NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
M O T N A PH DIERS N DECEPTION” – O L D E O S A B S L WARFAREAISRT OF WAR “AL ZU, THE SUN T
NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
Cover Story
20 Phantom soldiers They are the ghosts in the darkness, the elite of the Pakistan Army. But despite their skill, the SSG have often suffered due to bad planning and direction
Feature
26 Defender of Pakistan You’ve heard of Aziz Bhatti and Rashid Minhas, but have you ever heard of the ‘Defender of Karachi’, Captain Mervyn Middlecoat?
31 Breaking down the wall In Yash Chopra’s Deewar, if Ravi is meant to represent India, then who is Vijay?
34 Sadequain of the sand
20
Penniless in the big city, Arif Hussain turned grains of sand into gold
31
Regulars 6 People & Parties: Out and about with Pakistan’s beautiful people 40 Reviews: Frankenwonderful 42 End Of The Line: Target acquired
34
4
Magazine Editor: Zarrar Khuhro, Senior Sub-Editor: Farahnaz Zahidi, Sub-Editors: Mifrah Haq, Ameer Hamza and Dilaira Mondegarian. Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Maha Haider, Faizan Dawood, Samra Aamir, Sanober Ahmed. Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Executive Editor: Muhammad Ziauddin. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi. For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Mahera, Aimen, Naila and Sara
Propaganda Pakistan launches at Vogue Towers in Lahore
Kulsoom and Sundas
Teepu and Rabia Butt
Saad and Zainab Muniba, Maram, Sara and Aabroo
6
Hamza and Uzma NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
Azhar Peracha and Naveed Chaudhry
Irfan and Tajdar
PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS & PR
Ayesha and Fatima
NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
Zarmisha and Hassan
Sana and Nida
Mona
Murad and Mehreen
8 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS & PR
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Ubaid, Khadija, Fia and Qasim
Affan, Amna Kardar and Haider
Mahwish Khalil
NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Saba showcases her eid collection at La Chantal, Lahore
Amber and Asma
PHOTOS COURTESY SAVVY PR AND EVENTS
Alyzeh and Natasha
Nabiha
Mariam Saqib
Zainab
Saira
5 Mariam Saqib.JPG Sakib and Fia
10 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
Sehyr Anis and Hina Butt
NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Mehreen and Saba
PHOTOS COURTESY SAVVY PR AND EVENTS
Rima and Ursala
Yasmin, Muniba and Annie Annie Mansoor
Salma and Anika
12 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
Ahsan Khan
Uzma and Azhar
NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Trade Development Authority of Pakistan holds a two-day fashion event to mark their 7th Expo in Karachi
Gia Ali
PHOTOS COURTESY TAKEII
Ayesha Masood
Khursheed Haider
Farida Qureshi
Maliha
Nida Khurram and Monica Pracha
14 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
Tehmina and Patricia
NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Sahar Atif, Bilal and Maria
PHOTOS COURTESY TAKEII
Nadia, Rubya and Adnan Pardesy
Kuki
Ali and Hira
Mansoor
16 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
Zara
Nasreen and Iqbal Tareen
NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
COVER STORY
M O T N A H P S R E I D L O S
“All Warfare is based on Deception” — Sun Tzu, The Art of War BY JAVED HUSSAIN
In the first week of August 1965, in the early hours of the morning, Indian soldiers guarding a vital bridge in Indian Kashmir came under sudden attack from close quarters. Five minutes later, they and the bridge they were guarding were no more.
20 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
On a sultry night in September 1965,
a convoy of heavy trailers transporting Indian tanks was moving on a road in
Indian Kashmir when it suddenly came under rocket and machine gun fire. A
dozen tanks exploded and burst into flames.
In early December 1971, shortly after
midnight, a column of Indian infantry
was moving towards the front to rein-
force a position that was under attack. Suddenly, the silence of the night was
broken as sweeping machine gun fire came in from the flanks. Within minutes of the attack, the entire column had perished.
In all three cases the phantom sol-
diers who conducted these attacks were
the chosen ones of the Pakistan Army — commandos of the Special Services
Group (SSG). They struck as if out of
nowhere and then disappeared into the darkness like ghosts. Raised in 1956
by Major General Aboobaker Osman Mitha with the mandate of specialis-
ing in asymmetrical warfare, the SSG
has since gone from brigade to division strength, and now has about 3,000 active members.
