Cover Drive
Senior ODI Player
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2009
- Runs
- 23,230
PP: What made you register on PakPassion?
KU: To be honest – I would love to tell you a crazy anecdote about my initial visit to PakPassion but I simply cannot. I was basically searching “Pakistan cricket” on Google only to come across a infinite list of sites. I clicked PakPassion just for the sake of entertaining myself with something fresh. As I was fooling around I started reading and noticed the immense quality of posts/threads. I was keenly reading one of the topics [my memory is failing me on its content] and I immediately felt like replying. The urge to reply took over and ‘voila’ – I was a PPer. I never looked back from there.
PP: How has your stay been on PakPassion after two and half years?
KU: The stay has been splendid. Many people do not realize that I had a bumpy beginning to my PakPassion career. I was a thoughtless poster with no concern for punctuation or grammar. When I look back – I respect those that lived with my appalling posting style. Although as time passed on – I started paying attention to what I was typing. Ever since that switch from reckless to careful – I have begun loving the forum even more. The best aspect about my stay has been the improvement in my knowledge of Pakistan as a nation in general. There are things I have learned here that if I did not join, I am sure I would have missed out on.
PP: Have you learnt any important lessons from PakPassion?
KU: I have learned quite a lot from PakPassion and hopefully will keep on learning. Putting aside all of the wonderful cricketing knowledge I have soaked in just from reading posts from fellow posters. I would say one of the most significant concepts, I have learned from PakPassion is the idea of contemplating and processing your opinion before posting. In the past, I would just blurt out what I wanted to say without any consideration or direction in my verbal diarrhea. Now I feel – my ability to process information and carefully state my thoughts has improved. This patience is key not just in my posting career but in life as well. Hasty decisions make for sloppy mistakes.
PP: Are there any memorable moments on PakPassion?
KU: There have been numerous moments on PakPassion that have been unforgettable for me. Most of them have been based around match threads of some extraordinary cricket matches. The one match which stands out for me is the T20 World Cup 2009 semi final against the South Africans. The fervor on the forum that day was remarkable – the anticipation of something great – you could just sense it. The team delivered and the two ripping deliveries from Afridi in that match and the commentary from his fans afterwards was pure delight.
PP: Do you ever get angry/annoyed/irritated/flustered on PakPassion? If so - how do you manage to hide it so well? What/who is your inspiration for this?
KU: I would be outright dishonest if I state that I do not get irritated. There are times where posts that are made go beyond sensibility. I am able to cope with the day to day pokes at foolishness from posters but there are times when one wonders, where is the sanity?!
I manage to “hide” it well – simply because I tend to not respond or I try to extract whatever good is in that poster’s response and reply to that portion only. There are times where some posters are just asking for it – but you learn to ease off and hope this is a one off post from them. My inspiration for this comes from the people around me – parents, sibling, and teachers. I may be preaching but patience is truly a virtue. Plus, who wants to be an internet gangster anyway?
PP: How do you manage both studies and PakPassion?
KU: I think there is a misconception here. The misconception being that I am always “online”. There are times where I leave my browser open and thus it seems that I am logged in. I spend a hefty amount of time on my studies – a crucial part of my day, sadly.
However, I do tend to post more often than an average poster. I am usually a keen student and thus tend to finish whatever work I have as quickly as possible [yes, I am borderline nerdy]. There are days where this extra time provides me with sufficient time to add my viewpoint to threads on PakPassion.
PP: Do you have any particular favourite poster on PakPassion? If so, who is the lucky person?
KU: To be honest - there are quite a few class posters on PakPassion. I will pinpoint two posters from the forum who I find as the finest going around. These two are named, Wazeeri and Momo.
The reason behind choosing these two is straightforward – their quality. I have never seen a post from either poster that could be described as “meager”. Even when they type one-liners – they are usually with a sense of rationale and direction. There seems to be a certain thought process behind their posts and both are worthy of admiration. I would never choose between the two because both are just brilliant. Hopefully, I will be able to reach that standard of posting one day.
PP: What are your tips or your advice for newer posters on PakPassion, both on writing style and in ways to respond calmly to provocation?
