🇵🇰 Pakistan Episodes

Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings In conversation with Salman Javed, this episode discusses the current situation in Afghanistan is alike. What is the sentiment of an ordinary Afghan regarding the central government and the Taliban? The efforts of Pakistan in the present and past for negotiations of peace? Why Pakistan Holds the Key to Peace in Afghanistan? Why did India open a backchannel to the Taliban? What is the major concern of Pakistan in Afghanistan? Indian Influence in Afghanistan and its Implications for Pakistan? What are the efforts which Pakistan has put up for the betterment of Afghanistan? Russia’s involvement in Afghanistan. Tune in to know more on has the Taliban really controlled 85% of Afghanistan and why Pakistan Refuses to Host Additional Afghan Refugees? Do not forget to subscribe and press the bell icon to catch on to some amazing conversations coming your way! Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Salman Javed’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/M_EssJay

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

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring her journey into profit and journalism with tonight’s guest, Ariba Shahid. How her journey evolved from High School to the current date. How did she end up being in journalism? Why do women in Pakistan are not interested in business and economics? Why people buy gold for their daughters? How is her work-life like being a journalist? Why she has bitter views regarding overseas Pakistanis? Tune in to know more about trolling, harassment, the evolution of the internet. Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Ariba Shahid socials: Twitter: https://twitter.com/AribaShahid LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aribashahid

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring her journey into content creation and her personal life experiences with tonight’s guest, By Rooj. How her journey evolved from High School to Content Creation? Why she took a two-year gap in education? What was she struggling with? When does she start using Instagram? What does she think of Multan? At what point she felt like her content creation can be a thing? How does she perceive herself currently? How everyone copes up differently with different miseries? What does she think about cancel culture? How relationships affect when you are an influencer? Is there any possibility to be completely real on social media without getting hate? Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Urooj Fatima’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/by.rooj1

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.

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring where she went MIA with tonight’s guest, Momina Munir. Why she took a trip up north? Where was she? What is going on in her life? Why was she not making any content? What is her gap year situation like? Does she reflect a lot? Why does she think getting a degree is important? Does she challenge herself every year? What is she creating on YouTube these days? How does the next 5 years look for her as a YouTuber? How she became interested in hip-hop? Why diss tracks are a major thing in rap? Tune in to know more about her views regarding TikTok, rap culture, Pakistan of 2050, and change! Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Momina Munir’s socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mominamunir/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAB40nQK12SvOCnJDzvnHKQ

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring her journey of how she got into the police force and how she prepared for her CSS exams with tonight’s guest, ASP Amna Baig. What was her thought behind joining police forces? How did she prepare for CSS exams? What was her feeling when she passed? What is the procedure after the final interview? Does she investigate murders? How do they affect her? Is therapy available in the police force? What is the helpline she has built for women? What are the other reforms she has been able to bring? Tune in to know more about drug epidemics, financial independence, digital community policing, elite school training, and Pakistan of 2050! Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Amna Baig’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/amnaappi

1947 and 1971 are the two most pivotal moments in Pakistan's history yet they remain largely unknown. What we know about them depends on what the state wants us to know; your perception of events will be clouded by what side of the border you were born in.  The most important aspect of the story is often left untold by the state narratives: the people, the lived experiences of millions. The recording of oral histories sheds light on those experiences. Through a peoples history you can piece together the experience of 1947 and 1971.  Anam Zakaria comes on the podcast this week to discuss how to tell a peoples history, and why it is important.   Was Bangladesh inevitable? How do state narratives differ in India and Pakistan? Should an author put themselves into the work? Is there such a thing as 'objective history'? How to deal with trauma memories?  Find out this and more on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience.  Anam Zakaria is the author of three books - 1971: A People's History from Bangladesh,  Pakistan and India (2019), Between the Great Divide: A Journey into Pakistan-administered Kashmir (2018);  and The Footprints of Partition: Narratives of Four Generations of Pakistanis and Indians (2015), which won her the 2017 KLF-German Peace Prize.    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 0:45 Are we getting more radicalized 3:50 Oral histories and history at the margins 10:30 Putting yourself into your wrok 16:00 The process of recording Oral histories 23:00 Dealing with trauma memories 31:00 Wars fought on Womens bodies 36:30 The Reckoning for Partition 42:20 State narratives of 1947 in India and Pakistan 57:00 The Nationalization project after 1971 1:04:00 When it is labelled a genocide is political 1:09:00 Are displaced people ever home? 1:12:00 Was Bangladesh inevitable? 1:21:50 The equation of violence 1:29:00 Notions of identity 1:35:00 The politics of language 1:38:40 Pakistan's apology to Bangladesh 1:42:30 Is there more hate in urban centers or rural areas? 1:47:00 Visiting India 1:49:00 Conclusion and what's next 1:54:00 Is there any hope?

