The Express Tribune Magazine - February 8

FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

THE RETURNING CHAMPIONS Reliving the glory of the 1992 World Cup

FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

Infographic

Demystifying epilepsy

Cover Story

The returning champions

A little awareness and care can help people with epilepsy lead a normal life

Reliving the glory of the 1992 World Cup

20 Feature

Back to square one?

As American forces withdraw, Afghan women worry about their future

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4

34 Regulars

6 People & Parties: Out and about with beautiful people

40 Review: Movie, book and art 46 Tech: Getting everyone connected to the internet

Magazine Editor: Sarah Munir and Senior Subeditor: Dilaira Dubash Creative Team: Essa Malik, Jamal Khurshid, Mohsin Alam, Omer Asim, Aamir Khan, Sanober Ahmed & Talha Ahmed Khan Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Twitter: @ETribuneMag & Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ETribuneMag Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Nazli Abid

Marium Khan

Ladiesfund holds its third Star Speed Networking Luncheon in Karachi

Aamina Sheikh

6 FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

Wardha Saleem

Shobha Ispahani

Irum Fawad

Nadia Hussain with her baby

Jaweria Ali

PHOTOS COURTESY TUD PR

Mahreen Mansha

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Saman Malik Madiha Rizvi

Sharmila Farooqi

PHOTOS COURTESY TUD PR

Sindhya Kirshan

Dabeera and Gill

Khushreed Hyder and Maliha Bhimjee

8 FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

Atiqa Odho

Tina Sani and Shamain Faruque

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Foha Raza

Irum

10 FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

Asad Butt and Mishal Malik

Nilofer and Lalay

Maham, Nimrah, Marium and Raafia

Saba and Alyzeh

Guest

PHOTOS COURTESY LATITUDE PR

Fashion brand Dusk exhibits its latest collection in Lahore

PEOPLE & PARTIES Engro launches the ‘I Am The Change’ campaign in Karachi

Sumeha and Khalid

Mr and Mrs Ghulamali

12 FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

Zehra Dada

Naila Kassim

Shamikh Zaidi

PHOTOS COURTESY XENITH PUBLIC RELATIONS

Uroos and Mehryn

PEOPLE & PARTIES The Dolmen Mall Clifton hold its Fashion Show 2015 in Karachi

Sunita Marshall

Maha Burney

Fatima Amir

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Maheen Khan

Nazia with her husband and daughter

Rabeeya Rehman

Faiza Lakhani

Sadia

PHOTOS COURTESY WALNUT PR

Ali Gul Pir

INFOGRAPHIC

DEMYSTIFYING EPILEPSY Patients with epilepsy can lead normal lives if the disease is diagnosed and treated on time

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

50 million

DESIGN BY OMER ASIM

people worldwide have epilepsy and more than three-quarters of those live in low- and middleincome countries. An estimated 2.4 million new cases occur each year.

SOURCE: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Epilepsy is one of the most common serious chronic neurological diseases affecting people of all ages globally. It is characterised by recurrent seizures and can be caused due to various factors. In some cases, there is an underlying genetic basis, whereas brain damage from prenatal or perinatal injuries (for example, a loss of oxygen or trauma during birth), congenital abnormalities or brain malformations, head injury, stroke, neurological infections such as meningitis, encephalitis and neurocysticercosis, and brain tumours can also trigger the disease. In about half the cases of epilepsy, the cause cannot be identified.

More than

Overview The risk of premature death in people with epilepsy is two to three times higher than for the general population in high-income countries and more than six times higher in low- and middle-income countries.

People with epilepsy also often suffer from other psychological conditions, such as depression and anxiety, associated intellectual disabilities, especially in children, and physical injuries (for instance, fractures and burns).

People with epilepsy are often subjected to stigmatisation and discrimination because of misconceptions and negative attitudes surrounding the disease. Some common misconceptions associated with the disease are that the patient is possessed by ‘evil spirits’ or that epilepsy is contagious or is equivalent to madness. Stigmatisation leads to human rights violations and societal exclusion. For example, in some settings children with epilepsy may not be allowed to go to school and adults may not find suitable employment or be able to marry.

Challenges and gaps in epilepsy care Up to 75% of people with epilepsy can live a normal life, free from seizures, if they are appropriately treated with antiepileptic medicines.

