If anyone thought Pakistani drama was dead, make way folks, “Humsafar” is here to rock your world. It feels good to see our audience come back home after being distracted for a while. I, for one, am not surprised at this revival of Urdu drama as I have always known that this particular form of story-telling is a gift we Pakistani’s own and no one can match it, regardless of other markets having bigger budgets, better production facilities, more resources, etc.

Urdu drama is particular to our nation in every sense — from its timing, script structure, performances to the technical style. In these times of national depression and distress, Pakistani drama has made us proud yet again, and given our people something to look forward to regardless of all else.

Before I begin to share with you how my character ‘Fareeda’ in “Humsafar”, came to life, let me first thank all the wonderful people who made this serial into a true international phenomena. As you know, a project always belongs to all that are a part of it before it is gifted to the audiences to enjoy; so, thank you God for our writer, director, producer and an extremely talented cast that brought so much life into the project in their very own special way. Also, let’s not forget the other really special people behind the success, the technicians, musicians, stylists and editors. What you see on screen is a contribution of a large group of specialists that come together to make on-screen magic — and magic is what we made with “Humsafar”.

Many have asked me why I decided to play Fareeda, the nasty mother-in-law. The answer, my dear friends, is a very simple one. Fareeda was a great and exciting character to develop from script to screen. As an actor, one always looks for challenge and I believe, Fareeda has helped me polish my craft as an artist further. Not being one to repeat my work in various roles, I felt my work as Fareeda would give viewers a new ‘me’ as an actor to watch. Sitting here, I am so glad I decided to bring her to life as she was definitely the cause of high drama all along.

It has been wonderful to see how people have identified with all the players in “Humsafar”, as each and every character in it actually exists in our society. My firm belief, while performing Fareeda, was that as a role it was a great project to do, but from a popularity point of view I was expecting her (and myself) to be extremely disliked. It may come as a shock to you, but Fareeda has a huge fan following! This initially troubled and then eventually amused me, as I realised over time that, many millions of Fareeda’s do actually exist in any eastern society. How often have we seen obsessive and controlling mothers hang on to their sons? So Fareeda pulled in her own fans across the world. I have met ladies with sons of all ages who absolutely adore Fareeda, as they feel she has pulled at their heart strings. Finally, a woman they can all relate to. This is strange and yet so funny. Playing Fareeda has taught me so much more about human behaviour on and off screen. Lesson learnt — never predict an outcome as drama reflects all aspects of character.

When we started filming “Humsafar” in July 2011, I was personally going through one of the most difficult times of my life. You may recall my real life drama thanks to the very Honourable you-know-who. In case you are now distracted by Fareeda and friends, let me refresh your memory. My real life drama had something to do with me having the privilege of becoming the first and perhaps the only Pakistani woman to be made the individual subject of a suo motu notice.

While I was struggling with the shock of having to deal with how ‘anything is possible in Pakistan’ becoming a reality in my case, nothing was really making sense around me those days. So confused and anxiety driven, I infused life into Fareeda.

The first day I went to the set of the play, I started my work by performing the climax scene of my character. I was tense with stress at the time and my director, Sarmad Khoosat identified my need for therapy in the form of creative expression, hence, we did the difficult scenes first. So when you watch the last few scenes where Fareeda becomes a complete victim of neurosis, you know who we can all thank for such violent emotions.

What has made the play so successful? I ask myself this question all the time, since its really an old story and we didn’t say anything new in this project. Perhaps, the key ingredient is ‘love/mohabbat’. This emotion is obvious in so many forms, through the characters of the play. Maybe our audiences have connected to the ‘love’ story between Ashar and Khirat, Basirat’s ‘love’ for his sister, Fareeda’s obsessive ‘love’ for her son, Asher’s ‘love’ for his mother and daughter, Sara’s ‘love’ for Asher and Khizar’s ‘love’ for Sara or Zarina’s ‘love’ for her daughter. The play is all about a whole lot of ‘love/mohabbat’ depicted in different forms. So how can a society like ours, that thrives on emotion, not connect to it?

Or perhaps, the other key ingredient in the plot is the value of the male member of a family (Ashar) being projected as the central figure in a male-dominated society, such as ours. Since all the women in the play are fighting for attention from the ‘Man’ (and what a handsome one at that), people can easily relate to the issues addressed in the storyline from several aspects. Wives sympathise with Khirat, Mothers sympathise with Fareeda, cousins relate to Sara. The point I am trying to make is that maybe its all about basic eastern values, but packaged in a very western style.

