KARACHI: We may find it harder to maintain old structures around the city but when it comes to making new ones, we do not hesitate to replicate the old ones.

The structure on Shahi Chowk across Park Towers Mall and the boundary wall of Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim are examples of this folly. The Shahi Chowk structure has been built in sandstone and tries to replicate the finishing used in colonial buildings. This approach is against the rules of conservation as a structure erected in another time frame should distinctly stand out as such. It should not create confusion between old and new ones.

The colonial structures used stone because they are load-bearing structures with wall thicknesses anywhere between 12 and 18 inches. These new structures use sandstone only as a cladding while concrete and steel are used as the basic construction material. Our future generations will surely be perplexed as they would have a harder time differentiating between different eras.

On one of my recent visits to the much glorified Bagh-e-Ibn Qasim in Clifton, I wondered whether the celebrated Parks and Horticulture EDO Liaqat Ali Khan gave attention to the fact that the Lady Lord Pier – named after the wife of the then Governor of Bombay Sir George Lloyd – that is part of the Jahangir Kothari Parade, was inspired by Her Excellency the Hon. Lady Lloyd.

The pier, built at a cost of Rs300,000, was donated to the people of Karachi by Jahangir Hormusji Kothari himself. The pavilion was inaugurated by Lady Lloyd on January 5, 1920, while the pier was inaugurated on March 21, 1921. The purpose of the pier was to provide a walkway into the sea.

The Shahi Chowk structure, located near Park Towers and the boundary of Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim, , has been built using sandstone. The structure also tries to replicate the finishing used in colonial buildings. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

Had the EDO, who was given the presidential award by former General Pervez Musharraf for his efforts in making the city of Karachi breathe again, realised the original function of the Lady Lloyd Pier, he might have built a pool of water or a small lake at the end of the pier as part of his design of the park.

This park used to be an open space attracting young men for a cricket match on a Sunday, schoolchildren for a go-kart race or an evening of kite flying. This space was all about the richness of our city but now it only stands for a park that offers no entertainment.

By enclosing the park inside a boundary wall, these regular visitors have been cornered. They no longer visit the park because the immaculately landscaped areas cannot be used as grounds to play cricket, fly kites or race go-karts. Besides, the park is now only open for families and since families hardly enjoy a game of cricket, the park remains out of bounds to the single, aspiring cricketers.

What the park now offers are lawns, gazebos, stone benches, walkways, the bandstand and Lady Lloyd Pier, which have become scenic backdrops for shoots of television soaps but the cultural richness of the space that the open grounds once offered has been lost.

It is, nevertheless, heart warming to see families enjoying in the park with their home-cooked meals in the evenings and people coming in for their morning walks. Perhaps, a holistic design that retained the park’s initial diversity and still made it accessible to families would have made the space much richer.

Suneela Ahmed is an architect and urban planner with NED University. She is currently in Oxford pursuing a PhD. She can be reached at suneela_mail@yahoo.com

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th, 2012.

KARACHI: There is no need to ‘label’ Urdu literature as Pakistani or Hindustani as language transcends all barriers – this was the theme that started off the 5th International Urdu Conference on Thursday attended by academics from across the world.

The inaugural day of the conference, organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan, drew a large number of literary figures along with appreciators of Urdu language.

For Muhammad Ahmed Shah, it was a moment of accomplishment as it marked the fifth conference during his five-year tenure as the Arts Council President.

The success of these conferences, according to Shah, is a “reflection of a yearning to prove that we [Arts Council] are still alive and still possess the zeal for this language.”

The keynote speakers, leading Urdu literary critic from India Shamim Hanfi and famed Pakistani Urdu fiction writer Intizar Hussain, were meant to present their analyses on Urdu literature from their countries’ perspective. Perhaps the organisers thought that both luminaries would supplement each other to present the whole picture, but Shamim and Hussain took no pains in clarifying that Urdu literature has been moving in unison from the classical period to the contemporary one.

“I was surprised that were asked to present our analyses from a geographical perspective as literary tradition remains the same across borders,” said Hussain as he corroborated Hanfi’s views.

Hanfi, however, acknowledged that the historical, societal and geographical distinctions brought diversity and colour to Urdu literature. “Imagine how boring it will be if all writers and poets would start thinking and writing along the same lines.”

The technology takeover

Hanfi also criticised the technological revolution that has “resulted in a conflict bordering on obsession between books and the internet.”

“It takes a lot of courage to consider the internet as an extension of books,” he quipped. “The Western cultural imperialism – a new way of colonialism – has not only put Urdu but all literature in risk through information technology.”

In response to comments from the audience that concept of books is slowly dying, Hanfi said that the association of a reader embedded with a book would ultimately defeat technology. Aslam Farrukhi, Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, Himayat Ali Shair, Fatima Surayya Bajia, Saeed Naqvi (USA) and Durmush Bilger (Turkey) were among those who attended the conference.

The four-day conference will continue till December 9 with back-to-back sessions on life and works of Urdu laureates along with book launches.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 7^th, 2012.

The convocations of the Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVSAA) and the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) were organised in a dazzling display of colours.

At the IVSAA campus, 114 beaming graduates were clad in gold and teal robes inspired by the Mughals and caps like the ones worn in Hunza valley. Amongst the graduates, 95 were conferred Bachelor’s degrees and the rest were awarded diplomas.

When the school’s executive director, Samina Raees Khan, took the stage and announced that the girls outnumbered the boys, the audience burst into cheers. When they settled down, she offered a few words of wisdom to the students. “If you cease to forgive, you will plant the seeds of hatred and revenge in your heart. These will serve as a barrier to your own personal growth and peace of mind.”