Despite the availability of affordable treatment, up to 90% of people with epilepsy may not be properly diagnosed or treated in resource-poor settings. The so-called “treatment gap� (the percentage of people with epilepsy whose seizures are not being appropriately treated at a given point in time) is estimated to be 75% in low-income countries and substantially higher in rural areas than in urban areas.

The wide treatment gap may result from a combination of inadequate capacities of healthcare systems and inequitable distributions of resources, particularly in resourcepoor and rural areas. Factors that widen the gap include an insufficiency of staff, poor access to antiepileptic medicines, societal ignorance and misconceptions, poverty and low prioritisation for the treatment of epilepsy.

Only limited numbers of specialist health professionals are available in low- and middleincome countries. Epilepsy can be treated at the primary healthcare level but very often, the healthcare workers there are not adequately trained to diagnose or treat epilepsy.

There are several barriers to accessing antiepileptic medicines. For example, the price often remains unjustifiably high, even for generic medicines. Data and information necessary for planning, forecasting and budgeting are often lacking. Certain regulatory policies prevent wider use of some antiepileptic medicines.

Lack of knowledge or misperceptions about epilepsy may affect health-seeking behaviour. People with epilepsy may not access treatment from healthcare facilities and instead might seek help from other sources that may be ineffective. They also may not seek regular follow-up care or adhere to medications as prescribed.

Epilepsy accounts for

0.5% of the total global burden of disease.

Epilepsy care: Need of the hour Strengthen effective leadership and governance: National policies and legislation need to be formulated, strengthened and implemented in order to promote and protect the rights of people with epilepsy and to prohibit discrimination in education, employment, marriage, reproduction, driving regulations and recreation.

Improve provision of epilepsy care: Policies on general health, mental health or noncommunicable diseases should include consideration of care for people with epilepsy and adequate budgets should be allocated to undertake the necessary steps. Stakeholders from all relevant sectors, including people with epilepsy and their caretakers and family members, should be engaged in the development and implementation of policies, laws and services.

Integrate epilepsy management into primary healthcare: In order to help reduce the epilepsy treatment gap, non-specialist healthcare providers should be trained and supported so that epilepsy can be diagnosed and treated in primary healthcare settings.

Increase access to medicines: Strategies should be formulated and implemented to make antiepileptic medicines more available, accessible and affordable Support strategies for prevention of epilepsy: Many of the causes of epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries are preventable, and the health and social sectors should be supported to assist in reducing its incidence. Examples include promoting safe pregnancies and births, control of cysticercosis, prevention of head trauma and prevention of strokes.

Strengthen health information and surveillance systems: Data on epilepsy should be captured, collated, routinely reported, analysed and disaggregated by sex and age in order to measure progress in increasing access to services for people with epilepsy.

Improve investment in epilepsy research and increase research capacity.

Collaborate with civil society and other partners. T

COVER STORY

BY EMMAD HAMEED PHOTOS BY IQBAL MUNIR DESIGN BY MOHSIN ALAM

The glorious 1992 World Cup journey through h the eyes of a photographer

Twenty-three years after cla claiming the world champion title, the Pakist Pakistan cricket team is all set to return to the historic grounds of Australia and New Zealand to recreate moments that earned them a permanent spot on the cricketing map.

What happened on the field in 1992 might be etched in the memory of every cricket fan in the country and is refreshed every four years by the barrage of video clips and pictures that flood social media and television screens. Few know what happened behind the scenes. And only one man, who trailed the cricketers closely throughout the event as the team’s official photographer, capturing every move and emotion, can shed light on their state of mind and recall intimate details that lead to the momentous victory. Today, Iqbal Munir uses the power of his pictures and memory to take us back in time when Pakistan cricket was all about the glory of the game.

Imran Khan went through a series of emotional highs and lows during the 1992 World Cup but eventually managed to lead his team to victory.

COVER STORY

An uneven pitch When Munir was appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to cover the event, he got straight down to the task.

Equipped with his Nikon F3, he boarded a flight to Australia to join the team that had flown out a month before. Everyone was optimistic that Pakistan would emerge victorious that year, owing to the team’s confidence. Munir was, therefore, not prepared to digest what he came across next. While going through some of the in-flight newspapers, he was shocked to read an article in which Imran Khan, the captain for the 1992 World Cup, was quoted as saying, “We lost the occasion to win in the semi-final against Australia in Lahore in ’87. Now it’s difficult to win the World Cup in Australia.”

