The Express Tribune Magazine - July 31

JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

24 HATER

REVIEWS

FEATURES

PEOPLE

COMMENT

JULY 31- AUGUST 6 2011

Cover Story 22 Awaiting Answers Over a year after the tragic Airblue crash, victims’ families still have no answers 26 The Boy Who lived A year later, a would-be passenger on Airblue flight ED202 remembers the day he escaped death

Features 30 Dealing in Despair Bad news bodes well for writers and journalists living in ‘the most dangerous country in the world’ 32 Getting Buff on a Budget This no-frills gym makes up for its lack of style with a load of enthusiasm

48

Travel 38 Bound by Blood The Roman Colosseum reminds the writer of ‘Khooni Chowk’ in Swat

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Positive Pakistanis 42 Ageless Charity This inspring senior citizen really went the distance to make a difference

Food 44 Stir-fry Your Way Through Summer Low-fat cooking like this will help keep you trim

Up North and Personal 48 Space Invaders Rodents and other little pests are often unwelcome night-time guests in the mountains

Regulars 6 People & Parties: Out and about with Pakistan’s beautiful people 50 Reviews: What’s new in film and books 54 Ten Things I Hate About: Coke Studio

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Magazine Editor: Zarrar Khuhro, Senior Sub-Editor: Batool Zehra, Sub-Editor: Hamna Zubair.

Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Anam Haleem, Tariq W Alvi, S Asif Ali, Samad Siddiqui, Mohsin Alam, Sukayna Sadik.

Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Executive Editor: Muhammad Ziauddin. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi.

For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk 4

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Hobnob launched their All Day Breakfast menu at the Hobnob Cafe in Zamzama, Karachi

Saadia Awan and Nilofer Saeed

PHOTOS COURTESY HOBNOB GROUP

Saafia Shabbir with her daughter

Mrs Khalid Malik

Tehmina

6 JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

Hamid and

ffer

Tasneem Ja

Shamshad and his daughter

JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Farheen Saeed and Shano

Naseem Chohan

li Mariam Akbera

8

Nadra Sohail JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

Saba Paracha and a friend

Mr and Mrs Munawar Baig

Mariam Akberali

Farheen Saee

d

Yusra

JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

The team of SHEEP™ hosted a dinner to celebrate the brand’s success

Shehzad Saleem

Ceo iTextilles Mujeebullah Khan

s

ad and friend

Annie Shez

PHOTOS COURTESY SHEEP™

Humaira Saleem and Ayesha Jafar

Nada and Zi

ad Shahbaz

Zaira Imran, Samiah Hamdani and Naureen

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Bilal Jaffer JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

Javeria Khuhro

JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Kausar Ahmed launched Kitchen Craft at Act One, Karachi

Mohsina, Shamaila and Iraj

Shai

Maryam Amin

and Munaf

Khursheed Hyder, Misbah Khalid and Farah Gauhar

Lal Majid with

guests

Sabeen and Shaheen

12 JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

Sumeha and Khalid Hussain

PHOTOS COURTESY IDEAS EVENTS PR

Kausar Ahmed

JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Mrs Hashim and

Rubab

Mitra and Dilaira

Naheed

aria Sumeha, M

14 JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

d Sadia Aziz Mariam Shera an

Seema and Tahir Khan

ik

d Saira Mal

Mahesar an

Masood Cho

tani and Gha

usia Chotani

Zulqadar Ahmed

JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Sunsilk held a fashion show at Park Towers

Nisha with fr

Roma

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Zarfishan JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

Saniya and Maham

Jia

Tooba and Noureen

Ayesha

PHOTOS COURTESY SUNSILK

Natasha

iend

JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

COVER STORY

awaiting answers

BY ZAHID GISHKORI

It was the worst-ever air disaster in Pakistan’s history. On the morning of 28th July 2010, Airblue flight Ed-202 took off as scheduled from Karachi’s Jinnah international airport, heading to Islamabad. It never reached its destination. Instead, the ill-fated Airbus A321 crashed into the fog-shrouded Margalla hills, killing all aboard.

Families were shattered, and a nation mourned the loss of

so many lives in a single, tragic moment. For days and weeks,

the investigation report, but its findings couldn’t be made pub-

lic yet,” he said. CAA spokesperson Pervez George adds, “We have done our work. Now, the ball is in the Defence Ministry’s court.”

Defence Ministry officials admit that the CAA, after final-

izing the inquiry report, handed it over to Defence Minister

Ahmed Mukhtar some two and a half months back, after which the Defence Ministry made its own additions to the report.

Mukhtar, for his part, says the same report will be duly hand-

, the cause of the crash was hotly debated in print and on TV

ed over to the Prime Minister. However, in a meeting with Pre-

happened. Soon after the disaster, interior minister Rehman

bility of a serious backlash and ‘negative consequences’ if the

as expert after expert weighed in on what they thought had

Malik promised a full investigation, a claim that was repeated

by government officials time and again. A full report would be issued they said.

But over a year later, the questions of families of the victims

- questions that an entire nation is awaiting answers for – have been met with silence.

So what happened to the much-awaited report?

mier Gilani, Mukhtar reportedly warned him about the possireport was made public. Interestingly, Mukhtar also warned the Prime Minister that releasing the report would lead to more

conspiracy theories – as if keeping the report secret would not

have the exact same effect. Thus far, conspiracy theories are all

the public has had: from claims that the plane was headed to Kahuta to even wilder theories about Blackwater and terrorism.

So what could be the reason for keeping the report under

Air Commodore Abdul Majeed, President of the Civil Aviation

wraps? A senior official of the Prime Minister House, speaking

tion team which compiled the report on the Air Blue crash says

that if the negligence of the operator or the concerned authori-

Agency’s Safety Investigation Board and head of the investigathe report has been sent to the Ministry of Defence.

“After collecting evidence, a seven-member team compiled

22 JULY 31 AUGUST 6 2011

on condition of anonymity, has an explanation to offer. He says

ties is clearly established in the report, then the compensation

amount would increase manifold. “Perhaps it is due to this

aircraft and its various components are usually entitled to act as

“even after the recovery of his NIC, driving license, ATM card, E-ticket and baggage tag, the corpse of my son Hassan Adeel was declared unidentified and his belongings were pillaged,” says Col (Retd) Shamim.

observers and the draft report may also be shared with them for

comments. Quoting some past examples, he said that first interim reports are issued followed by a final one. For example, the details of the investigation of Air France Flight 447 which crashed

in the Atlantic Ocean in 2009 Paris can be found on the website of the French Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyse (BEA), he added.

The BEA is also the same body that was approached for decod-

ing the black box of flight Ed-202. A Pakistani team headed by Air

Commodore Abdul Majeed had visited Paris for this purpose last

year. The sole objective of the technical investigation is to collect

and analyse useful information, to determine the circumstances and the certain or possible causes of the accident or incident.

However, CAA officials are tight-lipped about the BEA’s findings,

which we know have been handed over to them and included in

the final report which was submitted to the Ministry. Officials of the Defence Ministry, including Minister Ahmed Mukhtar did

not speak on the issue saying, “Please give us sometime to com-

pile the findings first. Then, we will speak on the issue and share some findings.”

No answers, only anger For the families of the victims of the crash, that is cold comfort indeed. In the absence of answers, they have only anger.

“We have lost all hope,” says Colonel Shafiq, whose young son

lost his life in the crash. “Airblue and the bureaucracy have man-

aged to hoodwink all those institutions that were supposed to be

providing us justice,” he says with obvious anger in his voice. reason in the last 60 years that no investigation report has been made public in Pakistan,” he says.

