Jan
11
Islamic Art at Metropolitan Museum NY
Filed Under Art, India, Pakistan, United States, religion | 2 Comments
Imran Khan
Ten years after the “Islamic Attack” on 9/11, some of the saner Americans have overcome the trauma to reflect on the reality that is Islam’s historic legacy. I had the privilege of viewing many pieces of art from various muslim countries made of the period of centuries at the Metropolitan museum in New York. The pain taken in exquisitely presenting these incredible pieces is worth every praise. The curators took the time and effort to dig into the history of each and every piece and present it to the visitor in both written and aural form. The respect shown to the work of muslim artists is in sharp contrast to the negative narrative still in mainstream media. But healthy signs are now manifesting them in different forms where some of the americans are having the guts to standing up to the mainstream media.
Dec
25
Affordable Building Technology
Filed Under Security, Technology | 1 Comment
Javed Sultan
Fig. 1
The need for affordable building technologies is obvious to most of us who come from countries that are poor and are often victims of natural calamities. Housing for the poor receives only limited funding and takes a backseat to other economic priorities. What the poor often do not realize is that there are no affordable technologies that can meet their need. The only way to meet their housing needs is to be an active part of the building process. Read more
Views: 123ShareDec
24
OPEN Karachi: Open’s First Chapter outside the US
Filed Under Entrepreneurism, Pakistan, United States | Leave a Comment
Imran Khan
One of OPEN’s goals has all along been to support businesses in Pakistan in a manner consistent with our core principles of staying “Hungry and Foolish” with respect to entrepreneurism. OPEN chapters have historically gone out of their way to assist Pakistani businesses efforts to gain traction in the US and global markets. We started off by assisting those Pakistani businessmen visiting the US, as we were busy establishing ourselves. We, then with the assistance of MIT Enterprise Forum, started the MITEFP-OPEN Business Acceleration Plan competition in Karachi Pakistan. This allowed us to gain traction with the young and budding entrepreneurs their. There were some hesitancy within OPEN about opening a chapter in Pakistan as some other similar organizations did not do as well due to lack of right kind of leadership needed. The winners of BAP competition showed us that there is a new breed of Pakistani businessmen who have the credentials and zest who could be worked with. Read more
Views: 114ShareJul
23
Amy WineHouse:RIP
Filed Under Art | Leave a Comment
Imran H. Khan
I heard the real sad news of Amy’s death. I really liked her songs that tended to be raw and touched the soul. Like Jim Morrison of Doors who I also liked died of drug related complications.
Jul
2
The Start of A.R.T. Inquilaab in Pakistan -Iftitah-e-Inquilaab
Filed Under Art, Entertainment, Entrepreneurism, Pakistan, Peace, education | 2 Comments
Salman Ahmad
In the history of nations, there comes a time, when the chasm between what its people deserve and what they are getting is so huge, that revolutionary changes are needed to restore the balance. I believe that time is now for the people of Pakistan. It does not take much to look around at statistics and news from nearly any perspective to see that the State and the existing mind set amongst the Pakistanis has moved astray from the vision of the founding fathers. I have received countless e-mails, calls and tweets from concerned Pakistanis who all want to see a fundamental change in the dangerous trajectory that Pakistan is on. Read more
Views: 1312ShareJun
24
WAFA World Flower Show 2011:Boston MA
Filed Under Art, Pakistan, World | 8 Comments
Imran H. Khan
When you put God’s creation of flowers and plants in the hands of some of the world’s most accomplished floral artists, you get amazing works of art. The World Association of Flower Arrangers (WAFA) held their World Show in Boston last week. The show was titled “This Glorious Earth” and was held at the World Trade Center on the water front. WAFA has over 150,000 members from over thirty countries. WAFA is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of international floral art societies. It recently celebrated its 29th year as the global authority on floral design and aesthetics, acting as a governing body by coordinating floral art events and standards for member countries. Through its worldwide scope, WAFA enhances the diversity of the floral art form by transcending international cultural barriers and bringing together fresh ideas. Pakistan had been scheduled to host the last show, but it was canceled due to security concerns. Pakistani members made it a point to show their prowess in Flower Arrangement by sending over 40 members to this show and winning twenty awards.
May
5
Remote Acoustic Detection of Aircraft
Filed Under PAF, Pakistan, Technology | 19 Comments
Imran H. Khan
The recent US mission to get Osama without the knowledge of Pakistan Air Force was a success because of PAF’s lack of investment in sensors that can detect low flying aircraft in undulating and hilly terrain. This is not the first time that PAF has been caught in this embarrassing situation. Indian Air Force was able to penetrate deep into Pakistani territory in 1971, knowing that PAF did not have low level radar coverage in many areas. At that time PAF depended on mobile observer units (MOUs) for human visual and aural detection of planes. This man power intensive brute force effort only worked in limited areas and only during war. Despite investing in limited low altitude radars and airborne radars it is obvious that there are gaping holes in the air defense system as exemplified by the unscathed operation of multiple large rotor helicopters for hours in Pakistani airspace deep into its territory.
Apr
26
Alive and Well in the US of A
Filed Under Pakistan, Security, US Policy, United States | 7 Comments
Imran H. Khan
I was recently invited to a dinner by a doctor friend where I had the opportunity to meet Ethan Casey and Todd Shea. Ethan has written a book called “Alive and Well in Pakistan” which captures his interactions with Pakistanis in his stay there. Most of the people there were doctors of Pakistani descent living around the Boston area. They had organized a fund raiser a day earlier and the dinner was to get to meet these two gentlemen up close. I had met Todd Shea earlier a couple of years ago and was familiar with his work and admired how he had been able to connect with the people of Kashmir and had decided to settle amongst them. As we got talking it struck me that we in the US of Pakistani descent shared a lot in common the two guests. Todd mentioned that he deliberately travels in T shirt and western clothes without carrying any weapons and the people in Pakistan greatly appreciate it. A lady guest at the dinner,who works in a large retail store, commented that ever since 9/11 she makes it a point to let people know that she is a Pakistani Muslim and that vast majority of people that she interacts with appreciate it. Ethan and Todd in their efforts are trying to convey to the Americans that Pakistanis are like regular people that have been wrongfully demonized in the US press to suit the narrative concocted by the US policy makers to further their goals of hegemony and power projection. Read more
Feb
24
Carolyn Evans: A Multi Faceted Artist
Filed Under Art, United States | 1 Comment
Imran H. Khan
Carolyn Evans is both an artist and a sculptor. Her art appeals to both the child amongst us as well as the thinker. To me her art has been an acquired taste. When I first saw her painting of houses with fish floating in the air, I did not know what to make of it. But over time it is exactly those paintings that have stuck in my mind’s eye. Many of her paintings have an ambiguity that keeps the viewer’s mind active considerably beyond the time the visual pleasures have subsided.
Feb
22
Imran H. Khan
Museum of Fine Arts in Boston recently inaugurated a new wing which I had been wanting to see for a while. As it so happened that an exhibit called “Art of Americas” was being featured this President’s day weekend. With some respite from snow it turned out to be a perfect day to visit the museum.