Until the late sixties, the SSG had
maintained a low profile, as befits a
force that relies on stealth and secrecy.
But when it was decided to raise its profile by sending a contingent to participate in the Republic Day parade in
Rawalpindi, few within the SSG op-
posed it. The few who did dissent were overruled in any case. Eventually a compromise was reached and when the ac-
tual event took place, the SSG was seen wearing their signature maroon berets
21 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
COVER STORY E ROUNDLV O V IN S E IS C R E X E TYPICAL T FOR FIVE DAYS N E M E V O M K C LO -C THE ILE OUT SLEEP, WHTH AND NIGHTS WITHTW DAYS WOR OF O LY N O G IN Y R R CA . ONCE THAT RUNNSD FOOD AND WATETRLI OFF THE LA E V S U M Y E TH T, OU and running at a steady pace while chanting ‘Ali, Ali’ rhythmically.
By contrast, the other army contingents marched instead of running. And so it remained until the parade itself was suspended indefinitely for security reasons.
Skilled in the use of weapons, the SSG are trained to handle ma-
chine guns, sub-machine guns and pistols as if these were extensions of their bodies. They are trained to fire from the hip with speed and
accuracy, even when on the move. Experts in unarmed combat, they are deadly even with no weapons other than their hands and feet.
from all over the army apply but two-thirds are rejected during the
how to guard against its use by the enemy. As such, they are the unit
the training phase due to lack of physical and mental resilience dis-
Given their training in unconventional warfare, the SSG also learn
of choice when it comes to both guerrilla and anti-guerrilla opera-
tions. But of all the varied operations the SSG are called on to conduct, the most demanding are those that are carried out deep behind en-
emy lines — cut off from supplies, support or even an escape route.
Such operations require the highest state of physical and mental toughness, resourcefulness, and the ability to remain cool and motivated far beyond the bounds of conventional human endurance.
Selection for service with the SSG is, therefore, tough. Volunteers
initial selection phase, and one-third of the selected fall out during
played during the training. Trainees have to undergo forced marches in which they have to cross 36 miles of rugged terrain in nine hours
while wearing full combat loads. Typical exercises involve round-theclock movement for five days and nights without sleep, while carrying only two days worth of food and water. Once that runs out, they
must live off the land and the few villages in the area are kept under surveillance by the trainers. If captured, they are thrown into the dungeons of Attock Fort and subjected to a gruelling process of interrogation. Among those who break down during the five-day exercise, the common refrain is “SSG dozakh hai” (SSG is hell).
Those who finally make it, earn the distinction of wearing the
maroon beret and the coveted SSG badge on their chest. These men
are too precious to be wasted in the activities of conventional soldiers, yet even those who should know better continue to misuse them for guard duties and personal security functions.
Occasionally SSG troops tend to misuse their skills as well, which
is exactly what happened when one of the SSG units was due to be inspected by a GHQ team.
There was a growing sense of anxiety in the unit as many of their
jeeps had become unserviceable for want of spare parts which were
not forthcoming. Faced with this problem, they solved it in true
SSG style. A night before the inspection, a few men stealthily pen-
etrated the motor park of an artillery unit some 20 kilometres away, and went about removing the required parts from the jeeps parked there. Having completed their job quickly and in silence, they returned to base and used the stolen parts in their own jeeps. Lo and
behold, when inspection time came around, the unserviceable jeeps were up and running.
22 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
The following morning, when the command-
ing officer of the artillery unit learned that his
jeeps had been mysteriously cannibalised, he nearly collapsed and had to undergo overnight hospitalisation. SSG commandos are trained — in the words of Hannibal — to “find a way or
make one”. They had done just that, but GHQ was not amused to say the least. Whether the
target is automobile parts or an enemy position, an SSG operation is typically conducted in five
at phases: planning, preparation, infiltration, attack, and exfiltration. Of course, while it is also
a truism that “no plan survives contact with the enemy,” the single greatest factor in the success of an SSG operation is the achievement of sur-
PLOYED TO OPEN M E N E E B G S S E TH HAD EIZING THE HEIGHTS THE CAMPAIGN BKYEESN, LADHA AND DOMINATING MAA SURPRISE HELIBORNE SARAROGHA INBULK OF INSURGENTS WOULD ASSAULT, THE DIFFICULT TO ESCAPE HAVE FOUND IT prise. When the plan is not based on precise and accurate intelligence
the element of surprise is compromised, as happened to the SSG op-
the enemy territory, with the parachute being opened low, while HAHO jumps are made inside one’s own territory close to the border, with the parachute being opened high, and then manoeuvred towards the area designated for landing inside the enemy territory.
