The Express Tribune Magazine - February 24

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

Bin

theBags

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

Bin

theBags

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

Cover Story

20 Bin the Bags Polythene bags are choking us to death. Here’s how to break the stranglehold

Features

30 The Other Side of The Story The untold story of al-Andalus can chase away the darkness of the present

34 Footprints in the Mud Off the coast of Makran the Chandragup mud volcanoes heave silently, shrouded in a mysterious appeal that lures devotees and adventurers alike

37 A Portrait of the Artist, Ambreen Butt An art that lies beyond the ideas of wrongness and rightness

30

Regulars

34

6 People & Parties: Out and about with Pakistan’s beautiful people 40 Reviews: ‘Twill soon be past 42 Healthy Living: Easy ways to banish stress

37

4

Magazine Editor: Zarrar Khuhro, Senior Sub-Editor: Farahnaz Zahidi, Sub-Editors: Ameer Hamza, Heba Al-Adawy 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

Nida, Sana and Anum

PHOTOS COURTESY VERVE

Shazia and Seher

Ayesha and Sheraz

by Sultan Khan, e n li r a e w l a rm fo Precious, a launches in Lahore

Asima and Nadia

Sofia and Imtisaal

6 FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

Ahmer and Ahmed

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Saqib and Uzma

PHOTOS COURTESY VERVE

Fizi

Atif and Nazia

Fawad and Sara

Tania

Atif and Ikram

8 FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

Madeeha and Abdullah

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Sunsilk hosts the premiere of Race 2 in Lahore

Nina

PHOTOS COURTESY QYT EVENTS

Saba

Sarfaraz and Huma Alia and Amna Kardar

Natasha

10

Madiha Shah FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

Haroon

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Sara and Sania

PHOTOS COURTESY QYT EVENTS

Nickie and Saira Ahsan

Sofia Mirza Erum Alam

Qudsia

12

Junaid FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

Ayesha Sana

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Goethe d n a n io t a nd Tehzeeb Fou a Fusion concert at ld Institute ho rancaise in Karachi Alliance F

PHOTOS COURTESY IDEAS EVENTS PR

Caroline Olezac

lahat Awan

Sidra Iqbal and Ma

Johara

h d Nusrat Nasrulla

Khalid Hussain an

Sharif Awan

14 FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Nighat and Irsa

Maha Khan

PappaRoti launches in Karachi

Shahrukh and Hina Altaf

Amrah Khan

Anum Akram, Fatima Niazi and Nadia Baloch

Shiza and Hasan

16

Maheen Khan FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

Amir and Zhalay

Frieha Altaf and Usman Sakrani

PHOTOS COURTESY CATALYST PR AND MARKETING

Farah Khan

Sayeeda Laghari

Neshmia Ahmed and Yasmeen Haider Mannal and Abeer

Hina and Shoaib Uzma Jamil Baig

Areeba FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

17

COVER STORY

bin

the

20 FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

n

ebags They’re used for about 20 minutes, but they can last for as long as 1,000 years. Break the stranglehold before polythene bags suffocate us

BY TAZEEN INAM

“My mother-in-law still carries her old plastic ‘tokri’ to Bohri Bazaar when she goes to get groceries,” says Ambreen as she sits with her friends in a local coffee shop.

“And I remember carrying our ‘kapray ka thela’ along with my mother when we went for our morning shopping,” chimes in Aashi. “Amma never liked to carry the old tokri so she used to wrap it in cloth and hand it to me to carry!”

“Don’t forget the straw basket that used to be lowered from flats so the sabzi-waala could fill it up with veggies,” adds Mishal, while sipping on a steaming hot espresso in a disposable plastic cup.

This is a conversation between a group of young mothers who had gotten together for coffee after a school presentation on reducing the use of polythene bags and adopting alternatives.

Getting rid of these bags now seems like a great idea, but at the same time it also seems almost impossible to achieve. After all, NGOs and related agencies have been screaming themselves hoarse on this issue since the early ‘90s with scant success. It seems the ‘throwaway culture’ is too deeply ingrained to be changed, and the relevant ministries don’t seem too interested.

21

(Continued on page 24) FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

COVER STORY “There are varied reasons for the inaction,” says Tahir Qureshi of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. “Firstly, some of the groups raising their voices for this are simply out to attract donors. Secondly, there is no alternative livelihood for the approximately one million labourers across the country involved in the production of plastic bags, and lastly, ministers get changed around a lot and [this] seems to be the least important issue for the government. It was only the late Omer Asghar Khan who took the initiative and put a complete ban on black polythene bags”.

the latest

alternatives

But nature, as always, abhors a vacuum and increasingly the private sector has stepped in where the government fears to tread. And it turns out there are in fact alternatives to the ubiquitous polythene bag. “We phased out the use of polythene bags in and introduced environment friendly bags in 2011 by launching our non woven fabric bags, and then in 2012 we started using bio

Hydro degradable: Made up of starch; it is bio-degradable and dissolves in water.

degradable bags,” says Nazia Khan, former advertising manager of Hyperstar.

The fabric and biodegradable bags are now available at both of Hyperstar’s branches in Pakistan but it seems that being environment-friendly does come at a cost. Hyperstar charges Rs89 for non-woven fabric bags and Rs15 for biodegradable bags.

“Hyperstar is not making any profit out of this and this is just to cover the cost of the bag” says Nazia. The fabric bags are much stronger and we replace them for free if they become damaged.

The bio degradable bags, while reusable, are not replaceable.”

