The Express Tribune Magazine - April 17

APRIL 17-23 2011

Welcome to the Jungle Unravelling the tangled web of Karachi’s target killings

FEATURE

REVIEWS

COMMENT

PEOPLE

THE HATER

APRIL 17-23 2011

Cover Story 22 Welcome to the Jungle Unravelling the tangled web of target killings

Portfolio 34 Dekh meray shehr ko A pictorial journey through the City of Lights

Feature 40 Amplify this Face to face with the ‘amplifier’ man himself

Fired Up With Frieha 46 The Stalker Fighting off the ‘frandshippers’

Politically Incorrect

34

44 Cricket Critic Empty vessels do make the most noise

Regulars 6 People & Parties: Out and about with Pakistan’s beautiful people 48 Reviews: What’s new in film 52 Horoscope: Shelley von Strunckel on your week ahead 54 Ten Things I Hate About: adulthood

22

40

4

Editor: Zarrar Khuhro. Sub-Editors: Batool Zehra, Hamna Zubair Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Anam Haleem, Tariq Alvi, S Asif Ali, Samad Siddiqui, Sukayna Sadik Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Executive Editor: Muhammad Ziauddin. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi.

For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Tara Uzra Dawood held a “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” tea-party.

Maira Maryam and Saba

Sanober Moorad

Samia Jaffer, Khadija Hashmi and Emane Haque

Tasnim Darbar bib and Kamila Ha

6 APRIL 17-23 2011

Shelley Pirzada

Humaira Hayat, Shanaz Ramzi and Anila Weldon

APRIL 17-23 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Sameera Merchant and Saman Shamsie

Sheema Kermani and T U Dawood

Yasmin Khurram

Neshmia Ahmed

Pomme Gohar, Ainee Shezad and Seema Suleman Nilofer Saeed and Seemi Tapal

8 APRIL 17-23 2011

APRIL 17-23 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Turkish Rally Queen Burcu Cetinkaya came to Pakistan on a 10-day tour.

an, and Natty Ali, Burcu, Naum

At the Naval Complex in Karachi

PHOTOS: YASIR NISAR

Burcu with Maha

Nauman and Nomi

10 APRIL 17-23 2011

Burcu with a host morning show

Families at the Karachi Autocross

APRIL 17-23 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

HSY launched it’s first print collection across the country.

and Waleed Deena, Maria

Iffat Umer

PHOTOS COURTESY LOTUS

Aasma Mumtaz, Tahir Saeed and Maria

az Sana and Safin

12 APRIL 17-23 2011

y and Adnan Pardes em le Sa a dh War

Anila Shah and Nuscie Jamil

APRIL 17-23 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

in Hassan Sheheryar Yas with his mother

Zara Shahjahan and Jania

Alizeh Khalid & Munezee Khalid

Tara Mehmood

Fayezah Ansari, Hassan Sheheryar Yasin and Mohsin Sayeed

14 APRIL 17-23 2011

Nabeel and Aasifa

APRIL 17-23 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Jimmy Khan, launched his debut single ‘Pehla Pyar’ at an intimate preview at Cosa Nostra in Lahore.

nam Tubah and Mah

Ali Zafar and Ayesha Fazli

er and Shehrbano Tase Asma Khan

16 APRIL 17-23 2011

hman

Shireen Re

Mahvish Waqar and Sarah Waqar

PHOTOS: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS AND USMAN NADEEM

Ali and Bonnie Sibtain Fazli

APRIL 17-23 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Meesha Shafi and Mahmood Rahman

Ayesha Noon

Taimoor and Zofeen

Ali Sher

Selina, Tubby and Rizwan

18 APRIL 17-23 2011

Natasha Saigol

APRIL 17-23 2011

APRIL 17-23 2011

APRIL 17-23 2011

COVER STORY

welcome lence difficult, if not impossible.

“So is it a lost battle you are fighting?” I ask.

“No!” retorts Nasrullah, who battles target killing on a daily

There is no one reason behind Karachi’s seemingly endless spates of target killing, nore are there any quick fixes

BY SABIN AGHA PHOTOS: ATHAR HUSSAIN AND ATHAR KHAN

“Target killers are conspiring to make Karachi a no-go area,” says Nasrullah Khan, Station House Officer of Mauripur Police Station in the teeming, multiethnic metropolis of Karachi.

It is a sentiment that many of Karachi’s residents share. The

city of lights seems more like a jungle full of predators: extortionists, drug lords, weapon dealers, the land mafia…the list goes

on. These criminals jealously guard their turf and have allegedly formed links with political parties, making controlling the vio-

basis and has himself survived numerous shootouts. “The police is combating crime efficiently,” he claims, “which is evident

from the numerous arrests and the seizure of illegal arms, the courts are overflowing with trials and the jails are overcrowded

with all the people we have arrested.” The statistics Nasrullah offers in support of his claim are impressive, but there are other numbers as well, and they tell a different story.

The official police website lists the numbers of target killings

for the month of March as 135. That’s twenty more than January, when ‘only’105 people were killed. According to the Human

Rights Commission of Pakistan, target killings in the city have risen by 175 per cent from 2009 to 2010. Last year 748 people lost

their lives on the violent streets of Karachi. Only 447 of them were political activists.

The causes of this violence are many: political rivalry, sectar-

ian tension, ethnic hatred, and a bloody scramble to get a bigger

to the

e l g n ju

slice of a multi-billion rupee pie.

step. Though he accepts that Karachi’s situation is “complex”, he

battle for drugs, for weapons, for confiscation of land, for extor-

litical dominance by both the MQM and his own party. The ANP

“This is indeed a turf war,” says Nasrullah Khan. “There is a

tion, for dominance — ultimately it’s a battle to own Karachi.”

Politics by other means The political dimension is, of course, undeniable. The Mutta-

rejects the view that the violence is because of the desire for pochief says that “elements” intending to destabilise the city were

feeding on political strife and that neither the MQM nor the ANP were solely responsible for target killing.

Significantly, Wali believes it was the May12th carnage that

hida Qaumi Movement and the Awami National Party share the

changed the political dynamics of the city. Post-May 12th, Kara-

Party. This means that they also share the responsibility of gov-

is an assumption that many analysts agree with: May 12th sent

coalition government in Sindh with the ruling Pakistan Peoples

ernance and maintenance of law and order. Unfortunately, the political tensions and recurring wars of words between these coalition partners very often lead to a surge in violence in Karachi.

At an informal gathering at Mardan House in Karachi, I met

ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan. This imposing Pashtun minced

chi has become far more polarised and vulnerable, says Wali. It

a signal to political parties to strengthen their militant wings or find themselves on the receiving end of political violence. Very

often, party workers chose to arm themselves or align with ‘sympathetic’ criminal groups for protection.

When asked to explain the criminal-political nexus, the pos-

no words about the situation in Karachi, saying that no single

session of weapons and the “settling of scores” in the lower tiers

sised that the Pashtun presence in Karachi was a reality, as was

Minister Zulfiqar Mirza’s presence, dramatically announcing

political party should be allowed to dominate the city. He emphathe existence of other ethnicities.

However, Wali seems reluctant to lay blame at any one door-

of each political party, Wali took advantage of then Sindh Home that he had allowed Mirza to arrest anyone from the ANP who was found involved in target killings.

COVER STORY Though they are often at daggers drawn, the ANP and MQM

now apparently seem to be in agreement that peaceful co-existence is the solution to Karachi’s problems. Sindh’s former advi-

sor on Home Affairs Waseem Akhter, during his recent visit to

Karachi, told me that the notion that every Pashtoon involved in criminal activities was an activist of the ANP and that every Urdu-speaking criminal was affiliated with the MQM, should be dispelled.

