On Art of Political Correctness in Campus

Mohammed Ammar Bin Yaser

Getting admitted to Karachi University as a regular student requires a lot of paper work. You submit papers; you get papers in return. You submit them again and get them back with seals and signatures. None of us are exempted from this excruciating trail of formalities. But the screeds of papers we trade with KU tell us very little about the place. There are things that we learn only by experience.

One such ‘private’ reality of our beloved university is the existence of political parties in campus. It is no secret that every department in the campus has its own share of political cadres, working to further their party’s interest. Here, I’ll shed some light on one particular gang whose fearful presence compels students to be political correct when taking part in various discourses, in class or otherwise. No matter how far you are from the word ‘politcs’, these men will stalk you, and expect you to fit their definition of a ‘proper Pakistani’.

For the benefit of the silent majority who find it difficult to tactfully explain away their friends or classmates of this kind, here are some words of wisdom they won’t find in any booklet or document they received from the university. They are learned only with time.

The first principle of being politically correct is ambiguity - you have to be vague. It’s essential. You should never ever take a clear stand on a radioactive political issue. Your views should be ‘custom-made’ catering to the listener, that is, the person you are talking to.For example, you meet a scraggily breaded guy in your department, who, you know, belongs to the aforesaid breed. Shift your gear: greet him with an “Assalamualikum” the word should be drenched in an Arabic accent – throaty - the "Ain" should sound distinct and clear from rest of the syllables. It helps! Try to strike a conversation, if you think he is staying with you for a few moments. You can ask the timing of Zuhr or lament about the brazen dress sense of girls in the department (even in Ramadan!).

Obviously, you don’t have to be that direct, but at least make a face that communicates your dislike for them. It works! Avoid local politics. Go international: dwell on safer grounds like America, Israel, Palestine, and Kashmir. It is recommended that you stir the conversation towards sports or other trivial subjects to play safe. Our right-wing brothers are mostly unhappy about the state of affairs: the open mingling of the sexes and music.

Share their worries; add some concocted anecdotes that help them reaffirm their views, help them prove how countless despicable social evils stem from such immoral trends, but don’t look desperate. That can be counter-productive. That might bring in an invitation to their regular ‘study sessions’ where they teach you how to be spotless and save the world. So don’t get carried away with your “concerns”, keep it light and you will be safe. Try acting upon these ‘nuskhas’ and Allah will save you from His creepy custodians.

Trust me!

Making a new resolve on the Pakistan Resolution Day Mohammed Ammar Bin Yaser

Seventy years ago, on this very day, a group of visionaries stood in front of a crowd in what is now Iqbal Park at Lahore and resolved to carve out a nation from within the Indian sub-continent. Seven years after that declaration, history was made as their very words turned into reality. Despite utterly difficult circumstances, the goal that had been set was achieved and it took a firm resolve to make it happen.

If we analyse our past, we find that one of the perpetual forces, which has carried us through the thick and thin of history, is the unflinching faith of the Pakistani youth in the spirit of the declaration made on March 23, 1940. As a crucial segment of the country, every young Pakistani since 1940 has treasured the significance of this idea which lies at the core of our identity and defines for us the meaning of nationalism. It was this belief in the ideology of Pakistan that steered the nation forward with an inexhaustible supply of optimism in the darkest of times and to date continues to nourish Pakistan.

Pakistan has moved well beyond its golden past and some argue that in today's changed scenario the youth doesn't cherish the same aspiration about the Pakistan Resolution as their ancestors.

However, notions are deceiving and there is more to this theory than seems otherwise. At a glance it may appear that over the years the Pakistani youth has abandoned its ideology and mannerism and has adopted the western culture but the fact remains that even the mere mention of Pakistan's name stirs in them the same emotions as were seen in the past generations.

In fact, Pakistan's current standing in the world and the unfortunate criticism that the country is presently braving has made the youth more sensitive towards the overall image and well-being of the country.

The dynamic youth of Pakistan is brewing with creative yet practical ideas to serve their country. The positivity and the will to improve the current situation that the youth displays not only reinstates the hope and courage that our forefathers bestowed on us, but also makes one feel proud of being a part of the present generation.