Privately, officials of the CAA, the Ministry of Defence, the

Pakistan Navy and the Pakistan Air Force say that the report on

the incident will indeed be handed over to the Prime Minister within two months. “After that point,” says a spokesperson of

the Defence Ministry, “Gilani will be the ultimate authority who decides whether the report is made public or not.”

For several weeks, The Express Tribune has tried to get official

statements from the Defence Minister and other concerned offi-

Col Shafiq claims that Airblue is trying to hush up the matter

by blaming the pilot, a man who cannot defend himself. How

could a man with forty years of flying experience make such a fatal mistake, he asks? Grasping for answers he questions why the plane instruments didn’t warn the pilot of the proximity of

the ground. He wonders out loud if the airline ordered the pi-

lot to continue in bad weather rather than diverting the flight, which would have led to increased costs for the airline. He has many questions, but in the absence of answers, all he can do is lay blame.

And there is plenty of blame to go around. Eight members of

cials as to why the mystery has lasted for so long, but all inquiries

Muhammad Zaman’s family were on board the flight when it

they say.

attend the funeral of a relative. For Muhammad Zaman, it is the

have been met with silence. The issue is too ‘sensitive’ to discuss,

Is this how air crash investigations are meant to be carried out?

A CAA expert told The Express Tribune that air crash accidents are investigated under the Rules & Regulations of the Chicago Con-

crashed. In a tragic irony, they had been en route to Abbotabad to pilot who is most likely at fault.

“The pilot was fatigued as he had been up the entire night of

Shab-e-Barat, despite having received the mandatory twelvehour warning that he had to fly the next day,” he claims.

For Syed Qaiser Zulfiqar, whose little brother Syed Haider Zul-

vention of 1944. Usually, an independent accident investigation

fiqar lost his life in this crash, the governments’ seeming apathy

(NTSB) in the United States of America. Manufacturers of the

fiqar has joined an association named the Air Blue Crash Affect-

body is constituted, such as the National Transport Safety Board

is a call to arms. Along with other victims’ family members, ZulJULY 31 AUGUST 6 2011

23

COVER STORY ees Group (ACAG) in an effort to seek justice, and get answers.

“The system in our country is hopeless,” says Zulfiqar. “We

have launched our struggle to change the course of aviation history in Pakistan. We are demanding the publication of the inves-

tigation reports and the DNA test reports and inshallah we will succeed,” he says with conviction.

Regardless of how they deal with their grief, the victims’ fami-

ly members are nearly unanimous when it comes to condemning the handling of the crash by both Airblue and the government.

They say no transport facilities were provided to the affected

families to reach the crash site or even to transport the dead bodies to their final abode. The inefficiency and apathy of the authorities was such that a Pakistan International Airlines flight in which the kith and kin of 12 victims were being transported

to Karachi remained stranded at Islamabad Airport for over ten

hours, recalled a relative of Ajmal Khan, who lost his life in this crash.

Others have even more harrowing tales to tell. “In my case,

even after the recovery of his NIC, driving license, ATM card, E-

ticket and baggage tag, the corpse of my son Hassan Adeel was declared unidentified and his belongings were pillaged,” says Col (Retd) Shamim.

Nor was there any control over looting and pilferage at the

crash site itself. Unconfirmed reports and rumours have it that

the lower staff of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) did not even hesitate from fleecing the families of some victims

on the pretext of paying the cost of coffin boxes, Shamim added.

Compensation, confusion and controversy Initially, three separate compensations were announced for the victims’ families. One was by the government on the eve of July

28, 2010, amounting to Rs 0.5 million each. The second was the interim relief announced by Airblue and then the final compensation of Rs five million by Airblue.

In all, Airblue has paid Rs 550,000 to all 146 families as an in-

terim relief. More than fifty families also accepted Rs five million offered by Airblue as final compensation but the rest went to the court to get compensation in accordance with international

laws. Regarding the compensation announced by the Prime Min-

ister, only the families of some 48 victims have been paid so far.

Families of the victims claims that the government has imposed restrictions on the submission of succession certificate for claiming this amount, which is a lengthy legal process and many families have simply not been able to complete it.

“I know of a family which lost eight relatives in the accident

and the court is demanding a surety bond to the tune of Rs40 million to issue the succession certificate. It is also worth checking

how true it is that the government and Air Blue have divided the

inbuilt insurance of Rs1million among themselves rather than

24

paying it from their own exchequer,” says Syed Ali, a victim’s JULY 31 AUGUST 6 2011

relative.

Seeking justice Last year, bereaved families knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court of Pakistan requesting the Chief Justice to take suo moto notice of the accident, and ensure an independent

and transparent investigation. Some affected persons also

filed a suit in the Sindh High Court (SHC) for holding an independent and transparent investigation, following which the federation’s assured the court that the government will

ensure a fair investigation. Disposing of the suit, the SHC

in its judgment on Oct 25, 2010 directed the government to complete the investigation and submit report within two months. It is now July 2011 and no report has been submitted.

Former MNA Marvi Memon took up the cause of the be-

reaved families and raised the issue on the floor of the National Assembly. She also filed a suit with the Peshawar

High Court on December 2010, requesting for an independent and transparent investigation and the subsequent publication of the report. This court also directed the authorities to submit the report forthwith after which the court would

decide what contents to make public and then fix the next date for hearing. “The publication of this report will give the victims’ families hope for justice,” says Ms Memon.

But thus far that hope has remained unfulfilled. The court

orders have been seemingly ignored and no answers are forthcoming from either the government or Airblue as to the

cause of the crash. In desperation, aggrieved families looked

towards the Parliament and submitted a petition to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Human Rights in

June 2011, requesting for an independent and transparent investigation and a public report. The Committee summoned the then Additional Secretary Defense Syed Athar Ali and Director General CAA Nadeem Yousufzai on June 29, 2011. Addi-

tional Secretary Defense Rear Admiral Shah Sohail informed the Committee that the investigation has been completed and that action on the report will be taken as it is presented

to the Prime Minister. “I directed the official concerned to

submit a copy of report to the committee weeks back but

they have not submitted the report yet,” says Riaz Fatiyana, chairman of the committee, “but I will continue to fight for

rights of victim families until the last moment.” He claims

the CAA officials will submit their final report to the committee by August 14.

But as they wait, the families of the victims wonder if this

too will be yet another unfulfilled promise. The ball is now in the Prime Minister’s court, and it remains to be seen if the truth will ever be revealed.

25 JULY 31 AUGUST 6 2011

Cover STORY

the boy who lived

Sometimes, life give us a second chance — something this lucky young man is still coming to terms with

BY ANAM MANSURI

Shamas-ur-Rehman Alvi should be dead. But he isn’t. This evening he sits uneasily in his Karachi living room as he remembers the morning that he got a second chance at life. The six foot tall, slim twenty-five

year old runs his free hand through his hair nervously before he painstakingly begins to recreate the events of a day that he has tried

hard to forget, simply for the sake of moving on with his life — a life that should have been cut short, but miraculously continues.

On 28th July last year, at 7:50 am, Alvi was scheduled to be on

board Air-Blue flight ED-202, on his way to Islamabad to attend

the last session of the Youth Parliament of Pakistan. At 9:25 am,

the flight, which carried 152 passengers including five children, two infants and six crew members, crashed near Islamabad in the Margalla Hills. There were no survivors.

When the flight’s passenger list became public, Alvi’s name be-

gan surfacing on news channels and websites. He was included in the list of victims of the crash, and everyone thought he was dead.

It seems like Alvi still finds it difficult to accept that he isn’t. “I have

calculated the odds of not boarding a flight that is going to crash again

and again and again. They are close to zero,” says Alvi slowly. “The probability is less than getting attacked by a shark and surviving.