Unholy alliances That may be the official stance, but the situation on the ground is somewhat different. The ‘unofficial’ affiliations of these crim-

inals with the three major parties — the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) and the Awami

National Party (ANP) — which form the coalition government in Sindh, reinforce the criminal gangs. Police officials and analysts

will privately tell you that this is a give and take relationship:

the parties turn to these criminals when they need street pow-

er and weapons, and in turn the criminals demand protection

when the noose tightens around them. These links do not even have to happen on a higher level. Very often it is the local party organisations that create the links, without the consent or even

knowledge of the party leadership. But regardless of at what level

the links are made, this nexus is very much to the advantage of the criminals.

The arrest of Ajmal Pahari in late March was a real feather in

the cap of the Crime Investigation department (CID). Pahari —

whose real name is Shahnawaz — was wanted in over 100 murders, and was allegedly involved in extortion and land-grabbing as well as murder.

But this was the second time that Pahari had been arrested.

The notorious criminal was first charged with politically motivated killings across Karachi in 2000, but he was acquitted on all counts and walked free in 2005. Police claim that since then he has butchered over 50 more people.

A high-ranking police official I spoke with admitted, on con-

dition of anonymity, that Pahari’s political affiliations served as a protective net for him, “The law in Pakistan resembles a spider’s web, spun to catch only small prey, but too flimsy for the big quarry.”

When elephants fight…it is the grass that gets trampled Whatever the motive behind target killing, it is the average citizen who pays the price. Ordinary Karachiites are targeted for their ethnicity, their sect, their politics...and sometimes, just for being

in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s exactly what hap-

pened with 19-year-old Imran Hussain Katchi, a resident of Lyari.

24

The sole breadwinner of the family and the apple of his mother’s

eye, Imran was caught in the crossfire when an argument beAPRIL 17-23 2011

A high-ranking police official I spoke with admitted, on condition of anonymity, that Pahari’s political affiliations served as a protective net for him, “The law in Pakistan resembles a spider’s web, spun to catch only small prey, but too flimsy for the big quarry.”

TARGET KILLINGS - YEARS 2008 TO 2011 300

OTHERS

250

SSP

200

ANP 150 PPP 100

MQM-A

50

0

MQM-H SOURCE: HRCP

2008

2009

2010

25

2011 APRIL 17-23 2011

COVER STORY tween rival gangs over erecting barriers erupted into violence.

a victim of gang wars myself. My father was abducted in front

of the People’s Aman Committee (PAC) are responsible for the

Jahanabad in a sack. When I pursued his case, I was implicated

Imran’s father says he know exactly who to blame. “The thugs

murder of Imran,” declares a distraught Hussain Katchi. “These extortionists and murderers have made our lives miserable and

the government supports them. When I went to the police to reg-

ister Imran’s case, my brother, son and nephew were implicated in counter FIRs. The Katchi community is fed-up of the PAC and

has decided to gang up against them under the banner of the Katchi Rabta Committee.”

He shows me the KRC’s office in Lyari, the exterior of which is

riddled with bullet marks. I’m also shown an extortion slip with a name, cell number and the figure of Rs. 1000 inscribed on it.

These slips not only make the rounds in Lyari but also in other ar-

eas of the city including the Shershah Market and SITE. Refusal to pay in cash or kind means that you will likely pay with your

of my eyes, some fifteen years ago. His dead body was found in in false cases including murders. I courted arrest in 2006 and after serving two years in jail, I initiated the People’s Aman Committee in Lyari. I am a social activist and the Aman Committee

is a social welfare outfit,” claims Baloch. He says that he is a follower of Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch aka Rehman Dakait.

Often called the Robin Hood of Lyari, Rehman Dakait was a controversial figure who inspired both terror and reverence in equal

measure. After he was killed in a police ‘encounter’, thousands

of Lyari residents turned out for his funeral. Uzair Baloch says he is simply offering the residents of Lyari what Rehman Dakait once did, and what the public representatives of PPP never have: a better life.

To back up his claims, Uzair Baloch shows me three applica-

life instead.

tions from the residents of Lyari. One is a request for payment

Robbers or robin hoods?

for monetary help due to lack of income and the absence of a

The People’s Aman Committee is not only a thorn in the side

of the Katchi community, it also upsets the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. When the former Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza proclaimed that the PAC was a sister organisation of the

PPP, the MQM protested by boycotting the proceedings in the Senate, National Assembly and Sindh Assembly. “The PAC is notorious for engaging in gang wars,” claimed the MQM’s Raza Haroon.”While the MQM has never supported terrorists, the PAC is involved in extortion, kidnapping and target killings.”

of a student’s school fees in Australia, the other two also ask breadwinner. Baloch claims he took care of all three applications. While touring Lyari with Uzair Baloch and his battalion

of heavily-armed guards, I ponder over the reasons behind his larger-than-life image for the residents. Though he is accused of

being a criminal, Baloch is received by men, women, children and elderly alike with seemingly genuine enthusiasm. “You have showed up after so many days, I missed you, my son,” says an elderly woman as she kisses Baloch on his forehead.

Years of administrative neglect have left Lyari so impoverished

In what has become a frequent damage control exercise, the

that it is not surprising that people find their heroes and saviours

now Zulfiqar Mirza himself has been sent packing, apparently as

a peaceful area but after General Musharraf’s takeover, we were

PPP saved the coalition by officially disbanding the PAC. And a result of his animosity with the MQM.

Uzair Jan Baloch, chief of the now-defunct People’s Aman

Committee, refutes the allegations leveled against him. “I am

26 APRIL 17-23 2011

in people like Uzair Baloch or Rehman Dakait. “Lyari used to be

systematically targeted and pushed to the wall. Lyari would only

rattle with gun shots. The police operation in 2004 was also partisan, leaving us with nothing but dead bodies” says Uzair Baloch,

But when the Pakistan Army began pounding the militant hideouts in the north and successfully took over lost territory, another kind of refugee started to flee to the city.

Extremists and militants, many affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, sought safe havens in Karachi. Some of them settled in Orangi town A Different Kind Of Target

BY SALMAN SIDDIQI Orangi town. The name of this neighborhood is associated

to face with the same extremists who had forced them from their homes, they felt they had no option but to kill them off,” Waris said.

Member of National Assembly Muzaferul Mulk who won the

with ethnic strife, crime and target killing. Over the years, the

elections on the ANP ticket from Swat says the reaction one

witnessed political, ethnic and sectarian violence alike.

over our hometowns, many people who didn’t side with the

million plus lower-middle class inhabitants of this area have These days, however, a totally different kind of target-killing

is being observed in Orangi.

The Superintendent Police of Orangi, Khurram Waris, says

that at least a dozen murder cases have surfaced, where victims

hailing from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were being shot dead not

by activists of political parties, but by the people residing in the

now sees in Karachi is only ‘natural’. “When the Taliban took extremists couldn’t do anything when their houses were burnt down,” says Mulk. “But now the tables have turned and this

time, no matter where the Taliban go — whether it is Karachi or any other city — the people won’t

leave them alive if they get their hands on them.”

When asked whether people who were forced to leave their

neighborhoods themselves.

homes in the north because of the extremists feared repercus-

ing Mohajirs, Beharis and Punjabis. However, the town saw

militants in Karachi, Mulk said that it was a matter of tribal

Orangi houses people from all ethnic backgrounds, includ-

a huge surge in its Pashtun population when people from the northern areas fled their homes after the Taliban took over.

“Thousands from Swat poured into Karachi and settled in

Orangi,” says Waris.

sions from law enforcers for settling scores and murdering

codes and honour. “Taking revenge is part of the culture. And why wouldn’t it be? How can anyone let any criminal who has murdered their brothers or father live?”

