Moin Akhtar passes away...

Ah Moin Akhtar, the greatest actor of the subcontinent is no more...

Different people may have different views but for me he was the best actor in the sub-continent beating all else hollow. You give him any role he will excel in it. He studied the characters so well and then will live the role. I only wish more people follow his commitment to excellence. I can only say Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Rajioon. Not only Pakistan but the world has lost one of the greatest entertainer of all time. But he went too early. So sad.

Remember what great dramas he has given us which will continue to entertain for generations to come.

An excerpt:

Anwar is a playwright, poet, television host, satirist and painter. He is widely recognised for using satire and wit to shed light on current social issues for all ages. The man behind Studio Dhai (Studio 2:30) and Studio Ponay teen (Studio 2:45) is best known for his plays Angan Tehra and Mehrunnissa, which won him critical acclaim.
Moin, recipient of the Sitara-i-Imtiaz – Pride of Performance awarded by the president of Pakistan – has had a large fan following in the subcontinent for over three decades now. A stage actor, comedian, TV host, writer, singer, director and producer, he is perhaps most famous for his impersonations.

Although Urdu is the national language of Pakistan, it is spoken in many parts of India and is widely understood in all Hindi-speaking regions of the country.
With command over several languages including English, Sindhi, Punjabi, Bengali and Gujarati – Moin is known for his faultless portrayal of characters from everyday life. His most memorable performance was in the role of a female TV artist, Rozie, which was an adaptation of Tootsie featuring Dustin Hoffman.

Some Clips:

http://www.thepakistani.tv/i/2129/pakistani-tv-comedy-shows-and-sitcoms/loose-talk-on-majooda-khalat.htm

India wins the ICC World Cup 2011 ...

When you do not have a comfortably sailing to the final you win it...

Congratulations to India for winning the world cup 2011. In the end they played better and deserved to win despite their lucky escape in the semi against Pakistan. Forget that.

They played like champions today. Despite loosing two early top gun wickets of Sehwag and Tendulkar they played most methodically to reach the target. Hats off to the Gautam Gambir and Virat Kohli partnership. Then Dhoni played a master stroke, he came himself instead of Yuvraj who could have or could not have played, to lead from the front and see how responsibly he played without being bogged down unlike Misbah neither did he play any non-cricketing stroke like Afridi.

There is something to learn from these boys - unity of purpose, planning and commitment.
I hope our team was watching how they planned their batting up to the point they won. No rash non-cricketing strokes, no T20 strokes and no bogging down unlike our boys on the fateful day.

Srilanka made terrible mistakes by not taking some good bowlers like Ajanta Mendis etc. they had no good pace attack and the best spinners were not playing.

Now coming to the main point. Pakistan topped the tabled and is bundled out in 2011. In 1992 they got into the knockout because Australia beat West Indies and Pakistan sneaked in and went on to become the World Champions 1992. Similarly in 2009 Pakistan won the T20 Championship after being humbled earlier and were about to be eliminated. But when it sneaks in with utmost difficulty it wins the final. But when we top the table we never win. This is an observation. Now you ponder over it.

Same with India, they sneaked in with great difficulty after loosing to South Africa and tieing with England and were not exactly comfortable with others. They beat the minnows. Their most difficult match was against Pakistan. Seems like they kept the best for the final and bravo they did the job. http://samaa.tv/newsdetail.aspx?ID=30243

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Winning-WC-is-proudest-day-of-my-life-Sachin/videoshow/7853426.cms

http://www.ndtv.com/album/detail/the-cup-of-joy-10136?fromphotowidget

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Shahid-Afridi-praises-Dhonis-captaincy/videoshow/7829997.cms

Rest later.

Why did Pakistan loose the semifinal?

When you make Himalayan Blunders no amount of prayers help...

What are those Himalayan Blunders? Let me be brief.

