JANUARY 10, 2016
CONTENTS 06. Around Town... One party at a time. 42. Cover Shoot Working Woman brings us their winter collection. 48. Heaven Scent!
Team Weekend narrows down our favourite classic perfumes!
50. Daddy’s Little Girl
Sunshine Shah stresses the importance of equal relationships between parents and daughters.
54. The Week That Was With QYT
Qasim Yaar Tiwana recaps his fabulous week for Weekend.
58. The Art of Creation
Sana Zulfiqar and Heraa Khan give us a nostalgic behind the scenes view of the NCA annual thesis exhibit. 62. Scuba, Scuba!
Hassan Tahir shares his fantastic opportunity with Weekend... Scuba diving in Karachi!
66. Weekend’s Roving Eye
This week, we’re feeling the TWEED!
68. The Next Big Thing
Weekend sits down with multilingual musician Abbas Hassan for an intimate interview.
72. Got it From My Mama!
See how these fashionable ladies styled their heirloom pieces!
78. Love Struck
What we’re obsessed with this weekend.
Chairperson/Publishing Editor: Rameeza Majid Nizami Editor The Nation: Salim Bokhari Editor-at-Large: Amal Khan Creative Editor: Shazay Salahuddin Sub Editor: Rana Faizan Hussain Karachi Correspondent: Zoyaa Mahmood Fashion Correspondent: Fatima Ameer Creative Head: Faiz-ur-Rehman Creative Team: Talat Mahfooz, Shoaib Qadir, Faisal Fazal, Zeeshan Arif Photographer: M. Basharat Irshad GM Marketing: Bilal Mahmood For Advertising: Kherzan Zaidi - 0321 8976730, Ata-ur-Rehman - 0332 2427473, Khalid Sheikh - 0345 5130728
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weekend | around town
All white everything! Mehru, Samira, Nazia, Jena & Hina
Maham Naqshband hosted an all white tea party at her Jumeirah residence! The event was beautifully curated to celebrate the Dubai winter in serious style!
Aleena & Alina
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Henna & Aisha
Aamna Shiekh
Mehru, Nazia, Mahvish, Annie, Sahar, Hina, Jena, Maham, Henna & Samira Abdullah Rehan & Shirin
weekend | around town
Winter Love Shahnawaz Khan & Maryam Musleuddin
It was the fairytale wedding of the season! Maryam and Shahnawaz celebrated their baraat and valima amidst family and friends. We wish the couple the absolute best going forward!
Mubashara & Agha Qasim Raza
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Maliha & Maryam
Seema Khan & Uzma Tirmzi
Bride & Groom with the family
Umar Musleuddin
Saleem & Yasmeen Azimi Ayesha Tarzi
Fazila Tarzi
weekend | around town
Shah Wali Khan
Zamarud & Sulieman
Faisal Khan
Maliha Shahnawaz
Uzma, Zohra & Seema
Noreen, Helen, Maryam & Zarmina
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Maryam & Shahnawaz
weekend | around town
Adeel Hashmi
An Epic Romance Asrad Khan, Nasir Khan & Rizwan Saeed
The official trailer of the movie Bachaana launched at Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi. The movie is set to release on February 26 across Pakistan.
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Sultana Siddiqui & Bushra Ansari
Sanam Saeed
BACHAANA - Panel Discussion and introduction to the movie
Mohib Mirza
Aamina Sheikh
weekend | around town
Kicking off Ho Mann Jahaan! Mehdi
The Lahore premiere for Asim Raza’s blockbuster, Ho Mann Jahaan, took place at Vogue Towers, and was an astounding success.
Aisha Khalid & Imran Qureshi
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Iman & Momin
Mariam
Ali & Ayesha
Ammar & Maria
Hifsa & Saad
Hassan Adnan & Ayesha
weekend | around town
Anusha Butt, Sijal & Mishal
Mariam, Shehzad, Iffat, Athar & Mehdi
Asrar
Ibrahim & Maeen
Hamza & Khadija
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Mujtaba & Madiha
Amir, Samia, Hoorunain & Angeela
weekend | around town
Fahad, Javeria & Ahmed
Fatin Gondal
Fatima Zafar
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Anum Sohail
Anaum Hammad Jimmy
Dr Ejaz Waris & Friend
weekend | around town
Game On! Mr. & Mrs. Shoaib Feroz
‘Chunky Monkey,’ the ultimate new theme park was launched in Karachi!