KU: Most posters [including myself] not just new ones are typically guilty of two things – lack of purpose and grammatical waywardness. Lack of purpose means presenting useless thoughts that add zilch to the discussion at hand. These are the posts that derail a thread and cause headaches for those who were seriously discussing a certain subject. Same goes for grammatical waywardness – the inability to “edit” your own post is something that gives many people trouble.
Essentially, I have learned that reading your post twice is always helpful. Sometimes, you may spew out certain thoughts only to change your post once you read it again. It allows for a certain filtering process to be conducted.
These problems also occur because most new posters feel as if they are in a race. The race of having the most posts. This addiction of mainly spamming is what causes the downfall of a number of posters. There is no need to waste energy in that manner. Slow and steady always wins the race.
As far as responding to provocation – just learn to let it go. If someone is pestering you – be the bigger person and simply ease off and visit another thread. Of course – there are times where responding is required. This is where the idea of revising and making sure your post has a sense of purpose is essential.
Giving advice is not my thing – I hope this helped though.
PP: How did it feel when your essay came third in PakPassion’s first and recent concluded essay competition?
KU: It was an absolute honor. I was truthfully surprised that my essay went that far in the competition. I just spilled out my thoughts and produced that essay on the injustice our prospects have to face. There are times when you just need an outlet for your thoughts and this competition provided one for me. Coming in third was merely an additional bonus.
The essays were above and beyond what anyone expected. There are many hidden posters on PakPassion that should be posting and getting involved in discussions more often. It was an exceptional venture that should be brought back again – I found it as being an absolute success. I am sure many others would concur with me on this.
PP: Your posting style reminds of Ramiz Raja's commentary by that i mean that you try to be diplomatic or neutral but than you end up going against your own team/players. Do you agree with that? What do you have to say about that?
KU: Interesting question – I will try to answer it as truthfully as possible.
I’ll begin with stating that Rameez Raja is a respectable commentator. There are times where he goes overboard but I feel he gets unfairly criticized, when he shouldn’t be. I just wanted to give my viewpoint on his commentary work before indulging in this fascinating question.
I do have a diplomatic angle to my posts because I respect everyone on PakPassion. The thought behind my posts is to not present myself as a biased individual with no respect for others and their viewpoints. I try to maintain reasonability in my posts – if it is another word for diplomatic, I suppose I am diplomatic.
I have never sensed my reasonability getting in the way of unjustly criticizing players. Yes, my way of posting does not permit me to gush over Shahid Afridi’s “beastly” ability when he has gotten out on a duck. Fans in general need to understand that there are times where “our” players are not the finest going around. This is a natural phenomenon that many people aren’t aware of it seems. Yes, it is possible for our players to perform inadequately. If we don’t criticize them [fairly of course] then what is the point of having a viewpoint?!
I always try to back my views with actual evidence but this does not mean I am correct. If a poster feels irritated by my stance then please provide factual information backing your claim. I am always willing to step down and accept my mistakes.
PP: Since you are a king, do you think monarchy could work for a country such as Pakistan?
KU: If I was assigned the position of king, yes it would work. In fact – it would work quite well.
In all seriousness though – democracy is the way for Pakistan. Having a monarchy would result in the end of Pakistan – the nation is trekking down a fine line as it is.
Pakistan has already seen leaders who have made regrettable decisions due to the power assigned to them. The major disadvantage of a monarchy is the potential misuse of power and the nation has seen enough of that already. Even the greatest of kings/queens with great morals can be corrupted with absolute power. This is essentially what monarchies are – power gifted authorities [usually unfairly] ruining the lives of their people. The addition of a monarchy would result in people disagreeing with the leader and wanting them ousted. This feeling of hatred would lead to a blood ridden battle to change the leader. Even the hypothetical reasoning of having a monarchy does not illustrate positives for the nation.
Yes, one can question whether or not the people of Pakistan deserve to have their say. The fact that they have voted for individuals such as Asif Ali Zardari, is concerning but it is the way forward. I am not hurt one bit with people voting for Zardari because it displays their choice and that is what matters. “The people” should be able to choose their leader not anyone else. The initial phases of democratic led nations are always uncomfortable but the end result is always better if things are done appropriately and practically.