In contrast to what millions in the country believed, Imran seemed to have little hope of winning the trophy. Munir’s hopes were further crushed when he heard Australian legend Greg Chappell rate Pakistan as the fifth best bet to win the nine-nation tournament.

This cynicism was in stark contrast to the false sense of confidence Munir had witnessed at the conditioning camp set up in Lahore. All the cricketers, except Imran perhaps, were in consensus that they’ll make it to the semi-finals since it was a matter of winning only four matches. The squad, however, looked disinterested and seemingly went through the motions, he reveals. “Imran Khan was nursing his shoulder injury, Javed Miandad was cringing in pain due to a back problem and Waqar Younis was down with a stress fracture,” he says. “The camp lacked vigour and enthusiasm and was bereft of coordination and a sense of purpose.

[There was] only overconfidence and arrogance.” The players assured that they would easily take down India, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

But when the team eventually left for Australia on January 15, 1992, a lot had changed. They were travelling without Miandad, and Imran had instead picked out Zahid Fazal and Inzamamul Haq as his potential match winners because of the promise they had shown.

Imran Khan picks up a newspaper to read before his flight to Adelaide, South Australia.

Imran in consultation with his vice captain Javed Miandad during New Zealand’s innings in the semifinal.

Flexing their muscles during a drinks break.

It wasn’t until they landed in Perth that their fortunes took a turn for the better. That night, they attended a welcome reception that was organised to raise funds for Imran’s charitable cancer hospital. Overwhelmed by the gesture, the captain formally addressed his team

Top view of a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground during the final match.

Imran Khan wears his lucky tiger T-shirt and wins the crucial toss against Australia.

The camp lacked vigour and enthusiasm and was bereft of coordination and a sense of purpose. [There was] only over-confidence and arrogance Photographer Iqbal Munir

The fall before the rise According to Munir, the team went through a series of emo- “This one point can turn our fortunes around,” Miandad told tional highs and lows throughout their World Cup journey. Munir and proved to be crucial in pushing Pakistan further In Melbourne, on the eve of the opening clash between Paki- in the tournament. stan and West Indies, Munir confronted Imran’s skepticism The team, however, suffered another major blow soon first-hand. The captain was visibly disgruntled with the per- when they lost to arch-rivals India. In Brisbane, they even lost formance of the team in the warm-up matches. “Even after to South Africa despite Haq’s promising 48 runs off 45 balls. At a month in Australia, there’s a lack of application and whole this point, the team had visibly lost all hope of bringing the heartedness amongst the players,” he confided in Munir. cup home, including Miandad, who skipped the match due to Even during the opening match, Imran was seen huffing stomach flu. And it wasn’t until he spoke to his mother over and puffing at the team’s performance, which lost to its op- the phone that he was able to let go of the guilt. ponent by 10 wickets.

Unlike Imran, Miandad, who rejoined the team during the last warm-up match, gave the players a much-needed boost of confidence. Not only did he practice earnestly, but motivated others to do the same. He even guided Wasim Haider to maintain his line and length and much of his posiJaved tive influence can be seen in the numerous practice shots Miandad mocks captured by Munir.

Kiran More’s Imran, on the other hand, did little to keep the team’s excited morale high. Even while flying to Adelaide, in South Aus- appeal by tralia, Imran was particularly quiet and aloof. He preferred jumping in the air. to spend his time reading a newspaper rather that interacting with the rest of the team. During the match against England on March 1, Pakistan’s weak batting was brutally exposed and this drilled a deeper hole in Imran’s confidence.

But a sudden downpour midway during England’s batting 29 brought the match to a halt and earned both teams a point.

FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

COVER STORY

The forward approach With only three matches left to play now, Pakistan could not afford to lose a single game. The players were desperate to claim back-to-back wins but none of them believed they could. And it wasn’t until they landed in Perth that their fortunes took a turn for the better. That night, they attended a welcome reception that was organised to raise funds for Imran’s charitable cancer hospital. Overwhelmed by the gesture, the captain formally addressed his team at the event and said, “We’re Muslims and Islam teaches us never to lose hope. To lose hope is a sin.” Something seemed to have changed in Imran, Munir recalls, and this renewed energy transferred to the rest of the players in the coming days.

