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Striking Surroundings By Sumeha Khalid
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ida Azwer recently launched her first retail store “Nida Azwer Atelier” in Karachi, Ocean Mall, amidst much fanfare, marking her second store nationwide – the first being her flagship store in Lahore. The store was inaugurated by Shahnaz Ismail, Dean of design at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. The exclusive preview of the smashiing new store was attended by designers, media personalities and socialites. Public Relations for the event were handled by Lotus PR. “Nida Azwer Atelier” features the label’s coveted prêt-a-porter line ‘The White Label’, a trendy and chic collection designed keeping in mind the contemporary woman who shops for clothes that are wearable, affordable and in line with modern trends. Crafted in bright hues with the label’s signature modern silhouette, Nida Azwer has designed the collection to make ‘The White Label’ an integral part of every woman’s wardrobe, with each piece staying true to her definitive attention to detail, cuts, play on colours and textures. While the collection stocked at the outlet is beautiful, the interior of Nida Azwer Atelier is equally stunning. Pakistan Today caught up with the petite designer to find out about the inspiration behind the classy interior of her stores. PT: Where did you draw inspiration for the interior of your outlet? NA: For both shops - Lahore and Karachi the main inspiration comes from purity and
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simplicity. It’s all white and gold - white representing “pure and simple” while gold gives it that certain oomph factor. Our design philosophy is classy chic and our aim was to translate that into our store as well. Upon entering the store, we want it to be an experience of calmness and tranquility and have that feeling that no other store in Pakistan holds at the moment. PT: Is there any dominant theme in the interior? NA: It’s all white and gold with gold accents to give it a signature Nida Azwer look. As our outfits have lots of colour, cuts and texture, therefore we want the outfits to stand out against a simple background. PT: How long did it take you to decorate the outlet? NA: It took six months for each shop. Yousaf Shabaz did the interior for Lahore and Ahsan Najmi for Karachi. PT: What’s your favourite feature of the outlet? NA: Both are very unique stores and I feel every part of each shop holds something special. Every little detail is a feature in itself and you don’t come across such stores in Pakistan. PT: Anything you would like to change or add to it? NA: No! It feels just right. I love all of it! PT: What about the artifacts you have used to decorate your shop. NA: Some I’ve collected over the years while others were specially commissioned for the shop.
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The Citizens Archive of Pakistan Celebrates the Tradition of Storytelling
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he Citizens Archive of Pakistan [CAP], a notfor-profit organization dedicated to cultural and historic preservation,
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concluded its unique 3 day series of storytelling sessions commemorating the legacy of Qissa Khwani Bazaar, the fabled Peshawari market renowned for its acclaimed story-tellers. The event took place
simultaneously at KuchKhaas, Islamabad and Faiz Ghar, Lahore and was based on the themes of Partition and Migration, the early years of PTV and Radio Pakistan, and the Evolution of Cities. The
sessions featured prominent Pakistanis who shared anecdotes and milestones from their lives and careers, deeply intertwined with Pakistan’s own rich past and traditions. Day 2 of the event also drew sizeable crowds as individuals gathered at both venues to listen to first generation Pakistanis speak of their experiences and personal accounts of the early years of PTV and Radio Pakistan. In Lahore, Navid Shahzad, Ayub Khawar, Salman Shahid, Begum Khurshid Shahid and Simi Raheal spoke of the novelty of the medium of television and how it had evolved over the ages. In Islamabad, Agha Nasir, Kanwal Naseer, Ahmed Salim and Muhammad Zubair led the discussion at Kuch Khaas. Renowned filmmaker Adeel Hashmi and TV journalist Farrukh Khan Pitafi were the moderators of the sessions in Lahore and Islamabad respectively. The final day of the event chartered the transformation of cities over the years and featured the personal stories and accounts of Dr. Ajaz Anwar, Nusrat Jamil, Nayyar Ali Dada, Kamil Khan Mumtaz, Salman Rashid and Imrana Tiwana in Lahore, while Ishrat Hyatt, Javaid Kazi, Fauzia Minallah and Shafiq Siddiqui generated discussion on the topic in Islamabad. Lawyer and CAP Board member Rafay Alam moderated the discussion in
Lahore where panellists spoke of the history of the city which could be traced back to almost 4,000 years in the past. In Islamabad, educator Parveen Malik guided the discussion which touched upon the preservation of cultural heritage and the need for environmental and pollution control. With an aim to keep the tradition of storytelling alive, CAP endeavoured to recreate the essence of the historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar, which translates literally from Persian to ‘Storytelling Market’. The market, which unfortunately now solely exists as a physical structure in Peshawar, used to be a commercial hub that attracted travelling merchants of all ethnicities. They would come to this market to trade their wares, frequent local tea houses and exchange stories and experiences over a hot cup of qehwa. This practice elevated Qissa Khwani Bazaar from a simple marketplace into a living, breathing celebration of the tradition of storytelling itself. “Pakistan is a land of rich culture and significant history. We feel that there is no better way to learn more about the nation than through the stories and personal accounts of the individuals who have experienced the troubles, tribulations and joys of a nation being created first-hand,” says Swaleha Alam Shahzada, Executive Director of CAP. “By organising these storytelling
sessions, we hope to breathe life into the art of storytelling and share the stories of our nation’s momentous history with the next generation of Pakistanis.” The Qissa Khwani Bazaar project is part of CAP’s Oral History Project, the first-of-its-kind initiative that has developed a fascinating archive of over 45,000 photograph and 1,200 hours of audio stories documenting Pakistan’s history, culture and heritage from the perspective of a citizen. Through diligent care and effort, the project has successfully archived and digitized newspapers, letters, official correspondences, refugee cards, passports, advertisements and other material, each providing a unique snapshot of Pakistan preserved for all time. The project is currently running in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, recording the voices and stories of Pakistanis who have seen the partition of 1947 and the early years of Pakistan. Indeed, CAP serves as the first ever private Pakistani initiative to collect, archive, study, disseminate and exhibit all aspects of Pakistan’s history - both before and after partition. CAP aspires to become the foremost museum of Pakistani history, art, photography, culture, literature and history.
