Pakistan has a complicated relationship with one of its most bankable stars, Hamza Ali Abbasi. For we might love putting him in the line of fire for his over-emphatic, often ill-informed, posts on Facebook; the TV serials he stars in climb up the TRP charts like a pro. Courting controversy is then Hamza’s forte, after all, they say no publicity is bad publicity and Hamza’s getting his share aplenty. Often pointed out for his extreme ideas, borderline hypocrisy and “liberal bashing” on his very active Facebook page, Hamza has circled himself with a group of like-minded people online; most dwelling upon the same page as himself. Lately, however, there has been a shift in the paradigm. If you follow Hamza Ali Abbasi on Facebook (which I do, for educational purposes if nothing else), you might have seen a gradual shift in the tone of his posts lately. Not that he doesn’t like to play in the extreme garden every now and then – but on the whole his posts seem to have taken a more balanced stance. This is welcome, of course, apart from the fact that it angered many of Hamza’s loyal fans, who subscribed to him only because of his stern ideology, and many spiteful comments were seen from the same people who previously sided with Hamza in his merry bashing-spree. And that is how Abbasi perhaps ruffled the feathers of both the worlds in the wrong way. The left was already wary of his open hatred towards it, and the right just realised the slipping away of an ideologue it had been clinging on to with violent fervour. And the most recent episode in the whole saga is a little disconcerting to be honest. Hosting a Ramazan transmission on a private TV channel currently, all hell was let loose as Hamza, very boldly, ventured into the area none dare to. A very composed and articulate Hamza brought up ‘the Ahmadi question’ in his show, which is something we should all be asking instead of brushing it under the carpet. He asked the religious scholars on his show whether the state has a right to label any group of people as kafir (something the ‘seculars’ have been asking for ages). [fbvideo link="https://www.facebook.com/Zalimaan/videos/1807810572776173/"][/fbvideo] Moreover, he went on to highlight the abuse faced by the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan, questioned why they weren’t guaranteed their rights and also lamented on how people label the person standing up for Ahmadi rights as an Ahmadi too. Sounds vaguely relevant to many of us, but Hamza took it to another level altogether. This is the issue we should be tackling in the holy month of Ramazan, of questioning the abuse of certain communities in a country where there’s an overwhelming majority of those adhering to the religion of peace. Social activists and many prominent individuals hailed Hamza Ali Abbasi for his stance. In all fairness, when was the last time someone on our national TV was bold enough to raise a voice for our marginalised communities? The likes of Amir Liaquat Hussain would rather promote violence against the same. The last time a debate of this nature entered our national narrative, it was by the late governor Salman Taseer, and all of us know what became of that. In the same way, Hamza’s feat didn’t go down too well with many people either. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="625"] Social activists and many prominent individuals hailed this step of Hamza Ali Abbasi.
Photo: Screenshot[/caption] You know there’s a problem with cosying up to extremism. We think the den is warm and secure, but it’s only for as long as we follow the fanatic rituals blindly. There’s no space for a learned debate therein, no discourse whatsoever. One wrong move, and you’re an outcast. Junaid Jamshed is the prime example and was given a rude awakening. Social media, since the show aired, has been firing hateful propaganda towards Abbasi. The relatively polite keyboard warriors are content on claiming he’s lost his mind or denouncing him as a Yahoodi agent, but there are pages burning with warnings of all sorts of dangerous repercussion, including one reminding him of the fate of Salman Taseer. https://twitter.com/LifeofSigh/status/742440098474655744 https://twitter.com/Ayeshaspeaksnow/status/742363817032699904 All this has forced Hamza Ali Abbasi to put a clarification video on his page, emphasising that all he vouched for was basic human rights and nothing else. It’s sad to see that this is the society we’ve built, where something as innocuous as this can lead to death threats. It’s even sadder to realise that people like Hamza Ali Abbasi, now the victims, might have themselves helped shape this society into what it is today. [fbvideo link= "https://www.facebook.com/hamzaaliabbasi/videos"][/fbvideo] Junaid Jamshed was always vocal against ‘secular’ ideals. But guess where he flew off to for refuge when his homeland turned vindictive towards him on charges of alleged blasphemy? The secular land of London! Lesson – it’s never okay to spew hatred against any idea, any notion; you never know when reality decides to take a dive at you! But when all is said and done, this is the moment to support Hamza Ali Abbasi. For encouraging the debate on basic rights and taking the lead. He plans on broaching this sensitive topic again on the last day of his transmission. We hope he does, and will be waiting for it. In the meanwhile, cut down on hate speech wherever you can, report the pages threatening Abbasi and laud him for all his bravery and resolve. I might not agree with you on a lot of things, Mr Abbasi, but for this alone, you deserve all the appreciation in the world. More power to you!

Pakistan is the land of topsy-turvy, where the righteous are punished and the wrongdoers thrive. In what is a thoroughly perplexing decision, The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) imposed a ban on Hamza Ali Abbasi’s Ramazan program. What was his crime? To open a dialog on his show on the plight of one of the most viciously persecuted minorities in Pakistan, the Ahmadis. Not a few days ago, Hamza Ali Abbasi asked why Ahmadis were treated so poorly in the country and why we were so afraid to talk about it:

“The community is being suppressed but if you talk about it, people say ‘You’re from that community that’s why you’re saying this. “I am not an Ahmadi, I am a Sunni Muslim.”

“It had received 1,133 complaints through Whatsapp, Twitter and telephone calls regarding the transmissions.”

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) latest directive – asking Aaj News to apologise for airing ‘controversial’ and ‘sectarian’ views during a Ramazan transmission reeks of nothing but double standards. Many have argued that Hamza Ali Abbasi’s bold step towards stirring, much needed, dialogue regarding the plight of Ahmadis and the demagogic blasphemy laws was bound to have serious repercussions. And they weren’t wrong. Mere hours later, Shabbir Abu Talib and Kokab Noorani openly declared Abbasi’s discussion an act of ‘treason’. On national television. Consequently, PEMRA, believing itself to be the sacrosanct upholder of morals banned both shows for indulging in provocative, non-serious and irresponsible conversations on television during the month of Ramazan. It isn’t the fact that Abbasi’s decorous show – compared to the other preposterousness featured on our television channels – and his attempt to shed light on issues of contention being nipped in the bud that is worrying. It’s the haste, the promptness, the urgency with which PEMRA, an organ of the state itself, has reached out to ban Abbasi’s show, silence his voice on national television and effectively giving in to hate speech against minorities that is terrifying me. Moreover, PEMRA has also effectively equated Abbasi’s attempt towards stirring dialogue and Kokab Noorani’s hate filled indictment against Abbasi by not only banning both shows, but calling for an apology from Aaj News, which featured Abbasi, as well as TV One, which featured Kokab Noorani on Shabbir Abu Talib’s show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCfWDRhYO5s Of course, any attempt (however small the attempt may be) towards initiating surrounding contentious issues is immediately picked up by the state’s sniff dogs. Unsurprisingly, Pakistan ranks amongst the 10 worst countries on the Internet Freedom Index. The fact that we are on the brink of turning into codified law, one of the worst cybercrime laws in the region, only makes matters worse. Salient features of the draconian bill include: 1. An imprisonment up to three years and a fine of up to Rs0.5 million for creating a website for ‘negative purposes.’ 2. An imprisonment up to three years and a fine of up to Rs5 million for obtaining information about an individual’s identification, selling the information or retaining it with self 3. A three month imprisonment or a fine of Rs50,000 or both for accessing unauthorised data. 4. Interestingly, the bill also contains a provision for the dissemination of hate speech. It calls for a five year imprisonment, Rs10 million fine, or both, for hate speech or trying to create disputes and spread hatred on the basis of religion or sectarianism. The proposed cybercrime bill’s clause calling for criminalisation of hate speech held in conjunction with Hamza Ali Abbasi versus PEMRA blowout brings several pressing questions to mind. The first, of course, is the fact that PEMRA very conveniently equated Abbasi’s discussion (I’d like to lay extra emphasis on the word ‘discussion’) with Kokab Noorani’s hate-filled rant about treacherous soldiers who must be killed for their disloyalty – subjecting both to the same punishment, banning them from appearing on television and asking their respective television channels for apologies. Does PEMRA believe that incitement of violence and hate speech is equal to an attempted discussion regarding a repressive and demagogic amendment to the constitution of Pakistan? As citizens, are we not entitled to discuss and debate matters concerning civil liberties? Simultaneously, would it be fair to equate a debate regarding civil liberties with venomous calls for violence? Which brings me to another question. Will the clause calling for criminalisation of hate-speech in the cybercrime bill ever by used to prevent demagogues from inciting violence? Will it ever be used to protect minorities and oppressed communities? Or will it merely be used as a crutch for wielding oppressive censorship of views the state believes should not be brought onto the table for discussion and deliberation? With this act, PEMRA has established (more visibly than ever) that, in Pakistan, attempting to have any kind of open discussion on the persecution of minority groups is next to impossible. But it has also, via its demagogic attempts at carrying out censorship, clearly defined a national narrative – one that turns a blind eye to subjugation and oppression and terms any resistance as non-serious and irresponsible. By claiming that Abbasi’s show was the cause of much anger and sadness, PEMRA has effectively established itself as a body that succumbs to attempts of hate speech and intolerance and carelessly brushes grisly episodes of violence, persecution and oppression towards the backburner. As I laud Hamza Ali Abbasi for going against the grain and bringing issues of deep significance to national television and consequently bearing the brunt of his bravery, I also mourn. I mourn because this episode has proven that we, as a nation, have been condemned to silence. Stifling, suffocating silence. [poll id="623"]

“Chand nazar agaya! Ramazan Kareem! Kal se rozay shuroo.” (We can see the moon! Ramazan Kareem! Fasting begins tomorrow)

Chand raat mubarak. Eidul Fitr ka waqt agaya hai. (It’s time for Eidul Fitr).