When asked about his personal resolution on Pakistan Day, Zia Siddiqui an undergraduate student of IBA said, "I want to abolish the medieval tradition of feudalism as it is a major hurdle in the progress and enlightenment of Pakistan's population. I believe the scourge of feudalism has to be scrubbed clean from the face of the Pakistani society if we are to aspire for a better tomorrow."

Ahsan Reza, a final year student of Mass Communication at the University of Karachi (KU), strongly voiced the opinion of many students and thinks that discrimination on the basis of language is a key issue and needs to be given due attention as it is a major factor that is keeping the social fabric of Pakistan divided. "We need to decide who we are" says Ahsan, "Officially there should be a single language of instruction, at all levels, be it English or Urdu. There is a need for uniformity so that the Pakistani society is not linguistically stratified." Ahsan feels that the language gulf between the social classes causes more rifts in our society than Pakistan is prepared to tolerate.

Improvement however, doesn't always have to start on a macro-level. Ammara Adnan, a student of NED, is all for micro-level improvement. She believes that the young generation of Pakistan should first bring about positive changes at the individual level. "We need to think sincerely first" she argues, "I resolve to take my society and whatever challenges it's facing seriously from this day on and set an example for my peers". "I am not saying I have the cure for every social ill that grips Pakistan today, but I staunchly believe that as young Pakistanis if we start to look at our problems with the pure intention of tackling them, we will definitely find solution" she adds.

Such a high dose of optimism serves as a ray of hope in the current crisis stricken state-of-affairs. Though efforts are continuously being made on both small and large scale to improve the condition of the country many are still hopeless about the political process. "We need a series of reformations in our political process" says Sharjeel Khan. "We have to work out a process that leaves no rooms for 'personality worship' in our political set-up, democracies are run by parties and not individuals" says Khan, who works at a local TV Channel.

The youth of today is not just concerned about the political up-lift but also about other issues facing Pakistan. Among these considerations the sorry state of the environment is also a major concern for many, as Sidra Rizvi, a student of English Literature at KU puts it "Pakistan is one of the most hard-hit victims of global warming and pollution today, but little is being done on this front. I as an individual would like to see my country clean therefore this year I resolve to use recycled papers for all purposes and will also encourage my friends to do the same"

Working to alleviate poverty and illiteracy has almost become a cliché that everybody blurts out when asked about ideas to solve the real problems of the Pakistani society. However, on a more positive note and on a more practical front it has been observed that the youth who are actually involved in community development efforts are contributing a lot to their society through their efforts in various fields.

An example of this is an initiative of a group of students from KU who have come forward to teach the children of sweepers and cleaners of the university twice a week in the afternoons. This step has received much appreciation by the parents of these children as well by the students and teachers of various departments of KU, who are willing to volunteer in the program too. This small expression of 'concern' tells us a lot about the zest of the youth of Pakistan.

It must be pointed out here that despite all the exuberance of our youth and brimming optimism, one can't ward off the sense of looming pessimism that seemingly runs all over Pakistan. Every other day we hear shallow rumors about our country that instigates one, especially, the youth to run away and settle abroad.

Running away from reality, however, is no solution instead stepping forward and helping in building a stronger nation should be our goal. Positive thinking, effort and instilling optimism in others are the only factors that can help us in this journey.

This Article was published in The News

I wrote this a few hours after Pakistan won the 20/20 World Cup in 2009.

Stand-up for the Champions!

Moahmmed Ammar Bin Yaser

When the Pakistan team was leaving for England to participate in the T20 World Cup, it was unimaginable. Something like a distant dream that we fans never thought was possible. How could we? After all it was the world cup!

With contenders like India –swaggering their new-found IPL confidence, Sri Lanka (a squad armed with a deadly bowling attack), South Africa and Australia; chances for Pakistan’s relatively young and inexperienced side to make it beyond the super 8 phase of the tournament naturally looked dim.

And to add credence to all the glum expectations, the team started as it always does: in an unsure and dishevel manner, still struggling to find its feet. They lost a couple of warm-up matches, one against India which invited a lot of criticism. In the opening phase of the event, naysayers, in home and abroad, began darting cavil prophesies about the outcome of the competition. A majority of the home critics billed Pakistan as underdogs - a team that went abroad to make a laughing stock of the country, nothing else. These were tough times… but the team under the exemplary leadership of Younis Khan quietly stood their ground.

