The Express Tribune Magazine - April 10

APRIL 10-16 2011

Muslims in the Mashriq Caught between extremists on both sides of the divide, Muslims in the West find themselves in a quandary

ADVICE

REVIEWS

COMMENT

PEOPLE

TRAVEL

APRIL 10-16 2011

Cover Story 28 Muslims in the Middle The most vociferous ideologies in the UK today may not be the ones most people identify with 36 Veiled Agendas Sarkozy’s courting of the far right puts France’s Muslims at a disadvantage 42 In the Line of Fire In the US, goodwill toward the Muslim community seems to be dwindling 46 From Mardan to the Canadian Senate Salma Ataullahjan has made history

Comment

26

48 Is the West Darul Harb?

Khalid Zaheer addresses a common religious misconception

Feature 50 Documenting Pakistan Will Without Shepherds be able to avoid the pitfalls of other documentaries on Pakistan?

54

Travel 52 Chit Chat in Hong Kong Jahanzaib Haque on the art of conversation in Hong Kong

Fashion 54 Purple Haze Samar Mehdi’s new collection is all about glam

Regulars 6 People & Parties: Out and about with Pakistan’s beautiful people 26 Tribune Questionnaire: Kiran Chaudhry on being a hearbreaker 60 Advice: Prying your husband away from the TV may not be the solution 62 Reviews: What’s new in film 64 Horoscope: Shelley von Strunckel on your week ahead 66 Ten Things I Hate About: Designer lawns

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Editor: Zarrar Khuhro. Sub-Editors: Batool Zehra, Hamna Zubair Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Anam Haleem, Tariq Alvi, S Asif Ali, Samad Siddiqui, Sukayna Sadik Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Executive Editor: Muhammad Ziauddin. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi.

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

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Standard Chartered Priority Night was held at Mohatta Palace

Aslam, ha Altaf, Atif Arif Lohar, Frie or ho Za in Sa Ali Zafar and

Amin Guljee

PHOTOS COURTESY CATWALK

Natasha

Sadia Imam

6 APRIL 10-16 2011

Neshmia

Anoushay Ashraf and Alizeh Ashraf

MARCH 20-26 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Atif Aslam and Ali Zafar

Seema Jafar and Ronak Lakhani

Feyzan

Saim Mahmood

Taqueer Muhajir with a guest

8 APRIL 10-16 2011

Shahi and Frieha

MARCH 20-26 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week was held in Lahore.

nes, Sehyr Alexandra Se belle Ballu Saigol and Isa

Juggun Kazim

PHOTOS COURTESY LOTUS

Madeeha Syed and Fathma Amir

z Aasma Mumta

10 APRIL 10-16 2011

Kamiar Rokni

Fareshteh Aslam and Shahnaz Sheikh

MARCH 20-26 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Shahzad and Aamna Kardar

Anusheh Asad

Nieni Rafi

Moeed and Faryal

Hassan and Khadija Malik Qureshi ir sh Yousaf Ba

12 APRIL 10-16 2011

Meher Tareen and Khadija Shah

MARCH 20-26 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Tahira Syed

Mamoona Tahir

Hiba Sher

Aasifa & Nabeel

Kashan, Andleeb Rana and Muniba Kamal

14 APRIL 10-16 2011

Shilpa Raina and Hani Taha Saleem

MARCH 20-26 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Samia & Azmay Shahzada launched their store in Islamabad

Qureshi, Ali Jibran, Rabeya d Farooq an a tiq Shah, Na

Amna Majid and Maliha

PHOTOS COURTESY LOTUS

Samia and Azmay Shahzada

Amna and Fawad Abbasi

16 APRIL 10-16 2011

a

Mariam Pash

Hin, Aiza and Safa

MARCH 20-26 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Umar Sayeed’s lawn prints were launched at Al Karam Studio

Guests

Omar Omari and Sara Chapra

Sana Bucha

18 APRIL 10-16 2011

Hina Bayat

Nariman, Hadia Khan and Feeha Jamshed

PHOTOS COURTESY TAKE II

Ayla and Asim Raza

MARCH 20-26 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Nadia Hussain’s lawn was launched in Karachi

war, jumand, Sheh Hina Bayat, Ar n ai ss Hu Nadia and Mrs

Fauzia

Nazia Malik

20 APRIL 10-16 2011

Amir and ani Muneera Lakh

Koukab and Saba Ansari

PHOTOS COURTESY TAKE II

Huma Adnan with Ninie

MARCH 20-26 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Nomi Ansari’s lawn was launched recently.

Tehmina, Rubab, Maha, a di Tooba and Na

Shehla Raza

PHOTOS COURTESY TAKE II

Noor and Wajiha

Mr and Mrs Naemul Haq

22 APRIL 10-16 2011

Anoushay Ashraf

Faiza with Nomi

MARCH 20-26 2011

PEOPLE & PARTIES

After hours party at the Trilogy rooftop in Dubai

ir and Naila Ali Zeeshan, Am

Pink and Tony

Rana Noman and Tia Marry

Gukul Mani and Saba Zaman

24 APRIL 10-16 2011

Saim and Rishi Kapoor

“As women, we really need to learn to put ourselves first more often” Kiran Chaudhry on being a heartbreaker, despising dictators and wasted talent.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

When and where were you happiest?

Living a life according to my own values, doing things that I love

Boarding school at the United World College of the Atlantic in

cess.

from all over the world.

and making a small difference in the lives of others in the pro-

Wales, United Kingdom. It was a magical two years with people

What is your greatest fear?

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

If the truth be told… cockroaches!

My need to always try and keep everyone happy. I think as wom-

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Doing too many things at the same time.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

en, we really need to learn to put ourselves first more often.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Becoming financially independent at the age of 25.

Hypocrisy.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would

What is your greatest extravagance?

An eagle. I would love to fly to those heights and observe the

Vacations.

it be? views from above.

What is your current state of mind?

Where would you most like to live?

Open to all possibilities.

New York — no other place like it!

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

If I thought it was overrated, I wouldn’t consider it a virtue (at

Unrealised human potential, wasted talent.

least not by my own standards).

On what occasion do you lie?

To avoid breaking someone’s heart.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I am happy with my appearance. (Now when was the last time

Who is your hero of fiction?

Wonderwoman.

Who are your heroes in real life?

Edhi, Richard Branson, Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Warren Buffet.

you heard that?)

What’s your favourite quote?

Which living person do you most despise?

soned and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we

At the moment, Qaddafi, for brutally killing his own people.

“Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poicannot eat money.”

What is the quality you most like in a man?

What kind of super powers would you like to have?

His respect for and appreciation 0f women and all that they have

The ability to channel the divine through song.

to contribute to the world.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Her belief in herself.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“Awesome” and “dude”…I’m ashamed to admit!

If you had a time machine, where would you go?

Ancient Egypt.

What’s the one thing you wish someone would invent?

Funnily enough, a time machine — I would love to see the future. And a teleportation device, so I could travel all over the world instantly. a

APRIL 10-16 2011

27

COVER STORY

muslims in the

middle

BY IMRANA KHWAJA

The question of religious identity haunts British Muslims as extremists on both sides of the divide try and exploit the situation.

COVER STORY

“Muslim bombers off our streets!” Streams of young white men, cans of beer in hand, pour out of dozens of buses and onto the streets of Luton, the town 30 miles north of London that has become notorious as a battleground for extremists whether right wing or Islamic. The town centre’s shops are deserted as helicopters fly overhead and thousands of policemen line the streets.

In the biggest demonstration ever held by the right wing group

the English Defence League (EDL) on February 5, some 3,000 supporters have come — not just from around the country, but from

around Europe — in a show of strength for EDL’s programme of resisting what it calls the ‘Islamification’ of the country.