The night before the crash, Alvi sat with his parents, talking

about the session of the Youth Parliament of Pakistan he was flying to Islamabad to attend along with nine of his fellow parlia-

26 JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

>>The lucky twelve, who escaped death when they missed flight ED-202: Imtiaz Ali Khoro, Syed Shan-eHussain Naqvi, Salauddin Saeed, Salman Khan Bijrani, Mehran Khan Bijrani, Ayesha Amir, Aliza Amir, Abid Mehmood, Shaheen, Jehangir Khan, Khizar Pervez, and Shamas-ur-Rehman Alvi.<<

gers on that flight, had become victims of a deadly plane crash.

After taking Pervaiz’s call, Alvi went straight home. He walked

into his house to find his father a tearful mess, muttering apologies

amidst his sobs. “He remembered how he kept insisting that I board

the flight,” recalled Alvi, “and it broke my heart to see him like that.”

For Alvi, the next few days were a bit like dying but coming

back to attend his own funeral. “My close friends said they did

not have the courage to pick up the phone and call me and see if I would answer or not,” he says, “and I kept thinking about what my parents would have gone through if I had died.”

But this was not the only conflict Alvi had to deal with. While

he was being strong for his friends and family, Alvi was also deal-

ing with survivor’s guilt and grief for his friends’ deaths. Alvi was painfully aware that he was alive, perhaps, for no other reason than that he could afford to miss his flight that day.

“The tickets were free for us, sent to us by the government.

If we wanted to change our dates or work around our schedule,

we had to pay an additional Rs1,200. If you deliberately missed a flight, you had to pay for the cost of the ticket out of your own mentarians. It was going to be an exciting session, this last one, since it was to be attended by some of the country’s most prominent ministers and ambassadors, including prominent politicians such as Ahsan Iqbal, Shahbaz Sharif and Raza Rabbani.

But Alvi couldn’t shake an odd feeling about his trip to the

capital, a feeling he’d been having ever since he first received his

pocket as a penalty. I come from a wealthy family; I didn’t really care about how much I would have to pay if I missed the flight, but the others didn’t have that luxury. In fact, I remember that

once Bilal Jung’s trip was clashing with his exams, and he went out of his way to get his exam dates changed so that he would not have to miss the flight and pay the penalty fee.”

A couple of months ago, Alvi made his way to the Karachi Mar-

ticket in the mail two days before the flight. “I had such a strong

riott, where the Youth Parliament held a memorial for those who

hesitant, hesitant to the point that… I don’t know how I can de-

ceased friends would be attending. He was soberly dressed and had

feeling that I wasn’t going to take this flight,” he says. “I was scribe this… but I just knew I wasn’t going to take that flight,” says Alvi, “In fact I kept on telling myself : ‘I can’t take it’.”

Looking back, he feels like he kept inventing reasons to stay in

Karachi. He didn’t want to leave his father, who is also his boss at

Alvi Petroleum, to handle their family business by himself. “But he insisted I had to go. ‘Don’t worry about work, just get on that flight’,” he told me,” says Alvi.But fate had other plans.

The morning of the crash, Alvi opened his eyes at 8 am. He

had lost their lives in the crash. He knew that the parents of his dean excellent speech prepared, but as he got closer to the venue, fear

overtook him. How many of these parents would wonder, when

they looked at him, why Alvi got to live and their child didn’t? As he entered the room, Alvi’s eye fell on the stage, where six photographs

hung against the backdrop, and a row of parents sat before them.

Alvi knew that his own picture could easily have been up there, and his own parents could have been seated on that platform.

However, when he met his friends’ parents, they were very

realised he had missed his flight and was sure that he would

warm to him, and told him that they had heard all about him

sion when they noticed he was missing. On his way to work he

ing his friends, even for a short time, helped release some of

start getting calls at noon from his friends at the parliament ses-

grabbed his plane ticket and put it in his pocket. Alvi reached work at 9:30 am and logged onto a news website, only to see a item about a plane crash near the Margalla Hills.

“I was shocked, but not even for a second did I consider that

this could be the same plane I had missed,” he says. The very next minute, his phone rang, and it was Khizer Pervaiz, a fellow par-

from their children. Realising that he had benefited from knowAlvi’s grief, even though the emotion, along with anger, still resurfaces now and then.

“I don’t know what I’m angry at,” says Alvi. “But I am just so

angry. Angry at a force I cannot control, some call it fate, some say it’s the pilot’s fault and some call it an error.”

Alvi is silent for a while and then adds: “I’ve lost six friends. I’m

liamentarian who had also missed his flight to attend a meeting.

angry because it wasn’t their fault. I’m angry because they were

exactly what he said, very clearly: ‘They’re all dead!’” All of Alvi’s

Pakistan. I felt this desire emanate from them because I worked

“He heard my voice and started to cry,” says Alvi. “I remember

fellow parliamentarians, along with the other hapless passen-

harmless, upstanding bright Pakistanis who believed in a better with them, and this anger will not subside for a while.” a

JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

27

COMMENT

dealing in Are journalists and writers in Pakistan profiting from the public’s losses?

despair

Me: I really want to be a successful writer!

of it every time you read a book or watch a movie. People want

ing South Asian novel?

ment. This is why fantasy literature often becomes the next best

Friend: You want to know the ingredients of writing a best-sellMe: Of course!

Friend: Pick a topic concerning abuse, terrorism, slums, racial

divide, fundamentalism or extreme poverty, and make your

country sound as horrifying as possible, then wait as thousands

to laugh and maybe even escape their realities for a brief mo-

option. Even satire and spoofs work well in these times as they help audiences deal with the anger and bitterness they feel at the chaos that surrounds them and the venality of their leaders.

Consider Charlie Chaplin. He would never have become such

of publishers from around the world fight for your novel. Better

an acclaimed celebrity if he was too scared to spoof Hitler at a

larly barbarous, they’ll even buy the movie rights off you, right

sound of Nazi jackboots. It wasn’t that he buried his head in the

yet, if you make the conditions of your country sound particuthat second!

Me: But all I want to write about is love!

Friend: Won’t sell. Maybe if you’re writing about falling in love with a terrorist or, wait for it, a blasphemer (that concept’s still new), it just might work!

Me: Maybe I could write about the compassion in this country?

time when the entire continent of Europe quaked with fear at the

sand and avoided the reality of impending war. Instead, he took that fear and turned it into laughter.

So my question to the Pakistani authors of our time is, why

can’t you do that? Is it really necessary to torture us with our daily darkness?

Books aside, even electronic media covers absolutely every-

Friend: Boooooorrrring!

thing under the sun that shows Pakistan in a negative light and

Friend: I’m already asleep.

try.

Me: The incredible places in Pakistan?

Me: The amazing people here?

Friend: Have you been listening to a word I said?

As much as I hate to admit this, my friend was absolutely cor-

rect. I couldn’t think of a single well-known Pakistani author who had gained mass readership in the last few years by writing

something unrelated to the above mentioned topics. If there was

love, it was defeated by hate. If there was hope, it drowned in a sea of despair.

Whether it was Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist,

Kamlia Shamsie’s Kartography or Bina Shah’s Slum Child, everyone

seems to be capitalising on the ills of our country. This tried and tested formula is sure to attract the attention of the developed

world who may find these details of our country shocking and gruesome. However, for you and me — people who witness these

covers up the amoebic portion of good still surviving in this coun“Press’ vans rush to those places where a bomb explodes even before the ambulances arrive. Cameramen callously scour the place

for any bodies, bloody limbs, charred ID cards or screaming kids that they can film. The gorier the coverage, the better!

Of course, any compassionate or brave men who assisted the ambulances or helped the victims are not worth filming. Better yet,

they’ll ask these men to step aside, so they can get a shot of the man who is still breathing despite the fact that his entire skull is

showing through his head. God forbid, they should rush the poor man to the hospital and lose out on the money shot.

