DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2012
Cover Story
18 Shall we dance … together? Step up and refresh both your body and your relationship
20 Shaking it like Sheila, Moving it like Munni Unleash your inner film star with bollywood aerobics
24 A Sound Mind needs a Sound Body Pilates is much more than an exercise routine, it’s a journey
Features
28 Its Elemental, my dear Singh In Islamabad, one family continues an ancient tradition
30 Like Angels for Equines Working animals are Pakistan’s invisible labour force. Meet the people who care for them
28
34 Fear and Loathing in New Delhi What’s behind India’s rape epidemic? And can protests force change?
30
38 Coming soon to a theatre near you Our take on the Top films of 2013
Regulars 6 People & Parties: Out and about with Pakistan’s beautiful people 41 Reviews: Mind Blowing 42 Healthy Living: Deterring Diabetes
34
4
Magazine Editor: Zarrar Khuhro, Senior Sub-Editor: Farahnaz Zahidi, Sub-Editors: Mifrah Haq, Ameer Hamza and Dilaira Mondegarian. Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Maha Haider, Faizan Dawood, Samra Aamir, Sanober Ahmed. Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Executive Editor: Muhammad Ziauddin. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi. For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Junaid Khan with his wife
Sana and Noman Ijaz
Lay’s organises the Skyfall premiere in Lahore
Ali Chaudary, Daniyal Lashari and Safa Mahmood
6
Iman Ali DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
Haris, Hayat and Marium
Naila Ishtiaq
Saad Munawar and Khadija
Maham and Saad
Ali Hamza and Saba Ali
Usman Jamil and his wife
Hassan Sheheryar Yasin
Attique, Usman and Nazim
Omer Malik and Saad Munawar
Resham DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
7
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Maliha Syed bring Yogen Fruz to Lahore
Anthony and Sophiya
PHOTOS COURTESY SAVVY PR AND EVENTS
Annie and Shoaib
Aliha
Saba
Omer Khalid and Nadira
Maliha and Ahmed
8 DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
Faisal and Saira
Tabraiz and Sahar
DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Sara Shahid of Sublime launches a new studio space and lifestyle store in Lahore
Rabia and Sara Shahid
Photos courtesy Faisal Farooqui - Dragonfly
Maria B and Shahzad
Zarmina
Sonia Azhar Omer and Natasha
Jenny with her daughter
10 DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
Saira and Sahr
Uzma and Arooj
DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
Safa Faisal Zara and Asad Tareen
Rabia Butt
Pallavi Bhatia event to n io h s a f a s host bai Asad Tareen E’s National Day in Du celebrate UA
Sophie Sheikh
Waseem Noor and Vasim
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Bushra Zaidi DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
Renee
PHOTOS COURTESY SAVVY PR AND DRAGONFLY
PEOPLE & PARTIES
DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Diet Pepsi hosts The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 premiere in Lahore
Hina and Sehyr
Teepu and Maram Rabia Butt
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Fiza Ali DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
Fia and Qasim
Mohsin Ali
PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS & PR
Aden and Rehan
DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
COVER STORY
S hall we dance
BY AYESHA RIZWAN SIDDIQI
The pace quickens, the tempo rises. Music is no longer just the sound blasting out of the system in the corner, it is now the pounding beneath her feet, the swoosh of air above his arms, their heightened breath. It is even the silences between the beats. They glance at each other, oblivious to the many others stamping to the same choreography. There are beads of sweat, chilled water bottles, and colorful track pants all around. The figures in the room sway in unison — everyone’s movement is perfectly in sync yet also perfectly unique. As the music stops, it takes you a second to realize that
this is not a scene from a high budget Hollywood movie
or an MTV video. What you’ve just witnessed is a couples’
dance class, one of many that are now being offered in cit-
ies across Pakistan, and you suddenly realize this could be you. The two central figures, so glamorous and fit, could be you and your partner.
Bodybeat Recreational Studio, one of the pioneers of the
couples’ dance trend in the country, sits atop the Bundu
Khan restaurant on Karachi’s Badar commercial street
— an ironic location for a place all about fitness. It is the brainchild of Hasan Rizvi, a trained dancer and highly tal-
ented instructor. Apart from the namesake Bodybeat class taught by Hasan himself, which is a unique combination
of hip-hop, Bollywood and bhangra, the studio offers
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zumba, dance kinect (for kids), break dance, fat torching DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
t ogether?
plan, boot camp, aerobics, yoga, belly dance, and taekwondo. Currently, around thirty-five couples come in to work out together, with four couples in Hasan’s class alone.
Interestingly, the ‘couples welcome’ trend that is now catching on like wildfire initially started
as a process to make sure that the gentlemen who were coming in to dance were doing so out of genuine passion for dancing, and not to ogle at females in the class.
“Because we live in the society we live in, there was no way for me to vet the gentlemen that
came in unless they were with a wife, girlfriend, fiancée or friend,” says Hasan.
Now, however, this very environment has become the deciding factor for many to enroll.
“This option [to join together] made it that much easier to consider. Dancing with a partner is
the most liberating feeling, especially in a country like Pakistan,” says a participant who, along with his wife, took the Bodybeat class at the time of its inception some five years ago.
Hasan’s Bodybeat session can be summed up in two words: high impact. Observing a class is,
in actuality, like watching choreographed pieces from the Step Up movie series, albeit with a desi twist. The moves are fast and intense, and each step is aimed at fitness. Hasan is a benevolent drill sergeant, pushing people to their limits, egging them on to do better and better. He is wildly
energetic, and demonstrates each move with impressive technical clarity. There is a respectful
rapport between the instructor and the participants and between the classmates themselves. Towards the end of the class, the scent of hard-earned perspiration fills the air. The couples, and other participants, are drenched and satisfied.
In the last five years, over 2,500 people have taken the class, many with their partners. “I’ve
explored the whole of Pakistan through this platform,” Hasan says. “Where else would I be able to meet all these different people?”
And different is right. A striking feature of the class is its diversity. There are men and wom-
en, boys and girls, bankers and students alike. On the dance floor, relationships are rekindled, friendships are strengthened, and new sparks are ignited. The positivity that emanates from the group as a session concludes illustrates what a great stress reliever dance is.
Husna Azad, the marketing manager at Bodybeat, says couples’ dance was bound to catch on
in Pakistan, especially because of the dearth of activities for those in a relationship. “None of our
activities are actually active! They all revolve around food. Even going to the movies is a fairly recent development,” she says.