As a Pakistani writer of Kashmiri descent, it may not be entirely possible for me to speak without prejudice; but what’s one humble blogger’s bias against an iron curtain drawn over Kashmir by powers barely within my comprehension? If you’re outside Pakistan, and not politically motivated to draw your attention towards the gruesome events unfolding in Indian-administered Kashmir, it’s likely that you’re unaware of the gravity of this matter. And you’re not entirely to blame for your ignorance. You could be a hearing-impaired, computer-illiterate villager in Irkutsk, Russia, and you haven’t managed to keep yourself from finding out about a deadly rampage in Paris. But to find out about Indian forces open-firing at protesters in Qazigund, South Kashmir, you’ve had to actively burrow your way into sparingly-tweeted sites of the social media with the air of Gandalf digging through a mountain of dusty tomes to find the account of Isildur. With no papers, no mobile services, and two barely-functional TV news channels, social media giants like Facebook have re-confirmed their allegiance to the highest corridors of power, rather than the grassroots. Many Kashmiri bloggers and news analysts have complained about their posts disappearing without warning. Hamza Ali Abbasi – self-righteous, jingoist-extraordinaire – is a man I take no pleasure standing up for. But it’s an embarrassment on Facebook’s part, that his post sympathising with the separatist movement, and the recently executed Kashmiri militant – Burhan Wani – was also removed. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="492"] Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Abbasi has often criticised Western establishments, and media powerhouses based in the West, for censoring Muslim voices and betraying their own sacrosanct ‘free speech’ principles. People like Abbasi may redress this matter as a global conspiracy against the flag-bearers of Islam; but the truth, I suspect, is less colourful and a lot more boring. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Screenshot[/caption] The present chaos and media prejudice cannot be summed up within a West versus Islam, or Hinduism versus Islam, paradigm. It is a simple case of the powerful displaying their apathy for the less powerful, unless caring is politically profitable. It’s a matter of the colonialist’s obvious antipathy for the colonised – and the latter’s dehumanisation as “laaton ke bhoot” who wouldn’t understand a language other than organised violence. And Abbasi’s right. We’ve seen this cyclical pattern in Palestine: of oppression generating insurgence; and insurgence held up as an excuse to validate oppression. Secular liberals who are wary of the Pakistani establishment’s exuberance in highlighting the political and military struggles of the Kashmiri people, and petrified of the resistance movement in Kashmir being spearheaded by Islamist outfits like Hizbul Mujahideen, must allow themselves a macro view of the on-going atrocities. I empathise with their concern for Islamo-nationalism inspired distortion of ground realities, but this is bigger than the sum of its grotesque constituents visible in a cross-sectional frame of present. The present resistance is not a tentacle of a global jihadist uprising. Burhan Wani’s own radicalisation can be traced back to the violent death of his brother, Khalid, at the hands of the Indian forces. Islamist resistance movements are often bolstered by dangerous religious rhetoric, but are forged by personal losses and politico-economic despair. The Indian establishment now struggles to explain how foreign interference alone could have conjured hundreds of thousands of protesters, when the actions of their own forces and the strokes of their own pens in the last half a century, have been nothing short of ‘noble’. And right-leaning social liberals, with little cognisance of the state of terror Kashmiris have lived under for so long, spring forth to magnanimously offer the oppressed free courses on anger management. They usually have little comprehension of the anxieties of people who are unable to contact their families and friends in Kashmir; or the despair of people blinded by pellet guns; or the countless Kashmiri curfewed families whose homes are raided and ransacked without warning from time to time.

“Do not glorify militants like Wani!”

Liberals in Pakistan watched with envy as Hamza Ali Abbasi pretended his account got banned every time he wanted attention to further his political career. It is undeniable that Mark Zuckerberg personally stalks Hamza Ali Abbasi on Facebook. A fact further corroborated by life sized posters of Hamza Ali Abbasi at the Facebook headquarters. It is rumoured that Mr Zuckerberg created Facebook only to obtain semi-nude pictures of Hamza Ali Abbasi from his Moulin Rouge days.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYmZLoRRUK8 The time for conservative propaganda is over kyunkay naya zamana aya aur saath cybercrime bill laya (a new era has arrived, and it has brought the cybercrime bill with it). The government in Pakistan wasn’t content with suffocating all the breathing space in real life so they moved to cyber space. No longer can liberal people spout such anti-nationalistic rhetoric as the truth. No longer can people express themselves freely. No longer can a person have an opinion about a chicken handi. The tyranny of food forums on social media are at an end – thanks to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). If people want good food and customer service, they should just move abroad. In Pakistan, we like our food like we like our streets; dirty, bumpy on the way down and full of rat faeces. Restaurants will soon be employing Café Flo style tactics to keep out all bad reviewers. But if those tactics fail, fear not, the PECA is here to protect them from criticism. Any self-respecting Pakistani can never stand by as the honour of one of Pakistan’s restaurants is tarnished. If the restaurant was at fault, or a KFC at Nipa Chowrangi, people are free to burn it down but they can never say the achari handi was less than perfect online. Fire and matches may burn my Kentucky Fried Chicken, but words hurt the most. How can a nation feel better about itself without instructing its people online to kill themselves? Much like Qandeel Baloch died for our sins. The only joy in my otherwise miserable life was to sit behind a computer screen and tell a young girl (forced into marriage, abused, and left to fend for her) to go kill herself for posting videos online. There is so little joy with Qandeel gone. Thankfully, Mohammad Hafeez is back so I can feel better by telling him to do the same these days. The PECA could not help Qandeel but it can help protect the honour of chicken achari handi. All men in Pakistan can sleep peacefully knowing that their chickens will firmly be in the chaar deewari (four walls) of the handi without any other man tarnishing its honour online. Orya Maqbool Jaan is free to glorify murderers and claim all women love sado-masochism on national television but he could be arrested if he doesn’t like chicken achari handi. Rest assured, the government of Pakistan has its priorities right. It doesn’t bother me when women get raped in Pakistan but it bothers me when Indians comment on a Pakistani girl’s rape story on the Express Tribune page. Like the government of Pakistan, I have my priorities right. Like Aamir Liaquat I will make a video holding the Pakistan flag but defame Pakistanis worldwide by continuing to be Aamir Liaquat. [embed width="620"] http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2ddga4_geotv-subh-e-pakistan-program-incites-hatred-against-ahmadiyya-muslims_news[/embed] Minorities in Pakistan do not have to worry about being persecuted anymore. The government will protect its citizens and prevent all kinds of terrorism. As soon as it is done arresting people for comparing Nawaz Sharif to Shrek on the internet. Clearly, buses are not the only thing Nawaz Sharif is importing from Turkey. Nobody ever complained when Mountbatten travelled first class but Rehman Malik boards the plane after all the common people have boarded and suddenly it becomes an internet sensation? Good that the perpetrator of this malicious video was charged under the Maintenance of Public Order act and lost his job. Now with the PECA, no common person will ever dare to make a video of a politician being a politician. If a politician wanted to follow the rules like a citizen, he would have chosen to be a person rather than a politician. If a person wants to make a video of a politician or a police officer or a rich person doing a crime, the video maker should ask that person first. Courtesy never killed anyone, a simple ‘hey, can I just make a video of you while you take a bribe from me?’ could prevent you from going to jail for making an illegal video. Citizen journalism is for channels like CNN, in Pakistan we suffer and internalise hate. If you still feel angry, fortunately, there are a lot of marginalised groups we can oppress to make ourselves feel better. Anybody who has ever heard a whistle knows the horrible shrieking sound it makes. I fully support the government’s decision to arrest all whistle blowers. Life was so much better when there was one state-run TV show and nobody found out when mass massacres occurred. I was happy believing Bangladesh-Pakistan had a happy break up till all these news channels destroyed my memories with factual reporting. All that these Pakistani journalists are concerned about are reporting stories without realising these stories paint Pakistan in a negative light. No, it is not the perpetrators of the crime that tarnish Pakistan’s name, it’s the stories themselves. What are a few mass murders between friends? There is a reason that a part of the Islamabad 111 brigade’s training is learning how to climb the walls of the PTV office. However, anyone who sends me an Eid message with two million flowers spelling out “Eid Mubarak” does definitely deserve to go to jail. Wait – I will be right back. There seems to be a knock at the door... Wait... is that the police? Um, what? Why are you arresting me... Just as the cybercrime bill was passed, the author was immediately arrested for writing this blog. Irony has been deemed illegal all across Pakistan. [poll id="676"]