There even came a time when Pakistan was struggling to make it to the Super8 and fans at home began what they are best at - heaping abuse at the captain for his boys for ‘incompetence’. But the players were quiet, and focused. They knew their strength and as the team qualified for the super8, we saw an entirely new face of the squad, equipped with the will to succeed, which thankfully remained resolute in the rest of the tournament.

From our ‘92 world cup and other major titles won, we know that Pakistan never gets the perfect start, and when it does the journey doesn’t last for long. Our team always takes time to settle down, and gain momentum, as the assistant bowling coach, Aaquib Javed remarked in an interview with a private channel: “what is important is that the team acclimatize to the conditions fast and perform at its peak on crucial matches.”

That’s exactly what was required, and thankfully happened when Pakistan outplayed South Africa andSri Lanka in the semis and final.

Semi Final

In the second last match of the tournament, Pakistan came out of the trench with extraordinary sprit. The captain Younis Khan looked poised and determined. The game was expected to be the toughest one, as it was against the unbeaten South Africa, a side bubbling with confidence borne out of their relentless winning streak. Many Pakistanis thought this was the end of the dream we all silently dreamt. But Younis and his boys did the unthinkable. Shahid Afridi played a superb knock and Umar Gul contended the South African batters with his unplayable Yorkers. And we were through to the finals.

That was the moment when the dream that appeared too far-fetched a fortnight ago looked reachable. It was the grand finale. We didn’t know what Younis told his team in the dressing room, we didn’t know what preparations they made for the three hours they’d spend in the field but we knew what we wanted and suddenly we wanted it with all our hearts.

The Grand Finale

The day broke. The whole nation impatiently waited for the sun to disappear; the government issued special instructions to the electric supplying authorities across the nation not to fiddle with wires on that day. Things were hotting up; they ought to be, something special was about to unfold.

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first. And in the first thirty minutes into the game, we knew the champions’ cup would be boarded on a flight to Pakistan! Our bowlers did their job remarkably. Abdul Razzak and Mohammed Amir uprooted Sri Lanka’s batting line-up, striking the unbeaten side so severely in the first few overs that they never recovered. Afridi clicked again, scoring a half century and took the winning run; ceasing the moment in the lens of history forever.

Karachiites Celebrate the Colors of Karachi

Mohammed Ammar Bin Yaser

We Karachiites are an unthankful lot. We take this city for granted, never pausing to appreciate the bounties this City of Lights has blessed us with. But it’s never too late- specify date the final year students of the Mass Communication department of Karachi University organized a seminar, Karachike Rung to bring under spotlight the social and cultural live of the city in all its hues and strips. The event was part of final year assignment, for which they will be awarded credits. So the young soon-to-be-graduates made some valiant efforts to make the event a grand occasion and managed to invite some of the city’s bigwigs to grace the event.

The panel of speakers was wide-ranging, representing various walks of life that included government officials to NGO heads, to people from the world of academia, arts and sports; the constellation roughly represented the whole of Karachi’s social and cultural strength.

The deputy mayor of Karachi Mrs. Nasreen Jalil presided over the event and spoke about the importance of citizen’s responsibility. She catalogued some of the major development projects that are in the pipeline and said that the City Government has been promoting the concept of ownership among the youth of Karachi, urging students to take the city as their own and to selflessly serve for the betterment of the society as a whole.

The speakers candidly discussed some of the unmistakable attributes of the city, dilating upon its rich cultural heritage and political significance during the creation of Pakistan in 1947. Dr. Nomal-ul-haq, a born Karachiite who taught in a number of Ivy-league universities, nostalgically conjured up some anecdotes from the ‘good old days’ that he spent in the city and marveled at Karachi’s boundless ability to welcome and raise people from every part of the country with open arms.

The Vice Chancellor of the university Dr. Pirzada Qasim called Karachi”a mini Pakistan” that contains everything that the country has to offer. He asked students to unselfishly serve the city and hinted at introducing credit hours in the university curriculum that would make it part our course to participate in some sort social work for the city, such a step would instill a sense of responsibility among the youth to serve Karachi better in their professional lives.

Dr. Fehmida Riaz, renowned poetess and feminist talked about the literary significance of the city and how Karachi played a starring role in shaping Urdu literature as it is today. She said Karachi was once the hotbed of literary activities in the Indian sub-continent, and produced some of the timeless poets and creative writers who continue to grace the shelves of the admirers of Urdu literature to this day.

