Prologue:
As I write responses to all the questions, I thought it would be also a good idea to present a short introduction before proceeding to my responses which I know everyone is waiting for with bated breath
…..Some of the members on this website have a clear misconception of me……I am here therefore in the course of this interview to clear up everything and present myself (good & bad) in its entirety….I hope after reading my responses, that the members here (including some of the moderators) have opened their minds to a new paradigm, instead of judging me unfairly….And now on to the responses……
1) Just curious with you being a globetrotter and living in so many
different places while you were growing up what accent do you have? Is it a
multi-accent like shoaib akhtar?
Well, the term ‘globetrotter’ certainly holds true in this case, as I have been fortunate enough to live & travel abroad across many countries…As to my accent, it has gone through multiple developmental phases from mixture of British (Yorkshire)/Emarati Accent to American/Emarati accent to now where it is mostly Canadian accent with some British overtones….I certainly don’t sound as bad as Sohaib Akthar so I thank god for that….
2) Just like in the film ocean 11 you are planning a heist you are Danny
ocean which other 10 people from pakpassion would you choose to be part of
your gang to carry out the heist? And would you cast entra as the little
Chinese guy as he is good at gymnastics?
Mmm good question…Well the following is my list with pper’s names with character that they would most resemble or play the part well, but I believe there are other people who could play Danny Ocean better than me, as I am not that suave –
DANNY OCEAN: Well me of course, but if I had to choose another person to be as sophisticated, then I would choose Commay as the ‘Idea Man’
RUSTY RYAN: Brad Pitt’s role as the ‘Pro’ would have to go to none other than z10 because he has the brains as well as charisma to pull of anything, as well as he is the ultimate gambler….. z10 is perfect as rusty because, he's not only a cool guy; he has that devil-may-care attitude that Rusty has…
LINUS CALDWELL: Known as the ‘Rookie’ as enacted by Matt Damon….I would have to say that probably go for Marooned because he always has something to prove everytime, and he's like the pledge who usually gets the worst things to do and nobody laughs at his jokes, but he earns his respect nevertheless…
BASHER TARR: Who better to play Don Cheadle with a funny accent than Geordie Ahmed….Honorable mention if GA gets blown up would be adi101010….
LIVINGSTON DELL: A tough one in who to pick for the geek part and also being the computer expert, but I would have to say Nauman because he just doesn't do well with people, which is why he's married to his machines…
FRANK CATTON: Another tough choice, but I would probably pick Sage as the con-artist and bartender….
REUBEN TISHKOFF: Have to go with the wily Oxy there…
SAUL BLOOM: Who better to play a 70 year old grandparent than our resident oldie Mig bhai …..He seems innocent on the outside, but watch out !
TURK MALLOY & VIRGIL MALLOY: Another tough choice, but have to go with our resident brothers lost at birth – Cartman & Monsee……Honorable mentions – Tupac & Farhad…..
YEN: Entra is perfect for the part for the reasons mentioned by the questioner and that he would keep everyone on their toes with his humour….
3) Five things that make you proud to be a Pakistani and five things that
don’t?
5 Things that make me proud to be a Pakistani:
- The ideal value/code of ethics that were layed out by Quaid-E-Azam during formation of Pakistan.
- The potential for Pakistan to achieve greater things in the future.
- Abundance of rich cultural history and heritage.
- Hospitality of Pakistani’s in general.
- The never say die attitude and resiliency to rise above perceived failures.
5 Things that do not make me proud to be a Pakistani:
- Sectarian infighting and violence.
- Blatant Corruption at all levels throughout society.
- Censorship amongst people, close mindedness, and lack of tolerance for ideas/religions other than decreed by the social orders.
- Mullahs who go around brainwashing young and impressionable minds.
- Moronic Politicians who want to see Pakistan fail in lieu of their own personal and monetary gains.
4) How much do think the sectarian problems in Pakistan are due to internal
factors or would you say its more to do with external factors? and are there
any practical steps that can be taken to eradicate this problem?
4) In my opinion, it has to do with mostly internal factors as both Sunnis and Shiites are fighting to gain political and religious power over another, and in turn get rid of the supposed ‘kaffirs’ of the other sects and vice versa…This is a problem that may never get solved until there is a sufficient dialogue being created between the two branches, people become more tolerant and respectful towards each others beliefs/moral systems, and LEARN to live and respect each other in harmony…..I’m afraid until that happens, any other practical steps may not yield any results or improvement in behaviour amongst the people of different sects.
5) What did the world do to Canada for it to inflict Celine Dion on to us?
5) I have no idea, but I never liked her either for the record, I would rather hear 100 nails on the chalkboard than hear her singing away the Titanic love song, which incidentally Raz always is in tears after the rendition….
6) Your favorite naat/poem?
6) There are so many, I couldn’t pinpoint on one, but anything by Mowlana Jalaluddin Rumi and Mirza Ghalib….
7) Why 768? why not 666?
I think you mean 786….As for the q, it is because 786110 stands for Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Raheem, which translates in English as: ‘In the Name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful’….In addition, 7 is the day I was born, and in a moment of inspiration, I had chosen a shorter version of it, hence 786…..Incidentally, 666 is the number of the devil, and I certainly am not that …..As for my first part of my nickname – Zushy, well the story goes that when my younger sister was a toddler, she couldn’t pronounce my first name properly and hence she had called me in her sweet innocence – Zushy, and from then on, the nick has stuck, and I still to this day get called by it sometimes……
8) Who's had the biggest personal influence on your life, and why?
8) I would have to say that so far in my short lifetime I’ve had three big influences –
my third grade teacher, my parents, and Quaid-E-Azam….
