The Express Tribune Magazine - November 20

NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

A window into Afghanistan

NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

Cover Story 18 The Past Is Not Another Country Afghanistan — a country where the rivers of the past, present and future flow parallel to each other

Portfolio 30 Unpeaceful Abode Darul Aman Palace — a single building which depicts the tragedy of modern Afghanistan

Interview 32 Remembering Rabbani Shuja Rabbani reminisces about his father’s struggle to restore peace in Afghanistan

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30 Regulars 6 People & Parties: Out and about with Pakistan’s beautiful people 38 Advice: Mr Know It All solves your problems 40 Reviews: What’s new in films 42 Ten Things I Hate About: Washington DC’s afpak ‘experts’

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Magazine Editor: Zarrar Khuhro, Senior Sub-Editor: Batool Zehra, Sub-Editors: Ameer Hamza and Dilaira Mondegarian.

Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Anam Haleem, Tariq W Alvi, S Asif Ali, Samad Siddiqui, Mohsin Alam, Sukayna Sadik.

Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Executive Editor: Muhammad Ziauddin. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi.

For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk 4

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Nickie Nina launches at Tehxeeb in Lahore

Saira Ahsan and Nina

PHOTOS COURTESY QYT EVENTS

Asma Mumtaz

Farah and Hina Anwar

Aneela Shah, Asma and Huma

Fatima and Henna

Asifa and Nabeel

6 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

Maha

Tahir and Maria B

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Sara and Sobia

fia

Rubab and So

Samia, Nickie and Sadeyeh Babloo, Asimyar and Sara

Qasim Tiwana and Shehzadi Tiwana

8 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

QYT and Sunita Marshal

Tony and Natasha

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Natasha and Babloo

Rifah and Salman

Sara Gillani and Bilal Mukhtar

10 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

Alyzeh and Fia

Fiza Ali

Ayesha and Waqar

Wafa and Sahar

Amna Babar and Sadia

Gul and Xille

PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS & PR

Cash’n’Carry Store organises Family Fiesta in Lahore

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Masooma and Hina

Hira and Sana

Reema Zehra and Sophiya

Sara Rahman and Ghalib

12 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

Saba, Resham and Asad

Madiha

PHOTOS COURTESY SAVVY PR AND EVENTS

Sakura, the Japanese eatery, launches in Lahore

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Annie and Ammara

Farheen, Asifa, Nabeel and Rana Noman

Hajra Hayat and Hamna Amir

Amina and Kuki

14 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

Natasha

Yasmin and Saira

Sara Gillani and Babloo

Mahnoor and Dilara

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Developments In Literacy holds a special showing of Karachi: The Musical at Arts Council, in Karachi

Samiah and Asma

Nargis, Fauzia and Momeeza

Kulsoom Dawood and Nargis Soorty

Sabeen

16 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

Mr and Mrs Shahbaz

Afroz and Sherezad

PHOTOS COURTESY VOILA PR

Guests

COVER STORY

the past is not another country TEXT AND PHOTOS BY GIBRAN PESHIMAM

A living example of the contradictions of global conflict, Afghanistan is a place where the past, present and future intertwine so intimately, that you don’t know where one ends and the other begins.

18 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

At Kabul’s airport, immigration is swift and without incident. Soon we are on airport road, a massive 8-lane thoroughfare leading to the heart of the city.

Initially, the security is not as ubiquitous as one would expect,

but it is certainly imposing, complete with Humvees, automatic

rifles and spiffy uniforms. Though my host is able to, I cannot tell the difference between the local police and the army.

The number of bullet-proof Land Cruisers without number

plates — shiny new models, all — on the streets is slightly disconcerting. As we get closer to the green zone of the city, the security increases dramatically. We go through what is called the

‘Ring of Steel’ — an immaculate security cordon thrown around

the green zone. Here, in and around the Wazir Akbar Khan area, are located all the major embassies, the ISAF headquarters and, of course, the presidential palace. You do not get a view of these

buildings, but you can guess, without your host politely inform-

ing you, that they are here, given the ISAF soldiers on guard and on watchtowers along concrete walls. It is around this area that

a militant attack will take place a few days from our arrival — a brazen takeover of an under-construction building from where

attacks were launched on the US Embassy. The question of how the attackers got through that ‘Ring of Steel’, past those Humvees and automatic rifles and spiffy uniforms, remains unanswered.

the open-aired space where the tables are set. It is beautiful and,

cinemas and bustling cultural activities. It is coming back to life,

has amazing flora. Roses grow wild, as do cherry blossoms,

We are to stay close to Shahrah-e-Now park, once known for its

I am told, and the high-rise buildings in the area, many under construction, are proof. Shahrah-e-Now park is close to the embassies and when the attack happens, we can see US attack he-

licopters zoom overhead. For a first-time visitor, it is surprising and, truth be told, almost exciting, but not so much for the staff

at the place where we are staying. They seem more concerned

about flipping through channels in an attempt to listen to some good music, as if that would drown out the choppers’ buzzing.

