Ms JULY 5, 2015
ISSUE NO. 159
The blind side The dilemma of a visually impaired person
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Street harassment A problem unrealised
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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 5, 2015
The Blind Side A young student from the University of Karachi proves how a visual disability doesn’t always lead to inability By Ali Khan Tareen If you are amongst the visually impaired, this article may not be for you. Some people will tell you this without beating about the bush; others might convey it via their actions. But either way, it will hurt you. I can tell you this because I have myself faced the same situation many times. People who do not comprehend blindness will assume and act on things sans any confirmation or even a moment’s thought on how their actions might affect us, the visually challenged. According to them, if you cannot see, you probably cannot think or feel either. But they are wrong: the visually impaired are also people. People just like them. I distinctly recall feeling nothing but hatred every time someone referred to me as blind or a special child. The feelings arose soon after I was told that I would be completing the course of my life sans the ability to see the world — something I was most definitely not prepared for. You see, I was not visually impaired by birth but succumbed to a disease called retinitis pigmenthosa, a genetic condition that degenerates the retina, eventually leading to a total loss of vision. Every doctor I visited would promise that I would be alright soon enough, but they all forgot to mention that science is yet to devise a stringent cure for the disease. And therefore, I had to recommence my life as a special person. For me, the very term implied a difference. Many people consider it a matter of pride but for me, it was downright humiliating. Soon after
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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 5, 2015
my diagnosis, I began to notice how people reacted upon hearing that I was seeking admission at a special children’s school. Their attitude was weird and made me equate the school to abnormal persons in my mind. I consequently repudiated the idea of going there, lest I be tagged as an abnormal person as well, but I was wrong. The passage of time and liaising with other, fellow visually-impaired people made me realise that it is not our sightlessness that makes us unsighted but society and the people in it. It is a general misconception that the visually challenged are incapable of performing even the most routine activities independently, and so, cannot lead a normal life. On the contrary, there is almost nothing that a visionless person cannot do today. This can kill talent in our society, regardless of the type of disability one may suffer from. There are plenty of success stories across the world, proving that we can achieve anything we set our minds to. We are successful professors, managers, engineers, CSS officers, media persons, entrepreneurs and what not. I myself have been serving as a radio-jockey at a leading radio station whilst pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mass communication for the past three years. I was also given a Youth Icon Award from the government of Sindh in 2012. Therefore, the only problem in my opinion is that no one really tries to learn about blindness, or any other disability for that matter. If they did, they would realise that being visionless is not synonymous to physical or mental abnormalities. Through this article, I aspire to rectify this lack of empathy in our society. My own experiences have shown that there is a great communication gap between the visually impaired and those who can see. I can practically sense the latter growing conscious while talking to me. Sometimes, they raise their voices or refuse to speak directly. At other times, when they do talk face-to-face, they will go out of their way to avoid using words like ‘see’ or the topic of sightlessness altogether. Some people go as far as to ask questions like ‘Do you recognise me?’ which are nothing short of extremely awkward to have to reply to. Of course, we are open to inquiries about our lifestyle but questions like ‘Can you tell who I am?’ only put us on the spot. This disparity is but a consequence of the aforementioned communication gap. Pakistan offers little inclusion of the visually impaired, as a result of which, there is limited social exchange. The visually challenged are educated in special schools, interact with other special individuals and given little exposure to the ‘non-special’ world. Ultimately, neither group gets to learn about the other and that is
how the differences arise. Of course, this is not because those who can see are disrespectful or do not care about the visually impaired, no. On the contrary, they care too much. I have noticed that new acquaintances with which I have shared my most challenging moments are unsure of how to behave around me. For instance, they will grab my arms to provide support while walking or move much slower than required. Some of them become overly cautious and take brief pauses after every step, even if I convey that the problem lies in my eyesight, not my legs. Yet, people will try and sit me down should I be standing for too long. The truth, however, is that I would also like to stand. For me, it is always better to stand with friends and family than to sit alone. The point is that encouraging dialogue and interaction will help
It is a general misconception that the visually challenged are incapable of performing even the most routine activities independently, and so, cannot lead a normal life eradicate these tiny disparities. It will help others realise that it is always helpful to politely mention their name to help the unsighted register their voices mentally and that walking normally is better as we can sense others’ body movements and decipher our own accordingly. Guide our hands to the backrest and we can manage to sit ourselves down just fine. Interaction will show the world that it feels much better for us to have an arm or two to lean on, rather than be grabbed by the hand and lead across like children. I reiterate that the visually impaired are as normal a people as any other in the world. We enjoy movies, picnics and parties just like others do. Technological advances have granted us access to virtually everything except for the ability to see itself, including smartphones and social networking websites. We can be just as much fun as the sighted persons next to you, equal citizens of the world with fewer limitations on our capabilities today than ever before. It is simply a matter of social acceptance, appreciation and understanding. Ali Khan Tareen is a social activist and a motivational speaker. He is currently pursuing his Masters degree in mass communication. He tweets as @ak_tareen
BLINDED WITH SUCCESS
While most people think the visually impaired to be incapable of going too far in life, there are plenty examples that show us otherwise. The following is a list of people who have achieved world recognition, despite their inability to see.