Hyperstar did not make the switch all of a sudden. Six months prior to introducing the new bags, it started an awareness campaign and then made the change in a phased manner, from department to department. Still, there were many customers who weren’t happy with this arrangement and demanded that these bags be distributed for free. “It is the responsibility of every individual and we are doing our part in saving the environment. They [the customers] are bound to buy these bags when they are living abroad because this is a global standard, but here they are reluctant to do so. I guess customers need to change their approaches too,” says Nazia. While

24

she no longer works at Hyperstar, the initiative FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

“We feel paper bags are crucial for our company’s branding,” says Khaadi spokeperson Uzma Malla

she launched is thankfully still going strong.

In fact, other companies such as Dawn Bread, ICI, KFC and MENU chicken have also voluntarily adopted oxo-degradable packaging. So what exactly is an oxo-degradable bag? “It’s not really

Oxo-biodegradable:

rocket science, it just involves an additive that

Reacts to oxygen in the atmosphere or water, which weakens its molecular structure. The bag is then degraded by micro-organisms present in air or water.

breaks down the molecular structure of polymer,” says Asif Shuja, Director General of Pakistan’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The additive that makes bags oxo-degradable is known as olefin. Over time, it converts plastic into carbon dioxide, humus, water and trace elements. How long these bags would take to degrade depends on how they’ve been ‘programmed’ during the manufacturing process.

This can range from a few months to a couple of years, as opposed to conventional polythene bags which can take hundreds of years to degrade.

Their durability however depends on the thickness which, according to Shuja, should be no less than 15 microns. This, he says, can only be ensured through strict legislation and monitoring.

Shuja is determined to replace polythene bags with oxo-biodegradable bags. He intends to request the government to remove the customs duty levied on olefin, which is currently charged at 6%, so as to off-set the rise in the cost of bags.

Currently, polythene bags sell for Rs85 to Rs87 per kilogram (kg) while the oxo-biodegradable bags cost around Rs92 to Rs100 per kg.

According to the EPA, 8021 units across the country are currently producing polythene bags,

Photo-degradable: When exposed to the ultra violet rays of the sun, the polymer chain gets weakened and breaks into pieces.

and production is increasing at an average 15% per annum. The average consumption of these bags in Pakistan is 350 bags/head per annum which means that we’re literally drowning in polythene bags. For Shuja and those who also believe in the promotion of biodegradable bags, this has to change immediately.

Luckily, some tentative first steps have already been taken in this direction. From April 1, the sale, purchase and use of polythene plastic bags will be completely banned in the Islamabad Capital Territory. A campaign will also be launched to create awareness among both shopkeepers and customers so as to get them to make the switch.

Luckily, Shuja doesn’t expect any issues from the manufacturers as no modification is needed in the existing machinery, and making the switch won’t cost money or jobs. Anwer Naeem, FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

25

COVER STORY

Polythene bags end up as litter that fouls the landscape, and kill thousands of marine mammals every year that mistake the floating bags for food

are produced,” adds Malla.

Still, given that paper bags are not really reusable, and even ones made from recycled paper do involve, at some stage, the cutting of trees, they are clearly never going to be a strong alternative to plastic bags.

Some companies, like Hyperstar, are also using non-woven fabric bags. You can see this trend with a lot of shoe manufacturers but here the basic idea is to safeguard delicate and expensive ladies shoes, with the green aspect being a side-effect at best.

Non-woven fabric bags are also good as ‘green’ shopping souvenirs, as they too are biodegradable. But these are also mixed with

the sales and marketing executive at Ejaz Packages agrees. His

polypropylene and other plastic additives. While their impact on

company is involved in importing the additive, olefin, from Saudi

the environment is not as great as that of polythene bags, there

Arabia and he feels the switch can be made without much pain.

are still dangerous. “They leave behind granules after decompo-

“These bags have the potential to penetrate the huge polythene

sition, which may be consumed by micro-organisms” says Sha-

bags market, but seminars and exhibitions need to be arranged

hida Kauser Farooqi, Chairperson of Subhe Nau, a charity that is

so as to raise awareness and overcome objections,” he says.

involved with environmental issues.

But there remains one problem: how to determine if the bags

Thus far, it seems that only a tiny proportion of the affluent

are in fact degradable or are simply being labelled as such by un-

classes have adopted alternatives to polythene bags, but for there

scrupulous marketers. To that end, some additive suppliers are

to be any real impact this trend has to trickle down to all layers

also advertising detectors to check the authenticity of the bags.

of society. For most Pakistanis, the issue is one of cost and conve-

Once again, the effectiveness of this will depend on how tightly

nience. By and large, people aren’t prepared to pay a single paisa

manufacturers are monitored. This will become trickier as more

more for an environment-friendly alternative when they can get

additives, such as anti-fungal and anti-microbial ones, are added

the ubiquitous ‘shopper’ for free. “To reverse this trend a price

to food packaging.

has to be paid,” says Dr Qureshi. But expecting people to volun-

Paper bags are another option being used by some brands, like the textile house Khaadi, which says it’s a matter of brand im-

ly only a strictly imposed ban can force the switch.

age for them. “We feel paper bags are crucial for our company’s

Bans are often considered a massive governmental invasion

branding,” says Khaadi spokesperson Uzma Malla. “We make

into private business. They are only warranted when a product

crisp solid bags, to let our customers know that we are commit-

is causing significant economic and environmental damage on a

ted to a quality shopping experience. The professional look of

massive scale—and must be replaced with something safe. In the

our paper shopping bags portrays the image of our business and

case of polythene bags, a ban is justified. With plastic bags, one

enhances our brand awareness,” says Malla.

