Interview with Blogger Dr S Faysal Bukhari by The Pakistani spectator

Could you tell us what made you decide to blog, and what was the inspiration behind it?

I am a writer since my childhood and I simply love to write. I have many published works in Urdu and English. There are two types of writers: One who wants to be known for his writings and the other who wants people to know what he writes. I belong to the second category and with the dwindling interest of the society in reading the traditional reading material, I decided to use this growing phenomenon of blogging as a medium to convey my message. The inspiration behind it is of course the success stories of many blogs that have attracted huge following of readers. I blog here.


What do you think sets your blog apart from other blogs?

I think my blog is different in its content. It has analyses of the issues in a very different manner. The motive behind all the posts and articles is to present a candid and true picture of the issue. I take pain in writing these articles and on my blog there is a preference of quality over quantity. The unique aspect of my Blog is ‘honesty’. I honestly want to convey my message to the reader and make some difference.


If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?


The main characteristic in my personality that I could attribute to my success is being content with myself. I always try to win rather than beat. This is what gives me positive energy and save me from frustration when I lose. Fair play does wonders for me.
What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?
Every moment of my life is the happiest when I look at myself and find that I am blessed with sound mind and sound physique and that Allah has given me opportunities to make difference to the society no matter how subtle. The gloomiest moment is when I can’t do something for the society which I should or could.


Urdu Blogs have got huge potential, when do you think they will really take on the online horizon in Pakistan?


I am afraid I do not share the excitement of Urdu blogs making it big in future. English is a reality and we should focus on it. I am not, by any means, discouraging the Urdu Blogs but being a practical person, I really don’t see such blogs flourish in future. Urdu blogs have by and large a parochial approach and have the potential of transforming into propaganda tool by many opportunists because of the target audience. The sad part is that the people who can read English usually do not visit Urdu blogs and therefore we should encourage English Blogs which has international appeal.


If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?


Well that would be a dream situation. My destinations would be, in order of priority, as follows:
1. India
2. Spain
3. Israel/Palestine

These choices are purely based on their historic significance.


What is your favorite book and why?

It would be unfair if I chose only one book. The count of my favorite books runs in hundreds.


What are your favorite meal, dress, and sport?

Favorite meal is Rice of any kind. Favorite dress is formal and favorite sport is Cricket and Soccer.


What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

Mannerism


Whose Future is brighter in Pakistan; English blogs or Urdu Blogs?

As discussed earlier my answer would be definitely English Blogs.


How Pakistani bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

Patience, hard work, originality, sense of purpose and honesty.


Do you think Pakistani bloggers tend to remain somewhat self-centered and really don’t go out of their shells? Is it the oriental style of blogging, or they are still unsure about it?

In my view the majority of our bloggers have a lack of self-confidence and also they are overwhelmed with the presence of bloggers from all around the world especially from India. They should come out of their shells and start believing in themselves. But I will again stress on the basic point of successful blogging: originality and sense of purpose. I see no reason why can’t Pakistani bloggers find a place in the list of successful bloggers as we have all the talent and potential in the world.


What do you think where the Pakistani blogosphere is right now?

It is gaining momentum with every passing day but still lagging behind on many fronts. The efforts like this one by The Pakistani Spectator to interview and involve Pakistani blogger is a testimony to the fact that blogging in Pakistan has matured and have started feeling the need of taking it a step ahead. I think we were slow and non-serious in the beginning but I am satisfied with its growth and maturity now.


Who are your top five favorite bloggers in Pakistan?

Honestly speaking I don’t have any favorites as yet but I do like Chowrangi.
Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger in Pakistani blogosphere?
Not yet. We tend to follow others and original work is yet to be seen.


What is the future of blogging in Pakistan?

I think it is great. It is gaining momentum and will soon make its voice heard. People all around the world now want to know about Pakistan because of its coverage in the international media with context to the war against terror and the wave of religious fundamentalism. In fact, Pakistani bloggers can be successful in promoting their views and changing the opinion of many westerners about our country and religion.


You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

It has affected my life in a very positive manner. I feel satisfied and content when I post something and receive feedback. It makes my day and I perform in my professional life with more energy.


What are your future plans?

To be helpful to the society in a professional and organized level.


Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

We are great people; it’s about time that we become a great nation. I firmly believe that we can be in a much better, prosperous and honorable position if we sincerely dedicate one hour daily to the service of society and country. We are strong and hardworking people and we should utilize our potential in helping shape the destiny of this great country.

Slumdog Millionaire: India Shining?

