August 10-16 2014
Venturing into the unknown can be one of life’s most gratifying experiences
AUGUST 10-16 2014
Feature
Caught offguard
Cover Story
The Cantonment Board Clifton lifeguards call out for help
Wanderlust Put on your adventure shoes and explore the unknown COVER PhOtO COuRtEsy: Bilal allawala
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Feature
What lies beneath Unexploded shells littering Tosa Maidan threaten lives and livelihoods
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32 Regulars
6 People & Parties: Out and about with beautiful people
38 Reviews: Movies and Books 42 Health: Whole wheat grains
Magazine In-charge: Sarah Munir, Senior Subeditor: Dilaira Dubash & Subeditor: Mifrah Haq Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Essa Malik, Jamal Khurshid, Samra Aamir, Munira Abbas, Omer Asim, Sanober Ahmed & Talha Ahmed Khan Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Twitter: @ETribuneMag & Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ETribuneMag Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Twenty-two designers launch their formal collection at Designer Lounge, Ocean Mall, in Karachi
PhOTOS cOuRTESy TAKEII
Asma and Sohail Javed
Ali Pasha and Seemi Pasha
Saima Azhar
Kokab Jahan
Sadia Nawabi and Ammar Khaled Alia Tariq
6 AUGUST 10-16 2014
PEOPLE & PARTIES
PhOTOS cOuRTESy TAKEII
Sherry Shah
Falak Shaikh
Iqra Fayyaz
Beena Hassan
8 AUGUST 10-16 2014
Maha
Tazeen
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Production 021 and S&S events hold an Eid Bazaar in Karachi
PhOTOS cOuRTESy TAKEII
Lahryeb, Minyal and Madiha
Danyal, Haider and Muneesa
Wardha Saleem Maliha Rao
Beenish Pervez
10 AUGUST 10-16 2014
Urooj and Muhammad Ali
PEOPLE & PARTIES
PhOTOS cOuRTESy TAKEII
Saad, Saher, Muneera and Aamir Lakhani
Hira and Anus
Sonia Haider
Nudrat and Talha Sofia Naveed Lari
12 AUGUST 10-16 2014
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Zohra Alam exhibits her Eid collection 2014 at her residence in Karachi
Komal Rizvi and Hasan Rizvi
Fatima Khan
Sarah Ali
14 AUGUST 10-16 2014
Zohra Alam and Nadia Hussain
Leena Wali and Madeeha Ali
Caught off-guard
The Cantonment Board Clifton lifeguards need to keep their heads above water before they can rescue others By Nisma ChauhaN Photos By arif soomro DEsiGN By saNoBEr ahmED
A wave of melancholy swept the beaches of Karachi when 37 people drowned at the Clifton beach on Eidul Fitr this year. But there is a difference of opinion regarding the culprits of this tragedy between those who frequent the beaches and those who guard it. While the victims’ families lament the lack of safety measures at the beach, the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) lifeguards complain that the heedless public is equally to blame.
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The difference between a good and bad guard, as the CBC lifeguards at Karachi beaches will tell you, comes down to several factors — a satisfactory income, proper equipment and public and government support. And since they have neither of the above, they refuse to take any responsibility for the recent ‘surveillance break’. While lifeguards can be seen patrolling the Karachi beaches, distinguishable in their bright orange shorts and deep yellow shirts, they find their job hardly gratifying. “Once, as soon as I rescued a drowning man from the grips of the sea, his friends came and started hitting me,” AUGUST 10-16 2014
says 32-year-old CBC lifeguard, Nazir Ahmed Baloch, at the Clifton beach, pointing out the scars on his face. And when the offenders are taken to the nearby police station, they are simply released on the basis of suspicion, he complains. During the course of his duty, Baloch has been beaten thrice for asking picnickers to be cautious of the high waves and hence, now treats his job with a resigned indifference. His shift starts at three in the afternoon and ends an hour before midnight, with tea breaks in between. “Instead of heeding warnings, people, particularly women, are offended when lifeguards approach them,” says Baloch. Simply put, they would prefer death over cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by a man. Further appalled by the irresponsibility displayed by parents at the beach, Baloch adds, “In June, on a Sunday, there were 23 children who got lost at the beach. We had to pick them and go looking for their parents.” Hopeless that the situation will change any time soon, he adds, “It’s because anything to do with law and order irritates people.” And his colleague, Bashir Ahmed, agrees, “People in Karachi will never
