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!
Congratulations for this well deserved honor.
What I like best about this blog is its focus on Pakistan and only Pakistan. Your devotion and focus on just Pakistan and on everything Pakistani is unique and very very special.
I study Pakistan keenly and I have been a (mostly) silent spectator of this blog for a while. I can say that for many of us who are not Pakistanis, this is a beautiful window to Pakistan. It covers things we never hear anywhere else. But most of all I admire that strong pride in Pakistan but without a trace of jingoism or attempts to hide bad news. I find that unlike many others who go either into denial or into depression, this is a balanced discussion and always an authentic discussion. Thank you, editors, for letting us see this part of Pakistan too.
Bravo! ATP made us proud like it always does. It’s a wonderful feeling to be associated with such a balanced and sane voice in today’s crazy world.
Thanks Adil Najam & team for keeping our hope alive and thanks to everyone who contributes to ATP’s vision. Heart, mind, and soul, Pakistaniat.
Congrats to both of you.
I think you are an amazing team and bring different styles and skills that make this blog really special and there is always a surprise waiting for us each day.
Please do not stop writing on this blog. Otherwise I’ll have to go back to read newspaper like jang, yuk