“You cant build a peaceful world on empty stomachs”

Dildar Hussain lives in Allah Banno Goth with his family of 9 children. His village is located on the route to Hawksbay and Mubarak Village. To get drinking water for his family he has to travel for about 2 hours to the nearest RO plant which is at a distance of approx 15 kilometers from his village. Their area is deprived of basic facilities; there is no supply of clean drinking water and shortage of food in most households. A group of friends from Karachi first visited Allah Banno Goth in July 2015 for distribution of sacrificial meat. When they found out about the plight of this area they came back again with food/ration supplies along with drinking water for the villagers. Since then they have been visiting Allah Banno Goth and nearby villages like Lashkari Goth, Ismail Goth, Safar Goth, Jamali Goth, Faqir Mohammad Goth, Doulat Faqeer Goth, Haji Moosa Goth, Manjhar Goth (Sunehra) & Mohalla Bhand on a regular basis.

To carry on their work on a more organized level they formed Apna Dastarkhwan in September 2015 – its a group of professionals, students and like minded individuals working together to reach out to poverty struck areas near and within Karachi. The AD team identify areas with food/water shortage and regularly hold ration distribution and food camps . Apart from ration drives they also provide cooked meals for as low as Rs.10, six days a week through their running kitchens in different areas of the city. Ali Javed, one of the founders of Apna Dastarkhwan shared his team's mission, “We believe every person is entitled to two full meals daily but with 50% of our population below poverty it is next to impossible. Hunger leads to developmental problems like malnutrition, weakened immunity, stunted growth and psychological problems like rise in crime rates. Apna Dastarkhwan is trying to address these problems by meeting nutritional needs of people in underprivileged areas”.


Even though hunger is a major problem in our country, there is a lot of food that is being wasted on regular basis. According to an estimate almost 40% of cooked food is wasted in Pakistan. This wastage of food mainly comes from hotels, restaurants, weddings and other such events. To tackle this problem Apna Dastarkhwan is working with restaurants and caterers to provide them with fresh left over food for distribution. The famous restaurant Lal Qila has recently joined hands with Apna Dastarkhwan in their food drive.

As part of their Ramzan campaign, Apna Dastarkhwan is running 3 food distribution centers in the city with the biggest one at Ziauddin Hospital Nazimabad. Iftar & dinner is distributed daily among 400 – 450 people; other areas include Rasheedabad (North Karachi) & Omer Maingal Goth. For their ration distribution drive they are targeting rural Balochistan this year. During the first phase they are planning to reach at least 750 households in Shah Noorani village in Khuzdar district.

“This year we are working towards increasing our distribution centers so that we can reach out to more people. We want to work in areas where no other group/ngo is present” says Farheen Moazzam Danyaal, one of the founding members of Apna Dastarkhwan. It is heart warming to see such initiatives from young professionals who want to contribute in one way or the other to eradicate poverty and improve quality of life. Apna Dastarkhwan has made an impact in a very short span of time with their small but dedicated team working selflessly throughout the year. As they say, “you cant build a peaceful world on empty stomachs and human misery", it is vital to lessen increasing disparity in our society before dreaming for peace.

New year a la Karachi style

Once again its that time of the year when the world is celebrating, rejoicing, partying and welcoming the new year with moments of happiness spent with loved ones. Meanwhile Karachiites as usual will be confined to their houses waiting for the clock to hit 12 and the city echoing with deathly rounds of bullets fired in the name of celebration. This followed by bikers from all corners of the city taking over the roads with their rash driving and one wheeling antics.

Throughout the world New Year's eve is celebrated with joy and happiness, special concerts, fireworks and events are planned. But like everything else going in the opposite direction new year's eve seems like a curse for us. We shut off the entire city; all the malls, cafes & restaurants close down at 6 pm and police mobiles are deployed to stop people from entering multiple areas of the city. I have never understood the point of being such a kill joy on this auspicious occasion.  

We have one of the youngest population of the world. Depriving them of all sorts of healthy entertainment avenues like sports, music and cultural activities will surely lead them into the wrong direction. As a result most of them become rebellious and engage into unhealthy activities. The most dangerous is taking up arms and drugs. Despite the ban on display of weapons & aerial shooting the amount of rounds fired on new year's eve is just unfathomable. It amazes me every year with the kind of firing sounds I hear in that one dreadful hour. Its like we are equipped with the most modern and state of art ammunition in the world. And what a perfect day to let everyone know! 