"The British colonialists once ruled; now look, they are laughing at us and winning awards too," is the thrust of some English language press reviews of this overhyped movie. I pity the Indian electronic media and critics who are showing child-like enthusiasm over the success of the movie. The overcrowded cinemas are nothing but a cruel reminder of the very fact of the infamous term about today's India: India shining. The cosmetic effect of the Bollywood style of a slum dweller gaining riches has blinded the Indian public and critics to the real depiction and portrayal of Mumbai's slums. They have failed to look at the shitholes in which the slum dwellers prefer to jump into for a glimpse of Amitabh Bachan (who coincidently has critically discussed the movie on his blog and shown his disgust over the same issues). There cannot be a bigger irony than the sight of a private helicopter and the shit smeared kid dying to get an autograph of Mr. Bachan. India seems to be more interested in the correct answer that would win Jamal a few thousand rupees than the Hindu's massacre of Muslims that taught him the right answer. India is more interested in the utopian Bollywood theme of the hero finding the girl of his dreams at the end of the movie than pondering upon the life story of Latika that passes through a begging camp, a brothel, a rape and the bedroom of a gangster. The most ironic part of the movie is the theme of the movie itself: a popular international show ‘who wants to be a millionaire’.
I fail to find a genuine reason of the hype created by the movie and even disappointed by the awards bestowed upon it by the Golden Globe. It is just another ‘masala’ movie with endless flaws of facts. However, there is one point to be learnt from the movie and that is the pathetic state of the society of the largest democracy of the world and of a nation that is aspiring to be recognized as a regional super power. The fact remains that India has a society which is shallow, intolerant, racist and greedy. India’s cosmetic feel-good image is confined to Bollywood and its media which in fact shall prove to be counter-productive because closing eyes to the problems and portraying these problems as glamour justifies these terrible issues as acceptable in the deteriorating society of India. The term ‘India shining’ reminds me of a proverb that I learnt in school when I was a kid. All that glitters is not gold. I am positive that the shine of India that I see on media is definitely not that of Gold.

Open Letter to Barak Obama by Mahathir Mohammad

January 1, 2009

Dear Mr. President,

I did not vote for you in the Presidential Election because I am Malaysian.
But I consider myself one of your constituents because what you do or say will affect me and my country as well.
I welcome your promise for change. Certainly your country, the United States of America needs a lot of changes.
That is because America and Americans have become the most hated people in the world. Even Europeans dislike your arrogance. Yet you were once admired and liked because you freed a lot of countries from conquest and subjugation.
It is the custom on New Year's day for people to make resolutions. You must have listed your good resolutions already. But may I politely suggest that you also resolve to do the following in pursuit of Change.

1) Stop killing people. The United States is too fond of killing people in order to achieve its objectives. You call it war, but today's wars are not about professional soldiers fighting and killing each other. It is about killing people, ordinary innocent people by the hundreds of thousands. Whole countries will be devastated.
War is primitive, the cavemen's way of dealing with a problem. Stop your arms build up and your planning for future wars.

2) Stop indiscriminate support of Israeli killers with your money and your weapons. The planes and the bombs killing the people of Gaza are from you.

3) Stop applying sanctions against countries which cannot do the same against you.
In Iraq your sanctions killed 500,000 children through depriving them of medicine and food. Others were born deformed.
What have you achieved with this cruelty? Nothing except the hatred of the victims and right-thinking people.

4) Stop your scientists and researchers from inventing new and more diabolical weapons to kill more people more efficiently.

5) Stop your arms manufacturers from producing them. Stop your sales of arms to the world. It is blood money that you earn. It is un-Christian.

6) Stop trying to democratize all the countries of the world. Democracy may work for the United States but it does not always work for other countries.
Don't kill people because they are not democratic. Your crusade to democratize countries has killed more people than the authoritarian Governments which you overthrew. And you have not succeeded anyway.

7) Stop the casinos which you call financial institutions. Stop hedge funds, derivatives and currency trading. Stop banks from lending non-existent money by the billions.
Regulate and supervise your banks. Jail the miscreants who made profits from abusing the system.

8) Sign the Kyoto Protocol and other international agreements.

9) Show respect for the United Nations.

I have many other resolutions for change which I think you should consider and undertake.
But I think you have enough on your plate for this 2009th year of the Christian Era.
If you can do only a few of what I suggest, you will be remembered by the world as a great leader. Then the United States will again be the most admired nation. Your embassies will be able to take down the high fences and razor-wire coils that surround them.
May I wish you a Happy New Year and a great Presidency.
Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad
(Former Prime Minister of Malaysia)

Mahathir Mohamad is a frequent contributor to Global Research. Global Research Articles by Mahathir Mohamad