is dealing with a product that has an inherent design flaw. The

Paper bags cost more than bio-degradable bags and non-woven fabric bags but are still better than polythene or any other plastic

26

tarily stop using polythene bags simply won’t work and ultimate-

bags are lightweight, aerodynamic, practically indestructible and made specifically to be discarded.

carriers. “Paper bags decompose naturally and have no effect on

Polythene bags end up as litter that fouls the landscape, and

environment during the process of decomposition or while they

kill thousands of marine mammals every year that mistake

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

The production of plastic bags consumes millions of gallons of oil that could be used for fuel and heating the floating bags for food. Plastic bags that get buried in landfills may take up to 1,000 years to break down, and in the process they separate into smaller and smaller toxic particles that

SW T The breakdown on oxo-degradable bags: Strengths Durable and reusable Degradable in oxygen under sunlight without emitting methane Can degrade in months Good carriers for food and farm contents Controlled price Plastic is recyclable

contaminate soil and water. More often, they are burned along with heaps of trash, sending carcinogenic materials into the

Weaknesses

atmosphere. They choke drainage system and can cause floods

6% customs duty on olefin 8 to 10% more expensive than polythene bags Lack of awareness Penetration needs time Easy availability of polythene bags Not a full non plastic product

during the rainy season. Furthermore, the production of plastic bags consumes millions of gallons of oil that could be used for fuel and heating.

“Only a rotational move can work” say Dr Qureshi. “The labour involved in the production of polythene bags can easily be transferred to the production of bio-degradable bags, but the issue is raising awareness and taking drastic measures to make sure that this transformation takes place at every unit”. Without legisla-

Opportunities

tion and strict enforcement, no such endeavour can succeed. Al-

Can replace trillions of polythene bags Keeps the environment clean and safe Opens doors to new investment Diversified product line Great marketing tool/souvenirs Creates more green jobs

most six years ago, when Karachi’s mayor Mustafa Kamal tried to ban polythene bags, he failed. The plants that are producing polythene bags could not be stopped and the import of the granules could not be halted without specific legislation. Once that is in place, the issue of cost can also be resolved.

“If the production of alternative bags increases, the price will come down automatically and they may even become cheap

Threats

enough for shops to hand out free of charge,” says Dr Qureshi.

Other cheaper alternatives Difficulty in purchasing the additive Dollar/rupee parity may widen Lack of government legislations Mafia acting in favour of polythene bags NGOs want a complete ban on plastics

In addition to this, new opportunities will begin to emerge for entrepreneurs. If supported by the government, companies that manufacture reusable bags will continue to grow and diversify their product lines. Eventually, this will create more green jobs while also saving the environment

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

27

FEATURE

the other side of the story Our minds grow closed, our books remain unread and our true history is forgotten. But there exists a glorious past, the example of which can erase the shadows of the present and illuminate our future

BY FAIZA RAHMAN

A forgotten fairytale must be told. It is a fairytale set amidst opulent palaces in which lived people from different lands and different beliefs. Palace courtyards echoed with strums of harps, lush gardens were redolent of citrus fruits, velvet lawns speckled with fresh water fountains, and libraries bosomed a wealth of rare knowledge.

The fairytale is the history of Muslim rule in southern Europe, remembered as ‘al-Andalus’. It

is a story which remains unwritten in books that are blind towards an era epitomising a love for

knowledge, for alien peoples, and for celebrating differences and contradictions. Indeed, Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula from 718 to 1031 AD painted a breathtaking picture of ethnic pluralism, religious tolerance and cultural sophistication.

Today, it is difficult for many to understand that Islamic rule helped pave the way for “Western

values” to reach the West. Alas, the history of Muslim rule in al-Andalus remains stubbornly unread.

The era is discounted as just another of the several Muslim expansions which ascended the ladder of glory and withered away into nothingness. But Muslim expansion in Europe left anything but

a withering legacy. It provides answers which may serve as antidotes to the surmounting hostility between Islam and the West.

Muslim expansion into Europe has been the subject of many squabbling controversies. There are

claims, for instance, that Islam was spread primarily by the sword, and was driven by a greed for land and wealth. But a peek into history adds much nuance to the conventional narratives, debunking

prejudices held by those in the West as well as in the Muslim world. Islam did not make inroads into

Europe purely on the basis of spiritual appeal, or conversely, on the basis of brutal military assaults.

Rather, Islam’s stronghold in Europe was established through a combination of military prowess,

competent governance and a flourishing exchange of ideas pertaining to the theological as well as the

30 FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

secular domain.

Historian Mahmoud Makki from the University of Cairo writes

that Tariq Bin Ziyad’s military intervention in Southern Europe in 711 AD was welcomed by the governor of a Spanish city (Ceuta) to curb the power of a hostile Visigothic king. In the documentary

When the Moors ruled in Europe, Bettany Hughes, an Oxford historian,

says: “The traditional explanation is that society collapsed when

the Arabs invaded Iberia. However, society collapsed during Gothic rule. Recopolis, which was the royal city of the Visigoths,

has been thoroughly excavated by archaeologists. No evidence of

violence was found after Muslim invasion. On the other hand, Muslims started to build a new society here.”

That

Muslim

expansion

was

welcomed

by

locals

is

understandable once the on-ground crisis in Iberia — and the rest

of Europe — is taken into context. Europe was a wreck when the

Western Roman Empire breathed its last in the late third century.