But that was later. On my first night there, my host and I go for

dinner to a Lebanese restaurant. The entrance is a fortified metal door. When we knock, a peephole opens and we are observed by someone on the inside before the door opens and we are led to a

small ‘buffer room’ area, and body-searched. This is the proce-

dure followed at all upscale eateries we visit during our time in Kabul. Finally, we go through another metal door, which opens into the restaurant.

like most places I will visit in Afghanistan, particularly Kabul, pomegranate and cherry trees — a totally different sight from the

Afghanistan of rocky landscapes and rugged mountains we see

on our television screens. Just visit Bagh-e-Babur in Kabul where the first Mughal Emperor Babur is buried.

Completely destroyed during the civil war between the muja-

You can tell they are American by their accent. They’re all contractors, I am told, a word that has become ominous in Pakistan after the Raymond Davis incident

I feel as if I’ve stepped inside a vineyard: wild grapes grow in

19 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

COVER STORY

the first mughal though Babur wished to be buried in his favourite garden in Kabul, he was first buried in a mausoleum in the capital city of Agra. He was later moved to Bagh-e-Babur (Babur Gardens) in Kabul.

The inscription on his tomb reads (in Persian): If there is a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this!

The support for Masood is widespread and seemingly unanimous. The man who was vilified for years under the Taliban is celebrated as a national hero. His portrait hung on all the squares of the city, and even plastered on cars. Where were all these people when the Taliban were in power just a few years ago? ican by their accent. They’re all contractors, I am told, a word

that has become ominous in Pakistan after the Raymond Davis incident. They work for private construction companies. They all

look like ex-marines to me, I say. Or perhaps that’s just the Paki-

stani in me talking.

Most of the places we visited — places that have immaculate,

steeply priced menus, some complete with wine-lists — are patronised by many Americans, most of whom look like ‘contrac-

tors’. One can’t help but wonder what will happen to these places once the goras are gone. The food is good. As good as anything you’ll get at upscale eateries in Karachi, Islamabad or Lahore. It

is however a lot more expensive. One Afghani is equal to about hideen, the Bagh-e-Babur was redone from scratch by the Aga

Khan Foundation. When we visit, it is slightly overcast, but the

can dollars, too. Neat.

The first night we are there, I notice an inordinate number of

clouds let enough sun through for the Bagh to glow — the place

portraits in the city of Ahmed Shah Masood, a former mujahideen

typically Mughal water channel flourish in lush green gardens.

ers of the Afghan-Soviet war — a group that would eventually call

looks heavenly. There is a cool breeze and roses, fruit trees and a At the top of the gardens is Babur’s tomb; beside him rest a few

of his family members. The white marble of some of the graves

has been pierced by wild cherry blossom trees. Before his death, Babur had requested to be buried here. Initially buried in India, his body was later moved to the resting place of his choice — a

place that he had originally built as a resting garden for himself.

Babur’s epitaph reads in Persian: Gar Firdaus ru-e zamin ast,

hamin ast-o hamin ast-o hamin ast. “If there is a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this.”

Back at the Lebanese restaurant, the crowd is good, it being a

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two Pakistani rupees. And in Afghanistan, you can pay in Ameri-

Thursday night. Plenty of Americans. You can tell they are AmerNOVEMBER 20-26 2011

commander who found himself at loggerheads with fellow fightthemselves the Taliban. Masood, known as the Lion of Panjshir, a

province north of Kabul and rich in gems, was the Taliban’s foremost enemy. He was known in the West as the man who won the

Soviet Jihad and would go on to serve as the Defence Minister in the 1992 government of President Burhanuddin Rabbani, Afghanistan’s top peace maker, who was recently killed by a purported Taliban turban-bomber. That night marked 10 years since Masood’s

assassination, which took place two days before 9/11. After years

of resisting the Taliban, Masood was killed by two men who had come to interview him posing as journalists. The bomb was in the camera. The Algerian journalists were al Qaeda/Taliban support-

the blue mosque the city of Mazar-e-Sharif (Tomb of the Exalted) derives its name from the shrine of Hazrat Ali (RA). Legend has it that the doves are pure white because of the sanctity of the mosque itself; if a dove with a speck of color flies in and stays, it too will turn white as snow.

ers, it was said.

The support for Masood is widespread and seemingly unanimous. The man who was vilified for

years under the Taliban is celebrated as a national hero, his portrait hung on all the squares of the

city, and even plastered on cars. Where were all these people when the Taliban were in power just a few years ago? We call it an early night, as we have to travel up north towards Mazar-e-Sharif by road. We will leave at dawn.

Mazar is located in northern Afghanistan, about an eight-hour drive from Kabul, if you don’t

make stops. It is a historic city, which gets its name from the mazar that is believed to have been

Hazrat Ali (RA)’s resting place. The story goes that his followers believed that his resting place

would be desecrated by his enemies, of which there were many. So his followers took his body on a white camel towards Afghanistan and buried him once they could go no further. The Mazar is

huge, the blue-and-white structure elaborate and beautiful. It houses a plethora of white doves. At the mosque beside it, Shias and Sunnis can pray together. Hands tied, hands by their side.

The drive up north is breathtaking. We travel though rugged mountains, past ravines and lush

green plains. Even past a US military base, one that is already massive but has more construction still going on. Floating high above the base is a white blimp, a mini Zeppelin, of sorts. It has a number of cameras attached to it so it can monitor vast expanses around it. The blimp is a hallmark of all American bases in Afghanistan. They can be seen in Kabul, too.

