Adil Najam
This rather striking picture, taken by Associated Press in Peshawar Pakistan is remarkable just for it captivating composition. But I have no doubt that our readers will not disappoint in making more of this than probably needs to be made!
Dear Readers,
While All Things Pakistan has remained alive and online, it has been dormant since June 11, 2011 - when, on the blog's 5th anniversary, we decided that it was time to move on. We have been heartened by your messages and the fact that a steady traffic has continued to enjoy the archived content on ATP. While the blog itself will remain dormant, we are now beginning to add occasional (but infrequent) new material by the original authors of the blog, mostly to archive what they may now publish elsewhere. We will also be updating older posts to make sure that new readers who stumble onto this site still find it useful.
We hope you will continue to find ATP a useful venue to reflect upon and express your Pakistaniat. - Editors
here are some facts:
this is 21st century, internet, fast communication technologies and ecommerce has given rise to what we call Globalization.
this essentially means cultures and people will interact and absorb influences.
another fact, western cultures are dominant – let me guess why– probably they are tailored to the needs of those who intend to live in 21st century and live a normal life.
now if some ppl are feeling threatened by V day being christian day and not islamic and pkistani…then here is a food for thought….Iran’s autocractic theocratic regime tried since last two decades banning internet…and today its own ppl are fighting that regime by a never-seen-before twitter and you-tube war,….
lesson…dont fight the power of modern world
now the concern: our identity is getting lost…no heer no sussi no punno….no bulle-shah……
wht should we do…..
here is a suggestion.
1. decide if you want to be part of modern world…. if answer is yes…then go to point 2….if answer is no….then stop reading here….
2. accept that coming age will see emergence of global identities, where ppl who have very ethnocentric mentality will be at a loser’s end ….
3. now if you are concerned of seeing something pakistani..something at par with islami in the final global image that will emerge …..then start thinking about what is that we can offer that will be acceptable to world at large …..(my advice dont think of anything that will start with following words….”cave age”…”burqa”….”hajaab”……”e valuable thing is in cover, mango is in cover so shld be a woman”….”bahiyaa ki ghairatt”….”honor killing”….”three east steps to suicide bombing”…..”kill kill kill”…..)
4. once you figure out wht the global world is and wht it means to be global…then pick up your open, open your literature books, open your laptops….and start reshaping your treasure for offering to the modern world….if it is worth something…..trust me world will accept it……
My final words…learn to integrate, learn to offer and sell what you believe in….or else prepare to be dominated….and prepare to see no glimpse of pakistaniyat in the tomorrow’s civilized world
oh by the way….happy V day….(till we succeed in offering an acceptable alternative on some other day :))
@Aliya
I don’t know how much do you know about privacy. If this is a photo of a woman, let’s assume, her husband or father or brother are illiterate and because of her photo publiushed like this (heart framed) or even if she doesn’t want her photo to be like this and this is not a NEWS crime/accident story. If someone will take my photo and will publish without my permissin like this, I will sue ther person/news agency.
May be not your fault, many people don’t think before they say.
@Ali. What a silly comment from you. Why blur a news photograph? You live in a cave or something?
Mr. Adil, You should have blurred the image (face) of the lady in the picture. Or did you ask her permission before posting her picture here?
At least I didn’t find any refernce of this photo in AP
Luv the headline and the picture.
Yes, Happy Valentine, Peshawar.