DIARY OF A SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

I think so Prince William, (oho Queen ka grandson) he's turned out to be completely beghairat. Look at him. This trashy French magazine takes photos of his wife Kate Middleclass in topless and actually prints them and he can't do a thing about it. Beghairat! If you ask me, he shouldn't look left, he shouldn't look right. He should go straight away and burn down the French embassy in London to punish that French photographer and that dirty French magazine. And if he can't burn down the embassy then at least he should burn some French restaurants and if he can't even burn the French restaurants then he should go to Harrods and burn down the Chanel ka counter and beat up the make-up girls who serve behind it (never mind if they're English or Polish or even God forbid Pakistani - it will serve them right for doing naukri of Frenchies).

And I think so Prince William should also burn tyres and disrupt traffic in front of Selfridges and Harvey Nicholas for stocking Dior, YSL, Givenchy and other French brands. He should also stop anyone driving a Renault or a Citrong and drag them out of their cars and beat them up before setting fire to their cars. He should beat up all the schoolchildren who study French in England and set fire to their text books. He should teach everyone who has anything to do with France, such a lesson, such a lesson that not even their grandchildren will forget.

Mein tau kehti hoon, Prince William should even come to French Beach in Karachi and burn the sea over there also. He should show the French who's who and what's what, no? Everyone will do so much of wah wah of him and have so much respect for him after that. Vaisay, I think so it was totally beghairat of him to sue the magazine in French courts when he could be stroking anger outside. I mean, is he a man or a mouse? And also I'd like to ask why hasn't the British army's top ka General come out and complained to French ka Army Chief kay bhai why you have abused our Sovereignty, haan? I heard with my own ears Janoo saying that one day Prince William will be Sovereign of England and so Kate will be Sovereignty. Printing her nangi photos are obviously violation of British Sovereignty and William kay liye doob marnay ka maqaam hai if you have a ghairatmand perspective on life like us type of the people.

I tau just don't understand these William type fazool chooha types. And look at the French! This is the thanks they give to the English for liberating them from the Germans in World War II? And if you say anything to them aagay say they shrug and say, 'Say la we!' What cheeks!

Courtesy THE FRIDAY TIMES

HAND-KNITTED SWEATERS: A SYMBOL OF LOVE NO MORE INTACT

MAHTAB BASHIR
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
ISLAMABAD

I still remember that warm pink sweater my Grandmother knitted for me when I was a 9th grader. Though, Granny is no more around me, but this colourful sweater with all its warmth definitely is - reminding the affection and love of my Grandmother every winter. Khadija, a 27-year-old student while remembering her beloved Grandmother, said sweater knitting was no more a part of existing fashion because of a number of readymade products available in the market, but all readymade sweaters, cardigans, zippers, pullovers, uppers and jackets could not match the love of handmade product produced with love.

Often considered a mere pastime or hobby, knitting is actually much more than this but, unfortunately, with the usage of top technlogical gadgets hand-knitting also becomes a 'victim' of an onslaught of technology.

Knitting is a form of art. The different techniques used to make knitted pieces are truly extraordinary, let alone that beautiful, warm, fuzzy feeling they give afterwards, both literally and figuratively.

The tradition of knitting was widely practised around ten years ago, when mothers, grandmothers and aunts would do the exercise for their loved ones. Carrying the knitting kits with their assorted pins and needles and beautiful balls of wool, whether they were experts or just did it as a hobby, they used to sit for hours making chequered sweater vests for their husbands, children or grandchildren.

Although not as easily to be found as they once were, there are still ways to get your hands on quality wool. As always, the wool balls are found almost in every main market of the federal capital, while it is much easier to find it at old wool shops in Rawalpindi. They sell wool by ounce, and the colours are bright and delightful - golden yellow, tomato red, bright green, gleaming white - instantly attracting you to them. Home-knit sweaters retain an adorable quality with their fluffiness, making the cute toddler wearing them all the more susceptible to some through cuddling.

The craft has faded over the years due to a lot of reasons, one of them being the scarcity of shops selling wool. Schoolteacher Attia Imdad, who has held on to the forgotten tradition, told this scribe how and when she first learnt knitting, she used to have access to the best wools to make sweaters with. ABC wool was her favourite. She gave some other reasons why, in her opinion, this wonderful form of art might have died down.

She has seen the practice of knitting decline as the generations have passed, especially as women and girls get busier in their day-to-day lives. Working ladies have almost no time to sit back and knit after a hard day of work and suffering through the rough traffic, Attia says.

