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It happened in a matter of seconds. Before we knew it, a stranger clad fashionably in a pair of jeans, T-shirt and a hat opened the back door of our car, got inside, pulled his gun out and asked dad to drive. At a corner he was joined by his crony. The only other people in the car were dad and younger sister; one was driving while the latter was seated in the passenger seat. Both men very politely asked us to hand over our wallets and our cellular phones. We were officially being robbed at gunpoint. Rewinding to how we got there, my younger sister and I had gone to the airport to pick up our father. He had just concluded one of his journeys and was coming back to the homeland via a flight from Dubai. After picking him up, we were turning down the street from Sharea Faisal towards home when two motorcycles behind us crashed into each other. The only other vehicles on the road were a white Mehran, which was on our left, and a black Corolla in front of us.
A man got out of the Mehran and slapped one of the riders. We were shocked. We stopped, as did the black Corolla in front of us, and dad unlocked the car doors so he could step out to see what was going on. And that is when it all happened. Interestingly, the motorcycle riders and the Mehran cleared the road seconds later. It was all a set-up.
The road on which this happened is manned by a pair of policemen who, very conveniently for the robbers, weren’t at their positions when the incident occurred. However, they did appear soon after we were robbed.
While in the car (I was sitting at the back with the robbers, one of the guns rested on my left leg) we cooperated and gave up our wallets and mobiles. The robbers were nice enough to only pick out the cash from the wallets and return them to us – saves us the hassle of cancelling credit and identification cards and other documents.
At a certain point, in the middle of a busy street surrounded by hospitals, dad parked the car and asked the men to leave, since they already had what they had come for. Then he started yelling, more than the robbers, that upset my sister who started crying and begged dad to calm down. Interestingly, the robbers were waiting for their ride to pick them up. In order to placate dad, they returned our cellular phones!
They asked dad to relax and asked me whether they had behaved badly with us. I responded with a quick ‘no,’ careful not to look them in the eye. Unlike my sister, my mind had gone into pilot-mode, I didn’t feel a thing. I still don’t feel the expected shock people keep talking about.
Taking the car keys, the robbers left. My sister and I walked home while dad stayed with the car. Accompanied by a neighbour, my mother went with the spare key towards dad and to register a report with the local police station.
The news swept like wildfire among family and friends and pretty soon we were inundated with calls by well-wishers, some of whom had shared similar experiences. What was disturbing to note was the similarity in the stories that they shared. In one, a family of eight was returning from the airport after performing Haj. As is customary in some families, they had bought a lot of gold jewellery on their trip. Soon after leaving Sharea Faisal, they were cornered by a small group of men who threatened them with guns and then robbed them.
In another incident, a couple was returning from Canada after attending their son’s graduation ceremony. They managed to get home safely somewhere in Defence, but that’s where their safe passage ended. They responded to an immediate knock on the door and were confronted by a man and a woman pointing guns at them, who searched the house for valuables and apparently knew which country the couple had just flown in from. They abducted the couple and hours later, left them stranded on a road in Gulshan-i-Iqbal.
All these incidents began at the airport. There are apparently groups of robbers keeping an eye out for all the passengers leaving the venue since they expect them to carry valuable gifts for their friends and family, especially those flying in from foreign locations. Once considered to be a safe place, the airport has been targeted as a place for selecting victims in the manner of a watering hole in the African jungle, where carnivorous predators pick their prey.
Another odd thing about the robberies has been that those committing the crime seem to come across as regular, educated, college-going individuals: they dress nice, talk well – they don’t fit the stereotype.
Instead of lamenting the lack of security being provided to citizens, all I can say is: please keep your car doors locked at all times and don’t make an attempt to help anyone who’s seemingly caught up in a roadside quarrel. Call the police. They’re bound to arrive… at some point.
KARACHI: With an ensemble of vintage cars greeting the guests at the entrance and a hallway draped in black and cream, Style 360, a local fashion channel, was recently launched at a ceremony in Karachi, held at the Expo Centre. The event was hosted by long-time model Vaneeza Ahmed, who is also heading the channel.