The keynote speaker, Aga Khan University’s founder president, Dr Shams Kassim Lakha, sad the graduates were lucky. “You [students] should consider yourself fortunate as no engineer or doctor has the honour of protecting heritage.”

The students themselves were in no hurry to scurry into a nine-to-five. Aasiyah Zaidi, an architecture graduate, said, “We just got done with our thesis. We want to relax and think about work later.”

The class of 2012 at three institutions are ready for the job market. Students of IVSAA graduated on Saturday. PHOTO: AYESHA MIR & ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS  

Meanwhile at IoBM…

Not to be outdone, around 824 IoBM graduates clad in blue and cream robes with heavily embroidered Ajrak borders gathered at the institution to receive their degrees. Mortarboards of the same colour were jammed on their heads.

Of them, around 15 were awarded certificates of merit and another 11 won gold medals for their academic excellence. The rivalry between the institutions was evident. “We are equipped with the same skills as graduates [from other schools], so employers have no reason to favour them,” said Sarah Habib, a graduate of the institution’s MBA programme. As IoBM’s official anthem blared from the speakers, the convocation procession entered the marquee led by the head of the economics department, Prof. Dr Shahida Wizarat. The chancellor Illahi Bukhsh Soomro, president Shahjehan Karim and State Life Insurance Corporation’s CEO Shahid Aziz Siddiqui, who was the chief guest, handed out the degrees. As soon as the ceremony ended, the students – who had been sitting calmly – stood up and threw their mortarboards amid cheers.

Dr Talat Nur, the gold medalist of the institution’s hospital management programme said she wanted to strengthen her management skills. “My wish was to acquire a formal angle on how to go about managing affairs of a hospital and as far as studies were concerned, I have learnt so many things which I did not know.”

IoBM’s MBA in industrial management course also drew a number of professional engineers who once studied at institutions such as NED University of Engineering and Technology and Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology.

The go-getters

The class of 2012 at three institutions are ready for the job market. Students of IBA graduated on Saturday. PHOTO: AYESHA MIR & ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS 

Though IBA’s convocation was a simpler affair, it was the amazing job offers that injected liveliness and excitement to the event.

Almost 90 percent of the MBA graduates have already found jobs, said the institution’s dean and director, Dr Ishrat Husain while speaking at the convocation. The average monthly salary for the MBA graduates this year was Rs66,400, which is almost 24 percent higher than last year’s average. “We’re comforted that the market is beginning to realise the value of our MBAs and is compensating them adequately at higher than entry-level salaries.”

Out of the 231 BBA graduates, as many as 170 have found jobs that they like. The average starting salary for this group was Rs43,200 a month – 18 percent higher than last year’s figures. Fewer IBA graduates joined the banking sector this year, although it used to be a major career choice for most of them in the past.

Talking to The Express Tribune, BBA graduate Muzammil Zafar said that up to 70 percent of his classmates received multiple job offers during studies. Some of them were even offered a whopping Rs70,000 a month. Another BBA graduate, Arsalan Salahuddin Khan, said he had received four job offers in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector while he was studying. But he has opted to pursue graduate studies instead.

Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation founder Dr Adibul Hasan Rizvi received an honorary doctorate in management at the convocation for his philanthropic services over the last four decades.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2012.

Ten minutes after the end of Salgirah comes Shaam Bhi Thi Dhuaan Dhuaan, an adaptation of a Russian play written by Aleksei Arbuzov and translated in Urdu by Rafiq Anjum. The humour and witty dialogue in this play present a good break from the melodrama of the previous one. It is an old school love story about Parthav Sanehal (Kazmi), a 65-year-old doctor who works at a sanatorium, and Uma Rai (Jaafri) a beautiful 55-year-old woman who has accepted that life is too short and that every moment should be celebrated. She manages to pierce through the thick-skinned Parthav who tries his best to avoid reality and prefers to live by what he thinks is right. In their short and sweet journey, they dance together and feel the beauty of the falling rain. What unfolds is for you to watch and relish.

While the theme of love in theatre is as old as the art itself, the sophisticated and compelling manner in which the masters — Moheyyedin, Kazmi and Jaafri — have delivered it makes the evening one to remember. Both Kazmi and Jaafri reinforce that they are not just veterans of our acting industry, but also masters of the craft. Their chemistry in both plays is phenomenal and, with all due respect to an actor of Kazmi’s stature, one can see Jaafri steal the lime light and overpower him at certain points. However, frequent changes in the set can make Salgirah a bit of a drag for the audience, with interruptions halting the dramatic crescendo that is building up. The second play is short and sweet, and the brilliant comic timing of the actors compensates for the lulls as one bursts into fits of laughter.

The ever graceful Naila Jaffri seems to be ageing in reverse and Kazmi’s age shows despite his dyed hair but the real winner of the evening is Zia Moheyeddin. His classical approach to theatre and idea of a minimalistic set are both supremely successful. Moheyeddin is more of an actor’s director and that shows not only in the performances but also in the detail given to the blocking of characters and utilisation of space in both plays. Napa’s double bill is a must watch for everyone, not just because of the stellar performances but also because of the impeccably-delivered Urdu dialogue.

The back-to-back plays run till December 23, with tickets available at Agha’s Supermarket and Napa.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2012.

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The driving force behind Toni&Guy in Karachi is Saeeda Mandviwalla, who opened her first flagship salon offering full services, a retail shop, a café and an art corner. Since the brand is recognised worldwide for its upscale services, it didn’t take long for Pakistanis to enjoy the luxury salon despite its higher price list.

On Monday, Mandviwalla and Ponds’s joined hands to open a salon and skin centre that promises to give solutions for hair, nails, and skin.