Rash driving and accidents are also very common on new year. Youngsters on motorbikes feel kind of independence when they are riding and speeding adds to the thrill. This coupled with dangerous road stunts without any safety gear turns in to a deadly game. Now if only there were other activities for them to indulge into for this evening, I am sure most of them would not think of risking their lives on the road.

There are so many healthy activities that can be planned for this evening. Friendly matches in different areas of the city, musical concerts, funfairs, displays of fireworks, food and cultural shows can really liven up the spirit of the metropolis on new year. But sadly like every year this year too it will pass off as a gloomy and dreadful evening while we welcome the new year with bursts of firing throughout the evening.

A typical Karachi style new year check list: 
- bike serviced/tank full
- silencer removed
- one wheeling practised and excelled 
- ammos cleaned/oiled/loaded 
- shift to sea view till 2016

Sales, cat fights & dark Fridays

Recently most of us saw a shocking incident of how women behaved at a particular sales outlet and how far they can go for a mere piece of clothing. These women were mostly from well off families who can easily pay 3000 bucks for a "lawn ka kurta" but the way they behaved made a lot of us think otherwise. Another retail giant offered a 2 day sale last week on its stock that again drove women crazy. There were traffic jams, rush in the malls and mile long cash counter lines.  Later social media was flooded with pictures of the brave warriors proudly showing off their hard earned booty.

Its very heartening to see local brands grow up to become love marks and such hot favourites among consumers. But what is disturbing is the attitude of their customers. Sales happen everywhere in the world with "Black Friday" being the highlight of the season, which was celebrated here too in a grand way.  It is new to our culture and the idea of everything marked down to more than 50% is very attractive for an average shopper. Its good to see it being introduced in our country as well, but this increasing wave of consumerism is overwhelming and is evident of what is wrong with our society.

Social behaviour usually trickles down from the elites to the middle class and ultimately to the lower strata.We tend to mimic behaviour patterns of those who are considered well off, educated and cultured. It wouldn't have been too worrying if these women were from lower classes since then we could associate this behaviour for their need of acceptance and social stature. But sadly the elites or rather the upper middle class segment of our society is stuck up with severe identity crises, specially women. They are expected to behave in a certain way and maintain a certain lifestyle otherwise they are considered social outcasts.  They hardly have any particular interest in the intellectual well being of their families which is alarming since they are directly involved in the most important job in the world i.e. bringing up our future generation.

Most of their time is spent on clothes, getting their hair dyed (in a peculiar shade of red), and planning themed parties where they can show off their wardrobe and other accessories. Very few of them are associated with any community service, social/political groups, book club or libraries. It was discouraging to see very low turnover in the recently held local body elections. How many of us went out, stood in queues to cast our vote? How many of us actually tried explaining the election process to our children? Isn't it the responsibility of mothers to educate and encourage their children to take part in an event which is deemed to be the most prestigious in civilised societies. Instead our children saw women standing in long queues fighting for cheap pieces of clothing. What a brilliant example are we setting up for them!

Women have a much deeper role to play in the advancement of society. Just about time they realise this and start contributing creatively and responsibly towards the intellectual well being of our future generations.

Let's ride but be a Gentleman please!

Its September and the city is welcoming autumn in its full swing. Outdoor activities are becoming more fun as the weather has cooled down a little and what better way to enjoy it than on a two wheeler!

A motorcycle is one of the most common means of transport. Almost all men learn to ride a bike in their teens. Though somehow it is not associated with a gentleman in our part of the world which is quite the contrary and as soon as one has a stable job the first thing they do is get a car.

Bikes have a history dating back to World War II when they started getting very popular. Those were the days when baby boomers returning back from war wanted to live life to its fullest and motorcycles provided just the right amount of fun mixed with thrill, speed and adventure. At that time old classic bikes like Cafe Racers, Bobbers, Flat Trackers & Scooters were very popular. Then came 1960 and entered Honda - the brand from Japan that took over the world by storm! Their unforgettable campaign "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" was spot on. The motorcycle sales almost doubled in 3 years and kept on multiplying until they became the biggest player in the market. Their local version "main te Honda hee le saan" is also on of the most popular tag lines in our country. The most common bikes we see on the roads are mostly 70CC bikes more suitable for city commuting & transportation with low fuel consumption.

But it is the classic style of bikes that actually brings out the true essence of riding a bike. One such event taking place is the "Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride - 2015"  which is trying to revive the classic era of motor bikes. This is an international event that takes place every year on 27th September; and this year it is happening also in Pakistan - Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
"We are working towards bringing together motorcycle enthusiasts from all areas of the city. We see this event as a first to boost the moral of bikers and raise awareness about safety rules while riding a bike" explained Faisal Malik, one of the organisers. 