Kicking off the event was a display of acrobatics by a foreign troupe that was flown in for the event. They wowed the audience with their ability to manipulate their body on a circular trapeze, climb and tumble through long, white sashes of fabric from a height of at least 40 feet and also, with their ability to balance and yet change position while supporting each other just with their hands, shoulders and feet.
A fashion event is never complete without collections being showcased. One of the designers who showed that night was Hasan Shehryar Yasin (HSY) from Lahore, who also choreographed the event. His collection very strongly carried his signature design of keeping long shirt lengths and over-the-top embroidery and embellishments.
Iman Ahmed from the Body Focus Museum, a somewhat reclusive designer, made a rare appearance on the ramp. Her collection, which was limited to a colour palette of cream, white and black with occasional red thrown in, was dominated by layers upon layers on at least the skirts of the opening three outfits. Her expertise in knotting and minimalism was also visible. She wore the currently in-vogue keffiyeh when taking her bow on the ramp.
Nomi Ansari, a designer known for his colourful (literally) collections also showed that night. His models broke the ramp by appearing in headgear through which colourful lights shone. Umar Sayeed, the only other veteran designer showing that night, also wowed the audience with his collection. He also stuck to a colour palette of black, white and deep maroon. He was also the only designer to showcase saris in his collection.
The surprise of the event was perhaps the last showing of the evening. Shahzad Raza from the photographer duo Ather-Shahzad, who does the hair and make-up for their shoots, showcased his hair and make-up dedicated to theatre. The outfits were designed by his brother, Mehdi. Unfortunately, it failed to appeal and only invited criticism from those present. The models sported over-the-top wigs and headgear, which was in direct contrast to the concept of showcasing his expertise in doing hair.
Also, the looks shown did not seem to gel with each other and overall, the showing was far from being a tribute to theatre. The event concluded on that note.
KARACHI Aug 16: Featuring a cast of seasoned actors who haven’t performed on stage for around 22 years, Habib Mamoon, an adaptation of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, will open at the Arts Council here on August 24. A tragicomedy, the play is directed and produced by Zia Mohyeddin and the adaptation has been done by Zahida Zaidi.
It is being presented by The Citizens Foundation (TCF) in collaboration with the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa).
Habib Mamoon is set in pre-partition Lucknow, which the organisers and the cast of the play believe will make it more relevant to local audiences.
The cast includes Rahat Kazmi who will be playing the lead role, Arshad Mahmud as the ailing professor Kalimuddin, Talat Hussain, Zaheen Tahira, Jehanara Hai and will feature the theatre debut of Aymen Ali.
Rahat Kazmi said that he considers Chekhov’s plays as having a universal appeal, transcending cultural and time-specific boundaries. He also stressed upon the fact that the story-line was very complex and would require serious attention while it is being performed.
The cast, all of whom are well-known television personalities and renowned for their theatrical skills, will be coming together on stage after a 22-year gap.
About performing after such a long time Rahat Kazmi said he was concerned about not being equipped with the same energy and memory as he was during his younger days.
Arshad Mahmud simply commented that after having spent a considerable period critiquing other peoples’ performances, they shouldn’t rob themselves of the pleasure of receiving some criticism in return.
Opening at the Arts Council on Aug 24, the play will run for a full 10 days with the final performance on September 2.
The proceeds from the play will go to TCF.
KARACHI, Aug 14: The fourth and final day of the Shanakht Festival on Tuesday was marked by the screening of a classic film, a storytelling session and a rock concert. The festival, organised by the Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP), was held at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi.
The 1950s classic film Ishq-i-Laila provided an interesting insight into the cinematic style predominant in the early stages of our film industry. The storyline and antiquated, exaggerated acting style invited a lot of laughter from the audience, even though it was not meant to be humorous.
Another interesting aspect of the day was the interactive ‘Meri Kahani Meri Zabani,’ event where speakers shared their stories about partition and where the audience asked them questions at the end of the session. The guests for Independence Day were Admiral (retd) Hasnain, one of founding fathers of the Pakistan Navy, and Nabi Ahmed Khan, police officer in pre-partition Delhi. They kept the audience captivated in a session which lasted roughly over an hour, as the audience was given a firsthand account of incidents revolving around partition and a personal insight to people responsible for giving us Pakistan, such as Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
The Shanakht Festival concluded with a concert titled ‘Rock Your Shanaakht,’ which saw performances by bands such as Taal Charisma and the Aunty Disco Project as well as Ali Alam and Islamabad-based Zeb and Haniya to a packed auditorium.