PP: How do you want to see Pakistan (as a country in general) in the next 10 years?
KU: I thought we only have until December 12, 2012?!
I want to see Pakistan as a properly run democratic nation. I want to see a nation allowing its people to prosper and develop without having the fear of corruption or terrorism on their minds. My thoughts may appear utopian at best, in fact they may be, but this is the ideal that needs to be set. I want to see a government which is competent and willing to put the nation’s interests before its own. I want to see the end of the unnecessary conflict between Pakistan and India as this has only brought destruction to both nations. A nation full of people struggling to survive has come to a point where it celebrates its purchases of nukes. The focus has to come away from such absurd purchases and more towards the real issues destroying the nation from within. The lack of food, electricity and water, the very essentials that should be of prime focus is pushed back for the sake of a few more bombs.
These thoughts are all great on paper of course. The work required to come to such a point will take much longer than ten years I am afraid.
PP: What have you learned to like about it most?
KU: I am assuming we are talking about Pakistan.
There are countless things to admire about Pakistan. The very spirit of the nation – the core of its being is as beautiful as any other nation. The little intricacies that make the nation bind are matchless and should be highlighted regularly.
The vast amount of natural resources is fascinating. The nation has been gifted with many resources [coal, limestone, salt] and the day it appreciates them will be the day it prospers.
Perhaps, I am a little biased but the food is absolutely remarkable. Who doesn’t like a warm plate of biryani? What about some Ras Malai? Everyone has their own favorites but surely we can appreciate the food Pakistan has given us.
The culture within Pakistan is stunning and it should be appreciated more often.
PP: What have you learned to dislike about it most?
KU: The nation is tumbling through countless tribulations. The government is inept from top to bottom. There is no one to trust and there is no sense of direction within the nation. The government has become reactive and is now relying on other nations to feed them. We have become beggars at a world level and this has to change.
Everyone can point to terrorism and it is certainly something to loathe. However, it is not the core problem. The problem begins from the leaders – who are helplessly running around like headless chickens. There is no method to their madness. The people continuously give their trust to these individuals only to be let down again and again.
A nation with so much promise is falling apart at the seams.
PP: Were you born in Pakistan or Canada? Do you plan to live in Canada your whole life or do you foresee yourself moving to Pakistan at some point? If born in Canada then how did you get into cricket?
KU: I was born in Canada.
I do have a certain love for Pakistan, the nation where my parents were born. I have visited Pakistan twice in my life time and both experiences have been exceptional. Both countries are different in many ways but one can see the value of both. Sadly, I do not see myself moving to Pakistan. I am simply not cut out for that kind of life, I am sure many are, but I am not. This is not due to hatred for the nation but simply being realistic. Although I will unquestionably maintain my visits as I get older.
Getting into cricket was straightforward. Canada is becoming the second home for South Asians. There are an abundance of Pakistanis living all around the Toronto area and thus falling in love with cricket was never a problem. The harder part was prioritizing between cricket and other sports. My love for cricket is second to only Ice hockey. Ice hockey is the sport everyone in Canada has learned to love and I am no exception.
PP: Tell us something about yourself that we don't know, (doesn't have to be personal)
KU: I am not sure if people know this about me or not but I’ll declare it anyway. I am avid gamer and love playing video games. It’s an obsession that is not to an excessive level but it is something that is a part of my life. I do tend to spend more time on the computer but I spend a lot of time on my PS3 as well.
I have a serious love for sports games. Makes sense I suppose considering this is a sports forum. Games like NBA 2010 and NHL 2010 take up a lot of my time when I am free. Of course, I enjoy games like Killzone 2 and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, but not as much as my sports games.
PP: Describe to us the kingusama92 in real life?
KU: I am a peaceful personality in real life.
Usually don’t display my resentment out loud; it is simply the way I am. My posting style probably depicts the way I am in real life as well. I rarely get into conflicts with others around me and it’s probably greatest that way. Life is too short to get into insignificant fights that result in nothingness in the end.
I love my family a lot. The value of having great family members around you is remarkable. A lot of one’s life is spent with your parents and siblings – so having great ones is plainly irreplaceable. I have learnt heaps of things from my parents and one can tell in the way I handle things on a day to day basis.