It’s not just Pakistani journalists who drop their ethics and morality when they pick up a pen or camera. The paparazzi’s desperate desire for a Princess Diana picture with Dodi Fayed contribut-

ed to her death in August 1997. The News of the World is believed to

grim realities up close on a daily basis – all we can do is revise a

have been responsible for 4,000 phone hacking attacks not limit-

In times of war, historians have noted that audiences tend to

hacked the phones of the parents of two murdered schoolgirls

cliché and say: ‘been there, seen much worse!’

become more inclined towards watching comedies or reading

30

BY SABA KHALID

lighter literature. Why wouldn’t they? When the world around

you is falling apart, you do not want to be repeatedly reminded JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

ed to just Hollywood celebrities or cricketers, they even allegedly Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Worse, they hacked the phone

of the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, even erasing messages when the mailbox got full, leading police to believe the girl was

still alive. Families of British soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghani-

famous.

had died in the 7/7 bombings. No one was off limits for this pub-

he did, even if it was too late. I doubt if any of our journalists feel

stan were fair game as well, as were the relatives of those who lication —– not even dead people!

It’s times like these when these writers and journalists remind

me of the South African photo journalist Kevin Carter. For anyone who doesn’t know the Carter legacy, he won a Pulitzer prize

for taking a picture of a severely emaciated Sudanese toddler, on the brink of death from starvation, crying as a vulture landed near it — the vulture almost seconds away from gorging on the little one.

While most people raved about the picture, St Petersburg Times rightly noted about Carter: “The man adjusting his lens to take

just the right frame of her suffering might just as well be a predator, another vulture on the scene.”

However, thirty-three-year-old Kevin Carter, after suffering from severe depression, committed suicide from carbon monoxide poi-

the slightest bit of remorse for constantly showcasing the devastation in this country.

Their response to my question will always be the same. “We are raising awareness about the critical issues of Pakistan.” Well,

guess what? We know our issues! We know there are thousands of bodies lying around on any given day at masjids, dargahs and shopping centres. The entire world knows our issues!

Instead of doing something about it, do you have to put our issues on a tray and display it to the entire world, while you make tons of money along the way for someone else’s suffering?

I ache for the day someone will write on the beauty, compassion

and love in this country, and still make it big. I look forward to

the day Pakistani authors will make the world laugh. I’m hoping

I’ll be that writer. But the question is, will you be interested in reading what I write?

a

ILLUSTRATION: JAMAL KHURSHID

soning. Ironically, it was exactly a year after his picture became in-

At least, Kevin Carter had a conscience and felt guilty about what

31 JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

FEATURE

getting buff on a budget You don’t need a personal trainer or a hi-tech gym to build that body. All you need is the right amount of grit, and a Salman Khan to aspire to

The moment you enter, you see a number of banyan-clad boys aggressively flailing their arms, stretching their backs, flexing their spines by rolling over exercise balls and simultaneously resisting the temptation to dance to the beat of ‘dola re dola re dola, mun dola mun dola’.

They’re a motley crew: milkmen from Landhi rub shoulders

with real estate agents from Korangi. The sanitary workers of

Bhains Colony jostle for space with clerical staff from Malir.

Struggling students from Shah Faisal Colony compare biceps

with the unemployed youth of Lyari. All of them have come to sweat it out at the Smart Fitness Zone.

Located at Shah Faisal Colony number 3, the Smart Fitness

Zone comprises a single tube-lit room. Its bright blue walls are

off-set by a maroon carpet that looks like it’s absorbed more than a few sweat stains. Ceiling fans whir in a futile attempt to dispel the heat and the clanking of gym machines fills the air.

A sign saying “Apnay saman ka khud khayal rakhain (take

care of your belongings)”is scribbled in blue ink — traced and retraced to make it bold — and taped above the switch board. The people it is directed at belong to a host of professions. Some are

carpenters, welders and tailors. Others run small grocery stores or butcher shops. Some are simply day labourers who work at different factories — when they can find work at all, that is.

32

Eleven year old Abdul Rehman — a student of class 8 visits the

JULY 31-AUGST 6 2011

BY FAIZAN USMANI

fitness centre daily after attending classes at a nearby coaching centre. Standing out among the blue-collar crowd is Mohammad

Ali Adnan Kiyani works at a software house as a project manager and has recently joined the gym to burn excess fat and boost his

metabolism. Then there’s 44-year-old Kaleem who is an advocate by profession and has been training for many years.

But despite their differences, they all speak the same lan-

guage: the peculiar slang of the desi gym.

‘Hand practice’ they explain, refers to making your arms strong

by lifting dumbbells. ‘Dola-makers’ is a word they use for boys

obsessed with their biceps and triceps. Bench presses I learned

are also known as ‘layto-meshq’ and equipment like calf-raises and squats are called ‘jaan larao’ and ‘kheencha taani’ machines.

The owner of the Smart Fitness Zone is a twenty-two-year-old

man called Sohail Khan, who has won many bodybuilding titles

such as Mr Club (at Intitkhab Gymnasium Shah Faisal Colony), Mr Shah Faisal and Mr Karachi (East).

“Usually, bodybuilders are classified into two main categories

where the first category consists of 14 to 35-year-old boys while

the second contains older gentlemen aged 35 or more. Boys in the

first category usually join these clubs to beef up their muscles and shape them to look like Salman Khan. “Looking good in front of girls is their main motivation,” says Sohail.

Salman Khan, however, is not the only personality that the

If you peep into these bodybuilding centres, you will learn more about the average Pakistani than you ever did living on the ‘right’ side of the tracks

youngsters aspire to resemble. After talking to a few would-be

Romeos I learned that the evergreen Arnold Schwarzenegger is still very much an icon. Although improving their romantic

prospects is very much the motivation for the youngsters — for those above 35 (category two as Sohail puts it), the main motivation is staying healthy.

But the truly hardcore bodybuilders have to put their money

where their mouth is — literally. Sohail says that the dedicated bodybuilder has to eat like an iron man as well, maximising his

carbohydrate, protein and vitamin intake. According to Sohail, a professional bodybuilder must eat at least 1 kg of chicken, 8 to 10

eggs, 1 ½ kg of boiled potatoes and a few additional supplements daily.

33 JULY 31-AUGST 6 2011

FEATURE

“For any bodybuilder the ideal breakfast consists of porridge,

3-4 boiled eggs, red beans and at least half a dozen bananas. His

lunch should consist of rice, salad leaves, chicken and red meat,” Sohail tells me as I mentally calculate that this one breakfast could feed a family for a day.

So how do people of obviously modest means manage to pay

such hefty kitchen bills? Sohail admits that most are unable to follow the prescribed diet because it’s too expensive. In reality,

these bodybuilders try to make do with what they have. Rather

than spending money on pricey dietary programmes they become selective and avoid foods containing cholesterol, sugar and spice.

This ‘make do with what you have’ attitude extends far beyond

diet though. Many regulars utilise their own home-made exercising equipments to practice at home as well.

One such piece of equipment is cemented dumbbells — made

by putting concrete into empty ghee canisters. Some interesting

alternatives to standard dumbbells are chairs, tables, iron stands and bicycles. Most of these gym addicts use olive oil to massage

their entire body with and bathe in the Karachi sun for hours to get that perfect tan.

Apart from staying fit and looking good, bodybuilding enthu-

siasts say their workouts also help them avoid paan, gutka, ciga-

rettes and niswaar. For those who live in more violent areas of the city, going to the gym helps them avoid not only the sporadic gunfire but also keeps them away from the local gangs. Focused

on improving their ‘baadi’ and popping up their ‘machli’, our local bodybuilders stay true to their dumbbells.

