MARCH 22-28 2015
MARCH 22-28 2015
COUNTER -STRIKE How the nation armours itself against deadly terrorist attacks
MARCH 22-28 2015
Profile
At home in the world
Cover Story
French journalist and author Kenize Mourad talks about her latest novel
Counter-strike Pakistan’s defense strategy against terrorism attacks
22 Feature
28 Travel
The Sufi heart of Baghdad
A visit to the shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA)
42
4
Saving the VIPs (vultures in Pakistan) The struggle to conserve a species of birds vital to our ecosystem
37 Regulars
6 People & Parties: Out and about with beautiful people
46 Reviews: Books, TV and movies 50 Human Resources: Salary negotiations during the hiring process
Senior Subeditors: Dilaira Dubash and Sanam Maher and subeditor: Komal Anwar Creative Team: Essa Malik, Jamal Khurshid, Mohsin Alam, Omer Asim, Aamir Khan, Sanober Ahmed & Talha Ahmed Khan Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Twitter: @ETribuneMag & Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ETribuneMag Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com
PEOPLE & PARTIES
PHOTOS COURTESY MAHWISH RIZVI
Mahwish Rizvi, Ayesha Aakif, Tuba, Ambreen and Maria Anwar
Kiran Fine Jewellery launches a pop-up boutique at the Misha Lakhani flagship s tore in Karachi
Faiza Lakhani
6 MARCH 22-28 2015
Meher Bano Qureshi
Salima Feerasta
Sumeha Khalid
Alizeh Pasha
Anusheh Shahid and Abdullah Zia
Ruqaiya Adamjee, Tahera, Kiran Aman, Aliya Chinoy and Shazia Zuberi
8 MARCH 22-28 2015
PHOTOS COURTESY MAHWISH RIZVI
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Zainab Muhammad
Ronak Lakhani
PEOPLE & PARTIES Sadaf
Arena Cinema holds a premiere for Roy in Lahore
Raza, Laraib, Kinza and Nausherwan
Muhammad, Aqif, Imra and Hina
10 MARCH 22-28 2015
Faisal Rahman
PHOTOS COURTESY VERVE PR
Fiza and Ali
Sara and Raza Jawa
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Noveen and Saad
PHOTOS COURTESY VERVE PR
Nitasha, Aleem Rahman, Nisha and Salar
Faisal Ansari, Zahid Aman, Brig Umer Farooq, Brig Ahad, Kamran Michel and Mian Athar
Saira Agha
12 MARCH 22-28 2015
Saad and Sana
Fahad Rahman and Ahmer Farooq
PEOPLE & PARTIES International Women’s Day is celebrated with an art exhibit at the Alliance Francaise Gallery in Karachi
Elizabeth Dooghan
PHOTOS COURTESY NEW WORLD CONCEPTS
Mrs Mirza, Mrs Gilani and Sarwat
Shazia, Fariya Zaeem and Anwar
Zarmina and Maliha
14 MARCH 22-28 2015
Chad Peterson and Yasmin Hyder
Syma Iqbal and Izeah
Khusro Sabzwari and Shanzay Sabzwari
Priscilla Zurain and Anita
Mr and Mrs Zaeem
16 MARCH 22-28 2015
Jackie Schumacher
PHOTOS COURTESY NEW WORLD CONCEPTS
PEOPLE & PARTIES
At home
in the world
Kenize Mourad has roots in Turkey, France and Pakistan, but it is India that has caught her imagination in her latest novel BY NASHMIA BUTT PHOTO BY ARIF SOOMRO DESIGN BY SANOBER AHMED
The daughter of an Indian rajah and a Turkish princess, Kenize Mourad describes herself as a journalist and an author who wishes to portray the ‘good’ side of the East to those in the West. Brought up in France, Mourad has roots in three different cultures and frequently visits Pakistan as well. On one of her recent visits to Karachi to visit her family residing in the city, the confident, elegant woman, with a strong French accent, reveals how her multicultural background informs and influences her writing and how she plans on changing mindsets with it. ‘Frustrated’ by the “hidden censorship in the West (and) France in particular”, Mourad decided to switch to writing novels after 12 years of working in the media. The career change was hastened by a feeling of being ‘restricted’ or ‘confined’ as a journalist, she says. “My work was never openly rejected, but instead I would be told, ‘The article is too long’ or the story would be delayed constantly until I gave up,” she says. “They would often cut out the bits they did not want to publish,” she adds. “I used to write about the Middle East, but it is difficult to expose realities in France as you can’t say much about Israel — you really can’t say what you want.” Mourad was taught to always “be on the side of the downtrodden and not the powerful” and this ethos informed her work as a journalist. “You should not be a parrot of the powerful but rather give voice to those who don’t have one,” she explains. “Sadly, this isn’t the case anywhere in the world.” In 1983, she travelled to Turkey, Lebanon and India to research her first book Memories of an Ottoman Princess, based on her mother. When her career as an author took off, she decided the time had come to 22 leave journalism behind. MARCH 22-28 2015