Strangely enough, the situation seems to suit the law en-

But when the Pakistan Army began pounding the militant

forcement agencies and security services operating in Karachi

another kind of refugee started to flee to the city. Extremists

not all, potentially dangerous and armed extremists. This sup-

hideouts in the north and successfully took over lost territory,

and militants, many affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Paki-

stan, sought safe havens in Karachi. Some of them settled in Orangi town.

“When the people who fled because of the Taliban came face

who see the backlash as an opportunity to get rid of some, if

position is strengthened by the fact that in almost all of the dozen murder cases cited by the police officer in Orangi, the First Information Report for such target killings always only mention ‘unknown’ killers. a

27 APRIL 17-23 2011

COVER STORY as he recalls the operation that was launched in Lyari.

men deployed for their protection, the policeman to VVIP ratio

nal activities. “Since the PPP has taken over in 2008, the people

power in one day,” was Mirza’s response to my question during

Baloch shrugs off all inquiries about his involvement in crimi-

of Lyari have heaved a sigh of relief. We are striving to make Lyari

livable. I am not running an extortion ring. On the contrary, I have personally caught many extortionists and target killers redhanded and handed them over to the police. I am making an effort to establish peace here,” claims Baloch.

When I ask him to clarify his position on the allegations lev-

elled against him by the MQM and KRC, Baloch smiles and says,

his first press conference after assuming office. “I am pursuing a one-point agenda, though — to apprehend target killers and bring them to justice.”

Mirza says that the Crime Investigation Department is tasked

with chasing target killers and extortionists. But though arrests have been made, dead bodies still keep turning up.

The clear up rate for violent crimes in Karachi is also not satis-

“You know that they are politically motivated”.

factory because of the sluggish judicial process. The police and

A melting pot for militants

before the court. Nine target killing suspects, despite their con-

The police official I spoke with admitted that the armed wings

of political parties are engaged in a bloody turf war to establish

their hold in Karachi. But they aren’t the only ones with a stake in Karachi. When I inquired about the nexus of religious extremists and criminal mafias taking advantage of the situation in Karachi, the official did not rule out the possibility.

“Karachi is a mega city and a commercial hub, generating bil-

lions of rupees in revenue. It definitely provides sanctuary to out-

prosecution lack the ability to produce evidence or witnesses fession of involvement in the Shershah scrap market carnage in October last year, in which 13 shopkeepers were killed by indis-

criminate firing, were acquitted by the court because of a lack of evidence and witness testimony. The SHC has now ordered the

counsel and the petitioner to include the names of the acquitted men as respondents in the title of the petition so that they are issued notices and then a verdict can be reached

laws, who are hell-bent on destabilising the city so that they can

Nature abhors a vacuum

and Orangi have become safe havens for Taliban renegades,

each others’ mandate is challenging Karachi’s peace. So long as po-

continue their activities unchecked. Lately, the towns of Gadap

Bad governance and the political coalition partners’ disrespect for

many of whom are simply hired mercenaries.

litical parties feel the need to maintain militant wings and ally them-

The Anti-Extremist Cell and Counter Terrorism Units of the Crime

Investigation Department are effectively hunting them down,” says the official. Indeed, the CID recently arrested two alleged TTP militants

from Sohrab Goth who were engaged in collecting extortion money from people who hailed from the Mohmand agency and were working in Karachi’s Pashtun-dominated transport business. CID (Opera-

tions) SSP Fayyaz Khan says that along with extortion, they were also involved in target killings, kidnapping for ransom, robberies and other

selves with criminals, the slightest spark will continue to set this city ablaze. The law enforcement agencies themselves suffer from en-

demic lawlessness and rampant corruption. On top of it, the police have lost credibility as it is perceived to be highly politicised. While the Paramilitary Rangers have shared the responsibility of maintaining the law with the police in Karachi for almost two decades now, even their performance has been sub-par.

The void left by the failure of law enforcing agencies, and the en-

heinous crimes. Coming just a few months after the arrests of two oth-

during insecurity of political parties offers space to criminal gangs to

yet another sign of just how many groups with different agendas are

they do. When the state abdicates its duties, others rise to fill the gap.

er alleged TTP militants and a member of the Laskhar-i-Jhangvi, it was operating in this city.

Of police paucity and judicial jams The buck of maintaining law and order in Karachi has now passed on to Saud Mirza, the new head of the Karachi Police. Amidst this

cycle of violence and police failure it is ironic that the slot of Ka-

rachi’s top cop has become a revolving door. The man on the top keeps changing, but the situation on the ground stays the same.

The official police website says that the sanctioned strength

of police in Karachi is 28, 964, out of which the current working strength stands at 26, 873. According to these figures, with

an estimated population of 18 million, this means there is one

30

is considerably better. “We cannot overcome a shortage of man-

policeman for every 670 number of citizens. Unless that citizen

happens to be a VVIP, of course; with approximately 5000 policeAPRIL 17-23 2011

penetrate into the system, gaining a kind of credibility and support as

Nature abhors a vacuum after all, and in such a vacuum, only the law of the jungle can prevail. a

When Raza Haider was murdered at a mosque in Nazimabad in Aug 2010, more than 50 people, mostly Pashtuns, were killed in the aftermath even though Interior minister Rehman Malik had clearly pointed out that the senior MQM leader had been receiving threats from extremist groups, specifically the anti-Shia SSP and its splinter group, the notorious Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Gray Areas

BY SALMAN SIDDIQUI We tend to divide victims of target killing into neat categories: X was killed due to his ethnicity, Y was killed due to his sect. However, reality tends to be a lot more complicated.

Emerging trends in target killings in Karachi point towards

an increasing overlap in political and sectarian violence. The city’s biggest and most powerful political party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement(MQM-A), says it is being targeted not

only by militias with links to its rival mainstream political

be cautious in their movements,” says Jalil, before going on to request me not to name the individuals who were being threatened.

When Raza Haider was murdered at a mosque in Naz-

imabad in Aug 2010, more than 50 people, mostly Pashtuns,

were killed in the aftermath even though Interior minister Rehman Malik had clearly pointed out that the senior MQM

leader had been receiving threats from extremist groups, specifically the anti-Shia SSP and its splinter group, the notorious Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ).

A notorious group of LeJ militants led by Waseem Barodi

parties, but also by anti-Shia militant groups. On the other

were eventually nabbed by the authorities from Orangi town

stan (SSP) claim that their workers are being targeted in Kara-

was himself elected to the Sindh Assembly seat from Orangi.

hand, proscribed organisations like the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakichi in record numbers by groups backed by some individuals with links to mainstream political parties.

A common misperception about target killings is that they

last year, and were was charged with Haider’s murder. Haider Wasay says the party is satisfied with the arrests made by the authorities and believes that the right people were caught.

But why would militant groups such as the SSP and LeJ spe-

are all political in nature. For example, when a Muttahida

cifically target Shia members of only the MQM, given that

tional Party (ANP) or the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM-H)

have many workers who belong to that sect?

Qaumi Movement (MQM-A) man gets killed, the Awami Naalmost always gets blamed and vice versa. Many a time, this

other mainstream political parties like the PPP and ANP also

In response to that question, Wasay repeated his stance that

does indeed hold true.

unlike other parties, the MQM as the only one that truly spoke

ings have only gone to show how blurred the dividing lines

singled out.

