EditorInjila Baqir Zeeshan

Sub EditorsFatima Zehra NaqviSahar Iqbal

Creative HeadBabur Saghir

Graphic DesignersJaveria MirzaSana AhmedAtif Rafi

PhotographerMohammad Amir Baba

Contents

All that glitters

Fashion A touch of grace

Opinion poll: Basant

Progressive pants

Films: Sequel shower

Cuisine: Malee’s Café

Glamstock

Style spotting with Ammar Belal

Profile: Ayesha F Hashwani

Interview: Tina Sani

Star Rivalries

Documentary: Children of Taliban

Taroscope

10

31

38

42

44

48

50

30

37

40

43

46

49

30 I February 20 - 26, 2011

Ayesha Farooq Hashwani has

fused sophistication, class,

modernity and style in her

latest clothes line. She has

used different soothing

and mesmerising colour

combinations in her

dresses and created

some unique, compelling

patterns in her designs.

With chic cuts and stylish

embroidery on an array of

chiffons and linen, she has created

indecisively a masterpiece collection.

DESI

GNER

: Aye

sha F

aroo

q Has

hwan

i PHO

TOGR

APHY

: Fay

yaz A

hmed

HAI

R & M

AKEU

P: As

ma Z

uber

i @ D

epile

x MOD

EL: A

amina

Sheik

h TEX

T: Sa

har I

qbal

ProfileAF

H – t

he ne

xt big

thing

Ayesha F. H a s h w a n i has been de-signing since 2005, with the launch of her label,

AFH. Her design aesthetic is

coveted for the designers’ ability

to experiment with cut, colour

and silhouette creating flattering

styles. AFH is also known for its

signature introduction of the jew-

el encrusted neckline across both

prêt a porter and formal wear in

Pakistan. The designer has won

acclaim for the use of minimal

embellishment to create graceful

outfits. Today Ayesha’s brand has

come to be synonymous with re-

finement and luxury with each

design epitomising glamour and

sophistication with a definitive

western aesthetic.With three distinct lines un-

der the AFH brand namely prêt

a porter, semi formal and formal

wear, even the most eastern en-

semble of AFH, maintains a mod-

ern western edge to it.

Ayesha’s collections are based

in a diversity of rich fabrics in-

cluding voiles, chiffons, silks and

charmeuse; she particularly en-

joys working with sheer fabrics,

beads and crystals and has come

to be recognised for her work

across varied shapes, flowy fabrics

and her attention to detail.

Internationally, Ayesha

Hashwani exhibited her prêt a

porter at a sold out event at the

prestigious multi brand boutique

CARMA in New Delhi, India in

2010. That same year, Ayesha also

launched the AFH label at lead-

ing fashion address Studio 8 in

Dubai and was also well received

at the Labels - Etihad Fashion

Show for honourable charity De-

velopments in Literacy staged in

Karachi. Between 2009 – 2010,

she was present at multiple suc-

cessful events in Dubai at multi

brands boutique Soirée. In Paki-

stan, she showcased the latest col-

lection at the Veet Celebration of

Beauty Fashion Show to popular

acclaim as well as staged several

sold out prêt a porter based exhi-

bitions. Indeed AFH continues to be

worn by celebrities and keen fol-

lowers of fashion alike. And is go-

ing to be next big thing!

February 20 - 26, 2011 I 37

Lounge carried out a survey on the contro-versial Basant Festival.Since time immemorial, Basant has been celebrated in flying colours to welcome the onset of Spring. It has been an integral part of Lahore’s culture. People from all over, from inside and beyond Pakistan, come to celebrate the festival which is also associated with kite-flying. But over the years, due to the use of glass-coated strings etc, many an innocent lives have been lost as people en-gage in kite flying competitions. The Punjab government, therefore, decided to put a com-plete ban on the celebration of Basant. Many think it is a culture lost, and long to celebrate the festival. While, others think the ban is justified. What do you think?