Whatever the reason for it’s success, I feel another big thank you is due to all the fans for giving us a sense of being artists who try to work hard to reflect real issues of our society. Ultimately, it is the fans that make or break a project and here it is the fans, who have made it possible for this project to reach such great heights.

The difference between a good drama and a great one is where the actors always remember that the fans are their true ‘humsafars’. As the play’s theme song says “Kya dhoop chaaon ka alam raha/Judai na thi”. God bless the fans for always being there with us.

The penultimate episode of “Humsafar” will air today on Hum TV

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th, 2012.

One of the most disturbing things about Salmaan Taseer’s tragic death is the manner in which his party, the PPP, has reacted. Whether it is fear, misjudgement or sheer opportunism, I don’t know, but to call this assassination a ‘political conspiracy’, when it is yet another violent act of aggression against a dissenting voice, is a grave disservice to the nation.

There is no doubt that Governor Taseer was targeted for his views on the blasphemy law. Others, including religious scholars like Mufti Sarfraz Naeemi and Dr Muhammad Farooq, have suffered a similarly fatal fate simply because there is a frighteningly large armed population of intolerant extremists in our society who would go to any length to stifle alternative viewpoints.

It is baffling if the PPP thinks that it can ride off this martyrdom and use it for political advantage instead of tackling the biggest problem in our country head on. Equally disappointing is the judiciary’s silence. When threats were made to Salmaan Taseer and Sherry Rehman, why weren’t suo motu actions taken? Why has no action been taken against those who have offered head money to kill Asia Bibi extra-judicially? Could there be more contempt and disregard for the very function of the court? And yet, we have become so accustomed to ceding space to these draconian forces that hardly anyone is willing to take them on. As a result, the few who do pay dearly, most often with their lives.

The question more and more people are asking is: are we doomed? If the devastation caused by the floods took us back a hundred years, allowing armed groups and individuals, misled into narrowly interpreting religion, to dictate policy will take us back 400 years. But how can we reorient society? How can we use religion as a force of good rather than a force of evil? How can we rectify the severe damage that has already been done? For starters, the media, especially the electronic media, must mend its ways.

The talk show, a staple and increasingly static form of discourse, needs to broaden its horizons. It is not advisable to invite bickering politicians or analysts who rely on inflaming emotions. They add nothing to the discussion and it is best to black them out till they can learn to present arguments dispassionately. There is a need, instead, to build up rational discourse.

Religious programmes need to be strictly monitored so that there is no inflaming of emotion, no discriminatory interpretations and, most importantly, no incitement to violence. Running advertisements on tolerance while simultaneously providing a platform to those preaching the contrary is counterproductive. Efforts should also be made to show Pakistani viewers how other Muslim countries run their affairs. We are, after all, not the only Muslims on the planet. For example, Saudi Arabia is mandating veiled women be fingerprinted and have their identities verified by male immigration officers, in light of security concerns, and spending enormous amounts of money on jihad rehabilitation facilities.

The media can also be a tool for adult and child literacy. English, science and math lessons can be offered via television. Television does not need to be a reflection of society. It can be a teaching tool to uplift the masses that have been robbed of a quality education. Ratings may not immediately skyrocket because of this policy but, in the long run, it will reap benefits for society that will positively affect us all. The hypocrisy of feeding readers of the Urdu press one thing and those of the English press another must end. If media owners send their own children to enlightened American schools and universities, then it is not fair to dumb down the average Pakistani viewer with nonsense.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2011.

ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders and senators Aitzaz Ahsan and Raza Rabbani opposed the dual nationality amendment bill presented in the Senate on Tuesday, Express News reported.

Coalition partner Awami National Party (ANP) and opposition party Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) staged walkouts to protest against the bill.

Speaking during the session, Ahsan said that whenever a person became a United States (US) national, they take an oath which bounds them to be loyal to the country and take part in wars if needed.

He asked why the US was listed among 16 countries Pakistan had an agreement with if it had such clauses in the oath.

Senator Raza Rabbani seconded Ahsan and opposed the bill as well. The two senators also said that the dual nationality bill must be reviewed.

Earlier, Senator Haji Adeel of the Awami National Party (ANP) had moved a privilege motion against the 22^nd Amendment to the Constitution regarding the dual nationality bill.

Senator Adeel had argued that a 22^nd Amendment could not come into place as there was no 21^st Amendment made to the Constitution.

In reply to Adeel’s stance, Law Minister Farooq H Naek had said that the contempt of court bill which was passed in the National Assembly’s Monday session was actually the 21^st Amendment. Hence, there was no violation of laws and rules.