Atif Husain, Jahangir Khan, Younis Khan & Shoaib Feroz
Mr & Mrs Wasim Akram
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Monica, Saima & Ekra
Anushay Ashraf
Casp, Saima, Nasreen, Khawar
weekend | around town
Meet the designer! Teena Hameed & Fareeman
Working Woman treated the ladies to a special discount, music and pampering at their store, to kick off the new year! Zarmina Khan, designer for the brand, was personally hosting!
Hira & Maliha
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Mehak & Rabia
Zarmina Khan
Kherzan Zaidi
Darashna, Amaima & Noaheen
Usman Malik
Muniba
weekend | around town
Naad-e-Ali Zaidi
Wake up! Jahanzeb Sherwani & Ali Alam
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Khadija Shabaan & Lal Majid
Umber & Sohail Javed
Markings Publishing launched Pakistan’s first music bookalbum Ismail Ka Urdu Sheher by Zohaib Kazi along with a music video for “Wake up/Jaago” at Nueplex Cinemas in Karachi.
Fahad Mirza
Zoe Viccaji & Zohaib Kazi
Benish Mahmood & Sikandar Mufti
Sehrish, Saad, Ansareen, Madiha & Sabeen
weekend | around town
Ali Arsalan Soomro & Abid Hussayn
Tuba, Kiran, Maria & Mina
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Shayan Agha & Bilal Khan
Mikail Soomro & Tuba Arshad
Omran Shafique
Shanaz Ramzi
Nilofer & Saeed
Umnia Iftikhar & Bilal Iftikhar
weekend | around town
Riyah & Turhan
Zaina & Tuba Arshad
Bilal Khan, Babar Sheikh & Omran Shafique
Turab & Mina Ramzi
Zohaib Kazi
Adnan Pardesy & Saher Saad Yusoof
Naushaba Brohi & Ahsan Shami
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Madiha Sultan & Sehrish Shabaan
weekend | around town
Seeme
Girl’s best friend! Asma Khurram launched her jewellery collection at Shezan Regale in DHA, Lahore.
Usman & Javeria
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Hijab
Asima
Shenny Ali
Asra & Ayesha
Khurram & Ali Raza
Taneela & Rizwan
weekend | around town
Pak Super League! The PCB hosted the HBL PSL Draft 2015 event at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore!
Mohammad Amir
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Mushtaq Ahmed
Shoaib Malik
Shahzad Ahmed
Rameez Raja
Najam Sethi with Karachi Kings Officials
Dean Johnes & Waseem Akram
Kumail, Jahanzeb & Sunny with Mohammad Irfan
weekend | around town
House of Exquisite Turab,Shanaz Ramzi ,Zulfiqar Ramzi & Mina
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Mr & Mrs Munaf
Mrs. Shahid Chawla
Hasan Rizvi
Caanchi & Lugari launched its second store in Karachi and fourth in Pakistan.
Amna Iqbal & Ayza Nadeem
Komal & Nazneen Tariq
Mariam, Anjum & Farhat Said
weekend | around town
Arshad Awan & Shahid Riaz
Kashif Aijaz , Shahnawaz Irshad, Ruqiha Nazeer, Shoaib Khan and guest
Rana Asif
Khursheed Haider
Uzma Mazhar
Marzee
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Mohammad Ahmed, Hassan & Umair
weekend | around town
Mayda & Ayesha
Fashion Forward! Fashion Central launched its new store in DHA, Lahore.
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Rabia Javid, Hafsa & Hira
Model
Shoaib & Annie
Mahwish & Zahra Naveed
Samreen & Tariq
Sadia, Madiha & Sonia Hamanyun
Masooma
weekend | around town
Shehbaz Aslam
7up Fresh! Fia & friend
7up celebrated its fresh new look at the Polo Club, Lahore, alongside 7 celebrities, all of them with brand new looks of their own!
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Saira & Saira
Anoushay Ashraf
Sonia & Dr Adnan
Sarvat Gilani & Mohsin
Javeria & Roshni
Zoee Viccaji & Uzair Jaswal
weekend | around town
Rizi & Umer
Urwa Hocane & Farhan
Fariha Altaf
Sadia & Fareena
Shammal
Sadaf, Amna & Huma
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Sadia & Fareena
weekend | around town
Iraj & Iram
Huma & Arslan
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Ayesha
Ahsan & Isba
Ali & Shmayl Alam
Mehak
Humaira & friend
Sam Ali Dada
weekend | around town
Little Asia in the capital! Jawad , Rezz Aly Shah & Omer Ali
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Nida & Amer Akhtar
Dania Sheikh
Little Asia was launched in Islamabad, a welcome addition to the fine dining landscape of the city!
