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The dictators wife returns!

Posted on November 30, 2009 //

Dictator's Wife Poster 2A play by Mohammed Hanif

Devised and performed by Nimra Bucha

Arts Council, Karachi. 10/11 December. 8pm.

Tickets available at Espresso, Liberty Books and at the venue on the night.

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what people are saying…
“Bucha comes across as a crazy mix of Eva Peron and Imelda Marcos… energetic, vivid, and compelling” (The Friday Times)
“a riveting act.” (THE NEWS)
“A modern day lady Macbeth with an eclectic mix of Desperate Housewife.
An evening of pure mischief and delectable humour” (INSTEP)
“Nimra Bucha’s performance has impressive range. She is coquettish and shrewish, romantic and arrogant, bored and impatient…The punch lines are brimming with sarcasm” (DAWN)
Filed Under: Announcement, Humor, Karachi // Tagged: , , , , ,

SWO & Unifem celebrate 16 days against domestic violence!!

Posted on November 26, 2009 //

These are testing times for women in Pakistan. The country ranks 106th out of 137 on the Gender-related Development Index and 66th out of 75 on the Gender Empowerment Measurement Index. Despite religious, constitutional and legal rights, women’s position in the society is weak.

With each passing day, conditions are getting miserable as women are subjected to more extreme forms of violence and exclusion. Incidents of honour killing, rape, fire and acid burning, domestic violence, dowry-abuse, trafficking, under-age marriage and trade of young girls among tribes for dispute settlement are gruesome and frequent. Women in rural and poor communities are more vulnerable to violence and crime, committed most often by their own family members, in the name of law, religion, customs and tradition. It is sad that incidents of physical and psychological torture upon women are increasing but grossly under-reported in the media or other public reporting systems.

Women’s access to education, employment, health, property and justice had been severely restricted for years. Now the rise in extremism has taken its toll as opportunities for socio-political interaction; education, health and freedom of expression and mobility have reduced sharply in large parts of the country. Pakistan has one of the lowest rates for girl-child survival, maternal safety, literacy and employment among women because of prolonged discrimination and injustice.

For many women early marriage, even at the age of 12 results in unreported / underreported domestic violence, high levels of maternal mortality, morbidity and incidences of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI’s) including HIV & AIDS. Low levels of education and illiteracy, especially among women (37%), are also factors for increased incidence of STIs and HIV & AIDS. To top it all, involvement of men in highlighting these issues remains low, and is therefore a contributory factor to the deteriorating situation regarding gender equality, empowerment and violence against women (VAW) in Pakistan.

Signs of hope

Despite tough opposition, women’s rights campaigners have done exemplary work over the years to raise the issue of VAW. Due to their consistent mobilization and advocacy, many social norms and attitudes are changed. Successive governments had been under pressure to amend or even repeal laws that are discriminatory against women, because of the struggle put forwarded by these groups. It is easier for women to seek justice and gather support from rights campaigners than before. The media is playing an equally important role of highlighting VAW issues in a positive manner, thus creating awareness and courage in members of the society.

SWO initiatives

Keeping up with the spirit, Sunshine Welfare Organization (SWO), a group of committed young activists from Karachi and Islamabad, is trying to address the situation with fresh approaches. ‘We think the situation is alarming and requires a sustained but aggressive effort’ says Shahzad Iqbal, the founder of the Organization. “Violence against women must be stopped immediately. We are committed to challenge all discriminatory laws, attitudes and practices that are making women’s lives difficult”.

SWO has been advocating for women’s rights for several years. Now it is taking the effort to another level. From 25th November 2009, SWO is planning to initiate a series of activities to mobilize youth at an unprecedented scale, with the help of inter-personal as well as Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) tools.

“We are engaging communities of youth, both boys and girls, through dialogues and other means of expressions to celebrate the UN’s ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence’ campaign” Shahzad says.

The Organization intends to organize dialogues, walks, poster-making competitions, walks along with email and sms-based information dissemination campaign to audiences across the country. The activities would primarily ensure women’s participation as well as invite the government, media, civil society and business sectors to collaborate in this noble cause.

‘Our goal is to strengthen the voices that are demanding better living conditions for women across the world and in the country’ said Shahzad Iqbal. ‘We hope that the objectives for these activities are in unison with many other groups and individuals and we are looking forward to join hands with them’.