Having landed, whether by helicopter or parachute, they begin the
erations in September 1965 against the Indian airbases at Pathankot,
final approach to the target, and once they get within striking dis-
telligence and maps, these operations all ended in disaster. The topo-
they had come, leaving behind a trail of blood and destruction.
Adampur and Halwara. Hastily planned and based on outdated ingraphical changes that had taken place in the area of operations were
tance, all hell is let loose. Minutes later, they are gone as suddenly as Now begins exfiltration, the most challenging of all phases. The
missing from the maps.
quickest way is extraction by helicopter. But the real challenge, es-
that were not supposed to be there. As a consequence, within min-
their physical and mental toughness, resourcefulness and the abil-
The result was that most of the commandos landed in settlements
utes of their landing, the alarm was raised. With the element of surprise lost, the odds were now stacked against them. The next 48 hours saw them fighting running battles with their pursuers until their ammunition ran out. The cream of the army had been sacrificed
pecially in the plains, is when this option is ruled out. It is now that ity to remain cool and motivated come under a severe test, as they
struggle to get back across a broad expanse of hostile territory with the enemy in hot pursuit.
The SSG is a small force, but when employed correctly it can inflict
in a needless operation against targets that were subsequently taken
damages on the enemy out of proportion to its size. When viewed
SSG teams infiltrate behind enemy lines either by land, air or sea.
will have to fight a future conventional war while outnumbered, the
out by the PAF many times over.
Insertion by land is hazardous and time-consuming as it involves
crossing the frontlines, whereas the air option, in which the preferred means is by helicopter, is the least hazardous and quickest.
But when helicopter insertion is precluded, freefall parachutes
are used to make either HALO (high altitude, low opening) or HAHO (high altitude, high opening) jumps. HALO jumps are made inside
against the fact that in most conceivable scenarios the Pakistan army
SSG becomes a critical force multiplier. Therefore, it is best used in support of the army’s offensives to create a strategic impact on the enemy that can then be exploited by conventional forces.
In 1965, for example, if the army had followed up Operation Grand
Slam with another offensive in the Ravi-Chenab corridor, the SSG could have been employed simultaneously against the Headworks
MAY 20-26 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012 2012
31 23
COVER STORY BILITY OF MILITARYY, A R E LN U V E TH N E IV G OSS THE COUNTR INSTALLATIONSHAIECFRS, WHO MUST HAVE THE SERVICE C NS FOR THE SECURITY DEVELOPED PLALLATIONS, SHOULD ALSO OF THEIR INSTA TEST THE EFFICACY ASK THE SSG TOS. THE RESULTS WOULD OF THEIR PLAN SHOCK THEM ridgeline lost, the Pakistan Army launched a major attack in Sep-
tember to get to Bilafond La, but was repulsed.
Operation Silence, the SSG operation against the Jamia Hafsa/Lal
Masjid complex was ultimately a victim of poor intelligence, quite unlike Operation Nimrod — the British SAS (Special Air Service) operation in May 1980 against six terrorists who had seized the Iranian
on River Ravi and the crossings on River Beas ahead of the offensive.
embassy in London and taken 26 people hostage.
layed the induction of Indian army formations into the Ravi-Beas cor-
and the 50-room, six-storied embassy, and had even carried out re-
dimensions of operational strategy.
ing 50 SAS troops took only 17 minutes to eliminate the terrorists and
These actions would have isolated the Ravi-Chenab corridor and deridor, thus giving a decisive lead to Pakistani war directors in all the Having missed the opportunity to win the war in 1965, they should
have atoned for it by doing the same in October 1971 when the build-
The SAS had complete information about the terrorists, hostages
hearsals on full size replicas. The result was that the operation involvrescue the hostages.
In glaring contrast, Operation Silence was launched on what was,
up of Indian forces against East Pakistan was well underway. Unfortu-
at best, sketchy information about the number of people holed up in-
directed by them, the performance of Pakistan’s military planners
ber of people present in the complex at the time of the operation. How
nately for Pakistan, they missed this opportunity too. In the two wars was marked by a lack of imagination and daring. Stated simply, they had the force but did not know how to use it. Fortunately for Pakistan, the Indian captains of war were equally, or even more, incompetent.
