Ramadan and Rooh Afza

There is no iftaar without Rooh Afza and pakoras with tamarind chutney.

The deep-red sharbat and mummy’s home-cooked scrumptious, signature food has had been irreplaceable ever since I moved away from Pakistan.

But, I, like other NRPs, make an effort to cherish the festivals with similar zeal and fervor – the way we celebrated in Pakistan.

The small things/items that tickle my past are the brands we associate Pakistan with, such as Rooh Afza Sharbat, Lipton Chai, Ahmed Achaar, and Shaan Masala.

As Ramdan starts in less than a week’s time, nrpglobal promises to share iftaar experiences. If you have any of your Iftaar stories/pictures, please email us.

Tariq Ali

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THE DUEL by Tariq Ali Publication Date: September 16, 2008 Contact: Katie Monaghan Associate Director Scribner Publicity 212-632-4950 katherine.monaghan@simonandschuster.com

FROM THE AUTHOR OF CAN PAKISTAN SURVIVE?, A PROVOCATIVE NEW LOOK AT PAKISTAN’S TURBULENT PAST AND UNCERTAIN FUTURE

THE DUEL

PAKISTAN ON THE FLIGHT PATH OF AMERICAN POWER

by Tariq Ali

“Pakistan is our partner in the war on terror…It is also a major source of Islamist extremism.”

—Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte, addressing the U.S. Senate, January 2007

“Ali carefully examines Pakistan’s long, troubled relationship with America... intense, closely observed commentary on perilous developments in an unstable nation.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“A veteran journalist on Pakistan, Ali reviews the country’s six-decade political history critically, indicting the leadership class and its ties to the U.S. Viewing the country as in neocolonial thrall to U.S. strategic interests, Ali comments freely in a narrative that acquaints readers with the country’s main political events…The military being the dominant feature of Pakistani politics, Ali applies his caustic pen to descriptions of its leaders … Ali offers strongly argued opinions on the past, and his preferred future, of Pakistani politics.” –Booklist Pakistan is the world’s sixth most populous country and the only Islamic state with nuclear weapons. It is the likely hideout of Osama bin-Laden and a staging ground for Taliban forces fighting NATO in Afghanistan. Yet the country is also a key ally of the United States in the war on terror and the beneficiary of over ten billion dollars in US aid since September 11. In THE DUEL: Pakistan on the Flight Path of American Power (September 16, 2008, $26.00), Tariq Ali explores the uneasy alliance between the United States and Pakistan and the deepening political crisis inflaming an already unstable region.

Ali draws on extensive first-hand research and personal knowledge of many of the key players involved to assess the causes and consequences of Pakistan’s rapid spiral into political chaos. In the wake of Pervez Musharraf’s resignation, the most likely political alternatives, Benazir’s widower Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif are, Ali, argues, more corrupt than Musharraf himself. The chances of stability in Pakistan look slim – and the consequences of an unstable Pakistan are terrifying for the region and the world. THE DUEL is a timely and provocative must-read.

Praise for Tariq Ali’s The Clash of Fundamentalisms:

“Ali locates the flexible, skeptical, hedonistic traditions within Islamic thinking... whom the fundamentalists wish to silence.”

— Fred Halliday, The Los Angeles Times Book Review

“Urbane, highly intelligent and vividly written. One hopes this fine study will earn no fatwa.”

— Richard Sennett, Times Literary Supplement

“Timely and important...[Ali] is lucid, eloquent, literary, and painfully honest, as he dissects both Islamic and Western fundamentalism.”

— Howard Zinn

About the author:

Writer, journalist and film-maker Tariq Ali was born in Lahore and was educated at Oxford University, where he was president of the Oxford Union (a position subsequently occupied by Benazir Bhutto). He has campaigned against wars from Vietnam to Iraq. Today he writes regularly for a range of publications including The Guardian, The Nation and The London Review of Books and is on the editorial board of New Left Review. He has written more than a dozen books including non-fiction such as Can Pakistan Survive? The Clash of Fundamentalisms, Bush in Babylon and Pirates of the Caribbean, and fiction including Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree, The Stone Woman and A Sultan in Palermo, as well scripts for both stage and screen. He lives in London.

ABOUT SIMON & SCHUSTER

Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Online, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at www.simonsays.com

Wamiq Jawaid

Wamiq Jawaid, originally uploaded by nrpglobal.