Jehana Tamkeen & Nada Bangash-e-Khalid
Samreen Bhatty, Abida Nauman & Sarah Raza
Sanam, Resham, Sana, Maheen & Mariam
weekend | ar0und town
Nosheen Sultan & Sadia Khawaja
Hashim & Baila
Tamara & Meher
Aqsa Ali, Dania Shaikh, Nadia Hussain & Kanwal Ilyas
Fahad, Atif, Jawad, Farooq, Akbar, Yaseer, Awaemer & Ahmed Bilour
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Dania Sheikh
December 20, 2015 | 28
weekend | fashion
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weekend | fashion
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weekend | fashion
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weekend | fashion
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weekend | fashion
Every woman loves her signature scent, and with so many to choose from, Weekend narrows down our favourite perfumes. Though seasonal scents come and go, we keep going back to these classics, and they never get old. We picked these perfumes not only because of how lovely they smell, but also for their staying power. So next time you’re browsing around the perfume counter and can’t make up your mind, go straight for these heavenly scents.
weekend | lifestyle
Daddy’s Little Girl
January 10, 2016 | 50
by Sana Shah sunshineandco.co
weekend | lifestyle
I
n the world of parenthood, one comes across a number of widely held beliefs that are considered gospel by many, but which when you really think about it, are by no means grounded in fact. One of these, and one that frustrates me to no end, is the “Daddy’s little girl” myth. Let me explain myself. Ever since I found out I was having a baby girl, I was told by one and by all to prepare myself to be ignored for the rest of my life as my daughter would have eyes for her father alone. One person even went as far as to say that my status in the eyes of my daughter would be that of a “maid”, while my husband would be worshipped by her like a hero. Imagine how I felt at the time—sleepless, nauseated, forever rushing to the bathroom and waddling about like a duck, only to be told that the person I was going through all this trouble for was going to grow up to treat me like crap. Shockingly, I found that it was mostly women who felt it their duty to relay this “well known fact” to me.
So why am I not buying it? Is it because I’m in denial and refuse to believe it? Is it because it makes me bitter, resentful or insecure? No. It’s because as a woman, a daughter, and now a mother, I think it is a load of crock! And for the record, I don’t believe that sons are in anyway closer to their mothers as a rule either. In my life I have seen so many exceptions to this so called “rule”, including my own relationship with my parents, who I think I love equally but differently, that I no longer believe in its veracity. The strength of a parent’s relationship with his or her child, like all other relationships, is the product of time, effort and love, amongst other factors. You can also feel a deeper connection with one parent as a result of shared values, character traits and likes and dislikes, but even that does not translate into more love for one parent over another. But like any relationship, with your children as well, you reap what you sow—there is no “given”. Traditionally, the father has been the primary breadwinner of the family
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The author, affectionately referred to as Sunshine by her loved ones, recently moved to London from New York. She is enjoying settling in while discovering the city with her 8-month-old daughter in tow. Watch this space for her musings on London, sweet treats (that she shouldn’t be consuming now that the baby is no longer an excuse!), parenting, decorating, and anything really that tickles her fancy!
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and so in a setting where the mother is at home, he is likely to be the person who gets to spend less time with his kids. In this situation the mother becomes the primary caregiver, and also the primary rule maker in the household. Rules are no fun, as any child would be quick to attest to. The mother also spends more time engaging in mundane tasks with the kids like feeding them, giving them a bath, making them finish homework and putting them to sleep. In contrast, the father’s presence is not only considered a novelty, but he is also associated with fun activities such as bedtime stories, fun weekend plans, and special treats such as ice cream and chocolate. In the case of daughters, the father will not place as much emphasis on boring stuff like crossing one’s legs while sitting, or brushing one’s hair in the morning, or forbidding the daughter from wearing her best dress to the park right after it rains, and he definitely won’t get mad if the daughter breaks her new hairband or loses her clips (he doesn’t have to go and replace them). So naturally he becomes
The mother also spends more time engaging in mundane tasks with the kids like feeding them, giving them a bath, making them finish homework and putting them to sleep. the go-to person when a daughter really wants to get her way and bend the rules a little bit. So while Mummy gets to deal with the tantrums, Daddy is seen as the more fun and easy-going parent, and naturally some people conclude that this is a sign that daughters are closer to their fathers. This oversimplified deduction bothers me on multiple levels. For one thing, on the most basic level, it is unfair. As a mother, under most normal circumstances, you tend to naturally shoulder more of the load as far as children are concerned—conceiving,
giving birth, breastfeeding and so on. Not to mention the sleepless nights and countless leaky diapers. If after all that, you are still somehow destined to a life on the sidelines in your daughter’s world, then no matter how great, loving and absolutely devoted your husband is to your daughter, your own supposed expendability is going to pinch a little. However, what bothers me even more than this is that this so called fact, that Daddy will be a hero while Mummy will be zero, is actually a myth perpetuated by women themselves, to either allay their own insecurities or their husbands’, which just has a self-fulfilling effect. Your husband should have an important role to play in your daughter’s life, but you need not need put yourself down or denigrate your role in your daughter’s life to highlight his place. As it is, men get paid and
Daddy will be a hero while Mummy will be zero, is actually a myth perpetuated by women themselves, to either allay their own insecurities or their husbands’, which just has a self-fulfilling effect.
