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?

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

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?

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

Ammar Rashid, the President of Punjab of the Awami Workers Party, comes on the podcast to discuss the 'populous' nature of Imran Khan's politics and the left's response to Pakistan's economic crisis.  Ammar Rashid is an academic, researcher and activist, whose work focuses on development, housing, informal settlements, health, gender and education.   On this episode, we get into a deep dive discussion on the Budget, how Imran Khan's politics have evolved, how Pakistan can stop being a rentier state, Education, BISP/Ehsaas, Identity Politics, Weaponization of liberal ideas by the right, and after a while, Psychedelics. 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/thepakistanexperience  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 Imran Khan and PTI's evolution 9:00 Is PTI actually populous? 15:00 Musharraf and Imran Khan 28:00 Manufacturing, Industrialism, Consumption and Investment 40:00 How can Pakistan stop being a rentier state? 51:00 Budget deficit and economic recovery 59:00 BISP and Ehsaas 1:04:00 Minimum wage and the price-wage surge 1:11:00 Internet Tax 1:20:30 Education 1:26:30 Weaponization by the right of liberal ideas 1:35:00 The Politics of Recognition 1:57:00 New Left Party being launched 2:00:30 How to join AWP 2:04:00 Land Reform 2:10:00 What do we need to do to make policy pro-poor? 2:17:25 PSYCHEDELICS

Khurram Hussain is a Business and Economy Journalist at DAWN, Pakistan's leading Newspaper.  Khurram Hussain comes on the podcast to unmask the provisional economic growth rate of 3.9% given by the Government. On this deep dive discussion, we get into the question of if the GDP growth actually help uplift the impoverished in Pakistan, the myth of trickle down economics, and what Pakistan can do to make economic growth sustainable.  Are we headed towards another IMF program?  Does the current account surplus matter?  Should the state bank be autonomous?  Exposing the property file racket.  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/thepakistanexperience 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 5:00 Shaukat Aziz 8:00 Unmasking the 3.9% Economic Growth Rate 20:00 IMF Packages - Are we going for another one? 24:00 Direct cash injections vs Corporate handouts 34:00 Corporate Power in Pakistan 41:00 India 47:00 Are economists disconnected from ground realities? 53:00  Property file racket 1:06:00 The economy is growing but for whom? 1:21:00 What is stopping sustainable Economic Growth? 1:29:00 Is PTI cleaning PML-N's economic mess? 1:41:40 Does the Current Account Surplus matter? 144:40 Remittances 1:48:20 Indirect taxation vs Direct taxation 1:53:50 Is the economy out of the woods? 2:03:00 Musharaff vs PPP vs PMLN vs PTI - Who was the economy good for? 2:07:30 Should the state bank be autonomous? 2:10:30 IMF's projections for Pakistan 2:15:30 Why isn't there more business/economic journalism in Pakistan? 2:20:25 One good thing Imran Khan has done

The families of the victims of the PIA plane crash, PK8303 in Karachi, come on the podcast to discuss their fight for justice over the past year. From the absolute callousness of the officials to the inhumanity showed by PIA, the families discuss all the hardships they have faced to make air travel safe in Pakistan. 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 Introduction 1:30 What happened that day 6:57 Hot and high landings 11:10 Technical fault vs Pilot Error 19:20 Harassing family members of victims 24:00 Blaming the pilot 30:00 What the families went through 50:00 The entire system is to be blamed 1:02:00 Neelam's mothers plea to the Government 1:20:00 Where is the Government? 1:32:00 Pilot did not ask passengers to brace for impact 1:35:00 Fighting the system for Justice 1:53:06 RDA - Release Deed Agreement 2:10 Humanity is dead. Government is nowhere. 2:20 Conclusion and demands

Afia Salam comes on to discuss the recent attack on Asad Ali Toor, and the history of Journalists being threatened in Pakistan, from self-censorship to disappearances, we discuss what more can be done to push back against these tactics against journalists. We also do a deep dive discussion on human development, climate change and activism.  Is Individual responsibility or corporate culture more to blame for climate change?  Should the global south halt development to reduce carbon omissions?  Is the Billion Tree Tsunami a good project?  Find out on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience. Afia Salam is a Masters in Geography and a career journalist having 4 decades of experience of print, electronic and web journalism. She is a LEAD, FNF's International Academy of Leadership & Australia Awards Fellow, member of IUCN Commission on Education & Communications and Commission on Economic & Social Policy. She is also a member of the national coordinating body for Marine Protected Areas.   She has been highlighting  issues related to environment and climate change through her writings, and advocacy through seminars and moderation of panel discussions and round tables.  She is also a development practitioner, and current elected President of Baanhn Beli and Chair Board of Trustees Indus Earth Trust. She can be reached on Twitter   @afiasalam 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 Introduction 1:10 Journalists being attacked 8:45 Journalism, Self-censorship and Optics 20:00 Young generation gives me hope 27:00 Social media propagandas  32:00 Human Development 38:30 Distrust of the State and Neocolonialism 47:30 Individual vs Corporate Responsibility for Climate Change 1:03:00 How Plastics is affecting our diet 1:11:11 Global South, Carbon Emissions and Development 1:20:00 Dumb Lockdown 1:26:00 Billion Tree Tsunami 1:38:00 Non native trees in Karachi and modernism 1:45:39 Indus Water Treaty, Dams and Flooding 2:00:00 Regional Cooperation is the need of the hour  2:10:00 Kya Patwario nay sirkhez zameen loot lee? 2:13:00 Governments are not serious about pollution in rivers 2:20:00 Meat Production  2:26:00 Cricket Journalism

Babar Khan Javed is an investigative journalist that covers the $2B advertising & media industry in Pakistan. Currently reporting via Profit, he is credited with helping the marketing community understand the value of data-driven influencer marketing, the path to repositioning media as an investment, creating a platform for female executives to share POVs that deviate from the status quo, and more. He can be reached at [email protected] for pitches while whistleblowers can reach him at [email protected] in order to create real change.  Babar comes on the podcast to discuss Waqar Zaka, branding, the agency model, media ratings and the Advertisement Industry in Pakistan.   Will Amazon coming to Pakistan really matter? Is the ad agency model flawed? How to brand yourself to make money online?  Watch on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience.   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 Introducion 3:49 Advertising Agency model if flawed 6:00 The media ratings system is corrupt 15:00 Content and captive audience 23:00 Brands and Tik Tok 29:30 Amazon and sehtiya culture 44:00 Corruption in Advertising in Media 51:18 There will not be Amazon.pk 1:00:00 Branding and Digital Marketing 1:20:00 The agency model 1:30:00 Podcast and Patreon 1:33:00 Internal Brain Drain 1:40:00 Disagreeing respectfully  1:45:00 Female Executives

Ali Aftab Saeed is a singer, journalist and digital content creator.   Adeel Afzal is an actor, writer and digital content creator.  The two juggernauts come together on this very special episode of The Pakistan Experience. On this episode we discuss the 'Dehhari' philosophy, dealing with trolls online, Waqar Zaka, virgin murghiyan, kohta karhai, garmi aur Nat Geo kee batameeziyan!    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 Introduction 2:00 Dehari Philosophy 5:30 Dealing with trolls online 10:30 Asal genius Waqar Zaka hay 16:10 Overseas Pakistanis and police stories 33:40 Chup kar kay paisay kamao 38:00 Pakistan say bahar janay kay tareeqay 40:40 GARMI! 43:48 Khota Karhai  52:00 Murhay, Gaye, Nat Geo, Animal Planet 1:00:00 Eid kee Gaye 1:05:00 Boycott 1:07:00 The Noor Jehan Story

