The Pakistani Spectator

I am not very bright, timid at times but determined to do my bit on this planet. I am currently working in an IT Magazine and love my work. I have always been fond of books, and love reading in my spare time. Currently, my quest is to figure out a way into the Ministry of IT without any political affiliation :). Thanks for reading I blog here.

I was so intrigued by the blogging mania which had gripped many people I know. I wanted to find out what was it that captivated them. I remembered making fun of them too. But then, once I started, (I started with making a blog, not reading others’) I couldn’t stop. It was an amazing sounding board and it still is. You can’t imagine the personal satisfaction I get, when I blog about something worth sharing, some issue worth shouting out about. And this is the only way I can make a difference. Even if it is a very teensy one.

My blog is more whiny and certainly needs more improvement. I can’t even begin to compare it with some of the blogs out there. I try to make my blog show exactly who I am and what I believe in. Since everybody is different on this planet, this fact alone sets my blog apart

The ability to be the timidest idiot on the planet. I was pushed into a poetry competition, and I was too scared to back out. Surprisingly, I won it. And the first prize was a trip to UK for a Summer course on Creative Writing. I had never imagined this timidity could lead me to this! And hence it is my one characteristic that has brought me success in this life.

Do I have to answer this ? Happy moments are many Umm.. happiest moment would be when in the Annual Prize Distribution ceremony of my school, the principal was awarding me something for the O Level grades. I was about to go and accept the award, when she stopped me. I was a little confused. I mean, my name had been called ! But then she started speaking and mentioned my mom (who had been one of her first and best students 35 years back)..she talked about her at length and then said “Thank you mother and daughters, for bringing laurels to this school” . That made me extremely happy!

Gloomiest : No doubt about that. My sister’s rukhsati.

I sincerely hope and wish that it would happen soon. It has been a dream of mine to have a wonderful Urdu. And it can only happen if Urdu bloggers buck up and and come up with interesting (simple) blogs. Which readers can easily understand and follow.

1. Gaza
2. Sudan
3. Mecca

I have a lot of favorites because it depends on the kind of mood I am in, to enjoy a particular book. Currently, I am reading “Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan” by Stanley Wolpert (as can be seen from my blog)

Meal: Anything homemade (in which I have added the masalas!)
Dress: Anything simple and decent (and black)
Sport: Cricket, badminton, tennis (but have mostly given up on them)

The way they wear their hair. It tells a LOT.

I think English blogs, because mostly our english-speaking (and preferring) community forms part of the Pakistani online community.

They can do so by updating their blogs regularly, using Google Adsense effectively, and if they’re really serious, they can learn how to do SEO (Search Engine Optimization) on their blogs, so that it becomes more accessible and attracts more traffic.

Uh. I am one of those so it’s kind of embarassing to be answering this. Well, I agree that bloggers need to come out of their shells, but I also think that some blogs are fascinating because of those pretty shells.

It is still developing. But more and more people are starting to blog. So our blogosphere has a bright future ahead of it.

I don’t follow blog as such, to be very honest. But I do like these a lot:

1. http://karachiwali.wordpress.com/
2. http://meer-mehernewspappar.blogspot.com/
3. http://blog.anasimtiaz.com/
4. http://saadjaved.blogspot.com/
5. http://silentgloworm.blogspot.com/

I’ve been stunned by the audacity, but no. Not uniqueness. (I assume you meant it in the positive sense)

It has a bright future. I was inspired by other bloggers. This process will go on. And hopefully we will have a larger, and stronger blogging community here.

Ah. Now that’s a good one. I became more active online, had more of a social life online, and have a very shy/quiet personality outside (professional environment). This blogging life of mine has obviously given me the courage to express myself … which I couldn’t MUCH do effectively earlier..in real life.

To get a masters degree from a reputed university and do something about the pathetic state of engineering research in Pakistan Insha Allah. Also, to continue blogging without any long gaps. And to finish the Bhutto series on my blog! And also to be a good muslimah and learn Arabic. It’s a lot (deep sigh).

Start blogging. Shout out. This is one of the unique ways you can do so. Every one of you out there is different. Why not let others know exactly HOW you’re different.
Try doing something rather than criticizing Pakistan. I know awareness of the problem always precedes the solution, but we seem to be rather stuck at the awareness part.
Er, two messages in fact.