Rashid Minhas

Rashid Minhas Biography
    A few months back I had the opportunity along with a friend to spend an evening with Group Captain (R) Cecil Chaudry. Obviously the time was spent discussing his experiences. As it turned out Cecil was responsible for investigating the Rashid Minhas crash back in 1971 and told us a some details which are not known publicly.

    The episode has become controversial over the past few decades with some people claiming that the Nishan-e-Haider award was politically motivated and perhaps the young Pilot Officer never deserved it. Also the media and school books information/portrayal of this episode has created some factual distortions. In the interest of history I am reproducing here substantially what Cecil told me about the incident. Obviously given that this discussion took place quite sometime back I do not remember his narration word to word but am reproducing the essential information. Also, I do not claim to have done any independent investigation but I believe that Cecil's narration of events is an important input.

    Now coming to the story,

    It is important to remember that Rashid Minhas was a very young and inexperienced pilot. The crash took place during his second solo flight on T-33 aircraft. In the run up to the 1971 crisis the PAF had grounded all East Pakistani pilots in PAF and had assigned them ground jobs. As part of this Flt Lt Mati ur Rehman was made the Deputy flight safety officer of the base. The Flight Safety Officer was Flt Lt Basit (if I remember the name correctly).

    Flt Lt Basit as FSO used to on occasions do surprise checks on the OCU students at the base. As part of this he used to stop these students while they were taxing out on a sortie and check if they had correctly stowed equipment in the cockpit or would query them on emergency checklists etc. As one would expect the student would get reprimanded if he was found wanting on any of this.

    On the day of the crash when Rashid Minhas was taxing out on a dusk training sortie and saw Flt Lt Mati ur Rehman (Deputy Flight safety officer) signalling him to stop he naturally assumed that the purpose was to do a similar check. Therefore, he not only stopped but his attention shifted to the cockpit. This allowed Flt Lt Mati ur Rehman to enter the instructor seat and initiate roll for take off. By the time Rashid Minhas realized this the aircraft was well into the take off sequence. On this Rashid gave a call to the ATC saying that the aircraft is being hijacked. Now this was 1971, aircraft hijacking was not considered an imminent possibility that too in Pakistan and at an air force base. The ATC requested confirmation of the call and got one from Rashid. On this fighters on ADA were scrambled to intercept the aircraft Again as hostilities were not imminent at that time the fighters were not at the highest ADA level (I forget exactly the ADA level Cecil mentioned but I think that it was 10 minutes). However given that Mati ur Rehman knew where the Radar gaps were (being till recently an active pilot) and the dusk conditions an interception was not made.

    No further information became available till late at night when the PAF base got a call from a police station near the Indian border stating that an aircraft had crashed near a village bordering India. Next morning a team was dispatched to the crash site. Following this an investigation into the incident was launched.

    Now coming to the factors that led Cecil to believe that a struggle for control took place and the crash was perhaps intentional.

    As the aircraft overflew a number of villages some eyewitnesses were available. According to them the aircraft was not flying straight and level but was banking or pitching up and down. If Mati ur Rehman had been in complete control of the aircraft this would have resulted in a straight and level flight. Only a struggle resulted in an erratic flight with probably Rashid Minhas trying to control the aircraft in one way and Mati ur Rehman counter acting.

    Fl Lt Mati ur Rehman’s body was found some distance before the crash site while Rashid Minhas body was at the crash site, had gone through the instrument panel and in the nose of the aircraft. The aircraft had crashed nose first. Mati ur Rehman’s body also had a sand blasting type effect on one side which indicated that he was blown off from the aircraft and dragged quite a bit on the desert surface.

    This evidence linked in with the earlier events. The manner in which Mati ur Rehman took over the aircraft did not allow him time to strap on. During the likely struggle for aircraft control he used his greater experience to counter Rashid’s efforts. Also he was sitting on the instructor’s seat and could over ride some of Rashid Minhas’s actions. However, the option to jettison off the canopy in an emergency was available with both pilots. Near the point of crash Rahid Minhas in his efforts, either intentionally or accidentally, jettisoned the canopy. As Mati ur Rehman was not strapped on he was blown off explaining the way his body was injured and the fact that it was found before the crash site.

    This resulted in sudden force on the controls of the aircraft in one direction, as force applied by Mati ur Rehman to control the aircraft was removed. This along with perhaps the effect caused by the loss of canopy, low level and Rashid Minhas’s inexperience resulted in the crash of the aircraft.

    I hope this clarifies some of the issues regarding this incident. Personally I would like to get hold of the PAF‘ official investigation report into the incident which should be more detailed and should also shed more light into the incident.
Rashid Minhas

 

Rashid Minhas

 

Rashid Minhas

 

Rashid Minhas

 

Rashid Minhas

 

Rashid Minhas

 

Rashid Minhas

Rashid Minhas

Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed (Nishan-e-Haider) - Part 1

Rashid Minhas (Original Voice) 1971

Atif Aslam

Atif  Aslam Biography

LAHORE: The young boy of yesterday, who pranced into the Pakistani music scene with “Aadat” showed the world that he has evolved into a mature artist with “Charkha Naulakha”. In a world where pretty much everything has been tried before and making it big means selling yourself short to commercial agents, Atif Aslam chose to step back and embrace the cultural poetry of the subcontinent. His crisp vocals, seasoned with a tinge of folksy dialect have given subcontinental poetry a new avatar. However, amidst all the hype and fanfare, Aslam feels that his music should undergo metamorphosis and be more about self-discovery.

Time for some soul searching


The singer is distancing himself from commercial endeavors, that urged him to feature consistently in Bollywood ventures, and is focusing on challenging himself musically now. Talking about his fourth album, which is currently untitled, Aslam says he wants his latest project to have more weightage and depth than previous album Meri Kahani. “I’m getting away from the commercial approach. I feel it’s necessary to come clean as an artist, so this album will hopefully be very pure and close to me and my life,” says Aslam.

