The Pakistan Experience

Afia Salam comes on to discuss the recent attack on Asad Ali Toor, and the history of Journalists being threatened in Pakistan, from self-censorship to disappearances, we discuss what more can be done to push back against these tactics against journalists. We also do a deep dive discussion on human development, climate change and activism.  Is Individual responsibility or corporate culture more to blame for climate change?  Should the global south halt development to reduce carbon omissions?  Is the Billion Tree Tsunami a good project?  Find out on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience. Afia Salam is a Masters in Geography and a career journalist having 4 decades of experience of print, electronic and web journalism. She is a LEAD, FNF's International Academy of Leadership & Australia Awards Fellow, member of IUCN Commission on Education & Communications and Commission on Economic & Social Policy. She is also a member of the national coordinating body for Marine Protected Areas.   She has been highlighting  issues related to environment and climate change through her writings, and advocacy through seminars and moderation of panel discussions and round tables.  She is also a development practitioner, and current elected President of Baanhn Beli and Chair Board of Trustees Indus Earth Trust. She can be reached on Twitter   @afiasalam The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan, and Pakistanis, through the lost art of conversation. We do deep dive long form podcasts to show you the many shades that encapsulate The Pakistan Experience. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tinder.     https://www.facebook.com/Shehzadgs/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:10 Journalists being attacked 8:45 Journalism, Self-censorship and Optics 20:00 Young generation gives me hope 27:00 Social media propagandas  32:00 Human Development 38:30 Distrust of the State and Neocolonialism 47:30 Individual vs Corporate Responsibility for Climate Change 1:03:00 How Plastics is affecting our diet 1:11:11 Global South, Carbon Emissions and Development 1:20:00 Dumb Lockdown 1:26:00 Billion Tree Tsunami 1:38:00 Non native trees in Karachi and modernism 1:45:39 Indus Water Treaty, Dams and Flooding 2:00:00 Regional Cooperation is the need of the hour  2:10:00 Kya Patwario nay sirkhez zameen loot lee? 2:13:00 Governments are not serious about pollution in rivers 2:20:00 Meat Production  2:26:00 Cricket Journalism

Babar Khan Javed is an investigative journalist that covers the $2B advertising & media industry in Pakistan. Currently reporting via Profit, he is credited with helping the marketing community understand the value of data-driven influencer marketing, the path to repositioning media as an investment, creating a platform for female executives to share POVs that deviate from the status quo, and more. He can be reached at babar.khan@pakistantoday.com.pk for pitches while whistleblowers can reach him at babar@substack.com in order to create real change.  Babar comes on the podcast to discuss Waqar Zaka, branding, the agency model, media ratings and the Advertisement Industry in Pakistan.   Will Amazon coming to Pakistan really matter? Is the ad agency model flawed? How to brand yourself to make money online?  Watch on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience.   The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan, and Pakistanis, through the lost art of conversation.  We do deep dive long form podcasts to show you the many shades that encapsulate The Pakistan Experience.   Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience  And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience  The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tinder.     https://www.facebook.com/Shehzadgs/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh  Chapters: 0:00 Introducion 3:49 Advertising Agency model if flawed 6:00 The media ratings system is corrupt 15:00 Content and captive audience 23:00 Brands and Tik Tok 29:30 Amazon and sehtiya culture 44:00 Corruption in Advertising in Media 51:18 There will not be Amazon.pk 1:00:00 Branding and Digital Marketing 1:20:00 The agency model 1:30:00 Podcast and Patreon 1:33:00 Internal Brain Drain 1:40:00 Disagreeing respectfully  1:45:00 Female Executives

Ali Aftab Saeed is a singer, journalist and digital content creator.   Adeel Afzal is an actor, writer and digital content creator.  The two juggernauts come together on this very special episode of The Pakistan Experience. On this episode we discuss the 'Dehhari' philosophy, dealing with trolls online, Waqar Zaka, virgin murghiyan, kohta karhai, garmi aur Nat Geo kee batameeziyan!    The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan, and Pakistanis, through the lost art of conversation. We do deep dive long form podcasts to show you the many shades that encapsulate The Pakistan Experience.    Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience  The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tinder.     https://www.facebook.com/Shehzadgs/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh    Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:00 Dehari Philosophy 5:30 Dealing with trolls online 10:30 Asal genius Waqar Zaka hay 16:10 Overseas Pakistanis and police stories 33:40 Chup kar kay paisay kamao 38:00 Pakistan say bahar janay kay tareeqay 40:40 GARMI! 43:48 Khota Karhai  52:00 Murhay, Gaye, Nat Geo, Animal Planet 1:00:00 Eid kee Gaye 1:05:00 Boycott 1:07:00 The Noor Jehan Story

