A Matter of Pride-Dr. Mona Kazim Shah
By Shah A Siddiqui
I was sitting with my friend Ahmad in a local
Indo-Pak restaurant in Plano and we were both busy talking about Pakistani
politics and media. My friend pointed out on a table where two ladies were
enjoying eating their food with their hands. My friend Ahmad and myself were
also busy eating Haleem. My friend is very mischievous and open minded
person who does not hesitate to start conversation with any stranger
whatsoever. He told me “ yar Shah ji haath se khane ka jo maza hay who
spoon aur fork se nahi ata” I replied’ yes it is true but it depends from
person to person”. All of a sudden Ahmad started a conversation after
Salam Alaikum, and asked, “how are you doing madam”, she hesitantly said “I am
doing great!” She was surprised when Ahmed asked her that “how do you feel when
you eat rice and fish with your hands?” she replied that “I am eating
throughout all my life with my hands and you get more taste when eating
with your hands.” We were both delighted to hear her resposne and the next
question was from her. She asked us what country we belong to. My friend
responded that we both belong to Pakistan and in return she introduced herself
that she and her mother belong to Bangladesh. Mother and daughter was over 65
and 50s. She (daughter) is working in the sales department of Verizon.
She asked us if we know Mona Kazim Shah, if
we are Pakistani, I was surprised and dazed to hear this question from a
Bengali woman. My friend answered her that yes, I knew her and a couple of
weeks ago I saw her in a community function.“She is a wonderful radio
programmer and I enjoy her radio show “Politics Today” she pronounced. ‘Do you
understand her political program in Urdu’ oh yes, I understand Urdu, she
replied with a smile. I started conversation in Bengali with this lady
and to her surprise, “Oh my God you are from Pakistan but how you speak
Bengali” I answered her that if a Bengali can speak Urdu and understand Urdu
then why I can't speak Bengali. For the information of my readers, I would like
to let him know that I can write, read and speak Bengali, Hindi and can speak
and understand Punjabi as well aside from some knowledge of understanding and
speaking Spanish too. I can also understand and speak Polish.
Unfortunately, I did not ask her name, it is
my fault and I am sure she would have no problem telling us her name but she also
did not ask us for our names but we just had a useful and interesting
conversation on the school children massacre in Peshawar, Pakistan. These
two Bangladeshi ladies are also very distressing about the killing of children
in Peshawar by a terrorist group TTP. She has an eye on the current situation
in Pakistan. We also talked about the radio personality of Fun Asia, Mona Kazim
Shah.
I am, yet thinking that why a Bangladeshi
lady wanted to judge our affiliation with Mona Kazim Shah just because we are
from Pakistan. The Pakistani community who is in Dallas/Fort Worth area should
feel proud that a Broadcast Journalist, an anchorperson, a social activist
became a symbol of Pakistan in the United States.
I got very excited at that fourth dimension
of our conversation with Bangladeshi lady and her sentiment about one of our
Pakistani Radio Journalist. I could not wait till I see Mona Kazim Shah to
convey the full wishes of Bengali lady and I called Mona right away, only she
was not available on the phone. Later she called me back and I conveyed the
message to her.
I am very much proud of Mona Shah that she is
not only popular within the Pakistani community, but most of other South
Asian community as well.
Mona Kazim Shah, you are doing an excellent
job as a Pakistani woman, as a Journalist, anchorperson, and an activist. Our
prayers go out to you and that Allah gives you more strength to work for the
South Asian community . YOU ARE A SYMBOL OF PRIDE FOR US-MONA KAZIM SHAH
**********************************************
Shah A Siddiqui, is a poet,
freelance journalist, columnist, critique writer and Bureau Chief of ‘Pakistan
Times’ and ‘South Asia Gazette’ being published from USA and Canada
every week.
Interesting 👍🏻
ReplyDelete