The Comrade Jingle

A gallon of tea,
Stash of pot,
A bundle of hash,
Party all the best,
Marx on the table,
Engels on the chest,
Some friends in Cuba, Quebec
Oh the best were Bolsheviks,
Nostalgia of times you never spent,
Glories you never shared,
Ideas out of date,

A pen, a book, a literary fest,
Get a wrench,
Fix a thing or two before you brag,
Oh comrade,
Gimme a break,
I live in Asia,
Not a Czech,
My father worked on a broken deck,
Rode a bike that was second hand,
Life is harsh you tell me that?

I lived it all,
And lost him too,
Through the system,
You think works true,
Viva la democracy you say,
Trae en la revolución I dare!

How was Lahore?

The Institute of Architects Pakistan, Lahore Chapter held the IAPEX 2013 along with Student Jamboree on February 8th, 9th and 10th. This was the second time for me to be supervising students for a Student Jamboree, last one was during the ARCASIA Congress in Bali, Indonesia.

Expo center extension inspired resembling Louis Kahn's work

Entrance to the extension

Interior scattered with posters about Engro Annual Sales Conference

The program started with a long, and excruciatingly slow train journey starting February 6th and ending 8 o'clock in the morning on February 7th, at least 7 hours late than expected arrival time.

Engine developed within 2 hrs of leaving of Karachi, 5 hr delay

Hyderabad train station if am not mistaken

Stall to charge cell, while hawkers also sold solar/disposable cellphone chargers

If I had to say how was Lahore? In short, Lahore was dusty. The new metrobus idea is stupid to say the least. The new food street is too expensive and I wish I could just bring all the historical buildings to Karachi. Not to say the buildings would be safe here, but I won't have to go to Lahore to visit and document at least.

Near the Badshahi Mosque

Badshahi Mosque, built by Aurangzeb during 1670s

Extreme right dome Gurdwara Dera Sahib Panjvin Patshahi built by Ranjit Singh 

This is the mosque and the dome you see on right is of Gurdwara Dera Sahib Panjvin Patshahi built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh who is also buried here. Right next to the Mosque is the red light district of old Lahore.

Fort entrance facing the mosuq

Apparently the Mughals kept their observation decks made in such a way that they could keep an eye on the activities going on at the mosque, where they feared conspiracies to overthrow them might be cooked by the mullahs.

Door exiting right onto the red light area

The new and very expensive food street

This food street was originally the commercial street of the red light district where vendors used to sell musical instruments etc. All in all the trip to Lahore wasn't bad. Including the return journey by train without any delays.

Rumi - Na Man Behuda Girde

I do not understand Persian, but the first time I listened to this poetry I fell in love. Beautifully sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, this is one of my most favorite Sufi kalam by Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī or Rumi. Came across this poetry while searching for qawwalis on youtube, but hail the ban, I lost the song and could not find an mp3 either. Today of all days I decided to download hotspotshield just to listen to this song and luckily the new realplayer update allowed me to not only download the song, but make an mp3. Here is a very basic translation I could come up with, for what was already out there doesn't seem very appealing.

نه من بيهوده گرد کوچه و بازار می گردم
Na man behuda gird-e-koocha-o-bazar me gardam
My roaming on streets & bazaars is not pointless

مذاق عاشقی دارم پی ديدار می گردم
Mazaq-e-aashiq-e-daram ba-deedar me gardam
I seek thee, beloved

خدايا رحم کن بر من پريشان وار می گردم
Khudaya rehm kun barman, pareshan waar me gardam
Have mercy on me, for I am anxious

خطا کارم گناه کارم به حال زار می گردم
Khata karam gunah garam ba-haal-e-zar me gardam
I have sinned; wandering, troubled

شراب شوق می نوشم به گرد يار می گردم
Sharab-e-shoq me nosham, ba-gird-e-yaar me gardam
Intoxicated by desire I seek thee and roam

سخن مستانه می گويم ولی هوشيار می گردم
Sukhan mastana me goyam, walay hushyaar me gardam
Not drunk but alert as I search

