Few days back Junaid Khan invited me to be a judge on the panel of Pakistan’s First Blog Writing Competition organized by Pro Pakistan. I smiled at few sentences he added while describing criteria for a judge that included “their knowledge and expertise”. That hardly suits me (apologies from other judges). I have been familiar with Blog Carnivals but this was quite unique idea to me ; i accepted the invitation to become a judge. Since then an interesting exchange of correspondence started between me and organizers regarding several issues relating to Pakistan’s First Blog Writing Competition.

Since i know judges who used to judge school Debate competitions, literary pieces, Stage Plays etc etc and then on TV, judges evaluating performances on reality shows. I found judging a writing competition quite exciting experience for it is being held first time in Pakistani Blogsphere( why don’t we call it Blogistan because Pakistani bloggers altogether have made it). Judging is difficult but i was quite satisfied seeing the list of other prestigious judges including:

Dr. Awab Alvi: Internet Users know him as Teeth Maestro, A dentist by profession and a blogging guide for Pakistani Blogosphere. He’s been blogging since July 2004, and is one of the few people in Pakistan who initiated the political blogging in Pakistan.

Mr. Mansoor Adenwala: Mansoor used to write on blogspot and then moved to Word of Mansoor. He’s one of the top tech contributors at Green & White as well. A software engineer [CMMI advisor] by profession, and a blogging geek.

Ghazala Khan: A dynamic Pakistani blogger whose name comes first in mind when anyone talks about Pakistani Spectator.

Junaid Khan: Is the co founder and leading blogger at Pro Pakistan, It was his idea to create a web space representing true image of Pakistan to the rest of the world, and he did so.

Qurratulain Akhtar: She is a writer in herself, relies on observing and staying quiet for most of the time, and speaks up at times only. She has hidden potentials in herself that according to her remained slumbering for several years but she awakened those.

I felt it was a kind of idea that can fill the vacuum Pakistani Bloggers find in shape of rewards and award. I always believe and most of readers would deem it wise to agree that everyone aspires to be acknowledged and recognized for what growth oriented role he/she plays. Even a single pat can boost the morale; here i would want to appreciate Pro Pakistan Team who not only have coined an idea that is quite inspiring and also an door opener for several bigger events like this. I was quite surprised when the manager Public Relation of Pro Pakistan Ms Qurratulain told me that they solely are the sponsors of this event; No NGO, No Youth; IT; Education Ministry and Not even Private sector was contacted. She added, “actually Rubab, we wanted to have a strong base.. i mean we wanted to show first that what can we do in our capacity… and then we can be in good position to have sponsorships for bigger events”.

On serious note i find this competition a dire need of Pakistan’s Blogsphere(Blogistan); and i think it was long awaited as to i personally started getting feed back from FaceBook friends since the day Pro Pakistan has announced on FaceBook. I am sure several hundred bloggers would have pulled their socks up uptill now. It has created required buzz on Pakistan’s Blogsphere. A ray of hope touched me softly when i felt Pro Pakistan is actually laying basis for an Army of writers who can fight on a very effective platform of Blogsphere. When people are really sick of biased and tiled versions of information coming from conglomerated media, blogs are reflecting common man’s point of view ( i call it weapon) and that has access to whole world. Mr. Junaid Khan has just rubbed up a point; i forgot while thinking Pro Pakistan saying,

“I am sure all of us will act as a one team of Pakistani bloggers on this event and make it a success. As we always say, Pro Pakistan is a site which is owned by every Patriotic Pakistani and hence we consider the success of this event as a success of every Pakistani who are working for a better Pakistan.”

Ms. Qurattulain told me that Team of Pro Pakistan was quite inspired by the First Bloggers Meetup and response it generated; so they decided to motivate the bloggers in this way. I wish them a good luck from tomorrow this competition is starting and Pakistan Times is all along in their effort to encourage and promote Pakistani Bloggers on every level.

