The Localist Pakistan Podcast

Namal Siddiqui is a poetess, spoken word performer, and now, a mountaineer. In a conversation that was particularly close to Moe, he discussed a series of topics including creativity, writing, and poetry. Also, what caused Namal to leave a successful advertising career in the UAE to chase summits in Northern Pakistan? They discussed their shared life experiences growing up, what it means to be a third-culture kid, and how much they HATE being called "burgers."  Mentioned in this episode: Omar Samra The Poetryhood Podcast - Namal Siddiqui The Localist Podcast - Ehsan Saya A Poem About Ikea by Namal Elevator People by Namal The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost Mary Oliver The Written World by Martin Puchner Third Culture Kid by Namal The Dukkan Show

To say the tourism industry in Pakistan is a big deal is not an overstatement at all. It employs over 3.9 million people, and 80 million people travel within the country every year.  But as the country pushes for growth, there are things that need to be looked at to ensure sustainability. Are the communities hosting the tourists being treated fairly? How is tourism impacting their infrastructure? Are potential workers being upskilled to keep up with demand?  These are some of the questions that the Root Network is attempting to answer through its programs. We sat down with Aneeqa Ali, Sara Kazi, and Laila Rajani after the conclusion of their pilot project to talk about what they've learned, and what's next.  Mentioned in this episode: The Mad Hatters

Ehsan Saya is an old friend of The Localists, and he's also the Managing Director of Pakistan's largest e-commerce website, Daraz (you might've heard of it).  We spend plenty of time reminiscing about the good old days, but we also talk about what he was up to before Daraz, and what he has planned for the future. Ehsan is a strong believer in the ability of businesses to create positive change in communities, whether that's upskilling people, or providing new opportunities. He talks to us about how that's central to the success of the businesses he's been involved with. Ehsan is also a coffee snob, and we're always down for a good conversation about our favorite brews. Mentioned in this episode: JoeyCo Daraz Daraz University Raaz Coffee Roasters Zirrar Podcast: Coffee The "Wine of Islam" Note: This podcast was recorded in May 2020, some information may have changed since the original recording. 

Dr. Rabbia Aamir is one of the co-founders, and head physiotherapist at the Physical Wellness Centre in Karachi. Her main goal is to provide people with the treatment get out of pain, and help them maintain their own bodies.  It hasn't been an easy journey though. Dr. Rabbia discusses the lack of infrastructure for aspiring physios in Pakistan, and how she hustled to make it to where she is today. From looking up shady, back-alley physios, to fulfilling her unquenchable thirst for knowledge, prepare to be inspired.

NOTE: This episode discusses trauma and addiction in-depth, and may feel a bit heavy. We highly recommend you listen to it in chunks to better absorb the information  Aun Ali is the founder of the Trauma Release and Wellness Centre in Karachi, Pakistan. As a therapist, he specializes in treating trauma and addiction, and is on a mission to change the culture of getting help.  He talks to us about specific norms in Pakistani society that lead to self-destructive behavior, and how our co-dependent culture stops us from getting help. 

Muzaffar Bukhari is the Founder Principal of Veritas Learning Circle (VLC), as well as a practicing therapist.  He sat down with us to talk about the realities of being an overachieving "checklist" kid and how he eventually decided to chart his own path, founding VLC in the process. Muzaffar talks about the failures of how education is delivered in Pakistan, and how he's hoping to reshape that through his school.  In what's almost a 2-in-1 podcast, he also talks to us about COVID-19, and gives us insight on how to better deal with it. One of the most important things he says is that having a structured day is important, but to also make sure that structure is working for you, and that you aren't working for that structure.

Marvi Mazhar is a Karachi-based architect, urban planner, and heritage consultant. She is the principal architect at her independent architecture and design studio, Marvi Mazhar & Associates; has served as the director of Peace Niche/T2F; is the co-founder of the Architectural Design Research Lab at the Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture; is the founder of the Pakistan Chowk Community Center; and was the Project Manager for the National History Museum in Lahore.  Marvi sat down with us and discussed how she became an architect, and was eventually inspired to get involved in the heritage side of things. She tells us the story of Pakistan Chowk, her efforts to conserve Karachi's Banyan Trees, and the importance of heritage to cities. Marvi also talks about her most recent project, The Public Research Lab. They're compiling research about Karachi, and making it available for free to everyone in the hopes of helping however they can. Most importantly she reminds us to take ownership of our city, and to trust the government. 

Karachi is home to a diverse and vibrant underground music scene. We've occasionally seen artists rise to mainstream success. Other times, it's a story of long days and nights, as artists try to strike the balance between day jobs that keep them financially stable, and chasing dreams.  We caught up with Daniel Panjwaneey aka Alien Panda Jury, to talk about Pakistan's music scene. Working as an audio engineer, as well as musician, Danny talks about the challenges artists in Pakistan face. He also talks about the opportunities here, and how he's working with a group of individuals on something that could potentially change the face of the industry.  This podcast is not sponsored by Springs Supermarket or Maltesers.

It's very likely that you learned about Western literature while in school, but as time goes on, we are teaching (and being taught) less and less about South Asian literature. We all know who Shakespeare is, but some of us have never heard of Manto. That's where Qissa-Go comes in. The UAE-based collective focuses on the preservation of South Asian languages and culture through storytelling. We had the chance to sit down and talk to founder, Tanya Daud, and Chief Services Officer, Fraz Ajmal while on a recent trip to Dubai. They talked to us about what they do, why it's important, the richness of South Asian languages, and why they aren't more prominent today.

Sitting down with Hafsa, was pretty much "Fashion 101" for us. She talked to us about how and why the modest fashion movement has hit the mainstream, with some of the world's top designers making a play for the Muslim consumer's wallet. We also talked about the political and cultural implications. Beyond modest fashion, we also talked about what motivated her to write the new book, Modesty: A Fashion Paradox,  as well as the creative process behind it.  Hafsa Lodi is a Pakistani-American journalist based in the UAE. She has a background in journalism and Islamic Law, as well as a keen interest in fashion. She writes for a number of publications, and focuses on the politics and culture behind fashion.