The federal budget for the next financial year (2009 -2010) is being announced today and it will bring to the surface of what lies ahead. It will reveal of what is there for the common man, from whose perspective the forthcoming budget has been discussed for almost three weeks.
All news and current affairs programme have been discussing the numerous dimension to the budget several times a day, despite the war against terror that is being fought -- despite the Karachi killings that reached 45 dead (excluding the injured who seem to be sidelined as a theme) and despite the different occasions that the militants have struck at several places in the country. The faces of terrorism appear to be many, and it is hoped that the security forces, lead by the army, will be able to write home early success.
Questions about how long the war will last, and what will be the outcome, are being asked with rising anxiety, fear and uncertainty. TV images of the military operation as well as the text (and diction obviously) of the news reports must surely be generating (and creating) insecure mindsets across the country, with impressionable minds being most influenced.
With the state of the country's law and order being a worrying theme, with the energy crisis and tariffs being a troubling fact, with US role in Pakistan remaining a provocative issue, with the national economy having grown only 2 per cent as against the target of 4.5 per cent, in the outgoing year, has come the huge attack on the Pearl Continental hotel in Peshawar. After Marriott, this five star hotel as the target sends out signals of how the militants and terrorists are operating.
For Peshawar, yet another major landmark has been almost brought down --and almost twenty people have died. The dead and injured include foreigners of various nationalities and on TV channels -- and since Tuesday night, until Wednesday night -- when I write this column, this is possibly the most thought provoking theme in the minds of the viewers. Is Peshawar the most targeted city today? What lies ahead when the military operation shifts to South Waziristan?
POINT BLANK: That Mubashir Lucman is one of the aggressive anchors that the news and current affairs channels have today is obvious. He has now moved from the News One channel to the Express News, and until his new programme appeared TV viewers wondered why he was off air. Some viewers felt that there were political reasons behind his absence.
By the way compere Khurram Hussain has moved from Dawn News to Express News and is doing the budget 2009-2010 curtain raiser these days. Pre-budget television focus is on and with an obvious fairly high profile, on all the channels, but public cynicism of what to expect remains constant and also on the higher side.
For his first programme that went on air this Monday (8th June) Lucman had former president Parvez Musharraf as the theme. And he interviewed the former military dictator who was in London at that time, as part of his lecture circuits that he is on. He said to Lucman at one stage that he should focus on the positive side of things, rather than on the negative. Lucman said that he was paid to focus on the "negative" to which Musharraf responded by saying that he could charge less -- but focus on the positive.
Musharraf avoided commenting on how he felt that he had been let down by many of his former colleagues who should have stood by him. Asked about Shaukat Aziz, the former President was reluctant to answer right away but said that he should have stayed here to answer the criticism, (often baseless felt the former President) which is being levelled now.
Musharraf further said that he would be returning to Pakistan and will be available to face the charges that could come up. He was asked to comment about Nawaz Sharif's statements that the former President should be tried. Asked whether he could ever imagined that Asif Ali Zardari could be President of Pakistan he answered in the negative and went onto say that it was Baitullah Mehsud who was behind Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's assassination. He added that why were they investigating in other directions.
He described as unfortunate that the work that he had done was and is being undone, and it was necessary that vendetta in Pakistani politics be eliminated altogether. He also said that he was a realist and not an idealist-and that he was in touch with the political situation in the country. He left an impression that he could return to politics. He has done this in the past, and I wonder whether this is deliberate!
On the flat he has recently bought in London, Pervez Musharraf said that it had been possible from the support that had come from his son, the money from his lecture circuits and friends also.
APNA NEWS: It was a very interesting, thought provoking discussion that was being repeat telecast on the Punjabi channel Apna News on Sunday morning. It was from the morning show Breakfast with Naila and the two participants were Dr Arshad Chauhan and P.J Mir and the range of the conversation was very wide, and engrossing. I stopped channel surfing for a while and heard the conversation.
Some of the themes that it touched upon included the point about breaking news stories that anchor P.J Mir contended were being over done, and even trivia was being treated as major stories. He said that news editors in TV channels needed to be trained! At this Arshad Chauhan said that there were two or three breaking news stories on CNN while there were breaking news stories every hour, many times, at times. Both of them felt that the owners of TV channels should step in to do something about this.
P.J Mir clarified at one stage that he never received any threats as an anchor and explained the various considerations and limitations that affect the working of anchor persons. There was a detailed mention in this conversation between Naila and the two guests about an anchor person in whose bank account allegedly was transferred a sum of Rs 5.1 million US dollars. No names were taken despite insinuations, and even when the discussion was about media people (columnists and comperes) who made illegal money through journalism. I wonder what TV viewers must have thought about this conversation.
Anchor person Naila said more than once that she was only asking questions in public interest, and as she did not do a political morning show, her experience was very limited. At one point when there was mention of Main Nawaz Sharif she asked the two persons whether it was true that the PML N chief did not want to appear for any TV interview in Punjabi language.
