Why believe conspiracy theorists?
I read an article written in The Express Tribune yesterday by veteran journalist Nadir Hassan, titled “What if the conspiracy theorists are correct?”. In his piece, he said that all anti-US conspiracy theories of recent years have proven to be true. He also expressed the view that it is possible to be both anti-US and anti-Taliban at the same time. I was surprised at the lack of understanding displayed by the esteemed writer. Conspiracy theories, by definition, cannot be proven either right or wrong; as far as anti-US conspiracy theories are concerned, he just glossed over a few of them ...
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News that is music to the ears
Every time a major political or controversial story breaks, our news channels make it a point to flash it continuously, spiced up with songs. And that irritates me a lot. It sounds non-serious, to say the least. Numbers like ‘Dulhan hum le jaiengay’ (we will take the bride) for Sania-Shoaib wedding, ‘Ye dosti hum nahi choreingay’ (We will not abandon this friendship) on PPP, MQM coalition after fall-outs really push the boundaries of what ought to be acceptable. It is so insane at times you wonder if they really are talking about real events and happenings. It’s a trend to ...
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The amazing messages of Ali Azmat
I once saw a sign in an ice cream parlor: NO SUGAR FREE, NO FAT FREE—ONLY REAL ICE CREAM. IF YOU WANT NUTRITION, EAT CARROTS. This pretty much sums up how I feel about music videos/movies/poetry/novels/et cetera meant to convey messages. They are useless in terms of providing pleasure, which is what they are meant to do, and utterly rubbish for nutrition, which is what they are purporting to do. When I first heard that Ali Azmat has released a video called Bum Phatta, and knowing what we all know about him, I laughed for about a week. Then I took the risk ...
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It’s time for Junoon to make a comeback
There I was one lonely night back in 1999, watching the Zee Cine Awards by myself. Among the Indian celebrities there were a few familiar faces. That night Junoon performed Sayeein to a packed concert hall and I remember dancing in an empty living room with sheer rock and roll joy. Since then, the band has broken up and splintered in to Sufi analyst, confused solo musician and missing-in-action gora. They went from being a small time English language band to the biggest musical phenomenon in the country. Lead singer Ali Azmat has said: “In our first live concert. There were just seven ...
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Sound of hope for Karachi
Last night, the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in Karachi hosted a musical event titled: “The Sound of Hope”. Initially it surprised me that the event was being held on a Sunday night, as opposed to a Saturday night, when it would have been likely to draw a larger crowd. The event had been originally scheduled to take place on September October 18th, but was postponed due to the civil unrest in the city by the sea. In the face of all odds The rescheduled event took place against a backdrop of violence in Karachi, which left over 41 people dead. ...
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The lonely death of the protest song
It is often said that nations are at their strongest when faced with adversity, whether it be natural disaster or war. It’s supposed to bring out the best in everyone, a time when they decide to put aside all differences and unite for a common cause. During such times, however, the opposite is also true. While the general masses seeks guidance and unity under one cause, it provides an opportunity for the sly and corrupt to manipulate for their own benefit. It is during such times that we see the emergence of art forms depicting social problems which would otherwise ...
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Don’t blame Ali Azmat, blame marketing
If you’ve worked in broadcast media, chances are high that you have been part of the manic decision making process which goes into determining what story or issue should run as headline news or lead in a program. The journalistic credo to cover issues in a timely, responsible manner is the driving force behind this high-tension coordination, but the marketing aim to gather the maximum number of eyeballs and maintain their interest is always at the back of every broadcast journalist’s mind. Which story will sell? What would the audience buy? The ‘business’ of reporting the news is built into ...
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