Monday 28 October 2019
Monday 21 October 2019
Adding new words to English
Kavita and I added some new words to the English language. Please see below and, since these are for free, you may start using them immediately in your writing, e-mails, essays, and chatting. Please don't use our words for small. We hate small talk.
Zerosity: being completely empty of ideas and Branistic: meaning, having a lot of ideas
Another one, another idea: Ideaif: having a lot of ideas
Vicokistic: having a lot of feelings
Bordeath: when you are sick and tired of being around people, especially small-taking people (people who love small talk)
Icklish: Feeling incredibly annoyed and insulted at being around bratty, spoiled and boring children and their parents
Firistic: something that is very cool
And while we were contributing new words to English, a cat came into the living room and started proceeding towards the kitchen. We shooed her away.
Monday 7 October 2019
Shaping and growing a movement
I joined a socialist feminist organisation earlier this year. Having had this much time in Pakistan at a stretch, I was finally able to join one of the progressive movements I've been following online. I've participated in a few events as well as organising/administrative meetings.
Women's Democratic Front is a young organisation and, it was founded hardly a year or two ago. So, it is still in its infancy and, is looking to increase its membership and impact.
The founder of the group, Ismat Shahjahan, has been in politics for many years and, is also a leader in the Awami Workers Party. Awami Workers Party is apparently the only leftist party that acknowledges the feminist struggle. I met Ismat in F-10 Markaz last year during the elections campaigns. She ran as an AWP candidate in the national elections. I admired the courage and boldness of Ismat and, by following her online, got to know of AWP and WDF events and activities.
My first real contact with WDF this year was at an organising meeting for the Aurat Azadi March 2019. I had reached out to Ismat and, since she wasn't in town (she was in Sindh to participate in the March there), she told me to attend an organising meeting. I was very impressed at the meeting which had at least 20-25 women, not just from WDF but other groups too. It was overwhelming but also extremely impressive to see how much work and planning was involved in putting together the Aurat Azadi March which Pakistani patriarchy still can't get over.
Participating in the March was exhilarating and, had a raw, intense emotional current. It was a space and moment for women, by women.
After that, I attended a few protests where AWP, WDF and, other progressive participated. PPP's figures have also showed up at some of the protests. Turnout is minimal and, I get surprised each time at how few youngsters turn up. The Press Club started feeling like a small encampment of feeble resistance. Sitting on the ground listening to a passionate speech, surrounded by a handful of people, many of them familiar faces, surrounded by police officers (sometimes more than the protestors), I have wondered at the futility of it.
Because student unions were banned back in the 70s by the military regime, organised student politics and political expression was completely wiped out. The ground and space where politics and idealism should flourish was attacked and, although bans on student unions have been lifted, universities have been overtaken by right-wing groups. "Students become radicalised in Pakistani universities" someone told me recently when I spoke about how politically conscious and organised students were in London, during my own undergrad and grad years.
Secular and socialist politics has struggled to take root and, if students and youngsters are not exposed to secular and leftist ideas, where does that leave us?
Being a feminist organisation, WDF's challenges are staggering. Pakistan is a highly conservative society and, although privileged folks will tell you otherwise, it is shamefully one of the worst places to be a woman. I was recently preparing for a job interview in the UN system and, while familiarising myself with the numbers and stats, I was reminded again of how Pakistan is also just one of the worst places to be a human: we have "multi-dimensional poverty," hunger, malnutrition, and babies as young as 6 months old are stunted. It should not really be surprising that right-wing attitudes and ignorance reign supreme because how else can you explain such inequality? Someone is benefiting from this set up.
WDF, AWP and another student group (I forget the acronym) organise Study Circles as tools to educate themselves and the public on seminal political texts, theories, and concepts. Besides that, they also organise protests and marches. Social media is used extensively to announce events, record speeches, and share statements. WDF publishes an Urdu magazine. I can't read Urdu so I don't know what style or impact the publication has. It's a political group and, is organised with elected positions and, protocols. Many events and activities overlap with AWP and other groups and, WDF is making an effort to have visibility and identity.
What has impressed me the most is how dedicated and passionate the women are, especially the younger ones. A lot of hard work goes into the events and, everything is self-funded.
