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23 March - Pakistan Will Support Earth Hour

This earth is beautiful, this is the reason why even after flying high and diving deep every one of us wants to come back to it and feel it.

Support Earth hour as much as you can! After all, it requires only an hour's dedication.

“What you take from the earth, you must give back. That's nature's way.”
― Chris d'Lacey

I am supporting EARTH HOUR 2013 I hope YOU are / will too

Today, Pakistanis are celebrating 23rd March as well. So, all you Pakistanis, remember one thing

Success Is Never Permanent and Failure is Never Final
Never Ever Stop your efforts until your Victory makes a History

Join together for the cause internationally, in order to celebrate your happiness as well as support the cause worldwide. Tell them All PAKISTAN is also amongst the supporters of Good Causes...

Bless you all!

Image Courtesy: http://www.wwf.org.my/

Visit To IBA Career Fair 2013 - Held At Karachi University

 On 16^th February, 2013 I visited IBA Career Fair at Karachi University. It was a nice experience for me because of multiple reasons. Things which I noticed in the Career Fair were quite interesting and impressive. As it was held in Karachi University, there were numerous students who attended the job fair. Students from different departments attended the Career Fair, with different dreams. Most of the dreams were job-centric. After all, what else would they have thought about other than their jobs, keeping Pakistan’s economic conditions in mind? From 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, roughly 1,000 plus students attended the Career Fair.

As far as the organizations are concerned, all reputed companies were present at IBA’s Career Fair 2013. Organizations including Nestle, Engro, Loreal, Habib Bank Limited, Meezan Bank, Burj Bank, Warid, Zong, TRG and Linkagoal etc. were offered “Booths” to communicate with students and collect their CVs. Moreover, companies were also offered “Interview Lounges”, to conduct interviews of the candidates. Last but definitely not the least “Presentation Rooms” were also allotted to the companies to demonstrate their presentations in order to enrich the knowledge of students. Students had a great time at the Career Fair because they got an amazing opportunity to apply in different companies and in different sectors. These kinds of Career Fairs are much needed all over Pakistan to hire the right resource for the right job.

This particular Career Fair introduced students to not only national organizations (HBL, Hilal and Sanofi etc.) but also to international organizations like Linkagoal, Loreal and Nestle etc. With the help of such Career Fairs, horizon of students broadens and they learn multiple things not only about the companies but also about the success factors of the companies. For those who have strong entrepreneurship skills, such career fairs are very helpful in understanding the practices of the renowned companies.

More than 60 organizations participated in the Career Fair 2013; IBA did a fantastic job in bridging the gap between useful resource and companies. These kinds of events should be organized by other universities, as well, all over Pakistan, so that we can collectively fight against the joblessness and help in developing the economic condition of our beloved homeland.

IBA also provided representatives of the companies with tasty lunches. Hope to see more of such events in future.

This Article Has Also Been Published At Dunya TV's Blog

For Images: Thanks To Parwarsha Arshad Mirza

Admirable Women Of Pakistani Media

With the boom in the Pakistani media industry, everybody has shifted their attention to media personalities and they have become hot topics nowadays. The media has played an important role in Pakistan by creating awareness among the people on every subject from current affairs to fashion, entertainment and sports etc. It has created a number of job opportunities for both men and women.

They are number of women who have become influential and have set examples for rest of the women in Pakistan. They believe that if you have the talent and if you stand firm on your decision with determination then nothing is impossible. Women in Pakistan can easily follow their dreams if they have the motivation to accomplish them. Some of the astonishing living examples are as follows:

                                                                             

·         Shirmeen Obaid Chinoy:

 She is the first person who took Pakistan to an international pedestal and became the first Pakistani who not only got nominated but won an Oscar for her documentary film “Saving faces.” She is a pride for the people of Pakistan especially for women. “Times Magazine” also included her name in its annual issue for the most influential people of the world in 2012.

·       Nadia Khan:

She has become a household name with her spontaneous and witty personality. She has been able to win the hearts of her fans with her comeback on Geo TV. She hosts a talk show which caters a number of topics such as: bold, controversial, societal and emotional etc. The basic objective of this show is to uplift the moral values in the individuals. She is doing her show with great devotion and has been able to raise the voice against different issues.

