The Pakistani Spectator

Kashif Aziz is one of the those few, who were among the harbingers of Blogistan. He has been remained a massive force in the Pakistani blogosphere now for many years. He has been into the field of IT since last 10 years. Having started his career as a Programmer in Foxpro for DOS he has been involved with software development for desktops and web. In 2002 he launched www.rewaj.com with his partner. Rewaj is Pakistan’s premier portal for Fashion and Lifestyle. Since last 5 years he has been engaged in web based content management, SEO, portals and blogs.

We are so happy to present his insightful interview to the great readers of TPS.

Could you tell us what made you decide to blog?
It all started with earthquake of 2005. I created www.pakquake.com on October 09 (very next day of the quake). The idea was to provide damage reports, support requirements and updates on relief work. Pakquake was basically a re-blog. It was taken very well and got mentioned at the BBC, Harvard Law Review, Wall Street Journal etc. In fact, it still comes as first result when googled for ‘earthquake in Pakistan’.

My next attempt was www.blogspk.com, a multi-authored blog, now defunct. Next in line came www.chowrangi.com, launched in February 2006.

I am always short of time to blog. However, my personal favorites are Current Affairs, Technology and Religion.

What do you think sets Chowrangi apart from other blogs?
Chowrangi is one of the first multi-authored blog site in Pakistan with readership spanning from Pakistan, India, USA, Europe and Canada. We are producing content related to Technology, Lifestyle, Culture, Business, Environment, Education etc. with emphasis on Current Affairs.
At Chowrangi we are trying to promote aspiring Pakistani bloggers to find their niche in the blogosphere. We are always open for people with writing skills who want to share their feelings and are unable to find suitable medium. Anyone can join us and start blogging instantly.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success, what would it be?
Commitment. I try to be as committed as possible with whatever I am doing and I expect this from my colleagues as well.

Every blogger has his share of war stories, what are some apparently golden opportunities that you’ve turned down in the past that turned out to be a good decision at your part, in retrospect?
Since 2002 I had to keep a day job and worked on my projects in spare time. This continued to happen till April 2007 when I finally moved to my work full time. During these five years I have got various lucrative opportunities that were well paid with perks and all but were demanding enough to stop me from working on my projects. I turned those down to work on my passion and so far there are no regrets.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?
Saudi Arabia, Parts of Europe, Mount Kilimanjaro

What is your favorite book and why?
I have a diversified reading taste, ranging from fiction to history, business, technology and religion. So its really hard to pinpoint a specific favorite. Also, I tend to read multiple books at a time, depending on the mood. These days I am going through a book of Professor Ahmed Rafique Akhtar, Military Inc. by Ayesha Siddiqua and a book about HR.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?
The face (if its visible).

Do you think Pakistani politicians could benefit from the social networks and things like twitter?
I think Pakistani politicians have to be educated for that. While opportunities are numerous for how the Social Web can be used, I do not see current crop of politicians to make any positive impact on or through it rather than using for their shameless promotion and blame wars.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?
Well, depends on your take on blogging. If you are a hobby blogger then certainly frequent writing means you have got spare time. However, if you are a professional blogger then it is your job and you have to manage time for it.

Do you think this whole emphasis on blogs and whatever online is a significant indicator to show that the web, the social web, is becoming a very important political and social force?
Blogs are becoming a force to reckon and their importance and value has been accepted world wide. However, in Pakistan the social web is still not mature enough to create an impact on political and social scenario.

What do you think where the Pakistani blogosphere is right now?
It is still nascent.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers in Pakisan?
I actively follow blogs listed at bloggers.pk

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger in Pakistani blogosphere?
Most of them are stunning in their own respective domains.

What is the future of blogging in Pakistan?
Blogging has very bright future. However, we need more people to write on serious political and social issues. For now most of the blogs are extended personal diaries.

In political respect, can we say blogging a ‘democracy of message’?
Blogs can be forces of democracy or information chaos. Depends on how they are conveyed and perceived.

Can Pakistani blogosphere play any notable role in the forthcoming elections, if they happen at all?
Bloggers can play pivotal role in conveying local sentiments abroad. However, we still require attention of main stream media to have an impact at domestic level.

What are your other ventures besides of Chowrangi and what are your future plans?
I have recently established a software house and am planning to deliver services ranging from Web based applications to web hosting, Social Marketing and Search Engine Optimization. I am also planning to launch a web site for Pakistani bloggers/publishers to help them earn from the internet.

My other venture, which I am quite fond of, is www.apnijobs.com - listing career opportunities in Pakistan and the Middle East.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?
Network for Good.

Last 5 posts by The Pakistani Spectator

• Interview with Blogger Tikun Olam - November 30th, 2008
• Interview with Blogger EngSpeak - November 29th, 2008
• Interview with Blogger Jeff Noble - November 26th, 2008
• Interview with Blogger Jan Marshall - November 24th, 2008
• Asif Zardari: ‘India & Pakistan Share Blood Ties’ - November 24th, 2008