9) Describe in your own words 'the meaning of life'.
9) This is another interesting yet difficult question, as I attain more knowledge, my answer to this question changes, but as for now, my answer is this:
“Know Thyself” – Socrates. This in essence is the most profound statement that if realized to its maximum potential, would transform the personality of the person and guide them to the true path of enlightenment, moral literacy, and moral excellence. I believe that everyone is here for a reason, to fulfill their destiny that has already been ordained by God. I do not know what my destiny is yet, but I know that if I follow my faith with an open mind, attain higher knowledge, and realize my full potential, I would eventually one day know the true essence of my being, and purpose of my existence within this world. I would like to leave the questioner and others to ponder upon the following 6 statements further - as per further investigation on this ‘meaning of life’
• Your achievements in your moral literacy, moral intelligence, vision, imagination, and moral conduct are more critical for human progress than computer literacy.
• Self knowledge is a higher form of learning than academic knowledge and is the true path to enlightenment, moral literacy, and moral excellence.
• Why do you allow the garden of your mind to grow such weed as greed, anger, malice, egoism, racism, envy, pride, that crowd the psychological space in your mind.
• You are unique in all of creation, in your values, ideals, thinking, personality, moods, emotions, imagination, the powers of your mind, moral intelligence, insight, ingenuity, and intuition and creative visualization.
• Your mind stretched by love, an idea, a passion, an impulse, a vision, a thought will never return to its original dimensions.
• Why don’t you use the powers of the Atma, the mind, your values, and ideals to transcend this devaluation.
10) On PP, you seem to laugh at every little thing. Are you like that in
real life or are you serious?
10) Well I’m quite serious person in real life but I do have my humorous moments when trying out pranks on my unsuspecting family members or jokes that most of the time don’t get laughs but I keep trying….It all depends on my mood really….
11).Angelina Jolie or Aishwarya Rai? Who is your dream date?
11) Angelina Jolie, she seems to me more of a real and down to earth person than Aishwariya Rai….As for my dream date, haven’t had one yet, so I will let you know when the time comes
12) Would you say you are obsessed with GA or is it the other way round?
12) I believe he has a problem but is too scared to admit it on PP that he is overly obsessed with me and freshies…..I believe he is a freshy disguising himself as a Geordie (whatever that is)….
13) Your favourite posters on PP?
13) Too many too mention, but as my arm is twisted now I would say in no particular order the following – fairplay, ggm, commay, Raz, RH, Farhad, z10, miggy, entralinks, Oxy…..Honorable mentions – Whippy, rayhan, Hafridi, Gasherbibi, Hitman, Fessel, Team Slayer & Monsee…..
14) Good and bad points about Karachi?
14) Karachi being the place as to where I was born, has always held a special place in my heart…The good points are so many, the bad very few….Some good points would be – the road stall food on Tariq Road, the restaurants, Clifton and the beaches, vibrancy of the people, the night life, architecture of the old forts, history, and much more…..The only bad point that I can think of is crime…..
15) If you were James Bond and you could take one special gadget on your
mission what would it be? And who would your Bond girl be?
15) Me as James Bond would be an interesting thought….The special gadget would be the x-ray glasses of course.....For the bond girl, I would say Marylin Monroe or Denise Richards…
16) Any unfulfilled dreams / ambitions? Are you highly ambitious? Is your
ambition the primary factor in any decision you make? And do you feel
ambition clouds judgments?
16) I used to be very highly ambitious, but after constant disappointments personally and having to endure career change in university where I have had to start from level 0 again, it has been quite the journey and a blow to my ego…My dreams that I had 5 years ago have been shattered, and since then I’ve been working towards creating new dreams or repairing old ones with lots and lots of scotch tape…..As I have evolved or some say it humbled by my crumbling ruins, I have come out of it as a more of a complete and humble person….I believe in this sense that sometimes over dreaming or dreaming something that is impossible can inturn cloud your judgments and what you are capable of with your abilities and skill set…In this case dare I say it much to the chagrin of highly ambitious individuals like z10, beware of your ego making highly ambitious projections, because this world has a habit of making you crash and burn….
17) On PP you seem chilled, relaxed, and easy going. Dare I say it, this seems a
front. Who is the real zushy?
17) Indeed you have caught me there z10 …..The real me as I’ve said before is quite a serious and angry person suppressed under thick veils of censorship and patience….However, recently my anger has come to the surface on more than one occasion or another on PP ….But, when I’m in the mood, I can be quite a relaxed an easy going person with strong inclination towards making humorous retorts and jokes…..I am also a very upfront person who will never hesitate to state whatever is on my mind (devoid of any perceived censorship) or be afraid to be controversial no matter what the subject is, and usually my body language directly reflects what I do feel in most cases, unless I’m playing poker of course……
18) What moves you emotionally? films, music, art? or are you of solid
emotion?
18) I used to be very moved even to the point of tears when I used to watch a deeply emotional film, hear a moving piece of music, or perceive a piece of art that was heart wrenching, but from what has happened to me over past 10-12 years, my emotional sensibilities and sensitivity has been sucked out of me bit by bit…Nowadays, I rarely get emotionally moved by anything but once in a while I do let out my emotions through various venues…
19) Are you a leader or a follower? In which position would you be most
comfortable?
19) I do believe that I am a leader in the sense that I would be much more comfortable in seeing through my vision and implement any changes that would occur throughout the process and from my team members…..I have never been a follower throughout my life, and a rebel on a never ending quest, no matter what the consequences are….
