Thank You for Your Pakistaniat: ATP Named Pakistan’s Best Current Affairs Blog

Posted on June 2, 2010
Filed Under >Adil Najam, >Owais Mughal, About ATP
39 Comments
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Adil Najam and Owais Mughal

We are delighted and honored to learn that All Things Pakistan has been named the Best Current Affairs Blog in the first Annual Pakistan Blog Awards. Our thanks to all those who voted for us and to everyone who has supported this effort. We have been lucky to have been honored before in the lists that Shirazi sahib has been doing at Light Within (2009, 2008, 2007, 2006) and today we are humbled by this recognition just as we were on those.

So, dear readers, we thank the organizers of the Blog Awards, but even more than them we thank all of you today. For having shared with us in this journey of Pakistaniat.

Awards themselves may not mean much, but the recognition that what we are doing here is considered to be worth doing by at least some is priceless. Running the blog day in and day out for now nearly four years is not easy. The burden – on one’s time as well as one’s emotions – becomes even more grueling because of the pace at which bad news has been flowing from Pakistan recently. The comments can be harsh. The weather seems forever rough. Nerves are frayed – our own as well as those of our readers. And existence seems forever on edge. But, then, that too is very much a part of being Pakistani today. Of our Pakistaniness. Of our Pakistaniat.

At the end of the day, it is all made worth the effort when one knows that there are people out there for whom Pakistaniat serves a purpose.

Such occasions are also good occasions for introspection. Even though we have done so less as time has flown and as the talkee-i-ayam has increased, we have tried to celebrate our milestone and laid out our own motivations for doing what we do: See ATP’s 1st Post (June 11, 2006), ATP’s 100th Post (July 16, 2006), ATP’s ‘Going Forward’ Post (Aug 18, 2006), ATP’s move to Pakistaniat.Com Post (Sep 1, 2006), ATP and Tangay Walla Post (Nov 25, 2006), ATPs ‘Six Month Anniversary’ Post (Dec 11, 2006), ATPs ‘One Year Anniversary’ Post (June 11, 2007), ATPs Redesign Curtain-raiser Post (July 18, 2007), ATPs ‘Two Year Anniversary’ Post (June 11, 2008), ATPs ‘Three Year Anniversary’ Post (June 11, 2009), Who Reads Pakistaniat.com Post (July 5, 2009) here.

To be honest, we have thought sometimes of just giving it (the blog) up. Even more often we have thought of handing it over to someone else (we would actually love to do that if we found a good home for it). But it is you, our readers, who keep us going. And keep us feeling good about keeping it going.

Like all things are destined to, I am sure that at some point this too shall disappear. But until then, we remain, yours in Pakistaniat!

39 responses to “Thank You for Your Pakistaniat: ATP Named Pakistan’s Best Current Affairs Blog”

  1. ShahidnUSA says:

    Congratulations to ATP, Adil Najam, Owais Mughal, Asad and all the members, readers, comentators and contributors for their efforts.
    Thank you for tolerating my rants all these years.
    You all make Pakistan look very beautiful.

    XOXO
    Shahid

  2. Sami says:

    Mubarakbad
    Well Done
    Most deserved
    Keep us thinking, guys. We need you.

  3. Rashid Ali says:

    Adil and Owais, congratulations. You guys derve this recognition. This is by far the best Pakistani blog. Keep it up. Adil, just do me one favour, as I mentioned to you in Boston, please add a spell checker.

  4. Watan Aziz says:

    I do not know about you, but I cannot make up my mind on this topic.

    Should ATP close shop or make it better?

    What do the readers think?

    I think in the ATP tradition, there should be a vote.

    A. Give up ATP!
    B. Make ATP better by making it relevant.
    C. Do nothing, bad news brings readership up. Besides we want know who are the “good Pakistanis”?
    D. Are you kidding, this is best news since sliced bread!
    E. Adil, plz u jokng, naH? V kant liv if u clz.
    F. Put Watan Aziz under moderation right now!

    OK, folks.

    Calm down. Take it easy. And a 1, and a 2 and a 3 deep breaths.

    It is take-it-easy hour.

    Seriously, I would only add, that if this site was not associated with Adil, I would have not spent 2 seconds on it, regardless of the content, quality or the people.

    I came to know Adil by chance at a conference almost ten years ago in Boston and was impressed with his rebel but sobering sincerity.

    Adil, you bring credibility to Pakistani blogs; a gravitas. I am appreciative of your efforts and commitment to excellence.

    Yes, we have differences at times, but it is what I call policy and not personality. I am not a koolaid sipper. Never was, never will be.

    And ATP is also, as someone put it, therapy to vent the madness we see on a daily basis. And with a hope, that if one word added to the conversation, will be of good use to Pakistan, its people and prosperity to the world, it is worth it to be wrong one hundred times.

    When I see the love pouring out of people at ATP for Pakistan, I know the future is both good and strong. There are too many good people trying to get rid of ignorance for a better Pakistan.

    And those who hate Pakistan, lurk at ATP; and leave with disappointment when they see that they cannot create divisions amongst Pakistanis.

    So, Adil as the world turns, no matter what you will do, and ATP has it’s best days ahead, you will always have my deepest appreciation for your honest effort and love of Pakistan.

    Because in the end, it is not about you, nor about me, it is for and about Pakistan.

    Pakistan Zindabad
    Pakistan Paindabad

  5. Asim Kaleem says:

    Congrats , Mabrook , mubarak …………… ur insight into the situation and your feelings for the country really deserves this award …………. But you posted this late ……….. I think you got this award last week ………….

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