Should have or shouldn’t have? People have not decided whether Eve did the right thing by disobeying Adam (by plucking the apple) or she should have listened to her Master. And by virtue of the birth of Satan this conveniently became Eve’s fault for the uncountable lists of faults and mistakes, till to date, becoming a women’s wrong doings. Being the other wheel (not the spare one) of a well-oiled marriage apple cart, a woman’s role in day to day life cannot be denied. All About Eve was a special treat for the women of twin cities — a celebration of womanhood that discussed everything connected to women, under the sun.
The practical guidelines by various experts included, tips on health and hygiene, self grooming and fashion and food recipes. Beauty expert Mussarrat Misbah gave a demo on how to look more stylish and elegant, by taking care of one’s self, while Alya Kazmi spoke on ‘body language’ and shared her secrets on the ‘confident look’, with the right pose and appearance. A talk on women’s health was given by Dr Rubina Fareed, a maternal and child health expert. Speaking on osteoporosis, pre and post-natal complexes, need for vitamins and anti-aging tips. Trade secrets on staying active and slim by regular workouts and exercise were explained by Sarah Olsen, besides home made remedies for hair and skin care by a herbal specialist, there were tips on budgeting, a perfect hostess, displaying flower arrangements of all seasons with foliage (with and without flowers). A session on table settings was quite fascinating for not only the college students, but all the ladies present.
Dr Jawad Chishtie, an environmentalist was there to motivate women to realize their role in every aspect of environment (degradation) and come out of the state of ‘indifference’ and show ‘apathy’. His presentation on civic participation was a wake up call for the women to whom he requested to plant more (local) trees and pass on to their children. Sofia Shahid, who sailed the entire show smoothly, supported this by presenting a picture of ‘Islamabad devoid of trees, full of high rise buildings, Margallas with no vegetation and wildlife, in the near future’. In Building better relationships, which are made by God but maintained by a woman, Safia Nasir, discussed the chemistry of a woman who is, a doting mother, a caring daughter, a loving sister, a devoted wife, a tolerant mother-in-law, a sensitive daughter-in-law a considerate boss and a concerned neighbour, in her different roles. The ‘binding force of all relations’ women she said are blessed with a special gift to sustain (new and old) relationships and she only needs to use this talent. She ended up with “one basic ingredient to the recipe of happiness — positive thinking, it’s never too late to change!” In the meantime, the hotel chef was busy cooking chicken karhai from a new recipe as the event was sponsored by a national food company in collaboration with a local hotel. The new style of chicken karhai was served with nan for the ladies to taste and give feed back. The audience, besides the Isloo socialites comprised of college and university students who received ‘first hand knowledge’ on the many shades and colours of womanhood.
A Visionary, with a capital V
A visionary, benefactor, hard worker, achiever, humble, modest, dedicated, were some of the adjectives repeatedly echoed in the auditorium of the Higher Education Commission, where a reference meeting in memory of Dr Mohammad Afzal was held.
A gathering of emotionally charged presenters, (unable to guise their feelings) comprising colleagues, students, friends and family paid tribute to their mentor and guru — Dr Mohammad Afzal, who died on March 4th, at the age of 86, in Islamabad. Naming his posts, positions and degrees would be a laborious exercise. A former Federal Minister for Education, Advisor to the President on Education, Rector International Islamic University, Head, University Grants Commission and the list goes on. Teaching the university students had probably been the best experience of his life. I remember he once said, “I am an educationist. I feel that my ‘reason of being’ is for the sake of education! I give practical experience to the students and take in their fresh ideas. It is immensely satisfying.” The students on the other hand found his personality very inspiring. Humility personified, he was too modest to mention his contribution to major decisions that changed the education scenario in Pakistan. In the past few years his health deteriorated but he overcame everything with his sheer willpower to fight back. Although he is no more, educational institutions and the generations of students will continue to benefit from his vision.