The speakers acknowledged the unprecedented tide of developments that have been going on ever since the current city government took office and wished that that the spree continues. They welcomed the earnest efforts of the City Nazim and praised his teams’ vision for the metropolitan.

The Vice Chancellor also presented shield of honor to the chief guests Mrs. Nasreen Jalil and Dr. Noman ul Haq, who is currently a visiting faculty at LUMS.

Others speakers on the occasion include Arshad Mahmud, renowned music director, Dr. Mohammed Ali Shah, a leading orthopedic surgeon and Shoaib Mohammed, test cricketer.

The Impressive Little World of Empress Market

Mohammed Ammar Bin Yaser

From the last 40 years, every day, at 8 in the morning, Ahmed Motiwala enters Empress Market from the main gate with a heavy bag on his shoulder. He settles at a corner not far from the entrance, unpacks the bag and opens his makeshift crockery shop.

“Yes, it has been 40 years. My late father came from India in the 30s and bought that shop over there,” he points to a small store that now sells dry fruits, which his father sold in his lifetime owing to some financial crisis.

The grey-haired, sixty -something Ahmed sat near the entrance of Empress Market for four decades, and witnessed the evolution of Karachi from a unique vantage point.

Like him, most of the shopkeepers of his age-group spent their lives cloistered within the ageless Victorian walls. Listening to their stories makes one feel there existed a time when everything was just fine.

“Back then, it was different. Empress Market was the heart of Karachi, people from all over the city and beyond would visit on weekly or monthly basis to shop in bulk, since it was one of the largest and most popular super markets of the country, but the charm is gone!” says Saleem Qureshi, a 75 years old meat seller.

But for an urban Karachiite, who grew up on the rim of the city, oblivious of the ways of old Karachi, Empress market still holds some bewildering surprises. The thick concrete walls may have lost their luster but they have somehow managed to cage its enduring culture. An early morning walk through the market offers flashes of a bygone era that now exists only in nostalgic anecdotes. You find Chinese women clad in skin-hugging clothes meandering around without inviting stares; old Christian women in knee-length skirts bickering with vegetable vendors; general stores run by bearded Muslim men selling alcoholic beverages. The seamless functionality of it all catches an urbanite, who grew up at the break of the millennium, off-guard.

“The Bechat Bazaar culture that sprouted a decade ago, broke our back” laments Ahmed, “until the late nineties, families from Clifton, Tariq road and other posh localities would come and buy car loads of stuff, but not anymore, now they get it in their neighborhood itwarbazars, why would they take the trouble to come here?”

Battered by inflation and the ever-shrinking profit margins, Ahmed seemed to have given up. “My son his doing MBA from Islamabad” he brags with a proud smile. “I want him to go abroad, there is nothing left in this country” he declares with a sigh.

The meat vendors of Empress Market occupy a vast auditorium that reeks of rotten flesh. The floor is greasy with filth and the white titles that makes up the raised-area is blotched with blood and shreds of meat that flew off the choppers.

Saleem Qureshi spent the last 50 years of his life at this place. When asked what has changed since his heydays, he simply blew up: “what hasn’t? look up there” he points to the ceiling, which is taken over by a thick cloud of cobweb. “During Ayub Khan’s regime, this place use to be cleaned twice a day with hot water and bleach and today, nobody cares. The British government sends fund for the up-keep of this market, but your politicians, they gobble it up with respite, nobody cares” he pauses for a breath.

“I am working here since I was a teenager, now I am 73. I was born in Larkana and studied in Karachi, this is our family business.” Basically, I am Sindhi, but Karachi is where I grew up.” He introduced himself and abruptly left when a customer arrived.

The Empress market is largely run by the likes of Ahmeds and Saleems who are harassed by inflation, nauseated by the filth around them, attacked by bouts of pessimism but cocooned in the comfort of decades-old family businesses. Secured in the knowledge that they are comparatively better off than those struggling to eke out a living beyond the thick walls. This relative prosperity coupled with the collective nostalgia for “good old days” has made Empress Market a sanctuary that can still nurture the heritage of old Karachi which, for the present generation, lives only in the folklores from an impressive world that was once there.