Lend us your earsC

ompi

led

by B

ushr

a Sh

ehza

d

The

po

i nt

which

everyo

ne

needs to

keep

in m

ind is that

Ba-

sant is

not our f

estiva

l or p

art of o

ur

cultu

re. If

, desp

ite th

is fac

t, one i

s so

despera

te to ce

lebrat

e this t

ime-w

asting

festiv

al then

he or s

he should al

so try t

o

take u

p some r

esponsib

ility, s

uch as

avoid

using

glass-c

oated str

ing. The

people

who do w

ant t

o celeb

rate t

his fes

-

tival

should take

it as

a heal

thy

game

rather

than in

dulg-

ing in th

e lust f

or kill.

Hira Fa

rooq -

Punjab

Univers

ity

Yes, this ban

is totally justified.

It was causing the loss of

so many innocent lives. It would

have been inhumane to allow Bas-

ant despite so many accidents asso-

ciated with it. If it is felt that it is a

loss of culture then may be the gov-

ernment should arrange Basant in

some sort of a specific open area,

but it shouldn’t be allowed

otherwise.Ahmed Muneeb -

LUMS

I t ’ s

simply loss

of precious lives,

and as far as Lahori culture is

concerned then there are other things as

well which are being neglected. They are

as much in need of preservation as Basant

is, for example, historical sites such as the

Minar-e-Pakistan, Shahi Qila or the Badsha-

hi Mosque. These are our architectural sites,

which have been thoroughly

neglected and need preservation.

We do not need an excuse of a

festival which only results in

innocent deaths due to

neglect.

Samiya Arshad -

BSc(Hons)

Biotechnology,

GCU

The

ban

is ju

s-

tified

at

som

e lev

el.

This

is be

caus

e th

e tru

e

spiri

t of

the

fes

tival

has

been

lost

and

it ha

s be

en c

ompl

etely

com

mer

cialis

ed.

The

prod

uctio

n

of th

e glas

s-coa

ted

strin

g sho

uld

be

bann

ed t

oo.

How

ever

, th

e go

vern

-

men

t sh

ould

org

anise

fes

tivals

with pr

oper

safet

y mea

sure

s,

rath

er t

han

com

plete

ly

bann

ing t

hem

.

Tayya

ba

Mon

af,

NU

ST

Bu s

i ne s

s

Scho

ol

Basant should be al-lowed in some sort of a controlled and safe environment. Apart from being fun, it was a source of income for many.Ahlam Saeed - LUMS

feburary 20 - 26, 2011feburary

By Rubia Moghees

The spring is just sitting in, so it was act that Tina Sani, the ‘Bahaar Aai’ girl visited Lahore. Making waves for a quarter of a century, Tina Sani revives her

association with the illustrious Faiz as she aims to enthrall audiences with her enchanting voice.

Set to meet Tina Sani at the historic Faizghar in Model Town, with her entourage of musicians rehearsing with her for the upcoming performance to commemorate the 100 years of Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s birth celebrations, surrounding me were the memorabilia related to the celebrated Pakistani

poet: his manuscripts, photographs, medals and the backdrop of all that, the delightful rehearsals that were taking place.

Recognised for Classical and Semi-Classical singing, her forte however always been ghazal gayeki, ever since her first break when she sang ‘Meray Dil Meray Musafir’ for Faiz’s first death anniversary, the journey for Tina Sani has led her from being a celebrated singer who has avidly entertained the masses with her soulful renderings. She is taken as one of the most versatile ghazal singers of the region, coming of age her voice still bears that serenity that we all remember from the 80s.

In an exclusive interview for Pakistan Today’s Lounge, Tina Sani, who has come to the city to pay homage

to great poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz, delves into her past, present and her prospects for future. Her illustrious career spans 25 years as she has successfully managed to create her own sphere of enthusiasts.