The singer says that to him, making music is a personal process in which he first likes to strum a few chords, lay down some scratch vocals and get the melody for the song. The lyrics come in later depending on the mood. “When I work or approach any song, I try to keep my three greatest inspirations, that is Chris Cornell, Jeff Buckley and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, in mind,” adds Aslam.

Rock the boat

The singer complains about the tenacious attitude of the people of Pakistan and says that even though he is following his typical music making pattern, he will show a different side of him no matter what. “People have always been reluctant to accept change. The change Junoon introduced penetrated the Pakistani mindset after a long time. This time I’m going to do it deliberately to explore myself,” quips Aslam, who is currently in Lahore recording his latest album. Currently, he is set to release four songs as part of “Coke Studio” and has also worked on the Race 2 soundtrack.

For the greater glory of music

Aslam has also been working to promote Pakistan musicians and artists. He says that encouraging new talent is important to him because he knows there are no regimented platforms to polish and promote raw talent. However, he praises the efforts of “Coke Studio” that gave younger bands such as Qayaas a chance to prove their mettle to the masses. “To be very honest, if initiatives like ‘Coke Studio’ don’t come up, I may have to come out with my own label,” says Aslam, who is extremely happy with his rendition of “Charkha Naulakha” with Qayaas due to its progressive rock sound which included sections of inspiration from Led Zepplin’s song “Kashmir”. For the time being, the singer is elated to get the opportunity to perform with fresh bands on the show.“I feel excited whenever I’m jamming with fresh musicians for ‘Coke Studio’. I feel like I’m contributing to their brand new musical careers.”

Going back in time

2002

Atif Aslam started his professional career as the lead vocalist of the band Jal in 2002.

2003

In 2003, due to differences with lead guitarist Goher Mumtaz, Aslam parted ways with the band to pursue a career as a solo artist.

2004

On 19 July, 2004 he released his first solo album, Jal Pari. The album featured various smash hit tracks such as “Bheegi Yaadein”, “Ehsaas”, “Mahi Ve”, “Ankhon Sey” along with the title track “Jalpari”.

2005

In 2005, three tracks from Aslam’s first album (“Yakeen”, “Ehsaas” and “Aadat”) were included in the soundtrack of an independent Hollywood venture titled Man Push Cart.

The year also marked his venture into Bollywood as his super hit song “Woh Lamhe” featured in Indian suspense thriller Zeher. The song even earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer.

2006

Atif Aslam released his second solo album, Doorie, on 22 December 2006. The album was his way of experimenting with different musical genres and exploring his musical abilities. The tracks “Doorie”, “Ehsaas” and “Hum Kis Gali” were announced as chartbusters as they were extremely well-received in both Pakistan and India.

2008

Aslam’s third solo musical venture, Meri Kahani, was released worldwide on January 18, 2008. The artist went back to his roots in this album and created tracks similar to his original sound of 2004. The album had a total of 12 tracks.

He was also awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) by the Government of Pakistan the same year.

2009

In 2009, Aslam made his presence felt in the show “Coke Studio”, produced by Rohail Hyatt. He was widely appreciated in the show as he gave five

performances experimenting with different musical avenues.

2011

Aslam made his acting debut in acclaimed film-maker Shoaib Mansoor’s film Bol which was released in June 2011. He even sang two songs for the movie — “Kaho” and “Hona Tha Pyaar”.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2012.

Posted by Prashant Kochar at 6:29 AM 0 comments

Atif Aslam Looking Ahead to 2012


Catching up

Looking ahead to 2012: Is the
Atif Aslam year about to begin?

His fashion choices are controversial, his out and out commercial attitude has the hoity toity getting their knickers in a twist and Atif Aslam couldn't care less. There is a tide in the affairs of men and Atif Aslam is all about riding the wave. He follows up his Bollywood smash hits with soulful appearances on Coke Studio, moves on from there to pack the O2, one of the hippest arenas in London, and at a time when the Aman Ki Asha between India and Pakistan is gaining momentum, he will be seen on television screens on both sides of the border and around the world leading the Pakistani team against Himesh Reshammiya's Indian team in the ultimate desi style battle of the pop idols, Sur Kshetra. After that, he will think about releasing his next album. Love him or loathe him, you cannot be immune to this pop icon of the 21st century who put the “roll” in rolling stone. Over to Atif about where he's been and where he's going…

Instep: Tell us about your collaboration with Qayaas. 'Charka Nolakha' has quickly become a favourite?

Atif Aslam: I believe in supporting and promoting the youngsters and upcoming artists and if I feel I can help them in anyway which benefits them and their music, I would never say no. So when Sarmad approached me to collaborate with Qayaas, I decided to give it a try as I found the band really passionate and enthusiastic about their music. We initially wanted to do a rendition of 'Sun charkhe di mithi mithi kook' so we worked on the song and shared our version of the song with Rohail Hyatt who suggested to perform 'Charkha Nolakha' by Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahib instead as he felt it was much better suited to what we had in mind in terms of our music collaboration for Coke Studio. So we decided to re-work 'Charkha Nolakha' and fused it with sufi, folk and progressive rock elements which you all saw and heard in the first episode. Like Bilal Khan, Umair (Jaswal) has done well for his first time in Coke Studio.


Instep: What can you tell us about your new song on Coke Studio, 'Rabba Sacheya'?

Atif Aslam: 'Rabba Sacheya' is a question-answer session between your inner self and your thoughts about the purpose of mankind's existence. Also I wanted to introduce the beautiful poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Khawaja Ghulam Farid to this generation. There is nothing better in this world other than having an association with Kaa'ba, Qibla, Masjid Mimbar and Mushaf Tay Quran. In other words, bringing my fans and myself back to reality of the existence of Allah.

Instep: Can you tell us about the outfits you're wearing during Coke Studio recordings. The turban and frock coat had everyone talking…

Atif Aslam: Well, the first one was designed by my brother Shahbaz Aslam but I always wanted a turban with that so I had to tie it myself before the shoot and it took me 30 minutes to wrap that piece. For the second episode, the churidar was made by Shahbaz again and then I added the jacket and traditional khussa with it. For the rest of the episodes, wait and see…

Instep: How was it working with Rohail Hyatt?

