An Open letter to the Gang of Marasees

I am writing an open letter to the Gang of marasees who appear frustrated by the Panjab Assembly's resolution to ban "Objectionable concerts in educational institution.  It is a reply to Mr Sher Khan who became the voice of these Marasees in his article "PA concert ban: Another day, another disappointment" that was published on January 26, 2012 on express tribune. My question is why they are so frustrated, this is the ban in educational institutions not overall, educational institutions are for education, aren't they?

It’s true that it is impossible to define the scope of the word “Objectionable” so anything can be stopped by labeling it objectionable. This is not good at all. But wait a minute, why and how extra-curricular activities, art and culture in educational institution have become a concert by a professional singer (Marasee). There was a time, when singing and all the activities in any concert or program was carried on by the students of that institution. This seems that some educational institutions have seen a easy way of promoting their schools/colleges and the professional singers are failing to gather public outside educational institutions so they are running for easy money. Please leave all the art and culture within school boundaries to school students.

Now let us see what the gang had told in the article and try to analyze that.

According to Ahmed Ali Butt (Entity Paradigm), songs by the professionals are the way of education and Pakistan will lose a lot by this ban. People will have another way of learning via internet. Oh bahi, then go with your internet and clearly what type of education one student will get when he will listen to a professional singer with in an educational institution that he cannot get with a song of a non professional student singer.

Adnan Sarwar (Club Caramel), emphases on why govt was not able to provide security to students and so after the ban the only way for him to earn is by going to India and gave the threat that he will not become an ideal ambassador. Dear brother, no one is stopping you from going to India and behaving like Vena Malik, go ahead.  You havn’t told anything why a professional signer is a must required in a concert in educational institution.

Ali Noor (Noori) is so much offended with this resolution that he has started to join some political party as it not a matter of livelihood but a matter of principle. Yaar why not you tell how it is must and necessary that educational institutions must organize concert for the livelihood of professional singers. Why can’t you live outside the school campus. Rest joining a political party is your personal problem. Hopefully we will soon see you in some political party jalsa.

Ali Azmat has claimed that it is his legal right to have a concert in a school and college so he is going to start a campaign for it on twitter. How it become his legal right to must sing in a school?

Shallum Xavier (Fuzon) was so frustated that he told the truth that he is unable to earn outside the school boundaries and singing in a school, is his bread and butter. Mr. You should focus and train more, hopefully you will be able to sing in some "Shadi" function as well.

Faisal Kapadia (Strings) was also of the view that singing in a school is the only way of making a living for the musicians. I feel really sorry for you and know that soon this will be over. Don't worry; already too many voices are on the media for you poor people.

Meekal Hassan and Khurram Waqar (Qayaas)  thought that Pakistan has become a culture wasteland and only source of revenue for them are schools. What a shame? Students go there for learning and you people loot them for your own benefit.

By reading the views of all of these Singers, it seems either they have thought that ban is over all and not in the educational institutions or really the situation of musical industry is really touching the bottom as the singers only rely on income from the educational institutions and singers are unable to earn money outside the school boundaries.

Concerts in the educational institutions should not be banned, but this does not mean that these singers make it their bread and butter and only source of income. If you think, that this is a way of education for students, make it free and earn outside the school as already parents are paying too much in the name of school fees. This ban is not going to last for a long but the way these Marasees have reacted have shown their truth.

Mentality of Pakistani Politics never changes

Mentality of Pakistani Politics never changes; this perception has popped up in mind today on 13^th January, 2011, after the resolution in the parliament that you want democracy or dictatorship.

Around 27 years ago in December 1984, General Zia ul Haq won the referendum by asking “You want Islam or not, if yes I am your leader”. Idea behind the Zia ul Haq was that as majority of peoples in Pakistan are Muslim, so they will vote for Pakistan and he will become the President of Pakistan and that did happen although today most of the politician accepts that behind that referendum there was a mala fide intention.

Today PM Gilani along with ANP leaders is following the same steps. A resolution has been floated in the parliament that “Democracy or Dictatorship”. Now who could be the one in the parliament, who will not vote for democracy? By giving vote for democracy, according to the last clause of the resolution which states: “This house endorses and supports the efforts made by the political leadership for strengthening democracy and reposes full confidence and trust in them”, you trust the Government. This means that government is not doing any corruption and all is well in Pakistan.

By making a comparison between the mentality of both Zia ul Haq time and Yousaf Raza Gilani, we see no difference at all. There is a difference of around 27 years, but both of them tried the same thing i.e. to hide their wrong deeds behind some other issue. Zia tried to gain more power, he hide himself behind islam and Gilani after 4 years of democracy and full power, wanted people to choose between democracy or dictatorship. This clearly indicate as a Pakistani we haven’t changed in quarter of a century, we puffed the dictatorship with powder and lipsticks of so called democracy but behind that screen we still have the same ugly face and mentality.