It’s almost that time of the year again. Yes, that time, when the city is intoxicated by the smell of rotting intestines, and fresh blood: Eid. It’s been a while since I’ve experienced it, and no that’s not nostalgia or longing embedded into that phrase. I’ve been away for the past few bakra Eids, and somehow they all seem to mesh into one in my mind. I’m trying to think back and dissect them into individual moments and memories. 2013 This is my first Eid away from home. I wake up to Eid Mubarak messages but I’m not really feeling festive. There is no holiday from school. There is no sheer being cooked in the kitchen. There are no new clothes. I used to love Eid. The smell of mehndi as I woke up in the morning, laced with the aura of crisp notes I was handed for Eidi. bakra Eid was especially my favourite. At one point in time, I wanted to be a doctor so I’d dissect the goat’s heart after it was sacrificed with my mini-sized doctor gloves and mask. I’d show my younger brothers where the aorta was, and how the different chambers functioned. That was when everything was new and appealing. That was also when I didn’t know much about the world. One year, and I remember this moment so vividly because it was the crux of my realisation, if realisations could be boiled down to moments and places. That was the year I was going for the big guns, yes, I was going to dissect a camel’s brain. Every year, my neighbours put on this huge show where people from all over the neighbourhood would come to my street to watch the mighty ship of the desert be sacrificed. I woke up early in preparation because I had to be there to take my brain otherwise, God forbid, someone else would steal it (ah the naiveté that surrounds the minds of teenagers). I was all dressed up in my shiny new Eid clothes, my hair was freshly made, and the smell of mehndi was distinct as I skipped my way to the gate of my house. There was a large group of people so my father guided me through and I stood there waiting eagerly with him and my brothers by my side. Soon after, a boy of around twelve came out, and people parted. He had a small knife-like object in his hand, and he drew back and threw it at the camel’s neck. That was when I realised I didn’t want the brain anymore. The mighty ship of the desert fell to its knees, a sight I had never seen before because I was always afraid of camels. I used to ask my father to lift me off the camel before it sat down sat in that roller-coaster manner, at the beach. I didn’t dissect another organ again after that. It’s been a few years now. And my first Eid away from home made me miss it profusely. I craved the company of people of my faith, even though faith hadn’t been the basis of my friendships with people in Karachi. After that year, Eid usually consisted of a desi meal with Muslim friends, we’d talk about Eid at home, and how different everything felt. But eventually, Eid became another holiday filled with yearning to be back home. Somehow Eid had fizzled in my mind. It was no longer about the clothes, the visiting, or even the animals anymore. It churned into a more tangible reality where all I really longed for was family. So I guess, if you ask me what Eid means to me today, that’s what I’d say. It wouldn’t be mehndi, shiny Eid envelopes, or sheer khurma. It would just be home.

This year, a controversy surrounded the arrival of Eidul Azha, the second most important holiday in Islam, involving the holiday’s date, as the Express Tribune reported: American Muslims on edge as Eidul Azha looks set to fall on September 11^th. Muslims abroad, especially in the United States, faced the prospect that celebration would coincide with a day of mourning of those killed at the World Trade Centres. As a result, some Muslim leaders prepared for tension between their community and anti-Muslim bigots. In the New York Times, Linda Sarsour, executive director of the Arab American Association of New York, said,

“Our community is like, ‘What are we supposed to do?’ I should not have to think about that. What am I supposed to tell my kids?”

“I’ve never been more optimistic about our future in America…. I’m sure the years ahead will be challenging ones for the Muslim American community. But the anti-Muslim hate we see now will fade—our nation’s history tells us so. Jews and Catholics before us endured similar barbs, slurs, and fears, and in time overcame them. Deep in my heart, I am certain that we, too, will overcome.”

English conditions have always been a challenge for subcontinent batsmen. Seamer friendly conditions in England have actually been a test of skills, technique and temperaments. A century at Lord’s is a milestone which every cricketer dreams to achieve at least once in his career.

When our Test team landed in England, only a handful of people had hoped for a victory or a draw. But thanks to Yasir Shahs miracle spins and a double century by Younis Khan, we managed to draw the Test series.

Pakistan’s delight at world No.1 ranking. Photo: AFP

Apart from the aforementioned players, Misbahul Haq, Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali’s contribution was also phenomenal.

Misbah has had an unfortunate past in his Test career, where he faced a four years break during his peak years. But since his return from this break in 2007, he eventually became an integral part of the Pakistan Test squad. He, along with Younus Khan, carry the burden of Pakistan’s batting line-up on their shoulders. Photo: Cricket 365

But when it came down to all three formats of the game − it was not Mohmamad Amir who outshone everyone in consistency and performing in challenging situations. Rather quite an unexpected member of the cricket squad emerged as a dependable go-to man during the England Pakistan series.

This unexpected member also managed to impress an otherwise hostile British media, former greats of the game, and English fans as well.

If you haven’t guessed who I am talking about by now − it’s Sarfraz Ahmed.

Pakistan were 417 for seven in reply to England’s first innings 328. Photo: AFP

Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott appreciated Sarfraz’s role and said,

“Sarfraz Ahmed is cocky, confident and is up for the challenge. He’s the best wicketkeeper-batsman I’ve seen for Pakistan since Rashid Latif.”

Former England Captain Michael Vaughan also showered praise on Sarfraz in one of his tweets.

Across all the formats Safraz Ahmed is the best Wicket Keeper Batsman in the world … Fantastic to watch … #ENGvPAK

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) August 27, 2016

The Karachi born wicket-keeper cum batsman also impressed the legendary West Indian pacer Michael Holding who said,

“Sarfraz Ahmed is a brave cricketer. I have a lot of respect for him and not just for his wicket-keeping but his batting also.”

He may have started off slow in the Test series, where he scored 25, 26, 46 and 44, but he stormed through the ODI series with notable scores of 55, 105 and 90. He didn’t get to a chance to bat in the T20 match, thanks to the heroics of Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif, but he managed to prove his mettle as the T20 captain.

Sarfraz Ahmed Sarfraz Ahmed celebrating his century. Photo: AFP

While Azhar Ali was having a difficult time captaining the ODI side, it felt like Sarfraz sailed through the challenge of captaining the T20 side.

At the end of the ODI series, an article titled England’s ODI summer: five talking points from the series against Pakistan was published, which includes Sarfraz amongst the top players of the world.

This is quite a feat for Pakistani cricket. Let’s hope Sarfraz continues his successful stint as a batsman, wicket-keeper and a T20 captain for a long time.

The Macmillan Dictionary defines a romantic-comedy as,

“A funny movie, play or television program about a love story that ends happily.”

 Janaan is just that, but it’s not funny in the ordinary sense of the word.

The film, directed by Azfar Jafri and co-produced by Reham Khan, is a latter-day ode to Pakhtun identity and heritage. It is a story about Meena, played by Armeena Khan, who returns from Canada to attend her cousin’s wedding in Swat, but falls in love with her adopted cousin.

On paper, it sounds appreciable to the Pakistani viewer, and for the most part, the outcome on the screen is adequately gratifying. The stunning introductory shots of the beautiful Swat Valley juxtaposed by the protagonist’s contemporary lifestyle in Vancouver, effectively illustrates the modern Pakistani expatriate.

We follow her journey as she lands in Islamabad and mistakes the male lead – played by Bilal Ashraf – for airport staff (apparently, he used to be fat and social media doesn’t exist in Canada). What follows next is a tedious set of dialogue about Meena’s homecoming by her extended family, distinguished by traditional sweets, small talk, and familial updates.

Regardless of these characters’ relatability, a casual lack of depth and sustained emotion are the cause of their diminishing memorability – we like watching them, but we know we won’t be recalling them any time soon.

Armeena Rana Khan
Photo: Facebook

The target audience for this movie are middle-class, educated and enlightened viewers who enjoy jokes about power outages and security issues in Pakistan – along with light-hearted love triangles between cousins.