The bane of any SSG operation is faulty intelligence and a lack of
effective follow-up by regular troops. An example of the latter can
side the complex. Even today a controversy is raging about the nummany were there and how many among them were hostages? If there
were hostages, were they lodged separately, and if so, where? How many militants were armed and what weapons did they have? Where were the militants deployed?
These questions must have been raised by the SSG, but were clearly
be found in the frozen wastes of Siachen. The Indian Army built up
left unanswered. The fact that none inside the complex survived the
(the gateway to Siachen Glacier), and since then, the Pakistanis have
one inside was armed and dangerous.
a large force to defend the 80 kilometre-long Saltoro Range ridgeline
sought to gain a foothold on the ridge line, with the Indians success-
attack, clearly shows that the SSG was given to understand that everyThat those inside were able to resist the SSG for so long and inflict
fully denying it.
casualties on them, is a testimony to their preparedness and grit, and
consisting of about a dozen SSG commandos, using ropes and ladders,
reflection on its ability to deliver even in adverse conditions.
In early April 1987, after several attempts had failed, a small force
went up a vertical cliff and occupied a position at over 21,000 ft that
the fact that the SSG cleared the complex despite fighting blind is a
But the SSG’s Zarrar company, which had carried out the attack,
dominated the Indian positions at Bilafond La. They named it Quaid
would soon face retaliation of a most unexpected nature.
but each time they were repulsed with heavy casualties. However, on
bela — most likely using the help of their sympathisers in the base
had run out of ammunition and could not be resupplied for the base
pany’s armoury, placed it in the mess, and detonated it by remote
post. The Indian Army made several attempts to evict the commandos June 25, 1987, they succeeded in taking the post as the commandos supporting them had come under fire. With the only foothold on the
24 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
The militants contrived a way to hit the company at its base in Tar-
itself. These sympathisers acquired C4 plastic explosive from the comcontrol, killing 22 soldiers.
As a consequence, military installations across the country became
the SSG was its surprise assault on the Peochar heights, a dominating
mra bases among others. The vulnerability is very real, as is the sense
the commandos quickly secured the heights, then attacked down-
vulnerable, as shown by the attacks on GHQ, and the Mehran and Kaof fear and uncertainty in the minds of the commanders. But here too, the special skills of the SSG can be put to good use.
After the 1965 war, Air Marshal Nur Khan had ordered upgrades in
the security of all PAF bases and raised units of Ground Combateers
position occupied by the insurgents. Descending from helicopters, hill, forcing the insurgents to descend into the waiting arms of the
infantry in the valley. This ultimately led them to flee and live to fight another day.
In the two Waziristans, the SSG’s employment started in 2002,
(GCs) for this purpose. To test their effectiveness he employed the SSG
leading up to Operation Rah-e-Nijaat in 2009. During this period they
learnt by the PAF, which were implemented and then retested, with
against foreign fighters and their local partners, who, in almost all
to carry out mock attacks against the facilities. Valuable lessons were better results for the PAF. Given the vulnerability of military installations across the country, the Service Chiefs, who must have developed
plans for the security of their installations, should also ask the SSG to test the efficacy of their plans. The results would shock them.
conducted several operations in conjunction with elements of 12 Corps
cases, managed to get away. This failing, like so many others, result-
ed from inaccurate intelligence and the loss of surprise caused by the accompanying infantry.
During Rah-e-Nijaat, the SSG was mostly employed in support of
The 2009 army operations in Swat and South Waziristan succeeded
the infantry columns that advanced from three directions to secure
from escaping to other places in the region. After successfully relo-
Ladha-Sararogha. The well advertised Rah-e-Nijaat and the conven-
in ending the insurgencies there, but were unable to prevent them cating, these militants have managed to continue to not only stage
hit-and-run attacks like the one on Malala and her friends, but also to
fight pitched battles like in Bajaur last month. How long it will take
for the army to crush the insurgency that has enveloped the country and threatens to undermine its foundation, nobody can surmise, least of all the army.
