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.
Adil, AoA. Indeed, I have been proud to support @FarhanMasood’s efforts & saluted his work.
Also delighted to see many non-Pakistani friends supporting the cause.
regards
Imran
IMRAN.TV
Thank you Adil Bhai for this post – its definitely going to be a very exciting 14 days till 14th August and I believe we need to evoke the national spirit amongst all Pakistanis specially in these days where most tend not to like being associated with Pakistan.
Farhan has done a remarkable job and as of last night he and a small team of volunteers had single handedly made over 2000 DP’s for Pakistanis on Facebook / Twitter and Orkut [heck everywhere] he and his team has done an outstanding job
At the same time there is another ongoing project which we are definitley going to work very hard on. In an attempt to show the world, and ourselves that unity is the key to success in any country – we are trying to rally hundreds and thousands of Pakistani to come on twitter and talk about Pakistan on the 14th of August – its called Project: #Pakistan
We intended to change the conversation of the world towards #Pakistan on twitter and feature ourselves as the most talked about topic [trending topic] for that day – Trending topic is a list of 10 most talked about topics for that moment and to be featured on the list requires hundreds and thousands of people talking about Pakistan.
To be listed – all people making the 140-charcter twitter comment need to include ‘#Pakistan‘ [without quotes] in their text and inshallah very soon we can bring Pakistan to the top of the list.
It is definitely merely an ego-boost but it will show us that unity can change the landscape of the world and inshallah we will do it on that day
Join Project: #Pakistan here by UzEE
More comments from the ATP Facebook Page:
– “Pakistan Zindabad…. I am GREEN….”
– “long live Pakistan..:)”
– “Pakistan Zindabad.Love Pakistan.”
– “I Wish A Happy 14th of Aug,2009 to all PAKISTANI frendZ
May Pakistan Live Long (AMIN)”
– “Pakistan Zindabaad.”
– “PAKISTAN ZINDABAD….. JIYE PAKISTAN”
– “Pakistan zindabad, whatever people say, but Pakistan is here to be till Qayamat”
– “PAKISTAN HAMARI JAAN… SUBSE PEHLE PAKISTAN…..”
– “PAKISTAN ZINDABAD…..”
– “IM PROUD TO B PAKISTANIIII!!!!”
– “many people do not realize that Pakistan is a great blessing that Allah has bestowed on us……remember every blessing ignored becomes a curse…..and all those who believe that they can thrive in any foreigh country r living in a fools paradise…..they MAY thrive in any country as long as pakistan exists …..do not harm the tree which gives u shade and protection …respect it ,care for it….for this is yr true home “You steal away wealth from your own mother land
And think it to be safe in some foreign hand
How foolish you are to axe your own feet. And think you will be able to stand!!! LOVE PAKISTAN”
– “Go Pakistan !!! Go Green !!!”
I’ve gone green (on my facebook)! :-)
Great way to launch August 14 celebrations ATP.
One can always bank on Pakistaniat.com to bring out all our Pakistaniat in a good way.
And that you for the writeup.
“I do not have to hate anyone to love Pakistan.” ZINDABAD. YES.
But as you say, we must all show our Pakistaniat and love for Pakistan in all ways. Start with DPs and then we must do deeper and more menaingful thngs to show our love for Pakistan. Be better citizens and speak up for Pakistan.