US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
1

Lol what make the US think that this will work?

http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111116/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan_us_hip_hop

By SEBASTIAN ABBOT, Associated Press – Wed Nov 16, 7:01 am ET

ISLAMABAD – A U.S. attempt to smooth relations with Pakistan using a bit of hip-hop diplomacy hit a speed bump Wednesday when the Pakistani military briefly detained an American music group accused of taking photographs of sensitive installations.

The F.E.W. Collective, a hip-hop group from Chicago on a U.S.-sponsored tour of Pakistan, was traveling in embassy vehicles on a public road in Rawalpindi, a garrison town just outside the capital Islamabad, when the incident occurred, the U.S. Embassy said.

Rawalpindi hosts the headquarters of the Pakistani army, but the U.S. Embassy said no sensitive installations were visible from the vehicle when the group was pulled over. One of the band members may have been taking pictures, but the group was eventually released, it said.

“The performer was not aware of restrictions placed on photography in or near the cantonment, and had no intention of taking photographs of sensitive Pakistani government or military installations,” the embassy said.

Local TV footage showed three large SUVs surrounded by Pakistani police and military personnel before they were allowed to pull away.

The F.E.W. Collective is one of several American music groups that the U.S. Embassy has brought to Pakistan this year as part of its cultural diplomacy efforts. Others have included a jazz quartet and a country rock band.

The U.S. has given Pakistan billions of dollars in military and civilian aid over the last decade, but the country is still highly unpopular among average Pakistanis.

2

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

why american singer would take photo openly when highly sensitive hidden cameras are supposed to be available with c.i.a. this is a simple case of over enthusiasm of police and army.

3

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

^ why an indian will jump in every single post regarding pakistan and its army where he has no stakes?

on a serious note, its good they are keeping an eye on these raymond davis' version 2.0. what on earth made usa think that these bands can earn some "good will" among pakistanis? yeah probably amount 0.001% of pakistanis. and i dont think they idiots not to know this, i'm sure they are aware of it, and perhaps have some other use of these musical bands in pakistan

4

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

Some one needs to tell the US foreign office that the people who are into hip hop , jazz etc are elite of Pakistan and have no hate for US. Although they do oppose US foreign policy.
The people who hate US cannot be tamed with hip hop or jazz or US movie stars , it will require some radical thinking on the part of US elite.
On a side note majority of citizens of Pakistan can be made happy by granting a US visa and a chance to visit US. :slight_smile: They want to visit Disneyland , may be build a Disneyland in Karachi and make it free and you will have won the hearts and mind of vast majority of Pakistani folks. Try it for a change , will ya ?
Here is another idea , build one AMC theater in each city of Pakistan , show some Hollywood movies for free with free popcorn and coke . I bet my life on it that you will witness biggest change of hearts and minds in Pakistan.
Contact me to make it happen if you like. I am available for a fee. :smiley:

P.S : I will contact my lawyer if any of these ideas is implemented without paying me royalty. :nono:

5

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

I guess so.

6

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

:mirch: He is talking sense for a change. He comes across as a level headed Indian.

7

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

he might be red indian:D:

8

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

not really when you know that planning a proper “taleban attack” needs a lot more real life pictures from several different angles at several different times from different perspectives going directly into the hands of gora sahab… also needs someone to explain those things along with pictures… one will ask, of course a sellout can easily do this, and we have them aplenty, but again gora sahab doesnt trust us as much…

and just as a little reminder, have we forgot that several people have been caught in very recent past taking such pictures, or having such pictures in possession? have we forgot those pushto speaking bearded turban wearing “goras” taking such pictures in islamabad couple of months ago?

9

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

Americans do not have to send anybody to take pictures , their satellites can take pictures of you walking in your own backyard. If you do not trust me then visit this link.

10

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

Valid point. But I believe that is because we are all born of the same Mother India and therefore interested in each others' affairs. It's only natural.
It takes some patience but don't let it bother you too much and don't make Indik feel unwelcome here. Cheers. :)

11

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

Mirch bhai, the satellite thing is no secret, everyone knows about it even they have jokes about it…

but there is a big difference of satellite pictures and pictures and pictures taken from road to identify building, entry and exit points, wall writings, identify landmarks, all this cannot be done using a satellite picture. plus if we agree that nobody needs to take pictures if they have satellite access for this, how you will see the pictures taken by ray devis and the other americans i mentioned earlier, now if somebody simply deny all this, then there is no point talking

12

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

mother india? really? pity

13

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

corrcet. you can literally visualize somebody in a strategy meeting saying "....we should try the social approach....." and the nodders's club seeing Hillary smiling at the suggestion, hastily agree 'what a great idea'. Idiots

14

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

Recognizing this fact should not threaten our Pakistaniat or negate our modern Pakistani identity.

We should not negate our shared history and heritage.
When we do that we are giving up something that belongs to us also.

Remember that Iqbal wrote the Urdu nazm which became the national anthem of United India during the independence struggle against British Rule:

Sare Jahan Se Achcha, Hindustan Hamara
Hum Bulbulain Hain Iss Ki, Ye Gulsitaan Hamara

If we hear this poem today, it should not annoy us. It is our shared heritage. We cannot disown our claim to our common Indian heritage.
We should understand that the ‘Hindustan’ the verse mentions encompasses the regions we call Pakistan and BanglaDesh also.

Just like the nice pre-partition song sung by our very own beloved Noor Jahan (who Indians should own as their artist also).
When she says ‘Yeh Desh Hamara Pyaara Hindustan’ she is also talking about the land we call Pakistan.

It gets a little confusing (especially for the younger generation) but we do need to think about this clearly and conciously.

Enjoy this:

15

Re: US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan

well said Tanvir. I think even the term Hindu itself came from either Sindhu or Indus.

In fact several years ago one of my colleagues from Pakistan was arguing with me that he is truly the Indian because Indus flows in what is today Pakistan. (I told him that I won't charge him royalty for using the term and to feel free to call himself Indian or eskimo or martian...as long he paid for his share of the bar tab!)

Acknowledging origins, ancestry, culture etc does not in any way take away your current identity as a Pakistani