learn.” While most people bring about their own undoing through careless attitudes, others are left at the mercy of CBC’s mostly out-of-sight lifeguards who are equipped with nothing except a pale yellow water tube. Picnickers swear that the lifeguards would rather take a tea break than save a life, and can be mostly seen absorbed deep in conversation at the utility shed built on the opposite side of the road along the Clifton beach. A middle-aged ice cream vendor, Waseem, and a few others who sell snacks along the beach, however, confirm that they seen Baloch and Ahmed diligently performing their duties every day. Waseem even recalls seeing young boys and Baloch engaged in a brawl after he warned them to keep out of the water during the monsoon season. Apart from these two lifeguards, it is unlikely to spot anyone else monitoring the approximately three-kilometre-long shoreline. And Rizwan, who sells snacks there, adds this is because there is nobody to monitor their attendance. You can only find them near the Village restaurant he says, as it is also the part where the most casualties occur. Since most lifeguards conduct themselves in a way which leaves much to be desired, accounts of rescue missions come as a pleasant surprise. In a recent rescue mission, Baloch informs that four people were pulled from the sea unconscious and were immediately given CPR and sent home while another four were whisked to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre after being found in critical condition and three other bodies were recovered. Even during Ramazan people flocked to the beach in great numbers, he says, making work for the handful of lifeguards even more challenging. Mohammed Faraz, a frequent beachgoer, commends the current efforts by the lifeguards and offers an alternative approach to improve matters. “If they make people aware of the consequences they could face by risking their lives, people will listen to them,” he says. “They should scare people by telling them there is something [dangerous] in the waters and maybe then they will be more careful.” This trick, however, can only work after 3pm as the Clifton beach is completely unpatrolled before that. Instead of the shrill sound of a whistle, all you can hear is the crashing waves beckoning the unassuming picnickers. “I would give extra time to my job, only if the government was willing to pay me overtime,” admits Baloch, a Manora resident, who chose this line of work not out of passion, but to make ends meet for his family. While lifeguards at the Clifton beach appear less driven, those employed by the Pakistan Aquatic Life Saving (PALS) — formed in 2004 and sponsored in 2011 by the Aman
Instead of heeding to warnings, people, particularly women, get offended when lifeguards approach them Lifeguard Nazir ahmed Baloch
CBC lifeguards Bashir ahmed and Nazir ahmed Baloch. AUGUST 10-16 2014
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fEaturE
CBC lifeguards on duty at the Karachi Clifton beach. Limited equipment, low pay and negligence by the department has made the Karachi coastline a dangerous place.
Foundation — and the city government, who are mostly stationed at Hawke’s Bay and Sandspit enjoy better conditions. The PALS lifeguards are sent for training to New Zealand every year, where they recently secured second position in a swimming competition, or are trained by professionals in Karachi. “The specialists we have are sent for conferences abroad to gain knowledge of new techniques. We are also associated with the International Life Saving Federation (ILS) and represent them on our visits abroad,” says Syed Mohammad Ahsan, administrator of PALS. The foundation has stationed a total of 120 lifeguards, aged 18 years to 35 years, at PALS coverage points and four lifeguards are deputed every one kilometre at any beach. “Sandspit has 30 lifeguards and Hawke’s Bay has a total of 40,” he says, adding that the lifeguards are mostly sons of fishermen who live along the coastal belt and are experts at deep sea diving. They are paid Rs12,000 to Rs15,000 each, and along with training, find their jobs relatively fulfilling. PALS success rate can be clearly gauged by the number of lives they have saved. “Since we started, we have saved 3,500 lives,” says Ahsan. And in 99% of cases all the lifeguards needed was a rescue tube. We are even open to the idea of employing female lifeguards, informs Ahsan. “I am more than willing to employ female lifeguards. However, considering how conservative our society is, I have never been approached by any woman who would be interested.” While PALS provides lifeguards with rescue tubes, surf boards, rubber boards and a transport vehicle at every beach, the CBC has provided Baloch’s team with a total of three rescue tubes for the four permanent lifeguards and of course their bright uniforms. “They are better swimmers, better-paid and better-equipped than us, making their job much more satisfactory,” says Baloch. “Not everyone has the ability to face the rough tides and we have [relatively] older lifeguards who need to be replaced.” CBC’s senior-most lifeguard, Muzammil Shah Syed, explains that initially the organisation was designed to recruit retired Pakistan Navy officers but it eventually expanded and started recruiting civilians as well. Syed, who is a retired officer himself, did not reveal his age but a navy personnel’s term generally ends between the ages of 52
years to 60 years, depending on their rank. Lack of equipment and training and aged lifeguards are not the only setbacks; beachgoers admit that four lifeguards are incapable of controlling even a relatively smaller crowd of 50 people. There have been incidents in which it took two lifeguards to save one life. During the monsoon season, however, more lifeguards are appointed on a seasonal basis to patrol the beach. But Baloch says that this is not enough and the CBC needs to employ more lifeguards throughout the year. They should also be provided with tents at the beach to keep them within close proximity of the picnickers and not stationed at their headquarters. Although authorities have conducted four surveys, and approved a plot near the beach where a