But reality is seldom black and white and recent target kill-

have become.

out about extremism in the country and was therefore being

Meanwhile, the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) chief Mau-

MQM leader Wasay Jalil says his party is under constant

lana Mohammad Ahmed Ludhianvi has a long list of his own

terrorism and extremism in the country. He said that the day-

claims that over 100 ASWJ workers were murdered in target

threat from extremists since the MQM has been vocal against light murder of MPA Raza Haider in 2010 and the recent slaying of the party’s joint sector in-charge in Nazimabad were

among dozens of other cases where an anti-Shia militant group targeted their members just because they belonged to a

grievances. (ASWJ is the new name for the SSP) Ludhianvi

killing incidents in Karachi last year. (According to police

records, a total of 39 ASWJ have been killed compared with MQM-A’s 122 zorkers since 2008.)

“I want to ask Rehman Malik that if he blames us for Raza

particular religious sect.

Haider’s murder, then who is responsible for the killing of a

death threats from these groups and we have advised them to

ing on to answer his own question. “There is no doubt that the

“Many of our senior leaders and workers continue to receive

hundred of our workers last year?” asks Ludhianvi, before go-

APRIL 17-23 2011

31

COVER STORY

murderers belong to the Shia sect and have taken refuge in the Muttahida Qaumi movement,” he said.

The ASWJ chief said that his organisation was on a war

path with Shia militant groups and Shia religious thought itself.

Referring to the recent busting of the ‘Mehdi force’ mili-

tant group, which operated under the banned Sipah-e-Mo-

hammad, Ludhianvi said that the authorities in Karachi recently nabbed nine suspects involved in the murder of his workers. “Why don’t you ask the authorities where these men get their support from?” he asked, adding that that the

labeling of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan as a terrorist organisation was mere propaganda.

A spokesperson for the ASWJ in Karachi sought to down-

play the comments by his chief. “There are no issues with the MQM. There may be some individual acts, but that

doesn’t mean that it is the official policy of any mainstream political party to target our workers,” he said.

Counterterrorism officials in the police and intelligence

community say they are well aware of the alarming situation. A senior official, who did not wish to be named, said

that he felt that the waters were being tested for another bloody round of confrontation this year since neither side was ready to step back. a

32 APRIL 17-23 2011

Qasim and Rehman were both residents of Shah Baig Lane in UC-6 of Lyari and worked in different shops in Saddar’s Bohra Pir market. Neither of them was affiliated with any political party nor were they related to anyone who belonged to one. Yet they were picked up and killed, their bodies dumped on Akbar Road near Radio Pakistan.

“They shot him five times: one bullet pierced his eye, one his temple, one passed through his neck and two more shots were fired on his knees,” says Qasim’s uncle, Yar Mohammad. “Why would they kill him so brutally?

What was my nephew’s fault?”

Aftermath

BY AROOSA MASROOR The Shershah massacre sent Karachi into another spiral of violence.

The perpetrators remain unpunished, and the sorrow of those who lost loved ones in the slaughter remains undiminished. Here are the stories of those who suffered in the aftermath of the killings.

Mohammad Yousuf was looking forward to October 19, 2010.

After months of searching for a job, the 18-year-old had finally

been employed at a soap factory in SITE town and it was his first day at work as a daily wage earner. But as he returned to his home in Lyari with his first pay of Rs150 in his pocket, You-

fault? His daily routine was going to his shop at 11:00 am and

returning home at 7:00 pm. He would just go to the mosque to say his prayers. He was a shy 17-year-old. What could he have done at this age to deserve such a death?”

Qasim and Rehman’s family are also bitter that none of the

sitting ministers paid a condolence visit or offered any compensation. “We have always been loyal to the PPP, but where

are their leaders when we need them? If they were too busy to visit, couldn’t they send a condolence message like they send

out those useless press statements every day to the media?” Rozatun asks.

However, for the likes of Qasim, their daily bread and butter

suf was kidnapped by unidentified men. Tortured for days, he

matters more than petty politics. But his brief experience with

“I was standing at the bus stop when two men in a hi-roof

leaving his family of eight members with no food on the table.

is now too traumatised to return to work now.

truck kidnapped me and two other Pakhtun men,” narrates

the kidnappers has left him too traumatised to resume work, “My dark complexion, this Afro-textured curly hair, is an in-

the young Baloch. “They pushed us in and blindfolded us. We

stant proof of my Baloch identity,” he says, staring hard at the

room where the men tortured us. They kept beating us until

the Shershah incident they will kill me… like my neighbour.”

didn’t know where we were being taken but landed up in a

we told them where we lived and which party we belonged to.”

At first, Yousuf attempted to lie, saying that he was a resi-

dent of the Gul Bai mohallah nearby, but the men beat him until he told them that he lived in Lyari. On learning that he had

no affiliation with any political party, the kidnappers dropped

floor. “I was lucky they only tortured me this time. Now after “I don’t have the heart to see my son’s dead body,” says moth-

er who dreads that he could be the next victim of target killings in the city. “Pakistan is now turning into a qabristan…this needs to stop. We can’t bury more innocents.” a

him near the Government College of Technology in SITE Town.

Stories Behind The Statistics

he says.

Qurban, an Urdu-speaking office worker was returning home

family received his dead body in the middle of the night in a

throw away from Qasba Colony.

“I don’t know what happened to the other two men though,”

BY IRFAN ALIGI

Yousuf’s neighbour, Abdur Rehman, was not as lucky. His

from work when he was shot dead near Kati Pahari, a stone’s

police van because ambulances refused to enter Lyari. The

His three-year old daughter, Aqsa still believes that her fa-

neighbourhood is generally notorious for its gangsters but, on

ther will return home.

than 12 men had been gunned down in the Sher Shah scrap

to stay at the workplace. When he completes his work, my

a group of Baloch men, mostly from the People’s Aman Com-

And yes, a doll too.”

October 19 the police were particularly cautious because more

market. Rumours circulated that the attack was carried out by mittee, based in Lyari Town. The attack led to unrest in the entire city followed by a shutter-down strike the following day.

“My mother has told me that his boss has asked my father

father will come home and buy me candies and new clothes.

Shahid, a vegetable vendor in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, had been sick

“Why are they after us? What have we done to deserve this?”

for many days. With his family going hungry, he finally forced

with Rehman. Qasim and Rehman were both residents of

“When he was on his way to the vegetable market, some un-

asks Rozatun, whose son Mohammad Qasim was killed along

himself to go out with his push cart to earn some money.

Shah Baig Lane in UC-6 of Lyari and worked in different shops

identified armed men picked him up and took him to an un-

with any political party nor were they related to anyone who

was found by Chhipa.”

in Saddar’s Bohra Pir market. Neither of them was affiliated

belonged to one. Yet they were picked up and killed, their bod-

known place,” says his friend, Shadab. “Later, his dead body

Shahid, who was not affiliated with any political party,

ies dumped on Akbar Road near Radio Pakistan.

leaves behind four children, elderly parents and a wife. Ac-

his temple, one passed through his neck and two more shots

a part of any political party. “The government did not offer

“They shot him five times: one bullet pierced his eye, one

were fired on his knees,” says Qasim’s uncle, Yar Mohammad.

“Why would they kill him so brutally? What was my nephew’s

cording to his wife, Shahid was ignored because he was not us any compensation,” says his wife. It has been more than a year since he was killed.

33 APRIL 17-23 2011

PORTFOLIO

dekh meray shehr ko PHOTOS & TEXT: RIZWAN QURESHI

(above) The photograph shows fishermen casting lines late into the evening, as this is a quieter time and fish move closer to the shore. Many fishermen have to work long hours to make ends meet, and to put food on the table. As a coastal city, Karachi has a large and active fishing industry that employs thousands of fishermen, and serves as the primary source of sustenance to several such fishermen. Karachi itself grew from a small fishing village just after the Mughal Era, to a vibrant metropolis and Pakistan’s largest city, situated in the southern province of Sindh.