The producers take the aforementioned for granted, as proved by respective deficiency of Urdu subtitles and an addition of English translations for Pashto conversations. This is quite potent since the jam-packed theatre where I watched the movie, was indeed a reflection of this creative decision. In fact, recurring humour with Meena’s Canadian roommates about terror in Pakistan, albeit an obvious cliché, was well-received by the crowd with whom I shared my viewing experience.

Bilal Ashraf, Armeena Rana Khan and Ali Rehman Khan
Photo: Facebook

For better or worse, Janaan is a step in the right direction for the Pakistani film industry, but two steps back in terms of the sheer profundity of filmmaking. We still seem to be glued to the plot-writing and camera techniques associated with serialised TV shows.

The screenplay, penned by Osman Khalid Butt, drags on for the most part, especially in the second half which arbitrarily relies on flashbacks as filler for soundtrack. The writing fails the lead cast, who are sketched out as superficial, funny – but not too funny personalities. Even the stand-out performance of the supportive lead by Ali Rehman Khan is hindered by the lack of gravitas in penmanship, yet his performance arguably remained the most memorable facet of this film.

The cinematography is grandiose and striking in the first half, yet reverts to the close-up, non-flattering camera visuals commonly fettered with an Urdu drama post-intermission.

Bilal Ashraf and Armeena Rana Khan
Photo: Facebook

Shallow writing and undignified camera-work aside, perhaps the greatest fault in Janaan lies in the handling of the cardinal issues it raises for the sake of plot progression and comic relief. The insouciant use of pederasty in Pakhtun culture as a device to create movement in plot is ignorant and hollow. Such salient matters must either be succinctly covered when mentioned, or else become the cause of triviality.

Bilal Ashraf, Armeena Rana Khan and Ali Rehman Khan
Photo: Facebook

Despite my critique, however, as an Eid release, Janaan is a profitable venture worth watching with family. I believe it is a successful demonstration to put Pakhtun culture and moreover, Pakistani films on the map for the long haul.

The building in this picture was the setting for most of the horror stories in my seven-year-old mind. It was also the view from my room in my grandparents’ house. I would listen in awe as my friend talked about the ghosts that she had seen lurking there in the dark of the night. At night, I would draw the curtains together so I wouldn’t have to stare at that abandoned dwelling. I didn’t know much about it back then. My dada (paternal grandfather) told me it was called Bristol Hotel and that it was constructed pre-partition. My imagination added another detail; I assumed it was haunted. A new apartment building soon rose from the ground blocking my view and making me forget this place until I happened to pass by it one day. I had always observed it from afar. Walking alongside it felt strange yet exciting. I wish I could write about everything that I noticed back then. I wish I could provide exact details as to why this haunted house suddenly turned into a place of beauty for me. But my casual walk outside the hotel took place nearly six years ago and the faint web of my memory no longer has that incident entangled in its mesh. I do remember looking at the hotel and thinking that it probably holds the record for having the most windows. The whole building was speckled with them. I also recall an old man watering the daisies in the enormous green garden, which I’m sure was only a dull shadow of its former self. The building is a 100-year-old forgotten piece of art, which sits there close to Karachi Cantt, firmly footed like a mountain with the grace, humility, and melancholy of an emperor who no longer has his throne. Today, I looked up Bristol Hotel on Google. The results made me run to my father to ask him if he was aware of the history behind this place. He didn’t. So I read it out to him.

“For those who may remember, the Bristol Hotel Karachi was constructed by a Welshman in 1910 near the Cantonment Railway Station-Karachi, parallel to the rail tracks between Karachi Cantt and Karachi City Railway Station. It is in close proximity to the current location of the British Council. Initially, it was a tavern and bistro for the affluent ones, mostly the high echelons and army officials under the British Raj of early 1900s. The hotel was also the venue of the most talked about New Year parties, May Queen Ball and wedding festivities, and became the most popular place of Kolachi or Kurracchee…”

“Mr Rizvi maintained the grandeur of Bristol Hotel, its bar and particularly its cuisine, which was probably the best in Karachi attracting people from far and wide. The New Year parties and May Queen Balls continued with the same fervour and glamour. During the 60s the price for entry in a New Year party for a couple was Rs300 – a small fortune in those days. Bristol continued to attract affluent Karachiites for its cuisine, large rooms, lush green lawns with Saturday night discos and the nightclub. The Bristol Hotel breathed its last when it was attacked by some dacoits and Mr Rizvi suffered injuries in 1994. The attack reoccurred later and within six months Mr Rizvi was virtually forced to call it quits. The building of the hotel, however, remains as a home now.”

Let me admit that I did not know who Nabeel Qureshi was before entering the theatre to watch Actor In Law. I did not watch Na Maloom Afraad (2014), primarily because of its eerily similar appearance to Hera Pheri (2000), until I watched it a couple of weeks back. Nevertheless, the trailer of Actor In Law was intriguing despite, yet again, giving a similar feel to that of Govinda’s Kyo Kii… Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta (2001), which was similar to Liar Liar (1997) of Jim Carey. I was intrigued because it’s not very often that you get a chance to see Om Puri in a Pakistani film.

If Actor in Law was made 30 years ago, Amitabh Bachchan would have starred in it and it would have been directed by Mamohan Desai or maybe it would be a Tinnu Anand film. In fact, it has a dance sequence on Andheri Raaton Mein Sunsaan Raahon Par paying homage to Tinnu Anand and Bachchan.

I understand that it is a huge compliment to Qureshi and I agree I have taken great liberty in drawing this parallel. In my defence, Actor In Law has all the ingredients of a Desai masala entertainer. A good looking hero who can act, struggling actor, witty comedy, a bit of overacting by some characters, dances, rain, a message of secularism and a father-son hug. The only thing missing is a trademark Bachchan drunk scene which is okay to miss in its Pakistani version. People of my generation who still watch Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) and Kaalia (1981) with the same enthusiasm as always are always entertained by masala films.

Fahad Mustafa.
Photo: Screenshot

The story is not something you have never seen before – a father-son conflict for the son not taking his life seriously, irreverence of the son and its quirky outcomes etc. This is back to basic stuff. Just like Desai films, Actor In Law is more of a social drama wrapped in comical treatment. In that context, it’s a more mindful film than its predecessor Na Maloom Afraad.

Mehwish Hayat’s accent bothered me for a few minutes before it was revealed that she is playing a minority girl.

Secularism and tolerance: check.

Load shedding is a nuisance and is taken to court.

Common man’s problem: check.

A woman standing up for her right against sexual harassment.

Women empowerment: check.

Red brick’s mafia exposed.

Rural awareness: check.

The best thing is it’s not your holier than thou preachy film. Actor In Law conveys these messages in an easy going way like explaining complex mathematical equations through painting on a canvas. It makes things easier on the eyes.

The screenplay is generally tight with few exceptions. The climax court room drama was weak and political antagonists kept coming in and going out of the picture, lacking any clear motive. The protagonist’s role in the second half, especially towards the climax is minimal and other characters take over the control. It would have made it rather interesting to see if Shaan Mirza himself had tried to come out of his conundrum instead of leaving it all to the heroine and eventually his father.

Mehwish Hayat.
Photo: Screenshot

Having said that, the father touch in the end was a classy finish – not from a logical viewpoint but from an emotional angle. Shaan’s emotions kept getting the better of him throughout the film, though. His eyes got wet easier than a London afternoon, at times unnecessarily.

The film belongs to Fahad Mustafa. He’s a complete package. Acts well, can dance and has impeccable comic timing. It doesn’t come as a surprise that Om Puri was all praises for him after wrapping his work on Actor In Law. His emotional scenes, even though excessive in number, are very well done. Not many actors of his age can show the range he has shown while carrying the film on his able shoulders. He is a long term prospect for the Pakistani film industry, which is going through yet another, and by far the most successful revival in its history. We will need more from Fahad if this revival has to sustain for a long time.

Fahad Mustafa.
Photo: Screenshot

Speaking of Om Puri, there you have a veteran actor reminding you of why he is one of the best actors in the business. He could have done this role in his sleep. Credit to the producers for picking him over others as this role could have easily gone to another actor and would have lost its impact.