On the fringes of the demonstration stand ‘ordinary’ people,

reluctant to be openly identified with the hooligans that form a

bulk of EDL activists, but nevertheless sympathetic to their mes-

sage. “They shouldn’t have spat on the soldiers,” says one such woman. “It wasn’t their fault they’d been sent to fight in a war.”

“They” are a small group of Islamic extremists called Al-Mu-

hajiroun who, almost two years ago in Luton, cursed and spat on British soldiers returning from Iraq. This incident was the

catalyst for the formation of the EDL and the group’s outrageous opinions and antics continue to invite disproportionate media

coverage and help swell its ranks. In the minds of increasing

Protests and placards by Al-Muhajiroun at various rallies across the UK

numbers of non-Muslims, the 20 or so Al-Muhajiroun extremists represent Muslims in Britain today.

Out of Britain’s estimated 2.8 million Muslims, 1.2 million

trace their origins to Pakistan. While London has a mix of Pakistanis from all provinces, elsewhere in Britain most of the Paki-

stanis are from Azad Kashmir. Birmingham, Leicester, Bradford and Luton, all contain sizeable populations of Pakistanis of Kashmiri origin.

These are the communities in which the outward expression

of religious identity has been on the rise since 9/11. According to Dr Fiaz, spokesperson for the Luton Council of Mosques, there is much confusion amongst Pakistan origin youth about their identity. “Youngsters of the second or third generation have little

or no connection with Pakistan,” he explains. “By overtly being Muslim they know who they are.”

30 APRIL 10-16 2011

The adoption of a religious identity often reflects the profound

social conservatism of these communities. Shemiza Rashid, founder of the Creative Muslim Network in Luton is unusual in

the community as an observant Muslim woman who does not wear a headscarf. “I’m sometimes surprised when I meet wom-

en who come from Pakistan,” she says. “They wear clothes that many of us here wouldn’t wear.”

For some, the outward expression of Muslimness is a form of

rebellion or protest against a monolithic notion of British identity, explains Ziauddin Sardar, a scholar who has written extensively on Islam and the British Muslim experience. The minority

and the host are caught in a vicious circle; the more the host ste-

reotypes Muslims and sees them only in terms of their religious identity the more the minority asserts that identity in protest.

And stereotypes abound amongst the EDL crowds. “They’re

forcing our children to eat halal meat!” says one protester, repeating a story that has been proved false in the press. “And do

you know how they slaughter their animals? It’s cruel and disgusting.”

Some carry placards proclaim that women are oppressed under

Shariah while others denounce Muslims as paedophiles. In the

mainstream media, any wrong committed by a Muslim is invariably linked to his religion.

“Both within the community and outside there is a tremen-

dous focus on religion as the primary identity,” says Cassandra Balchin, a freelance researcher who has been part of the Women Living Under Muslim Laws network for fifteen years.

The increasing visibility of Muslims, the perceived terrorist

threat they pose, plus the ranting of a fanatic minority are fuel-

ing the fears of the British majority. “I don’t want my children growing up in an Islamic state,” said EDL’s leader Stephen Lennon in a recent TV interview. This irrational fear is being voiced

in many European countries and could garner more popularity in an economic climate of job losses and welfare cuts.

The trend towards religiosity that has accompanied the search

for identity has had many positive results that are rarely mentioned. Much of the grassroots work done at the community level, with young people, women and schoolchildren is motivated by religion.

>> Muslims make up 2.8% (1.6 million) of UK’s total population of 58.8 million. The 2001 Census showed one third of the Muslim population was under 16 — the highest proportion for any group. It also highlighted high levels of unemployment, low levels of qualifications and low home ownership.

The UK’s net inflow of Muslim immigrants in 2009 (nearly 64,000) was forecast to be nearly as large as France’s.

More than a quarter (28.1%) of all new immigrants to the U.K. in 2010 are estimated to be Muslim. <<

31 APRIL 10-16 2011

COVER STORY

As a minority that often feels besieged, British Muslims are reluctant to openly discuss such issues. The only family the documentary producers could find ready to comment kept their faces hidden from the camera.

“They don’t have the confidence to speak out,” says Cassandra Balchin “It is seen somehow as washing dirty laundry in public.”

One such example is Mohsin Malick who, under a programme

called Building Brighter Futures, conducts workshops focusing on de-glamorising drugs and crime for young men of Pakistani origin in Luton. “The workshops are about giving them a deeper

understanding of their religion that’s more than just ritualistic,” he says. “I try to give them confidence in who they are.”

Some argue that while religion may be improving individual

lives the upsurge in religious conservatism is hampering integration. While Malick believes that more needs to be done to en-

courage integration, he does not think that religion is a barrier.

“The majority of people who come to faith become better people

— they aren’t still peddling drugs or stealing cars or stitching up people — they leave that behind” he says.

Tehmina Riaz works for British Muslims for Secular Democ-

racy, an organisation that aims to combat both Islamophobia

and religious extremism. “Greater religiosity is sadly leading us

towards separatism,” she says. “There are plenty of people who do a great job of straddling their different identities but there is

a fringe of people who are resisting it and this increases support for groups such as EDL”.

How religious conservatism creates a barrier to integration was

revealed only too clearly in a recent documentary on British TV (Despatches Channel 4 February 14th). Secret cameras hidden in

a Darul Uloom in Birmingham, which had assured government inspectors that it taught tolerance and respect for other faiths,

revealed a different and depressing story. Students were being taught hatred not only for non-Muslims (“the infidels are the

worst sort of people”) but also for moderate Muslims (“any man with less than a fistful of beard should be avoided like a snake or serpent”). This was accompanied by routine hitting of children.

As a minority that often feels besieged, British Muslims are re-

luctant to openly discuss such issues. The only family the docu-

mentary producers could find ready to comment kept their faces hidden from the camera. “They don’t have the confidence to

speak out,” says Cassandra Balchin “It is seen somehow as washing dirty laundry in public.”

Dr Fiaz identifies the problem as one of leadership. “If someone

is looking for religious knowledge who will give it, some Imam or

a sheikh somewhere? We’re not mature enough as a community

to guide our youngsters.” He admits that in certain mosques he ‘could be sitting in Pakistan’.

32 APRIL 10-16 2011

“There is a tendency to divide the world up into ‘kufar’ and

‘brothers’,” says Hasan Nasiri of the Islamic Society of Britain.

“And we are trying to fight this within the community.”

As the EDL gathered in Luton’s town centre, in the predomi-

nantly Muslim area of Bury Park, hundreds of British Pakistani men thronged the streets ready to protect their homes, shops and mosques from a possible attack. Some young men in balaclavas may have been itching for a fight but, with the help of local mosques and youth groups, the day passed peacefully.

Proud of the way they had handled the day, British Pakistanis

were in for a disappointment. Instead of condemning the EDL,

Prime Minister David Cameron had chosen the same day to pinpoint Muslims as a ‘problem’. At a security conference in Munich, Cameron declared his government would henceforth target

all ‘extremism’ and work only with Muslim groups that promote ‘British values’.

The speech highlighted the essential problem with which

British Muslims appear to be grappling. What does it mean to be British and what are British values?

Cameron defined these values as freedom of speech and reli-

gion and equal rights. While these may be the values the government legitimately seeks to promote, many argue that there is no consensus over what British values are.

The English Defence League and its allies hold protests across the UK

“Being British to me is playing an active role in civic society,”

says Mohsin Malick, “And in this respect Muslims are more British than David Cameron.” Others talk of justice and fairplay, the

rule of law, the Queen and even fish and chips as elements of Britishness.

For EDL and its sympathisers Muslims represent all that is not

British. “If they hate it so much here,” says one EDL activist,

“why don’t they just go home?” The young men on the streets of Bury Park are very clear about where home is. “I can’t get any

more British than I already am without giving up my faith,” says one young man.