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority – or PEMRA as we know it – is the body that aims to regulate and monitor content released in Pakistan on television and broadcasting networks.  This is their mandate: 1. Improve the standards of information, education and entertainment; 2. Enlarge the choice available to the people of Pakistan in the media for news, current affairs, religious knowledge, art, culture, science, technology, economic development, social sector concerns, music, sports, drama and other subjects of public and national interest; 3. Facilitate the devolution of responsibility and power to the grass roots by improving the access of the people to mass media at the local and community level; 4. Ensure accountability, transparency and good governance by optimisation of the free flow of information. Here’s what the problem is: In the past year or so alone, PEMRA has managed to take fairly hare-brained decisions when it comes to issuing notices and banning programs. PEMRA’s inability speaks more about Pakistan’s institutions being weak in the face of religious fundamentalism and security establishment – rather than the regulation and standardisation of content in Pakistan. In a country where a cybercrime bill can have me arrested for this blog – it is a small wonder that PEMRA is issuing ridiculous show-cause notices to dramas like Udaari. Let me elaborate. In a country that suffers from a population explosion and a severe lack of awareness about reproductive health – PEMRA banned a condom ad. It is pertinent to mention that the percentage of HIV/AIDS in Pakistan is rising by 11%. In the rest of the world, where proactive measures about reproductive health (such as awareness campaigns and supply of hormonal and barrier contraceptives) are being taken – Pakistan’s statistics are abysmal. The best and the easiest way to educate the Pakistani man and woman are via television ads and entertainment based mediums. Yet PEMRA banned the condom ad. I hope it will also take responsibility when the rate of HIV/AIDS rises even more next year. In a country where child sexual abuse barely even has a separate and articulate clause under the Pakistan Penal Code, PEMRA issued a show-cause notice to Udaari, a Hum TV play that highlights such issues among others. Masterfully and realistically written, Udaari displayed the plight of a little girl who is sexually assualted by her stepfather and everyone in Pakistan who clings to false notions of honour and respect went into panic mode. ‘How could they show such a thing?’ they asked. On TV? Oh the horror! Just a few months ago, a child abuse scandal in Kasur was unearthed. In 2016, it was said that almost ten cases of child abuse are recorded every day in Pakistan. Every day. Let that sink in. Funnily enough, credible ‘journalists’ and ‘experts’ get away with saying all kinds of nonsense on prime time television without any question placed on their intentions or show-cause notices at all. Frivolous example as it may be, Mr Arif Nizami went into lengthy details about Reham Khan’s divorce with her first husband on a TV program. What I can only call slander was kosher for many experts and for torch-bearers of family values – the same people who were highly offended when Udaari wanted to highlight the issues of child sexual abuse in a fictional manner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQCjGMGBTGE Similar patriots and religious rightists were also silent (or vehemently nodding their heads in agreement, rather) when a known religious figure was ranting absolutely pointlessly about a girl playing cricket. PEMRA found nothing wrong with his bizarre and fairly perverse way of objectifying a sportsperson. PEMRA also couldn’t find anything wrong with the same religious rightist calling to cull anyone who disagreed with him or his views – asking them to make their videos and share on social media so a mob could lynch them. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4hmnzo[/embed] Another religious figure was given plenty of airtime by the media who heads a blacklisted group that is deemed a terrorist set up by the State Department of the United States. I’m not sure about you guys, but I think this qualifies as putting your foreign policy in serious jeopardy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3LaI_OcoGI Actor Hamza Ali Abbasi was banned from hosting his Ramazan show when he wanted to ask a few controversial questions from religious scholars. A fairly grey decision, considering Abbasi was getting death threats from different factions of the religious right that he so often happily panders to himself – but it just goes to show you how upside down our sense of morality really is. And no mention of Ramazan transmission is complete without Aamir Liaquat. And PEMRA was probably thinking the same thing when Amir Liaquat was banned for three days for something as silly as making funny faces when someone was singing. I still find it strange that Aamir Liaquat has said far more inflammatory statements for which he has received neither notices nor bans – but was banned for making a funny face. That turned into a viral meme that entertained many on social media. Like most Pakistanis, I, too, am at a loss at the broad, broad spectrum of what PEMRA deems as worthy and unworthy. Slander against Reham Khan is okay. Objectifying women playing sports is okay. All kinds of ableism, body shaming, s***-shaming, sexist, racist, misogynist jokes on ‘current affairs’ programs are okay. But speaking out about sexual abuse is not. Waging jihad in Kashmir is okay. Asking about different sects of Muslims is not. Making fun of Taher Shah is okay. Forcing someone to eat mangoes is okay. Making a funny face is not. Misogynistic, abuse-glorifying dramas where women are told that their entire self-worth is based on who they marry are okay. A woman who decides to move out of an abusive marriage for the safety of her child is not. I’m confused, PEMRA is confused – perhaps Pakistan is confused. That is the only explanation I have for just how arbitrary and illogical PEMRA tends to be.

HBO’s The Night Of  proved to be the most important summer show on television. The very transformation of the co-lead Riz Ahmed’s Nasir Khan as a clean-cut kid turned drug mule is a perfect example of why everything needs a little push. Oh, and also when two of Hollywood’s most likable ladies, Jessica Chastain and Elizabeth Banks, are raving about something on TV, we should take notice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=556N5vojtp0 This is where the whole ‘wrong guy at the wrong time in the wrong place’ worked so well in the show. Imagine the chaos we’ve seen in 2016 in Pakistan. After some terror attacks and the murders of Amjad Sabri, Qandeel Baloch amongst others, one would expect our TV industry to put their money into making shows like The Night Of. Yet, we have instead invested in shows such as Mann Mayal and Udaari, where poor old Hamza Ali Abbasi and Samiya Mukhtar are victims of so many awful people trying to do so many terrible things to them. How tragic! I remember the time when I used to think Asher Azeem was the bad guy in Dhuwan – maybe it was his performance or the screenplay. I was a toddler when it first started, but then I recall how frustrating Asher and Nabeel’s team situation would look. The problem with producing shows such as Udaari and Mann Mayal is that they’re a liberal Karachite or Lahori’s perspective on conservative topics with some attractive faces doing unattractive things. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400"] John Turturro in The Night Of[/caption] If anyone’s watched The Night Of, I bet they noticed that John Stone (the most John Turturro-esque John Turturro performance since Quiz Show) could have just destroyed the disk Freddy Knight (Michael K Williams) sent him and let Chandra (Amara Karan) have her wonderful romance with Nasir ‘Naz’ Khan. Imagine, Naz and Chandra kissing at the end of the show like Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in the underrated Silver Linings Playbook. But they didn’t. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Riz Ahmed in The Night Of[/caption] What the Pakistani TV industry needs to realise is that realism works extremely well in the 2010 era. I mean, ask the average man (between the ages of 20-30) names of some new faces in the industry and he’ll tell you three, maybe four names at best. The average Pakistani would rather watch those 8-11pm talk shows about how corrupt politicians are and listen to the same arguments repeatedly rather than watch some wife-husband-third party affair with respected talent like Beheroz Sabzwari or Javed Sheikh playing the caring and loving dad. I honestly don’t know who the biggest culprit here is – the veteran acting earning pay checks for dishonest executions, the corrupt politicians robbing us through taxes, or the Mercedes riding anchor/analyst worrying too much about the fraught masses of Pakistan. In one scene of The Night Of, John Stone explains the ‘urban woman in the big city’ problem where he relates different social groups to their social stigmas. There are barely any mentions of black, Muslim, Judeo-Christian and centrist white values in the show. Have we seen a show from Balochistan that’s not about hate, violence or misogyny? Have we ever seen a show from urban Sindh that’s not about money or marriage? Have we ever seen a show from Mardan or Kohat? Forgive Bushra Ansari for her dreadful performance and horrifying accent in Udaari, sadly, she’s lost her touch. I miss the times when shows with dark humour mixed with normal problems like Guest House ruled the screens. Let me ask you this, do you remember the names of the breakout characters portrayed by the women who have departed recently for Mumbai? I even remember Faisal Qureshi and a Charlie Chaplin character acting together in a space opera from the early 2000s. Yes, a Pakistani Star Trek did air and we forgot to watch Faisal play the role of a good husband in just about every sitcom while he continues to be an Ellen wannabe (just like everyone else) when his comic timing is so darn immaculate at times. So since our TV industry only has the time to make money, join Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) or Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), work for Bollywood or try to stay relevant (I’m looking at you, Veena Malik). I sign off with prayers that a show like The Night Of inspire our producers and directors to make a show based on realism and real problems in Pakistan rather than the cringe-worthy and predictable line-ups that we currently have.

Thank God for Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, their powers are unlimited! Now that they are back in Pakistan, India is safe and the Indian actors whose jobs they took or whose films (see Ajay Devgn) might have flopped because of their magical presence in side roles or extended cameos are even safer. However, don’t underestimate the power these two extraordinary individuals possess, one tweet from them, one line on Facebook, or just a simple press release and the entire Kashmir issue would be resolved. It is just amazing how selfish they are by holding back, when a little effort on their part would fix a problem that generations of politicians, wars, blood and treasure have not been able to resolve. After facing a barrage of hostility from a war mongering, hyper-nationalistic Indian press for the crime of being Pakistani, they are now getting a drubbing from the arm chair patriots at home. Instead of supporting our own artists, a lot of Pakistani’s are acting like extras from a surreal adaptation of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Just as the actors’ silence was taken as a sign of complicity, now their short, carefully worded statements are being parsed and forensically analysed for signs of treachery and opportunism. “Why didn’t they specifically mention Kashmir?” is the big question on one side of the border, while the other side is waiting for a mention of the Uri victims. Being a huge drama fan myself, I have no doubt that the minute Asher and Khirad say those words, everything will be okay. Still, there are the cynical (and rational) who think putting pressure on their respective governments and politicians might be a better idea. To those keyboard warriors: your indignation rings hollow and hypocritical. If your empathy is reserved only for those who look like you, share the same religion as you or are on the same side of the border as you, then you have already failed the basic test of humanity. Meanwhile, full time patriot and part time actor Shaan Shahid, is posting about how pro Pakistan he is while shooting a remake of an Indian film, Arth 2. If being “pro Pakistan” means wearing tight black T-shirts and putting fellow actors down, then he has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. No one is asking (quite rightly) Ali Zafar, Atif Aslam, Saba Qamar, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Mawra Hocane, Sajal Ali and Adnan Siddiqui who have all worked (or are working) on Indian projects for their opinion on Kashmir or whether they ‘support’ ( another euphemism for ‘are you patriotic enough?’) the army. Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan should not have to face any of these questions either, both have been exemplary ambassadors for brand Pakistan and have done nothing to deserve such scrutiny. More recently, Afzal, oops I mean Hamza Ali Abbasi weighed in on the topic with a characteristically blunt ‘either you are an Ostrich or you are not an Ostrich – pick a side’ statement. Again, being a huge Pyarey Afzal fan, I agree; moderation is for the weak , and we must all immediately take sides, in a  ‘them verses us’ scenario, because it has been so effective in the past. We’ve had three wars – I’m certain the fourth one will do the trick. Taking a cue from Hamza Bhai’s interest in Nazi sympathisers, if we must learn something from actual history (as opposed to random Wikipedia articles), perhaps a word from the horse’s mouth might be in order: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Photo: Twitter[/caption] The cherry on the cake has to be Amir Liaqat weighing in. This is a man whose greatest contribution to national security is feeding someone mangoes and giving away lawn suites. Perhaps he has forgotten that there is a difference between starring in a three minute trailer as a soldier and actually being one. But, then again, we get the patriots we deserve. Even more disturbing is Karan Johar’s recent statement of public penance, reminiscent of a badly made hostage video; this maybe the final proof that he should stay away from any attempt at minimalist film noir and stick to opulent Punjabi weddings. His affirmations of patriotism and promises to not work with actors from the ‘neighbouring country’ are a sad climb down from his previous statement about boycotts and bans:

“But this is not a solution. I don’t believe it is. The larger forces have to come together and sort the situation, and this cannot be banning talent or art.”