Mehwish Hayat has put in a decent performance. She is not the best thing about the film, but does not let you down either. Saleem Mairaj is fantastic, Nayyer Ijaz is as good as ever and Alyy Khan is reasonably worthy. Khalid Anum is poor in his cameo, going over the top and is not funny. Rest of the supporting cast, especially the comedians are a very apt ensemble.

Om Puri and Fahad Mustafa.
Photo: Screenshot

Shani’s music is not overwhelmingly beautiful, but it is good and fits the overall mood of the film. While the title song is well timed and choreographed, Khudaya by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan sounds like a straight inspiration from Ismail Darbar’s Tadap Tadap from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

My personal favourite part of the film is the picturisation of the song Dil Dancer Hogaya. It is artistically done, especially towards the end when Fahad actually takes up the courage to invite Mehwish for a dance and then stops. It was a sweet little moment of Imtiaz Ali’s magic and sensitivity. Also, full marks to the production design team for showcasing Karachi the way they have shown in it – very relatable.

Qureshi seems clear in what he is trying to achieve with Actor In Law. He is not creating a Moor or a Manto, but he is not creating a Wrong No. either. He has kept things simple and would have made Manmohan Desai proud if he were Desai’s protégé.

I keep referring to Desai because this is a brand of cinema which was established decades ago and has stood the test of time. Even today Farah Khan and the likes try to emulate the same formula and have not been able to deliver the same output. Qureshi’s work is a lot closer to Desai’s brand of cinema than a Tees Maar Khan or a Happy New Year types were.

Fahad Mustafa and Mehwish Hayat.
Photo: Screenshot

Actor In Law is vaguely generic at times and refreshingly original at others. A lot of scenes in the film could have looked unnatural or weaker if it was not for Qureshi’s attention to detail or creativity. Case in point the scene where Saleem Mairaj wants to tell Alyy Khan something at the elevator, or the helicopter scene conversation between two villains. His treatment of political satire is also brilliant.

Alyy Khan.
Photo: Screenshot

Nabeel Qureshi has taken leaps of faith in some sequences while looking painfully mediocre in some. Nonetheless, the positives in the film outweigh the negatives by a distance. That makes Actor In Law a thoroughly entertaining film.

Of all the useless things to have been unleashed over Pakistanis as a nation, the drama serial Mann Mayal is by far the worst. A classic sob-fest with glaring story problems, Mann Mayal decidedly became the most mocked show in broadcast history.

Though the cast was star-studded with seasoned actors like Saba Hameed, Naeem Tahir, Mehmood Aslam etc. the obvious shortcomings of the plot held them back. Mannu and Salahuddin, did manage to become household names but for mocking purposes rather than being inspirational characters.

As the country remained glued to their television sets on September 5^th, the air was thick with anticipation. The last episode was about to air and people couldn’t wait for more instances from the show to make fun of. The level of exasperation after watching the drama was only matched by the number of ‘memes’ that each dialogue provided. For those who followed all episodes (and my condolences for that) will understand the following ‘meme’ perfectly. It sums up nine months of overly dramatised story telling.

“Jithoun di khoti…uthay aan khalot.” (What could have happened in the first two episodes, just happened nine months later, with lots of unnecessary characters that just added to the futility of the entire venture.)

In terms of containing any real substance, Mann Mayal contains such little matter to be worthwhile that all 33 episodes could be reviewed right here. But putting an end to your misery, let us review only the last episode. It started with Mannu’s mother trying to talk to Salahuddin to besiege Mannu to abandon plans of pursuing her studies and marry him instead. While Salahuddin was scratching his thick head to recall why Mannu could be refusing his proposal, Mannu overheard the conversation but decided to turn a blind eye. Salahuddin kept pondering. After all, he was asking her to marry him after three kids from a hellish marriage to a good-for-nothing gambler who she married in the first place because Sallu (Salahuddin) refused to do so.

Mannu convinced her father to let her stay at a hostel and continue her studies. The entire episode was all about Salahuddin trying to locate her while the directors of the drama apparently thought that viewers would ignore the fact that Sallu could have simply asked her parents for her whereabouts.

All of Mannu’s family members wanted these two to get married; he could have coaxed information about her, out of them in no time. Yet, he chose to take to the streets, trying to find her so that the audience could sympathise with a love-struck man turning over every brick and stone to get to his girl. He found her after two scenes and then they went on to reminisce about how they parted ways when Sallu didn’t open the door for Mannu. The obvious purpose behind this recreation was to bring back the bittersweet memories in the background of their ultimate union. And that was all.

The only thing interesting in mann mayal was it's OST

The only part that was good in the last ep of #MannMayal
Like this was what we waited 33 weeks for

I watched every single episode of #MannMayal.

Will the society accept me?

— Ayesha (@ayesha_fatyma) September 7, 2016

Mann Mayal should be a lesson to all these production houses who believe that an OST sung by Quratulain Balouch combined with the on-screen couple of Maya Ali and Hamza Ali Abbasi does not guarantee quality or success. It is high time that our channels try to screen stories and plots that are not wasting the prime time TV hour for thousands of viewers. It is not only wasteful, it is frankly insulting that people running these channels believe that the Pakistani society is so dim-witted and intellectually inferior that they’ll enjoy such a ridiculous story portraying women as sacrificial lambs. It is time for our media houses to either step up or roll over for someone who will.

I would put down Coke Studio’s episode five as a bag of mixed surprises. I must confess that it did take some time for the compositions to sink in, but gradually, I have developed a liking for most of the tracks now. I call this an ‘overdose syndrome.’

With such an overdose of great music, one finds themselves in a dilemma. Perhaps, if I had listened to some of these compositions independently, I would have developed an instant liking towards them. But with excellent precedents such as Afreen Afreen and Man Kunto Maula, one is cautious in choosing a new favourite.

However, the more you listen to these compositions, the more you appreciate the effort and the quality of the outcome. So, perhaps, this post is to help those sitting on the fence to delve a little more into these compositions and appreciate the creativity. In general, most of the compositions in this episode have an interesting vocal melody. There is a good experiment in terms of raag and a fusion of contrasting vocal textures.

Jhalliya

Javed Bashir has come up with a masterly vocal performance, displaying his range, singing style, soulfulness and effortless variations all packaged in a single performance by the name of Jhalliya.

While an outstanding performance from Javed is not unexpected, what did come as a pleasant surprise were Masooma Anwar’s vocals. An open and bold sound, with a Sufi touch, she managed to give Javed good competition in terms of the listeners’ attention span. Also, I loved the poetry recitation part. Somehow, this concept goes quite well with songs of this genre – remember Mori Araj Suno by Tina Sani? Shahzad Nawaz’s heavy, bass-filled voice goes extremely well with the music.

Coming to the arrangement, this composition has a soft rock-Sufi feel to it with good fusion of instruments. Faakhir Mehmood has done a wonderful job in putting this arrangement together. The base foundation of the arrangement is on the creative bass line and electric guitars give the rock-like feel, while the dholak throughout and banjo at places bring about a classical feel. The banjo interlude at 04:31 is an interesting addition in between the vocals.

The strings section adds a beautiful dimension in places, especially at the latter half of the composition – for example the beautiful filler at 02:31 that carries forward the melody from where Javed left. The backing vocalists too, do a wonderful job overall. At places they accompany the main vocalist and at another instance they sing in off-scale, harmonising with the main melody subtly.

The composition climaxes beautifully with Masooma, and the backing vocalists sing the chorus while Javed does a flawless sargam to end on a high note. Overall, this is a very pleasant composition, inviting you to listen to it repeatedly and cherish the various layers Faakhir has very creatively put together.

Shamaan Pai Gaiyaan/Kee Dam Da Bharosa

One thing Coke Studio quite easily manages to do is to bring together vocalists who contrast and complement each other very well. Be it Ali Azmat, Javed Bashir, Rahat-Momina or Ahmed Jahanzeb-Umair Jaswal, the list goes on. The same is true of this composition too.

