For more than half a century J.R.R. Tolkien's classics 'Rings' trilogy sat on the shelves, un-read and catching dust, till Peter Jackson wandered into its middle world. He read it and then read it, again and again, conjuring up a world of fantasy he was searching for all his years in film-making.
It took him seven years to bring to life this epic-- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King". His monumental work brought the film 11 Oscars, rivaled only by Ben Hur and Titanic. For the television buffs in Pakistan, set against the backdrop of prevailing gloom, the Oscar ceremony was a fun bonanza, celebrated at special Oscar watching dinners.
The TV coverage of presidential election race in the United States a few days later culminating in the Super Tuesday nomination of John Kerry as the Democrat presidential candidate offered another big event provoking equally keen interest of Pakistanis in American politics. Will the incumbent George Bush lose out to Kerry or keep his office, is bound to trigger lot of interest in Pakistan, both in the official quarters and gossip of the layman. Since war is the basic staple of news channels, particularly in the West, the evolving situation in the Caribbean state of Haiti was extensively reported by the CNN. But it did not engage the television interest in this part of thew world, although there are lessons in the events there that should be learnt.
In keeping with the sanctity of Muharram the Pakistan-based television networks were expected to subdue the entertainment programmes. And that was there. Almost all these channels presented religious programmes, mainly the narration of events leading to the tragedy of Kerbala. But the bombing in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Kerbala and in Quetta resulting in the massacre of hundreds of people overshadowed the coverage of the Muharram congregations and processions. But, surely the traditional melancholic atmosphere that was the order of the day on television in Pakistan in the past seems to be fading out. Plethora of TV networks beamed from across the globe to a limited number of audiences in Pakistan tends to dilute the intensity of sentiments attached to these religious programmes.
In an ARY interview former interior minister Naseerullah Babar expressed his views about the Afghanistan situation. He is generally considered the man who brought the Taliban phenomenon into existence. He said Afghanistan is awash with weapons and "there would be no shortage of weapons in that country in the next hundred years". In 1994, just a fortnight before the appearance of the student militia on the scene, Babar led a diplomatic mission to Herat in the western Afghanistan and then to Kandahar. Did he and his companions including the ambassadors of US, Japan, Britain, China and Spain, know that the Taliban were fast emerging as the future rulers.
Away from the humdrum of war and peace and arenas of politics is the world of wildlife, currently being aired by National Geographic and Animal Planet. The programmes offers insight into the life of other inhabitants of this planet, whose life is under threat by man. As one watches these programmes one understands the meanings of tolerance, sharing and co-existence. Unfortunately the Pakistani networks have yet to offer a programme on the wildlife worth watching, although we all know life without the birds, animals and pants would be empty. Politics, religion, and drama are all that the national networks cover, but that is not enough. They should film the wildlife of Pakistan, which is tremendously exciting and filled with thrill.
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