Early yearsTill the age of 22, music didn’t

feature in her life when a sudden opening landed her into a studio to lend her voice for a jingle. “Music found me! Becoming a singer was never part of my conscious career plan. It actually happened to me, a very casual first performance became a runaway hit that caught me unawares,” she reminisces. Arshad Mehmood who had composed a nazm of Faiz asked her to sing it, which provided her the platform that led her to believe in herself, to speak

Come Spring with Tina Sani

Interview

40 I February 20 - 26, 2011

up and to rise against injustice – “poetry with a cause”.

Memorable MomentsPerforming in Zagreb, Croatia in

2003 has been one of the highlights of her career. “Without knowing much about the language that I was singing in, the audience gave me a standing ovation,” she reveals enthusiastically. “This changed my entire perspective as I experienced complete bonding with my audience.”

Tina’s breathtaking performances in her live concerts are a must see treat for her fans for she never misses a beat to capture their hearts. She has this uncanny capacity to connect to the masses while she performs her much loved works of Faiz and Iqbal.

Association with Faiz“I have never met Faiz but became

known because of him,” she enthuses. It’s the inimitable hits like ‘Bahaar Aai’ and ‘Bol Ke Lab Azad Hain’ that her name soon found her way in the coveted list of singers known for their classical rendition of Urdu poetry. “As a singer what I am today is largely because of the soul-stirring poetry of Faiz, who gave me a sense of direction,” she comments.

Making Faiz’s ghazals as her own, transforming his poignant poetry that stimulates life in the verses has been a milestone achievement in her life. “One requires time and commitment for mutually composing ghazals. It’s tedious as we need to sit down for hours, sometimes days, to come up with quality work, not to mention the nerve-wrecking rehearsals”, she explains.

Teachers Tina Sani formally learnt classical

music from Ustad Nizammuddin Khan of Delhi Gharana and Ustad Chand Amrohvi. Tina is indebted to maestros like Arshad Mehmood, Nisar Bazmi, Waqar Ali and Rohail Hayat from the younger lot and stalwarts like Sultan Siddiqui, Sahira Kazmi, Shezad Khalil, and Kh Najam-ul-hassan from Pakistan Television.

Tina has immense passion for Urdu poetry which she has mastered over the years so much so that she leaves her audience in a trance wanting for more. In the new times when pop, bhangra, rap and fast tracks are ruling the roost, Classical singing acts as a buffer for the ardent followers of this genre.

Current projectsAfter a break of 21 years, Tina

has recorded an album for the Faiz Foundation to commemorate the poet’s centenary celebrations. This album is titled as ‘Bahaar Aai’ and is due to be released in Pakistan, India and worldwide at the end of this month. Presently, “I am also working on Molana Rumi’s ‘Masnavi ’translated in Urdu by Mohammad Younus Sethi,” she discloses about her forthcoming projects.

After a break of 21 years, Tina Sani has recorded an album for the Faiz Foundation to commemorate the poet’s centenary celebrations. This album is titled ‘Bahaar Aai’ and is due to be released in Pakistan, India and worldwide at the end of this month

Coke StudioTina finds the concept of Coke

Studio as something ‘extraordinary’. “I was quite comfortable with the western instruments and sang ‘Agar Mujhe Iss Ka Yaqeen Ho’ that received raving reviews.”

Tina Sani today“I am a crossover between a narrator

and a melody-maker, half singing and other half vocal expression,” she explains. Tina is vociferous about the needs of the artists in Pakistan. “Now the artists must get their act together with the advent of so many channels; the artist community should safeguard their identity and protect their rights.”

Inspiring generations for over many years encompassing an unwavering fan base comes only with consistent hard work and perseverance. Not to mention the r e m a r k a b l e talent that this supremely -gifted lady possesses.

I 41February 20 - 26, 2011

Style Savvy

feburary 20 - 26, 2011 I 42feburary

Compiled by ShahBano Khan

feburary 20 - 26, 2011 I 43feburary

44 I February 20 - 26, 2011

I 45February 20 - 26, 2011

I 46February 20 - 26, 2011

Documentary

Children of the Taliban

The Daily Mail has de-scribed it as “a seriously worrying report”. ‘Chil-dren of the Taliban’, an Emmy-winning film made by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and Dan

Edge, takes us on a journey into the heart of the Taliban infested areas of Pa-kistan. The film tells us the narrative of the children; the innocent and yet the hardest hit party in the War on Terror. For them it is a future lost.

