Pakistani Podcasts are highly politically oriented and dominated by narratives. Mansoor Ali Khan has also joined the club with his recent discussion alongside Hina Pervez Butt which has stirred the LUMS debate. Recently, I was actually denied an interview because the host holds opposing political views and claimed that I am too politically motivated. I contacted a podcast and, as a professional on the topic at hand, I understand the importance of not sharing my political and religious views. However, the host has refused to reconsider this.
You may not necessarily agree with my political opinions, but political opinions shouldn’t have anything to do with discourse. That’s really dumb and it’s everything that’s wrong with modern-day camp politics. Many Podcast greats such as Syed Muzammil Hassan, Taimoor Salahuddin aka Mooroo, Ghias Sheikh, Naeem Sikandar, Salman Saeed Khan, Hafiz Ahmed, Ismail Blogger, Abdul Basit Khawaja, Talha Ahad, and Junaid Akram respect the boundaries set by their guests and only operate within those limits. I have seen Nadir Ali of P 4 Pakao, Youth Club’s Ali E digressing a lot many times though. My personal favorite is Faran Rafi.
It is true that podcasts have become a popular form of media and a significant part of pop culture. Many people enjoy listening to podcasts as a way to stay informed, entertained, or inspired. Podcasts cover a wide range of topics, from current events and news to personal development and storytelling, and they can be a convenient and enjoyable way to consume content on the go. Some people even consider podcasts to be the new social media, as they offer a platform for people to share their thoughts, experiences, and ideas with a wider audience. However, it is important to note that podcasts are just one of many ways that people can connect and engage with each other online, and they should not be seen as a replacement for other forms of social media or communication.
Imran Khan’s First-Ever Podcast
Let’s talk about Muzammil’s, Talha’s, and Junaid’s combined podcast with IK. The overarching verdict was that the podcast with IK was a rendition of Shaan Shahid’s effort from the day before. Remember the ARY lighting vs Shaan’s lighting at HUM TV? This podcast was for the audience who preferred this medium over a news channel that specialized in creating dramas and may have been upset with the establishment for not giving them the opportunity to create Sinf e Aahan.
It is believed that any expectations HUM TV has with ISPR after the disaster that was Ehd-e-Wafa are simply wishful thinking. In this podcast, Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi and Junaid Akram’s job was to placate Imran Khan’s inflated ego. It is likely that the “selected-who-has-been-rejected” would have felt satisfied with themselves after the disgraceful fall from power in April, thanks to the efforts of these two media personalities who seem to champion hard-hitting questions, creativity, action, satire, and sarcasm, but were seen kneeling before the bravado of Kaptaan.
Many believe, that during the interview, both Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi and Junaid Akram failed to ask any tough questions, present any rebuttals or counter questions, and constantly framed the context in favor of Khan before asking a question in order to avoid damaging the expensive trousers that they had saved for the occasion. Junaid was already in “fan” mode and Muzammil was hesitant and nervous. Imran Khan cut him off many times and he couldn’t get over that. Talha Ahad from The Centrum Media was the only one who was not dressed to impress and the only one who was not seeking employment in Khan’s setup. He made the most of the opportunity and did not hesitate to make Khan uncomfortable throughout the interview, doing justice to his profession in the process. I would like to express my admiration and respect for Talha Ahad. I am now a fan of his.
People should have the space and opportunity to believe in what they do and have the opportunity to respectfully share why they believe that. Sadly we’re in a polarized nightmare. Hopefully things will be better once this generation boomers die across the board and we can move to a new leadership.
Hoping Milleneals will be better at building bridges.Syed Muzammil Hasan Zaidi
As for Imran Khan and the nonsense he spouted, it was the same old tired rhetoric. He was still beating the same drum with the usual ingredients: a dash of history, a pinch of cricket, large chunks of Riasat-e-Madina, a sprinkle of conspiracy, and a touch of arrogance in his belief that he knows more about any subject than anyone else – the result being a spoiled and stale broth for everyone to taste and for Patwaris to vomit on. Yes, I took a shot at myself. It’s important for reader engagement.
However, this time it was clear that Imran’s specific goal was to achieve a two-thirds majority in the upcoming elections. He came out against previous supporters and promoters, namely the establishment, Jahangir Khan Tareen, and Abdul Aleem Khan, reserving his harshest criticism for the military and their neutrality. He did not refer to them as “Janawar” this time, but he did compare himself to a donkey, so the mandatory animal reference was still there. It is unclear whether the incident reported by the BBC was true and if a software patch was involved.
If we can trust Fox News, why not BBC News? Turning to the issue of the absence of hard-hitting questions during the interview, the hosts (with the exception of Talha) did not ask any questions about the then-current pressing issues such as violations and constant disregard of the constitution, the Masjid e Nabawi incident, the defense of Farah Gogi, how he enjoyed the riches of Toshakhana, the narrative of hatred and polarization he promotes, economic failures, blatant corruption, and poor governance. In fact, Muzamil couldn’t stop praising him for his non-existent anti-imperialism narrative and Junaid was busy praising the man for his “strong nerves.” If both of them had been given a couch and a red and white set, I would not have been able to distinguish between them and the duo of Owais Mangalwala/Shiffa Yousafzai. Acha… please do not mind it if you have read this far. 😉