Ashura blast victims get on with life

Mohammed Ammar Bin Yaser

Karachi Jan 31: Shabbar Zaidi (12) wears prosthetic leg. “My doctors says it is a strong foot that will never hurt me again” he said with a wane smile.

On December 28, Zaidi, accompanied with his parents and younger sister, went to attend the main Ashura Juloos at M.A. Jinnah Road. His father and little sister died on the spot when the bomb exploded. His mother was lucky enough to escape unscathed as she was a few yards behind, in the women contingent.

‘I don’t remember anything; I just heard a bang and saw some dark clouds’ said Zaidi, who was brought to the hospital unconscious with his right kneecap missing.

The explosion on the Ashura procession killed 46 and injured 44 people. Police arrested 3 men belonging to a banned extremist organization who said to have confessed to the planning of the attack.

‘I wanted to become a cricketer like Shoiab Akhter but now I want to become a doctor’ shares Zaidi. The 12 year kid limps around his house as his 32 years old widowed mother cooks in the kitchen.

Ambreen, his mother, teaches at a neighbouring school. She was married to Zaidi’s father 13 years ago. ‘He was a nice man’ she says in faltering words as tears roll down her eyes.

When asked how she coped with this life-altering tragedy she motioned heavenward and said‘Allah gives limitless patience and perseverance to his slaves to cope with the unimaginable’

The Notorious Nine Years Old

Mohammed Ammar Bin Yaser

He wants to bowl like Shoiab Akhtar, fight like The Undertaker and look like Shahrukh Khan when he grows up. Meet nine years old Abdur Rahman, a student of standard 3 at a privately-run school based in a residential bungalow somewhere in Gulsitan-e-Johar, Karachi. Rahman is notorious in his apartment compound for shouting obscenities at random people, so most mothers of the neighborhood are wary of their kids mingling with him. But he can’t care less.

Clad in a dirty t-shirt and Bermuda-shorts, and larger-than-his’s-size flip-flops, Rahman demanded 20 rupees when I told him I’ve something important to discuss with him.

I relented.

“I am just waiting to grow up, the day I grow up, I will show them all” he furiously remarked about a group of kids, who ditched him moments before he sat with me for the interview, while teaming up for a cricket match.

“They are scared of me, they are phattos, they know I can bowl them all out in one ball, so they don’t take me.”

On any given day, Rahman looks as if he has just gotten out of an old dirty cellar. His front teeth are rotting, credit goes to his love for chaliya. His hair, though cut to skin, always carry some sort of dirt, like, when I interviewed him, I could see shreds of cobweb on his head, just waiting to be shaken off .

He is restless. Minutes after he sat with me, it was obvious he agreed to lend me his time just to take home the money I promised. Not a single question I asked was duly answered.

What do you want to be in life? I asked.

“A cricketer, I am very talented” he says, then after a few minutes he retracts his statement and wants to join WWE like The Undertaker. Out of the 15 minutes he allotted me out of his precious time, he got up twice to chase a cat that was loitering around.

“Who is your favorite actor?” I squeezed in the question.

“Shahrukh khan” he almost shouts, and scours the ground with his eyes in search of stone that he intended to pelt at the cat.

“hogaya? (done?)” he asked.

I said ”No”

He sighed and madly began to scratch his head with both his hands, the shreds of cobweb fell in the process.

One of the greatest tragedies in Abdur Rahman’s life is the fact that his father works for KESC and somehow the neighborhood boys found that out. They pitilessly use it against him, blaming him for the daily sins of KESC . To cover this utter embarrassment, he claims his father has left the job and is now sitting at home. But the damage is done, nobody listens.

One of the classic incidents that made rounds in the neighborhood and actually piqued my interest in him was his idea of making some short money.

One day, while returning from school, Abdul Rahman saw a group of young school kids play Patty (table soccer/fuse ball). He was out of cash. He took off his shirt, put it in his bag, hid his bag at a corner and literally started begging for money from the passersby.

He was caught in the act by his father who took him home and beat him with the metal-end of his belt. In two hours time, he was back in the apartment compound complaining about his father’s mercilessness to the world.

When I asked him about the story he looked at me with a smirk and said “hota hai! (Happens!)” and run away with the 20 bucks in his pocket.