At Perth’s Western Australian Cricket Association ground, the team held a meeting in the dressing room which continued for hours. The media was quick to pick up on this and the following day, Munir recalled reading an article in a newspaper, which stated, “In Perth, instead of nets the Pakistani team was locked up inside the dressing room.” But the meeting was crucial in reshaping the team’s destiny, Munir shares.

“It was here that Pakistan devised their strategy to win the World Cup. They came out of the dressing room as champions.” Imran resumed the reins of captaincy and swayed the team with inspirational words, including senior batsmen Salim Malik and Ramiz Raja, who were particularly disgruntled with the team. And the result of this dressing-room talk was evident in the way Pakistan emerged victorious against host team Australia and Sri Lanka in the following days.

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Pakistani supporters out in full force for the final.

FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

The man behind the lens Iqbal Munir, son of late cricket commentator and journalist Munir Hussain, was always passionate about cricket. In 1978, he began cricket photography as a hobby, taking pictures for his cricket publication Akhbar-eWatan. Recognised for his work, he was later asked to be the official photographer for Pakistan at the 1992 World Cup. Munir has since travelled all across the cricketing world in pursuit of his passion and has been involved in cricket development, education and awareness programmes for the last several years. He even went ahead and compiled his World Cup pictures in the book Pakistan: World Champions. In 1987, he also penned his first book An Eye on Imran, which was followed by two further editions. He also contributes regularly to various local and foreign newspapers and magazines.

The victory lap In their winning streak, Pakistan even managed to take down New Zealand — a formidable team that had already qualified for the semi-finals by winning seven matches in a row, owing to favourable home conditions. But the win against New Zealand was only half the job done. The team had to now place their bets on West Indies losing the match to Australia to send them straight into the semi-finals.

Fortune was on their side and Australia won the match.

“The entire atmosphere in Christchurch hotel, where the team was staying, turned festive,” Munir recalls. “Yeh cup hamara hai, is ne hamain pukaara hai (The World Cup is ours, it is calling out to us),” the players chanted commentator Iftikhar Ahmed’s slogan in unison. The spirits at the time were so high that one could have almost believed that Pakistan had already won the World Cup. The next day a confident Pakistani team arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, for the semi-final against the host.

After practice, they left to offer Friday prayers at a mosque.

This was followed by a casual lunch date organised for Imran’s charitable initiative, which was attended by Salim Malik, Inzamamul Haq, Ejaz Ahmed, Aaqib Javed, Mushtaq Ahmed and Zahid Fazal. “There was unity and laughter and the group speculated about how Pakistani fans would receive the ‘world champions’,” Munir remembers.

This restored self-belief came across on the field the next day through a defiant and rearguard action against New Zealand.

Haq’s fluent strokes were particularly praise-worthy. Imran himself scored a notable 44 and Moin Khan managed to seal the deal with a monstrous six. “I froze these unforgettable moments on film,” Munir shares. He also recalled that it was Imran’s wish to play the final against England, which became a reality after Graham Gooch’s team went past South Africa in the other semi-final.

When the big day arrived, Imran emerged on the field of the packed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) wearing his lucky tiger T-shirt for the toss with Gooch. He wanted to be the first to bat, Munir reveals, since England had failed to chase the target in previous two World Cup finals. And after Imran won the toss, Pakistan’s victory became almost tangible.

Javed Miandad bats to a thundering applause.

Pakistan created history that day. “The skipper held the coveted crystal trophy of the fifth World Cup and the world champions took the victory lap of the MCG amidst thundering applause,” says Munir. “I had dreamt of this final moment in Melbourne,” Munir recalls Imran saying at the presentation ceremony. Later the blaring sound of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘Mera Vird Hai Dam Dam Ali Ali’ shook the

Inside the dressing room players lift their trophy. foundations of the pavilion. Everyone rejoiced as the players went berserk dancing, singing and screaming. “The 1992 World Cup was won by the team that looked to dismiss its opponents. Pakistan did not have players in bits and pieces but had specialist batsmen and specialist bowlers,” former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar aptly commented after the World Cup. “They all knew what was expected of them and when the chips were down, they responded as cornered tigers and recorded a terrific victory,” he added.