Tabish Hashmi, Stand-up Comedian and host of the hit show, To Be Honest, comes on The Pakistan Experience to discuss his career, the show, and the industry.  On this deep dive podcast we discuss 'Problematic jokes', Political correctness, Marriage, Children, Activism, To Be Honest, The Media Industry, and Cleaning Bathrooms. Tabish also remembers his father and talks about his life growing up.    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   Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:00 Cleaning Bathrooms, Shovelling Snow and Cutting Grass 7:00 Raising children, discussing Marriage and divorces 16:45 Love Marriage and Arranged Marriages 22:00 Problematic Jokes and woke culture 32:00 Political Correctness and facing hate online 37:00 Age, maturity and babies  40:00 Activism, Awareness and Society 51:00 How are guests selected for TBH? 57:00 Politicians  1:00:30 Gifts and Social Media 1:04:00 Tabish remembers his father 1:16:00 Staying grounded 1:18:00 Media industry mai exemplary log nahee milay 1:24:00 Charity shows 1:28:00 Why is Indian stand up comedy industry doing better   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

Arif Hasan comes back on the podcast to discuss why Pakistan has struggled in the past 74 years, the systematic destruction of our institutions, Zia's legacy, the land mafia, Bahria Town, forced evictions, Katchi Abadis and Thar.    On this deep dive podcast, Arif Hasan discusses talks about the corruption in International projects, why development needs to be human-centric, how people are evicted from their homes by land mafia, why he feels Defence might flood again this year and the Gujjarnala evictions.    Arif Hasan is a Pakistani architect and planner, activist, teacher, social researcher and writer. He studied architecture at the Oxford Polytechnic, worked in Europe in architect’s offices, and on his return to Karachi in 1968, established an independent practice which slowly evolved into dealing with national and international urban planning and development issues. He has taught at Pakistani and European universities and lectured widely both in the North and the South.    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 Mulk Kyon nahee chal raha 6:00 Corruption in International Projects 15:00 Why do no institutions work in Pakistan? 18:44 Bhutto ko kyon phansee dee 22:21 Zia ul Haq's legacy 34:40 Economics and Religious Exploitation  38:00 Land Grabbing, Bahria Town and Gujjar Nala 53:47 Gujjarnala and flooding in Defence  1:02:00 Neoliberalism, planning and projects 1:10:00 Katchi Abadi and Informal Sector 1:17:40 Thar 1:33:30 Rural and Urban Sindh 1:41:47 Separate Electorates and the Urdu debate 1:47:00 A Hopeful Future

Syed Muzammil Shah is a news anchor, political analyst and vlogger.  Muzammil comes on The Pakistan Experience to discuss the culture of irrationality, how religious extremism was promoted in Pakistan, the damage PTI is causing to the ideology of the youth and debate what is keeping us ignorant.   On this podcast we discuss the News Media Industry, Hasan Nisar, Nietzsche, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Imran Khan, Usman Buzdar, how dangerous TLP can be, our favourite philosopher, what is keeping Pakistan back and ofcourse, whether or not Muzamil is single.   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 1:30 Is he single? 4:15 Professional vs Personal 8:44 Working at GNN 13:00 The News Media Industry 19:30 How to make sure you don't become Hasan Nisar 24:00 There is no value placed on Pakistani lives 28:00 Critical Thinking and following pseudo-intellectuals  37:00 Cancelling Historical thinkers  42:20 Bill Maher, America and Islamophobia 47:00 Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Imran Khan and how much power do civilians have 54:00 How dangerous is TLP 1:01:00 Rationality vs Ignorance Debate: Whats keeping Pakistan back   1:25:00 Musharaf, Imran Khan and Shaukat Aziz 1:28:00 Usman Buzdar 1:32:00 PTI's ideological damage 1:45:00 Awaam ko jahil rakha gaya hay 1:50:00 Dealing with hate online 2:01:00 Discussing Philosophy

