|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
  |
It took the Punjab government about 200 years to realise that the two-acre land in Garhi Shahu owned by a missionary charitable organisation actually is owned by the state By Waqar Gillani “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State,” these words are often used for reference when we have to establish our minority-rights credentials. MOOD STEREET Surviving against odds By Ammara Ahmad One of my uncles who is a doctor once joked that “aapki zindagi likhi hu tu aap hospital mein bach hee jayengein” (if you have a long enough life, you will survive the hospital). This pretty much sums up Pakistan’s healthcare system.The first time I came out of my happiness bubble was when I interned for a rural health clinic in Hafizabad. It was a microcosm of Pakistan, with extreme and diverse limitations that had ugly outcomes. Town Talk eid Moen
Jo Daro of modern times
issue The forgotten land It took the Punjab government about 200 years to realise that the two-acre land in Garhi Shahu owned by a missionary charitable organisation actually is owned by the state By Waqar Gillani “You are free; you are free to go to your temples,
you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in
this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed
that has nothing to do with the business of the State,” these words are
often used for reference when we have to establish our minority-rights
credentials. Unfortunately, for 13-year-old Sakina, these are mere
words that have no relevance. She now stands in ruins, of what was once
her school and a Sunday school in the church. “I don’t look forward to
the Sundays anymore because our place of worship has been taken away for
us. We did so many activities in the Sunday school other than religious
preaching; it was more like an association of friends and family,” she
says. Sakina is just one of the many who have been hit
directly by the Punjab government’s act of razing a church, a school for
poor girls, around seven houses of poor, shelters for elderly and homeless
people in the Garhi Shahu area. The bulldozing of a Christian property, running under
a charitable organisation since ages, is being seriously criticised by the
Christians community all over the country. Following the pressure, the
Punjab government which first demolished that piece of land, announced
that it would hand over the possession of the property to the organisation
“soon”. However, the matter has been taken to court by the missionary
organisations and local churches. The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) took possession
of a Christian property, Gosha-e-Aman situated on Allama Iqbal Road, Garhi
Shahu, demolishing the building on January 10. The place was run by a board of Catholic Church and
managed by Caritas Pakistan, an organisation working under the Catholic
Church of Lahore. The piece of land was owned by a missionary charitable
organisation since 1887, according to the documents available with the
Christian organisations concerned. The institution was registered in the
name of Lahore Charitable Association. The two-acre property worth
billions of rupees had a large compound that previously housed a home for
elderly people, a girls’ school, a convent and a chapel (small church).
The place was named Charitable Association in 1908. The current building
was constructed in 1921. In 1963, the association was issued a certificate
by Pakistan labour and welfare department. The place was named
Gosha-e-Aman in 1990. A Christian lady Agnes Peter was also involved in
some litigation to get the piece of land but she could not win the case
from the court. The government officials claim that the site was
declared state land by the authorities in 2007. The District Coordinating
Officer of Lahore was present to supervise the demolition with heavy
mechanical apparatus on the day, ordering a couple of families living in
it to move out of the building, claiming that the property has been
transferred to the Punjab government. Father Emmanuel Yousuf Mani, representative of the
Catholic Church, says the demolition of Christian property is an illegal
act. He also says that the government had not served any notice to the
residents and the legal property holders (Lahore Charitable Association). Father Mani, who is also national director of the
Catholic Church’s National Commission for Justice and Peace, further
says that the Catholic Church had not received prior warning of the
demolition plans. He says a controversy over the property ownership began
a few years ago when the site’s main building was used as a refuge for
destitute women. However, the matter was solved through the court of
justice. Following the pressure, the Punjab government, last
Saturday announced to hand over the possession of the disputed land of
recently demolished place to the Catholic Diocese, saying that the
operation was meant to vacate the building from illegal occupants. Punjab Minority Minister, Kamran Michael, tells TNS
that the matter will be fully resolved soon as the operation was meant to
remove encroachments only. “We heard that the piece of land is under
unlawful possession of land mafia for the last over two years and the
mafia was trying to sell it out. The government smelled their motives and
retrieved the land from them with timely interference.” He says that by
no means the government would allow any person to use church property for
any other purpose. He says that he is also requesting the Chief Minister
Shahbaz Sharif to grant a two-and-half kanal piece of government land
adjacent to the land of the Catholic Diocese for the purpose of
construction of a school and a shelter home for the old. Alexander John Malik, Bishop of Lahore, condemning the
demolition and desecration of a Christian Institution Gosha-e-Aman and the
church inside it, says, “Such an action manifests unaccounted power and
explains grave injustice and cruelty towards religious minorities in
Pakistan.” He demands from the government and those at the helm of
affairs to rebuild the Christian institution Gosha-e-Aman and register a
case under section 295 B and C against representatives of the government
of Punjab who were involved in the desecration of Holy Bibles, Holy Cross
and Church during this incident. vaqargillani@gmail.com One of my uncles who is a doctor once joked that
