Writer is a political commentator, blogger and tweets @SaqibTanveer
The recent issue of obscenity in the media has stirred a never ending debate in our intelligentsia circle. Efforts to define obscenity and vulgarity are being undertaken by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to satisfy the stomach of Supreme Court. One such meeting was held on 27th August, 2012 in which many journalists, politicians and academicians were brought to help PEMRA define obscenity. The definition they came up with was as follows:
“obscene content is any content which is unacceptable while viewing with the family.”
PEMRA also referred the matter to Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) and the Parliament to deliberate on the issue. Effort of the PEMRA to curb the 'not-known' obscenity can be applauded. But the issue of defining obscenity is the one that can stir a fiesty debate within the country.
Writer is a political commentator, blogger and tweets @SaqibTanveer
Disclaimer from the writer: If you are a PTI supporter who lives in his cave then please do not bother to read this. You’d end up biting your own tongue.
Before even starting to write this piece, I am laughing when I think about the expected response of PTI supporters to it. I believe that I have become an official mouthpiece against Imran Khan on Saach.TV. Whenever my picture on the recent blogs comes up, I am sure the readers expect the piece to be anti-PTI. They are not the ones who should be blamed for stereotyping me as anti-PTI. It is me who has been writing excessively against Imran Khan.
I have explained a lot before regarding my love and obsession for Imran Khan and I should not repeat it again.
Writer is a political commentator, blogger and tweets @SaqibTanveer
Every year I wish Eid greetings to my friends, relatives and
acquaintances through a text message (with a harmonious message) but
this time, I am trying to say Eid Mubarak to all the readers of
Saach.TV. Along with my greetings, I have an important message to
deliver. My greetings come straight from the bottom of my heart and
every word of this message emanates from my emotions, so sorry if I
fail in complying with the standards of writing.
Usually, it becomes difficult to celebrate festivals when one of
your strategic and precious defence asset i.e. Kamra airbase is
attacked. It becomes even more difficult when one witnesses sectarian
killings in his country just before the Eid. It sucks, it really does
when the terrorists attack a passenger bus and kill twenty of our
Shiite brothers. One wants to cover his head under the pillow when he
learns about the genocide of Muslims of Rohingya. Eid is meant to be a
day of festivity and jubilation but the jubilee of this and many
previous Eids have turned sour for the Muslims.
Testing times for Pakistan and Muslims across the globe and this has been the case for quite a while.
If there was an Oscar for the most optimist person about Pakistan,
its people and its capabilities, I would have won that award hands
down. Every article that I write is a signal towards the fact that I
have not lost hope and I sincerely believe that this nation will rise
and climb to the pinnacle. And this is what I intend to do in this blog.
There is no doubt that we have differences among ourselves. People
are divided over sectarian lines. We cannot even have a single eid in
our country. And the only reason for all this is the ego of our rulers.
Imagine, every year we have two or three eids. Whatever reason the
people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can give regarding moon sighting, the
fault is ours. Knowing that every year they do their own moon-sighting,
why do not our central committee goes there and sight the moon for
themself? Why do not we bring the people at Charsadda in the mainstream
and end their marginalization by taking them on-board? But we will not
do so because the ego of our central ruet-i-hilal committee is much
more important to them rather than the unity of people.
Apart from the moon sighting, another important issue and that comes
to limelight after killing of 20 Shiites recently, is the sectarian
violence in Pakistan. I personally, believe that people in Pakistan are
not divided on sectarian lines. It is the actions and propagation of
some of the religious groups whose business is dependent on division of
the Muslims. We need to counter these groups and deliver our love to
all the sects. We all are brothers in Islam and our difference is our
love.
Despite all our failings, we are a prosperous bunch of Muslims and
let’s make a vow on this eid that we will leave no stone un-turned to
bridge the gaps between Muslims of all sects, be it Brelvi, Deobandi,
Ahle-Hadees or Shiites.
In the end, I am attaching a video that we all need to see. A video
that explains the reality of differences between different sects of
Islam. Many of you may have already seen this video and for them it is
a reminder. Please spread my message across, obviously if you second me.
Eid Mubarak to all the Muslims across the globe.
Writer is a political commentator, blogger and tweets @SaqibTanveer
Many of us have been getting very romantic all over again when we
think about rekindling our relations with India back on track.
Definitely, it is good to have a neighbour that is not hostile and can
lend us a helping hand in our economic woes. Icing on the cake when that
same neighbour starts playing cricket with us again. May be out of pity
or some other agenda, who knows?
This cuddling with India is not something of a sudden. It all started
in the latter half of 2011 after Hilary Clinton’s pilgrimage to
Pakistan. Soon after her visit, some cordial events between the two arch
rivals were witnessed. To quote a few, failed talks of a cricket
series, Pakistani Kabbadi team went to India for the world cup,
volleyball series between the two, cross-LoC trade negotiations and
above all the whole episode of MFN status were the highlights to notice.
Writer is a political commentator, blogger and tweets @SaqibTanveer
I need to wear boxing gloves and helmet before writing this piece. Because after writing this, I am expecting a barrage of punches from our sweethearts PTI trolls.
There is no need to give a background of the incident as everyone is enjoying the iftar treat every day one hour before the actual iftar time for the last week, in the shape of mud-slinging press conferences.
I do not know whether Shaukat Khanum’s endowment fund is morally alright when its own chairman is drumming about investing in Pakistan? Let’s leave this discussion to tv anchors. My concern is about something else.