She interviews two teenage boys who are best friends. One of them re-lates the horrific episode of burying a cousin’s leg – the only body part they could find of him – after a madrassa was hit by Pakistan Army bombard-ments and American missiles. One sup-ports the Pakistan Army, one supports Al-Qaeda. Despite their friendship, they say they would not hesitate to kill the other if they come face to face on the battlefield. They vow to live up to their cause.

As she makes her journey through this dangerous terrain, she discovers a 14-year-old boy who has already learnt to blow off a suicide car bomb. He tells her if God is willing he will definitely blow himself up amidst the infidels, may God give him the strength to do this noble act.

In Swat, she meets two little girls, vulnerable and with fear in their eyes. They yearn to go to school but they know deep down, they would not be

sent to the school again. One of them tells Sharmeen that her father has bought her a burqa and soon they would be forced to don it. The other girl tells her, “Education is a ray of light, and I want that light.” While she inter-views the girls at the demolished school premises, they hear mortar sounds in the background and leave without a tour of the school.

Sharmeen then talks to another lit-tle girl, Kainat, who relates the horrific treatment that the Taliban had meted out to some people in their area. While she gives us gruesome details, we won-der what trauma this hardly 10-year-old might be going through. “The Taliban beheaded a man and put his head be-tween his legs and posted a sign on it: Whoever buries him will be meted out with the same fate.”

This docudrama then takes us to Ka-rachi, into its highly Talibanised slums. She interviews a different pupil and the qari of a madrassa. The qari talks about “glorifying the suicide bombers” and while he thinks the camera is switched off, he ruthlessly laughs about these children who are brainwashed to be-come suicide bombers, saying “there is no shortage of these sacrificial lambs”. A madrassa pupil talks to Sharmeen and makes her views of Islam known to us. A brutal analogy that he makes is about women. According to him, the shariah tells the women to cover them-selves and remain in the four walls of the house and he believes it should be implemented just like the ban on the use of plastic bags is enforced. While millions of Muslims around the

world are fighting to portray a positive image of Islam, this is what the youth is being taught and made to believe in.

The film was premiered at the 5th Annual LUMS Film Festival (FiLUMS 2011) at a star studded red-carpet event. During the Q and A session at the end of the screening, Usman Peerzada de-scribed it as a powerful film, which is an eye-opener for all of us. Amidst this fight between the Taliban and the Pa-kistan Army as well as the US forces, it is these children who are losing the most: their childhood, their futures. And Shar-m e e n ’ s film brings us face to face with the people who are involved in the strug-gle.

By Bushra Shehzad

Pleasure drugs are now so easily accessible that their use has become massive. Vulnerable youngsters fall quick prey to

them. It is almost impossible to imagine college or university life without them. There are too many activities associated

with the use of these drugs now. On top of that, the trend is that the pleasure drugs are associated with all that is fash-

ionable and mark of a status symbol.

While some strong willed youngsters manage to steer clear from them, others are not that successful. They surrender to

and become a victim of peer pressure and the dominant drug culture they witness around them. They inevitably fall into

severe addiction and consequently suffer from the adverse effects including fatalities in some cases.

With the ever rising number of drug addicts in Pakistan, we are faced with tremendous difficulties as far as their rehabili-

tating activities are concerned. A large number of resources are being wasted each year. In Pakistan, due to the lack of healthy

and recreational activities, our youth has become frustrated, digressing towards that which can mar their health for life.

The most common drugs in the youngsters of our generation are Ecstasy, Hashish and Cocaine. Charas (local name for

Hash) is hand made in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal. The cross border transportation has given rise to and helped

the drug business flourish.