The fitness aspect, coupled with the romantic dimension, makes this concept an easy sell. “It’s
great for married people, and even people who are dating or engaged. Where else do you go, what
else do you do together? This is such a constructive way to get to know each other… and at the end, you get a good work out,” she says.
“Dance classes are such a welcome change. They’re exciting and fun and great for staying fit.
Definitely very romantic,” says a participant who took a dance class with her husband a couple of years ago.
Luckily, it seems that in the half a decade that Bodybeat has been operational, society has
inched forward. While acceptance for dance classes was present from the very beginning, dance itself was a taboo. This perception, says Hasan, is finally evolving. Mindsets are finally changing.
“As I’ve become more popular, my fan base has increased. So it would be stupid for me to say,
just based on the waitlists for my class, that dance is more acceptable now. But let’s talk statis-
tics. We [Bodybeat ensemble] performed at the Hum telefilm awards four years ago and received
around 50,000 hits on YouTube in total. This year, we performed at the Bridal Couture Week in Lahore and received 50,000 hits on the first day. That’s a good way to weigh something out,” he
says. “Now, people share dance. They want to see dance in fashion, in corporate shows, in activations. It’s a craze.”
Good for reasserting individuality and for reinforcing relationships? What a craze indeed. T DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
19
COVER STORY
Shaking it like Sheila, Moving it like Munni BY FARAHNAZ ZAHIDI
They gather every weekday morning outside an innocuous looking house in an upscale neighbourhood of Karachi. As 11am approaches, women of all ages from six to 65 clamber in hurriedly through the gate, each trying to outpace the other. Every minute counts. The earlier you get in, the better front row spot you get; the closest you’ll be to the instructor. The women are an interesting mix — some sport trendy
designer sportswear, others wear figure hugging leotards
under the abayas and chadars that they hang on a rack
before they enter the classroom. The room’s walls are
all mirrored, giving an illusion that the room is
bigger than it actually is. Dot on time, the class begins. No nonsense and no delays. It is serious business to all the women —
students, working women and home
makers alike — who have come there
after squeezing out time from their busy
schedules. All are here to dance their woes
away, get rid of flab, rediscover their femininity and have a rocking good time while
they’re at it. This is ‘me time’ at its best, and the place for it is Fehmida Maskatiya’s “Bol-
lywood Aerobics” class.
Maskatiya is a warm, pretty and gregarious
woman who is incredibly fit for a mother with
grown up children. Dressed in her signature black dance-friendly sportswear, her energy is contagious and she is a hard task master
when it comes to dance. This is no place for
the slackers and the morose. If your moves ap-
pear half-hearted and bored, rest assured Mas-
katiya will notice and will make sure you give it
a hundred per cent.
That’s because teaching dance isn’t just a business for
her, but a passion. A natural born dancer, losing herself
to the beats and steps always made her feel alive and happy,
20
along with keeping her enviously fit. But three years ago, a DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
Women come here to dance their woes away, get rid of flab, rediscover their femininity and have a rocking good time while they’re at it. This is ‘me time’ at its best, and the place for it is Fehmida Maskatiya’s “Bollywood Aerobics” class
point came when she realized that many of her friends needed to feel the same way. The women she met in her daily life had gotten so sucked into the whirlpools of responsibilities that they had forgotten how to have fun and take out some
“me-time”. Her classes began some three years ago. That’s when she decided that
she needed to share her passion with others. But before she could teach, she first had to learn.
Maskatiya then went off to Mumbai. “I learnt at the famous choreographer Saroj
Khan’s institute, not how to be a dancer, but how to be a dance teacher, how to share with students the moves that come naturally to me. Here I learnt how to
bring out their natural talent and help them shed their inhibitions, how to help
them get into the groove,” she says. Once back in Pakistan, she wasted no time in starting up her classes. The trend of Bollyfit, as it is called, was a fairly recent idea at that time, but one that caught on pretty quickly in the fitness world. That’s not surprising when you consider what else was available at the time. After all, Yoga
spells peace, but requires a regimen and a degree of discipline. Gyming is a great way to stay in shape, but less fun and, according to Maskatiya, it “does not give women the feminine curves and shape they are looking for. Most women want
to be toned, slim and fit, but do not necessarily want manly biceps.” Bollywood
aerobics was an answer for many women — fun, fitness and femininity all rolled into one.
While her own niche is semi-classical dance form, Maskatiya incorporates many dance forms into her classes, including steps borrowed from Middle-Eastern belly
dancing for which her students even got coin belts for that extra bit of jingle. The choice of songs will vary from the raunchy “Halkat jawani” to Jennifer Lo-
pez’s “On the floor” for faster moves that can burn up to 300 to 500 calories per session. As grace-builders, more delicate numbers like “Tere bina” from the movie
Guru and some more vintage classics are included. More recently, the Colombian dance form called Zumba has been included for variety. Maskatiya keeps reminding students throughout the moves and shakes exactly which muscles they are
working on. Stretches and cardio make it an energetic and fun moderate intensity workout. The only thing that seems missing, though, is regular warm-ups and cool-downs, which are optional and sporadic.
Regular workout shows results, with both flexibility and agility increasing. “My energy level has gone up since I joined Fehmida’s classes. I’ve not just lost weight but also am more curvy. Clothes look better on me. It’s exciting. I had given up
that I could look this good again. More than anything, the woman inside me feels
alive again,” says 56 year old Shabana Ali (name changed on request). Her daughter-in-law also dances alongside her, in a fun bit of female bonding. What’s really cute is that they’re sometimes joined by the little granddaughter too.
She is not the only youngster at the classes either. Mothers send their little daughters to the class for two reasons: to fight the increasing trend of obesity
among children, and to help develop grace and a feminine touch while helping
improve their postures. That grace, say some parents, is being lost and needs to be rediscovered.
As Maskatiya aptly says, “My greatest achievement is not just the fact that I see Contact her at: fehmidamaskatiya@ hotmail.com
my students slimmer and fitter. What’s most exciting and gratifying to see them rediscover their confidence. Women multi-task and work and devote their lives to
their families. My class is their emotional detox. A time for stress release. They walk out as happier women.”T
DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
21
COVER STORY
BY MOMINA SIBTAINI
A mind when housed within a healthy body possesses a glorious sense of power. The acquirement and enjoyment of physical well-being, mental calm, and spiritual peace are priceless to their possessors — Joseph Pilates
It’s early in the morning as I walk into Sheeba’s Pilates Clinic for my Pilates 101 class. The clinic is more like a spa than a gym, with soothing instrumental music playing in the background as the suns peeps through the curtained windows. The ambience is immediately relaxing. The owner Sheeba Ghani is in the middle of conducting a one-on-one session with Samina Rehman, a founding member of the Lahore Grammar School. Sheeba uses words like “let the tension go”, “focus on your breathing”, “you need to focus to help align your back” and “keep your chin up, this will help you reduce wrinkles”. I realise at that moment that I really don’t know anything about
Pilates. I always thought it to be an intense form of stretching, but
your breathing and slows down ageing.” After one look at her I’m completely willing to believe that last part.