Kashif Ali brings soulfulness, while Rachel Viccaji brings power, and Shiraz Uppal with his beautiful arrangement is able to stitch together a musical delight.

Kashif actually reminds me of Mulazim from last season, who also had a husky texture and conveyed emotions (especially the pain) of the composition beautifully through his vocals. On the other hand, Rachel, the relatively shorter one among the backing vocalist trio, stands tall here with her power-packed performance. Her amazing stability and texture with lower notes and energetic throw at the higher pitch sections is indeed a goose bump-inducing performance. She also brings in a unique feel with her Western style falsetto vocals at various places.

The composition clearly has two distinct arrangements – one for the soulful Kashif’s part and the other for the rock-like Rachel’s part, which alternates stunningly in this concocted fusion. Kashif’s part is primarily on the keys and acoustic guitar which sets the chord structure. Flute interludes every now and then create a mesmerising feel, while the strings and choral section fill the air beautifully.

Rachel’s part is completely driven by electric guitars and the bass line, aided by the drums and shifts the genre to a rock number. There are many instrumental improvisations in the whole track; the bass-hammering by at 04:40, the electric guitar intro riff before Rachel’s part at 03:25 and the beautiful build up in end where all instruments come together – flute, strings, guitars and drums.

The melody is incredible. Co-incidentally, both the tracks have been previously sung by Naseebo Lal. There is slight convergence in the melodic patterns between the two compositions which the composer used to weave the two pieces together cleverly.

The first part is primarily on the major scale, but the usage of komal dha and komal ni at the end of chorus parts, gives a totally different feel, which coincides with the second song, thus enabling the fusion. The second song uses the komal dha and ni notes exquisitely, which makes me wonder whether it’s raag charukeshi.

I would love to know your thoughts on this.

Overall this composition is a smart fusion at various levels including melody, genre, instrumentation, vocalist style and energy levels. Rachel is a pleasant revelation in this one and Kashif is a great introduction to this platform. I hope that we see more of them in the coming times. I would definitely advise you to listen to this multiple times in order to appreciate this fusion.

Sadaa

Sadaa is a delight for classical aficionados and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan makes sure he displays all the text-book classical nuances in a single performance. Be it sargams, taans, a tarana, subtle harkats, alaaps and a beautiful jugal-bandi with the dhol throughout, as he synchs to its beat.

The arrangement is quite contemporary with the use of bass, guitars and drums throughout, along with the dhol. The strings section shows up during interludes and during the antara. There is also a brief sitar portion towards the end. Overall, it is a diverse arrangement which needs to be appreciated carefully underneath Rahat’s powerful rendition.

Melodically, the composition (originally created by Rahat himself) has beautifully used komal ga and komal ni throughout, creating magic yet again, if it’s from kaafi thaat in terms of the raag. What is also noteworthy in the arrangement is the creative use of percussions and enjoyable experimentation with beat time-signatures. Shani Arshad, the composer also mentions this in the BTS video.

Maybe this is not the kind of song that I can listen to on repeat anytime of the day, but this will definitely go into my classical-fusion playlist for frequent hearings.

Main Raasta

When variety, fusion and experimentation is more of a rule than an exception, a one-off attempt to get through with a clichéd pop-rock composition perhaps doesn’t seem enough for this platform. And, that seems to be the problem with Main Raasta.

The composition is indeed quite catchy, but not the kind you have not heard before. It’s on your typical major-scale-four-chord combination. The use of bass-line is quite creative and something I loved instantly. There is also your customary lead guitar interlude which is brilliantly done. I think the brief cameo by Momina Mustehsan (appearing to play the lead guitar) was unnecessary. Personally, I felt the composition became somewhat chaotic in the end with way too many voices adding to the chorus. It reminded me of With Or Without You at 04:12.

Did anyone else feel that as well?

The starting guitar patch clearly reminded me of Michael Jackson’s Black and White which Ali Noor actually acknowledges in the BTS video. The scale transposition is quite interesting, but I would rate the one in Jaane Na Tu higher than this.

Overall, it is a number that’ll definitely grow on you if you like this genre. But it is definitely an average number in relative terms, compared to the other tracks in this episode.

Largely, this was not a disappointing episode for sure and mind you, achieving something like this is no small feat given some of the masterpieces that have emerged this season. The musical dose should definitely last for a week I hope. Or else, you can always go back to Afreen Afreen or Paar Chanaa De.

Philippine’s President Rodrigo Duterte has been in the news for all the wrong reasons.  First, he has been accused of large scale human rights violation, where tens and thousands of people have lost their lives due to extra judicial killings, drug trafficking, rape, murder, arson and other related criminal activities. The second incident relates to an interview he had given, where, when asked how he would react if Barack Obama were to criticise him for extra judicial killings of over 1,000 persons involved in drug trafficking and other acts of crime, he responded with cuss words against the president. Although Duterte realised his faux pas and expressed regret over his intemperate remarks, and blamed the media for misquoting him – the damage was already done. As expected, Obama cancelled an important meeting planned with him, where, amongst other things, the growing tension in the South China Sea was part of the agenda. Duterte probably did not realise the effect of his intemperate language for the world’s most powerful man. Moreover, it came at an inopportune time – when East Asia is grappling with the growing Chinese threat in the South and East China Sea. China has undertaken several reclamation projects in the reefs in the disputed Spartly Islands, with the intention of building military outposts there. In fact, China had also physically prevented the Filipino fishermen from fishing around the disputed island. These aggressive designs come at a time when the International Arbitration Board had adjudicated the matter in favour of the Philippines, rejecting China’s claim of sovereignty over the island. As both, Vietnam and Philippines, do not have the power to take on the might of China, they looked towards the United States for help. The US sent its naval destroyer to show a defiant China that it would not bow down to its aggressive posture in the region and warned China that its efforts to illegally develop in the disputed island would be met with a fitting response. Furthermore, in the recently held ASEAN summit held in Laos, Cambodia, the US government tried to bring all ASEAN countries together under a common platform to respond to the Chinese threat. The meeting was of great significance, as this was the first meeting after the Hague tribunal’s award – where the tension in the region was being discussed. Unfortunately, Duterte muddied the waters with his off the cuff remarks that ended up only helping China’s cause. He did not realise that in the event of the US refusing to come to his aid, he would not be in a position to take on the might of China. It must be said to Duterte’s credit that his aggressive steps to reduce crime and taking on powerful drug lords has made him extremely popular amongst the people. In spite of criticisms of his critics, his approval rating has touched a historic 91%, and is seen as a decisive and effective leader able to take on various powerful criminal lobbies. In the presidential elections held this year, he promised voters that he would come down heavily on drug traffickers, criminals and corrupt government officials. In his five months of presidency, he has managed to drastically bring down the crime rate, though his methods have been severely criticised, especially by the United Nations (UN) and NGOs like Amnesty International. Recently, he issued a carte blanche to the police and military personnel to go after all the criminals and any individuals involved in extra judicial killings. Those indulging in criminal activities would receive the presidential pardon. The courts and media also have been silenced, and there is not a single institution in the Philippines that has the courage to take him on. He has also warned the Supreme Court that if they persist in being critical of his actions, he will invoke the martial law in Philippines. He has also threatened all journalists not to report extra judicial killings and to refrain from personally attacking him in the press. There is a sense of fear and foreboding in the country, and people are afraid to report various human rights violations. Not surprisingly, he considers the former President Ferdinand Marcos, a despotic and corrupt leader, as his hero. It should be mentioned that Duterte’s use of cuss word against the US president is not the first of its kind. Duterte is known to suffer from verbal diarrhoea. When stuck in a traffic jam during the Pope’s visit to Manila, he used foul language against the Pope. Similarly, when the UN accused him for various human rights violations, he said,

“F*** you, UN; you can’t even solve the Middle East carnage.”

“Seven hundred? They miscalculated. It is around 1,700!”

