The Pakistan Experience

Iffat Omar is an Actress, Model and a Content Creator, she hosts the popular show, "Say it all with Iffat Omar". She is also known for her role as Aapa Ji (Rukhsana) in the Pakistani drama series Mohabbat Aag si. Iffat Omar comes on The Pakistan Experience for a frank and open discussion on Pakistani Politics and the Pakistani Media Industry, from the fascination people had with Imran Khan, to making it in the industry as an outsider, Iffat Omar talks about her journey and why she thinks the Drama Industry these days is not producing great content anymore. The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience To support the channel: Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912 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. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Facebook.com/Shehzadghias/ Twitter.com/shehzad89 Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:00 The Media Industry and the Price of Speaking the Truth 5:30 Politics: Imran Khan and PDM 16:45 Media Industry supporting Imran Khan 24:00 How Iffat Omar got into the Media Industry 30:00 Dramas these days and good Content 42:00 Challenges we face in Pakistan 46:00 Issues with the Media Industry 52:00 The New Generation and unlearning 56:30 Fashion, Staying Fit and Mental Health 1:09:00 Supporting Women when they speak out 1:17:00 The Nauman Ijaz Interview 1:21:00 Audience Questions

Why is there so much religious mob violence in Pakistan? Sources: 1. Blasphemy and Violence by Ron E. Hassner https://www.jstor.org/stable/23019512 2. Blasphemy in the Christian World by David Nash https://global.oup.com/academic/product/blasphemy-in-the-christian-world-9780199570751 3. USCIRF's report: ENFORCING THE WORLD’S BLASPHEMY LAWS https://www.uscirf.gov/publication/violating-rights-enforcing-worlds-blasphemy-laws 4. Article by PEW Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/01/25/four-in-ten-countries-and-territories-worldwide-had-blasphemy-laws-in-2019-2/ 5. “Plurality, Dissent and Hegemony: Th e Story Behind Pakistan’s Blasphemy Law” by Syed Zainuddin Moulvi and Arafat Mazhar https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/freedom-of-expression-in-islam-9780755637676/ 6. Sahih Muslim 96 https://sunnah.com/muslim:96a 7. 2008 Unholy Speech and Holy Laws: Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan - Controversial Origins, Design Defects by Zahra Hayat and Osama Siddique: https://scholarship.law.umn.edu/mjil/25/ 8. Capitulating to the TLP - The Nation https://www.nation.com.pk/04-Nov-2018/capitulating-to-the-tlp Podcasts: 1. Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DZ6h3LcF6o 2. Arafat Mazhar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msRmoRak8LA The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience To support the channel: Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912 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. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Facebook.com/Shehzadghias/ Twitter.com/shehzad89 Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:30 Corelation does not imply causation 3:30 Blasphemy and Violence 9:00 The Illusion of the Oppressed Majority 15:30 Blasphemy Law and Islam 19:30 History of Mob Violence in Pakistan 26:20 Other factors

Abhinandan Sekhri, CEO of Newslaundry, discusses changing narratives on Gandhi and Nehru, why people vote for BJP, news, disinformation, propaganda, technology, and the financial model of Newslaundry on The Pakistan Experience. They dive into topics like CAA, extremism, independent news, secularism, satire, and speaking your mind. The podcast explores the perception of Pakistan in Indian news and politics, scrutiny of heroes, hypocrisy of the Pakistani elite, impact of social media, institutionalization of laws, Elon Musk's principles on Twitter, transparency in news media funding, blurred lines between activism and journalism, and navigating India-Pakistan relations and identity.

Pastor Ghazala Shafique comes on The Pakistan Experience for a Truthful and Heartbreaking Podcast on the lives of Christians in Pakistan after the Jarawala Incident. On this deep dive podcast, we discuss the persecution of the Christian Community, Everyday Racism and Hatred, The Role of the State, Zehn Saazi, and False Accusations. Ghalaza Shafique has a Masters in Economics, a Masters in Divinity, Founding member of the Minority March and a prominent Human Rights Activist. The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience To support the channel: Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912 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. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Facebook.com/Shehzadghias/ Twitter.com/shehzad89 Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:30 Rawalpindi Incident 5:30 Zehn Saazi of Hatred 11:50 Role of the State and the Police 17:15 Using derogatory terms against Christians 24:30 Persecution against the Christian Community 32:00 Promoting Peace and Institution Building 37:00 Fixing the Judiciary and a lack of Justice 45:00 State Narratives 55:00 Pakistaniyat 1:01:00 False Accusations and Blasphemy Law 1:09:30 Jobs and Quotas for Christians 1:14:00 State does not care about lives of Christians 1:18:00 Names of Christians in Pakistan 1:21:00 Audience Questions