“Yeh toh mummy ka plan tha.” This was mom’s plan.

Nobody does crazy like Pakistan. In 2016, the world lost their collective cool and Pakistan was put on the crazy back burner. But that does not mean we didn’t have our moments. It is time to acknowledge those moments. The strangest out of all the weird stories, the most real-fake news, as well as the funniest – let’s honour the best. Presenting, the Social Media Awards for 2016! From sacrificing goats before flying planes to kabootar agents, from stationary dharnas to mankind’s angels, from chai walas to Momina; these are my favourite stories from last year. The time for politics is over; we are in the age of the celebrity – Donald Trump is president. The victor of the 2018 elections in Pakistan may depend on who is trending today! The nominees are: 1. Momina Mustehsan – Coke Studio has never had so many people listen to their songs on mute. 2. Arshad Chaiwala – because.. blue eyes! 3. Fawad Khan – have you seen him? Pakistan and India almost went to war over him. 4. Hamza Ali Abbasi – I love Pakistan. PTI4lyfe. Plz share. 5. Shafaat Ali – the easiest way to make Pakistanis laugh is by mimicking their politicians. We love our mimics! 6. Junaid Akram – khalli karao 7. Nasir Khan Jan And the winner is: Arshad Chaiwala. Why? Because, I repeat, blue eyes! Ideally this award would be given to the moments where Hamza Ali Abbasi says anything, but he got nominated in the previous category so let’s give someone else a shot. The nominees are: 1. The ban on Indian Movies – how dare they send Fawad Khan back? ... wait we should be thanking them for that; Fawad Khan is back! 2. Every Facebook comment thread on an Express Tribune story – you are no more than two degrees away from every story being made about Pakistan–India. 3. Trolling India over Pakistan becoming the number one Test team of the year – finally proving the two nation theory! 4. Imran Khan announcing a new date for the dharna – March 2016. 5. Imran Khan announcing a new date for the dharna – June 2016. 6. Imran Khan announcing a new date for the dharna – October 2016. 7. Imran Khan announcing a new date for the dharna – November 2016. 8.  ___________________________________ (keep space in case Imran Khan announces a new date for a dharna in December) And the winner is: Farhan Khan Virk. He doesn’t have to be invited to get into every conversation. 2016 was the year that patriarchy was challenged more vehemently on social media than ever before. Even so, some men around the world stuck to their ideas of masculinity. We would like to reward these men with a slow clap. The nominees are: 1. The Indian man who sought a divorce after being called a mota haathi (fat elephant). 2. The Saudi man who divorced his four wives so he could marry four others. 3. Qandeel Baloch’s brother. 4. Rana Sanaullah – because moochain. 5. Commander Safeguard 6. Hafiz Hamdullah for assaulting Marvi Sirmed during a live show on News One. And the winner is: Qandeel Baloch was the internet personality of the year for 2016 which made the news of her brothers actions spread like wildfire. But his actions were deplorable and inexcusable. So, Saaf Saaf Pakistan – Congratulations Commander Safeguard. The typical Pakistani reaction to ‘bold’ videos is,

“Taubah, taubah. Astaghfar. Haw, haye. How could they do this? ….. Acha phir say chalao.”

This year’s Pakistani dramaverse was filled with a lot of unlikely hits and misses. While some storylines I expected to be worth the wait were substandard, there were many others that performed exceedingly well. Our storylines this year also proved that Pakistani audiences are maturing and the drama market is the best way to reach into the very core demographic of the Pakistani household. Udaari This show was a powerful crime-drama that highlights the crucial issue of sexual abuse in the country. The drama entails a cast full of stars such as Ahsan Khan, Urwa Hocane, Farhan Saeed, Samiya Mumtaz, and Bushra Ansari playing key roles. The plot follows Meera (Urwa) and Zebo (young Zebo played by Arshia Mehmood and adult Zebo played by Hina Altaf Khan) as they escape their socially and economically difficult life and make way to the big city to leave the past behind and find happiness. Ahsan Khan masterfully plays the role of a paedophile, Imtiaz, who sexually assaults little Zebo and gets attacked by her mother (played by Samiya Mumtaz). His role was as powerful as it was controversial and garnered him a lot of attention as well as critical acclaim. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlgQ52Zr92k Preet Na Kariyo Koi  Set in old Lahore, Preet Na Kariyo Koi revolves around the story of a headstrong, impulsive, romantic young woman named Shagufta Shehzadi (played by Hira Salman). Macho and bad-tempered, Shams (Ahsan Khan), is Shagufta’s romantic interest, who is nothing like her simple, kind-hearted fiancé, Ilyas (Hasan Noman). Hassan’s inner Lahori accent is absolutely adorable and Hira does a great job in bringing likeability as well as a certain frustration to her role. Directed by Ehteshamuddin (who also directed Actor-in-Law and Udaari), the cinematography is breath-taking and the romantic view of the rural landscape is quite interesting to watch. The play’s soundtrack was also a big hit and Ehteshamuddin’s unique perspective on Pakistani culture often stole the show from the actual storyline. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeKHBMTyKTY Sange Mar Mar Armed with a powerfully melodious and poignant soundtrack, Sange Mar Mar is set in the valleys of Swat, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as it examines the intricacies of two families that have been embroiled in a feud. The drama also highlights themes of domestic abuse and that dastardly concept of ‘honour’ that is responsible for killing many women and men in our country. The drama stars Sania Saeed, Kubra Khan, Uzma Hassan, Najiba Faiz, Omair Rana, Mikaal Zulfiqaar and Nouman Ijaz. The plot follows the family of Gulistan Khan (Nouman) who loses a son to honour killing and in a ‘barter’ set by a Jirga, marries off his already married son, Safiullah (Omair) to the killer’s sister (Kubra Khan). Every actor’s performance is excellent and the writing is exceptional as it depicts how the cycle of domestic abuse can be broken if people in power decide to change the dynamic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnQ5rRiXx0o Khuda Mera Bhi Hai Ayesha Khan stars as Mahi – a headstrong, capable young woman – who marries Zain (Syed Jibran) and has a child that is born with both male and female genitalia, aka a hermaphrodite. The theme is powerful and also discusses acceptance of the transgender community. Tipu, who plays the role of a transgender named Bubbli, has done a fantastic job in performing such an emotionally powerful role. Ayesha Khan, Marium Saleem Nawaz and Irsa Ghazal have also performed exceptionally in their respective roles. The story is very well written and the script is balanced in a very empathic way. You feel for the villains as well as the victims. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZRAdlt3JoQ Gul-e-Rana The show follows the eponymous character played by Sajjal Ali who has to move into her uncle’s house with her mother and sister after their father passes away in a tragic accident. The drama, while equipped with powerful actors, failed to make the impression it needed, considering its languid storyline and pace. Feroze Khan plays Gul-e-Rana’s cousin who is rude and abusive. He forcibly marries her and keeps her captive while he romances his other cousin. The lack of a believable storyline ruins this already confusing story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqp-UKjC0J0 Zara Yaad Kar  Though popular among many, Zara Yaad Kar’s horrendous self-righteous, self-sanctimonious lectures and messages were enough to get your eyes rolling out of your sockets. The show focuses on the Madonna-whore complex to the hilt. The moody, ‘selfish’ wife, Mahnoor (Sana Javed), plans to leave her husband Hadi (Zahid Ahmed) for another man who is a conniving con artist, Waqar (Yasir Mazhar). This, however, does not stop Hadi from continuing to love her. Meanwhile, a neighbour, Uzma (Yumna Zaidi) develops feelings for Hadi but Hadi rejects her as he was still married to Mahnoor. As the plot moves forward, Mahnoor decides to go back to Hadi (half-heartedly) because Waqar is caught and imprisoned (talk about a lame plot!). But in order to remarry Hadi, Mahnoor has to get a Halala Nikkah done and decides to marry a servant for a day. However, Hadi refuses to marry her as he realises that she is half-hearted about the reconciliation. So she ends up being married to a servant named Umerdeen. Some of the dialogues and scenes in this play are absolutely mind-boggling. In one of the scenes, Mahnoor’s mother tells her daughter about how men do a favour to women by marrying them. Umm, seriously?! [embed width="620"]https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3wxk2a_zara-yaad-kar-upcoming-hum-tv-drama_tv[/embed] Mor Mahal Starring Uzair Jaswal, Meesha Shafi, Sania Saeed and Hina Khawaja Bayat, Mor Mahal was the magnum opus of the year. Flaunting opulent sets and breathtakingly royal costumes and attires, the play was set in a bygone era of hundreds of years ago. While the female protagonists of Mor Mahal are fierce and powerful in their depiction, and the performances by all other actors in the play were quite masterful, the drama failed to make the impact it was expected to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc5qOWhaeW8 Mann Mayal Mannu, played by Maya Ali, is a young girl who falls in love with her tutor, Salahuddin (Hamza Ali Abbasi), who is not ready to marry her as he feels he’s not good enough for her financially and professionally. He encourages Mannu to marry Mikael, who is well-off and comes from a rich family. Mannu decides to follow Sallu’s advice and marries Mikael. Soon after their wedding, Mannu finds out that Mikael is an irresponsible, drunk gambler who doesn’t care about anyone but himself. During the next what seemed like a thousand episodes, Mannu has two kids, goes crazy, and gets emotionally and physically abused by Mikael. Sallu, on the other hand, suddenly becomes rich and decides to become Mannu’s guardian angel. And as if these plot twists weren’t enough, a new character, Jeena (Ayesha Khan), comes in and falls in love with Sallu. Her famous dialogue, “mere toh maa baap nahin hain” (I don’t have parents), becomes her get-go dialogue for when she wants to attempt emotional blackmail. Saying that Mann Mayal had a lot of fans would be an understatement. Hence, every time I wrote anything against the show, fans would come after me with their pitchforks. Something about this whacky story resonated with a large fragment of the audience, and while I do not understand why, it is my dearest hope that it was only the pretty faces and not the justification implied-domestic-abuse storyline. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLVO047_wvY