But what one can say with certainty is that the war against the in-
surgency in the tribal areas will become a war without end, unless the requisite amount of force is employed. This must be in line with a strategy that seeks to isolate the theatre of operations prior to the
offensive in order to prevent the enemy from ingressing into it or es-
caping from it. Again, this cannot be done without a holistic strategy that includes the judicious use of the SSG.
the ‘critical space’ of the insurgents in the triangle formed by Makeen-
tional strategy adopted for it compromised the key element of sur-
IN A WAR Y THEY ARE THEAT C N E G R U S IN T S IN A G A F THE ARMY TH ONLY INSTRUMEENATROAND UNCERTAINTY CAN CREATE F F THE INSURGENTS, A IN THE MINDS OT SHOULD REPEATEDLY SITUATION THABY THE ARMY TO BREAK BE EXPLOITED BOTH MENTALLY AND THE MILITANTS PHYSICALLY
In Operation Rah-e-Raast in Swat, the notably successful action by prise, thus giving enough time to the insurgents to escape to other places in the region.
Had the SSG been employed to open the campaign by seizing the
heights dominating Makeen, Ladha and Sararogha in a surprise heliborne assault, the bulk of insurgents would have found it difficult to escape.
Special Forces are precision instruments. While surprise is their
main weapon, their success also depends on the quality of intelli-
gence, since their operational plans are based on it. In a war against insurgency they are the only instrument of the army that can create fear and uncertainty in the minds of the insurgents, a situation that
should repeatedly be exploited by the army to break the militants both mentally and physically.
There is no place for orthodoxy and inflexibility in war, least of all
in this war. You adapt or you die.
*The author is a former member of the SSG
25 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
FEATURE
Soldiers of Pakistan. Men of honour. Defenders of the motherland. They are aplenty, as are their stories. Each story unique, each man precious, each one a hero. But some of them stand out even among the multitude of heroes. Mervyn Lesley Middlecoat was one such hero — a martyr. a patriot, a non-Muslim defender of the land of the pure BY AZAM MAIRAJ
26 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
It is almost symbolic how this story begins. The war hero Mervyn Lesley Middlecoat was born aboard a train as it stopped in Ludhiyana while travelling to Lahore from Delhi on a warm July morning in 1940. This was to be his destiny: to move from one point in time to another; to shuttle between one expedition and another. The fourth child of Percy and Daisy Middlecoat, he never had the chance to know his father, an
Anglo-Indian railway officer, who passed away when little Mervyn was only two years old.
Lahore was Mervyn’s home now, and he received his early education at Saint Anthony School
and joined the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) after graduation. Very early on, he started to shine bright
among his contemporaries. As he passed out of his 16th General Duty Pilot (GDP) Course in 1954, he won the Best Performance Trophy in ground subjects — an honour for any cadet.
An officer and a gentleman, Mervyn also set the bar high when it came to moral standards. He
was a fearless warrior but was soft spoken when it came to personal interactions, and had good
conversational abilities. Milestones were to follow. On September 27, 1957, young Mervyn married Jane, the daughter of a Christian Anglo-Indian family from Karachi. The couple was popular and
happening, known for being attractive, cultured and well-liked throughout the PAF. They were often chosen as hosts, alongside the Air Chief, for the official guests of the Air Force. An addition
to this storybook family came when, on October 21, 1959, a daughter named Leslie Ann Middlecoat was born to the couple. Six short years later, war broke out.
The 1965 war was a difficult time for the young nation. It not only brought us face to face with
our greatest fears, but it also brought to the surface the palpable presence of heroes whom Madam
Noor Jehan dubbed “humaray watan ke sajeelay jawano” in her morale-boosting songs. Mervyn, then
Flight Lieutenant (better known as Commander Lesley), was deployed at Masroor Base, Karachi at the onset of the hostilities.
It didn’t take long for the war to come home. When the Indian Air Force attacked Karachi, the PAF
sent F-86 Sabre aircrafts to defend the skies. True to form, Mervyn was flying one of those aircrafts. In the dogfight that followed, Mervyn shot down two enemy aircrafts, a feat for which he came
to be known as the ‘Defender of Karachi’. He was then deployed at Mushaf Air Base, Lahore, where
he was given the command of Squadron 9. During the three-week war, he kept his squadron’s
spirits high with the firm conviction of a commander who leads from the front. He performed an impressive series of seventeen ‘Air Sorties’ and three ‘Photo Reconnaissance’ missions. At the end of the war, he was awarded the richly deserved “Sitara-e-Jurat” for his bravery and professional leadership.
DEFENDEROF
But bias and bigotry does not spare even heroes and patriots. In 1967, while Mervyn was deployed
PAKISTAN
27 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
FEATURE part would continue to remain hoisted in free air.”
