The young boys I speak with say to me: Why would I want to live in this world - where they rely on charity, dry pieces of bread and water, where they are subjected to harsh treatment, when they can be free and be the envy of their colleagues in the afterlife. They are only too eager to sign on the dotted line and join the ranks of the Taliban.
Sharmeen Obaid-ChinoyPakistan destroyed its own reputation. If anything, I have improved Pakistan's image.
Sharmeen Obaid-ChinoyI want people to leave the theater with a greater understanding of the rich cultural heritage of Pakistan. "Song of Lahore" moves beyond headlines and stereotypes and shows that a vast majority of Pakistanis are not perpetrators of religious violence - they are victims of it. The beautiful cultural heritage of the region belies its image in the West as monolithically religious, intolerant, and violent.
Sharmeen Obaid-ChinoyWorking in any country where you want to talk about the kind of issues that other people don't want to talk about is difficult.
Sharmeen Obaid-ChinoyIn December 2011, I will be opening up my production house, Sharmeen Obaid Films, and aspire to change the way Pakistanis approach nonfiction storytelling. There are thousands of stories to be found here.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy