The Pakistan Experience

Zarrar Said is the author of Pureland. Zarrar comes on The Pakistan Experience to discuss his book, prejudices and the commercial industry of writing books.

Syed Muzamil Shah is an anchor, journalist and analyst.  Muzamil comes back on the podcast to discuss the repercussions of the Single National Curriculum, the growing Talibanization of Pakistan, American imperialism and neoliberalism.  The Pakistan Experience is an independently run podcast.  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/Shehzadghias/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:20 Single National Curriculum  11:00 Appeasing the extremist mindset 17:30 The Taliban have changed and Pakistan's role 27:00 Talibanization of Pakistan 36:00 Barelvi Extremism and TLP 41:00 Using nationalism to control people 46:30 Will Imran Khan be Prime Minister again? 51:00 Shahbaz Sharif and PDM 54:30 Financial Establishment 58:30 ZAB 1:02:40 Neoconservativism, Neoliberalism and the radical left 1:08:30 American Capitalism, Slavery and the American revolution 1:34:00 Left vs liberal policies 1:48:00 Arguing with trolls online and CSS 1:51:00 Simping for the state on Youtube and media restrictions 1:57:30 Spirituality

Hashmat Moslish is a Journalist, Independent Analyst, Former Senior Producer at Al Jazeera, and advisor to the former President of Afghanistan, Burhanuddin Rabbani.  Hashmat joins us on the podcast to contextualize the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan. We get into a deep discussion on how the Taliban managed to take over the entire country so swiftly, where all did the US policy fail in Afghanistan, what does the future look like and what role should Pakistan play.   The Pakistan Experience is an independently run podcast.  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/Shehzadghias/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Chapters: 0:00 Contextualizing and Historizing the rule of the Taliban 24:00 Early Taliban vs the new young Taliban 32:00 Very difficult to attack the Panjshir Valley 34:30 Are the old Taliban commanders unconnected to what is happening in Afghanistan? 43:40 Western Media doesn't understand Afghanistan 50:00 Liberalism and Islam 1:02:00 International Politics: Iran, Pakistan, Saudia Arabia and Afghanistan 1:08:30 Will Taliban accept money from anywhere? 1:14:00 The relationship of Afghanistan and Pakistan 1:20:00 The "Taliban" state 1:25:40 The role of China  1:31:00 Islamic State in Afghanistan 1:34:00 What can Pakistani people do to help Afghans?

Kapil Dev is a human rights activist from Pakistan, Kapil Dev comes back on The Pakistan Experience to discuss the recent rise in the attacks on temples, Hinduphobia and the Government's role in fuelling hate in the country.  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/Shehzadghias/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh  Chapters: 0:00 Rising  Hinduphobia  5:00 Comparing India and Pakistan 12:00 Tauheen kaun kar raha hay? 17:00 The Government's disappointing reaction 30:00 Hindu hatred being taught to people 35:30 Is it lack of empathy or fear of extremism? 45:00 Creating the east-west binary 52:00 Inspiring hate 58:00 Bhai yaad aatay hain 1:04:30 Catching up with Kapil Dev

Thank you for being a part of the journey <3

Dr Madhavi Menon comes on the podcast to discuss how the Anglo-American conception of identity does not apply to South Asia. On this deep dive podcast, we discuss how British prudish laws went against how Indians saw identity, gender and sexual fluidity, we discuss gender fluidity in Sufi culture, specifically Sufi poetry, we also get into discussions of consent, the agent of consent, gender performativity, desire, judgment, and our love for the Masala culture of Bollywood.  Madhavi Menon is Professor of English at Ashoka University. She earned her Bachelors and Masters in English from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, where she stood first in College in her BA, and was a University gold-medalist in her M.A. She completed her PhD from Tufts University. Prior to joining Ashoka, she taught at Ithaca College and American University. Her current book project is titled The Law of Desire (forthcoming with Speaking Tiger, 2021). 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/Shehzadghias/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:30 Fluidity of Identity 8:50 Gender Fluidity vs Sexuality Fluidity 12:30 The Bathroom debate and the state categorizing you 20:30 Fluidity in Sufi Culture 28:30 Section 377: Inclusion, Exclusion and Fighting for the narrative 34:00 Identity Politics: Cis and Trans terminology 44:50 Victimhood and racial identities 53:45 Consent 1:00:30 The Age of Consent 1:10:00 Performing Gender in South Asia on stage 1:14:00 Obviously I will bring up Psychedelics 1:21:00 Desire and Judgment: Pedophilia and Incest 1:29:00 The Hadiya case: Love Jihad and infantilizing women 1:31:00 The British categorization of 'Hindus' and 'Muslims' 1:36:30 Misuse of our history for their ideology and weaponizing victimhood 1:41:20 The masala culture of Bollywood 1:51:30 Pratap's resignation 1:54:30 Violence against women in South Asia