Being a socialist feminist group, WDF's challenge is to raise class consciousness from a feminist perspective. Somehow, good feminism is taken well by some polite and cultured Pakistani society: educate your daughters, let them work, have careers and, consider them as equal humans. However, not all polite and cultured folks might accord full personal liberties to their daughters and wives when it comes to dress, choice of marriage, and speaking up. And, for sure, no one is bothered about the plight of the working class women who toil in the fields, clean our homes and toilets, take care of our spoiled children, and so on. And, we certainly don't want to talk too loudly about sexual violence against women, honour killings. And, who dares to talk about the structures and powers that condone this system? The challenges that WDF faces are truly staggering.
While it is all good to think about the historical and material conditions which are responsible for the apathy amongst the public when it comes to issues of injustice, poverty and class inequality but on an individual level, how do you explain this apathy? How do you counter this apathy? I personally feel there is sense of fatality as well as entrenched faith-derived ideas that explain the lack of interest in secular politics, particularly leftist ideas. Being an Islamic country, there's a sense there are social solutions which faith has outlined which merely need to be implemented correctly. So, countering this ideology is going to be crucial.
Among other practical challenges that WDF faces they are:
- How do you bring more young women into your fold?
- Are men invited along, too ?
- What types of activities and events should be organised?
- Which public spaces are available to us?
- Where can we meet?
- What topic should we address in our Study Circles?
- Are we a movement ? Are we a feminist space?
There is a very strong intellectual lens and style through which the movement is being defined and moulded. There is also a sense that the Left needs to move beyond protest and translate its politics into action.
I imagine that WDF will somehow attract more women into its organisation but it will take time. The Aurat Azadi March seems to be a significant catalyst for bringing more and more women into the public space to raise their voices, frustrations and ideals. Most women who attend this March are of all stripes and hues, liberal feminists, faith-based feminists, not-even-feminists, etc. The challenge will be to harness this energy to push forward a socialist feminist cause which has a clearer agenda in terms of what it wants to achieve. Perhaps real tangible short-term goals like winning more legal/constitutional victories for domestic workers or victims of sexual violence could be a start.
Here's to imagining a just and bright future for Pakistani women and beyond.
The founder of the group, Ismat Shahjahan, has been in politics for many years and, is also a leader in the Awami Workers Party. Awami Workers Party is apparently the only leftist party that acknowledges the feminist struggle. I met Ismat in F-10 Markaz last year during the elections campaigns. She ran as an AWP candidate in the national elections. I admired the courage and boldness of Ismat and, by following her online, got to know of AWP and WDF events and activities.
My first real contact with WDF this year was at an organising meeting for the Aurat Azadi March 2019. I had reached out to Ismat and, since she wasn't in town (she was in Sindh to participate in the March there), she told me to attend an organising meeting. I was very impressed at the meeting which had at least 20-25 women, not just from WDF but other groups too. It was overwhelming but also extremely impressive to see how much work and planning was involved in putting together the Aurat Azadi March which Pakistani patriarchy still can't get over.
Participating in the March was exhilarating and, had a raw, intense emotional current. It was a space and moment for women, by women.
After that, I attended a few protests where AWP, WDF and, other progressive participated. PPP's figures have also showed up at some of the protests. Turnout is minimal and, I get surprised each time at how few youngsters turn up. The Press Club started feeling like a small encampment of feeble resistance. Sitting on the ground listening to a passionate speech, surrounded by a handful of people, many of them familiar faces, surrounded by police officers (sometimes more than the protestors), I have wondered at the futility of it.
Because student unions were banned back in the 70s by the military regime, organised student politics and political expression was completely wiped out. The ground and space where politics and idealism should flourish was attacked and, although bans on student unions have been lifted, universities have been overtaken by right-wing groups. "Students become radicalised in Pakistani universities" someone told me recently when I spoke about how politically conscious and organised students were in London, during my own undergrad and grad years.
Secular and socialist politics has struggled to take root and, if students and youngsters are not exposed to secular and leftist ideas, where does that leave us?