Qaiser Ali is the Director Programming and Director Digital and Marketing strategist at Green TV and the Owner of Q-Links, Pakistan's biggest Post-Production House and Nashpati Prime, which launched TBH with Tabish Hashmi. Qaiser Ali comes on The Pakistan Experience to discuss the vision of Green TV, how they make dramas, his philosophy on content, Nashpati Prime, how TBH started, and how Green TV Entertainment will revolutionize content. Why aren't Netflix and Amazon coming to Pakistan? What is the philosophy behind Green Entertainment? How was TBH started? Find out this and more on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience. The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience To support the channel: Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912 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. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Facebook.com/Shehzadghias/ Twitter.com/shehzad89 Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:30 What is the philosophy of Green TV Entertainment 12:00 The Creative Process 19:00 Making a Pakistani Brand Premium 27:30 Communication, Content and Social Issues 31:00 The Financial Model of Green 36:00 Content Strategy and Pipeline 46:00 TV and Digital Audiences 51:00 Eagle's Nest 57:45 The story of TBH 1:06:30 Ideas and Intellectual Property 1:10:30 Formulas, OTT, Netflix and Amazon

Historian, Academic, and Activist Ammar Ali Jan discusses how the Pakistani state rules by fear and explores topics such as fascism, colonialism, the failings of democracy, political engineering, and ground realities in Pakistan.

Ahmad Rafay Alam is an environmental lawyer and Yale World Fellow. He has served as the Chairman Lahore Electric Supply Company and Lahore Waste Management Company. Rafay Alam comes on the podcast to discuss Climate Change, Floods, RUDA and Pakistan's case at COP 27. Are we past the tipping point? Do politicians care about the Environment? Will Pakistan survive the Climate Catostrophe? Find out this and more on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience. The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience To support the channel: Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912 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. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Facebook.com/Shehzadghias/ Twitter.com/shehzad89 Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:00 Global Warming 5:00 Tipping Point of Climate Change 6:30 Methane and the Meat Industry 9:00 Capitalism and Climate Change 12:00 Environment and our Stories 15:00 Floods are a man made Disaster 18:30 The Hubris of Man, Colonialism and the Labour Class 26:45 Lahore Canal Conservation 28:24 Intensification of Monsoons and Heat Waves 30:00 Development at the expense of the Environment 33:20 Pakistan’s case at COP 27 39:00 The role of the USA 41:30 Fossil Fuels, Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy 44:30 Nuclear 46:00 Water Scarcity 51:00 Water and Provinces 55:00 Indus Water Treaty 57:30 Special Investment Zones, CPEC and Corporate Farming 1:07:00 Chief Justices 1:10:30 Lawyers Movement 1:13:30 RUDA and Ravi 1:24:50 AQI Air Quality Index 1:31:00 Audience Questions

Dr. Faisal Bari is an economist with over twenty years of research/teaching experience in the areas of economics of education, social protection, industrial organization and economic development. He is an associate professor of economics at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan, where his areas of teaching and research relate to the economics of education, inclusive education, philosophy of education, microeconomics, game theory and industrial organization. He was also the Dean for the School of Education at LUMS (2020-2023). He is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). Previous to this, Dr. Bari was CEO for IDEAS (2015-2020), Executive Director for Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Centre (2004-2006), and Visiting Assistant Professor of economics at Yale University, New Haven (2000-2001). A former Rhodes Scholar (Pakistan-1988), Dr. Bari has a BA (honours) from Oxford, and a doctorate from McGill University. His research has been published in numerous journals/books. He is a regular columnist for the daily Dawn, Pakistan. The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience To support the channel: Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912 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. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Facebook.com/Shehzadghias/ Twitter.com/shehzad89 Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:30 Single National Curriculum 9:30 Education Emergency: Rethinking Education 15:30 How did Bangladesh increase literacy 19:30 Schools in low-income housing 25:30 Public Sector Education 29:30 Quality of Education and Exams 34:00 Quality Teachers 37:30 Madrassa Education 41:00 Edtech 46:30 What is Education and Languages 56:30 Teaching Methodologies 1:06:00 Audience Questions

The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience To support the channel: Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912 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. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Facebook.com/Shehzadghias/ Twitter.com/shehzad89

Dr. Umar Saif comes back on The Pakistan Experience to discuss the Start-up Space in India and Pakistan, on this deep dive podcast we discuss what a Billion Dollar Start up Idea looks like, how Agritech can revolutionize Pakistan, what makes Start-ups investable, what are some red flags for investors, the history of Pakistani politics, and how the Indian IT industry grew. Umar Saif is a Pakistani computer scientist and academic. He is the founder and CEO of aiSight.ai, Chief Digital Officer of the Jang Group and CEO of Khudi Ventures. He is also serving as an advisor to the United Nations Development Programme in Pakistan. The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience To support the channel: Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912 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. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Facebook.com/Shehzadghias/ Twitter.com/shehzad89 Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:00 Umar Saif coming on The Pakistan Experience 4:00 Why there is no Start up Boom in Pakistan 8:00 How the Indian IT Industry grew 10:30 Skills and IT Training and Capacity Building 18:30 Using Technology and IT in Agriculture 32:00 Dil ka Rishta 33:30 Government helping small farmers and farmer cooperatives 37:00 History of Pakistani Politics 47:00 Skype and Estonia 50:30 How to bring a digital revolution in Pakistan and Start up Waves 57:00 What makes Start ups uninvestable 1:08:00 What is stopping an IT Revolution in Pakistan 1:12:30 Incentive for Government to invest in E-Commerce 1:14:00 Fund of Funds 1:17:00 Start up Valuations 1:19:00 What does a Billion Dollar look like? 1:21:40 Start up Red Flags 1:28:00 Audience Questions