Pakistan has time and again proven that they can swing any match in their favour if they put their mind to it. And perhaps at the 2015 World Cup, they will recapture that moment and put Pakistan on the list of victors for the second time. T

The 1992 World Cup was won by the team that looked to dismiss its opponents. Pakistan had not bits and pieces players but only specialist batsmen and specialist bowlers Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar Emmad Hameed is an editorial consultant at The Express Tribune.

He tweets @Emmad81

Players rejoice after taking another wicket.

31 FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

FEATURE

Back to square one?

Women in Afghanistan fear for their future amidst chances of a Taliban resurgence

BY CAROL KHAN DESIGN BY ESSA MALIK

Women in Afghanistan. PHOTO COURTESY: REUTERS

The official withdrawal of American-led troops from Afghanistan late last year and the resurgence of Taliban attacks despite continuing Nato presence in the country has jeopardised the freedoms earned by women over the last decade. “As soon as [the] Americans leave, [the] Taliban will most likely take over again,” says Parkha, a housewife residing in Khoygani, a village just outside of Jalalabad, Afghanistan. “Some people say [the] Taliban are gone, but they are here and waiting for the Americans to leave so they can start killing again.”

Improving the quality of life for Afghan women was a priority during the United States’ war in Afghanistan — the longest US war to date — but the outcome of such ambitions, has been tenuous. In 2005, the then-US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice declared that women’s equality must be included in the Afghan Constitution 34 in order to improve their quality of life. Women’s right FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

to education was among one of the major government reformations when the Taliban were ousted in 2001.

Undoubtedly, some women have gained footing in the public sphere over the last 14 years of American occupation, but the majority of women remain sequestered to their homes, according to a Diplomatic News Agency report on the status of Afghan women. Notably, the increase in Taliban attacks since 2011, especially in the south, have deterred women from social mobilisation despite the struggle of women’s equality in the region by international aid workers and educated Afghans.

Last year, for example, the Taliban were suspected of gaspoisoning 74 girls at a school in the northern province of Takhar. Amidst deadly attacks on educational institutions, especially against girls, former president Hamid Karzai closed 550 schools across the country due to Taliban threats. This political move put 300,000 students out of school. “Women’s future depends so much on security.

600

Nearly

women in Afghanistan are imprisoned on accusations of ‘moral crimes,’ like sex outside of marriage or running away from home.

In reality, most have fled forced marriages or domestic violence.

Some are survivors of rape who are blamed by the courts for ‘immorality,’ sometimes alongside their attackers.

SOURCE: HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

As security deteriorates, women’s situation deteriorates [with it],” says Masuda Jalal, the former acting minister of women’s affairs in Afghanistan. “At the first sign of insecurity, the head of the family protects his women and children, and the first measure they take is to keep them inside the house,” she adds. The deadly December attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar by the Taliban has only enhanced the security threat to schools and remains a problem on both sides of the Af-Pak border.

Afghan critics claim that the elected government of president Karzai had done relatively little for women’s rights besides removing Taliban restrictions such as the requirement for women to cover their faces in public.

Feminist lawyers trained in Sharia law argue that the

tradition of male authority in Afghanistan is cultural, not Islamic. “In Islamic history, men have been the boss. They want to be the boss forever,” says Rahala Salim, a former judge. “That’s why they never want women to appear in public, but that is not Islam; that is cultural tradition.”

Accordingly, it is common practice in many uneducated households to keep women at home to avoid possible confrontation or militant threats.

Today, whilst Afghanistan has women working in the army and police forces, it remains uncommon for women to come forward to report domestic violence.

One policewoman who was interviewed in the report, a mother of six children and a former Taliban prisoner, explained that the majority of abused women are so afraid for their lives that they do not feel comfortable stepping outside their homes to make a formal complaint against their abusers. She further described how female victims of domestic violence fear their husbands will kill them if they complain to the police.

Educated Afghan women are attempting to improve the overall situation of women in the country through Islamic education. Last summer, Jalal organised a meeting of 100 mullahs in Kabul to review women’s rights in the Holy Quran in hopes that the pro-equality outcomes will trickle into government ordinances. She plans to continue these meetings in hopes of improving women’s rights in the country through Islam. “I would like education to flourish in our village, especially for women so that they can take up different professions in the city,” says Parkha. For the time, however, the state of women’s rights in Afghanistan remains as volatile as the political future of the country.T

Carol Khan is a subeditor on The Express Tribune Peshawar desk.