Global Research Articles by Former Prime Minister of Malaysia

Indo-Pak Deadlock

DESPERATION IS A VIRTUE

Desperation is a virtue at times. Despite of its inherent negativity that manifests itself in the form of selfishness, desperation does give an impetus and energy to move forward and challenge inertia and stagnation. Desperation is goal oriented and is never without purpose. It is a semi-deliberate act and although it does not portray itself as a planned act in strict refined definition of planning, it does achieve goals in rare cases. The most important factor is the timing when desperation ensues. The threshold where the stimulus successfully and consciously triggers this syndrome is often vague and the timing cannot be specifically gauged when the whole affair begins. But generally, desperation begins when there is an imminent danger of failure and the perceived time left to convert the failure into success is either minimal or uncertain. The type and form of desperation depends on the manner in which the perceived failure is confronted by the individual. If the perceived failure is due to an unfair competition, the desperation contains ingredients of anger and ruthlessness. On the other hand, if the perceived failure is due to a fair competition the desperation takes the form of urgency in action and self discipline. In the first case, the individual wants to beat while in the latter case he wants to win.
When seen in the context of Pakistan, I am of the view that it is not too far when the signs of desperation start appearing as regards its current relations with India. The perceived failure is almost a reality in the background of the jingoistic antics of India and the competition is unfair to a large extent. The current problems of Pakistan have taken the shape of an acute syndrome wherein the need of the hour is attempted and deliberate signs of desperation for addressing and treating it. As discussed earlier, desperation if deliberate, planned and calculated coupled with prevalence of sanity can save Pakistan from imminent failure at least on India's front. Diplomacy, no doubt, is a sophisticated tool of addressing bilateral issues and disputes but in my view it is case sensitive and we cannot use it as a standard template wherein we can cut, copy and paste with slight changes of names and facts. It is time for desperate diplomacy which requires flexibility and aggression at the same time. India is showing planned and calculated desperation in the aftermath of Barak Obama's subtle acknowledgement of Kashmir dispute as an international issue rather than a bilateral one as advocated religiously by India for almost half a century. The honeymoon that India has enjoyed with Bush administration is not foreseeable with Obama's America with that much clarity. The Mumbai inferno is the only diplomatic and political opportunity that Indian administration has at hands where it can play its cards. I totally disagree with the stance of many seasoned analysts that Congress is using this issue as a desperate attempt to win general elections that are to be held in a few months. In fact, the Hindu mindset is at stake in the current scenario of Pakistan becoming the centre of international new world order where it has been acknowledged as a necessary evil which cannot be left alone. The conspiracy theories emanating from the current scenario and advocated by many in the media, especially in the electronic media, has only confused the Pakistani administration and government and the desperation so caused is taking us to a negative recourse for addressing the issue. It is high time for us to analyze the situation and start showing calculated signs of desperation for winning the situation. It is time to seize the moment as difficult but real opportunity and launch a desperate diplomatic and political offensive against India's foolish and laughable diplomatic statements.
There is no doubt that India's economy and might has become an international reality but it is also true that the observers all over the world have noticed the signs of desperation and amateur behavior of Indian diplomacy. Our analysts are portraying a very gloomy and negative picture for Pakistan in the current situation but they fail to realize that had Indian stance been accepted internationally, the behavior of global actors would be totally different towards Pakistan from what we are witnessing at the moment. There is a tremendous traffic of global diplomatic and political representatives in and out of Islamabad asking Pakistan to cool down and do not react to Indian behavior. Unfortunately, we are calling this movement as application of pressure on Pakistan to which I totally disagree. It is also a fact that democracy in Pakistan is a reality and the world has acknowledged and accepted it. The international community has no problems in engaging the democratic government of Pakistan for diplomatic efforts. It is in the context of these realities that India has become desperate. There is just one difference between the diplomatic and political efforts of India and Pakistan. India has taken the course of deliberate and planned desperation while Pakistan has or will become desperate without any planning which could be counterproductive.
India has realized and found this subtle and unexplored tool of diplomacy and is making the diplomatic and rhetoric diplomatic competition as unfair by design so as to make us desperate ill planned and force us to start feeling that failure is imminent; this could make us do something silly and that would be a victory for India. The need of the hour is to get us prepared for a creative and well planned diplomatic desperate offensive and utilize all our diplomatic and political resources in addressing the Indian assault. A great example before us is the All Parties Conference that was held immediately after the Mumbai incidence which very clearly caused jitters in Delhi's diplomatic corridors. That was a calculated and deliberate desperation and did achieve immediate results diplomatically at international level and politically at domestic front. But unfortunately we lost the plot after this successful act and started signs of uncalculated desperation by issuing confusing and incoherent statements from various forums that clearly proved counterproductive.
Pakistan can be in a winning position if it shows itself to be desperate in a calculated manner. It will push our desired offensive forward and we can bring India on a back foot by engaging it on many diplomatic fronts at the same time. We should tell the international community in general and our friends like China, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Obama's America that enough is enough and we can no longer remain silent to India's offensive. Pakistan should impose its sovereignty on the international diplomatic stage and assert its stance that the stimulus that could trigger the threshold of its desperation is being wrecklessly used by India and is unacceptable. I am of the firm opinion that this game of nerves can be won by us if we show some signs of desperation to the international community in general and to India specifically. Desperation, at times, is a virtue.