Be it anywhere in the world, long weekends are something to look forward to and celebrate. Come Friday night and the festive mood starts which ends with the sunset on Sunday.
Parties, picnics, hiking, fishing, boating, are all on the plate to pick and choose from. Unfortunately, for long, the people in power in Pakistan have not been able to reach a consensus whether to keep Friday or Sunday as the weekly off. Trying to make use of whatever there is to choose from the limited menu, people in this part of the country leave the plains and head up north to places like Burban, Naran or Swat.
But this August 14, weekend turned out to be fully booked as every hotel, no matter what star, motel or rest house, was running House Full with no space for even a single bed. This time, however, it was not the Islooites occupying the resorts, but visitors from neighbouring Lahore and Faisalabad who had been proactive in making use of the two days, in the process getting away from the humid monsoon.
So much so that Islooites had to confine themselves to the Capital — for a change!
Amongst the numerous functions for the day (and night), the grand Azadi Show on August 13 night at the Aiwan-e-Sadar, was the talk of the town, with the President playing host to the who’s who of the Capital. Avoiding the risk of taking the President to a function, the security found it easier to take the function to the President. Sitting in the lawn of the Presidency, dressed in a shalwar kameez, he succeeded in presenting ‘a soft face’ of his own-self along with his country.
Chomping on a cigar, sitting chatting with ministers, male and female MNAs and Pop singers, besides wife and mother, he seemed quite at home and pleased with the projection as the function was being telecast live on PTV. It was also a new idea to address the nation exactly when the clock stuck midnight.
August 14, also marked the opening of a Heritage Museum, the National Museum of Ethnology. As the card did not mention the name of the chief guest, (or guests) people speculated different names as the creme d’la creme of the capital, ministers, male and female MNAs, diplomats and UN representatives gathered at Shakarparian waited and waited under the sun with humidity shooting high making the long wait unbearable. Some said it may be the Prime Minister, but then the person was corrected by another that “since Chaudhry sahib has not had any assassination attempt, it may the PM to-be, Shaukat Aziz!” After what seemed to be a never-ending hour, the mystery resolved and as the front doors opened, in walked the President and the First Lady. The function finally kicked off.
As for the Prime Minister’s engagements, due to the inclement weather the organizers did some last minute changes, shifting his flag hoisting ceremony, (probably the first and the last) from the Parliament House to the Convention Center. It is being said that, Chaudhry sahib will probably be the first Prime Minister to complete his term, no matter how short.
Pir Sohava — a bird’s eye view
Some places gain popularity solely by word of mouth. People speak from experience and are so convincing that no amount of advertising seems to be as effective. This is the case with the restaurant at Pir Sohava, located on top of the Margalla Hills, a little further from the observatory spot of Daman-e-Koh, which offers a bird’s eye view of the capital.
Until recently, the restaurant used to have peak traffic at weekend lunchtime, especially Sundays when people started pouring in from 11 am for brunch and the festivities lasted till sunset. But since the so-called ‘commercialization of the Capital’, the entire road leading up to the restaurant has been illuminated with huge street lights. The place has not only become a favourite spot for Islooites but for the diplomatic community of the capital as well. The lights are now switched on way past midnight, which has added an element of adventure for the late-night dinners.
The place still retains its natural, outdoor look by avoiding any major construction. Most of the seating arrangement is in the open, with tables and chairs clustered under picnic umbrellas. A large area at the entrance has also been allotted for seating under a tin-roof, while the other three accommodate the outdoor seating. And beyond that, there is only the pristine hillside with Islamabad spread out far below. Environmentalists, however, are the only people upset over the entire scenario due to the disturbance it is causing the wildlife on the Margallas.
Be it anywhere in the world, long weekends are something to look forward to and celebrate. Come Friday night and the festive mood starts which ends with the sunset on Sunday.
