Muhammad Shiraz, a young vlogger hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan, became an overnight sensation. His videos went viral in a short span of time, which even earned him a silver button from YouTube. The Vlogs of Shiraz and his sister, Muskaan, garnered more than one million views and received high acclaim. In his videos, Shiraz showcased the beauty of his village and would often raise innocent questions about the impact of climate change. This made him a popular figure among various TV channels who interviewed him.
Internet slowness contributed to Shiraz’s rapid popularity
Shiraz is a vlogger from Siachan, the last village of the Ganche district of Gilgit-Baltistan. He showcases the beautiful scenery of his village and also highlights its problems in his videos. Shiraz’s father is also a vlogger who used to highlight the village’s problems in his vlogs. Shiraz’s vlogs have gained popularity not just in Pakistan but also in India, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, and other countries. People from these countries have liked and commented on his videos, wishing him success. In one of Shiraz’s videos, people noticed that he had to travel miles to upload his videos due to slow internet. To solve this problem, Commander SCO visited Shiraz’s village, met him, gave him gifts, and ensured Shiraz had internet access at his home
Entry into Ramadan Transition
Mohammad Shiraz has recently joined the ‘Ramadan Transmission program on the private channel ‘ARY’ alongside Wasim Badami. While his appearance in the show was a surprise for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, some of them are criticizing the mainstream media for not highlighting the issues of their region but instead focusing on the viral video featuring Lager Shiraz in the transmission.
“Now he will feel bad about his village”
According to senior journalist Shabir Mir from Gilgit-Baltistan, the corporate sector is damaging the innocence of children by inviting them to participate in Ramadan transmissions. Mir believes that Shiraz’s parents should not have taken him to the channel’s request, as Shiraz had already gained international fame and even earned a silver button from YouTube, as well as a considerable amount of money. Mir also worries that when Shiraz returns to his village from the city, his perception of life will be altered by the colorful urban environment, and he may no longer enjoy the simple pleasures of his village.
“If he concentrates on his village, he will benefit more.”
A journalist from Skardu has reported that Shiraz comes from a very underdeveloped area of Gilgit-Baltistan. After seeing his father, Shiraz started vlogging to highlight the struggles of living in an area with no facilities. Shiraz speaks about these issues in broken Urdu, but now the national media is using him for commercial purposes, which is not in his best interest. People appreciate Shiraz because he represents the village life and is passionate about his environment and community. It would benefit him to focus on his life and locality, as everyone focuses on city life. Shiraz has become popular for showcasing village life and his genuine innocence
“His innocence should not be taken away from Shiraz”.
Banker Atif Jamal expressed that Shiraz is an extremely innocent child who has won the hearts of everyone. However, he feels apprehensive about inviting Shiraz as a guest in the Ramadan transmission. He is afraid that the urban environment might tarnish Shiraz’s innocence
“Seeing the culture of others will bring self-confidence.”
On the other hand, journalist Kiran Qasim says that for the first time, a small child from Gilgit-Baltistan has come out of the mountains and gone to the international level. will try more to highlight the problems, learn more, and develop more after going to such a platform. Social worker Noorul Ain says, ‘I am crazy about vlogging in Shiraz, I am any of it. I don’t miss the video and watch Ramadan transmission only because of Shiraz.’