According to the Edhi Foundation, 44 deaths caused by drowning were reported in the month of July alone and a total of 62 deaths were confirmed in 2014 from January till July
restroom is said to be built, not a brick has been laid to date. The only time the city government is prompt is when it comes to imposing Section 144 during rising sea levels, banning people from coming to the beach altogether. And if the scarcely available statistics are any indication, these measures have not proven very successful. According to the Edhi Foundation, 44 deaths caused by drowning were reported in the month of July alone and a total of 62 deaths were confirmed in 2014 from January till July. Although a decrease in deaths has also been reported over the years, there are no documented figures to corroborate the claim. T Nisma Chauhan is pursuing a Bachelor in mass communications. She tweets @ChauhanNisma AUGUST 10-16 2014
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COVER STORY PORTFOLIO
BY SaRah ELEazER DESIgn BY haLIMa SaDIa
Venturing into the unknown can be one of life’s most gratifying experiences Travelling and adventure treks feature high on everyone’s bucket list. The rush of adrenaline, pushing boundaries and being one with nature — the feeling is sublime. But what drives one to abandon the familiar and give into wanderlust? It can be the thrill of a challenge, a desire to explore or a quest for the perfect shot. But reasons are usually the last thing on the minds of these adventure-seekers once they set forth to scale the unknown.
Sunlight hitting the Chogolisa Mountain. Photo Courtesy: Bilal allawala
One of the trekkers in the group jumping over a crevasse on the Biafo glacier. Photo Courtesy: Bilal allawala
Mountains overlooking the zardgaben campsite in Shimshal. Photo Courtesy: saad Niazi
HIGH
“once you're in the middle of the Karakoram range, surrounded by nature’s magnificence, your perception of urban life changes entirely,” says saad Niazi, who has been a travel aficionado since the time he was a young backseat passenger squashed between his elder brothers. “all professional trekkers i’ve met say [that the] Karakoram range has no equal — not switzerland, not italy, not France, not Canada or even Nepal. Pakistan is where the mountain and the ter26 rain hold their own... it’s AUGUST 10-16 2014
the most difficult in the world.” they might be difficult but Pakistan’s northern areas are one of the safest and most hospitable places you will ever traverse, shares the young, enthusiastic trekker. even though families usually get paranoid about letting their children travel up north, most of it can be traced to the media sensationalism of the security situation there. “initially it took time to convince my parents that this was a good idea,” says 33-year-old Bilal allawa-
la, an avid photographer whose ‘Karakoram love affair’ began five years ago when one of his friends showed him a picture of snow lake — a glacial basin on the confluence of the Biafo and hisper glaciers. he immediately decided to see the place for himself. “People think i’m going to places surrounded by militants,” shares Bilal. in reality, the problems faced by the adventure traveller there are the same as any other route — vehicle breakdowns, bridge collapses, protests, heavy rains, turbulent weather conditions and landslides — not many are securityrelated. on the road to Gilgit that has seen sectarian clashes in the past, the government has taken certain precautionary measures such as barring tourists from travelling at night
or requiring them to travel in a convoy. “on my first trip, our bus broke down between Chillas and Juglot (bordering Gilgit-Baltistan and Kohistan, south of Gilgit). luckily, Juglot was an army cantonment and they fixed our vehicle in 15 minutes. they also served tea and biscuits to the 20 boys and six girls on the trip,” says saad. tales of help and hospitality displayed by the local population in these areas are not unusual. afterall, they know the area like the back of their hand and usually respect those who show curiosity to do the same. “they can guide you best when it comes to planning food, the number of Balti porters, tents, and so on,” says Bilal. the porters are agile and tireless people who ferry massive loads of gear on their backs. while most people know about the sherpa people of the himalayas, the Baltis are the unsung heroes of high altitude mountaineering in the Karakoram. “the Balti porters i have met during my treks never ceased to amaze me. their ability to run up the mountains wearing the simplest of shoes, while we 'trekkers’ follow behind with our fancy boots, is humbling. it is their strength and guidance that make all the treks possible,” he says. in return, one should be courteous and take local culture and values into consideration, advises saad.