so amused and at the same time grateful when I see my father struggling to discuss a topic with me that he is clearly uncomfortable discussing being a man, but he will try anyway because I’m his daughter and I need him to. I love seeing
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promoted more than women do in the workplace, and as women we complain so much about this. Then why do we need to create the same kind of imbalance at home? And why do we in turn have to mess with our daughter’s heads so that they grow up valuing the opinion of men over women, placing more importance on their relationships with their male counterparts and go from being “Daddy’s little girl” to “dutiful, little wife”. Of course, I am presenting an extreme example to illustrate my point, and some may feel I am taking it too far but I strongly believe there is a connection. Your daughters must learn to value your role in their lives as much as their father’s, if not more. Your voice and your say should matter just as much as your husband’s. To be honest, I don’t want to be the only one on the receiving end of Baby N’s affection. It is very important to me that she is very close to her father. In fact, I think that there are very few relationships as beautiful as that of a father and a daughter. A daughter forever changes her father, and softens him in ways he could have never imagined. To date, I get
Baby N knock off Mr. M’s glasses from his face ten times and Mr. M just laughing in response and patiently putting them back on his face, while in the past if somebody else (like yours truly) had dared to mess with his precious glasses they would surely get an earful! But that is it. A father’s relationship is special in its own right and in its own way and doesn’t take away from a mother’s relationship with her daughter. In fact, these two relationships complement one another and add to a hopefully nurturing, loving and positive childhood experience for your daughter. A father’s dynamic with his daughter is different than a mother’s dynamic with her, owing not only to the difference in gender, but also the different needs a child has from either of her parents. One relationship is no more special than the other. Both are special in their own right. * As always, I asked Mr. M to critique this post for me, and other than pointing out that I have a complicated relationship with commas, he felt that I was coming off sounding a tad bitter, and that I seemed to be suggesting that men don’t do enough for their daughters to deserve being their hero. I admit that I have toned down the post since then, because that is not at all what I am suggesting. My point is only that you needn’t glorify one at the expense of another. Your daughter can be a Daddy and Mummy’s little girl without taking away from either of those relationships. And yes I believe women should play a stronger and more positive role in their daughters’ lives and not just leave it up to the husbands to be the role models or heroes.
weekend | Lifestyle
Hello darlings!
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Greetings from the Big Apple!
N
ew York City is all dressed up like a bride these days, so magical and wonderful, as the aftertaste of Christmas remains all over the streets especially around 5th Avenue and Times Square. It sounds childish to say but I love meeting all the Disney characters dressed up and then going into the Disney store, OF COURSE! The bacha in me just wakes up again, and I can’t get enough of it. Only New York City in the winter time can
have this effect on grown adults. Obviously, I had to document the moment for you guys. Bask in the photographs, kids!
While on my shopping spree, I came across Blue Water Grill, and was stopping in for a bite when I realised this was the famous restaurant from Sex and the City! Gosh, I got just so nostalgic, so obviously I whipped out my phone and got some of my besties on the line for a hilarious catch-up con-
weekend | Lifestyle
New York mai Bollywood movie dekhnay
ka apna hee maza hai! That same evening, I went to the AMC theatre on 42nd street to watch Shahrukh and Kajol in “Dilwale.” It was definitely a one-timer film, but I must say... Kajol looked absolutely STUNNING! Uff! She overshadowed everyone else in the film, even Shahrukh... but of course that is just my humble opinion. One of my favourite things to do in New York is... BRUNCH! Of course, I went to the famous Union Square Cafe near Chelsea with
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ference call. It was Rezz, Erum, Saniya and yours truly, chatting away! Right after, I had to rush to Saks 5th Avenue, because it was the day after Christmas and everyone knows what that means! SALES! Some of my bffs asked me to get them gifts and ever dedicated to the cause of retail therapy, I went into the madness with my head held high. And it really was MADNESS! There were people fighting over all the bargains, and I was lucky I managed to get out of there alive (and with my checklist complete!)