‘We are trying to move people’ says Shazad. ‘We want them to understand the connection between VAW and different health-hazards that the women are facing including HIV and AIDS.’

SWO activities are innovative, yet participatory on several counts. ‘Our activities would mobilize men and male youth (future men) by enhancing their awareness about VAW situation, its types, impacts and means of eradication including understanding of their roles. We would also build capacities of a group of representative men from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) which are not currently focusing /working upon women’s rights. It will sensitize them against VAW issues and initiate a change process in their organizations’ policies and functioning’. says Shahzad.

Through its training component SWO seeks to fill the void of interaction between gender specialists and those who are routinely blamed as perpetrators of subtle but routinely practiced forms of violence against women like private transporters, shop keepers, lower-level public servants including clerks, messengers and guards posted at public/private offices etc. It would invite representative organizations from such areas of public interaction and raise their consciousness about how women are being subjected to gender-related violence in daily occurrence; and how they can protect women from harassment and fears by changing their attitudes and practices.

But it will not be just talk. There will be colours too. SWO intends to provide creative means of expression to young boys and girls, aged 13 to 16 years, in Karachi and Rawalpindi or Islamabad to illustrate the situation of VAW in the society. ‘Through poster competitions, we would try to understand how growing minds are looking at things. It would be another kind of expression that involves more intense feelings and appeal’.

The Organization has developed special messages and materials for this year’s campaign. These would be sent out to thousands of people to mobilize them and invite them to join the movement. ‘There is no better time to raise the issue of VAW in the society. We have lost many precious lives due to inaction and apathy. Those lives should have been saved’ says Shahzad Iqbal. ‘But all is not lost. We know, our people have the strength to move mountains. It’s just a question of reaching out to them. And we are reaching out. We are certain; it is going to turn out good.’

SWO Activities for the Campaign

‘16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence’ 2009

  • Two Debate Competitions with 250-300 youth about women’s rights and impacts of VAW (one each in Karachi and Rawalpindi or Islamabad)
  • Two Poster Competitions with 250-300 youth on VAW (one each in Karachi and Rawalpindi or Islamabad)
  • Two Trainings Workshops with groups of men from Civil Society Organizations which are not currently focusing upon women’s rights (one each in Karachi and Rawalpindi or Islamabad)
  • 16-Day Campaign over the Internet for mass-awareness and information dissemination through SWO website, international social networks, local and foreign blogs and email-based groups in Urdu/English language
  • 16-Day Campaign through SMS to mobilize hundreds of people through especially developed slogans and text-based messages in Urdu and English languages.

Sunshine Welfare Organization (SWO) is a registered, non-profit organization with the mission to ensure justice and equality of opportunity to the disadvantaged and underserved people, to empower them to become productive members of the society. It believes that sustainable development would only become a reality when a democratic, free and accountable society is established. The Organization envisages a culture where decision-making processes are inclusive and participatory; and benefits are shared with everyone in an equitable manner.

For information about SWO and its activities, please visit www.swo-pk.org

To help support this campaign, if you are a blogger or a website owner you may display any of the three banner graphics posted below with a link back to either this cause’s facebook group or to the SWO website listed above. So lets do it people, lets “take back the tech” for battered women in Pakistan!!!

The code you should put in your sidebar is below, you may alter it for your own site if you wish.

<p>
<a href=”http://apps.facebook.com/causes/405923″ title=”Take back the tech”><img alt=”Take back the tech” src=”http://deadpanthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/banner01.gif” style=”margin:3px 0;” /></a><br />
</p>

16641_189252465702_661335702_3524636_6429553_nqkJbanner01

Filed Under: Karachi, Making a difference // Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Fighting back!!

Posted on November 22, 2009 //

The recent conditions of the country and the blast in the “Islamic university” in Islamabad as well as the direct threats to different schools have forced education to come to a standstill here in Karachi. At present after holding meetings with the parent bodies the schools have decided to remain closed for a few days and make security arrangements after which they will open up again. In fact by the time you are reading this barring something horrible and unforeseen, things should have gone back to the routine, but will it ever be the same for our kids again?

First of all closure and then opening up does not have that much of an effect on student psyche, what has a profound impact though is studying behind 10 foot walls, barricades and barbed wire. That feeling of the school turning from a focal point of “fun” to “that creepy place with guard dogs” is not something we should take lightly. Our wards will now always associate life in Pakistan with before and after that blast when they grow up. It is what we call a watershed moment in our history.