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Crossing boundaries is second nature to most adventure seekers, be it physical, psychological or those conditioned by society. rawalpindi-based trekker sabrina Quamber is no exception. she has traversed extreme terrain, jumped off cliffs into Khanpur lake, paraglided, climbed rocks, skied and snowboarded, crossed two passes and attempted to summit a mountain. But it is the simple pleasures such as the encouragement from a local on her BoissumChafchingol and sonia peak (a 6,400 metre peak close to the Chinese border) trek that really keep her going. after crossing the daunting Chaf(Right)a shooting star over K2. (Below) Bilal often travels for miles in search of the perfect shot. Photo Courtesy: Bilal allawala
chingol pass, when the trekkers were walking back to the Karakoram highway on the last day, the group split as everyone was walking at their own pace. “i had been trekking alone for an hour when i came across this shepherd with his sheep. he congratulated me for successfully crossing the pass because i was a girl. he then gave me an apple as a gift,” she recalls. “it was a small token of his appreciation and that’s what made the whole trip worthwhile.” the 10-day trek through the remote district of shimshal remains Quamber’s most memorable experience. unfortunately, right after reaching the 6,000 me-
tre mark, the ridge the group of trekkers was crossing started to crack and they had to double back. “on a trek like this, your greatest asset is a good pair of shoes,” she says. “and a backpack — you
won’t be able to walk well or enjoy if your shoulders are all cramped. But what will really get you through is will power.” that said, it is equally important to start the jour-
Bilal allawala with porters and fellow trekkers at the Mango campsite near Biafo glacier. Photo Courtesy: Bilal allawala
You have to be on the crazy side to do what we do Biker Moin Khan
attabad Lake. Photo Courtesy: MoiN KhaN
Moin Khan at the Pakistan-China border on the Passu to Khun-
28 jerab Pass expedition. Photo Courtesy: MoiN KhaN AUGUST 10-16 2014
ney with adequate supplies. saad’s trekking checklist includes dates, sweets, water, a sleeping bag, a buffer of at least rs10,000, a list of local and law enforcement agencies’ contacts and of course, good company. it is also important to keep your physical and skill limitations in mind — a big ego can get you into a lot of trouble in places where help is far away. when planning a trip like this, one should also be prepared for unexpected incidents. “your plans will fall apart, your schedule will be at the mercy of the weather; you will get to use muscles you never knew you had. it will be cold and you’ll get wet, hungry, and more exhausted than you have ever felt in your entire life.” But according to Moin Khan, the man with a 20,000-mile motorcycle journey from san Francisco to lahore behind him, when you are on the road for so long, you learn to trust your gut. Khan recently led a twoweek motorcycle expedition with a group of eight americans and a Malaysian from lahore all the way to Khun-
jerab Pass and back. there were several accidents on the way, seven crashes to be precise. “the trick is to get right back up. the riders know what is at stake,” he says. all the accidents that took place on the trip were due to rider-error. “sometimes you’re not used to the terrain or the road. sometimes you struggle with visibility and at other times, you just try to push your luck. But it’s absolutely imperative to keep your helmet on at all times,” advises Moin. however, most of them agree that the hardest part is to find a group of people to go with. Because these treks end up spanning weeks, it is hard for everyone to sync their schedules accordingly. “Putting together the right group of people to go on an adventure expedition together is very important,” says Moin. since the trip was all about letting foreigners experience a side of Pakistan they had never seen before, the right mix of people was all the more critical. the group — comprising a nurse, a musician, a person who has had survival training and a member of the police department — first spent three days visiting various historic sites in lahore after which they took their Piaggio storm 125cc motorcycles and headed for islamabad, on to Mardan, Chitral, shandur, Gilgit, hunza, Khunjerab Pass and back. “you have to be on the crazy side to do what we do. so far i haven’t planned anything.”