20) You seemed to have a problem with the newbies, why so ? Is it because
you want more respect from the newcomers or you feel you deserve more
respect?
20) Cavin420, you are quite mistakened if you think that I have a problem with newbies on PP…..What I have problem with is the influx of new members on the board who seemingly have less of an understanding of comprehension of the English language, use of SMS or text language, and overall lack of understanding on the subject matter that is being discussed….Consequently then, the new members who are mostly young, have also resorted to petty insults of the older and more well established members. In addition, the newer members then go on to create much hoopla and throw hissy fits, and threaten to leave because their arguments were shot down or shown to be erroneous…Thus, this has caused much infighting and petty retorts to be traded that degrades the overall discussion, and inturn causes a good thread to be locked by the moderators….
21) i found you quite an easy going person , are you like that in real life ?
21) Please see my answers to question #10 & #17…..
22) If memory serves then i think you were born n bred in Dubai , so now
that your in the west , do you prefer the west or would like to go back to
dubai ? (in the long-term )
22) Yes indeed you are correct as although being born in Karachi, I spent my formative years split between U.K./Dubai/U.S.A., before moving on to Canada in 1994…..Inshallah after completing my Bachelor’s degree and MBA in the next 2 years, I plan to move back to Dubai and eventually Pakistan….
23) why are you so opposed to marriage?
23) Ah I knew I would get this question….I am not against the institution of what marriage stands for, but I believe that marriage is not for me…..Perhaps it due to parental pressures or hundreds of photos I had received last year before I told my mom off or what has happened in my personal life that has put me off love forever…
24) Hope - is it dangerous?
24) No of course it isn’t dangerous, I believe sometimes hope is inherent and an excellent tonic to boost oneself when feeling depressed, lonely, or disappointed…..Hope in this sense should be nurtured, learned in a good way…..However, when the situation is hopeless, then I can see how hope in calamities with no solution can become dangerous, even life threatening…
25) Is Comma a bad influence on the younger generation ?
25) Well I’ve had the fortunate pleasure or displeasure as some people may deem it of getting to know the intricacies of Commay and what really makes him tick. I believe in good doses comma can be a mentor for the younger generation in many ways, in terms of seeking knowledge on many subjects, and the art of understanding women. However, and I hope comma isn’t offended, some of his personal habits and liberal yet erroneous viewpoints on leading a care-free and pointless life, I would hesitate in the younger generation emulating his ways or taking after him as his disciples.
26) Do you swear so much in real life ?
26) Very rarely when I’m really angry, but I never have in front of my parents as I have too much respect for them….
27) Is Oxy your hero ? If not, who is your role model ?
27) Oxy as my hero, well not quite….The reason that I have attached myself to Oxy’s quest to lose weight is because I understand his plight and his reasons to become healthier. My dad had been in the same position years ago, and seen him struggle through diets before he pulled up his socks and realized that he had to be healthier because of three reasons: have a healthier lifestyle, live longer for his family, and have more energy for accomplishing goals for his personal business. I would have to say my role model is Alexander Dumas character in the Count of Monte Cristo – Edmund Dantes and Prophet Muhammad (S.A.S.)….
28) Is Phainty, when delivered in measured doses a good thing for z10 ?
28) I believe so if delivered in good doses, a good whack once in a while is required for the younger generation, especially rebels like z10…...Seriously speaking, yes I think younger generations today don’t really get disciplined for their stupidity as they are protected by fruitless threats from protection and enforcement laws that hinders the younger generation in personal growth/discipline more than it protects them from abuse…
29) Is all knowledge gained from experience or is some innate?
29) Well I believe it is a bit of both. Let me explain. The drive to gain knowledge, learn something new everyday, and keep that hunger up to constantly gain newer knowledge in all subjects is something that comes from within. However, ‘street’ or experiential knowledge should never be neglected, as it would have devastating effects in the growth and personal relationships of a person…..In this case then, knowledge gained from experiences is as key, and not all knowledge can be gained from just within the original dimensions of the person’s brain….
30) Who would win in the "most horrifying chacha ji" contest.. Miggy or the
Architect from Matrix Reloaded?
30) I believe Miggy would win hands down in the ‘most horrifying chacha ji’ contest, although Dumbledore from Harry Potter books comes a close second….
31) What are your thoughts on censorship?
31) Censorship in its purest form is prevention of disturbing or painful thoughts/feelings from reaching the masses or the consciousness of people. This is inturn almost diabolical that certain media, governmental or societal agencies prevent people from learning of certain types of information that can help them in further understanding and improve their lifestyles. Censorship can take many forms and can be disguished under various veils of malice and wrong information. The fact remains that people who practice the act of censorship are afraid of the consequences if the information gets out to the masses. The reasons for this are many – selfish/egotistical gain, loss in personal wealth, and power to influence the masses in dogmatic ideologies. Censorship is practiced at all levels, even at home where certain members of the family try to prevent sensitive ‘family’ information from getting out to rest of the relatives. I hope I have answered your question sufficiently there…
33) What is your definition of love? Do u believe in love at the first sight?
Have you been in love?
33) Love is giving your body, mind, and soul to someone unconditionally…No I have never believed in love at first sight, frankly the notion is idiotic….I have been in love yes, but it didn’t end well (and no I didn’t get rejected)….
34) Your other interests apart from cricket? What does zushy do when he is
not on PP or studying?
34) What else is there apart from studying & Cricket …..I like to read books from the exhaustive list that commay has given me, reading other business related and joke books so I can become funny like entra , hiking, making model ships and WWII fighter planes (I have a good collection of them), writing poetry, drawing/painting, and carrying out my plans for world domination (just kidding)…
35) What other sport(s) do you play apart from cricket?