Syed Wamiq Jawaid is a cultural and socio-economic analyst on the Muslim communities around the world.
http://wamiqjawaid.blogspot.com/

Dr. Hina Chaudhry

Dr. Hina Chaudhry, originally uploaded by nrpglobal.

Founder & Chief Scientific Officer, VentriNova Inc.

Farhan Tahir

Farhan Tahir, originally uploaded by nrpglobal.

The man on the left is Farhan Tahir. Viewers must have watched this Pakistani-American in Hollywood movies, namely Iron Man and Charlie Wilson's War.

Guests

Guests, originally uploaded by nrpglobal.

Event Discussions

Mr. Sheheryar Azhar

Mr. Sheheryar Azhar, originally uploaded by nrpglobal.

The host of top rated talk show on ARY Digital and ARY One World, Shaheryar Azhar was the key moderator of the Non Resident Pakistani Summit - 2008.

NRP Summit 2008 - Schedule

Friday: 8.00 am Registration Opens 9:00 – 11.00 am PAKISTAN – 160 MILLION CUSTOMERS – DOING BUSINESS IN PAKISTAN 1. Mahmood Shaukat, Chairman & CEO NRP Summit 2. Shaheryar Azhar, Moderator Principal Speaker 3. Husain Haqqani, Pakistan Ambassador to USA 4. Rana Masood, Deputy Speaker, Punjab National Assembly 5. Javed Hashmi, Senior VP, PML (N) Member National Assembly 11:15 – 12:00pm IMPORTANCE OF PAKISTAN IN A GLOBAL VILLAGE 1. Marvin Weinbaum 12:00 – 1:00 pm LUNCH BREAK 1:00 – 2:00 pm IT – PAKISTAN, A BUSINESS ADVANTAGE 1. Hasan Naqvi, President & CEO, CMI Group, Canada 2. Iqtadar Zaidi, President & CEO, Techaccess, Pakistan 3. Imran Haque, Director of IT, Pfizer 2:00 – 3:00 pm EDUCATION & HEALTH – NEEDS & OPPORTUNITIES 1. Dr. Hina Chaudhry, Founder & Chief Scientific Officer, VentriNova Inc.. 2. Tasnim Shaheryar, President, Dil Foundation 3. Misbah Naqvi, Manager Special Projects, Acumen Fund 3:00 – 4:00 pm PAKISTANI MEDIA INDUSTRY 1. Tahir Khan, Chairman, Interflow Group of Companies 2. Shahid Khan, Senior Partner, IBB Consulting 1. Farah K. Ahmed Esq. Director, South Asian Media Association 4:00 – 5:00 pm LIVING IN PEACE – 21ST CENTURY ISLAM 1. Dr. Saud Anwar, President- PAKPAC 2. Dr. Saleem Mir 3. Taha Gaya, Executive Director, PAL-C 7:00 – 8:00 pm Refreshments & Networking Saturday: 9:00 – 10:00 am SECURING ENERGY – ASSETS & INFRASTRUCTURE 1. Parvez Mahmood, Chairman, One World Consulting 2. Bob Brown, Executive Vice Chairman, Cathy Oil, Canada 3. Sadiq H. Zaidi, President, Renaissance Energy Consultants 4. Natasha Paracha, Chairman Pakistan Affairs, UN International Renewable Energy Organization 10:00 – 11.00 am LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS THROUGH ETHICAL BUSINESS 1. Masood Jabbar – Chairman of the Board, Picsel Technologies & Former President Sun Microsystems 2. Malik Sarwar, Head of US Business, Permal Group 3. Amyn J. Merchant, Sen Partner and MD, The Boston Consulting Group 4. Kashif Zafar, Managing Director and Head of US Rates Sales, Barclays Capital 11:00 – 12.00 pm MANAGING BUSINESS IN TURBULENT TIMES 1. Junaid Rubbani, President & Managing Partner, Combinatorics Capital, LLC 2. Farhan Sharaf, President, MJX Capital Advisors 3. Nassar Ahmed, Co-Founder DiMaio Ahmad Capital L.L.C. 12:00 – 1:00 pm LUNCH BREAK 1:00 – 2:00 pm INVESTING IN PAKISTAN & PAKISTANIS 1. Rana Imtiaz Khan, Partner, Jensen & Meyers 2. Saleem Muqaddam 3. Shahid Khan 2:00 – 3:00 pm THE SECRET OF OUR SUCCESS 1. Imran Khan – CEO, Al-Baraka 2. Dr. Imran Shah, Co-founder & Managing Partner IBB Consulting 3. Mansoor Ahmed, Deputy Associate Dir. of Space Science at NASA 3:00 – 4:00 pm EMPOWERING WOMEN 1. Fawzia Afzal Khan 2. Ulya Khan, Sr. VP, Global Head of Program & Business Operations, Thompson Reuters 3. Dr. Rosina Samdani, Founder & President Capella Advisors 4. Amina Khan, Esq. Wealth Counsellors, PC 4:00 – 5:00 pm A TIME FOR OPTIMISM - Shaheryar Azhar 5:00 – 5:15 Chairman’s Closing Remarks PAKISTAN TRADE EXHIBITS: August 22 & 23 9:00 AM TO 6:00 PM