If you peep into these bodybuilding centres, you will learn

more about the average Pakistani than you ever did living on the

‘right’ side of the tracks. Perhaps the most significant correction to my stereotypical perspective was that it is not just the rich

that care about physical appearances and are concerned about

their health. In a country where health is given less than 1 per cent of share out of the total fiscal budget, I couldn’t help but appreciate the enthusiasm of these ‘gymists’ who prioritise fitness

and health despite not being able to afford treadmills or elliptical

trainers. Sometimes, enthusiasm and a ‘can-do’ attitude are all it takes. a

34 JULY 31-AUGST 6 2011

Some interesting alternatives to standard dumbbells are chairs, tables, iron stands and bicycles. Most of these gym addicts use olive oil to massage their entire body with and bathe in the Karachi sun for hours to get that perfect tan

FEATURE As I entered the Roman Colosseum’s main gallery, a mixture of joy and fear overtook me. I was happy to be standing in one of the world’s greatest historical monuments, but as I looked around, I couldn’t help but think of its bloody past.

As my guide spoke about the men and animals that had been

slaughtered here to slake the bloodlust of the Romans, my

mind’s eye began to picture the hills and valleys of Swat, a place where animals in the shape of men had also slaughtered count-

less people. I pictured the once idyllic Sabz Chowk of Swat, which

had been renamed the ‘Khooni Chowk’ during the bloody reign of the Taliban.

I found myself drawing comparisons between the two places:

the Colosseum of the first century AD and the ‘Khooni Chowk’ of

2009. The first was used for gladiatorial matches, animal fights

and brutal executions. The second was used by extremists to instil fear into the already cowed local population. They used to

hang decapitated bodies in the square, an example of how brutality has extended well into the 21st century.

Shaking myself out of my reverie, I tried to focus my attention

bound by blood

on the site in front of me. Located at the entrance to the Roman

Forum, the Colosseum was built by the Roman Emperor Vespa-

sian in 70 AD, who is also known as the founder of the Flavian dynasty. This magnificent but barbaric amphitheatre was built

near a gigantic statue of the emperor Nero which also occupies a section of Nero’s park.

Initially known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, the Roman Col-

osseum was opened to the public by Emperor Titus in 80 AD, son of Vespasian and heir to the throne. The inaugural festivities are said to have lasted for 100 days. During the opening ceremony,

the public watched gladiators battling each other to the death, and were treated to mock hunts where thousands of animals were killed. The most spectacular part of the opening ceremony, however, was a simulated sea-battle. This was achieved by filling the arena with water. Imagine trying to do that with Gaddafi stadium today!

The Colosseum is capable of accommodating about 50,000

spectators. The arena, which is where gladiators used to fight,

was filled with sand to soak up the blood that was inevitably spilt

38

here. Constructed like large ellipses, the galleries enabled spectators to see all the action very clearly, whether it occurred at the JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

A trip to the Roman Colosseum reminds the writer of the Taliban’s bloody reign in Swat

BY FAZAL KHALIQ

The galleries enabled spectators to see the action very clearly

centre or corner of the ground. Clearly our modern-day stadium builders could stand to learn a lesson or two here.

Seats in the Colosseum were divided according to class and sta-

tus. The first level was for Roman senators, with a private box reserved for the emperor. The section just above accommodated

lower Roman nobles while the third level was further divided

into three sections. The best one was for wealthy citizens, the upper part for poor citizens and a third wooden part was reserved for

lower-class women. There were a number of passageways wind-

ing in and out of the galleries, designed in such a way that they could be filled up in fifteen minutes and be vacated in the same amount of time. Again, quite a feat from the people known as the master architects of the ancient world.

It is said that a typical day of festivities at the Colosseum would

begin with fights between wild animals, followed by public executions, and the gladiators would fight near the end of the day.

Both the exterior and interior of the massive structure are

worth seeing, made of travertine, a form of limestone. With three stories of arches connected with semi-circular columns,

the exterior is stunning and symmetrical. The interior of the Col-

osseum comprises brick, tufa and marble, little of which can be

seen presently.

The Roman Colosseum has outlived its makers and gone on

to withstand great upheavals in history. Sometimes damaged by fire, sometimes shaken by earthquakes, it was fortunately continually restored.

It is believed that the Christian emperor Honorius outlawed

gladiatorial combat in 407 AD, and animal fights were banned in

523 AD, after which the Colosseum lay vacant. Soon after its closure, the Ostrogoth general Totila, plundered it to get to the valu-

I found myself drawing comparisons between the two places: the Colosseum of the first century A.D and the ‘Khooni chowk’ of 2009

able bronze which held the stones together, after which people took stones from the structure to construct their houses.

Today the Roman Colosseum is one of the largest and most

popular tourist attractions in Rome. The second story has been converted into a sort of museum, exhibiting its history in detail.

The discoveries made during archaeological excavations: stat-

ues, pieces of its pillars, pottery, beads, architectural fragments, and a lot more items are on display. Though entry into the Colosseum was free in the ancient times, one has to get a ticket for 12 euros to enter it these days.

Despite the barbaric beginnings of this place, I was overwhelm-

ingly glad that the edifice has been left standing as a monument

to history. It serves to remind the visitor of the depths to which

humanity can plunge, and the heights to which it can soar. Now

only if we could do something similar with ‘Khooni Chowk,’ so that some good could actually come out of such a bad time – but perhaps we will have to wait a few centuries before that can happen! a

JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

39

POSITIVE PAKISTANIS PEOPLE

ageless charity At an age where most people depend on others for help, Major Muhammad Abbas only thought of helping the helpless

BY SAULAT PERVEZ

“The rich pay Zakat on their wealth but I pay Zakat on my health as well.” This was one of Muhammad Abbas Ali’s favourite sayings. A philanthropist and a retired major of the Pakistan army, he meant every word he said.

In 1987, when he was 66 years old, he walked 2,500 km across

the burning heat of the Arabian Peninsula in order to perform

embarked on what would become the crowning achievement of

his life. This was the Muslim Welfare Centre (MWC) in Ontario, Canada. Starting out with a tiny room and an interest free loan of (CAD) $14,000 he and his wife first set up a halal food bank for the destitute.

“It was a miracle of Allah, it was a golden opportunity to fulfill

Hajj and to collect funds for a charitable hospital in Karachi. At

our ardent desire to serve humanity. We jumped in the fray with

‘Support a Child, Save the Nation’ project, aimed at eradicating

providing the needy with groceries irrespective of their religion,

77 he sky dived from a height of 10’500 ft to raise funds for the child labour in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. When he was almost 82, he walked 100 km in Canada from Whitby to Mississauga … all to procure funds for a Seniors’ Home. No wonder then

that he earned the sobriquet of the “Volunteer Charity Walker

42

their retirement that Mr Abbas and his wife Sarwar Jahan Begum

from Pakistan.”

It was at the ripe old age of 72, when most people are well into

JULY 31-AUGST 6 2011

the banner ‘Service to Humanity is Service to Allah’. We started nationality, caste, or creed. Within a couple of years, we were not only able to clear the loan but when we looked at our bank

balance, it had soared to $80,000,” wrote Major Abbas, remem-

bering the early days of his organisation and the generosity of the community.

Their tireless efforts aided by volunteers and donations, the

Just last year, McLevin Park in the Toronto neighborhood of Scarborough was renamed ‘Major Muhammad Abbas Ali Park’ in recognition of his services

MWC began to take on more and more causes. In 1996, they es-

bas left this world. In 2009, while visiting Pakistan to moni-

and children, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a

Abbas passed away after suffering from a massive heart at-

tablished the Muslim Welfare Home, a shelter for needy women

full-time staff on duty. So far, over 3500 single women and mothers with children, irrespective of their backgrounds, have benefited from this shelter. The MWC has also launched a free medical clinic in Toronto for those who do not have health coverage.

