Discussion Delivered with Jasim Zahid

Hamza Kayani is the CEO and founder of Total Football, the premier football complex in the twin cities, and the COO of Medikay Cardiac Centre, an exclusive cardiac care hospital in Islamabad. Very well known among the football enthusiasts, Hamza's Total Football venture was responsible for revitalizing the playing culture in the twin cities, offering top notch facilities and experiences. We discuss his aim in establishing such a platform, the journey he embarked on developing a sporting facility, which is taken for granted in Pakistan, the lessons he learned, the challenges he faced and the rewards he gained. We also talk about his current work with Medikay, his opinions on Pakistan's healthcare system and the differences between private and public hospitals. 

Wardah Waleed has been playing football for the best part of 12 years, including for the Islamabad Football Association and for the Pakistan women's national football team. We talk about her passion for football, her dream come true of playing for the national team and the experience so far in her football journey. We also discuss the different types of stereotypes girls face just for showing interest in the sport, what can be done to improve the game through internal and external means, the talented girls in the national camps, her views on inclusivity within the sport, equal pay and the current fortunes of her favorite football club Chelsea.

Fatima Amjad is a former associate producer for the Geo television talk show "Naya Pakistan" and now the social media producer at Arab News. In this episode we discuss everything about the work that's put in behind the scenes of a renowned news network channel. Fatima talks about her experience working in Geo Television Islamabad, her daily duties and routines, finding stories to produce shows and scripts, whether networks push forward certain agendas or stay impartial and what it's like working in an environment that is male dominated.

Qazi Wahaj is always up for an extravagant challenge, be it jumping over fish ponds, jumping in a dam to save a guy, picking up public sign boards or faulty traffic lights. He is also one of the brains behind the small cozy dhaba in I-8 markaz Islamabad, where he wants people of all ages to come, sit, enjoy the greatest tea in the city and have meaningful discussions about social economic welfare, development and other important topics... with him. In this episode we talk about "Dhaba-e-Qaum," why he launched it and the experience so far, as well as his other ventures, such as his family-owned solar panel distribution company and his production house Markhor Productions. We also talk about what's it like being a father of two girls, the joys, pleasures and challenges of fatherhood, how that has made him more responsible and shun the rebellious lifestyle he used to embark on in his early teens and 20s. 

Syed Hasan Bokhari is a Barrister of law and this episode is all about litigation, regulation, interpretation and legal implementation. Bokhari and I studied together at school and it was awesome to reconnect after such a long time, as we talked about his early days studying law, why he wanted to get into this profession, what is life like being a lawyer, some of the stereotypes associated with the job, how law is practiced in Pakistan, some of the strange cases he has taken on, how his "Feed the World" initiative launched and whether or not there is a real life Harvey Spector. 

Kinza Raheel went viral in late 2019 after a collaboration video with Drew Binsky about a Pakistani girl who travelled to over 30 countries, lived in almost 7 and is always on the go. Currently, Kinza is based in Berlin, Germany where she is working and living independently. We talk about all things related to international travel, how COVID-19 has impacted her neck of the woods, how transformational traveling is, differences between traveling with friends and family, the different cultures and people she's been exposed to, the experience so far and her Instagram profile "Kinzionthego" where she gives advice to travel enthusiasts about budgeting, sightseeing and other tips. 

Uloomi Karim Shaheen has been involved in combat training and fighting for over a decade now, with mixed martial arts his true love and passion. Despite not wanting to end up in a fight with this guy, you will definitely want to have a conversation with him given the chill and cool individual he is. We discuss everything related to MMA in this episode, as Uloomi shares his experience on his journey so far, why he wanted to pursue fighting full time, training and helping others, the lessons he's learned, the amazing work that his gym "Fight Fortress" is doing in developing talent and promoting the sport in Pakistan, the business and sponsorship side of MMA and his sister Anita Karim, the country's first female fight athlete. 

Usama Javed is the founder and CEO of Saving 9, a social enterprise that empowers and teaches people how to save lives through first aid training, providing ambulance services and spreading mental health literacy in Pakistan. Usama is such an erudite and unique individual, with a higher education in physics and curriculum building. We discuss his journey, including why he wanted to launch Saving 9, the personal gratification of helping others in desperate need on a daily basis, and the various challenges associated with pursuing entrepreneurial objectives. We also talk about his roles in the education sector, at school and university level, collaborating with other teachers in developing curriculums of diversity and depth, the importance of implementing proper mental health services and the humanitarian side of entrepreneurship. 