·         Uzma Gillani:

She is a woman of immense strength and intensity and this is greatly reflected in her acting. She faced a number of obstacles and health issues but nevertheless maintained her position as one of Pakistan’s leading TV actress. The roles which have been portrayed by her have shown great personal valor and verve. She is a role model for number women in Pakistan who have the ability to face life with audacity.

·         Mesha Shafi:

She has become a youth Icon with her songs “Jugni” and “Dashte Tanhai”. She has ruled the fashion industry with her modeling and now she has entered the music world and has paved her way to success with her emerging Talent.

·       Maya Khan:

Although she has been involved in the controversy lately but she has come out of it with great courage and has entered the media again. She has used the platform wisely by having discussions on social issues faced by the women and has also tried to resolve them (to certain extent). She has been a great supporter of women and has always tried to create opportunities for women.

P.S:

Irrespective of all the controversies and personal opinions believe it or not these women have changed the way our (Pakistani) society thinks, observes and acts, in one way or the other. I respect them and pay homage to their achievements which can never be enjoyed by anyone without hard work, dedication and strong determination.


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I Somehow Leverage And Maneuver Islamic Corruption – New Age Muslims

For those who don’t understand Urdu – The roman English written under brackets, I have translated the same in English as well, for you all to understand.

Alhamdulillah (By the grace of Almighty) I am a Muslim and I follow the rules and regulations declared in Islam. This is the spontaneous sentence that we blurt out when someone asks about our religion or being a Muslim.

Do we really mean it? Is praying 5 times a day, complete Islam? (Pehlay Namaz toh Qayem Karlo phir yeh sab baatin karna) First start praying 5 times a day then question others! Why? I am not a doctor but I can question about his ill practicing. I am not a patriot but I can question and defame any army fellow. But! I can not question a Muslim by any means. Right!

(Islam Allah or uskay banday ka muamla hai) Islam is all about the bond between LORD and HIS creature. These are the statements which we come across whenever we raise any question! None of us is allowed to ask questions in mosques or questions related to Islamic practicing, as if they are universal truth – no doubt they definitely are, but a layman like me and many others, have the right to ask questions if they are not satisfied, right? Why do we all forget that without Tauheed (Sovereignty of Allah) everything has a logic and rationale behind it? Allah has quoted multiple times in Holy Quran (Ghaur karo) Think. But even then we do not think and just follow without knowing the basics and root reason.

For a new age Muslim it is very easy to follow Islam, as compared to his ancestors or elders. Nowadays, whatever was initially banned and prohibited in Islam is acceptable by providing a justification. The most common sentence that all of us usually hear is (Deen o Dunia Saath Sath chalti hai) Religion and World go hand in hand. (Beech ka raasta Ikhtiyar karo) Select the route that is in between Islam and worldly affairs. For all those who agree with these statements or say these lines to others, you all are not aware of ISLAM and its teachings. Islam either has a “YES” or “NO” but no “Maybe” so either one thing is allowed or prohibited! If (Tasveer-Kashi) Painting / Photography is Haraam (Prohibited) in Islam then there is no second answer to that. And now please don’t come up with those usual examples that after 3 days of hunger a man can eat anything – this could be acceptable back in early civilization, not anymore! Plus this can be applicable to 10 – 15% of the total mankind, and definitely you and I are not amongst them.

These days we have Islamic banking systems, Islamic meat shops even in Islamic countries, Islamic Boutiques and Islamic promotional plans etc. Today the term ISLAMIC has a new meaning, I Somehow Leverage And Maneuver Islamic Corruption. The rates at Islamic boutiques are high enough to even let me think twice before purchasing, so what about those Muslims who are not so well to do and want to wear Islamic Clothing Brands! I am sure everyone is aware of the Islamic Clothing Brands (after all they were pitched to fame with this concept – else they have/had nothing else to offer, quality wise). The profit which these outlets or brands make is Halaal, as per the context of Islamic Business Rules?

I never knew MOVIES are allowed in ISLAM – that is why people do not object on existence of movies but the subjects people select, for them (ref: Khuda Ke Liay).

Are we allowed to do Umrah or Hajj by scoring points through our credit/debit cards? Aren’t people adulterating the religion known as Islam? Are we (pointing out Males) allowed to appear on screens, wearing branded clothes, spectacles and footwear presenting Islamic shows and interacting with females (Na-Mehrum) with smiles?

