Monday, September 30, 2019

Holidays aur Hungamay!

You can take away our work days, our lectures, even our semesters but you cant take away our deadlines!
This is the ode, the plea, the call, to those at the helm of the affairs, to please stop!
Gone were the days when we use to feel ecstasy for getting unwarranted holidays and half holiday.
Islamabad has been jinx with them, big time!
  • International conferences
  • Darnas
  • Jalsas
  • Hungamay
  • Foreign Delegates
  • Protest
  • Protocols
  • VVIP movements
It is like Islamabad have been demoted to serve the scared sheep of country and the world.
Roads are filled with life yet congestion is like something stifles the traveler with traffic jams. The Islamabad highway is like the choked artery that supplies blood to the cascade of corporate housing schemes lined at its periphery on both sides. The census will detail the gravity of the influence it has on the population, number wise. But this is just the one point recurring with the traffic.
But another Darna is around the corner...  in for some more hungamay

Mehwish Hayat aur Dur Fittay Muh!

We are living in a bubble right now. The media is the most idealistic medium as well as the most drastic source of depression.
But democracy is the best revenge.
The revenge from all those who decide to deny the reality.
For some educated reason, I have forgot about the spectrum of our society that I live in. Thinking we have become articulate, and sensible human beings. Alas! I was made aware of this fallacy, by the 'people of internet' or in other words, trolls, from Pakistan.
Although, our youth may have been de-misoginized, but a large portion of men in our society beyond 35 years of age, still believe in intolerance and slut shaming, the unfortunate Achilles's heel of mid-life crisis, of Pakistani men.
As of recently, Mehwish Hayat, gave an interview at a social event, in which the reporter bluntly asked her about stance on Kashmir, to which she refused to comment, due to some pre-event instructions from the PR or organisers.

Now, this resulted in a shit storm of patriotic jingoism filled with slut shaming and degradation of the national-award-winning-artist.

The problem here, is deep rooted in the society, where the ‘showbiz’ is still considered a 'spit-worthy' profession. Yet, in contradiction to this viewpoint, ever since the advent of internet, everyone wants attention, and loves being treated like a superstar. Women, to these people, are still objectified and considered weak-links; hence, according to them, these are the lesser mortals who have to cater to the society’s whims. 
You have seen the trolls and unfortunately, I am going to typecast, the unquestioned one, and thus, these are few characteristics, of a self-righteous troll uncle:
  1. He is a businessman or grade 20 officer, in his 40s, hailing from a rural or sub-urban area.
  2. He has a wife, but would love to get married to a young beautiful second wife, as a status symbol.
  3. Bemoans the women of house in contempt, frequently expresses anger and abuses and beats them.
  4. Monkey see, monkey do, this is what he has always seen in his elders too.
  5. Watches entertainment, like vulgar stage plays and Television programs but calls the women in the industry, ‘whores’.
  6. Has a daughter, plans to educate her and make her an independent woman and marry her off in same clan and/or a powerful family, but would still have preferred a son.
None of the traits above, are in harmony to any principle, therefore, the adulthood of such class of Pakistani men, is in shambles. These are some oversized adolescent on the internet, who see no repercussion of slut shaming women in our society or on social media.
You will come across these men, on roads, where they might act antagonised, or in offices, where they might act irritated and indifferent to you, at the same time. Is this disrespect? Is it egoistic behaviour? Frustrated? Intolerant? Condescending? Series of unfortunate events occurring in their life? Prejudiced? May be they are confined to their own world and cannot think of anything beyond themselves.
These are men with inferiority complex, who cannot bear the sight of women, who are more powerful than them, and are able to climb the corporate ladder.
These are the same men who call a woman, a slut, behind her back, when she gets a promotion over them.
These are the same men who would question the menstruation cycle of a lady, on her bad day at work or her personal life/or carnal satisfaction quotient, introspectively, in their locker-room/table talk.
They will slut shame a women who goes against their insecurities (political leadership, challenge religiopolitical status quo etc.) examples include Reham Khan and Malala Yousufzai.
I wish I could simply write over them, with the power of pen, like they walk over the tradition of decency, under their feet. We have to reach a cultural adulthood, and these men should be marginalised, for real. And most of all, they should be called out for their bigotry (the cake of foul smelling hypocrisy), with a nice sprinkle bits of  dur fittay muh on top, served with a cup of 'grow-up'(a tannin-filled, bitter tasting, astringent of a tea).

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Ukhano aur Uthado!

What does really matter?