For the launch event, the first floor lobby of the mall (right next to Mango and Monsoon) looked festive; black-and-white striped settee benches along with matching table covers and bright red sofa sets made for comfortable seating. The beautiful fresh flowers kept as centre pieces on tables added a wonderful touch. Guests were treated to mini burgers, bite-sized club sandwiches, little fruit tarts, and chocolate cupcakes along with coffee and tea.

When the lobby was bursting with guests, including friends, family and the media fraternity, Mandviwalla opened the press conference by speaking about how proud she is of her new branch. “We have been in the forefront providing the best hair treatment in town and I am extremely proud of this achievement,” she said. “Toni&Guy is joining hands with Pond’s to give consumers in Pakistan the ultimate experience in hair and skin care treatment.”

The chairman of Unilever Pakistan Ehsan Malik expressed his excitement for the new project. “Unilever is a multi-national company that has the global know-how,” he said. “With this new collaborative venture we look forward to enhancing our market.”

The joint venture between Toni&Guy and Ponds will offer hair, nail, and skin solutions. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/ EXPRESS

British Deputy High Commissioner Francis Campbell was also present at the event. “We have two very interesting companies joining hands; Unilever being the oldest British company and Toni&Guy — the youngest hair treatment company,” Campbell said. “Dolmen Mall really has the potential for investment.”

State Minister of Finance Saleem Mandviwalla talked about the increase in foreign business investments that is taking place in Pakistan. He said that British brands Shell, Barclays and Standard Chartered Bank are already present in Pakistan, but that new foreign investors are also making their way in.

Campbell feels that if anyone visits Dolmen Mall from abroad, their perception of Pakistan will surely change. “We [the UK] are the second biggest investors in Pakistan. This mall looks like we are in Oxford Street, London,” said Campbell. He also acknowledged that a number of people are getting employed by this new venture, and that the growing employment opportunities presented by the mall were “fantastic”.

While guests mingled and inquired about services and prices, singer Alamgir — looking handsome in a black shalwar kameez with a grey jacket — posed with fans for pictures.

The jubilant Saeeda Mandviwalla also expressed her joy and gratitude. “This will be a perfect place for grooming. I hope it raises the bar in the local salons based here and makes us all lift to global specifications, along with promoting a soft image of the country.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2012.          

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KARACHI: The Do Talwar and Teen Talwar monuments have been draped in Ajraks for the celebrations of Sindhi Culture Day

The monuments have been completely covered by these icons of Sindhi culture while several billboards and banners have also been placed on the roundabouts.

Given that such marketing activities are against the law, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed said he will issue immediate orders to remove all obstructions from the landmarks. “I didn’t know what they had done but we will take care of it now.” In April this year, Syed took a stand and ordered the removal of a popular shampoo brand from the same monuments.

Saddar Town administrator Asim Ali Khan also confirmed that no one has been allowed to use the monuments for branding. “You know how things work here. They just do it forcibly.”

One of the channels sponsoring the event is Awaz television but they insisted that they sought KMC’s permission. The channels head of marketing, Aftab Tunio, said that they sent applications to the offices of the KMC administrator and South deputy commissioner.

“I have papers showing that our requests were received at their offices,” he said. Nevertheless, he failed to confirm if the KMC actually granted permission. “We haven’t branded the Teen Talwar. It is just for culture day celebrations and everything will be removed in a few days.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2012.

KARACHI: It doesn’t take much to make children happy – candy and toys are usually a sure bet. But the list of wishes Make-A-Wish Foundation received from children with terminal illness ranged from meeting Bollywood superstar Salman Khan to performing Umrah. It was after all their chance to make their wishes come true on Christmas.

Nine-year-old Rimsha Khan, however, only wanted to paint and have her work appreciated. And she got a chance to do so with renowned artist Jimmy Engineer on Tuesday at the event held by the foundation.

Rimsha suffers from a tumour in one of her legs that has spread to her abdomen, says her father M Irfan Khan, who gives a thumbs-up to his daughter every time she looks up to him for support.

“Doctors have said she might need an operation,” he said, as Rimsha painted with help from Engineer. “We were approached by Make-A-Wish Foundation, Pakistan a month back. I am glad they have arranged such an event.”

Three other terminally-ill children were also granted their wishes at the programme held in collaboration with Sheraton Hotel.

The highlight of the day was the surprise for frail-looking Zeeshan William who wished to decorate a Christmas tree and receive gifts from Santa Claus. His entire family was called on to the stage where they cut a cake as other children sang carols.

Representatives of Make-A- Wish Pakistan said  that dozens of children with life-threatening medical condition have seen their wishes come true over the years.

Six-year-old Ambreen Zarrar suffers from blood cancer and has withstood the painful process of chemotherapy for two years. But on Christmas day, she was dressed in pink with angel’s wings attached to her back. Although too shy too speak, her mother told The Express Tribune that Ambreen was very excited about getting her hands on a promised Barbie Doll set.

Areeba Gulzar wanted her moment in the spotlight – she got her chance of being a model for a day walking the ramp with model Nadia Hussain.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2012.

It was a full house at T2F on Wednesday. Kothari walked in wearing a sapphire blue and emerald green outfit. As she sat on the chair near the projection screen, she welcomed the guests with a smile and a limited introduction which was then followed by a showing of her films.

The first film, titled Fleeting Beauty, has been directed by Virginia Pitts and stars award-winning Indian actor Nandita Das as the protagonist. Kothari intended on showing a powerful narrative using a woman’s voice and a man’s body. In the film, Nandita sprinkles spices on her lover’s naked back describing the unofficial history, exploration and exploitation of India. Kothari explained that her inspiration came from the amazing stories and myths she heard while traveling.