Philanthropic Contributions by NRPs in U.S.A - Part 2

Yesterday, I discussed the PCP study on NRPs’ philanthropic contributions in the United States. Today, we will discuss the structural hurdles that make it difficult for NRPs to give more to Pakistan. “The first barrier is the chronic lack of trust in the civic sector in Pakistan. The second hurdle is the lack of convenient mechanisms to transfer funds to Pakistan and unclear US regulations about charitable giving abroad (especially after 9/11). There is also a dearth of reliable mechanisms to monitor the performance of organizations and a lack of opportunities to interact directly with organizations and their workers. The third constraint is that there is very little information available to Pakistani-Americans about philanthropic organizations in Pakistan.” Source: A Pakistan Center for Philanthropy Study This study was funded by a grant from The Rockefeller Foundation USA and commissioned to the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy through the Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. The field research was conducted by a team of fifteen researchers led by Professor Adil Najam, Associate Professor of International Negotiation & Diplomacy, The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University. Note: NRP Summit is tomorrow (Friday) and the day after. As I will be at the event, I may not be able to post on these days. But, I promise to upload pics and event details soon.

Philanthropy by NRPs in the U.S.

According to a PCP study on philanthropic practices by Pakistani Diaspora in the USA, the community annually contributes $ 250 m in cash and kind and nearly 43.5 m hours of volunteered time, which is approximately US$ 1 billion per year. Other key findings from this study suggest the following: On average, the Pakistani- American household contributes 3.5% of its income. The largest chunk of overall giving goes directly to individuals in immediate need, rather than to institutions and organized charities. Pakistani Diaspora believes that giving directly to the needy and the deserving is superior to institutional giving. Kinship networks of friends and extended family (as opposed to organized charities) play a critical role in this direct giving to needy individuals. A sense of faith-based moral duty to be charitable and to give to the poor is a major motivator of philanthropy by Pakistani Diaspora in the US, but faith-based organizations are not a major direct recipient of their giving. Their faith-motivated giving is mostly channeled directly to the poor and deserving individuals in dire need. The desire to help individuals in need is cited as an even more important reason to give than the motivation of faith. Social issues – especially the issue of poverty and helping the needy but also including education, health, civil and human rights, and community development – are amongst the most cited issues that people contribute to and wish to contribute to. The other findings of this study discuss the hurdles that make it difficult to give more to Pakistan. I shall highlight those tomorrow. Source: A Pakistan Center for Philanthropy Study This study was funded by a grant from The Rockefeller Foundation USA and commissioned to the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy through the Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. The field research was conducted by a team of fifteen researchers led by Professor Adil Najam, Associate Professor of International Negotiation & Diplomacy, The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University.