In my living memory, I have seen many years in which Pakistan faced terrible setbacks. Memories of 2007, when former President General (Retired) Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency and then Benazir Bhutto was assassinated, are still fresh in my mind. Likewise, all of us have neither forgotten nor forgiven what happened on December 16, 2014, a day which will continue to live in our collective memories. As this year comes to an end, let’s recap what the year had to offer. There were highs and there were lows, but unfortunately, the latter outweigh the former and by a considerable margin. There have been a lot of setbacks this year, some of which may end up misdirecting our future trajectory unless we don’t rectify our mistakes. There were some highs. I think some of the legislation, particularly with respect to women, such as the women protection bill, is commendable. Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s magnificent Oscar-winning documentary highlighted the problem of honour killing and the tragedy of Qandeel Baloch’s murder paved the way for anti-honour killings bill. The completion of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), despite its controversies, is by and large a positive step, which hopefully will bring economic improvements. Pakistan’s cricket team performed well throughout the year, and for a brief period, achieved the number one status. But despite these highs, there have been some big setbacks. Some cases can also be called examples of one step forward and two steps back. For example, early in the year, Pakistan finally executed Mumtaz Qadri which in my opinion was a commendable act but at the same time, the execution ended up propelling his legacy in a glorified manner. The size of the funeral shocked many who wanted a liberal and tolerant Pakistan. His funeral revealed the deep schisms in the society and provided us a vital clue that the fight against extremism is tougher and military and judicial means must be supplemented by a counter narrative which discourages such violent acts. Pakistan’s war on terror, aimed at physically rooting out terrorist sanctuaries, continued throughout the year but problematic areas remain. Quetta’s blasts targeting lawyers showed that terrorists are still capable of mounting a major attack. Even more damaging is the recently released Supreme Court inquiry report which blames the government for having a callous attitude towards combating terrorism because of its appeasement of some of the banned militant outfits. Murder of Amjad Sabri came as a shock as Pakistan lost one of its brightest stars. His murder too, was traced to a sectarian militant outfit, once again underlining the importance of tackling these organisations. As already discussed above, the fight against these militants must combine both law enforcement and ideological tactics. We must also counter the hate which is the source of the sectarian violence. Unless that hateful mind-set is not countered and defeated, militant organisations will continue to breed in one form or the other. Likewise, the Christian community was targeted on Easter, once again highlighting that minorities face extra risks as banned outfits target them even more. Apart from possibility of terrorist attacks, the minorities also face general bigotry as the recent attack on Ahmadi place of worship shows. During Ramazan, Hamza Ali Abassi’s show got banned due to intense public pressure for merely raising the issue of Second Amendment and general mistreatment of Ahmadis. Banning his show, apart from showing the general bigotry of certain sections in the society, also proves that free speech has severe limits in Pakistan. Subsequently, the parliament also passed a controversial cybercrime bill, once again undermining freedom of speech. The said bill suggests disproportionate punishments and offers a lot of room to the law enforcement and intelligence agencies for interpretation which in turn can lead to abuse of powers. Even the drama ‘Udaari’ was served a notice from PEMRA for showing “immoral” content. In my opinion, the decision was shocking as the drama helps the audience keep faith in the quality of Pakistani television which, over the years, has turned into shallow commercial flicks. Pakistani dramas have a lot of potential, and Udaari showed the extent to which it could be realised. From a political perspective, this year again witnessed a lot of instability. Civil military relations remained strained. Furthermore, the Nawaz Sharif government, despite enjoying a majority, kept on the defensive due to the hype generated by Panama leaks. The negative repercussions from the scandal hindered its ability to govern and also kept the general political climate extremely hostile. The government showed tactlessness in handling the situation, and the opposition’s behaviour, particularly Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), lacked maturity. PTI has made politics of street confrontation and dharnas a cornerstone of their politics, which unfortunately does not bode well for the consolidation of democracy. Due to the environment of political confrontation, the population’s trust, particularly of urban middle class, in democracy as a system of governance continued to erode and the army continued to gain more and more popularity and hence leverage. One thing which all the political parties must realise is that democracy needs political maturity and good governance to stay as a viable system of governance. In the absence of both, it will weaken as the support for military and technocratic authoritarianism will grow. On the external front also, Pakistan had a rocky year. Bilateral relations with India – which had received a boost in the early part of 2016 when Modi made a surprise visit – deteriorated sharply after Pathankot and then Uri attacks.  Problems for Pakistan have been further compounded due to Donald Trump’s surprising win. Many in Pakistan feel that his administration will be tougher on Pakistan and would disproportionately favour India, thus skewing the delicate balance towards the latter. On the artistic front besides losing Amjad Sabri, Pakistan also lost Junaid Jamshed. Irrespective of his views, which according to some had become increasingly regressive, Junaid Jamshed’s loss is tragic. He was a cultural icon. No one defined the cultural and showbiz landscape of Pakistan in late 80s and almost the entire decade of 90s, better than Vital Signs and their brilliant vocalist, Junaid Jamshed. As the year comes to a close, the weight of so many setbacks certainly bothers me and I am sure many others. However, I also see setbacks as reminders that we need to get our acts together. As a nation, we actually need to do much more to fight our problems and it is better that we get serious about it. I wish all of Pakistan good luck for the next year.

Currently, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan, or rather the demigod for the impressionable PTI fans, is under fire for uttering “phatheechar” comments about foreign players. I personally think that his comments were made in extremely bad taste and reflected on Imran’s inability to show bigheartedness. If Pakistan had been unable to host the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final, then I am a 100% sure Imran would have called it a complete failure on the government’s part, despite previously calling the entire idea “madness”. Once the government showed its resolve and successfully hosted the event, Imran then started to belittle the efforts put in by the organisers and disrespected the players who opted to come and play in Lahore despite present dangers and warnings. If anything, Imran’s behaviour and statements reek of pettiness. Given the context of the security situation, this was a successful endeavour which brought joy to millions of Pakistanis. Yes, one is right to say that the real achievement would be when foreign teams can fearlessly come and play and stadiums are filled with people once again, but given the fact that the security situation in the country cannot improve overnight, we did our best and it was a success. Showing resolve in the face of an obvious threat is something which needs to be lauded not belittled. One should rise above petty political partisanship and help the government, which unfortunately seems difficult for the PTI chief and also for his impressionable fans who showed the same kind of pettiness when they chanted “Go Nawaz Go” during Najam Sethi’s speech at the Qaddafi stadium. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsFlbjD0OvA In my opinion, the media is fully justified in criticising Imran on his reprehensible statement. Of course, if one is a PTI supporter, one would call it a “needless” controversy and an effort by the “biased” media to deflect attention from “real” issues such as Panama Leaks. In fact, anything which is critical of Imran is often interpreted as some sort of a “conspiracy” to malign the great man’s image and a tactic to divert people’s focus to “trivial” issues. As expected, the PTI troll brigade is busy defending their leader’s latest bout of stupidity and are as usual defending which is not defensible. But then again, trolls are trolls, and they don’t have anything better to do. I was not expecting major celebrities/public figures like Hamza Ali Abbasi to join the party and come up with an apologetic defence for their “leader”. I know Mr Abbasi likes making videos and this is not the first time he has gone in front of the camera to defend PTI. He likes to speak his mind, and at times (only at times) he makes sense also. However, his latest video defending his leader was extremely lame and farcical. [fbvideo link="https://www.facebook.com/IKTodayPk/videos/1801376243409068/"][/fbvideo] Mr Abbasi used the same age-old technique of “other issues are much more important” to come up with an apologetic defence. I can easily retort by saying that the Panama case is also not that important to be given so much attention by PTI. As Pakistan is fighting its existential war, PTI’s entire thrust is focused on proving Nawaz Sharif to be corrupt and the Panama case, so much so that everything else has taken a backseat for almost a year now. In fact, they are so obsessed that every time there is a bomb blast, they start terming it as a conspiracy to deflect attention from the Panama case. In Abbasi’s torturous video, the only thing entertaining was his laughable claim that he is totally “neutral” as he is no longer an office bearer of PTI. His anger and passion in that video was completely contradicting his claim of neutrality. At one point, I was thought he would actually break down and start crying! Mr Abbasi also claimed that Imran’s statement was made in a completely private and exclusive setting which frankly is not correct as it was not “drawing room” talk but addressed to a delegation. Yes, it was perhaps off-camera but one cannot dismiss it as a mere “private” chat. Likewise, Mr Abbasi also referred to Imran’s Shaukat Khanum hospital, which again is an age-old tactic of PTI to deflect criticism on Imran’s political blunders. What Mr Abbasi should remember is that at the moment, Imran is under criticism not for his philanthropy but for his political stance. I fully admit that he is a great philanthropist and easily the greatest cricketer to have emerged from Pakistan, and I highly respect his achievements in those fields. However, his politics must be judged separately from his philanthropic and cricketing achievements. Trying to conflate his politics with other spheres of his life, with the purpose of deflecting criticism on the former, is not the right approach. As a public figure, Mr Abbasi needs to realise that everything that he says and does can be held against him. He has certain responsibilities as a celebrity which cannot be neglected or taken for granted all for the sake of party politics and his demigod leader. It’s time for PTI and its leader to indulge in some self-reflection and try to improve their political tactics. Sadly, they constantly appear as an immature, victimised group who is desperate (and not ready) to come to power.