Along the way, we go through a number of tunnels in the mountains, built by the Russians dur-

ing the time they were influential in Afghanistan. These roads were used to get from the moun-

tainous areas that bordered the former Soviet Central Asian republics into central Afghanistan.

One of these tunnels is the massive Salang Tunnel, still a marvel of modern engineering. It is a 2.6

kilometre tunnel running through a mountain and has built-in ventilation shafts so that travel-

lers do not die of asphyxiation. Built in 1964, the tunnel is so strategic that it cuts travel time from the north of Afghanistan to its centre, including the capital of Kabul, by days, not just hours.

The tunnel was targeted by Afghan mujahideen a number of times to ambush Russian army con-

voys. Later, Ahmed Shah Masood and his fleeing supporters tried to destroy the tunnel to stop the upward advance of the Taliban. The explosives used rendered the tunnel almost un-travelable for

vehicles, and journeys through it had to be made on foot, with a high chance of death by suffocation. Ironically enough, it was Russian engineers who moved to rebuild it after the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

After a night in Mazar, we travel further up north to Aqcha, a town that has been adopted by

21 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

COVER STORY Turkey. Aqcha, the home of the world famous hand-knotted Afghan carpets, is in Jowzjan, a province that borders the Central

Asian state of Turkmenistan and a little bit of Uzbekistan. We are to stay there for a night, our host a former close aide, and

current die-hard supporter, of Gen. (retd) Abdul Rashid Dostum — another famous name from the great Soviet Jihad and the subsequent civil war. It is said that President Najibullah, who was

the premier of Afghanistan when the Soviet Jihad peaked, was ultimately pushed over the edge after Gen. Dostum, then his

ally, defected. Najibullah was ultimately brutally murdered by the Taliban, his body hanged in a public square in Kabul. Some

tales have it that Pakistan’s Gen. Naseerullah Babar, dubbed the creator of the Taliban, personally flew from Islamabad to Kabul to

shoot Najibullah in the head, given the former president’s obdurate resistance to Pakistan’s growing influence in Afghanistan.

Stories such as these are probably the reason that Afghans

aren’t very fond of Pakistanis. Our elderly host defends the deci-

sions of Gen. Dostum, who is also currently in President Karzai’s government, saying that Najibullah wanted to kill Dostum be-

cause the general no longer supported the president’s faltering and murderous regime.

While in Aqcha, we live with stereotypical Afghans. They are

elaborately gracious hosts. Sitting on beautifully woven carpets

on a veranda in an open-air compound, we are fed to the hilt. Our host understands, but cannot speak, Urdu. I can understand, but

cannot speak, Dari (Afghani Persian). But a fascinating conversa-

tion ensues, with help from my companion. While there, we are joined by a friend of our host in Aqcha for dinner. In the middle of our Urdu-Dari conversation, the guest asks me “Aap Pakistan mein kahaan rehtay hain?”

“Karachi,” I reply.

“Ah. Mein kaafi saal Sohrab Goth mein raha hoon. Meri wahan

kabab ki dukaan thi,” he says, excitedly.

“Joh al Asif mein hai?”

“Haan, wohi! Ab meray rishtadaar chalatein hain.”

Eventually, we sleep on the same veranda. The night is clear. It

is a full moon and stars fill the sky. Breakfast is served right after Fajr namaz. It is about 5 am.

We bid adieu to our host and go on to Shebarghan, which is

known for its massive oil and gas reserves. The only plants that still stand there are the ones built by the Russians back in the day. The reserve they tap is the same as the one of oil and gas rich

Central Asian states, known as the Amu Darya Basin — the river

area, it is said, Babur had crossed centuries earlier, fleeing with a handful of supporters from his native Ferghana Valley, only to

later form one of the most famous empires of history, the Mughal Empire. The hotly debated TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-

26

Pakistan-India) gas pipeline, which is to carry through it some NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

the green shrine the shrine of Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa stands at the centre of the Tepe Zargaran, an artificial hill dating from the second century.

The Khwaja was a famous theologian who died in Balkh in 1460. The dome of the building was badly damaged in an earthquake in the 1990s, and hit by a rocket during factional fighting in 2003.

3 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas, will pass in or around this area. It will be a sort of symbolic bringing together of regions that were previously the haunt of Babur.

Though they had been spotted sporadically along the drive

from Kabul, most of the tank and armoured personnel carrier (APC) relics lie here. These relics are remnants of the Afghan Jihad, the advancing military convoys that the Mujahideen rout-

ed in the war. There are hundreds of them, some burnt, others intact but hollowed. Their serial numbers, in Russian, are still

decipherable. They have still not been picked up despite the

passage of decades, perhaps because the Afghans were too busy

with their infighting. Even if the effort was made, it would be a massive undertaking to move these behemoths, hundreds in

number, from the fields. I am told that it is, by law, illegal to move them. They belong to the Afghan interior ministry now.

Strangely enough, development and life, and even agriculture, have gone on around these relics, these graveyards of the USSR’s

military ambitions. On the road, newer tanks and APCs, those

belonging to ISAF, patrol the roads — particularly those leading

to Balkh city — an area that we would stop at on the way back south to Kabul.