Tabish Hashmi, Stand-up Comedian and host of the hit show, To Be Honest, comes on The Pakistan Experience to discuss his career, the show, and the industry.  On this deep dive podcast we discuss 'Problematic jokes', Political correctness, Marriage, Children, Activism, To Be Honest, The Media Industry, and Cleaning Bathrooms. Tabish also remembers his father and talks about his life growing up.    The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan, and Pakistanis, through the lost art of conversation. We do deep dive long form podcasts to show you the many shades that encapsulate The Pakistan Experience.    Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience  And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience   Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:00 Cleaning Bathrooms, Shovelling Snow and Cutting Grass 7:00 Raising children, discussing Marriage and divorces 16:45 Love Marriage and Arranged Marriages 22:00 Problematic Jokes and woke culture 32:00 Political Correctness and facing hate online 37:00 Age, maturity and babies  40:00 Activism, Awareness and Society 51:00 How are guests selected for TBH? 57:00 Politicians  1:00:30 Gifts and Social Media 1:04:00 Tabish remembers his father 1:16:00 Staying grounded 1:18:00 Media industry mai exemplary log nahee milay 1:24:00 Charity shows 1:28:00 Why is Indian stand up comedy industry doing better   The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tinder.      https://www.facebook.com/Shehzadgs/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh

Arif Hasan comes back on the podcast to discuss why Pakistan has struggled in the past 74 years, the systematic destruction of our institutions, Zia's legacy, the land mafia, Bahria Town, forced evictions, Katchi Abadis and Thar.    On this deep dive podcast, Arif Hasan discusses talks about the corruption in International projects, why development needs to be human-centric, how people are evicted from their homes by land mafia, why he feels Defence might flood again this year and the Gujjarnala evictions.    Arif Hasan is a Pakistani architect and planner, activist, teacher, social researcher and writer. He studied architecture at the Oxford Polytechnic, worked in Europe in architect’s offices, and on his return to Karachi in 1968, established an independent practice which slowly evolved into dealing with national and international urban planning and development issues. He has taught at Pakistani and European universities and lectured widely both in the North and the South.    Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience         And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience     The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tinder.      https://www.facebook.com/Shehzadgs/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh     Chapters: 0:00 Mulk Kyon nahee chal raha 6:00 Corruption in International Projects 15:00 Why do no institutions work in Pakistan? 18:44 Bhutto ko kyon phansee dee 22:21 Zia ul Haq's legacy 34:40 Economics and Religious Exploitation  38:00 Land Grabbing, Bahria Town and Gujjar Nala 53:47 Gujjarnala and flooding in Defence  1:02:00 Neoliberalism, planning and projects 1:10:00 Katchi Abadi and Informal Sector 1:17:40 Thar 1:33:30 Rural and Urban Sindh 1:41:47 Separate Electorates and the Urdu debate 1:47:00 A Hopeful Future

Syed Muzammil Shah is a news anchor, political analyst and vlogger.  Muzammil comes on The Pakistan Experience to discuss the culture of irrationality, how religious extremism was promoted in Pakistan, the damage PTI is causing to the ideology of the youth and debate what is keeping us ignorant.   On this podcast we discuss the News Media Industry, Hasan Nisar, Nietzsche, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Imran Khan, Usman Buzdar, how dangerous TLP can be, our favourite philosopher, what is keeping Pakistan back and ofcourse, whether or not Muzamil is single.   Please consider supporting us on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience     And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1  https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience  https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience   The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tinder.    https://www.facebook.com/Shehzadgs/  https://twitter.com/shehzad89  https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh    Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:30 Is he single? 4:15 Professional vs Personal 8:44 Working at GNN 13:00 The News Media Industry 19:30 How to make sure you don't become Hasan Nisar 24:00 There is no value placed on Pakistani lives 28:00 Critical Thinking and following pseudo-intellectuals  37:00 Cancelling Historical thinkers  42:20 Bill Maher, America and Islamophobia 47:00 Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Imran Khan and how much power do civilians have 54:00 How dangerous is TLP 1:01:00 Rationality vs Ignorance Debate: Whats keeping Pakistan back   1:25:00 Musharaf, Imran Khan and Shaukat Aziz 1:28:00 Usman Buzdar 1:32:00 PTI's ideological damage 1:45:00 Awaam ko jahil rakha gaya hay 1:50:00 Dealing with hate online 2:01:00 Discussing Philosophy

Danish Husain is an actor, poet, Dastango, and a theatre director. He lives in Mumbai, India & runs a theatre company called The Hoshruba Repertory. He was instrumental in reviving the lost art form of Urdu storytelling, Dastangoi. Later he initiated a multi-lingual storytelling project called Qissebaazi. Lately his screen works like Bombay Begums & Taj Mahal 1989 on Netflix & Mee Raqsam on Zee5 OTT platforms have attracted attention.   Danish Hussain joins us on  The Pakistan Experience to discuss Theatre, his acting process, pursuing passions, the art of storytelling, philosophy of art and being an ally in the #MeToo movement.   Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience     And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience   The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tinder.   https://www.facebook.com/Shehzadgs/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh   Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 4:20 Why do I tell stories? 8:00 My philosophy of theatre 26:30 Comedy and Satire against the Powerful  39:26 The art of storytelling 44:20 Performing during the Pandemic 48:30 The Acting Process  1:01:00 Commercial Work vs Pursuing Passions  1:05:00 Embodying Characters 1:15:00 Pursuing your passion 1:20:00 MeToo and the Film Industry

