Protest in New York! Omar,

I commend the job you have done in talking about a political and social issue that remains eclipsed by squabbling on a national level, and the violation of political freedoms.

The fact is, much of Pakistani society educates itself to be intolerant of other communities. We laugh at difference, and we are scared by it. The Christians are one of several communities in the country that have contributed to its economic and social fabric in enriching ways - the Catholic School Board being a case in point. That recognition, and that gratitude, must be granted them.

However, it is easy to be an idealist being a Pakistani abroad - in that bastion of modern freedoms we know as New York. Do we do enough to educate our own families, friends and neighbours here, or in our forgotten neighbourhoods back home? Our children must be taught respect for all, they must see that diversity can be a source of unifying strength, and great pride. Until the next generation of Pakistanis around the world does not grow up with those values, minority rights and representation will all remain ad hoc measures... for a very manufactured equality.

Keep on posting!

Manail

Last Orders Kamal,

Of course! I remember reading this piece a while back (tumhein yaad ho ke na yaad ho)! I wonder why you didn`t send it in sooner. It resonates with your own lifestyle. Methinks you are still in the throes of autobiography.

And by the way, everyone, treat this not as fiction.

Welcome to chowk, Kamal. I think it`s time to put `Afghanistan` the poem online, too.

Love,

M

Not Far, Now Very sensual.

There`s a round sense of completion to your poem, and it combines feeling and craft. And this is a tender, brave departure from the over-cerebral so often seen.

Please, show us more of your work.

Selected Poems Gentle writer,

One at a time, please! I find I do not do readerly justice to any, if they come so profusely.

The Point Shandana,

Your piece was riveting - and very, very disturbing. I`ve heard a statistic claiming every 2 in 3 children is physically molested. While the number may be smaller for grown women, this is a problem. A very big one. And in Pakistan, we tend to turn our heads away when we hear of such incidents.

Bravo to you for standing up to a vile, filthy man, and the mentality he represents. And shame on him for claiming to be a man of faith - any faith - by pointing to its outermost, and most meaningless symbols - his attire.

Well done!

Manail

Sadia Afroze Ali Temp,

A wonderful piece, filled with waves of nostalgia, tinged with sad realisation. You`ve touched upon the pain of generations. I hope your letter helped you do away with some of your own.



Manail

My encounter with Jalib sac,

Good writing, though I found the references in the beginning superfluous. Why taint your work, friend, with indelicacies?

Let me be cliched, and say that your piece brought back many memories for me, too. Jalib stands out in my mind as `The Poet of Resistance`, a phrase I read on the jacket of one of his books. He is my personal political poet, and helped greatly in keeping my patriotic self intact, in those uncertain days I had first come away to college in the US.

I wonder what it is, though, with us `aspiring writers` in financial services? Must have something to do with all the talk of money. Maybe Jalib can explain it better in his own words:

aik hamain avaara kehna koi bad`aa ilzaam nahin

dunya vaale dil vaalon ko aur bohot kuchh kehte hain...

Manail

TIEcon 2000 Generates Hope Ras,

Thanks for an informative read. Ever notice how business and the economy, like poetry and the arts, never receive as much attention as politics or psycho-social babble?

Regardless, I write on the eve of the commencement of the APSENA 2000 conference. I go with high expectations. This is the first conference of its kind I have heard of - organised by the Association of Pakistani Scientists and Engineers of North America, to do with the new economy and overseas Pakistanis. It is being held in Washington DC, and will hopefully be a good platform for networking, business and social exchange among the Pakistani-American community.

While I do hope to report on this, I wonder if there exist any other forums akin to the one I mentioned - I know, for instance, of APPNA - Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America. A central resource, like a website or an information manager, would benefit the community in incalculable ways.

In the end, let me add that a very contributive part of the fabric of South Asian America are the non-Indian South Asians, and by this, like you, I do not mean Pakistanis, but all other South Asians also. We`ve gone too long identifying with the banner that is `India`. This term applied to us in colonial times, but in this politically aware age, `South Asian` is by far a more inclusive term. Let`s hope we all use it more often.

Manail

The Beautiful Dawn Bravo Yasser!

Interesting piece - and good to see young writers `coming out` in such a brave way. A few comments, though:

Women representatives in Pakistani parliament: 35%? Surely this is assuming a very high rate of female foeticide and infanticide? The ratio of men to women in the country is definitely not 2:1.

Another thing: Malcolm X doyem aka Hasan Jones? Get down with the homies more often. I don`t think that`s the dream!

And finally, who`s your Indian friend? You know, the one who you`ll come out shaking hands with at Simla? ;-)

Manail

And the Oscar Goes to....Hell Imtisal, your writing style is fresh and creative. Please, do update us on the Lollywood scene also. It`s been a while since I came across a readable piece about the buxom beauties back home.

To Western Women What an overwhelming response! When I first read the poem, I consigned it to the part of my psyche that is intolerant of such superficial sentiments about religion, gender roles and society.