Sheeba started Pilates as an alternative remedy for her osteoar-
thritis and the results were so incredible that she wanted to share
these techniques with others. First, of course, she had to make the move from client to trainer. She received training at the Elle Herman Studio in New York and also studied anatomy at Harrow College in the UK. She is now the first person from the subcontinent
to receive Pilates training from students of the founder of Pilates,
Joseph Pilates. In 2003, she opened a small gym in Lahore and monitored it from London via webcam. Now she’s back in Lahore and her client list just seems to be getting bigger.
Actor, anchor and educationist, Nadia Jamil, has been coming
looking at Sheeba it becomes clear that it is so much more. Sheeba,
to the clinic for some time now. She used to suffer from epileptic
ing Pilates for 16 years. As I begin to wonder if she really started
ing to countless doctors and finding no relief, she decided to give
who I assume is 40 years old, tells me she’s been training and learn-
at the age of 24, she tells me that that she started Pilates after she
developed a severe back problem at 34. A quick mental calculation and I realise that Sheeba, who looks and walks like a particularly fit
24
she says. “It becomes a way of life. It fixes your posture, helps define
40-year-old is actually 60! As I try to process this information, Sheeba seems to read my mind, “Pilates is not just about losing weight,” DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
seizures and was diagnosed with a tumour on her nerve. After go-
Pilates a chance. “Sheeba is a lifesaver; for me, Pilates is not merely therapeutic it has provided me with a transformative rebirth,” says
Nadia, “Pilates is all about the mind; it’s about precision and control. It changes the way you move and how you feel.”
Nighat Mueen Afzal suffered from a chronic back problem for a
number of years, to the point that her mobility was curbed. “It
ordered the equipment and went on to open their own gyms,” says
time. Then someone recommended Pilates to me a few months
injuries. It takes one wrong pull to destroy one’s alignment and if
was very difficult for me to do most things as I was in pain all the
ago,” she says. Nighat has been going to the clinic for more than seven months and is now able to move with greater ease. “This is
Sheeba, “and since they are not properly qualified, there have been the instructor is not trained, advanced Pilates can be dangerous.”
Ayesha Rehman had a horrible experience with an unqualified
very different from floor Pilates because it is about the beds. The
Pilates instructor, which left her with a serious back problem. She
instructor to gain my trust but I can easily say that I am grate-
absolutely drained every day. “That instructor never sat down with
beds make all the difference,” she says, “it took a while for the ful that I walked into Sheeba’s clinic.”
As news spread by word of mouth, Samina Rehman, found-
ing member of Lahore Grammar School system also heard about these innovative techniques. The only problem was
that Samina really wasn’t a gym person and needed a one-
on-one class that focused on her issues. “I had issues with my alignment, but ever since I started here a year ago, I
says that it curbed her mobility, strained her muscles and left her me to consult and talk about my problem. Hence, when I shifted
to Sheeba, I was pleasantly surprised to see the interest she took.
She has a very holistic approach and she tailored the program to my needs and gave me guidelines on how to eat and how to be.” After
a year and a half, Ayesha says she now feels stronger and is back to her old self.
If Sheeba’s own experience isn’t enough to convince you that Pi-
have felt a combination of changes. I feel my body is return-
lates is a safe option for all ages, take the example of renowned art-
her workout is what intrigues Samina the most. “Sheeba is
a regular fixture at this clinic for two years now. “When I started
ing to me,” she says with a smile. Finding an education in a great diagnostician and has an intelligent understanding of your problems. Pilates for me has been about locating my body and breathing, and the instructor has helped me breathe life into everything.”
ist and educationist Salima Hashmi who, at 70 years old, has been
two years ago it was really tough but once my body got used to it, I started feeling energised and calm. I could never even touch my toes in 15 years and now I can!”
Sheeba helps her clients connect their body to their soul and ex-
Since Pilates is a low-impact form of ex-
perience each and every movement. “Pilates is not just about los-
important to learn from a qualified
posture, helps define your breathing and slows down ageing.” As
ercise, injuries are rare. However, it’s teacher. “I have had clients for a while who learned techniques from me and
ing weight,” says Sheeba, “it becomes a way of life. It fixes your Nadia says, “Pilates is a journey and the journey is beautiful.” T
The history of Pilates:
Different types of pilates:
Joseph Pilates went to England in 1912, where he worked as a
Though there are number of different types of Pilates style fol-
outbreak of World War I, he was interned as an “enemy alien”
two main types. The traditional Pilates style includes a hundred
self-defense instructor for detectives at Scotland Yard. At the with other German nationals. During his internment, he
refined his ideas and trained other internees in his system of
exercise. He rigged springs to hospital beds, enabling bedridden patients to exercise against resistance — an innovation that led to his later equipment designs. An influenza epidemic struck
lowed all over the world; traditional Pilates and Stott Pilates are different exercises designed by Joseph Pilates in the 20th century.
Yoga and ancient Greek exercise routines are the main constituents of this type. These are primarily designed to work on body muscles of the abdominal and back.
Stott Pilates incorporates contemporary exercise techniques
England in 1918, killing thousands of people, but not a single
and attentiveness to spinal cord injuries. The technique was in-
effectiveness of his system.
gram and certification. Though it uses many of Joseph’s original
one of Joseph’s trainees died. This, he claimed, testified to the After his release, Joseh returned to Germany. His exercise
method gained favour in the dance community, primarily through Rudolf von Laban, who created the form of dance
vented by a former dancer and has its own teacher training proexercises, some modification was introduced to make it safe and more accessible to people.
notation most widely used today. Hanya Holm adopted many of Joseph’s exercises for her modern dance curriculum, and they are still part of the “Holm Technique.”