None of us realizing the toll this pandemic has taken on our mental health. We are all feeling burnout, done with this and looking to put the pandemic behind us.   Sharmeen Khan, Clinical Psychologist and a Therapist, comes on The Pakistan Experience to discuss how to protect your mental health through this. How to recognize a burn out? What to do when you feel one?   We get into a deep dive discussion about trolling, suicide ideation, mental health,  personal relationships, toxic behaviour and shared trauma. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience   And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience  The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tinder.  https://www.facebook.com/Shehzadgs/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 0:30 Work-Life Balance 8:00 Burnout 15:00 Working Out to relef stress 19:00 Depression and Buray Din 30:00 Personal Relationships 36:00 Shared Trauma 45:00 How not to internalize hate 58:00 Covid Anxiety 1:04:00 Suicide Ideation 1:11:00 Drugs 1:13:00 Clinical Diagnoses of Mental Illnesses 1:28:00 Empathy, Compassion and Boundaries 1:40:00 Toxic Families 1:48:00 Don't judge your thoughts

The podcast ends at 2:04:33 but there is ten minutes of dead space after that, sorry about that, I put the outro at 2:13 but I forgot about it and when it rendered it rendered till then.    Natasha Humera Ejaz is an indie musician who shot to fame with "The Right Way to Fall", and she has continued to soar over the past decade with her music, acting and comedy. She recently launched her alter ego, Stupid Happiness Theory, an ambient/chill wave electronica music act.  Natasha has also been a permanent in the live performance scene in Islamabad for the past decade or so.   Natasha comes on the podcast to discuss her artistic process, dealing with grief, getting over being bullied as a child, 'making it' in the media industry and the need for spaces for the arts in Pakistan.   Intro Song: Hum Bhaagay by Natasha Humera Ejaz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_ZCR8MSWb8  Outro Song: Have a Little Faith by Stupid Happiness Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtfM1zXLj5U Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience   And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience  The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tinder.  https://www.facebook.com/Shehzadgs/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh  Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 4:00 Natasha's Journey as a musician 6:40 Indie vs Mainstream 10:20 Uth Records and The Right Way to Fall 12:30 The Journey 16:00 Being told you're not pretty 19:00 Marketing Yourself and the Performing Arts Market 28:00 Spaces for the Arts 35:30 Facing Criticism  37:00 Being Bullied and feeling beautiful 44:00 Perform for us entertainers! 51:00 Dealing with Grief 58:30 Take your broken heart and turn it into art 1:03:00 Comedy as a coping mechanism 105:30 Roles for Actors in Media 109:00 Natasha's Artistic Process 1:16:00 Dealing with the Quarantine 1:21:00 Manifesting  1:25:30 'Amad' of Music 1:32:00 Horcruxes of Myself 1:37:00 Imposter Syndrome 1:43:00 Doing Comedy in Pakistan 1:54:00 Why aren't we produced artists? 1:58:00 Ranjha Ranjha Kardi

Starting our second hundred episodes with a bang, and a very special episode with Physicist, Intellectual, Academic, and Professor, Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy.    On this episode of The Pakistan Experience, Pervez Hoodbhoy exposes the corruption of HEC, the involvement of the Government in it, Ata-ur-Rehman, and we go deep into a discussion on the ideology of Pakistan.  Do we need a national ideology? Will a Pakistani identity ever emerge? How damaging has it been for us to  The two nation theory  The podcast ends with a discussion on Quantum Physics, Black Holes and Parallel Universes.   Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy (Urdu: پرویز امِیرعلی ہودبھائی; born 11 July 1950) is a Pakistani nuclear physicist and activist who serves as Zohra and ZZ Ahmed Foundation distinguished professor at the Forman Christian College and previously taught physics at the Quaid-e-Azam University.[4][5] Hoodbhoy is also a prominent activist in particular concerned with promotion of freedom of speech, secularism, scientific temper and education in Pakistan.  Please consider supporting us on  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience      And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience   The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tinder.  https://www.facebook.com/Shehzadgs/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:15 Corruption of PTI 6:55 Corruption of Ata ur Rehman and HEC 24:00 Do Countries need an ideology? 28:27 Imagined Communities 36:12 Two Nation Theory 44:00 Ideological States: Pakistan and Israel 59:00 Has there ever been an Islamic state?