People at best tend to be dismissive and ignorant until the effects fall on their way of life and so it was in this case as well. When first women’s and then other schools were shut down in SWAT and Malakand did any of us urbanites blink an eye? No we were too busy deciding the theme of our next birthday bash or whatever was more important then “that war up north” The same people however are now holding PTA meetings by the minute and thinking of opening up alternate schools in their homes so as to continue on without a hitch. Which are good ideas but then again only a temporary solution. Other people are considering sending their wards abroad or moving abroad themselves. Obviously people with resources to do that will always find that option attractive but we must remember that the outside world is really not that welcoming for our kind anymore, even with a different colored passport.

Basically all the free economies are tanking big time, which means recession and high unemployment, the U.S being the worst with its unemployment figure now at 10.2% the highest in 26 years. So this is hardly the time for a Pakistani to move and find a heap of gold at the end of the emigration rainbow. Secondly moving the kids to a different country may give us peace of mind for the moment, but it will certainly ruin the kid’s lives for the long term. They will lose not just their friends but the social structure they have been brought up in, unless at an infant stage and will be disconnected from what’s going on around them for sure. This can also help them in being easy prey for school bullies and even for abusers on premises. Hardly a situation any of us would welcome.

So what is it that we should do? Well first of all we should come to the realization that the war for Pakistan will now be fought out with the militants on our very streets. Supporting the army is not just good enough anymore, we are all part of this war now with our families whether we like it or not so the best thing to do is to get involved. How to do that can result in a varied set of solutions but I think the following steps will suffice.

a) Organize neighborhood watch committees. Rather than just relying on security guards and chowkidar the time has come for us to all keep an eye peeled for suspicious persons moving around. I am not advocating taking the law into our own hands but we can at least remain vigilant and check people loitering around our communities, if they have a reason for being there that’s fine but if not we can walk away and report the matter to the correct authorities. This must take place because Karachi’s police force is around 23000 by last count, so they are vastly outnumbered and its time the citizens pitched in.

b) We must also stop sending our kids to the schools with drivers and maids and even alone in vans, I know it may seem implausible but one parent must accompany these kids to school and back no matter what, small kids in groups are easy targets for people in the open and they must have proper escorts. What better escorts then the parents? We can perhaps manage to do this on a weekly volunteer basis. This will also reduce the threat from unwanted elements slipping inside the schools or till the school gate in the guise of escorts or drivers.

c) Besides the barbed wire and the guards we must also engage the property brokers around our residential communities and perhaps keep a list on what is available for rent and who is moving in. I am not suggesting discrimination here but normally all over the world when renting a house the broker is required to obtain a certain set of documents which are often ignored when the lure of chunks of cash comes into play in Pakistan. This has to stop because we are putting our own lives at threat and thus the residents must point out these things. We can also enforce these rules by taking the CPLC into the process of renting a space ala a no objection certificate from the community being the first requirement and so on.

d) Last but not the least we must talk to our wards and let them know what is going on. Not talking and leaving things ambiguous can lead to schoolyard gossip which is usually an exaggerated version of reality. Gory details are not necessary but the kids should have a firm grasp on what is threatening them and why, so that god forbid if the unforeseen happens they are mentally prepared for it and do not freeze but follow the drills being taught now in most institutions.

Fleeing the coop might seem inviting, but remember this country is still what we make of it. It is time we started taking onus for things and staring the forces of darkness in the eye or else they will never stop, Pakistan may just be the beginning, the same threat can spread to where we choose to move very quickly.

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As published in “The Friday Times” on 20th Nov 2009

Filed Under: Karachi, Published Articles // Tagged: , , ,

Parathas for Peace

Posted on November 18, 2009 //

For the last 2 years Pakistan has been in a deep barrel of something smelly. I’m not saying this lightly, because as a resident of this great abyss of morality called Pakiland I have personally experienced a change in my life from a carefree one to one where even the drive path home has to be changed due to traffic, or bombs, or protests, or bombs are you following me so far?

funny-muslim-protestors001-1Not just that but due to the war we are fighting with these militants, bearded or otherwise we have become news junkies, we are scared of doing the simplest things that get a person pleasure without looking over our shoulders and we have lost sight of what our goals were on a person to person basis. Basically we are all operating in a circle of fear and mistrust of everything and anything around us.

