Asim Sajjad Akhtar is a professor, writer and political worker.  Asim Sajjad comes on The Pakistan Experience again to discuss fascism, the left, identity politics, online spaces, economics and Marx.  What does the left need to do to respond to the challenges?  Is Democracy prone to majoritarianism?  Are Pakistanis too 'jahil' for democracy?  Find out this and more on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience.   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   Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:20 Is it fine to use the word fascism for the current regime? 6:00 It's not like the previous regimes were any better 9:00 Is the worst democracy better than the best dictatorship? 18:00 Is Modi delivering economically? 22:00 Patriarchy and fascism 26:30 Politics of constituency 31:00 Are people in Pakistan too 'jahil' for democracy? 37:00 How to avoid  Majoritarianism   in a democracy 49:00 Why doesn't the left weaponize the hate for the bourgeoisie 53:30 Do we live in a simulation and big tech 1:00:00 Liberty and New World Order 1:05:40 Identity Politics 1:14:00 The politics of victimhood 1:23:00 Online allegations 1:26:00 Why democratically elected leaders become authoritarian  1:34:30 Marx, economy and culture 1:38:20 The final imagination of Marx is a stateless society 1:43:00 Questions

Raza Rumi joins us on this deep dive podcast to discuss why he had to leave Pakistan, the shrinking space for Journalism in the country, how digital journalism is changing the landscape, the philosophy behind Naya Daur, new media and nation building.  What do we need to do to build a Pakistani state?  Should journalists be scared of the new laws?  What is the role of journalism?  Find out this, and more on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience.   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 Raza Ahmad Rumi is a Pakistani writer and a public policy specialist currently based in Ithaca, USA. He is the Director, Park Center for Independent Media, Ithaca College and has been teaching in Journalism department since 2015. He is also visiting faculty at Cornell Institute for Public Affairs and teaches courses in international development and public policy. Earlier, Raza was a global faculty fellow at the Gallatin School, New York University (Spring 2016).  Raza was a fellow at New America Foundation (2014); United States Institute of Peace (Sept 2014-March 2015), a  fellow at National Endowment for Democracy (summer 2016); and currently a member of Think Tank at Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, Georgetown University. He is also a senior fellow at the Jinnah Institute in Islamabad.  In recent years, Raza founded a digital media platform NayaDaur Media in collaboration with Pakistani diaspora in the United States. It is a bilingual multimedia portal with a Youtube channel. From 2017-2019, Raza was also the editor of Pakistan’s national newspaper Daily Times. From 2005-2017, he was affiliated with weekly The Friday Times  in various editorial positions. Raza was also a commentator and a current affairs talk show host in Pakistan and was affiliated with the Express TV, Pakistan before he left Pakistan in 2014. He contributes regularly to Foreign Policy, Huffington Post, New York Times, The Diplomat, Fair Observer, CNN and Al Jazeera, Daily O, Scroll India, The Hindu and Indian Express. His columns for the Express Tribune can be accessed here.  Prior to his foray in journalism, Raza worked as a governance and capacity development specialist for the Asian Development Bank, the Government of Pakistan, a number of Pakistani nongovernmental organizations, and the United Nations Mission in Kosovo. He has also been an academic adviser to the Network of Asia Pacific Schools and Institutes of Public Administration and Governance (NAPSIPAG); a public policy adviser to LEAD Pakistan, a nonprofit focused on sustainable development; and was an advisory board member of both the ASR Resource Centre and the South Asian Institute of Women’s Studies in Lahore. As a freelance policy professional/consultant he continues to advise international development organizations, governments and NGOs.  Books: He is also the author of Delhi by Heart: Impressions of a Pakistani Traveler (Harper Collins, 2013); The Fractious Path: Pakistan’s Democratic Transition (2016); Identity, Faith and Conflict: Essays on Pakistan & Beyond (2017); and Being Pakistani–Essays on Arts, Culture & Society (2018).