Helen Keller:
At just 19 months of age, Helen was diagnosed with an acute congestion of the stomach and brain which left her deaf and blind. But she did not let her challenges get in the way. Helen is credited as being the first deaf and blind American to graduate from college, after which she went on to become an author, lecturer and activist. She is remembered as an advocate for the people with disabilities and various other problems.
Stevie Wonder:
This musical genius was blind from infancy but his talents led him to a record deal with Motown Records at only 12 years of age! The singer, song-writer, producer and multi-instrumentalist continues to make music today and is amongst the most loved artists of the last century.
Marla Runyan: An Olympic runner and a three-time national champion in the women’s 5,000-meter race, Marla was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a degenerative eye condition that caused her to become legally blind. Despite this, she participated in the 1500-meter finals at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Joseph Pulitzer:
As the namesake of the world’s most coveted literary honour, the Pulitzer Prize, Joseph wasn’t born unable to see but lost his eyesight completely by 1889. Nonetheless, he maintained his fight against injustice and social crimes in his hometown and beyond.
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Dress chic this Eid with Silver Linings’ latest collection Coordination: Umer Mushtaq Hair and Make-up: Sabs Salon Label: Silver Linings Designer: Salma Kausar Photography: Khawer Jadoon Model: Eqra Faiz
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 5, 2015
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 5, 2015
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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 5, 2015
Just A
Is street harassment really as innocuous as we seem to think it is?
COMPLIMENT? By Nisma Chauhan
In reality, even casual teasing is, at times, the groundwork for potential rape Founder of No To Harassment Rimsha Ali Shah
How many times have you or a female loved-one been touched, ogled or whistled at by a strange man on the street? Plenty, I assume? We’ve all been there: an episode takes place when you least expect it, you silently scurry off to narrate it to your mother or friends and are barraged with questions about what you were wearing and whether it was covering enough. At times, you may also be advised to simply let it go. After all, boys will be boys and unwanted comments, wolf-whistles and catcalling can be taken as inadvertent compliments, right? Wrong! It’s high time we stop shrugging off street harassment as unimportant and wake up for the damage it perpetrates on womankind. For instance, a study jointly conducted by Cornell University and street harassment specialists Hollaback earlier this year shows just how problematic things can be. Herein, some 4,872 American women were interviewed, 86% of whom admitted to having resorted to new, different routes in order to avoid the offenders on their usual ones. In fact, 72% of them ended up spending much more on the longer commute! The study also found that 70% actually avoided heading out at night for fear of sexual aggravation on the roads. Some of you may argue that Western studies like these aren’t entirely applicable to Pakistan but reality states otherwise. Granted, the past few years have experienced the rise of the modern, Pakistani working woman with girls as young as the early teens, taking up employment in order to earn a living. In fact, according to a report released by the World Bank in 2013, Pakistani women now constitute 24.60% of the overall workforce, with a literacy rate of 40.08%. Considering this, Pakistan has indeed become much better for female workers. Unfortunately, better doesn’t always translate to safer. Most women rely heavily on public transport to get to and from their workplaces but commute is nothing short of a nightmare. Many like 21-year-old student Wishaal Khalid have had to change their mode of transport to escape harassment. “I have stopped standing at the NIPA bus stop in Karachi because of all the times I have been teased there,” said Wishaal. “Now, I have to take a bus from Silver Jubilee which takes much longer than normal.” Some like 23-year-old Hafsa Said were compelled to quit their jobs owing to escalating street harassment. “I used to conduct tuitions near the Gulistan-e-Johar area in Karachi when I was 17,” recalled Hafsa. “But then, a man started waiting for me at the bus stop every day, insisting that I join him in his car. This continued for about three days, after which I had to resign.” Unsurprisingly, eve-teasing in Pakistan often goes beyond the ominous stares and sleazy compliments to include inappropriate songs, following, and even covert touching. This brings us to the question at hand: does street harassment warrant immediate action or should women march on, ignoring the sounds of ‘kiya lag rahi hai’ and ‘waah’ that they hear all too often? According to Rimsha Ali Shah, founder of a non-profit organisation entitled No To Harassment, Pakistanis fail to see street harassment as harmful because women themselves haven’t realised it is an important issue. “The problem is that our society doesn’t regard a crime as a crime until it inflicts physical
