The Pakistani Spectator

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?

I am a fellow Indian who hails from the state known as “God’s Own Country”. I work as a Control Centre Admin with a leading Swiss bank. The first post on my blog was published on August 27, 2008 and from then, I am in love with this platform. I am a Gemini and I feel the traits reflect in my blog!

Interesting question and my answer might sound a little weird! Usually we prefer to forget our moments of happiness. What remains in our memories are incidents which could be drawn with black ink. Phases in our life which brought us tears and those moments which we fear to remember never fails our memory. Touch wood, maybe since I did not have a harsh moment in blogosphere till date, I don’t have much memories here. Its my present life and I am living it. Maybe I would have better answers on another day of my life.

After all what’s in a name J Depending upon the comfort level we develop over these platforms, our mode of communication may spread over the many social networking sites to mails to calls or even to personal meetings. I won’t wonder if people date their fellow bloggers. After all there shouldn’t be a term called “virtual friends”, be it in real life or virtual one, friends are friends.

I believe that the concepts of mobile telephony and pocket pc are the most innovative use of technology in politics right now. Politicians need instant access to the world at any given time and these technologies make sure that they are not left behind. On a lighter note, I consider the power of video conferencing the most exciting use of technology for politicians. They could enjoy the comfort of their home and connect to their citizens

Depends on which people you are talking about. People involved in politics doesn’t not seem to use the technology available efficiently mainly due to ignorance.

My name on my blog and Me associated with each of my post. Now how unique is that?

My ability to fake a smile. I know it sounds weird but one lesson I learned from this life is - being diplomatic helps.

If I may rephrase the question as “What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life till date?”, the happiest moment which I could think of today was when I got my first pay check and the gloomiest moment was when I tasted the essence of a broken relationship.

Zurich, Paris [it's a dream to visit The Louvre Museum] and Niagra.

I am in love with all the books written by Dan Brown. Personally I rate Angels & Demons the best maybe cos I loved the usage of processual symbolic analysis in it.

If it’s a face to face conversation, I would look at her body language and accent used. Personally I don’t trust people with fake accent. I believe people who are not happy the way they are and try to be some one else for social acceptance may turn out to be really dangerous! If our communication is hosted by an online platform, I really don’t look for anything cos people could easily fake. Usually first impressions does not last longer in this platform.

None that I could think of.

[i] by doing commission based advertisement like google adsense, [ii] by making perfect contacts and using your creativity for promoting a third party, [iii] making your blog/site a platform to publicize your portfolio and earning new assignments & [iv] freelancing.

No, its not.

I saw an advertisement for Airtel and it says “Barriers break when people talk”. That’s exactly what bloggers of the world have to do and are doing. If a Pakistani blog could value the words of an Indian blogger, I believe we both don’t approve what’s happening between our governments. The more we talk, the more we would know about each other, about social situation and about what really is happening and who is getting benefited from it all. Once we know whats happening, our thought process becomes finer and the
hatred gets replaced with sympathy and then love. I dream of a good future and I have faith in my dreams.

Prioritizing relationships should be seen as a crime. What say?

Though my profile boasts of my presence in Blogs ville from October 2005, I started blogging in 2008. Initially my page reflected the emotional instability in me. A year with bloggers have changed things. I have evolved. For the question asked, if the number of comments and the discussion happened could decide on the reaction of people, then I believe the post I wrote on moral policing got the biggest response. Again, it’s a wonderful feeling to know a third person’s reaction on my thoughts and for that I have to respect this platform.

I believe every country has different sects of people. I have known the extremists and the government of Pakistan only through media. My blog has gifted me the chance of knowing fellow bloggers in Pakistan and they showed me a very different picture of the country. A picture which portrays love, affection and respect. Its sad that today I have to think twice if I feel like talking to a friend in Pakistan. This happens because of the prevailing tensions between the countries. Today any calls made across the border would
be watched with suspicious eyes! It would only result in widening the rift giving advantage to people who gain from the fight. From what I know from my friends, Pakistan has a set of beautiful people who deserve safer living conditions ruled by people with liberal mindsets.

Yes. More than once.

A developed country imposes poverty and questions the dignity of a developing country. A developing country looses her intellects to the developed country who gets mesmerized by the hype a developed country creates.

Blogging definitely has got a bright and promising future. Many traditional blogs on literature have been replaced by video blogs and pod casts. I wont wonder if the technology give it a new dimension by allowing bloggers to connect using real time video conferencing.

My blog is truly personal. So as of now, it has not directly affected my professional life. How ever, it sure has given me new dreams on career. I always wanted to be an IT guy and today I am one. Now I dream to be an author. Lets wait and see J On the personal front, I guess I don’t feel lonely any more. I have lot of friends here, people who know me more than the one’s who roam around with me. I have an improved version of thought process now, something like IDEAS v2.0 J It feels good to be part of other’s life and I feel like I exist when people talk to me about their life, their sorrows and their smiles.

As I said, I wish to be an author. Till then I would want to be happy with my career and my life. As of now, I don’t see any hurdles. If hurdles do arise, I now have lot of people who would give me strength and support.

Formal education to all would be the only thing which could help your kids grow in a better world. Have liberal mind sets and please don’t deprive your girl child from her right to express and live her dreams. Be part of constructive politics and help the nation wipe out her terror base. Understand that there are people across the border who has a heart to love you.