New York mai Bollywood movie dekhnay ka apna hee maza hai! That same evening, I went to the AMC theatre on 42nd street to watch Shahrukh and Kajol in “Dilwale.”
weekend | Lifestyle
my friend Hamid Latif, who is the Salon Director at the world renowned Vidal Sassoon on 18th Street. He is an achiever from Pakistan, at the top post in his field and I couldn’t be more proud! Hamid is super busy with clients because of holiday season here in New York and I could only get an appointment for the next week for my haircut which is an absolute essential on my NYC trips. Finally, on New Years Eve, everyone was only interested in one thing and one thing alone! Reaching Times Square. I must admit I fell to the hype and did make my way over there to see the
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New Years Eve, everyone was only interested in one thing and one thing alone! Reaching Times Square.
countdown and the famous ball drop but it was just so dang crowded and I felt so, so claustrophobic that I took a cab and made my way straight to Hamid’s beautiful house in Long Island for his New Years party. Total dejavu, because I did the exact same thing in 2013! I didn’t know many people but it was so refreshing to see new faces and interact. Beautiful decor, intellectual conversation, good music and absolutely delicious food. What else could I possibly ask for? Chalo, let’s just say goodbye to 2015 now and give 2016 a warm welcome. I hope this year brings you all lots of happiness, prosperity and positivity. I’m thinking of you guys on the rest of my New York adventures and will see you all soon! xx
weekend | art
Theart of creation The NCA annual thesis
January 10, 2016 | 58
By Sana Zulfiqar & Heraa Khan
E
very year, around 200 students graduate from the most prestigious art school in Pakistan. The undergraduate school at NCA has a total of 5 departments which are Architecture, Design, Fine Art, Musicology and Film & TV. Students from each one of them has to go through the much dreaded final year which culminates in the annual thesis exhibition at the NCA. On a cold November morning
in Lahore, we drove to the NCA campus to tell you guys about all that goes into the making of the yearly event. While being stuck in the ever insane traffic on the Mall road, we couldn't help but feel nostalgic about our own time as students in the college and reflected on all that we had learned from it. We both graduated from different departments; miniature and architecture and while the way that we both navigated through college and thesis was quite
different, the experiences and memories are pretty similar, which we feel still holds true to this day. Let us start by saying that it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was a year of fear and excitement. In fact, when we heard the word thesis, fear was the first emotion that came to mind- fear of not being good enough, of failing and of letting people down. Excitement because it’s one of those rare opportunities in life where
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you get a chance to experience and exercise the greatest amount of creative freedom without having to worry about selling the work or satisfying a client. We still remember being so driven and excited by the idea of being able to do something that we wouldn't be able to do in the real world. However, a lot of our professors always kept our ambitions in check by shooting down many of our ideas to keep us grounded in reality. By the end, very few students actually end up following their hearts and dreams and being able to face their fears. We have many fond and not too fond memories from the year that we graduated in. There were incessant debates and discussions over the relevance of what we were doing and we spent too many teary hours trying to answer questions about our own projects (a long list of “what if juror nai yeh pooch liya?!�). In hindsight, these exercises were nothing
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but distractions and self torture inflicted upon ourselves by ourselves. It was probably the only time in life when you’d be willing to learn all the persuasive techniques in the world (even if from Amir Liaquat) that can help you convince the jurors in your final display that your work actually means something and is “conceptual” enough for you to pass. There were dozens of tentative thesis topics researched upon, analyzed, studied and eventually discarded after weeks of labor, since they either weren't perfect enough or didn't translate into something tangible. Nothing felt right. What was worse than being clueless was that many of our class fellows knew exactly what they were doing, yet still fretted over their work! A lot of our time was spent looking for the perfect external juror/ teacher/ person/ anyone really, who would not only
understand and appreciate our efforts but help us in developing it. It’s a frantic and desperate search if you are doing something that is controversial or debatable since there are many chances of a jury going wrong if your juror isn't objective or unbiased. The worst thing about doing an art thesis is that you get too lost in in the labyrinth of your own research, completely forgetting that most of the time the college requires your research to conclude in a project- a creation that is of your own making. Creating does not come easy, even to artists. Creating with a logical narrative is even harder and creating with multiple layers of symbolism, logic, functionality, aesthetic and passion is what we try achieving in our thesis.