This is my country; I was born here; my ancestors are buried here. I have spent my life defending my country; perhaps I will sacrifice my life for this country one day as well
There was never a dull moment in the life of this war hero.
Prior to the 1971 war, Mervyn was the Commanding Officer of
the 26 Squadron, deployed at Peshawar Base before going on a deputation to Jordan. When war broke out once again, he left
this attractive post and returned to Pakistan to fight alongside his comrades.
Early in the war, the PAF high command devised a plan to take
out the Indian Air Force’s radar capability by attacking the heavily defended Jamnagar airbase. Of the six pilots selected for this
near-impossible mission, one was Mervyn, who now held the
rank of Wing Commander. On 12 December 1971, a day after he returned to Pakistan, Operation: Amritsar Radar was launched.
When Mervyn, together with his colleagues, was busy strafing
aircrafts of the Indian Air Force at the base, they were set upon by
IAF MiGs. Forced to abort the mission, Mervyn narrowly avoided two incoming missiles by lowering his altitude and increasing his speed. But when his aircraft was near the Gulf of Kutch, a
at Sargodha Air Base, his 8-year-old daughter Leslie was rehears-
ing for a debate competition in her school about ‘Love for the Country’. As she spoke, another child stood up and said: “This country is ours, not yours!” These six words struck little Leslie
like a bombshell. Ours? Yours? Didn’t Pakistan belong to all those who loved her?
Bhoshan Soni, the pilot who shot him down, Mervyn managed
to eject from the aircraft and fell into the sea below. Soni radioed for a rescue team, but by the time they got there, Commander
Lesley was nowhere to be found and was declared ‘Missing in Action’.
Upon his martyrdom, he was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat for
She slapped the child hard. “How dare you say this is not my
the second time. His widow also received a personal letter from
rudely. As a child born to fierce patriots, she had always heard
He wrote, “Sister, the passing away of the Shaheed is not only
country?” she shouted at the boy who had interrupted her so her parents expressing their love for the country. Once, Jane had
suggested to Mervyn that they move abroad, saying: “All your siblings and my family have emigrated, and we are alone in this
country. Maybe we should also think about this.” To this, Mervyn
had replied firmly: “Listen, this is my country; I was born here;
my ancestors are buried here. I have spent my life defending my
King Hussain of Jordan, praising Mervyn for his heroic services.
the loss of you and Pakistan, but also mine. It is my wish that when he is buried, his body will be wrapped up in Pakistan’s
flag, but the flag of my country Jordan must be placed below his head.” His daughter, the indomitable Leslie, still has this letter in her possession, guarding it like a precious treasure.
For five long years, this martyr’s wife and daughter waited for
country; perhaps I will sacrifice my life for this country one day
him at 57/II, Khyber Road, the home they shared with Mervyn at
Leslie heard that child, it shocked her into tears of rage that con-
return. They would make sure that his clothes were ironed and
as well. I am not going anywhere.” No wonder then that when
tinued to fall even as she returned home. “This is my country,” were the words she kept repeating like a mantra.
In the afternoon when Mervyn got back home from work, his
the Peshawar base, in hope and anticipation of his miraculous
his slipper was placed in front of the bathroom — as if he would walk through the door any minute.
But he did not return, and after years of fruitless waiting, his
wife told him about Leslie’s traumatic day. He tried consoling his
loyal wife passed away on June 27, 2011. Their daughter Leslie re-
quarrel with such people; rather forgive them and make your
move abroad with her daughter, her reply would always be the
8-year-old daughter as best as he could: “Listen my child, don’t
own morals and character so high that their voice does not dis-
turb you, and that your energy does not get consumed in these
calls that whenever her relatives would call and insist that she same: “This is my country.”
As for Leslie, she has never forgotten the words her father
petty matters. Secondly, this is our country. Look at the flag of
spoke to her when she was eight. “I cannot leave my country,”
en by you, and that white part is yours, which is connected with
“I must uphold the pole which hoists the white part of Paki-
Pakistan — this green part belongs to your friend, who was beat-
28
third missile hit him. According to Flight Lieutenant Bharat
the pole through which this flag is hoisted. Therefore, we should continue to hold on to this white part firmly, so that the green NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
she says to this day.
stan’s flag, so that the green part can continue to remain high in free air till the end of time.”
