Comments on: Study Circles

By: M. Aslam

M. Aslam — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 18:52:17 +0000

This Project is long in coming but better late than never. I hold in regard the founders of this Project. I would like to be able to contribute to the need for ordinary Pakistanis especially but the intellectual community as well to nable understanding and getting a handle on exacly how democracy can take hold in Pakistan. Though intellectual community is of hardened views for the most part I am not hopeful that anyone can change them or their harmfully negative, impracticle, rigid, unbalanced, and narrow to the extreme views, but I am inclined to be optimistic.

I would participate in any way with any one to develop and promot understanding of democracy, and how to nurcher it.

M. Aslam

By: Adnan Ali

Adnan Ali — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:27:57 +0000

Assalam-o-Alaikum,

Any effort at bringing together varying thoughts on a topic and having free discussion must be lauded.

I would like to host a Study Circle in Lahore. Any one would like to join can email me. We can set up dates and locations.

I also think that UPP should be a central guiding hand where each month’s agenda should be published. This can be any topic for the month. After such Study Circles, the minutes or a document providing essential details of the discussion should be published on UPP.

By: Aqil Sajjad

Aqil Sajjad — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:25:22 +0000

I have actually been thinking about something similar (though in a different way) for a few months. This is certainly an idea worth pursuing, and if there are interested people in the Cambridge-Boston area, then please drop me a line at aqil_sajjad@yahoo.ca
I am not sure how much time I might be able to spend, but we can see.

By: Shiraz Bashir

Shiraz Bashir — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:48:04 +0000

Dear Athar,

Thanks for coming up with this idea. I would like to participate in this activity. I am advisor to my Alumni in College of Signals in NUST. So I can use that forum to achieve objectives of Study Circles.

Beside this, I will also convince my friends here in USA to join it in WI, IL and surrounding states.

Let me know what are next steps..

Shiraz

By: Masud Mirza

Masud Mirza — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 20:31:17 +0000

This is a fascinating idea. I think, I would agree, that if we can implement this correctly, that can bring about a vast change in Pakistan over the next few years. If only we could find the will and determination to do this–i.e. put our money where our mouth is. I am open to joining or creating a study circle in central london. Those who may be interested, please drop your contact here and we can connect. Probably Athar can coordinate all of us.

-MM

By: Imran Chaudhry

Imran Chaudhry — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:24:05 +0000

This is an excellent idea and I am more than willing to start a study circle in Toronto, Canada. I’ll be glad to host any friends who would like to join over coffee or tea to discuss and educate ourselves about our beloved homeland. Anyone willing to join please call me direct at 416-841-0020 or email me at imchaudhry@yahoo.com. On the other hand if someone else would like to start and coordinate a circle in Toronto, please count me in. I’ll also be available for any help you might need for getting together. Just pick up the phone and call me.
Regards
Imran Chaudhry

By: Understanding Pakistan Project Team

Understanding Pakistan Project Team — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 15:42:09 +0000

Come on guys and gals, every change begins with the first step. If we can’t even make ourselves take that step, we have no reason or right to complain about Pakistan’s current political quagmire.

By: Abu Muhammad

Abu Muhammad — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 15:05:55 +0000

Assalamu Alay’kum,

A great idea that has the potential to change the complete intellectual outlook of our country within few years. Congrats and masha’allah.

I am stationed at Lahore. Can’t say at this moment whether I’ll be able to coordinate a study circle due to my unusual job routine. However, visitors of the site from Lahore can contact me on asembuxi at yahoo dot com and we can insha’allah come up with a plan that is feasible to all.

wassalam

By: Understanding Pakistan Project Team

Understanding Pakistan Project Team — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 03:56:41 +0000

To Kick off this initiative, I would like to offer to host or facilitate an Understanding Pakistan Study Circle around the London-Surrey area. I live a miles outside M25 in Guildford and am in Central London a 4-5 times a month. If there is enough interest, we can discuss the possibility of getting together once a month over coffee or tea–Starbucks are an ideal place these days!–to sit down, discuss, and reflect.

Please contact me (athar.osama@gmail.com) to discuss further and/or pin down the logistics. If you want some support in kicking off your own study circle in the area–without my direct involvement–I am happy to do that too.

-Athar Osama - Ed.