A chat with Imran Khan’s biggest ‘little’ fan: He will do my homework and feed all the cats
“Sir, ap Imran Khan ko nhi jantay. Wo Superman hai!” (Sir, you do not know Imran Khan. He is Superman!) This is what a child stated at my secondary school back in my hometown - spreading his arms in the air to show the extent of Khan’s jurisdiction – when I asked him how Khan would manage to do so many things. A week before my last semester at university, I decided to visit my old school to refresh some memories. I met my principal, and with him, went to talk with some students of Grade III. I began with the frequently asked questions in such situations, ...
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Writing for minorities isn’t easy
Journalism as a whole needs courage, and more often than not, a journalist has to face pressure from the field for rendering his professional duties. But sometimes, a reporter comes across a situation which he never expects to be in. You may think attack, threatening phone calls or encountering indecent attitude from people are unusual but, in fact, they are routine for a journalist in this country. However, I want to share an unusual experience, which had an everlasting effect on me. It was October 2012, when my family and I went to my would-be in-laws with a proposal of marriage. ...
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Shahrukh Khan’s fear is our fear
In the ‘90s when Yusuf Khan received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz— the highest civilian award of Pakistan— right wing Hindu groups led by Shiv Sena and covertly supported by its ideological brothers, protested and vehemently questioned Khan’s loyalty to India. He was declared a Pakistani agent not a pride of the nation who has won laurels for his works all over the world. There were many in India at that time who did not know that Yusuf Khan is actually Dilip Kumar, the popular superstar of the Bombay film industry. India and the world accepted him and lauded him for his acting ...
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If I could have a chat with Jinnah…
Like many, I often wonder what it would be like to talk to an influential historic figure. One wants to sit with them, ask questions and find out what they think about things around them, but they no longer exist to answer. I personally wish I had a chance to interview Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah – Jinnah now. The apparent dream of Pakistan he saw in 1934, which may have led him to come to India, all the more makes one want some answers. He isn’t here to answer, but one can conjecture, right? I wonder if Jinnah would have given ...
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Has Hindi become our national language?
Recently, interviews were held for admission at the newly established Cadet College Sarwakai in South Waziristan. It was then that a tribal child, being interviewed by an army officer in Urdu, shocked the interviewer. The child was asked why he was eager to join cadet college. “Sir, I want to join the Army”, replied the child. “Why do you want to join the Army?” asked the interviewer. The innocent child replied, “Sir, main apne desh ki raksha karoon ga.” (Sir, I will protect my country.) The innocent child had no clue that these were not Urdu words, rather he had replied in pure Hindi instead of his national language! ...
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Marriage proposals and job interviews are pretty much the same!
As I entered my senior year of university, the dreaded dilemma of career versus marriage finally presented itself to me. Fraught with uncertainty at both ends, I struggled to keep all doors open. Take it from me, juggling between the job interviews and larkay walay visits is a mission and a half! Going through enough of the two experiences to make one feel worthless, I came to realise that both of these activities are more similar to each other than they are different. Here are a few things you will find strikingly common between the two, so if you can master the skills of either one, ...
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Agha Waqar and his ‘science-less’ kit
In a telephonic interview with Agha Waqar Ahmed on July 29, 2012, for Sindh Express, most of my questions to him were about the physics, thermodynamics and chemistry behind his water kit. However, some questions regarding thermodynamics were not addressed as they should have been and I felt as though Waqar knew more about the ‘engineering’ behind his kit but not the ‘physics’ that went into it. Though it is not mandatory for an inventor to be a PhD, this age of fraudulent and quack inventions calls for every aspect of an invention to be examined thoroughly. Allow me to refresh ...
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The story of self-made sustenance
Zeba voices her reservations with being photographed at first, rather shy and wary, but at the same time amused by the idea of it. All reservations subside once she starts talking in her native tongue, Saraiki. The narratives are interspersed with bouts of laughter, the sincerity in her words is evident through her smile. Lodhran is a far off town, but Zeba seems like someone from very close by. Maybe it’s her innocent laughter that just touches my heart. I keep looking at her face, enjoying that gleam of accomplishment. From time to time I bend over my diary so ...
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Let’s not hate Malik Riaz yet
I don’t hate Malik Riaz. I have no reason to. I can’t blame him for the time I had to bribe a Nadra official in Lahore to have my computerised ID card made. My name was similar to someone who was apparently wanted by the FIA for indulging in anti-state activities. I didn’t understand the system so it was a whole month before I came to my senses and realised that a couple of thousand rupees was a small price to pay to be taken off Pakistan’s most wanted list. I don’t even blame him for the time I had ...
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Meeting the stars and seeing the light
My colleagues envy me, my family wants to know all about them and my best friend urges me to share the juiciest off-the-record bits on celebrities that I interview. Yes, there are perks of being able to interview and write about celebs. You have to track them down, meet them face-to-face, interview them, and chat with them about their professional careers and about everything else under the sun. At first, it can be a little difficult to break the ice, but if you become cosy enough and if you have a little background knowledge about their career and area of ...
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