Directed by Zia Mandviwalla, her next film, Clean Linen, touched upon a story of an adolescent brother and sister growing up in New Zealand in a conservative Indian family. They are assigned household chores, but when their parents step out, both of them watch pornographic films which belong to their father. The family portrays a clean family picture, yet lacks communication and closeness. Kothari said she talked to several Indians who grew up abroad and said their families never touched upon subjects like sexuality and puberty or coming of age. “They all got it from porn,” said Kothari.

The third film, titled Coffee and Allah, has been directed by Sima Urale and revolves around a fully covered Ethiopian woman who lives in New Zealand. She seems like a lonely woman who loves Allah, coffee and badminton. Every day, she wears her blue burqa and walks to a café where she buys coffee beans from a cashier who knows exactly what she wants and tries being friends. Her normal routine is to pray, brew coffee and play badminton with her unknown neighbour. “My intention was to show this woman in a hijab being playful,” said Kothari. She explained how the refugees that are living in New Zealand are often ignored and not acknowledged. “These women become quite visible on one level, but on another, they’re quite invisible because no one has any access to them,” said Kothari. “We have to be understood,” she said.

Kothari was disturbed about the London bombings in 2005, which is why she chose to highlight the Muslim refugees; she wanted an Ethiopian woman so that the West would understand and see that Muslims exist outside of South Asia.

After the screening, a conversation began during which Kothari said she was overwhelmed by the love she has received in Karachi. Originating from Ahmadabad, India, Kothari married an Englishman of Pakistani descent, and settled in New Zealand. She is a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and simultaneously juggles her schedule to write and produce short films. Her award-winning short film Six Dollar Fifty Man, along with Firaaq and Apron Strings, are all based on real events and people.

“I’m never going to stop making short films,” said Kothari as she explained that an idea or a statement can be expressed with short films better than feature films. Although Kothari works closely with the director to get the right message out and co-produces her films, she will never opt for directing an entire project. The writer also included that she hates being the “control freak” or the “boss”. “I may direct documentaries, but never a fiction film,” she said.

The biggest challenge that Kothari had to face was the funding of her films. “From a kabab shop to my friends, I asked everyone to help fund my films,” said Kothari as she explained her struggle with Fleeting Beauty.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2012.

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Several members of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), formerly known as the outlawed Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI), Awami National Party (ANP) and others stood side by side as they offered the funeral prayers for the former Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) vice chairperson Prof. Ghafoor Ahmed on New MA Jinnah Road.

JI chief Munawar Hasan led the funeral prayers, after which Prof. Ahmad’s body was taken to Sakhi Hassan graveyard for burial.

The JI leader passed away at the age of 85 on Wednesday, after suffering through prolonged bouts of poor health. He breathed his last on the way to Patel Hospital.

Hasan praised Prof. Ahmad efforts in promoting unity among the country’s political and religious parties. “Ghafoor Ahmad was an institution in himself. He was able to get people to engage in mutually beneficial politics.” Hasan also credited the late JI leader for his role in formulating the Constitution of 1973.

PML-N’s Senator Mushahidullah Khan said that Prof. Ahmad was one of the few people in the country who actively worked to get political parties on the same page. “He was a very different [kind of] politician,” he said.

Prof. Ahmad used to work as an accountant, but later adopted teaching as a profession and remained a faculty member of the Commerce and Economics Department at Urdu College from 1950 to 1956, and then again from 1957 to 1961. He was elected a member of the city government from Liaquatabad in April 1958, when the JI decided to take part in the local body elections of Karachi for the first time. He won by securing 5,803 votes.

MWM’s Maulana Nasir Abbas Jafferi and Maulana Mirza Yousuf Hussain, ASWJ chief Maulana Muhammad Ahmad Ludhianvi, MQM’s Amir Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Arif Alvi, ANP’s Noorullah Achakzai, PML-N’s Saleem Zia, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Pir Abdul Shakoor Naqshbandi, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional’s Imtiaz Sheikh, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad  and other JI leaders, including Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Asadullah Bhutto, Naimatullah Khan, Muhammad Hussian Mehnati, Mairaj Muhammad Khan and others also attended the funeral.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2012.

Hundreds of Shahzeb’s friends, supporters and sympathisers gathered outside Karachi Press Club, carrying banners from which his face smiled down upon everyone.

The ‘Justice for Shahzeb Movement’ had gained significant presence online, and Sunday’s turnout showed that his supporters will not rest until justice is served. The protesters demanded the chief justice of Pakistan take suo motu action of the killing and arrest the culprits.

Shahzeb was killed allegedly by Shahrukh Jatoi near Mubarak Masjid in DHA on Tuesday night. The killing resulted from a small argument he had with Nawab Siraj Talpur, when the latter’s servant verbally harassed his sister. Talpur and his friend, Jatoi, allegedly followed Shahzeb and shot him.

The killing mobilised hundreds of people against the unquestioned authority that people with political connections enjoy in the country. At Sunday’s protest, shouts of “We want justice, justice for Shahzeb Khan”, “Shahrukh Jatoi ko phansi doh,” [Shahrukh Jatoi should be hanged] reverberated through the streets of Saddar.

A grim-faced cousin of Shahzeb, Daniyal said that the purpose of this movement was for every youngster killed in an unjust manner. With black bands tied around their arms, Shahzeb’s friends said that he was popular for his good nature. Next to him, another friend Asad, carried Shahzeb’s picture that said ‘I did not die. I just departed to stop the killings of other Shahzebs’. Asad said that despite the fact that the victim’s father was a police officer, he was against guns and never used them.

Asad Butt, a Human Rights Commission of Pakistan representative, said that all the NGOs should unite against the rich who use their power to get away with crimes. Several politicians, including Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Raza Haroon, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz’s Nehal Hashmi and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf’s Dr Arif Alvi also came, but the protesters insisted on keeping the demonstration free from any political association.