Like most cricket fans excitedly preparing for the return of international cricket back home, I was also looking forward to going to the National Stadium to watch the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where last year’s champions Peshawar Zalmi were up against the storming Islamabad United. The security was tight, the functioning was strict, and as the Sindh government could not afford any mishaps, they tried their best to pull the edge of each string to ensure no serious problems arose on the big day. This is precisely why each attendee was checked at least three times on their way in. After going through the security measures and having our tickets and CNICs scanned repeatedly, and our pockets checked thoroughly, all of the spectators entered the ground with empty pockets. With only our wallets clad in our hands, we all hoped to find refuge inside the National Stadium. Every item we brought – including Smarties, lip gloss, hand sanitizers, Skittles, cigarettes, lighters, matchboxes, and even baby food – was dispensed and surrendered before we were allowed to enter the stadium. Admittedly, banning cigarettes and lighters at the entrance of the stadium is a smart and routine procedure, and is part of the standard protocol to take away fire hazards like lighters and match boxes. With a capacity of almost 25,000 people, and a tainted past reputation, the government could, after all, take no chances. Thus we sat there, empty handed yet excited, as the ceremony began in full swing. The performances sailed smoothly, with the audience screaming and applauding to get the attention of the likes of Hamza Ali Abbasi, Mahira Khan and Sheheryar Munawar, who were all there to support their team. Celebrities such as Fawad Khan, Farhan Saeed and Shehzad Roy graced the stage to welcome everyone, and foreign players danced alongside Pakistanis to our national cricket anthems. The Chief Minister of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah, even made a round of the stadium, waving at the eager smiling faces waiting to watch history being made in Pakistan. The return of cricket to Karachi was thus quite the extravagant affair. Nevertheless, the experience was far from picture-perfect. From the hoard of mismanagement that took place inside National Stadium, the worst one was the zero supply of water at all the stalls. From Pizza Point and United King, to even Pepsi’s official stall, there was no bottled water; just coolers installed in certain enclosures. This was clearly terrible management, given the heat wave that came alongside the PSL final. However, if there was one particular thing that caught my attention, and one thing I shall take away from my entire experience, it is the frequency of hearing the sentence,

“Bhai sahab, cigarette hai?” (Mister, do you have a cigarette?)

 “Cigarette hai aap ke pass?” (Do you have a cigarette?)

“The first thing we’ll do once we get out of here is get a smoke!”

Every Pakistani is familiar with Nadia Jamil. Her Twitter bio describes her as an activist, amongst many other roles, and thus far her activism on social issues, particularly child sexual abuse, has garnered her many admirers. She can also be described as a feminist, by her own admission of what she understands feminism to be. https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/988314078975315968 https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/987838325213057024 Why is this relevant, you wonder? Because it always hurts more when the ‘feminists’ get it wrong. For the past week, the entire country has been engrossed in the debate over allegations of whether or not Ali Zafar harassed Meesha Shafi. For a country which clearly does not understand what harassment entails, it was obvious from the start that we were all in for a rough few weeks. You expect men to ask, why now? Why didn’t she speak up earlier? He seems like such a good, decent guy! Why did she take a picture with him? Why was she with him in the first place? Why was she wearing that outfit? What about the lines between harassment and flirting? (On a side note, if you do not know the line between harassment and flirting, you’re probably a harasser). You expect a lack of understanding and victim-blaming from men. But it is when women make confusing statements and engage in victim-blaming that it hits where it hurts, especially when those women are otherwise feminist in their thoughts and actions. This brings us to Jamil, whose response to Shafi’s allegations was to support her in her own way, showing an understanding of harassment and responding accordingly. https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/988320073608777728 https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/987696601350197248 https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/987851199117512704 https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/987423237666672642 What is problematic, however, is the contradictory nature of her tweets. https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/988327545300029440 https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/988318781670903808 Bravo! Zafar is so charitable; he has been secretly helping girls and women. Does that give him a free pass to harass other women? Does it absolve him from what he has allegedly done to Shafi? We wish this is where it ended, but there’s more. https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/987695319768068096 We’re glad Zafar never harassed Jamil, but what does that have to do with Shafi’s case? We call this problematic, because what Jamil’s tweets have been doing is covertly campaigning for Zafar’s character, even though he is the accused in this case. https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/988147092521672706 Once again, given that false accusations constitute a very small percentage in the overall issue, Jamil stating it just seems like an attempt to undermine Shafi’s accusations. https://twitter.com/DigitalRightsPK/status/988665318619996160 Off-Twitter, Jamil went on to state on Mubasher Lucman’s show that she chooses not to go to industry parties, which is why she doesn’t get harassed. Being a part of this industry and knowing what men are capable of, she feels the onus of responsibility is on her. The solution for her is simple: Don’t want to get harassed? Stay at home. Jamil has created a strange sort of antithesis, where she supports Shafi, but also supports Zafar. Where all women should be believed, but some women are known to be liars who make false accusations. Where she believes Shafi, but Zafar has always been good to her personally, and has also supported a school for little girls. Where it doesn’t matter what a woman was wearing or doing, but at the same time, why was Shafi at an industry party, where such harassment is common? https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/988322185642217472 https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/988478603531866112 https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/987709064124817408 Which one is it? On one hand, Jamil accepts men in the industry harass openly, and if you go to such parties, you are more likely to get harassed. This is an implicit acknowledgement that Zafar could have harassed Shafi easily. On the other, Jamil can’t stop herself from recollecting what a good guy Zafar is. More importantly perhaps, what is the point of these observations? Harvey Weinstein was a charitable man and a philanthropist, but he is also a harasser. Bill Cosby was a charming ‘family man’, but he is also a rapist. Aziz Ansari too was a great guy, a self-proclaimed feminist, until we found out that perhaps in the most private moments, when the cameras were off, he was not so much. After all, men are known to be harassers, which is why women should be careful, and avoid all places where they could potentially get harassed. This is what Jamil would advise young girls entering the industry as well. Is this not problematic? That young girls starting their careers have to step in with palpable fear, and the recommendation to avoid going to parties in an industry that survives on a strong social circle, because apparently it is the only way to avoid getting harassed? The implication here doesn’t seem to tell women to speak up more, or to band together to try and change the culture of the industry. No, the implication of her statement seems to be that if you stay at home, you’re safe. Step out in this terrible world, and what happened to Shafi could easily happen to you. https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/988473736897626113 How is this not victim-blaming? Jamil prefers to call herself a survivor, not a victim. But how are women to survive, if we are meant to avoid all obstacles? What exactly are we surviving by simply staying at home, while men are free to harass women like Shafi, who dare to go out and bear the consequences? Is this not the same “men will be men” mindset that puts the burden of responsibility entirely on the woman? https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/988471837972627456 What makes this more painful is, of course, to see a woman who understands abuse, who has been abused herself, to yet go about showing the same lack of understanding when it comes to talking about harassment. Jamil’s position right now is so confusing that one would prefer she come right out and support Zafar openly. It would be clearer if she declared she doesn’t believe Shafi, rather than releasing contradictory statements where she believes Shafi but also suggests she could have prevented her harassment by not hanging out with Zafar, while remembering what a good person the latter is. This is not even the first time Jamil has come under fire for supporting a ‘friend’, despite the controversy they are embroiled in. Earlier this year, Fasih Ahmed, one of the founders of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF), went on to tweet quite problematic things about child sexual abuse after Zainab’s murder shook the nation. Given the sensitivity of the matter and the insensitive way Ahmed handled the situation, Twitter was in a frenzy, and rightly so. When it comes to matters of child sexual abuse, there is a very thin line between satire and rape jokes. Sadly, Ahmed was too far off from that line.   One would think Jamil would call Ahmed out on how his ‘humour’ was in bad taste. However, despite Jamil’s constant activism when it comes to children’s issues, friendship took precedence. At first, she found it hard to believe it was actually Ahmed who tweeted the insensitive jokes. https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/955856513503059968 However, after Ahmed himself clarified his account had not been hacked, Jamil went on to support him. Which brings us to the question: If Jamil didn’t think the statement was problematic, why did she initially believe his phone was hacked? Later on, as she sided with her friend, it became clear that despite the industry being full of harassers, everyone still protects their own. https://twitter.com/NJLahori/status/956197179902787585 It is deeply saddening when people who call themselves activists renege on the values they supposedly hold dear. Similarly, it is distressing when feminists like Jamil, who talk about abuse and the importance of believing those who come forward, also make backhanded comments about women who lie and make false allegations. We have come to expect such disappointing responses from people like Hamza Ali Abbasi, who never fails to surprise, but the same was not expected from someone like Jamil. Your activism and feminism cannot end when you are confronted with difficult situations impacting your personal life. You cannot be an activist until your friends are called out for their actions, and then choose to support them. You cannot offer complete support to the accuser, but also stand by the accused. It is either one or the other; being both just makes you a hypocrite. All photos: Screenshots