The thought alone of such complexity is enough to keep one awake and working at night and if you wander across the campus after dark, you see exactly that. More than once, you would find students working in dim lights, in the cold with small rugs and electric heaters on the large studio floors to keep warm. They would be surrounded by half eaten food plates, empty soft drink bottles and cold cups of chai with music blasting through their headphones to block everything but their work. Sometimes, people would go for days without a change of clothes or a shower. Others would try making themselves feel better by dressing up. The best things about the thesis year are of course the memories and friends that it leaves you with. Those who make you aware of flaws in your work and are willing to do their utmost to help will probably be the people who will be your friends for the rest of your life. They won't only let you cry on their shoulder during an existential crisis but also let you bitch about how unfair a juror, a teacher and life in general is. They also pay for your post panic attack ice creams.
weekend | art
disheveled appearances and students from all departments earnestly at work. We discussed various themes in their work with them. Some were working on extremely personal narratives, courageous enough to bare the most intimate of fantasies and life experiences in their artworks. We also spoke to many who were affected by turbulent times in the country and had more socio-political themes. Then there were a few who were focusing solely on exploring various materials and how to harness all that particular materials had to offer in terms of form, aesthetic and function. One was working on recycling scrap in response to the current energy crisis that Pakistan faces. A lot of the works not only studied and analyzed consumerism
and consumer psychology, but also offer a critique on it. Since we were witnessing the process of art being created, we couldn't help but notice all the grueling hours of labor intensive experimentation, study drawings, conceptual diagrams and many unfinished pieces which would never reach completion. Somehow, we found ourselves being drawn towards this process of their work since it managed to speak to us in its unplanned and brutal honesty. They were made in an abstract moment of intuition and out of the mere love of creating by the artist which made them unique, unadulterated and brimming with integrity and passion. The messy paint palettes, the stained hands and clothes, the humorous yet motivating graffiti on the walls and the windows, the details in the pieces, the grueling hours of hard work and the dreamy eyes of the students from all across Pakistan is what makes the showcasing of the thesis a success every year. So, if you're in town around mid January, take some time out for a stroll across the historic campus, sip on hot chai or coffee and enjoy the art.
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By the end of it, we learnt to laugh at our silly, over ambitious ideas, deal with failures and frighteningly real panic attacks. More than often, we hated life, the decision to go to an art school and everyone who agreed with it. There were caffeine laden all nighters that sometimes made us super hyper and had us in fits of laughter for no reason or sometimes just in plain misery and exhaustion. Now that we look back, we realize that like many challenging experiences in life, we hated it while we were going through it and yet, over time we have learned to love the memories. Alright, so enough indulgence in reminiscence. Let’s talk about this year’s thesis display. As we strolled around the familiar campus, we witnessed many
weekend | tRAVEL
sCUBA,SCUBA! Dignosco goes Scuba Diving in Karachi!
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B
eing a nature-enthusiast and a travel junkie, I always wanted to explore the coral reefs but had no outlet to do it in Pakistan. Recently, Dignosco helped me explore unchartered territory, coaxing me out of my comfort zone, and providing me with a surreal scuba diving experience. Collaborating with certified professional divers, Indus Scuba, for a weeklong scuba diving and reef cleaning activity in Karachi as part of Dignosco’s experiential learning program, our delegation comprised of
Tahir n a s s a H By students from Lahore and Karachi, as well as families who trained for the internationally recognised PADI Open Water Diver certification. PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), Pakistan’s first PADI Dive and EFR center that assisted in this effort. The course began with a full day classroom session in which all participants were required to watch five tutorial videos that detailed the basics of scuba diving. Taking place under added atmospheric pressure and strenuous conditions,
weekend | tRAVEL
under different pressures can result in injury or fatality. The theory sessions also included instructions on how to calculate dive time based on remaining air, as well as other safety precautions, such as not ascending too fast lest one’s lungs expand and burst. Pretty terrifying stuff! The intensive theoretical sessions were followed by grueling pool sessions over two days. In small groups of five, I got acquainted with the gear and its assembly. In the pool, the instructor, Mustafa, taught me the