A New Age Muslim:

• Drinks
• Smokes
• Flirts (for the sake of fun)
• Manipulates (out of habit)
• Shows off brands (to let others feel his supremacy)
• Hides his Identity (as well)
• Listens to music every day! (After all Music is food to soul - CRAP)
• Cheats (---)
• Rapes (---)
• Lusts (--)
• Lies (on daily basis)
• And what not?

But he offers prayers and visit 5 times to Allah’s house after performing all the mentioned and non mentioned sins.

Bravo My Muslims!

The month of Ramazan is near, trust me my nation will again witness corruption in the name of Islam and will buy it! Why? Because we aren’t Muslims anymore! We are (as I always say) PBCM –Pakistani Born Confused Muslims.

I wish! One day we can embrace Islam not by just hearing Azaan in our ears, when born, but by living a life as per the teachings of Holy Quran and Sunnah. Even I don’t practice Islam the way I might have mentioned, but I feel guilt inside. Do you too?

Teri meri kahani – It’s Everyone's Story – Movie Review

To me it was really strange to not to hear any buzz about Kunal Kohli’s, Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra starrer, new release “Teri Meri Kahani”. How can anyone forget “Hum Tum”? The same director created a magic! Anyways, after almost a week of the movie’s release I got a chance to watch “Teri Meri Kahani”. I, actually, watched the movie out of curiosity of why it was/is not much talked about!

The movie is about two characters, Shahid Kapoor as (Javed, Fovind and Krish) and Priyanka chopra as (Aradhna, Rukhsaar and Radha) who meet in 3 different eras 1910, 1960 and 2012. This movie is all about eternal love which at times we call the “connection”. I will not spoil the fun by disclosing the complete synopsis of the movie in short it is for those who have ever fallen in love. From the start to the end the movie looks interesting, lovely and sweet.

Shahid Kapoor excels in all three roles which he has performed in this movie. I will like to mention one thing that in all the 3 roles he portrayed the character of a 3 different guys in same age brackets yet all the characters are so diversified, ditto for Priyanka Chopra. Undoubtedly both actors are the finest performers of this age.

All the songs of this movie are amazing. Those songs which stand out are “Allah Janay”, “Hum se Pyar Karlay tu” and “Jab se mere dilko”. For love stories music plays the role of a spinal cord and this movie is blessed with one strong backbone.

Kunal Kohli has delivered his honest attempt and throughout the movie am sure audiences will have smiles on their faces. All the eras are perfectly shot.

The era of 1910’s is the highlight of the movie, script, performance and emotions wise. The era of 1960’s will surprise most of the critical audiences with the detailing. The way trams were shown, their speed, colors, attires, fashion and even the way people used to communicate. The depiction of 2012 is really close to day to day life.

This movie is highly recommended for those who have ever loved someone with all their hearts. I will also highly recommend this flick for those who enjoy and want to see a well made movie.

If you are married watch it! It will rejoice old times. If you are in a relation, watch it, it will strengthen your relation and if you are finding true love! It will help you in understanding one!

7/10

Pakistani Media is Infected!

Pakistan has great potential as well as talent. But what lacks in Pakistan is the sense of ownership and feeling of pride in our own things. Whether they are our garments, food or media we have the best of everything but still we prefer to get influenced by foreign stuff. Here foreign is anything outside our homeland’s boundary. There was a time when PTV was the only channel that used to be telecasted in Pakistan. Then there was STN (NTN) in early 90’s that started its transmission. Simultaneously PTV 2 was launched. PTV being the head and pioneer of the Pakistani TV channels produced some remarkable dramas and programs catering to every single niche of the society. STN / NTN also showcased some amazing series and serials and the most important thing was that it introduced Pakistani movies to the viewers, as a kid I can still remember the excitement of watching Pakistani movies every alternate day. I personally got acquainted with the talents of Nadeem, Mohd. Ali, Shahid, Waheed Murad, Babra, Jawed Shaikh and Munawwer Zareef etc through that particular channel, and I thank that, literally. 