After a peaceful march from the press club to Zainab Market, the protesters then relocated to Sea View from where they walked to Shahzeb’s house in Country Club Apartments. Shahzeb’s mother sat in front of the building’s main gate, where the argument had taken place. With her head hung low, she recited prayers for her son’s soul. Afreen Shiraz, who turned up with her husband after seeing Shahzeb’s memorial page, said that every parent should become a part of the movement. “I have two teenaged daughters and I get worried about them as they have kids in their schools with armed guards. The wrong usage of guns needs to be stopped.”

DSP Aurangzeb, Shahzeb’s father, said that he would not give up. “Those influential people can use their power and money to stop the police from arresting the criminals but we will not give up. I will knock on every door to get justice for my son.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31^st, 2012.

KARACHI: KESC were held to a 2-2 draw against PIA in a Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) match yesterday.

KESC began the match with confidence as Muhammad Riaz scored the first goal in the sixth minute, and doubled the lead only seven minutes later. However, PIA got back into the game when the referee awarded them a penalty in the 25th minute, which was scored by Abdul Ghafoor. PIA were awarded a second penalty in the 57th minute and Zeeshan Ali made no mistake in scoring the equaliser.

After the draw, KESC remained in second position with 56 points after 27 matches, while PIA also retained eighth place with 32 points after playing 27 matches this season.

KESC coach Hasan Baloch was disappointed with his side’s performance and admitted that they will be under pressure when they come up against league leaders KRL tomorrow.

“My team will be under-pressure because we need to win our remaining three matches in order to confirm the silver medal,” Baloch told The Express Tribune. “I need my players to avoid any mistakes and be careful about their conduct.”

Meanwhile, PIA coach Shamim Khan said that the penalties were correct, after KESC officials criticised the referee’s decisions.

“KESC’s plan back-fired on them,” said Khan. “They shouldn’t have tried to intimidate my players in the field. I’m glad the referee was able to see that.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2013.

KARACHI: Minhaj-ul-Quran International (MQI) chief Tahirul Qadri addressed a rally organised by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Karachi on Tuesday.

The rally titled “Safar-e-Inqilab-e-Pakistan” was held at Jinnah Ground and was also addressed by MQM chief Altaf Hussain via telephone from London.

During the rally, Qadri thanked Altaf and the MQM for accepting his party’s invitation to join the “million-man march” to Islamabad in order to “give rights back to the poor”.

Qadri said that he had invited all religious and political parties of the country to join the march but only the MQM responded positively.

Qadri announced his party’s manifesto during the rally and said that Islamabad was about to become Tahrir Square on January 14. But, he stressed, the revolution will be peaceful.

Responding to allegations of being backed by a “foreign agenda”, Qadri said that those spreading this “propaganda” were liars. “My mission is to uphold the Constitution of Pakistan. My mission is to restore Jinnah’s true democracy.”

He also denied allegations of a hidden agenda behind the fact that the MQM was supporting him. “There is no agenda behind us. Our agenda is ahead of us… Our agenda is January 14, our agenda is the elimination of feudalism and capitalism.”

“We want a caretaker government which is totally impartial, powerful and honest and possesses the courage and the political will to bring electoral reforms,” he stated.

Qadri dispelled rumours that he initiated the movement to pave way for becoming the caretaker prime minister. “The purpose of this movement is to bring a totally impartial caretaker government.”

He said that his party wants elections to be contested between people who are declared eligible by the Constitution.

“I want to tell the national institutions of Pakistan and the 180 million people: we do not deny politics. This address is for the sake of restoration of clean politics.”

Earlier during the day, Qadri was welcomed by a large number of his party workers on his arrival at the Karachi airport. Qadri had then visited MQM headquarters Nine-Zero, where he met with the party’s coordination committee.

Qadri also spoke to Altaf on the phone during his visit to Nine-Zero.

Qadri, who returned to Pakistan after a five-year-stay in Britain, has set a three-week deadline for the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government for electoral reforms, or face a “million-man march” on January 14. The deadline was announced in a huge rally arranged in Lahore on December 23.

Altaf appeals to army to support march

Altaf, addressing the rally, appealed to the armed forces of the country to support the “revolution” instead of trying to hinder it.

“I also ask all other institutions of the country to stand with us,” he said, while requesting the Punjab government to provide security to Qadri.

Altaf said that only those people can find solution to problems who have themselves gone through them. “Our public march is not meant to delay elections or to derail democracy. In fact, this public march is meant to save Pakistan; to seek reform in Pakistan’s electoral system according to the Constitution and to make the country stronger and prosperous.”

Altaf said that he has found an elder brother in the form of Tahirul Qadri in his effort to give the poor their rights.

KARACHI: In Karachi, even a short circuit can be alarming. Residents in Defence were immediately on alert as media reported news of an ‘explosion’ on Street 12, Khayaban-e-Rahat in Phase-VI on Wednesday.

But contrary to what most Karachi’ites were ready to believe, the explosion turned out to be faulty wiring in a yellow cab parked at an empty ground opposite Masjid-e-Saheem.

The sound of the explosion created panic among people who were walking out of the mosque and those sitting at a nearby football ground. People started to gather near the cab as extra contingent of Rangers and police also reached the site.

The cab driver, Muhammad Ameer, told The Express Tribune that wires sparked when he tried to start the car, causing the explosion. SHO Malik Saleem agreed with the driver and called the incident an accident. He said that the explosion took place in the fuel pump of the cab due to some fault in CNG and petrol wiring.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2013.

“We are introducing healthy and juicy burgers in town keeping in mind the health-conscious lifestyle Pakistanis now have. Fatburger serves this purpose and I believe it is today’s requirement,” says Samiullah Mohabbat, CEO of Bil Foods Limited, who is behind this new venture. This is the first time the concept of lean beef is being introduced in the market and will only be provided to customers on a “freshly ground and cook-to-order” format.

