Comments on: Dholaks drowning gunfire http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/ In search of the unsearchable: O, my soul! where would you find your house? Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:18:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Vandana http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-6882 Vandana Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:08:33 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-6882 What Gupta said and what Billo said are both valid perspectives.Violence and destruction have always existed alongside with celebrations.Some periods in history are more violent and depressing than others but "har raat ki subah hoti hai"and so will it be for Pakistan. What Gupta said and what Billo said are both valid perspectives.Violence and destruction have always existed alongside with celebrations.Some periods in history are more violent and depressing than others but “har raat ki subah hoti hai”and so will it be for Pakistan.

]]> By: Pakistan » Blog Archive » Dholaks drowning gunfire http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3728 Pakistan » Blog Archive » Dholaks drowning gunfire Sun, 03 Feb 2008 10:35:53 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3728 [...] Dholaks drowning gunfire by Shreekant Gupta During a recent visit to Delhi I mentioned to my aunt that I planned to visit Rawalpindi next week for a wedding. Her expression changed to one of worried concern. “But beta is it safe to go there?” she asked. I assured her that if there was one country in the world where […] [...] [...] Dholaks drowning gunfire by Shreekant Gupta During a recent visit to Delhi I mentioned to my aunt that I planned to visit Rawalpindi next week for a wedding. Her expression changed to one of worried concern. “But beta is it safe to go there?” she asked. I assured her that if there was one country in the world where […] [...]

]]> By: RR http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3551 RR Sun, 13 Jan 2008 14:01:12 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3551 Dear friends Missed out from this discussion. I was travelling since the last twenty four hours and just returned home. this was quite a lively debate. Well, I think that Iditis made relevant point that humans want to find life-affirming trends even in times of adversity. Having said that, things are pretty serious - it is not so much about the bombs and explosions but more to do with the fact that people are not optimistic about the future of their lives and the country they live in.. Meg: you are most welcome. however, it will be advisable to visit after a few months when hopefully (?) things might settle down. thanks for your continued interest in the blog cheers Raza Dear friends

Missed out from this discussion. I was travelling since the last twenty four hours and just returned home.
this was quite a lively debate. Well, I think that Iditis made relevant point that humans want to find life-affirming trends even in times of adversity.

Having said that, things are pretty serious - it is not so much about the bombs and explosions but more to do with the fact that people are not optimistic about the future of their lives and the country they live in..

Meg: you are most welcome. however, it will be advisable to visit after a few months when hopefully (?) things might settle down. thanks for your continued interest in the blog
cheers
Raza

]]> By: Meg http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3548 Meg Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:26:29 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3548 Thank you for this article. Living in America, all you hear are negative, "fearful" stories coming out of Pakistan. I even mentioned to Raza that after the tragic death of Bhutto, the American press was dubbing Pakistan "terror central." The unfortunate truth is that many Americans feel this way, mainly because of the negative press. I even get odd looks when I tell family and friends that I regularly read a Pakistani blog. I've never been to Pakistan, but it seems like a beautiful country, and I hope in the next few years that I have an opportunity to visit. Thank you for this article. Living in America, all you hear are negative, “fearful” stories coming out of Pakistan. I even mentioned to Raza that after the tragic death of Bhutto, the American press was dubbing Pakistan “terror central.” The unfortunate truth is that many Americans feel this way, mainly because of the negative press. I even get odd looks when I tell family and friends that I regularly read a Pakistani blog. I’ve never been to Pakistan, but it seems like a beautiful country, and I hope in the next few years that I have an opportunity to visit.

]]> By: billo http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3543 billo Sat, 12 Jan 2008 04:58:50 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3543 I me My, of course life goes on! After Auschwitz, after 9/11 or even after a personal tragedy, life resumes. And you and that author are no doubt right to suggest that the media very rarely portrays what is positive. But to be honest, it sounds just a bit ridiculous. It's a bit like Musharaf's complaining about the media, or Bush saying to the media: why don't you show the positive side to what's happening in Iraq (and who could doubt that there are *some* positive things, that people are getting married, having birthday parties and so on). But to say that they are "celebrating life" is just a vaccuous comment (in my opinion). What are the people doing? This is an unanswerable question because there are 160 miilion people here and it is meaningless to talk about "the pakistani people" in such a context. I suspect that the begums and "elites" are "celebrating life" , quite oblivious to what's happening. I suppose that the vast majority are trying to make ends meet, survive. And I guess that a lot of people are , in fact, "hiding behind closed doors" hoping, praying that things don't get worse. The lack of political protest would suggest that people are, indeed, scared. you talk about "citizens". But this sounds a bit unreal (like "affirming life"), to my mind at least. It is precisely the undermining of 'citizenship' that we are witnessing. we've just witnessed one of the major political events of our country's history and this author wants to talk about Bobby and Bunty! Maybe that's her experience of life here. Fair enough. What I pick up-and this may be a distorted or partial view of things-is an all-pervading sense of gloom and deep concern about the prospects for our country. I me My, of course life goes on! After Auschwitz, after 9/11 or even after a personal tragedy, life resumes. And you and that author are no doubt right to suggest that the media very rarely portrays what is positive.

But to be honest, it sounds just a bit ridiculous. It’s a bit like Musharaf’s complaining about the media, or Bush saying to the media: why don’t you show the positive side to what’s happening in Iraq (and who could doubt that there are *some* positive things, that people are getting married, having birthday parties and so on). But to say that they are “celebrating life” is just a vaccuous comment (in my opinion).