Are we fighting too hard to avoid the feeling of being used by someone successful that we are becoming too distracted about what is really important and what reality is? Yes, the reality stars you made famous are not the best ones, when it comes to taking a role model with a moral high ground.
These are fickle times. The population of the world has been at its highest, resources are now more plastic than material, and its not ethical to condemn someone to be, all pretentious, in this even more virtual economy, in this moment in time. You are more under pressure and stress, than ever before with comparison, as much of the world you could have or your ancestors could have, dreamt of, yet, you are ever so alone in your own reality. With so much to lose, but so little to gain, you can only feel 'frustrated' by your mortal and existential limitations.
Ali Zafar, Ukhano and my favourite rockstar. What do they have in common. Two have been excused of harassment and one, I came to know, first hand, of. These all belong to the virtual entertainment industry, one way or another. All are famous and have a female fan base, too. Yet, what is the problem, is it the culture of harassessment, the nature of men or simply just part and parcel of our globalization in last 20 years of internet and cable. Welcome to Globalistan!
Is this for real, do these men drive machoness from flings and flirting, with categorized beautiful women. Who gets the brownie points here.
There is no more, higher moral ground, you may be all talk about higher ethical and moral standards, but it gets you no security, no money, no fame and no progress, just an expensive conscience that is too heavy to carry all your life; to the world, its just your baseless vanity. I dont say that you dont take that favourite rockstar of mine to the cleaners but I myself am not clean as a whistle either and nor are you. The system that we are part of, makes us be like this, people with dirty hands, yes, and when everyone will be dirty, that then, there will be no one who is dirty anymore. Because then, dirtiness will be ubiquitous and wont be distinguished by anyone.
There is no Bennite solution and there will, not be, an end to this. There are no brownie points. And we all have to stop giving a fu*k about any of this anymore, as now, well, all are guilty and this is who we will be. Unless you become the change you want to see in the world. But you wont. You love blaming the player and not the game, because its easier and similar to how everyone is doing. Status quo is convenient.
But apart from this what is happening to this Youtube star, in historical prospective, its going to change things, in the land of the pure and its view of the age of reality stars. Lesser of the evils, is to raise your voice for what is right.
P.s. Gabrana nahi hai, uthado apni awaz!

Sunday, June 9, 2019

Thought aur Tuk Tuk!

Somewhere in Capital at midnight
Work and having a life, what a romantic thought. Trying to strike a four to McGrath on a seaming wicket, is what I feel like, when I want to strike a balance between work and having a life, that outside of the off stump isn't such a good idea, I might just get caught behind.
But Eid is here and I feel I would get a loosener this time.
I went to the Capital!
Traveling wasn't really an adventure, it feels. It was more like a routine in life for me. For then, what will be my escape, how do I con or bluff the self into freedom: A vagabond or someone with constant dispositions
But yes, I can still be alive, and living, if I live this kind life, of racing against the time, trying to gulp all I can in given space of time. Its binge living.
As soon as I reached, it was Eidi distribution after a feisty lunch. Afterwards, I went to the Naan shop for some karak tea, as soon as, I was done with some sleep, to cure my traveling fatigue. Then, I had some ice cream from my favourite place and got myself my favourite flavour. The went on to get to some public mall, and eat some more. And after midnight, did a ritual visit to the only fast food place open at this dark hour, swam with families, to get some juice and more ice cream. If this was not enough woke up next morning and distributed more felicitation of the Eid fest to close acquaintances. That was all, some fun, and a close run.
But as the 24 hours long stint lasted, I felt to have crammed in all the necessaries in the 'living a life'.
I return back to the 'routine' work and continued.

My writing have become the situational songs for me now. And situations are usually drived out of love, and love should be about spreading happiness and not caving in our darkness. Love is like the 4th wicket stand of Inzi bhai and Yousaf bhai, you know you can trust them even when the opening does not work, against any team, anywhere, on any type of wicket. Lust is like Afridi, you enjoy when it works, but mostly its not worth the whole match, yet you pray, aaj yeh chal jaye!
And the analogies remind me the cricket World Cup is around. But sorry, I have not interest in whether Sarfaraz dokha dey ya nahi! I don't like watching cricket anymore due to lack of flair, and I usually tell people that I don't like cricket now, par yeh baat nahi hai! I don't get time to watch it! McGrath is too difficult to score, so meanwhile, I just play tuk tuk!

P.s. that loosener never came!

Saturday, June 1, 2019

Rented aur Rul te gaye aan!

Khoya tou nahi wo, ju apna na tha, paya tou nahi wo, ju apna na tha, phir malaal kesa, phir yeh khayal kesa

Disclaimer: The is not a self help blog post.

