Can you imagine the holy month of Ramzan without all these chatkharas? The desi chatkhara mood is in full swing around. In all commercial centers.

Sehri posts from previous Ramzan, Delight 1 and Delight 2 =)

Image Courtesy: DailyLife

IMG_8025, originally uploaded by mafimushkala.

Himmat marda’an =))

SHANAAKHT - A Nomad Forum for the Arts brings you SHALI a telefilm from the powerful series Aseer Shahzadi produced by HUM Television.
Written by Attiya Dawood, well knownwriter, activist and poet, SHALI will move your hearts and make you think and hopefully do something for these distressed and troubled souls.

A touching story pertaining to abuse against women in our male dominated society with regard to child marriages. The issues presented in these plays are of universal concern, with women being the victims of these evil practices. Sensitive issues are brought forward to make people realize the severity of the prevailing injustices to females. Shali, the 14 year old protagonist, a mere child living in the city’s slums, has no clue what it entails to be married.

Cast includes Suhaee Abro, Shazia Qamar, Rashida Yaqub, and Aslam Shaikh. Directed by Danish Nawaz.

Schedule:

Date: Tuesday, March 25 - 2008
Time: 6.30pm (doors will close at 6.15 sharp)
Duration: 50 minutes
Donation: Rs. 100 (Shanaakht members) Rs. 200 (non-members)
Venue: Nomad Gallery - 383, 8th Avenue, F-8/3, Islamabad

Note: There are a limited number of seats available…kindly call/ mail or visit to book your seat.

Nomad timing: 10am - 6pm (Monday closed)

Shanaakht membership is open, contact the Nomad reception for details.

Nageen Hyat
Director, Nomad Gallery
# 383, Eighth Avenue, F-8/3, Islamabad. Tel: 051 – 2262502

Shali in Islamabad on 25/3/08 @ NOMAD, originally uploaded by *abro*.

Refer to the original picture for more by the print media.

Only today did I notice that Pappasallis prints the words ‘Since 1989′ on its pizza boxes.

And all at once, I felt like the year 2008 is a really long way away from the first time I ate out with my family at this fancy Italian restaurant and ordered asparagus soup, much to the disgust of my cousins.

Man. ‘Since 1989.’
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_{This masterpiece is the work of Kenny Irwin.}

My friend e-mailed me this image, and I think it’s priceless. =D

Santa Claus is a man who believes in going local wherever he may be. During the Christmas season in Australia, for example, you’ll find him at a barbecue on the beach, wearing bermuda shorts and flipflops.

And in Islamabad, you might see him riding a camel down the street.
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In a first ever step towards introducing a world-class movie-going experience to people of Pakistan by building state of the art movie theatres in urban cities of Pakistan, Cinepax performed the groundbreaking ceremony of an entertainment complex in collaboration with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) at the Club Road.
Cinepax is the first dedicated Cineplex Company in Pakistan that is building the country’s first nationally branded Cineplex chain. It is targeting larger cities of Pakistan; Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan and Hyderabad. The entertainment complex aims to cater all aspects of a modern shopping mall having a dedicated area for multiplex cinemas, a food court and a health club.

Daily Times

A few weeks back the National Art Gallery opened its doors to the public near the Parliment house. It has managed to attract quite a number of people.After seeing the advertisement in the newspapers and hearing about it from several people I decided to pay visit to the gallery.
It was totally different from what I expected. A you approach the entrance of the vicinity you are greeted by a sentry of seven large black statues of burqa-clad figures, haunting and dementor like. On close inspection it was found that they are made from fibreglass although from a distance they seem to be made from charcoal.
The gallery which took over more than two decades to be materialized now houses 600 works of art featuring 126 artists. Grouped in 16 exhibitions with each hall dedicated to a certain subject.

Photogragh: Aamir Qureshi
There are several internees around the gallery who can explain to the visitors what the painting and the sculptures depict. Although most of the time I did not find them helpful. The room which was dedicated to love was perhaps the most controversial of the exhibitions( or may be the hall at the top floor) where some paintings displayed nudity. This was totally out of the blue for me and many other who would expect strong censorship.
I was totally taken by surprize when I saw a several paintings depicting homosexuallity. I wonder why the mullahs haven’t criticized yet? I was also appalled to see that the paint on the wall was already getting scraped off due to the water getting leaked from the ceiling in room of the miniatures.
Although the general effort in bringing all these pieces of art together at one place is very much appriciated and is a visual treat for the art lovers.
The Art Gallery opens at 11a.m. Theres no ticket from 11a.m to 2p.m and later when it reopens at 3pm there is some sort of ticket.
And do remember that when you go into a hall that has this sound which is quite irritating dont keep wondering what it is. The sound coming from the speakers is the sound of childeren reciting Quran mechanically in congregation. I found this later from a news paper.

Photograph: Anjum Naveed/AP

Bari Imam was an eminent sufi saint belonging to the Qadri silsila of tareeqat. His real name was Shah Abdul Latif Kazmi. When he arrived in a village in suburbs of Islamabad (obviously not existent then), it was town inhabited by dacoits. It’s been said that due to his saintly ways and blessed presence, he preached the denizens of the town turned to pious ways of life. (If any one can confirm or elaborate this information??!??)

His yearly urs, celebrated in these days of the year, is attended by thousands of devotees from all over the country.

The urs, now becoming a festivity for many city dwellers and people coming from across various villages, started this Monday. While coming to office, many people (more like a caravan) were spotted carrying brightly coloured flags, flowers, walking their way towards Bari Imam (miles away from the margalla road) bare foot. Isn’t it a bit odd, since Islam prohibits self-torture …!

Let’s have a picturesque account of preparations of the Urs courtesy many newspapers :>

Diyyay are lit at the shrine of Hazrat Bari Imam at Nurpur Shahan.
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I’m a lover of things time rusts off whether they be trees, machines, cars or people … In islamabad every year the vintage car society organizes a Vintage Ride festival at F-9 park …

Wait a minute - This post is not about any classy vintage car as it sounds … it’s a totally different story.

Come to you courtesy Daily Times
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