*The suggestions in this article have been provided for your information. They are not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and the advice of your health care provider. The Express Tribune does not endorse any specific service or treatment. 25 DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
FEATURE
its elemental my dear Singh BY FARAHNAZ ZAHIDI
ADDITIONAL REPORTING AND PICTURES BY MYRA IQBAL
28
Saidpur Village, Islamabad, exists in present day Pakistan, but chunks and parts of it look like they’re straight out of the Mughal era. Nestled among the picturesque Margalla Hills, this tiny village has bits and pieces that are restored remnants from an age gone by. One can picture a bazaar set up by Sultan Said Khan, the Gakhar chief of the region during the reign of Babur, after whom the village was named. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, going about their daily business — buying, selling, co-existing. Peacefully.
look at him and the time machine seems less of a myth. Bask-
20-year-old Suraj Singh would have fit right in that era. A
Singh tends to his father’s Yoonani dawa khana, which offers tra-
DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
ing comfortably in the sunshine of a sunny winter day in Islam-
abad, Singh looks unfazed by the fast pace of life, as he sits on a chair perched outside his shop on a slope of Saidpur. His flushed,
reddish-fair complexion and striking green eyes stand out under a magenta turban, tied on his head in the typical Sikh fashion. The heavy-set young man is almost shy on approach.
“I’ve never thought about doing anything else,” says Singh,
who dropped out of school and is now learning the ropes of herb-
al medicine from his older brother Sardar Amarjeet Singh. It is, after all, a part of his Sikh-Afghan heritage.
ditional herbal medication in the genre of hikmat. His father, a
Sikh hakeem called Sardar Rawail Singh, owns three stores: one in Rawalpindi, one in Saidpur Village and the oldest one in G-11
Markaz. Rawail and his three sons shuttle between their home
in Hassan Abdal to their shops in the twin cities. “Ask anyone in G-11 where the hakeem sits and they will guide you to my father,” says Singh with pride.
On an average, the Singh family’s shops earn between Rs6,000
to Rs20,000 a day which allows the family a comfortable living. However, business was better when competition was not so tough. The influx of Sikh migrants over the years, and more Sikh hakeems setting up shops, has reduced their clientele.
Some 22 years ago, Suraj’s family migrated from Kunduz, Af-
ghanistan, to Hassan Abdal, a small town in northern Punjab, and made a modest home near the Gurdwara Panja Sahib, one
of Sikhism’s holiest sites. Singh and his family live as part of a tightly knit Sikh community, near the revered temple where every year thousands of Sikh devotees gather for pilgrimage.
Yoonani, in Arabic, means “Greek.” This very title pays tributes
to its origins, as it is said to have been developed by the legend-
ary Greek physician Hippocrates, who expanded on the medical traditions of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia Though it’s been practiced in one form or another for thousands of years, it is now
considered a formal branch of what allopaths may term “alternative medicine”. While many still believe staunchly in treatment
through hikmat and not allopathy in Pakistan, speculations that
steroids are heavily added to it make users skeptical. It makes it
therefore imperative that the hakeem they go to is not a quack but a trusted one. Singh’s family seems to have earned that trust over the years.
Photograph by Aurangzeb Haneef
Hikmat is based on the ancient concept of the four ‘humours’
that exist in the human body, and their corresponding ‘element’. These are Blood (air), Yellow Bile (fire), Black Bile (earth) and Phlegm (water). These elements must be in a state of balance, or else the body can suffer different kinds of ailments.
It occurs to me at this point, that Pakistan’s own elements —
Luckily, Singh jolts me out of my somewhat depressing reverie
by telling me, “I have never suffered any discrimination or persecution in Pakistan. It is my home.”
Above the shop’s door, a signboard hung over baked red clay
the religious majority and minorities — are anything but bal-
bricks says, “Dawa hum dete hain. Shifa Allah deta hai (We prescribe
istence, Pakistan would undoubtedly be a happier, healthier and
Suraj Singh, a follower of Guru Nanak Dev, sees you off with a
anced. Were they to exist in a state of harmony, peace and coexmore functional place.
medicine. It is Allah who Heals).” Underneath the signboard,
smile. Here at least, it seems the elements have some together.T DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
29
FEATURE
like angels
for equines TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ALI USMAN
If it wasn’t for a horse called Sona, 30-year old Azam Khan’s family would starve. Every day, Khan and his equine companion trudge from construction site to construction site, hauling loads of sand and brick. On good days, this fetches Khan about Rs.400-500 — enough to feed his family of eight. The horse is more than a pet or a companion, he is a lifeline. You may even say that to Khan and his dependants, Sona is worth his weight in gold. So one day, when this horse developed a limp and could
no longer work, it was nothing short of a catastrophe. Forced to carry only as much of a load as his shoulders could bear, Khan’s earnings plummeted to just Rs.50 a
average of six people. Yet, often this unsung “workforce”
of Pakistan does not get the medical care it deserves. The Brooke is helping fill this void.
Affiliated with The Brooke Hospital for Animals in UK,
which works across 10 countries in Asia, Africa, Central America and the Middle East, The Brooke Pakistan started
operating from a single mobile clinic in Peshawar in 1991.
Today, according to the regional manager of the Shahdara clinic, Dr Muhammad Arshad Ansari, The Brooke operates in all four provinces, providing veterinary and welfare services to working equines in 26 districts across the country.
The Brooke Pakistan caters to equines (donkeys, horses
day. Slowly but surely, the spectre of starvation began to
and mules) belonging to owners who either cannot afford
very survival of his family was in doubt. Seeing his plight,
ment for their animals. It provides emergency veterinary
haunt his family. It became clear that without Sona, the
a friend suggested to Khan that he take the ailing horse to The Brooke Pakistan, a non-profit hospital that works
at treating the animals of underprivileged communities. Hoping against hope, he took the limping horse to the hos-
to get their animals treated or are not willing to seek treattreatments for the animals and training in animal care
and husbandry for their owners who depend on these equines for their livelihoods.
“We work extensively with communities and partner
pital. Thanks to the timely care he received, and without
organisations in Pakistan to develop and deliver solutions
just a few days and Khan’s family members once again had
Our local expertise and knowledge is further enhanced
any cost to his owner, Sona was back to his usual self in
30
Sona is one of Pakistan’s 4.7 million working animals.
Each of these animals is a primary source of earning for an
food on their plates.
DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
that can be sustained by the animal owners themselves. through partnerships with animal welfare and develop-
Sona is one of Pakistan’s 4.7 million working animals. Each of these animals is a primary source of earning for an average of six people. Yet, often this unsung “workforce” of Pakistan does not get the medical care it deserves. The Brooke is helping fill this void >> A LABOUR OF LOVE- THE BROOKE STORY While on a trip to Cairo, Egypt, Dorothy Brooke was horrified to see hundreds of emaciated horses being used as beasts of burden on the streets of Cairo. The wife of a British army major general, Dorothy Brooke was appalled to learn that these walking skeletons were ex-warhorses of the British, Australian and American forces. All of them had seen service in the First World War. When the conflict ended in 1918, they were sold into a life of hard labour in Cairo. Dorothy Brooke could not shake off the memory of these pitiful creatures. She wrote a letter to the Morning Post — which later became the Daily Telegraph — exposing their plight. The public were so moved they sent her the equivalent of £20,000 in today’s money to help end the suffering of these once proud horses. Within three years, Dorothy Brooke had set up a committee and bought five thousand of these ex-warhorses. Most were old and in the final stages of collapse, and had to be humanely put down. But, thanks to her compassion and tenacity, all of them ended their lives peacefully. In 1934, she established the Old War Horse Memorial Hospital to provide a free veterinary clinic for all the working horses and donkeys of Cairo. The original hospital which Mrs Brooke established in Bayram ElTonsi Street, now known locally as “The Street of the English Lady,” is still open and operating. Source: http://www.thebrooke.org/<<
ment organisations in other parts of the world,” said Dr Ansari, a veterinarian and retired lt colonel of the Pakistan Army.
The field clinic is a hospital-cum-training centre. Once you
enter the main gate, you see a row of offices on the right side. Then there is a large elongated ground with small stable-like en-
closures where under-treatment animals are kept. The horses,
donkeys and mules are allowed to play in the ground every day, providing them healthy habitat and daily exercise.
According to Dr Ansari, out of the approximately 4.7 million
working equines in Pakistan, more than 50 per cent are in Punjab. Donkeys form the bulk of Pakistan’s working animals, comprising about 80% of the total, and are considered a vulnerable
group as they labour under very difficult conditions. “We have three ways to reach these animals,” says Dr. Ansari. “We have
our field clinics, wayside clinics and community mobile veteri-
nary clinics (CMVCs). At our static clinics, owners bring in their animals and we admit them if needed. At our wayside clinics we provide treatment and our mobile teams go to communities
in different districts to provide medical treatment to animals there.”
The 31 mobile teams don’t just provide veterinary care, but also
try to involve local communities. “We launch different projects with the participation of the local communities. For example, if we build a water-pond for animals in a certain area, we ask the
local people to take care of it. This creates a sense of ownership
among the locals. And of course we tell the animal owners what
the common diseases are and how to prevent them. We tell them what to do to keep their animals healthy,” says Dr Ansari.
In addition to helping provide health care for animals, they
also work with everyone from local vets and traditional healers to DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
31
FEATURE
Affiliated with The Brooke Hospital for Animals in UK, which works across 10 countries in Asia, Africa, Central America and the Middle East, The Brooke Pakistan started operating from a single mobile clinic in Peshawar in 1991 feed sellers and cart makers. The role of these primary caretakers of animals is an important one and if they don’t work properly, animals get wounded and become unfit to work. Realising this,
The Brooke invites them to field clinics for training — even compensating them financially so they don’t have to worry about lost earnings.
Along with training caregivers, The Brooke also aims to ensure
that future generations understand the importance of caring for animals. “We recognise that children and young people are the
>>THE FIVE FREEDOMS The Five Freedoms that The Brooke believes should be given to all animals: 1 Freedom from hunger and thirst 2 Freedom from discomfort (both physical and mental) 3 Freedom from pain, injury and disease 4 Freedom to express normal behavior (When an animal plays in dust and lays freely that is said to be normal) 5 Freedom from fear and distress <<
animal owners of tomorrow, so we ensure they are included in education programs to promote good equine welfare practices. We reach out to children, young people and adults through our
‘edutainment’ programs which feature school visits and puppet shows, role play, animal competitions and grooming competitions,” Dr Ansari adds.
And then there are cases where the animals are beyond treat-
ment. Here The Brooke steps in to provide its Calm Death Compensation for those animals that don’t have any hope to recover. “This practice is recognized across the world,” says Dr Ansari.
Mostly animal owners shoot their animals when there is no hope for them to recover and to discourage this, we encourage them to bring their animals to us and get compensation. We pay from
Rs1500 to Rs3000 to those owners who bring their animals to us
for calm death. This however is done only at our field clinics,” Dr Ansari maintained.
In all, The Brooke Pakistan reaches about 250,000 horses,
donkeys and mules every year and since starting its work in Pakistan, has reached 5.4million equines. According to another
Brooke official, “this means we help to protect the livelihoods of more than 1.5million people in some of Pakistan’s poorest com-
munities.” No doubt, both Azam Khan and Sona would agree.T
32 DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
FEATURE
fear & lo in New D “Obama save our sister because our government is impotent,” — a banner at a Delhi anti-rape rally
BY RAKSHA KUMAR
In India these days, women’s lives are not just cheap; they come at no cost at all. A woman walking on the street can be picked up with no trou-
ble at all. She can be raped, beaten and left in the cold to die a
horrible death. The perpetrators, if unlucky, might be sentenced for a few years. That is if they’re caught. That is if the case is reported at all.
“There is a sense of impunity, a knowledge that more often
than not they will get away with the crime,” says Kiran Manral,
an activist working on child abuse and violence against women.
“Also, the judicial process is long and time consuming, and very few victims even report the rape for fear of social stigma as well as the dread of dealing with the judicial process,” she adds.
According to reports, for every case that is brought to the po-
lice, fifty go unreported. That’s not all; the National Crime Records Bureau says the possibility of someone actually being convicted for rape has declined by one third in the past year.
As I write this, a victim of rape is fighting for her life in a Delhi
hospital. She was 23, a physiotherapist with her whole life ahead of her. Returning from watching Life Of Pi with a friend, she made the mistake of taking a private bus, not knowing the fate that
awaited her. Now, even if she survives her horrific injuries, she
will probably have to be fed intravenously for the rest of her life. This is because the men who raped her caused such damage that
most of her intestines had to be removed by the doctors in order to save her life. While the sheer brutality of this case has sparked
protests across India, she’s only the latest casualty of India’s rape epidemic.
About a fortnight ago, a 16-year-old girl died in the hospital
after she set herself on fire after being raped by two men who
had been stalking her. The rapists’ relatives watched on and did nothing to intervene. Traumatised, she poured kerosene on herself and set herself on fire.
