Call Me, Beta

The Ashrafs finally convene to discuss the recent elections in Pakistan, and try to untangle what's happening—and has been happening in the last few years, and how things work. What's each player doing? Imran Khan, the PTI, the military Establishment, … You might even come away better equipped to understand Israeli politics. But no guarantees! It is, as we say, family; it's politics; and sometimes it's just family politics.

We also mention Razi Dada: https://www.youtube.com/@RaziNaama

… and Khala ka beta Salman: https://www.249kasalman.pk/salman/

"The South Asian mindset is only now starting to come out being colonized," says @iFaqeer halfway through this episode. And The Ashrafs launch into a discussion of the basics of the South Asian Origin Story. Was it a Partition or Independence? What exactly led to Pakistan coming into existence? We also cover what @AfricaIsACountry recently quoted Yasmin Khan describing as the rupturing of community evolution, and distortion of historical trajectories.

One small correction we should offer is that Aurangzeb's mother was not Hindu. His grandmother and great grandmother most probably were.You will also hear mention of, or find background material at:

* Macaulay's Children.

* The Comprador Class. There is a very interesting paper on the comprador class in the Pakistani context here.

* Justice Makarand Katju's reference to Partition as a "British Swindle".

* The Sepoy Mutiny, if you will. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rebellion_of_1857

* William Dalrymple and his work.

* Babus.

* The Bollywood Movie Lagaan.

* The Khilafat Movement.

The current Pakistani government has rather suddenly decided to kick out a million unregistered Afghan Refugees. Discussing that situation brings The Ashrafs back to talking about South Asia, South Asian history, and inevitably words and their meanings.

Things you will hear mentioned include:

* A Sapan event about the refugee crisis, or crises, across South Asia

* An Open Letter from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) to the UNHCR

* A Twitter thread on the longer history of Af-Pak relations (pun intended)

* Ahmed Rashid's book on The Taliban. [Please help us figure out what the correction pronunciation of his name is.]

* A telex home (kinda like a Cipher 😉) from the US Ambassador in Karachi (yes, Karachi) about Af-Pak relations—from 1951

As the war—or what you call it (and we do discuss that)—gets to the one-month mark, The Ashrafs discuss tuning out as a coping mechanism; more history (because Ashrafs—and see references below); and how all this is playing out in American politics and beyond. How and when will The Western Establishment get off its dime on Palestine-Israel.

Amongst the things we discuss include:

* Nadeem Farooq Paracha's article titled "Manufacturing a Holy War". He's written more about the topic, too. You can read it all here on the website of Dawn, the Pakistani newspaper.

* The NMDC statement and the iFaqeer thread about political ramifications. Reuters had an article, and the Wall Street Journal covered the Biden Administration response. Deconstructed had a very informative podcast on the issue, and Bob Scheer had an interview of Juan Cole on the topic.

* And iFaqeer always recommends watching the Israeli television serious Fauda.

Where the Ashrafs introvert about why Pakistanis are emotional sbout Palestine? Why has Palestine been—and why is it still—such an emotive issue all over the globe? What's with the Hang Gliders? What's with all the propaganda? And please excuse Abbu's being ill. Any family "tootke" you can suggest?

With the events starting October 7, 2023, the Ashrafs finally wade into the Israel-Palestine issue, discussing the shape of the “Aqsa Flood” attacks; the possibility of genocide in “the world’s largest (open air) prison”; the history of Hamas; the South Asian angle; the social media noise; American political reaction; and on and on in this jumbo episode. And, of course, we vent.