Adman Don Draper on a Matchless G3/LS motorbike

The event started in Australia inspired by a poster of Mad Men's Don Draper on a motor bike in one of his timeless threaded suits. The idea behind the event is to counter the negative stereotypes associated with bike riders in general. Most of us cringe at their rude and rough riding, loud exhaust pipes and recklessness on roads. However the riders in DGR are not only required to behave as true gentlemen but also dress like one. Yup! the participants have to dress up in their finest suits, dress shirts, jackets, ties and bows!  When I spoke to one of the participants Nabil Hasan on the mandatory dress code, he sounded a bit hesitant but nevertheless ready to follow the rules. "The only thing that's bugging me a bit is the dress code. But then what better way to be a gentleman than to wear a suit? I will be wearing a blazer, tie, Steve Madden boots and riding my Honda 1981 ".




The DGR ride this year is happening simultaneously in more than 400 cities across the world. The rides are being organised by volunteers in each city. Apart from bringing motorcyclists together, DGR aims to raise money and awareness into men's health issues specifically prostate cancer.
One of the participants Anas Khan is already pumped up for the big day, "I am very excited for DGR to be happening in Karachi. I have made my bike from scratch with a lot of hard work and time. I would love to interact with other classic bikers in the city and ride together for a good cause" 

DGR style guide

The event is open to all the gentle ladies as well which are not many in our city but are urged to join.

Details of the event and registration info can be found at the following link:
http://www.gentlemansride.com/rides/pakistan

My journey into the world of stocks!

Stocks: as in shares traded in the stock exchange. Yes this blog is about investing in the stock market. But more about a layman's experience and how you can do it too! 

I first stumbled into the world of stocks about 8 years back when I subscribed for an IPO of a power company. I had no background knowledge about stock markets and how shares were traded. A friend got me the subscription form and filled it herself. I was only interested as she told me that I would make profit on my investment and would be able to buy a new phone! So I got the shares and sold them after 6 months making quite a hefty profit. It was a remarkable achievement for someone who never had a clue about the stock market. It also appealed to me as a means to make some extra money. 

After that one transaction and few more, I took a break due to my job and family commitments. Meanwhile I kept saving some in mutual funds, though a very meagre amount!  During this time my brokerage company stayed in touch calling me frequently asking when would I be putting in money again. It was only last year that it occurred to me that I must start trading again and I am so glad I did! I took out my savings, sold some gold which actually depreciated over time and put them all in the brokerage account. Since my first buy was a power company I bought my first shares of a power company again. I struggled to understand local terms like "laoo maal" "dehaan", "tezi" "mandee" "item" whenever I spoke to my broker but it was a fun learning experience and now even I can proudly speak that lingo :)

My biggest learning from trading is that only the optimists can survive, its not a place for pessimists. When you buy a stock it is just like buying a little part of the company attached to it. When the company will make profit you will too and vice versa. When buying a particular share there are fundamentals and then there are technicals but above all there is a sentimental feel to it. I very strongly believe in my gut feel which lead my decisions. As long as you are well informed, have done all possible research and know what is happening on the economic front its very rare that you will end up making a wrong decision. A lot of people think of the stock market as an up scale casino and are hesitant to enter as they merely think of it as a gambling platform. This concept is very outdated and misleading. All the stocks traded in the market have a company behind them and more so have a story linked to them. Investing in the right stocks can offer capital growth as well as a role in the overall economic well being of the country. 

The best area to put your money is into the blue chips. Obviously once you get the hang of it you can look for timely opportunities as they arise and shift exposure from one sector to the other but blue chips are always a safe bet. It is advisable to invest in a company whose business you actually understand or whose products you use commonly; for instance food producers, textiles mills, electricity providers, cement manufacturers etc.  There is a lot of information and research available about stocks online. Social media is making it more accessible for people like us by giving real time assistance to new comers. There are specialised groups which are educating new investors and also mentors who can help you understand market dynamics. I am lucky to be connected to the right people for guidance and support and have gained a lot of insight by reading research reports and various discussions. 