he claims he has never had trouble finding a place to spend the night or experienced security issues.
For those with itchy feet and an appetite for adventure within Pakistan, these experts recommend the time period between March and october when the weather is most conducive. For particular routes, Bilal recommends consulting a guide book or speaking to a local guide, as various treks are organised in different seasons depending on the weather and snow conditions. “i would recommend visiting the deosai Plains. it is a few hours’ drive from skardu and, in my opinion, the world’s most breathtaking jeep ride. you can also choose to camp there, hike, or go on a bear safari.” For those who are looking for something longer and more challenging, you can’t go wrong with the Concordia trek, in which you will get to see K2, Broadpeak, Mashabrum, Gashabrums, and the trango towers. Moin has already planned
Sabrina going down the Chafchingol. Photo Courtesy: saBriNa QuaMBer
Sabrina crossing a glacier on the day of the Sonia Peak summit attempt. Photo Courtesy: saBriNa QuaMBer
another motorcycle expedition up north and will be revving up again for his travel initiative, a different agenda, in the next few weeks. “Pakistan is truly a biker’s heaven. that is what i want the world to know.” and his claim is certainly not without merit. T
Sarah Eleazar is a sub-editor on The Express Tribune’s Lahore desk. She tweets at @SarahEleazar
Chittaboi glacier — the Wakhan Corridor. Photo Courtesy: saBriNa QuaMBer
What lies beneath In Tosa Maidan, one unfortunate step can alter your entire journey
TEXT AND PHOTOS By HAziq qADri
Abdullah Malik, 65, was cutting wood in Tosa Maidan when he was critically wounded by a shell. Malik lost his right hand and was left handicapped for the rest of his life.
Tosa Maidan, a bowl-shaped lush meadow on the hem of the Pir Panjal mountain range in Indian administered Kashmir, has been used by the Indian Army and Air Force as a field firing range since it was leased to them in 1964. The firing ranges in the area have put life in the adjoining villages at great risk as countless unexploded shells litter the open fields. Official figures maintain that 65 people have lost their lives due to unexploded shells in the area since 1964 but locals claim the numbers to be much higher. On May 19 this year, 12-year-old Simran Riyaz was killed when a shell exploded on the veranda of her house, making her the 170th victim of littered shells in the Tosa Maidan area, locals claim. For years, people living cheek by jowl to Tosa Maidan remained silent about the danger they were exposed to, for they believed that the meadow was bought off by the Indian Army who thus had carte blanche in the area. But as the casualties increased over time, they decided to reclaim what was rightfully theirs. When the army’s lease ended on April 19 this year, the ruling government in the Indian administered valley rejected its extension after pressure from locals and the civil society. The army however, has not vacated the area yet, and the shells that cover the sprawling meadow continue to pose a threat. And it is people like Raja begum’s husband who end An unexploded shell in the Lassipora village, adjacent to Tosa Maidan.