Meanwhile, the third day of the festival on Monday featured the screening of two documentaries: Mark Tully’s Face of India, in which he showed the remnants of the British colonial Raj in India, and Stones of the Raj, narrated by noted historian William Dalrymple. Tully’s film focused on India’s bureaucratic system while the second documentary was more focused on the monuments and the railroad system constructed during the Raj.
However the event that most marked the third day was the Anwar Maqsood and Moin Akhtar stage performance of Loose Talk, their popular television show. Using Pakistan and the diverse kind of individuals that inhabit it as a theme, the show was a huge hit, inviting laughter and applause from the audience in the fully-packed auditorium. On popular demand, Moin Akhtar was asked to do an encore performance, which he did, embodying the character of a Bengali man. They both received a standing ovation at the end of the performance.
They CAP team plan to make the Shanakht Festival an annual event around Independence Day.
KARACHI, Aug 12: A play titled Jinnay Lahore Nahin Vakhya kicked off the four-day Shanaakht Festival at the Arts Council here on Saturday. The festival will conclude on Independence Day.
Organised by the Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP), the festival features photo and art exhibitions, documentaries, plays and talks centred on the theme of identity.
Jinnay Lahore Nahin Vakhya, performed by Sheema Kirmani and the Tehreek-i-Niswan group, played to a packed auditorium. The story centres on a real-life incident in post-partition Lahore of a family who migrates from Lucknow.
After having spent several months in refugee camps they are allotted a house, which they later discover is occupied by the matriarch of the previous Hindu family that lived there. She refuses to leave and while she is there, the ownership of the house cannot be transferred to the new occupants.
The play sees them adapting to an amicable life together, but they are confronted with trouble from the neighbourhood thugs who object to the old woman’s presence on the basis of her being a non-Muslim.
The play was well-received and the cast and crew were given a rather long standing ovation.
On Sunday, the second day of the festival, documentaries such as The Last Days of the Raj and Beyond Partition were screened in the auditorium. A storytelling session by Hameed Aliani (grandson of the Jam of Lasbela) and Haji Isa was also held in the courtyard.
But the event that marked the second day was a talk held by Ayesha Tammy Haq, in which she invited six other guests, out of which five showed up.
What was heartening, other than the personal accounts of the guests themselves, was the participation of the audience towards the discussion where some asked questions and others shared their opinions on partition as well as other aspects related to it.
During the remainder of the festival documentaries such as Mark Tully’s Face of India and Stones of the Raj will be aired, while a storytelling session by Anwar Maqsood and Moin Akhtar will also feature.
Founded by documentary film-maker and journalist Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, CAP consists of Sarah Taher Khan, Omar Rahim, Amean Jan Mohammad, Durriya Kazi, Minal Rahimtoola, Sabeen Mahmud and Altaf Qureshi.
15X4: Tapu Javeri, Amean J, Izdeyar Setna & Arif Mahmood
Four of the most well known names in photography are coming together in an exhibition, titled “15X4”, which opens today at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture art gallery. The exhibition will remain on display till Thursday April 19, 2007. The photographers of choice are Amean J, Arif Mahmood, Izdeyar Setna and Tapu Javeri. The exhibition centres around each of them photographing a list of fifteen subjects, mutually selected by the photographers themselves.
The subjects include perhaps Pakistan’s most famous social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi, the queen of Sufi music Abida Parveen, Dr. Adeeb Rizvi from the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, our very own Ardeshir Cowasjee, one of the most well known musicians in the music industry Ali Azmat, one of the country’s leading architects Arif Hassan, the popular cross-dressing talk show host Begum Nawazish Ali, the CEO of Dawn Newspaper Hameed Haroon, book author and the Minister for Education and Literacy Hameeda Khuhro, one of Pakistan’s original super models Iraj Manzoor, cricket legend Javed Miandad, the first lady of the fashion industry Maheen Khan, the controversial yet entertaining actress Meera, Kathak dancer par excellence Naheed Siddiqui and one of the most well known sculptors in Pakistan, Shahid Sajjad.