Behind the Scenes with Pakistani-American Filmmakers

OPEN NY invites you to an exclusive evening with seven inspiring and innovative Pakistani-American filmmakers as they take to screen their most recent work, relive their stories and challenges, and discuss the global future of Pakistani filmmakers. OPEN hopes that this dialogue will inspire and create opportunities for young upcoming Pakistani-American filmmakers, and encourage new entrepreneurial ventures in the field of filmmaking. DATE: Thursday, August 21, 2008 6:00 - 6:30pm: Registration & Cocktails (preferred ticket holders have exclusive cocktails with the filmmakers) 6:30 - 9:00pm: Main Program -- Discussion & Screening of film clips 9:00 - 10:30pm: Cocktails, Light Dinner and Networking VENUE: Tribeca Grand Hotel (Grand Screen) http://www.tribecagrand.com/ TICKETS: $150 (Pre-event cocktails, Preferred Seating, OPEN NY 2008 membership); $100 http://www.myvillage.us/booking/book.asp?Ref=User&EventID=460 Special Guest: FARAN TAHIR -- Pakistani Hollywood actor who recently played some very interesting roles (Raza in IronMan, Brigadier Rashid in Charlie Wilson's War, Capt Robau in Star Trek). Featuring: AYAD AKHTAR is a writer, actor, director, and producer. He was nominated for 2006 Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay for 'The War Within' and he is also a founder of Coalition Films which is currently developing projects with stars Jamie Foxx and Alicia Keys, as well as visionary talents Aaron McGruder and Michael Muhammad Knight. http://www.coalition-films.com/ AYESHA KHAN is known for directing gripping short films, and most recently for her first feature film, 'Kashf -The Lifting of the Veil', shot entirely in Lahore, Pakistan, with a non-professional Pakistani cast and an international film crew from New York City. http://www.indusvalleyproductions.com/ AFIA SERENA NATHANIEL, labeled 'one of the best young minority filmmakers in the US,' has garnered critical appraise for her film, Long After, which bagged the prestigious HBO Development Award. She is currently in development with two feature length films in Pakistan and India. http://www.zambeelfilms.com JAFFAR MAHMOOD recently wrote and directed 'Shades of Ray,' a comedy about a half-Pakistani, half-Caucasian searching for his identity. Jaffar is now working with Outlaw Productions at Sony to secure financing for his script 'Arabian Knights,' a teen comedy set in Lahore. MEHREEN JABBAR is a 14-year veteran of the industry, with a prolific career as a Director/Producer of gritty, hard-hitting films for television. Her film 'Ramchand Pakistani', starring Nandita Das, was selected for the competition section of the Tribeca Film Festival 2008, and will be widely released in Pakistan this summer. http://www.mehreenjabbar.com/ MOHAMMED NAQVI is the producer/director of 'Shame', an award-winning documentary film depicting the case of Mukhtara Mai, which was showcased at both Toronto Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival. http://www.tightmedia.tv/ KIRAN KHALID, a noted broadcast journalist and documentary filmmaker and currently a producer for ABC’s “Good Morning America”, will moderate the panel. Also in attendance will be media and film executives. ----- OPEN is a voluntary not-for-profit association dedicated to the promotion of entrepreneurship within the Pakistani-American community. The organization was formed in 1998 and has chapters in Silicon Valley, New England, and New York. The association's charter is to provide networking opportunities and enhanced business opportunities for entrepreneurs and professionals. OPEN regularly organizes events pertaining to current issues in business and entrepreneurship. OPEN meetings and events are open to the public. OPEN-NY membership is open to people who are interested in promoting the goals of the organization.

Afia Serena Nathaniel

Yes, the distinguished filmmaker who we referred to in our previous post is none other than Afia Serena Nathaniel.

Undoubtedly; she has the talent, recognition, and scripts to create magic with. But, she has limited funds to work with.

Recently, she is working on several projects – one of them is a road trip film, “where a couple of characters hop along in car or truck and film their road trip experience,” said Afia.

It is a feature film that would require sizeable investment, but lack of funds is a huge hindrance for her cinematic vision. “Whoever I have approached so far [in the West] say that before they invest any money in our project, they would like to see if there are investors in Pakistan suporting my film,” said Afia when nrpglobal caught up with her at a café in Brooklyn amidst loungy music and comfy couches.

Independent filmmakers in Pakistan have had a series of problem associated with lack of funds. Even Mehreen Jabbar, a recognized name in the media circles of Pakistan, had to rely on family and friends to produce her critically acclaimed, Ramchand Pakistani.

Afia considers the film “an eye-opening experience.” “Ramchand Pakistani and Khuda Key Liye have set up not just a new trend for independent filmmakers but also for cine-goers in Pakistan,” says Afia.

(Note: You can watch clips from both films under video bar)

In hopes of reviving cinema-going culture in Pakistan, Afia Serena Nathaniel has established her own production company, Zambeel films, in Pakistan. Through her production house, she also aims to financially support other independent film projects. But, who will financially support this exceptional filmmaker’s extra-ordinary artistic endeavors?

Guess Who?

Pakistan’s first independent female filmmaker from minority background.

Master of Fine Arts in Film Directing from Columbia University.

She is the first Pakistani filmmaker whose feature screenplay has been selected as one of the top 100 screenplays from around the world by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as part of the Nicholl Fellowship 2008.

Her film project is the first Pakistani feature project to be officially selected at Tribeca Connect and IFP Market in 2005.