Many European countries are struggling to cope with chang-

ing notions of national identity that growing Muslim popula-

tions are forcing on them. Ziauddin Sardar is confident that in Britain these conflicts will be resolved in a rational way. “Britain is a very open society and its strength is that things are allowed

to work out,” he says. “Britishness will have to include Muslimness. It is just a matter of time.” a

33 APRIL 10-16 2011

COVER STORY

COVER STORY

veiled

agendas

As French President Sarkozy and far-right leader Le Pen battle for votes, the real losers are French Muslims

BY MAHEEN USMANI

COVER STORY state schools. But since the niqab ban was voted in by parlia-

ment, standard headscarves have also become a bone of conten-

tion. A worker in a private creche went to court and lost after she claimed she was fired for refusing to take off her headscarf. The education minister insisted that mothers in headscarves should not be allowed to accompany children on school outings. One

mother banned from escorting her son’s primary school class for

Starting 11 April, it will be illegal in France for any woman to wear a full-faced veil. No ‘niqab’, whether you are shopping in Galleries Lafayette, soaking up the sun on the Champs Elysees, ascending the Eiffel Tower or gazing at the Mona Lisa.

The fine for wearing a face covering publicly is EU €150 (US

$208) and the woman will be given a citizenship class to remind

wearing a simple head-covering said: “I’m French, not a fanatic, I just want to be able to practise my religion without being ostracised.”

When asked why he supported the proposed law banning

“overt religious symbols”, French citizen Jean-Michel Andrejevski replied, “It’s a means to defend France and Europe against the spread of Islam.”

Ironically, in order not to stigmatise Muslims, the law bans

her of the republican values of secular France. Face veils will be

any face-covering. Officially called the bill against “covering

cept when they are worshipping in a religious place or travelling

as well as the Muslim veil. It is presented as issue of public order

outlawed virtually anywhere outside women’s own homes, exas a passenger in a private car, although traffic police may stop them if they think they do not have a clear “field of vision” while

driving. After a teacher was convicted for trying to rip a face veil from an Emirati tourist in a shop, the law also states that public

officials cannot force women to remove their niqabs in the street, but must instead call the police.

one’s face in public places,” it bans balaclavas, hoodies or masks and gender equality, not secularism, but is widely viewed as related to the country’s 2012 presidential elections.

Only a tiny minority of women in France wear full niqab, far

fewer than in the UK, only a few hundred out of France’s 6 million Muslims.

The real reason behind the ban is said to be concern about the

Immigration historian Patrick Weil warns that the law is open

growing gains of the far-right National Front in France. Desper-

the battle to stop women wearing ‘niqab’ did not justify that “a

being critiqued for deliberately singling out France’s Muslim

to challenge from the European court of human rights. He said woman who believes that her God orders her to wear it should be

stopped from going out to buy food to feed herself, or from going to see a doctor.”

Although the French law has gotten the most attention, Bel-

gium was actually the first country to enact a ban last April while there is the move towards a similar law in Italy. In 2004, France

banned headscarves and all conspicuous religious symbols from

>> Out of a total population of 62.3 million, Muslims make up five to six million (8-9.6%).

About 70% have their heritage in former north African colonies of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.

France had an expected net influx of 66,000 Muslim immigrants in 2010, primarily from North Africa. Muslims comprised an estimated two-thirds (68.5%) of all new immigrants to France in the past year. <<

38 APRIL 10-16 2011

ate to secure the far-right electorate in the election, Sarkozy is

population to win votes. Today, having frittered away his image

as a dynamic leader, President Nicholas Sarkozy is the most unpopular president in the Fifth republic while the National Front’s

Marine Le Pen is virtually at the palace gates. Le Pen has seen the Front’s popularity soar since she compared Muslims praying in the streets outside overcrowded mosques to the Nazi occupation

of France. She couches all this in terms of defending “republican values”, secularism and feminism in the face of religious extremism. She is setting the agenda on Islam.

The timing of the new law risks plunging France into an iden-

tity crisis. The niqab ban has reopened the long-running debate

over how the country with Europe’s biggest Muslim community integrates Islam into its secular republic. The prime minister,

François Fillon, has argued that face coverings put those who wear them “in a situation of exclusion and inferiority incompatible with the principles of liberty, equality and human dignity affirmed by the French republic.”

While Marine Le Pen has criticised halal-only fast food res-

taurants, Sarkozy has ordered a nationwide debate in April on

Islam’s place in secular France, outlining objections to halal food

options in school canteens, no prayers out of doors and no minarets. The debate is expected to address Islam-specific issues such

At odds French Muslim protests Niqab ban (above), and far-right political leader Le Pen (left)

39 APRIL 10-16 2011

COVER STORY as the financing of mosques and the ideological backgrounds of

tion of a state within the state. I think that French laws, values

a national conversation on “how to organise religious practice so

respect those laws and principles should be firmly made to re-

imams leading services. The initiative was originally framed as

that it is compatible in our country with the rules of our secu-

lar republics”. But following a TV appearance in which Sarkozy

spect them.”

Le Pen has ditched her father’s overtones of anti-Semitic ex-

questioned what kind of “limits” needed to be placed on Islam in

tremism, while defending the core of his nationalism, and court-

targeting French Muslims. PM Fillon has distanced himself from

Muslims and losing their jobs. This has garnered a historic 15%

France, the debate has been increasingly viewed as specifically Sarkozy’s debate on Islam and said he was opposed to the “stigmatisation of Muslims”.

One week before the parliamentary session on secularism and

the role of Islam, French religious leaders representing the six major faiths co-signed an editorial denouncing the debate as a

potential source of discrimination. Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Orthodox, Muslim, and Buddhist leaders warned against

“squandering the precious practice” of laïcité, France’s particu-

ing a new white-collar electorate fearful of crime, immigration, for the National Front in the first round of local elections and she has brought a fresh anti-capitalist tone to the Front’s rhetoric.

The far left indicts capitalism; the far right points the finger of

blame at immigrants. The far left would recommend revolution;

the far right, ethnic cleansing. As Le Pen puts it, “The right-left divide makes no sense any more. Now the reality divide is between nationalism and globalisation.”

In the ascent of Le Pen, there are lessons for the future of demo-

larly unflinching brand of secularism enshrined in a 1905 law of-

cratic politics in Europe and the West. Marine Le Pen is an ef-

Considering the fact that the debate about secularism in France

white collar rather than blue collar; educated, not just ignorant;

ficially separating the Catholic Church and the state.

has largely centred around Islam, the editorial also suggests a solidarity with the Muslim community.

Le Pen, a member of the European parliament, believes that

France’s cultural identity is under attack from “a type of Sovietstyle planning where we are seeking through massive immigration to weaken identities through a sort of general multiculturalism where everyone suffers.”

Given recent developments in the Middle East, there is the

likelihood of an increased influx of immigrants heading towards

France. Harnessing post-credit-crunch insecurity, Le Pen plays to

the gallery with aplomb. “It is time that we question the politician’s rhetoric that if you question immigration it means you are

a racist. For 20 years in France, anyone who was against immi-

gration was called a racist. But now since immigration is perhaps the biggest problem of the 21st century, I think we should be able

to talk about immigration without being accused of xenophobia.

There is a certain threshold above which the identities are shaken and collapse and we’re setting up the conditions for a clash of cultures.”

The Jewish umbrella association, Crif, and Licra, the Interna-

tional League against Racism and Anti-semitism, has warned that Le Pen’s discourse was “a threat to Jews and Muslims” and the far-right was making scapegoats of Muslims in the same way

Jews were targeted during the anti-Semitism of France in the 1930s.