We as a nation do not have a saving culture. In fact our savings to GDP ratio is the lowest in the region. This is primarily because of lack of awareness among people and uncertainty on the economic/security situation. But saving can start from as little as Rs. 2000 per month which can grow into Rs. 24,000 in one year, plus if you are investing the amount into stocks it can easily grow to about 20%-30% (purely based on my experience)

Being an optimist I am really looking forward to the future of Pakistan which looks very bright to me. The economic front looks promising with new projects in pipeline, improving law and order situation and a democratic government completing its full term. The interest rate is at its lowest in the history of Pakistan, giving a clear message to get money out of bank accounts and invest in businesses. The biggest investment is coming in infrastructure and electricity sectors, macros look good and its just a matter of time when the effects will reach the common man. With strict regulations and checks in place the stock exchange can be very lucrative for small investors looking for better returns.This is the right time to start investing in our own market which is destined to develop into one of the world's best emerging market. 

I am the Change - Awards 2015

"I am the change" campaign is a yearly campaign by the Engro Corporation as part of their CSR efforts. Since its inception in 2013 the Foundation has recognised and celebrated agents of change in the social development, education and health care sectors.


This year the awards ceremony was held at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Karachi and was attended by professionals from both corporate world and development sector. The event started off with a panel discussion on how people perceive "change" and how it is important to change the way community service is being done to make a difference in people's lives. The panel consisted of Mr. Ali Ansari from Engro Corporation, Mr. Zohair Sharif from Coca Cola, Mr. Kimihide Ando from Mitsubishi and Mr. Abrar from National Foods. The panellists emphasised on the need to take responsibility as active citizens and help bring the much needed change in society by volunteering time, money and skills to empower the underprivileged. 

Zahid Mengal of Azat Foundation and Hussain Dawood 

It was amazing to see the work of all the social entrepreneurs who were nominated and their efforts towards education, skill development, livelihood and healthcare programs are commendable. Partnerships and corporate sector support will definitely help strengthen their efforts and will also streamline the way forward for future projects. 

 Mr. Hussain Dawood presented the awards to the winning projects of I am the change 2014 - 2015 campaign. The recipients included the Azat Foundation in the category of education, working to provide education and youth empowerment opportunities to individuals from various areas of Baluchistan including Noshki, Kharan, Awaraan amongst others. 

Orangi Pilot Project 

In the category of Livelihoods, the award was given to Orangi Pilot Project that continues to focus on urban development and works with the underprivileged in the arena of micro-finance and micro-enterprises, helping set up small businesses such as embroidery, footwear manufacturing and other small cottage industries reaching out to over 100,000 individuals through various projects. 

The winner in the category of Health was Child Life Foundation (CLF) an NGO providing comprehensive child health care services from emergency care to prevention. CLF provides free medicines, essential oxygen systems, medical monitors and most importantly trains doctors and nurses to help save the lives of children at imminent risk reaching out to approximately 800 child-patients every day.

Child Life Foundation 

Previous winners of the IATC Awards in the various categories include organizations such as The Dream Foundation; The Garage School; Patients Welfare Association; Karachi Vocational & Training Centre; Child Aid Association; KhwendoKor (Peshawar); Akhuwat (Lahore).

The event concluded with a mesmerizing performance by the children of Karachi Public School. The children's rendition of Ameer Khusro's  famous qawwali "aaj rang hai ri" was just the perfect ending to a heart warming event.

Children of Karachi High School

The Gender Technology Gap - A talk by Intel

Intel organized an interesting panel discussion on how women can benefit from technology and use the internet to become more independent and resourceful. It was hosted by their PR & Marketing Manager Asma Aziz.

The panel had notable women from different areas of expertise,i.e. beauty industry, content marketing/advertising, PR and the social sector. The women shared their views on how they have successfully incorporated technology into their respective business models. While almost all of them are commendable in their efforts, the story which particularly fascinated me was how technology can be used in the social sector, since this is an issue which is very close to my heart. 

It was very refreshing to hear Shazia Mirza from Manzil Foundation discussing how she managed to find a way to use technology to revamp her classrooms and connect them with the outside world. The school which she is running is in one of the slums of Karachi and mostly has students from the underprivileged class.

The dilemma of our education system is that the public schools have lowered their standards to such an extent that their students can in no way compete with students from private schools. As a result the inequality and societal gap is increasing alarmingly. To top it off, girls are specially ignored when it comes to good education and vocational training programs. 

Shazia realized this gap in the first year of running her school. after a lot of thought and research she decided to use the internet to connect her classrooms with learned teachers from all parts of the world. Screens were installed in classrooms and teachers were connected to their classes via Skype. This rather small investment made a huge difference in children. They were more knowledgeable, and confident with a lot of clarity in their thoughts. This small experiment is a proof that we can actually incorporate technology to uplift our education system without investing a fortune.