Being a feminist organisation, WDF's challenges are staggering. Pakistan is a highly conservative society and, although privileged folks will tell you otherwise, it is shamefully one of the worst places to be a woman. I was recently preparing for a job interview in the UN system and, while familiarising myself with the numbers and stats, I was reminded again of how Pakistan is also just one of the worst places to be a human: we have "multi-dimensional poverty," hunger, malnutrition, and babies as young as 6 months old are stunted. It should not really be surprising that right-wing attitudes and ignorance reign supreme because how else can you explain such inequality? Someone is benefiting from this set up.
WDF, AWP and another student group (I forget the acronym) organise Study Circles as tools to educate themselves and the public on seminal political texts, theories, and concepts. Besides that, they also organise protests and marches. Social media is used extensively to announce events, record speeches, and share statements. WDF publishes an Urdu magazine. I can't read Urdu so I don't know what style or impact the publication has. It's a political group and, is organised with elected positions and, protocols. Many events and activities overlap with AWP and other groups and, WDF is making an effort to have visibility and identity.
What has impressed me the most is how dedicated and passionate the women are, especially the younger ones. A lot of hard work goes into the events and, everything is self-funded.
Being a socialist feminist group, WDF's challenge is to raise class consciousness from a feminist perspective. Somehow, good feminism is taken well by some polite and cultured Pakistani society: educate your daughters, let them work, have careers and, consider them as equal humans. However, not all polite and cultured folks might accord full personal liberties to their daughters and wives when it comes to dress, choice of marriage, and speaking up. And, for sure, no one is bothered about the plight of the working class women who toil in the fields, clean our homes and toilets, take care of our spoiled children, and so on. And, we certainly don't want to talk too loudly about sexual violence against women, honour killings. And, who dares to talk about the structures and powers that condone this system? The challenges that WDF faces are truly staggering.
While it is all good to think about the historical and material conditions which are responsible for the apathy amongst the public when it comes to issues of injustice, poverty and class inequality but on an individual level, how do you explain this apathy? How do you counter this apathy? I personally feel there is sense of fatality as well as entrenched faith-derived ideas that explain the lack of interest in secular politics, particularly leftist ideas. Being an Islamic country, there's a sense there are social solutions which faith has outlined which merely need to be implemented correctly. So, countering this ideology is going to be crucial.
Among other practical challenges that WDF faces they are:
- How do you bring more young women into your fold?
- Are men invited along, too ?
- What types of activities and events should be organised?
- Which public spaces are available to us?
- Where can we meet?
- What topic should we address in our Study Circles?
- Are we a movement ? Are we a feminist space?
There is a very strong intellectual lens and style through which the movement is being defined and moulded. There is also a sense that the Left needs to move beyond protest and translate its politics into action.
I imagine that WDF will somehow attract more women into its organisation but it will take time. The Aurat Azadi March seems to be a significant catalyst for bringing more and more women into the public space to raise their voices, frustrations and ideals. Most women who attend this March are of all stripes and hues, liberal feminists, faith-based feminists, not-even-feminists, etc. The challenge will be to harness this energy to push forward a socialist feminist cause which has a clearer agenda in terms of what it wants to achieve. Perhaps real tangible short-term goals like winning more legal/constitutional victories for domestic workers or victims of sexual violence could be a start.
Here's to imagining a just and bright future for Pakistani women and beyond.
Wednesday 2 October 2019
Islamabad Lit Fest : Day 3
I attended the last day of the 2019 Islamabad Literature Festival on Sunday, 29 September. I attended these sessions:
- Depicting Women in Literature and Drama with Haseena Moin, Noorul Huda Shah, Asghar Nadeem Syed, Shahnaz Sheikh and the Moderator was Maheen Usmani
- Pakistani Adab aur Taneesiat (Feminism) with Kishwar Naheed and the Moderator was Hameed Shahid
- Shanul Haq Haqqee Ki Yaad Mein with Anwar Maqsood, Fateh Muhammad Malik and Moderator was Najeeba Arif
- Pakistan: The Economy of an Elitist State with Ishrat Husain, Asad Umar, Waqar Masoon Khan, Melinda Good and, the Moderator was Sakib Sherani
- Pakistani Cinema: The Rise, the Fall...and the Rise Again? with Humayun Saeed, Usman Mukhtar, Khalid Saeed Butt, Naghma Begum, Areeba Alvi, Nadeem Baig and Moderator was Raju Jamil
- Satire in the Time of Tabdeeli with Fasi Zaka, Ali Aftab Saeed, and George Fulton and, Moderated by Nadeem Farooq Paracha
I only managed to attend the 3rd day of the Islamabad Lit Fest. I wish I had come back from Lahore earlier to catch the sessions with Mohammed Hanif, Pervez Hoodbhoy, etc.