Balkh city is believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Some

estimates date it back to 4,000BC. You can still make out some old structures and stupas. The city was home to Buddhists, the home of Zoroastrianism (whose adherents we call Parsis),

and even came under Greek rule. It is also the hometown of

the world’s most famous sufi saint Jalaluddin Rumi as well as of celebrated ‘Muslim scientist’ Ibn Sina (Avicenna). Rumi and his family are said to have fled the area for modern day Turkey.

Rumi’s hometown is patrolled by ISAF forces, Swedes as we could

Rumi’s hometown is patrolled by ISAF forces, Swedes as we could tell from the flags on the columns of massive patrolling APCs. They had to be Nordic, since the gunman on top of the patrolling vehicles was waving at locals and wearing a big smile.

tell from the flags on the columns of massive patrolling APCs. They had to be Nordic, since the gunman on top of the patrolling vehicles was waving at locals and wearing a big smile.

The reason for the heavy presence of ISAF here, I am told, is

because of pockets of resistance by Taliban elements. Fundos in Rumi’s hometown, how ironic.

But then that’s the gist of visiting Afghanistan for the first

time. It is puzzling and mindboggling.

Back in Kabul after a 3-day road journey, we stop at Le Atmo-

sphere — a popular foreign haunt, the crowd once again dominated by socialising Raymond Davises and Davisees — here to ‘re-

build’ Afghanistan. Rebuild it to what? Good luck figuring that

out, I think, as I still struggle to digest and understand all that has been seen. a

27 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

PORTFOLIO

unpeaceful

abode

If the tragedy of modern Afghanistan could be encapsulated in a single building, then that building would be the Darul Aman Palace.

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZAHRAH NASIR

30 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

If the tragedy of modern Afghanistan could be encapsulated in a single build-

ing, then that building would be the Darul Aman Palace. Built in 1923 by a French architect, this was Afghan King Amanullah Khan’s dream project, a

palace that was to be at the heart of a new capital city that would embody a new

Afghanistan. That city was never built, and today the ‘abode of peace’ is a shattered husk, its ruined walls pitted with bullets and shrapnel.

The palace was never actually used as a residence, but instead first housed the

Justice Ministry and then the Defence Ministry during the tenure of the ‘Lion

of Panjshir’, Ahmad Shah Massoud. Once it was surrounded by French-style

gardens but these, like so much else that used to be beautiful in this strife-torn

country, are long gone. Now the palace rests atop a low hill of sandblasted scrub at the head of a well-trafficked thoroughfare that leads to Kabul, just six kilometres away.

The windows look like empty eye sockets, and the dust-laden wind howls

as it passes through them and into rubble-strewn rooms, making the twisted

wreckage of metal roof beams groan. The walls that remain standing are pock-

marked with bullet holes, shrapnel and now graffiti as well. Massive columns, staircases and entire floors were blown apart by rockets and bombs during the

days of the ‘Fight for Kabul’ when Massoud and his men headquartered them-

selves here whilst Gulbuddin Hekmatyar did his level best to, quite literally, blow them out. The graffiti is a more recent addition.

Filtering in through holes and doorways, the sunlight gives a sepia tint to the

interior, splashing it with a backcloth of trauma that is almost tangible, that can almost be tasted. The hustle and bustle of distant Kabul, viewed through

the once magnificent door and window frames is a world apart from the in-

delibly poignant, royal wreckage of a world that so briefly promised modernity before regressing into a maelstrom of unholy terror.

There are unconfirmed rumours that Darul Aman Palace is to undergo to-

tal renovation but no one really takes them seriously in this ravaged country.

When venturing out to purchase the costly ingredients of the next meal is to

take your life into your hands, few can afford to look at the future with any

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degree of hope.a

NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

INTERVIEW

remembering

rabbani

BY NOMAN ANSARI

On the evening of September 20, 2011, former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani was killed by a suicide bomber whom he thought had come to discuss the possibility of peace. In life, Rabbani was a soldier and a statesman, a warrior as well as a peacemaker and in death, he is a symbol of the cost of the long struggle to restore peace to this war-torn land. His son Shuja Rabbani remembers the man he was and his vision for Afghanistan 32 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

Q. What was it like having Burhanuddin Rabbani as your father? What sort of a man was he? there for his children and while he would guide and advise us,

Q. Your father’s tenure as president was marked by instability and factional fighting. There were also allegations of widespread corruption. What did he say about that and what are your views?

who led by example, an intellectual who was very logical in his

who tried to take over Afghanistan through violent means. Un-

Burhanuddin Rabbani was the type of father who was always

he always let us make our own decisions. He was the type of man

The infighting was a result of some rogue power-hungry Afghans

approach and a person who fought for what he believed in. He

fortunately, because of these rogue Afghans, all Mujahedeen

staunchly believed that the Afghan people should be empowered

through knowledge and education. Many of Afghanistan’s po-

litical leaders’ foundations come from my father’s political party and that is clear evidence that his method of empowerment and inclusion works very well for Afghanistan. He was a very goodnatured man who never lost his cool, anyone who knows him would tell you that he was an extremely down-to-earth person.

Q. What was his vision for Afghanistan?

He wanted to see an Afghanistan where people are not running

away from their country and where every child is schooled and made familiar with Afghan history, culture, and national identi-

have been lumped in one category and are blamed by critics for

everything under the sun that has gone wrong. The Mujahideen are the pride of Afghans and I am proud of being the son of a Mujahideen leader.

