Zen Pakistanis

Zen What?

Hmm.. So Musharraf has been involved in a few hijackings of his own now: Two PIA planes on Jan. 17 carrying parliamentarians and one brand new B-777.

Suggest Musharraf be thrown in Attock Jail for 3 years and then be sent to Jeddah :-)

Enjoyed reading this zen-like critique of a nation in turmoil where rationality gives way to irrational exuberance or manic depression with little in between. The middle way aprroach in thiking or pragatism in action is in large supply among Pakistanis who are ignored (rural Pakistan) and in short supply among those who count (urban Pakistan). Anyway, look who is here...Killer Khalsa..;))

Takling about Pakistanis being the masters at spin. Not every one is taken in by it.

Here is the latest on the spin that greedy scientist were reponsible for nuclear know how leak to other countries.

This is from latimes.

`........Greedy scientists is the explanation being offered by Pakistan`s military rulers. What`s more, they say, they weren`t aware that such sales were going on until just a few weeks ago, when Libya and Iran began spilling the beans. They`re shocked.

But that seems a bit of a stretch. After all, the weapons or the knowledge to make them would sell for billions of dollars, an amount that would have surely raised eyebrows in Islamabad, where corruption by politicians, money skimming and Swiss bank accounts are routinely investigated and published — often as a result of leaks by Pakistani intelligence.

The truth is, the military itself is a more likely culprit in the sales. The military has ruled Pakistan for most of its history, either outright or by pulling the strings of weak and often corrupt governments. The military controls the intelligence agency and its nuclear weapons program....`

Regarding, 777 divertion to Islamabad, it would not be surprising when you consider that the leaders in Pakistan, whether dictators or elected consider the country as their personal jagir. It was just like inspecting the new car.

Bina Jee,

Infomative article, you have. Even your sentiments I found to be moderate and eye-opening. But what I do not understand is why you brought Zen into the picture. Zen is not about moderation, in itself. Zen is a way of living that focuses on us dwelling in the ``suchness`` (just being, existing, without verbal or tacit elucidation) of this world and perceiving it ``as it is`` (without attempting to define or describe it) directly using a spontaneity as if you`re observing these for the first time. Existence in its entirety then unfolds itself and one attains za`zen, or enlightenment.

Your article is called ``Zen Pakistanis,`` but I do not see how the essence of your subject matter bears any significance to Zen philosophy.

Take care.

wow, bina shah writes an article about pakistan and not india for a change

Bina, a really good article :) Made a boring Sunday afternoon not-so-boring after all.

``You know your country needs some help when a new airplane being added to the national airline’s fleet is a cause for joyous celebration throughout the nation. PIA has purchased a Boeing 777 and it made its maiden flight from the UK to Pakistan today....

Unfortunately for the passengers on the plane, who thought that they were going to land in Karachi, the plane was diverted to Islamabad so that President Musharraf could inspect the plane.``

PIA is one of the biggest white elephants in the country, if not in the whole world (at least the aviation world). It is extremely mismanaged with heavily overstaffed employees, making three times what they should be making, with respect to salaries in other professions in Pakistan. It has employee unions that are so strong that they will never let it get privatized, under an elected govt. since they know they will get fired if it is owned by a Seth. And it has only now started making money, after every other international airline has stopped flying to Pakistan, after 9/11.

Having said that, the induction of the Boeing 777 is actually a major event for PIA (and for all of Pakistan). It is not one 777, but eight that have been bought by PIA. And the total cost is $1.5 billion dollars. That is almost 10% of the total market cap of the whole Karachi Stock Exchange. That is a hell of a lot of money for any business transaction in Pakistan, and I can understand why everyone was there. To get a better perspective, 51% of Habib Bank, the second largest bank in Pakistan, was sold for only $390 million dollars. So eight 777s are worth twice the total value of Habib Bank.

Considering the fact that PIA only has around 32 (non-propellor) jet aircraft, all of which are ancient in comparison to the 777, this new batch is like a major overhaul of the whole airline. And these are the first aircraft being bought by PIA in 12 years. Perhaps the Pakistani economy is finally picking up.

Was the plane really diverted to Islamabad? Or are you exxagerating to make a point./And I don`t think Musharraf was there to receive the plane (though perhaps he should have been, considering the amount of money that was being put into it). The MD of PIA and his wife did fly on the plane, after buying their own ticket. And the US Ambassador was there to receive the plane, as well. So one would have to think, it was not a diversion.