I don’t write stories about beautiful people with beautiful lives, Instead, I base my work on today’s problems — the realities Journalist and author Kenize Mourad
In her mission to bring different classes and cultures together, Mourad has written books both in English and French. Peppering her conversation with French phrases and Urdu words, she begins to shed light on her writing life. “I don’t write stories about beautiful people with beautiful lives,” says Mourad. “I base my work on today’s problems — the realities,” she says. Her last book In the City of Gold and Silver traces the life of Begum Hazrat Mahal. The begum was one of the wives of Awadh’s ruler Wajid Ali Shah — who was exiled to Calcutta when the British annexed Awadh (in present-day Uttar Pradesh) in 1856 — and played a key role in the fight for Independence in 1947. It took the British nine months to gain control over Lucknow and the Begum continued her fight for a year after this. While writing the book, Mourad travelled to Lucknow and spent a great deal of time tracing those who knew Begum Hazrat Mahal personally. Extensive research was carried out in libraries of Lucknow as not a lot has been written about this particular character. “Begum Hazrat Mahal is an example of a strong Muslim woman, who is a beautiful lady; a fantastic leader in military terms as well as governance. She takes special care of the poor because she belonged to a poor family when she was growing up,” shares Mourad. Additionally, Mourad manages to paint a vivid picture of Lucknow in the book. The colour gold refers to Hindus and silver represents Muslims. Lucknow is “the place where two cultures collide [and] where they happily coexist,” she says. Mourad emphasises the term ‘coexistence’ and says she prefers this term over ‘tolerance’. “The word ‘tolerance’ suggests that you are just tolerating a person [because you do not have] a choice, while the term ‘coexistence’ shows appreciation for the other person or culture,” she explains. “I talk about moderate Islam in my book and I do that by showing unity between Hindus and Muslims; I show them fighting together, not against one another.” T Nashmia Butt is a subeditor for The Express Tribune Op-ed desk. MARCH 22-28 2015
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COUNTER -STRIKE How the nation armours itself against deadly terrorist attacks TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ABDUR RAZZAQ DESIGN BY TALHA KHAN
Despite launching a military offensive, Operation Zarb-e-Azb, against various militant groups in North Waziristan on June 15, 2014, and increasing the defense budget to Rs700.2 billion for the 2014-2015 fiscal year, Pakistan has not succeeded in uprooting terrorism from its soil. Between 2013 and 2014, approximately 5,991 people, including civilians and security personnel, lost their lives in terror-related attacks, reports the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP). Within the first three months of 2015 alone, an appalling 315 others, including the 14 who died in the recent attack on a church in Lahore, have become victims of violence. Therefore, with the state enemies becoming more brazen with each attack, it is time to see how the country plans to shield itself from their next strike. Assistant Inspector General of police Shafqat Malik watches members of the bomb disposal squad display their equipment. PHOTO: REUTERS
29 MARCH 22-28 2015
A police school for handling explosives was inaugurated in Nowshera on Feb 9, 2015.
K-P’s provincial capital Peshawar has always been a soft target for militants; the city has 390 entry points which are almost impossible to man Senior Superintendent of Police operations Dr Mian Saeed
K-P’s renewed defense strategy With Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) being the province that was worst-hit by terrorism — according to SATP, 196 people died in nine terror attacks during 2014 — it is imperative that the government establish its defense base camp in the province. According to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) and chief of Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) Peshawar Shafqat Malik, the provincial government has already taken the necessary measures and chalked out a comprehensive security strategy. This includes the opening of a police school for explosive handling in Nowshera on Feb 9 earlier this year, shares Malik. Annually approximately 1,200 police officers across the province will receive training on how to defuse Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) using robots at the
Rs1m
is the cost of each bomb disposal robot.
