The Pakistani Spectator

Could you tell us what made you decide to blog?
It’s a long story. Way back in 2004 I was very active in Rotaract (youth wing, you can say, of Rotary International). I had many good friends around the world and one of them Simone, once invited me to visit her online diary and it was a blog. I was very much impressed but had no idea that I will actually blog. Same year, my brother was mal treated in his college and I was running a media campaign against the college administration. People use to ask me a lot of questions and I was in a need of putting all the details online so I started my first ever blog, Silence and this was my first step to blogging.

What do you think sets Your blog apart from other blogs?
Its diversity, originality and at the moment, I am very much into publishing round ups of blogsphere so it is something different from other blogs.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success, what would it be?
I use to have faith in myself and my work.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?
Hmmm its hard pick one because I have many such celebrated moments but I would say when my first paper was published in Student British Medical Journal during my study in medical school, it was the day I was very happy along with my dearest friend Dr. Subhash Chandir, we were co-authors infact.

Urdu Blogs have got huge potential, when do you think they will really take on the online horizon in Pakistan?
Not only Urdu blogs but blogs in Sindhi, Punjabi, Pushto etc have got a good deal of potential. In my view the main hurdle in its way is typing in Urdu and other such languages. To me it has always remained a great deal of problem to type in Urdu and Sindhi. I had plans to blog in Sindhi too but due to this issue, I am not able to make any head way. I think when this issue will get resolved; we will be able to see all such blogs mushrooming in our blogosphere.

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?
Mauritius
Europe as a whole
Srinagar

What is your favorite book and why?
I do have a huge list of books I literally love so it is very difficult to choose one from amongst them. Here, I would like to take this opportunity to mention two books that have a great impact on my life; Nahjul-Balagh (not from a religious point of view but due to the wisdom offered by Hazrat Ali A.S in that book in form of speeches). This book helped me sail smoothly during my medical school where politics and violence was a day to day activity. It in fact saved me from a lot of troubles. I applied lots of principles asserted in that book. The other book that I find very near to me is Shah-Jo-Risalo by Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai; here I can’t stop myself from mentioning two more books yes Tanvir Chai (Tanvir says) by Dr Tanvir Abbasi, this book is in Sindhi and genre is poetry and Nuskha-e-Hai Wafa by Faiz. See I took too much of your time, I think you might have learned a lesson to not to ask about books from a keen reader!

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

Do you think Pakistani politicians could benefit from the social networks and things like twitter?
Yes because they are turning into a mass media in Pakistan though already a mass media in developed world. I think today’s young generation is using these services and if some politician is focusing on these networks, he can gain a good deal of mileage at least with young generation that finds appeal in online activities. Politicians need to treat the virtual world seriously; it will help them in real world too.

Whose Future is more bright in Pakistan; English blogs or Urdu Blogs?
See it’s not a race and even if you calling it a healthy competition, I would say they will go hand in hand but English offers a wider readership.

How Pakistani bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?
They can join the advertisement program that can help them get some money out of their blogs. Adsense by Google is around and apart from this they can benefit from reviewing products from advertisers. Pay per post, review me etc are doing a good job. See, if bloggers are getting paid for blogging, I think it will improve the over all standard of write ups by bloggers getting added every day in a wide pool of posts.

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?
Every blogger has his priorities and if some bloggers is self-centered, its also equally valuable because if he is saying something, it shows that he has something to say moreover he is pouring his heart out, it can help us understand a human being, his thoughts, his life and a lot more, there is not question of going out of shells. I kept blogging for quite sometime that way and transition to the current form was gradual and unintentional. So I think other assumptions if any are not important. It is all about liberty to choose the subject for writing; it’s all about choice of a blogger.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?
I don’t think so, I am a professional field epidemiologist, I use to work 9-5 and at times more and I think I use to blog at my ease, I have integrated it the way other day to day activities are there.

What are your thoughts on corporate blogs and what do you think the biggest advantages and disadvantages are?
To me corporate blogs are a good tool to reach out, today it’s all about interactivity and blogs can play a great role in that case. Advantages and disadvantages, at the moment, I believe that they are beneficial and the problem will start when these blogs will start dissemination of misinformation. It is the biggest concern.

Does it pain you or proud you that we have made a history by electing a uniform general as our president?
We never elected him.

Do you think this whole emphasis on blogs and whatever online is a significant indicator to show that the web, the social web, is becoming a very important social force?
Yes I think that way.

What do you think where the Pakistani blogosphere is right now?
It’s still in initial stages and we need to go a good deal forward. There are multiple factors responsible for that.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers in Pakisan?
Dr Awab Alvie
Saj Shirazi
Omer Alvi
Raza Rumi
Ifaqeer

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger in Pakistani blogosphere?
Not yet

What is the future of blogging in Pakistan?
Very bright

In political respect, can we say blogging a ‘democracy of message’?
Not necessarily. The simplest definition of democracy is government of, by and for the people, when we will put this definition in the statement above, blogging will to meet the criteria fully because some bloggers don’t believe that their blogs are for all. I found one such blog of a lady who use to blog in order to let her husband know her feeling about him. They were latter divorced.

Can Pakistani blogosphere play any notable role in the forthcoming elections, if they happen at all?
Yes it can, by leading the opinion of people who are reading the blogs. At least it can leave an impression on the young voters who are very much involved in online activities.

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

What are your future plans?
I will continue practicing Public health; I will continue writing and will keep improving day after day since to me life means dynamism.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?
Hmmm Life is beautiful, love it like anything and yes keep reading blogs around!