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Books
Of two iterary journals and a devotional souvenir By Syed Afsar Sajid
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n an age of growing scientific ascendancy characterized by fast shrinking spaces and distances, and stirred by the miraculous mechanics of technology, pursuit of literature as an un-gainful exercise would seem a logical fallacy. Yet literature, worldwide, has a myriad of enthusiasts and followers who would care the less about constraints of time, energy and money and go all out to promote/ publicise its cause. Holding of literary functions/moots and publication of literary books, magazines and souvenirs is a part of this singular activity. Two important literary journals from Lahore and a memento of devotional verse recited at various mushairas organized by Madina Foundation Pakistan (a ‘not-for-profit’ philanthropic organization committed to the vision of promoting ‘Industry, Service and Education’) at The University
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Adab-e-Latif
Adab-e-Latif - May 2013 39-Green Acres, Raiwind Road, Lahore Chief Editor: Siddiqa Begum Pages: 168; Price: Rs.100/-
of Faisalabad during 2010-12, constitute the subject of this review.
The magazine was founded (1935) by Barkat Ali Chuadhry whose learned daughter Siddiqa Begum is now its chief editor. It is gratifying to note that despite heavy odds, she has succeeded in ensuring the continuity of the journal in its 78th year of publication. Literary celebrities like Fikr Taunsvi, Kanhaiya Lal Kapoor, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Sahir Ludhianvi, Mirza Adeeb, Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, Mumtaz Mufti, Qateel Shifai, and Intizar Hussain have been its editors in the past. The current issue carries prose and verse contributions, among others, from Ghulam Shabbir Rana, Hajra Bano, Neelum Ahmad Bashir, Moeen Qureshi, Dr. Fatima Hassan, Fiza Parvin, Dr. Salim Akhtar, Dr. Anwar Sadeed, Shahid Bokhari, and Satya Pal Anand. The best part of the magazine comprises Dr. Ghulam Shabbir Rana’s, and also Fiza Parvin’s, ‘literary references’ to Mumtaz Shirin, Ahmad Faraz, Athar Nasik, Hameed Akhtar, Shafqat Tanvir Mirza, Zia Jalandhari, A. Hameed, and Shabnam Shakil – highlighting their person and art in a contemporaneous perspective.
Beyaz Beyaz is Khalid Ahmad’s brainchild. He is no more but his ‘progeny’ remains. Khalid Ahmad is now a legend. The present issue of the magazine is also dedicated to his memory. Khalid Ahmad was a man of many parts – a highly innovative poet, an insightful critic, a reliable literary counsel and guide, a gifted humourist, an outstanding intellectual, a veritable mystic, and, above all, a human being par excellence. His highly imaginative but unique contribution to the domain of ‘Na’at’, like his classic
Najib Ahmad, Ejaz Kunwar Raja, Bushra Rahman, Shaheen Mufti, Asif Saqib, Ejaz Rizvi, Kunwar Imtiaz Ahmad, Shaukat Ali Shah, Ghani Asim, Roobi Jafri, Khurshid Ahmad Timmi, Aizaz Ahmad Azar, Shahnaz Muzammil, Zahoor Ahmad Faateh, Tahir Saeed Haroon, Jalil Aali, Shahab Safdar, Jahid Ahmad, Karamat Bokhari, Bashir Ahmad Masood, Manzoor Saqib, Afzaal Ajiz, Tahir Ali Nasir, and others. Imran Manzoor and Noman Manzoor deserve complimentary mention for maintaining the continuity of the journal after Khalid Ahmad.
Beyaz – June 2013 Syed Athar Shaheed Road, 16 km-Multan Road, Lahore Editor-Publisher: Imran Manzoor Pages: 208; Price: Rs.100/-
couplet ‘Tark-e-ta’alluqat pay roya na too na maey/Laikin yeh kya kay chaen say soya na too na maey’ shall perpetuate his memory in the annals of literature. The present issue of the magazine incorporates prose and verse contributions of Khalid Ahmad,
The collection comprises contributions of both young and senior poets from Faisalabad including Allama Nadir Jajvi, Riaz Ahmad Qadri, Rahat Saeed Alvi, Dr. Ifzaal Ahmad Anwar, Sarwar Khan Sarwar, Zia Batool, Kausar Ali Kausar, Dr. Saeeda Rashm, Sajida Hashmi, Ambreen Ash’ar,Nasim Sehrai, Gulfam Naqvi, Dr. Ansa Ahmad Saeed, Muhammad Afzal Khaksar, Ahmad Shahbaz Khawar, Saghar Shahzad, Muhammad Afsar Sajid, Ashraf Yusufi, Kausar Aleemi, Prof. Arif Raza, Prof. Shahida Yusuf, Razia Usmani, Samina Raees Nasheb, Rizwana Naqvi, Navid
Manaqib-e-Ahl-e-Bait (A souvenir of devotional verse) Published by: Madina Foundation Pakistan Pages: 112
Manaqib-e-Ahl-e-Bait It is a souvenir of devotional verse recited at five different mushairas arranged by the Madina Foundation Pakistan at The University of Faisalabad during the session 201012.
Kausar, Prof. Shamim Zafar Rana, Faqir Mustafa Ameer, Shahzad Beg, Manzoor Saqib, Saghar Shahzad, and Muhammad Masood Akhtar. The quality of the content of the souvenir together with its get-up tends to enhance its value as a chronicle too.
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