school. In the past the BDS was equipped with a pair of ordinary wire cutters and a splicer, but the school has acquired two bomb disposal robots worth Rs1,000,000 each, two advanced bomb suits worth Rs10,000,000 each and an explosive ordnance disposal vehicle to train officers. “If we had trained our squad (in using robots earlier), we could have easily controlled mass destruction and human loss,” says Malik. “From 2008 to 2013, 15 BDS members have died while defusing bombs.” The school has also invested in various detectors which include metal detectors, mine detectors and detectors to trace bombs. But the detectors aren’t as effective as sniffer dogs, says Malik. “Their sense of smell is 5,000 times more powerful,” he shares, adding that the dogs can serve for up to 10 years. The bomb disposal unit has purchased 40 trained sniffer dogs, costing Rs4,000,000 each, from the Pakistan Army to assist in detecting explosives. This excludes their monthly expenses, including food and vaccination, which totals at Rs15,000 per dog. While a great deal of money has been pumped into acquiring the necessary protective gear, the province suffers from short-sighted planning. A forensic laboratory has yet to be established in K-P for post-blast explosive residue identification. Malik hopes to rectify this by opening a forensic laboratory which will not only study explosive residue to establish the origin and distribution of materials used in making a bomb but will also provide a safe environment for testing explosives. Along with strengthening the BDS, the province has taken several measures to prevent schools from becoming vulnerable targets. In December last year, the provincial police launched the Androidbased One-Click SOS Alert Service to allow users to tap an alert button that will instantly notify the police in case of an emergency. Additionally, since
(Top) The Islamabad police patrol the streets, ready to respond to any emergency. PHOTO: AFP. (Right) A police officer handles a wireless controller which gives direction to the bomb disposal robot.
the province does not have the budget to build a bomb room in each school, security guidelines have been provided to students and teachers at both private and government-run educational institutes and they have been taught how to use weapons to secure themselves in case of an attack. K-P’s provincial capital Peshawar has always been a soft target for militants; the city has 390 entry points which are almost impossible to man, explains Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) operations Dr Mian Saeed. Despite this security in the the provincial capital has been beefed up and all routes linked with red zones inside the city have been secured with checkpoints, he assures. Besides routine patrols, the capital city police have also deployed special security forces in Peshawar. “During school hours the Rapid Response Force (RRF) patrols the city streets for any suspicious activity and the Quick Response Force (QRF) is on the alert at every police station,” says Saeed. Following the attack on Peshawar’s Imamia mosque, special security has also been provided to guard places of worship.
Other provinces take a stand Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab have adopted a number of K-P’s security strategies. In the wake of the attack on Peshawar’s Army Public School (APS) on olice force in every December 16, 2014, the police veral efforts to province have made several rnment improve security of gover government ions.. Along and educational institutions. ith security se ecurity with providing them with evision guidelines, closed-circuitt tele television stalle ed and cameras have been installed n dep ployed security guards have been deployed choolls and at the main gates of schools colleges. K Karachi According to AIG ns on Ghulam Qadir, Sindh plan plans -click SOS launching its own one-click hough alert service for citizens.. Alth Although explo osivesthe province has no explosivesas a BDU handling school, it has
Rs4m
is the cost of each y the sniffer dog trained by rmy. Pakistan Army.
31 MARCH 22-28 2015
COVER STORY and is well stocked with modern detectors and two cell phone locaters. Sindh police is planning on purchasing more cell phone detectors as well, says Qadir. After the attack on Karachi’s highly sensitive installations, especially the attack on Jinnah International Airport on June 8, 2014, the Karachi Police have formed a counter-terrorism strategy, which includes carrying out regular encounter operations and raids on places where suspected outlaws are believed to be taking refuge. The RRF has also been deployed in different city zones to stand guard says Qadir. As a result, several terror plots have been foiled by the police in the city. “Since the approval of the National Action Plan, over 4,457 raids have been conducted and 22 terrorists have been killed, while 16 others have been detained. From December 2014 to February 24, 2015, almost 355 encounters have also A Pakistani Ranger instructs a female student of NED University during a counter-terrorism training demonstration. PHOTO: REUTERS
Civilians
Security Force Personnel
Terrorists/Insurgents
Total
January
137
44
266
447
February
94
15
152
261
March
6
5
13
24
Total
237
64
431
been carried out in which 52 terrorists and 113 dacoits were killed,” says Qadir. He further adds that the tightened security in the province since December 23, 2014, has resulted in the arrests of 7,086 criminals, recovery of 31 Klashinkovs, 1,429 rifles, 35 shotguns, nearly 52kgs of explosives, 123 hand grenades and three suicide jackets. The National Action Plan has become a security blueprint for all provinces. MARCH 22-28 2015
Particularly in Balochistan, ADIG investigation Muhammad Kamran says, it has helped drastically improve the security situation. To combat attacks, Balochistan police have a counter-terrorism training academy in Quetta where the police force is trained by the Army. “The first batch of the Counter-Terrorism Force, including 18 female constables, has completed its training at the academy,” says Kamran. Additionally, the province has 22 police
Fatalities in Terrorist Violence in Pakistan for the year 2015
*Data till March 8, 2015
32
One of the police officers gets assistance in wearing the school in K-P.