Atif Aslam: The best thing about Coke Studio is Rohail Hyatt! He is open to all the ideas we share with him - even on the actual recording days. He has done so much for the country and a lot of credit goes to him for bringing in some really good talent and rediscovering the old gems in our country.

Instep: Your appearance on the second season of Coke Studio reinvented you as a musician. Tell us what to expect from your appearance on the fifth season?

Atif Aslam: I wanted to show a different side of me, which is a complete reflection of my music as can be seen in my performance, both in Coke Studio Season Two and Season Five, as that is the kind of music I've always wanted to do ever since I started my career. I feel this time it was much smoother - perhaps the video could have been different, I liked the audio mix this year.

O2 Arena performance

Instep: You recently performed at the O2 Arena in London. How was the experience?

Atif Aslam: Alhamdulillah, it was amazing. I was surfing the high wave of love and energy of the crowd from the start to the end of the concert. I loved every bit of it. It was one of my most memorable concerts.

Instep: How did the performance go?

Atif Aslam: I was enjoying the acoustics of the arena a lot and the crowd responded brilliantly, which gave me more passion to perform for them in a unique way, dedicated to the O2 Arena and its audience.

Instep: How did the chance to perform at the O2 come up?

Atif Aslam: Flex Effects always choose nice venues. Last time they arranged my concert at the Royal Albert Hall on the 14th of April 2007, and I was glad to perform there as the first Pakistani after Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahib. This time they planned to go even bigger and booked the O2, which is the highest rated, famous, and finest venue in the world to perform at. It's like a dream of every international artist to perform there. I am glad I am, Alhamdulillah, the first Pakistani, or you can even say the first South Asian singer to perform there. It was covered hugely by the Asian and British media in the UK. I am really happy Allah gave me this opportunity to present a positive image of Pakistan to the world.

Instep: Was Sonu Nigam set to headline the event? Why did he pull out? And how did that impact your performance/setlist?

Atif Aslam: I don't know the reasons and it didn't affect our set list. We performed all our songs that we planned, and seeing the unstoppable energy in the crowd, a few experiments and improvisations were done too, which they loved on the spot.

Instep: Which other artists and performers were part of the event?

Atif Aslam: There was a 10 minutes dance performance by the dance group Bolly Flex. Alhamdulillah, the huge success of O2 was shown by the houseful audiences at the Manchester and Glasgow concerts. Loved the tour.

'Juro Gey to Jano Gey'

Instep: Please tell us about your new song, 'Juro Gey to Jano Gey'.

Atif Aslam: It's a commercial advertisement song shot for a cellular company. The song has the right energy of a rock number and the cellular company wanted to connect their brand with the youth of the country, inspiring them with my career's hurdles and success which Allah has bestowed upon me. The advertisement was shot in Bangkok.

Instep: Why did you choose to work with Mobilink/Jazz Jazba?

Atif Aslam: I chose the project as it is related to young people who need to redirect their misguided passions in a right and fruitful direction, and I'll be glad I can be an inspiration to someone.

Posted by Prashant Kochar at 6:22 AM 0 comments

Monday, May 21, 2012
Atif Aslam Return's - Coke Studio 5

The return of Atif Aslam - Coke Studio 5
By Bishakha Kunwar

The biggest musical blockbuster of the year Coke Studio 5 is back with a bang. The ensemble casts of musicians are bigger and better this year. One name to keep an eye on is Atif Aslam and his fans couldn’t be more happier after his success in season 2 with songs like Jalpari, Kinara, Maa-e-Ne Main. The dynamics he provides this season is infectious with more serious compositions of poetry fused with elements of Sufi music. This season Atif wants to continue exploring different avenues of music and present his songs in a different light.

Most writers, myself included, tend to dislike doing big-star-ritzy-type interviews. But in case of Atif Aslam things are different, I must admit. I wonder how many hearts have skipped a beat when his romantic voice took his listeners through a wide array of powerful emotions. But every singer doesn’t possess the same charm and melody. Most local singers are like dandelion clocks: they look pretty for a while, only then the strong wind blows and they are scattered, gone forever. Atif, though, seems to be in a different league altogether. Right from the start, he knew what he wanted to do. When things didn’t work with the Jal band, he went solo and worked even harder to produce a rare blend of voice that sculpted him to become who he is today. With a voice as distinct as his, not surprisingly, songs in top Bollywood flicks followed. He has always believed in following his instinct and set an unprecedented standard for the young musicians of Pakistan.

The smooth-voiced crooner have since moved away from the dreamy melodies and now embraces Coke Studio season 5 with a voice and music that is more mature, bringing out a deeper, spiritual philosophy through Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s qawwali song Charkha Nolakha. With this song, Atif collaborated and reworked with the Qayaas band and put together an ethereal fusion of Sufi song with rock tunes.

As Atif prepares and returns for the fifth season of Coke Studio, he opens up and bares his heart in this exclusive rendezvous with Sunday plus about Coke Studio Season 5 and more.



1. From ‘Aadat’, ‘Doorie’ to collaborations with former band members of Guns ‘n’ Roses, how has the journey been so far and what is the most important thing you have learned during this collaboration?



ATIF ASLAM: The journey for me has been great so far. I have had the opportunity to explore myself not just as a musician but also as a human being and I have come to a conclusion that we are very insignificant in this world. When you are a musician at 17, you want to explore the world and once you have somewhat achieved what you wanted to achieve, only then do you realize that it all happened not because of you but because of GOD. This has really helped me a lot in exploring myself as a musician. I mean, playing with Guns ‘n’ Roses, watching the legends playing live, just shaking their hands, it was a dream come true and it was a great learning experience as well for me especially when you see artists of such caliber still working hard, how they interact with people, their personalities and how they carry themselves - all this influences me to work harder and make good music.