She has won Ezra Litwak Distinction in Screenwriting, IFP Market Best Screenplay and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association award.

Her directorial debut "Nadah" was nominated for the Golden Reel Award in Los Angeles together with her screenwriting debut of "Butterfly".

“Butterfly” secured the Best Film at Napa Valley, Ivy League and Lyon film festivals.

Who is she?

Do you want to know?

Nostalgia

As we complete 61 years of our independence, we recall our days back home. For today, let’s observe the TV viewing patterns of non-resident Pakistanis on foreign lands. Three Cs - cricket, cultural dramas/events and current affairs programs - manifest the television viewing experience for non-resident Pakistanis.

Cricket has long been followed with passion and fervor. An important cricket match meant a lull day at work because the workers would be either cheering for their heroes in the stadium or rooting for them at home, watching TV. TV screens are a common sight even at educational institutes as well, especially during the Sharjah Cup and the World Cup.

Cricket to Pakistanis is like football (soccer) to the Americans. This fondness for cricket does not fritter away when Pakistanis leave their country. Their love for Pakistan and everything Pakistani accompanies them. In fact, there is a common sentiment amongst non-resident Pakistanis that echoes in their conversations, “Don’t think we are not Pakistani because we don’t live there. We are Pakistanis because we carry Pakistan in our heart."

Pakistanis celebrate this Pakistaniness on foreign soil in full swing with distinct cultural events, such as the Pakistan Independence Day parade and Pakistan Independence Day Concert.

In addition to fun and frolic the Pakistani Diaspora enjoy as part of their cultural experience in countries they are based in, hard-core serious news about and from their motherland add richness to the information they absorb from mainstream media. Given Pakistan’s newsworthiness now, the true picture of the situation in Pakistan comes from local news sources.

For Pakistanis, fascination for news is not a recent phenomenon though. Back home, even when news outlets were primitive, 30-minute long Khabarnama (News Bulletin) everyday at 9:00 p.m. on the government-owned Pakistan Television (PTV) had astounding viewership. Today, news sources are liberalized in the country, but Pakistanis’ love for current affairs programs remains unaltered, within and beyond Pakistani borders.

In addition to news and cultural events, non-resident Pakistanis are huge fans of plays (dramas). The high-quality dramas of PTV earned Pakistan great reputation in the genre even in neighboring country, India. Some of PTV’s popular TV dramas, such as Dhoop Kinarey and Tanhaiyaan, are still in the memory folder of fellow Indians also who recall watching the plays on VHS.

These plays that Pakistanis now watch on DVDs are window panes to Pakistan they belong to. Along with these plays; cricket, cultural events and current affairs programs, form an integral part of TV viewing experience of Pakistanis – for whom cricket is culture, culture is identity and identity is current affairs.

What do you think?

NRP Summit 2008: Press Release

NON RESIDENT PAKISTANI SUMMIT PRESS CONFERENCE BUKHARA GRILL 217 E 49TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 1007 2:00 PM AUGUST 18, 2008

You are cordially invited to attend the Press Conference regarding the first world-wide Non-Resident Pakistani (NRP) Summit - 2008. This business and networking summit is the leading event of its kind, bringing together Pakistani government officials, politicians, corporate heads, business executives and professionals to a single event. This Summit will take place at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City on August 22nd and 23rd, 2008. In today’s world, the importance of Pakistan is undeniable and without economic progress and human development in Pakistan, peace is unattainable. The summit will serve as a platform where all those interested in a peaceful, progressive and prosperous Pakistan will meet to identify mutually beneficial possibilities. The Summit is the largest gathering ever of NRP professionals, entrepreneurs and decision makers. Summit is a unique occasion for the individuals and corporations to network, develop relationships and expand their business opportunities. The summit also features Pakistan Trade Show Exhibits. The Press Conference will be attended by: Mahmood Shaukat (Chairman) Parvez Mahmood (Co-Chairman) Mahmood Ahmad (Co-Chairman) Shaheryar Azhar (Principal Speaker) Shahid Khan (Principal Speaker) We very much look forward to your participation at the Press Conference.

Happy Independence Day

3 things to remember: National Anthem – I came across NRPs with national anthem on their iPods. National Flag National songs (Milli naghmey)

NRP Summit 2008: Behind the Scenes

Mahmood Shaukat and his team are busy preparing for the first-ever summit of its kind for non-resident Pakistanis, in New York City, approximately 7,275 miles away from Pakistan.