basic skills of scuba diving such as hovering, neutral buoyancy (the ability to move underwater using controlled breathing), swimming using fins, de-fogging masks and practicing hand signals for underwater communication. Once the theory was absorbed and practiced thoroughly in the pool, the group embarked on our first open water dive. Assembling at 6:30am, we made our way to the coastal Mubarak Village, a one-hour drive from Karachi. The absence of docks necessitated travelling to the main boat on a smaller
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scuba diving is an art that needs precision and immense coordination. The 5 video sessions equipped us with knowledge about the essential gear, its purpose, its usage and proper maintenance. We learnt about the effects of pressure on the human body and how to cope with a marine environment. The most important takeaway message from these tutorials was: always equalize. Equalization is the practice of ensuring air doesn’t remain blocked in air pockets in the body, since maneuvering
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motorboat. Once on the main boat, the journey to Churna Island for the dive began. At this point, excitement and nervousness was at its absolute peak! Churna is located off the coast of Karachi in the Arabian Sea and is the site of many water-based activities due to its relatively cleaner and calmer waters. After a briefing in which safety precautions were reiterated and the dangers of sharks and barracudas explained, the divers geared up and prepared for the dive. The first day dives used the anchor line descent to allow beginner divers to orient themselves properly. All apprehensions vanished once the divers assembled on the sea-bed, amongst angelfish, sea turtles and baby jellyfish. Day 1
concluded with a lunch of fresh fried fish on the boat. Onthe second day we assembled once again at Churna to complete our training. This time I, as an aspiring diver, was tested for skills I learnt in the pool sessions, including free descents, emergency ascents and neutral buoyancy. It is almost as complicated as it sounds, folks! Despite choppy waters, I am pleased to announce, I was able to successfully complete all tasks. Insert huge pat on the back! The weeklong activity concluded with an exam and a shore dive on a private hut on the French Beach. The exam tested me and other divers on all theoretical and practical skills we learnt over the course of the previous week.
All participants successfully passed the tests and were granted with international diving certification, which will allow them to dive anywhere in the world; students also received college credit for this entire activity. I had an unforgettable experience swimming amongst the marine life and it is an understatement to declare that I absolutely cannot wait to dive again; it’s quite true that the activity quickly becomes an addiction! The best part is, you don’t have to travel to a far off country to become an internationally certified scuba diver. Do yourselves a favour, hope on a plane or a train to Karachi and stretch your life a little further!
weekend | FASHION
TWEED KNI W
e don’t care if your grandma knitted you a tweed sweater when you were 12... if you own tweed, wear it this winter. Oversize it, layer it on,
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kate middleton
Amna Babar VenezaArif
weekend | Beauty
ITTRIUMPH! structure it. Find a hood, a snood, a scarf or a hat, but make it tweed for the win! If it’s good enough for royalty, it’s good enough for us.
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chiara Ferragna
maryam suleman
aneeta nagi
weekend | interview
The Next Big Thing Faizan Hussain of
Weekend sits down with
Abbas Hasan S
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outh Asian musicians are gaining immense popularity all around the world. Abbas Hasan, an award winning French singer of Pakistani origin, is one such artist, making headlines. Besides all
the nominations and awards he has won, Abbas recently signed a major deal with the Pan-Asian Film and Music Awards academy (PAIFMA). The academy has recognized Abbas Hasan as one of the top Asian artists in the UK and is featuring him as one of the leading young artists to watch out for. He is also an official brand ambassador for the PAIFMA. Recently you signed a major deal with the Pan-Asian Film and Music Awards academy (PAIFMA). How awesome is that? Thank you! Yes, it’s very exciting and I’m so thrilled to embark on this journey with them. Of all the honours I’ve held over the past few years, it feels overwhelming and extra special to have the academy supporting my work, as my belief is that music and the arts are intended to bring people together and break boundaries. As an Asian artist, this message rings true for everything that I do. What has contributed the most to your success?