As Roman authority dwindled, barbarian tribes (Visigoths,

No evidence of violence was found after Muslim invasion.

On the other hand, Muslims started to build a new society here

Ostrogoths, Vandals and Franks) parceled away territory, plundered the lands and menaced the local population. Lands which were spared remained in the possession of Byzantine kings, who played the card of religion (Orthodox Christianity) to

salvage power at home. The Byzantine king was the ‘viceroy of God’ and heterodox Christians and Jews were persecuted by the authorities. Dogma remained the order of the day.

At a time when Europe was steeped in ignorance, Muslims had

consolidated land and crossed intellectual milestones in Asia and

Africa. As followers of a religion whose first dictate was to “read”, they applied themselves hungrily to new ideas. This expansion

was not a colonialist venture in the modern sense, motivated by territorial hunger at the expense of the natives, as many in the

West would have us believe. There was no ‘other’ homeland to

which resources or ‘booty’ could be siphoned. Muslim conquerors settled alongside locals to share resources, as builders and settlers, and integrated their culture with their own. Borrowing

technology from bustling Islamic metropolises like Baghdad and Damascus, the dilapidated Iberian cities of Cordoba, Seville,

Granada and Toledo were given elaborate irrigation and sewage systems. Caliph Abdur Rahman set in place a remarkable

system of share-cropping in which locals were allowed to hold

31

Illustration: jamal khurshid

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

FEATURE

scientific inquiry.

Today, the ‘defenders’ of faith may do all they like to posit Islam

The intellectual wealth of different faiths and cultures was exchanged via a glorious symbiotic liaison between Muslims, Christians and Jews, which remains unsurpassed by any other civilisation of the medieval era

as a religion which shies from arguments and is mistrusting

towards non-Islamic learning, but the tradition of Islam in alAndalus stands out as a refreshing refutation. It was the culture

of openness in al-Andalus which drew throngs of Christians and Jews to the lands of Islam. The works of Thodosius, Arichemedes, Euclid and most importantly, Aristotle, were translated into

Arabic at the learning centers of Toledo. Christian, Jewish

and Muslims scholars united to debate ideas and relish an environment which was miles ahead of the mistrusting conservatism that prevailed over the rest of Europe. The city of Toledo is particularly significant because of its startling

multiculturalism. The intellectual wealth of different faiths and cultures was exchanged via a glorious symbiotic liaison between Muslims, Christians and Jews, which remains unsurpassed by any other civilisation of the medieval era.

For centuries, Europe has basked in the glory of the Renaissance

— a grand period of scientific advancements stretching from the 14th to the 17th century. Little thought is given to what

sponsored the grand European leap from the fierce conservatism

of Byzantine rule to an insatiable fancy for classical learning. A link seems to be missing. If Greek works were not secured and

their lands, use it to grow food, and forfeit a percentage of the produce as tax. The revenue was used to build libraries, mosques, palaces and gardens and turn al-Andalus into the pinnacle of

was this previously shunned body of knowledge ‘rediscovered’ to sponsor the Renaissance in Italy?

Indeed, it was through the welcoming borders of Toledo that the

contemporary human civilisation. So magnificent was the

classical texts were flown off secretly to kick-start the intellectual

historians as the ‘Ornament of the World.’

that the prime motive to ignore Muslim contribution towards

medieval capital of Cordoba that it was described by several The magnetic charm of this civilisation could not help but woo

dilapidated Europe. Secular knowledge poured into the conflict-

ridden continent straight from the busy learning centers of Fez, Cairo and Baghdad. Bounties of science, philosophy, poetry and

medicine were channeled into al-Andalus’s Cordoba, Toledo,

Seville and Granada. The freedom to learn, to acquire knowledge, embrace foreign ideas and tolerate diverse opinions were the defining features of the intellectual culture in al-Andalus.

New knowledge led to fresh skepticism. Ideas were debated

and comparisons were made. Science remained the darling of

stir known as the Renaissance. Historian Maria Menocal writes

the Renaissance is to glamourise Europe. Clearly, it was a shame for the ‘West’ to entertain an explanation that said it was

indebted to the ‘non-Western’, she writes. Quite interestingly, one of history’s most paradigm-shifting discovery is that the

famed Renaissance philosopher-theologian Thomas Aquinas

was the direct student of Cordoba born scholar Ibn-e-Rushd. As

several of Aquinas’ theological positions reek of Ibn-e-Rushd’s philosophy, they problematise the stubborn ‘Europeanness’ of the Renaissance.

Lamenting ignorance towards the Muslims’ contributions

Islam. While Europe regarded science as a challenge to religious

to Western glory, eminent Pakistani historian Dr Nomanul

it, as studying science was essential to sustain both empire and

of the world has been ideologically reconstructed to weed out

authority, Muslims had little choice but to apply themselves to

religion. Advanced mathematical problems, such as locating the Kaaba’s direction for prayers from newly conquered lands,

calculating exact dates for Ramazan and Eid, travelling long

32

developed by any scholars during the European Dark Ages, how

distances in the quest for Hadith, and formulating dimensions

for new mosques, made it impossible for Muslims to avoid FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

Haq says, “We live in a colonial hangover. Sadly, the history

unpalatable details. Unlike what is generally believed, Islam is not an ‘Eastern’ phenomenon since no aspect of Western life is

devoid of the influences of Islam. The fates of Islam and the West are but tied.”

