The Czar of Humor

Though much have been, talked, heard and written about the iconic artiste Moin Akhter, but I believe if every single Pakistani will pay him the homage, it will be less to balance the happiness, fun, cheers and laughers, he spread among people. Truss up by my love for him, I am here expressing my dedication, respect and inspiration for the legend.

Born in 1950, Moin Akhter beloved of his family and friends, gradually became an apple of the whole nation’s eye. During his 45 years regime in the entertainment industry, he clinches the position of the brightest star due to his extra ordinary work. His performances in Budha ghar pe hai, Bakra kiston per, Rozy, Sach Much and Loose Talk are incredible and a heavenly laughter treats for his viewers.

When I came to know about his death, like others my heart too was not accepting the bitter fact, what out burst me with tears and grief was a thought that “Ab hume hansae ga kaun??” Not only me, all his fans across the globe are mourned and this dilemma is grave across the country. M. Akhter had got the exceeding talent to make people laugh with his simple, prompt and pun oriented jokes, with all decency. Impersonation had always been his forte. He was unprecedented in mimicking Mehdi Hassan, Mohammad Ali, Waheed Murad and Ahmed Rushdi. Zia Mohiuddin used to say “No one can imitate me as well as Moin can.” He was a great friend of his colleagues, and an elder who was overwhelmed by the new talents and had settled many of them in their careers. Umar Sharif, while acknowledging this said “Moin played a vital role in all the success I possess today.”

His death revealed that he was a super star with a golden heart. He had immense love for his friends, fans and humanity. Lehri said on his demise “I lost a friend, the one who called me to Karachi for my treatment and was bearing its expense.” Umar Sharif told in a TV show, on the request of his fan, Moin used to visit her and communicate her in writing as she couldn’t speak. Moin was a charitable person, who runs the bread for many families.

The void left after Moin Akhter can never be filled. He has left us but there are other legends like Mehdi Hassan and Lehri, living an anonymous life in extremely bad condition. Government must pay heed towards them and bear the expenses of their sickness, because they have dedicated their lives to us. They are our asset, our gems so they must be treated in the deserved way.

Though Moin disappears physically from us, but his outclass performances and vibrant memories will lasts in our hearts and minds forever. He remains a guide, an inspiration and institution for every new comer of the showbiz. Without a jot of doubt he is the Czar of legends. May God rest his soul in eternal peace. Aameen.

Irresistible beeps

Toont toont, toont toont!!

Whenever a mobile beeps or vibrates a person begins to check his pockets or rushes to the place where he has kept his mobile phone. This beep is none other than the beep of SMS (Short Message Service).

Splitting his social contact for few seconds a person reads his message without caring about the people talking to him. Completing his SMS he diverts his attention again to his surrounding asking Han Kya keh rae thy tum?

Listening this, the person who had cut off his words for him definitely want to lash a hammer on his head.

This is the situation which is surely faced by each one of us in form of either of the person. But the situation is really helpless because SMS has now become an irresistible and integral part of everyone’s life.

Negligible SMS rates offered by telecommunication companies are a scrumptious treat for its lovers. Youngsters find texting cool and entertaining; house wives a time pass and a binding tech to their relatives, businessmen a cheaper and impact full means of promotion of their products and services, and TV channels a connecting way with the public. Different services offered by media like news alerts or food recepies can be easily available through SMS.

The reaction of people while reading SMS is very exciting to observe. People behave differently according to the SMS. On Funny SMS: a person laughs saying Suno!Ye acha hai, starts to reads SMS for others. Weird SMS:  skeptical reaction while reading, then gives mobile to other saying Parho, tumhe samaj aya? Sad SMS: exhausting facial expression after reading saying about sender, Lagta hai is ko Ishq vishq ho gaya hai. Tangy/ Naughty SMS: Evil smile on face and forward it to others. And if Smses comes non-stop consecutively then turning the mobile to silent mode murmurs, Kitne msgs bhejo ge bhai!!

The expressions of people while reading Smses are indeed a fun to notice. Involving in Smses they laugh, smile, astonish, worry and even whisper, forgetting that they look like a clown for the outer world.

Like peoples reaction Smses itself are very interesting. These enormous numbers of smses rotating in our society are put in some of the categories. Greeting SMS: Smses containing wishes which are sent mostly on special occasions like birthdays, holy days, national days etc. Religious SMS: Smses containg ayaat, ahadith, quotes. Tune to News SMS: Sms compelling us to watch News Channel e.g. Tomorrows paper cancel, watch news. No Parking Sms: Sms insisting to forward it to others e.g. forward this msg to 10 people; you will get good news today. Danger Zone Sms: Sms containing jokes on politicians. Aapa Sms: Sms having revived home remedies of Zubeda Aapa. Begging SMS: Sms pleading for credit e.g. I am in hospital, give me 30Rs credit, I will return. This type of sms is also sent often by friends on short of pocket money.

The most exceptional creation in SMS is the parody SMS which contain humor on famous ads, their tag lines, songs and prominent figures.

The popularity of the products, songs and personalities today, can be determined by the number of Smses it is discussed in. the greater the number of smses the popular its craze is.

So whether Kamran Akmal drops the catch or India gets fake trophy. Holy book is disgraced or any law is violated. From sensitive to funny topic, every news reaches to people more rapidly through SMS then by any other means. Now we have become so use to it then if people get any major news without any sms then they are found saying Hain, Ye kab hua? SMS to aya nai!!