34
Many analysts have tried to fathom the reasons for the rising
DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
oathing
Delhi
consensual. Then there’s West Bengal chief minis-
ter Mamata Bannerjee who says that rapes happen because men and women interact more freely now than even before.
Changing these mindsets may not be possible, but
attempts have been made to at least change legislation. Six months ago, the Union Cabinet introduced
the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 in Parlia-
ment. According to this bill, “The punishment for
sexual assault will be for a minimum of seven years which may extend to imprisonment for life.”
However, several activists say that draconian laws
rate of sexual assault. Marnal says that the main
in fact create more problems than they solve. “The
tion, declining gender ratio, easy access to pornog-
but the fact is that very severe punishments in fact
reasons are, “change in social attitudes, urban isolaraphy, distorted perceptions of relationships and the social taboo around sex.”
But if you ask Jitender Chhatar, a leader of a khap
panchayat (local council) in the state of Haryana, it’s
because of chow mein. “To my understanding, consumption of fast food contributes to such incidents. Chow mein leads to hormonal imbalance evoking an
urge to indulge in such acts,” he said. Several khap
popular idea is that severe punishment deters crime, deter conviction. The more severe the punishment, the higher the evidentiary standards and the harder
it is to actually sentence someone,” says Dr Swarna Rajagopalan, Managing Trustee of The Prajnya
Trust, an NGO working on issues related to peace,
justice and security. “That means that more people get off scot-free, actually.”
However, other activists argue that legal proce-
panchayats tried their hands at giving a solution to the
dures must keep pace with changing dynamics.
riage for girls to 16, because they apparently think
gists have been campaigning for fast track courts to
rape epidemic, including lowering the age of marthat married women don’t get raped. Also, they feel early marriages keep women’s sexual desires in
check. How that would deter rapists, of course, is a
Apart from increased punishments, several sociolo-
deal with rape cases, a sensitised police force and incamera hearings for many decades now.
But ultimately, it is change in the mindset of the
question that remains unanswered, at least by the
people that is the need of the day. “This generation
The problem doesn’t stop there. According to
needs to begin at home. We need to bring up our boys
panchayats.
Haryana Congress president Phool Chand Mullana, the increase in
rapes in the state is due to a “political conspiracy”. Not to be outdone,
of parents has to push for a change in mindsets that to become men who will respect women, and who
know that a woman’s no means a no, and not a perhaps, a maybe, or a yes,” says Marnal.
The Delhi gangrape has certainly created a storm
Dharamveer Goyal the Congress-I
in the Indian parliament. For a change, the Lok
say that 90% of rapes were in fact
ties speaking with a single voice while they raised
spokesman for the state went on to
Actor Sophie Choudry: “We’ve been quiet too long! If men in India cannot learn to respect women, it’s about time they FEAR them! Rapists need to be hung/castrated!”
Actor Farhan Akhtar: “Men. Change your mindset. Change your father’s mindset. Change your son’s mindset. The collective change will create a healthier society.”
Sabha and the Rajya Sabha saw members of all parconcerns over repeated incidents of rape in the national capital, the responsibility for the law and order of which lies directly with the Union Home Ministry.
But this time, it seems the Indian people are not
taking the politicians at their word. As this story goes into print, the Indian capital has seen massive
protests that have caused nine metro stations closing down, resulting in complete chaos in the city. Vio-
lent clashes between protestors and the police have
35
seen the use of water cannons, lathi-charges and tear
DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
FEATURE Actor Arjun Rampal: “New set of laws and more severe punishments are required for these kind of criminals. Rapist should be publicly flogged. No more tolerance.”
makes its way to the headlines. “We need to think about gender-based and sexual violence all the time and not just when something horrible happens,” says Dr Rajagopalan.
As I write this, another gang-rape in Delhi has
made news on 21 December. A 40 year old woman
was gang-raped by three men, not aboard public
transport, but within the four walls of her home, after being forced to drink a spiked drink.
As I write this, I am aware that a woman is raped
every 22 minutes in India. 24,206 rape cases were reported in 2012, showing a 10 per cent rise from 2010. Last year, every third victim was a child. More than 600 rape cases have been reported in New Delhi
alone this year, according to government re-
gas. At least one person, a local journalist, has been cords, shot dead by police. The protests have prompted a “deeply saddened” Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to appeal for calm, but he has also come under
accounting
for
30.3 per cent of total rape cases.
If these statistics do
criticism for appealing a week too late. Over a bloody
not shame the average
people were injured, with India Gate looking like a
cal leaders, then there
answered is whether these protests will be able to
in the world’s largest de-
weekend on the 22 and 23 December, more than a 100 Indian and the politibattleground. But the question that remains to be
galvanize a nation into making concerted efforts for
a lasting change or not. Will India be, at the end of
is little hope for women mocracy.
all this, a safer place for women? Everyone waits and watches for that answer.
If history is anything to go by, these voices will go
mute in the course of time… until the next incident
Sonia Gandhi: “It is a shame for us who are responsible for the security of our cities that a young woman can be raped in a moving bus in the capital of the country and flung on to the street.” 36 DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
Arundhati Roy says: “When rape is used as a means of domination by the upper caste, the army or the police, it doesn’t even go punished. The army and police are using rape as a weapon in places like Kashmir and Manipur... There are laws that protect them when they do it.”
COMING SOON
coming soon to a theatre near you
2013 is election year! That, when taken with all the strikes, riots and general chaos that we can expect means you’ll probably be spending a lot of time at home. Well don’t despair because here is a list of all the coolest movies coming your way! BY AMEER HAMZA AHMAD
300: Rise of an Empire This is SPARTA! 300: Rise of an Empire
will be a prequel to the 2007 film,
300. The film centres on Themisto-
like most Shyamalan’s films.
Prediction: Hopefully not a crash landing Release date: June 7, 2013
cles and Artemisia I of Caria, as well
Elysium
temisium was a naval engagement
Sharlto Copley. Oh, you want more? It’s Neill
as Xerxes I of Persia. The Battle of Ar-
Matt Damon. Jodie Foster. William Fichtner.
that was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states and the
Blomkamp’s follow-up to District 9. Interest-
Persian Empire in September 480 BC.
ed now? Set in the year 2159, where the very
Prediction: More ships than spears
wealthy live on a man-made space station
Release date: August 2, 2013
while the rest of the population resides on a
ruined Earth, a man takes on a mission that
47 Ronin 47 Ronin will be a fictional account of the for-
ty-seven Ronin, a real-life group of samurai in 18th-century Japan who avenge the mur-
could bring equality to the polarised worlds.