Muslims did not simply transfer classical legacy back into

Europe, but also furthered it with their own independent contribution. The same classical legacy forsaken by Byzantine

kings was revived by Muslim scholars, debated and developed

at the learning centers of al-Andalus. While Greek works were being rendered into Arabic, Muslim scholars added to them their own findings. For example, Ibn-e-Rushd’s translations of Aristotle included his independent works on the philosophy of

the human soul and origins of the universe which were absorbed into the original. A simple exercise of compare and contrast reveals some other startling findings: thanks to Aristotle’s

Arithmetica and Euclid’s Elements, the classical world was well aware with the mathematics of algebra and geometry. However,

the fusion of these two mathematical disciplines was a purely Muslim contribution, giving rise to the branch of trigonometry.

The Muslims of Spain did not simply transfer classical knowledge back into Europe as dead wood, but carved it most ornately

The ensuing liberality and love for knowledge from different

cultures led Muslim scholars to pick up intellectual challenges from one tradition, and apply solutions belonging to another. In this way, many Indian questions were given Greek solutions, and vice versa.

“It was nothing but a remarkable example of cross-

fertilisation,” says Dr Haq while elaborating on Muslim

mathematical contributions, “The Muslims of Spain did not simply transfer classical knowledge back into Europe as dead wood, but carved it most ornately. It must not be assumed that

the translation of classical texts into Arabic was a simple exercise of replication. Translation is a complex procedure. An Arabic

translation would mean that the entire work was being looked at from an ‘Arab lens’. ”

In a nazm dedicated to the Mosque of Cordoba, Allama Iqbal

writes: “Ah, woh mardaan-e-haq, woh Arabi shah-e-sawaar…jin ki nigahon

ne ki tarbiyat-e-shaq-o-gharb. Zulmat-e-Europe mein thi jin ki khirad raahbeen (Ah! Those men of Truth! Those Arab cavaliers! Their insights

have trained the East and the West, their reasoning was the guiding force in the darkness of Europe.)

Today, the Muslim scholars of al Andalus are denied due

credit. The writing of history must give recognition to stories which are buried deep beneath the debris of biases. Tolerating

contradictions, relishing differences and cherishing knowledge

were the very values which allowed the people of al-Andalus to reach the unprecedented pinnacle of civilisation. These values are not ones which the Muslims of al-Andalus contrived to suit their circumstance. Rather, these were values which had been

made possible by Islam. In a lamentable turn of fate, the West, which benefitted from them, and the East, eager to distance itself from everything ‘Western’,

have disowned their own

values. Differences have now been frozen into permanence.

Books only scream out narratives of violence and bloodshed when

33

telling the history of Islam.T

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

FEATURE

footprints

in the mud Taking the road less travelled to the Chandragup volcanoes, a hidden geological wonder off the coast of Makran

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ADIL MULKI

On a fateful day in November 1945, a squadron of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) was returning to their base in Karachi. World War II had ended and it was peaceful going as they flew over the sandy tracts and rugged mountains which had once decimated Alexander’s ancient army with thirst and exhaustion.

Suddenly the earth started shaking and the shallow waters near

the shore began to froth. Huge hillocks on the ground which were

previously silent now seemed to be the centre of strange activity as

whitish rivers of mud began cascading down their sides. All of a sudden, there was a huge explosion at the centre of one of the hills and a ball of fire burst into the night!

The next day it became clear that the Makran subduction zone (a

region of the Earth’s crust where tectonic plates meet), just off the coast of present day Pakistan, had experienced major seismic activ-

ity. The quake shook the Manora lighthouse so violently that two pounds of liquid Mercury, upon which the heavy lighthouse lamp

usually floats, spilled out. The shock waves created a tsunami and more than 4,000 people died from the combined effects of the earthquake and the tsunami. Soon news began to appear about the appearance of three new islands in the Arabian Sea.

It was surmised that the explosion and fireball witnessed by the

RAF pilots was from the mud volcanoes of Hingol. The earthquake

had shaken and vented the volcanoes, which had ignited and started spewing mud. Mud volcanoes form in places where pockets of

underground gas force their way to the surface. Because they are

not caused by magma, the mud volcanoes, rather than being hot, can be very cold. Pakistan has a number of mud volcanoes in the Makran Desert and offshore. While most mud volcanoes are usually

34

less than 3-7 feet tall, Pakistan’s Chandragup Mud Volcano is more than 300 feet high.

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

Be it Hawaii, Japan, Indonesia, or Pakistan, we have always managed to find some association between powerful geological phenomenon and religion

RAF officer Peter Martin-Kaye, deeply intrigued by the events,

decided to visit the volcanoes with a friend to study them first

hand. They made the journey from Karachi to Hingol and back,

on foot, camelback, bus and sailboats, and observed some tall mud volcanoes in the Liari area as well as visiting the Chandargup Mud Volcanoes near Koh Sapat.

He documented and photographed the entire journey in his

war-time diary. After WWII, RAF officer Peter Martin-Kaye went on to become Dr. Peter Martin-Kaye. With a PhD in geology,

Martin-Kaye led several ground-breaking projects for the United Nations and NASA. More than half a century later, I got hold of

a copy of his diary and traced him. Unfortunately, before I could make a request for photographs he passed away.

Decades after Martin-Kaye’s visit, Kaiser Tufail, a pilot in the

Pakistan Airforce was similarly captivated by the strange activity in Chandargup. He visited the sites and did some preliminary studies on the subject. I recently got in touch with Tufail, now a retired Air Commodore, and he generously permitted me to use his notes and pictures.

