The Pakistani Spectator

Could you tell us what made you decide to blog, and what was the inspiration behind it?

It was just by chance. A blogger friend of mine tagged me in one of those tagging games that go on the blogs and to answer it I thought why not make a blog. And now it’s like my second habit.  I blog here.

What do you think sets Your blog apart from other blogs?

If at all my blog is different, it’s just like every individual is unique and different. Mine falls into the personal blog category. I put on it whatever I like, whatever comes to my mind, specially those things which I can’t share normally in the society.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

Respect and obedience to parents.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

Every moment of my life is happy. The gloomiest was when my uncle passed away in a suicide blast in Lahore

Urdu Blogs have got huge potential, when do you think they will really take on the online horizon in Pakistan?

That would first require a change in the thinking itself. We tend to like English, we are impressed by people speaking and writing in English, we are impressed by American and British accents. We would love to have our English vocabulary improved while Urdu can go to the dogs. And then of course English is an international language. Until we highlight the importance of our national language, Urdu blogs can’t really take an online horizon.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

No worries about money? OK, I would like to visit all of France, Egypt and America (and Saudi Arabia and England too. And did I mention Italy? O I would love to go to Switzerland and China  :-D)

What is your favorite book and why?

Alakh Nagri by Mumtaz Mufti. It showed me a new world; one I wasn’t aware of. It has influenced me in many ways.

What is your favorite meal, dress, and sport?

I can eat anything that is tasty and cooked by an expert. (Thanks to Masala TV, my Mom fulfils this criterion :-D) I love to eat out and visit new eateries, try new dishes. No dress in particular. And sport? Err…does that mean to sing and read and eat? Because that’s all I do

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

I try to judge how learned they are.

Whose Future is more bright in Pakistan; English blogs or Urdu Blogs?
English

How Pakistani bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

Need and  knowledge about the procedures.

Do you think Pakistani bloggers tend to remain somewhat self-centered and really don’t go out of their shells? Is it the oriental style of blogging, or they are still unsure about it?

That depends on the purpose of blogging. Personal blogs might be considered a little self centered, like those who pen down their daily routine, but that’s what personal means, and that’s what blogs were originally meant for. There are political blogs wholly dedicated to politics, there are IT blogs putting every new information on it and so on.

What do you think where the Pakistani blogosphere is right now?

While I know many ardent bloggers there are some who don’t even know what a blog is which is no surprise because I think blogging is limited to those who like reading and writing or those who have some professional objective. At least that’s my observation.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers in Pakistan?

I haven’t really visited many or perhaps there aren’t many. Lol. But I follow the following blogs:

http://awaisaftab.blogspot.com/

http://saadjaved.blogspot.com/

http://umertoor.blogspot.com/

http://theumer.wordpress.com/

http://eyezofbeholder.blogspot.com/

What is the future of blogging in Pakistan?

It’s spreading. I’ve seen many Pakistani blogs get born through my own eyes. :-p

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

Blogging has become another means of expression for me. If there is something that I want to say and I want to say really badly, I put it on my blog. I put on it everything I like. It’s like my little escape hole, a little shout box. It’s a place where I can be the way I like, I can be the way I am, without being worried about what will others think and without facing any inappropriate sarcasm.

What are your future plans?

To become a good doctor and to serve this country.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

Love your country, try to make it better place.