The misguided attempt by Reham Khan to sully Imran Khan’s reputation by way of her autobiographical tell-all book, has caused a sensation on both social and broadcast media. After all, an exposé by a woman scorned has a clear objective – to target and destroy the former husband. However, from whatever I have seen, heard and read so far, the message in the book consistently detracts from that narrative. It seems like a collaborative endeavour from a group of incompetent ghost – read ghastly – writers, given a project to lump together a disparate group of people and events and build a narrative that attempts to point a finger at the supposed misdeeds of many and puts the responsibility on one: Imran. Reham was not completely successful in her mission to destroy Imran’s character in the aftermath of the epic public spectacle her divorce became. With this book, she has only accomplished to cast a deep and troubling shadow on her own, by attacking many unrelated parties who end up becoming collateral damage in the war between two former spouses. Let’s spare a thought for the one real victim of this train-wreck – Wasim Akram’s former wife, who passed away in 2009 and is thus incapable of defending herself from the grave. I will not even dignify the nature of the allegations made by Reham in the book, but I will say shame on all those who played even the smallest role in this enterprise. Surely the question to be asked is: who hoped to benefit most from this macabre and twisted tale? Those convicted of graft, self-dealing, cronyism, nepotism and running the country into the ground for 30 years, who have failed to address the public scrutiny of their countless misadventures and performance while in public office. The book is possibly a Trojan horse to deflect attention from their failures and other core issues in the country. It seems no one is talking about the real challenges Pakistan is facing: health, education, jobs, safe drinking water, power outages; all of which are missing from election manifestos. This unholy mess of a book is not only crass, cringe worthy, malicious and toxic, but also a blunt instrument of distraction. Where Imran is concerned, there are no new earth-shattering revelations here; just the same old wine packaged in a new bottle. In fact, Reham will only succeed in causing some serious collateral damage and could herself implode into ignominy during the process. The affair is now a cheapened soap opera, as players from all sides keep pitching in with opinions no one asked for. From stage left appears Hamza Ali Abbasi, no stranger to controversy in his own right and a well-known Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) loyalist and unofficial mouthpiece, who speaks faster than he can perhaps process. https://twitter.com/iamhamzaabbasi/status/1002618580112945152 Hamza needs to grow up and learn to serve his leader better than he has during this fiasco. Watching him on a recent talk show – the rhetoric, the emotion, the conjecture on display – made me cringe my way through the show, as I waited for someone to knock some sense, decency, decorum, sanity and even a little bit of fact into the mix. https://twitter.com/RehamKhan1/status/1002834503214206976 https://twitter.com/RehamKhan1/status/1002839074422616064 Hamza believes the book has only been written to distract and deflect from real issues during the election; the irony is lost on him that he has successfully managed to launch the book better than any PR expert could’ve dreamed of. Reham now has a platform from which the book launch can actually be something the public may eagerly devour. https://twitter.com/RehamKhan1/status/1001132242406658048 https://twitter.com/wakistani/status/1003055639290146818 And what about the accusations and threats around the alleged hacking and sharing of Reham’s “fake” emails by Hamza? There is yet another lesson for Mr Abbasi here. Being a public figure himself, he should have known shaming Reham would be a double-edged sword. While attacking her book, he managed to get into the spotlight himself and shoot himself in the foot in the process. Although hacking or faking emails is not rocket science, both are illegal. On the flip side, Hamza may have received the manuscript legitimately. Reham had possibly already sent the manuscript through her Gmail account to some friendly journalists to build early buzz on the book. Any one of them could have passed it on to Hamza. https://twitter.com/RehamKhan1/status/1002845031244484609 https://twitter.com/theRealYLH/status/1002950832760016896 So, here’s my take on what may have actually happened! The PTI had been expecting the book to drop sometime before the elections. They had Hamza proactively looking to get a manuscript to start discrediting it. The book probably landed into his inbox by hook or by crook – through a journalist friend or via a hack, either is a possibility. The shock value in the manuscript forced PTI’s hand to go public, without authenticating the manuscript and shedding caution to the wind. Tactically, they believed they could take the hits now, months before the election, and deal with it head on. Desperate times, desperate measures. https://twitter.com/BilalAzmat7/status/1002957552177565696 https://twitter.com/TalatHussain12/status/1002936714002825217 On the hack question, Hamza’s defence is weak, as it does not seem to be out of the question. He then possibly doubled down by publishing allegedly fake emails from Reham – easy to do but hard to prove. Accusations have been made by both sides, but sadly, the ensuing Twitter spat was so undignified it actually bordered on inane. I can’t say who won, but it was a close tie in the banality stakes. https://twitter.com/RehamKhan1/status/1002927500417265669 However, are we all barking up the wrong tree? Hack or not, the fact is the manuscript has leaked and the question that arises is: will it damage Imran’s fourth and possibly final attempt to be elected premier of Pakistan? Imran came into politics with enough “playboy” baggage 20 years ago to sustain any meaningful impact from this book. The public accepted him for what he was then and who he is now. He has always remained mum about his alleged relationships, in matrimony or otherwise. He has remained particularly silent on his divorce from Reham, and has never publicly castigated her with accusations, slurs or blame for the split. This behaviour redeems Imran and his legacy to some extent, for no matter what Reham has thrown at him, now and in the past, he has chosen to remain silent and dignified. In reality though, the book may not be Imran’s biggest problem in the upcoming elections. His recent missteps, from welcoming Farooq Bandial into the PTI amongst many others like Aamir Liaquat, as well as putting more than one name forward for the interim chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), only to pivot and withdraw the names in quick succession, are potentially bigger threats to his election prospects than this exposé. Imran’s lieutenants have done a bigger disservice to him with haphazard and shoddy due diligence on candidates put forward for these critical appointments. Luckily for PTI, the quick reversals of the aforementioned blunders might have mitigated some of the damage. Imran needs a more disciplined kitchen cabinet and needs to be more hands-on in strategic decision-making. The voting public expects a lot more from him, especially as he’s selling himself as an agent for change. The rhetoric on the jalsa circuits alone is not enough to give the intelligent voter the confidence that steady hands will be running the ship while Pakistan finds itself in choppy waters and a perfect storm lies in wait. Should the book ever make it to the printing press, despite all the writs and threats of litigation, here’s a sobering message for those who choose to buy and read it for a cheap thrills – I’ll guarantee cheap, minus the thrills! A literary giant Reham is not, but what may fail her would not be the lack of a lucid narrative in her book, but the malicious intent with which she wrote it; one that could misfire spectacularly and not succeed in disrupting Imran’s political juggernaut, even though the book’s many stakeholders are hoping for the reverse. In the meantime, Imran may well be the last man standing on Election Day, but there is a woman scorned who may just succeed in bringing him down.

Jawani Phir Nahi Ani was a massive hit at the box office and became the highest grossing movie in Pakistan’s history. An adventure-comedy directed by Nadeem Baig, the movie starred Humayun Saeed, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ahmad Ali Butt, Vasay Chaudhry, Sohai Ali Abro, Mehwish Hayat, Javed Sheikh and Ayesha Khan. Due to the massive success of the movie, a sequel was in the making for which the trailer was recently released. Reprising their roles are Saeed, Butt and Chaudhry. Also part of the cast are Mawra Hocane, Kubra Khan and Fahad Mustafa. Other cast members include Sarwat Gillani, Sohail Ahmed and Safina Behroz. The trailer begins with the voice-over saying,

“Kuch kahanion ka happy ending ke baad bhi ek end hota hai. Yeh kahani bhi unhi main say ek hai!” (Some stories have another end following a happy ending. This story is one of them!)

Parwaaz Hai Junoon has been making rounds and creating buzz since its first teaser was released to the public. From what is evident through the recently released trailer, the film looks like a fresh breeze of uniqueness for multiple reasons, and seems nothing like what we have been offered so far by the Pakistani film industry. Let’s see what makes this trailer fly high! The preview revolves around the lives of cadets in the Pakistan Air Force, focusing on both their personal lives as well as their strong patriotism towards their country. It banks on friendship, romance, nationalism and sacrifice. There seems to be a love triangle (what we are led to believe by the trailer), some brilliant stunts and action sequences, with an abundance of patriotism on the side. Hamza Ali Abbasi is one of the most influential social media celebrities in Pakistan, with fans fondly remembering all his films. Whether it’s Main Hoon Shahid Afridi, Waar or Jawani Phir Nahi Ani, Abbasi has always done justice to his characters and won the show. In Parwaaz Hai Junoon, he looks fresh and in complete form. He is shown as a lover, a patriot and a trusted friend – there seems to be multiple shades to his character, for a change. Hania Amir looks cute, but at the same time she has been given some power-packed and solid dialogues. Her facial expressions are on point, be it her flirtation with Abbasi during a wedding, or serious interaction with Ahad Raza Mir during their training. Amir’s response to Farhan Ally Agha questioning why she gave up her American citizenship to join the Pakistan Army was also well-penned, and she delivers it with conviction. Transitioning from the small screen and debuting in the film world with this movie, Mir is the upcoming sensation of the entertainment world. He looks dapper and stylish, and delivers the few punch lines given to him with effortless persuasion. It’s a delight to watch his speech at the end of the preview. Shaz Khan is one of the finest actors in Pakistan; from Moor to Dobara Phir Se, he jumps from one character to the next with gusto. Despite having just two lines in the trailer, he manages to excite his fans due to the ease he brings with his onscreen presence. The dialogues are the strength of the trailer, and are placed nicely to give a little taste of what to expect from the film. The beauty of the trailer is that it doesn’t give out the entire plot, only significant pointers; something not often found in the Pakistani film industry, which has not yet learnt the art of making a good movie teaser. Judging by the shots, execution and grading, the trailer seems quite impressive, and one can only hope the film manages to create a good impact at the box office. As veteran actor Asif Raza Mir is also part of the cast, Parwaaz Hai Junoon will also be the first film to feature a father-son duo on the silver screen. It won’t be wrong to say that this Eidul Azha, three different and highly entertaining films – Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2, Load Wedding and Parwaaz Hai Junoon – will be hitting the cinema screens. All three have different genres and plots, which is a positive sign for the Pakistani film industry. Those who have been waiting for a subject-oriented, emotionally-charged, patriotic Pakistani film which features the young guns of our film industry, should definitely give Parwaaz Hai Junoon a try. All photos: Screenshots 