Amna Baig is the Assistant Superintendent of Police with the police service of Pakistan and she is the latest guest on the podcast to talk about her experience and four-year journey as a female law enforcement officer in the country. The topics we discuss include her passion to join the police, the crazy and stressful cases she takes on a regular basis, the surprisingly nonexistent gender discrimination in the force, why she encourages more women to take up similar posts as hers, being a role model and having an accessible and responsible social media presence, making police stations more inclusive, how she unwinds from work and practical plans for women to report harassment cases more easily. 

Fizza Bangash is another very close and dear friend of mine. We studied together at NUST and were part of a group of friends that went out of our ways to make each other happy, lift each other up on bad days and write long-ass birthday dedications. In this episode, we discuss that "ride or die" time, talk generally about what friendship and family mean, the simpler and fun times of the 90s, Fizza's views on the societal and cultural evolution in Pakistan, her love for Urdu literature, what we can do to maintain our heritage, and her deep deep appreciation for the legendary Abdul Sattar Edhi.

Hamza Baig and I have watched countless movies together in the cinema. Whether its big blockbusters, horror movies, or artistic, small indie films, we always make a plan to see it on opening day. So when the theaters here in Pakistan FINALLY got the green light to reopen and Christopher Nolan's Tenet was the movie to welcome everyone back, there was nothing that was gonna stop us to watch it. But.. my experience viewing the film was extremely underwhelming, because... I did not understand a single thing in it! Hamza has watched it three times since it released, so I brought him on the podcast to dissect some of the complicated and important plots of the film. We also talk about Nolan's previous movies, our favorite actors and shows, Hamza's acting and directing gigs in the independent scene, and his work at NUST, where he introduced the subject of virtual reality film making, something that is not very common in university film education in the country. 

Sophia Mansoori is one of my oldest most close friends and it was so "therapeutic" to have her come on the show and discuss several topics in a frank and honest manner. Sophie, as everyone loves to call her, has been living away from her family for the majority of the last 10 years, first studying and then working in Islamabad. We discuss what that is like for her, how difficult it is for women to live independently to pursue careers and goals, how societal pressure for getting married overshadow's a woman's accomplishments, the differences and similarities between Lahore and Islamabad, Sophie's lifestyle choices and her interesting taste in and passion for music. 

Shahrukh Sohail is a sports management professional and entrepreneur with an everlasting dream of seeing the Pakistan national football team participating in a FIFA World Cup tournament, and he will not rest until it happens, no matter how long it takes. This episode is for all the football enthusiasts and fanatics in Pakistan, where we discuss the main challenges facing the beautiful game in our country, how a revamp of a professional league will go some way in bridging gaps, the importance of sponsors, the talented players, how organizations like Leisure Leagues are promoting the sport in Pakistan and why football is the number one game in Islamabad.

We're cooking up quite a storm with Chef Awwab Awan on all things related to the food industry, through the eyes of a man who loves to cook for family, friends and the public. Awwab and I have known each other since we were kids at Headstart School, so I have deep admiration and respect for him pursuing his passion as a full-time job. In this episode, we discuss about his educational and early working experience in Malaysia, returning to Pakistan with a chip on the shoulder, struggling at first, but then slowly making his mark in the industry. The challenges of being a chef, the scope for his profession locally and starting a new business are some of the other things we talk about and you don't wanna miss it. 

After traveling to all places such as Gilgit, Hunza, Astore and Nanga Parbat in the north to the most untapped and underrated areas in the south, Haris Bin Saqib's next destination was the Discussion Delivered podcast. A man with rich travel experience and knowledge, Haris' dream to start his own tour company become a reality nine years ago with Destinations Unlimited. In this episode, we talk about his passion for traveling, creating memories for himself and for thousands of others, the state of tourism in Pakistan, how Destinations Unlimited works on a technical level, and his humanitarian efforts in helping the unfortunate deal with COVID-19 during the lockdown period. 

On the very first episode of Discussion Delivered, I'm talking to Ahsan Mahmood, a documentary film director and cinematographer. A very chill and extremely talented individual, Ahsan was the perfect guy to discuss the independent scene here in Pakistan and his journey of making documentaries and ad films. Among the things we talk about is the need to create a functional ecosystem for graduates and aspiring filmmakers, his experience of studying in Europe and the business side of film that is unfortunately not taught in local universities.