Of course, we must also take into consideration that we live in a country with mild weather where winter does not stay too long.

Attia said when she used to live in a cooler country, like Zimbabwe, she used to spend most of her time knitting perfect little sweaters for her family members. But now buying the funky, trendy sweaters and jackets from local markets where a wide range of items would probably be one’s first choice. “However, knitting a lovely cardigan for yourself every now and then would not only make others appreciate your hard work, you’ll feel proud of yourself too,” she said smilingly.

Attia also loves experimenting with her wool and designs on every chance she gets, accentuating the hint of affection that makes her gifts ever so admirable to everyone who receives them. “Knitting allows the artist the scope to experiment by striking new designs trying new colour combinations whether it be striped or checked, adding sequins, lace, beads, buttons and ribbons, or anything your fashion sense dictates,” she said.

The craft of knitting is not that difficult to master. You need to learn the technique, which puts your hands in a particular flow. Attia also talked about how knitting doesn’t even need much concentration. “All you need to do is get your hands into a rhythm. I had learned to knit from one of my friends’ mother. When I used to see aunt’s work and the products of her toil, I was intrigued. I then asked her to teach me and thus learned to knit at a very young age and have been doing it ever since,” she explained.

Of course, many women across the country are now among the working force and hardly have any time for even a proper meal throughout the day. But then again, there are mothers, daughters, grandmothers who can spare some time for their loved ones. When you get some free time and have nothing to do, you can always sit down and get knitting.

With chilly winter knocking at the door, why not open the gates and welcome it with some cosy, warm wool and your favourite knitting kit? But only if you have the time for your loved ones. HAPPY WINTER!

PAKISTANIS EASY VICTIMS OF DIABETES DUE TO DIETRY HABITS

MAHTAB BASHIR
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
ISLAMABAD

My mother was tested positive for diabetes, incidentally after a urine test. That was about ten years ago, and since then she, like so many other people with diabetes, became obsessed about her blood sugar level. Her doctor warned her to control it or the consequences could be dire and that she might end up blind, lose a leg, get kidneys failure and so on. Twenty-nine years old Riaz Ahmed, the narrator of this short but sad story, said that since the diagnosis, his entire family had been trying hard not to lose their beloved mother.

“But neither all skills of Surgeons nor the prayers of Saints could survive her. My mother, then 63, began taking pills to maintain her blood sugar level and pricking her finger several times a day to measure her sugar level that, however, could not be controlled. Finally she agreed to add insulin to her medication,” Riaz added. He said they had been doing everything to control her diabetes but they overlooked the importance of keeping a check on her cholesterol level. And in the end, the cholesterol killed her, said Riaz while choking back his tears.

Every year, hundreds of diabetic Pakistanis go abroad in the hope of getting better treatment while the poor stay here and cope with the ailment with limited resources. And then there are others, who suffer because of poverty coupled with illiteracy, lack of health care facilities and awareness.

Besides this, wrong diagnosis and medical negligence also sometime contribute to the rise of diabetes-related mortality rate. This leads the public to not to trust medical professionals. Many patients complain that doctors avoid explaining as to what their ailments are or how they will be treated. For those who can afford it and those who manage to scrape up their savings or use whatever resources they have, opt for going thousands of miles away where they believe they will get the right treatment. In this scenario, the World Diabetes Day is going to be observed today (November 14) all over the world including Pakistan to increase an awareness about the effects of diabetes and its complications amongst the general population and professionals in a range of sectors.

It is also hoped that the increased awareness will lead to more resources to fight the causes of diabetes and help fund research into improved treatment options. The World Diabetes Day raises global awareness of diabetes, its escalating rates around the world and how to prevent the illness in most cases.

Initiated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and WHO, the day is marked on 14 November to observe the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, was instrumental in the discovery of insulin in 1922, a life-saving treatment for diabetes patients.

WHO estimates that more than 346 million people worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030 without intervention. Almost 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.

The World Diabetes Day campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation and its member associations around the world, including the American Diabetes Association, Diabetes UK, Diabetes Australia, the Canadian Diabetes Association, Diabetes South Africa, Diabetes New Zealand and the Diabetic Association of India. These organisations arrange events at international, national and local levels.

Conferences, workshops and seminars are held where health and public policy professionals discuss steps to control the disease. Events are covered in local and national media, including television, newspapers and internet publications to highlight the issue. Diabetes is no longer an unfamiliar disease. It is probably the most talked about ailment in Pakistan. Every year, the number of patients affected with diabetes is increasing. It is a chronic condition that arises when the islets of Langerhans cells of the pancreas fail to produce adequate amounts of insulin, a hormone that regulates the blood sugar level of the body.

Without insulin our body cannot utilise the energy it needs from food. The food that we consume is mostly turned into glucose, a form of sugar, to convert into forms of energy necessary for the body. Insulin enables our muscles and tissues to absorb glucose from the blood. When the body produces very little or no insulin, the sugar cannot be utilized. This can lead to abnormal blood glucose levels. High blood sugar levels can in effect damage the kidneys, the eyes, and the nervous system.

So, no matter how carefully patients try to control their blood sugar, they can never get it perfect - no drugs can substitute for the body’s normal sugar regulation. So while controlling blood sugar can be important, other measures also are needed to prevent blindness, amputations, kidney failure and stroke.

A medical specialist at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) said that Pakistan would be having 16 million people with diabetes with fourth number in the world. He said the warning symptoms of diabetes were weight loss, increased thirst, increased urination and weakness. He said anybody having these symptoms should get his or her blood sugar level checked.

He said a 30-minutes walk could reduce the occurrence of diabetes by 40 percent in a normal person. He said heart attack and stroke were some of the main complications and with progress of the disease life could become miserable for the patient. “Controlling the blood glucose prevents or at least delays complications. The factors leading to diabetes mellitus were obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, family history and background etc,” he added.

Japanese embassy gears up for cultural extravaganza

By Schezee Zaidi

The Japanese embassy has geared up for a thrilling and exciting cultural extravaganza in Islamabad to mark the 60 years celebration of diplomatic ties between Japan and Pakistan. From music recitals to book launching, film show to photograph exhibition and calendar display, the power of martial arts performance to elusive Ikebana demonstration, the list of cultural events starting on November 6 would carry on till March 2013, introducing vibrant Japanese cultural ensembles in Pakistan.

Talking about the Japanese cultural extravaganza to the media at an informal dinner meeting at his residence, Toshikazu Isomura, counsellor of the Public Affairs Department, Embassy of Japan, said the cultural arena always proves to be a stronger bond between the two countries, and the planned events aim to introduce Japanese culture to Pakistani friends in a vibrant way to bring the two peoples closer.

 

The Japanese cultural potpourri opens on November 6 with a joint musical recital by Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Oi and four Japanese musicians to be held at the Turkish embassy. The next is ‘The Spirit of Budo,’ an exhibition elaborating the history of martial arts in Japan, organised in collaboration with the Japan Foundation at the National Art Gallery on November 12.

The screening of Japanese films, ‘Kurosawa Movies,’ will open on November 9 and continue till November 14 at the National Art Gallery. Named after the great Japanese moviemaker, the Kurosawa film fest is a tribute to Akira Kurosawa, known as the most influential and important filmmaker in the history of cinema. Kurosawa directed 30 films in a dynamic career spanning 57 years.

The selected Kurosawa movies for screening include ‘The Hidden Fortress,’ ‘Seven Samurai,’ ‘Yojimbo,’ ‘Red Beard,’ ‘Sanshiro Sugata,’ ‘Sanjuro’ and ‘One Wonderful Sunday’.

The Japanese cultural fiesta also brings a unique book launching. The book titled ‘Surkh Phulon ki Sabj Khushboo’ is a compilation of literary works by Pakistani and Japanese literati. Compiled and edited by Khurram Sohail, the book also presents Urdu literary works of Japanese writers and also the translated works of Japanese literati, also done by Khurram Sohail. The book presents unique vision and views of Pakistani and Japanese literati as they look towards Japan through their literary eyes, touching the linguistic service of Japanese literati in upholding Urdu language and literature in Japan.

BASHIR HUSSAIN NAZIM: END OF AN ERA

WHEN A LIBRARY IS DESTROYED .......!

MAHTAB BASHIR

mahtabbashir@gmail.com
03335363248

"JAB SE MADDA-HE-HAZRAT (pbuh) HY WAZEEFA APNA

TAB SE IFLAAS MERAY GHAR SY PRESHAN NIKLA"!

 

Bashir Hussain Nazim with Majeed Nizami

With the Eid-ul-Adha on the edge, I am penning down my emotions and gut-feelings shared with my great father Bashir Hussain Nazim- immersed with love, dignity, honour and pride. I will miss my dad on Eid day, because of contrasting views on slaughtering of Bakra. I distinctly remember, last year on the Eid day when I planned to hire the services of a Butcher and after some time a Butcher stood at doorstep, father asked him whether he knows about Takbeer? A shake of his head in negative not only put that Butcher in deep trouble but gathered sheer mortification to me as well (not to mention what happened once the Butcher left :-). Later, father himself slaughtered the goat while we managed to handle the legs of that Bakra.

On a very serous note, I will miss my father more than words will ever allow me to express. He was my hero, the wise one I listened to and sought advice from, he was my medicine man when I was ill. My dad was the first man I fell in love with as a little boy and no man will ever fill his shoes nor will walk closely behind. I find comfort in his quick and painless passing but the sorrow will always be deep. He was a simple man- a Shalwar-Kameez type of grace.



My father, Allama Bashir Hussain Nazim was a self-taught person. A linguist personified, a naat khawan and naat composer at par, a staunch lover of Holy Prophet (pbuh), a passionate admirer of Iqbal and a true man of letters. 

Abbu with Ashfaq Ahmed, Bano Qudsia and Mansha Yad

I am blessed to have had such a wonderful man like he was. I was also blessed to be with him as he disappeared to meet his creator. As he entered home on the night of June 16 at 1130 hours, we found him in agonizing pain. I thought this pain was business as usual as he often asked me pointing towards his legs “ay phar yar merian lattan, daba zara, kafi dard ho riya ay”. As we started rubbing and massaging his legs, he felt suffocation along severe sweating. Without wasting time, we called a nearby physician, who had a quick examination and referred us to move him to hospital. And within few minutes, we were on our way towards CMH, Rawalpindi (of which Abbu wished to go, because of his son Brig. Dr Mukarram Bashir , who is working there). We reached there within 20 minutes. As we were covering the distance, I found father reciting holy verses and Darood-e-Pak (as he always found). During this drive, I was not panicked sensing it would be a normal check up. May be father is having food poisoning, may be its because of weakness, or a drip or two will definitely help him stand back on his feet, I thought (because father never told pain in his chest). As he was put on hospital’s bed and Mukarram Bhai along with two other doctors on duty engaged in the remedial process, I took a sigh of relief, left that spot and came outside in the car parking with the prayers on my lips. After 10-15 minutes I thought to go inside to know the updates- I found one duty doctor whispering with Mukarram Bhai, “we are doing the hospital’s procedural work and after that its upto you either you take the body along right now or at morning time.” This brief sentence was the most shocking I have ever heard throughout my life. I found a spot slipping away beneath my feet, literally. I yelled… “what are you talking about. I will see my father myself. I will treat him myself.” …and as I entered the ward, throw the curtain away… I found my beloved father wrapped in a white sheet. I hurriedly slipped the piece of cloth to see his face. He was smiling, and reciting Darood-e-Pak but his lips were not moving ……….!!! I hugged him tightly to confirm whether he is gone and in response he never produced a whisper, even. I only wished I would have hugged him longer and tighter a bit earlier on that blessed night of “Meiraaj Shareef”, and with the dawn of “Fathers’ Day”, had I known it was the last time his strong arms would hold me.

"SILSILA NAAT KA KIA KHOOB CHALA MERE BAAD
QABR PERHTI HY MERI- SALLE ALA MERY BAAD

NOOR-E-HAZRAT SE MERI QABR FAROZAN HO GI
US PE BARSY GI SADA NOOR GHATAA- MERY BAAD

TA ABAD SAYYED-E-ALAM KI SANA MEIN NAZIM
HO GI MATTI BHI MERI, NAAT SARA- MERY BAAD"! 



SACRIFICIAL ANIMAL- A THRILL FOR KIDS WHILE IT LASTS

MAHTAB BASHIR

ISLAMABAD

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

A sacrificial animal, for a grown up faithful, may be just a sombre offering from a man to his Creator but for children it is a welcome guest and a thrill while it lasts. With Eidul Azha just round the corner, groups of children can be seen everywhere in the city, showing off their sacrificial animals.

Children are very excited these days and they are having a great fun in walking with their animals, patting and caressing them, feeding them and adorning them with colourful leashes, reins, strings, ribbons, henna, and other little ornaments. Unaware of the exorbitant prices of sacrificial animals and their parent’s ordeal of buying them, children are just thrilled to have them around.