1. Not playing the most feared bowler in the world - Shoaib Akhtar. Umar Gul should have been dropped and Shoaib taken. Is there any match between these two bowlers? None. Shoaib is a class apart. He runs through the batting line up and when people avoid getting out to him they give wickets to others. In either case team benefits.
2. Umar Gul giving away too many runs - 69 runs in 8 overs without any wicket. Afridi gave him many sessions even in the end to have a wicket in his name but he only succeeded in conceding more runs to India. One wonders why Omer Gul is the most favourite with Shahid Khan Afridi at the expense of the team.
3. Bad field placement and hence leaking runs without a deep third man. Omar Gul was never bowling to the field. Over 20 runs were lost like that.
4. Very poor fielding at least 30 runs could have been saved.
5. Four catches were dropped of Tendulkar to the extent he was embarrassed. His luck was such that even after being given out the decisions were reversed thanks to the review.
6. Such abysmal batting. Hafeez had no business to be out so irresponsibly. Where was the need of a non-cricketing shot? He must be dropped as Kapil Dev was once dropped at his peak by Gavaskar for an irresponsible stroke.
7. Asad Shafeeq had no business to cut a straight ball from that arrogant Yuvraj.
8. There was no need to bring upon themselves the pressure which they brought upon themselves. Misbah while trying to save wickets consumed far too many runs.
9. Mohammed Yousuf was sorely missed in the middle and batting flopped miserably. What was Younis doing if he could not bat? And Afridi and A.Razzak? Why were they taken? I guess to bat.
10. Kamran Akmal continued to be as bad as possible behind the stumps.
11. What about power play? It should have been taken when the captain Afridi and vice captain were at the crease.

In short Pakistan could not have had a better chance to make it to the final and possibly the cup. This is too much and it has broken the hearts of millions around the world. Now we have to listen for the next four years that India has never lost to Pakistan in a world cup. Disgusting.

Shoaib Akhtar - The fastest and the best fast bowler the world has produced...

The world's greatest bowler ever born!

Injustice done to the best bowler in the world...

We will miss him. I still hope and pray he does not retire and continues to play. If not the charm of cricket will be gone. If he goes he will be going without realising his full potential. He was extreme talent but we did not have extreme talent in management to match him. Poor management of Cricket in Pakistan has broken hearts of players and spectators alike.

How dare Naseem Ashraf the then PCB head, not give a Central Contract to a player of Shoaib Akhtar stature. Naturally he protested. Which later became cause of bitter controversy.

Talent has to be well taken care of and nurtured as is done every where in the world. So why not in Pakistan. I am not condoning indiscipline. He later was very good after realising his mistakes. We are all human we make mistakes. We must learn to forget and forgive. Now this guy was doing a lot and giving his best. His potential should be fully realised for Pakistan's sake.

Now it seems Waqar Younus and Afridi have haunted him out. It was a sad day for Pakistan when he announced his retirement. We should have a movement to bring him back. President Asif Ali Zardari should ask him to renounce retirement and be available for the national team. He should do what President Gen. Zia did to Imran Khan.

Shoaib Akhtar is the most feared bowler the world has seen. Even a half fit Shoaib Akhtar is more than all bowlers put together as Intikhab Alam had said. He would send a shiver down the spines of the world's best batsmen when he would be on the run up to bowl them.

He was the first to achieve speeds beyond 100 miles per hour and he consistently did that. In trying to play him out we got they gave away wickets to other bowlers. We benefited both ways.

However much the victory against Australia was cherished millions were sad that they did not see Shoaib Akhtar bowl on that day. I hope and pray they do not drop him in the subsequent matches. If they do then we know what is going on in the team.

Pakistan breaks the winning streak of Australia in the World Cup...

Pakistan beats Australia Convincingly...

UK and Allies strike Libya... UK at its mischief again!

If The West is sincere and serious then they should solve decades old problems...

It is most unfortunate - UK again leading in the killing of people in the Arab World. UK never stops. It created Israel right in the heart of Arab Land and we see no solution in sight with Israel's atrocity and continuously defying the world community.

It is Britain that has remained the culprit throughout. It is not international community but UK in disguise. It was Mrs. Thatcher who forced Reagan to act in the first Gulf War. It was Tony Blair who trapped Mr. George Bush. No same thing under one alibi or the other they kill Arabs and Muslims. How many have they killed in Iraq? Where they are suffering they just keep talking and do nothing viz. Israel and India in Kashmir. There they see no oppression and democracy is forgotten.

Remember the Muslim World and The Arab World does not see it with kindness. If the West was sincere it would have done something to restrain Israel in Palestine and restrained India in Kashmir and the rest of the country not to be so ruthless and murderous there. People are dying and democracy goes to the dogs. Cant the West see this? Will of the International Community is just a hogwash for their hidden ambitions.