Naek had presented the bill before the Senate and it was referred to the Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice.

The amendment in Article 63 (1) (c) will allow the parliamentarians to hold dual nationalities for 16 countries with which Pakistan is in agreement with.

Agreeing with the ANP senator, PML-N’s Zafar Ali Shah had said that previously, none of the civilian, as well as the military governments had not made an amendment to Article 63 (1) (c), however the incumbent government was willing to bring this amendment into place.

Senator Adeel had moved the privilege motion on individual basis.

Speaking to the media after the Senate session, Senator Adeel said that the wordings of the bill presented in the Senate today was contradictory to what had been discussed in ANP’s meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari and the coalition partners.

“During the meeting, consensus was reached on ANP proposed amendments to the bill drafts that a dual national cannot hold any important public office, including the offices of the president and prime minister, key posts in the military, judiciary, bureaucracy and other sensitive departments.”

Earlier, the ANP, which is a key ally in the ruling coalition had refused to support the dual nationality bill and had proposed some changes in the draft bill.

ISLAMABAD: Former housing minister Faisal Saleh Hayat continues to use 12 of the 18 government vehicles which were in his personal use when he was a minister, reported Express News on Tuesday.

According to sources, Hayat had returned six cars which were being used by his staff, but is still using the rest.

The Housing and Works Ministry has sent a notice to the former minister to return the cars, but to no effect.

Last month, the accountability body of the Parliament had constituted a committee in typical bureaucratic form to review the policy regarding monetisation of benefits given to officials for maintaining government cars.

Hayat lost his ministry when former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani was disqualified from his post and the cabinet was dissolved earlier this year. He refused to be a part of the new cabinet when Raja Pervaiz Ashraf took oath as the new prime minister.

He refused to take any ministry as he had been a major critic of the rental power plants (RPPs), a case in which Ashraf was one of the major accused.

Hayat had requested the Supreme Court to probe corruption in RPPs, implicating Ashraf. He also alleged on television that a major chunk of kickbacks in RPPs went to President Asif Ali Zardari.

News/Article Taken From tribune.com.pk
Thanks To the Express Network For Supporting This Youth Oriented Website

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), during a meeting on Tuesday, briefed President Asif Ali Zardari on weather predictions for Sindh. There will be no floods this year, they said.

The PMD officials said that no “unusual” rainfall was expected this year.

Zardari said that even though there is no flood warning, flood control rooms should be set up at central and district levels.

Sindh Minister for Irrigation Jam Saifullah Dharejo, speaking to the media after the meeting, said that whether floods come or not, the provincial government has made adequate arrangements.

News/Article Taken From tribune.com.pk
Thanks To the Express Network For Supporting This Youth Oriented Website

ISLAMABAD: The contempt of court amendment bill passed by the National Assembly late on Monday is against the Holy Quran, Sunnat, justice and the country’s Constitution, remarked Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Khan said that through the bill, the incumbent government are being given a license to loot. The government is itself corrupt and is now involving the bureaucrats as well, he warned.

Khan further said that the bill is not only against the Constitution but also against the supremacy of law, and the judiciary’s independence is being eliminated with it.

He added that the PTI is holding talks to challenge the bill in Supreme Court.

The bill still has to clear the Senate, signed by the president – which will probably be done before July 12, when the court takes up the Swiss letter matter.

News/Article Taken From tribune.com.pk
Thanks To the Express Network For Supporting This Youth Oriented Website

KARACHI: US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter, when asked by the BBC regarding the possibility of an anti-US government in Pakistan in case Nawaz Sharif or Imran Khan get elected in 2013 elections, said that he has met both the leaders who have assured a pro-US government.

During an interview with the BBC Urdu on Tuesday, Munter said that the US is not against Pakistan, rather it wants Pakistan to be independent, so it can efficiently take action against the militants hiding in tribal areas along the Afghanistan and Pakistan border.

“By independent, I mean that the Pakistani leadership, along with the Pakistan Army, should have complete control over its territories… It is important that Pakistan’s political and military leadership defeats these terrorists. And, we want to help Pakistan with it,” said Munter.

The Ambassador who is set to retire early from his post, said that the reopening of Nato supply routes is not the end and the US still needs to deal with terrorists in Pakistan. He stressed that Pakistan needs to be a part of the solution, not the problem.

When reminded that the US is against the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline, Munter said, “if you talk to Pakistani leaders, you will get to know that there is no shortage of electricity in the country. It only needs good management, improvements and new rates.”