All this while our media operates like the corner shop sweet meat stall and tries to sell us everything under the guise of “free and fair reporting” well we all know how free and fair it is when talk show hosts drive seven series BMW’s in a country where 90% of the people still do not have a car. Where everyone from political leaders to so called social media evangelists and political activists are called to give their coiffured views on the subject of the hour but the common man is never in the picture.

Still there is a sure fire way to win this grand war of all wars and it’s been staring us in the face for a long time. It’s not about more guns or bombs or strategy, it’s about strategy but of a different kind. We simply need to stop the supply of Parathas and chutney from Pakistan. Wait don’t call the men in the white coats yet!! Hear me out good people!!

Pakistan and specifically the pakthun part of it are adept at producing the fluffiest layered parathas In existence today. Proof of this can be found at your neighboring dhaba at any hour of the day or night; one takes a bite of these parathas and is addicted for life!! Heroin is child’s play in front of this monstrosity specially when had first up in the morning with a piping hot cuppa. Now someone explain to me how the Guerrillas are fighting the war against our huge army so well? It’s because they have all had about 4 of these parathas for breakfast dammit while our hoity toity army is lumbering about swat on eggs and toast!!! You cannot win a war on toast, just ask the English they’ve all bloody switched to curry from marmalade in the morning because they have finally realized what the 1857 war for independence was all about. The sepoys were well fed on home made curry and naan and they kicked English arse all the way back to Birmingham!!

dibba roti 033This fact was even confirmed by one of my dear friends in the queen’s country, who reported that even their office xmas party had curry and naan instead of the usual Christian fare. Hah!! I say we have finally managed to conquer them all with our cuisine Why wouldn’t we anyway?? How exciting is stuffed turkey and roast quail in comparison to a piping hot plate of nihari or a steaming biryani from hades. In fact I think Biryani is the moral equivalent of a tart, who knows what she is doing with her man.

Not just this but do we realize the power at our disposal through these newly found super weapons? Forget Dr whatshisname khan and co, we have a great new way of ensuring aid without sucking up to all them MP’s. Instead of telling them we need money to fight your war we should tell them if you want our chutney with them poppadoms you better pay up now or the supply stops!! You got that right we can control the world through chutney, parathas and biryani!! Never mind those Indians who will claim that these are all their dishes, they don’t know a pau bhaji from a idli sambar anyways, boring vegetarian crybabies.

Just think, the world is at our feet but we instead of manipulating them from our tawas and tandoors we decide to bow our heads and say sirrrr sirrrr why I ask? Why? Can anyone in the U.S produce a better plate of pakoras then us?? No sir we make pakoras that melt in your mouth not in your hand and just for that we deserve to have the world financing our ill begotten wealth, our lazy lifestyles our blundering state dinosaurs and groveling at our feet for more.

So the next time someone from abroad asks you how we are going to win a war that has suicide bombers exploding in our faces and our army hunting rabbits in the mountains you just go ahead and put that plate of parathas in front of them, lets see if they can say anything after about 3 bites except mmmm.

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As published in “Ink” Peace issue Nov 09

Filed Under: Humor, Published Articles // Tagged: , ,

A silver lining?

Posted on November 17, 2009 //

The whole world seemed to believe for the last year or so that the Pakistani government was about to fall down in face of the incoming hordes.  By hordes I refer to the militants  which are battling our army these days in south waziristan and as reports filter in are proving to be a tough cookie to chew for the khakis right now. The Pak army has up to last weeks count around 31000 troops as well as 500 sgs commandos and gunships & fighter jets while the Taliban have 15000 men and more than 3000 foreign warriors in the form of uzbek, chechen and tajik jihadis battling it out with one another.

Our  mainstream media is still half apologetic, half mumbling its familiar drone of foreign hands and Indian/Israeli nexuses. Even now many of our religious leaders do not dare openly condemn the Taliban as it goes against their very ideology to do so.  Even now many talk show hosts are rambling on about how this is not “our war” and how we are being led by the scruff of our necks by amreekis to do as they please. They support this with various cockeyed theories about black water and so called secret bases as well as the main anti christ “The Kerry Luger Bill” Obviously a bill for non military economic aid to help the people of pakistan has to be the main culprit in the whole equation. Nothing exposed our own insecurities as much in this regard as that now famous panel discussion with the visiting secretary of state Ms Clinton and many of our media super stars. Where she was calm and engaging they chose to act like she had intruded upon a vipers nest and in the end were pretty much humiliated by her proposal for us to “not take the aid, if it upset us so much”