Haseeb Hassan’s Parwaaz Hai Junoon has been in the limelight for quite a while now. Ever since the trailer was released, the obvious patriotism of the film moved even the hardest of souls, but that was not all. The younger star cast, comprising of Hania Aamir, Ahad Raza Mir, Shafaat Ali and Shaz Khan, definitely made it more appealing. Add to that the social media sensation and forever Pyare Afzal in our hearts – Hamza Ali Abbasi – and you have a film the entire country could not wait to watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ2Fm-4CR5k The film, centred on the Pakistan Air Force, comes across as an experimental attempt to rejuvenate love for the country, which is why it revolves on the theme of youth, romance and patriotism. The plot switches between two timelines. The first highlights Saad (Ahad), Sania (Hania) and Zaid (Shafaat), a group of young recruits struggling to become fighter pilots. The second shows how Hamza (Abbasi), an Air Force pilot falls in love with Sania at his friend Nadir’s (Shaz) wedding, and inspires her to join the Air Force as well. How these two timelines intersect is perhaps where Parwaaz Hai Junoon falters. Performance wise, Hania comes out looking natural, enthusiastic and very believable as a woman who aspires to serve her country. Say what you will about Hamza, but he is a first-rate actor. He somehow manages to look younger, and perhaps did not need to work too hard to come across as a patriot willing to die for his country, for he excels in the scenes where his patriotism is out on display and succeeds in making the audience emotional. Shaz, also a great performer, plays his role of an Air Force pilot and Hamza’s friend with utmost conviction. Ahad’s character is a bit confusing, which is perhaps why, despite his best efforts to offer a decent performance, he simply does not resonate with the viewers. Those who have seen Ahad act in dramas can easily tell he can do much better than this. Asif Raza Mir, like his son, unfortunately misses the mark. He was given a good character to work with, but there was something half-cooked in his performance. Shafaat, on the other hand, comes across as the surprise, adding much-needed light and fun moments to the film. He’s clearly a good addition to the Pakistani film industry and should do more films. Like most films, Parwaaz Hai Junoon has its plus points and shortcomings. For instance, it shows some great aerial combat scenes, and keeping in mind this is a Pakistani film, credit should be given to the cinematographers. The dialogues were aptly written by Farhat Ishtiaq, and do justice to both, the patriotic and romantic aspects of the film. The character development too is on point, with proper space given to every character to make the audience relate and connect with them. However, the shortcomings outweigh the plus points. The biggest issue in the film is how weak it is on the technical front. There is poor camera work, and then there is camera work so bad that certain shots are out-of-focus. Funnily enough, those scenes don’t even feel like they belong in the film in the first place, making one wonder why the filmmakers went to the extent of keeping them in, despite how poorly they reflect upon an otherwise good film. Moreover, the overall plot drags as it tries to balance between the two timelines, and certain scenes are kept in despite contributing nothing to the film itself. Leaving these on the cutting room floor could easily have taken 15 minutes out of the film, making it crispier. Moreover, for a film like Parwaaz Hai Junoon, which revolved around patriotism and romance, the music could have played an instrumental role in making the audience love the movie even more and remember it for years to come. Unfortunately, most of the songs in the film feel unnecessary and do not really add anything when it comes to the sentimentality or the memorability of the film. Ultimately, the art of storytelling is the only selling point for Parwaaz Hai Junoon – for a patriotic film, the narrative and the characters connect with the audience and viewers remain engaged in the film. One has to acknowledge this is a decent effort by the filmmakers and brings yet another new facet to the Pakistani film industry. Parwaaz Hai Junoon is thus a good film but a one-time watch, and might have performed better had it been released either on August 14^th (Independence Day) or September 6^th (Defence Day), given the patriotic feel the movie leaves you with. All photos: Screenshots 

Actors may be good at what they do, but only a few stand out, and one such actor is none other than Hamza Ali Abbasi. He walks in his own truth, and exudes passion in his craft. There is no denying his presence for sure! Apart from being a great actor, Hamza is extremely political, as the nation watches him discussing matters of pertinence on TV every day. In a riveting interview, I learnt more about Hamza in his own words. Was acting always what you intended to do, or was it a different career path for yourself? I believe acting is by birth – it is not something you can study and learn or get a degree in. Either you are born an actor or you are not. Yes, you can study and become a doctor or an engineer. If you do a degree in acting, you are polishing a skill that is already there. I had a knack for acting since I was a kid, and performed school and theatre plays. It all took place while I was doing my degree in International Relations and my Central Superior Services (CSS). Waar and Pyare Afzal happened, so acting took over other activities in my life. Although I do many things, acting is one that has taken up most of my time in recent years. How did the idea of joining a political talk show come about? I am a very political person. It is shameful if you are not political in a country such as Pakistan. If you are treated unjustly, you should raise your voice against it. You should stand up for the issues that affect you so you can solve them, which is what politics and activism is about. I have been vocal from the very beginning. For me, charity is a temporary solution. The permanent solution is always, always politics! I didn’t have to make an effort for a talk show – it comes very naturally to me. People often ask me how long I prepare for the show and I tell them that I don’t prepare at all! I am normally quite updated. Politics is not a different thing that I am doing; it is a part of my life. What are your thoughts on the recent political climate, and what do you expect from Naya Pakistan? There is going to be a lot in Naya Pakistan that we have not seen before. Our prime minister saves Rs1.8billion in public wealth and claims he will not live in a lavish household. His expenses are spent from his personal account, and not a single penny is used from public funds. This has happened for the first time ever – we have elected a man into power who is not financially corrupt. We have seen the status quo abolished, and new faces in Pakistan. This is an unprecedented time in our country. Rest assured, as much as I know Imran Khan, he will deliver. You will witness change within three months, and even the critics will be pleasantly surprised. However, some people want Imran to fail simply because they want to prove a point. So, I request them all to kindly tone down their egos, come together and support the new government. If you have any reservations and you think the elections were rigged or you would like to protest, please do so, but don’t be malicious towards someone. It is important to not turn against the country so you don’t have to admit that you could be wrong. I am a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) voter, and I keep very neutral decisions when it comes to politics. However, many PTI affiliates, including Pervez Khattak, have corruption cases pending. How do you reason with that when the party itself has loopholes? I will tell you how; change comes from the top. As Muslims, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is an outstanding example for us. Whatever happened in Makkah? Things improved from the top, and it had a trickledown effect on the people. Unfortunately, in our political set-up, there are corrupt people who Pakistanis still vote for. You can say Asif Ali Zardari is corrupt, but their government is established in Sindh. You need the elected to come into power. Imran did politics for more than 20 years with new faces. Politics without power is nothing more than charity; power and such people are important if you want to change politics. You say Khattak is corrupt, but he still wins votes. Imran is not responsible for catching the culprits. As the prime minister of Pakistan, he will create institutions that will hold the culprits accountable, be it in PTI or outside the party. They will target people who are in the wrong, regardless of their political affiliations. Unless and until an institution convicts Zardari, screaming aloud will be of no use at all. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police is the best example. In Mashal Khan’s case, the accused PTI supporter was arrested. Similarly, two other cases were also met with the same fate that involved PTI. If a crime is committed, Imran will not badger the culprit or hold him or her accountable. We need institutions that will convict anyone who commits a crime. Those who voted for Khattaz don’t think he is at fault. I find Nawaz Sharif corrupt, but despite his imprisonment, more than one crore Pakistanis voted for him. I think controversy is inevitable for a celebrity. How do you cope with it? When you believe at heart the difference between what is right and wrong, a reaction ensues. This holds true for taking sides. If you cannot handle the reaction, stay silent. The best thing about faith is you believe that life, death and respect is in God’s hands. If you believe in something, speak up, and if you think you should stand against what is wrong, you should. One should not feel so scared. The day we all decide to be fearless, Pakistan will progress in a matter of days. You are the star of Parwaaz Hai Junoon. Who do you portray in the film and what can Pakistanis learn from him?  I hope you feel proud of Pakistan and our Air Force. You will realise many things once you watch it. Hania’s character is the main lead in the film, and it is not fictional at all. Pakistan’s Air Force is the only one in the Muslim world that has active female combat fighter pilots. Shaheed Marium Mukhtiar is a recent example, and a film was made based on her as well. I hope you feel proud about yourself. We shouldn’t consider our soldiers as machines – they are humans and they do experience romance, laughter and fear. They have their own weaknesses, and I hope we can communicate this through our film. Sadly, most films made on the military in South Asia depict soldiers as all righteous and all-powerful individuals who are fearless, which is false. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the presence of fear and the will to go on. We have shown a soldier’s human side in the movie. We did a promotional tour of the film and we hope that if you are not a Pakistani watching this film, you keep your negative perceptions about us clear. We are showing not a soft, positive image of Pakistan, but the actual image of our country. All our locations, cultures and people in the film belong to Pakistan. Sadly, our introduction to the world is by news channels, be it Fox News, CNN or Al Jazeera. We need to introduce our country through our films. Perhaps the most successful example in this regard is India – people know them because of Bollywood. We have to take ourselves to the world with our culture, films, music and everything good we have to offer. Who has been your guiding light throughout your life? I don’t know about guidance because there are many people, but one of my very core strengths – apart from my mother – has been my sister. If there is a pillar of strength, it is her. She is the only person in the world who actually believed in me as a kid, from the very start. I owe everything to my sister. A man of grandeur and substance, it was a pleasure interviewing Hamza in an abode of peace. He sure knows how to multitask and keep things balanced! Hamza has hands-on experience with politics and the arts, and it won’t surprise me if he has something else planned on the radar. His latest venture, Parwaaz Hai Junoon, is running successfully all across Pakistan, and the nation cannot wait to see what a talented individual like Hamza does next – be it in the film industry or the world of politics. All photos: Haider Rifaat