Chronology of famous Eruptions The mud volcanoes of Pakistan have been active since time immemorial. The mud islands created during 1945 quake were washed away by strong monsoon currents and tidal activity

within months of their creation. On March 15, 1999, an extrusion started again in the same area at a depth of 10 meters and created a similar island. It was named Malan Island. At the time,

the local media reported that calls of “Allah-o-Akbar” had been

heard amidst the roaring and rumbling as the island emerged from the depths. Whether these reports were true or not remains largely a matter of opinion. Nearby, on the coast of Makran,

the Chandragup family of volcanoes are highly revered by Hin-

dus and are considered an important part of their pilgrimage to Hinglaj Mata temple further inland along the Hingol River. Be it Hawaii, Japan, Indonesia, or Pakistan, we have always managed

to find some association between powerful geological phenomenon and religion.

On November 26, 2010 approximately three kilometres from

the coast off Hingol, an island suddenly surfaced from the bot-

tom of the ocean. The island basked under the Pakistani media’s limelight and a team of National Institute of Oceanography vis-

ited the island for research purposes. However, all of Pakistan’s mud islands have so far met the same fate as the legendary Atlantis.

In my quest to discover more about these mysterious mud is-

lands, I requested the Pakistani space research organisation for a satellite picture of the island and that of the 1999 Malan island.

I already had a copy of this, which was published in a research

paper of the time, but I was not surprised by their reply. They

claimed that they could not find the 1999 picture and would not FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

35

FEATURE

On November 26, 2010 approximately three kilometres from the coast off Hingol, an island suddenly surfaced from the bottom of the ocean

grant me right of usage for the copy in my possession. How-

when they are completely prepared as far as vehicles, equipment

and white image of the recently emerged island from them for

lated from civilisation and the chances of any rescue are virtually

similar request to NASA. I was shocked at their prompt response.

than 50 kilometres in any direction.

ever, they told me that I could purchase a low resolution black

Rs15,000 per picture. Dejected, I tried a long shot and made a They said that due to the satellites orbit and image capturing

zero. Cell phones are also useless as there are no signals for more

While the hazards might put you off the journey, the view

schedules I’d have to wait weeks before my request could be com-

from the top of the volcano makes the effort well worth it. The

formed that they had uploaded high resolution coloured images

both the coastal highway and the Arabian Sea, which is barely 5

plied. A few months down the road, I was delighted to be inthat I had requested, for public usage!

Directions and Hazards — A Road less travelled The most accessible mud volcanoes on the Makran Range are the Chandargup family. In order to get there, one has to take a left from the Makran Coastal Highway (MCH), approximately 35

kilometres before the Aghore post at river Hingol. The area lies within the limits of the Hingol National Park and the manage-

300ft high peak provides an excellent vantage point for viewing

kilometres away. As it was not the peak activity season, when we visited, the discharge of mud was low but there was visible mois-

ture and mud on the surface of the crater. A flag or two, some coconut shells, a few plastic bottles, blackened make-shift stoves

and some dried up tire tracks in the parched mud were the only reminders of the Hindu pilgrims and adventurists who visit the site.

Mud volcanoes hold clues to our underground mineral resourc-

ment has erected a concrete sign to mark the path to the mud

es, not to mention important geological and seismic informa-

path is a series of dirt tracks which are only navigable in a 4x4

Hindu devotees but also for any adventure junkie. Their forma-

volcanoes, the largest of which is visible from the highway. The

vehicle. Initially, we had considered trekking the 10 kilometre track from the MCH to Chandargup and back again. The idea was

abandoned after we were told about the sand flies. These tiny, winged gnats seek exposed skin and their bites leave large, red

itchy bumps that may turn into a rash. While they are relative-

36

and physical condition is concerned. The area is completely iso-

ly harmless, sandflies are known to carry a host of viruses. It is

strongly recommended that all would-be adventurists proceed FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

tion. They are also a potential tourist attraction not only for the tion and scientific studies carried out in the area, have proved the

presence of huge deposits of methane underneath the surface.

Unfortunately, the gas deposits are in a solid form called methane hydrates. Science has not yet figured out a way of extracting methane from this form in a controlled manner. Perhaps in the future, the mud volcanoes might answer Pakistan’s energy needs.

FEATURE

a portrait of the artist, ambreen butt “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there” — Rumi TEXT BY MAHA KAMAL AND PHOTOS BY AMBREEN BUTT

Ambreen Butt works carefully in her suburban studio in Lexington, Massachusetts. Shades of ochre and maroon seem to come alive on the walls of the studio.

On closer inspection, the small blotches are revealed to be a body of ants. “They represent mankind,” Ambreen explains.

the phone with a friend of mine who was

exploding like fireworks. “You never real-

a bomb in a bazaar,” Ambreen explains,

“They’re little bits of skin, muscles, bones

Another wall is covered with what look

digits are cast on the wall in delicate lay-

like little resin toes and fingers. “I was on

visiting Lahore, and she narrowly escaped

“I remember thinking how we can never picture our own death. Yet it is so real at

the same time. We rely heavily on the news, but can never step outside and see

ourselves. We can never even imagine it

ly pay attention to your fingers,” she says. and nail. I wanted to make the viewer look

at themselves differently and to bring at-

tention to the precariousness of life. It’s a very ugly reality”.

