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Twisted truth OVER the years, many people have worried about the state of education in Pakistan and have sought to bring about some kind of reform. The need for reform has been emphasised in countless speeches by political leaders, in government reports, parliamentary debates, some books, scholarly essays and research, newspaper articles and editorials....		Attitude needs a change as well THE ongoing controversy over what should be taught to our students has stemmed from the fact that teachers who are directly involved in the education process and remain in constant touch with the pupils have been kept away from policy-making, says Nazma Athar, an educationist of repute who has been in the field for over four decades....
Superman in modern context WHILE discussing with you the phenomenon of continuity, I had emphasised that whatever is thought of belonging to antiquity, and is discarded, in fact conceptually remains in vogue in every era and in one form or the other. Arrows are no more used in modern warfare and have been replaced by bullets....		A daunting task AN article appeared in the Dawn Magazine issue of March 7, 2004, in which the author wrote: “Living in a foreign country, the urge to integrate is quite strong. For some,...
Shrine of peace and tranquility MORE than two hundred kilometres from metropolitan Karachi, where the distressful routine full of anxiety and daily turmoil, shakes up the hardest of human being, lies a temple....		Preparing for O levels EDUCATION is one of those areas which have an extensive presence on the Internet. And as the Net increases its technological advances, its searchable databases effectively cater to the needs to...
The tribulations of Paan Galli WINDING irregularly through the busiest section of Old Anarkali is the Paan Galli. Overflowing with more than 70 shops, the Paan Galli is besieged by goods carrying Indian brands....		MOSAIC: Population: 9 billion! POPULATION growth is expected to slow dramatically over the coming decades, but the number of people on the planet is still likely to reach 8.9 billion by 2050, up from 6.3...
Heart attack can be prevented ISCHAEMIC heart disease (IHD) is rated as the No1 killer of adult population worldwide. Epidemiological studies have found South East Asia (Pakistan included) as the high risk region for IHD. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) popularly known as heart attack is the main mode...		Shangrila de Hunza ABOUT an hour’s drive from Gilgit on the Karakoram Highway, comfortably tucked away in mountains, at a height of 8000 feet is the scenic valley of Hunza. And Karimabad is the...
What makes news? IT is often contended that the values of journalism and the entertainment business are antithetical. While the former is about truth and understanding, the latter is mostly about moving and promoting products....		Power to the people WHENEVER they have been exploited, they have changed the perspectives of nations and broken the backs of capitalists. Workers, through the ages, have been playing a crucial role in strengthening economies....
The ghazal debate I WAS under the impression that the century-old controversy about the validity of ghazal as a form of expression has grown outdated, and so Fahmida Riyaz’s anti-ghazal statements, howsoever provocative,...		Hot Seat RENOWNED flutist Salamat Hussain is known for his ability to add lilt and spark to any music, be it dhurpad, qawwali, khayal, thumri or ghazal. Watching Salamat Hussain’s fingers running on...
Beware of what you ask for THERE were cries of anguish when Lahore burst at the seams not just with the welcome for the Indians, the passion for Indo-Pak cricket but also with the disturbing news that the series was being played to a script. Impossible, shouted PCB from the top of the floodlight towers but the spotlights on this monster tied to the...		More than just cricket SITTING in a state of utter disbelief, way into the night of March 30, 2004, in a quiet, suburban town of the San Francisco Bay area, the potential early morning staring...
Things can go really wrong THE inquiry commission set up the PCB to investigate the spate of injuries that hit Pakistan during the series with India has provoked mixed public response, with some vocally against the...		Picturesque but poignant BLOSSOMS ablaze, leaflets of lime-green abloom, birds astir ... go right to the heart of the Seven Ages of Man that the bard from Stratford made immortal some four centuries back....
Three’s company THIS is a story of three people. No, they’re not Beavis and Butthead featuring Diarrhea. It’s the story of my brother and sister. And if you still can’t figure out who the third one is, chances are that you’ll like this piece of writing because it’s just as dumb....		Romancing the saree SOMEHOW, it seems that Pakistanis are better hosts than their Indian counterparts. This statement is based on the fact that the number of visitors from India is far more than the...
Fiddling with heritage WITH reference to the article, Fiddling with Heritage (April 18), the architectural heritage of Karachi is this city’s precious treasure, and architects, students and conservationist are deeply concerned that unless it...		Newsmaker When Moammar Gadhafi landed up in Brussels on Tuesday last, the world took notice and the European Union rolled out the red carpet for him. This was after all, the Libyan president’s first visit outside the Arab-African world in 15 years....