The Express Tribune hi five - October 4

Ms OCTOBER 4, 2015

ISSUE NO. 172

Political activism in women

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Say no to child abuse

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inside En vogue — Eastern regalia

Domestic goddess —

No-bake nut bars

Section In-Charge: Dilaira Dubash Sub-Editors: Amna Hashmi Nisma Chauhan Designer: Umar Waqas Feedback: women@tribune.com.pk

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The experimental Ayesha Khan

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The buzz

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, OCTOBER 4, 2015

By Rahat Kamal

Fatima Jinnah must be smiling in the heavens, watching the daughters of her beloved nation strive to rebuild it — just the way she did herself. Having given up her career to support her brother’s fight for Pakistan and helping the community otherwise as well, the dentist, biographer and stateswoman contributed immensely towards social work and encouraged women to participate in politics of the era, launching wave of change that fueled the fight for freedom further. Sadly, this flame that shone brightly back in the 1940’s simmered down soon after and politics became a no-go area for women.

Although resilient, the average Pakistani woman was forced to alienate herself from such a male-dominated field and confine her expertise to the family and home.

Re-entering the political arena But nowadays, the winds of change have finally stirred again. The presentday state of Pakistani politics has rekindled a spirit of nationalism once again — not just amongst men but women too. Tired of playing silent spectators to social and political dramas, they seem to have awoken and taken it upon themselves to better the country and make the masses heard. Gone are the

days when Pakistani women would passively accept their fates; they are now prepared to fight for what is right and will let nothing stop them.

Political worker Sarah Ahmad is one such individual who has broken all taboos and carved herself a niche in the local political scene in just six years.

As a Women’s Coordinator for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), Punjab and the Social Media Head for NA122, Sarah is living proof that with a little hard work and perseverance, women can achieve whatever they wish. From organising PTI’s first ever youth meeting at her house in Karachi to the current doorto-door campaign she is conducting in Lahore, Sarah never lets negativity become a roadblock.

However, she faced discouragement in her initial days in the field. Her parents and many others advised her to rather utilise her degree and pursue a regular job elsewhere but she remained steadfast. “Today, I have garnered respect from those very people! They are proud of me, listen to me and are

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, OCTOBER 4, 2015

inspired to do something positive for our country too,” says Sarah proudly. For her, any resentment from others, is a great source of motivation. “I have stuck by the words Khan sahib said to me when I initially started off. He said that, ‘Whenever people criticise you, it means you are going up the ladder and closer to success.’”

Other women like Sahar Abdur Rehman — a supporter of the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) — are lucky enough to have familial support for a political career from the beginning. For her, entering the arena was a family tradition as her mother and grandmother had done the same. In the quest towards a flourishing Pakistan, Sahar encourages everyone to try and make a difference by selecting the right leaders first. “This is the reason I do everything in my capacity to further party activities,” claims Sahar, who has organised election campaigns and even sat in protest for 100 days at Sea View in Karachi.

Participating for a cause The days of pointing fingers and blaming the government for its shortcomings are indeed long gone. The population has awakened from its comatose state and sprung into action with unprecedented enthusiasm. “We are in a state of emergency right now wherein no matter how much we do, it will still not be enough,” explains Almas Taufiq, who has been providing religious and secular education pro-bono to underprivileged children for the last 11 years. “If we want to uplift society, we cannot rely solely on the government anymore. We have to get up and contribute in whatever capacity possible,” she states.

Almas believes that every human being has a personal and social responsibility towards their country and should try their best to be an effective citizen. Almas appeals to the educated middle-classes to utilise free time and share their knowledge with others.

“Giving something as simple as education is a highly pleasurable, energising and rewarding,” she says.

In fact, interior decorator Samar Godil makes it seem rather easy to manage a personal, professional and social life. Despite her hectic schedule, Samar takes out time to volunteer at an old age home to satisfy the urge to help others. Her work involves generating funds, supplies and organising activities between students and senior citizens to bring them together. “This way I know I have started a chain of activities through which I have

connected likeminded people,” she says. She believes that every society has its iniquities but it is up to each individual member to choose whether they will be its victim or creator. “I have chosen to be a creator,” claims Samar. “Giving donations is just one way of helping out.

Making time to share your skills and love means much more. We should realise the privileges we have which can help improve things for those who do not and ourselves too.” Samar also provides career counseling for children at The Citizens Foundation.