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring her journey of Midsummer chaos and how she became the youngest self-made millionaire in Pakistan with tonight’s guest, Bisma Khan. How she became what she is today? What are her different businesses? How has she started? What were the problems she had to face? How much hate does she get on social media? How it affects her? How she handles it? Does she think her reel life persona can misdirect teens? Why is she interested in joining politics? How her generation is different from the previous ones? How she became part of the midsummer cast? How was her experience? What she thinks about the hate ‘Midsummer chaos’ is receiving? Tune in to know more on what is missing in the ‘Midsummer chaos’ plot and why content in Pakistan generally becomes controversial! Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Bisma Khan’s socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bismakhannn/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7FK6vjLycfru0AMqTNYN7w

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring US, Afghan & Pakistan’s relations with Islamabad Policy and Research Institute’s executive director, Dr. Hussain Nadim. What was his thought behind joining a think tank? How did he reform IPRI? Why don’t boomers trust the youth of Pakistan? What is the concept behind G5 IO? How TikTok has reached out to the grass-root level? What does he think about US forces leaving Pakistan? How does it affects Pakistan? What is the best and worst scenario? What is the impact of the border fences created by Pakistan on security? How important is it? Why there has been no call from President Joe Biden to Prime Minister Imran Khan? In the context of Pakistan, why are we refusing to call Osama bin laden the way everybody is calling? Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Dr. Hussain Nadim’s socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hussain-nadim-12147512/

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring the wedding photography of Pakistan with tonight’s guest; Shehroze Shahid from Shehnoor Films And Photography. How did he go from an average kid to a professional wedding photographer? Which camera equipment is he using as a professional wedding photographer and cinematographer? Which equipment he would recommend to a beginner photographer? Which equipment he would recommend to a beginner cinematographer? How does he lead his team? Beyond being a wedding photographer, is he up to any other sort of content? What is the difference between the perception of international clients Vs Pakistani local clients regarding wedding photography? What is his exploration/traveling plans? How much communication is important in wedding photography? Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Shehnoor Films socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShehNoors/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shehnoor_films/ You tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggd5ep3tP-eDNmjNKZuvSQ

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring Cryptocurrency with tonight’s guest, Haroon Baig. How has gold proved itself to be a good store of value? How there is shortcut trading happening in bitcoin? Why people in Pakistan are not making money through productivity in real estate? What makes bitcoin better than CBTC? As currency? Who are the biggest facilitators of money launders? How bitcoin can be traced whereas money cannot be? Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Haroon Baig’s LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/haroonbai...

Faheem Azam is a writer, director, comedian, actor and content creator. Faheem Azam was the original head of Content at 'Teeli' and has worked on films like 'Paray Hut Love'.   On this week's episode, we get into a discussion on the Taliban, changing narratives, motay jism, Nikkahnamas, actors being cast based on looks, performing, making films, Teeli, relationships and the colonial mind.  Why are good films not being made in Pakistan?   Do Pakistan like size zero models?   Did legends do below the belt comedy?   Find out this and more on this week's episode of 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 Are Taliban our guardians? 12;00 Nikkahnama is a contract 17:00 Kaun log jism mota karna chahtay hain? 19:30 Size 0 models western idea hay 23:30 Actors are now cast based on looks 30:30 Personal libraries 34:30 Faheem Azam's journey: How he got here 45:30 Legends like Moin Akhtar and Umer Shareef never did below the belt comedy? 48:30 Performers need to reinvent themselves 57:30 The Colonial Mind 1:07:00 Back to Faheem Azam's journey to be a filmmaker 1:11:00 Why aren't great films being made in Pakistan? 1:27:30 Are audiences in Pakistan and India different? 1:37:00 What films work commercially in Pakistan?  1:47:30 Teeli 2:01:00 Artists in relationships 2:14:00 Faheem's Web Series