PP: Are you religious?
KU: Sadly, I am not as religious as I should be.
I envy those that pray five times a day and are able to read the Quran daily. This is one part of my life that I have to sincerely improve. I do pray as frequently as I can but it is simply not enough.
PP: Your experience so far living in Canada, the positive and negatives?
KU: My experience has been full of positives. Multiculturalism is rampant here, you see people from all over the world and it’s a matchless experience. The education system is fantastic, health care system is respectable and the overall atmosphere is quite positive. The ability to have just as much chance to succeed as the next person is what makes Canada such a beautiful country.
There is one major negative aspect about Canada. Snow – the weather in the winter is horrible at times. Shoveling the snow can be a back-breaking exercise especially when you have those days where the snow just does not let up.
I have also learned one thing; Niagara Falls is not fun after you visit it a thousand times.
PP: You once posted in a thread that your real name is 'Usama'. did that affect you when you went to school in Canada? As in did you get mentioned along a certain 'Osama'?
KU: Nothing malicious. You always have friends who will tease you here and there about your name but of course all of it was in jest. I have never experienced a situation where I was “bullied” due to my name.
People have always been nice in my life. I have never come across someone who blatantly mocks my name or my religion. I have heard of many stories where kids were bullied due to them having this name, especially in America.
Luckily, people are much more accepting and reasonable where I live.
PP: Do you keep your cool in personal life too? Do you ever get angry in real life?
KU: Like I stated in a previous answer, I am quite calm in real life. My posting style almost perfectly matches my way of life in reality. Stating that I never get angry would be an outright lie but mostly I don’t let my emotions get the better of me.
Raging out on others usually leads to negative outcomes.
PP: Are you currently playing any kind of cricket? If so then what are you (batsman, bowler, allrounder)? Also would you like to share your highest score?
KU: I have played quite a lot of school cricket over the past few years.
I am a pure batsman that can perhaps turn his arm over for a few off spinners. I usually open the batting for my team. Considering that we play 8 over cricket these days for school – the highest score I ever made was 40. There have been other club games I have played in the past where I have scored more but those days are long gone by. I was probably in grade 5 or 6 back then.
I have been planning to join a decent club but just never got the time. Perhaps, I will get the chance sooner rather than later. Playing cricket is always fun – no matter where.
PP: What are you studying?
KU: I am currently in Grade 12.
PP: What do you want to become (profession)? Career in politics maybe?
KU: Sadly, I have aspirations of being a politician. Not my cup of tea.
I want to become a chartered accountant. This is what I hoping to become for now – but as time passes on you never know what is down the road.
PP: Did you ever think of becoming a diplomat?
KU: I never thought about becoming a diplomat. It’s a lovely job – no doubt about that but it’s simply not something I fancy. The people who do become diplomats are fantastic people to speak to.
I have had the chance to meet a few local diplomats – you can clearly sense the passion in their mannerisms. Plus, I have no interest in learning French – which is mandatory for almost all politicians/diplomats here.
PP: Do you have regrets in life so far?
KU: I don’t spend too much time on regretting various decisions I have made in my life. There simply is not enough time to waste on such useless thoughts. The one serious regret I have is the one about not being religious enough other then that the rest are useless in meaning to me.
As my mother constantly tells me with a famous saying, “Har fasley ke peeche – Allah [SWT] ki koi behthri hoti hai” (Allah has a reason beneficial to us behind every decision he makes). Of course – I don’t go and do nothing about my problems but after I know I have given my best – the quote sums it up well. Sometimes – things are just not meant to go right regardless of how hard you tried.
PP: What are your goals in life?
KU: My goals are simple in saying - but hard in completing. I want to become a good Muslim, have a wonderful family and give back to my parents. I have learned some valuable lessons over my short life – parents are crucial to one’s wellbeing and development as a person. To be honest, I know that I won’t be able to even give back 1% of what they have given to me over my lifetime.
I have already stated my intention to become a better Muslim [Inshallah I will]. Also, I wish to pass on the values taught to me by my parents and pass them on to my own children one day. Professional goals will always be there but they are not everything in life.