Blogging; has emerged as an excellent idea to express opinions and thoughts and to get information on any issue you name. On Blogs writings are especially dedicated to a more casual presentation of information style. Mostly blogs are written conversationally, with more emphasis on opinion and commentary than a more specialized report. The internet is the ideal location for this style of writing while most of newspaper can not accommodate every single opinion by the readers and even contributors sometimes, so it’s no wonder blogs are quickly becoming a favored style of website. Interestingly Content Management system has become uncomplicated that less effort, time and expertise is required to upload content on internet more specifically on blog. With advent of Wordpress.com and Blogger.com; people can have their blogs free of cost. No headache of domain registration, getting the hosting services and theme designs; everything is available in just time of clicking the fingers… Nonetheless content writers are in most cases Bloggers themselves.

Blogs are being created every second, and ratio is doubled than it was in 2007. In 2006 Daily Posting Volume tracked by Technorati.com is now over 1.2 Million posts per day, i.e. about 50,000 posts per hour. This number is increasing with every bit of second. Wikipedia has categorized blogs as Personal Blogs, Corportae blogs, question blogs, Media Type, and by Genre; These are the blogs focusing on particular subject, such as politicas, travel, housing, fashion, project, education, niche blogs, classical music, quizzing blogs etc etc.

Blogging is no more an unfamiliar concept in Pakistan; even far flung and less developed areas of North West Frontier Province and Baluchistan people if not blogging are reading blogs and responding to blogs in shape of comments. Hundreds of bloggers across the country are contributing and securing reputation as successful bloggers with huge readerships and fan followings.

Thus Blogs have gained popularity as powerful news medium having capacity to influence millions; thus media organizations started blogs as non-traditional tools to reach their targeted audience on their websites. However there are two schools of thoughts standing in clear juxtaposition regarding the blurring Blogs with NewsMedia. One school of thought has approved the standardized idea of bright future of blogshpere; as it has power to influence and control million minds in seconds and emerging as popular news media. While other denounces it by saying that dependence upon Blogs are nor rational neither preferable because it involves subjectivity and bias. To some extent both are correct in their paraphernalia.

Famous Blogs are being co-opted even more by those who control the leading media industries; people come across on daily basis e.g. NewYork Times; Washington Post or it is about Dawn or Wateen in Pakistan. Blog needs to have organic and natural traffic in abundance for Yahoo’s Alexa rating and Google’s Page Ranks. Thus When talking of a blog as strong source of influencing opinion; Popularity is prerequisite among people who rely for information on such mediums. Consequently bigger the name of associated Media to blog Higher will be the traffic on blog giving an authoritative status to blogs. Blogs regardless of Search Engine’s priority are seemingly becoming more and more brand names. Blogs owned and operated by media corporations can have content bit more idiosyncratic and eccentric than other, more “mainstream,” blogs. It is known fact that media conglomerations have vested interests thus media corporations never let a chance slip to get vested interests served. A criticism on individual or personal blogs as these carry biased approach; can be invalidated just by opening up the fact that big blogs are also contain manipulated content. It is not a dissuading idea for not having blogs associated with authority media but an attempt to draw attention to the importance of personal and individualistic blogs that remain obscure. However where content is king; “Independent & Individual” blogs are produced like “independent” movies depending upon how powerful is the idea and substance that can be refer as influencing rather trend setting.

For Millions blogging is a complete media industry that is expanding on daily basis; people who want to be heard need platforms to raise their voices against a simple issue and build a community of readers; through citation keeps on adding to blogs freely and openly without any certain restriction of PEMRA or other ordinances in several countries in order to put curbs on media. “New internet” (flicker and Youtube) has made the horizon so broad; and billions of internet users are joining citizen journalism with full capacity to make and break governments. On a very interesting note journalism or even criticism on political clout is no longer limited to Networks, lobbyists and journalists in case of West and on simple Congregations in East.

All you need is a computer and a free account, and you’re suddenly theoretically capable of reaching as many people or more as the editor of the New York Times. However with more and more crowd coming to blog to express them will expectedly reduce the quality of the content.