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring Cryptocurrency with tonight’s guest, Haroon Baig. How do they measure the audience? How will the mass adoption of Cryptocurrency happen? Who are the stakeholders of Cryptocurrency? The community? What happens in the background of Cryptocurrency? What happens in the background of Cryptocurrency? Is Cryptocurrency just limited to financial inclusion? How do they reconcile the economics of the services which they provide? How has Cryptocurrency evolved through these years from the developer’s perspective? What are the limitations of Bitcoin and Ethereum? How taking a loan has become easy in the Defi space? What is Ethereum? What is the concept behind proof of work and proof of stake? Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Haroon Baig’s LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/haroonbaigtsf

Dr. Taimur Rahman is a PhD and a Professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. He is also the General Secretary of the Mazdoor Kissan Party and a political activist.   Dr. Shahram Azhar is a PhD and a Professor at Bucknell University. He is also a classically trained musician and singer.  Taimur and Shahram join us for in depth discussion on Marxism, Identity Politics and the state of the Left in Pakistan.  We get into a debate about the efficacy of Identity Politics, New Marxism vs Old Marxism, China, and the Uighur Muslims.   Are we robots?  Will Pakistan give US bases?  Is the Budget pro poor?  Is Global Capitalism failing?  Is Laal reuniting?  Find out this and more on this week's episode of 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 4:00 R*pist ya Robot 12:00 Giving US bases 15:00 Budget 2021 32:00 Global Capitalism 47:00 Child abuse and culture 52:36 Identity Poltics 1:39:00 New Marxism vs Old Marxism 2:32:30 Is China State Capitalism? 2:38:00 Why are personal freedoms compromised in communism? 2:45:00 Uighur Muslims and China 3:09:00 Is Laal reuniting?

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring future of advertising and marketing strategies with tonight’s guest, Oztech marketing firm. How do they measure the audience? How do they compare with an international market in the field of advertising? What was their thought behind Oztech company? Is the technology of hologram readily available in Pakistan? How do they reconcile the economics of the services which they provide? What sort of products can be imagined from their company through the perspective of Pakistan? Tune in to know about traditional customers, QR codes in Pakistan, and more! Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Oztech’s Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/oztechpk/

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings  Exploring his journey into playing squash, winning many medals, and still not getting the respect these heroes deserve with tonight’s guest, Farhan Mehboob. When did he start playing squash? When did his professional training start? Why squash in Pakistan took a backseat? Why was he once banned from playing squash? How does squash structure work? How important it is to glamorize sports? How India glamorized sports? Tune in to know more on the role of the federal/provincial government in squash, and why we do not recognize and acknowledge our national heroes in their lifetime! Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Farhan Mehboob’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mehboobfarhan/

Stand-up comedian Ali Abdullah comes on the podcast to discuss nangay budhay, his stand up comedy journey, political correctness and memories of MQM!  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 Budhay itnay bhi unreasonable nahee thay 10:00 CD shops 16:00 Cringe content 22:00 Imran Khan 25:00 Stand up comedy kaisay start kia 30:00 Kya content ban raha hay yahan 38:00 Becoming a Stand up comedian 52:00 Political correctness 57:30 Are people too "jahil" here for democracy? 1:12:00 PTI is the best opposition 1:22:00 Missing MQM 1:33:00 Sindhi-Mohajir differences

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring her evolution from a teacher to an administrator with tonight’s guest, Sheena Sohail. How has she got into education? How long she has been teaching? What role did she play in the Hitech institution? How did her evolution happen? Have schools become a commodity? In these modern times, are women still allowed to progress in our society? How she managed her kids with her profession? Was there guilt attached? Do working fathers feel the same guilt? Why in general parents do not listen? Are schools teaching critical thinking? How schools further fuel insecurities in students? Tune in to know more about career counseling, the evolution of parent’s behaviors, and Pakistan of 2050! Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan

International listeners can support TBT here: https://buy.stripe.com/14keVU54r5hQ55S000 Be part of our community by joining our Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtbehindthings Exploring Video Wali Sarkar’s journey as a tech reviewer and E-Commerce business owner with tonight’s guest, Bilal Munir. How was his early life like? How was his university life? How he gained his elder's trust from the very beginning? How he started his financial journey? What was the thought behind the name of Video Wali Sarkar? What is his concept of sustainable growth? When did he get to know that he can pursue YouTube as a full-fledged career? What was his vision after graduation? Tune in to know about e-commerce, tech reviewing, and Pakistan of 2050! Connect with us: • https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings • https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan Bilal Munir's socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bilalmunir1995/ YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCheoCqHDwPcfS9Jrgz8siQw