2. What motivated you to try Coke Studio in the first place in 2009? Also, did it aid in your development as an artist?



ATIF: Actually it wasn’t planned at all as I was perhaps the last addition at Coke Studio Season 2 –both Rohail and I were a bit nervous as to how we would manage to rehearse the songs and finalize the song structures but it took us only one day to finalize the tracks. At first Rohail had in mind that I was to perform a selection of my hit songs such as Lamhay and Aadat whereas I wanted to do something different, something which people haven’t seen me do before musically so I decided to perform songs such as JalPari, Wasta Pyar Da and Mai Ne. I wanted to show a different side of me which is a complete reflection of my music as can be seen in my performance at Coke Studio in 2009 as that is the kind of music I always wanted to do ever since I started my career.



3. Coming back to the current season of Coke Studio 5, tell us about your duet with the band Qayaas? Why did you choose to recreate Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s song ‘Charkha Nolakha’? Was it Rohail’s idea to bring you and Qayaas together for this song or did you choose to do so?



ATIF: “Sun charkhe di miithi mithi kook” is one of my favorite songs by Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahib and I always wanted to perform the song live. Sarmad Ghafoor, guitarist and producer for Qayaas and a session player for my live band, contacted me and asked if I will be interested in collaborating with Qayaas for “Sun Charkhe di mith imithi kook” at Coke Studio. I am all for supporting new talent, new artists, new musicians and if I feel I can help them in anyway which benefits them and their music, I would never say no. In the end, it’s all about fresh talent, fresh music.Qayaas I feel have been struggling as a band for the past 2 to 3 years with the kind of music they were doing but when I met Umair, I found him really passionate and enthusiastic about their music so I decided to give it a try. We worked on the song and shared our version of the song with Rohail Hyatt who suggested performing “Charkha Nolakha” by Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahib instead as it is much better suited to what we had in mind in terms of our music collaboration for Coke Studio. So we decided to re-work “Charkha Nolakha” and fused it with sufi, folk and progressive rock elements which you all saw in the first episode last week :) I think the Qayaas boys did a very good job with the song.



4. How different is Coke Studio 5 than your previous stint? How excited are you and what are your expectations from the current season?



ATIF: I think this time it was much smoother - the overall process I mean. While I do feel that perhaps the video could have been different, I liked the audio mix this year. The best thing about Coke Studio is that Rohail is open to all the ideas we share with him. He has done so much for the country and a lot of credit goes to him for bringing in new talent and rediscovering the old ones.





5. Your career shot to stardom after you lent your vocals to many Bollywood hits. How has this move affected your music and career, moving forward? What are your upcoming ventures?



ATIF: First it is important to understand the kind of audience that exists in Pakistan. There are three types: there is one niche category who doesn’t listen to Bollywood songs; there’s one which only listens to Bollywood and then there’s one who don’t listen to music at all. By releasing and performing songs for Bollywood ventures, I have been able to reach out to the major chunk of our music listening audience, the masses, all of whom listen to Bollywood songs. This category probably doesn’t even know who Slash is, so for them my songs in Bollywood are perhaps more newsworthy than my collaboration with Slash. It has helped me a lot in my career as India’s industry is huge all around the globe. It is because of my songs in Bollywood I get to go to places like Nairobi, Surinam, Bali, West Indies etc to perform there and represent Pakistan. So the credit goes to the Bollywood film music industry for their efforts in promoting the industry on a global stage. As for the upcoming ventures, I have just finished recording for Race 2 in Istanbul and I have a few other projects in the pipeline which I can’t talk about at the moment :)



6. How would you classify—if you can—your music? Any specific influences? Who are your musical inspirations?



ATIF: I listen to all sorts of music, I mean, if I am listening to Foo Fighters and although I really like the band, it won’t inspire me to make more music. I am only influenced and inspired by nature – there are also times when people inspire me but that’s about it. As for classifying my music, people often say I am a pop artist, some people say I am a rock artist – on stage the setup is more suited to rock music whereas my studio recorded material has a lot of pop going on and in Coke Studio you see me performing Sufi/folk tunes. So it’s difficult for me to classify my music.







7. What's the best piece of advice you have received?



ATIF: Mum says I should pray 5 times and recite the Holy Quran. My father says ‘bring me sweets from all over the world’. My brother tells me where I should and where I shouldn't perform. Fans advise me to produce new albums every day. My band and doctors advise me to take a vacation and my girlfriend says to leave this world for her. In short too much advice!



8. What advice would you give to other musicians trying to get off the ground?



ATIF: Try to be yourself and not someone else. Make your own mark and don’t try to be a clone or copy of some other artist. Your intention in being an artist should be about making good music and not about stardom. In Pakistan it’s quite easy to get famous these days but only a true artist can maintain his presence by producing and releasing good quality music.



9. What is your first memory of being inspired by music? When did you realize you could actually do this as a career?



ATIF: There were a lot of moments actually but two which stand out are: my first ever performance which was at a fast food restaurant in Y Block, DHA here in Lahore. My friend and I were sitting in the park outside and playing music when the restaurant’s manager came out and said we can’t play music here as it is not allowed. We requested if we could perform inside the restaurant for his customers but again he said it’s not allowed. Typical Pakistani teenagers we were, we didn’t stop and kept on playing music and slowly people started gathering around. The manager noticed this and when he saw the people enjoying our performance, he came up to us and asked if we would like to perform at the restaurant – that was the day I got my first pay cheque for 500 rupees and this was around 10 years ago.



The second moment was when I was at Gymkhana with my friends and they all had a bet of whoever gets on stage and sings a song will be treated to free food. ‘uss waqt yaar paisay hee nahee hotay thay :P’. So when I went up on stage and sang, people started to enjoy my performance. So these are the little little moments which made me realize that I can actually do this as a career, being a musician and the rest as they say is history.



10. Do you enjoy writing lyrics, composing or singing?



ATIF: For me the most important part is when you actually think of a composition or lyrics [as I never plan] and work on a composition. It just comes to me - it can be when I am just sitting and playing the guitar, it could be at a restaurant, it could be at the airport, it could be at my hotel room after the concert. It’s actually a combination of various moments; when you think of a composition, write the lyrics and work on the melody and in all that I enjoy the bridge section the most as it enhances the song structure and takes it into another dimension.