Prediction: Face Huggers Unite Release date: August 9, 2013
der of their master. The movie features an
Ender’s Game
Reeves.
novel, Ender’s Game? If the answer is no, go
ensemble of Japanese actors and...Keanu
Have you read Orson Scott Card’s 1985 sci-fi
Prediction: A poor man’s Last Samurai?
read it now! Andrew “Ender” Wiggin (Asa
Release date: December 25, 2013
Butterfield), an unusually gifted child is sent to an advanced military school in space
A Good Day to Die Hard
to prepare for a future alien invasion, lead-
John McClane is back and this time he’s in Russia. When McClane’s son Jack gets into
trouble while in Russia, McClane travels to
Moscow to help him out, only to get caught
up in a terrorist plot involving the circum-
ing an ensemble cast that includes Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley and Aramis Knight.
Prediction: Battle Star Galactica Release date: November 1, 2013
stances behind his son’s arrest.
Iron Man 3
Release date: February 14, 2013
Man 2? Maybe. This time Tony Stark faces a
Prediction: Yippie Kay-yay Mother Russia
Will the sequel atone for the lacklustre Iron powerful enemy, the Mandarin, when he
After Earth
embarks on a quest to find those responsible
It’s Shyamalan! Run! After Earth is an upcom-
for destroying his private world. Along the
ing science-fiction thriller film directed by
way, he discovers the answer to the question
M Night Shyamalan. In the distant future,
a legendary general (Will Smith) and his
man make the suit or does the suit make the
13-year-old son (Jaden Smith) crash-land on a
man?”
The son must travel alone to recover their
Release date: May 3, 2013
long-abandoned and now dangerous Earth.
38
that has secretly haunted him: “Does the
rescue beacon. Let’s hope this isn’t a disaster DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
Prediction: The tin soldier is triumphant
Kick-Ass 2
Oz: The Great and Powerful
In the sequel, the costumed high-school
Oz the Great and Powerful is a prequel to both
mal citizens who have been inspired to fight
It’s hard to be excited about the movie since
hero Kick-Ass joins up with a group of norcrime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist
plots an act of revenge that will affect every-
one Kick-Ass knows. We were sold once we heard they cast Jim Carrey as Colonel Stars and Stripes.
Prediction: Kick Ass is Kick Ass Release date: 28 June, 2013
Man of Steel
the novel and the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. it stars James Franco, who from the trailers
looks like he was forced to do the movie by his mother. However, Director Sam Raimi is more than adept at bringing magic and wonder to the big screen, and that seems to be in evidence from the first trailer we’ve seen.
Prediction: Oz: The CGI Disaster Released date: 8 March, 2013
Supe is back! Henry Cavill is pulling on the
Pacific Rim
with Michael Shannon. R aised with the val-
coming movie as, “a beautiful poem to giant
blue tights this time around, t o do battle
Director Guillermo Del Toro describes his up-
ues of his adoptive parents, Clark Kent feels
monsters”, and it is one of our most awaited
alienated because of his unique super abilities and struggles to find his own place in
life. When the world is attacked, he becomes the hero named Superman to protect the
Earth and its people.
Prediction: A super beginning Release Date: June 14, 2013
Oblivion
movies of next year. Why? Hell, it’s about
giant robots and monsters fighting! Set in a
world where giant monsters have risen from the ocean, humans retaliate by building
large mechanised suits to combat the threat.
Basically it’s Godzilla plus Gundam. Prediction: We need... bigger guns Release date: July 11, 2013
2013 seems to be the year of Sci-Fi. The film
R.I.P.D.
ing humans on Earth. The rest of the popu-
novel, is about a recently slain cop (Ryan
follows Tom Cruise as one of the last remain-
R.I.P.D, based on the Peter M Lenkov graphic
lation has evacuated the planet following an
Reynolds) who joins a team of undead po-
alien attack, and he is part of the cleanup
crew, extracting the last vital resources. His life changes when he rescues a female stranger.
Prediction: Will run on Cruise Control Release date: April 19, 2013
Oldboy
lice officers working for the Rest in Peace
Department and tries to find the man who murdered him. The great news is that Jeff Bridges is also on board.
Prediction: The Shield meets Dawn of The Dead
Release date: July 19, 2013.
This one is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the original
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
ever seen. Conversely, because the original is so good, Spike Lee’s
2005 film Sin City. In the wake of the tragic
Korean Oldboy is one of the best foreign language films we have
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is the sequel to the
English language remake has a lot to live up to. Oldboy is a dark
loss of actor Michael Clarke Duncan earlier
and ominous tale of one man’s journey to discover why he was kidnapped and seek revenge on those who did. Prediction: Spike may strike out Release date: October 11, 2013
this year, Director Robert Rodriguez has recast the role of Manute to Dennis Haysbert. Prediction: Sin City: A Shame It Sucked Release date: October 4, 2013
39 DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
COMING SOON Stand Up Guys So... Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Alan Arkin are in a film together. If that
does not get you excited, there’s something wrong with you, really. Prediction: Triple Threat
Release date: January 11, 2013
well-made film. Catching Fire may be a
slightly harder immediate sell than The Hunger Games,but it has the ingredients for quite an edgy piece of cinema.
Prediction: Burn after watching
Release date: November 22, 2013
The Lone Ranger
The much awaited Star Trek sequel, Into Dark-
Here’s Johnny! Native American spirit war-
in for another epic Sci-Fi journey, albeit this
told tales that transformed John Reid (Armie
time a much darker story is set to unfold. The brilliant Benedict Cumberbatch plays the villain but we still don’t know his character. It is rumoured that he might play the
role of Khan Noonien Singh from Star Trek II:
Prediction: Where no man has gone before...again. Release date: May 17, 2013
The Great Gatsby In the next few months we are set to see
Leonardo DiCaprio in Tarantino’s Django Un-
chained, and perhaps more importantly, as the titular character in The Great Gatsby. It is
the latter project which interests us more, and could lead him to award glory.
Prediction: Mr Gatsby, meet Mr Oscar
rior Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the unHammer), a man of the law, into a legend of
justice. The two unlikely heroes must learn
to work together and fight against greed and corruption.
Prediction: Same character, different name.
Release date: 3 July, 2013
The Wolverine The first Wolverine movie was a disaster and
Marvel is really trying to do Wolverine justice this time. The basis of this film is a 1982
run of the comic from Frank Miller and Chris Claremont,that took the character to Japan. Prediction: Cutting edge
Release date: July 24, 2013
Thor: The Dark World
Release date: 10 May, 2013
The second of Marvel’s 2013 releases, and the
The Hangover Part III
up to 2015’s The Avengers 2, Thor: The Dark
This time, there’s no wedding. No bach-
elor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off.