SHORT TERM EFFECTS • Distortions in p

erception of time, colour and s

patial

boundaries.

• Adreamlike,fuzzyeuphoriaorfeelingof

wellbeing.

• Inexplicablelaughterandexcitem

ent.

• Anincreasedappetiteorsudden

hunger.

• Panicattacksorparanoia.

• Impairedcoordination,speechand

thoughtresultingin

accidents. • Driedmouthandthroat

.

• Impairedshorttermmemoryandabilityt

omakejudge-

ment.

LONG TERM EFFECTS • Reducedlevelso

fhormonesinmenandwomen.

• Temporarylossoffertilityinbothm

enandwomen.

• Chronicdepression.

• Impotency.

• Lossofmotivationknownas‘MotivationalSynd

rome.

• Lungdamage(fromsmokingHashish)

• Weakenedimmunesystem.

• Inability to deal with difficult

situations and negative

thoughts.• Delayedemotionalgrowthi

nadolescents.

• Riskofcancer.

• Adjustmentissuesandlackofinterestin

life.

RID YOURSELF OF DRUGS Steps for helping yourself out of an addiction:

• Realiseandacceptthatyouhave

problems

• Makeacommitmenttoyourselftoquit.

• Seekprofessionalhelp.

• During rehabilitation, find the

will to fight the with-

drawl symptoms, resulting from detoxification.

If you know of people around you who are suffering or recov-

ering, you should have a sympathetic and understanding attitude

towards them. As a society we should work towards creating op-

portunities for the youth which will help them find healthy recrea-

tional activities in abundance so they can find good alternatives

for entertainment instead of letting themselves fall victims of ad-

dictions.

By Rabia Shafiq

feburary 20 - 26, 2011 I 47feburary

Situated near Hussain Chowk next to the famous Cinnabon, Malee’s Café is a treat in itself. The café aims at bringing global taste to the local people of Lahore through a diverse-

ly assorted menu – an indulgence to peruse. Malee’s Café’s uses the finest in-gredients and provides the finest service to their customers. These fundamentals are proof enough that Malee’s has a lot to offer to its customers.

While I waited for their all-so-fa-mous pizza, the staff was kind enough to bring me some cookies – straight out of the oven and nicely done. I couldn’t help having four. My personal favour-ite was strawberry but the almond and pistachio ones were equally sumptuous. After devouring the cookies, I waited patiently for my pizza to show up and when it did, believe me it was worth the

wait of the standard fifteen minutes that every pizza eatery requires. Topped with olives, pineap-ple and corn, the Chicken Supreme pizza was baked to golden, crispy perfec-tion. Another great try is the Malee’s special pizza; but only if you are a sea-food fan.

Choosing what to have for dessert was befuddling with an array to choose from. The ice cream was just too tempt-ing. Bounty, White Toblerone, green apple, pomegranate, mango, strawberry, kiwi… there was a delightful variety of twenty-four, including some sugar-free options too – all specially imported from Italy. The attendant informed me that hazelnut and roasted almond was one of their highly popular flavours. But being a girl, I had to have chocolate to mark a perfect ending to a perfect

meal and so I did. I settled for caked Alaska which turned out to be absolute-ly, perfectly yummy!

From sizzling pizzas to tasty smoothies to wonderfully brewed cof-fees, Malee’s has it all.

The wonderful interior of the place and the amiable staff add to its charm. The ambiance of Malee’s is compelling; with the bakery items neatly stashed, beautifully packaged and the tempting aroma of freshly baked bread filling the air. Prices are reasonable considering in mind the taste, atmosphere and lo-cation. Malee’s is the place to go to if you are looking for good quality food – highly recommended.

By Zaynab Tariq

One for AllMalee’s

Cuisine

feburary 20 - 26, 2011 I 45feburary I 48

feburary 20 - 26, 2011 I 49feburary

You can get them from Essentials, Haroons and Accessorize, Lahore.

Glamstock

50 I February 20 - 26, 2011