35) Squash, ice hockey (not very good though), basketball, baseball, football, and I’ve just taken up curling recently…
36) If you are going on a long drive, what music do you prefer to listen to?
Favourite singers/bands?
36) I prefer to listen to mixture of Arabian, Indian oldies from 50’s-70’s, Pakistani ghazals, classical music of Wagner/Baach, and anything that has soulful music with inspirational words…My favorite singers/bands include U2, Vital signs, Sting, Strings (earlier albums), NFAK, Junaid Jamshed, Michael Oldfield (Tubular Bells), Norah Jones, and Sahotas…
37) Would you say PP has made an impact on your life? Has it changed the way
you deal with people?
37) Not really, I don’t think PP has made a significant impact on my life, although I’ve gotten chappals thrown at me and shouted by my mom more to get off the computer on more than one occasion since I’ve returned from University to live with my parents in the summer. No it hasn’t changed anything with how I deal with people, but has impacted on my relationships with them, as I’ve grown distant and much quieter. Perhaps that has to do with gaining maturity or that I’ve lost my zeal to talk to people anymore…..
38). Does a bad experience with another person make you bitter? If so,
wouldn't you think it is better to let go?
38) In my case, I’ve faced many bad experiences with other people who just simple loose touch due to distance, or stop talking to me, or they have been malicious to me, and has resulted in discontinuation of the relationship. You’re right that I should forgive and forget those relationships, but it is something of a flaw in my personality that I never have forgiven people very easily who have hurt me and inturn have made me very bitter towards them. It’s something that I am working on and inshallah I will be able to let go and free myself from projecting hatred towards anyone that I feel resentful towards…
39) You always go on like "how the younger generation are today", but
wouldn't u consider yourself in that category? What do you think is the
problem with youth nowadays, if any? Any solutions to that?
39) Well I’m only in my early 20’s so I do certainly fall in the young generation, but I don’t associate myself in the category that is the batch coming after me (12-20)…I hope that is enough of a clarification of what my views were in the thread. I believe that the younger youth of today have a much easier time than the older generation had when they were young. There are so many facilities for them to expand their horizons, gain knowledge/understanding, and living up to their potential, but instead they resort to associating themselves with gangster culture where it is ok to degrade women and incite hatred/violence towards other groups, and have no moral guide or compass to guide them through the societal jungle. In addition, youths in general are parasites in every way of their parent’s money and possessions, manipulative, lazy, lethargic, selfish/egotistical, and no sense of purpose in where they are going in their lives.
I believe that for all the excuses that the younger youths make of being under constant peer pressure to be that image and to do the things that friends and society wants them to be is frankly a load of turd… Although this may seem like a negative rant towards the youths of today, I have some hope that youths rise above this and live up to the person that they want to become….
Having said that, I have certainly met some of the possible articulate leaders of tomorrow that hold much promise on PP itself, for example people like z10, Easatheman, Pants & Trousers, RH, Hafridi, Entralinks (when he’s not eating his bun samosas), Adi101001, AA, and others (excluding Cavin420 ….
Possible solutions in solving problems with the youth – examining how parents bring their child up from infant to adulthood (age of 18); change in attitude of parents, forgoing of bad parental practices that inhibits the growth of the child, fostering care and understanding, need for open communication channels between parents and child; need for support and developmental network; effective disciplinary channels and venues for punishment….
40) Your favourite PP Mod?
40) It used to be Miggy but he’s lost it somewhat, perhaps because he is becoming senile in his old age, but now it’s a tie between Entralinks & Oxy mian….
41) Why did u kick of with GA that time? Do u think it's fair to say you
have a temper ?
41) It was all in good fun, and I’m sure GA didn’t take my comments too seriously. As for my temper, indeed I do have one, and I’m working towards not getting too angry over stupid comments ….
42) If you had a choice to spend the rest of your life in a certain place,
where would it be?
It would be Pakistan no doubt…….
43) lets say you had 5 million to spend, what would you do with it?
Well if I had the fortunate situation of having 5 million to spend, I would do the following:
- 50%: to my parents and siblings
- 15%: to charitable organizations (mostly stationed in third world countries)
- 10%: Investment in various properties
- 10%: Long term investment in mixture of mutal funds/stock market
- 10%: Savings for a rainy day
- 5%: Donation to Pakpassion of course J
44) For some reason I picture you with a moustache (I say in my head zushy
mushy), do you have a one?
44) No I don’t have a mustache, the name Zushy came out a moment of inspiration that my lovely sister had when she was young and innocent, and my nickname (see question #7 for details)….So that clears up any misconceptions that I chose the nickname because it rhymes with sushi/mushy/tushy or any other weird association….
45) If train A covers 5 Miles in 10 minutes and train B does the same distance in 11 minutes...do tell us more about your real mother land
45) Ha ha I have no idea what the first part of the question means….To answer the second part of you weird question, my real mother land is Pakistan….As for my heritage, my dad was born in Kutch which is in India but he had immigrated to Pakistan during Partition era, and he holds citizenship for both India and Pakistan, but he is a loyal Pakistani through and through….My mom is a Pakistani, having been born in Karachi…As for my siblings, all of us have been born in Pakistan except for my younger sister who was born in Dubai…..I hope I’ve answered your question sufficiently…
Epilogue: I would like to thank everyone for the exhaustive list of questions, and apologize if I didn’t answer every question that was asked, but there were so many, and too many Mona related ones ….It certainly took a long time and thought in answering the questions succinctly…Looking forward in reading everyones comments !