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FEATUrE up paying the price for the authorities’ callousness. “My husband was grazing the flock in Tosa Maidan in the summer two years ago when he accidentally walked over an unexploded shell and died outright,” recalls the widowed mother of three. Her neighbour, Nazir Ahmad, who washed and buried her husband, says that the body had been blown to smithereens and they collected and buried whatever they could find. But this was not unusual for Ahmad who has buried many victims of unexploded shells over the years. “Some have their legs missing, some are armless, and some are without their torso. Sometimes all we bury is some flesh,” he says. According to Mohammad Akram, the sarpanch for Shunglipora, a village adjoining Tosa Maidan, even livestock has been killed in certain instances when shells landed at unintended spots. The fatalities are not the only cost for those living in Tosa Maidan. There are people, beyond count, who have been maimed in the explosions caused by littered shells. In Shunglipora, more than half of the families have at least
On May 19 this year, 12-year-old Simran Riyaz was killed when a shell exploded on the veranda of her house, making her the 170th victim of littered shells in the Tosa Maidan area one member who has been disabled by the shells. While some have lost limbs, arms and fingers, others have serious injuries on various parts of their body. The shell that claimed Simran’s life also injured her brother, whose legs had to be amputated to save his life. Farooq Ahmad Lone, a resident of the same village, lost his arm 15 years ago when he accidentally stepped on an unexploded shell while playing in the fields. The accident incapacitated Farooq and his family. “We married him off to a poor girl from Bihar [since] nobody here was ready to marry him,” shares his father who is now the sole breadwinner for the entire family. Indian officials have often tried to redirect the blame to the residents, accusing them of not following safety measures and venturing out into the fields out of greed to collect scrap metal for resale during firing. The claim is strongly refuted by the locals and incidents like those of Simran are proof that the shells can land up anywhere 34 without warning. AUGUST 10-16 2014
Farooq Ahmad Lone, 30, a resident of Shunglipora, was playing in fields when he accidentally stepped on an unexploded shell and lost his right arm.
raja begum, who lost her husband two years ago, poses for a photograph while displaying her husband’s portrait. According to her neighbours, raja’s husband was blown to smithereens when he accidentally stepped on an unexploded shell in Tosa Maidan.
Farooq Ahmad Lone, counts his age not in years but by the time that has passed since he lost his arm to an unexploded shell. The current situation has not left many options for the residents of Shunglipora who are dependent on Tosa Maidan for procuring herbs and wood and rearing cattle. Along with livelihood, even day-to-day things like education have been affected as parents are reluctant to let children wander too far in fear of stray unexploded shells. Similarly, the meadow’s potential to generate revenue through tourism cannot be tapped into either unless the place is safe enough for residents and outsiders to set foot on. (Above) Abdul Ahad, 36, lost the fingers on his left hand when he stumbled upon an unexploded shell in Tosa Maidan while cutting grass. Since then Ahad is solely dependent on his right hand for a living.
Haziq Qadri is a Kashmir-based photojournalist. He tweets @haziq_qadri
(Below) Mother of Simran riyaz, who died when a littered shell exploded while she was playing outside her house.
Man and primate Tensions soar as the two species come face-to-face By SaMeen aMer
The Planet of the Apes franchise has reached a profound turning point since its reboot in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Its latest installment, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the second release in the series directed by Matt Reeves, offers a thoughtful, compelling drama that stands out in an otherwise middling summer movie season. It’s been a decade since the simian virus decimated the human population, and the collapse of civilisation left the scattered survivors in disarray. The genetically evolved apes, meanwhile, have formed a community under Caesar’s (Andy Serkis) command, shaping a society with their own set of rules and morals. But when a band of humans — who are on a mission to fix a nearby dam and restore electricity to the area — stumble upon the apes’ settlement, tensions soar after a trigger-happy man wounds one of the apes. And with both sides wary of each other and preparing for battle, opinions divide within the camps sparking the debate as to whether they should go to war or not. Caesar and his troops confront the human colony that is led by Dreyfus (Gary Oldman), and warn them not to return to the land of the apes. “Apes do not want war, but will fight if we must,” Caesar warns. And it is fairly obvious which one of those alternatives will eventually come into play. On the surface, the premise isn’t exceptional. The post-apocalyptic setup is far from novel, and the dystopian science fiction elements, including the opening news montage, seem all too familiar. Luckily though, the plot has been employed to compelling effect, creating a tacit portrait of the human race and offering a glimpse of conflicts, both internal and external, that dictate actions and choices. The film combines great visual effects with the acting talent of the dependably brilliant Andy Serkis, who brings Caesar gloriously to life on screen and creates an intriguing, memorable character whose development the viewers are emotionally invested in. Meanwhile, Toby Kebbell is also impressive as Koba, Caesar’s second in command. The human characters, on the other hand, don’t get an equal chance to make an impact. Viewers don’t get to know or empathise with them as much as they could have. Jason Clarke has the most prominent role as Malcolm, the leader of the expedition into ape territory, who forms a bond with Caesar, and plays his role quite well. Keri Russell and Kodi SmitMcPhee, who portray Malcolm’s wife and son respectively, and even the generally terrific Gary Oldman, play parts that are somewhat clichéd and underwritten, and are consequently outshined by the apes. Nevertheless, the project has, on the whole, been put together with intelligence, which is why the movie doesn’t fail to be riveting for its entire two-hour running time. Caesar’s inner conflict is emotionally resonant, and the tug of war between the feelings of trust and distrust make for fascinating viewing. And while the ending is more of a nudge to the next installment than a proper conclusion, the journey that brings us to this point is rather enaging.