Syed Nomanul Haq  is a Pakistani scholar and intellectual historian noted especially for his contributions to the fields of Islamic history and Islamic philosophy. Noman ul Haq is currently the Dean of Liberal Arts at UMT, he has previously taught at Harvard, Brown, UPenn, LUMS, IBA and Habib University. In his career spanning twenty years, Haq has gained widespread repute for his teaching, publications and editorial and research work on the history and philosophy of science, postmodern philosophy, history of religion, history of art and history of literature, for which he has won multiple prizes and awards.  Dr Noman ul Haq comes on the podcast to discuss why Liberal studies are important, why we have an anti-intellectual culture where we think of people like Hasan Nisar as intellectuals, the need to know our Islamic History, Erturgul and Batameez Dil.  On this deep dive podcast I ask him if the Ottoman Empire was brought down because of the printing press, what we need to do to expand the Muslim Mind, the reassertion of the Muslim identity and why LUMS is better than IBA and Habib.  Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakista nexperience  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/Shehzadghias/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh  Chapters: 0:00 LUMS, IBA, Habib 3:30 Why are Liberal studies important 7:50 The Nationalization project 10:30 The East West binary 18:00 Academic gatekeeping of history 23:23 Losing languages and politicizing the language issue 28:50 Ertugrul and the panIslamic zeal 31:00 Cruelty to Animals in Islam 36:30 Reassertion of the Muslim Identity as backlash 52:56 History, mythology and psychedelics 57:30 Love for man in Sufi thought 1:06:00 The Muslim mind 1:11:48 Did the printing press end the Ottoman Empire? 1:17:30 Batameez Dil

Urvashi Butalia comes on The Pakistan Experience to discuss why it is important to tell feminist histories,  challenging his story,  and the current state of publishing.  On this deep dive episode, we get into a discussion around the fluidity of identity, stories of partition survivors, and having empathy of the other.  Urvashi Butalia  is an Indian feminist writer, publisher and activist. She is known for her work in the women's movement of India, as well as for authoring books such as The Other Side of Silence: Voices from and the Partition of India and Speaking Peace: Women's Voices from Kashmir.  Along with Ritu Menon, she co-founded Kali for Women, India's first feminist publishing house, in 1984. In 2003, she founded Zubaan Books, an imprint of Kali for Women.  In 2011, Butalia and Menon were jointly awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, for their work in Literature and Education.  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/Shehzadghias/ https://twitter.com/shehzad89 https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:00 History vs herstory: Erasure of women from History 10:06 Womens bodies become the targets 20:30 Sona Chaman kee kahani 24:50 Hum Hindu ya Musalman nahee, hum Dalit hain 30:50 Identity and violence 37:00 Flexibity and fluidity in Identity 51:00 Reassertion of Identity during times of crisis 1:00:00 Grappling with Partition and your history 1:06:45 Does Pakistan's triumphant narrative about 1947 leave space for grief? 1:20:00 Empathy of the other 1:23:00 You cant compare traditional history vs peoples history 1:36:20 Can you write about something that is not your identity?  1:42:20 What is the ethos of a feminist publishing house? 1:48:00 Publishing is not commercially viable 1:54:30 Audience Q&As

Sarah Belal comes on the podcast to discuss the Death Penalty, criminalizing torture and the Criminal Justice System. Sarah Belal is the Founder and Executive Director of Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), a legal action non-profit organization that provides pro bono representation to the most vulnerable Pakistani prisoners facing harsh punishments in the courts of law and the court of public opinion.  Ms. Belal won the prestigious Echoing Green Global Fellowship in 2013 – making JPP the first Pakistani organization to be recognized in the fellowship’s 25-year history. In 2016, Ms. Belal was awarded both the inaugural Franco-German Prize for Human rights and the National Human Rights Award by the President of Pakistan.  Ms. Belal studied History at Smith College, Northampton. She completed her law degree from Oxford University in 2006 and qualified a barrister after completing the Bar Vocational Course in 2007. She obtained her license to practice in Pakistan in 2007 and gained rights of audience in the High Court in 2008. She has served as a member of two court-appointed Commissions as well as assisted the Lahore High Court as amicus curiae.  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 1:00 Capital Punishment  4:30 Public perception  8:00 Pubilc sentiment on Capital Punishment 10:00 Does Capital Punishment work? 19:12 Mental Health and Capital Punishment  25:00 The economic argument for Capital Punishment 28:48 Do people care? 37:50 Wrongful convictions  41:00 Islamic principle of forgiveness 46:00 Issues in the Criminal Justice System 51:50 Criminalizing Torture  1:02:30 The Blasphemy Law 1:12:00 True crime content  1:16:00 Conclusion

Mariam Shafqat Goraya, Amna Shafqat Goraya, Preh Memon, Sajeer Shaikh, Ekta Shaikh and Laiba Zainab join us to discuss their lived experiences and the experience of living as a woman in Pakistan.