Flashback: When ‘fear’ was a word in the dictionary (By Sher Alam Shinwari)
Syed Amiruddin Shah Gillani hails from a spiritual family; his ancestors migrated from Iran many centuries ago and settled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, providing spiritual guidance to people. Now in his 80s, he recalls a time when peace prevailed everywhere; there was no violence in the land of the ancient Gandhara civilisation.
“There used to be peace, hospitality; literary and cultural activities. A typical tribal society with hujra and jumaat (mosque) entwined in social norms and traditions that kept institutions and people tied together is now in ruins. The image of a peaceful Pashtun society is smeared with blood and the smoke of bomb blasts everywhere. Tribal life in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has undergone a tremendous change; for Peshawarites, fear was a word that existed only in the dictionary during the 60s and 70s,” Gillani recalls sadly. (complete article) (via umalik)
Although probably not dancing, the ‘dancing girl’ is unquestionably ‘a pleasing little thing’. Naked save for a chunky necklace and an assortment of bangles, this minuscule statuette is not of the usual Indian sex symbol, full of breast and wide of hip, but of a slender nymphet happily flaunting her puberty with delightful insouciance. Her pose is studiously casual, one spindly arm bent with the hand resting on a déhanché hip, the other dangling so as to brush a slightly raised knee. Slim and attenuated, the legs are slightly parted, and one foot - both are now missing - must have been pointed. She could be absent-mindedly surveying her wardrobe, except that her head is thrown back as if challenging a suitor, and her hair is somehow dressed into a heavy plaited chignon of perilous but intentionally dramatic construction. Decidedly, she wants to be admired; and she might be gratified to know that, four thousand years later, she still is.
Keay, John. India: A History. Atlantic Monthly Press, 2000, p. 15 (via 6656)
Son of a Bug is a feature-length experimental documentary that explores the history of The Bugs, the first Pakistani rock band (formed circa 1964), and the contested spaces of culture and religion, particularly what it means to be Muslim and Pakistani/Pakistani-American, as revealed through the father-son relationship between former drummer-turned-Texan, Jumshade “Jimmy” Muzaffar, and his Texas-raised son, Shams-Tabraiz “Tabby.”
Spread the word, let’s support Ali Kapadia’s Peace Film via Kickstarter.
Pakistan is a country surrounded by complex issues and I am passionate about addressing them. One of these issues is Pakistan’s relationship with India.
Ever since the independence of Pakistan and India in 1947, they have repeatedly been at war with each other and there seems to be no end to it. The two countries have fought 4 wars with hundreds of thousands of casualties and refugees. Even when both countries have half their population living on less than $2/day, they spend more on their military than education, poverty relief and social services combined. The strife is fueled by political interests that benefit from such conflict and the conflict has no place in today’s world. (Know more about it and support the cause by donating or spreading the word)
‘Thirty seven plays in 37 languages. Shakespeare’s Globe theatre is a polyglot’s paradise this summer as thirty seven theatre troupes from around the world will adapt and interpret one of Shakespeare’s plays for a performance in their national language as part of Globe to Globe, kicking off on April 21 in London. Taking part in this celebration of the Bard’s 448th birthday is a Pakistani theatre company, Theatre Wallay, staging The Taming of the Shrew. Starring Nadia Jamil and Omair Rana, directed by Haissam Hussain and featuring music by Mekaal Hasan, the play will be performed in Urdu on May 25 and 26, 2012.’ - from Sanam Maher’s write-up in HERALD [February 16, 2012]
Also a little message from Osman Khalid Butt (who’ll play Hortensio):
This is it, people. Five months of rigorous rehearsals have led to this moment. Am leaving for England tomorrow on a 4-city tour of The Taming of the Shrew - in Urdu, including a performance at the prestigious Globe in London [as part of the Cultural Olympiad!] Please pray that the team makes Pakistan proud! And a special shout-out to ALL the actors and crew members of the production. Fingers, toes, everything crossed! [For more information on just what we’re up to, click here: http://globetoglobe.shakespearesglobe.com/]
AMONG the top ranking Pakistani-American artists, Lubna Agha, who sadly passed away on Sunday in Boston, did not opt to convey her themes to Western art enthusiasts through traditional genres like miniatures, but chose to communicate through an idiom which was unique and, at the same time, not totally alien to them. She combined the modern-abstract style of the West with traditional Islamic art motifs. (source)
This blog aims at telling you the "truth" about Pakistan. Unfortunately, today the news emerging from Pakistan on the Western media are so much polarized that it gives a very unreal image of Pakistan.
At "What no one told you about Pakistan", we aim at telling you the real stories about Pakistan.