“The beef comes all the way from the US and is halal — a Muslim slaughter house called Midamar is our supplier,” he asserted, in order to clarify any misconceptions people might have. He also admitted that the franchise’s first outlet was meant to open in Lahore at MM Alam Road but as fate had it, Karachi became the first destination. “We received a better offer in Karachi, so we came here first,” he says.

They plan to open a total of five outlets in three major cities of Pakistan; the entire investment adds up to Rs 500 to 700 million.

It will be the first time that this kind of meat will be offered in the country. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/ EXPRESS

The launch

As foodies made their way through the colourful entrance of the mall and followed the red carpet to the second floor on Friday, they were welcomed by the utter extravagance of a red and yellow Fatburger theme — red balloons, waiters sporting red aprons and red and yellow decor. It took approximately six months to design the entire vicinity and it was done by Hong Kong based designer Robert Lee; wooden ceiling and flooring added warmth to the cosy environment.

Staying true to the traditions set by Yancey — R&B music playing in the background for her customers — the crowd in Karachi was greeted by an on-going rehearsal by Lahore-based band Chaar Paye on Bee Gees Stayin’ Alive. The band also made its debut in Karachi at the event with a few original Punjabi numbers.

Although the chain’s menu includes four different sizes of burgers internationally, in Pakistan they will only stick to three — single, double and triple. “We have to keep a market-competitive price range [affordability factor] in mind,” Mohabbat justifies the decision. On the side, home-made onion rings imported from Spain will be served along with a choice of lemonade, soda or chocolate and strawberry milkshakes.

“We’ve been making the same burgers for years and the recipe hasn’t changed,” says Andrew A Wiederhorn, Chairman and CEO of Fatburger North America Inc, who was also present at the opening. “We went global in 2006; opening outlets in Canada, then China and then in Dubai. Today, we have over 140 outlets across the globe.” He also feels that Pakistanis will be “overwhelmed with the quality stuff that we provide” and hopes it will be a tremendous success.

Amongst the crowd, was an enthusiastic teenage customer Moiz Khozema who was looking forward to the opening of Fatburger. However, he was forced to compare it to other fast food joints in the country and says, “This one looks like it’s an international food place but it’s not cheap — in fact, it’s rather expensive.” He feels most people wouldn’t be able to afford it and might just end up coming once and not every other day.

All in all, it was a day of rejoice for Mohabbat as he says, “We are truly meant for meat lovers.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2013.

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Forty years later, Mustaqeem has become the assistant director of the zoo and wants the future generations to cherish his childhood playground the same way.

Oscar, gold, silver, jewel, angelfish, discus, stingray, rosy barb, red-tailed black sharks, blue-line cat, zebra cichlid, red-tailed catfish, Chinese carps and Sindhi sharks are some of the fish species that the zoo aquarium holds. Once you step out, you can also see white fallow deer, peacocks, a pair of blue macaw, a jackal, a couple of porcupines, a mouflon antelope, ostriches, nilgai, and monkeys. The chimpanzee from Mustaqeem’s childhood died in the 90s.

“Green turtles, which are imported from Thailand, are the most popular among school children,” Mustaqeem says. The zoo administration is planning on inviting different schools to organise a field trip to raise revenue and advertise the zoo, as well.

Aquarium attracts crowds

The latest addition to the zoo, the aquarium, was inaugurated in September last year and has definitely increased the number of visitors, Mustaqeem admits. Previously, around 200 to 250 people visited the zoo every day, but since September, the numbers have gone up to 500.

All the species of fish are fresh water and there are no marine or brackish water species. Mustaqeem plans to keep this main attraction well protected so he uses prepared feed for the fish. “Mosquitoes’ larva and earthworms also keep the fish as happy as people are with biryani and qorma,” he says, chucking. The most expensive fish in the aquarium is the discus fish. “One pair costs Rs5,000 as it is not easily available.”

Nine-year-old Muhammad Hasan enjoys the fish aquarium the most. “This is the seventh time I have been here in the past four months,” he says, after counting it on his fingers.

Other attractions

Zoo in-charge Muhammad Saleem feels that, apart from the aquarium, it is the monkeys that keep the most people entertained. A large number of people showed up recently to catch a glimpse of the three-month-old monkey. “The children were laughing uncontrollably when the monkeys did their little tricks,” he recalls.

A lot of people have been asking when we are getting a lion, Saleem admits. He hopes that the number of visitors will double again once they manage to procure the king of the jungle. “The cage for a lion would be ready in June and then we will push the administration of the Karachi Zoo for a lion,” adds Mustaqeem. “The lion will, definitely, attract many people.”

The Landhi-Korangi zoo is under the administrative control of the Karachi Zoo and, Mustaqeem says, they follow the same standards. “No official of the wildlife department has ever inspected this place though,” he admits.

More animals, less humans

For Mustaqeem, this work is more than a job – it’s his passion. So he doesn’t mind working himself, instead of issuing orders but the human to animal ratio is something that worries him. “There are only three zoo keepers for 130 animals, and one fish keeper and two assistants for over a hundred different types of fish.” The total number of employees, including sweepers and guards, is around 25, “but we need more technical staff”.

The zoo has allocated a budget of Rs500,000, and out of this Rs350,000 has been allocated for the aquarium. The budget is only for maintenance, and the feed is brought from the Karachi zoo every week, Mustaqeem explains.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2013.

On Monday, Anti-Terrorism Court-III judge Ghulam Mustafa Memon granted the physical remand of Siraj, 22, his 21-year-old brother, Nawab Sajjad Talpur, and their 23-year-old cook, Ghulam Murtaza Lashari, until January 16.