Nothing is new about any of this to a Pakistani. We have never had honesty from our media, where lifafa journalism rules rather than investigation based reporting. Rumors are circulated daily and when there is no news, channels make up news and report it as breaking to  set off chain reactions among the other channels waiting to dig up more angles, more breaking news and rehash the whole sodding thing down our throats in an information overload. Supposed to be the voice of Pakistan, when it counts playing to the galleries and acting like medieval gladiators is more important. Ratings matter more than lives. When questioned they often retort with “we have to live also”

However amongst all of this something important has changed.  This is the public opinion of Pakistan.  From a mixed up bag of “do we or do we not support the Taliban” to a “will they bring an Islamic system which could be good” to “oh my god they are monsters” after the recent long string of deadly suicide attacks all over Pakistan. We have all come to realize that sadly those painted as our possible saviors are the most deadliest threat we have faced in our 62 year existence.  More so than the not so friendly neighbors or the economic ills that continuously plague us as a nation. This perception shift in my opinion is where the Taliban have really and totally lost their war for Pakistan. Mind my words this is a war for the control of this country, whether anyone chooses to admit it or not, the militants will not stop at anything less than total annexation.  However at least I am certain now that this cannot happen!

To come to this conclusion one needs to first realize the basic premise that even though the khakis are having a tough time, 15000 men and a ragtag bunch of ex secret service from the Russian states are not going to lay siege and destroy a 700,000 man strong army in the long run. So the only way they can really cause damage to the state of Pakistan is through what they have been doing which is guerrilla warfare. Basically hit and run tactics which can let them use their strength in pin point suicide attacks and ambushes all over the nation. However to win a gurrilla war the militants must have the support of the local indigenous population which they had up till now. In fact I would venture so far as to say that they really lost the fight when the bomb attack happened in Peshawar’s meena bazaar last month.

When that blast happened and scores of women and children died the national effect was quite obvious, people suddenly had their eyes torn open from the quasi religious, shariat enforced dreams they were living in. They now realize that in order for Pakistan to remain and for all of us to survive we have to exterminate these militants once and for all. Upon this realization we suddenly woke up to shut down our schools and put barbed wire around them. “Not even our children are safe now” stays at the back of our minds these days as the noise against the drone attacks has now lulled to a distant murmur where at first there was a torrent of outrage.

The fact is that an average Pakistani will now do anything, to keep his or her family safe and if that means  collateral damage endured to get rid of this menace we are even ready for that. In fact I have come across many an educated individual talking about napalm strikes and smart nuclear bombs as a solution, which is I daresay pure lunacy to say the least. About 600,000 Pakistanis live in the area where the war is going on and even though rural, their destruction is not an option for our security.

That being said the national perception having turned the corner should ensure that the militants grand plan will never succeed now.  For even if somehow they manage to hold up against the army  they still have to face opposition by locals in the very areas they are based in and there is no way that they can run a quasi government while carrying on a war with our army. Consider Sri lanka or any place in the world where militancy has waged war for a long time. Once the locals united with the forces battling it, the militancy had to run for the hills.

Now if only our political leadership can cross the differences they have and unite to understand that we are all behind them, if they want to take us out of this mess once and for all. The corner has been turned and now we need leadership to guide us on the road to survival.

War will stop in time, right now Pakistan needs a champion.

Filed Under: Current Affairs, Day To Day, Politics in pakistan // Tagged: , ,

The Laidback show halloween clips

Posted on November 16, 2009 //

Filed Under: Humor, Karachi, Laidback Show // Tagged: , ,

“When I am creative, I am fearless”

Posted on November 14, 2009 //

Scan10046The city of Karachi has always been associated with a vibrant lifestyle and a tradition of good performing arts being available. Although not being the crucible of art such as Lahore, this city has still managed to attract quite a few “creative” people into its fold. On the 9th of November 2009 many of them got together again to bring to us the Shanaakth festival once more. The last Shaanakth festival had its share of problems and was closed early due to the controversy that befell it. However this time around both the venue and the organization seemed to be much more efficient and inviting.