FEATURE
sadequain of the sand Pushed out on the street by circumstances, Arif Hussain finds solace in the grains of sand as he uses his talent to shape them into remarkable sculptures BY MISHAL KHAN
34
On a hot Karachi day, about a month ago, the Seaview Beach seemed to be more crowded than usual. That day, over 200 people, including families and students, thronged the beach to witness mostly amateur attempts at carving images in the sand. It was a sandcastle building competition — the second annual event by Let’s Build On. While many sculptures were made that day, it was Arif Hussain, a lone artist working at a distance from his fellow competitors, who stole the show — even without competing in it.
Mosque sitting out on the beach, and may have wondered who
People frequenting Seaview have probably seen amazing
assuming in his demeanour and his speech is interspersed with
renderings of the Taj Mahal, Quaid-i-Azam’s Mazar and Babri NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
makes them. But if you ask any camel-driver, shop owner or teaseller, they all know him well. In their eyes, he is a celebrity —
constructing anything from mosques to life-like camels using nothing but his bare hands and boundless imagination. The accuracy and finesse of these structures is wondrous. After several
attempts to catch him in the act, I finally got the opportunity to settle down on the beach and have a cup of steaming chai with this slightly built and soft-spoken artist to hear his story.
Some people see building castles at the beach as a hobby, but
for Arif it is art; it is his calling. Arif Hussain is completely unwise-sounding proverbs followed by well placed dramatic paus-
es. Arif is a spiritual being and seems to exist in a permanent state of zen — unhurried by the breathless pace of Karachi life, talking
slowly and softly, with very evident faith in Allah’s will. He has never been to art or design school nor has he been trained in any way to do what he does. For him his art is both divine inspiration and a survival mechanism.
He comes from a village near Rahim Yar Khan where, as a child,
he somehow always stood apart from the other children — and usually took pains to avoid large crowds. Often by himself, he would
pass time by making his own toys out of sand: trucks and cars and whatever else he could think of. Often ignored by children his age, he thought that if he could make the best toys in the class, the
other students would realise that his friendship was valuable. He was always creating to impress — whether it was toys in the sand or
self-designed gadgets and machines, some of which would fail, or worse, explode, getting him into trouble.
His life took a dramatic turn when his father died ten years ago,
unleashing a family-wide dispute which caused him to run away from home. His departure was so abrupt that until he re-connected with his family three years later, they had all mourned him for
dead. Trusting in an uncle to educate and look after him, he moved to Karachi to try and start a new life, but was left high and dry when
his uncle refused to support him. This estrangement from his family and abandonment by his uncle led to difficult trials. But what
doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and sometimes brings out the best in you — as it did for Arif. After trying to find a job in the city
Next to his castle, he saw a formidable pile of currency notes people had left as a token of appreciation for his art. He was able to eat for the first time in three days
with no skills or education, he gave up and found himself wan-
dering aimlessly around Karachi. “One day, tired and frustrated, having eaten no food for three whole days, I arrived at the Seaview
beach,” he says, reliving that tough day. Collapsing from exhaus-
35 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
FEATURE tion in the July heat and amongst strange people, he lay down on the sand and slept.
When he woke up he was confronted by a rush of activity, find-
ing himself amidst a sea of people. Playing nearby were a group
of children. With nothing else to do and nothing to lose, he
got up and started to do what he had always loved doing in his childhood — he started to build something that would entertain
them. Like any true artist, Arif always wants his work to be acknowledged. After a few hours of working diligently and using a
scrunched up newspaper picture of the Taj Mahal for inspiration,
he had created a startlingly life-like sculpture out of the same
sand on which he had collapsed hours ago. So absorbed was he in his work that when he finally looked up, he found people smiling
at him in admiration. Next to his castle, he saw a formidable pile of currency notes people had left as a token of appreciation for
his art. He was able to eat for the first time in three days. Since then, he has been regularly coming to Seaview to build his sand sculptures.
Throughout our conversation, he kept glancing back nervously
at his “spot” where he had built the Quaid-i-Azam’s Mazar accompanied by a life-size mermaid — worried that someone might
disrupt, or worse, steal his design that had taken him over ten
hours to master. Every day before he goes home, he completely erases the images from the sand, leaving a formless mound in its place, so that no one can copy them.