It has been interesting to observe that blogs have become really popular medium to reach audience for politicians, players, actors and other professionals too. Political campaigns are being run and shun on blogs. Hilary and Obama for Presidential Election’s 2008 have been coming and networking on Digg, it allowed them to develop contact with people that in other cases would might have not possible. Further more it was easy for them to get quickest first hand response rather than their PR machineries inform them about their popularity ratios according to falsifying polls. In a very recent Gallup Survey John McCain Republican Presidential candidate has gained more popularity then Democratic Barrack Obama; because every other blog was being written in favor of McCain. Early this year it was Obama who won not only Caucasus but defeated Halliray Clinton for nomination. During 2004 elections blogging was a relatively a new idea. There weren’t many blogs and number of readers was very low. But for 2008 blogsphere is playing vital role in American presidential Elections; people are reading at least one blog a day, in many cases it is a few dozen. But the news and viewpoints are being noticed either by the bloggers themselves or by their readers in the comments sections of the blogs.

Realizing the importance of blogs almost All celebrities have started establishing their own blogs including Hollywood and Bollywood actors and actresses and cricketers and squash players etc etc. With development of blogs these people are in better positions to interact directly with their fans and can even increase their fan bank. They can get opportunities to answer to the offending scandals initiated by Mass Media including TV Channels or newspapers; whereas for people these blogs would be reliable as to coming directly from the original source. Thus both ideas about blogs as source of influencing people and opposing it because bloggers are too subjective; actually complement each other. As one media is coining and idea other media is approving it or disapproving it. Eventually the bloggers are valuable tools for persuading and convincing people by subjective or objective approach; sometimes endorsing ideas coined by mainstream media.
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Pakistan has become the 10th biggest user of internet in Asia; Pakistani bloggers are usually referred as more self-centered; blogging about themselves and friends etc however the dire need of time is to use blogging as constructive medium to communicate with people who are aliens to our culture and our society and only receives filtered information about this part of world. Pakistanis bloggers would surely be heard if their emphasis should be more on diffusing image of Pakistan against notions including “ terrorists state” “failed state” “Violent states” etc etc. It would be more valuable for Pakistan to get their voices heard in external world as first hand information. Due to being in embryonic stages However Pakistan’s blogosphere still have to learn a lot from international bloggers.
It would be debatable to People usually are the products of the societies where do they live and grow, so we can not blame bloggers from Pakistan to be self-centered, it is quite natural. I have found several doctors writing blogs about medicine; health and fitness, many environmentalists who only write about environment not in Pakistan but in every part of the world. So writing depicts anyone’s interests and natural tendency and what things effect them. as far as i know There is no code of conduct yet defined for bloggers to restrict them from writing anything. I have my personal blogs along with the blogs where i write as a professional.

Blogging is still an emerging concept in Pakistan, 2007 has been the year for people all over the world who started blogging but very less number of Pakistanis have gone for Blogs. I believe this is an upcoming strong shape of media so people will start relying upon blogs and mature content will come up. It is in phase one comparing with our neighbors India, so give Pakistanis a cushion to gradually move forward.

Every year TIME magazine selects the “PERSON OF THE YEAR” and dedicates an issue to that particular person or a group of people who have played a major role in influencing the events of the past year. In the year 2006 TIME gave all its readers a surprise by naming its PERSON OF THE YEAR as “YOU”. What? Me? I am the TIME PERSON OF THE YEAR? You have got to be kidding me!!! What did I do to influence events? I am a simple computer geek who programs, reads technical books, blogs….there you go. Blogs…Wait a Minute…. Yes, I Blog. Not only that I Digg, Stumble, Edit contents on Wikipedia, submit videos on You Tube…. basically I am the person who generates contents.. Scratch that.. I am the person who generates content which is read and viewed by others. So am I influencing others????… Well that’s what TIME magazine thinks so… Continue Reading

Rubab Saleem was interviewed by The Pakistani Spectator
This was an interesting interview and i was intrigued to get this type of things on my Blog also.
I am grateful to Ghazala Khan for taking this interview.

Could you tell us what made you decide to blog?
I always want my voice to be heard, i have been writing for the National dailies of Pakistan in this connection, thus i have tendency to write. Pakistani Newspapers are though a great tool to reach the Pakistani masses however to reach the world and convey my message to them convinced me to have a blog or two. In my blog i prefer to address such issues that can bring change to Pakistan constructively.