732 Source: South Asia Terrorism Portal
stations, several detectors, two Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) locators and one bomb disposal team which comprises of five members. Despite limited resources, the BDU defuses around four to six bombs monthly in various parts of Quetta, says Kamran. “We still do not have a proper training facility when it comes to handling explosives,” says Kamran. “The duty of these five personnel is,
The weak spots
advanced bomb disposal suit at the explosive handling
Since the approval of the National Action Plan, over 4,457 raids have been conducted and 22 terrorists have been killed, while 16 others have been detained in Sindh
Despite the efforts made by provinces to secure their boundaries, several security loopholes serve as impediments to counter terrorism in the region. For instance, in most cases, the very people whom the state seeks to protect harbour militants in their homes, which was seen in the case of the APS attack. Cooperation from locals is, therefore, key to winning this battle against militants, says Saeed. Furthermore, all provinces have not been allotted equal resources. In K-P, for ce, the police department instance, ell phone locators so has no ce cell lice can’t trace calls the police c phones used made to cell ckss. “We depend in attacks. y on word-ofentirely nformation and mouth in information w we cannot that iss why errorism in controll tterrorism egiion,” says the region,” Saeed. Abdur Razzaq is a Peshawarbased radio and print journalist. He tweets @TheAbdurRazzaq
AIG Karachi Ghulam Qadir
therefore, not only to defuse explosives but to also conduct search operations during VIP movements in the provincial capital,” he adds. The Balochistan police have no sniffer dogs of its own either and borrow dogs from the Frontier Corps (FC) or the Army when required. There are no plans to launch a one-click SOS service either as the province has relies on its two help lines. “One has to dial 15 to reach the police and 115 to reach the FC,” he says.
Rs10m is the cost of each advanced bomb disposal suit.
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Saving the VIPs (vultures in Pakistan) The struggle to conserve a species of birds vital to our ecosystem BY SYED MUHAMMAD ABUBAKAR
Between 2000 and 2001, the towns of Taunsa and Toawala and the Changa Manga forest in Punjab were home to large colonies of vultures. An estimated 758 pairs of white-backed vultures flocked to Changa Manga, one of the world’s largest manmade forests. A study conducted by the Peregrine Fund and Ornithological Society of Pakistan found that an estimated 421 pairs lived in Taunsa and 445 in Toawala. Twelve years later, not a single vulture can be found in these areas. However, the World Wildlife Fund in Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) is working towards repopulating the skies of places such as Changa Manga by combating the biggest threat to this species: a drug called Diclofenac Sodium. A long-billed vulture. PHOTO CREDIT: ZAHOOR SALMI
The Egyptian or scavenger vulture.
The long-billed vulture.
The oriental whitebacked vulture.
VIPs: Vultures in Pakistan Vultures, known locally as ‘gidh’, are said to be ‘nature’s recyclers’. Their resistance to bacterial and viral diseases means they are able to feast on dead animals, thereby renewing and cleansing the ecosystem. The whitebacked vulture species, commonly found in Pakistan, India and Nepal, has declined by more than 99% since the 1990s. Thus, vultures have been mandated ‘critically endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, an international organisation working towards conservation of such species. The world is home to more than 20 species of vultures, with Australia and Antarctica the only continents where these birds do not exist. Pakistan is home to eight species of vultures: the Lammergeyer or bearded vulture, the Egyptian or scavenger vulture, the oriental white-backed
Vultures have been mandated ‘critically endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, an international organisation working towards conservation of such species vulture, the long-billed vulture, the Eurasian griffon, the Himalayan griffon, the Eurasian black vulture or Cinereous vulture and the king vulture. For a bird that is traditionally believed to be aggressive or dangerous, many ask, ‘Why save the vultures?’ Experts from the Indian Save Asia’s Vultures from Extinction programme estimate that in the 1990s, there were as many as 40 million vultures in India, consuming roughly 12 million tonnes of carrion annually. With a sharp drop in the number of vultures, this disposal system for dead animals has all but disappeared, thus raising health and environmental concerns. In many cases, dead animals are being sold to the poultry industry so they can be used as chicken feed. Oil is extracted from the intestines of the dead animals and calcium from their bones. With such practices, the risk of human diseases from consumption of such poultry significantly increases, says ZB Mirza, author of A field guide to Birds of Pakistan and visiting professor of biodiversity at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad and Kinnaird College for Women in Lahore.
The hunter becomes hunted 38
An anti-inflammatory veterinary drug, Diclofenac Sodium. PHOTO CREDIT: WIKIPEDIA MARCH 22-28 2015
In September 2006, WWF-Pakistan successfully lobbied the government to ban the drug Diclofenac Sodium. The drug is used as a painkiller or to reduce swelling in
The king vulture.
The Egyptian vulture. The Lammergeyer or bearded vulture. PHOTO CREDITS: ZAHOOR SALMI
injured or diseased animals and in 2004, experts found that vultures feeding on cattle treated with Diclofenac died from acute kidney failure within days or were unable to reproduce. The demise of the white-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis), long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus) and the slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) was directly linked with the use of the drug by veterinarians and farmers.