Having said that, there is one particular moment when I do work on the composition and lyrics and that is right after a live performance when I am done meeting my fans. I go back to my hotel room and that’s when ideas start pouring in. Maybe it is because of the energy I have absorbed from the audience during the performance and this process gives me an outlet to utilize that energy to express myself and work on more songs.



11. What has been your most memorable performance as a singer?



ATIF: By the grace of GOD I have performed in all the continents across the globe but the ones which I can never forget are my performances at the Royal Albert Hall, the O2 Arena, Oslo – Norway and just recently in Surinam. Performing in Surinam was really exciting as they only speak Dutch and when you have over 10,000 people in the audience who can hardly understand the language you are singing in but still are enjoying the performance– that I feel is an achievement for me :)



12. If hypothetically speaking, singing never worked out, what do you think you would be right now?



ATIF: Probably a doctor, Pilot or a cricketer!



13. If you are to do a duet with any Pakistani artist, who would it be and why?



ATIF: If Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Sahib was alive, I would have loved to perform alongside him. Infact I would have been more than happy to perform as part of his Qawaal group even. And Abida Parveen, I have all the love and respect for her.



14. You have millions of fans across the world, how do you keep up with all the fans demands in terms of wanting to feel involved with whatever you do.



ATIF: It’s actually very simple – I keep scheduling for one on one interactive session with my fans. For instance, birthdays are an important occasion for any artist and I always take some time out on my birthday for my fans where I speak to my fans for an hour – I try to keep my fans happy as much as possible. It’s not just about listening to my music – my fans are more than that; I have a personal connection with them and I like to keep them involved. When I am out I make it a point to meet all my fans regardless of what some of them might say :)



15. Being in the entertainment industry is a hard road to follow, how supportive have your parents been regarding your pursuit as an artist?



ATIF: When I got selected for the Under-19 Cricket team, my parents told me to leave cricket and focus on my studies. But I had an inclination towards music, so I saved up my pocket money and recorded my first track, Aadat. I put the track online anonymously in the beginning and my parents had no idea about – they only found out about it after two and a half years when a friend of theirs told them that ‘aapka beta to bauhat acha gaana gaata hai’. They initially thought it’s just a hobby which will die down soon so they didn’t say anything but once they saw my passion and the support I was receiving from my fans, they kept supporting me throughout. I have to say that the internet has played an important part in my music career and it was perhaps one of the very first few music tracks which started the whole viral scene for our music industry in Pakistan.





16. After Bol, do you plan on acting in other Pakistani or Bollywood movies?



ATIF: I am not considering any acting assignments for the time being. I have received over 20 scripts but I have rejected all of them. The only reason I did Bol was because I felt a responsibility towards the society and my fans and I wanted to give something back to them as I truly believed in the message of the film and wanted to create awareness that this is something which is happening in our society and it should be dealt with accordingly. Unfortunately the film offers I have received thus far post Bol are your run of the mill typical Bollywood flicks which I am not interested acting in. Maybe if I get something meaningful and with a message for a positive impact on society, I’ll consider it.



CANDID CONFESSIONS

1. Top 5 songs on your iPod…Heartbreak Warfare by John Mayer, Come Alive and My Hero [Skin & Bones of Foo Fighters, Main Rowan Tenu Yaad Karke by Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Sahib and a Turkish track which I just recently discovered on my trip to Istanbul.



2. What genre of music can't you stand to listen to… I listen to all genres but if there is one which I am not that fond of is Rap music. So we decided to re-work “Charkha Nolakha” and fused it with sufi, folk and progressive rock elements which you all saw in the first episode last week :) I think the Qayaas boys did a very good job with the song. I listen to all sorts of music, I mean, if I am listening to Foo Fighters and although I really like the band, it won’t inspire me to make more music. I am only influenced and inspired by nature – there are also times when people inspire me

Atif Aslam

 

Atif Aslam

Atif Aslam

 Atif Aslam

 

 Atif Aslam

 

 

 Atif Aslam

 

Atif Aslam

 

Atif Aslam

 Atif Aslam

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Muhammad Ali Jinnah Biography
FAMILY
Father: Jinnah Poonja. One of eight children. Married Emibai in 1892 (she died 1893). Married Ratanbai 'Ruttie' Petit, daughter of Sir Dinshaw Petit, a wealthy Bombay Parsee, in 1918.  Ruttie died in 1929. Daughter: Dina Wadia (married to Neville Wadia, a Christian).

EDUCATION
Sindh Madrasstul Islam, Karachi
Gokal Das Tej Pal School, Bombay
Christian Missionary Society High School, Karachi, 1891
Bar-at-Law, Lincoln's Inn, London, 1895

POSITIONS HELD
Legal practice, Bombay, 1897
Imperial Legislative Council, 1910-1919
Elected member of All-India Muslim League, 1915
Participates in Round Table Conference(s), 1930
(Settles in London, 1931-34)
President, League's Lucknow Session, 1937
President, League's Lahore Session; 'Lahore Resolution' adopted, 1940
Pakistan's first Governor-General, 1947
Earlier Life

Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born on 25th December 1876 at Vazeer Mansion Karachi, was the first of seven children of Jinnah bhai, a prosperous merchant. After being taught at home, Jinnah was sent to the Sindh Madrasah High School in 1887. Later he attended the Mission High School, where, at the age of 16, he passed the matriculation examination of the University of Bombay. On the advice of an English friend, his father decided to send him to England to acquire business experience. Jinnah, however, had made up his mind to become a barrister. In keeping with the custom of the time, his parents arranged for an early marriage for him before he left for England.

Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born on 25th December 1876 at Vazeer Mansion Karachi, was the first of seven children of Jinnah bhai, a prosperous merchant. After being taught at home, Jinnah was sent to the Sindh Madrasah High School in 1887. Later he attended the Mission High School, where, at the age of 16, he passed the matriculation examination of the University of Bombay. On the advice of an English friend, his father decided to send him to England to acquire business experience. Jinnah, however, had made up his mind to become a barrister. In keeping with the custom of the time, his parents arranged for an early marriage for him before he left for England.