People used to make fun of PTV2 back in those days for showing “how to create and design a TRACTOR” but the fact is, PTV2 acted as a beacon for those who really wanted to study and acquire the knowledge. The AIOU (Allama Iqbal Open University) Programs have made the lives of numerous people. PTV on the other hand showed some exceptional dramas, comedy shows, musical programs and quiz shows etc that helped Pakistanis evolve as a better and much sensible nation that is why when initially STAR PLUS and much earlier Zee TV was introduced to them they instantly objected on the scripts, made fun of multiple close-ups in different angles accompanied by loud music. The only popular program in those days was “close up Antakshri” presented by Annu kapoor and Pallawi Joshi. Whereas rest of the programs were not appreciated content wise. They only used to have glamour but not quality content.
Now let us talk about today’s TV channels. They are countless, every tom, dick and harry is opening up a new channel and then extending it with unusual names. We have now language based, region based, city based, cast based and even some district based channels but can we remember any drama or program the way we still recall our fond memories related to “Jaangloos”, “Saat Seerhian”, “Kaliyaan”, “Music Channel Charts”, “Agent X”, “Samunder”, “andhera Ujala”, “50/50”, “All Series of Studio 2, 2.5, Ponay Teen”, “Chand Grahan”, Landa Bazar” and “Kollege Jeanse”? The list is endless.

Recently (in the last 1.5 – 2 years) I have been asking myself few questions on frequent basis. Are all the channels of Pakistan, except PTV, entitled to call PAKISTANI TV CHANNELS? This question must be strange for many, I can understand that, so I am openly asking a few questions:

1. Do our TV channels show only Pakistani Content?
2. Don’t our channels show case IIFA, STAR, Film Fare and what not Award shows. Not only that, they also telecast the making and “red carpet shows” twice and thrice from same TV channels?  Can anyone remember watching LUX Style awards twice from any channel?
3. Why do we have to sync Indian songs in our dramas, both in title and background score?
4. Why do these channels show Indian movies? And when was the last time they showed Pakistani Movies other than, Khuda Ke liay, Ram Chand Pakistani, Bol or few others?
5. To me it looks like all the channels are promotional agents of either Bollywood or Indian media. Well its harsh, but I have all the reasons and backing to think like that and say this.
6. Most of the people talk about TRPs, don’t morning shows gain TRPs these days? Don’t current affair programs gain TRPs these days? Didn’t “Humsafar” enjoy record breaking TRPs? So please don’t come up with lame excuses of TRPs.

These are just few questions that I usually ask myself. I am just saying them aloud today so that I may get a sensible answer, I repeat “Sensible answer” and not any politically adulterated reason.

I wish Pakistani media can one day proudly use a Tagline, “For Pakistan, by Pakistan and outside Pakistan”.

And does any Indian channel show a single Pakistani program on their channels? Name one!

And The Magician Passes Away – Mehdi Hasan Voice of Pakistan

Who can forget the supper hit songs of Pakistani Film Industry from the era of 60’s to 80’s? The most prominent voice of Pakistani Film Industry (winner of countless awards including Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance and Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the Pakistani government) Mehdi Hasan passed away on June 13, 2012 in Karachi because of failure of breathing.

I don’t consider him just an ordinary singer; to me he was a magician who used to perform magic tricks with his unmatched voice. He introduced Pakistani music to not only few countries but to the world, literally. He was considered as the institution for both Ghazal and movie singing.

Read More At Dunya TV's Blog

The King of Ghazal singing, Mehdi Hasan (Late), started his career back in 1956, though he also got chance to sing Ghazals and songs at Radio Pakistan in 1952, and his last recorded song for movies was released in 2000. His first breakthrough ghazal was Gulon main rung bharay from the movie Farangi. After that there was no looking back. He undoubtedly reigned specifically in 70’s because the excessive production of soft, romantic and musical Pakistani movies. 

How can people forget the magic of his unlimited romantic songs like; Hamarai aankhon main aaj tak wo, rafta rafta wo mere, patta patta boota boota, Tu meri zindagi hai, yeh tera naazuk, zindagi ki raah mein and many more. Not only these if you really want to listen to his light hearted songs then listen to “Paanday Kalayee Karalo” picturized on Shaahid. The singer was a magician by every means!

May his soul rests in peace and may Almighty shower HIS blessings on Mehdi Hasan.