KU: To be honest – I would love to tell you a crazy anecdote about my initial visit to PakPassion but I simply cannot. I was basically searching “Pakistan cricket” on Google only to come across a infinite list of sites. I clicked PakPassion just for the sake of entertaining myself with something fresh. As I was fooling around I started reading and noticed the immense quality of posts/threads. I was keenly reading one of the topics [my memory is failing me on its content] and I immediately felt like replying. The urge to reply took over and ‘voila’ – I was a PPer. I never looked back from there.
PP: How has your stay been on PakPassion after two and half years?
KU: The stay has been splendid. Many people do not realize that I had a bumpy beginning to my PakPassion career. I was a thoughtless poster with no concern for punctuation or grammar. When I look back – I respect those that lived with my appalling posting style. Although as time passed on – I started paying attention to what I was typing. Ever since that switch from reckless to careful – I have begun loving the forum even more. The best aspect about my stay has been the improvement in my knowledge of Pakistan as a nation in general. There are things I have learned here that if I did not join, I am sure I would have missed out on.
PP: Have you learnt any important lessons from PakPassion?
KU: I have learned quite a lot from PakPassion and hopefully will keep on learning. Putting aside all of the wonderful cricketing knowledge I have soaked in just from reading posts from fellow posters. I would say one of the most significant concepts, I have learned from PakPassion is the idea of contemplating and processing your opinion before posting. In the past, I would just blurt out what I wanted to say without any consideration or direction in my verbal diarrhea. Now I feel – my ability to process information and carefully state my thoughts has improved. This patience is key not just in my posting career but in life as well. Hasty decisions make for sloppy mistakes.
PP: Are there any memorable moments on PakPassion?
KU: There have been numerous moments on PakPassion that have been unforgettable for me. Most of them have been based around match threads of some extraordinary cricket matches. The one match which stands out for me is the T20 World Cup 2009 semi final against the South Africans. The fervor on the forum that day was remarkable – the anticipation of something great – you could just sense it. The team delivered and the two ripping deliveries from Afridi in that match and the commentary from his fans afterwards was pure delight.
PP: Do you ever get angry/annoyed/irritated/flustered on PakPassion? If so - how do you manage to hide it so well? What/who is your inspiration for this?
KU: I would be outright dishonest if I state that I do not get irritated. There are times where posts that are made go beyond sensibility. I am able to cope with the day to day pokes at foolishness from posters but there are times when one wonders, where is the sanity?!
I manage to “hide” it well – simply because I tend to not respond or I try to extract whatever good is in that poster’s response and reply to that portion only. There are times where some posters are just asking for it – but you learn to ease off and hope this is a one off post from them. My inspiration for this comes from the people around me – parents, sibling, and teachers. I may be preaching but patience is truly a virtue. Plus, who wants to be an internet gangster anyway?
PP: How do you manage both studies and PakPassion?
KU: I think there is a misconception here. The misconception being that I am always “online”. There are times where I leave my browser open and thus it seems that I am logged in. I spend a hefty amount of time on my studies – a crucial part of my day, sadly.
However, I do tend to post more often than an average poster. I am usually a keen student and thus tend to finish whatever work I have as quickly as possible [yes, I am borderline nerdy]. There are days where this extra time provides me with sufficient time to add my viewpoint to threads on PakPassion.
PP: Do you have any particular favourite poster on PakPassion? If so, who is the lucky person?
KU: To be honest - there are quite a few class posters on PakPassion. I will pinpoint two posters from the forum who I find as the finest going around. These two are named, Wazeeri and Momo.
The reason behind choosing these two is straightforward – their quality. I have never seen a post from either poster that could be described as “meager”. Even when they type one-liners – they are usually with a sense of rationale and direction. There seems to be a certain thought process behind their posts and both are worthy of admiration. I would never choose between the two because both are just brilliant. Hopefully, I will be able to reach that standard of posting one day.
PP: What are your tips or your advice for newer posters on PakPassion, both on writing style and in ways to respond calmly to provocation?