What do you think sets Your blog apart from other blogs?
The news paper format of my blog and its exclusive news coverage with an added factor of opinion and reviews. It is almost an online newspapers that has great readership and contribution from almost every sphere of life within Pakistan. It has potential to provide serve the appetite of readers who needs information about Pakistan. I conduct surveys to pour the opinion of a lay man to the literati..
I have a special section of success stories, where everyone is open to share their personal, professional and spiritual stories.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success, what would it be?
Hardwork is major factor that i am blessed with to reach any goal in my life i aspired to. I attribute my every success to Hard work come determination.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?
Life is intricate web of several relationships and our happiness and gloominess is always associated with most of our relations, While my father passed back in 1988, i probably was unable to understand at that time what his absence can bring to my and my family’s life. But i was extremely despaired. I always become the happiest person while someone appreciates my mom’s efforts to rear me up like a symbolic daughter for so many others.

Urdu Blogs have got huge potential, when do you think they will really take on the online horizon in Pakistan?
Urdu widely understandable not only in Pakistan but in other parts of Asia also. Even huge number of overseas Pakistanis also speak and understand Urdu. I have got a request from one of my journalist friend to develop an Urdu blog for him also. So i find in near future it would be possible for the Bloggers who blog in Urdu can reach to a targeted segment of Urdu speaking audience. Urdu bloggers have a great future provided an Urdu Social Bookmarking Site is established for them.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s
paid for – what would your top 3 choices be?
Ahhh Lovely question! I would want to explore each and every part of the world however being particular and giving three destinations i would want to go to Egypt, Australia and Rome.

What is your favorite book and why?
I am a book worm thus like several books but for one book i always want to stop to refresh myself is Qur’an Kareen. It is a complete “How to” guide to spend life in most righteous manner.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?
It is the aura that i always feel and notice on meeting anyone stranger or acquaint. In most cases i find myself right and it helps me in defining my level of relationship with people. Aura covers every perspective of somebody’s personality.

Do you think Pakistani politicians could benefit from the social networks and things like twitter?
Frankly speaking, they don’t have knowledge of things like twitter however their PR machineries can surely get benefit out of these sites, Facebook is a worthy tool as more and more people are clinging to FaceBook. Politicians can certainly get help for molding opinion in their favour. I have found US candidates for Presidential Election’s 2008 coming and networking on Digg, it allows them to reach to their people. However politician first need to make Pakistanis addictive of internet to the extent that they could use it as a tool for their political compiegns.

Whose Future is more bright in Pakistan; English blogs or Urdu Blogs?
Yet English, as most of the people who surf internet are able to understand English. They come online with a perception to come accross with English stuff whatever it is blog or other sources. But with the increased ratio of literacy, more population will consutl to internet and can benefit from Urdu also.

How Pakistani bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?
Google AdSence and PPC is the major element that can help these bloggers in earning like so many other bloggers who are getting financial benefit out of Blogs in other parts of the world. Further advertisement from the multinational Companies is another good source provided a blog has good Page Rank. and Alexa and readability.

Do you think Pakistani bloggers tend to remain somewhat self-centered and really don’t go out of their shells? Is it the oriental style of blogging, or they are still unsure about it?
People usually are the products of the societies where do they live and grow, so we can not blame bloggers from Pakistan to be self-centered, it is quite natural. I have found several doctors writing blogs about medicine; health and fitness, many environmentalists who only write about environment not in Pakistan but in every part of the world. So writing depicts anyone’s interests and natural tendency and what things effect them. as far as i know There is no code of conduct yet defined for bloggers to restrict them from writing anything. I have my personal blogs along with the blogs where i write as a professional.

Blogging is still an emerging concept in Pakistan, 2007 has been the year for people all over the world who started blogging but very less number of Pakistanis have gone for Blogs. I believe this is an upcoming strong shape of media so people will start relying upon blogs and mature content will come up. It is in phase one comparing with our neighbors India, so give Pakistanis a cushion to gradually move forward.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?
To reach to some heights is easy but to maintain it is difficult, i am afraid you are partially wrong in saying that successful bloggers have awful lot of time. Success is directly proportional to hard work and hard work is another name of investing time particularly in online entrepreneurship. In many cases bloggers outsource content and social media marketing, even than they have to keep an eye on what is coming on their blogs