The Talpur brothers are among the prime suspects in Shahzeb Khan’s murder. Shahzeb was killed allegedly by Siraj’s friend, Shahrukh Jatoi, after a petty argument on December 25.

The Darakhshan police registered a case (591/2012) under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the victim’s father. Shahrukh Jatoi, the Talpur brothers and nine more unidentified suspects, including the Talpurs’ cook, were nominated in the FIR.

As the law enforcers failed to arrest the killers – and reports suggesting Shahrukh Jatoi had fled abroad, crowds took to the streets seeking justice for the victim’s family. On January 1, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, while taking suo motu notice, ordered the Sindh police chief to track down the killers within 24 hours. After the court order, the police arrested 10 of the nominated accused from different cities.

On Monday, the police were finally able to produce the three main suspects in an anti-terrorism court. They were brought to the court in two armoured personnel carriers escorted by a police van.

Inside the courtroom, the additional supervisory investigation officer, Waseem Ahmed, submitted that abetment, common intention and terrorism were included in the FIR after recording the statements of Shahzeb Khan’s father, his relatives and eyewitnesses. Sections 354, 109 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 were added to the case.

The officer said the police needed the physical custody of the alleged accused for 15 more days to complete all the legal formalities. “The police have to arrest more people on the information provided by the men arrested,” the officer told the judge. “The murder weapon has yet to be recovered. The investigators have to record the statements of witnesses under Section 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code; verify the suspects’ criminal record; and parade them for identification before the magistrate,” he elaborated.

However, the judge, turning down the request, allowed the physical custody of the accused for 10 days.

The judge also directed the case investigation officer to complete the investigation and submit the charge-sheet within the stipulated period.

In another development, Aftab Jatoi was also booked by Dadu police under abetment charges.

The suspect allegedly provided shelter to the three men on the request of their relative Azam Bhugiyo. A case under Section 109 of the PPC was lodged with the A-Section police station, Dadu.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2013.

KARACHI: The Crime Investigation Department claimed to have arrested five alleged members of outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who they said were also involved in killings of the female polio workers and bomb blasts on Ayesha Manzil.

The accused, Ayub Khan, Bilal aka Mushtaq, Tauseef Ali aka Bhai Jan, Saifullah alias Mushtaq and Motim Khan, were arrested after an encounter with the CID police at their hideout in Ittehad Town.

Ayub, who is believed to be a group leader, was reportedly injured in the crossfire. A modified four-wheeler motorcycle for disabled persons that contained around 60 kilogrammes of explosive, two pressure cookers containing nine kilogrammes explosives each, nine cricket balls laden with explosives, 25 kilogrammes of explosives, five hand grenades, four Kalashnikovs, five 9mm pistols, detonating code and ammunitions were also found in their possession.

CID’s additional inspector general, Ghulam Shabbir Sheikh, accompanied by SSP Fayyaz Khan, SSP Chaudhry Aslam and SP Mazhar Mashwani, disclosed details of the arrests during a press conference held at the Central Police Office on Wednesday evening.

During the initial investigation, the accused reportedly confessed to being involved in the killing of two female polio workers in Karachi’s Ittehad Town and Orangi Town, said CID police chief, Ghulam Shabbir Sheikh.

Terrorist activities

In December 2012, four female polio workers were killed in Karachi on the same day – Naseem Akhtar in Orangi Town’s Toori Bangash Colony, Kaneez Fatima in Mohammad Khan Colony in Ittehad Town,  and Fahmida and Madiha were shot dead in Gulshan-e-Bunair Landhi.

SSP Fayyaz Khan told The Express Tribune that the accused were also being interrogated about their links in the killings of the two workers in Landhi. He suggested that TTP’s Hakeemullah Mehsud group could be behind the attack.

CID officials said that the suspects also confessed to their involvement in the bomb blast on Ayesha Manzil. On January 1, as participants of a rally organised by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Minhajul Quran International, were boarding buses, a bomb went off on a motorcycle and killed at least four people.

“The army, police and political parties – all those against the Taliban are on the hit list,” said the Anti-Extremist Cell Chief SSP Chaudhry Aslam Khan. “The suspect, Saifullah, is physically challenged and is the only who can get through a crowd and detonate his explosive laden four-wheeler bike.”

SSP Aslam told The Express Tribune that their ring leader, Ayub, was also involved in slaughtering about 35 army personnel in Swat.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2013.

The skit explained in details the steps of making pottery – an art that most experts at the reception believed was lost on the current generation.

“The purpose of this event is to connect today’s generation with our cultural roots which go back to ceramics and pottery,” said Meher Afroz, one of the founding members of ASNA. She pointed out that the youth today would not be able to understand the skit because most of them have probably never have seen a pottery maker at work. “The future lies in the hands of the common man and we have to allow the common man to express himself,” she said while explaining the link between artistic suppression and violence to The Express Tribune.

The reception also marked the opening of an exhibition, Light and Lightness, featuring works of 60 ceramists from 16 countries which will run till January 31. The keynote address at the opening was delivered by Claude Presset, an artist from Switzerland, who spoke about the different kinds of ceramics she had come across during her travels in Australia, India, South America, Italy, and other countries.

Art and expression

The organisers of the triennial stressed that the event wasn’t only about ceramics. “Ceramics is just one of the many prisms through which you can study society,” said Niilofur Farrukh, another founding member of ASNA. “The event aims to initiate a discussion among the youth and in Pakistan’s social circles about the meaning of art and creative expression. We want to see how many interpretations people can find in art,” she explained, adding that the event was the result of a year’s worth of hard work by experts from various fields, including media groups and architects.