گهی خندم گهی گريم گهی افتم گهی خيزم
Gahe khundam, gahe giryum, gahe ufftum, gahay khezum
Every now and then laughing, crying, falling, rising

مسيحا در دلم پيدا و من بيمار می گردم
Maseeha dar dilum paida, o-man beemar me gardam

Roving sick as the messiah knocks at my heart's door

بالبم رسیده جانم تو بیاں که زنده مانم
Ba labam raseeda jaanam utu biya ke zinda manam

Death is round the corner, please come so I shall live

پس اذ آں کے من نه مانم بہ چھکار خواہی آمد
Pas az aan ke man na manam ba chih kar khaahi aamad
If you come when I am no more what use will it be

جدا ماسکی رسم آشنای است
Juda maskaye rasm-e-aashnaye ast
As the familiar mask is drawn

بیا که مرا تا قطعی جدای است
Baya kay marata qataye-judaye ast
And arrives the time of deliverance

بیا جانا عنایت کن تو مولانای رومی را
Baya jana inayat kunto Maulana Rumi Ra

Beloved! Come, aid your Maulana Rumi

غلام شمس تبریزم قلندروار می گردم
Ghulam-e-Shams-e-Tabraizi, Qalandar-war me gardam
Wanderer, slave of Qalandar Shams Tabraizi

For those who can access youtube:

Bloody letters!

Dripping blood on a marble floor,
Horses hooves smearing those,
Paint, paint these images before they fade,
Gone in those mopping blades,
Bleeding stone, is it?
Heartless it was, wasn't it?
Straining against these constraints,
Entangled in the bushes of hell,
Stop it I say,
Break these chains,
Be a free stallion again!

Pakistani left, get off your high horse!

The following is in response to the Awami Workers Party (AWP) statment where they called themselves followers of the long line of left parties throughout Pakistan’s history, that have struggled for building a socialist society, a world free of imperialism, and equality of nations. They claim to be representing the interests of working people and oppressed nationalities. And on the basis of these convictions they reject the so-called ‘revolution’ being spearheaded by TahirulQadriin Islamabad. According to the AWP under no circumstance does Qadri, or any other self-proclaimed leader of the people, can represent the toiling classes. Referring to Qadri as a conspiracy and a non-entity aimed to derail the democratic process, they question his claim to fame and his foreign residency.

The AWP also disagrees with Qadri's claims for establishing a genuine democracy. In their opinion, Pakistan, a feudal country already was on its way to achieving democracy through a democratic process, for which many of their members had worked hard, especially during the 'free judiciary movement'.

AWP further assures us that under no circumstance will they tolerate this conspiracy, and in days to come they will dedicate all of their human and intellectual resources (I wonder what are the numbers) to ensure that elections are held on schedule.

Despite expressing dismay at the timing of the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision to issue an arrest warrant for the sitting prime minister and leader of the house in the National Assembly, the AWP expects SC will honor its commitment to ensuring a peaceful democratic transition from the present elected regime to the next one.

The AWP as usual after blaming military and the imperialists powers, reassures us that they are committed as ever, to struggle against both these forces, alongwith all exploiting classes and rightists that seek only to ensure the continued subjugation of our long-suffering people.

Here's what I have to add:

F@%# off! If the left had actually not wasted time in 'intellectual masturbation’ over the years we might have had something to join today. But we don't.

As for saying Qadri is foreign returned. Most of you are foreign returned too, offspring of the elite. STFU! The democratic process you are bemoaning here is not democratic. It is adulterated feudalism. SO stop with this BS.

This so-called revolution is a product of the so-called democracy you are wailing about. People have been on the streets supporting Qadri. No matter what their political ideology you have no right to say that he is self-appointed, unless you consider the ones on the streets subhuman.

It might be a conspiracy on some level, but it no longer is so. It is being acted out right on the center stage, and instead of burying your head in sand. The left should step off this ‘self-appointed’ political and intellectual high ground. You have neither!