A mix of good talent and information technology can be the driving force in changing the education system and increasing literacy rate in Pakistan. A spirit of volunteering should be encouraged among professionals. This can be achieved either through a forum where professionals from various backgrounds can come together and work on small projects or they can enroll themselves for individual programs related to teaching, training or streamlining the education process in public schools.

Intel has already introduced programs targeted towards developing digital literacy skills in young girls with their “She Will Connect” program, along with the Diversity in Technology initiative to increase women representation at Intel. The program details can be viewed at their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IntelPakistan

An Evening with Zoe Viccaji & Tapal Green Tea!

I was thrilled to be invited to Zoe Viccaji’s album launch by the Tapal Green Tea team earlier this week. The event took place at one of the local clubs and was attended by celebrities from both music and acting circles. The red carpet started at 7:30 pm with friends and fans expressing their views and wishes for Zoe’s new album Dareeche. The setting was very casual and hip keeping in mind the young fan base of Zoe. There was also a "fan wall" and fun sign boards and frames to pose for pictures. Zoe’s soothing vocals kept playing in the background creating a serene musical environment. This was followed by Zoe’s live performance during which she sang couple of songs from her new album. I particularly loved her version of the famous Junoon number: neend aati nahi 

Ever since Zoe started singing at Coke Studio I have been following her and have found her music to be maturing with time.  Her new album Dareeche is a combination of originals and some famous covers as well. Ab aaoo na has a classical/folk touch to it with very soothing vocals. Another favorite is Raat Gaye which is a soft fun ballad. The album includes other hits like jis ne bhi aana hai, ishq kinara and the mesmerizing covers bichra yaar and neend aati nahi.

The event was hosted by Tapal Green Tea and we were served with endless cups of their entire green tea range :) recently launched in new contemporary packaging. The flavors available are: Jasmine, Lemon, Elaichi and Moroccan Mint. Personally I love the Moroccan Mint flavor as it has just the right hint of peppermint to make my tea even more refreshing. Green tea has been known to lower cholesterol, diabetes, stress and is full of antioxidants making it a super food/drink. So try replacing green tea with some of your regular cups of tea and reap the benefits! Some pics from the red carpet: 

Can Democracy Wait?

It’s been more than a week since 14 August when all these inqilabi and azadi marches started their journey towards the capital. For the past week there has been nothing on TV and newspapers except for news updates and developments on these marches. Even those who weren’t part of any of them were sunken deep into the ever changing situation. These protests have made an entire city hostage, life has literally come to a still and everyone is hoping for it to end soon.

No matter how much we despise them and hold them responsible for derailing democracy and putting up unconstitutional demands they somehow make sense as most of their demands are what we as average Pakistanis also want. The only difference between them and us is that we are willing to wait another 5 years for the sake of democracy just as we have been waiting since the last 60 years!  We don’t want any protests, rallies, dharnas or any kind of systematic changes during this period as we believe that just by letting democracy run smoothly we can achieve these goals magically.

If we want true democracy in Pakistan we have to set some things right first, otherwise the argument that “give democracy sometime” will never hold true as it will always be derailed by similar protests. To make democracy work we have to make some very solid changes in our justice system as well. The justice system in Pakistan is one of the most corrupt in the world. Common people like us are so afraid of police stations and courts that we rather not report petty crimes (mobile snatchings, thefts, deception, over-pricing) at all just to avoid the hassle and have almost no hope of any kind of recovery whatsoever. There has never been a single fully independent case hearing of the innumerable corruption cases against former/current politicians. Can they get away with anything? Even murder? 14 people were killed by police and still no FIR was registered just because the people involved are above the law? Still we want things to settle down and this fiasco to end.

Electoral reform is the foremost demand in both these protests. If we do not make changes in the election system these protests will occur every 5 years after General Elections. So either we make these changes now or keep on dragging the system for another term with similar protests every year weakening democracy further.

The azadi march was announced 2 months ago after failure to negotiate terms with government on their very valid demands; but government never paid any heed to it. Not even the opposition who is now very active in trying to sort things out between the two just to save the “system”. Similarly the other march started merely because people were killed and timely justice was not served. Regardless of the number of people protesting on streets, it is a democratic government’s responsibility to give people their rights and fulfill their justified demands.

However this drama ends, one thing is for sure, people won't tolerate incompetent and corrupt rulers anymore. Even if things settle down they won't last much long until another group stands up against the same rotten system. So might as well elongate this protest and set some things right, even if it calls for an interim government for some time. Democracy can wait.