As far as corruption goes, billions of dollars have been poured

into Afghanistan today and enormous assistance of all kinds is

given by the international community — yet, corruption is rampant. The Afghanistan my father was heading was far more crippled — systems and processes were not even given a chance to be

put in place due to the civil war caused by rogue Afghan elements serving the interest of others.

I hate to break it to my fellow Afghans, but even some expa-

ty. Being an Islamic scholar, he wanted a moderate Muslim state

triate Afghans who are citizens of developed countries currently

and other minorities are being slaughtered the way they are un-

one would think would set examples, are actively engaged in cor-

with full religious freedoms for Afghans, not one where Shias der the Taliban.

working as ministers and in other positions of power, and who

ruption. Elimination of corruption is an enormous challenge and we must not forget that it existed in all previous leaderships too

— critics of post-Soviet leaders never mention that. My message to Afghans is to stop focusing on the problem and start providing solutions to make things better and move forward.

Q. Your father witnessed the pre-soviet period, the Afghan war and its aftermath, as well as the post-9/11 period. What did he tell you of those times?

My father once said that if it was not for the Mujahedeen, Af-

The Communists fought to force women to take off their burqas and the Taliban fight to force women to wear them. What we should be fighting for is for women to have a choice of their own as individuals.

ghans would be speaking Russian today. He could not have been

more right. When people talk about Afghanistan before the fighting broke out they make Afghanistan, and Kabul in particular, seem like it was another Paris or New York. That was not

the case. Freedom came only to those who decided to embrace

atheism through Communism. The rest lived under subjugation and tyranny. My father, along with other Mujahedeen, decided

not to accept Communism or to be enslaved by Communists. All atheists are not Communists but in Afghanistan, all Commu-

nists were atheists and they killed countless people in the most

barbaric ways imaginable and enforced atheism on everyone through their propaganda. One of the incidents I heard from one of the women who attended my father’s funeral services was

about her husband. Some Afghan Communists had snitched to

the Soviets that he was a believer and they drove nails into his eyeballs. Other cases involve public beheadings of Afghan Mus-

lims with chainsaws and driving over people with Soviet tanks.

NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

33

INTERVIEW These very same Communists of yesterday are now wooing the

war and not a desire of the post-Soviet Afghan leaders which in-

West by claiming to be “democracy-loving people”, “human

cluded people like my father. The absence of international sup-

on. The Afghan people and our youth must not let themselves be

and the ‘loyalty-for-rent’ of some Afghans led to the civil war. I

rights activists”, “women’s rights activists”, “secularists” and so deceived by such people, who have their own set of agendas. It is just as important for the international community to recognise

the true colours of such political chameleons. The most notable ones are Malalai Joya, a former MP, and her aunt Bilqees Roshan who is currently serving as a Senator in Afghanistan.

port, the lack of resources to build much-needed infrastructure, use the term “loyalty-for-rent” to describe Afghans whose loyalty

is to money and greed, not their country; those who are willing

to work to forward the agenda of different organisations that pay them and are willing to compromise their integrity, values, their people and their country.

Thankfully, today the international community in Afghani-

Q. You’ve spoken about the extremism of the Communists, but with the rise of the Taliban, Afghanistan saw another kind of extremism, this time garbed in religion.

stan is a witness to the problems Afghans like my father faced.

Islam in Afghanistan is a way of life. It is a part of our culture

tirely up to them, but I hope it will be through peaceful means.

and identity, and that is what the Mujahedeen fought for: to

Back then, my father was all on his own. My message to the peo-

ple of Afghanistan is to become the change in Afghanistan they want to see. How they want to make that change happen is en-

therefore clear that Afghanistan will never accept extremists on

Q. What were your father’s views on the western powers and the international coalition. Do you believe their aggressive actions and presence are counterproductive to the peaceful future of Afghanistan?

The Communists fought to force women to take off their burqas

always been the easy thing to do. We are at war against terrorism

have an Afghanistan that has a strong sense of values, morals

and principles. Afghanistan has witnessed both extremes: atheism through Communists as well as extremist religious beliefs through the Taliban — both were rejected by Afghanistan. It is either side of the spectrum and there has to be a middle ground.

People are very quick to attack the western powers because it has

and the Taliban fight to force women to wear them. What we

globally and the West has also been a victim. Of course there are

should be fighting for is for women to have a choice of their own as individuals.

Q. But following your father’s death that middle ground seems even further away, and there are fears of increased fighting and civil war Civil war in Afghanistan was a carefully planned and instigated

>>War and Peace A Tajik by ethnicity and a religious scholar by training, Burhanuddin Rabbani studied at the Darul-uloom-e-Sharia (Abu-Hanifa), a religious school in Kabul. Later, he also studied Islamic Law and Theology at Kabul University and then obtained a Master’s degree in Islamic philosophy from Cairo’s Al-Azhar University. He was the head of the Jamiat-e-Islami Afghanistan and one of the founders of the Afghan Mujahideen. Later, he took up arms against the Soviets and subsequently the Najibullah government. Following the Mujahideen victory he took the office of President of Afghanistan, only to see civil war break out between various Mujahideen factions. When the Taliban took over, Rabbani went into self-exile and joined the Northern Alliance. Following the US invasion, Rabbani was the one to officially hand over the reins of government to President Hamid Karzai as the Taliban government had not been internationally recognised. He was heading the Afghan 34 peace council when he was killed.<< NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

always casualties in war and people who expect no casualties in

a war have either never given any sacrifices themselves, or simply do not understand war and what it takes for them to enjoy a free and peaceful life in a sovereign country they can all call

home. No one seems to talk about all the positive changes and contributions the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)

and international aid organisations like USAID of United States and AusAID of Australia have done for Afghanistan.