She tweets @carolkhan_

A string of assaults against high-profile women in 2013 highlighted the danger to activists and women in public life

Supporters of Afghan presidential candidate Zalmai Rassoul prepare to leave after an election rally in Mazari Sharif in northern Afghanistan. PHOTO COURTESY: REUTERS

1. On August 7, Afghan parliamentarian Rooh Gul was shot as she travelled by road through Ghazni province. While she survived her eight-year-old daughter was killed.

2. On September 16, Lieutenant Nigara, the highest-ranking female police officer in Helmand province, was shot and killed on her way to work less than three months after the July 3 assassination of her predecessor, Islam Bibi.

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SOURCE: AL JAZEERA FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

War horrors At its best, Fury examines the psychological impact of warfare

BY SAMEEN AMER

World War II is one of the most disturbing chapters in human history and has been a source of endless fascination for both filmmakers and viewers alike. Its dark complexities gives storytellers a chance to examine brutality, morality, camaraderie and shed light on just how devastatingly terrible war is. David Ayer’s latest fictional film Fury sets out to do all of these things by exploring the story of a tank crew during the final days of the conflict.

It’s April 1945. The Allies are encountering ‘fanatical resistance’ in the heart of Nazi Germany and the American tanks are being outgunned by the far superior German military vehicles. Amidst the warfare, the M4 Sherman tank Fury has considerably seen more success and longevity than most of its counterparts, thanks largely to its commander, US Army staff sergeant Don “Wardaddy” Collier (Brad Pitt). He has led his crew — Boyd “Bible” Swan (Shia LaBeouf), Grady “CoonAss” Travis (Jon Bernthal), and Trini “Gordo” Garcia (Michael Peña) — through gruesome battles and they have emerged weary and hardened, with their morals unavoidably tangled if not entirely shattered.

The replacement for one of their fallen comrades, however, is quite the opposite.

Inexperienced army typist Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman) is abruptly transferred to the crew, only to be left flabbergasted when he is faced with the amoral realities of war.

“Ideals are peaceful, history is violent,” he is told, summing

up the premise of the movie.

The ugliness of war is on full display throughout Fury’s over two-hour running time. There is no room for subtlety in the pressure cooker that Ayer has created and every idea is delivered in literal strokes. Gratuitous gore and disturbing imagery riddle the film and the intensity never lets up. The dynamic of its central ensemble may not be as complex as the film wants us to think, but the bonds between these broken men are nevertheless affecting. The actors embody their roles remarkably and make their often stereotypical characters seem convincing despite the fact that most of these portrayals are underwritten and haven’t been fully developed.

As it goes along, Fury takes some turns that seem driven by cinematic considerations at the expense of realism and its final act will probably not impress viewers who worry about accuracies and plausibility. But despite its heavy handedness and overly dramatic tone, the movie doesn’t fail to make an impact and bluntly delivers the harshness of its subject matter. Although, like many other war movies before it, this one too lacks the perspective from the other side that remains largely anonymous.

Ultimately, Fury’s dramatic impact outweighs its efforts at realism, and even when its twists aren’t entirely convincing, its cast still does an impressive job in bringing this tale of death and destruction to life.

More from the battlefield Full Metal Jacket (1987) Stanley Kubrick’s critically acclaimed Full Metal Jacket follows the story of a platoon of US marines and the effect training and fighting has on them during the Vietnam War.

Saving Private Ryan (1998) During the invasion of Normandy in World War II, a group of US soldiers try to retrieve a paratrooper who is missing and whose brothers have been killed in action, in Steven Spielberg’s war drama Saving Private Ryan.

Inglourious Basterds (2009) Also set during World War II, Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds revolves around two plans to assassinate Nazi leaders. The movie even won Christoph Waltz a best supporting actor Academy Award.

Rating: Sameen Amer is a Lahore-based freelance writer and critic. She tweets @ Sameen

BOOK

Rise and Fall John Grisham takes on big corporations and their exploitative practices in his latest book

BY ISHRAT ANSARI

As I started reading John Grisham’s Gray Mountain, it transported me back to my time in London in September 2008. It was the year that shook the world as Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy. Around 5,000 people lost their jobs at their Canary Wharf office in London and every British newspaper carried images of devastated young people crying outside their office on their front page.