Le Pen protests.”But there’s no islamophobia. People are just

trying to recreate the conditions of a latent conflict aimed at

making French people feel guilty. If you’re in favour of respecting the law, you’re an islamophobe! I’m not fighting against a

40

and principles should apply to everyone. And those who don’t

religion. I’m like Richelieu, I’m fighting against the constituAPRIL 10-16 2011

fective spokeswoman for a new strain of moderate intolerance —

Ukip not just BNP — which is already powerful in the Nether-

lands, Belgium, Italy and Austria. Between one-quarter and onethird of Continental Europeans feel disenfranchised, and are

prepared to vote for any “protest” party, whether far right or far left. The reason is essentially the same throughout Europe: slow economic growth and dwindling prospects for a better life, while

the welfare state has failed to create jobs. Le Pen cleverly exploits the hunger for “identity” and simple “values” in a threateningly

“global” world. Anti-capitalist revolution was tried in half of Europe in the last century, with dire results. Expulsion of immigrants has not. Saddled with a slow economy, a failed welfare

state, and uncontrolled immigration — challenges for which no mainstream parties on the right or the left have any coherent

proposals — the appeal of the far right’s soft populism will continue to haunt France and Europe. a

>> On September 4, 2004, France effected a ban on religious symbols in public schools which was perceived as a ban on the Islamic headscarf.

The French parliament passed a law prohibiting wearing a full-face veil in public on September 15, 2010. <<

playing to the galleries French President Sarkozy (above), and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Princess Hijabâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; strikes again (left)

41 APRIL 10-16 2011

COVER STORY Islamophobia in the US seems to be higher now than at any time since 9/11, and seems to be moving from the fringe to the mainstream.

in the line

of fire

BY ZARRAR KHUHRO

After 9/11 there was still a reservoir of goodwill for the Mus-

lim American community, but now that seems to have been

eroded and it is true that Islamophobia is higher now than at any point (post 9/11).

You now have mainstream

political leaders openly hostile

to the faith of Islam and it re-

ally doesn’t get any pushback

Protests against Islamic from other leaders in society, centre at Ground Zero in New so it’s a really disturbing pheYork City nomenon that what would

have rightly been considered Quran burnings and congressional fringe, extremist views in the past are now considered mainhearings; are Muslims in the United stream, and we hear these views primarily from right-wing poliStates feeling increasingly marginal- ticians and commentators. ised? We contacted Ibrahim Hooper of the US-based Council of American How much of this is a change in the mood Islamic Relations (CAIR) for his of the US public itself? Is it a reflection views on the subject of public opinion or is it simply rabblerousing politics?

>> In the United States, the number of Muslims is estimated to be 2.6 million in 2010. The Muslim share of the U.S. population is projected to grow from 0.8% in 2010 to 1.7% in 2030, making Muslims roughly as numerous as Jews or Episcopalians are in the United States today. <<

Our research shows that roughly one-third of Americans have an actively hostile attitude towards Islam and Muslims, but that

minority is becoming increasingly vocal and increasingly insistent on taking action to marginalise American Muslims and demonise Islam. And we are seeing it with the rise of groups such

as Stop the Islamisation of America or Act for America, which

are out and out hate groups that are building an infrastructure nationwide to attack Islam and Muslims on a rhetorical level.

Some of that now seems to have come into the mainstream political arena as well. Such as the bill in the Tennessee making ‘material support’ for Islamic law punishable by 15 years in jail. Will we see more in the same vein?

In fact, similar bills have already been introduced in close to 20 states. And while the

Anti-Sharia billboard

42 APRIL 10-16 2011

references to Islam in the Ten-

nessee bill have been dropped,

it’s not going to stop the nationwide trend towards the demoni-

sation of Islam in state legislatures nationwide. Pam Geller, a known Islamophobe and conspiracy theorist who is the leader of

an anti-Muslim hate group testified in the Alaska legislature in

support of an anti-Islam bill. Her group has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and yet she was invited to testify.

Congressman Peter King has begun congressional hearings on the radicalisation on American Muslims. Where will they lead?

It’s exactly the same phenom-

enon as in the 1950’s when US Senator Joseph McCarthy investigated Americans for supposed

communist beliefs. You cre-

ate a false threat and then you

link people to that false threat

Rep. Peter King

to marginalise them, so yes it’s very much like the Red Scare of the fifties. What it does is create a sense of siege in the Mus-

lim community where we feel we are constantly under rhetorical

attack and even physical attack. Recently a Muslim taxi driver in California was attacked simply because of his faith, we’ve had mosques attacked across the country as well, and so at some point the rhetorical violence can and does translate into physical

violence. What is needed is a pushback from mainstream politi-

cal and religious leaders. Without that, I’m not sure where we are headed.

After Obama’s election there was guarded optimism among American Muslims that this regime would be different, but has the very fact of Obama getting elected in fact created a backlash against Muslims?

I think that’s entirely true.

And that’s because the extreme

right-wing attack on Obama centres to a large degree on the

false claim that he is Muslim, so if they can at the same time demonise Islam and all Muslims

Image posted on right-wing then that’s also a way to attack website Obama. It’s like killing two birds with one stone for them.

>> About two-thirds of the Muslims in the US today (64.5%) are first-generation immigrants (foreign-born), while slightly more than a third (35.5%) were born in the US. The top countries of origin for Muslim immigrants to the US in 2009 were Pakistan and Bangladesh. They are expected to remain the top countries of origin for Muslim immigrants <<

43 APRIL 10-16 2011

COVER STORY How would you rank the mainstream media’s role in all this? What’s the tone like?

The mainstream media actually does a pretty good job of reporting all this in a fairly objec-

tive way, with the exception of

outlets like Fox News and some others. Unfortunately the antiMuslim rhetoric is cast in such

Fox News: fair and balanced?

a loud and aggressive manner

that it sometimes overwhelms the objective reporting.

Speaking of anti-Muslim rhetoric, do you think Pastor Terry burning of the Quran got the same kind of press that we would have seen if, say, someone had burnt the Torah?

I think it almost got too much

press, in fact now that he is car-

rying on with his activities we

are asking the media to downplay it, so he doesn’t get the

kind of publicity he so desperately seeks.

US Pastor Terry Jones

In Europe at least, Muslims have been accused of ‘failing to assimilate.’ Is this a concern in the US as well?

That depends on your definition of assimilation. If assimi-

lation means giving up your faith etc, then no one should have to do that, but if it means being a productive citizen while

maintaining one’s beliefs and

traditions, then there is nothing wrong with that.

Muslimerican

44 APRIL 10-16 2011

Muslims in America don’t seem to have joined the political mainstream as much as other groups.

Well I don’t agree with that,

we have two members of congress that are Muslim, and

that hasn’t been the case in

the entire history of the United States. We also have mayors,

judges and city council mem-

bers. We would like to see more

of course, but it’s encouraging.

With the political climate the

way it is, I think there is no op-

Keith Ellison, the first Muslim tion for US Muslims to redouble congressman their efforts.

Look at all the terror attacks and planned terror attacks in the US by Muslims, such as Faisal Shahzad, aren’t Americans justified in feeling threatened and suspicious?