34 APRIL 17-23 2011

(right) Frere hall is one of the historical landmarks of Karachi and a well preserved English building that still remains in relatively mint condition. Frere Hall was built in honour of Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere (1815-1884), who was known for promoting economic development in the city during the British Raj. Out of twelve designs submitted, the one by Lt. Col St. Clair Wilson was chosen and construction started in 1863. It was built at a cost of 180,000 Rupees. It was opened by Samuel Mansfield, the Commissioner of Sindh in 1865. The building is built in the Venetian Gothic style in yellow sandstone which supposedly came from the surrounding hills of Karachi.

Although it’s a public place and was a venue for various types of functions, book exhibtions and family recreation, the US consulate in the neighbourhood turned the vicinity into a security zone, and the public lost all access to Frere Hall. No one was allowed to visit it or even take picture of the hall. Frere Hall currently hosts the Sadquain Art Gallery too, and now that it is open to the public (following the relocation of the consulate to Mai Kolachi), is planned to be used as a venue for cultural events in Karachi.

35 APRIL 17-23 2011

PORTFOLIO

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi, is situated on Shahrah-e-Iraq, formerly known as Clarke Street, located near the Empress Market in Karachi, Pakistan.

The first church in Sindh (except for possibly one in Thatta) was initially built on the grounds of this cathedral in 1845, and was called St. Patrick’s Church. It was in April 1881 that the present cathedral was opened, since the Christian community grew in number, and

36 APRIL 17-23 2011

the need for a larger place of worship became apparent. Despite the construction of the new building, the little church continued to function until it was destroyed by a storm in 1885.

The present-day cathedral is built in Gothic style; it measures 52 metres by 22 metres, and has the capacity to accommodate at least 1,500 worshippers at the same time. It was designed by three members of the Society of Jesus: Father Wagner, Brother Kluver and

Brother Lau. In 1978 the cathedral celebrated its centenary. The Pakistan Post Office issued special commorative stamps on the occasion.

Pope John Paul I sent special greetings and blessings on the occasion. Today, the cathedral’s grounds are adorned with a marble monument of Christ, which was constructed in 1931 to commemorate the memory of the Jesuit Mission in Sindh.

37 APRIL 17-23 2011

PORTFOLIO

Sea View, the harbourfront of Karachi, is a large expanse of sand.

It has recently been developed a little, in terms of facilities for the hundreds of families that come here each day for recreation. It’s a good place to come sit and be humbled by the Arabian Sea.

38 APRIL 17-23 2011

39 APRIL 17-23 2011

FEATURE

amplify this

BY ANEALLA SAFDAR

The Pakistani-origin singer, whose successive smash hits have taken the desi world by storm, spills all.

On a warm Friday morning in Doha’s Corniche, a car is blasting out Imran Khan’s Bhangra-meetsDancehall anthem “Amplifier”.

It must be, I think, a Qatar-based Punjabi, excited that Eu-

rope’s successful young singer is due to perform that very evening. I have an interview booked with the Dutch-Pakistani, the

Khan who has brought us those now famous lyrics: “Kaaliyan

bariyaan ve gadiyaan nu main lawaan, Speed main do so vee di challan” (I’ll add black tinted windows to my cars, I’ll ride at a speed of 220).

On hearing the tune, I call the promoter, Saf. Indeed, it is Saf’s

car which was blasting the record, having picked up the singer from the airport.

“Can you be at the venue in five minutes?” he asks. And so, I

head to the Marriott, a relatively low-key five-star hotel.

40 APRIL 17-23 2011

PHOTOS: RAYMOND BOBAR

to the beat of his own drum Imran Khan performs for a small but joyful crowd in Doha. The singer has left the record label Prestige and now represents himself.

The Gujranwala native is slumped in the lobby, accompanied

by his manager who looks no older than 25, and, I suspect, is a

relative or a friend. Dressed in a pink Ralph Lauren sweater, grey

Nike jogging bottoms, embellished with a neon green tick, a baby-pink baseball cap and adorned with a beaded necklace, Khan

looks every inch the Pakistani Rudeboy. His left eyebrow is styled with a set of shaved lines and he keeps his iPhone 4 and white

there,” Khan tells me, accusing Aslam of hogging the stage. “I

met him in the afternoon. He was trying to be nice but I could see through him.”

This bitter streak keeps revealing itself throughout our inter-

view, from his beef with his record label and Aslam to his low expectations of a Doha-crowd and an acute defensiveness of his style.

After the frosty beginning, though, he orders a drink and set-

Blackberry close by on the table.

tles down. In just two minutes he has gone from precious pop

forming in Dubai last night,” he replies to my chirpy greeting.

ange juice cocktail (he has two during the interview). I try it. It

“How long will this take? I am tired. I haven’t slept since per-

“Too much partying?” I joke, desperate to break the ice.

“I don’t party; I work too hard.”

We agree on ten minutes.

Khan’s biggest hit, “Amplifier”, has been viewed over 14.5 mil-

lion times on YouTube. It’s his favourite to perform and he says

he wrote the lyrics, as for all of his songs, himself. He has recently left Prestige — the British record label that helped him rise to

star to loveable cousin. He offers me a sip of his Red Bull and ortastes like medicine.

“That’s why Pakistan will never be on that level, we will never

get to that stage,” he says cryptically, still talking about the pre-

vious night’s Aslam drama. “I am out of the box, I am not from the UK and I am not from Pakistan. I am from Holland and we are very neutral, straight to the point.”

Despite his Dutch pride, he shows patriotism towards Pakistan

fame — because of money problems. Now he represents himself.

too. He’s the only one of his siblings to speak his mother-tongue,

ration with the American rapper T Pain. They are set to work to-

Pakistan over India and claims that though he has received sev-

His biggest coup since leaving the label is an upcoming collabo-

gether in the next couple of months. Khan has also started work on a second album, in which he will sing, partly in English. For

the past couple of years, he has been touring Europe, the Gulf,

Punjabi, and he rejects the idea of learning Urdu. He also favours eral offers to record for Bollywood and even star in films, he is unlikely to take them up anytime soon.

“I launched my first single in Britain because there is such a

Asia and even South America. The night before we meet, he has

big Bhangra scene, more people listen to it there. Straight away,

“Atif Aslam is very arrogant, he didn’t want me to perform

Juggy D doing stuff and where have they ended up?” he asks, rhe-

performed in Dubai alongside Atif Aslam.

the Bollywood offers came. I just rejected them. I saw RDB and APRIL 17-23 2011

41

torically. I assume he means they have ended up nowhere. “I will do Bollywood, but on my own terms.”

It’s now been over forty minutes and I am ready to leave.

“I can go on all day,” Khan tells me.

I remind him that it was not that long ago he told me I was

lucky to get an exclusive interview because usually he is so wary

Yeah, it’s full of Punjabis here. It’s like Pakistan but way more advanced.

Do you play at weddings in Pakistan?

of the press.

No, I never do weddings. Last summer I played 30 times in

one. A good energy.”

globally, I played 375 times, sometimes four or five times a

“Yeah, I know,” he replies. “But I have a good feeling about this I regret having told him I am also Punjabi. I fear he thinks this

relationship could go another way. A question on religion, that should bring us back.

“So, what do you say to people who say music is haram?” I ask.

“I’m a very religious person but I am not that strict. Everyone

one month in Pakistan, proper concerts. In one year alone, day.

Who’s your favourite artist?

Snow. (Of “Informer” fame)

will think you are mental if you are,” he replies. “People say to

Is your sound traditional?

with it that counts. A computer is not haram, but if you watch

are following me.

me that I am Muslim and singing is haram, but it is what you do porn on it, it is.”

No. I sing smoothly. I changed the whole scene and people

And with that I ask him the final question, the one 14.5 million

Did you dream of being a singer as a child?