There were photo exhibitions by Amean Jan and the Citizens archive as well as documentaries by artists and foundations like Mauj and Lowe and Rauf. This time around a vintage car collection was also on display throughout the 3 days of the festival called “Chalti ka naam Gaari” but the best were the evening events featuring a story telling event “meri kahanai meri zabani” and a play by Tehrik-e-Niswan Pakistan which is the brainchild of Sheema Kermani called “Rang badal do bhai”

This scribe had the good fortune to meet Sheema Kermani before the festival began and Scan10028was given an introspective look into the hard rehearsing going on for “rang badal do” as well as to her life and work. She is for all meanings of the word an artists, artist. Dedicated, passionate about her theater and classical dancing as well as the Tehrik, sheema come across with a big neon sign on the top of her head shouting “no regrets”. Her organization Tehrik-e-Niswan has been fighting for women’s rights and against the polarization of our culture for the last 30 years, and have still managed to put out a new theater performance every single year. In a society which is perhaps as un accepting of the performing arts as it was 30 years ago, in an environment like our country’s, sheema has managed to cause a gradual difference in the national psyche even if she is too humble to ever admit it. Leave aside the fact that our so called main stream media or corporate culture has shirked back again and again from supporting people like her, she still teaches, performs and works for her cause untiringly. In her own words

Art is about the betterment of a person and through that bettering our society, it is not about titillation or exposing ones body, classical art can never be vulgar

She is inspiring to say the least and could not care less about the material comforts of the life that could have been, as she chose this path of self realization many years ago. To me she is best described from a dialogue in one of her plays “When I am creative I am fearless”

Scan10030Rang Badal do Bhai is a satirical, commentary on our society and the way we shift with the times without giving any consideration to our values or traditions. We are chameleons and not for a good cause either. Following are the questions I put before its driving force, Sheema Kermani and the answers she candidly gave

1) When did you decide to join the Shankath festival and why? Were you concerned about security in lieu of what happened in the last one?
S: The first time we participated in the Shanaakht Festival was in 2007 when we were invited by them to perform our play “Jinnay Lahore Nahin Vekhya”. I believe that our play was one of the highlights of the Festival and it was very successful.

2) As a Kathak performer and teacher do you believe the art has sufficient outlets in this country and are the new generations willing to learn?
S : First of all I would like to clarify that I am not just a Kathak performer and teacher. I am a classical dancer and I teach many of the classical dance styles- Kathak being just one of them. It is important to understand that
Kathak is not the only dance style – there are many classical dance styles and I teach and perform them. Some of these are Odissi, Bharata Natyam, Manipuri and Kathak.
Perhaps I should add that I am the first person to introduce some of these forms in Pakistan. Odissi is my forte and there was no other dancer in Pakistan who knew this style. I went to India to learn it and have taught it to many students.
Yes there are many young people interested in learning classical dance, but like study of any classical form, it is an arduous and long journey. This is something that most people find difficult – they basically want to learn and become performers overnight. Perseverance, dedication and hard work are important for the classical arts – generally people here want ‘instant’ results.

3) Sheema Kermani is a name associated for a long time with classical dance as well as activism for women’s rights, how does that translate into plays and live theater? Do you feel that this sort of medium has enough reach?
S : Oh I am convinced that the Performing Arts are the most powerful medium that we have at our disposal to
move people’s minds and hearts and to convey messages about Human Rights. Yes I am a Women’s Rights activist and an artist who believes that art and artists play a definite role in society and history. If the artist is a thinking person, someone with intelligence, then her/his art must reflect the concerns of society. Art has no boundaries and can influence minds and hearts and move people to think, to reflect and even to try and change lives so that a better world can be created.

4) Tell us something about your current production being performed in the Shankath festival today and its goal.
S: The play that we have chosen to perform in this Festival this year is a play called “Rang Badal Lo Bhai”.
This play reflects both in a serious as well as in a humorous and hilarious way how we Pakistanis have become
like chameleons- we change our colors to suit the way the wind blows! So as the name of the play suggests the play is a satire on this characteristic. Of course it has moments of intensity and seriousness but they are broken with moments of wit, fun and humor. The play is in the ‘nautanki’ form, with a story teller and live musicians.
It spans the different phases of Pakistan, opening with 1947, turning pages of history, going through the various periods of Generals Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan and Musharraf.