Ambreen’s work, displayed in galler-

and we take it for granted.” The crimson

ies all over the United States, speaks vol-

ers, like rose petals coming as a whole and

latest work was showcased in the Carroll

umes about modern Pakistani art. Her FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

37

FEATURE

and Sons gallery in South Boston and was

was a part of the family until she was ex-

moved to the Tufts’ Tisch Gallery in January this year.

Ambreen began painting profession-

ally during her undergraduate years at the National College of Arts. She was fasci-

nated by miniature painting and instantly picked it as her major. “The moment I saw

it, I felt seduced by the art,” she says with a half-smile, “I was drawn in by every-

thing”. “It is tangible, it’s so close to you and the marks are so small, they’re barely

there,” she explains, “my relationship

with my work took a lot out of me, but it was always worth it”.

While exploring the genre of miniature

art, Ambreen realised that she wanted to do more than just carry the baton of a

dying art form. “I wanted to contemporise it,” she says, “In the early 90s, contemporary miniature art from South Asia

was alien to the western art world. It was almost a revival to make traditional techniques contemporary.”

For her undergraduate thesis on min-

iature painting, Ambreen combined her

passion for social issues with stories from Khawateen magazines. “It was something

out of teen auratein, teen kahaniyaan that com-

pelled me to use the magazines,” Ambreen says, “the stories were all about breaking

social boundaries, they were very real issues. You never really know if they were

even true but they still had a deep impact on me”. She remembers one story which

38

stuck with her. It was about a feudal family and a maid who grew up believing she FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

ploited.

I was particularly struck by the representation of women in miniature art. They were often depicted as small seductive creatures

“For me, art became about social issues

when it came to miniature art,” Ambreen explains. “I was particularly struck by the representation of women in miniature

art. They were often depicted as small se-

ductive creatures. The male icons on the other hand resembled Krishna and had a more god-like representation,” she ex-

plains, “I was more concerned with the woman herself, rather than her body.”

After

graduating,

Ambreen

applied

to the Massachusetts College of Art and Design for a Masters in Fine Arts. The

move to Boston proved to be a real boon

You have to create your own vocabulary, according to the space and time you’re living in

for Ambreen. “Boston was a great place

a woman is standing on a fish. It’s a beau-

ping has a sense of rejection, but you’re

understanding my identity as a woman,”

For Ambreen, exploring her art forms

birth, and in that, it’s very personal,” she

for reinventing myself as an artist and

tiful image.”

Ambreen explains. “I grew up very shel-

led her to create her own style of work. “I

escorted everywhere. It was very different

I never did. I had always known what I

tered in Pakistan and I was used to being being on my own and having to confront my fears.”

During her early years in Massachu-

setts, Ambreen rented a room from Boston University Anthropology Professor, Shahla Haeri, and her husband Walter Crump.

They had met in Pakistan when Ambreen

was a student at NCA where Crump was teaching photography. “Ambreen’s work

never do things on other people’s terms,

wanted. If I try to force myself to do some-

consciousness is becoming very important.”

“Ambreen’s narrative feminist pieces

are easier to understand and interpret in the framework of their time,” says Haeri, “I particularly like one of her works where

Her piece, Beyond the Ideas of Rightness or

my law documents. The drawings depict

I want my message to be delivered in the

right vocabulary,” she says, “You have to create your own vocabulary, according to the space and time you’re living in.”

For Ambreen, her work represents her

tween your life and your work,” she says.

the test of time, especially since feminist

interpretation.”

laughs. “I’m rebellious in my own way,

and it’s a disaster for everyone else,” she

stract pieces have a number of intricate

has a transcendental value that can stand

ing of the written word, and a matter of

Wrongness features eleven drawings made

understanding of the world out there. “As

layers and I find that really exciting as it

explains, “It’s about exploring the mean-

thing else, it never really works for me,

has gone through numerous changes and

transitions,” Haeri says, “some of her ab-

also not destroying, so in a way it’s a re-

an artist, it’s difficult to make a wall beShe is also very particular about the materials she uses. Inspired by Wasli, the

handmade paper traditionally used for miniature painting in South Asia, she decided to use transparent materials like

plastic and layered them on top of each other. Some of her work also involves

ripping pieces of paper. “It’s about transforming something new. The act of rip-

from ripped pieces of Pakistan’s blasphethe Punjab governor, Salmaan Taseer

and his self-confessed assassin Mumtaz Qadri. Two portraits of the men hang on two different sides, but their features

merge, as they blend into one another.

“It was about interpretations, and how

man-made texts can be elevated to the level of a holy scripture,” Ambreen says,

“It is about heroic representation and that

someone can be made out to be an angel or a demon. One can’t exist without the

other and it’s about who you are seeing as

a hero. Qadri was showered with rose petals, while Salmaan became a hero for giv-

ing up his life. It’s very reflective of your own person. It is a statement that extremism exists within you.

FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

39

REVIEW

‘twill Soon Be Past

BY NOMAN ANSARI

Don’t be fooled by the film’s title, which translates into ‘love’ in French. Amour is a disturbing piece of cinema which examines the bitter fact of life that everything comes to an end; including the tender love between a couple, which if nothing else, is brought to an end by old age.

The film is shot in a slow and tense style by Austrian Director Michael Haneke (The Piano Teacher), a filmmaker known for tackling less discussed social problems in his films.

