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A cultural crisis A SUFI saint has defined culture as the fragrance left behind when the incense stick of life has burnt out. And, heritage is valued as the highly prized family silver — a loan from our ancestors to be passed on to future generations....		Unity in diversity PAKISTAN already has a cultural face; we just have to unveil it in a purposeful way. Since this face is not the countenance of a Na mehram, we can do away with this hijab, says cultural anthropologist, ethnomusicologist and Director of Lok Virsa, Dr Adam Nayyar....
To tell a tale RIDING a wild stallion, the Night Rider arrived in a godforsaken country in the dead of night. The earth shook under the hooves of the legions of the Night Rider. The disillusioned people woke up, trembled, and gathered together their frightened children in the dilapidated houses. They peeped through the shattered windows, and watched the arrival of the Night Rider. He was clad in a glittering armour. A huge headgear masked his face....		A scholar with a difference IQRA is a programme watched by thousands of viewers all over the world. The 25-minute programme teaches how to read the Holy Quran with English and Urdu translations. The beauty of...
No fakes anymore IT is a known fact that every year many innocent Pakistanis are sent abroad through illegal means. In this regard, issuance of fake passports plays a vital role....		The Indian mindset THE recent week-long tour of India by a delegation of Pakistani parliamentarians turned out to be most enlightening in view of meetings with the likes of former Indian prime ministers V.P. Singh and I.K. Gujral...
Cellphone world FOR millions of people around the world, the cellular phone, or mobile phone as we like to call them, are the ultimate communications device. Not only do they allow us to...		The dancing queens of Swat IN a small shabby room, a thin girl appears. Veiled, she throws a cold glance at her audience, a group of 17 men who have come to watch her dance....
The Fifth Republic BEING in France on this September day when schools reopen after the summer break amidst fears and expectations following the controversial headgear/scarf ban by President Jacques Chirac’s government has its own joys....		Food for thought FATS are bad for the heart. This is known fact. However, a lesser known fact is that Fats also include saturated and trans fatty acids. Saturated fats constitute the main ingredient of our traditional delicious diet, which is a factor responsible for the rising incidence of Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD) in the community. At the same time, not all fats are bad for the heart....
In the black robes of sorrow BANO Qudsia and Ashfaq Ahmad were like a pair of royal swans, silently floating on the dark blue lake of creative literature, only making ripples amongst the Urdu and Punjabi readers...		Sketchy business MORE often than not, being present at a place where crime is being committed scares the daylights out of you. In such a situation, particularly when the perpetrator of the crime is pointing a weapon at you, it becomes virtually impossible to keep a cool head. You have to have...
Words of wisdom ABRAHAM Lincoln, the 16th US president (1861-1865), was one of the world’s great statesmen. Here is a letter written by him to headmaster of the school in which his son was...		A sense of history RECENTLY, distinguished Indian historian Prof Mushirul Hasan and Prof Zoya Hasan were on a visit to Pakistan. They delivered lectures in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi. I had the opportunity to attend...
Hot Seat RECIPIENT of the Pride of Performance Award, Tina Sani says she has been listening to a lot of Madame Noor Jehan’s songs lately. Her favourite ghazal singer though, is Mehdi Hassan...		Honouring the best HAVING wired up the game by introducing electronics gadgetry in hope of offering a fair deal to the modern day cricketer, the ICC has now come up with it’s very own awards ceremony. The ICC Awards 2004 is the first official attempt to acknowledge the merits of players on a grand scale....
A pair of safe hands RADIO listeners always knew when Imtiaz Ahmed was batting for there was a lift in my voice. One never knew what would happen and he could be out first ball charging...		Some strange decisions THERE has been a flurry of comments in the media and in private circles about the decision of Inzamamul Haq in the semi-final against the West Indies to bat first on...
First family BEFORE getting hit by hurricane Kitty Kelly, the wag whose latest book on the first family details dope, drink and infidelity in the Bush household, a less sexy but a lot more seminal treatise demands notice. Dr Phil McGraw, the bald shrink, who has made his millions analyzing human behaviour, has penned Family...		Love is an enigma ASK a number of people about love or what that word means to them and you would notice a big difference in their responses. To some of them, love represents a magnetic attraction; it is a certain kind of emotional association between two persons that inflates their egos. To some other people, love is...
Looking for a crystal ball SOMETIMES, just sometimes, I wish I could see into the future. Not have it predicted through soothsayers, astrologers, tarot card readers or pirs, but see it. Actually, catch about a couple...		Deadly diagnosis WITH reference to the article Deadly diagnosis (August 15), a number of private hospitals and clinics generate a lot of money by asking their unsuspecting patients to take unnecessary tests. My...
MOSAIC: The new potato A NEW low carbohydrate potato with an attractive appearance and flavour will soon be out in the markets of Florida by January 2005, states a recent issue of Medicine Digest....		Newsmaker WITH beauty radiant enough to fill the Colosseum, Sophia Loren is one of the most enticing and graceful actresses alive. And it is hard to believe that this age-resistant screen goddess celebrated her 70th birthday on September 20!...