I attended the Islamabad Literature Festival back in 2014 at the same venue (Margalla Hotel). I think they need to change the venue as it's too small for the crowds that throng the Festival. Even the ground where they had food and book stalls was too stuffed. Compared to the elegant Lahore Literature Festival, this event felt very shabby. I was very annoyed with all the pushing, shoving, rude audience that was talking loudly into their phones during panel discussions, and screaming children.
What's worse, the quality of the discussions was extremely poor. For a literary festival, you would imagine one would have a rare chance to see some very intellectual conversations. Instead I heard cheap jokes, interrupting moderators, and no sense of where the discussion might go. For the session on cinema, one would have thought we would have had a film historian or cultural critic who would ask some smart questions about acting methods or film genres and so on.
I was not impressed to see that the Moderator for Depicting Women in Literature and Drama was so young. I would have imagined a more senior personality would be in conversation with guests such as Haseena Moin or Shahnaz Sheikh. Or, someone who is cultural critic or an expert in history of television. She first corrected the introduction about herself that she wasn't merely a journalist but also a published author. She would continue to exchange a quiet but sarcastic tone with Shahnaz Sheikh. It was really bad taste and, disappointing. There were some prepared questions yes none of them aimed to create an in-depth conversation.
- Depicting Women in Literature and Drama with Haseena Moin, Noorul Huda Shah, Asghar Nadeem Syed, Shahnaz Sheikh and the Moderator was Maheen Usmani
- Pakistani Adab aur Taneesiat (Feminism) with Kishwar Naheed and the Moderator was Hameed Shahid
- Shanul Haq Haqqee Ki Yaad Mein with Anwar Maqsood, Fateh Muhammad Malik and Moderator was Najeeba Arif
- Pakistan: The Economy of an Elitist State with Ishrat Husain, Asad Umar, Waqar Masoon Khan, Melinda Good and, the Moderator was Sakib Sherani
- Pakistani Cinema: The Rise, the Fall...and the Rise Again? with Humayun Saeed, Usman Mukhtar, Khalid Saeed Butt, Naghma Begum, Areeba Alvi, Nadeem Baig and Moderator was Raju Jamil
- Satire in the Time of Tabdeeli with Fasi Zaka, Ali Aftab Saeed, and George Fulton and, Moderated by Nadeem Farooq Paracha
I only managed to attend the 3rd day of the Islamabad Lit Fest. I wish I had come back from Lahore earlier to catch the sessions with Mohammed Hanif, Pervez Hoodbhoy, etc.
I attended the Islamabad Literature Festival back in 2014 at the same venue (Margalla Hotel). I think they need to change the venue as it's too small for the crowds that throng the Festival. Even the ground where they had food and book stalls was too stuffed. Compared to the elegant Lahore Literature Festival, this event felt very shabby. I was very annoyed with all the pushing, shoving, rude audience that was talking loudly into their phones during panel discussions, and screaming children.
What's worse, the quality of the discussions was extremely poor. For a literary festival, you would imagine one would have a rare chance to see some very intellectual conversations. Instead I heard cheap jokes, interrupting moderators, and no sense of where the discussion might go. For the session on cinema, one would have thought we would have had a film historian or cultural critic who would ask some smart questions about acting methods or film genres and so on.
I was not impressed to see that the Moderator for Depicting Women in Literature and Drama was so young. I would have imagined a more senior personality would be in conversation with guests such as Haseena Moin or Shahnaz Sheikh. Or, someone who is cultural critic or an expert in history of television. She first corrected the introduction about herself that she wasn't merely a journalist but also a published author. She would continue to exchange a quiet but sarcastic tone with Shahnaz Sheikh. It was really bad taste and, disappointing. There were some prepared questions yes none of them aimed to create an in-depth conversation.
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