How to Pakistan

In this episode we discuss the health of the prime minister, and some related issues. Join us! (We apologize for the low sound quality).

University of Oklahoma professor Aqil Shah is the author of "The Army & Democracy: Military Politics in Pakistan", and more recently of a Washington Post oped titled, "Drone blowback in Pakistan is a myth. Here's why". Three days after his oped was published, Taliban leader Mullah Mansour Akhtar was killed in a drone attack in Pakistan. The drone debate is open again. Fasi and Mosharraf talk to Dr. Shah about his research on drone strikes, the concept of nationalism, the quality of public discourse, and in true How to Pakistan tradition, identity. Join us! "Drone blowback in Pakistan is a myth. Here's why." - by Aqil Shah, Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/05/17/drone-blow-back-in-pakistan-is-a-myth-heres-why/ "The Army & Democracy: Military Politics in Pakistan" - by Aqil Shah, Harvard University Press http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674728936

Note: This episode contains substantial portions in Urdu (and some sparse sprinklings of Pashto). In Episode 04 of Season 02 Fasi and Mosharraf discuss the life and times of Saleem Safi, one of Pakistan's most compelling journalistic voices. He describes his life's journey, his evolution as a journalist, the role of the Islami Jamiat e Talbaa in shaping him, the illusion of Islamism, and the humility that everyone should invest it, whenever and however they can. A fascinating conversation with a fascinating man. Join us!

On Episodes 02 and 03, we are joined by journalist and television anchor Ejaz Haider, currently the Editor for National Security Affairs at Capital TV. The first part of the conversation is about the mutual love for guns that is shared by Ejaz Haider and Fasi Zaka - which leads to exchanges about arms licenses in Pakistan, the overall licensing regime, and broader issues of police reform. This fascinating conversation continues in Episode 03.

On Episodes 02 and 03, we are joined by journalist and television anchor Ejaz Haider, currently the Editor for National Security Affairs at Capital TV. The second part of the conversation is about the transition from print to broadcast, the Deo-Salafist movement, the evolution of the Jamaat e Islami, civilian-military relations and the enormous powers of the Pakistan Army, and hand (or grass)-fed organic narratives. This is the second of a two-episode conversation with Ejaz Haider. The first was Episode 2 of Season 2.

Previously, on How to Pakistan... Fasi and Mosharraf started a podcast. People listened. Fasi and Mosharraf completed twenty episodes. Welcome to Season 2 of How to Pakistan. Join us as we attempt to explore the art of the Pakistani conversation.

The body count from the Easter Sunday bombing in Lahore now stands at seventy-two. Pakistan bleeds once again. Meanwhile, Islamabad's Red Zone continues to be occupied by pro-Qadri protestors demanding a long list of things. The republic stands guilty not only of failing to protect Christians (and Muslims, and all other nationals), but also of allowing the Red Zone to become a running joke. Join Fasi and Mosharraf for a conversation about the death and destruction in Lahore, and the mayhem in Islamabad.

The T20 World Cup in India was a disaster for the Pakistani men's cricket team. Not so for the women's team, or for New Zealand, West Indies, India or England. Join Mosharraf and Fasi as we dig into the ups and downs of the 2016 T20 World Cup with the great Osman Samiuddin as we try to understand what happened to the Pakistan men's team, and why it is an inferior cricket side. We also talk about one of Pakistan's great captains, the legendary Sana Mir.

In this episode we talk to Osman Samiuddin about the process of writing, and about being a writer. We talk some more about cricket, and learn about the depth and breadth of his knowledge of cricket history, and his love for Sheffield Wednesday. You can read Osman's book, The Unquiet Ones, by purchasing it, here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Unquiet-Ones-History-Pakistan/dp/9350298015 His epic piece on the "haal" of Pakistani cricket can be read at The Guardian website, here: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/the-nightwatchman/2014/nov/17/exploring-soul-pakistan-cricket-team-lazy-impatient-brilliant He writes regularly about all sports, including sailing, for The National, here: http://www.thenational.ae/authors/osman-samiuddin

Dr. Miftah Ismail is the Chairman of Pakistan's Board of Investment, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister and has the rank of a Minister of State (for investment). He is a Wharton PhD with a specialty in Public Finance and Political Economy. He is the former CEO of one of Pakistan's largest food and confectionary manufacturers. He has been a member of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's inner circle of advisers on the economy, investment and energy for the last six years. Mosharraf and Fasi engage with Dr Ismail on the state of the economy, the trouble with the Chicago School approach to economics, the challenge of reform, the low rate of economic growth, and the state of power and energy in Pakistan. Dr Ismail explains his views on how economies function, why Hayek and Von Mises are better than demand-siders on the Left, and what might happen in the 2018 election. The conversation offers an enlightening peek into the kind of talent that Pakistan has at its disposal within the public sector.

What is the state of the Left in Pakistan? How left of centre is the PPP, really? What are the revolutionary credentials of the PTI? Why don't Pakistanis respond more enthusiastically to parties like the Awami Workers' Party? Is the state complicit in efforts to suppress and limit the voice of the marginalised and vulnerable? Can a good Muslim be a socialist? How would the socialists and leftists deal with PIA? Mosharraf and Fasi speak to Ammar Rashid, a senior member of the Awami Workers' Party, musician, philosopher and activist. Join us as we explore Pakistan through the eyes of a passionate advocate for people's rights.

