Archive for November, 2008

On-Air: Thursday, November 27 {10am, 4pm, 3am (PST)}

Monetary exchange, expectations and cultural practices such as dowry and bride price (vulvar for the Pashtun and lub for the Baloch) continue to thrive in our society. I went into the studio thinking that I’d weigh the pros and cons of all these practices coupled with some convincing religious backing and hopefully come to a conclusion as to why we have whole heartedly embraced such norms and practices, and when will we free ourselves from the same.

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On Air: Wednesday, November 26 {10am, 4pm, 3am (PST)}

I have realized one thing today - my restlessness is both promising and naïve. Escalating insurgency, enveloping uncertainty, heartbreaking helplessness, jaded expressions, dissipated masses - what is going on?  Are we truly bleeding, or is all this media hype?  I have a mental image of a rag doll, being pulled from one side by the state claiming to safeguard it from the suffocating fundamentalism that threatens to consume it. The ‘saviors’ ripping the other arm out of its socket claim to be protecting the people from political, economic and social exploitation at the hands of ‘unlawful’ authorities under western influence. The result is of a nation which is confused at best and numb at worst - which is what kills me, worse than hate is indifference. Are we drowning in a drunken stupor? If so, what is the inevitable? If no, then are we at the brink of a mass movement? Will the masses shrug off their fear and apologetic stance and challenge the tyrants, the oppressors, the mindless murderers?  Aha! This is where most of us folly in making assumptions on behalf of the common man in Pakistan. The common man must be asked, who really are the oppressors, the murderers? The answers are shocking and yet not so shocking.

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On Air: Thursday, November 20 {10am, 4pm, 3am (PST)}

Every once in a while a man is born who is cut above the rest, in his thinking, ideology, outlook and mission. Today is the 24^th death anniversary of Faiz Ahmad Faiz. I’m one of those people who were unable to meet him owing to the fact that I was only 9 months old when he passed away.

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Live Show: Tuesday, November 19 {10am, 4pm, 3am (PST)}

In the wake of tireless negotiations, unflagging efforts and vigorous cat and mouse games between the civil society and the government, the cabinet has finally approved the bill titled “Protection against Harassment at the Workplace”. Nai Rahain did a show on sexual harassment at the workplace earlier this year.

Relentless studies and research have confirmed the prevalence of harassment of women at the workplace, across different industries and surprisingly, even different strata of society. In the absence of any legal punishment or in fact any official recognition/definition of ?sexual harassment’ altogether, the mental, emotional and psychological agitation of female employees has been unaddressed and on the rise. ?The government, dawdling in introducing an official legal framework warranting a safe and conducive work environment, had been complacent till recently.

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