Q. Many in Afghanistan are blaming Pakistan for playing a role in your father’s death.

I would not be doing justice to either the Pakistani or the Af-

ghan public if I did not mention that certain Pakistani leaders are the leading contributors to Afghan turmoil. For example,

General Pervez Musharraf always promotes ethnic division in Afghanistan and believes in the ethnic supremacy of one group

over others. It was this fascist mentality that led to Pakistan’s

recognition and unconditional support of the Taliban regime. In-

terestingly, every Pakistani I have met who supports the Taliban, also happily enjoys consumption of alcohol and other activities

that would get them killed immediately if they were to live under a Taliban-style Islamic state.

As far as my father’s death is concerned, the suicide bomber

was a Pakistani citizen and all the evidence that was collected

was traced back to Pakistan. This included the phone calls, the

address of the house where the meetings took place, pictures,

co-conspirators etc. The evidence was submitted to Pakistani of-

Once they have fulfilled their purpose, they will be left on their

ball back to Afghanistan and say it was an inside job. If Pakistan

tend to associate the Taliban with Pakistan and this is due to the

ficials in Kabul and it only took Pakistan two days to throw the has any evidence to prove that, we would be happy to sit with them and get to the bottom of it. But when the Pakistani govern-

ment refuses visas for Afghan investigators and when the former

head of ISI refers to international terrorists as “just as much of a Pakistani citizen as I am (referring to himself)”, it begs the question as to how much the ISI knows and why they are not being

transparent. As a result, the world is led to believe that the Paki-

stani government does endorse terrorism through proxy groups and puppets like the Taliban.

own. While there are many Afghan Taliban factions, Afghans

enormous support they received from Pakistan. If such support stops, I believe Afghanistan will no longer see any active Tal-

iban. One of the terms of the High Peace Council was that if the Taliban agreed to reconcile and take any positions in the Afghan

government, they would do so by accepting the democratic system and rule of law. This meant respect for human rights which

includes women’s rights and the right to education and other changes that Afghanistan has adopted as a nation.

Pakistan, we will pursue my father’s case as well as those of

If we continue to get mixed and conflicting messages from

Q. What steps do you feel both Afghanistan and Pakistan need to take to strengthen their bond?

other slain Afghan leaders, starting from Ahmed Shah Masood

onwards, through an independent UN enquiry commission. We

If Pakistan does not want to see Afghanistan pointing fingers at

want to find every single person who was involved: from the

it, it will need to proactively track down militant groups and cooperate on all levels possible. For its part, Afghanistan needs to

ordering to planning to where the bomb was assembled, every individual who paid for it, anyone who helped in these chain of

murders, and we will pursue them as long as it takes and find them wherever they are and bring them to justice.

Q. How important do you think the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan is for the peace process and the future of the region?

Very important. After all, leaders come and go but nations do

acknowledge that it too has rogue elements within its own gov-

ernment and must continue the dialogue on ways to improve the security situation in both countries

Q. Let’s talk about the Haqqani network. There have been allegations that they are responsible for your father’s assassination. Do you believe this is a knee-jerk reaction, or is there some evidence to this?

not. After my father’s assassination, Pakistan is likely to see a

It is still too early in the investigation to determine how many

the Afghan government and our allies to have a transactional

rorist organisations all work together and supplement each other

more vocally confrontational Afghanistan. Personally, I expect

relationship with Pakistan from now on. Both Pakistanis and

groups were involved but there is no doubt that the ring of ter-

must learn to ask questions of their governments and learn to detect the troublemakers amongst them. My father consistently

Q. What would you summarise as being the internal issues in Afghanistan that continue to affect its stability?

encouraged strong relations with Pakistan. In his official trip to

Pakistan, he encouraged Pakistanis to resolve their differences

In my opinion, one of the biggest internal issues is the sense of

with India and he sent the same message to India on his visit

entitlement in government posts that the new players in the

Afghan political scene have — this is in reference to expatriate

Afghans are highly emotional and patriotic people, and they

there. It puts us in a very difficult position to see Pakistan not have a healthy relationship with India. As for the peace process, he never had any serious concerns in regards to its success because time and again, in every regional visit he made and in all meetings that took place, he was convinced that many Taliban are ready to embrace life in the new Afghanistan.

Q. But the Taliban do not seem to have any real interest in negotiating. Do you think they will ever be reconciled?

They are brainwashed by a militant ideology. Afghanistan will

be moving forward so it is up to them to adapt or be left behind and find themselves alone. They were used as puppets by specific

governments for a specific agenda and will continue to be used.

