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Bridging a divided society IN the period between 1992 and 1995, Bosnian people faced a torrid time, particularly those who resided in the beautiful historic town of Mostar. The town, which was considered a cultural microcosm...		Preserving heritage PROF Dr Amir Pasic is an architect and planner by profession. He has studied and taught at universities of Mostar and Zagreb. He was the director of restoration team of Mostar city, which undertook rehabilitation of the historic quarters of the city, including the Stari Most, after it was damaged during...
Cinema culture’s epitaph I DEEM it necessary to beg of my readers their tolerance and forbearance to discuss a complicated academic issue in its historical perspective. Immediately after Pakistan came into being, our leaders kept an eye on the development, procurement, and production of military hardware in India. If India made tanks, we made tanks. If they made missiles, we made missiles. If they made lethal...		The rush of young blood IT is a cloudy morning in Lahore. It is the last day of the month when one can pay one’s electricity bill. There is an endless queue at the bank counter....
Politics sans humour POLITICIANS all over the world seldom resort to humour to put their point across. Particularly, in the Third World countries, politicians with a good sense of humour are really hard to...		Riding on the crest of a wave THE local car market is gearing up to play host to a number of models at spectacular prices following the government decision to rationalize payments of duties and taxes in rupees on the import of cars....
September 11 IT started as a normal, regular day. But before it was over, the events of September 11, 2001 had made it one of the most extraordinary dates to remember....		Tokyo on a shoe-string budget WE had always been under the impression that Japan is an expensive country. That coupled with the language barrier had my better half worried over my choice for the next vacation. What if we got on the wrong train and were stranded in the middle of some Japanese...
Most important meal THE pace of life has become very fast in today’s world and almost everyone is part of this hustle-bustle. It is also probably due to their hectic schedules that many people have adopted unhealthy lifestyles. This includes working all day without resting, taking improper diet, not doing appropriate exercises, sleeping very late at night and so on....		Spectacular Athenian results THE good news is that I have selected myself as a member of the Pakistani contingent which will participate most honourably in the 2008 Olympics being held in Beijing. The bad...
Creative pursuits IT was wonderful to interview Dr Jawaid Iqbal at his home, and to sit and talk about his literary pursuits — especially his ideas regarding art and creativity. It was revelatory as well as enlightening to know how strongly he feels about creativity and the different stages the creative process goes through....		Reliving the past VISITING Delhi, to me, has always been something like revisiting the past. These days Delhi is known as New Delhi and has a culture very different from the one we associate...
Dancing daffodils TWO centuries ago, in 1804, English poet William Wordsworth wrote the first version of his celebrated poem The Daffodils. Half a century back, I, as a secondary school student, read it...		Hot Seat FULL of life and vitality, renowned playwright and advisor to the chief minister of Sindh, Fatima Suraiya Bajia admits she enjoys watching movies but rarely has the time to purposefully sit...
A wired-up ICC trophy MODERN technology introduced in cricket in recent times by the ICC to ease the decision making by the umpires, has its advantages as well as disadvantages. It may not be a fool proof way of making a decision but the good side of it is that at least that there is now little scope for moaning and groaning by the players....		Managing the hockey hemorrhage DEAD and buried is how one can describe the present state of Pakistan hockey as the sport’s Tsars hammered the last nail into the game’s coffin. Of course this was achieved...
African safari IN 1956 the Cricket Writers Club toured what was then called East Africa. I do not want to write about that tour but about some of the characters who were on...		In search of a finisher I READ with great interest the latest statement attributed to coach Bob Woolmer who has been quoted as saying that he was basically looking for a match-winning batsman. A cartoon...
The two Americas WHO’S looking out for the Pakistani-Americans? While the well-heeled, hoity-toity specimens are cozily ensconced in enclaves earmarked for people of colour in the watering holes of wealthy America, there are no brownie...		It’s really taxing IT’S tax time once again. Salaried persons are complaining for the umpteenth time that they are most heavily taxed. Their income is fixed and tax is withheld at source. They cannot claim any expenditure against their income. Those who are paid a part of salary officially and a part under the table also protest with the rest; but deep down they are chuckling....
Brain drain WITH reference to the article Brain drain (August 22), the writer seems to have confused ‘affect drain’ for ‘brain drain’....		Newsmaker AS America doesn’t have any knighthood to bestow upon its citizens, it is left up to other nations to do the honour. Ace filmmaker Steven Spielberg just became a knight in the French Legion of Honour when French President Jacques Chirac decorated him with the country’s highest distinction....