Between 2011 and 2013, WWFPakistan found 15 active nests of vultures in Nagarparkar, in Tharparkar, Sindh. In order to conserve the white-backed vultures here, the group set up a protected zone, the Vulture Safe Zone, over 100kms
Captive breeding centre for white-backed vultures. PHOTO CREDIT: FAISAL FARID
Even as the production and use of the painkiller injection was banned in 2006, the drug is reportedly smuggled into Pakistan from China and vets continue to use it. As Diclofenac is also found in pain-relieving drugs for humans, many vets or farmers simply administer this version to sick animals. Experts have suggested the use of an alternate drug Meloxicam, which is being promoted among farming communities and vets, as it is not harmful for vultures. Sensitisation seminars and workshops are also routinely held to educate communities about the damaging effects of Diclofenac.
Safe zones In 2005, WWF-Pakistan released 21 white-backed vultures in a large aviary in the Changa Manga forest and fed the birds a steady diet of donkeys and goats reared on the project’s site. The programme, the Gyps Vulture Restoration Project, intends to replenish the vulture population and once the environment is deemed to be free of Diclofenac, these vultures will be freed. The birds have identification chips embedded in their skin to enable identification. As of 2014, WWF-Pakistan says 14 white-backed vultures live in the Changa Manga restoration centre, which enables captive breeding and the maintenance of vulture population in the area. Sustaining conservation is tough work, WWF-Pakistan says, keeping in mind funding and the fact that this species of bird lays only one egg in a year. Between 2011 and 2013, WWF-Pakistan found 15 active nests of vultures in Nagarparkar, in Tharparkar, Sindh. In order to conserve the white-backed vultures here, the group set up a protected zone, the Vulture Safe Zone, over 100kms. Free livestock vaccinations and de-worming is offered here in order to prevent the use of Diclofenac while information on better animal husbandry practices is provided to the local farming community. Syed Muhammad Abubakar is a freelance journalist and tweets @SyedMAbubakar
39 MARCH 22-28 2015
The SuďŹ heart of Baghdad A visit visit to to the the shrine shrine o off S Sheikh heikh Abdul Qadir Jilani TEXT AND PHOTOS BY AMEER HAMZA
Seldom have I felt as excited in my life as I did in Baghdad, Iraq. I was in the city for the ceremony of Gyarween Shareef, a ritual that marks the passing of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA), a direct descendent of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and Hazrat Imam Hassan (RA), at the age of 91, at the Jilani Shrine. I was alone, without friends or family. But at the shrine, I became part of a larger family of thousands who travelled here from all over the world. The main gate to the shrine of Sheikh Jilani.
A man swirls to music played by a group after Friday prayers within the masjid. In Pakistan and India, Gyarween Shareef falls on the 11th of Rabi-us-Sani (31st January this year) and believers hold prayer sessions to mark the occasion. In Eastern Africa, prayer sessions are held for a full night, while in other countries, the sessions continue for days. This is in honour of Sheikh Jilani who was known for his vision, honesty and kindness. He is reported to have said, “Feeding people is among the best things a man can do.” The founder of the largest Sufi silsila (spiritual lineage) in the world, the Qadria silsila, Sheikh Jilani is said to be the Sultan of the walis (‘friend’ in Arabic). Iraq defied my expectations. Yes, there were ever-present threats, sporadic bombings and tight security checks. Hotels are believed to be unsafe and road blocks every few metres hinders your travel from one part of the city to another. As the threat of IS looms, locals and foreigners are rigorously checked. But there were also surprises: the people, despite being desperately poor, were
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Inside the masjid, there is a reverential hush. MARCH 22-28 2015
TRAVEL
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very courteous and took pride in their appearance (you can even spot some policemen sporting neckties). Many here fondly remember Saddam Hussein’s regime, except in Karbala, where the very mention of Saddam would be akin to a death sentence. It was also amusing to see younger Iraqis glued to their televisions, watching the latest Bollywood offerings. The shrine remains the de facto centre of Baghdad and the symbolic centre of the Sufi world. The splendid medieval building has a beautiful blue and white dome and is encircled by a large complex to house and feed visitors. The shrine is constantly cleaned and perfume is sprinkled on the grounds to keep the space smelling beautiful. For a weary visitor who had made his way here via Najaf, from Karachi, the shrine was an oasis of serenity. I planned to remain at the shrine for the whole day on the 30th and 31st of January and was given a place to stay in one of the halls associated with the shrine. On the 31st, we awoke to a recitation, in Arabic, before dawn, followed by the azaan. A breakfast spread of Arabic cream, jam or jelly, Arabic unleavened bread, paye ka salan and tea was brought in for the foreign visitors while locals were asked to eat breakfast in their homes. Meals can be sponsored by some donors. After breakfast, people from all walks of life — men in flowing robes and women in abayas, their babies in their arms — gathered in the main hall of the shrine. Inside the shrine’s masjid, the pilgrims covered their heads with intricately designed, perfumed chaadars and each person waited for their turn to place the chaadar on Sheikh Jilani’s grace. These coverings are kept there for a short while MARCH 22-28 2015
The shrine remains the de facto centre of Baghdad and the symbolic centre of the Sufi world.
