Hi folks!

Today, is my first day with Telenor Pakistan. I have joined commercial division of Telenor today. Its fun to be here though my first day. I’m using my brand new Sony Vaio to write this post. This machine is in black color and quite handy. I’m loving it…

I visisted 3 offices today in Islamabad and have a trainning sechudled in Marriott Hotel Islamabad in coming week. Time is short and I gotta go.

Catch up with you later. Fe aman Allah!

Sometimes in life, you feel sick… mentally. This is when you want to show the world your anger through your double edged knife like words and your wisdom acts as if an un-jumpable hurdle on racing track. What would most of the people do in such situation? I guess they will spit resentment out and cool down after breaking so many hearts and expectations. Quite few of people would stay calm, facing a warfare within themselves. Which type of people is better than the other? I guess the second one. They torn themselves into pieces but safe others by exhibiting a tight control over their tongues. It’s always hard to be on positive side but possible.

Its first day of new year 2009. We have new targets, new hopes, new zeal & new devotion. We will try not to repeat mistakes this time on as we did in the past years. We have problems. In fact, ‘problem’ itself is a problematic word so I would put it in a way that we have challenges to conquer upon. We need to find new ways to address issues. We got be smart this time. We need to have backups before meeting any contingency. We need to be ONE to stand UNITE.

Good luck to every one!

I’m in office at the moment and about to leave for my home. Today’s work is over and it’s time to go for something else… something new… for this evening. I have random thoughts in head. The year 2008, came like a wind and is about to leave us like it never ever existed in just few hours. 2008 has been full of good and bad happenings like many years before it. But my mind is stuffed with plenty of bad memories … how pessimistic I’m… you must be thinking… right? Keep thinking coz I Don’t Bother…

• We had Marriott attack.
• Many Muslims killed in Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq and Afghanistan.
• We met energy crisis.
• Economies of the globe plunged down.
• Food crisis
• Bush received shoes in Iraq (good or bad – I leave it upon readers)
• Abrupt increase in inflation
• Natural disasters like: Earth quakes
• And this list goes on…

I’m thinking about points I just mentioned above. We had plans (and keep adding ). Some of them met reality and most of them couldn’t produce results. Some of them will display results in few days/ months or years. I finish this zigzag post on two notes:

Man proposes and GOD disposes.
Bad things happen when good people stop working.

Pakistan Television (PTV) has produced and broadcasted many great serials in the last few decades. Serials made on Pakistan Armed Forces gained immense appreciation. “Alpha Bravo Charlie” was just one of all time hits that earned huge popularity during 1998. This well received TV drama series was produced by ISPR and directed by acclaimed Pakistani director Shoaib Mansoor. It was a sequel to drama series Sunehre Din (Golden Days) with some of same cast. The series went on air on PTV during first two quarters of 1998. The story revolved around four main characters i.e. Faraz Ahmed, Kashif Kirmani, Gulsher Khan (all portrayed roles of captains serving Pakistan Military) and Shahnaaz Khan.

(a picture of A.B.C days)

Few weeks back, I had the opportunity to see Faraz Ahmed (Faraz Inam in real) in person and we concluded an interview. Faraz portrayed a role where he was son of a rich landlord of Fatehkot in Punjab. He graduates from the 80th PMA Long Course with a sword of honor. He belongs to the Armoured Corps, 32 Cavalry Lahore. His disguise was confident showing him ambitious man – a Mr. Perfect who is well-built, good looking and wealthy to go along with his excellent academic record. He owns his own a brand new Mercedes Benz C130 – Jet Black. Here goes details of rapid question/ answer session:

Faisal Riaz: Tell us something about yourself, your childhood to date now.
Faraz Inam: Born in Rawalpindi on 09/10/1970, I did my initial education in various cities like Abu Dhabi, Karachi, Risalpur and Rawalpindi since my father being a fighter pilot in PAF would get posted to various PAF bases. We finally moved to Abu Dhabi in 1982. I did my Matric from Pakistani School in Abu Dhabi in 1986. Thereafter I joined PAF as an Engineering cadet in 35th CAE course (equvt. 90th GDP), since I could not join as a Flight Cadet due to weak eyesight. Although the love for fighter aircrafts had made me join the PAF, I soon realized that my dream was to become a fighter pilot like my father and rule the skies and the fact that I’d be spending my life close to the aircraft without having a chance to fly them would make me a frustrated soul through out my life. Hence I quit PAF in my semifinal term from PAF College Sargodha and continued my studies in Civil. Did B-Com in 1991, however, the result came in 1992. Thereafter I did my first MBA from PCBA, Lahore in ’94 with the intention of going abroad to achieve my terminal degree from a reputed Uni. in States. But, when I got admission at LUMS, I, on the insistence of my parents, opted to join LUMS rather than go abroad. Completed my second MBA from LUMS in 1996.

I guess my life has been led purely by destiny. A child who wanted to be a fighter pilot and did not see life beyond that in his late teens decides to go abroad for education, however by the time he reached his early 20’s, ends up doing two MBAs both from Pakistan and by 25 eventually lands in a Bank. Something he had never thought of even in his wildest dreams.

Interestingly the role offered to me in Sunehrey Din was through a friend who I had met in the PAF and who left alongside me. I would have never done Sunehrey Din had I not joined PAF and Alpha Bravo Charlie would have never followed if I had left for abroad after my first MBA as was originally planned by me. All thanks to Allah and prayers of my parents for making me what I’m today.

Being the only son of my parents and the eldest among three siblings, I always had a very responsible attitude towards everything. I was stated to be more mature for my age at all times and while this did give me important appointments in my academic life, I was never the popular one at school. But, I was friendly with most of my class fellows, coursemates and colleagues and the same trend follows to this day.

Faisal Riaz: Were you a sharp student?
Faraz Inam: My teachers/instructors termed me as “Intelligent” but my problem was lack of hard-work. My position in class used to be between 5th and 10th. I only started working hard in MBAs when realization finally dawned on me. Got second position out of 62 students in my first MBA whereas ended up in the 1st quartile at LUMS.

Faisal Riaz: Did you ever act before Sunehray Din and A.B.C?
Faraz Inam: Never as such

Faisal Riaz: How did this offer come to you?
Faraz Inam: This offer was originally made to Salaar Farooq who was a course senior to me in the Air Force. Both of us left PAF and thereafter he got offered this role. Everything was final and ready, but just a week prior to starting of shooting he got an admission call from a University in USA. Hence he referred my name to Shoaib Mansoor and asked me to do this role. Well I was invited to PTV, Islamabad, asked to read some lines from a script which I casually read and the rest is history.

Faisal Riaz: Gul Sher, Kashif or Shahnaaz. Who was closer to you than others?
Faraz Inam: Abdullah (Kashif) and I spent a lot of time together, by virtue of our nature as well, I guess we became friendlier. But the association with Qasim and Shahnaz is also very good.

Faisal Riaz: Tell us your one favorite scene each of Sunehray Din and A.B.C.
Faraz Inam: Obviously taking the Sword of Honor in the end was my favorites scene in Sunehrey Din. My father is a Sword of Honor winner in reality whereas my brother in law also won a Sword of Honor in his course. I tell them jokingly that your “Sword of Honors” are for real but only a few people know about it, whereas the whole of Pakistan got to see me winning my “Sword” be it in a Drama!

Faisal Riaz: Does fame get to your head easily?
Faraz Inam: I don’t consider myself as famous or a celebrity. It’s the kindness of people who approach me and praise the Dramas and sometimes my performance. Nothing special in me otherwise. I’m just a regular guy leading a normal family life. Thanks to Allah All Mighty.

(with his kids)

Faisal Riaz: Do you remember any particular fan out of your millions of fans? Who did something unforgettable?
Faraz Inam: A lot of my well wishers have made kind gestures towards me. To single out any one of them would not be fair on the others.

Faisal Riaz: Did Shoaib Mansoor contact you for his flick “Khuda Ke Lieay”?
Faraz Inam: No he didn’t.

Faisal Riaz: What do you do in leisure time?
Faraz Inam: Spend time with family. I do what any average family oriented person would do. Nothing extraordinary.

Faisal Riaz: What are you favorite colors?
Faraz Inam: Black, Maroon and Steel grey.