Afghans who came to Afghanistan only after 9/11 with a very ar-

rogant approach. Afghans must learn to earn in Afghanistan, even if they come from other countries with a tremendous set of knowledge and skills. Nothing comes for free and if they are to

earn the people’s lasting support and respect, they have to genu-

inely help without any agendas. The true test of such players will come when it is time to stand up for Afghanistan.

Secondly, the ethnic divide is plaguing Afghans. Growing up,

I never came across Afghans who would ask about my ethnicity

but now I am consistently asked by foreigners about my ethnicity and even whether I am a Sunni or a Shia. This approach to Af-

ghanistan is extremely dangerous and those who try to endorse this type of division amongst Afghans in any manner will have no future in Afghanistan.a

NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

35

ADVICE

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

Q. Dear Mr Know It All,

I’m in a fix. My boyfriend is paranoid and is making me choose

between him and a good friend of mine just because he used to have feelings for me. Just the thought of me conversing with him

makes my boyfriend uncomfortable and uneasy. It’s not fair to

me. I would never put him in a position like this. I’ve tried to

reason with him and we’ve had endless fights. I’m sick and tired

of him rambling on about how he’d do the same for me. I need him to realise that this is all absurd and he doesn’t need to be so possessive. How do I make him understand?

Frustrated girlfriend

A. Look, you’ve grown up hearing all men are created equal

and it’s true. At least when it comes to being absolutely clueless

as to how sometimes even the most undeserving of them manage to land a trophy girlfriend (which I’m going to assume you are). If you’re cute and smart and consider yourself to be a good catch, then I don’t really blame your boyfriend for turning into a

green-eyed brute at the mention of this ‘other’ guy in your life.

It’s not unusual for men to show signs of jealousy if your best friend happens to be another guy, especially one who has admitted to having feelings for you hitherto. The poor guy probably

can’t stop wondering what the two of you have been up to in the

past and what all may happen in the future, so forcing you to break-up with him seems to be his only viable option.

The sensible way for you to deal with the situation would be to

first start regarding your boyfriend’s possessiveness as caveman’s

flattery. Once you’ve untangled the knots in your own head, tell your boyfriend you’ve decided to keep your friendship with the other guy because friends don’t grow on trees, but you’re also going to prioritise your love life from now on and, since you love

him so much, you will always pay more attention to him. Be-

38

cause, after all, when it comes to the competition for your love and attention, he wins—big time.

NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

If he still refuses to listen and things get out of control, it’s

Two of my colleagues were fighting and I tried to make them

how long your patience should last. You’ll know when it’s no

help, I was dragged down with them. Now I’m at the risk of los-

worthwhile to know that there’s no hard-and-fast rule about longer worth sticking around. Only you can tell when it’s time to

put your foot down and tell him that he has to respect you a little more or you’ll be out of his life for good.

Q. Dear Mr Know It All,

After a long time of searching, giving interviews and being re-

jected, I finally got a job. It pays good money but the people who

work there aren’t very nice. I really wanted to make sure nothing went wrong to mess this up, but exactly the opposite happened.

stop. Instead, it got physical and when I tried to call someone to ing my job. I don’t know how to fix this. What should I do?

Distressed employee

A. A lot of people make the mistake of assuming that they were

only able to get a certain job just because they got lucky. Why

underestimate yourself? Nobody in today’s world will hire you unless you’re good at what you do. Getting hauled into a work-

place fist-fight is perhaps one of the worst ways to start a new job, sure, but if you’re confident you weren’t in the wrong, let

the people who matter know just that. Stand up for yourself and come clean the first chance you get. Communicate the whole incident without being confrontational and keep your cool no matter what happens, just like any true gentleman would.

Q. Dear Mr Know it All,

I am a 25-year-old married woman, and have a son. My prob-

lem is that I recently started working at a school in the administration department, and my boss puts loads of work on my desk.

Every day, I have something new to do and half the time I am

unable to understand my work. The workload and stress is killing me! The real problem is that I am unable to give time to my

son or spend quality time with my husband, as my husband does

the night shift at a call centre. By the time he returns home from work, I am getting ready to leave for my job. He then spends the

day sleeping. We don’t even get the same days off. It’s becoming harder and harder for me to cope with things. My husband told me to quit my job but I don’t want to. Please help me.

Helpless woman

A. I’m proud of you for accepting the fact that you need help

fostering your two very demanding relationships. That’s half the

problem solved right there! Now for the second half, listen to your supportive hubby and quit the job, because we both know you

don’t want to waste another one of your days doing something

that’s clearly making you feel unhappy. The satisfaction of being productive and bringing in the extra cash is great, but in your

case it doesn’t seem worth the trouble it’s causing you. Enjoy the little time your man’s home by being a family and be there for

your kid while he still needs you. And then, if you still want to

make a little moolah on the side, what better idea than to start tutoring the neighbourhood sproglets for a couple of hours in the afternoon while the mister catches up on his sleep? a

Got a problem you just can’t solve? Mail us at magazine@tribune.com.pk and let

39

our very own whiz take a crack at it!

NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

REVIEW

spy games

BY UNUM MUNEER AHMED

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a gritty, realistic homage to Cold War spy games, based on the John le Carre novel of the same name. A retired member of the British Intelligence, le Carre’s firsthand experience of the world he writes about makes this story all the more compelling.