pain,” explains Rimsha. “In reality, even casual teasing is, at times, the groundwork for potential rape.” Back in 2006, Rimsha and her colleagues conducted an online survey on the matter, the results of which were rather depressing. “Even women don’t realise the problem,” said Rimsha. “They feel harassment can be avoided by covering themselves more without knowing that even our religion states that modesty is in the eye of the beholder.” Rimsha recalls an incident wherein a friend of hers was touched inappropriately by a stranger and they took the offender to the police. “The policemen were trained in such matters and were very helpful.” But the lack of any stringent law regarding harassment meant that the offender was released following just a brief warning. A point to be noted is that derision of women isn’t restricted solely to the lower strata of the society; relatively affluent and educated men are just as guilty, albeit unknowingly. For instance, many young boys often joke about poondi, a slang term for ogling at women. But even joking about it somewhat objectifies women, as though we exist for male amusement. A lot of this could be attributed to the media’s portrayal of the female body and songs like Blurred Lines by singer Robin Thicke topping the charts. Considering this, it’s no wonder that majority of women feel marginalised and resort to their own brand of vigilantism (read: wearing a bigger dupatta) to ward off unwanted attention. Sadly, even the police can’t always be relied upon, as suggested by Hafsa. “Once, I was walking across the Nazimabad bridge at night and two police passed by me,” she shared. “They saw me and said, ‘Isse akele thori chor denge…thaanay lekar hee jaana parega.’ I had to run against the traffic to get away!” And yet, so few of us are willing to come forth and speak up against this plague. It is but our silence than indirectly encourages harassment and gives offenders the audacity to do it so freely. “It’s not just about sharing experiences but also speaking up at the time of the incident,” said Rimsha. “These men don’t expect us to speak and show them what they are doing is wrong. But when they find themselves in an awkward situation, they might mend their ways and stop.” According to Rimsha, it is equally important to cut off the problem at its roots by making men our allies. “We should explain to our brothers, fathers, husbands, relatives and friends that stopping us from going out is not going to rectify anything,” she suggested. “We don’t have to get them to fight for us but empower them to empower us.” Seeing how we can’t predict what goes on in the mind of an offender and causes them to behave so, Rimsha’s suggestions may just prove fruitful. Scientific research has proven that the human brain is most absorbent during infancy and childhood so we ought to begin right from there. We should train our sons to be respectful to women and our daughters to be confident enough to report a disrespectful man. But most importantly, we should tell men that women shouldn’t only be respected because they are some ones daughter, sister or mother but because of the fact that they are fellow human beings, worthy of it. Nisma Chauhan is a subeditor at The Express Tribune Magazine desk. She tweets @ChauhanNisma Design by Hira Fareed
Domestic goddess 7
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JULY 5, 2015
By Huba Akbar
Baked sesame and chicken shots
A healthier and oil-free alternative to chicken nuggets
Quick and easy coleslaw There is nothing like a soothing bowl of coleslaw on a warm summer’s day. If you’re fond of your veggies, this recipe is definitely for you!
Ingredients
PHOTO: HUBA AKBAR
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Chicken breasts (cut into bite-size pieces) 3 -4 Ketchup 4 tbsp Sesame oil 1 tbsp Brown sugar 1 tbsp White vinegar 2 tbsp Soy sauce 3 tbsp Salt 1/2 tsp Chicken powder 1 tsp Mixture of 1 tbsp cold water and 2 tbsp corn flour • Sesame seeds for garnishing
Ingredients • • • • • • • •
Mayonnaise 4 tbsp Lemon juice 2 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp White cabbage (trimmed and shredded) ½1 Small onion (peeled and chopped finely) 1 Carrots (peeled and grated) 4 Salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
Method
• Prepare the coleslaw mix by combining the mayonnaise, lemon juice and Dijon mustard in a large serving bowl.
• Preheat oven to 375oC and cover a baking pan with cooking spray. • Season the mix with salt and pepper as desired, and mix thoroughly. • Whisk all the ingredients (except the corn flour mixture) together in a bowl and add the chicken pieces to the mixture. • Prepare the corn flour by mixing it with water.
• Add the cabbage, onion and carrots into the bowl and fold them in. • Keep stirring the ingredients for a bit to ensure the vegetables are coated in the mix completely.
• Coat the chicken with corn flour and transfer it onto a large pan, drizzled with very little oil. Sauté the chicken at medium-heat for about four minutes, or until it becomes brown in colour.
• Allow the coleslaw to chill in the fridge for about two to three hours before serving.
• Once fried, transfer the chicken to a baking dish and bake it for about 20 to 25 minutes, until it is cooked through.