“These challenges and weaknesses don’t guarantee his failure as president. But he would do better if he toned down the rhetoric, adopted a more conciliatory approach in order to buy peace with political rivals, and pursued an inclusive, growth-centric approach.”

There’s no doubt that Baar Baar Dekho was amongst the most anticipated movies of 2016. And we’re all excited to see Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra starring together in a Karan Johar movie. There’s was a lot of hype with the release of the teaser, trailer and not to forget – the song Kaala Chashma.

Time-travelling is not a common subject to expand on in a movie, we can hardly quote Action Replay (2010) and Love Story 2050 (2008) under this genre; both didn’t do well at the box office. You will just have to watch Baar Baar Dekho to discover what makes it different from the others.

Artist Diya Kapoor (Katrina Kaif) and Mathematics professor Jai Verma (Sidharth Malhotra) are childhood friends who decide to get married. Two days prior to their wedding, Jai starts getting cold feet. He is unsure of whether marriage is the best option for them; he ponders over the practicality and after effects of marriage, and finally tells Diya that he isn’t ready.

Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra
Photo: Screenshot

Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra
Photo: Facebook

Heartbroken, Diya leaves him and Jai decides to drown his sorrows in wine. The next morning, Jai finds himself in Thailand on a honeymoon trip with Diya. He is oblivious to what has happened, and is absolutely clueless and cannot recall anything.

Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra
Photo: Facebook

Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra
Photo: Facebook

From there on, the audience get to witness Jai Verma’s time-traveling experience, which fast forwards him to the age of 40 and 60 and takes him back in time as well – as if signalling that something in his life needs to be fixed.

Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra
Photo: Facebook

Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra
Photo: Facebook

The film rests mostly upon the shoulders of Sidharth Malhotra, and he succeeds in delivering a great performance. He’s remarkable in his 60s, especially how he interacts with everyone around him. Sidharth impresses the audience in numerous scenes with his acting nuances. This is amongst the most difficult roles (since it has so many complexities involved) but Sidharth has undoubtedly done justice to it.

Sidharth Malhotra
Photo: Facebook

Katrina Kaif
Photo: Facebook

Katrina has performed averagely, nothing special I must say. In some scenes she has done a commendable job, but in totality, she is simply mediocre. Ram Kapoor’s, Rajit Kapoor’s and Sarika’s performances are also worth mentioning.

Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra
Photo: Facebook

Direction wise, Baar Baar Dekho is effective, but the narrative and script of the movie somehow lacks depth, preventing viewers to connect with the characters.

Viewers are mostly left confused about what’s happening in the movie. The element of surprise and excitement takes a backseat which is not a good sign in the time-travelling genre. Baar Baar Dekho is not a mass appealer and loses out big-time on its script.

Unfortunately, this movie can be skipped, but if you’re curious about what life in the future would be like – then sure, go ahead and give it a watch!

On August 11, 1947, the father of our nation , called corruption “poison” in his speech to the constituent assembly. He said,

“One of the biggest curses from which India is suffering, I do not say that other countries are free from it, but, I think our condition is worse – is bribery and corruption. That really is a poison. We must put that down with an iron hand.”

“Along with many other things, good and bad, has arrived the great evil – the evil of nepotism and jobbery.”

“But that’s how we guys are.”

Even with a summer full of riveting international soccer contests with the Euro and the Olympics, being a Liverpool fan, nothing beats the good old start to the English Premier League (EPL). And if EPL is the cake then UEFA Champions League is surely the cherry atop this delicious offering.

Unfortunately for me, this year is yet another in the long list of seasons this past decade that I would have to do without this particular footballing condiment.

But hey, counting your blessings and all that shizz, I still get to cheer on former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and his band of merry men at Barca. And cheer I did when La Blaugrana thrashed Celtic 7-0 at Camp Nou.

Lionel Messi celebrates one of his three goals as Barcelona recorded its largest Champions League victory when thrashing Celtic 7-0 at Camp Nou.
Photo: Getty

The lethal trio of Messi and Neymar combined with El Pistolero to wreak havoc on the Scottish champions. Lionel Messi bagged a hat-trick while his partners in crime, Suarez and Neymar got a brace and a goal respectively.

The Argentinian forward broke another Champions League record with his sixth hat-trick.
Photo: BPI

Most astonishingly, ever since Suarez joined from the Mighty Reds in July 2014, the holy trinity of MSN have scored 266 competitive goals for Barca.

Their arch-rivals on the other hand didn’t have it all their way. Holders Real Madrid were two minutes from losing at The Bernabeu to Sporting Lisbon in their opening group game before staging a later than late comeback to win 2-1.

And it was none other than a former sporting forward who spoiled the visitor’s party. Yes, you guessed it right! Cristiano Ronaldo finally scored a free-kick for a late leveller before Alvaro Morata snatched a winner deep into injury time.

Álvaro Morata finds space between two Sporting Lisbon defenders to head Real Madrid’s winner.
Photo: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

The English quadruple had a mix matchday one, with Manchester City and defending champions Leicester City coasting to easy victories over rivals.

While Kevin De Bruyne was scintillating in the Manchester derby at the weekend, it was Sergio Aguero who stole the plaudits on Wednesday against Borussia Mönchengladbach as he scored his second hat-trick of the season to help The Citizens emerge 4-0 victorious in their delayed Champions League Group C opener.

Manchester City’s Sergio Agüero celebrates his hat-trick against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Photo: Martin Rickett / PA

Kelechi Iheanacho also got in on the act as City served up a sumptuous footballing treat to their supporters in order to make up for the lost time after torrential rain washed out the first attempt to play the fixture on Tuesday.

It was yet another fascinating performance by the Blues, as they grabbed their seventh successive win under new manager Pep Guardiola.

Defending English League champion Leicester City’s maiden voyage in Champions League took them to “Venice of the North” and they made a huge splash by sinking Club Brugge in a 0-3 score line.

Marc Albrighton scored with the Foxes’ first shot and Riyad Mahrez curled in an exquisite free kick, to double their lead in the first half. The English player of the year was at it again when he smashed in a third from the penalty spot to add another chapter to the Leicester City fairy tale.

Things however weren’t that great as far as the two North London clubs were concerned with both Arsenal and Tottenham failing to achieve maximum from their fixtures.

Spurs’ European crusade began in disappointment as even an English club-record home crowd at Wembley failed to prevent them falling 2-1 at the hands of Monaco.

The 85,011 crowd was the largest home attendance in any English club’s history, beating the 84,467 that saw Manchester City play Stoke in the FA Cup in 1934.

Their North London didn’t fare too well either as they failed to beat a lacklustre Paris Saint-Germain side and ending up drawing the contest 1-1.

While it’s early days in the competition there is no escaping the fact that this season again would be roller coaster as far as the supreme European club contest is concerned.

Pak-China relations have always been formidable mainly because China is Pakistan’s closest ally and staunch business partner in large-scale infrastructure projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The two countries often express loud protestations about their eternal friendship and cooperation in light of India’s anti-Pakistan aggression and sentiment. So it would seem the overtly favourable sentiment expressed by the diplomats of both countries would be mirrored by the inhabitants of China. 

However, this wasn’t the case when a seemingly innocuous statement mentioned in Air China’s in-flight magazine offered travel advice about living in London. The statement was splashed over social media for all the wrong reasons.

The advice clearly states that areas inhabited by ‘Indians, Pakistanis and blacks’ should be avoided and females walking around these areas shouldn’t be unaccompanied late at night. The fact that Indians and Pakistanis, two very bitter enemies, were lumped into one category shows just how inseparable and pointless the enmity between the two countries is.

What’s worse is how racist the post clearly is by singling out these three ethnic minorities from the thousands that populate such a vibrant and diverse city as London. The advice was in extremely poor taste and disturbing considering Air China is a big player in the aviation industry and reflects poorly on China’s attempt at becoming a serious contender in world politics and international development.

https://twitter.com/journohaze/status/773166435782668292/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Air China's in-flight magazine goes full-on racist. pic.twitter.com/jDtYwFDiOa

— Ben Phillips (@benphillips76) September 7, 2016

Regardless of Pakistan and China’s friendship, it seems underlying racial issues and stereotypical behaviour are thorny issues that Chinese people haven’t addressed appropriately. There is still the perception that people from South East Asia and black people are somehow inferior to the rest of the world. These perceptions are perpetuated by mainstream media portraying Pakistanis as terrorists and black people as criminals.