rating: Sameen Amer is a Lahore-based freelance writer and critic. She tweets @Sameen
BOOK
Cloaked in diplomacy Hillary Clinton narrates the hard choices she had to make as US Secretary of State with tad too much ease
BY NEHA ANSARI
The American press usually uses the word ‘polarising’ to describe Hillary Rodham Clinton — people either love her or hate her. The conservatives think she’s cold and calculating. Even during her campaign for the Democratic Party presidential primary against now US President Barack Obama, she was deemed ‘power-hungry’ and ‘ruthless’. In her memoir Hard Choices, however, Clinton is not reserved, defensive or haughty. The diction and voice of the book was expected to be stern, formal — and boring. But it isn’t. Hillary Clinton, with simple language and an insouciant tone, earnestly narrates her time as the US Secretary of State. And it is surprisingly filled with quips and references to popular television shows such as The West Wing and Mad Men.
Author Hillary Rodham Clinton
Another surprise is that the title and the theme of the entire book refer to the hard choices she made during her stint as Secretary of State and nothing about her personal life, which she artfully tucks away even while divulging the most vital and previously hidden diplomatic incident or anecdote. Of course, many of the hard choices she describes are personal conflicts and deliberations, but even those were related to her profession and work. The only times she recounts something personal is the beginning of her life with husband Bill Clinton in the four-page ‘Author’s Note’ and her daughter Chelsea’s wedding, which she helped plan while she was Secretary of State. Chronologically, the book begins with the hard choice that leads to rest of the pages: the choice of taking up Obama’s offer to make Clinton his top diplomat.
After she lost the cutthroat Democrat presidential primary to him, she was prepared and looking forward to returning to the New York Senate. But the then president-elect wanted to see her soon after she had lost and he had won. “We stared at each other like teenagers on an awkward first date,” she describes her first meeting with Obama after she conceded. And that’s when their partnership really began — they moved past their bitter opposition and “from a team of rivals” they became “an unrivalled team”. It took prolonged persuasion from Obama, sound advice from those surrounding Clinton, long deliberations, sleepless nights and more importantly, she writes, her realisation of the challenges the United States faced for her to agree to the new role on offer. And so began her journey as America’s representative around the world. Clinton spent 87 full days in the air during her four years (2009-2013) at State — she is known as the most travelled secretary as she visited 112 countries. She also did something no one had stepped up to do in the US National Security Council — stressed the importance of the State Department and USAID in conflict zones. Clinton describes the institutional tug-of-war between the State and Defense departments, lamenting how the US government had been making the mistake of finding military solutions to political conflicts. Moreover, she elucidates her concept of “smart power”, which she claims to have employed during her tenure. “For decades, foreign policy tools had been categorised as either ‘hard power’ of military force or ‘soft power’ of diplomacy. I wanted to break the hold of this outdated paradigm and think broadly about where and how we could use all the elements of American foreign policy in concert,” she explains. Therefore, she also coins the “3Ds: defence, diplomacy and development”. One also learns that she was the brains behind the significant foreign
Available at The Liberty Books for Rs1,795
policy strategy of America’s pivot to the Asia Pacific. She recognises that it was difficult to persuade policy circles and the international community that the change in strategy or the pivot to Asia did not mean pivoting away from other regions, namely South Asia and the Middle East. Hard Choices is divided into chapters named after regions and countries, which broadly cover the entire world. She has dedicated three chapters to Afghanistan and Pakistan and two chapters to Libya, of which one chapter is on Benghazi, the horrific tragedy and Ambassador Chris Stevens’ death. One expects the book to be more about her as a woman and the challenges she faced because of that, or an examination of whether being a woman made her choices harder. But that is barely featured, apart from a few mentions about how she usually was the only woman in the room when major diplomatic and foreign policy decisions were being taken around the world. But what is appreciated is her mention of all the women around her. From former secretaries of state — Condoleezza Rice and Madeleine Albright — and leaders such as Benazir Bhutto and Aung San Suu Kyi, to her support staff, including Huma Abedin, Cheryl Mills and Capricia Marshall, everyone is mentioned and lauded. The highlights of the book include emotional accounts of late Richard Holbrooke’s work and dedication, her diplomatic prowess vis-à-vis Afghan President Hamid Karzai and her pragmatism and vision for governance, diplomacy and national security “in a hyper connected world”. However, the book can be a tough read because it lacks a smooth flow, jumping from incident to incident and topic to topic. And since it is a memoir, one has to read it with a pinch of salt as it seems like Clinton wants to take credit for all diplomatic successes and historic events, including the Osama bin Laden raid in Abbottabad. T