KU: Most posters [including myself] not just new ones are typically guilty of two things – lack of purpose and grammatical waywardness. Lack of purpose means presenting useless thoughts that add zilch to the discussion at hand. These are the posts that derail a thread and cause headaches for those who were seriously discussing a certain subject. Same goes for grammatical waywardness – the inability to “edit” your own post is something that gives many people trouble.
Essentially, I have learned that reading your post twice is always helpful. Sometimes, you may spew out certain thoughts only to change your post once you read it again. It allows for a certain filtering process to be conducted.
These problems also occur because most new posters feel as if they are in a race. The race of having the most posts. This addiction of mainly spamming is what causes the downfall of a number of posters. There is no need to waste energy in that manner. Slow and steady always wins the race.
As far as responding to provocation – just learn to let it go. If someone is pestering you – be the bigger person and simply ease off and visit another thread. Of course – there are times where responding is required. This is where the idea of revising and making sure your post has a sense of purpose is essential.
Giving advice is not my thing – I hope this helped though.
PP: How did it feel when your essay came third in PakPassion’s first and recent concluded essay competition?
KU: It was an absolute honor. I was truthfully surprised that my essay went that far in the competition. I just spilled out my thoughts and produced that essay on the injustice our prospects have to face. There are times when you just need an outlet for your thoughts and this competition provided one for me. Coming in third was merely an additional bonus.
The essays were above and beyond what anyone expected. There are many hidden posters on PakPassion that should be posting and getting involved in discussions more often. It was an exceptional venture that should be brought back again – I found it as being an absolute success. I am sure many others would concur with me on this.
PP: Your posting style reminds of Ramiz Raja's commentary by that i mean that you try to be diplomatic or neutral but than you end up going against your own team/players. Do you agree with that? What do you have to say about that?
KU: Interesting question – I will try to answer it as truthfully as possible.
I’ll begin with stating that Rameez Raja is a respectable commentator. There are times where he goes overboard but I feel he gets unfairly criticized, when he shouldn’t be. I just wanted to give my viewpoint on his commentary work before indulging in this fascinating question.
I do have a diplomatic angle to my posts because I respect everyone on PakPassion. The thought behind my posts is to not present myself as a biased individual with no respect for others and their viewpoints. I try to maintain reasonability in my posts – if it is another word for diplomatic, I suppose I am diplomatic.
I have never sensed my reasonability getting in the way of unjustly criticizing players. Yes, my way of posting does not permit me to gush over Shahid Afridi’s “beastly” ability when he has gotten out on a duck. Fans in general need to understand that there are times where “our” players are not the finest going around. This is a natural phenomenon that many people aren’t aware of it seems. Yes, it is possible for our players to perform inadequately. If we don’t criticize them [fairly of course] then what is the point of having a viewpoint?!
I always try to back my views with actual evidence but this does not mean I am correct. If a poster feels irritated by my stance then please provide factual information backing your claim. I am always willing to step down and accept my mistakes.
PP: Since you are a king, do you think monarchy could work for a country such as Pakistan?
KU: If I was assigned the position of king, yes it would work. In fact – it would work quite well.
In all seriousness though – democracy is the way for Pakistan. Having a monarchy would result in the end of Pakistan – the nation is trekking down a fine line as it is.
Pakistan has already seen leaders who have made regrettable decisions due to the power assigned to them. The major disadvantage of a monarchy is the potential misuse of power and the nation has seen enough of that already. Even the greatest of kings/queens with great morals can be corrupted with absolute power. This is essentially what monarchies are – power gifted authorities [usually unfairly] ruining the lives of their people. The addition of a monarchy would result in people disagreeing with the leader and wanting them ousted. This feeling of hatred would lead to a blood ridden battle to change the leader. Even the hypothetical reasoning of having a monarchy does not illustrate positives for the nation.
Yes, one can question whether or not the people of Pakistan deserve to have their say. The fact that they have voted for individuals such as Asif Ali Zardari, is concerning but it is the way forward. I am not hurt one bit with people voting for Zardari because it displays their choice and that is what matters. “The people” should be able to choose their leader not anyone else. The initial phases of democratic led nations are always uncomfortable but the end result is always better if things are done appropriately and practically.