5) In respect of the current trend with mujra style songs and dances even making it into our mainstream channels do you feel we have lost our prestige for an art like classical dance?
S: Yes I am sad to say that in spite of the number of TV channels there is not even one serious dance or music program on air. Though there is no censorship but the kind of dance and music that is shown on these channels
is ever so pathetic. Surely this is not our culture or our heritage! Why do these channels not want a good music and dance program? But then I feel that even the drama on television has deteriorated drastically. This is very sad because TV is a tool that can be so useful for education and propagation of good, serious and thought provoking programs.

6) The fact that the Shanaakth festival is free is not lost on our readers, they think it is a great step but in the end putting up theater costs money, do you think the economic model of shanaakth works with Tehrik E niswan?
S: Well unfortunately the arts especially the performing arts in Pakistan have not been able to find financial
support and that is the reason why they have not developed as they should have. We have to fight a constant battle to make people understand that we are professionals and need to be paid for what we do – ie provide good and meaningful entertainment. All over the world it is the corporate sector and the governments that support serious theatre and arts and we hope and which that those in power in Pakistan understand this now.

7) What would you say to the fact that some arts have been suppressed over time in our country like dance while others like singing are still flourishing?
S:  No I would not say that any classical art is flourishing in Pakistan. And this is a very sad state of affairs. I believe that our society will not move forward or develop in a positive manner unless we decide to support the art forms of dance and music. I believe that if we could dance and sing freely then there would be less people going towards violence and terrorism, because dance and music help to lift the soul and to make us better human beings.

8/ The Shanaakath festival is going to be for a limited number of days do you feel this is enough as seating for your play is going to be a finite number?
S: No certainly it is not enough. But they can only do what they can do. Of course we would like to go on performing for a hundred days, or better still a thousand days, but what can we do that? We can only try our best to do as much as possible in the given circumstances.

____________________________

As published in “The Friday Times” on 13/11/2009

Filed Under: Karachi, Published Articles, Random reviews // Tagged: , , , , ,

Shanaakth the return

Posted on November 9, 2009 //

The Shanaakth festival has returned to Karachi today, pleasantly so as the last time was too short to give the viewing public a chance to appreciate the effort put into this event. This time around the organizers have made sure to have proper security as well as keep a location which can be controlled far better than last time.

Right from the moment I arrived at the premises of Imperial gardens it was quite obvious that the management had gone all out to ensure that every visitor would get an experience to savor, from the valet parking outside (a much welcomed touch) to the metal detectors and closed off entrance which ensured one had little idea of what was going on inside. Upon entering I was faced with an astonishing display of the auditorium and the welcome desk itself, with luminaries from the cities past and present in gigantic posters adorning the auditorium front. This is where Sheema Kermani’s play “Rang badal do bhai” was  staged tonight to rip roaring applause

To the immediate right of this gorgeous auditorium was a green space laid out with chairs and a stage for the musical part of the program as well as an eating section with all sorts of food being prepared for the incoming afternoon/evening crowds. As today was Iqbal day and a public holiday many families headed to this art festival celebrating the art and culture of our nation. For the kids a separate activity center”The imagination station by CAP” complete with video tools to tell them the stories of our past as well as a wish wall was arranged. Equipped with patriotic zeal it was a treat to see what some of our nations younger lot had wished for.

“Me Marun ga tu Pakistan ki khatir” reading that note by a young kid made my heart soar, I remembered Sheema Kermani’s words from the gracious interview she gave me regarding this festival last week. She said ” art must touch the viewer” That interview will be printed in TFT next friday but what this kid wrote left me with a tear in my eye as I headed into the passageway leading to the photo and oral exhibits as well as the vintage car exhibit at the back of the festival area. Understandably so as some of those cars looked valuable, the pictures perhaps more so as some of them were very very old.

Obviously not satisfied with the blandness of the passageway’s the management had put murals on the walls and the information about “Shanaakth” and “CAP” were very useful visual aides as I stopped half a dozen times to admire the view and soak in all this atmosphere. Truly this festival has left no inch undecorated with really jaw dropping work.

As you turn the corner shown vividly below, you come across a parking lot type space, red carpeted and with mechanical legends on both sides of the carpet welcoming you the visitor to a world when style was king and value was a set of whitewall tires and the wind in your hair. This was Shanaakth’s homage to the road warriors of yester year “The vintage car collection” and it made my pulse beat, just a tad faster as I could see the long winding highway these beasts had traversed across in my minds eye.