This book tells the story of 29-year-old Samantha Kofer, a third-year associate at a big New York law firm, who is also laid off from her job within 10 days of the Lehman Brothers’ fall as the impact of the economic meltdown trickled to all financial firms across the US and Europe. While Kofer is still struggling with the shock and depression at the recent turn of events, her law firm offers to retain her as an intern with the possibility of rehiring her for her old job if the economic climate improves. However, she chooses to work with a Mountain Legal Aid Clinic in rural Virginia, Appalachia, instead.

In this part of the book, Grisham vividly describes the beauty of the region and the living conditions of the people of Appalachia — a stark contrast from the glamorous bustling life that Kofer left behind in New York. He also highlights the way mining companies exploit their workers. For example, one of the cases assigned to the young lawyer is one of black-lungs. If miners can prove that they have been disabled by years of breathing coal dust, they are entitled to payments that can reach up to $1,000 a month. However, since the employers collude with the lawyers, cases usually end up getting delayed until the miner dies or forgets about them. The lawyers are also supported by doctors, judges, regulators and prosecutors, which ultimately be benefits coal companies at the cost of their workers. f Koffer eventually finds out that standing for the truth sometimes means putt putting one’s life on the line. c The characters in the book, particularly of Kofer, have d been developed carefully and seem very real. The heart of the book though is how big corporations thrive on la the labour of those who work for them but give little ret in return.

Overall, Gray Mountain is a good read and keep the reader engaged throughout. However, it keeps does leave you wondering why Grisham chose to start n the novel with the fall of the Lehman Brothers five years after it happened. But that might be a story for another time. T Ishra Ansari works at The Express Tribune Karachi desk.

Ishrat She ttweets @Ishrat_ansari

More from the corporate jungle: The Jungle: This 1906 novel written by American journalist and novelist Upton Sinclair portrays the harsh lives of immigrants in the United States, especially in Chicago and similar industrialised cities. The book depicts working class poverty, the lack of social support and a hopelessness among many workers which is in contrast with the deeply rooted corruption of people in power.

The Takeover: This thriller

by Stephen W Frey unveils the world of high finance. It revolves around a mergers and acquisitions specialist who finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy involving a huge leveraged buyout that has the potential to topple a presidential administration.

The 500: Mathew Quirk tells the story of Mike Ford, a former con artist who's been plucked from his Harvard Law School classroom to be an associate at Washington's most high-powered and wellrespected strategic consulting firm. Ford finds himself at a place which pulls the strings for the

Author John Grisham

capital’s 500 most powerful people but can he find a way out?

ART

Never forget Peshawar Works of Peshawar artists make it to Karachi for the very first time

BY MINERWA TAHIR

A painting from the ‘Dreams and Drapes’ series by Tayyeba Aziz. PHOTO COURTESY: FOMMA DHA ART CENTRE

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There are a number of things that make the recent artwork exhibit from Peshawar special. It was the first time Karachi showcased the work of seven artists from Peshawar and people found catharsis in art since the brutal December 16 attack on Army Public School. The featured artists included Abbas Ali, Abdur Rehman, Ghulam Shabbier, Jehanzeb Malik, Sajid Ali, Tayyeba Aziz and Zakir Ali. From portraits to landscapes, these artists brought out their best works in a bid to represent the more peaceful side of their city — without letting anyone forget the recent tragedy. According to the organisers, it was a gesture of support for the families affected by the act of terror.

Although most of the paintings at the exhibition were equally captivating, two of Aziz’s paintings which appeared to be images of blood-stained drapes from FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

A landscape by artist Abdur Rehman Baba.

PHOTO COURTESY: FOMMA DHA ART CENTRE

her ‘Dreams and Drapes’ series, particularly stood out. The artist, who holds a masters degree in fine arts from the University of Peshawar, skilfully played with colours and light to recreate an image of the tragedy. The rustic shade of red gave the painting an intentional blood-like quality and managed to evoke powerful images of blood-stained clothes worn by the children who lost their lives in the Peshawar school massacre. The background, however, painted in shades of light blue and white, blended together lightly, managed to uplift the painting and create an illusion of hope. The use of those colours, although subtle, came as a respite from the pain that accompanies the memory of the loss of 132 children along with several others.

While some of the paintings at the exhibition were gloomy and acted as strong reminders of the tragedy,

Ghulam Shabbier paints the undying charm of old buildings.

Zakir Ali’s portrait of a horse.