Oh captain, my captain! RIP Robin Williams

Watching Robin Williams movies was a memorable part of my childhood. My first Robin flick was Aladdin. I was fascinated by the Genie and loved him to the core. So much so that I insisted on having a blue genie cake, a genie school bag and getting genie merchandise from everywhere. It was every kid’s fantasy to have a funny wish granting genie as their best friend.  It was later that I realized Genie was Genie only because of Robin Williams and his awesome sense of humor. Even the role was specifically written for him and only he could pull it off like the way he did. He just knew the right things to say at the right time. He was “wonderful! magnificent! glorious! and punctual!” So many jokes that didnt make sense to me as a child now seem so hilarious that I must recommend all of you to re-watch this master piece!

Mr. Williams has definitely been a favorite part of our childhood memories, with hits like Mrs. Doubtfire, Patch Adams, Good Morning, Vietnam etc. Another great movie was the Dead Poets Society with Robin at his best. He plays the role of an inspiring teacher who ignites the love of poetry among his students and teaches them to live spontaneously. "Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary" is one of the most inspiring quotes from his movies. He was brilliant in playing the utterly hiarious nanny in Mrs. Doubtfire. He touched hearts with his role of a loving father who would give up everything for his children. Other hits like Good Will Hunting, Jumanji, The Bicentenial Man and many more are all reminders of how versatile an actor he was.  

Despite brining happiness to people all over the world, Robin himself suffered from depression. And that is what ultimately took his life. He bought a certain energy and realism to all his performances. He played a prominent role in bringing fun and happiness to our childhood and has created lasting memories with his mesmerizing performances which will always be cherished.

"Musalmano Q Mobile chahiye??"

Browsing through TV channels post iftar yesterday, I came across an array of the so called “Ramzan transmission” on various channels. Though this has been going on a regular basis since past few years, this year it seems to have a multiplied effect. Previously as I remember the programs involved a scholar discussing issues or answering related questions from the audience in accordance with religious teachings; then maybe some naat would be recited and it was over after iftar time.

Ok I know these shows lacked the drama, excitement and emotional factor but at least they were decent and were more suitable for Ramzan. These days Ramzan shows are purely entertainment based with very little knowledge for viewers. They lack any form of inspiration or feel good factor. The flashy over the top comments, humour and dialogue remind me of a third class movie or theatre show. Pinpointing people on their clothes, making fun of appearances and also trying to create a class divide (the same old posh areas vs downtown areas debate) is not inspirational or spiritual by any means! Are they trying to imply that only people from posh areas behave decently and talk politely whearas downtowners can get away with any kind of lewd remarks, obnoxious behaviour and below the belt jokes. 

Most of these programs have similar stage sets, similar format, similar sponsors and amazingly similar looking anchors!!! (makes me wonder how is that possible? Maybe plastic surgery!)

The programs usually start with a discussion among the hosts and a bunch of molvis clad in colorful intricately embroidered kurtas, followed by a recitation/naat session. After iftari starts the quiz show (ala Neelam Ghar) with gifts for everyone. People go crazy to get a chance to participate in the mindless quiz session in pursuit of getting either a mobile phone, a lawn ka jora or a bottle of sharbat! so much so that often they sound like beggars! Sometimes they are also required to perform some utterly insane tasks like gobbling up mangoes, standing on one leg and hanging from monkey bars. 

Keeping in mind the spirit of Ramzan, what is the point of giving gifts to people from well off backgrounds over totally nonsense Q/A ? Isn’t Ramazan all about sharing with those who cannot afford? Why can't all the sponsors and channels donate gifts or money to orphanages and hospitals or NGOs instead and also have live shows with them? TRPs and advertisement is important for brands but why can't they think of other creative and sensible ways to make their brands standout? I as an individual would never think of buying a Q Mobile for the distorted image of the brand these programs have created in my mind. 

Some would argue that our people are deprived of entertainment and this is the most appropriate form of good family fun. I agree that there are very limited entertainment avenues for middle class in particular but then again there could be other ways to make TV shows more appealing and tasteful. I do not blame the audience since they don’t have much choice. It is the responsibility of TV channels and brands to put together their efforts and money in coming up with creative quality content and most importantly educate their audience.

Well thought out CSR campaigns have proven to be very effective for goodwill of a company as well as making it a compassionate brand. Why cant we make TV shows like The Oprah Winfery Show or the Aamir Khan Show(Satyamev Jayate) from across the border. Another very good effort was by one of our very own FMCG brands giving tribute to mothers all over through the brilliant Ariel Maa show. All of these shows have worked wonders for their sponsors along with generating very high viewer ship, TRPs and credibility. Moreover they have made a difference in people's lives and have changed or rather challenged mindsets. 