Today the MWC is operating four Halal Food Banks in Ontario

tor the water exploration and Support A Child projects, Major

tack. He was 87 years old. Now residing in Pakistan, his wife,

Sarwar Jahan Begum, Co-Founder and President of MWC, continues to be the driving force behind this charitable organisation.

Recently, MWC sent $160,000 worth of food boxes, medicines

and Montreal, serving over 6500 needy families on a monthly ba-

and cash in relief efforts to the flood victims. More than 3000 food

distributing about 350 lunch packs to the homeless people in the

baby milk and toiletries reached Pakistan for the flood victims.

sis. In addition, the MWC is operating Halal Meals on Wheels, Toronto downtown area every Saturday; warm clothes and blan-

boxes were sent via PIA from Canada. Another 3.5 tons of food, During his life, Major Abbas received more than 20 awards

kets are also distributed during the winter to help the homeless

from various organizations, including UNICEF, the Canadian

But throughout all this, Mr Abbas never forget the land of his

Pakistan. Posthumously, he has been honored with the Lifetime

survive the sub-zero temperatures. birth: Pakistan.

In 1999, MWC opened a branch office in Pakistan and intro-

duced its welfare project, ‘Support a Child, Save the Nation’. At present, MWC is operating two schools in poor localities of Kara-

Association of Pakistani Media, and the Consulate General of

Achievement Award in Canada. Just last year, McLevin Park in the Toronto neighborhood of Scarborough was renamed ‘Major Muhammad Abbas Ali Park’ in recognition of his services.

His wife remembers him fondly, saying “Major Abbas was

chi and is providing primary to secondary education to over 650

not only the founder of MWC, he was a true leader, filled with

Karachi, staffed by qualified doctors. Medical examination and

a source of inspiration, and a great mentor, who left behind a

children. They also run two medical clinics in poor localities in medicines are free at both locations.

The MWC has also initiated a water exploration project in the

Thar Desert of Pakistan as well. They are digging wells and in-

stalling tube wells in the desert communities to provide water to the local population.

It was during the overseeing of these projects that Major Ab-

tremendous determination, dedication and patience. He was strong team of equally dedicated and capable staff, volunteers and directors.”

Pakistan needs more citizens like Major Abbas and Sarwar

Jahan Begum — people whose steely will and selfless devotion enables them to help the impoverished humanity of our world despite the frailty of their years. a

If you know of any people who have achieved something positive, either for themselves or for those around them, please mail us at magazine@

43

tribune.com.pk and help us share their story with the world.

JULY 31-AUGST 6 2011

FOOD

stir-fry your way through

summer All you need is a hot wok and some finely chopped vegetables to prepare yourself a healthy and flavourpacked meal

BY AMINA MUJIB KHAN

Do you want to rid yourself of oil dripping, fat-laden dishes? The

answer is stir-fried cooking — it is quick, nutritious and delicious. This summer indulge in this healthy style of cooking

to minimise calorie intake and maximise flavour. a

44 JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

>>The art of stir-frying: “Stir-frying” refers to a highheat method of searing meats and vegetables. Although commonly associated with Asian cooking, this method can incorporate plenty of other flavours, especially those which resonate with our taste buds. If part of your weekly repertoire, stir fry cooking will notch up your health standards – it is fast, uses less oil and is loaded with vegetables.<<

Stir-fried Prawns with Mushrooms and Basil When

prawns

mushrooms

Stir-fried Vegetables The recommended daily allow-

ance for calories is 2,000-2,800

for adults and 2,200-2,500 for all those above 50, this

meal contains a nutritious

balance of 110 calories per serving.

Ingredients: Carrot- 1 - small and peeled

Mushrooms- 100 grams - sliced Zucchini- 1 medium

Capsicum - ½ medium - green or red

Onion - 1 medium - finely sliced Oil- 2 tablespoons

Ginger - 1 tablespoon - julienne Chicken stock - ¼ cup White sugar - 2 teaspoons Soy sauce - 2 teaspoons

Wine vinegar - 2 teaspoons - or you could use cider vinegar Oyster sauce- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil- ½ teaspoon

Spring onion- ½ cup - julienne Corn flour - 1 teaspoon

Water - 2 teaspoons 4 to 6 Method: Cut carrot and zucchini in half lengthways and then finely slice them diagonally.

Remove seeds and membranes from pepper and cut into fine

and

are

added to the recipe, the calorie count is 201 per serving.

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil - 3 tablespoons

Garlic cloves - 3 crushed

Raw prawns - 175-225 grams or 6-8 ounces peeled

Button mushrooms - 175 grams or 6 ounces - cut into small chunks

Fresh chillies - 3 - remove seeds and chop finely Light soy sauce - 1 tablespoon Sweet soy sauce - 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce - 1 tablespoon Basil leaves - 1 tablespoon

Chicken stock - 15-30 milliliter or 1-2 tablespoons Cucumber - thickly sliced to garnish

Spring onions - thickly sliced to garnish Method: Heat a wok or a large deep frying pan until hot.

Add the oil and garlic to it and fry for a few seconds.

Add the prawns and stir-fry until they have turned pink.

Add the mushrooms and red chillies and stir-fry for another few seconds.

Add the light soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce and fish sauce and turn everything over once or twice.

Add the basil and the stock and toss for a few seconds.

Serve on steamed Thai jasmine rice, garnished with the cucumber and spring onions.

slices.

Dissolve the cornflour in the water and set aside.

Heat oil in a hot wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly.

Add carrot, onion and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add zucchini, mushrooms, pepper and sugar and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Pour in the chicken stock, soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce and sesame oil and stir-fry

for a further minute or until the vegetables are just tender.

Re-stir the corn flour/water mixture and add to the sauce, stirring quickly to thicken.

Toss in spring onion, stir-fry for 10 seconds, then remove from heat.

Transfer to a large bowl and serve immediately.

Amina, an expert in healthy methods of cooking, started her culinary journey at Le Cordon Bleu where she mastered the art of fine cooking. Soon after, she started giving cooking classes in Karachi, Egypt and Dubai.

Upon returning to Pakistan, she has appeared on Masala TV and Zaiqa TV and is currently hosting the show “Healthy Cooking” on Health TV.

45 JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

UP NORTH AND PERSONAL

There was a tent in the orchard: An occupied tent.

I knew it was there somewhere yet I couldn’t find it. The enticing, heady scent of wood smoke from a campfire was spiced with the wonderful aroma of coffee brewing in what I knew to be my treasured, yellow enamel coffee pot — veteran of countless campfires in a number of countries but … where on earth was the tent, and more importantly, its occupant?

Not by the top lily pond, not beneath the spreading boughs of

the apple tree in the pumpkin patch, not nestled amongst apricot, plum trees and grape vines either. Suddenly it was dark,

with a crimson full moon appearing and disappearing through

scudding grey clouds. The wind was bitterly cold, carrying glistening blue snowflakes on its breath. I was barefoot and, fsor

some reason, voiceless. There were pug marks in what was suddenly a deep blanket of snow, so there was a leopard in the orchard too. I was unarmed, as was the occupant of the invisible

tent. A high pitched squealing rent the prickling atmosphere, something distinctly furry hit my face and, needless to say I woke up absolutely panic stricken to find a quivering Hell-Bella crouched on my head!