In London he joined Lincoln's Inn, one of the legal societies that prepared students for the bar. In 1895, at the age of 19, he was called to the bar. While in London Jinnah suffered two severe bereavements--the deaths of his wife and his mother. Nevertheless, he completed his formal studies and also made a study of the British political system, frequently visiting the House of Commons. He was greatly influenced by the liberalism of William E. Gladstone, who had become prime minister for the fourth time in 1892, the year of Jinnah's arrival in London. Jinnah also took a keen interest in the affairs of India and in Indian students. When the Parsi leader Dada bhai Naoroji, a leading Indian nationalist, ran for the English Parliament, Jinnah and other Indian students worked day and night for him. Their efforts were crowned with success, and Naoroji became the first Indian to sit in the House of Commons.

When Jinnah returned to Karachi in 1896, he found that his father's business had suffered losses and that he now had to depend on himself. He decided to start his legal practice in Bombay, but it took him years of work to establish himself as a lawyer.

It was nearly 10 years later that he turned toward active politics. A man without hobbies, his interest became divided between law and politics. Nor was he a religious zealot: he was a Muslim in a broad sense and had little to do with sects. His interest in women was also limited to Ruttenbai, the daughter of Sir Dinshaw Petit, a Bombay Parsi millionaire--whom he married over tremendous opposition from her parents and others. The marriage proved an unhappy one. It was his sister Fatima who gave him solace and company.
Entry into politics

Jinnah first entered politics by participating in the 1906 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress, the party that called for dominion status and later for independence for India. Four years later he was elected to the Imperial Legislative Council--the beginning of a long and distinguished parliamentary career. In Bombay he came to know, among other important Congress personalities, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, the eminent Maratha leader. Greatly influenced by these nationalist politicians, Jinnah aspired during the early part of his political life to become "a Muslim Gokhale." Admiration for British political institutions and an eagerness to raise the status of India in the international community and to develop a sense of Indian nationhood among the peoples of India were the chief elements of his politics. At that time, he still looked upon Muslim interests in the context of Indian nationalism.

But, by the beginning of the 20th century, the conviction had been growing among the Muslims that their interests demanded the preservation of their separate identity rather than amalgamation in the Indian nation that would for all practical purposes be Hindu. Largely to safeguard Muslim interests, the All-India Muslim League was founded in 1906. But Jinnah remained aloof from it. Only in 1913, when authoritatively assured that the league was as devoted as the Congress to the political emancipation of India, did Jinnah join the league. When the Indian Home Rule League was formed, he became its chief organizer in Bombay and was elected president of the Bombay branch.

"Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity." Jinnah's endeavors to bring about the political union of Hindus and Muslims earned him the title of "the best ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity," an epithet coined by Gokhale.

It was largely through his efforts that the Congress and the Muslim League began to hold their annual sessions jointly, to facilitate mutual consultation and participation. In 1915 the two organizations held their meetings in Bombay and in 1916 in Lucknow, where the Lucknow Pact was concluded. Under the terms of the pact, the two organizations put their seal to a scheme of constitutional reform that became their joint demand vis-à-vis the British government. There was a good deal of give and take, but the Muslims obtained one important concession in the shape of separate electorates, already conceded to them by the government in 1909 but hitherto resisted by the Congress Meanwhile, a new force in Indian politics had appeared in the person of Mohan Das K. Gandhi. Both the Home Rule League and the Indian National Congress had come under his sway. Opposed to Gandhi's Non-co-operation Movement and his essentially Hindu approach to politics, Jinnah left both the League and the Congress in 1920. For a few years he kept himself aloof from the main political movements. He continued to be a firm believer in Hindu-Muslim unity and constitutional methods for the achievement of political ends. After his withdrawal from the Congress, he used the Muslim League platform for the propagation of his views. But during the 1920s the Muslim League, and with it Jinnah, had been overshadowed by the Congress and the religiously oriented Muslim Khilafat committee.

When the failure of the Non-co-operation Movement and the emergence of Hindu revivalist movements led to antagonism and riots between the Hindus and Muslims, the league gradually began to come into its own. Jinnah's problem during the following years was to convert the league into an enlightened political body prepared to co-operate with other organizations working for the good of India. In addition, he had to convince the Congress, as a prerequisite for political progress, of the necessity of settling the Hindu-Muslim conflict.

To bring about such a rapprochement was Jinnah's chief purpose during the late 1920s and early 1930s. He worked toward this end within the legislative assembly, at the Round Table Conferences in London (1930-32), and through his 14 points, which included proposals for a federal form of government, greater rights for minorities, one-third representation for Muslims in the central legislature, separation of the predominantly Muslim Sindh region from the rest of the Bombay province, and the introduction of reforms in the north-west Frontier Province. But he failed. His failure to bring about even minor amendments in the Nehru Committee proposals (1928) over the question of separate electorates and reservation of seats for Muslims in the legislatures frustrated him. He found himself in a peculiar position at this time; many Muslims thought that he was too nationalistic in his policy and that Muslim interests were not safe in his hands, while the Indian National Congress would not even meet the moderate Muslim demands halfway. Indeed, the Muslim League was a house divided against itself. The Punjab Muslim League repudiated Jinnah's leadership and organized itself separately. In disgust, Jinnah decided to settle in England. From 1930 to 1935 he remained in London, devoting himself to practice before the Privy Council. But when constitutional changes were in the offing, he was persuaded to return home to head a reconstituted Muslim League.

Soon preparations started for the elections under the Government of India Act of 1935. Jinnah was still thinking in terms of co-operation between the Muslim League and the Hindu Congress and with coalition governments in the provinces. But the elections of 1937 proved to be a turning point in the relations between the two organizations The Congress obtained an absolute majority in six provinces, and the league did not do particularly well. The Congress decided not to include the league in the formation of provincial governments, and exclusive all-Congress governments were.