Forwarding sms is not objectionable. But it is our prime responsibility to check out the facts properly before passing that information to other. This will nip any rising panic in the bud. So keep going, it’s your mobile and your money! Keep texting if you like!!

Haey rey Parchi!!

The following post got published at blogs.dunyanews.tv on 17 August 2011


With thousands of dreams twinkling in the hopeful eyes, excitement glooming the face, curiosity and innovative ideas bulging the mind, a person steps in the university, and so did I four years ago.

Introduction and ragging being the ritual at the orientation day was done with us also. An astonishing incident also occurred that day. A senior of ours after introducing himself said’ “Mai ap logo ko yaha best wishes dene aya ho, mai ne b yaha se masters kia hai lekn abi tak jobless hon. Ap logo k lie all the best.” Such a strange wish at the commencing day was really weird for us; taking it as jokes we laughed and get indulged in exploring the new phase of our lives.  Four years could fly in such a flash, I haven’t even imagined. As the university was about to over my dreams, excitement, curiosity and hopes have mounted the sky, much higher then they were at my first day. My destination which was once blurred appears to be clear and illuminating before my eyes. The only thing left is to walk for it.

As days greeting me farewell I realized my destination was not near to me, it is much farther than I have thought. And the basic and gigantic dilemma was that I have no path to walk on.

I tried to my utmost effort and strength to manage a way for myself but very soon I met with a bitter reality that getting myself recruited is very difficult without a reference. (Some call it reference and a common man, parchi)

Parchi is the fastest and smartest key which opens the doors of employment. A ready made halwa for those who have it and an impediment for those who can’t manage one for themselves.

During the process of interview, many of us have listened thousands of excuses for rejection based on reference. Here is a brave and creative one, “Ap ki cv cheekh cheekh k keh rai hai k ap ko appoint kr lon, pr kya kren ap k pas reference jo nai hai, kuch nai ho skta.”

Being the student of media sciences it is our goal to practice in this field. Some of my fellows have accomplished that and others like me are still playing with full zeal to achieve that.

Parents always wanted to see their children high in the sky; they can’t tolerate others of their age flying, if their own child couldn’t make it for himself.

The funniest thing which embarrassed me a lot and make me laugh later occurs when I see a classmate of mine working at a news channel. With full excitement I say, “Arey, ye yahan!” with changing tone expression and facial color my mamma asks, “tum ise janti ho?” I try a lot to escape from this question but fails to succeed because is not uninvited but welcomed by myself. Stammering I murmur, “Ji, Ye mera classmate tha.”

What happens next can only be felt and imagined, it’s very difficult to pen all of it down. Taunts and irony from each family member began to gush in torrents, sweeping my excitement away that I felt few seconds ago and submerge me into the deep sea of embarrassment.

When the roaring tides of taunting tsunami calms down, I laugh a lot at myself and smile at the love of my family who wanted to see me successful without much of struggle.

Yes it hurts, when I see those on good position who are not worthy of it, but being optimistic I always manage to find God’s clue for my betterment in every rejection I face.

I strongly believe that His plans our better than ours. So either He will send me a parchi or will take me to the right person who don’t need it. Trying, trying, and trying are in my hand and blessing is in His. Now whenever anyone taunts me, it is my patent reply, “May be He wants to open my career innings with a huge six!!

The parchi system can not be abrogated so the only motive behind writing this is to motivate the jobless people not to loose their confidence and their faith in Him. There are always some people going through the same state as you are, if you find them better. It’s because of the difference in perceiving that situation. 

Innocence in Darkness

A common man is so much busy in handling the affairs of his inner world that he does not care about the filth, cruelty and complexity in the outer world of him, in the same surroundings in which he dwells. Being blind, happy-go-lucky and reckless from the dirt around him, he enjoys the ups and downs of his life unless a jolt of menace started to affect him. Some of them remain dumb, some talk loud about it and others do not feel that the problem exists.

But no one bothers to think about how to free the environment from its grip.

Child labor is one of those menaces that are spreading in Pakistan like a forest fire. And embarrassingly I was among that common man who notices its innocent prey working regularly, battered by their circumstances.

Scolded by our hearts I and my buddies took an initiative for it. We decided to make a short documentary on Child Labor not only for our final project but also for creating more awareness among our fellows. This compelled us to take a deeper view of this dilemma and cleared its horrible picture in front of us which was once blurred. Targeting a small area we went to roads taking our camera in hands.

As we traveled we were stunned to see that the working children were twice in that area from our expectations. Some were working as fruit and vegetables vendors, some are rag pickers, some are involve in domestic services, some are working at cafes, dhabaas and tandoors, some as sellers and mostly as mechanics. The unhealthy environment in which most of these pretty souls were working was really saddening. The biggest problem which we faced during this process was that the masters were not allowing us to talk or to cover the little labor. Still we manage to interview some of them and came to know that mostly work for wages under 2000Rs and in some cases for no money to pay the debt of their family.

To our great astonishment children we met do not want to study; they do not know that they are being exploited. They are happy the way they are. And obviously children, who are even unaware of their ages, how can felt that what is happening to them is wrong and illegal.

This leads to the birth and growth of this deadly disease for the society. We have laws to stop child labor but unfortunately we don’t have any laws to stop violation of these laws.

Awareness not only on part of children but also on part of parents is adequately needed. Basic financial assistance, proper guidance about the rights of children, importance of education and strict punishment on the violation of the laws will be extremely beneficial to kill this toxic disease of child labor from our society.

The first step matters, instead of waiting for others to take it we all should move forward for it together.