Even the British Pakistani mayor of London couldn’t prevent such inflammatory statements and such negativity seriously undermines a strong relationship between the two countries.

I understand that Pakistanis, both at home and abroad, need to work extremely hard to shed the negative perception associated with Pakistan but ‘friendly advice’ like the one published in Air-China’s magazine certainly doesn’t help an already fragile relationship.

It also abhorrently misrepresents what London is like. It is no longer acceptable to hold such views in the globalised world we now live in and I hope Air China takes this into consideration and issues a sincere apology in next month’s publication.

Life in a small town such as Mansehra is quiet and serene. The name it has been given is justified; it truly is paradise on earth. It is the beauty of the district and the simplicity of life that always attracted tourists to visit during it their vacations. But simplicity, even though it is quite pleasing, has some boundaries attached to it. Saira, a young girl of the district, had lived in Mansehra all her life. She hadn’t been out to visit much either and all the contact she ever had had with the outer world was through television. Girls in the village weren’t allowed much leisure. They were expected to stay  home and learn how to be good wives and mothers eventually. But Saira always dreamt of living in a world where nobody stopped her from doing anything, where girls had equal rights and opportunities as boys. However, she could only imagine a place like that in her mind, because in real life she wasn’t even allowed to go outside to play. And despite her dreams and wishes, she was not a rebel, just a young girl with dreams. But the restrictions never stopped Saira. For instance, today she had escaped from right under her mother’s nose to go sit by the street and observe people for a while. She was thinking about how long she’d be allowed to sit and breathe the fresh air freely outside. And just like that, her mother called to her right at that moment.

“Saira, come inside this instant! I don’t want to hear any excuses now.”

“How many times have I told you not to go outside? Girls are supposed to stay at home. Why is it so hard for you to understand?”

“But why, Ma? Didn’t you see yesterday in that drama serial we were watching? How great and confident that girl looked, driving all by herself around the city.”

“So now you’re going to talk back to me? Is that what I’ve taught you? Have you understood nothing from what we’ve taught you?” “Ma, I have. And I am not being disrespectful, but I don’t understand why I can’t just go outside. I am not asking for much, am I? Why does everyone keep telling me that it’s not considered good? You, Abba, Dada, Taya Abba, you are all the same. Nobody states a reason for it.” “You’re questioning our lifestyle? Saira, do you hear yourself? Where is this coming from? Do you hear what the TV has done to you? You’re questioning your elders. And then you tell me to allow you to go outside? You have been spoilt enough as it is. And now, it’s like you don’t even care what we tell you. You used to be such a good girl when you were a child, always obeying us without question. But more than any of us, you always respected and obeyed your Taya Abba. You always said he told you the right things. But now, it's like you don’t even listen to what he says.” “Ma, you’re not listening to me. You always guilt trip me into feeling bad about what I say. But today, I am going to say it all. I don’t like to stay at home all the time. I like to go out, take a walk, breath in the fresh air. And as far as Taya Abba’s concerned, I don’t think I believe what he says anymore. Did you listen to what he was telling me last week? I don’t believe that. I don’t believe Allah created women to stay at home and care for their families only, that women are pure and innocent and their innocence would be ruined by the world outside. I think all individuals were made equal and if girls are supposed to stay inside then so should boys.”

“Saira! Don’t you dare say anything negative about your elders. We know better than you. It is all because of that cursed TV in our home. It’s turning you into a rebel and you do know that rebels are punished by Allah, as well as by society. Or do you not believe that anymore either? Listen to me, clearly. You want to know why we stop you from roaming around town? The women who go out alone, they’re the ones who get kidnapped or even raped. They are the ones who surely have affairs, illegitimate relationships – even illegitimate children! Do you want that? Do you want to turn yourself into a girl like that? Do you want to be a disgrace to your family? Women who are always outside are exactly like that, going around walking all over town, putting themselves out to show to the world.”

“Now look at me. Look at how I never go out of the house, even when I am sick and have to go to the doctor, your Abba always says I am pure and he is so happy with me. Your Taya Abba said I would go to jannat (heaven) for doing as Allah wanted me to. We want you to follow in my footsteps, so that we can be successful as parents in order for Allah to be happy with us. My dear daughter, I tell you all this to guide you, not to scare you. I just want you to be pure, to protect our reputation. Please don’t dishonour us by going out all the time. I don’t want people to make wrong assumptions about you.”

“I have to talk to both of you. It’s important.” He told her parents. Saira knew the drill. She pretended to leave the room, while she would actually hide under the window and listen. “Saira is 13. You have to pull her out of school. It’s crucial that she no longer attends school, not even a day more.”

“But… bhai sahab, she is still young. She needs to learn.”

“Silly woman! You think you know more than bhai sahab? He must have his reasons for saying something like this.” “I do.” Taya Abba continued. “But I can’t tell you everything. What I can say is that she is growing up. Nothing she learns in school is going to help her further in her life. She has learnt to read, write, and count and that’s enough for a woman. I wanted her to drop out of school a lot earlier. The things that happen in this world to young women — if only you knew!”

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is synonymous with quality oriented cinema. This time around, with the help of Salman Khan and his team, he is starring in Freaky Ali – a full out entertainer.

It was rumoured that Freaky Ali is a remake of Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore. Even though some scenes may form parallels with the latter, the rumours aren’t entirely true. One needs to watch Freaky Ali to discover what it actually has in store.

The main character, Ali (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) is an orphan who is adopted by a Hindu woman (Seema Biswas) but raised as a Muslim. He takes up various odd jobs, while accompanied by Maqsood (Arbaz Khan) who is a small-time goon.

Arbaz Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Photo: Screenshot

Ali’s life takes a turn when Kishan Lal (Asif Basra) comes across him playing golf. Kishan convinces Ali to pursue his talent. He makes him practice golf professionally in order to prepare him for the Golf Championship. There he comes across Vijay Rathore (Jas Arora) and his manager Megha (Amy Jackson). What happens next is the journey of Freaky Ali and his transformation from a goon to a professional golfer.

Jas Arora, Amy Jackson and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Photo: Screenshot

It’s fairly obvious that the captain of the ship is Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He delivers an earnest performance which ranges from emotional outbursts to cynicism, with a wide range of comical elements as well. Freaky Ali would be nothing without Siddiqui.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Photo: Screenshot

Seema Biswas impresses us in a few scenes with her remarkable performance. On the other hand, Arbaz Khan’s performance is average; he doesn’t really offer anything new. Asif Basra has portrayed his role extremely well. Jas Arora was a sober choice as a villain. Amy Jackson has one purpose in the move – to add glamour. Jackie Shroff, in a cameo, makes the viewer smile.

Jas Arora, Amy Jackson and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Photo: Screenshot

Music wise, Freaky Ali’s attempt is below-average. Sohail Khan’s direction is quite shaky as it lacks an element of surprise. The script of the movie has its pros and cons. The scenes between Jas and Nawaz are well written and dialogues are worth applauding. The audience will definitely love certain scenes that bring back memories of Manjhi and the good old times when Jas Arora was amongst the top models of India.

Jas Arora.
Photo: Screenshot

Overall, Freaky Ali is an above average movie with some good elements and some instances that lack believability. There are some stale jokes embedded in bits and pieces which results in the viewer losing interest.