Arif Hussain is that bit of good news from Pakistan which reaf-
firms our faith in the formidable reservoir of talent the people of
this country possess. He wants to give out the message that there
is talent in Pakistan, and that this nation has something to offer. He makes these national monuments because people like them,
but his talent has much more variety. He can make anything;
36
On good days Arif earns Rs2,000-3,000, and he is well aware of how profitable his skill can be if used correctly. “From afar when you see this sand, all you see is dirt. But to me, and in my hands, it is like gold,” he says with a smile
all he needs is a picture, some sand and his hands. On good days Arif earns Rs2,000-3,000, and he is well aware of how profitable
his skill can be if used correctly. “From afar when you see this sand, all you see is dirt. But to me, and in my hands, it is like gold,” he says with a smile.
Though Arif may have finally received a measure of recogni-
tion, others have not been so lucky. Arif reminisced about a fellow artist and friend, who who could be found at the beach at
all times. This man had both arms amputated and was famous for making spectacular drawings on the pavement with his feet. He passed away several years ago, unknown and unsung. When
asked where he sees himself in ten years, Arif sadly remarked
that even great artists suffer and go unnoticed by the world at large. However, he is optimistic and has faith in his talent which
has been both, his guiding force and a gift. His art, which had been his only companion in his childhood, has become his source of livelihood in the big, bad city. But true to his artist’s soul, the
money he makes is nothing compared to the pure joy he finds in bringing form out of chaos.
NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
REVIEW
take a bow, burton! BY NOMAN ANSARI
Director Anurag Basu, who claims the ripped off scenes in his film Barfi (2012) are a tribute to various classics, should take note. This is how you pay homage. Shot in black and white, and animated through some fantastic stop motion puppetry, Frankenweenie is, at once, both an amusing parody of and an endearing homage to the black and white horror film Frankenstein (1931). This 3D horror/comedy film is a visually brooding film directed by Tim Burton, who appears to be at the height of his deliciously twisted artistry. Burton is an immensely talented filmmaker, whose career started with fine films such Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), and Edward Scissorhands (1990). Frustratingly, Burton over the years didn’t quite manage to match the compelling visual flair of his work with the storytelling, but fortunately the narrative in Frankenweenie is top notch. The tale is brought to life (pun intended) with a story that is deep, charming, and surprisingly touching, making it a family film that is engaging for viewers of all ages. The message in Frankenweenie is about the challenge of recovering from the loss of a loved one. This challenge is unexpectedly taken on by Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan), a genius of a boy who lives in the small town of New Holland. Victor, who is a bit of a loner, spends his time making films and conducting scientific experiments. His parents, who worry about him, encourage him to take on more social activities like baseball, and he complies with their wish. Here, a creepy girl (Catherine O’Hara), with her equally creepy psychic cat Mr Whiskers (who purrs constantly), tells him of an omen that predicts a significant change in his life. This change in the life of Victor comes during a baseball match when his only real friend in the world, his adorable dog Sparky, is killed in a car accident. This moment is particularly moving, and will especially move those who have been fortunate enough to have found the love of a faithful pet dog. While recovering from the loss of his best friend, Victor is inadvertently led into believing by his long-faced eccentric science teacher Mr Rzykruski (Martin Landau) that he can bring Sparky back to life. What follows is a beautifully visualised fifteen-minute scene, where Victor uses his contraptions to bring Sparky back to life, using loads of electricity and the special ingredient of love. When Sparky’s corpse is reanimated, he is more affectionate than ever, though his excited energy are often too much for his patched up body, where pieces of the poor dog keep falling off. Victor isn’t able to keep this miracle a secret, and his schoolmates, including one who hilariously looks like a child Igor from Frankenstein, start following suit with their own dead pets. Unfortunately, none of
40 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
the other children are able to apply Victor’s special ingredient in their own experiments, which results in trouble for the whole town. This is depicted in scenes that look like they are out of classic Japanese horror films. Also written by Burton, Frankenweenie, is quite hilarious. During its final thirty minutes, the film delivers a rapid fire of sidesplitting pop culture references, including a particularly funny one to the scary video game Bioshock. In Frankenweenie, Burton not only shows a passion for comedy and horror, but a love for dogs as well. In the film’s finale, Sparky encapsulates everything that a loyal and selfless companion is, and it is clear that the spunky pooch is the real star of this film.
END OF THE LINE
Are you capable of drawing a straight line? Do you have a comic or doodle that you think will have us rolling on the floor with laughter? If you’ve answered yes to all those questions then send in your creations to magazine@tribune.com.pk
42 NOVEMBER 11-17 2012
BY SHANI K