In a society like ours media is a big influencer and has great power to change mindsets. It’s not only dramas and live shows but also commercials which affect our choices and decisions. Instead of producing mediocre run off the mill TV shows our media industry should now evolve into an effective medium for both entertainment and education of society. After almost ten years of free independent media we certainly expect some change. 


Published in Express Tribune on 20, July 2014
Losing our religion one Ramazan transmission at a time 

The Fault in Our Stars - the movie

Among the list of books that have been successfully made into movies, the toppers for previous year were:  Twilight Saga, Hunger Games and Life of Pi. This year movie-book fans are looking forward to the movie version of the much acclaimed 2012 young adult novel "The Fault in Our Stars" by Printz award winner and famous vlogger, John Green. The book has gained immense popularity and a cult following within young readers all over the world, with exclusively designed merchandise and clothing by the fans.

Those who have read the book will agree that it is a brilliant piece of literature combining life's tragedies along with everyday humour.The title of the book comes from a famous line of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "the fault dear Brutus is not in our stars, but in ourselves that we are underling". The story is narrated by a 16 year old terminally ill girl, Hazel who falls in love with an amputated 17 year old cancer patient Augustus whom she met at a support group for cancer patients. Since both of them are facing the same disease it sort of makes the chemistry between them work wonders. With witty intelligent lines like "I am a grenade and at some point I'm going to blow up and I would like to minimise the causalities". The book is far from being just a teenage romance or a cancer book. The story dwells upon friendships, emotions, and family ties. Not only for teenagers but also for adults, the book provides a deep perspective into the lives of young cancer patients, their hopes, their fears and most importantly their drive to maintain sanity with doses of humour. For me the best part of the book was simplicity of the plot, characterisation of the main protagonists and how the author has woven the story around the biggest tragedy of life with humour.

The book had generally received positive reviews from The New York Times; the Time magazine declared it number one on their list of best fiction books of 2012.  Now the movie with Shirline Woodley as Hazel and Willem Dafoe as Peter Van Houten,  in pipeline is intended to be released sometime next year. Young fans from all over the world are excited for its release and hoping it would turn out to be equally fantastic as the book itself.

Yeh Hai Karachi Meri Jaan!

Came across this brilliant video by my friends at The Say Cheese Studio reviving memories of our beloved city of lights Karachi, its landmarks and its lovely people. Karachi is one city that never backs down no matter how precarious the circumstances are. What amazes me the most are the truly awesome people who get up after every set back and start going about their businesses with full zeal and passion!

Please click the below link:

Yeh Hai Karachi Meri Jaan!

Princess Diana - the movie

The most anticipated film for Diana fans is finally set to release in mid September. The official trailers have been up and are shared endlessly on the internet. The biopic by German film director Oliver Hirschbiegel is about the last 2 years of Princess Diana's life and her relationship with Dr. Hasnat Khan and Dodi Fayed.

Dr. Hasnat & Princess Diana

Naomi Watts, playing the late princess looks convincing while Naveen Andrews (Lost fame) playing Dr. Hasnat Khan the Pakistani heart surgeon is a bit dubious. Although it is too soon to draw conclusions, the movie is surely going to cause controversy and a lot of questions will be raised on credibility of the plot. It was widely believed by Diana's close friends that Dr. Hasnat was her only true love and she wanted to get married and settle down with him in Pakistan. The doctor's family did not approve of his relationship with the Princess and as a result he walked out of it. Dodi Fayed came into Diana's life as a friend with whom she began a relationship to make Dr. Hasnat jealous and so the story continues.

Naomi Watts as Diana

Dr. Hasnat has already expressed his disapproval and says that he will not watch it since it is based on lies. The film is based on the 2001 book Diana: Her Last Love by Kate Snell. While the author and filmmakers have been struggling to get Dr. Hasnat's approval, he has proved to be what Diana always believed him to be. During the summer of 1997 before she died she told a friend, "everybody sells me out but Hasnat is the one person who will never sell me out."

Princess Diana is undoubtedly the most admired royal celebrities around the globe. The part of her life which has largely been a secret is now being made into a movie and the Pakistani connection in the story is surely going to make it a sizzler in our part of the world. No matter how controversial it turns out to be, we are in deep anticipation!

Empowering Women in Flood Affected Areas

The devastating floods of 2011 and 2013 in Pakistan particularly in the Sind region has affected about 5.3 million people and 1.2 million homes (approx) in 12 districts of the province. These internally displaced people have lost their homes, land, livestock and belongings and are settled in various relief camps set up by government and international organizations. However what they are actually looking for is the  rebuilding and rehabilitation of their lives. 