The event is scheduled for August 22nd and 23rd, 2008, which means the NRP Summit team is only 10 days away from the big day. Therefore, no marks for guessing the state they are in!

Let’s take a sneak peek…

nrpglobal, as promised, reaches the NRP office in Manhattan for a first-hand account of event preparations. Mahmood (Max for many of us), Chairman of the NRP Summit, is busy with a flow chart. After exchanging pleasantries, he gladly informs, “The event is 90% sold out, and we shall be declaring in a day or two that we will not be able to accommodate any more guests.” His cell phone beeps. It is time to answer another summit-related request.

Meanwhile, Parvez Mahmood, Co-Chairman of the NRP Summit, is on another phone call, in his room.

Madeeha, Zam and Naheed finalize guest lists and handle other logistical details. Max enters the scene once again for a conversation with nrpglobal.

Sharmeen: How and why did you come up with the idea of an NRP Summit?

Max: It is a simple idea, but something like this has never been done before. The objective is to empower Pakistan and the NRPs. This is what NRIs are doing for India, and they are an inspiration; in fact, they should be an inspiration for us all. 50% of India’s growth is due to non-resident Indians and 75-80% of China’s growth is due to non-resident Chinese. Similarly, Vietnam that has just surpassed India and China as the most desirable place for investment, largely owes its development to the non-resident Vietnamese living in United States and Australia. Thus, this NRP Summit and all efforts in this regard are opportunities for Pakistan, so the decision-makers should capitalize on initiatives like these.

Sharmeen: What has had been the response to the summit?

Max: A large number of people are still registering for the summit, and we look forward to providing full value to people for their participation.

Sharmeen: When will the next summit be held?

Max: On a yearly basis, this summit will take place in North America, Middle East or Europe. This way, it will rotate every year. We are also going to have a winter summit, which will always take place in Pakistan, in the first or second week of January. This year, we are scheduled for January 7 and 8, 2009, in Lahore. Lahore Chamber of Commerce will be our host for the event.

Madeeha Halim enters the room to inform the addition of another guest to the already impressive list.

Good time to question Madeeha Halim and Zam Naqvi, two important members of the NRP Summit team, about the highs and lows of the NRP Summit organization.

The interesting element of being a part of this has been the uniqueness of the concept for Zam and Madeeha, which also brought its own set of challenges for the team. Since this concept was unheard of in the NRP community, it required immense explanation on their part.

Their efforts will show results in a few days.

Announcement: nrpglobal will cover the event exclusively. I will share all the details.

Next

Only 10 days are left to the first-ever, invitation only, NRP Summit, which will be held in New York, on August 22 and August 23, 2008.

What I will try to do next here is to present the efforts undertaken behind the scenes to make this summit successful. There will be exclusive interviews and interesting pictures, I promise.

If you want to know about it, come and check as soon as it is posted. But, when will it be posted? Who knows? May be, tomorrow…

Beginning

Google NRP and it will show you link to the websites of National Response Plan, National Research Program, National Retirement Partners and National Reading Panel. There is no mention of Non-Resident Pakistanis because people do not know that NRP stands for Non-Resident Pakistanis also.

Hence, I created this blog. The thought of creating such a blog crossed my mind even before, especially during my days with United Nations Radio in New York where I worked as Producer for Pakistan. But, there never seemed an appropriate time to do so until now - when a friend, Mahmood Shaukat, along with his other friend, have organized the first-ever Non-Resident Pakistanis (NRP) summit. This event is to be held on August 22 and August 23, 2008, in New York.

While publicizing this event, I came across 2 definite feedbacks that further encouraged me to set up a blog.

When I sent the details of this event to Sreenath Sreenivasan (co-founder of South Asian Journalists Association and Dean of Student Affairs at Columbia Journalism School), he forwarded the information on his listserv with an interesting introductory line. Guess what?

He wrote, “All my life, I have been hearing about NRIs - non-resident Indians... Here's an item about NRPs - non-resident Pakistanis...”

Thanks, Sree!!!

A few minutes after Sree’s email, Imran Anwar, a Pakistani entrepreneur and journalist, sent me the following email:

“I would love to see pictures of the event online and also if you can manage to set up a group listing so that people can get in touch with each other after the event.”

So, here is the blog for all the NRPs where they will see the pictures of the event. I will also try and include other tit-bits from the event. As far as being connected with each other is concerned, I will try to keep this blog as interactive as possible, because I plan to not only talk about the NRP Summit but also different aspects of Pakistanis’ life abroad.