Mir suggested to new comers wanting to appear on TV to never lie on camera. Was he suggesting that people appearing on TV are not telling the truth? In a very subtle sort of way, there was evident that the conversation was creating doubts in the viewers' minds about the credibility of major news channels. Why so? I wonder.
FEEDING THE POOR: I am sure that our TV channels would do well were they to highlight the growing number of citizens who are unable to feed themselves on a regular basis. This thought came to mind when I saw a short film report on an organisation (presumably) called "Khana Ghar" which exists in Karachi and where the poor man is able to get a meal, wholesome and stomach full, for Rs 3 per person. Of course there are now organisations like Edhi and Sailani Trust that are feeding the poor on a walk-in basis.
It was in a programme called "Wah Wah Pakistan" in the Nadia Khan show where an enterprising kind lady Parveen Saeed with her husband Khalid Saeed supporting her, was explaining the motivation behind the venture. The good work being done in this society presents a sharp welcome contrast to the chaos, conflict and near collapse that are on at the same time.
MEMORIES OF SOHAIL RANA: For those viewers who have experienced the melodious richness and the versatile range of the repertoire of music director Sohail Rana, the two part tribute that Geo paid to him on two consecutive Saturdays will be remembered for long. Sohail Rana returned to Pakistan after about fifteen years, from his overseas stay, where he is apparently well settled, had not only was he a very welcome proposition, but he also appeared to be in the best of health. And his wife Afshan Rana has also teamed up with him on the music canvass reflecting the harmony that the couple has, as well as the addition to the numerous music students of the famed music composer.
Sohail Rana's PTV dimension in particular was especially known for his children's programmes, which included many boys and girls like Nazia and Zoheb Hassan, and Afshan Ahmed and those were the days when as the only TV channel, these children's programmes were watched with great interest by young an old alike. It was in those days that the concept of family viewing of television was very common in Pakistani society. The increase in the number of channels has understandably lead to more than one TV set in a home, and this number would depend upon financial and other factors.
A one home TV when there is financial room for more, is something that could well become the source of family conflict and misunderstanding! For what do you do with the solitary remote control, which even 2 year olds seem to comprehend, and want to hold in their fidgety hands.
The tribute to the visiting music composer was called "Aj Janey Ki Zid Na Karo" -- which was one of the big hits that he had composed and which was rendered by Habib Wali Mohammed,- another legendary singer in his own right. Some of the national songs that he sang, especially in the 1971 Pakistan- India war became unforgettable immediately.
The first part of the tribute was telecast on 30th May and the second part on 6th June and on both occasions I was luckily able to do enough channel surfing so as to not only enjoy the once upon a time memorable songs that he had composed, but also to walk down memory lane. The musical journey of the composer began in the early sixties, with Waheed Murad, and California educated director Parvez Malik and lyricist Masroor Anwar, and some of the films whose hits viewers were able to hear were from the films Arman, Heera aur Pathar, Ehsan, Doraha, these were rendered very well by the popular singers of today, like Fariha Parvez, Ali Haidar or Tehsin Javed to mention a few names.
There were many attractions in both the parts of the tribute. If there was the loveliness of the forgotten melodies that were sung, there was the nostalgia of seeing the actress Zeba on the TV screen. She came to speak, expressed her happiness at seeing Sohail Rana back, stressed that she had come to the TV programme only for him, as she did not believe in appearing on TV, and fondly remembered the days that were no more. At the song 'Akeley Na Jana' which was sung that night, Zeba had tears in her eyes, which moistened the eyes of many a viewer.
This song has a strange power to touch the heart, and its emotive value is very high. Zeba and Waheed Murad was an absolutely matchless leading romantic pair, at the peak of their careers. That's a thought I can't hold back here. Also present on the special occasion was Salma Murad, Waheed's widow and that presence also evoked many memories of the past. I wonder whether her son Adil Murad, was also there.
Sohail Rana who wore dark glasses throughout the show, and also during the very absorbing interview with Bushra Ansari in Brunch with Bushra, also in the Nadia Khan show that he appeared in with his wife Afshan, was in effortless control of the musicians on stage, reminding one of his familiar style-- and evoking images from the past. The overall confidence that he was exuding was impressive, and mirrored the way he had managed his health over the years.
Fakhre Alam (another versatile artiste that we have seen develop over the years on a variety of TV channels) and Bushra Ansari (whose amazing versatility is also an acknowledged fact now, were among the two comperes for the shows.
And while today's younger viewers may have found attractive to see their favourite artistes and appear on stage with Sohail Rana, or for him, the older viewers were absolutely in a trance at many times, during the musical selections from the past.
I must mention the presence of the film actor Nadeem (Nazir Baig in real, life) who now sports a mild beard, and wears prescription glasses also, appeared on stage, embraced Sohail Rana, and recollected his earlier days the times when he could never have imagined that one day he would have songs composed by Sohail Rana picturised on him. Nadeem sounded mellow and nostalgic as he spoke of the yesterdays that are no more. All in all, it was one of those unforgettable programmes that one presumes would be available in DVD form for collectors of such souvenirs from the past.
(nusratnasarullah0@gmail.com)