Most recently, a new generation of social workers rose to the forefront in July when Karachi was affected by deadly heatwave that killed over 1,000. The situation had gotten so bad that it had become near impossible to get a shroud or burial space in the city. This prompted women across the city to come together and devise a solution. “When I saw the images of the havoc the heat wave was wrecking in my city, I had to do something to stop it,” says Sofia Hassan. To help, she lead a relief drive to collect bottled water, towels, stretchers, beds, medicines and other essentials that were required by the hospitals and sending them over.

She was also present at the hospitals physically lest a helping hand was needed.

However, Sofia does not approve of those who wait for a disaster to strike before taking action and wishes that they would begin working in the present.

“Be on your toes! Be prepared! Join a cause if you want but don’t let the devastation spread so far that you are affected too,” she warns. “I did everything through social media, spreading awareness, recruiting volunteers and collecting donations, etc,” says Sofia, adding that the drive was so successful that the donations and supplies received overflowed.

Working in the present for the future The past couple of years have seen a tremendous rise in the number of women taking to jalsas and dharnas, in order to show their support. “Women, irrespective of cast or creed, are united at these jalsas and nothing stops them, even disabilities,” shares Sofia who attended some jalsas in Karachi recently. The politically active youngster says, “Women who were in a state beyond paralysis have awakened and are ready to make a difference at all costs. Standing in the open, with thousands of strangers with only love of their country at heart, is a highly overwhelming feeling.”

The recent elections also saw an encouraging turnout of women — even those who previously didn’t have the remotest inclination towards politics. Almost everyone stepped out to cast their votes in 2013. What prompted them do so? Ayesha Khan says that she felt she had tolerated enough injustice from society and thought that voting was the only plausible way to end it. “Women have to be part of change. Not utilising the power of the vote is a grave mistake and exactly what gives a free hand to the corrupt,” says Ayesha. “We owe it to ourselves and everyone around us to make an educated decision and select an honest and competent leader who can eliminate the ills that plague it,” says Ayesha.

We have already witnessed at the time of Pakistan’s inception what nationalism and selfless dedication can do for a nation and its people. The participation of women is a potent factor in bringing about this change. Now that this segment of the populace has come into action once again, with a renewed passion to contribute, challenge, demand and lead, it is expected that the vehemence will soon catch on and ultimately, renew the very fabric of the country.

Rahat Kamal is a contributing writer at The Express Tribune and Independent PR writer and editor. She tweets @rahat_kamal.

Design by Essa Malik

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En vogue

Mifrah showcases its latest collection Coordination: Umer Mushtaq Styling: Sehar Saad Yousoof Hair and make-up: Saba Ansari at Sabs Designer: MIFRAH Photography: Umair Bin Nisar Model: Abeer Rizvi

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, OCTOBER 4, 2015

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, OCTOBER 4, 2015

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Lifestyle

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, OCTOBER 4, 2015

By Dr Saadia Khan In an ideal world, the most hurt a child should suffer would be a mere laceration or two sustained while playing outdoors. Unfortunately for Salman Ali* and many of his peers, the idea is nothing more than a fantasy. How could it be, when the five-year-old was recently brought to a clinic with broken incisors and multiple injuries across his tiny body? Just like him, three-year-old Zain Arbab* was rushed to the ICU in a state of unconsciousness resulting from an intracranial hemorrhage. Their physical conditions alone would have been enough of a downer, had it not been for the fact that they were put here by their own parents — people who should have protected their children from the outside world.

But like I said earlier, this isn’t an ideal world. Salman and Zain are victims of child abuse and neglect, sharing their fate with over six million reported cases and countless others who might have been lost in the spiral of silence. The children have little choice but to accept the abuse, considering their young ages and close relations to their offenders. Salman, for instance, was injured by his stepmother and Zain by his immediate uncle. How can anyone expect them to escape? There are few in our society willing and able to understand child abuse, let alone be bothered to eradicate it. But awareness must be spread, lest more innocent lives are lost or ruined forever.

By definition, the word ‘abuse’ entails treating another with cruelty or violence, be it physical, emotional or psychological. It may be of any kind; the fact of the matter is that it will always perpetrate a negative reaction within the abused. Especially in the case of children, their young, impressionable minds are likely to develop feelings of despair, anger, loneliness, danger and paranoia when subjected to such traumatic experiences in the early ages. Nonetheless, one must understand the different ways in which they might be abused by others, voluntarily or involuntarily.