The European Union (EU) seems set for another cul-de-sac of quarrels over the hastily tossed military salad of EU battle groups with rotating battalions and leadership. Accordingly, Hungary and the Czech Republic have openly called for the creation of an EU army, strongly opposed by the United Kingdom. On this issue, the Council of Europe would be well advised to define policy, delegate the business to France, and sit back. Four issues have made a re-evaluation of the need and role of European direct military intervention an imperative of defence and security which only French expertise can ensure. Firstly, acts of terrorism on European soil have diverted the focus of national defence inwards. France and Belgium have deployed assault troops in passive roles outside some anticipated targets. The others are guarded by optimism while the professional consequences of assaulters playing watchmen are beyond debate. Secondly, Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdoğan and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, while playing chess with each other, are also playing doubles opposite NATO and the EU in an inversion of the Crimean War alliances of 1853 – 1856. Thirdly, on 20 July, 1974, in pursuit of its perceived national interest, Turkey, a twenty-three year old member of NATO, took unilateral military action in Cyprus against Greece, a fellow member of the alliance. NATO membership is no guarantee against a repeat performance. Fourthly, Brexit and its possible domino effect has cast a shadow of uncertainty on the deployment of Britain’s professional warriors at the behest of EU policy. That leaves France with its flagship 185-year-old Foreign Legion of Beau Geste fame, a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural military resource envied for its operational performance. Among the four factors mentioned earlier, terrorism constitutes the most immediate threat to a civil society and rule of law. It is pretty certain that there will be direct action before this causes a permanent schism in western societies. Wiser heads will consider handling the civilian body count in a war of attrition by suspending the zero-casualty expectation and preparing the requisite body-bags. The certainty of American intervention is hostage to the results of the 2016 presidential election. Donald Trump has already announced his intention of a pay-your-way, rent-a-cop relationship with allies. Hillary Clinton’s social media foreign policy, seeking to avoid a head-on collision, midwifed the Arab Spring that never was, inadvertently fostering the creation of ISIS. Chuck her staunch belief in “American exceptionalism” into the cauldron and you’ve got a lethal brew. That leaves Europe’s battle groups struggling to define their identity, the Erdoğan-Putin chess doubles, Turkey’s precedent of invading Cyprus, and the possible ripple effect of Brexit. Brussels technocrats need to understand that a cohesive military force is the reflection of a national identity and not the other way round. They don’t need to look far. In the Foreign Legion, France has honed its experience in recruiting, training and leading foreign born nationals mixed with a single-digit minority of its own citizens. There is no pressure on a Légionnaire to become culturally French, or to become a citizen. Serving legionnaires do not sing the national anthem, La Marseillaise, but Le Boudin — their own hymn of a black sausage with a teasing whiff of sodomy, born in the sands of the Sahara! Neither do they swear allegiance to France. The motto Legio Patria Nostra, means The Legion is my Homeland (not France or the legionnaire’s birth-land). Legionnaires are managed and led without a patriotic or ideological footprint. The magic lies in the selection, training and standard of leadership which causes commanders to be adopted by their command. They will fight, kill and die under his name — platoons and companies are identified by the name of the serving commander. The EU as it is cannot create a multi-ethnic European military force – tossing a few units of member countries is only effective on paper! Ask the Brussels Bureaucrats drunk on the Lisbon Accords to raise an equivalent multi-ethnic European Intervention Force and their Alpha and Omega will be euro-centric semantics seeking to subsume national identities, thereby threatening the identity of the European recruits. Brussels will gleefully impose revolving commands and infiltrate multi-level politicised decisions to turn it into NATO’s Lambda laughingstock. Task the Foreign Legion with the mission and they will single-mindedly whip into shape a streamlined, cousin branch as a European Legion. And only the Legion will be able to maintain the professional quality of such a force. The problem for the EU is in accepting the French lead in matters military to avoid bickering and obtain a credible strike force. In return, though, the apostate Brits will stop playing hard to get and actually salivate to jump on every available bandwagon at the prodding of their American mentors.

A cricket World Cup that does not feature Pakistan would be like a Wimbledon without Rafael Nadal, or a football World Cup without Italy. Sure, they don’t win every tournament, but their mere presence excites fans and sponsors alike beyond measure. Here is why Pakistan’s participation is indispensable for the World Cup.

1. The exuberance of team green

When it comes to cricket, no other nation matches Pakistan’s raw talent. We operate with an instinctive flare, an uninhibited philosophy towards the sport, which makes us exhilarating to watch.

Over the years, Pakistan has boasted a number of unique One-Day records: the highest number of hat-tricks, the highest ODI individual score by Saeed Anwar (a record the remained intact for around a decade), the fastest century by Shahid Afridi (another record broken in recent years), the fastest bowler in cricket, Shoaib Akhtar, and many other remarkable records.

Akhtar says his inspiration to become a fast-bowler came from watching Wasim, Waqar and Imran. Photo: AFP

Our attacking style of play then brings out the best in other teams when they play against us, resulting in many cliff-hangers that have been considered as World Cup classics.

Let’s look at some of the displays of individual skill during previous world cups that epitomise Pakistan cricket.

Inzamamul Haq The unknown hero – 1992 World Cup Semi-Final

A youngster from Multan, Inzamam was pushed to worldwide fame by Captain Imran Khan, who told him that no matter what, he was going to play in the semi-final, despite the stomach bug he was suffering from. He went in to bat, with Pakistan chasing a very stiff target by the standards of that time.

Inzamam-ul-Haq had shown interest in becoming the chief selector. Photo: Reuters

Chewing a gum, with a lazy elegance not witnessed before by spectators or commentators, Inzamam played one of the best winning innings under pressure by any player during a World Cup semi-final. He went on to play a vital role in Pakistan winning its first world cup during the final at the Melbourne cricket ground.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2gryra

Shoaib Akhtar bowls out Stephen Fleming – 1999 World Cup

During a group match against New Zealand, there were two consecutive miss fields in the same over of Shoaib Akhtar, and saying Akhtar was frustrated would be a huge understatement. On the very next bowl, Akhtar bowled Fleming around his legs. His jubilant reaction, coupled with commentary by the legendary Tony Greig, captured that moment perfectly.

It was, in essence, an embodiment of the brand of cricket Pakistan played during the 1999 World Cup, which was a treat to watch, for all cricket lovers.

The Spell of the Tournament: Wahab Riaz to Shane Watson – 2015 World Cup Quarterfinal 

Last year’s World Cup had some memorable moments, but the standout performance was undoubtedly Wahab Riaz’s lethal bowling spell against a bamboozled Shane Watson. One fails to recall the mighty Aussies so at sea while batting, that too in their own backyard. That Pakistan lost the match (or that Wahab afterwards became an automatic selection for all coming ODI series even though bowling many dreadful spells) is beside the point. His fast, tearing bouncers to Watson were exactly the edge-of-seat stuff World Cups are remembered for.

Last year’s World Cup had some memorable moments, but the standout performance was undoubtedly Wahab Riaz’s lethal bowling spell against a bamboozled Shane Watson.Photo: AFP

2. Our unparalleled unpredictability

If there is one word that encapsulates our cricket, it has to be unpredictable. Which other team can win from Australia one day, and then, during the same World Cup, lose to minnows like Bangladesh – in 1999 they were minnows right? Then, during the infamous 2007 World Cup, Pakistan shocked the world by losing to unknown Ireland, which was playing its first major tournament. With that loss, Pakistan was eliminated in the preliminary round, another unprecedented first for us.

eland beat Pakistan during the 2007 World Cup. Photo: AFP

For Pakistanis, these were moments of grave sorrow and absolute gloom. But, from the perspective of the World Cup, these events generated huge media interest, even from international news channels that usually never cover cricket in their sports segments. Whether you love or hate it, this is a fact that our unpredictability makes cricket buffs want to see Pakistan at every World Cup. Here is hoping we are able to correct this aspect of our cricket.

3. Clash of the titans – Pakistan versus India

A World Cup without Pakistan would deprive millions from watching the Indo-Pak match, something that would break every cricket enthusiast (and every advertiser’s) heart. The Super-Bowl and Champions League finals fail in comparison to the excitement this match generates.