Inside the shrine’s masjid, the pilgrims covered their heads with intricately designed, perfumed chaadars and each person waited for their turn to place the chaadar on Sheikh Jilani’s grace. These coverings are kept there for a short while before they are given as gifts to anyone who wishes to have them
An Arab boy holds a blue flag gifted to him by a Pakistani in front of the shrine.
before they are given as gifts to anyone who wishes to have them. One chaadar remains on the grave throughout the year and is placed there by a select number of Syeds (descendants of Huzoor Ghous-eAzam Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA)) in a ceremony known as ghusl (ritual washing). Inside the masjid, there was a reverential hush. Outside, joyous locals chanted, “Ya Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA)!” Children, wearing their finest clothes, ran around as people gave them sweets and bangles in celebration of the occasion. Locals surrounded us, celebrating the day as Eid, reveling in the sunshine and hugging foreign pilgrims. As late afternoon approached, the shrine’s premises were crowded. At that moment, the widows of the Iran-Iraq war and their daughters were given priority over others to enter the main room of the shrine to pray. On some days, unaccompanied young men are not allowed into the shrine in order to avoid any harassment of the women. As dusk fell, Kurds from Iraqi Kurdistan descended on the shrine in droves to perform the Sufi ruks all night long. They gathered in a circle, wearing distinctive red amama (headgear) and chanted, twisting and twirling. If a tired dervish fell to the ground, another came forward to take his place. There is a saying: all roads in Iraq lead to Baghdad, and all roads in Baghdad lead to Sheikh Jilani’s shrine. After the day’s celebrations, it was easy to see why this shrine lies at the heart of the city.
Sweet-makers have a field day on the 10th and 11th of Rabi-us-Sani as the world gathers to pay their respects to the Sufi Sheikh in Baghdad.
Ameer Hamza is a former curator for Getty Images USA. He tweets @ameerhamzaadhia MARCH 22-28 2015
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BOOK
Global citizen, local impressions Mohsin Hamid’s Discontent and Its Civilizations: Dispatches from Lahore, New York, and London, comprising a personal series of essays from the celebrated author, is a parade of transnational memories and lasting impressions. Compiled according to three overarching themes including life, art and politics, Hamid’s essays reflect upon his childhood in Lahore, his time at university in New York during the 1990s and his subsequent years in London. The essays included are those written after the publication of his first novel Moth Smoke in 2000. Hamid’s essays serve as snapshots of his personality as he describes responses to given situations; each vignette neatly encapsulates the author’s experiences of growing up and living in the cultural centres of three different countries. Most of the essays are no more than three to five pages, so it is easy to pick up at any place in the book and not miss a beat. The book does not fail to please for most m of the time, while at other times it can be fairly predic predictable as Hamid plays p a version of the stereotypic stereotypical Westernis Westernised Pakistani. Some essay of the essays, which Hamid has ca carefully not called ‘short stories’, are heavy laden heavy, w with mixed
Mohsin Hamid’s essays explore life in three homes — Lahore, New York and London BY CAROL KHAN
emotions such as fear and insecurity, while others are light-hearted, almost whimsical. Hamid describes the Pakistan of his youth as a place “full of surprises, of kinds and twists, of unexpected titillations and empathetic connections, of a diversity that can only be described as human.” But here, “home” is not limited to Pakistan — while Hamid says he feels most at home in his native Lahore, he is equally rooted in London and New York. However, each home comes with its own set of negotiations. In one essay, ‘Down the Tube’, the author recalls an encounter in which he succumbs to a typical Westerner’s fear of a Pakistani ‘terrorist’ — a bearded man in a traditional Pakistani kurta spotted on the train. The man in question has done nothing to deserve the label of ‘terrorist’ and Hamid acknowledges that his paranoia has been brought on by living in London for ‘too long’. The collection also includes the story of the birth of his first child, Dina; a touching, brief memoir in which Hamid writes that the ‘centre of his world’ shifted with his daughter’s birth. “She had bumped me out of the centre of my world. I’d become a baby person, and it felt good, better than what had come before,” he writes. If you imagine the author’s work as art, some essays in this collection are written with heavy impasto while others appear to be quick brushstrokes. When writing on a flirtation in the essay ‘In Concert, No Touching’, the prose is languid. On the contrary, when discussing the physical attributes of famous authors in the essay ‘Get Fit with Haruki Murakami’ he spitfires jokes about each writer’s physical fitness. The organisation of the stories in this collection felt a bit contrived, with the broadly