PHOTO COURTESY: FOMMA DHA ART CENTRE

PHOTO CREDIT: AYSHA SALEEM

the rest were relatively less intense, but nonetheless powerful. One such example was Rehman’s rich and engaging illustration of nature. His detailed painting of two huts was effective in transporting one to the northern countryside and although the huts were in a dilapidated state, the beauty of the serene landscape remained untainted. While one was drawn in by the beauty of the landscape, it managed to shed light on the harsh lives of residents in the war-torn province at the same time.

Another painting that depicted the turbulent city was Zakir Ali’s portrait of a horse. Despite being one of the younger artists in the group, his work was very promising. The horse was purportedly used as a symbol of war and was strategically placed right next to his other work which appeared to be an enlarged image of the horse’s eye. Since people often

fail to empathise with the emotions of others, Ali lay special emphasis on it by being as literal with his strokes as possible, painting hints of grief and despair, accompanied by a glimmer of hope.

Overall, the artwork on display was rich and insightful, depicting a resilient Peshawar. “‘Aray wahan toh pata nahin kis tarha ka kaam kar rahay hon gay’ (who knows what kind of artwork is being produced by artists in Peshawar) is what people used to say about Peshawar’s artists. But today we can see their talent,” remarked artist Nahid Raza, present at the exhibition.

The exhibition was indeed a curtain-lifter on the potential of Peshawar’s artists, who have proven that they are more than capable of going head-to-head with artists across the country. T Minerwa Tahir is a trainee subeditor at the Karachi desk with an interest in writing on art.

FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

45

TECH

THE FUTURE IS

ONLINE Technology giants seek to increase rease internet access globally with the use off d drones

BY NOMAN ANSARI DESIGN BY TALHA KHAN

A 2011 United Nations report stated that access to the internet is a basic human right, and “should be a priority for all states”. In 2012, the UN Human Rights Council passed a motion that spoke of “the global and open nature of the internet as a driving force in accelerating progress towards development,” and stated that it was against international law for governments to block internet access.

Yet, as of 2015, only 2.7 billion people have access to the internet, while it is estimated that by 2018 nearly half of the world’s population will have digital access. This still leaves a significant portion of the world’s population offline. However, this may change if Mark Zuckerberg, founder, CEO and chairperson of Facebook, has his way.

In late March 2014, Zuckerberg stated his intentions of providing internet access to the world through an initiative called ‘internet.org’, which was meant to be a global partnership between technology leaders, nonprofits, local communities and experts working together to bring internet access to two-thirds of the world’s population. Facebook’s Connectivity Lab project was also revealed simultaneously, which, through the technology of drones and laser, would embark on this mission. Professionals working for this project were recruited from prominent companies such as Nasa and the Ames Research Center.

It is only lately that intriguing details behind this project are coming to light. The company intends to manufacture drones in the thousands that will fly high and in the high corners of the Earth where internet isn’t readily accessible. These drones will provide wireless 46 internet through laser beams transmitted via unmanned FEBRUARY 8-14 2015

aircrafts that will fly at least 60,000 feet. This altitude is both above unforgiving weather and what any aircraft can reach. The Facebook drones will also be enormous in size, as big as a 747 commercial jet.

Although Facebook drones seem to have the technological answers, they may run into legal issues. For example, plans to have one pilot fly several drones at once may not sit well with certain governments whose laws dictate that each drone must be piloted by a single pilot.

Moreover, Facebook isn’t the only company experimenting with such a project. Technology giant Google also has similar designs. In fact, Titan Aerospace, a startup that manufactures solar powered drones, was initially in negotiations with Facebook before being bought by Google. Insiders report that Google’s offer to better any deal from Facebook was readily accepted by Titan Aerospace, who were acquired by Google to work on their Project Loon. Google’s own initiative is termed a research and development endeavour designed to provide internet through high-altitude and unmanned weather balloons.

After some experimentation, both companies intend to launch their projects full scale in the near future. Facebook has stated that after test runs it will run its drones in third world nations, where easy access to the internet is most needed. Of course, neither Google nor Facebook are running these projects purely out of the goodness of their hearts. Both technology giants are in the business of the internet, and marshaling the information superhighway is in their prime interest.

Noman Ansari is a freelance writer and a regular contributor to The Express Tribune magazine. He tweets @Pugnate