Prediction: Strike 3: You’re out! Release date: 24 May, 2013
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug The Dwarfs, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the misty mountains, but Bilbo
has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to get the Dwarven gold back from the Dragon, Smaug.
40
The Hunger Games was a compelling and
Star Trek: Into Darkness ness, is almost here and it looks like we are
The Wrath of Khan.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Prediction: Bored of the Ring
Release date: 13 December, 2013 DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
second of its phase two films in the build-
World may end up being the best comic book
movie of 2013. This time, Thor battles to save all the Nine Realms from a mysterious enemy older than the universe itself. Prediction: It’s Hammer Time!
Release date: November 8, 2013
World War Z Brad Pitt is starring in this one, with Marc
Forster directing. As a zombie pandemic engulfs the globe, United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt) travels the world trying to
find a way to stop the outbreak that is defeating armies and destablising governments as they try to prevent social collapse. Prediction: Pitfall
Release date: June 21, 2013
REVIEW
mind blowing BY ANTHONY GALLI
And now for your recommended daily allowance of science. Just kidding. But really, that is what it must sound like to the typical layperson when it comes to non-fiction books that concern science, or at least have a lot of sciencey stuff in them. Carl Sagan was a great science populariser, and people like Neil deGrasse Tyson are trying admirably to fill his big shoes, but it’s not easy (lots of people seem to know about Stephen Hawkings, and claim to read his stuff, but he seems more popular for his robot voice-translator than anything else). But this book is a bit of an anomaly for a book on the popular marketplace. I was surprised to even see it at a Liberty Books. The reason is that this is really a philosophy book. Patricia Churchland is a pioneering “neuro-philosopher”. She holds that the brain has something important to tell us about the origin and expression of moral sentiment. While cognitive scientists tend to focus on thinking and problem-solving, and philosophers analyse the logic of moral claims, her particular field uses knowledge from brain science to not only directly inform such philosophical analysis, but to even guide it. Despite the book’s technical detail, it revolves around a topic that is very near and dear to many of us, but likely considered a subjective (even metaphysical), not scientific, topic. Religion, art, poetry, and yes, philosophy (ethics, which, along with aesthetics, is part of the larger study of value, or “axiology”) have all explored this subject. But since Hume and his famous is/ought distinction — you cannot derive a principle of what ought be the case simply based on what is the case — philosophers have generally shied away from considering what is “good” by any objective standard, grounded in the facts of the natural world. Popular books by the likes of Steven Pinker and Robert Wright emphasise the role of evolution (both cultural and Darwinian) in terms of pushing us toward objectively better ethical stances, but don’t focus quite so much on the specific neurology behind it as Churchland does here. It’s obvious that science can tell us what to want, and can devise clever ways of helping us get what we want, but can it also tell us what we should want? In other words, can scientific data prescribe, and not just describe? This is the more controversial and weighty question. Her book is helpful in getting us to look at what our values are, the natural context in which they are formed, and perhaps how to
inform wise policy decisions. No doubt, people from different ethnic groups, countries, religions, political parties and ideologies use different moral assumptions to moor themselves. But looking at the fundamentals of moral thinking — the ability to empathise and take care of others, bonding, feelings of trust, problem-solving, learning social practices (functional customs that shape and are shaped by the evolving brain) — can shed light on figuring out how to increase cooperation, and live with one another in happier ways.
41 DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013
HEALTHY LIVING
deterring diabetes
BY KIRAN ZAHRA
Diabetes is a human body disorder in which the blood glucose
Types of diabetes:
function of the organs. It is caused when the food we eat is con-
diabetes. Both the forms are related to insulin production and
level rises well above normal, causing organ damage or mal-
The two most common types of diabetes are ‘type 1’ and ‘type 2’
verted into glucose by the liver and from there it is released into
the organ which produces it, the pancreas. Insulin is a hor-
our bloodstream. The blood in turn carries the glucose to each
and every cell and tissue of our body, providing it with energy to perform daily tasks and other bodily functions. But when this
glucose level exceeds certain limits, it does more harm than
mone that metabolises the glucose to be used by the blood cell.
In both cases, the body cells are deprived of the energy given by the glucose which can lead to multi-organ damage.
good.
Natural remedies to manage and control diabetes: Jamun
Bitter gourd
Curry leaves
Avoid processed foods
It helps in reducing and regu-
It is the most popular and ef-
They are an excellent remedy
They contain high levels of
blood. It is rich in vitamins
blood sugar level in check. It is
predisposition. They prevent
blood sugar level and should
lating the glucose level in the
and minerals which keeps the liver active and helps with indigestion.
Having fresh jamun is high-
fective remedy for keeping
full of antioxidant properties that counter the rising glucose level.
Take the juice of two fresh
ly recommended. You can also
bitter gourds, add the pulp of a
boiling it in the water and
juice will be bitter in taste, but
make decoction of jamun by drinking it thrice a day for the best results.
lemon to it and drink that. The
if taken regularly it will keep
for diabetes caused by genetic
the sugar level from rising and control the patient’s urination problem.
You can chew 10 to 12 fresh
curry leaves on an empty stomach.
Psyllium seed
the diabetes under control.
They contain natural fibre
diabetic. Grind the seeds into
Garlic
as dietary fibre adds bulk to
teaspoon of it in the morning
in blood sugar maintenance.
Jamun seeds are also anti-
a fine powder and have one
It contains allicin which helps
on an empty stomach and one
Just have two cloves of fresh gar-
in the evening followed by a glass of water.
lic on an empty stomach to get your blood sugar under control.
that helps in weight loss, your diet. When consumed,
saturated fats which spike the
be absolutely eliminated from your diet.
Power walk Walking is mandatory as it helps to considerably lower the blood glucose level. Twen-
ty minutes of power walking, four times a week works wonders in the fight against diabetes.
it makes you feel full faster
enabling you to eat less food.
This ultimately reduces your blood sugar level.
Diabetes is a silent killer and if not managed properly could prove deadly. Always get yourself screened and get
yourself a handy glucometer. Apart from the above mentioned remedies and recommendations, the most important factor contributing to diabetes is an unhealthy lifestyle. Change it!
The suggestions in this article have been provided for your information. They are not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and the advice of your health care provider. The Express Tribune does not endorse any specific service or treatment.
42 DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 5 2013