Heart pounding like a tom-tom drum, breath coming in la-

boured gasps, I groped around for the torch which wasn’t where it was supposed to be and encountered Lucy, the smallest of the

miniature dachshunds, cowering on top of books crammed in

to a most convenient shelf built into the head board. Another ghoulish scream, accompanied by thudding bangs and crashes, reverberated through the ceiling directly above the bed and sent Bitsy and Pedro fleeing for their lives out through the open door

space in TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHS BY ZAHRAH NASIR

in to the living room with me close on their heels guided by elec-

as one side of the ceiling is a bit difficult to reach. Bang, crash,

to add shrieks and whistles to the hullabaloo and I tripped and

of relief I crawled back in to bed, all four frightened dogs on top

tric blue flashes of lightening. Joe, Mrs Joe and Biggles decided

fell over a squeaky rubber duck lying in wait on the kitchen rug.

Cursing, loudly, I grabbed the battery powered emergency light as, as is often the case these days, the dammed power was off,

selected a large wooden staff from behind the front door and, screaming like a banshee, charged in to battle.

Mungo the mongoose had beamed himself into a tiny bit of

crawl space in the roof again and he was not alone. By the sound of it there were mice, maybe even rats, in there too and Mungo

was in attack mode. Banging on the ceiling with the staff I silenced them for a moment or two but didn’t, as I had hoped, send

48

Home sweet home.

them beating a retreat back to the great outdoors where they be-

long. I banged again... climbing on and off furniture as I went JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

wallop, bang, bonk, thump and, eventually silence. With a sigh of me, and had just got comfortable when the circus resumed.

I banged, crashed and thumped harder this time, crawled back

in to the dog sandwich and managed all of a five minute snooze before the bloody beasties started up yet again. It was 2.45 am

with a raging thunderstorm going on outside; I had to be up at 5 am to get things organised prior to setting off for Nathia Gali at 7

am and I was getting more than a little annoyed to put it lightly.

Grabbing the staff I stood in the centre of the rumpled bed and gave the ceiling an almighty thwack, then leapt back in horror

as the staff went straight through the roof. Shit, shit and double shit … the beasties might fall in and the ensuing pandemonium didn’t bear thinking about!

to the roof was the only possible thing to do. I am in fact petrified of walking about on the roof but …. there was a job to do.

Corrugated iron roofs have a number of drawbacks: They have to be regularly patrolled, hammer at the ready, for loose nails as no matter how hard you bang them home they slowly but surely rise

up, presumably the corrugated sheets expand and contract ac-

cording to temperature and I know, to my cost, that sheet edges can lift in a gale force wind. They also act as amplifiers for stac-

cato hailstone attacks, so much so that interior conversation is impossible and there really isn’t much difference during heavy

rain either. Rain water and snow melt inevitably finds a way inside every now and then, dripping through in maliciously cho-

sen spots like directly on to the music system which now, like its buddy the computer, habitually sleep in the waterproof confines of bicycle capes just to be on the safe side. The question now though, was where the hell did Mungo & Co get in?

No holes in the roof, no raised edges on the corrugated sheets:

Absolutely no sign of forced entry. Back down the ladder and

nvaders

A little help from the neighbours ensures that things that go bump in the night will continue to plague the writer 3 am found me sawing up a piece of plywood commandeered

from the back of a framed painting, searching through hoarded

collections of old nails and tacks for something of a suitable size, then balancing on the bed, hammer in one hand, plywood in the

other, nails between my teeth and short of another hand to aim

the light. I didn’t do a very good job so I ended up using miles of insulation tape to keep the patch in place. I had just sunk back in

to bed, after resetting the alarm clock to give me another precious

15 minutes of sleep when Mungo, unless there is more than one

mongoose on the premises, decided to investigate the repair from

then up it again to check under the eaves. Zilch.

“Asalaam Alaikum,” called a female voice. It was Olive Oil

balancing on the slope of her own roof. At this juncture I must explain that our roofs join, but the walls in-between our houses are separated by a three foot gap only accessible from inside her

ceiling not mine. “What are you doing?” she asked. “I thought the goats had climbed on to my roof again, they get on from the top of the bank at the back, so came to chase them off.”

“Checking for holes” I explained. “There were ‘things’ in the

roof during the night.”

“Yes. I know” she replied. “I heard them and I heard you bang-

ing and screaming too. I didn’t come to check because my daughter-in-law said not to bother as you’d probably just shoot what-

ever it was and the problem would be solved.” With a shrug of her bony shoulders and a toss of her half hennaed grey plait, she added “No point in you being up here though. Your roof’s fine.

They get in through a hole in the back of my house, the room we

don’t use since part of it collapsed in the big quake. They come in there, climb into my roof and cross into yours along the roof beams.”

“Why don’t you close up the hole in your wall then?” I asked.

“What for? We don’t use that room anymore,” was her re-

his side. Gulp! Not wanting to make another hole in the ceiling,

sponse as she disappeared over her central roof ridge, sliding

it shrilled in glass shattering splendor and … victory! Mungo left!

her obnoxious buffalo.

I grabbed the alarm clock, held it up, fiddled with the timer until There was no point, since it was almost 4.30 am, of even think-

ing of going back to sleep. A quick cup of coffee and up the ladder

nimbly down and going off to milk the other plague of my life …

With neighbours like this I ask you, who on earth needs en-

emies?!

JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

49

REVIEW

featured review of the week

film the best for last

BY AMMARA KHAN

I vividly recall the nervous excitement with which I opened the last book in the Harry Potter series four years ago. I found myself experiencing the same exhilarating sensation when I watched the second part of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows.

Having always preferred the HP books over the movies, I find it hard to compare the last movie with the original text. The film series has been an able adaptation of the extraordinary novels by JK Rowling but if you want to explore the wonderful world of magic that she portrays so elegantly in her writing, your first choice should be the books. As expected, there are certain structural dissimilarities between the two, and many important and fun details are missing. Also, a flashback from the previous movies in the beginning of this film could have helped viewers ease into it.

However, the last movie is perhaps the best in the series, reenacting the final battle between Harry Potter and the Dark Lord with excellent acting on the part of Daniel Radcliffe and Ralph Fiennes and great graphics — the 3D experience adding to its powerful impact on the audiences.

A beautiful conclusion to the great saga of Harry Potter movies that we have all come to love over the years, the second part takes up where the first part left off, showing the ingenious trio — Harry, Ron and Hermione — continue their ardent quest of searching for the remaining horcruxes and destroying them to annihilate Lord Vodlemort for good. Unlike the previous movies, this one is loaded with action, showing the main characters taking on different disguises and embarking on the wildest of adventures, the most sensational being their robbery of the wizarding bank Gringotts with the mischievous help of a goblin. Their dramatic escape on a dragon is quite a treat for the faithful fans. Naturally enough, the story takes us to Hogwarts for the final showdown.

It’s amazing how the quality of movies and cast has improved

50 JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

pottermania Daniel Radcliffe has grown comfortable with his role and here, gives the most convincing performance of his career

The battle for life and death that is waged on the once serene grounds of Hogwarts will keep you on edge till the end

Critical responses to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 • The film was rated 8.5/10 on IMDB. • The film was rated 8.4/10 on popular review site rottentomatoes.com.

• The Guardian says of the movie: “It’s dramatically satisfying, spectacular and terrifically exciting, easily justifying the decision to split the last book into two.”

• Film critic Roger Ebert says: “After seven earlier films reaching back a decade, the Harry Potter saga comes to a solid and satisfying conclusion in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.”

• From The New York Times’ review of the film: “All three [Harry, Ron and Hermione] have nice moments in this movie, but it’s the older adults who take centre stage. Here it’s Ralph Fiennes and Alan Rickman who give the master class in acting.”

with time. Daniel Radcliffe has grown comfortable with his role and gives the most convincing performance of his career. Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have done a good job as well. Alan Rickman left me overwhelmed with emotion in his last scene as Severus Snape. The battle for life and death that is waged on the once-serene grounds of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, will keep you on edge till the end, touching the hearts of those who have laughed and cried with Harry and his companions.