The few supporters you have are most of the times fighting amongst each other. The new lot, the young lot, half of it is sitting abroad and is only good for theaters, blogging, making documentaries on the ‘oh poor people, laborers, workers' etc. You have hardly ever done any cadre building. Isolated leaders are all you have now. Even if combined, none of them have enough charisma or leadership ability to counter what we have among the mullahs, army and the bloody politicians.

For the AWP statement: https://www.facebook.com/notes/awami-workers-party-official/awps-statement-on-current-political-situation/442143165841016 

Well played (na)Pak army!

The National Reconciliation Ordinance finally bore fruit for the Pakistani establishment, as the 'democratically' elected government imposed emergency in Baluchistan. Trust on people to demand for the army in Pakistan when the napak army's and CIA's illegitimate children, read Lashkar-e-Jhangvi kill innocent people in hundreds. Since killing a few here and a few there wasn't working for them, they had to come up with plan B. Kill so many at the same time, that people themselves ask for the father to interfere. And what best place to do so then Baluchistan. And who to target but the Shia, who have never been a laid back minority.

In Urdu this is 'aik teer se do shikaar'.

The cards were played well. This time the Pakistan People's Party government did not make the same mistake their pioneer made in 1970s when the Provincial Government in Baluchistan was toppled down and Governor's rule was imposed against the will of the people. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto made the mistake of declaring emergency without the consent of any group residing in Baluchistan, Asif Ali Zardari did so with consent from an ethnic minority, namely the Hazara community. The Shia Genocide issue has played well in favour of the central government and very much against the ethnic Baluch population, who will be further marginalized.

To hell with missing people, to hell with ethnic cleansing of Baluch. As usual, instead of punishing the real culprits who have been targeting the Shia community all over Pakistan, we have literally handed over the whole province to the perpetrators (directly or indirectly) of all these crimes, namely the Frontier Corps, loathsomely remembered as the FC brutes responsible for thousands of missing persons in Baluchistan.

The FC has got policing powers for at least the next two months. Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi is still Governor Baluchistan, FC has been in Baluchistan for ages now, only difference is, there will be no Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani. So what has changed? How does the FC propose to change the situation for the Shia Hazara community? We can only wait to see whether they kill the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Jundullah militants or the Baluch nationalists.

Oh and lets not forget that Akhtar Mengal called top Hazara leaders in solidarity, while Baluchistan National Party (BNP) leaders participated in Quetta sit-in as per local media reports.

An excerpt from the Baluch Hal dated September 9, 2010, that incidentally cannot be viewed in Pakistan without proxy:

Senior Vice-President of the National Party(NP) Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo has said that the proposed Frontier Corps (FC) action against Baloch people was meant to impose an emergency rule in Balochistan or impose the direct central rule of the federal government through a governor on the oil and gas rich Balochistan province. (http://thebalochhal.com/?p=8931)

Bleeding heart Pakistani foreigners

I've had enough of these bleeding heart desi foreigners who sit abroad and tell 'us' how we are not enraged the way we should be, or are not doing enough about the issues in Pakistan. Get your fukn ass back here and try to do what we do here. Survive on a day to day basis, without electricity, without gas and at times no water. Oh and not to forget that if you are a Shia, you or anybody from your family can be killed in the blink of an eye. Cause we cannot charge the Takfiri Deobandis with blasphemy.

Enough is enough. You with your tweets and facebook statuses, commenting about the situation in Pakistan and then complaining, 'oh its cause the people themselves don't want to fix it', 'wahan kay log khud nahi chahtay kuch behtar karna', 'Pakistani to bus bohat hi buray hein', 'wahan kay log sust hein, kahil hein' etc etc. Shutup! And go to the hole you live in whatever country you are residing in at the moment. 

We live here, we deal with the shit every day. We might not be perfect, but a few of us are trying, and will continue to do so. If you are so concerned, move back and increase the number of people who want to bring about a positive change. Otherwise, to hell with your internal racism and phobia.