Working as a UN volunteer I had my first hand experience of visiting the flood affected areas earlier this year. We visited few villages in District Badin & Thatta and spoke to the common people to get an account of the relief work being carried out in their villages. Most of the people settled in these areas have lost all their belongings, their cattle (usually their only means of livelihood). There is an acute shortage of drinking water and people have to walk miles to fetch water for their families. Due to scarcity of water, agricultural activities are also not feasible in these areas which is leading to food shortages and obstruction in their means of livelihood.

Living in such dire conditions, women and children are the worst affected with no facilities or access to any kind of health care. Maternal death ratios are very high in these areas along with child mortality due to outbreak of diseases; most recently being the measles outbreak. Ironically it is usually the women who are capable of earning any kind of livelihood for the family after losing their land and livestock in floods. They are involved in stitching, embroidery and handicrafts.  They sell their work to buyers in cities through middlemen who usually do not compensate their work to its true worth.



The Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Sind (PDMA) is already working in close connection with International Organisations for rehabilitation work. However some issues need to be higlighted; instead of focusing on providing relief goods and rations, measures should be taken to ensure pre disaster preparation and recovery plans. If proper skills development and capacity building trainings are held, these women are capable of bringing considerable change in their lives. Regular trainings on DRR (Disaster Risk Recovery) and Gender Mainstreaming conducted in all affected areas will ensure that women are not marginalized. Adult litracy programs focused towards health and hygiene can built awareness on issues such as reproductive health, spacing births and choosing family size. Skill development and grant support programs running in parallel can revive small businesses and cottage industries in these areas. There is low investment and infrastructure cost involved in setting up handicrafts/garment and small production units since most of the women have adequate skills and are equipped with basic tools. Other cottage industries like weaving, pottery, ceramics and textiles should be introduced on a mass level which can become a fruitful means of earning for themselves and their families.

I am no Superman but…

I wonder why we can’t have a real life super hero of our own. Like a Batman or a Superman?

A vigilant figure that would come out in the night, disguised and fights the bad guys. Someone who would be present on the signals where most snatchings are taking place; would love to see someone break arms of the thugs while they hold a gun to an innocent man behind the wheels. I still remember the day I got snatched at one of the busy signals. I could see this guy coming to our car, holding a gun. He asked for our phones; we acted as robots and automatically handed over our belongings to him. While he walked away I felt this instant urge to do something about it, something that would break the guy’s confident retreat to his accomplice.  

When we talk about the history of such vigilant forces they are not a fantasy and have always existed in places where governments failed to ensure security and justice. Robin Hood was one of the first characters formed on the basis of injustices in the society due to failure of governance. In today's modern times the Davao Death Squad who claim to be a vigilante outfit has been directly involved in making Philippines' Davao City "the most peaceful city in Southeast Asia" as per tourism organisations. Similarly another case reported in England in 2006 involves slashing tires of more than twenty cars, leaving a note made from cut-out newsprint with the words: you have been seen driving while using your mobile phone.

But then we just have to be our own super hero sometimes. So how many of us are capable of taking care of ourselves on our own? Unfortunately not many of us are comfortable with the idea of self defence let alone equipping ourselves with self defence products such as stun guns, pepper spray, mace etc. It is advisable in these times that one should at least carry a pepper spray while going out.

Our best bet is to try and avoid dangerous situations by being alert and watchful.  In case we encounter any such situation where we feel compromised and cannot avoid it then at least we should be equipped so much so not to be at the mercy of the assailant. Rather aiming for an upfront collision, the aim should be to break away from the situation as quickly as possible. This is when self defence comes in handy. A pepper can used in time would distract the invader and would buy out enough time to make a escape, but it can also backfire in case one is not fully aware of how to use it properly. Similarly stun guns or Tasers are also effective in case you are being mugged in your house or kidnapped in your own car. A personally tried and tested approach is never to stop your car at a signal. For instance if you can see the red light from way ahead its better to slow down but keep on moving instead of speeding up and then waiting behind another car. A robber would think twice about approaching a moving vehicle even if it is slow. 

The overall security situation is worsening everyday. However if you are not comfortable with the idea of carrying a self defence device or weapon don’t hype yourself.  It can backfire if you are not confident and you can end up in a much worse situation. But to become true masters of our fate we need to take control of various factors. Try being extra observant, avoid particular places famous for mugging (signals etc), keep your senses calm under all situations and take calculated measures.