Author Mohsin Hamid
sweeping categories of ‘life’, ‘art’ and ‘politics’, as though the author is preparing a doctoral thesis on his life’s writings. Additionally, the decision to only share essays written after the publication of Moth Smoke is disappointing. In doing so, Hamid excludes earlier essays and news stories, particularly work from his university days when he was a student of Toni Morrison. With these three dozen essays, Hamid strikes a tone which feels close but not overly revealing, maintaining a formal distance between himself and his audience. One thing he is not is didactic and more often than not, he is open to airing his misunderstandings of the world. T Carol Khan is a subeditor and coordinator in the Peshawar office of The Express Tribune. She tweets @carolkhan
TV
Case dismissed! There is little to applaud in the second season of Broadchurch
More mystery dramas
BY SAMEEN AMER
Creating the second instalment to a critically acclaimed work can be a tricky task. The challenge often lies in coming up with the right mix of tried and tested components that made the first instalment special as well as introducing compelling new elements that will make the second series interestingly different. It is this challenge that the British television series Broadchurch has been struggling with and its return, with a less gripping case and a rambling trial, has yielded mixed results. The magnetic first series of the crime drama — which followed detectives Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and Ellie Miller’s (Olivia Colman) search for the murderer of a young boy named Danny — received a lot of praise from critics and viewers alike. The trial of the accused killer (who was revealed at the end of the previous series after being shrouded in secrecy for its entire run) forms the crux of the second series, with Charlotte Rampling and Marianne Jean-Baptiste joining the cast as prosecutor and defence counsel
respectively. Meanwhile, the community continues to face the repercussions of the tragedy that befell the small town. Danny’s parents, Beth Latimer (Jodie Whittaker) and Mark Latimer (Andrew Buchan), struggle with the ordeal of sitting through the trial while also dealing with problems in their marriage. Also, Hardy is still haunted by his inability to solve the Sandbrook case and the killer of cousins Pippa Gillespie (Hollie Burgess) and Lisa Newbery (Eliza Bennett) remains at large. Hardy tries once again to nail down the suspect, hoping his key witness Claire Ripley (Eve Myles) will somehow help him build a case against her former husband Lee Ashworth (James D’Arcy), the suspected murderer. Laden with contrived situations and excessive subplots, the series plays out slowly and unevenly. The writers don’t have a solid story that would make eight riveting episodes which is probably why the whole season is peppered with developments that are either unconvincing or ultimately have no relevance or significance. It also doesn’t help that creator and co-writer Chris Chibnall and his team never manage to create the same kind of emo emotional impact with the Sandbrook case as they did with Danny’s case. T The acting, however, remains impressive. Colm Colman is consistently terrific and Tennant con continues to embody his role well. Together they mak make the series more compelling, often making us forget how unrealistic or inaccurate the d developments really are. On the whole, the season suffers because of its inconsistency and inability to generate enough emotional resonance. But viewers who have seen the first instalment should definitely go back to Broadchurch for the second outing. The drama will give them enough reasons to hang around till the end because ultimately, w while it may not be as good as it was last time ar around, it is not a complete let-down either.
The Killing (2011 — 2014) An American crime drama television series,The Killing features detectives Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) and Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman) investigate the murder of a local teenage girl and various subsequent cases.
The Missing (2014 — present) The devastated father (James Nesbitt) of a missing boy who was abducted during a family vacation devotes his life to finding his son in the British drama The Missing.
Gracepoint (2014) The US remake of Broadchurch but with a different ending, Gracepoint follows the story of detectives Emmett Carver (David Tennant) and Ellie Miller (Anna Gunn) as they investigate the murder of a boy in a small town.