A World Cup without Pakistan would deprive millions from watching the Indo-Pak match, something that would break every cricket enthusiast (and every advertiser’s) heart. Photo: AFP

And then, who can forget those tense moments during these matches, such as when Javed Miandad gave Kiran More a taste of his own medicine, or when Aamer Sohail indicated to Prasad where he smacked him, only to get out the very next delivery.

All said and done, no matter how much the World Cup ‘needs’ Pakistan, the show must go on, and indeed, will go on, with or without us. The onus is entirely on our team to ensure we never have to write this hard chapter in our cricketing history.

On Thursday, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) “took notice” of the telecasting of “provocative” content by NEO TV and 92 News targeting the Ahmadi community. It released a statement to the effect that the complaint had been forwarded to its Council of Complaints and the television channels had been notified. This is a commendable action by the media watchdog and one hopes that the “notice” will be followed by stern action. PEMRA has a reasonable 24-point code on what constitutes hate speech which it has not effectively implemented in the past. It is time it started doing so. To provide some background, NEO TV, in its program Harf-e-Raz and Channel 92 in its show Subh-e-Noor had both telecast content that branded Ahmadi’s as “traitors to Islam and Pakistan.” Not surprising that the main protagonist in this sordid saga is Orya Maqbool Jan, that ubiquitous reality-TV inquisitor of all things blasphemy and heresy. It seems this desi Torquemada is not content with the widespread persecution of Ahmadi’s that already exists in Pakistan. It is unclear exactly what he is seeking to achieve by his continuing tirades of hate speech against the Ahmadi community, but what is undeniably clear from past experience is that it puts Ahmadis at risk. Clerics had labelled Ahmadis as traitors on Aamir Liaquat’s morning show on Geo TV twice, once in 2008 and then in 2014. The first time, two Ahmadis were shot dead a day after the telecast. The second time an Ahmadi was killed five days after the program was telecast. In this context Orya Maqbool Jan’s proclamations are particularly dangerous, distasteful and inexcusable. It is also important to put the aforementioned telecasts in the context of the recent highly inflammatory statements made at the September 7^th Khatm-i-Nabuwat conference which was provocatively held in the Ahmadi spiritual centre of Rabwah and shamelessly timed to coincide with the anniversary of Ahmadis being declared non-Muslims through the Second Amendment of Pakistan in 1974. The fieriest speaker on this occasion was a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab Assembly member, Maulana Ilyas Chinioti. Like Mr Jan, Ilyas Chinioti has also found anti-Ahmadi propaganda to be the slam-dunk modus of receiving attention and gaining popularity. During a session when the Punjab Assembly was discussing the violence in Indian-occupied Kashmir and debating whether or not to honour Arundhati Roy, the indomitable Maulana Chinioti was insisting on the assembly taking notice of Professor Abdus Salam being referred to as a Muslim in the media. The man appears to know his priorities well. This is the thing; when we have incendiary after incendiary trying to light the fire of hatred, it is only a matter of time before we have an inferno. I am a zealous proponent of free speech. I believe that unless the members of a society are able to exercise their right to express their opinion without fear of murderous retribution, defeating demagoguery, corruption and injustice is impossible. Indeed, the most basic element of human liberty is self-expression through speech, art, culture and ritual. Freedom cannot exist within confines dictated, patrolled and enforced by others. I draw the line, however, when someone's speech targets the weakest and most unrepresented members of society. I draw the line when someone’s statements serve to restrict the freedom and the basic rights of a minority. And I certainly draw the line where someone’s hate-filled words endanger the lives of a minority that has already been the frequent target of violence in a state that has done nothing to protect them. It is time the government started to fulfil its responsibility towards Pakistan’s minorities and drew that line as well. If to serve its own purposes it can make virtually anything it deems offensive a crime in the Cyber Crimes Act, then it can certainly do the same for a better purpose by legislating and appropriately enforcing hate speech laws. These bullies with dime-store haloes who wish to continue abusing our patriotic and sincere minorities must have their soap-boxes taken away from them. Their provocation and intimidation must have legal consequences. In the final analysis, people like Orya Maqbool Jan and Ilyas Chinioti thrive because too many of us fall prey to their garbage; too many of us cheer them on. As a nation we must realise that if we look away from regimentation and tyranny within our society we will one day find ourselves surrounded by it-and eventually become its target.

Ever wondered why small town bumpkins in India are smarter than their big city counterparts? (Oh yes, they are). It’s because unlike the Indian city dwellers that shack up with their parents late into their 20s – some into their 30s and some even after marriage – the small towners come to the cities to strike it out on their own. They live alone, struggle, scour, scrounge and “find” themselves, if you like, in the process. As a contrast, the over-parented, mollycoddled city youngsters show themselves up as emotional waifs and exhibit symptoms including high-brow prudery, crabby uptightness, and sundry social attitudes unique to big cities. Cohabiting with parents despite having a job that can pay for your own apartment, is a phenomenon unique to the Indian subcontinent. All over the world, young adults living with their parents are pejoratively called “Big Babies.” In Italy they are called bamboccoioni and Mammone – (mamma’s boys). To justify this behaviour, you hear a lot of sanctimonious drivel about Indian values and about the special family bond, which the cold-individualistic westerners, can never understand. The biggest fallacy is the assumption those who continue to live with their parents, love them more. The truth is, it’s a minefield of squabbles out there and the built up rancour in the family is so thick, you can cut it with a knife. It has nothing to do with love in the first place. Or with our great Indian culture – which is invoked every time in a discussion of this nature. The reasons for shacking up with parents are usually selfish; not being economically independent, high rentals, security and comfort, warm home-cooked meals, not having to deal with a pesky landlord or simply, plain laziness. What is utterly selfish is the fact that people prefer to live with their parents as long as the latter are comparatively healthy and are able to fulfil their needs – (material, psychological, emotional). But ironically the living-with-parents advocates are the first ones to scoot when the parents grow old and need attention. There are umpteen cases of children abandoning their old, invalid parents. The excuses are familiar; had to focus on my career, my marriage, my children’s education et al. There is an assumption that parents need no space or privacy. Everyone does. Even Indian parents. And because young adults don’t get out of their homes and grant it to them, parents never know what it means to enjoy that space and the emotionally uncluttered quietude that comes with it. One can maybe cut the slack for those who are not economically independent – though pray why a middle-class Indian is still dependent in their late 20s or 30s is mindboggling and perhaps a subject of another debate. But what excuse would an educated, fully functional adult, who can afford to rent a place of his own, have to continue to hoard up with his parents, if not because of a mental malaise. Living with parents has more pernicious un-doings than just the fact that you stop growing. Having been couched up with all those gooey feelings and not having an opportunity to let one’s emotions mature, one is almost beside oneself with them. As a sad consequence one morphs into a clingy, needy creature that goes from being clingy and needy with one’s parents to being clingy and needy with one’s boyfriend/ girlfriend (or husband/ wife). To be fair, mostly the parents themselves are to be blamed for their adult sons and daughters squatting at home. One cannot countenance the fact that your child is in the same city and not living with you. The very big and the very Indian – what will people say question looms overhead keeping the children within the family fold. And at the same alter of Indian values; appearances must be kept, no matter if behind closed doors the two generations are at each other’s throat. As if living with one’s parents before one’s marriage wasn’t absurd enough. What takes the cake is living with them post-marriage. What makes it even more bizarre is having to live with someone else’s parents – an ignominy that marriage thrusts on Indian girls. To be in a family is great but to be moored in it all the time is lacking the will to explore one’s own impulses. Without any wind in our sails we risks becoming our parent’s clones and instead of making up our own minds about the world, we end up peddling our parent’s ancient attitudes and out-dated beliefs. After all, religious indoctrination and deep orthodoxies, like patriarchy, jingoism, and caste-identities are imbibed not in school canteens but in family living rooms. It’s not a coincidence therefore that many youngsters now claim their only ambition in life is to become like their mummy or daddy. This imitation of the past by the youth pushes the nation as whole a generation backwards. Back to the parent’s generation, perhaps further back because their parents imitated their own and in this regressive backsliding we are transported back to the middle ages. This post originally appeared here.