“I am single. But girls are more into the Imran Khan hype than

I did Thai boxing and I was selected by the NBA juniors for

girls have been waiting for — is he single?

No, I just gave it a try at 23. As a child, I was more into sport.

in me. That’s not the right girl, it’s very difficult for me because

basketball.

you don’t know who to believe.”

If he stays single for much longer, a more traditional approach

might be needed.

“If I can’t find anything, then I will ask my Mum to find a nice

sharif girl. I like eating nice food.”

How romantic.

The concert itself is a typical desi event in the Gulf: terrible or-

ganisation, bad dress sense and, thankfully, a very joyful, albeit tiny, crowd.

No more than 200 people come to the night organised by Saf,

where the ticket price starts at 200 Qatari Riyals (Rs4,640). The

capacity is for 5,000. Children, as young as one, bop around to Khan’s set, which is mostly mimed. Halfway through, in a desperate attempt to squeeze more money out of the audience, the

music stops and Khan stomps off stage. Dozens of regular ticket holders had made their way to the VIP section (the tiny area near

to the stage) and those without the VIP band are being asked to move back to their section. After fifteen minutes of cajoling, they finally move back.

The organisers had hoped that people would be so keen to re-

main in the elite section that they would fork out more for a better ticket. They don’t; they are Pakistani after all.

As soon as Khan returns, they jump back and continue to en-

joy the Bhangra beats. This, I reckon, sums Khan up. No matter how distasteful it may be to enjoy his music, you just can’t help

42

Do you think the Gulf has a good scene for Punjabi culture?

yourself. a APRIL 17-23 2011

APRIL 17-23 2011

POLITICALLY INCORRECT

cricket critic

So what if we couldn’t land the Cup itself; we unearthed, instead, a cornucopia of cricketing expertise other countries can only dream of.

BY AA SHEIKH

Okay, so we didn’t win the World Cup. But during the six-week long, topsyturvy roller-coaster ride through cricket’s most prized and hyped extravaganza, we managed to discover an abundance of cricketing talent. No, I’m not talking of players.

I’m referring to the glut of sagacious, incisive and highly competent

cricket

experts

who descended on us during the

mega-event.

discarded

Has-been,

cricketers

regaled

us with their profound crick-

eting know-how during the

brief pauses between ceaseless commercials

swaddling

all

ILLUSTRATION: S JAMAL K

world cup live telecasts. They

also hogged the sports pages

of most major dailies, offering pearls of cricketing wisdom

in (mostly) ghost-written col-

umns. We should be glad. So what if we couldn’t land the Cup itself; we unearthed, instead, a cornucopia of cricket-

ing expertise other countries can only dream of. Let’s recap some of the gems these commentators the Cup.

44 APRIL APRIL 17-23 17-23 20112011

scattered

during

• “To make a big score,” one wise ex-captain remarked, “you

need big partnerships.” Ah, and we thought we could get away with smaller ones! If only the team had heeded the expert’s advice.

• “We should play to our strengths,” another advised. Given the imminent possibility of playing to our weaknesses, or to our opponents’ strengths, it’s very valid advice indeed.

• “The back-lift of Unique Khan is not high enough. He should bring his bat down at 89⁰ instead of 94.5⁰ and try to hit the ball

on the volley with a high back-lift using the front foot without moving his back foot more than 15 cm away to from front one,

and of course with the toes firmly grounded at the edge of the popping crease and both knees bent at 67⁰.” Poor Unique Khan.

No wonder he failed miserably.

• “Shabby Akhtar is way past his prime. He can’t bowl more

“What is Whacky Younis thinking?

That’s no way to coach a team.

He should impose strict discipline: training from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm followed by a strict curfew and of course no booze, soft drinks, women or drag queens. And regular prayers, five times a day! Only then can you win the Cup.”

than two overs without losing his breath, his control, and

sometimes his mind. He really should shorten his run-up to

less than 1 metre and shine the white ball with sweat on one side and scuff it up some 3 mm beside the seam on the other side and bend his right elbow at 38⁰ while bowling, making sure his right foot lands flat and hard halfway across the crease and the left foot remains no farther than 21 cm away from it.

He should do all that or just retire!”

Shabby, guess you made the right choice.

• “What is Whacky Younis thinking? That’s no way to coach a team. He should impose strict discipline: training from

6:00 am to 6:00 pm followed by a strict curfew and of course no booze, soft drinks, women or drag queens. And regular prayers, five times a day! Only then can you win the Cup.”

Well, coach, maybe you should consider growing that beard back.

• “Shoddy Afridi is a good captain but he doesn’t attack enough.

And when he attacks he doesn’t defend enough. And when he

does both, he does neither enough. He should play according

to the situation. He should attack when he’s attacking, and de-

fend when he’s not. Also, he should defend when defending, and attack when he’s not. He should always bring in the close

ring fielders, except when he pulls them back. And he should

always pull them back except when he’s bringing them in. If

he can’t follow these simple rules, he’s a really shoddy skipper and should step down. Unless he wants to step up to the challenge and...”

Shoddy, no wonder you lost, man.

• “Of course we’ll win the Cup,” an upbeat expert enthused. “All we have to do is to work really hard and beat everyone in the competition. It’s simple. The Cup is ours!”

If it were a competition for the cleverest cricket critics, the Cup would’ve indeed been ours.

45 APRIL 17-23 2011

FIRED UP WITH FRIEHA

the

stalker

Being showered with attention is Have you ever found yourself being harassed by flattering...bethe dreaded Texter? Yes, this is the guy (or girl) who incessantly texts you stupid ‘sher-o-shairi’ or ing stalked is just ‘happy donut day’ messages. They call at all hours — you plain scary could be on a business call and the ‘creep’, ‘idiot’, ‘dumbo’, ‘sleaze-

bucket’ or whatever you have named him, will continuously call

you. God forbid you forget to leave your phone on silent, the stalker will ring you up at 3:00 am when you are fast asleep.

Most celebrities have stalkers. There is nothing more unnerv-

ing than a faceless, nameless someone who knows all about who

you are, where you live, who your friends are, what your likes and

dislikes are. The ones that hold vigils outside your home are the scariest since they force you to get extra security to just calm those nerves.

Then there is the ex who can’t let go. S/he is convinced the two

46

of you are meant to be and can’t take “No, its over!” for an answer.

APRIL 17-23 2011

BY FRIEHA ALTAF

If they get bitter, you’re in trouble: your secrets are out, you’re the

I asked her if she was a lesbian and told her that even though I had nothing against homosexuals I was not going to tolerate being hit on by an employee

biggest monster on the face of the planet, you’re the ‘wife-beater’

the ‘gold-digger’, the ‘slut’. It gets to the point that even your friends start questioning your noble nature.

I was talking to Atif Aslam about his stalker, who started to sit

outside his house for 4 hours every day. He got so tired of the harass-

ment, he found out who she was and got in touch with her father

to tell him what his daughter was doing. Unfortunately, this didn’t stop her. She called him one day and told him to come outside, and he found the windshield of his car smashed. Now that’s fatal at-

traction. We hope that this freaky fan was grounded, forbidden to listen to FM 89 or watch TV and married off to some distant cousin!

Sometimes, you have to become a detective and do some investiga-

tion yourself to stalk the stalker. My dear friend, model and pre-

senter Natasha, had a stalker who followed her around and sent her unnerving messages like “I like that lilac colour on you”, “Who are you having dinner with?” and “Look up and you’ll see me”.