Jinnah had originally been dubious about the practicability of Pakistan, an idea that Sir Muhammad Iqbal had propounded to the Muslim League conference of 1930; but before long he became convinced that a Muslim homeland on the Indian subcontinent was the only way of safeguarding Muslim interests and the Muslim way of life. It was not religious persecution that he feared so much as the future exclusion of Muslims from all prospects of advancement within India as soon as power became vested in the close-knit structure of Hindu social organization. To guard against this danger he carried on a nation-wide campaign to warn his coreligionists of the perils of their position, and he converted the Muslim League into a powerful instrument for unifying the Muslims into a nation.
The Creator of Pakistan

At this point, Jinnah emerged as the leader of a renascent Muslim nation. Events began to move fast. On March 22-23, 1940, in Lahore, the league adopted a resolution to form a separate Muslim state, Pakistan. The Pakistan idea was first ridiculed and then tenaciously opposed by the Congress. But it captured the imagination of the Muslims. Pitted against Jinnah were men of the stature of Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. And the British government seemed to be intent on maintaining the political unity of the Indian subcontinent. But Jinnah led his movement with such skill and tenacity that ultimately both the Congress and the British government had no option but to agree to the partitioning of India. Pakistan thus emerged as an independent state in 14th August, 1947.

Jinnah became the first head of the new state i.e. Pakistan. He took oath as the first governor general on August 15, 1947. Faced with the serious problems of a young nation, he tackled Pakistan's problems with authority.

He was not regarded as merely the governor-general; he was revered as the father of the nation. He worked hard until overpowered by age and disease in Karachi. He died on 11th September 1948 at Karachi.

FIRST LEADER OF A NEWLY BORN STATE

In recognition of his singular contribution, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah was nominated by the Muslim League as the Governor-General of Pakistan, while the Congress appointed Mountbatten as India's first Governor-General. Pakistan, it has been truly said, was born in virtual chaos. Indeed, few nations in the world have started on their career with less resourcesand in more treacherous circumstances. The new nation did not inherit a central government, a capital, an administrative core,or an organized defense force. Its social and administrative resources were poor;there was little equipment and still less statistics. The Punjab holocaust had left vast areas in a shambles with communications disrupted. This, alongwith the en masse migration of the Hindu and Sikh business and managerial classes, left the economy almost shattered.

The treasury was empty, India having denied Pakistan the major share of its cash balances.On top of all this, the still unorganized nation was called upon to feed some eight million refugees who had fled the insecurities and barbarities of the north Indian plains that long, hot summer. If all this was symptomatic of Pakistan's administrative and economic weakness, the Indian annexation, through military action in November 1947, of Junagadh (which had originally acceded to Pakistan) and the Kashmir war over the State's accession (October 1947-December 1948) exposed her military weakness. In the circumstances, therefore, it was nothing short of a miracle that Pakistan survived at all. That it survived and forged ahead was mainly due to one man-Mohammed Ali Jinnah. The nation desperately needed in the person of a charismatic leader at that critical juncture in the nation's history, and he fulfilled that need profoundly. After all, he was more than a mere Governor-General: he was the Quaid-e-Azam who had brought the State into being.

In the ultimate analysis, his very presence at the helm of affairs was responsible for enabling the newly born nation to overcome the terrible crisis on the morrow of its cataclysmic birth. He mustered up the immense prestige and the unquestioning loyalty he commanded among the people to energize them, to raise their morale, land directed the profound feelings of patriotism that the freedom had generated, along constructive channels. Though tired and in poor health, Jinnah yet carried the heaviest part of the burden in that first crucial year. He laid down the policies of the new state, called attention to the immediate problems confronting the nation and told the members of the Constituent Assembly, the civil servants and the Armed Forces what to do and what the nation expected of them. He saw to it that law and order was maintained at all costs, despite the provocation that the large-scale riots in north India had provided. He moved from Karachi to Lahore for a while and supervised the immediate refugee problem in the Punjab. In a time of fierce excitement, he remained sober, cool and steady. He advised his excited audience in Lahore to concentrate on helping the refugees,to avoid retaliation, exercise restraint and protect the minorities. He assured the minorities of a fair deal, assuaged their inured sentiments, and gave them hope and comfort. He toured the various provinces, attended to their particular problems and instilled in the people a sense of belonging. He reversed the British policy in the North-West Frontier and ordered the withdrawal of the troops from the tribal territory of Waziristan, thereby making the Pathans feel themselves an integral part of Pakistan's body-politics. He created a new Ministry of States and Frontier Regions, and assumed responsibility for ushering in a new era in Balochistan. He settled the controversial question of the states of Karachi, secured the accession of States, especially of Kalat which seemed problematical and carried on negotiations with Lord Mountbatten for the settlement of the Kashmir Issue.

MESSAGE OF JINNAH

It was, therefore, with a sense of supreme satisfaction at the fulfillment of his mission that Jinnah told the nation in his last message on 14 August, 1948: "The foundations of your State have been laid and it is now for you to build and build as quickly and as well as you can". In accomplishing the task he had taken upon himself on the morrow of Pakistan's birth, Jinnah had worked himself to death, but he had, to quote Richard Simons, "contributed more than any other man to Pakistan's survival". He died on 11 September, 1948. How true was Lord Pethick Lawrence, the former Secretary of State for India, when he said, "Gandhi died by the hands of an assassin; Jinnah died by his devotion to Pakistan".

The Agha Khan considered him "the greatest man he ever met", Beverley Nichols, the author of `Verdict on India', called him "the most important man in Asia", and Dr. Kailashnath Katju, the West Bengal Governor in 1948, thought of him as "an outstanding figure of this century not only in India, but in the whole world". While Abdul Rahman Azzam Pasha, Secretary General of the Arab League, called him "one of the greatest leaders in the Muslim world", the Grand Mufti of Palestine considered his death as a "great loss" to the entire world of Islam. It was, however, given to Surat Chandra Bose, leader of the Forward Bloc wing of the Indian National Congress, to sum up succinctly his personal and political achievements. "Mr. Jinnah",he said on his death in 1948, "was great as a lawyer, once great as a Congressman, great as a leader of Muslims, great as a world politician and diplomat, and greatest of all as a man of action, By Mr. Jinnah's passing away, the world has lost one of the greatest statesmen and Pakistan its life-giver, philosopher and guide". Such was Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the man and his mission, such the range of his accomplishments and achievements.

 

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

 

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

 

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

 

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi Biography

Sahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi (born 1 March 1980 in Khyber Agency), popularly known as Shahid Afridi, is a Pakistani cricketer currently playing for the Pakistani national team in the international circuit. He made his ODI debut on 2 October 1996 against Kenya in Nairobi[1] and his Test debut on 22 October 1998 against Australia at Karachi.[2] He is known for his aggressive batting style, and currently holds the highest career strike rate in the history of international cricket. In a recent survey, Afridi was named as the most popular cricketer in Pakistan.[3] He also holds the record for the fastest one day century which he made in his debut innings, as well as scoring 32 runs in a single over, the second highest scoring over ever in an ODI.

Style

His general style of batting is very aggressive and attack oriented and has earned him the nickname “Boom Boom Afridi” for his fastest One Day International century just in 37 balls. As of 22 May 2007, he has an ODI strike rate of 109.38 runs per 100 balls, the highest in the game’s history. This attitude has been transferred to Test cricket as well, with Afridi scoring at a relatively high strike rate of 86.13 in Tests. He has an approach to batting that can change the tempo of a game and inspire the mood of an audience, as shown when a mass exodus of spectators occurred in Pakistan in late 2005 following his dismissal from the crease. He hits many sixes long and high, favoring straight down the ground or over midwicket. A trademark shot is a crossbatted flick to the leg-side to a ball outside off stump.[8]. This explosive style has led to some memorable shots, most notably the first ever 12 in power cricket in 2002, where Afridi successfully hit the roof. [9] However, his aggressive style increases his risk of getting out and he is one of the most inconsistent batsmen in cricket. This is reflected by the fact that he is the only player to score more than 5000 ODI runs at an average under 25.

Bowling-wise, his stock ball is the leg break, but his armory also includes the conventional off break and a ‘quicker one’ which he can deliver at nearly 80 mph in the style of a medium-pacer. He bowls at a high speed for a spinner, resulting in lesser turn, and relying more on variations in speed. He occasionally sends down a bouncer to a batsmen, which is very rare for a spin bowler.

International career

In October 1996 at the age of sixteen he was brought into the ODI team as a legspinner as a replacement for the injured Mushtaq Ahmed. He then gained notability as a pinch-hitter and began opening with Saeed Anwar. He holds the record for scoring the fastest century in one-day internationals (off 37 balls)[12], scored in only his second match and his first ODI innings. He also shares with Brian Lara the record for the third-fastest century in ODIs (off 45 balls). One of Pakistan’s most useful all-rounders, he has an extremely aggressive batting style, which has garnered him over 5,000 ODI runs (including an erstwhile world-record 249 sixes, recently broken by Sanath Jayasuriya), as well as taking over 250 wickets at ODI and 47 at Test level.

For various reasons, including a perception that he lacks patience in his batting, Afridi had limited opportunity in Test matches, although he currently averages in the high thirties and mid-thirties with bat and ball respectively. As it is, Afridi has featured in less than one third of the Test Matches played by Pakistan over the course of his career.[13] However, he made his presence felt in the third Test against India in March 2005, scoring a quick-fire second-innings half-century and taking five wickets in the match (including Tendulkar twice) to help Pakistan to win the game and register a series draw.

It is perceived that his batting struggles on bouncy pitches and against opponents like Australia, although his record against the Australians has improved over time. Although he has had success as an opener on sub-continent pitches, Afridi is often moved into the lower order as well.

Afridi was more consistent with his batting and bowling throughout 2005, starting with the tours of India and West Indies and through to the England tour. The Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer helped Afridi to reach a fuller potential by improving his shot selection and giving him free rein over his batting attitude.

In the 2007 World Twenty20, he performed poorly with the bat but brilliantly with the ball, earning the Man of the Series award, though he failed to take a wicket in the final and was out for a golden duck.

Career Highlights

* On 4 October 1996, playing his maiden international innings, Afridi hit the fastest One-Day century off 37 balls against Sri Lanka in Nairobi. His innings included 28 runs off one of Sanath Jayasuriya’s overs, whose record he broke. [15]

* Youngest player in history to make an ODI century at just 16 years and 217 days with his 37 ball ton against Sri Lanka. It included 11 sixes and 6 fours. [16]

* Made a half-century from 26 balls and took 3 second-innings wickets in Pakistan’s series-drawing Test victory against India in March 2005.[14]

* Holds the joint record with Brian Lara for the third fastest ODI century off 45 balls in April 2005 against India. [17] This actually was the first match that witnessed the Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Ravi Shastri make him the nickname Boom Boom Afridi.

* Equal highest aggregate sixes scored in the 50-over game, shared the legendary Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya, and he the most sixes per innings record.

* Scored four consecutive sixes off a Harbhajan Singh over in a Test match against India in January 2006, matching a feat that Kapil Dev achieved in 1990.

* Was the first player to score 12 runs off one ball, by hitting the roof of the Millennium Stadium. This took place in a game of Power Cricket.[citation needed][clarification needed]

* Holds four of the top eight fastest ODI half centuries, twice completed in 18 balls and twice in 20 balls. He has also scored a half century off just 21 balls.

* Made 32 runs off a Malinga Bandara over in an ODI game at Abu Dhabi in 2007. He struck four consecutive sixes and it was the 2nd most expensive over in ODI history.

* Afridi is only third player in ODI history to achieve the combination of 5000 runs and 200 wickets. The other players being Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya and South African Jacques Kallis.

Shahid Afridi 

Shahid Afridi 

Shahid Afridi 

Shahid Afridi 

Shahid Afridi