Blogging Era in Pakistan

Hafsa Ahsan, a famous Pakistani blogger and writer, is doing a project on Blogging in Pakistan - history of blogging as well as some perspective on the newer trends related to blogging in Pakistan. Here is her questionnaire and some of my answers:

1) When and how did blogging start in Pakistan?

It started when some Pakistani techies found free blogging platforms. From techies, blogging spread to some non techies, mostly those who worked on computers and the Internet and then students.

2) When and why did you start your own blog?

I started in 2003. Primarily I wanted to publish my book on blog. It posted the entire book and in the process I learnt the fun. Then on, I am maintaining multiple blogs, some professional and some personal.

3) You have written a lot about blogging. When did you start writing about blogs, and what was your major inspiration to do so?

My inspiration: To popularize blogging in Pakistan. I wrote my first column on blogging Promotion in Spider back in 2003. I also wrote some columns in Dawn.com.

4) Do you think blogging has been around in Pakistan for quite a long period of time and only became more popular in the last 4/5 years when it became 'newsworthy?'

Who says blogging is popular in Pakistan. It is not. And I don’t see it getting popular anytime soon.

5) How do you foresee the future of blogs here in Pakistan? Do you think this is just a fad which will die out when someone new and novel comes about, or do you feel that blogs are a class of their own and are here to stay?

Blogs are here to stay, but I see them only in a select circle.

6) How do you compare Pakistani blogs to foreign ones? I can guess from the links and comments on your blog that you have access to quite a few foreign blogs as well.

Any foreign blogger can be as purpose less. But I know many good blogs with a lot of substance. In Pakistan, blog potential is not being still used.

7) You have written an article or two on why people blog. Having done an extensive survey both times, what conclusions have you come up to as to why Pakistani people are blogging?

In my surveys, I targeted foreign Pakistani bloggers but found answers from foreign bloggers instead. Most of them came up with some valuable reason to blog -- earning money, selling, reaching out friends and relatives and also throwing some flames.

8) In the past few years there has been a spurt of educational, political and metro blogs. What do you think are the pros and cons of these new types of blogging?

Any type is useful, you have to have purpose.

9) I noticed in one of your posts you had written that you wouldn't want someone you know in real life to visit your blog and know it is YOU who are writing it. May I ask why you are so concerned about privacy?

I don’t write anything that I don’t want others to know about. I fantasize elsewhere.

10) To what extent do you think the government has the right to censor blogs, with reference to the recent ban on blogspot domain?

Recent ban is not implemented properly in the first place. If the government wanted to ban some particular blogs for a reason (in this case government had a reason, and I support that), they should have banned that site. Banning all sites hoisted Blogspot is no good, and that too is not implemented well. I can still write, edit and read my blogs on blogspot. Every one can.

11) To what extent has the Pakistani blogosphere taken up political and educational blogging? Do you feel we're more inclined towards personal blogging?

I only see a few political and even fewer educational blogs.

Master of the Jinn, by Irving Karchmar

Considered by some Amazon.com reviewers as a "Masterpiece of Modern Islamic Mysticism" and "Awe Inspiring Mystical Adventure", Master of the Jinn, written by Irving Karchmar is a spiritual book which brings wisdom and hidden truths to those mystics (from any religion and thought) through didactic means, as well as parables, imagination, and above all, treasures covered with simplicity.

Irving Karchmar, the 59 year old author of Master of the Jinn, holds a Masters degree in Philosophy from DePaul University in Chicago. He has been a poet, writer, editor and publisher for many years, and a darvish of the Nimatullahi Sufi order since 1992. He now lives in Sag Harbor, New York, where he is currently at work on his second novel, a sequel entitled Tale of the Jinn.Here are two audio excerpts from the book. The first one belongs to the Book 1, Chapter 1, entitled "The Master". The second one is a story called "The Judgement of God. A Sufi Tale".

Message of the book: Allah's mercy is infinite, and includes both men and Jinn.

Thanks for the copy Irving Karchmar.

Have a Blog or a Printing Press

Who all should have a blog? The answer depends on who is being asked this question. Given my personal interest, I say everyone should have a blog.

For marketers, public relations professionals, writers and all those who need to reach out with their ideas and or products and services, blogs are a must; easier, cheaper, convenient. But think outside the box and you will find people have experiences to share, stories to tell and put the things on record. They all need a blog.

Other day I was suggesting to diplomat to have a blog. I remember getting a lot of publicity stuff from different embassies in my school years. Almost all embassies and consulates have publications to tell their governments’ policies and influence the public in whatever way they can. In the age when presidents of the states (Presidents of Iran and USA are known to have their own blogs), I argued that blogs should be a must for any diplomat. Anyone in foreign department listening?

Let me conclude the post on this statement; those who can’t have a blog should at least have a printing press.