You also have to put that in context, you also had a bomb attack on a mosque in Florida

last year that was not publicised by even one major media

outlet on the national level. We had a bomb planted on the pa-

rade route of the MLK parade just this year that got very little

media attention. We had the

Faisal Shahzad

arrest of militia members in Alaska for plotting to kill state

troopers and a judge in that state,

no one even knows about it. Had those actions been assigned to

someone with a Muslim-sounding name, these events would have made international headlines for weeks. So it’s kind of

what you pay attention to and what you count as an act of terrorism. For instance, when a man flew a plane into an IRS building

in Texas after issuing a political manifesto, no one called that an act of terrorism. When a man shot a guard at the pentagon with a political motive no one said that was an act of terrorism, so you have to expand your definition so that similar acts are treated and labeled the same. a

45 APRIL 10-16 2011

COVER STORY

from Mardan to the

Canadian Senate: one womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story

BY VAQAS ASGHAR

It was the summer of 2010, and Salma Ataullahjan was in the land of her birth buying clothes and dried food for orphaned Swati children when the call came. The caller offered her a job, and she accepted. Barely a minute in, history was being made. Weeks later, upon her return to Canada, history was written.

On the 9th of July last year Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper took a bold step and made her the first Asian-born woman and first Pakistani-Canadian to sit in the Senate of Canada.

short subtitle

46 APRIL 10-16 2011

A Pakistani-Canadian woman of Pashtun descent, Senator Sal-

On helping immigrants to Canada adjust

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. She immigrated to Canada 30 years ago

and languages. For example, at school level, if the local school

ma Ataullahjan was born in Mardan and raised in conservative

Nowhere else can you find a country that has so many ethnicities

with her husband. This mother of two daughters is a co-founder

boards agree, language classes for kids in their mother tongues

of the Canadian chapter of The Citizens Foundation (TCF) and has been affiliated with a number of charitable causes in Canada.

The Express Tribune spoke with Senator Ataullahjan by phone at

her home in Toronto.

On what her election means to Canada’s Pakistani expat community When my election was announced, Pakistani-Canadians were

delighted. It was a long overdue recognition for the community.

can be added to the curriculum alongside English and French.

Punjabi is very common and my own kids speak fluent Pashto.

Ethnic language signboards are a common sight in areas with

high immigrant concentrations. The Canadian Immigrants In-

tegration Program helps newcomers adjust to the differences in

Canadian life and society. Funding for settlement of newcomers has risen significantly, with the integration program accounting for a large share of the increase.

Since taking up my seat in the Senate, I’ve been given awards

by Pakistani-Canadians who appreciate the bold step taken by

On how much Canada has changed for immigrants

Prime Minister Harper [in appointing me]. I feel this is a tribute to ethnic minorities and shows democracy at work.

When I came here in 1980 there were not many people from our

part of the world; now Mississauga [a Toronto suburb] shows def-

On the Pakistani community in Canada Pakistanis have made their impact on every aspect of life in Cana-

da. Today we see successful doctors, engineers and businessmen as well as Pakistanis involved in social causes. Generally speak-

ing, we are a vibrant community but coming to a new country is

inite signs of a Pakistani influence and the shalwar kameez is a common sight. In fact, I took the oath wearing shalwar kameez.

When I came here, it was tough to find the right spices or restau-

rants for Pakistani food; now Pakistani shops and restaurants are everywhere. Culturally, tremendous changes have taken place.

One thing I must point out though; as a Muslim woman in

tough. However, the younger generation in particular is thriv-

Canada, I have never felt religion to be a hindrance. Canada has

community is certainly making a mark on Canada.

against, I don’t think anyone else does either. I have been treated

ing, and they do well at school and university. The Pakistani

On Pakistani contribution to culture in Canada

no official religion, and just as I have never felt discriminated equally in every field, without any eyebrows raised because of my religion or gender.

Prime Minister John Diefenbaker helped draft the Canadian

Pakistanis are integral to the country; after all they’ve helped

Bill of Rights, passed in 1960.To quote his address on April 25,

has failed, but in Canada it has flourished; multiculturalism has

ship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to

build it! England and Germany might say that multiculturalism given Canada its unique face and made it strong. A lot has to do with how immigrants are treated. Strong basic rights make us a strong country. Recently, young entertainers like comedian Sabrina Jalees have made a mark and there are at least three galleries run by Pakistanis in the Greater Toronto Area.

On immigration Pakistan is one of the top five sources of migrants to Canada with 300,000 plus Pakistani-origin migrants, most of whom are concentrated in Ontario and Toronto in particular. Recently, the trend has shifted as more and more are choosing Manitoba and

1958, “I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to woroppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall

govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.”

On the involvement of Pakistanis in Canadian politics In terms of political and social activity, Pakistanis are very active in politics, with the recent municipal election seeing a record

number of Pakistani candidates making inroads at provincial and federal level.

Alberta due to better job opportunities. Canada has a long tradi-

Her message for Pakistani Canadians

welcomed more immigrants than at any time in the last 70 years.

have a say in government you must be involved!

tion of welcoming immigrants and during the last year, we have

My message to the community is simply this: get involved. To

a

47 APRIL 10-16 2011

COMMENT

is the west Darul-Harb for muslims?

Some Muslims justify attacks on the West by labelling it ‘the abode of War’, but if there doctrinal evidence for that claim?

BY KHALID ZAHEER

48 APRIL 10-16 2011

There is a perception amongst some Muslims that the countries other than the ones with Muslim majority populations, especially those whose rulers are non-Muslims, are Darul Harb — countries at war with Muslims — and Muslims should therefore consider themselves in a state of belligerence with them.

a directive which was binding to be followed by Muslims of all

The idea has come from the understanding of Fiqh (the for-

way it was done by him during his lifetime in the immediate ter-

mal legal understanding expressed by the earlier jurists) which

basis its opinion on the perception that Islamic faith has come to dominate the entire globe. That understanding is based on a

peculiar interpretation of a few Qur’anic verses and the attitude of the first-generation Muslims who went ahead to present the

message of Islam by asking the rulers of non-Muslim populations

times to come. Instead, it was prophesying an event that was to happen and was actualised not long after the verse was revealed.

The message of Islam thus dominated the Arabian Peninsula

during the last part of the prophet’s life. The companions of the messenger, God’s mercy be on him, went ahead to implement God’s will on the neighbouring territories after his demise, the

ritory. The nations living in the areas surrounding the Peninsula knew that the awaited messenger had already arrived and that

the accompanying revolution promised in the earlier scriptures had been actualised. Muslim armies went to all the territories whose rulers were sent messages by the Prophet himself.

In other words, their act of taking over the political reigns of

to accept Islam, forfeit their right to rule in favour of the con-

the surrounding territories was an extension of the prophet’s

moting the idea are perfectly convinced that their faith requires

meant to be replicated by Muslims of the later times. If that pro-

quering army, or face them in the battlefield. Those who are prothem to continue to seek to invade the non-Muslim territories, in case they have the requisite military strength.

The world we are living in can never be a peaceful place so long

as this ideology continues to influence a good number of devoted believers who are convinced that peace cannot come to this world

mission assigned to him by the Almighty. That strategy was not

cess was to continue until every part of the globe came under the Muslim rule, then Islam, the message of peace, would practical-

ly be the message of war and bloodshed, which would contradict the very claim of it being the mercy for the entire mankind.

There is only one logical explanation for the verses talking

until the entire world comes under the political rule of a Muslim

about the political domination of the message of Islam: The vers-

world should be in a constant state of war, with Muslims fight-

would dominate their adversaries: “Allah has made it binding on

Khalifa. So long as that ideal is not achieved, they believe, this ing against non-Muslims.

One of the verses often referred to ‘prove’ this ideology runs

like this: “It is He Who has sent His messenger with guidance and the religion of truth so that He dominates it over all other

religions, even though the polytheists may dislike it” (Qur’an;

es are mentioning God’s policy of ensuring that His messengers Himself that He will dominate: He and His messengers; indeed

Allah is strong, dominating.” Such verses were, by the style of

their mention and the context of their placement in the text, specific in their application to the era of the messenger.