“aapki zindagi likhi hu tu aap hospital mein bach hee jayengein” (if
you have a long enough life, you will survive the hospital). This pretty
much sums up Pakistan’s healthcare system. The first time I came out of my happiness bubble was
when I interned for a rural health clinic in Hafizabad. It was a microcosm
of Pakistan, with extreme and diverse limitations that had ugly outcomes. The patients were often poor and therefore couldn’t
afford medicines and consultants. They were unaware of the urgency of
treatment, often reluctant to approach hospitals and therefore,
mismanaging, mistiming and often dying in the process. Like everywhere
else, the law was negligible, the patients and care-givers had no rights
and the major brunt was faced by women in hospitals. Strange complications resulted. Newborns died
over-night by pneumonia, leaving their parents sullen and would-be mothers
arrived at near-death stages after many days of labour at home. It was a
torturous affair, visiting the clinic and the wards. In 2007, I was in USA for a summer when I decided to
rent a bike and go for a ride. But this resulted in an unforgettable
incident. The bike slipped on a slope and I landed myself in a hospital,
thus experiencing arguably one of the best healthcare systems in the
world. The first thing they did was, they put me in a wheelchair. When I
protested that I could walk, they said I had to write them a disclaimer
that if I tripped it was not their fault. A nurse came to take my history,
and after that some three different types of nurses appeared before the
doctor arrived, some five hours later. The CT scan was already done by
then, to check my brain for damage (which my mother thinks happened
nevertheless). The doctor gave me five minutes, explained that the facial
tendons are pulled and left after prescribing high-powered painkillers
(like valium) which I didn’t buy because they were worth several dollars
per tablet. Though the doctor was very late, I felt two things. I could go
to the court if I felt I was mistreated; and my life was worth it. In the last few weeks, I have frequented Punjab
Institute of Cardiology to see my grandpa in the midst of the “fake
medicine” scandal. Four years back PIC was at par with any American
hospital. This time it was in shambles. Perhaps this is the end of ladder
for every government institution in Pakistan. In healthcare at least, the private sector is more
expensive but equally flawed because health laws, qualified personnel,
upgraded equipment, latest medical treatments and technologies are absent
everywhere. Its like getting arrested in Pakistan once you are behind the
bars, you are in trouble even if you are the former prime minister. I have been going to Jinnah hospital for many years
now. It has grown so much since the time it started. And since five of my
siblings were born there, it is a source of pleasant memories for me. Just
two years ago, I was in their labour room with my aunt and it was stunning
a line of ladies in labour, some of them forced to stand because of lack
of beds. Some shared a bed with other would-be mothers, while the sweepers
mopped the floor and asked for bukshish. Dozens of women thronged the
labour room, most of them attendants like me. Yet this is the best they can get, no one is refused
and most people go back alive. This is the most enchanting aspect of our
healthcare that most people survive against the odds. All government
hospitals have this to their credit that they are operational despite all
the challenges. Pakistan’s healthcare, like our judiciary and
police, needs less badmashi and more modern trainings, a legal grip and
more fiscal allocation in the budget. If hospital staff earns as much as a
rickshaw driver, patients will feel the road bumps, hear the searing noise
and inhale the contaminated air. If we deserve a better service, they
deserve a better pay. *26th Lahore International Book
Fair at Expo Centre Johar Town till Feb 7. Timings: 10am-10pm. *Play: The Lahore Alma and Theatre Hub present Teesri Aankh at Ali
Auditorium, directed by Talal Ali Jan. *Solo Exhibition by Muzzumil Ruheel opening on tomorrow, Mon, Feb 06 at
Rohtas 2 Gallery. The exhibition will continue till Feb 13. *Filums - the LUMS International Film Festival hosted annually by the LUMS
Media Arts Society (LMA) from Feb 10-20. *Learning to See A guided tour of how to look at & enjoy art with
Salima Hashmi on Friday, Feb 10 from 5:00 to 6:00 pm. *Faiz Amn Mela next Sunday, Feb 12 at Alhamra Arts Council, The Mall at 1:00 pm. *Letters To Taseer II at The Drawing Room Art Gallery till Feb 23. *Critical Mass: Cycling to start from Neela Gumbad parking lot today at
3:00pm. eid The city celebrates Eid Milad-un-Nabi again. Wholesale
and resale markets, streets, roads, houses and buildings in different
areas have been decorated with lights, buntings, banners and flags of
different colours to attract the beholder’s eye. Commuters along the streets were intercepted for the
last few days by cheerful children and youth asking for financial
contributions to fund the celebrations. These festivities are not new, and have been there for
ages. However, over the last few years new activities have become part of
them and the level of public participation increased considerably. Lately,
the aspirants of political parties’ tickets in future local government
and general elections have started funding banners carrying congratulatory
messages for the nation and businesses are launching new products and
announcing offers for their clientele on this august occasion. Some people also believe the increased activity is
also for the reason that the day comes after a prolonged period of
somberness and mourning during the months of Muharram and Safar. As a
large number of people refrain from holding events like weddings etc
during the months, they believe there is a pent up energy which gets vent
on this occasion. The weather is also conducive for outdoor activities
like taking out processions, holding cricket tournaments, setting up
foodstalls and holding na’at and qawwaali sessions all day long. The people of Lahore deprived of these activities due
to ban on basant now link them to Eid Milad, says Dr Mujtaba, a die-hard
PPP fan and former local government representative in Northern Lahore. He
tells TNS his friends in Allama Iqbal Town set up a food court where
traditional Lahori food is served to guests coming from all over the city.