PP: How do you want to see Pakistan (as a country in general) in the next 10 years?
KU: I thought we only have until December 12, 2012?!
I want to see Pakistan as a properly run democratic nation. I want to see a nation allowing its people to prosper and develop without having the fear of corruption or terrorism on their minds. My thoughts may appear utopian at best, in fact they may be, but this is the ideal that needs to be set. I want to see a government which is competent and willing to put the nation’s interests before its own. I want to see the end of the unnecessary conflict between Pakistan and India as this has only brought destruction to both nations. A nation full of people struggling to survive has come to a point where it celebrates its purchases of nukes. The focus has to come away from such absurd purchases and more towards the real issues destroying the nation from within. The lack of food, electricity and water, the very essentials that should be of prime focus is pushed back for the sake of a few more bombs.
These thoughts are all great on paper of course. The work required to come to such a point will take much longer than ten years I am afraid.
PP: What have you learned to like about it most?
KU: I am assuming we are talking about Pakistan.
There are countless things to admire about Pakistan. The very spirit of the nation – the core of its being is as beautiful as any other nation. The little intricacies that make the nation bind are matchless and should be highlighted regularly.
The vast amount of natural resources is fascinating. The nation has been gifted with many resources [coal, limestone, salt] and the day it appreciates them will be the day it prospers.
Perhaps, I am a little biased but the food is absolutely remarkable. Who doesn’t like a warm plate of biryani? What about some Ras Malai? Everyone has their own favorites but surely we can appreciate the food Pakistan has given us.
The culture within Pakistan is stunning and it should be appreciated more often.
PP: What have you learned to dislike about it most?
KU: The nation is tumbling through countless tribulations. The government is inept from top to bottom. There is no one to trust and there is no sense of direction within the nation. The government has become reactive and is now relying on other nations to feed them. We have become beggars at a world level and this has to change.
Everyone can point to terrorism and it is certainly something to loathe. However, it is not the core problem. The problem begins from the leaders – who are helplessly running around like headless chickens. There is no method to their madness. The people continuously give their trust to these individuals only to be let down again and again.
A nation with so much promise is falling apart at the seams.
PP: Were you born in Pakistan or Canada? Do you plan to live in Canada your whole life or do you foresee yourself moving to Pakistan at some point? If born in Canada then how did you get into cricket?
KU: I was born in Canada.
I do have a certain love for Pakistan, the nation where my parents were born. I have visited Pakistan twice in my life time and both experiences have been exceptional. Both countries are different in many ways but one can see the value of both. Sadly, I do not see myself moving to Pakistan. I am simply not cut out for that kind of life, I am sure many are, but I am not. This is not due to hatred for the nation but simply being realistic. Although I will unquestionably maintain my visits as I get older.
Getting into cricket was straightforward. Canada is becoming the second home for South Asians. There are an abundance of Pakistanis living all around the Toronto area and thus falling in love with cricket was never a problem. The harder part was prioritizing between cricket and other sports. My love for cricket is second to only Ice hockey. Ice hockey is the sport everyone in Canada has learned to love and I am no exception.
PP: Tell us something about yourself that we don't know, (doesn't have to be personal)
KU: I am not sure if people know this about me or not but I’ll declare it anyway. I am avid gamer and love playing video games. It’s an obsession that is not to an excessive level but it is something that is a part of my life. I do tend to spend more time on the computer but I spend a lot of time on my PS3 as well.
I have a serious love for sports games. Makes sense I suppose considering this is a sports forum. Games like NBA 2010 and NHL 2010 take up a lot of my time when I am free. Of course, I enjoy games like Killzone 2 and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, but not as much as my sports games.
PP: Describe to us the kingusama92 in real life?
KU: I am a peaceful personality in real life.
Usually don’t display my resentment out loud; it is simply the way I am. My posting style probably depicts the way I am in real life as well. I rarely get into conflicts with others around me and it’s probably greatest that way. Life is too short to get into insignificant fights that result in nothingness in the end.
I love my family a lot. The value of having great family members around you is remarkable. A lot of one’s life is spent with your parents and siblings – so having great ones is plainly irreplaceable. I have learnt heaps of things from my parents and one can tell in the way I handle things on a day to day basis.