Danish Husain is an actor, poet, Dastango, and a theatre director. He lives in Mumbai, India & runs a theatre company called The Hoshruba Repertory. He was instrumental in reviving the lost art form of Urdu storytelling, Dastangoi. Later he initiated a multi-lingual storytelling project called Qissebaazi. Lately his screen works like Bombay Begums & Taj Mahal 1989 on Netflix & Mee Raqsam on Zee5 OTT platforms have attracted attention.   Danish Hussain joins us on  The Pakistan Experience to discuss Theatre, his acting process, pursuing passions, the art of storytelling, philosophy of art and being an ally in the #MeToo movement.   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 4:20 Why do I tell stories? 8:00 My philosophy of theatre 26:30 Comedy and Satire against the Powerful  39:26 The art of storytelling 44:20 Performing during the Pandemic 48:30 The Acting Process  1:01:00 Commercial Work vs Pursuing Passions  1:05:00 Embodying Characters 1:15:00 Pursuing your passion 1:20:00 MeToo and the Film Industry

None of us realizing the toll this pandemic has taken on our mental health. We are all feeling burnout, done with this and looking to put the pandemic behind us.   Sharmeen Khan, Clinical Psychologist and a Therapist, comes on The Pakistan Experience to discuss how to protect your mental health through this. How to recognize a burn out? What to do when you feel one?   We get into a deep dive discussion about trolling, suicide ideation, mental health,  personal relationships, toxic behaviour and shared trauma. 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 0:30 Work-Life Balance 8:00 Burnout 15:00 Working Out to relef stress 19:00 Depression and Buray Din 30:00 Personal Relationships 36:00 Shared Trauma 45:00 How not to internalize hate 58:00 Covid Anxiety 1:04:00 Suicide Ideation 1:11:00 Drugs 1:13:00 Clinical Diagnoses of Mental Illnesses 1:28:00 Empathy, Compassion and Boundaries 1:40:00 Toxic Families 1:48:00 Don't judge your thoughts

The podcast ends at 2:04:33 but there is ten minutes of dead space after that, sorry about that, I put the outro at 2:13 but I forgot about it and when it rendered it rendered till then.    Natasha Humera Ejaz is an indie musician who shot to fame with "The Right Way to Fall", and she has continued to soar over the past decade with her music, acting and comedy. She recently launched her alter ego, Stupid Happiness Theory, an ambient/chill wave electronica music act.  Natasha has also been a permanent in the live performance scene in Islamabad for the past decade or so.   Natasha comes on the podcast to discuss her artistic process, dealing with grief, getting over being bullied as a child, 'making it' in the media industry and the need for spaces for the arts in Pakistan.   Intro Song: Hum Bhaagay by Natasha Humera Ejaz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_ZCR8MSWb8  Outro Song: Have a Little Faith by Stupid Happiness Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtfM1zXLj5U 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 Natasha's Journey as a musician 6:40 Indie vs Mainstream 10:20 Uth Records and The Right Way to Fall 12:30 The Journey 16:00 Being told you're not pretty 19:00 Marketing Yourself and the Performing Arts Market 28:00 Spaces for the Arts 35:30 Facing Criticism  37:00 Being Bullied and feeling beautiful 44:00 Perform for us entertainers! 51:00 Dealing with Grief 58:30 Take your broken heart and turn it into art 1:03:00 Comedy as a coping mechanism 105:30 Roles for Actors in Media 109:00 Natasha's Artistic Process 1:16:00 Dealing with the Quarantine 1:21:00 Manifesting  1:25:30 'Amad' of Music 1:32:00 Horcruxes of Myself 1:37:00 Imposter Syndrome 1:43:00 Doing Comedy in Pakistan 1:54:00 Why aren't we produced artists? 1:58:00 Ranjha Ranjha Kardi