For all other times, non-Muslim countries are not Darul Harb

61:9) If seen in the context of the entire Qur’anic message, this

(countries at war) but Darul Dawah (countries whose inhabit-

et Muhammad (PBUH), just as He sent it to the earlier messen-

as minority citizens are expected to be law-abiding, discharging

verse is mentioning the fact that God sent His message to prophgers so that His message dominated over all rival religious ideolo-

gies of the territory of Arabian Peninsula. In truth the message of the verse is not directing Muslims to ensure that God’s mes-

sage should forcibly dominate all regions of the world; instead

it is informing the reader that such a transformation is going to come about by God’s will. In other words, the verse is not giving

ants need to be invited to the message of Islam). Muslims living

diligently their obligations to the countries of their residence.

Instead of considering the fellow citizens of their country of residence their enemies, they should see them as their friends who need to be positively influenced by their good behaviour so that the way is paved for some of them to come close to the message of Islam. a

49 APRIL 10-16 2011

FEATURE

documenting

Pakistan

BY SONYA REHMAN

Director Cary McClelland’s upcoming documentary Without Shepherds follows six Pakistani men and women after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination in 2007. The star-power of Imran Khan, Vaneeza Ahmed and Arieb

And that’s what is dangerous. I have always trusted that there is

shawari female journalist, a truck driver and an ex-Taliban warrior

were both assassinated for a cause that they believed in. And now

Azhar gives Without Shepherds an edge, yet other subjects such as a Pe-

give the production an interesting, human dimension.

When I first saw the trailer at an event at Asia Society in New

York, I wondered if Without Shepherds was going to be just another documentary churned out using the typical formula of Pakistani

subjects in light of the ongoing ‘war on terror’. Was Pakistan being

much more to Pakistan than terrorism, madness and barbarity, but lately I have had to question this belief.

I’ve felt disillusioned and jaded like many other Pakistanis. The

onset of 2011 didn’t help — Salmaan Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti

my belief lies six feet underground. So can a documentary on Paki-

stan refrain from bringing in the political dimension, just like the

BBC documentary on Afghanistan? That is certainly something to ponder.

In an email interview, the director McClelland, said he sawPaki-

cashed in on again, given the fact that we’ve been sitting on a geo-

stan as an “ideal country to explore. From a distance, it seemed to

Recently I saw a short documentary on the BBC based on art, cul-

tatorship, peace and war, secular and religious. I relished the idea

political fault line for the past few years?

ture and lifestyle in Afghanistan. It featured fascinating clips about spas, hair salons, musicians and female journalists. Thankfully, it

didn’t dip its toes too deep into the pool of politics, and this resulted in content that was not only richer but infinitely more refreshing.

One clip showed a male Afghan hairstylist sporting a pony tail,

while others featured a young Afghan rock band that produces songs in English, and an Afghan female politician who is also a

be a country of paradoxes — somehow between democracy and dicof doing something that would cut against the typical tropes in the headlines, and spoke from a more intimate connection to the com-

munities there. It seemed the question of ‘where is Pakistan going’ would be more pivotal to the region than any other. Hopefully, we can add some much-needed balance and humanity to the discussion.”

During the shooting of the documentary, McClelland did en-

professional singer.

counter some “very natural suspicion people had for an American

I just nurture the opinion that we must break free from this typi-

hated to reinforce any stereotypes and misunderstandings.”

While I’m not propagating an idealistic depiction of Pakistan,

cal surviving-in-the-time-of-barbarity formula which fuels stereo-

50

Can a Western-made documentary on Pakistan avoid the standard clichés?

filmmaker” but as a self-described liberal American he “would have The project has been a joint partnership between Pakistani film-

types. Documentaries are productions that are trusted as sources of

makers right from the get-go.

portant to remember that they too, propagate a certain viewpoint.

documentary teams in Lahore, and journalists from Islamabad and

unbiased information, depicting nothing but the truth. But it’s imAPRIL 10-16 2011

“We worked with highly professional crews from Karachi, top

Imran Khan, Vaneeza Ahmed and Arieb Azhar are some of the well-known names in Without Shepherds.

Peshawar as researchers and consultants,” says McClelland. Even in New York, the post-production team included Pakistani editors, sound engineers, translators and experts in community outreach.

For McClelland and his team, the quest for the subjects in his

“The Americans on the team were here to frame the questions that matter most to an international audience, but the Pakistanis were there to provide the answers.

Hopefully, when people see the finished product they will agree we did this mission justice.”

documentary was a “very organic process.” Pakistani filmmakers

and journalists were consulted about the subjects and the content.

Imran Khan was chosen because the crew wanted the story of the government to be told, with a fresh perspective, and Imran Khan’s

boycott of the election and participation in the Lawyer’s Movement gave them just that.

McClelland unassumingly admits: “We were outsiders and had a

lot to learn about the country before final choices could be made.”

Therefore the crew travelled the country extensively in search of subjects and their stories. After identifying their main subjects, the documentary’s filming process was soon put in motion.

“The arts have tremendous potential to balance out this paranoia

by promoting humanism and presenting context,” says McClelland

citing the Pakistani Peace Builder’s Sufi Festival held in New York last year, which garnered much positive media attention.

The idea behind Without Shepherds was that “the Americans on the

team were here to frame the questions that matter most to an international audience, but the Pakistanis were there to provide the

answers. Hopefully, when people see the finished product they will agree we did this mission justice.”

For now, the release of Without Shepherds has been halted, due to

a serious dearth of funds. Hopefully, the documentary is positive, sensitive and empathetic in its treatment of Pakistan and its people. a

The author is a freelance journalist. She may be reached at: sonjarehman@gmail.com

51 APRIL 10-16 2011

TRAVEL

chit chat

in hong kong They say what really makes a trip to any destination memorable is the people you end up interacting with. In this respect, Hong Kong can prove to be quite a challenge, especially for us desi folk who have a built-in love for casual chit-chat — a mechanism which runs in direct contrast to the Hong Kong citizen’s love of utility, function and no-nonsense communication. Here is a collection of just a few interactions from Hong Kong, a city I fell in love with for its refreshing, albeit short, dialogue.

Exchanging money at the airport

Me: Hi, I would like to change US$200 please.

Information booth guy: TWO! *Angrily pointing to a big sign which says ‘Lane 2’*

Admiring the giant Buddha on Lantau

Me: This Buddha statue is amazing, isn’t it? How many steps did I just climb?

Irate stall lady: Yes, very nice, thank you. Please choose your free ice-cream.

Me: Do you enjoy your job? It must be kind of boring coming up here daily, huh?

Irate stall lady: Yes, you want chocolate, vanilla, strawberry?

Visiting The Peak

Cashier: NO TALKING! NO TALKING HERE. PLEASE NO TALKING.

crooked! Look, look!

THANK YOU.

First trip to the MTR train station

Me: Hi, can you help me, please? Where do I have to go to board the Tung Chung line?

Information booth guy: To.

Me: To Tung Chung. I need to get to Tung Chung to go see the gi-

52

Me: TO TUNG CHUNG.

Cashier: *Nods in agreement*

Me: So, is the exchange rate any good at the airport?

ant Buddha? You know, the giant Buddha? *flapping arms* Information booth guy: TO. APRIL 10-16 2011

BY JAHANZAIB HAQUE

Me: Wow! Holy crap, this climb is so steep the buildings are all Chinese tourist: Yes very nice.

Me: Have you taken this tram ride before? You don’t seem nervous or excited at all.

Chinese tourist: It’s okay. I take picture for you?

Me: Yeah could you? I only have my BlackBerry [Curve 8900] though, no camera.

Chinese tourist: BlackBerry? *laughs* So bad phone. Very outdated. *End of conversation*

Losing a Star Ferry ticket

Olina: Okay no problem! You buy me drink for 20 dollars?

Me: Yes?