Actions do not always speak louder than words and when it comes to emotional abuse, this could not be truer. Some examples of emotional abuse include the following: • The constant belittling, shaming and humiliation of another.

• Calling names and making negative comparisons of a person to another.

• Telling a child he or she is bad, worthless or a mistake.

• Frequent yelling, threatening or bullying, especially without legitimate reasoning.

• Ignoring or rejecting a person as punishment or showing them the silent treatment.

Let’s break the silence on child abuse!

Below are some myths we have regarding the matter. Read them and understand just how detrimental they can be

Physical abuse may be more prevalent and apparent in nature but it is just one of the types. Neglect and emotional abuse can be just as or perhaps even more problematic for a child. Many children who grow up with emotionally absent or low emotional intelligent parents develop loneliness, depression, anxiety and other psychological issues later on in life. They have also been proven to lack adequate social and academic skills.

Many parents have been victims of abuse themselves. They may be unaware of other disciplinary tactics or struggling with mental health issues themselves, thereby inflicting abuse without realising the implications of their behaviour. As a result, not all abusers are harming their children intentionally.

• Limited physical interactions, especially with children i.e. no hugs, kisses or other signs of affection.

• Exposing the child to violence or the abuse of others, whether it is the abuse of a parent, sibling or even pets.

Due to visibility, physical abuse is much easier to identify. It involves inflicting physical harm or pain on another i.e. hurting them deliberately. In Pakistan, parents often confuse physical abuse with strong disciplinary tactics, believing that the harsher they are with the child, the more likely the latter is to behave. Shoes, belts and clothes hangers are just some of the items that are often employed in the process.

What we fail to realise is that there is a fine line between physical punishment and physical abuse and the objective of the former is to teach children right and wrong — not make them live their lives in fear.

Arguably, this is the most common form of abuse as many parents do it from time to time, whether they wish to or not. Neglect can simply be described as an inability or reluctance of a parent to provide their child with the basic needs of life, such as food, clothing, hygiene and shelter. As it is rather simple in nature, it can be very difficult to spot neglect. It is also contingent upon the physical and mental state of the parent. In many cases, a serious injury or untreated depression or anxiety renders a parent incapable of caring for their child. In other cases, they simply might be too preoccupied with their career or other activities to care.

The power of social media is indeed commendable. There is much action being taken online against child sexual abuse. Not only are average individuals speaking up against it, there are also some organisations working to eradicate this most evil of habits from society. Amongst the most popular ones are Bachpan Bachao Andolan and Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation in India. Both organisations recently joined hands and launched the ‘Full Stop: Break the Silence’ campaign on September 24. In just over a week, thousands of people have uploaded pictures themselves, showing one palm coloured red in support of the campaign. A Public Service Announcement (PSA) in the form of a video entitled ‘Listen. Full Stop’ has also been aired with hopes to help parents spot symptoms of abuse in their children. You can watch the video here: http://www.ytpak.com/watch?v=HNoCJoZVXN4

It is easy to deem the families of the abused as ‘bad’ and vice versa but in reality, things are not as black and white.

Abuse crosses all racial, economic and cultural lines. It doesn’t only happen to the less affluent/educated.

On the contrary, most abusers are intimate family members or those close to the family.

“Abused children always grow up to be abusers.”

Fact: This could be true considering that people unconsciously re-enact their own experiences. But the opposite has also been seen to be true: Many young abuse survivors grow up to be more empathetic towards others for they understand what it feels like. These adults have a strong motivation to protect their children from undergoing what they did, making them excellent parents.

SOURCE: WWW.HELPGUIDE.ORG

The screenshots are from the PSA ‘Listen. Full Stop’ Design by Hira Fareed

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, OCTOBER 4, 2015

By Huba Akbar

No-bake butter and nut bars

A sweet and warm energy boost.

Ingredients

PHOTO: HUBA AKBAR

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Digestive biscuits 2 whole packs Butter (melted) 5 tbsp Peanut butter 6 tbsp Milk chocolate (melted) 1 Sugar 1 tbsp Condensed milk 2 tbsp Almonds, cashews and peanuts (roasted and chopped) 1 cup

Energy bars — Hyped or healthy?