Note: You can also add roasted nuts, celery, apples, potatoes and other ingredients to the coleslaw if you wish.
• Garnish the shots with sesame seeds and serve it alongside a dollop of coleslaw.
SOURCE: GOODTOKNOW.CO.UK PHOTO: DJFOODIE.COM
Diaries e world A glimpse into th rhouses we po i of Pakistan
What is the hardest part about working in the industry? The thing about working in the media side is that everything you do becomes a public affair so you have to be careful about your personal beliefs and private life. Secondly, your fans tend to brand you in a specific way, should something they don’t agree with appear in the limelight. Also, you must always be aware of what’s going on around you otherwise you lag behind.
What sparked your interest in the radio industry? I was always interested in the media but my entry into the radio world was purely accidental. I had come to visit a friend who worked in radio and she randomly asked me to give an audition and the rest, as they say, is history. What is the most important thing to keep in mind before recording for a show? The current mood of the listeners and the content/theme of the show are very important. How has Pakistani radio changed over the past years? At the time of Radio Pakistan, everything was larger than life with a single theme track. Listeners couldn’t relate to the broadcasters. That has its own charm, yes, but with the advent of FM channels, RJs became more real for the listeners. Then, the past few years saw social media take over. Now, we RJs have faces instead of just voices. The reach is also larger now because of online radio streaming. But this is just the beginning!
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You have a steady career as a radio jockey so what made you enter into television as an anchor? I wanted to try my hand at television as well. The PTV World show offer caught my attention. The theme, tone and target audience of the show was something within my comfort zone and I immediately said yes. Nonetheless, I will never leave my roots and continue to work on radio as long as I can.
What do you think about the new talent coming into the media? I feel that most of the youngsters are lacking a dedication to their cause, professionalism and humbleness. Most of them are careless, unprofessional and only aspire to become famous. But if talent is combined with professionalism, modesty and good manners, the sky is the limit for our talented new generation!
During a shoo t.
Any advice to young women aspiring to become RJs? Don’t expect everything handed over to you on a silver plate. If you want to be an RJ, you must know your aptitude and do research.
Recording for my FM show.
Radio jockey and TV host
Live on air.
Keep Calm and Keep Cool The temperature may be soaring outside but your temper doesn’t have to! These simple pointers can help you maintain your composure even through the worst of this summer This summer has been a sweltering one for Pakistan. With temperatures rising above 40 degrees, excessive load-shedding, a national water shortage, Ramazan and the 1,000 innocent lives that have already succumbed to the blistering heat, it is really no wonder Pakistanis are in a state of panic. And what’s more, the MET office recently predicted yet another heat wave for Karachi and other parts of Sindh. Impossible as it may sound, it is during times like these that we must remain calm. Follow these simple tips and share them with friends and family to stay cool through the worst temperatures.
Choose cotton
Cool off with the freezer
Save the pretty satin, silk, or polyester bed sheets for cooler nights. Light-coloured bed linens made of lightweight cotton are breathable and excellent for promoting ventilation and airflow in your bedroom and around the house.
You can try sticking your sheets in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before bed. Even though this won’t keep you cool all night, but it will provide brief respite. Be sure to wrap the cloth in a plastic bag before, though, to ward off food stains.
Looser clothing
Do-It-Yourself air conditioning
Less is definitely more when it comes to summertime clothing. Pick soft, loose cotton shirts and bottoms and remain in peace throughout the day.
Create a makeshift air conditioner by positioning a shallow pan or bowl full of ice in front of a fan. The breeze will pick up the cold water off of the ice’s surface as it melts, creating a cooling mist.
SOURCE: GREATIST.COM/HAPPINESS/TRICKS-TO-SLEEP-IN-THE-HEAT
The hot water bottle trick
Flush out the hot air
Sleep like an Egyptian
Point box fans out the windows so they push hot air out and adjust ceiling fan settings so the blades turn anti-clockwise, this will pull hot air up and out instead of just twirling it around the room.
The so-called ‘Egyptian method’ involves dampening a sheet or towel with some cool water and using it as a blanket. Lay the damp sheets on top of a dry towel to avoid soaking your mattress though.
Pamper your pulses
Unplug at night
Cold hang
To cool down super-fast, apply ice packs or cold compresses to pulse points at the wrists, neck, elbows, groin, ankles and behind the knees.
Disconnect electronics! Gadgets like phones give off heat, even when turned off. It is also advisable to keep your electronics unplugged when not in use to reduce overall heat inside.
Cool down a whole room by hanging a wet sheet in front of an open window. The breeze blowing in will cause the indoor temperatures to simmer down.
Create a light-weight, mobile ice pack by filling up your hot water bottles with icy water instead.
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