As I write responses to all the questions, I thought it would be also a good idea to present a short introduction before proceeding to my responses which I know everyone is waiting for with bated breath
…..Some of the members on this website have a clear misconception of me……I am here therefore in the course of this interview to clear up everything and present myself (good & bad) in its entirety….I hope after reading my responses, that the members here (including some of the moderators) have opened their minds to a new paradigm, instead of judging me unfairly….And now on to the responses……1) Just curious with you being a globetrotter and living in so many
different places while you were growing up what accent do you have? Is it a
multi-accent like shoaib akhtar?
Well, the term ‘globetrotter’ certainly holds true in this case, as I have been fortunate enough to live & travel abroad across many countries…As to my accent, it has gone through multiple developmental phases from mixture of British (Yorkshire)/Emarati Accent to American/Emarati accent to now where it is mostly Canadian accent with some British overtones….I certainly don’t sound as bad as Sohaib Akthar so I thank god for that….
2) Just like in the film ocean 11 you are planning a heist you are Danny
ocean which other 10 people from pakpassion would you choose to be part of
your gang to carry out the heist? And would you cast entra as the little
Chinese guy as he is good at gymnastics?
Mmm good question…Well the following is my list with pper’s names with character that they would most resemble or play the part well, but I believe there are other people who could play Danny Ocean better than me, as I am not that suave –
DANNY OCEAN: Well me of course, but if I had to choose another person to be as sophisticated, then I would choose Commay as the ‘Idea Man’
RUSTY RYAN: Brad Pitt’s role as the ‘Pro’ would have to go to none other than z10 because he has the brains as well as charisma to pull of anything, as well as he is the ultimate gambler….. z10 is perfect as rusty because, he's not only a cool guy; he has that devil-may-care attitude that Rusty has…
LINUS CALDWELL: Known as the ‘Rookie’ as enacted by Matt Damon….I would have to say that probably go for Marooned because he always has something to prove everytime, and he's like the pledge who usually gets the worst things to do and nobody laughs at his jokes, but he earns his respect nevertheless…
BASHER TARR: Who better to play Don Cheadle with a funny accent than Geordie Ahmed….Honorable mention if GA gets blown up would be adi101010….
LIVINGSTON DELL: A tough one in who to pick for the geek part and also being the computer expert, but I would have to say Nauman because he just doesn't do well with people, which is why he's married to his machines…
FRANK CATTON: Another tough choice, but I would probably pick Sage as the con-artist and bartender….
REUBEN TISHKOFF: Have to go with the wily Oxy there…
SAUL BLOOM: Who better to play a 70 year old grandparent than our resident oldie Mig bhai …..He seems innocent on the outside, but watch out !
TURK MALLOY & VIRGIL MALLOY: Another tough choice, but have to go with our resident brothers lost at birth – Cartman & Monsee……Honorable mentions – Tupac & Farhad…..
YEN: Entra is perfect for the part for the reasons mentioned by the questioner and that he would keep everyone on their toes with his humour….
3) Five things that make you proud to be a Pakistani and five things that
don’t?
5 Things that make me proud to be a Pakistani:
- The ideal value/code of ethics that were layed out by Quaid-E-Azam during formation of Pakistan.
- The potential for Pakistan to achieve greater things in the future.
- Abundance of rich cultural history and heritage.
- Hospitality of Pakistani’s in general.
- The never say die attitude and resiliency to rise above perceived failures.
5 Things that do not make me proud to be a Pakistani:
- Sectarian infighting and violence.
- Blatant Corruption at all levels throughout society.
- Censorship amongst people, close mindedness, and lack of tolerance for ideas/religions other than decreed by the social orders.
- Mullahs who go around brainwashing young and impressionable minds.
- Moronic Politicians who want to see Pakistan fail in lieu of their own personal and monetary gains.
4) How much do think the sectarian problems in Pakistan are due to internal
factors or would you say its more to do with external factors? and are there
any practical steps that can be taken to eradicate this problem?
4) In my opinion, it has to do with mostly internal factors as both Sunnis and Shiites are fighting to gain political and religious power over another, and in turn get rid of the supposed ‘kaffirs’ of the other sects and vice versa…This is a problem that may never get solved until there is a sufficient dialogue being created between the two branches, people become more tolerant and respectful towards each others beliefs/moral systems, and LEARN to live and respect each other in harmony…..I’m afraid until that happens, any other practical steps may not yield any results or improvement in behaviour amongst the people of different sects.
5) What did the world do to Canada for it to inflict Celine Dion on to us?
5)
I have no idea, but I never liked her either for the record, I would rather hear 100 nails on the chalkboard than hear her singing away the Titanic love song, which incidentally Raz always is in tears after the rendition….6) Your favorite naat/poem?
6) There are so many, I couldn’t pinpoint on one, but anything by Mowlana Jalaluddin Rumi and Mirza Ghalib….
7) Why 768? why not 666?
I think you mean 786….As for the q, it is because 786110 stands for Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Raheem, which translates in English as: ‘In the Name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful’….In addition, 7 is the day I was born, and in a moment of inspiration, I had chosen a shorter version of it, hence 786…..Incidentally, 666 is the number of the devil, and I certainly am not that …..As for my first part of my nickname – Zushy, well the story goes that when my younger sister was a toddler, she couldn’t pronounce my first name properly and hence she had called me in her sweet innocence – Zushy, and from then on, the nick has stuck, and I still to this day get called by it sometimes…… 8) Who's had the biggest personal influence on your life, and why?
8) I would have to say that so far in my short lifetime I’ve had three big influences –
my third grade teacher, my parents, and Quaid-E-Azam….