What are your thoughts on corporate blogs and what do you think the biggest advantages and disadvantages are?
Corporate blogs are a useful tool to reach organizational goals, a PR technique. Feed back in shape of comments and posts in helpful to determined organizations to redesign their goals in accordance with the demand. Every organization supports internal and external blogs where stakeholders can be the organization’s consultants. Several browsers support RSS technology thats without actually visiting blog one can read what is new to these blogs.
It is an easy access for the prospective public to reach the organizational structures, even CEO.
These logs are an additional source of popularity and image building. These can be use to influence Markets and competitors.
Similarly posts with negative perspectives can destroy the image of organization. For me there are more advantages though I encourage corporate blogs.

Do you think this whole emphasis on blogs and whatever online is a significant indicator to show that the web, the social web, is becoming a very important social force?
I deem it wise to agree, more and more emphasize is on being social on internet. There are so many social media marketing sites that are compelling internet users to be more social particularly bloggers, this is a techniques for search engines also to have more stuff on their engines i order to make their engines full of reliable stuff. Another thing, The information given on the social marketing site is usually shared. and producers of several products also pick targeted users for their products, ideas or content.

What do you think where the Pakistani blogosphere is right now?
It is in emerging phase and in a transitional process from personal to professional usage, i am sure after one or two years Pakistani Blogsphere, if things keep on working with same pace will capture South Asian markets.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers in Pakistan?
I am sure i can refer their blogs
www.dirjournal.com
www.pakspectator.com
www.chowrangi.com
www.pakpositive.com
www.mypakistan.com

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger in Pakistani blogosphere?
Yes!
dirjournal’s How to guides excellent technique

What is the future of blogging in Pakistan?
I am certain it is bright provided shortage of electricity is not dragging Pakistan to stone age. Blogs are run on unique content and ideas, Pakistan is rich in ideas therefore the future of Pakistan is blogging.

In political respect, can we say blogging a ‘democracy of message’?
Yes it can be, till the ordinance like PEMRA by the Government of Pakistan are up to curb the free expression of opinion on Pakistan’s blogsphere. Well Blog are democratic messages in other parts of the world. Also there are examples of curbed blogs in several regions where people spoke against governments.

Can Pakistani blogosphere play any notable role in the forthcoming elections, if they happen at all?
I am afraid “No”, yet it can not play a noticeable role in the forthcoming Elections. People have strong affiliation with certain ethnic, regional or individualistic political parties thus to change their opinions are a bit difficult. Secondly Electronic Media is now a days more active and building Public Opinions in favour of the politicians who pay them more and small number of masses consult internet to get information, as ratio of literacy is not high and access to resource like computers and internet is yet not in support of this idea.
However in future with UN, West and US aided agencies new era of computers will start and elections would be fought on blogging platform.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?
It is my life now regardless of personal and professional. I am always on my blogs writing and giving my message to the people. I have got several online friends and contributors for my blog. I am more sociable online and less off line while it was exactly opposite to what is right now.

What are your future plans?
I am interested in starting a Social Media Bookmarking Site for Pakistani Bloggers, great news is i have started with the name of PublicWar
I also intend to come into main stream journalists of Pakistan who have the strength to influence the minds of people.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?
Love Pakistan Be Pakistan and visit regularly The Pakistani Spectator.

Interview with Blogger Rubab Saleem

When Bloggers run short of topics

Nostalgia and blogging are connected in a very close and symbiotic relationship. According to some wise man “worst things turn pleasant once these are the part of past”, thus Pleasant or worst past memories are the treasure for a blogger. These memories become a guide to blogger, he/she plucks the flowers of memories from past and place those onto the strings of words. Strings and fibers after being knitted in accordance with the demands and nature of subject those results in cropping up a precise, comprehensive, useful and meaningful piece of writing.

Occasionally sensitive and receptive issue emerged that suit to the taste of community; however it is one of the most difficult things to form one’s ideas and scattered thoughts into words written or spoken, and those words that carry weight for others also. There are chances that these words can influence someone’s behaviour or set of mind. For a blogger it is easy to sculpture ideas and carve those in impressive way according to target set. Continue Reading