This scribe learnt on Thursday after a visit to the cattle market in H-11 that the prices of animals this year are three times higher than the previous year’s. Hence Eidul Azha, like Eidul Fitre can be called an event for the children since they are the ones who have the maximum fun on these holy days. Kids’ demand for sacrificial animals started as soon as August did. These days, they can be seen boasting about prices, colours and physical features of their animals. These children are just not contented to have their sacrificial animals; they do everything to make them look ‘beautiful’ too.

“I have purchased a few ornaments to decorate my goat that my father purchased spending Rs 30,000. Now, I have adorned my animal with reins of bright colours and silver ornaments for its neck and legs,” said Hamza, a youngster. These enthusiastic children dedicatedly perform all the chores related to their animals, which include arranging for their fodder, sheltering and taking them for a walk. Talha Shakil, 10, said he had to wait all year for Eidul Azha so that he could enjoy the company of his goat. “I love to take it for a walk,” he said. He said that he along with his friends would take their animals for a walk, preferably to some nearby meadow twice a day.

Another kid, Oheed Ahmed, said he preferred to go with his parents to select the animal of his choice, suggesting it should be beautiful enough to show off. “We friends have a sort of competition among us as to whose animal is more beautiful and healthy than others’,” he said. He said it was not easy to look on when one’s animal was being slaughtered. “It’s really hard to sacrifice them but it has to be like that,” he said. Although kids usually fail to collect much Eid allowances on this Eid but they feel compensated with the company of sacrificial animals.

Eidul Azha is celebrated annually on the 10th of the last Islamic month, Zilhajj, of the lunar Islamic calendar. The celebrations begin after the Hajj on the 9th, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide. On Eidul Azha faithful sacrifice their animals to seek Allah’s blessing. Many people have yet to buy animals because they are hoping that the prices might come down in the next couple of days.

TALIBAN’S THREAT TO MEDIA

According to a BBC Urdu service report, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakeemullah Mehsud has issued ‘special directions’ to his subordinates in different cities of Pakistan to target Pakistani and international media groups. This is the TTP’s response in anger at the critical coverage the media across the board has given to the assassination attempt on Malala Yousafzai. On the government’s part, the threat is being taken seriously. The Federal Interior Ministry says intelligence agencies have intercepted a telephone conversation between Hakeemullah Mehsud and a subordinate, Nadeem Abbas alias Intiqami, in which the TTP chief directed Abbas to attack media organisations that denounced the TTP after the Malala incident. The cities specified to be targeted are Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and others. Clearly, this is as wide as media targeting can get. The Interior Ministry in response has issued orders to beef up security at the offices of media organisations by deploying additional police. If needed, the government will deploy the Frontier Constabulary as reinforcements. The ministry has also cautioned religious scholars who had publicly denounced the Taliban following the attack.

The countrywide revulsion against the targeting by the TTP of a 14-year-old girl whose only ‘crime’ was standing up defiantly against the Taliban’s campaign to bring a halt to education in general, and girls education in particular, in areas under their influence was also reflected in media coverage of the event. Our lively media rarely converges on such a consensus on anything. When it does, things cannot remain the same and the pressure of public opinion generated as a result of this media consensus tends to force the authorities’ hand to respond to the issue. To their credit, the authorities, from the government to the armed forces, have unanimously come to the conclusion that enough is enough.

Now what remains to be seen is how this convergence translates into action. The reports about finally firmly grasping the nettle that is North Waziristan, the hotbed and safe haven of the Taliban, are a hopeful sign, despite the military’s reiteration of the need for a political decision before an offensive can be launched. The apprehension all along about military action in North Waziristan has been the adverse asymmetrical effect in the form of a terrorist blowback throughout the country. By its very nature, the protagonists of such warfare retreat before overwhelming force deployed against them and strike elsewhere so as to distract and stretch out the security forces, which inevitably produces gaps in the security network. It is imperative therefore that unlike previous military campaigns, including the ones in Swat and South Waziristan, any campaign against the terrorists holed up in North Waziristan must take into account and pre-empt the militants’ ability to melt away into other areas in the face of a military offensive, to live and fight another day. Any offensive in North Waziristan therefore must treat the requirements of the theatre as a whole, cut off retreat routes, and at the same time brace for terrorist attacks elsewhere in Pakistan. Bitter as the harvest of a North Waziristan offensive has the potential to reap, there is now no escape from taking out these fanatics and cleansing the soil of Pakistan from such inimical forces that threaten the best values of our state and society.

Courtesy: Daily Times