9) Describe in your own words 'the meaning of life'.
9) This is another interesting yet difficult question, as I attain more knowledge, my answer to this question changes, but as for now, my answer is this:
“Know Thyself” – Socrates. This in essence is the most profound statement that if realized to its maximum potential, would transform the personality of the person and guide them to the true path of enlightenment, moral literacy, and moral excellence. I believe that everyone is here for a reason, to fulfill their destiny that has already been ordained by God. I do not know what my destiny is yet, but I know that if I follow my faith with an open mind, attain higher knowledge, and realize my full potential, I would eventually one day know the true essence of my being, and purpose of my existence within this world. I would like to leave the questioner and others to ponder upon the following 6 statements further - as per further investigation on this ‘meaning of life’
• Your achievements in your moral literacy, moral intelligence, vision, imagination, and moral conduct are more critical for human progress than computer literacy.
• Self knowledge is a higher form of learning than academic knowledge and is the true path to enlightenment, moral literacy, and moral excellence.
• Why do you allow the garden of your mind to grow such weed as greed, anger, malice, egoism, racism, envy, pride, that crowd the psychological space in your mind.
• You are unique in all of creation, in your values, ideals, thinking, personality, moods, emotions, imagination, the powers of your mind, moral intelligence, insight, ingenuity, and intuition and creative visualization.
• Your mind stretched by love, an idea, a passion, an impulse, a vision, a thought will never return to its original dimensions.
• Why don’t you use the powers of the Atma, the mind, your values, and ideals to transcend this devaluation.
10) On PP, you seem to laugh at every little thing. Are you like that in
real life or are you serious?
10) Well I’m quite serious person in real life but I do have my humorous moments when trying out pranks on my unsuspecting family members or jokes that most of the time don’t get laughs but I keep trying….It all depends on my mood really….
11).Angelina Jolie or Aishwarya Rai? Who is your dream date?
11) Angelina Jolie, she seems to me more of a real and down to earth person than Aishwariya Rai….As for my dream date, haven’t had one yet, so I will let you know when the time comes
12) Would you say you are obsessed with GA or is it the other way round?
12) I believe he has a problem but is too scared to admit it on PP that he is overly obsessed with me and freshies…..I believe he is a freshy disguising himself as a Geordie (whatever that is)
….13) Your favourite posters on PP?
13) Too many too mention, but as my arm is twisted now I would say in no particular order the following – fairplay, ggm, commay, Raz, RH, Farhad, z10, miggy, entralinks, Oxy…..Honorable mentions – Whippy, rayhan, Hafridi, Gasherbibi, Hitman, Fessel, Team Slayer & Monsee…..
14) Good and bad points about Karachi?
14) Karachi being the place as to where I was born, has always held a special place in my heart…The good points are so many, the bad very few….Some good points would be – the road stall food on Tariq Road, the restaurants, Clifton and the beaches, vibrancy of the people, the night life, architecture of the old forts, history, and much more…..The only bad point that I can think of is crime…..
15) If you were James Bond and you could take one special gadget on your
mission what would it be? And who would your Bond girl be?
15) Me as James Bond would be an interesting thought….The special gadget would be the x-ray glasses of course
.....For the bond girl, I would say Marylin Monroe or Denise Richards…16) Any unfulfilled dreams / ambitions? Are you highly ambitious? Is your
ambition the primary factor in any decision you make? And do you feel
ambition clouds judgments?
16) I used to be very highly ambitious, but after constant disappointments personally and having to endure career change in university where I have had to start from level 0 again, it has been quite the journey and a blow to my ego…My dreams that I had 5 years ago have been shattered, and since then I’ve been working towards creating new dreams or repairing old ones with lots and lots of scotch tape…..As I have evolved or some say it humbled by my crumbling ruins, I have come out of it as a more of a complete and humble person….I believe in this sense that sometimes over dreaming or dreaming something that is impossible can inturn cloud your judgments and what you are capable of with your abilities and skill set…In this case dare I say it much to the chagrin of highly ambitious individuals like z10, beware of your ego making highly ambitious projections, because this world has a habit of making you crash and burn….
17) On PP you seem chilled, relaxed, and easy going. Dare I say it, this seems a
front. Who is the real zushy?
17) Indeed you have caught me there z10 …..The real me as I’ve said before is quite a serious and angry person suppressed under thick veils of censorship and patience….However, recently my anger has come to the surface on more than one occasion or another on PP ….But, when I’m in the mood, I can be quite a relaxed an easy going person with strong inclination towards making humorous retorts and jokes…..I am also a very upfront person who will never hesitate to state whatever is on my mind (devoid of any perceived censorship) or be afraid to be controversial no matter what the subject is, and usually my body language directly reflects what I do feel in most cases, unless I’m playing poker of course
……18) What moves you emotionally? films, music, art? or are you of solid
emotion?
18) I used to be very moved even to the point of tears when I used to watch a deeply emotional film, hear a moving piece of music, or perceive a piece of art that was heart wrenching, but from what has happened to me over past 10-12 years, my emotional sensibilities and sensitivity has been sucked out of me bit by bit…Nowadays, I rarely get emotionally moved by anything but once in a while I do let out my emotions through various venues…
19) Are you a leader or a follower? In which position would you be most
comfortable?
19) I do believe that I am a leader in the sense that I would be much more comfortable in seeing through my vision and implement any changes that would occur throughout the process and from my team members…..I have never been a follower throughout my life, and a rebel on a never ending quest, no matter what the consequences are….
