In Pakistan, one area in a city has at least 10 to 15 mosques within a kilometre radius. There is a dedicated muezzin in each mosque who then calls azan for prayer according to specific times set in each mosque. Sooner or later, one azan starts from one mosque and others one by one or all start at the same time.

The loudspeakers are set to the loudest pitch owing to which a single azan cannot be heard properly when all muezzins call for prayer simultaneously.

We always talk about unity which comes by small acts. In my suggestion, there should be a system in mosques which can regulate and inculcate the concept of ‘one azan, one eman’.
Under this concept, mosques in one area should be equipped with an inter-connected sound system through which azan should be called at the same time.

Lab Pe Aati Hai - Finest Prayer written for younger generation
This article was originally written on 5th July, 2016
Naqash Munir

The most beautiful ‘Lab Pe Aati Hai’ ‘dua’ once sung as a school song in school assemblies of Pakistan is lost somewhere in the history.  When I started school in 1995, we sang ‘Qaumi Taranah’, the National Anthem of Pakistan, which is written in Persian. To be honest, I merely met someone who would talk about it or its meaning. Nonetheless the echo of the National Anthem sung by us woke up all the residents of Harley Street but I’m sure most of the students didn't know what they were saying. So before completing school I searched for its meaning and realized that it is nationalistic as compared to the ‘dua’ which is written in our national language.

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Food and ration distribution voluntary work with Techure Foundation UK and IMpossible during Pakistan Floods, 2010. The affected communities were provided with food, daily use-ration and formal/informal education related to health, hygiene and sanitation.
* All photo were captured by Naqash Khan.

In 2009, on a radio interview, the then Ambassador of Pakistan to China, Mr. Masood Khan expressed the love of Chinese people towards Pakistani people. He emphasized on sharing the culture of both countries through exchange programs so that there is harmony and strength in relations. Even back then he pointed that Chinese people took interest in learning the National language of Pakistan, Urdu with immense interest and they used to practice it with Pakistani fellows who studied there.

​Today after more than eight years, a clear transformation is seen in the relationship of both countries. People of both sides are learning from each other, traveling to and fro China and Pakistan, taking deep interest in each other’s culture, traditions, norms and values. It is thought provoking that China’s land area is really huge. Same is China’s population. It is massive. And for them China itself is enough to travel as a little percentage of it travels abroad.
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Nevertheless, many Chinese families have moved to Pakistan and are traveling to Pakistan in huge numbers since Chinese’ Belt and Road initiative. This has given Pakistan an opportunity to mend any distrusts which might prove to be a barrier in good relations with the Chinese.

So far Pakistan and China both seem to be really excited and motivated to run brilliant bi-lateral relations along with other countries. Having the multi-billion dollars projects’ aside, Pakistan has opened itself to China as open as a real brother would for another. From micro to macro level, the ties between Chinese and Pakistani people would lift the shaky situation of South Asia. It will help stabilize the political and economic structure which will keep the region intact for the centuries yet to come.
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— errors are accepted, the article is also published on Naqashblogs
* Authors wishing to co-author on future blogs may contact at info@naqashkhan.com

Free WIFIs but no benches to sit in Islamabad:

(Naqash Munir, Islamabad: 2017)

A SENIOR Capital Development Authority official made an announcement recently that free WiFi, facilitation desks would be established at entry and exit points of Islamabad to facilitate visitors from other cities. This is indeed a laudable step. However, I would request the CDA to pay attention to more mundane issues.

Coke Studio Season 9 - A Disaster? So was Season 6 (as the public reacted)

As a music composer and having very little sense of music composition and production, I can tell Season 9 of Coke Studio is not working as expected. The excess of musical instruments, music arrangement for songs, and music graph of the songs produced this season seem so straight and look less creative than before. Easy.

But, Coke Studio has never been a perfect show (Yes literally). Since its first Season it has come a long way and will be transforming every season. Say if you compare the first season with all the other seasons, you will find it less catchy and feel discrepancies in it. However this was the only reason that created hits like Jugni, Jalpari, Garaj Baras, Dastan-e-Ishq, Charkha Nolakha, KirKir and so on.

In this season the idea of bringing many music composers, directors and music producers was good unless the real genre and theme of CS was kept intact. Artists like Faakhir Mehmood, Strings, noori, see Shiraz Uppal et al are all best at their own. But why Rohail Hyatt is still missed? Because there was creativity in every sound being totally unique that any artist would have creative out of the same musicians. He would technically get into the depth of compositions and extracting what a listener enjoyed with no complaints. We can clearly see the artists in his seasons enjoyed naturally and now it looks they are "Forced" to smile and dance until the video directors say "Cut".