Neha Ansari is a senior subeditor at the National desk. She tweets at @NhaAnsari AUGUST 10-16 2014
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HEALTH The critical link between diet and health was propagated nearly 2,500 years ago when Hippocrates espoused, “Let food be the medicine and medicine be the food.” The concept, however, has only recently been embraced by people who are now conscious about what they consume.
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For better health, consume whole wheat grains wholeheartedly
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Many physical and emotional ailments are traced back to a deficiency in the diet. According to recent estimates released by the World Health Organization, about 47% of total global deaths are attributed to noncommunicable diseases. Among them, cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of mortality: close to 25% suffer from it in developing countries like Pakistan, followed by cancer, arthritis and diabetes. Whole grains such as millet, buckwheat, barley etc, in turn, can address a number of these diet-related ailments — effectively, economically and above all, naturally. They help against diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, obesity and weight gain, certain type of cancers, arthritis and gastrointestinal problems. Epidemiological studies have consistently proven that whole grain consumption is positively linked to decreased incidence of heart diseases. This happens because the the outer part of the grain, called the bran, preserves valuable nutrients including fibre, iron, zinc, vitamin B, vitamin E and certain antioxidants that would otherwise be lost during the milling process.
Health
g[r]ains By Dr A rAkHA AnD M SoHAiL DESiGn By MAriuM ALi
Hale and hearty Although dietary fibre is responsible for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), various scientific studies have proven the consumption of whole grains alone has a greater impact on CVD reduction. A recent meta-analysis of seven studies estimated a 21% reduction in risks of CVDs by consuming whole grains thrice
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a day. Nearly one-third of the deaths attributable to CVDs can be prevented.
Diabetes diet Diabetes, one of the most prevalent diseases globally and in Pakistan, can be easily combated by consuming whole grains. Due to their slower digestibility, whole grains impact blood glucose and insulin metabolism positively. A study conducted on 90,000 women and 45,000 men suggested that those with higher intake of whole grains and cereal fibre have almost 30% lesser chance of developing type-II diabetes.
Weight watch Weight regulation is another important aspect of disease management. Several clinical trials have proven that less weight gain is observed in individuals who consume whole grains on a daily basis. There is also substantial scientific evidence supporting the role of whole grains against the onset of cancer as dietary fibre, vitamin E, selenium and other factors lower the risk of cancer.
A holistic solution Gastrointestinal health issues, associated with factors such as age, genetics, environment, diet and lifestyle and characterised by efficient digestion, optimum gut immune responses and absence of inflammation, have also risen considerably over the last two decades due to an increased consumption of refined and junk foods. But whole grains, owing to their rich phytochemistry (plant biochemistry), which has favourable effects on the prevention of chronic diseases, have considerably reduced such ailments as well. As a result, whole grains are an excellent dietary choice to improve one’s overall health. At least three servings per day, coupled with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in refined sugars and saturated fat, is recommended to keep you at a healthy distance from non-comunicable diseases.
Dr Allah Rakha is an Assistant Professor at National Institute of Food Science & Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad and can be reached at arrehman_ft@uaf.edu.pk. Muhammad Sohail is a PhD scholar at the National Institute of Food Science & Technology and actively engages in research on functional foods and nutraceuticals.