Adil Najam
I do not know if others have noticed this yet or not, but I suspect (and hope) many of you soon might.
If you are on Twitter, and to a lesser extent on Facebook, and a Pakistani you might have noticed that over the last few hours more and more of your friends are ‘going green.’ At least in the design of their avatars (display picture).
I had noticed a similar display of national pride happening during the run-up to the T20 Final game (in fact, we had encouraged our Twitter and Facebook readers to join in). I knew that my friend and social networking guru Awab Alvi could not be far from the action behind this movement. Indeed, it seems he is. But from the best I can find (and I have only followed the Twitter chatter on the subject) the real force behind this one is a certain Farhan Masood, from Lahore, who has been urging his friends on Twitter and Facebook to turn their avatars (DPs) ‘green’ in the month of August during the build-up to August 14.
In fact, Farhan has been offering to make DPs and avatar’s for people with the Pakistan flag (most of the ones in the picture above seem to be from him) if they email him at GreenKaro@gmail.com. It turns out that word is spreading fast. Many have already converted to his avatars and many others have been changing to green avatars of their own. The idea is to turn the avatar (DP) panels green as we approach August 14. Hence, Sabb Green Kar Do!
We, here at ATP as well as on our Twitter and Facebook pages, do tend to use a lot of ‘green’ anyhow. Invariably, we end up using green even more than usual in August. (As someone who works on environmental issues, my allegiance to green is even broader than just that!). We realize, and are quite consciously careful, that this not turn into jingoistic nationalism. Pride in identity should never become arrogance. Nor should it ever detract us from pointing out and trying to change things that are wrong. More importantly, the pride in that which we are must never turn into disdain or disrespect for those whose identity may be different. I do not need to ‘hate’ anyone in order to ‘love’ Pakistan.
I believe – and hope – that all these avatars going green are going green in the same spirit as us. A spirit of inclusive national pride. And in that spirit I welcome the trend. I look forward to a green August 14. Not just in the color tonality of our avatars, but in our hearts and in our spirits!
P.S. I have pieced together the above from the public conversations available on Twitter. If the process of how this came about was different, I would love to hear about it. Would also love to find whether there are others also helping in the ‘Sabb Green Kar Do” Campaign, and how. Also, the avatars in the picture are all public ones on Twitter and one hopes that in the spirit of the campaign they are in, people will be OK with our use of them.
Not to rain on anybodys parade but lets figure out where the biggest faults are. Atleast we all agree that “economy” plays a big role in peoples mind set and behavior. And we know we cannot lock up all the Mullahs.
Once the mullahs get rich, they would think that Allah is happy with them and they would spread less “hate”(negative energy)
and ” fear” (their favourite technique).
“The only thing you have to fear is fear itself” (Franklin Roosevelt)
Lets forget the foriegn exchange from the tourist for now.
Lets make this country liveable for its own citizens.
Lets make the “Textile industry” export, the best in the world.
You may think you have the best talents and designers but sorry they are not of the level of international standard.
And you wonder why the dollar bills are green?
Because they want to come to Pakistan.
now my twitter profile is “Go Green, Pakistan: Sabb Green Kar Do” even my bird is green :)
Yet more comments from the ATP Facebook Page (Where it also has 80+ ‘like’ thumbs up’):
- “Pakistan Zindabad :)”
- “I’ve gone green.”
- “ae watan pakk watann… ae mere pyare watan………..”
- “meri hasti men an meri masti men shaoor……. I love Pakistan”
- “Pakistan Zindabaad!”
- “All Pakistanis on FB should put up a Pakistani Flag on their profiles to commemorate Independence Day 2009″
- “I LUV MY PAK”
- “Pakistan ha hamara”
- “hEya!! I LOVE PAKISTAN”
- “i did :D”
Great idea, i am planning on making my family all green too
Thanks a million to ATP to appreciate our efforts. Go Green has found a home. Log on to http://www.pakiolgy.com/go-green and use the simple form to submit your requests.
So far we have done over 2500 Display Pictures GREEN and another 1000 pending in our mailbox. We have nearly a dozen designers now who volunteered their free time to work with us. If anyone desires to be a volunteer, please write to me directly at farhandotcom@gmail.com
If you want to support and help the cause on your own, you may download the PSD file from the go-green homepage. We dont need any credits back, yet it would be useful if you send us a daily report how many display pics were gone GREEN to keep up the statistics.
Thanks again for the overwhelming support.
Pakistan Zindabad !
How can we put our picture?
Yeh hoee na Pakistaniat!
Jeo ATP. Thank you for highlighting this and inspiring people to show pride in their country.
ALso, you are right, real pride is shown also by highlighting the things that we are doing wrong. This is why I love this site. You are clear in your love for Pakistan, but also clear in standing up against the things that are wrong, like the Gojra murders of Christians.
Let us stand for Pakistan always, in pride as well as in shame!
Thank you ATP. Pakistaniat zindabad.
Hey,
This is a great idea… Truly enthusiastic. I’m not in Pakistan but I felt the enthusiasm I used to feel for the build up of 14th August when we used to be young in the 90s. Anyways, to cut my comment short, I would love to help out with the creation of display pictures etc. I know lots and lots of people would be sending in photos for going green as it builds up like a fever. Please contact me through my facebook account (mentioned as the website).
And again, who ever came up with this idea deserves a salute!
Cheers.