Olina: You tallest man in Hong Kong — six feet long! Buy Olina drink!

Random guy: *Snaps fingers* Random guy: *Snap snap, points behind me*

Me: I’m sorry, I don’t get you. You want me to go back?

Me: No! I’m not into that!

Me: Fine. One drink. But that’s all.

Random guy: *Snap snap, points harder*

Wake-up call for last day of Hong Kong trip

Random guy (in crisp English): You. Have. Dropped. Your. Tick-

6:30 am?

Me: But I just got my ticket. I don’t want to go back! et. On. The. Floor.

Shopping in Temple Street Market Me: How much for this diary?

Shopkeeper: For you special price — 90 dollar.

Me: Hi, can I get a wake-up call in the morning, please? Around Phone operator: Yes sir, 6:30 am thank you please, goodbye.

Phone in the morning: This is your wake-up call. This is your

wake-up call. This is your wake-up call. *recorded message on infinite loop* a

Me: What? I saw this same diary for 60 two stalls back.

Shopkeeper: Wise guy, you go buy somewhere else.

Me: Okay, well, what’s the price of this slightly smaller diary then?

Shopkeeper: For you? Seven hundred dollar. Go away.

Smoking in the Empire Hotel Me: Can I smoke indoors?

Reception guy: NO. No smoking here.

Me: Do you have any designated smoking spot?

Reception guy: No no no. No smoking here.

Me: Can I at least smoke in my room?

Reception guy: Noooo. *Frustration apparent*

Me on phone (after discovering ashtray in my room): Hey, is this ashtray here for decoration or can I actually smoke in the room?

Reception guy: Just one minute. *whisper whisper* Okay you smoke. Thank you goodbye.

Trapped by ‘Olina’, a call-girl in shady Wan Chai district

Olina: Take my picture, you me, only 20 dollars! *Grabs arm, refuses to let go*

Me: No! I’m not interested!

APRIL 10-16 2011

FASHION

purple haze Styling and coordination: Tehmina Khaled Label: Samar Mehdi Designer: Samar Mehdi Hair and Makeup: Akef Ilyas Photography: Akef Ilyas Model: Aminah Ilyas

Renowned for her bridal cou-

ture, Samar Mehdi has evolved

a distinct look with her casual

and formal wear, and even

an accessories line which in-

cludes shoes and bags. Here she works in shades of purple, experimenting with textures

and layers in classic Samar Me-

hdi fashion, blurring the line between day- and eveningwear, for a rock-chic look. a

54 APRIL 3-9 2011

East meets West and never has the fusion looked better

A corduroy coat with a sparkling collar

55 APRIL 3-9 2011

56 APRIL 3-9 2011

Get ready to rock the party in glimmering pants with a structured top

Sheer chiffons soften the mood

APRIL 3-9 2011

Edgy but still playful in this asymmetric dress APRIL 3-9 2011

Peek into the future with this futuristic knee-length dress

59 APRIL 3-9 2011

ADVICE

mr know it all From relationship blues to money woes, Mr Know It All has the answers!

Q. Dear Mr Know It All,

Every day when he comes back from work, my husband flicks

on the TV and sits in front of it, eyes glazing over, for around an

hour-and-a-half. During this time, nothing I do or say can dis-

tract him. It’s ruining our social life — because of his habit, we can only go out after 10:00 pm and end up being late to everything we are invited to. All in all, it drives me up the wall. Why

does he do this, and how can I get him to break out of his vegetative stupor?

Peeved

A.The problem here is not your husband and his little TV

watching session, you selfish, selfish woman...it’s you! Give

the poor guy a break, all he’s asking for is an hour-and-a-half

of me-time where he doesn’t have to be working or attending a soiree you signed him up for. Nobody likes a nagging wife so

quit whining and start treating your man like the hero he is... which means that from now on, instead of constantly bitching

about how he’s not being there for you for those 90 minutes after

spending the whole day earning you a lifestyle, you’re going to try being a little more endearing. Hard work, I know, but you can

start by accepting his harmless quirks and snuggling with him Got a problem you just can’t solve? mail us at magazine@tribune.com.pk and let our very own whiz take a crack at it!

60 APRIL 10-16 2011

on the couch while he unwinds... you’ll be surprised at how well

you can bond with your man during this time... and I’m not just talking about the comfort level you’ll be building for when you go denture shopping together in a few years!

Q. Dear Mr Know It All,

One of my wife’s girlfriends is going through a personal crisis.

Q. Dear Mr Know It All,

Can you tell me, once and for all, whether women find facial

This means that she calls my wife at around 1:00 am every night

hair attractive or not? Whenever I sport a goatee, some women

this friend now, and I can’t stand her mid-thirties crisis either.

the verdict?

and they talk for about two hours –— every night. I can’t stand How do I reclaim my wife?

Neglected husband

call me a ‘mullah,’ others say I’m channelling Jared Leto. What’s Confused

A. I don’t think it’s possible to know which look will tickle a

A. I hate to be the one to break this to you, but your wife’s best

specific woman’s fancy without a little experimentation. In my

been there for her through every single emotional crisis, and

shape. Feral outgrowths of hair that start below your eyes and

now it’s payback time. There’s absolutely no point wasting your time hating or trying to create a wedge between the two because

chances are their relationship predates yours by at least a decade,

and for all you know, they may even have a suicide pact together!

The sooner you accept that the better you’ll sleep…unless your

sleep isn’t what you’re really pissed off about in the first place, in which case my whole answer just went to waste, didn’t it?

opinion, there’s nothing wrong with sporting a beard — if it has

run right into that angry turf of chest hair were more in vogue thirty years ago. Today, they’re just sad and widely unaccept-

able...unless of course, the woman you’re trying to impress has a thing for macho mullahs. I’m not for patchy, cotton-candy

beards either — they’re just plain ugly. Also avoid going for the

two-day-stubble look if you have dark skin, because it will make you look — and I’m saying this politely — unwashed. Imagine

Ajay Devgan or Sunil Shetty in one of their early films. Not a pretty sight, right?

a

ILLUSTRATION: S.JAMAL.K

friend is her first true soul mate and confidante. She’s probably

61 APRIL 10-16 2011

REVIEW

featured review of the week

film illusion of intelligence

BY HASSAAN KHAN

Science-fiction or future science? Those were my first thoughts when the plot unravelled in Limitless. Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a struggling writer living in New York City suffering from chronic writer’s block. He hasn’t written a page for the book he’s working on and his girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish) has just dumped him.

That all changes when his ex-brother-in-law introduces him to NZT, a revolutionary new drug that allows the user to tap the full potential of their mental capacity. That is the premise of Limitless, a thrilling journey of everyone’s wish-fulfilling fantasy of being unstoppable.

Eddie experiences the true joy of everything he had ever learnt.

He processes unlimited streams of data, recalls everything he has ever read, seen or heard, multitasks at high speeds and learns any language in a day. After completing his entire book within a couple of days and bedding numerous supermodels, he realises that the true potential of the drug is far too overreaching to restrict himself to his current pay-grade.

Eddie takes Wall Street by storm, bankrolling his scheme with money from Russian mobster Gennady (Andrew Howard), who ends up haunting him till the very end of the story. Next thing you know, he has been given the task of brokering the largest merger in corporate history by energy magnate Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro).

The movie successfully addresses drug-abuse by creating a parallel between NZT and prescription amphetamines in the US that serve to focus concentration without maximising brain usage. As Eddie struggles to convert this illusion of intelligence into reality, he realises that his new life may have a deadly price. He begins having strange blackouts and is soon facing an investigation for murder as he subsequently dodges both mysterious stalkers as well as his Russian bankroller. At the same time he attempts to hang on to his 62 dwindling supply of NZT long enough to outfox his enemies.