20) You seemed to have a problem with the newbies, why so ? Is it because
you want more respect from the newcomers or you feel you deserve more
respect?
20) Cavin420, you are quite mistakened if you think that I have a problem with newbies on PP…..What I have problem with is the influx of new members on the board who seemingly have less of an understanding of comprehension of the English language, use of SMS or text language, and overall lack of understanding on the subject matter that is being discussed….Consequently then, the new members who are mostly young, have also resorted to petty insults of the older and more well established members. In addition, the newer members then go on to create much hoopla and throw hissy fits, and threaten to leave because their arguments were shot down or shown to be erroneous…Thus, this has caused much infighting and petty retorts to be traded that degrades the overall discussion, and inturn causes a good thread to be locked by the moderators….
21) i found you quite an easy going person , are you like that in real life ?
21) Please see my answers to question #10 & #17…..
22) If memory serves then i think you were born n bred in Dubai , so now
that your in the west , do you prefer the west or would like to go back to
dubai ? (in the long-term )
22) Yes indeed you are correct as although being born in Karachi, I spent my formative years split between U.K./Dubai/U.S.A., before moving on to Canada in 1994…..Inshallah after completing my Bachelor’s degree and MBA in the next 2 years, I plan to move back to Dubai and eventually Pakistan….
23) why are you so opposed to marriage?
23) Ah I knew I would get this question….I am not against the institution of what marriage stands for, but I believe that marriage is not for me…..Perhaps it due to parental pressures or hundreds of photos I had received last year before I told my mom off or what has happened in my personal life that has put me off love forever…
24) Hope - is it dangerous?
24) No of course it isn’t dangerous, I believe sometimes hope is inherent and an excellent tonic to boost oneself when feeling depressed, lonely, or disappointed…..Hope in this sense should be nurtured, learned in a good way…..However, when the situation is hopeless, then I can see how hope in calamities with no solution can become dangerous, even life threatening…
25) Is Comma a bad influence on the younger generation ?
25)
Well I’ve had the fortunate pleasure or displeasure as some people may deem it of getting to know the intricacies of Commay and what really makes him tick. I believe in good doses comma can be a mentor for the younger generation in many ways, in terms of seeking knowledge on many subjects, and the art of understanding women. However, and I hope comma isn’t offended, some of his personal habits and liberal yet erroneous viewpoints on leading a care-free and pointless life, I would hesitate in the younger generation emulating his ways or taking after him as his disciples. 26) Do you swear so much in real life ?
26) Very rarely when I’m really angry, but I never have in front of my parents as I have too much respect for them….
27) Is Oxy your hero ? If not, who is your role model ?
27) Oxy as my hero, well not quite….The reason that I have attached myself to Oxy’s quest to lose weight is because I understand his plight and his reasons to become healthier. My dad had been in the same position years ago, and seen him struggle through diets before he pulled up his socks and realized that he had to be healthier because of three reasons: have a healthier lifestyle, live longer for his family, and have more energy for accomplishing goals for his personal business. I would have to say my role model is Alexander Dumas character in the Count of Monte Cristo – Edmund Dantes and Prophet Muhammad (S.A.S.)….
28) Is Phainty, when delivered in measured doses a good thing for z10 ?
28) I believe so if delivered in good doses, a good whack once in a while is required for the younger generation, especially rebels like z10
…...Seriously speaking, yes I think younger generations today don’t really get disciplined for their stupidity as they are protected by fruitless threats from protection and enforcement laws that hinders the younger generation in personal growth/discipline more than it protects them from abuse…29) Is all knowledge gained from experience or is some innate?
29) Well I believe it is a bit of both. Let me explain. The drive to gain knowledge, learn something new everyday, and keep that hunger up to constantly gain newer knowledge in all subjects is something that comes from within. However, ‘street’ or experiential knowledge should never be neglected, as it would have devastating effects in the growth and personal relationships of a person…..In this case then, knowledge gained from experiences is as key, and not all knowledge can be gained from just within the original dimensions of the person’s brain….
30) Who would win in the "most horrifying chacha ji" contest.. Miggy or the
Architect from Matrix Reloaded?
30)
I believe Miggy would win hands down in the ‘most horrifying chacha ji’ contest, although Dumbledore from Harry Potter books comes a close second….31) What are your thoughts on censorship?
31) Censorship in its purest form is prevention of disturbing or painful thoughts/feelings from reaching the masses or the consciousness of people. This is inturn almost diabolical that certain media, governmental or societal agencies prevent people from learning of certain types of information that can help them in further understanding and improve their lifestyles. Censorship can take many forms and can be disguished under various veils of malice and wrong information. The fact remains that people who practice the act of censorship are afraid of the consequences if the information gets out to the masses. The reasons for this are many – selfish/egotistical gain, loss in personal wealth, and power to influence the masses in dogmatic ideologies. Censorship is practiced at all levels, even at home where certain members of the family try to prevent sensitive ‘family’ information from getting out to rest of the relatives. I hope I have answered your question sufficiently there…
33) What is your definition of love? Do u believe in love at the first sight?
Have you been in love?
33) Love is giving your body, mind, and soul to someone unconditionally…No I have never believed in love at first sight, frankly the notion is idiotic….I have been in love yes, but it didn’t end well (and no I didn’t get rejected)….
34) Your other interests apart from cricket? What does zushy do when he is
not on PP or studying?
34) What else is there apart from studying & Cricket …..I like to read books from the exhaustive list that commay has given me, reading other business related and joke books so I can become funny like entra , hiking, making model ships and WWII fighter planes (I have a good collection of them), writing poetry, drawing/painting, and carrying out my plans for world domination (just kidding)…
35) What other sport(s) do you play apart from cricket?