Words. How do we pronounce them? Does it make it a difference? Leonardo Di Caprio. Sweet mouth. This is the first How to Pakistan "short". Enjoy. Here's the story reporting the sweet mouth: http://tribune.com.pk/story/1061739/the-revenue-pakistani-tax-official-celebrates-dicaprio-oscar-win/

March 08 is International Women's Day. March 09 is the Day After Women's Day. We observe the day after women's day with Episode 12, in which Mosharraf and Fasi speak to Azeema Cheema, a researcher and instructor at the National Defense University, and a woman. Azeema talks to us about women's day, and the place of women in Pakistan, and on How to Pakistan.

What does the execution of Mumtaz Qadri say about Pakistan? What does it say about those that are comforted by the state's hanging of this man? What does it say about those that mourn this man? What does it say about provincialism and subnational identities? What does it say about liberals and conservatives? What does it say about left and right and centre? In this episode, Mosharraf and Fasi attempt to talk about the Mumtaz Qadri execution.

Jibran Nasir is a Pakistani activist most commonly associated with effort to have Abdul Aziz of Islamabad's Lal Masjid arrested. A lawyer, a television anchor, a writer and motivational speaker, Jibran is Pakistani civil society's renaissance man. Fasi and Mosharraf talk to Jibran about the present and future of Pakistani civil society, the smooth stylings of Zayn Malik, the role of Asma Jahangir has played in creating the Pakistan of 2016 and a whole host of other issues. You can find Jibran at @mjibrannasir and his movement's website is www.neverforget.pk.

Two recent pieces in the international press have been great reminders of the steep price Pakistan continues to pay for the tragic stupidities that the country endured for decades in the name of national security. In a February 6 piece for the New York, Carlotta Gall asserts that Da'esh is partly a product of Pakistan's ISI, and on Valentine's Day, a Bloomberg Business piece by Fasih Mangi and Divya Patil suggests that Pakistan is about to default. For even casual observers, both pieces fail to offer compelling evidence, or really any kind of evidence at all for their very substantial claims. Fasi and Mosharraf asked author and former Pakistani ambassador to Sri Lanka and the United States, Husain Haqqani, to help navigate the narratives these kinds of pieces represent. It is a magnificent conversation. Links to the said pieces and to Ambassador Haqqani's latest book, Magnificent Delusions... The Gall piece: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/07/opinion/sunday/pakistans-hand-in-the-rise-of-international-jihad.html The Bloomberg piece: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-14/pakistan-default-risk-surges-as-50-billion-debt-bill-coming-due Magnificent Delusions: http://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Delusions-Pakistan-History-Misunderstanding/dp/1610393171

Sana Mir is the national cricket team captain for Pakistan. Her off-spin bowling is currently ranked 10th in the ICC Women's ODI Bowling rankings, and has ranked in the top ten consistently for the last nine years. After becoming the team captain in 2009, she lead the national team to its first ever victory in a tournament at the T20 quadrangular in Sri Lanka. She has taken 71 wickets in 66 ODIs at an average of 24.71. Outspoken, bold, honest and more graceful than a busload of players of cricket from other genders, Sana Mir is a force of nature. God's generosity with Pakistan has no better ambassador than this sparkplug leader. Join Mosharraf and Fasi on PSL semi-finals weekend in a conversation with Sana Mir.

In Episode 07, Mosharraf and Fasi offer as an appetizer, the aftermath of the Valentine's Day debate and Marvi Sirmed's offer of a balloon for Mufti Naeem. The main course for this episode is the Lahore Orange Line, a subway/train infrastructure project that has been protested against recently. We ask Lahore conservationist and lawyer Mr Rafay Alam to weigh in on why sections of civil society value old buildings over poor people getting to work. He answers. Finally, we touch very superficially on some of the broader points of good governance and economic growth. Below are links to some papers by Professor Mushtaq Khan of SOAS, one of Mosharraf's favourite political economists. Also included is a link to the Government of the Punjab's video animation about the Lahore Orange Line. The Orange Line simulation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSznQfv4DII "The Efficiency Implications of Corruption" by Mushtaq H. Khan in Journal of International Development, 8 (5). pp. 683-696. http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/2425/1/Corruption_JID.pdf "Aid and Governance in Vulnerable States: Bangladesh and Pakistan since 1971" by Mushtaq H. Khan in The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 2014, Volume 656 No. 1: 59-78. http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/19178/1/Khan%20Bangladesh%20Pakistan%20Aid%20and%20Governance.pdf "Markets, States and Democracy: Patron-Client Networks and the Case for Democracy in Developing Countries" by Mushtaq H. Khan, Department of Economics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/3684/1/KhanMarketsStatesDemocracy.pdf

It started with the local administrations of various cities announcing plans to crack down on Valentine's Day. It escalated to a presidential rebuke of V-Day from a man whose name is Mamnoon: President Mamnoon Hussain. Pakistan is struggling with Valentine's Day. Mosharraf and Fasi try to dissect, in Episode 06 of How to Pakistan: The Mamnoon Valentine. #heart

In this episode, Mosharraf and Fasi discuss the ongoing PIA crisis, which began when the government doubled down on wanting to sell 26% of the airline to someone who would take on the honour of running the glorious national flag carrier. The crisis deepened when protesting labour unions were fired upon by unknown assailants, causing the deaths of at least two protestors. As always, the PML-N government has created a crisis out of a national opportunity. The manner in which the government continues to deal with the issue indicates little appetite for crisis resolution. To try to understand the issues better, we also speak to Dr. Nadeem ul Haque, who served as the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission during the previous government, and spent many years as an IMF economist. Dr. Haque has written an illuminating blog entry on the PIA crisis at his blog, which you should all read: http://development20.blogspot.com/2016/02/on-privatization-of-pia.html?m=1 The original score that opens and closes the episode is courtesy of our guest sound engineer and producer, the great Shehryar Mufti, who is the founder of all-star musical ensemble, Bumbu Sauce.

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.