The maestro himself has a deep study of music with much of scientific background. If you have got time do watch a session with Rohail Hyatt himself at Harvard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKfy01zedX4

I believe if last year's Coke Studio entry of Tajdar-e-Haram was amazing then don't be upset. This season's last song will definitely get you out of the planet, because it will be Amjad Sabri's song with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.

BE+, Live More.
Naqash Munir

Islamabad: 28th January 2014
Naqash Munir
National Defence University


Kashmir: Looking Beyond the Peril

One of the best two-day International workshops held at the National Defence University (NDU). This productive and educational summit was organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA) which is part of NDU. The Army Institution discussed the Kashmir issue and bringing the two nations, India and Pakistan together to work upon. The workshop was attended by international social scientists and a larger number of audiences from different Universities of Pakistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. All the participants attended different sessions which included:

First day of the workshop, 27th January 2014 started with the recitation of verses from the Holy Qur'an, followed by welcome remarks by the President of National Defence University in the NDU Auditorium. Chief guests of the workshop started with the opening speeches which built a base of the theme of the workshop "Kashmir: Looking beyond the Peril" with an aim to resolve the Kashmir dispute without the intervention of any conflict.

Various plenary sessions were conducted each one chaired by experts alongside two speakers belonging to a variety of background, knowledge and expertise. 

The sessions held by the trio in three different rounds of speeches and debates included:

Topic: The Nature of Kashmir dispute: Revisiting Human Dynamics vs Territoriality
Chaired by Ambassador Khalid Mehmood
Speakers: Ms Atia Inayatullah and Mr. Wadah Khanfar, President of Al Shark Forum, an independent network dedicated to developing long term strategies for political development, social justice and economic prosperity of the people of the middle east.

Session held by Ms. Sherry Rehman included speakers Dr. Christopher Snedden along with Ambassador Inam ul Haq discussing Quest for sustainable Peace in South Asia: A review in the backdrop of People's Aspirations, Nuclear Responsibility and Economic Growth.

The third session started with the gestures of an humble old friendship of the 'two' who brought smiles on the faces of the audience as the one wanted to let the other go to the stage first, these two were none other than Mr. A.G Noorani from India and Ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi from Pakistan. The session started with the opening comments by the Chair Dr. Maleeha Lodhi along with Mr. A.G Noorani and Ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi who discussed the Approaches to Unknotting the Issue, specifically Kashmir dispute.

Apart from the extraordinary plenary sessions in this two days Workshop, four different Academic Sessions were also held led by experts. These sessions were conducted in the seminar halls of the Institute of Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA).The first session was led by the Dean of the Faculty of Contemporary Studies, NDU, Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema, whose co-speakers included Anuradha Bhasin from the occupied Jammu and Kashmir (or vice versa), Mr. Andrew Douglas Carl, Ms. Gulden Ayman and Mr. Moeed Yusuf. This academic session carried the topic of Confidence Building Measures and beyond.

An academic session was chaired by Mr. Rasual Bakhsh Rais a well-known social scientist and a Professor of one the prestigious institutions of Pakistan, LUMS, along with the speakers Mr. Ejaz Haider, Dr. Muhammad Khan and Ms. Shaheen Akhtar from National Defence University. The speakers put their vision on the subject Non Traditional Security Challenges and presented their thoughts. 

On 28th January, an academic session was chaired by General Athar Abbas alongside two other speakers including Victoria Schofield and Mr. Zahid G Muhammad, who with the best of their scholarly skills and expertise threw light on the Role of Media in Kashmir Conflict. At the same time, another session was also going side by side in another Seminar Hall of ISSRA, which was chaired by Major General Noel Khokhar along with other expert speakers; Dr. Siddiq Wahid, Dr. Ms. Li Li and Dr. Ashfaque Hassan Khan who discussed Kashmir: A Bridge for rejuvenation?

All the sessions had tea break, lunch break and interactive sessions. The last day of the two day Workshop was concluded and wrapped up by trio Dr. Maleeha Lodhi, Mr. A.G Noorani and Ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi with the special presence of the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan. Mr. President presented his remarks about the workshop and termed it as fruitful for the future. 

The last day of the workshop ended up with coffee and tea sessions in a lighter mood in the Mess Lounge, participated by all the participants, important personalities, students, foreign guests and scholars with one on one session. Positive gestures were shared by all the personalities and each shared the virtue with the cup of joy and hopefulness of a new dawn and awakening of the young generation under experienced mentors which may bring peace not just to the region, but to the entire earth, for generations! 


Naqash Munir
National Defence University
Islamabad