Faisal Riaz: Are you a sensitive soul?
Faraz Inam: May be a little. But then I shrug myself out of such sentiments after a while.

Faisal Riaz: What does make you happy and vice versa?
Faraz Inam: Love of family makes me happy. Deception, lies, fraud and disregard for the rule of law makes me furious!

Faisal Riaz: Why are you not working in dramas anymore?
Ans: Between my professional obligations and family life I don’t have time for anything else. Besides, under my current demeanor I’d rather stay away from the screen.

Faisal Riaz: How do you define friendship?
Faraz Inam: There is an Urdu word for it “Bay-loss”.

Faisal Riaz: Are you a self-made person?
Faraz Inam: Well, I got my admissions on merit be it PAF or LUMS. I haven’t taken any financial assistance from anyone including my father since I got employed. My progress in my professional career has been on merit as well, Alhamdolillah. If this is the definition of self made, I guess then I’m one.

Faisal Riaz: What are your 3 strengths?
Faraz Inam: I don’t want to beat my own drums. It is for the others to comment on that.

Faisal Riaz: How often do you come to Pakistan?
Faraz Inam: At least once a year.

Faisal Riaz: What should Pakistanis do in foreign to portray good side of their country?
Faraz Inam: First of all stop washing your dirty linen in public. Project the positives about Pakistan and downplay all the media hype created by Local and International press. Remember, Pakistan is just not FATA or SWAT. Pakistan is a country of 165Mio people spread from Karachi to Kaghan and the positives of the country should be projected. Individually all should follow the rule of law and be honest in their dealings. Automatically they’ll start creating positive impressions about themselves and their country. Lastly they must spend foreign remittance to Pakistan through proper channel.

Faisal Riaz: What is your message to your fans?
Faraz Inam: First of all I don’t consider anyone as my fan. There’s nothing great in me to have a fan following. I consider them as my well wishers who are kind enough to know more about me even after such a long time. Message to them would be, “just be true to yourselves. A human being is always good at heart and for doing anything wrong seeks justifications. Hence if you need to think of justifications for doing an act, then don’t do that at all. Don’t do anything which you conscience does not allow you. Spend in the name of Allah and Allah will return you accordingly. Respect each other, other communities, other religions and you’ll be respected in return. Remember what goes around comes around. We have no one to blame for our current state of affairs. Hence if individually we put our house in order, collectively we’ll be able to revive our nation, country and religion. Therefore try to make your home a perfect home”.

Please leave your comments and share your thoughts on this effort for A.B.C fan base.

The video shared here makes me feel high and inspires to do anything for the survival and defense of my beloved country Pakistan. This National Song was sung by Alamgir.

On Nov 28, 2009, I was in office, it was almost 6pm, time to close work and leave for home when I found my cellphone buzzing. I picked the phone up and had to experience a strange voice. This conversation went like this:

Faisal: Hello!
Anonymous: Assalam O Aalikum. This is Faraz.
Faisal: WAS. Faraz….Faraz… Who Faraz?
Anonymous: Faraz Inam. Faisal the one who worked in ABC. Now you may know.
Faisal says: Faraz… is it is really you? I can’t believe it (Shouts with pleasure)
Faraz Inam: haha… (smiles)

Well this was the initial conversation I had on phone with Faraz Inam Siddiqui when he came to Pakistan this November. Later, he invited me to his home for a meet up but we couldn’t see each other as he was extremely busy with his father at hospital. On 2nd December, we decided to catch-up at CMH where his father was being treated. It was 8 o clock when I called him after reaching CMH and told that I was waiting outside ward.

After few moments, he popped up, walking in the ward, wearing spectacles with blue jeans and black upper. I was surprised to see him live for the first time ever in my life albeit I saw him several times on TV screen. The guy is 6 feet 3 inches – quite tall. He asked me to come on in. We settled around a table and started talking. After formal hello hi, our discussion went to Alpha Bravo Charlie. He told me that the actual plot of the drama was changed due to him as he was doing MBA from LUMS those days and was in final semesters. Shoaib Mansoor wanted him to take a break but he couldn’t do so.

