How to Pakistan

Indian academic, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, or PBM joins Mosharraf and Fasi in a wide-ranging conversation about India, urbanization, our complex past, and our complicated future. And yes, we talk Bollywood, and Priyanka Chopra too.

Pratap does is one of India’s finest and most influential public intellectuals. Based in New Delhi, Pratap heads the Centre for Policy Research think-tank, and writes a weekly column for the Indian Express. Learn more about Pratap here: http://www.cprindia.org/people/pratap-bhanu-mehta

Both Mosharraf and Fasi are big fans.

Fasi’s favourite PBM pieces?

“I am Sanskrit” by Pratap Bhanu Mehta, December 8, 2014

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/i-am-sanskrit/

“Why every patriot should be worried, and, yes, ashamed” by Pratap Bhanu Mehta, November 27, 2015 http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/who-is-a-patriot/

Mosharraf’s favourite PBM piece?

“A new bully pulpit” by Pratap Bhanu Mehta, October 4, 2014

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/a-new-bully-pulpit/99/

Hope you enjoy.

As always our entry and exit song is Adil Omar and Talal Qureshi’s “Nighat & Paras”.

On January 10, 2016 Feisal Naqvi wrote a provocative oped in The News titled, "The curious case of the Federal Shariat Court". In response, Salman Akram Raja, Afiya Shehrbano and Babar Sattar have written rebuttals, whilst Feisal has written one counter-rebuttal.

It is a fascinating debate that opens up a range of complex issues related to Pakistan's legal system, its political culture and the space and place of liberal Pakistanis in the national discourse.

This episode is one hour and thirty six minutes long, as we interview Afiya Shehrbano, Salman Akram Raja and the trigger-man himself, Feisal Naqvi to ask them about their impressions of this debate and how they feel at this moment. It was recorded on January 30.

The first interview with Afiya begins early on in the episode. The interview with Salman begins at 23 minutes. The interview with Feisal begins at 46 minutes.

Mosharraf and Fasi wrap up the discussion at 1 hour and 15 minutes into the episode.

The articles:

January 10, 2016

The curious case of the Federal Shariat Court - by Feisal Naqvi

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/89285-The-curious-case-of-the-Shariat-Court

January 16, 2016

An act of appeasement? - by Salman Akram Raja

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/90659-An-act-of-appeasement

January 24, 2016

The art of the possible - by Feisal Naqvi

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/93377-The-art-of-the-possible

January 27, 2016

The gift of Zia - keeps on giving Afiya Shehrbano

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/94299-The-gift-of-Zia-keeps-on-giving

January 29, 2016

Gratitude for bigotry? - by Babar Sattar

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/94710-Gratitude-for-bigotry

A conversation with Pakistani-Australian musician Omar Pervaiz, a founding member of Call, a father and a son of St. Mary's Rawalpindi.

Omar Pervaiz

Omar Pervaiz leading Independence Day celebrations in Melbourne in 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RicdnIPJcWA

Call

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_(band)

Post-OP Call’s greatest hit – Pukaar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck9_wJ7JnCI

Omar Pervaiz on Sufi music (Punjabi) on SBS

http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/content/omar-pervaiz-melbournes-sufi-singer-part-1

Disability

The Pakistan Society for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PSRD)

http://www.psrd.org.pk

2014 report by the British Council on disability in Pakistan

https://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/press/pakistan-losing-billions-disability-failures

The US Americans with Disability Act (which was passed in 1990, not 1983)

http://www.ada.gov

Living with a disability – Canada

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/lifeevents/disability.shtml

World Report on Disability

http://www.globalization101.org/world-report-on-disability-3/

Australia versus New Zealand

Nine reasons why New Zealand is not Australia https://leftofthesettingsun.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/nine-reasons-why-new-zealand-is-not-australia/

Australia or New Zealand: Same, same, but different

http://www.internationalman.com/articles/australia-or-new-zealand-same-same-but-different

Etiquette in Australia and New Zealand

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etiquette_in_Australia_and_New_Zealand

Today’s track: “Nighat & Paras” by Adil Omar x Talal Qureshi (WARNING: explicit lyrics)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDexDNf2lHs&feature=youtu.be

Episode 01 - Charsadda by Mosharraf Zaidi and Fasi Zaka

Practicing the art of the conversation in Pakistan. With much love and some laughter.