Starting our second hundred episodes with a bang, and a very special episode with Physicist, Intellectual, Academic, and Professor, Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy.    On this episode of The Pakistan Experience, Pervez Hoodbhoy exposes the corruption of HEC, the involvement of the Government in it, Ata-ur-Rehman, and we go deep into a discussion on the ideology of Pakistan.  Do we need a national ideology? Will a Pakistani identity ever emerge? How damaging has it been for us to  The two nation theory  The podcast ends with a discussion on Quantum Physics, Black Holes and Parallel Universes.   Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy (Urdu: پرویز امِیرعلی ہودبھائی; born 11 July 1950) is a Pakistani nuclear physicist and activist who serves as Zohra and ZZ Ahmed Foundation distinguished professor at the Forman Christian College and previously taught physics at the Quaid-e-Azam University.[4][5] Hoodbhoy is also a prominent activist in particular concerned with promotion of freedom of speech, secularism, scientific temper and education in Pakistan.  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 2:15 Corruption of PTI 6:55 Corruption of Ata ur Rehman and HEC 24:00 Do Countries need an ideology? 28:27 Imagined Communities 36:12 Two Nation Theory 44:00 Ideological States: Pakistan and Israel 59:00 Has there ever been an Islamic state?

Imaan Zainab-Mazari Hazir, an activist and a lawyer, comes on the podcast to discuss why the comments of Prime Minister Imran Khan about 'Fahashi' are problematic, what women face when they go to the courts after facing harassment, the disinformation around the Meesha Shafi-Ali Zafar case and living as Shireen Mazari's daughter.   From facing backlash online to being in the public eye since she was a teenager, from family debates to learning and growing in public spaces, on this podcast we get into a deep dive podcast discussing the law, harassment, r**e culture, and PTI.   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 Imran Khan's 'Fahashi' comment 4:00 Rape Culture 5:50 Imran Khan polarizes everyone 7:10 Khooni Liberals 8:00 Objectification of Women 12:32 School, Segregation and Sexualization 16:30 Parents talking to children about how to dress 19:00 Sexual Harassment 22:03 Ali Zafar and Meesha Shafi case 28:07 Harassment and Problematic behaviour 31:00 BTS Army 32:20 What happens when you go to the court? 39:12 The Ayesha Gulalai allegations 40:45 Cynthia's allegations 46:40 Asim Sajjad Akhtar's allegations  49:50 Far Right Co-Opting Cancel Culture  53:50 Facing Backlash Online  1:00:00 Shireen Mazari's daughter 1:05:10 Saad Aziz 1:08:00 Echo Chambers 1:11:00 Disagreeing with Family members 1:16:30 Trevor Noah 1:18:00 Fawad Chaudhry 1:20:00 Maulana Fazlur Rehman 1:29:00 Zartaj Gul and Sexism 1:31:00 Bullying and Punching up 1:34:00 Imran Khan and Sita White 1:36:00 Questioning the credibility 1:38:30 Facing abuse online 1:44:00 The law is patriarchal  1:48:00 State trolls 1:49:30 wHy YoU loOK lIkE b

Tariq Ali is a British political activist, writer, journalist, historian, filmmaker, and public intellectual. He is the author of many books, including Pakistan: Military Rule or People's Power (1970), Can Pakistan Survive? The Death of a State (1983), Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity (2002).    Tariq Ali comes back on the podcast to discuss dynastic politics, the PPP that was, if there is any reason to be hopeful in PDM, 1971, Fatima Jinnah, and the Pakistani left.    Does the left in Pakistan need to consolidate? Does it need to update its manifesto?  Do we need a revolution in Pakistan?  Did India want to take over West Pakistan in 1971?  Watch on this deep dive podcast with the legend himself, Tariq Ali. There is also a hilarious Hamlet story in there.   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

Uzair Younus is a senior fellow at The Atlantic Council looking at the region of South Asia.  Uzair Younus comes back on the podcast to discuss why Bangladesh is surging ahead of Pakistan, the geoeconomics of South Asia, what impact Biden's presidency may have on Indo-Pak relations and if the recent comments by Pakistan suggest a strategic policy shift.   We also discuss the new State Bank provisions, whether Pakistan should have gone to the IMF, food inflation, the eroding purchasing power, the petroleum crisis and rising extremism.   We get into a deep dive discussion about the sociopolitics and the economy of Pakistan - is there reason to be hopeful or are we headed for an economic disaster? What are the biggest economic challenges facing PTI right now? What are the potential solutions?     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