The actual plot of the drama was to promote Faraz in Army Aviation camp in Lahore to be a pilot and to rescue Captain Kashif (Abdullah) from Siachen glaciers. Due to non-availability of time with Faraz, we had to see Kashif getting disabled otherwise there could have been a pleasant ending of the drama. We discussed Sunehray Din, Shahnaz Khan and Gulsher (Lt. col. Qasim Khan ) too.

Upon sensing my involvement with the characters of the drama, he got me Qasim and Abdullah over phone. It was great to talk to them. I found Qasim’s personality very hospitable. Abdullah was as good as he used to be in the drama. We could have talked to Shahnaz Khan (now Shahnaz Khawaja) but left the idea out due to different time zones between Pakistan and USA. Later, he offered me a cup of tea and got me introduced with his mother. I found Faraz a real gem of a person, loaded with kindness, down to earth and a guy feeling himself very ordinary all the time. Next day, he left for UAE where he works with a bank now. This was the summary of my meeting with Mr. Alpha with heart of gold.

Like many people, I do like music… quality music only. Quality is subjective term and different for different people. I listen to wide range of music: folk, rock, pop, Jazz etc. I’m enamored by national anthems especially related to Armed Forces of Pakistan. I not only pay attention to the composition but also to the lyrics. I would like to share some verses of the tracks I like the most. Here we go:

Tum Hi Say Ae Mujahido Jahan Ka Sabaat Hai
Tumhari Mashael-e-Wafa Farogh-E-Shash Jihad Hai.

Song: Tum Hi Say Ae Mujahido – Aalamgir
- – -

Hum kissi se kum nahi
Is ka humko hai yaqeen
Mushkil khud per o paday
Jub hum jaien jum khaein

Song: Ae jawan – Awaz (Harron & Fakhir)
- – -

Aye Rahe Haq K Shahido
Wafa Ki Taswiroooo
Tumhe Watan Ki Hawainnnn
Salam Kehti Hain…
Aye Rahe Haq K Shahidooo…

Song: Ae Rah-e-Haq Ke Shaheedon – Naseem Begam
- – -

Skin head, dead head
Everybody gone bad
Situation, aggravation
Everybody allegation
In the suite, on the news
Everybody dog food
Bang bang, shot dead
Everybody’s gone mad

Song: They Don’t Care About Us – MICHAEL JACKSON
- – -

At the starting of the week
At summit talks you’ll hear them speak
It’s only Monday
Negotiations breaking down
See those leaders start to frown
It’s sword and gun day

You could be sitting taking lunch
The news will hit you like a punch
It’s only Tuesday
You never thought we’d go to war
After all the things we saw
It’s April Fools’ day

You hear a whistling overhead
Are you alive or are you dead?
It’s only Thursday
You feel a shaking on the ground
A billion candles burn around
Is it your birthday?
Tomorrow never comes until it’s too late

Song: Six Days – DJ Shadow

Which is the scene that fascinates you the most? To answer this, different people will respond differently. To me, when a plane takes off or lands these two are the most beautiful scenes I would like to watch again and again. The roar, thrust, heat, lights and vibration are complementary to any takeoff or landing. When I see any aircraft (cargo, passenger or fighter – specially) taking off or landing, my blood starts boiling. I spread my arms wide, feel them like wings and this feeling goes wild.

I shall define “Takeoff” as a stage of flight in which an aircraft goes through a transition from moving along the ground (taxiing) to flying in the air, usually starting on a runway. The takeoff speed required varies with air density, aircraft gross weight, and aircraft configuration (flap and/or slat position, as applicable). Air density is affected by factors such as field elevation and air temperature. This relationship between temperature, altitude, and air density can be expressed as a density altitude, or the altitude in the International Standard Atmosphere at which the air density would be equal to the actual air density.

Landing is the last part of a flight, where a flying aircraft, or spacecraft returns to the ground. When the flying object returns to water, the process is called alighting, although it is commonly called “landing” and “touchdown” as well. A normal aircraft flight would include several parts of flight including taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, descent and landing.

Spare some time, go nearby runway, watch and experience. You might vote my choice of the most beautiful scenes.

Guys, I have switched to BlogSpot and blog there. To see my new posts, pay a visit to faysalriazch.blogspot.com

Love,
FAISAL RIAZ