Recently, I got so tired of the entire messy stalker caller that I even

contemplated changing my cell number. However, I resorted to the easier method of just using customer service. Luckily for me, when you’re in the event management business you know a few high ups

in telecom companies. Still, there was this one fellow in Muzzafar-

abad who was not swayed. Yours truly had to get the PTA to shut his mobile down, as he would not respond to warnings. Hence came to an end the ‘I want to fraandship you’ story.

What if your stalker is gay or lesbian? Being stalked is bad enough

but being stalked by the same sex is crazy! A couple of years ago my

company employed a girl who was super-efficient at her work and would text me at all hours with business plans. I was excited about having her on the team but felt her only drawback was that she was

grungy. I had her cleaned up with a complete makeover: hair colour and cut, nails, clothes — she was brand new. However, soon the

crazy in her started to emerge. She wanted to undermine others in my office. She wanted to be my pet and was totally jealous of any competition. On New Year’s, whilst I was with a significant other

she sent me a text ‘One day you shall be mine’. I was taken aback.

I called her and asked her straight away what she meant by this or whether it meant for someone else. I asked her if she was a lesbian

and told her that even though I had nothing against homosexuals I

was not going to tolerate being hit on by an employee, regardless of said employee’s sexual orientation.

The lady in question did not say much. When I investigated her

background, I found that she had stalked another ‘Frieha’ and camped outside her house. I got calls from people about the lady’s

idiosyncrasies and behavioural pattern. Luckily, I did not have to fire her on these grounds. She refused to do some work and I sent

her packing within days for disobedience. When she refused to

leave, I got security to escort her out. She eventually went away but

the fear that she or someone else will return didn’t go. So, the stalker never really leaves your cell phone. a

APRIL 17-23 2011

47

REVIEW

a life in review

author me & mrs jones

BY MAHVESH MURAD

If you think JK Rowling is the best in young adult fantasy fiction, you’ve been misled far too long. Few writers of young adult fiction have the power to completely mould the future tastes of their readers in the way Diana Wynne Jones did. Her recent death has left a gaping chasm in the world of young adult (YA) fiction and to even the mildest DWJ fan, it is unbelievable that anyone could fill this.

It is shocking how so many readers know little about DWJ’s work because her sheer skill in weaving fascinating stories simply can not be matched. While all of her work can stand strong, there are a few books that always garner more interest — the Chrestomanci series for instance, is a set of books and short stories about an enchanter with nine lives who has to develop his skills in order to be the most powerful wizard in a multidimensional universe. Witch Week (1982) is about a set of students dealing with their magical abilities at a school in a world like ours, but with witchcraft. The Lives of Christopher Chant (1988) is about a young boy who, on discovering he has magical powers, is sent away to help develop them and must learn to use them against some of the most powerful magic in all the worlds around him. This must all seem familiar to anyone who has read even a single Harry Potter books — sadly not as many people would have read DWJ’s work, although fans of her writing will all happily accuse JK Rowling of being heavily ‘inspired’ by the Chrestomanci series. DWJ herself was more gracious, stating in 2003 that perhaps JK Rowling had read her work when she was younger and brought some of it to the Harry Potter stories unintentionally.

DWJ died on March 26, at the age of 76, leaving behind a vast treasure of young adult fiction. She began writing stories at a very young age when she and her sisters were simply ignored by their cold, distant parents who, in true fairytale style, often forgot to feed them. They were doled out a single book a year and so DWJ 48 began writing stories to entertain her sisters. Many years later in APRIL 17-23 2011

Diana Wynne Jones died on March 26, 2011, at the age of 76.

a bolt of inspiration Responding to a fan who commented on the pointed similarities between Harry Potter and the Worlds of Chrestomanci, DWJ said, “I think Ms Rowling did get quite a few of her ideas from my books — though I have never met her, so I have never been able to ask her.“

the 1970s, she started writing again when she found her husband falling asleep as he read bedtime stories to their children. She wanted to create something more exciting than what was available. Of course, she had a horrific childhood to draw from, and her fantasy often features some glaring realities. Wilkin’s Tooth was published in 1973 and was DWJ’s first YA novel. From then she went on to write dozens of books, all technically in the YA genre, but if there is one thing that sets DWJ’s work apart from other YA writers, it’s that her books probably attract as many adults as children. This, of course, is because DWJ was a master of her craft — not only did she write brilliantly constructed fantasy, she also addressed a great many concerns children have in real life. She wove together tales of magic, fantasy and adventure with stories about ordinary children who hoped to one day be extraordinary, children with absentee parents, with problems at school, children with the horrifying feeling that they were ultimately alone. Of course children connected with her stories — but what adult wouldn’t do the same?

Her narrative style itself added a great deal to her clever plots and intriguing characters. She wrote fluidly, simply and yet was subversive, flippant and always, always entertaining. Never did she leave a spare word or a loose thread in her stories, never did she let go of her subtle dark humour that held fast to reality, no

matter what fantastic tale she had created. DWJ gleaned heavily from mythology, something that made her a mentor to the likes of writers like Neil Gaiman. She believed in forming a connection to the mythosphere, stating, “It’s made up of all the stories, theories and beliefs, legends, myths and hopes that are generated here on Earth. As you can see, it’s constantly growing and moving as people invent new tales to tell or find new things to believe. The older strands move out to become these spirals, where things tend to become quite crude and dangerous. They’ve hardened off, you see.” DWJ was never afraid to explore these spirals.

The very first book I bought myself, at the age of 11, was The Lives of Christopher Chant. It is still the one book I am never bored re-reading; no matter how well I have come to know it. DWJ changed my life. She changed the lives of many other young people who will always be indebted to her work for a deeper, more meaningful understanding of fiction. Her books live between Angela Carter’s and Neil Gaiman’s, and much as I love both of those writers, DWJ has been the reason I have read either of them. If it weren’t for her incredible storytelling, imagination and humour, a great many readers of YA fiction would never have developed a taste for the stuff at all. As DWJ wrote in Fire and Hemlock (1985), “Only thin, weak thinkers despise fairy stories. Each one has a true, strange fact hidden in it, which you can find if you look.”

APRIL 17-23 2011

49

REVIEW

film where there’s a will

BY NADIR HASSAN

The age-old philosophical debate between free will and destiny has seen a recurrence in pop culture in recent years with television shows like “Lost” and “Heroes”, with varying degrees of success, exploring if its characters are mere pawns of unseen powers or agents of their destiny. What Socrates couldn’t answer, Hollywood has no trouble with. Free will and destiny both co-exist and whichever happens to be in charge depends on plot mechanics.

For the first 10 of its 100-minute running time, it looks like The Adjustment Bureau is going to ask the same question throughout the movie; then it suddenly provides the answer in the crudest way possible. That happens when fledgling politician David Norris (Matt Damon) ambles into his office and finds an un-conscious colleague having his head scanned by an unknown man. Norris, too, is captured and the philosophy of the movie is laid open in a burst of clumsy exposition. The unknown man tells Norris that he is working for the unseen Chairman to ensure that a never-revealed plan stays on track.

What seems like an intriguing science fiction film that wasn’t particularly artful in how it handled its concept soon descends into mush. The plan, as it turns out, will veer off course if Damon ends up with the woman he loves, Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt). This is the entirety of the film. Norris tries to defeat the machinations of the Chairman’s minions but Sellas is always just out of his reach.

Since the viewer is never told what the plan is, we can never be sure exactly what the ramifications would be were the two to end up together. A little hint of menace could have come from Harry Mitchell (Anthony Mackie), an agent of the Chairman, but he is exceedingly sympathetic to Damon and so provides him with as many answers as he can.

Adding to the bizarrely surreal touch of the movie is the fact that the New York City of The Adjustment Bureau seems to exist outsides the rules of space and time. Doors seem to open up into 50 random worlds and the city seems to be filled with portals. All APRIL 17-23 2011

running in circles The philosophy of the movie is crystal clear but it’s the plot that’s murky the sci-fi elements, though, are not treated with any seriousness.