What are the people doing? This is an unanswerable question because there are 160 miilion people here and it is meaningless to talk about “the pakistani people” in such a context. I suspect that the begums and “elites” are “celebrating life” , quite oblivious to what’s happening. I suppose that the vast majority are trying to make ends meet, survive. And I guess that a lot of people are , in fact, “hiding behind closed doors” hoping, praying that things don’t get worse. The lack of political protest would suggest that people are, indeed, scared.

you talk about “citizens”. But this sounds a bit unreal (like “affirming life”), to my mind at least. It is precisely the undermining of ‘citizenship’ that we are witnessing.

we’ve just witnessed one of the major political events of our country’s history and this author wants to talk about Bobby and Bunty! Maybe that’s her experience of life here. Fair enough. What I pick up-and this may be a distorted or partial view of things-is an all-pervading sense of gloom and deep concern about the prospects for our country.

]]> By: I Me My http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3540 I Me My Fri, 11 Jan 2008 21:35:17 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3540 billo, What do you think the people of Pakistan are doing? Hiding behind closed door with their breaths abated, waiting for the next bomb to explode? The reality is that life goes on, regardless of such acts of violence. I don't know about 'cloud-cuckoo land' but the reality you picture is Kafkaesque, and if that were indeed the case then a Munni Begum would not be performing in Karachi this week and my friend Irfan Malik would not have a showing of his films in Lahore this weekend. Mr Gupta is merely pointing out that life in the so called 'disturbed areas' is not at a standstill, waiting for calamity to happen, and that is credit to the citizens of those places who have the ability to appreciate life despite what's happening around them. billo,
What do you think the people of Pakistan are doing? Hiding behind closed door with their breaths abated, waiting for the next bomb to explode? The reality is that life goes on, regardless of such acts of violence. I don’t know about ‘cloud-cuckoo land’ but the reality you picture is Kafkaesque, and if that were indeed the case then a Munni Begum would not be performing in Karachi this week and my friend Irfan Malik would not have a showing of his films in Lahore this weekend. Mr Gupta is merely pointing out that life in the so called ‘disturbed areas’ is not at a standstill, waiting for calamity to happen, and that is credit to the citizens of those places who have the ability to appreciate life despite what’s happening around them.

]]> By: Astarte http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3537 Astarte Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:09:59 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3537 The guests are most welcome, hopefully they'll enjoy themselves and live to tell the tale! The guests are most welcome, hopefully they’ll enjoy themselves and live to tell the tale!

]]> By: cubano http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3535 cubano Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:24:48 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3535 I think that all that the author was trying to say was that despite what everyone in the media is saying about Pakistan there are a few positive aspects to life in the country as well. These are hardly ever mentioned in news. A narrow image is typically painted by the media which makes it seem like there's nothing going on in the country but suicide bombings and other forms of violence. I think that all that the author was trying to say was that despite what everyone in the media is saying about Pakistan there are a few positive aspects to life in the country as well. These are hardly ever mentioned in news. A narrow image is typically painted by the media which makes it seem like there’s nothing going on in the country but suicide bombings and other forms of violence.

]]> By: billo http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3534 billo Fri, 11 Jan 2008 04:00:45 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3534 celebrating life .."the people of Pakistan are doing just that" Very comforting, I'm sure. But I think the reality is quite different, unless you're living in cloud-cuckoo land. All this talk about "the media" is classic Musharraf-like nonsense. Of course the media exaggerates things. But in the final analysis we have to be honest with ourselves. Blame the media, Amrika, 'the Jews' all you want. Personally, I think that's a delusional approach. But I guess each to their own. Tell me, are the lawyers also "celebrating life" , or the people imprisoned by Musharraf, or the people without flour, electricity? Perhaps they don't count as "the people of Pakistan"! celebrating life ..”the people of Pakistan are doing just that”

Very comforting, I’m sure. But I think the reality is quite different, unless you’re living in cloud-cuckoo land.

All this talk about “the media” is classic Musharraf-like nonsense. Of course the media exaggerates things. But in the final analysis we have to be honest with ourselves. Blame the media, Amrika, ‘the Jews’ all you want. Personally, I think that’s a delusional approach. But I guess each to their own.

Tell me, are the lawyers also “celebrating life” , or the people imprisoned by Musharraf, or the people without flour, electricity? Perhaps they don’t count as “the people of Pakistan”!

]]> By: zindagi-ki-diary http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3533 zindagi-ki-diary Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:11:49 +0000 http://www.razarumi.com/2008/01/10/dholaks-drowning-gunfire/#comment-3533 Annkhain band kerne se billi chali nahi jati When wana, waziristan, balouchistan was burning it was just parts of country but now its everyday event in big cities. May be not the most dangerous country but certainly one of the most dangerous country. Plus infra-structure and everyday supply of basics are running out.... Country is standing at the brinks of destruction. Similar attitude was adapted in 'west' pakistan while 'east' pakistan was burning !! Did you hear that sound "Pakistan na khape" !!!!! Annkhain band kerne se billi chali nahi jati

When wana, waziristan, balouchistan was burning it was just parts of country but now its everyday event in big cities. May be not the most dangerous country but certainly one of the most dangerous country. Plus infra-structure and everyday supply of basics are running out….

Country is standing at the brinks of destruction. Similar attitude was adapted in ‘west’ pakistan while ‘east’ pakistan was burning !!

Did you hear that sound “Pakistan na khape” !!!!!

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