But then I read the replies. I do believe we are slowly becoming the vocal - liberal - minority! Chowk readers, you may just return to a tired reader, her faith in all things sensible.

On hearing of the death of BM Re: #34 hia4

Hassan,

By the rules I should continue the discussion of your article on your reply list, but since you`ve replied here, I should respond.

I`ve found that even a sneeze will elicit nasty, hasty and over-generalised responses on this website, but let that not deter you. Let that also not send you to a level of discussion other than intellectual. But do respond to your critics, it`s usually a useful exchange (temporal, are you listening?).

Your sense of confusion is shared very deeply by many. Infamous as I am for a call to action, perhaps something should be done about this over and above introductions through personal networks.

Write me at manail@hotmail.com and I`ll share my thoughts.

Manail

American Born, British Born, Canadian Born but still Desi Hassan,

You`ve written about an issue close to many of our hearts. As a desi born and raised in Pakistan, and an immgrant educated and now working in the US, my friends and I share your sense of confusion. We also wonder about how many more people there are out there (in cities, in suburbia, on college campuses, in corner stores) who share this sense of nostalgia, mixed with a need to identify with others, and a tinge of sadness at being socially and professionally `successful` but personally quite lost.

In my observation, there are many sub-sets to the expatriate desi communities. Aside from the usual first- and second-generation immigrants, there are the new immigrants who have seen a comparable lifestyle in their native countries, but have moved here for whatever reason - education, the broadening of horizons, relocation of spouse/family etc. This is the group I found most dissatisfied - they experience a sense of loss and deep longing even as they adapt and integrate seamlessy into Western culture, also professionally surpassing their Western peers.

I have had numerous conversations with friends about how it is becoming easier and easier to pack up and go right back home, because of the better or comparable opportunities that are now beginning to be on offer. Societal problems, double standards, social ills, hypocrisy, poverty, and depravity in the mother country - all these become negligible as compared to the ability to be among family and friends, to speak your language, practice your very own lifestyle (be that `desi`, `Westernised`, `Americanised`, or an amalgamation of it all).

For some of us, there is no question of a choice. But some of us make the choice to stay. The fact is though that such a choice becomes harder and harder to justify every passing day. How does one forget a time and place so magical?

I can only speak for myself - despite the fact that I love my job, have many friends, am in regular contact with my friends and family in Pakistan, and have found a sub-culture of thinking and enlightened desis in the West, there is still only one place I refer to as home. Three guesses for which one that is.

Manail

PS Do take a look at my poem, `On hearing of the Death of BM`, in previous entries. You`ll find allusions to this thread there.

On hearing of the death of BM It`s been quite a ride so far, what with all the responses to my poem, and the fortunate debate it has sparked off about artists in Pakistan. I do, however, want to address something Ras said about becoming `too familiar`. The wonderful thing about art of any kind is that it always, always, speaks for itself alone. To take my silly little paragraph about myself as an introduction, or even an embellishment to the poem in question, is to lose sight of the poem itself.

And then, I do believe one can still choose to speak for oneself in any medium, and through any channel one likes, unless of course one still subscribes to notions of intellectual censorship. Let alone the right to free creative speech, to let a certain preference for introductions dictate the agenda would be to stem the flow of creativity. We all come across things that do not conform entirely to our sensibilities. To some (many, many others besides Ras), that paragraph at the end of my poem was jarring and unnecessary. To be honest, I don`t quite know how I feel about it myself. But let that not stand in the way of it being said. An opinion is an opinion is an opinion, after all.

On hearing of the death of BM Tabinda, All,

First of all, thanks so very much for your responses to the poem. I can go on forever about how gratifying it is to see others reading what was once a very private grief, and speaking about it intelligently. Very, very heartening.

Secondly, I must apologise to all, and Tabinda Sehr in particular, for not registering responses to their posts. I wonder what I was waiting for.

Thanks to temp, we know now that Bashir Mirza was a Pakistani painter. Presumptuous on my part, but I had assumed *everyone * knew that. Sorry for living in cocoon! There are many other great artists whom I, for instance, would have no clue about, and I should have been sensitive to this fact for the readers` sake.

And on a different note, Manail is indeed an Arabic `import`. It comes from the root ma-na-la, and may mean many things, I am told. My favourite deifinition is `beyond enlightenment`, though `gift` and `unique` have also been suggested. Someone with a knowledge of Arabic would know, I`m sure.

For the interests of keeping personal discussions off chowk`s server space, if anyone has queries about things other than the poem itself, please e-mail me at manail@hotmail.com.

Manail

Seeing Our Selves What a fabulous poem! You`ve woven intricate thoughts together so very beautifully, and with such simplicity. It`s rare to come across such heartfelt creative writing about a subject as shrouded in taboo as this one, even in the `free world` of ideas we are told we inhabit. Please, say more.