Happy birthday Quaid e Azam and Merry Christmas everyone!

It was a lazy morning today and again I did the error of surfing the channels, while some channels were at least recognizing that today is Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s birth anniversary, there was one channel who was debating whether faith healing can help a wife controls her husband!

Unlike my previous blog about morning shows and their idiosyncrasies, I am here to stress and remind us all Pakistanis who we were and wanted to pay homage to the great man who formed this great country Pakistan. I was recently hurt and bewildered of the mind numbing herd like attitude and the rat race for money which has consumed my contemporaries.

People around me have a simple way now: study (without realizing the fact that very few in our country can get this great privilege), go abroad, earn and die. Whenever one asks them that why do they want to go abroad, they have one explanation: Pakistan is in a state of turmoil and we have no future here. My heart breaks to see these people and the way they have ignored and forgotten the sacrifices by the millions of people who made for this great country and the great struggle of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

We are all lost in the humdrum and get fascinated by the bright and fuzzy world of the emerging market economies (such as Middle Eastern countries). What we fail to understand is that every day lost in bickering and complaining about Pakistan is a day we lag behind.

Recently, the world paid tribute to the great Nelson Mandela on his funeral and the South African people made sure that the world knows and realizes the greatness of their great leader Nelson Mandela. But sadly in Pakistan, we have forgotten this great man and the message he brought.

For all of you, who are enjoying comfortable lives, I call to your soul and ask you one simple question: “Won’t it be worth it that your life can matter more if you start thinking beyond your desires?”

The answer lies in your soul, I hope and pray you wake up. We at Pi Studio will continue our efforts to make sure that we try to stir up your soul and see our nation prosper.

Let us all remember the great man who taught us that people of all religions should co-exist in harmony in Pakistan, with his following quote:

“You are free; you are free to go to your temples. You are free to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed—that has nothing to do with the business of the State.” 

― Muhammad Ali Jinnah

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND PAKISTAN PAINDABAD!

From lusting for money to journeying into my soul

During the last few months, I have come across various different types of personalities from travelers, accountants, musicians, comedians to entrepreneurs. Previously my soul was struggling with the dichotomy of trying to be an artist and trying to make my ends meet via a day job. All I thought about was a certain amount of money to fill my pocket.

But as it turned out, money was an illusion! And the answer did not lie in the bank accounts or cars or vacations or designer clothes or great restaurants. I realized that through meeting so many people, I was addressing was a hidden desire to find myself. Moreover, I thought that I could get answers about my own self by learning about their lives from them.

But contrary to my perception, I ended up with a wild goose chase and found that the answer lied in my soul all along! This was taught to me by my fellow Pi Studio member Hussain Zaidi. He said that I like countless others is stuck in the illusion of everyday life and it is he who told me that I need to straighten my priorities in life and what I want from it. After this I started my process of introspection.

I realized that the only thing I actually feel and care about and love the most is work. Whether, one works as an accountant or a photographer, it is only through the rigors of honest and hard work that I can realize myself. No doubt people explore themselves through travel, but I explored myself lately through work. All work teaches us something about ourselves, most importantly it teaches us to love and appreciate other people and their diversity.

It is my solemn promise now that I shall work as hard as I can for myself and for my country as a photographer and documenter of love and hate. I want that the next generation of my country will not be stuck in the dichotomy I was, to earn and pay the bills or to follow my heart. Pakistan will change where people can follow their true calling, for it is in the reconciliation of the heart and mind of the nation that we can progress and prosper into the future.

PAKISTAN PAINDABAD!

As my city bleeds.....

It is indeed a sad day like many sad days which we Karachiites have suffered due to repeated incidents of violence. The news ticker shows a heartbreaking fact - thirteen people lost their lives today, eight of them within a span of one hour!

We usually talk about change, entrepreneurship and progress at Pi Studio. But the hard solid fact is that these things are only possible once there is peace and we have normality in our lives again. The continual target killings, sectarian clashes, ethnic violence and gang wars have sucked the life out of our beautiful city.

We are heartbroken and saddened at this madness which has made us all numb and desensitized to violence. Let us all raise our hands in prayer that may Allah grant peace and tranquility back to our city.

Pakistan Paindabad!