Rating: Sameen Amer is a Lahore-based freelance writer and critic. She tweets @Sameen MARCH 22-28 2015
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FILM
Saving the world in style Kingsman: The Secret Service revamps the basic formula of the spy genre BY ESSA MALIK
If you are a fan of spy movies, you might have gotten sick of the tried and tested formula where suave spies in tuxedos take on quirky villains and their outlandish plans to destroy and/or take over the world. With Kingsman: The Secret Service, director Matthew Vaughn has the same basic formula to work with but manages to polish it up and breathe new life into this tired genre. The movie is loosely based on the comic book The Secret Service. Vaughn brings his experience of lasss and Kickasss to adapting X Men: First Class eate a fastthe table in order to create paced action film that borrows al from its source material d while managing to stand on its own. Colin Firth stars as a suave yet deadly super agent Harry Hart, codenamed Galahad, who recruits ‘Eggsy’ Unwin (played by newcomer Taron Egerton) to join the Kingsman as a way to pay off a debt to Unwin’s father, who saved Hart’s life in a mission gone wrong. Egerton as a directionless delinquentt is pretty believable and his an recruit journey from a Kingsman able. Add to a spy is pretty enjoyable. r, the head of Michael Caine as Arthur, ve a well-rounded the agency, and you have ensemble cast. Samuel L Jackson shines as villainous gazillionaire tech guru with his own sociopathic views on how to make the world a better place place. He has a very interesting speech impediment and his very own modern doomsday device to accomplish his plans. Like every villain, he has a murderous crony, Gazelle (Sophia Boutella), who sports Oscar Pistorius-esque 48 blade prosthetics which she uses as weapons of devastation in MARCH 22-28 2015
sophisticated and beautifully choreographed action sequences. The story is pretty straightforward: the Kingsman must save the world from impending doom. It sounds run-of-the-mill but the film’s treatment of this plotline is anything but clichéd. The movie is peppered with action sequences reminiscent of ultra-violent video games and comic books. One such scene takes place in a congreg hate-mongering church congregation and leaves the viewer overwhelm overwhelmed. The sped up action sequences and stylis stylised violence is polarisin polarising — some viewers might find it hard to stom stomach while others will relish the gore. The original sou soundtrack, composed b by Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson, adds another dimension to the whole experience. Retro songs juxtaposed with action sequences add a fun quotient to the whole experience. Although Vaughn do does rely on some tried and tested scenarios, his versat versatile ensemble cast manage manages to keep the movie fresh and e entertaining without the viewer expe experiencing déjà vu. A quote the villain utt utters — “It’s not that kind of a movie” — before a climatic scene underscores the director’s quest to make this spy movie slightly different.t
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Essa Malik is a senior graphic designer at The Express Tribune. He tweets @pateesa
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HUMAN RESOURCES
MONEY TALKS Salary negotiations are part of the hiring process so do not hesitate to haggle BY MOEZ ALLIDINA DESIGN BY ESSA MALIK
Research from Monster — one of the largest digital recruitment leaders in the world — shows that about 60% of job-seekers never negotiate their initial offer and 85% of them worry about losing it. With rising levels of economic uncertainty today, most people do not get their deserved salary simply because they hesitate to ask for it. The truth, however, is that when a company finds the right candidate, negotiation of salaries is never an issue. Here are a few effective strategies to help one bump up their initial offer: 3)Go beyond salary — In scenarios where the salary is nonnegotiable, push for other job benefits. These may include flexibility of timings, paid travel, bonuses, health package, stock options, employee discounts, company vehicle for daily commute, professional development opportunities and other perks that may be associated with the job. Additionally, it might be worth negotiating the timing of your first salary increase. For instance, instead of waiting till the end of the year, you may want to ask for a promotion after six months. 4) Play it safe — Patience is the key to a successful negotiation. Allow the employer to first probe the question about salary and keep your response as honest as possible. Companies have budgets to follow and the hiring manager has complete information about the market rates for similar positions. Make a good impression through body language by demonstrating thought over emotions. If the offer is below what you expected, be ready to counter it using your own research figures about the standard salary rates.
1) Do your homework — Before discussing your salary with a prospective employer, first evaluate your self-worth as well as that of the job. Based on your skills, education and experience, research the standard salary for the position. This can be done by attending career fairs, open-days and workshops and browsing through recruitment websites. 2) Be prepared — This is the most important part of the salary negotiation process. Every employer at some point during the interview will inquire about your preferred salary range. This is where most job-seekers get nervous and accept the offer without completely understanding the requirements of the job. The best way to answer this question is by finding out more about the position itself and the fringe benefits (non-wage compensation) that accompany it.
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Moez Allidina is an OD trainer at Maktab Learning Solutions and a Visiting Faculty Lecturer at SZABIST. MARCH 22-28 2015
5) Final offer — After receiving the job offer informally, take time to evaluate it thoroughly before accepting it. Based on the position, career opportunities and your preferred salary range, if it does not seem like an ideal fit then do not hesitate to turn it down. If the company is genuinely interested in hiring you, then they might be willing to revise the original offer as well. Eventually, make sure the salary is mentioned in the employment contract along with your signature in order for it to become official. While negotiating salary, it is important to keep in mind that your current salary will also establish the starting point for your next job. But do not take too long in accepting an offer as the company might then extend the offer to the next best candidate. It is important to remain objective, positive and courteous throughout the conversation to show the employer that you truly value both yourself and the advertised job. And at the end of the day, even if you do not get your desired salary, you will at least be able to gain valuable experience from the whole process.
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