Highlights of the July 2009 issue
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Cover: Dera Bugti Inside Balochistan's no-gone zone
By Maqbool Ahmed
I hold my breath as he carefully examines the contents of my travel bag. The
pronouncement when it comes is severe: I will not be allowed in the area if
I want to take with me all that I have in the bag.
The examiner –Ahmed – is a friend of my friend, Fayyaz and he is looking
into my bag to ascertain if its contents will allow me to pass through
numerous check posts on the road between Kashmore in Sindh and Dera Bugti in
Balochistan. Huddled together inside a room in a nondescript roadside hotel
in Kashmore, our plan is to cross into Rajanpur. Pointing to the digital
camera in the bag, Ahmed, who works at the Loti Gas Field near Dera Bugti
town, says: “It will reveal your identity and you will be sent back from the
first security check post. ”
Interview: “Meri marzi ho to security forces ko pooray Balochistan say nikal doon”
Nawab Mohammad Aslam Khan Raisani, Balochistan’s chief minister, speaks
passionately when asked about the various problems his province is facing. But
reticence creeps in when he is asked about the Bugti tribe and the situation in
Dera Bugti district. He refuses to say a single word, and his explanation is
that his tribal identity prevents him from doing so. Excerpts of the interview
follow...
Q. Why has a new sardar been brought in when the government had announced the
abolition of the sardari system from Dera Bugti in 2006?
A. First of all let me be very clear that the government cannot put an end to
the sardari system. Any decision to this effect can only be taken by the tribes.
In 2006 the Bugti tribe had made a decision and the government endorsed it. Now
the tribe must have wanted to revert to this system, although only the Bugti
tribal elders can tell you about it. The government has just respected their
will.
Sports:“IPL is a mockery of cricket”
Javed Miandad, one of the greatest cricketers Pakistan has ever produced, is
not someone who shies away from being in the middle. He has been as vocal
and outspoken since his retirement as he was aggressive and hard-hitting on
the pitch. Seldom far away from controversy, Miandad, 52, works as the
director-general of the Pakistan Cricket Board — a post he accepted,
rejected and then reaccepted in less than six months. Following are excerpts
of an interview the Herald had with him at his home in Karachi.
Q. What led to your sudden resignation as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB)
director-general?
A. The PCB approached me for the job. But I wanted to do more than just sit
behind a desk and enjoy myself in an air-conditioned office. I wanted to be
involved in the field too but I wasn’t really given the powers to have a say
in most matters so I grew frustrated and resigned.
Focus: True Survivors
The mass exodus from Malakand Division is a tragedy on a scale that
statistically dwarfs Partition. In microcosm, the stories are no less
devastating. Whether it is the agonising choice of abandoning your aged
parents to save your children or never knowing what happened to your loved
ones, the stories of the displaced speak volumes of the endurance of the
human spirit and the sheer will to carry on.
In Memoriam:
Michael Jackson (1958-2009)By Omar Ali Khan
It is impossible to discuss Michael Jackson without reverting to cliché, he
was that big. Regardless of allegations regarding his private life, for good
or ‘Bad’, seldom has a mere mortal made such an indelible impact on the
world’s cultural landscape. Michael Jackson was in a league of his own,
leaving Prince, Madonna, U2 etc. way, way behind.
Michael Jackson was born the seventh of nine children, to ex-guitarist Joe
Jackson and his wife Katharine. Joe Jackson himself had harboured dreams of
a showbiz career and it was through his children that he decided to live
these out. So, in an ordinary working class household in the drab town of
Gary, Indiana, Jackson Sr, a ruthless authoritarian, drilled his sons for
hours on end until The Jackson 5 was eventually unveiled in front of the
local community. Joe Jackson soon invested in a van to drive his sons to
shows in different cities and in a short time the Jacksons were booked solid
on the local club circuit. But things got serious when they gained an
introduction to Mr. Motown himself, founder Berry Gordy.
By Irfan Husain
Generations of desis have returned from Britain with horror stories about
the food. In the late 50s, when I was living with my parents in Paris, my
older brother Salman was in boarding school in England. Whenever he came to
us for his vacations, he would make us shudder with tales of boiled
vegetables and leathery, tasteless meat. Later, when friends returned from
university in England, they would regale us with their accounts of pub food
that seemed to consist only of cold, greasy sausages and gluey mashed
potatoes.
Decades later, I am glad to report that those culinary nightmares are behind
us. If anything, the pendulum has swung to the other extreme. London is now
widely regarded as the foodie capital of the world, and even the remoter
bits of England now boast of exotic restaurants and ingredients. True, Paris
has more 3-star restaurants, but London now has eateries from the four
points of the compass and it is possible to get ingredients, spices and
herbs from anywhere in the world.
Interview: “I’m a meanie... If I don’t like a role, I
don’t do it”
By Maliha Diwan
Arguably the youngest Pakistani female actor to be able to claim veteran status,
Sania Saeed has been performing since the age of 10. One can say that she was
born to the stage as her father, thespian Mansoor Saeed, formed the Dastak
theatre group. For years she has shown talent and versatility but perhaps, most
importantly, she is known for the sense of integrity she brings to her
profession and her cerebral approach to her roles. The star of popular
television dramas “Sitara aur Mehr-un-Nisa” and “Ahaat”, television has made
Saeed a household name but she’ll gladly tell you that her greatest love is the
stage. She recently spoke to the Herald about her long-awaited return to
theatre, television and why she will never write, direct and produce...
Q. Is it daunting to return to the stage after a five-year hiatus?
A. When you’ve been doing theatre for 20 years and you take a five-year break,
it’s rather like returning to work after stepping out for lunch. Except for the
stamina – I still need to work on that – it’s pretty much business as usual.