The glass is half full.
The world seems like a bounty to be hunted and conquered. And this is why the elite species - homo sapiens - have been intrinsically greedy and violent... probably.
Yet there always been a clue, a cure. In land of the pure, there exists, the city of saints etc etc.
But still...
badlay dil, badlay log.
We want what is best for ourselves, the best that we have learned from the world around us, the best that was taught to us and the best we believe we can survive with. Hence, once we get what we want.... we want more. Life goes on. The discontent develops. The 'need' that we already have, falls into the blind spot. Why? forget about it... simple.. thing is: because you cant always get what you want - Mick Jagger; (probably) Chirag tallay andhera - sarcastic idiom
But what do we do about this gut ki feeling, this cradle of shrewdness, the survival instinct, the cunning scan prior to cunning plan, .... ab kiya karay....
well sab maya hai... but maya sab ki nahi hai .... (not being sexist, its a deep thought)
Gut feeling takes you to the buffet table where various options are on display, I request you to take the peaceful one, for the soul.
Its not about being right or correct, or what ever you use, in your mind to identify that notion, neither its about saving yourself from a loss. Yes, I do say that in a world of oppurtunities, where someone who loses even a single one, is made to consider oneself as inept or worst, a failure. Well, friend, if at the end of the day, if there is water and food on your table, you are doing great, but dont fool yourself into thinking if its yours only doing. Always be grateful, from the ability to breath the air and feel the freedom to move and luxury to see the colourful world around.... and reading this blog too... hehehehe
I am not elite, not anymore, but I do say there are a dozen demons I had to fight and unfortunately, a few angels too, so where I am, I am happy to have what I have, but not proud, not because I perceive it as less but because I had to confess for the wrongs I did, to reach here. The sufi in me realizes that life at loss is, when you gain, and gain when you lose.
I do believe in providence, its like the protection of the contract we have, whether pious or sinful. Do good and don't ask for return, do it as your nature, lose and loss, take them as your gains, as nothing is, what it seems. Pain changes things, but your victory is, when it does not change you. If you think about it, much of what you needed in your life, you would have 'gained' it anyway. Hence, try to have minimal collateral damage.
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.
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at this point i have just lost the myself hehehe I cant really squeeze out further wisdom
bahi if you are a CEO of high-end investment firm or a janitor in local municipality, one day you die and you are dead. Dead don't remember. And hence, you really dont owe anything to anyone or anyone to you, once that happens. Whats left in the world, is not yours anymore because it never was... sab karaiye ka tha ( all was rented) you only own your deeds and a space in hearts of people who love you. And Keanu Reeves says, they will remember you, so, if you dont take my words, take his, he is more handsome hahaha

p.s. for an idea... a tombstone .... rul te gaye aan... per chuss barri ayi ae... 

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Facer aur Faqir!

ik nukte wich gal mukdi ae - Bulleh Shah

No one is above the law.
The one's who maketh and the ones who breakth. Neither.
We need impartial judges to correct this society, not in courts but in the society itself.
A judge has to be impartial and hence, justice is blind. So the lady justice from Asgard, has to distance herself from corruption wrapped around one of her foot, in form of a, snake.
A judge is to distance oneself from the society in order to be impartial and avoid public gatherings and ceremonies, in this regard.
But how is our society, going to have judges?! thats a bit absurd, is it not?! well not so much as the outcry, the society pulls out, when it feels wronged.
We all are judges within ourselves. Seek within what you seek without. Look at your own snakes and how they have scared you to toe their line, to shift your behavior and follow their infernal instincts. What are we if not the embodiment of seven deadly sins. And I dont mean to be sound like a preacher but still, I will walk you all to the impediment you face in gaining the solution.
Let the faqir out!
Bring the selfless person, content with the life and see oneself from a distance and see your own legacy and its collision with your fellow country men. You want a secure future for yourself and your children but so does the other for their own, then why not for everyone. This legacy must have a leakage. Your best, is ruining other's best.
Hey! this is a capitalistic society. Each for their own. The opportunities are out there, grab them while you can. Its a rat race. Dog eat dog world.
Thus, being insecure is part and parcel. Whats the outcry. Why the pain.
Well, in the system of 'many opportunities', there is society that pretends to fit in for, them. There are fake people and lack of trust, because, wait, why would there not be, each for their own. You will come across numerous insecure, 'nice' people who will turn against us when the chips are down.
Hence, welcome the facer, here, now, your conscience, whom you had sent to the dungeon to live a peaceful life, wakes you up.
This starts with the next take away drink you order in car around the summer season. Dont throw it out in open, to keep your car clean, but take it home, go an extra mile and dispose it in your own trash, or else spent the money on a charity that helps people in need.
Don't judge, but be the impartial judge to carry out a life of justice.
P.s. the humour is somewhere behind the lines of wisdom and maturity here.
P.p.s. Thank you for your time.

Direction aur Lassi!

The road you take, may define, your fate, but you may have to chose one, first. Before I start, I must state that I am not superior or infer...