I think it’s hard to define. I’d like to believe it’s the fact that I put effort and thought into every project that I take on, and my fans have high expectations of everything that I do. I like to push boundaries, challenge perceptions and provoke thought. I think music should move you in some way, whether physically, emotionally or spiritually, and even every visual whether its a photo or video, should do the same. What has been your career's turning point? After I signed with Rishi and started my Bollywood collaborations [Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra etc], that was the biggest turning point for me. You sing in different languages (French, English, Hindi and Urdu). How have your producers been receptive to your vision of what you want your music to be like? When Rishi signed me, he knew what he was getting himself into! [Laughs] I like to try different things and push myself with every project that I do. Ultimately, everything I do has my signature
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but at the same time I want to experiment with sounds and influences. The producers I work with seem to like that way of working and they expect it when they work with me. In what language are you most comfortable singing? I think I’m comfortable in all three of my native languages (French, English, Urdu-Hindi) but I think the feeling and sentiment I get when I’m singing is very different in each language. In what way are your varied backgrounds helpful in your career? I suppose that growing up in the Paris arts scene with traditionally eastern influences exposed me to everything from Mylene Farmer to Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. All these different influences have shaped my understanding and appreciation of music. How much of the real ‘you’ is expressed through your music? I think every song expresses a different story, a different face and a different layer. Little by little, you get to know more and more. What comes deeper from your soul, music or the lyrics? Every song is different. Some songs come through a lyrical idea and others are born through a melody that wakes me up in the middle of the night! What made you to come into the field of acting? I had studied acting originally, and then when the offer for Mazhavillinattam Vare (a South Indian film) came, I really liked
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Rapid Fire Round The song you grew up listening to: Mast Qalandar Dream project: A soundtrack project with A. R. Rahman Favourite band: Given that I’m good friends with Ahmed Ali Butt, I have to say EP of course! Any weird hidden talents? I can read your mind! Proudest moment in your career so far? The first time I heard my song on the radio. Solo artist or band: Being a solo artist gives you more freedom, but I love performing with a band. The most important lesson you’ve learnt over the years? Follow your instincts and stay true to your message. Favourite Pakistani singer: Abida Parveen Your inspiration: All artists who struggled against oppression
the concept and script so it felt like an interesting adventure. My Bollywood friends keep waking up the actor in me. Who knows! How was the experience of working in Bollywood? It was surreal and very exciting! Performing in front of thirty-five thousand people including all the top directors and my actor/singer peers from Bollywood was a very special moment. Working with Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra and touring across the world-- every step is more and more exciting. Signing with the Pan-Asian International Film and Music Awards is starting a whole new journey so stay tuned! You are an actor and a model besides being a singer. Which out of these three is closer to your heart? I know that when I entered the industry, people first recognised me as a model, but music is what I have always been about. I’m first and foremost a musician but I think all these art-forms are related. I think films and even a photo-shoot can be a form of creative expression and that’s what I
love being able to do. What is the biggest misconception that people have about you? The biggest misconception is that I’m arrogant. I’m actually a nice guy. (Laughs) How often do you interact with your fans through social media? I try to stay in touch with fans through facebook (facbook.com/ abbashasanonline), Twitter (@ abbashasanmusic) and Instagram (@abbashasanofficial) all the time. It’s really nice to share things with them in real time and keep in direct communication, because for me ultimately it’s all about them! Any projects in the pipeline? There’s a lot of new music coming, some film-related projects that I can’t talk about yet and of course all the work I’ll be doing as an ambassador for the PanAsian Awards (PAIFMA).
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Got it from m
Nostalgia; the one emotion all girls feel on weddings, be it theirs or someone else’s. The nostalgic value of heirloom jewels or the dress your mother wore on her own wedding can never be overstated, and this weekend, we’re all about strutting the vintage.
weekend | fashion
Sara Noorani, Zarmina Tarmizi, Bisma Tareen, Maham Naqshband, Minahil Sherazi and Fizza Malik stun in jewels and garments passed down over generations!
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my mama!
January 10, 2016 | 74
weekend | promotion
weekend | lifestyle
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PKR 2,999
Editors’ picks
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saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens over the weekend, and have fallen head over heels in love with its newest character “Rey,” played by the fiesty and beautiful young actor Daisy Ridley. If you guys haven’t seen the film yet, star wars fans or not, GO WATCH IT.
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weekend | lifestyle
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tle coin bracelet: rfect to add that lit pe , et el ac br is th finishing of wrist. bit of bling to your
PKR 1,450
Paperclip, Moleskine Diary
At Weekend, we’ve been going around all week feeling super classy (and very organised) with our lovely moleskine diaries from paperclip! Whether it’s a random idea, a piece of prose or poetry that strikes your fancy, put it down in one of these classic diaries! Best part is, they’re small enough to carry in your bag all day.
heaven sent for women in Pakistan who like to work out. With the gym and outdoor culture for women on the increase, ladies, invest in a couple of these pieces! Find them on instagram: tfc_official
Three Cheese Chicken!
We love discovering fun new places to eat, and the rooftop eatery called “Tree Lounge” on Noor Jehan Road, Lahore just served us the best, cheesiest stuffed chicken we’ve ever had! Weekenders, if you’re on the lookout for some comfort food, look no further.
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The fitness company extra support sports bra is