Someone had given this a lot of thought, as the car exhibit takes you into yesteryear so fast that your mind is almost expectant of the trip down memory lane and leads into the first photo exhibit , I should call this  more of a poster exhibit or as Cap puts it “Sunehrey Sapney” a look at Pakistani cinema as it was in its glory days.

The rest of the photo exhibits include collections collected and donated by private individuals as well as foundations with sections given to the memory of a famed civil servant “Hashim raza” and a view of Karachi as well as of different karachiites through the lens of the maestro himself Amean Jan. Also in these enclosures are the  “Parvaz” and “New nation new freedom new responsibilities” exhibits curated by Zairah Maher and Shahana Rajani I could have taken pictures of  all of these but I did not want to, because they should be experienced as they were meant to be, by your eyes.

All in all a superb and diverse festival awaits anyone willing to take the time out for it, the first day is gone and only two more are left. I would recommend all of you to hurry and catch a glimpse of a side of us not often on show, plus its totally free folks!! What more could you ask for? A schedule? well here it is!!

Filed Under: Current Affairs, Karachi, Photoblogging, Random reviews // Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Laidback show, backstage drift

Posted on November 3, 2009 //

A month or so ago two bloggers mainly me and Awab sat down and talked of the shows we have been on, the purpose of amplification through mainstream media and then it hit us, in my case as it usually does a second later than the world.  Why do we need main stream media shows to focus on us? Why don’t we do our own show, bust the box as I put it not just think out of it but redefine the whole length breadth and width of it.

So where there was a national bubble of media exposure for us there is now a global one and this global bubble is achieved through a podcast. A podcast with no limits no boundaries no censors and just a teeny bit of decency involved to be a pioneer in this category. I say this category because there are, contrary to hyped up belief other pod casts from Pakistan out there. Jehan Ara does a magnificent one called “In the Line of the wire” but that’s mostly I/T related. Obviously it also has the backing of CIO which in its own means a professional setup, proper computers and software to edit on rather than the dingy flips and palm/cam dv tape nightmares we go through or the lack of experience we face while broadcasting.

Its been 5 episodes so far and we have pretty much suffered all there is to suffer in the podcast medium, going from weird sound to no sound to skipping sound not to mention the various titles and video grains we have burnt corneas over. Its now settled enough that we have a proper boom mic, although we still need to buy a new dv tape or two, in case you haven’t noticed the skips on the last episode. Plus we have gotten over the titles and the pranks via titling and learned to focus on content.

Speaking of which, we had a major breakthrough last week in lieu of one of the nations broadcast superstars Naveen Naqvi on LBS 5 with us. This I am dead sure has never ever happened before. A mainstream media talk show host featuring on an underground Pakistani podcast. The experience was a thrill!! To put it mildly it was a comedy show with two guys totally unnerved by her presence and fumbling around whilst one forgot to turn on the cam and the other forgot to put a new dv tape in etc etc. Even before she arrived we were kinda trying to breathe it in. If any one has ever spoken to naveen you would know what I am talking about, off air she is the most casual and easy going person but turn on the camera and the aura just increases tenfold and when you don’t have the same intensity or any intensity to speak off one feels more than a little jittery. I don’t know how dawn feels about her but I know the entire audience loves her professionalism, integrity and cutting edge involvement with the alternative media, or umm us.

Anyways we did that and managed to survive the hooting after the broadcast which I do think would have been off  a whole new level if she was not part of the show lol. Yes the fawning masses do come with a mute button. Since that event we have captured some of Karachi’s finest in different modes of dress or undress at a Halloween party and all that hilarious stuff should be part of an upcoming release or LBS 6. Yes we never ever think these things through… why should we? We have done so good so far without it eh?

So here are we, just two guys wanting the world to see a different side of Pakistan, a side perhaps in the future we can all be proud off. We are still open for donation of any pro equipment as well. So please make out the checks to my name and email me when you want to send them.

Oh did I forget to tell you that we do not take decisions on LBS on our own..oh no no no, aside from the various comments that come in and the twitterage there is also a “council” a secret blackberry messenger group with 4 secret members/hooligans on it that vets everything. It is this council that shall soon take over middle earth…err wrong story.. err anyways.

Do also remember, that the LBS show is your show, meaning all of you bloggers and tweeters from Pakistan or anywhere linked to this nation. So your support and feedback is never forgotten or taken lightly!!

To shutting my mouth and beyond!!

Filed Under: F.K's Life, Laidback Show // Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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