Dr. Ilhan Niaz is a Historian and a Professor at Quaid-e-Azam University.  Dr. Ilhan joins us on this deep dive podcast to discuss why the Civil Service has not been reformed in Pakistan, why the Pakistani state continues to be colonial, the struggles Pakistan has faced in making a state, the Pakistani elite, and 'sahab' culture.  Why has the Pakistani civilian bureaucracy not developed?  Should Karachi be an independent administrative unit?  Who the main beneficiaries of the status quo?  Do we need an alternative to CSS?  Find out this, and more on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience.  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  Chapters: 0:00 Why is the Pakistan civil service not good? 8:00 Why has our Civilian Bureaucracy not developed? 14:30 Is the Bureaucracy not letting imran Khan work? 18:30 CSS Officers using social media 24:00 What is the legacy of the 'sahab' culture? 29:00 Mughals, colonialism and wealth extraction 51:00 Why was the Muslim League not decolonial? 59:00 The loosely connected federation of states model for South Asia 1:06:00 1857 War of Independence 1:12:00 Did Pakistan ever stop being "colonial"? 1:20:00 Why is the Pakistani elite not loyal to Pakistan 1:30:00 Is the status quo even interested in creating a Pakistan for all? 1:46:00 The 1971 KLF session 1:53:00 Main beneficiaries of the status quo 1:57:00 Zia ul Haq and PSDP 1:59:00 Karachi as an administrative unit 2:04:00 Ayub and Nehru Defence Pact 2:07:00 How can the civil service be reformed? https://instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh

Nadeem Haque is the Vice Chancellor of PIDE, he was the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Dr. Nadeem comes on to a live episode of The Pakistan Experience where we debate what the concerns of Development should be - is there any point to development that is not human centric? Does anyone still believe in trickle down economics anymore? What is the boomer-millennial debate?  Ending with a surprising debate on Colonialism!  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

Ahmad Rafay Alam is one of the leading Environment Lawyers in Pakistan and teaches at LUMS.   Rafay Alam comes on the podcast to discuss the law, climate change, the need of the hour, the efficacy of our Environmental Protection Agencies, Dams and what we can do to save the world!   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 Why is it so hot in Karachi 1:00 Climate Change vs Global Warming 5:00 Climate Change Skepticism 10:00 The role of the United States 18:50 The responsibility of the Developing Countries 27:00 Renewable energy vs the Thar Coal Project 33:00 What makes you hopeful that we will change our behaviour? 36:00 Shehla Zia 38:30 Pakistan's obsession with giant Dams 47:00 Companies using ground water 54:00 The financial value of water 1:03:00 Davos kay harami 1:12:00 Attabad Lake as a tourist destination 1:14:28 Billion Trees 1:16:00 Recycling Industry 1:19:00 Walton Airport and the Kalwa Chowk nursery 1:21:40 EPAs and EIAs 1:28:00 World Bank Projects 1:32:00 Urban Ravi Development 1:39:00 Regulations on Pakistani Industry 1:43:00 Conclusion

Michael Kugelman is the Deputy director  of the Asia Program, South Asia senior associate  at The Wilson Center and writes for the weekly South Asia brief at Foreign Policy magazine.  Michael comes on the podcast to discuss the recent take over of Afghanistan by the Taliban, and what it could mean for South Asia.  Did India lose in Afghanistan?   What all did the US get wrong?   Will Pakistan be able to exert control over the Taliban or will we see a rise in TTP?   Find out this, and more, on this week's episode of The Pakistan Experience, as Michael Kugelman and I, take a deep dive on Afghanistan, the Taliban, China, The Belt and Road initiative, Pakistan, TTP, India, and attempts to isolate Pakistan on the international stage.   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 1:00 Did America lose itself on 9/11? 4:30 Will Afghanistan now become a terrorist sanctuary? 12:00 Is instability in Afghanistan in the US's interests? 15:50 How interested is China in Afghanistan? 22:30 Will China care about human rights in Afghanistan under the Taliban? 26:35 Will the Taliban support the TTP and terrorism in Pakistan? 31:00 Why did the Pakistan state support the Taliban? 35:50 What will India's role now be in Afghanistan? 40:00 Will the West pour in aid under the guise of humanitarianism?  44:30 Taliban's economic policies and governance  51:10 Is there any truth to the Taliban 2.0 narrative? 54:20 Think tanks 57:00 What all did the US get wrong about Afghanistan? 1:03:00 Did the US sell the Afghan Government down the river with the Doha accord? 1:07:00 Will India be able to isolate Pakistan on the international stage? 1:11:24 Will India benefit from the US-China rivalry? 1:14:00 Pakistan as an emerging market 1:18:30 Are Indian or Pakistani trolls worse? 1:21:20 Conclusion

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.

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