While Bond movies portray the British secret service as the ultimate heroic organisation, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy rips apart the glamorous myths created by mainstream spy movies. MI6 is shown to be nothing more than a pawn in a game where the USSR and the US are the true players. The plot focuses on a leak in the MI6 information system after which Agent Smiley (Gary Oldman) is sent on a mission to uncover a British double agent, who has been giving away his county’s secrets to the Russians.

The film’s palette of drab greys and beiges ensures that it associates absolutely no glory with the Cold War. The era shown is true to its name: frigid, frozen and mechanical. Even though the violence is brutal, it is completely devoid of any excitement or passion. One the film’s most graphic shots reveal a Russian agent gutted to death in a tub full of his own blood. It may be gruesome, buts it’s very much business as usual. The film never shows the actual murder, thereby implying such violence is nothing out of the ordinary, not even worth the viewer’s time.

Since the film is based in the 1970s, before cell phones and

dog days are over

BY NOMAN ANSARI

Directed by Chris Miller (Shrek the Third), Puss in Boots, an animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation, is a spinoff prequel to the Shrek franchise. This movie is, in many ways, like an adorable feline which rubs against your legs, purrs in your lap, and generally fills you with the warm fuzzies. If you’re not bowled over by its charm, you could also call it over-cute.

Voiced by Antonio Banderas in the titular role, the film is about the magical adventure of Puss when he was a sword fighting hero, before he met Shrek and Donkey in Shrek 2. Things start with Puss stealing the legendary magic beans from the grown up fairy tale characters, Jack (Billy Bob Thorton) and Jill (Amy Sedaris), so that he can raise the beanstalk to climb to the ogre’s castle, and steal the goose that lays golden eggs. Along the way, he is assisted by the alluring cat Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek), and his old childhood friend, Humpty ‘Alexander’ Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis), with whom he has some friction.

While the voice acting in the film is excellent overall, Antonia Ban40 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

computers came in common use, modern viewers may have mixed reactions to the technology, or lack thereof, shown in the movie. All of the country’s most precious secrets are written on pieces of paper and communicated using telegrams and clunky landline phones with rotating dials. Some may feel an adrenaline rush watching Agent Smiley’s aide Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumerbatch) nervously riffling through massive cabinets to physically smuggle out secret files. However, those who would rather see someone hurriedly hack into state files using electronic gadgetry may be frustrated by how this lack of technology slows down the action and may even end up dismissing the movie as dull.

Critics have hailed the movie as a cinematic masterpiece. The subject matter lends itself to brilliance, and the gradual pace of the film allows for amazingly detailed performances, as it gives actors time to draw out the emotions of their characters. Creating the film’s disturbing atmosphere was practically a custom-made task for Swedish director Thomas Alfredson, who entered the spotlight after his critically acclaimed vampire movie, Let The Right One In in 2008.

Love it or hate it, there is no denying that Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is definitely not your average spy movie.

deras’ performance is particularly good: full of zest, it really brings Puss to Life. Of course, it isn’t just the voice acting, but the characterisation that makes all the main characters so memorable. The film is cleverly written, and cat lovers will be delighted with the xxx jokes and puns that abound.

The only problem with the film is that it ends with an uncreative and unnecessarily heavy bang, an issue consistent with DreamWorks films. It seems that the studio feels the best way to end a film is to up the ante on the razzle dazzle, without offering anything interesting or clever. Having said that, overall, the film looks really good, with the animation being excellent and striking. Some of the visual direction is quite creative, featuring some interesting split screen effects. The movie features amazing CGI sequences and the 3D effects are also quite good, making Puss in Boots delightful, even to those who prefer dogs. a

THE HATER

10 things I hate about ... washington dc’s af-pak ‘experts’

1 2 3 4 5

Only in DC can you be a Pakistan expert without ever visiting the region. Yet your average Pakistan expert,

fresh out of college or mid-career, claims to possess a

deep understanding of how Pakistan’s politics, military and society work.

Ten years into the war in Afghanistan, the difference

between Afghan and Afghani is still lost on many. Af-

ghan is for the people, Afghani is for the currency or a type of naan.

Minutes after a new snafu in US-Pakistan relations,

they will have an op-ed/essay/20-page report about it. It doesn’t matter if it is a variation of the op-ed

they wrote last year. From the Haqqani Network to Pakistan’s power woes, they know all.

They employ so many clichés one wonders if there’s a special Oxford’s Guide to Clichés About Pakistan on their desks. From “Pakistan’s nukes are safe” to “A

Rogue Ally”, the words are so tired, they’re begging for a pillow.

Most Af-Pak experts have never been to Ravi Kebab,

the place to eat the best Pakistani food in this state.

How can one understand Pakistan without ever having sampled nihari?

42 NOVEMBER 20-26 2011

6 7 8 9 10

BY HUMA IMTIAZ

When they do go to Pakistan, cab drivers are their best

source of “what the common man thinks” or research polls that only sample 1000 people in urban areas.

The assumption that everyone in Pakistan is a radical and hates India.

If they speak Urdu and know half a dozen Punjabi curse words, they are automatically dubbed an authority on Pakistan.

Their love for drones. Didja hear they don’t kill civilians?

How often I find myself in their offices, asking them for their analyses.a