These tropes exist only to surprise the audience not to enlighten them or make them think. Science fiction is the hook with which to reel audiences in; what they’re really getting is a tongue-in-cheek thriller with romance at its heart.

Director George Nofli, who has based the movie on a short story by legendary science-fiction writer Philip K Dick, doesn’t quite have the courage of Dick’s convictions. The Adjustment Plan, which Nofli has very loosely adapted, was suffused with paranoia and was far murkier with its philosophy. Nofli is more interested in directing a romantic movie. That could have worked given the exceptional chemistry between Damon and Blunt. However, since the plot is predicated on keeping the two apart, we don’t actually get to see much of that sizzling chemistry. What you do see, unfortunately, is a lot of people running around without actually getting anywhere, an image that sums up the experience of watching The Adjustment Bureau.

APRIL 17-23 2011

HOROSCOPE

BY SHELLEY VON STRUNCKEL

Aries March 20 – April 19 Irritating as recent obstacles were, they

forced you to examine persistent dilemmas from an unaccustomed angle. This may have slowed progress, but with Mercury

remaining retrograde in Aries until the 23rd, there’s no better

time to address such issues, and in depth. This especially applies to those from the past. What you learn will influence your thinking now and your views about your future.

Taurus April 20 – May 20 Others have taken over decisions which,

mostly, is a relief. However, they’re asking worryingly few questions, so you’re concerned problems will surface later. They might.

Shelley von Strunckel is an internationally acclaimed astrologer who created the first horoscope column for the London Sunday Times in 1992.

But with Mercury retrograde until the 23rd, confusion and minor

errors are inevitable anyway. Do the minimum. While not your usual approach to organisation, you’ll be surprised how many of the arrangements that worried you most turn out brilliantly.

A frequent lecturer, she writes daily, weekly and monthly horoscopes in publications around the world including South China Morning Post, The Gulf News, Tatler, French and Chinese Vogue and now The Express Tribune Magazine.

Gemini May 21 – June 20 Usually when making plans, you regard

them as a work in progress. But others have so little imagination that they consider these obviously tentative arrangements

as fixed. This is complicated by your ruler Mercury remaining retrograde until the end of next week. Make it clear that any ar-

rangements are still in transition and get others involved, and you’ll be amazed how much you can accomplish.

Cancer June 21 – July 22 You feel every Full Moon intensely. However, because tomorrow’s accents elements of your work and lifestyle, even simple issues could seem very worrying, and chang-

es may throw you into a spin. If so, urgent as things seem, do nothing. Once you’re calmer, your perspective will shift. But as importantly, with the actual situations evolving swiftly, those appear overwhelming problems could soon resolve themselves.

Leo July 23 – August 22 Obviously sooner or later you’ll have to make decisions about potential changes in where and how you

live and work. Try to organise things now, however, and you’ll only run into obstacles. What’s more, with Mercury retrograde

until the 23rd, things aren’t as they seem. Instead of struggling

to impose order, explore. Ironically, what’s currently least appealing could, ultimately, turn out best.

Virgo August 23 – September 22 Yet again you’ve been left amazed at others’ lack of concern about whether the things they’re planning will work. But you’ve little responsibility for those plans,

so had best busy yourself elsewhere. The wider you explore, the more you’ll learn, often about matters that are intriguing but seem of little significance. Now, perhaps. In a week or so, how-

52

ever, those facts could be pivotal.

APRIL 17-23 2011

Libra September 23 – October 22 After weeks of struggling to keep

everybody happy, you’re somewhat overwhelmed. Consequently, the heightened feelings triggered by tomorrow’s Libra Full

Moon could seem overwhelming. Rather than address issues or

act decisively, discuss various options always carefully steering

clear of commitments. By the week’s close, your perspective and circumstances themselves will have changed considerably.

Scorpio October 23 – November 21 Sometimes obsessing about

tricky dilemmas until you find a solution achieves wonders.

But with the actual situations in question evolving every day,

such intensive analysis would only be exhausting. Instead, get regular updates from those who’re also involved but avoid all but

essential effort. This may seem unwise now, but in retrospect you’ll realise how much simpler you made your life.

Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Thrilling as recent developments were, and remain, you feel uneasy. This may be because

you can’t control certain matters or are more emotionally vulnerable than you’re accustomed to. What’s most challenging is there’s no quick fix for the situations, which means living with

this combination of excitement and confusion. Actually, that’s

as it should be. What you learn will benefit you for years to come.

Capricorn December 22 – January 19 Circumstances may require

a decisive approach but that doesn’t mean this is the last time

you’ll be dealing with these situations. Knowing that, do only what’s appropriate now, leaving the rest for later. Ordinarily you’d worry this will cause problems but actually, it’s the reverse.

The less you’ve organised, the better it will be when changes need to be made.

Aquarius January 20 – February 18 Some situations respond well to analysis. But what you’re currently facing is both still in transition and requires intuition more than decisiveness. Instead of

dwelling on plans or others’ views, consider carefully whether you really care about certain arrangements or, perhaps, it’s time to say farewell to them. Initially this might seem a wrench but gradually you’ll feel an amazing sense of freedom and relief.

Pisces February 19 – March 19 Early this month your ruler Nep-

tune returned to Pisces for the first time in 150 years. Although initially its influence will be subtle, during its four-month stay

your confidence and ideals will blossom. Still, you can’t ignore the current intense focus on your neighbouring sign, Aries, and

For more information, to order personal charts and to download & listen to detailed audiocasts, visit www.shelleyvonstrunckel.com

the sudden changes it’s triggering. Balance these two and you’ll

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be amazed how much you achieve.

APRIL 17-23 2011

THE HATER

10 things I hate about ...adulthood

1 2 3 4 5

BY NADIR HASSAN

The need to make money. I’m used to having my self-

worth measured by the number of ‘A’ grades on my report card, not the size of my bank balance. Also, see below.

The need to spend money. Internet bills, mobile phone

bills, wedding presents, birthday gifts. Adulthood may force me into bankruptcy.

6 7 8 9 10

Having friends who are also adults. Isn’t it just great that every one you know can only talks about finding spouses, having found a spouse and complaining about the spouse once he/she has been reeled in?

Learning small talk. When I run into acquaintances at a coffee shop I can no longer ask “What’s up?” and walk away. I have to go through the excruciating stop-and-

chat ritual and find out how many more kids they’ve dropped into the world since I last saw them.

Vague feeling of guilt. Six years into my career, I still

can’t afford to move out of my parents’ home and I may soon need tape to hold my decomposing laptop together. Where did I go wrong?

Buying things I used to assume just existed in nature.

When I was a teenager, things like toilet paper, soap and soft drinks just miraculously turned up at my house. Now I have to seek them out, compare brands

and part with my hard-earned money for things that used to be free.

The need to be semi-respectable. I don’t like wearing collars, long sleeves, socks and shoes. This doesn’t make me immature. Really, it doesn’t.

Trying to figure out how to drive. Yes, I’m a 27-year-old

who could never figure out this driving thing. I have friends who drive me around and taxis and rickshaws

are wonderfully convenient. Why then am I made to feel so ashamed about this?

54 APRIL 17-23 2011

Being asked what I “do”. I don’t “do” anything. If I’m having a bad day I just say I’m between jobs. On a slightly better day I’ll explain the concept of freelancing and working from home.

Taxes. This isn’t a normal rite of passage for adults in

Pakistan since most of them just dodge the damned things. a

THE HATER

10 things I hate about

1 2 3 4 5 54 APRIL 3-9 2011

6 7 8 9 10