This is by far a first artistic collaboration by a team of photographers or a group of visual artists in Pakistan. The exhibition aims to show the different perspectives of the same individuals that each photographer carries and the results are interesting.
Ali Azmat for example, Ali Azmat by Arif Mahmood is very different from the rock star persona he portrays in front of the camera and is portrayed as somewhat of a rebel or the trouble maker who lives next door.
Begum Nawazish Ali by Tapu Javeri is another favourite as; in one photograph he manages to capture the femininity and the graceful masculinity that the Begum and Ali Saleem encapsulate in one character while also depicting the glamour that Begum is known for personifying.
Naheed Siddiqui by Izdeyar is almost mystical as she, in a blur of red, holds out her hands as if to embrace while dancing.
Amean J manages to capture Ali Azmat with a secret smile playing on his lips while his interpretation of Hameed Haroon displays the otherwise self-assured Red Baron in a moment of uncharacteristic vulnerability that his expression displays, as if it crossed his face for a moment and had been captured.
The exhibition has managed to generate controversy even before it has opened, with the administration of the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture finding a photograph of Meera by Tapu Javeri a little inappropriate.
According to Tapu, “There was no objection initially, the gentleman running the gallery saw all the photographs, he first asked me about (the photograph of) Begum Nawazish being (half) naked and I said ‘She’s a boy’ and he said that’s okay and that was the end of the story”, continuing further Tapu said, “in the morning I got a phone call from one of their committee members, who said ‘your picture about Meera needs to be edited and censored, do you have another copy of a different picture? We find that objectionable because her legs are showing’. Initially I was taken aback and I told them ‘I’ll do something; I’ll edit it or crop it or something’.
“When I came, here and saw the picture again and thought ‘this is nothing’ so all of yesterday they debated and I kept fighting my case saying, ‘there is nothing wrong with this. Your school is a liberal school and an art school and it shouldn’t be censoring. Second of all, it’s a commercial gallery, if it’s not in your clause that you will censor the art then you can’t censor this, you shouldn’t’”
In the morning before the exhibition, however, Tapu claims to have gotten an epiphany and, according to him, “I came here (at the gallery) and I told the gentleman who runs the gallery that I’m going to censor it by taking a marker and hiding her legs like they do in film posters and he thought it was a great idea.
I pulled the picture out of the frame, cross-hatched it, I first wrote ‘censored by IVS’, then I decided that would be too nasty, so I cross hatched it completely and hid that away, I showed it to the principal and he was very sorry, very apologetic and suggested that maybe I should put the original? And I said, ‘No, now it’s censored and it’s going to be like this and I’m not going to bother making another one’ hence there is a controversial picture of Meera, which was never controversial to begin with and that’s that” he finished, with a hint of amusement.
The photographers plan to publish a book containing the photographs sometime in the future.
-written as Band Baji
KARACHI: The Commune Artist Colony – home to the increasingly popular Yousuf Bashir Qureshi – recently played host to a reading by some of the best in Pakistani theatre namely Ayesha Alam, Nadia Jamil, Atiqa Odho, Umbreen Butt, Raaheen Mani, Anna Bertmar Khan and marked the theatre-debut of radio personality Munizeh Sanai. The play of choice was Neccessary Targets by Eve Ensler, a writer known for her provocative writing in both novels and plays. Neccessary Targets is about two women, one a self-titled Trauma Therapist, played by Sanai, and the other a New York psychiatrist played by Khan who travel to a refugee camp in Bosnia to study the effects of the war on the women there.
Other then the powerful storyline, what was interesting to note was how the characters in the play itself evolved. From the aged woman who suffered through the occupation of her village, to the preppy young girl who was trying to come to terms with what the war meant in itself, each character revealed what the war had left them with, gradually and in their own space within the play itself.
The set was simple; the costumes were all black with the mood of the scene being reflected by alternating the lighting. This left one to concentrate more on the content of what was being said rather then what was being graphically displayed. What was interesting to note however, was that at the end of it all, the ‘doctor’ in the play seemed to integrate and become a part of the ‘victims’.
It seemed to show that at the end of it all, one is not different from the other no matter where he or she may be. The cast, though consisted of strong personalities, seemed to live through the characters realistically enough to render their stories to life during the play.