Your point on being a society of pessimists and optimists is well-taken. However, I think there is some method to the madness. At least in the case of PIA. Now, if they can only privitize the airline, get rid of over 50% of its employees, greatly lower the salaries of its overly-paid pilots and stewards etc., we may have a good private company on our hands. Otherwise, this $1.5 billion will come out of the taxpayers.

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

Bina - a very well weaved article. Being a long time believer in pessimism, I have a perfect cure to all illnesses in Pakistan. My solution is that all optimism should be banned in Pakistan. No traces of it should be let out in the media or in the speeches of our political and religious leaders. Any one found guilty of optimism should be sentenced to a year of Eisa Khailwi`s music. Any leader who wants to make an optimistic utterance should apply for an NOC (no objection certificate) from a court. That court would require a large sum of money as bond from that politician to ensure that his optimism has sound basis and would not let pakistanis down. In the (likely) event that his/her optimism lets people down, the court would take that money and put it in a fund to promote pessimism to young pakistanis.
I can assure you that this would promote `responsible` optimism.

``What goes up, comes down``
-- Battle cry of PENIS (Pessimists for an ENlightened and Intellectual Society)

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

[No doubt Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan wishes he were that mullah on the moon, as he has been dismissed from his post and put under house arrest for his role in spreading nuclear technology to other nations for monetary gain. The “Father of the Bomb” is undoubtedly realizing that from now on when they call him “Father of the Bum” it won’t merely be a mistake in pronunciation. Pretty soon people are going to start getting the message that it’s a dangerous thing to be on top in Pakistan because inevitably your fortunes will be reversed and you will find yourself taking it up the “bum” by the person who is going to supercede you. Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif can attest to this fact, although the ultimate “bum-takers” such as Zulfiqar Bhutto and Zia-ul-Haq have already gone to meet their makers and cannot add their voices to the growing multitudes in this category. ]

In a way the publicity being showered on Dr. Khan is pretty sad and disappointing.

Obviously, the muslim countries/rulers would have seeked Dr. Khan`s assistance based on what and where his expertise lied.

- Why could not these so called technologically savvy fellows come up with something to smoothen the land of Arafat and save muslim lives that are lost in stampede every damn year ? Making the process of Hajj more systematic would have served as a great process improvement! Why could not Dr. Khan or any other National/International Hero think on those lines? There have been almost 250 deaths during yesterday`s Hajj. The accident took place due to stampede. It did happen because the said Muslims were in a trance mode and lost themselves in the the heat of their prayers. They died in Minaa` while throwing stones on the pillar and cursing ``shaitan``.

- Why the hell did not any Muslim Scientist and Technologist woke up to recommend something worthwhile to the Saudis since that would have saved the lives of Muslims all over the world ? I guess since Muslims do not believe in population control, stampedes are a great way of getting rid of extras :(

Sharing nuclear secrets with nations that do not give any $hit about their natives and the rest of the fellow muslims is indeed INAPPROPRIATE.

Sharing knowledge is not criminal. Sharing knowledge for any monetary gain ain`t criminal. If that`s criminal then every knowledgeable human being is a born criminal.
Having a good taste and owning luxurious villas ain`t criminal at all, provided that was earned and not snatched by hook or by crook.

It`s not the same as fleecing the nation in the amount of 2%. It`s also not the same as taking a halwai, a barber and a cook on offical trips with a batallion of duffers representing the nation.

[The pessmists will say that’s because we’re immature and uneducated, the optimists will say that our emotionality is our greatest strength.]

I am hoping the above was part of the underlying satire since it is a simplistic and incomplete deduction.

Bina:

Eid Greetings :) the article made a good read..but Romair #9 has raised some relevant issues..something twice the worth of Habib Bank sure is worth some celebration!! although it remains to be seen if it proves to be a financially viable investment for our poor nation..

Bina:

This could have been a good article if you had avoided citing incidents that went against your case (ref post # 9).

Your last paragraph made me write that in Pakistan we are at least holding people accountable for their follies. In India, when the website by the name of Tehelka showed us the level of corruption in Indian Government, it was Tehelka that was made to disappear. Moreover, Indian judicial system is playing musical chairs in favor of Joshi and Advani over Babri Mosque (an incident that resultant in deaths of thousands of innocent Hindus and Muslims) and is also playing musical chairs in favor of those fundoo Indoos arrested for killing of Muslims in a bakery in Gujrat. We should also recall that most of the 52 most wanted Iraqis were found to be educated in India, Indian chemical companies were colaborating with Iraq on chemical weapons, an Indian was caught in England dealing in arms for terrorists, etc.

In view of the above, I am eagerly looking forward to your next article titled `Zen Indians`

:-)