Sharam karo – Shame, Shame

Adil Najam

Yes, we have used the headline ‘Shame, Shame’ before. But last time it was about the antics of Pakistanis in Pakistan. This time it is about Pakistanis abroad.

(By the way, is ‘shame, shame’ a particular and peculiar Pakistani/South Asian expression? Pinglish, perhaps?).

I just saw this news item about the antics of a Pakistani in America that has left me flabbergasted, rather ashamed, and frankly speechless. So, let me just quote the story from Daily Times in full.

FREMONT: A Pakistani man who lied about being nominated for the Nobel Prize to be eligible for residency in the United States was deported, immigration officials said. In his application for a visa reserved for foreigners of extraordinary ability, Shehrezad Faruk Czar, who had been living in Fremont, also lied when he said he held a medical degree and had done outstanding research in applied economics, quantum physics and mathematical sciences, officials said Monday.

Czar, 38, who arrived back in his home country on Saturday, was affiliated with a ‘controversial Pakistani political group linked to several acts of violence,’ the US Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement. The group Czar is affiliated with is the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), one of Pakistan’s mainstream political parties representing Urdu-speaking Muslims. Czar had been indicted by a federal grand jury in April, and had pleaded guilty in September to making false statements to win a visa that would allow him to settle permanently in the United States. [MQM denied any link to him or being a violent organization in a US court].

What can I say now. Sharam karo (have some shame)!

A little more digging on Mr. Shehrezad Faruk Czar digs up more about his lies. The San Francisco Chronicle, for example, wrote:

Czar wrote that he held an honorary doctoral degree, had been nominated for the Nobel Prize in economics, and had just been named ambassador emeritus as well as professor emeritus of economics. The institution that had bestowed upon him so many honors, according to Czar? The University of Berkley.

That’s where he flunked out.

First, it’s the University of California at Berkeley, not “Berkley.” Second, the university doesn’t confer such honors, no matter how officious — or long-winded — one may be: one entry said Czar was nominated for the Nobel Prize in recognition of his “outstanding research in applied economics, quantum physics and mathematical sciences.”

I also found on the web the picture above for a Shehrezad Czar, MD, on a Meetup site called entrepreneur.meetup.com. I hope it is not of a wrong person but given that the stated city was Fremont and the name and ‘MD’ was written as it was, it seems a fair bet that it is the same gentleman. Interestingly, the same picture is prominently displayed at a tripod site for DR.CZAR-AMERICA’s ‘ARTY’ M.D. The write-up on this one is rather interesting (although I must confess I can’t fully understand what this means):

Nick named “ARTY” by his peers for being a world-class artist with powerful expression in calligraphy, and abstract visualization of western classical music in several mediums, we are introducing Dr.Czar as an accomplished man on the creative arts side. He is one of the world’s top and few ambidextrous calligraphers and painters who can create a perfect image reflection of the most complicated lines of any language in the world. With calligraphy as his passion, he has developed ways of its application never imagined before, this time fashion.

His partner, an unstoppable, emerging fashion designer from Europe puts life into his work through fashion sketches, and ultimately transferring it on fabric. This has created a stir amongst the high-end European fashion world, which is now waiting for the duo’s debut sometimes towards the end of this year.

From world leaders to a common man, Czar develops themes for occasions such as national celebrations, weddings, valentines, birthdays, etc., using this all-powerful calligraphic expression as his forte. He works on calligraphic projects of all sizes. “My work belongs to common people, and they are its true custodians. I want to be sure I give it back to the them”, he remarked while talking with Michaels Arts and Crafts Stores, from where he is launching a distinctive line of hand-made, hand-written invitations and cards for all occasions.

Please contact him directly for project of any size. Proceeds from his work will go to the Cancer Research Center at Stanford, The American Cancer Society, and the Alta Bates Medical Center.

Mr. Czar’s antics insults the intelligence of all of us and is criminal in content and intent. The proof of his stupidity lies in the fact that he thinks that others are stupid and would believe such crazy lies.