Amour pulls no punches, and opens unconventionally with what is in fact the final scene of the film, showing the police breaking into an apartment which has been taped shut from the inside. This apartment belongs to Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne Laurent (Emmanuelle Riva), an elderly couple who happen to be retired music teachers. The apartment reeks of decay, and upon further examination, the police find the source of the foul stench of death within the premises: it is the corpse of Anne, lying peacefully on the bed, dressed in a comfortable gown, and adorned lovingly with flowers. The scene is troubling, yet this early revelation indicates that the film isn’t concerned with the fate of the Laurents, but their troubling final journey.

a safe landing

BY NOMAN ANSARI

Flight is a moving voyage, and almost entirely turbulence free. This film stars one of Hollywood’s finest actors, Denzel Washington, who earned an Academy Award nomination for a beautifully nuanced performance of a tortured man battling alcohol and drug addiction.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis, Flight takes off with a craftily edited flying sequence, both pulsating and terrifying at the same time. In the opening scenes, William “Whip” Whitaker (Denzel Washington), the captain of a 102 passenger plane, and a person who enjoys getting high in more ways than one, is shaken out of his stupor by an alarming situation.

Whip, who had fallen asleep after consuming a forbidden mixture of vodka and orange juice, wakes up to discover that his aircraft has gone into a steep dive after the failure of its control system. Here, the captain brilliantly saves the day by landing in an open field next to a church, though much to the fright of his passengers, including rookie copilot Ken Evans (Brian Geraghty). This crash landing sequence is absolutely harrowing, bringing to mind actual tragedies that involve plane crashes.

Eventually, Whip finds himself in a hospital, where he is greeted by 40 the hilarious Harling Mays (John Goodman), who is the pilot’s friend FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

From here we are taken back to the recent past where the couples’ difficulties are beginning. The Laurents are shown to be a loving and caring pair, who take care of each other’s needs the best they can. And pleasantly, the husband sometimes still surprises his wife with stories about himself. Here, Georges starts to notice an alarming pattern in his wife’s behavior, where she freezes, staring into space for minutes at a time in a catatonic state. Later, a surgery for Anne results in complications, where she is left partially paralyzed, and not wanting to go on. Here, Amour shows us the challenges that come with such a situation, which for many may hit a little too close to home, especially for those who have felt the desperate feeling of helplessness when unable to do anything for a loved one in pain.

Amour is a superbly acted film with an equally powerful subject.

Taking on the touchy subjects of suicide, and assisted suicide, this is a bleak notice that life isn’t pretty when the clock stops ticking, and one should prepare the best they can, because even genuine love stories must come to an end.

and drug dealer. He also meets the representative of the airline pilots’ union, Charlie Anderson (Bruce Greenwood), who tells him that he has been hailed as a hero for saving 96 of the 102 passenger lives.

But Whip doesn’t consider himself to be a hero, and is deeply burdened by feelings of guilt and shame; guilt for the death of others, and shame for being unable to control the need for alcohol. These negative feelings are exacerbated by an official investigation into the plane crash.

Whip isn’t the only character in Flight battling addiction. His love, Nicole (Kelly Reilly), a former heroin abuser, is addicted to bad relationships. Through her turbulent affair with Whip, she learns valuable lessons, eventually letting go of her own baggage in Flight.

Despite being a character prone to making bad choices, Whip is highly sympathetic and identifiable, thanks to Washington’s immense talent in conveying complex emotions through subtle changes in facial expressions. And although Flight loses a little altitude in its finale with what is a crowd pleasingly safe landing, the film is still quite a trip.

easy ways to banish stress

BY KIRAN ZAHRA

Stress is deadly. And the more you worry about it, the worse it becomes. Here is how you can get

Increase intake of the following:

to recognise the symptoms: depression,

contain important vitamins and minerals

stomach,

effects of stress.

a handle on stress. First, it is important fatigue,

insomnia,

appetite,

memory

irritability,

headaches,

loss

a

upset

change

and

lack

in of

Drink chamomile tea as it is has a very

calming effect.

Have more vegetables and fruits as they

that protect your body from the damaging

Try fish as it contains omega-3 fatty acids

concentration. The moment you notice

that help reduce stress.

you will realise that stress relief is only a

Breathe away stress:

them, follow a few simple techniques and breath away.

Along with focusing on your diet to deal

and depletes the body of many essential

relaxation

Stress slows down the digestive process

nutrients. In the long-run, it can result in a series of health problems. To reduce

stress levels, it is important to incorporate certain changes into your diet, your sleeping

habits

and

your

activities.

Watchful eating, especially when under

with stress, you can also practice certain techniques.

Breathing

deeply

and consciously in a relaxed, gentle manner is one of the easiest ways to release stress.

Here’s an effective breathing and relaxation

exercise you can use the next time you feel stressed:

Inhale deeply through your nose, with your

stress, is highly recommended.

mouth shut,

Foods that one must try to steer clear of: Caffeinated food items: caffeine

mouth, with your tongue positioned behind

the production of stress hormones.

feel a wave of relaxation.

activates the adrenal glands to increase

Processed foods: they require too

much energy to digest. When the body

Hold your breath for some time,

Exhale calmly and slowly through your

your teeth right next to the gum line.

Repeat this exercise five times or until you

To have more control over stress, establish

is experiencing a lot of emotional stress,

a healthy routine for yourself that revolves

the digestive process. Therefore, try and

regular breathing exercises. Soon you’ll be

consuming these items can slow down avoid white flour, sugar, fried foods, soft drinks and artificial sweeteners.

42 FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2 2013

around a nutritionally balanced diet and able to banish the stress before the negativity eats you away.