APRIL 10-16 2011

wish fulfillment Limitless represents the inner urge we have to live the life we all wish we could and how far we would go to sustain it

Eddie experiences the true joy of everything he had ever learnt.

He processes unlimited streams of data, recalls everything he has ever read, seen or heard, multitasks at high speeds and learns any language in a day.

The imagery of the film effectively captures Eddieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ups and downs on the drug â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the whole world becomes brighter and more colourful when Eddie is on NZT. When the drug starts to wear off, you can feel everything turning grey and as a viewer you feel the need to root for Eddie at his lowest points.

Cornish, De Niro, and Howard do a good job, given their relatively little screen time. Even though most viewers, sensitive about drug-related issues, will end up dismissing the movie for glorifying drug use, the bottom-line for me was the fact that Bradley Cooper managed to keep the viewer glued to the screen, waiting for him to resolve the seemingly impossible problem ahead of him. The final resolution is quite vicious, almost out of character with the rest of the film, leaving the viewer with a sense of despair, wondering whether it is the very last hurdle that he crosses in his bizarre trip, whether he has at last perfected the balance and truly turned the illusion into his own reality.

63 APRIL 10-16 2011

HOROSCOPE

BY SHELLEY VON STRUNCKEL

Aries March 20 - April 19 Ordinarily you’d easily overcome obsta-

cles, especially those that involve pointless rules or people you don’t respect. But you’re not only unlikely to be successful, the actual situations involved are in transition. Plus, with Mercury

retrograde in your sign and causing confusion, personally and in those plans, what now seems your best option could soon be revealed as unwise. Forget struggles, therefore, and instead keep things loose.

Taurus April 20 - May 20 There’s no arguing that you’re remarkably practical. Yet, nevertheless, certain individuals are adept

Shelley von Strunckel is an internationally acclaimed astrologer who created the first horoscope column for the London Sunday Times in 1992.

A frequent lecturer, she writes daily,

at using guilt to manipulate you. Or it could be you’re being

overwhelmed by seemingly unchanging obligations. Whatever is trapping you in troublesome situations, it’s time to discuss

changes. This is just the beginning, so don’t expect instant re-

sults. But at least you’ll finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

weekly and monthly horoscopes in publications around the world including South China Morning Post, The Gulf News, Tatler, French and Chinese Vogue and now The Express Tribune Magazine.

Gemini May 21 - June 20 Exciting as certain ideas or offers may be, with your ruler Mercury retrograde until the 23rd, even genuine

arrangements are unlikely to last as initially organised. Worrying as this sounds, it actually gives you the freedom to explore

further. What you discover could both surprise you and offer substantial improvements on existing concepts. With so much in transition, you could be aiming a lot higher.

Cancer June 21 - July 22 Sometimes, before it’s possible to focus

on the future, elements of the past must be left behind. Consequently, if you’re struggling to keep the past afloat while you explore new and intriguing options, consider carefully whether what you’re working to preserve might actually be holding you back. While these insights are important now, by the pivotal Full Moon on the 18th, they’ll be crucial.

Leo July 23 - August 22 Important as standing your ground in crucial situations may be, certain battles aren’t necessarily worth

the time and energy they’d require. Besides, you’ve been ignor-

ing other more intriguing options, mostly because you’re unsure where they’d fit in your life. Between changes in circumstances

and in your priorities, these are far greater important than you think. But you won’t know that until you explore them.

Virgo August 23 – September 22 Everybody dreams of opportuni-

ties that come from out of the blue. Yet your reaction to these new ideas or offers is equal parts of intrigue and suspicion. True, with your ruler Mercury retrograde until the 23rd, surprises are

likely. But that shouldn’t keep you from exploring. What’s more, because this involves those closest, personally or professionally,

64

they’d be hurt if you didn’t at least show interest.

APRIL 10-16 2011

Libra September 23 – October 22 Usually you’re remarkably successful at reining in intense feelings or sidestepping controversial issues for fear of causing upset. However, since the Libra Full

Moon on the 18th is bound to bring such matters to a head, you’re

urged to prepare yourself for frank exchanges — if not confrontations. Unappealing as the thought seems now, this will do wonders to clear the air. Which is exactly what’s needed.

Scorpio October 23 – November 21 After several weeks of doing bat-

tle over a range of frustratingly unfair situations — some minor and others more serious — you’re exhausted. Hopefully by now

you’ve realised that much of what seemed devious or underhand was really a misunderstanding. Enlightening as this insight

may be, that by no means suggests further discussions are pressing. Actually, these should wait until Mercury resumes forward motion on the 23rd.

Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Over the past weeks

there’ve been numerous situations in which you had to state your preferences. At the time you did, only to discover that between situations and your priorities shifting, changes had to be made. This happens again, but now circumstances or others’ mood is contentious. State your desires, simply and without

justifying your decisions. This may annoy some but avoids ultimately pointless disputes.

Capricorn December 22 – January 19 Few things are more diffi-

cult than upsetting those you’re close to. However, certain issues

must be faced and discussed frankly. Avoid them now and they’ll only become more troublesome later. The intentions of others are good, but they’re not facing facts. So in these, and other matters, be cautious of promises that seem too good to be true. They could well be exactly that.

Aquarius January 20 – February 18 While you may be clear-mind-

ed about both the benefits and perils of certain rather tricky situations, others aren’t. They’re either ill-informed or aren’t facing

the facts. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that with Mercury retrograde until the 23rd, fundamental information could be missing or incorrect. Knowing that, discuss potential plans but finalise nothing just now. The more flexible arrangements — and your thinking — the better.

Pisces February 19 – March 19 There’s a fine line between being

generous and allowing others to take advantage of you, as expe-

rience has proved. You could be facing similar situations now, but with the retrograde Mercury obscuring important facts or

enabling others to shape information to suit their needs, you

For more information, to order personal charts and to download & listen to detailed audiocasts, visit www.shelleyvonstrunckel.com

wouldn’t know it. So play for time. By late next week others’

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games will have been exposed for what they are.

APRIL 10-16 2011

THE HATER

10 things I hate about ...designer lawns

1 2 3 4 5

BY SABA KHALID

Paying over Rs4,000 for an outfit that you could prob-

ably not even pull off at a fancy dinner. This especially stings after you invest an additional Rs1,000 on getting the stitching done from the nikumma tailor who will probably have the outfit ready by summer 2012.

No matter how exclusive and special the print may be,

come June 1st, your maid is going to walk into your home wearing an exact copy of the same.

The group of women present at every freaking exhibition. I call them the lawn mowers. They mow out each

and every lawn suit before you even read the billboard!

How many outfits do these ladies need?

How every struggling, not-struggling, successful, un-

successful, living, dying, barely-breathing designer has come up with his/her own lawn collection. Why

don’t they go back to making super-expensive, unwearable clothes that nobody ever bought?

The way they offer all these different laces and frills

with the jora to make your life easier but with 50 extra things per outfit, they usually end up confusing you and Nikumma.

66 APRIL 10-16 2011

6 7 8 9 10

And this may very well be the reason that each year Ni-

kumma will always put the wrong lace on the wrong jora making you look like Ugly Betty without the glasses.

After visiting two exhibitions, they all start looking

the same.

The life-size billboards with giant models in every freaking position that keep distracting my driver every

time we pass the roundabout. Yes, I almost had an accident — Vaneeza is to blame!

How they’re all sold out on the very first day. I think they just make up some posters and write ‘sold out’ on them to make it look like their launch was exclusive and successful.

With every passing year, the material for lawns keeps

getting sheerer and sheerer. Pretty soon we’ll be in crepe paper but, the designers will convince us, it’s extremely

high quality, flown in from Florence, extra-breathable and wrinkle-free. What more do you want?

a