It was quite an arduous task to conclude the movie with an end befitting the epic story and David Yates manages to do just that. I find it outside my power to sum it up here. You need to watch the movie to see and feel the brilliant and touching finale of the movie.

‘It all ends’ says the poster of the movie. However, with the new JK Rowling venture Pottermore on its way, we can confidently hope that the end is just a new beginning.

51 JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

REVIEW

book `

terror through time

BY SUMAIYA LAKHANI

A blast... dense smoke... the smell of charred flesh — no matter how hard we try to avoid this reality, we know that bomb blasts and suicide attacks have become an everyday occurrence in most parts of the Muslim World. And although ‘terrorism’ is not a new phenomenon, it has almost become synonymous with the events of 9/11.

Wars, Insurgencies and Terrorist Attacks: A Psychosocial Perspective from the Muslim World, written by Unaiza Niaz, looks at the history of terrorism in the said region along with an in-depth analysis of its psychological aspect. The book begins with Ahmed Okasha, a guest professor, claiming that Islam stands for anti-terrorism. He disregards terrorism as being the actions of disturbed individuals and says the prime objective of such an act is to bring about political change in the targeted area.

Niaz proficiently tackles this sensitive issue, managing to explore and debunk many modern day misconceptions surrounding the phenomenon. She rightfully claims that it is not possible to come up with a single theory to explain such a complex concept. To proceed, she explores the ascendency of the United States — how modern terrorism has been a consequence of globalisation and the shift in power dynamics. The author also claims that if the reaction of the West to acts of terrorism is to wage a war against all Muslims, then fundamentalists in Muslims countries will correspondingly wage a jihad.

The book is admittedly expresses many anti-West sentiments — the plight of the Muslim world is in some way attributed to the actions of the West. Using theological references she claims that Islam is a religion of peace only to contest the idea by presenting an opposing viewpoint, accusing some of distorting their religion to validate acts of violence.

To defend herself she later highlights a very pertinent point: “Even if the terrorists have Muslim identities, the terror they 52 perpetrated cannot be labelled ‘Islamic terror,’ just as it would not JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

connecting the dots The author explores how modern terrorism has been a consequence of globalisation and the shift in power dynamics be called ‘Jewish terror’ if the perpetrators were Jews or ‘Christian terror’ if they were Christians.”

Difficult issues, like why some people resort to terror and why the Muslim world has been involved in acts of terror are meticulously answered, with ‘unfair treatment’ listed as the primary reason for discontent. A classic, though now hopelessly clichéd, example cited is the pullout of US forces from Afghanistan immediately after the defeat of the Soviet Union.

To leave her readers with pragmatic solutions the author highlights the need for health professionals to step forward and help victims deal with the aftermath of war and urges religious scholars, enlightened with the true spirit of Islam, to spread their knowledge so as to discourage the ongoing practice of indoctrination of manipulated Islamic ideology amongst vulnerable youths.

The book also claims that the media should act responsibly; that is, assist in curbing the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ attitude that is so pervasive in Muslims countries, and refrain from sensationalising news and misleading the masses.

Overall, the book is a good read for those wanting to gain a deeper insight into the phenomenon of terrorism — but it is not exactly what I would call unbiased.

book influenced and influencing

BY NAFISA RIZVI

India’s rise in the global landscape has concurrently brought to the surface a series of phenomena that four young truth-seekers were keen to examine. Four Phd graduates and researchers organised a seminar in 2007, at the University of London, titled ‘Indian Mass Media and the Politics of Change’ to investigate the emerging complexities of Indian mass media. From the seminar materialised an eponymous book, which contains intriguing insights into the contradictions and paradoxes that lie at the heart of this rapid change.

The book Indian Mass Media and the Politics of Change is essentially a set of essays. The chapter on New Delhi Television (NDTV) and the implications of a 24-hour news broadcast, which John Hutnyk refers to as a ‘Horror Show,’ has universal underpinnings — particularly for us here in Pakistan. Referring to major terrorist events in India he says: “Whilst tragic in multiple ways, these events are also made spectacular, emotive and divisive,” which is true of perhaps most ‘free’ news channels in the world today.

Under these circumstances the idea that Somnath Babatyal presents, that “the corporate in today’s television news not only encroaches on the editorial but also takes on key editorial responsibilities and duties, even to the extent that it produces news, decides schedules, commissions and cancels programs and shows,” sets a scary stage wherein psychological hegemony and mass manipulation becomes probable and even possible.

In one of the more interesting essays in the book, Meenu Gaur, an independent researcher and film maker, re-examines the hugely popular 1992 Tamil movie “Roja” (Rose). The movie looks at secularism and nationalism through the lens of the separatist ambitions of the Kashmiri people. The movie uses a number of signifiers to indicate that Muslims are an impediment to modernisation and secularism — the two most touted ingredients for advancement in India as delineated by Nehruvian ideology. The movie highlights

making it big The book is a critical investigation of Indian media’s recent boom

the contrast between the modern outlook of the male protagonist Rishi, with his English speaking background and scientific temperament, and the regressive Muslim, who is represented as a threat to the secular modern nation.

While much of the content of the essays is universal, sometimes the writers lapse into specific cultural, religious and social iconography which have no bearing on the issue. For example, Hutnyk repeatedly mentions the horrors of television news within the spiritual framework of Kali Yuga, or the age of darkness, which seems misplaced in informed and pragmatic discourse.

Overall, the book is a wonderfully explorative journey that includes divergent intonations and methodologies of discourse but is singular in its goal to identify, ascertain and record the immediate changes that are taking place in Indian media. a JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

53

THE HATER

10 things I hate about ... coke studio

1 2 3 4 5

BY JAHANZAIB HAQUE

I hate how every season and every episode of Coke Studio sets my hopes for the next season and next episode

yet another few notches above any reasonable expecta-

tion from a pop show. Currently the bar is set to “like when Jimi Hendrix set his guitar on fire”. It’s completely irrational, but after “Kangna” that’s where it stays.

Why do our musicians never just totally lose it, run across stage and smash something? Why? Why don’t

they do more than just groove within a one foot radius

of where they’ve been placed? Can we get a healthy dose of showmanship to match the music quality already?

One more episode of canned wry, sidelong smiles and gentle nods will be the death of me.

Nothing annoys a musician more than to be staring at footage of the house band members playing a nifty

riff/doodle/drum fill which has been edited out/muted by Rohail Hyatt in the final mix! Take pity on us and don’t add in enticing footage of stuff we can’t hear.

6 7 8 9 10

Obsessing over that one Coke Studio song that starts

haunting you in your sleep. And pity the man or woman who happens to get one of the over-10-minute-long songs stuck in their heads.

Komal Rizvi’s mysterious conversion of “Dana PAH Dana” to “Danay PEH Danay”.

Rohail is playing it too safe and too pop in his production. Can Coke Studio please release an app which al-

lows us access to the original tracks to each song so we

can spend countless hours mixing them to our own tastes? I will be ever-peeved till I can add a massive dis-

torted guitar riff and some double bass patterns into – yes, you guessed it – Kangna.

Ever tried discussing Coke Studio captions with someone who doesn’t understand the language at all? “Yes you see, right here this guy is REALLY upset about the

bracelet his dandy lover refuses to return … trust me, it’s really deep. Really, really deep...”

Coke Studio’s popularity. All the people I loathe are digging the same songs I am.

54 JULY 31-AUGUST 6 2011

The YouTube videos of people mock-jamming through Coke Studio tracks using forks as drumsticks, mops as guitars and Barbie Dolls as mikes. You watch one, and

it’s cute. You watch two and it’s pretty damn funny.

Three hours of viewing later, you hate yourself. And Coke Studio.

I hate that Coke Studio is so awesome, I find myself feel-

ing unutterably guilty as I sip on Pepsi while writing this. a