According to VM Art Gallery Director Riffat Alvi, the event aims to move Karachi’ites away from all the violence that has taken the city into its grip over the past few years. “I wish I could invite the Taliban and politicians to take a break from their long and short marches and join us,” she said. “People may hold all kinds of marches but we [the artists] will be the ones to touch the souls of Pakistani people.”

International artists, who have come to Karachi for the event, have been put up at the residences of Pakistani artists so that they can get a feel of the country’s culture, said Alvi.

Indian artist Ela Mukherjee opined that the event was “beyond great”. When asked about the accusations and counter-accusations between Pakistan and India about the clashes on the border, she said that artists are not constrained by geographic and political borders. “We are all equal because we all believe in art.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2013.

The city has already lost most of its park spaces and amenity plots to the land mafia, but the administration of Aziz Bhatti park hopes that this lake will be a welcome respite.

The revival of the lake is part of a Rs310-million project to refurbish the park that was lying dormant for years — becoming a haven for drug addicts and stray dogs.

“I am convinced this will work,” said Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s (KMC) head of parks and horticulture department Niaz Soomro. “The lake will really help attract more people to the park.”

The department has already finalised a detailed design of the lake and have completed other formalities as well. “Now, we are sending the proposal to the Sindh government for its approval. Hopefully, work will start soon.”

Aziz Bhatti park is spread over 20 acres and less than 15 per cent of it is being used at the moment – that too, only by nearby residents for their morning walk. Once the new design is in place, the park will have a jogging track that crosses over the lake, a skating ramp, a grass maze, a play area for children and a food court.

A 250-foot-long bird aviary will also be built, said Soomro. “It will be big enough to be seen from outside the park,” he explained. “People can just walk though the aviary, watch exotic birds living in a natural habitat.”

The lakes

Over the years, successive administrations paid little attention to the artificial lake, which has turned into a swamp with weeds. Before the lake was formed, workers of a nearby cement factory would take out rocks from the quarry and use it in the factory.

When the factory wrapped up its operation, the authorities decided, however, to make use of the open pit – the lake was formed with waste water from a filtration plant of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board.

The artificial lake in Jheel Park, in PECHS, also came into existence because of quarrying, said Arif Hasan, the noted town planner. “All the lakes in the city were formed as a result of excavation.” There is no natural lake in the city, he added.

Hasan agreed that lakes help people relax. “But they can also turn into source of illnesses if not maintained properly,” he warned. “That is something we need to look at closely.”

Maintenance is something even KMC agrees will be a problem, since finances for development projects are already running low. “We have decided to add a food court in the park, where we will rent out the shops and use the money for maintenance,” said Soomro.

Encroachment

A senior KMC official admitted that they are trying to get the park’s renovations underway as soon as possible as there are some real estate developers, backed by political parties, trying to encroach upon the land.

The land around the lake, which no one claimed for years, has suddenly become important for the land revenue department, he said. “We have been told that the city administration never bought the land in the first place.”

According to him, some individuals have claimed that the park is their property. “This happens every time we start development projects. People see that price of land will go up and they jump in with false claims.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2013.

“I am very excited about it [the performance],” says Amin. “Riwhyti: One Night Stand will contain performances that I believe are a big part of our lives such as death, marriage and life itself.” The three predetermined events that take place in a person’s life, birth, marriage and death, were vividly reproduced and became the crux of Amin’s show.

As the evening commenced, 21 carefully constructed performances took place simultaneously in different parts of the Amin Gulgee Gallery. A man (Muzzumil Ruheel) with a black umbrella, tagged along with some people (celebrities) as they walked past him — depicting forced friendships people make to achieve their hidden agendas.

In the front courtyard, ex-model Frieha Altaf was seen giving Fifteen Minutes of Fame to people and gestured to them to come and autograph the canvas as well as speak to the camera crew.

Ayessha Quraishi was seen painting away on a canvas in the main gallery, called The Sensual Orchestra Plays Live, and a little distance away in a corner, was Syed Ammad Tahir orchestrating another mysterious act, Mirror Mirror on the Wall. Sitting in solitude, Tahir’s innate desire to be a woman came to life as he applied heavy eye make-up and immersed into his murky inner self.

In another corner, Angeline Malik enacted With Oneself as she sat by a projector screen and watched herself conduct various scenes from a bystander’s point-of-view. On the stairwell next to her was Fayez Agariah; he sat inside a suitcase and frantically stitched pieces of small fabric to his outfit.

Nimra Buchas’s Swimming Pool act was an intriguing one as it was well-narrated, interactive and touching. Whoever approached her, was handed headphones through which she narrated her tale; as a swimming instructor, she dedicated her lifetime to the pool and after 30 years, she was ready to tie the knot with a man younger than her; sadly she is mocked by others and this adds to her fears.

Seated on a thakhat were Raania Azam Khan Durrani and Saba Iqbal in Mystery Nivala; dressed in traditional ghararas, they handed out paan to their audience as they reproduced the old days of warmth, tradition and culture.

“It is fascinating how Amin Gulgee puts everything together,” said Shanaz Ramzi, GM Publications and Press Relations of Hum Network, who was impressed with the performance. For visitor Zaheer Kidvai, the evening bore a welcomed classic touch as he said, “Bohot hi acha tha.”

But a few members of the audience were left rather perplexed by this art form. “I am still trying to figure out what this is all about,” said director Saqib Malik. “But I think it’s good to be lost at times. In places like these, one needs to touch or get a sense of feel regarding whether it’s all real or not.”

Others present were there to support their loved ones such as writer Mohammad Hanif, whose wife Nimra Bucha performed Swimming Pool. “I don’t know [about other performances]. I only know about one act,” says Hanif, referring to his wife.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2013.              

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