World Performing Arts Festival

If there is any event that one should visit Pakistan for, apart from Basant, it is the "World Performing Arts Festival" held at Lahore every year since 1992.

The ten days long festival, that started November 22 this year, hosts theater, music, dance, films and puppets from around forty countries, featuring more than a 1000 performers. Take a look at schedule here & here. With nights featuring folk, pop, world, ghazal, rock, fusion, devotional, qawali and classical music, the event is bound to draw crowds; and provide an occasion for people to forget about politics and terrorism, and enjoy art - the way life is meant to be lived.
Take a look at the intro, and make sure to go the event if you are in Lahore or nearby.


Site: http://www.peerfestivals.com/

How to take a holiday in Pakistan

Hugh Sykes from BBC takes a trip to Chitral, in the northern areas of Pakistan during these current turbulent times. He talks about his experiences, interactions with locals on the road, and how he thinks comparing Pakistan with Iraq or Afghanistan is so "absurd".

I hired a car in Islamabad and headed out onto the partially completed M2 motorway... ... But motorways are boring, so I left the M2 and re-joined the ancient Grand Trunk Road, which links most of the main towns of northern Pakistan.

About driving in Pakistan, as compared to the west:

Driving in Pakistan is fast and sometimes chaotic, but not competitive.

...one great danger at home you hardly ever have to contend with in Pakistan is drunk drivers and people with concentration blurred by hangovers.

Talking about a 12yr old, whom he gave lift to, for a few minutes:

Kashif spoke almost perfect English, good enough to warn me as we turned a tight bend, "Be careful, uncle, road badly damaged round next corner from earthquake."

And the best part of the article is the ending:

I gave lifts to more than 20 people, learned how to say "no problem" in Urdu (Koi Batnahi), and had to hold back tears when two children said thank you for their lift and offered me money to help pay for the petrol.

Source: ttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7090632.stm

Aunt Benazir's false promises

Fatima Bhutto writes in LA Times, about Benazir:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-bhutto14nov14,0,2482408.story?coll=la-opinion-center

Bhutto's return bodes poorly for Pakistan -- and for democracy there.

By supporting Ms. Bhutto, who talks of democracy while asking to be brought to power by a military dictator, the only thing that will be accomplished is the death of the nascent secular democratic movement in my country.

state of affairs of the state

This is an email that I sent on a forum regarding the current state of affairs in Pakistan; and the role of youth...
-----

From: Ajeeb
Date: Nov 7, 2007 10:40 PM
Subject: Re: Non-Emergency Results
--

I tried to resist writing on this topic, but just couldn't...

So, let me summarize the state of affairs:
1. Musharraf imposed emergency and dissolved the constitution of my state, which lead to:
a. No politics
b. No media
c. Change the judges
d. Arrest everyone and anyone who is against the government or wants to protest
2. Lawyers, judges, media personnel, some students all hated these acts, and started peaceful protests
3. Security forces used heavy hand on these protests; beat them up, put them in jail
4. Most of the people I know have been going about exchanging emails on the topic criticizing the army, the government, the judges, the politicians, the qaum, amreeka, bush, rice, etc etc

I know what Musharraf did is wrong and illegal. Breaking the constitution is never allowed.. agreed! We should have free judiciary, media, politics etc.. agreed!
I like how the students, especially, have started mobilizing themselves and have actively participated in trying to express their opinions in a meaningful way (not on mail wars). appreciated!

What all these protests are asking for is:
1. Restoration of judiciary, media, protests, politics
2. Timely elections
3. Musharraf to get out

What I don't understand is when we achieve all this (if we do), how will it improve the state of my country?

• I will continue to blame the corrupt, illiterate, jageerdaar rulers of the new government.
• Macro economic situation will keep going through roller coaster rides depending on how Daddy USA likes my rulers.
• Low level courts will continue to give a hard time to the poor and shareefs.
• I will remain stuck on issues like 'Music halaal hey ya haraam'
  
• Most of my friends will go out of the country, first for studies, then for jobs
• Most of my friends will continue seeing all these state of affairs from an outsider's perspective (evident from the use of phrases like 'this country', 'these politicians', 'this army', 'these generals' etc).

I know the current hype about imposition of emergency in my country is a big deal. And we should do everything we can, to get us out of the current emergency. But, looking into the future, if we continue to remain an observer, or a passive commentator on these affairs, I don't know how the current protests will help my nation in the long run? Shouldn't we be doing more to help the cause of the country, than exchanging emails? Helping the economy by bringing in (or sending back) foreign exchange does not seem enough to pull us out of the current situation. The inherent pessimism about my country in all the emails I read, the blatant mockery of the state of affairs isn't just disappointing, it is shameful and despicable! We the youth are actually supposed to build this country; Iqbal was not a fictional poet! he was talking about reality! Youth make nations!

Talking about all these matters, while not doing anything myself seems, I don't know.. hypocrisy?... I don't know... it doesn't seem right... not right at all...