35) Squash, ice hockey (not very good though), basketball, baseball, football, and I’ve just taken up curling recently…
36) If you are going on a long drive, what music do you prefer to listen to?
Favourite singers/bands?
36) I prefer to listen to mixture of Arabian, Indian oldies from 50’s-70’s, Pakistani ghazals, classical music of Wagner/Baach, and anything that has soulful music with inspirational words…My favorite singers/bands include U2, Vital signs, Sting, Strings (earlier albums), NFAK, Junaid Jamshed, Michael Oldfield (Tubular Bells), Norah Jones, and Sahotas…
37) Would you say PP has made an impact on your life? Has it changed the way
you deal with people?
37) Not really, I don’t think PP has made a significant impact on my life, although I’ve gotten chappals thrown at me and shouted by my mom more to get off the computer on more than one occasion since I’ve returned from University to live with my parents in the summer. No it hasn’t changed anything with how I deal with people, but has impacted on my relationships with them, as I’ve grown distant and much quieter. Perhaps that has to do with gaining maturity or that I’ve lost my zeal to talk to people anymore…..
38). Does a bad experience with another person make you bitter? If so,
wouldn't you think it is better to let go?
38) In my case, I’ve faced many bad experiences with other people who just simple loose touch due to distance, or stop talking to me, or they have been malicious to me, and has resulted in discontinuation of the relationship. You’re right that I should forgive and forget those relationships, but it is something of a flaw in my personality that I never have forgiven people very easily who have hurt me and inturn have made me very bitter towards them. It’s something that I am working on and inshallah I will be able to let go and free myself from projecting hatred towards anyone that I feel resentful towards…
39) You always go on like "how the younger generation are today", but
wouldn't u consider yourself in that category? What do you think is the
problem with youth nowadays, if any? Any solutions to that?
39) Well I’m only in my early 20’s so I do certainly fall in the young generation, but I don’t associate myself in the category that is the batch coming after me (12-20)…I hope that is enough of a clarification of what my views were in the thread. I believe that the younger youth of today have a much easier time than the older generation had when they were young. There are so many facilities for them to expand their horizons, gain knowledge/understanding, and living up to their potential, but instead they resort to associating themselves with gangster culture where it is ok to degrade women and incite hatred/violence towards other groups, and have no moral guide or compass to guide them through the societal jungle. In addition, youths in general are parasites in every way of their parent’s money and possessions, manipulative, lazy, lethargic, selfish/egotistical, and no sense of purpose in where they are going in their lives.
I believe that for all the excuses that the younger youths make of being under constant peer pressure to be that image and to do the things that friends and society wants them to be is frankly a load of turd… Although this may seem like a negative rant towards the youths of today, I have some hope that youths rise above this and live up to the person that they want to become….
Having said that, I have certainly met some of the possible articulate leaders of tomorrow that hold much promise on PP itself, for example people like z10, Easatheman, Pants & Trousers, RH, Hafridi, Entralinks (when he’s not eating his bun samosas), Adi101001, AA, and others (excluding Cavin420 ….
Possible solutions in solving problems with the youth – examining how parents bring their child up from infant to adulthood (age of 18); change in attitude of parents, forgoing of bad parental practices that inhibits the growth of the child, fostering care and understanding, need for open communication channels between parents and child; need for support and developmental network; effective disciplinary channels and venues for punishment….
40) Your favourite PP Mod?
40) It used to be Miggy but he’s lost it somewhat, perhaps because he is becoming senile in his old age, but now it’s a tie between Entralinks & Oxy mian….
41) Why did u kick of with GA that time? Do u think it's fair to say you
have a temper ?
41) It was all in good fun, and I’m sure GA didn’t take my comments too seriously. As for my temper, indeed I do have one, and I’m working towards not getting too angry over stupid comments ….
42) If you had a choice to spend the rest of your life in a certain place,
where would it be?
It would be Pakistan no doubt…….
43) lets say you had 5 million to spend, what would you do with it?
Well if I had the fortunate situation of having 5 million to spend, I would do the following:
- 50%: to my parents and siblings
- 15%: to charitable organizations (mostly stationed in third world countries)
- 10%: Investment in various properties
- 10%: Long term investment in mixture of mutal funds/stock market
- 10%: Savings for a rainy day
- 5%: Donation to Pakpassion of course J
44) For some reason I picture you with a moustache (I say in my head zushy
mushy), do you have a one?
44) No I don’t have a mustache, the name Zushy came out a moment of inspiration that my lovely sister had when she was young and innocent, and my nickname (see question #7 for details)….So that clears up any misconceptions that I chose the nickname because it rhymes with sushi/mushy/tushy or any other weird association….
45) If train A covers 5 Miles in 10 minutes and train B does the same distance in 11 minutes...do tell us more about your real mother land
45) Ha ha I have no idea what the first part of the question means….To answer the second part of you weird question, my real mother land is Pakistan….As for my heritage, my dad was born in Kutch which is in India but he had immigrated to Pakistan during Partition era, and he holds citizenship for both India and Pakistan, but he is a loyal Pakistani through and through….My mom is a Pakistani, having been born in Karachi…As for my siblings, all of us have been born in Pakistan except for my younger sister who was born in Dubai…..I hope I’ve answered your question sufficiently…
Epilogue: I would like to thank everyone for the exhaustive list of questions, and apologize if I didn’t answer every question that was asked, but there were so many, and too many Mona related ones ….It certainly took a long time and thought in answering the questions succinctly…Looking forward in reading everyones comments !
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