PP: Are you religious?
KU: Sadly, I am not as religious as I should be.
I envy those that pray five times a day and are able to read the Quran daily. This is one part of my life that I have to sincerely improve. I do pray as frequently as I can but it is simply not enough.
PP: Your experience so far living in Canada, the positive and negatives?
KU: My experience has been full of positives. Multiculturalism is rampant here, you see people from all over the world and it’s a matchless experience. The education system is fantastic, health care system is respectable and the overall atmosphere is quite positive. The ability to have just as much chance to succeed as the next person is what makes Canada such a beautiful country.
There is one major negative aspect about Canada. Snow – the weather in the winter is horrible at times. Shoveling the snow can be a back-breaking exercise especially when you have those days where the snow just does not let up.
I have also learned one thing; Niagara Falls is not fun after you visit it a thousand times.
PP: You once posted in a thread that your real name is 'Usama'. did that affect you when you went to school in Canada? As in did you get mentioned along a certain 'Osama'?
KU: Nothing malicious. You always have friends who will tease you here and there about your name but of course all of it was in jest. I have never experienced a situation where I was “bullied” due to my name.
People have always been nice in my life. I have never come across someone who blatantly mocks my name or my religion. I have heard of many stories where kids were bullied due to them having this name, especially in America.
Luckily, people are much more accepting and reasonable where I live.
PP: Do you keep your cool in personal life too? Do you ever get angry in real life?
KU: Like I stated in a previous answer, I am quite calm in real life. My posting style almost perfectly matches my way of life in reality. Stating that I never get angry would be an outright lie but mostly I don’t let my emotions get the better of me.
Raging out on others usually leads to negative outcomes.
PP: Are you currently playing any kind of cricket? If so then what are you (batsman, bowler, allrounder)? Also would you like to share your highest score?
KU: I have played quite a lot of school cricket over the past few years.
I am a pure batsman that can perhaps turn his arm over for a few off spinners. I usually open the batting for my team. Considering that we play 8 over cricket these days for school – the highest score I ever made was 40. There have been other club games I have played in the past where I have scored more but those days are long gone by. I was probably in grade 5 or 6 back then.
I have been planning to join a decent club but just never got the time. Perhaps, I will get the chance sooner rather than later. Playing cricket is always fun – no matter where.
PP: What are you studying?
KU: I am currently in Grade 12.
PP: What do you want to become (profession)? Career in politics maybe?
KU: Sadly, I have aspirations of being a politician. Not my cup of tea.
I want to become a chartered accountant. This is what I hoping to become for now – but as time passes on you never know what is down the road.
PP: Did you ever think of becoming a diplomat?
KU: I never thought about becoming a diplomat. It’s a lovely job – no doubt about that but it’s simply not something I fancy. The people who do become diplomats are fantastic people to speak to.
I have had the chance to meet a few local diplomats – you can clearly sense the passion in their mannerisms. Plus, I have no interest in learning French – which is mandatory for almost all politicians/diplomats here.
PP: Do you have regrets in life so far?
KU: I don’t spend too much time on regretting various decisions I have made in my life. There simply is not enough time to waste on such useless thoughts. The one serious regret I have is the one about not being religious enough other then that the rest are useless in meaning to me.
As my mother constantly tells me with a famous saying, “Har fasley ke peeche – Allah [SWT] ki koi behthri hoti hai” (Allah has a reason beneficial to us behind every decision he makes). Of course – I don’t go and do nothing about my problems but after I know I have given my best – the quote sums it up well. Sometimes – things are just not meant to go right regardless of how hard you tried.
PP: What are your goals in life?
KU: My goals are simple in saying - but hard in completing. I want to become a good Muslim, have a wonderful family and give back to my parents. I have learned some valuable lessons over my short life – parents are crucial to one’s wellbeing and development as a person. To be honest, I know that I won’t be able to even give back 1% of what they have given to me over my lifetime.
I have already stated my intention to become a better Muslim [Inshallah I will]. Also, I wish to pass on the values taught to me by my parents and pass them on to my own children one day. Professional goals will always be there but they are not everything in life.
