of comfort zone will be implemented including tax paying, traffic rules, tidying up public places and the list goes on. Yet, we continuously blame everyone directly or indirectly involved in bringing us to this point from Muhammad Bin Qasim to Mughals and from Muhammad Ali Jinnah to Imran Khan and everyone in between them. Likewise, its so easy to fix blame on institutions alone including army, judiciary, executive and legislature completely ignoring the fact that institutions also consist of we the people. We don't for a second pause and think what have we done to bring about any change? Even the basic unit of socety i.e. a household is not in order. Values are not economically driven but we keep blaming poor financials of a household for all its woes because economics has become the new set of values.

So every which way we look at it, we the people are responsible for whatever has happened to us or is happening to us. The amount of change we aspire for is directly proportional and totally dependent on the amount of change we are able to bring about in our lives breaking the barriers of personal and collective comfort.

Process of change begins with a thought and above are enough thoughts for a working Thursday. 

Only Allah knows the whole Truth. 

US-Iran conflict - Part two

Nothing changed in Iran in recent past, however, two major shifts took place in power matrix, Trump and MBS. They seem to get along really well. This change at the helm of affairs affected hitherto serious (unannounced) bonding of US-Israel-Iran trio.
So much happened in recent past. Iran was giving real grief to incompetent Saudi forces through Houthi rebels in Yemen. In September last year, attack on Aramco facility of Abqaiq cost KSA a fortune. It resulted in oil price hike in the world which again benefited Iran more than any other country in the world. Iran is being audacious and lately, pursued her goals tenaciously. Particularly, taking down American contractor in Kirkuk at the eve of new year sparked protests by Sunnis majority against Shia govt of Adel Abdul Mahdi in Baghdad.
Ok pause here and connect the dots from checking ISIS' advance to Kirkuk attack last week, General Qasem Soleimani despite being popular No 2 in Iran was becoming a nuisance for Mr Hssan Rouhani. A theory is also circulating that due to deep rooted covert alliance, US was given a nod by Iran to take him down. Rest all is easy in a country that thrives on grief. Mourning procession and tears are common in Iran. Don't worry too much about that Red Flag unfurled over Jamkaran Mosque of Qoum, these are just antics to vent revenge and nationalist fervor in controlled environments. Iran never had an all out war with either US or Israel, nor will it ever have. It will continue its usual posturing and that's it. Eventually, after a symbolic retaliation, Iran will vow to avenge Qasem Soleimani through proxy war which means you would never get a measure of when and exactly how this revenge will take place. This theory appears much closer to realities on ground. 
The other theory is that MBS, has been able to finally create a wedge between traditional friends. With his money and influence, he avenged Houthi and Abqaiq mastermind through third party i.e took down Qasem Soleimani without breaking sweat.
Whichever theory among above is correct, there will be no war in Middle East in coming days and months. Oil prices will soar and both KSA & Iran will make more money.
Funniest and most ludicrous battleground will be set in Pakistan where people with sectoral inclinations will latch on each other for supporting either of KSA or Iran and people with no sect like the scribe will get most abuse from all around.
Only Allah knows the whole Truth. 

US-Iran conflict - Part one

Ok seems like its time to make some enemies right at the start of the year.
There is no real propinquity for KSA in Pakistan for the word Saud in its name. However, nearly quarter of our population affiliated to Iran for sectoral reasons is emotional to say the least. Emotions are nemesis of logic. We are born perfect Muslims and we adopt a sect because our parents had one and they had it because their parents had one and we keep picking fights for the rest of our lives defending those sectoral beliefs. A story of 99% of Pakistani Muslims.
So implications for Pakistan in US-Iran brewing conflict are none whatsoever because Pakistan is comfortably lapped in US-KSA corner of the ring. Our side is chosen and clear at the outset. And its not a matter of choice. Since I'm not a diplomat, so I have the advantage of not spinning things in diplomatic language.
US and Iran are not enemies may be because after US and Israel, Iran has third largest jew population in the world who have synagogues, are well settled and move at will between Israel and Iran. Traditionally,  gloves never went off between this trio, nor will they in current scenario. If your sectarian red light is on, please leave this useless piece and do something better, for I don't have a sect, so I don't know what it feels like being a person of any sect in a situation like this.
Irani general Qasem Soleimani was instrumental in checking the advances of ISIS in Iraq. An ISIS created by US. Hyped by US and checked by Iran should raise some eye brows in curiosity. Not only that Iraq was gifted to Shia minority but from west of Balochistan till Mediterranean Sea south of Lebanon, for the first time a telling Iran controlled belt was created which was knocking at the doors of Qatar, Bahrain and UAE. Over the past two decades, all this space was allowed to Iran by US in cognizance to Israeli interests in the region. I have no problem with Iran's expansion as long as its not done in the name of God. Political and economic growth and hegemony is every country's right in the Free World.
There is no Sunni world. KSA does not represent sunni Islam. KSA represents Al Saud tribe who somehow got the privilege of looking after Harmain Sharifain. But when you have money, custody of holiest of places, you may tend to expand or challenge corresponding expanding ideology like that of Iran's. So KSA, over the years continued building an air of insecurity among ardent sunni Muslims around the world for its own hegemonic designs in the region. But with very little success except some easy buy offs like Pakistan who could not manage themselves but were smart enough to make a bomb (literally an insurance bond).

To be continued in part two. 

US-Iran brewing conflict and us

Notwithstanding the fact that sides are already taken, people are circulating the posts/ ideas that Pakistan has nothing to do with US-Iran conflict just like it had nothing to do with KSA-Yemen conflict. 

Beggars are not choosers. Apart from issuing restraint statements for both sides, compliance to KSA-US policy in ME is our only option.

We could have had a say in this conflict or any other conflict, had we managed this country the way Qauid would have liked us to manage. But we took lead from Quaid e Awam, Quaid e Jamhooriat, Quaid e Naswar, Quaid e Lohar, Quaid e what not and see what has become of us. Our side is already chosen for us way before this conflict took a boil. For curious, implications for Pakistan are none. Nothing whatsoever. Specially, after pulling out from Malaysian Summit, there shouldn't be any doubt about our future role in Middle East. What do we expect from Riasit e Medina? Will it deviate from Medina? And Medina these days is Muhammad Bin Salman.