It is their interests. They are not interested in the people but are driven by the desire to weaken the Arab World so that tomorrow it is no threat to Israel.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/allies-launch-libya-force-as-gaddafi-hits-rebels/2011/03/19/ABKqmkw_video.html

BBC says AlQaeda never existed...

In case you have missed the documentary here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ_HlmP1aZk

What a match? What a chase? What a tie?

England needed to be there. But this is the super charged World Cup 2011. Expect any thing.

The batting was good by India but England were no where behind. Tendulkar ofcourse is Tendulkar. He built the platform for India no wonder. Bresnen five wicket haul ensured India did not pile up further.

The reply was equally sprited. Kevin Pieterson was wonderful and Munaf's catch was doubly superb that ended a class innings. The best caught and bold ever as they said.

Strauss and Bell amazing too. Did not think they could play so good. While cruising at will, Zaheer applied brakes along with Munaf.

But the last guy Shahzad of England's six brought England too close. Yet England's victory was not to be. Although some think technically England won. They lost less wickets and India did not bat the full 50 overs. It batted for 49.5 overs.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/story/503292.html?CMP=NLC-DLY

Is there something to learn from Egypt?

Yes there is a lot to learn from Egypt as follows:

Rest later.

Egypt makes history...

The first Technology Revolution... and peaceful!

History made today. 18 days of struggle and 30 years of reign gone. Look at the lady here. She is crying with happiness. In just 18 days the change has come. The important thing is to believe something can be done. And it does. This as a matter of fact the beginning of the revolution.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2011/02/11/live-blog-feb-12-egypt-protests

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp=41540868&#41538438

Stop corruption in Cricket...

Shame... Taking moral responsibility Ejaz Butt must resign immediately!

There is nothing to write about. Heads down with shame. Sorry, so long as corruption is accepted is society it will go on. The young boys and girls must get the message that corruption is not acceptable in any circumstance.

Getting banned for 5 years is no small thing. The careers are finished for good. What great talent gone. Butt the class opener and a good enough captain gone, the McGrath of Pakistan - Asif gone and a budding talent Amer gone too. But let this be a lesson for any future adventurers. I hope not only the Cricketing Community but the whole world is listening.

In the meanwhile some one has to take moral responsibility. And if Ejaz Butt has just a bit of conscience still left in him he will at least resign without asking even if he does not offer an apology to the nation. This will be good for the morale of the cricket squad for the 2011 Cricket World Cup. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/current/story/499614.html

Why the demonstrations on Kashmir do not become news in international media?

If we continue like this we may be celebrating Kashmir day for ever...

Today is February 5 again it is a Kashmir day in Pakistan. We have been having it for over six decades now. There have been good enough demos in Azad Kashmir. I thought this will be reported in BBC, CNN, ABC or Skynews just to give a few examples.

They did cover the Egyptian demonstrations and even covered a demo on Belgrade. But failed to cover a dispute simmering between the two nuclear armed neighbors. Why is it so? I want reasons other than conspiracy theories and victim psychosis please.

As I see it, the Kashmiris and Pakistan do not make a professional effort in this direction. Their PR is at the lowest ebb. They should ensure through Media, Pressure Groups, Public Relations, Diplomacy and High Profile Statements by Heads of States that News Agencies pick Kashmir events, report and discuss it.

Our reputation is so bad and commitment so low that besides Pakistan internally it is no news even when people die of atrocities by occupying forces. It is barely reported in Pakistan media too. Why? Because no body cares. Dawn did not even report it on 5th Feb. http://www.dawn.com/latest-news . The News reported barely: http://www.thenews.com.pk/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=10676

At every forum 24x7 round the year we must talk of a Democratic Solution so Tony Blair used to say. But do the rulers make any statements or have a diplomatic and media thrust to do that. No. Diplomats abroad just enjoy their salaries and perks without doing their jobs. Why? They just do not care. If people are dying let them. Who cares?

Hey guys get your act together if at all you want Kashmir issue resolved. Make news and ensure it is reported world-wide on a daily basis. Without creating world awareness and pressure on a sustained basis the world is not going to move.