If you’re wondering why one can’t eat a whole banana instead of energy bars, you are probably right. Packaged energy bars are all the rage nowadays, especially with youngsters who are much too busy studying or working to prepare a proper meal for themselves. And why wouldn’t they be? They are mobile and can easily be stored in your briefcase, purse and even pockets. Not to mention they are fortified with a variety of vitamins, minerals, carbs and proteins sans the high cholesterol and saturated fats in other foods. In a nutshell, consuming an energy bar is better than rushing to your nearest fast food restaurant or convenience store on any given day.

However, having said that, one must remember that energy bars are no substitute for fresh fruits and vegetables. Despite popular belief, they don’t make for a very well-balanced diet as they lack the phytochemicals, bioflavonoids and fibre, fruits and vegetables contain. Also, most of the energy bars available in the market contain hydrogenated palm oil which implies that their saturated fat content may be as high as 50% of the fat content!

So if you are fond of the taste, why not supplement your energy bars with a piece of fresh fruit? It is equally important to choose the right bars for yourself, especially if you are hoping to lose weight. Many brands pack a large amount of calories which will render your efforts futile. Also, remember that energy bars are snacks to keep you going through the day and should never be considered as entire meals.

Serving ideas for energy bars Got guests coming over? Why not serve them a healthy treat instead of the oily samosas and egg rolls you normally give? We’ve got a great idea for how you can present your homemade energy bars. Not only will the bars taste amazing, they will also look great if you follow the instructions to the tee.

Method • Place the digestive biscuits into the bowl of the food processor and blend until they crumble completely.

• Add the melted butter, chocolate, sugar and peanut butter to the bowl and combine.

What you will need • • • •

Some parchment paper Colourful ribbons or strings Scissors Glue

• Line a square baking pan with parchment paper and spread the biscuit mixture onto it, creating a smooth surface on top.

• Sprinkle the roasted nuts over the top.

• Pour the condensed milk over the nut and spread until it is absorbed.

• Refrigerate the pan for about two to three hours.

• Once the mix has settled, allow it to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm!

What you will do • Simply cut the parchment paper into rectangular strips, depending on the size of the bars you have prepared. Make sure the each strips is no wider than 2 inches lest the entire energy bar is covered.

• Once the strip is ready, wrap it around the centre of the bar and glue the sides to hold it in place. The surface of the strip should lie smooth against the top of the energy bars and no glue should fall onto the food. Repeat the process for each of the bars.

• Take to the scissors once again and cut tiny pieces of the ribbons/strings and tie them around the strips, making sure the knot (bow) falls on the top and centre of the energy bar. Your little bundle of treats is now ready!

Woman of the week 8

Behind the sc enes.

All dolled up for a scene.

Actor and model

At the set of Jaw ani Phir Nahi An i.

Considering straight hair is the style for all seasons, the chances of you already owning a hair straightener are pretty high. But did you know that you might be using the wrong one? While no other hairstyle is as elegant and easy as straight hair, trying to get the look right without understanding how your product works can damage your tresses a great deal. So save your hair from going dry and brittle and invest in the right flat iron to suit your hair and hairstyle. We promise it’s worth the extra money!

Before hitting the shops, do some research. This includes not just the different products available to you but your hair as well. Remember that it is essential to get the right straightener for your hair. This requires an accurate assessment of your hair, especially its length. Hair straighteners come in different sizes and the general rule is, shorter the hair, the thinner your flat iron should be. Follow the chart below to narrow your options down: For pixie cuts and bangs -> a 1/2½- inch mini flat iron For short fine hair -> 1- inch flat iron For shoulder length, medium thick hair -> 1 and 1/4 inches For thick, course, curly hair longer than the shoulders -> 1 and 1/2 inches For thick very long hair -> 2 inches Once you have determined how wide a flat-iron you will need, it is time to select the plates.

There are three main types you will need to study: Ceramic plates allow an even distribution of heat and have a lower potential to burn your hair as compared to other plates.

Titanium plates heat up the fastest and transfer heat better than their ceramic counterparts. Not to mention, there’s a less chance of heat damage if used correctly as well. However, leaving the plates on your hair too long can cause more damage.

Tourmaline plates make your hair shinier, straighter and less frizzy than the first two options as it is made of a crystalline mineral crushed up and coated on to the plates of the straightener.

Straightening your hair is really no rocket science but the following tips can help you achieve the runway look you want: • Use a heat protectant spray on your hair before ironing them.

• Don’t set the heat higher than 365o Celsius.

• Use ear covers to avoid burning your ears.

Design by Hira Fareed