In what for the most part was a largely uneventful game (at least for Pakistan), bowler Mohammad Aamer pulled a fantastic five wicket maiden in the last over; though ultimately it made no difference, as Australia came out victors. The loss was highly reflected in Australia's average of around 10 runs per over, indicating that Pakistan needs to drastically improve its fielding. They should probably also give younger players a chance, considering the contributions of 18 year old Aamer.
To Karachi with Love is an art exhibition held at The 2nd Floor. It aimed at creating awareness and raising funds to help rebuild Bolton Market. Shahid Abdullah is the architect who will be reconstructing the market place; all proceeds will assist in his work. The proceeds will also be awarded to shopkeepers whose livelihoods have been badly effected by the event.
The exhibition showcased work from various photographers including Fursid Sid, M Omair, Tehmina Fatima, Eefa Khalid, Ahmed Shajee, and Emaan Mahmud. The photographers have been able to capture the true essence of Karachi in all its simplicity. It is a collection of images of real people in real situations, and the beauty and struggle behind each of their lives. The initiative taken by these artists is highly commendable and their efforts should be acknowledged.
On April 30th, residents of Clifton Block 6 took a navy officer to court on grounds of misuse of property. The petitioners claim that the accused Commodore (retd) Tajuddin Najmi occupied 172 square yards of land, on which he is allegedly constructing a building to house flats and a Naval League office. This is in direct violation of the area's property regulations, as it is a strictly residential zone. The deputy attorney general claims that the land in fact belongs to the CDGK, and therefore the Navy had no right to occupy the land in the first place. This move by Clifton residents represents a major step towards restricting the influence of the power establishment on civilian affairs.
Now to the final post of the series. Earlier posts mentioned the flaws in Pakistan's current football set up, as well as the economic benefits of improving it. The ideal way to improve Pakistani football is a simple matter of emulating Japan, now the greatest footballing nation in all of Asia. Its hard to believe that only over a decade ago, Japanese football was about the same as the current state of Pakistani football. There were only departmental teams, and there was very little provision for youth development. The Japanese FA recognized this as a problem, and took steps towards its envisioned future. First, it called a series of meetings with the directors of the largest teams in the country, particularly those who were willing to invest in football. During these meetings, the FA asked the companies to change the names of their teams to match that of the home city; which would go on to boost team fan bases exponentially. The FA then imposed regulations on the now independent teams, to ensure professionalism. As private companies, each team was responsible for its own marketing; in turn generating their own demand. This ultimately led to the creation of the J-League, Asia's most professional and most popular domestic league. The revenue earned from the league then led to further investments in youth development and new training methods. This model was then taken up by Australia's A-League, USA's Major League Soccer, and India's I-League.
Regardless of the fact that Japan is far more developed, this model is practicable to Pakistan. A public-private partnership can make great developments in Pakistani football. As long as it takes one step at a time, Pakistan can become a footballing powerhouse.
This post is dedicated to a man who has always pushed against the status quo: David Barsamian. Barsamian is an Armenian-American radio broadcaster and the director of Alternative Radio, a weekly one-hour interview program largely restricted to leftists and social activists. Among the notable people interviewed include Tariq Ali, Edward Said, Arundhati Roy, Robert Fisk, Howard Zinn, and economist Joseph Stiglitz. Barsamian is however best known for his series of interviews with anarchist Noam Chomsky.David Barsamian is an active critic of US foreign policy, which makes him a hero to many in this region; he has also given many guest lectures on the subject. In 2007, he gave lectures across Pakistan. Barsamian has also won a number of awards for journalism.
On May the 2nd, a large group of people protested on the streets of Gilgit city against the "attitudes" of local policemen. By this the protesters were referring to the alleged man-handling of two "respectable citizens", which then triggered road blocks and burnt tiers all over the city (business as usual in this country). The odd thing is that the policemen were not breaking procedure in any way as the protests might suggest, but were actually following police code as the two "respectable citizens" had violated a ban on pillion riding; yet somehow the protesters have the Gilgit Assembly members convinced that rights have been violated.
Football is today the worlds most followed sport. It is one of the few sports whose influence is not restricted by region, the way cricket and hockey are restricted to the Commonwealth nations. The football "craze" is so extensive that even normally excluded countries like the United States and Australia have invested millions of dollars to join in on the beautiful game. So without a doubt the demand exists, and wherever theres demand theres revenue to be earned.There is a common misconception that football is only profitable at the Brazil, England or Italy level; however, this is untrue. Keeping it closer to home, Japan and South Korea host two of the worlds most competitive football leagues with an international following. Revenue earned from these leagues is not just restricted to the football industry, but spills over into the media, tourism, and transport industries. Stadiums in Japan, South Korea, China, and Saudi Arabia host stadiums packed in the tens of thousands for both domestic and international games. These usually include fans flying in from abroad to support their teams.
The market for football is extensive worldwide, and it is about time Pakistan got in on the action.
On May 1st, an old man was shot and killed in the Hajira sector of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. This man was the innocent casualty of firing over the Line of Control between Azad Kashmir and Indian Occupied Kashmir. According to police officials, Indian troops opened fire without provocation. Whether this is true or not, the peaceful stance taken up recently by the Prime Ministers of the two countries is not reflected in the situation at the Line of Control; where innocent lives are lost over decades-old hostility.
The man pictured on the right is Muhammad Essa. Most of you may not know him, but those that do know very well what this man can do with the ball at his feet. The diminutive forward is captain of the national team, the highest paid footballer in the country at approximately Rs50,000 a month, and arguably the most talented footballer Pakistan has to offer; having led his side to two golds in two years at the South Asian Games. Believe it or not, Essa is not the only talented player in the country.So then what exactly is wrong with Pakistani football? The answer is a horrifically weak domestic football infrastructure. The Pakistan Premier League is made up entirely of departmental teams of both public and private sector organisations; with the best club teams being WAPDA, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, and KRL. The teams are forced to play in severely congested fixture lists, leaving very little time for players to rest; something considered very dangerous in sports, especially for players who receive very little in the way of stamina training and conditioning (another major problem). Both the league and youth structures contribute little towards skill development and physical training, with most of Pakistans best players relying entirely on raw talent.
These are all areas where investment is needed, though much of the funds allocated to the Pakistan Football Federation are pocketed by politicians.
On May the 1st, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani unveiled the new labour policy approved by the cabinet the very same day. This new policy is an embodiment of the PPP's self-proclaimed social agenda; something which has not been evident in much of the economic policies initiated over their two year term. The policy includes a rise in minimum wage from Rs6,000 to Rs7,000, legal support and free medical treatment for workers, free technical education for workers' children, and establishment of monitoring committees to ensure labour laws are enforced. Another important clause is that private companies will now have to pay their staff through banks, which demonstrates a positive move against private sector malpractices. If all these policies are followed through efficiently, it will be a significant step towards social justice and equity.