The place is decorated beautifully with bull-carts, camel-carts and
horse-carts available to children for small rides. The burden is not on a
single person, he says, adding the cost is borne by the community
comprising around 20 households. Prof. Muhammad Siddique, an expert in Islamic history
and theology shares with TNS that Eid Milad is a festival observed by
Muslims belonging to all sects. The difference if any is about the date of
Prophet’s birth or the rituals which should ideally be part of it or
should not be. Therefore, he believes, this occasion should be used to
promote inter-sect harmony and tolerance for each other. Tracing the history of the festival, he says some
historians believe Muslim rulers in Morocco and Spain started celebrating
the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) the way Christians celebrate the
birth of Jesus Christ. The practice continued and it was during the
Ottoman rule it gained the status of an official festival, he adds. The show of creativity by the youth is another salient
feature of the event. In areas like Shadbagh, Krishan Nagar, Dharampura,
Sadar, Mughalpura, the Walled City and Samanabad they display the replicas
of Khana Ka’aba, Roza-e-Rasool, Mount Hira and other holy places and win
prizes in competitions held at the end of the day. Coincidentally, this year the Kashmir Day and Eid
Milad fall on the same day and the activities related to them have been
clubbed together. The city roads are full of banners announcing na’at
recitals, religious gatherings and lectures which will culminate with
collective prayers for the cause of Kashmir. The same way processions in
favour of Kashmir cause will be led by na’at khawans who will recite
na’ats all along the route. Businesses like catering, bakery and even real estate
are also counting on the day to get a boost. Shahid Mahmood, a qualified
chef and confectioner, tells TNS people are ordering cakes up to 63 pounds
in weight for the event each pound counting for each year of Prophet’s
life spanning 63 years. The catering business, he says, is also booming as
there are very few households who are not ordering food for distribution.
The sector is upbeat after a slowdown during the months of Muharram and
Safar when very few weddings take place. Besides, Shahid says, stalls have
been set up in markets and along roads where people are being served food
for free. The real estate sector has also tried to cash on the
spending frenzy as one can see advertisements by companies offering
discount up to Rs 100,000 on a ten-marla plot. Last but not the least, the Punjab Auqaf department
seems to have followed a saner approach this time. Fayyaz Mahmood, an
official at the department and administrator of Badshahi Mosque, says
Quranic verses have been used in banners on this occasion to spread
messages of humanity and love for all human beings. For example, Fayyaz says, the beliefs that the Prophet
is a blessing for all human beings and that the killing of one human being
is the killing of the whole mankind, are strong enough to disapprove
violence in the name of religion. “We have displayed these messages
prominently and hope people will reorganise their lives according to these
teachings of the Holy Prophet.”
It is indeed novel to hear children in urban centres
nowadays speaking even a few phrases of their mother tongue but the young
ladies of Grade V at Lahore Grammar School 1-A/1 provided a refreshing
break from this sad state of affairs with their engaging play “Chuhey Di
Vaar” performed this Saturday wholly in Punjabi. Written by the talented Farjad Nabi and directed by
the highly esteemed Huma Safdar, the play is a delightful dramatic
narrative about the adventures of a clever rat who finds some dry wood on
a rainy day and barters it for a lump of dough. The event is the beginning
of a series of trades which the rat subsequently transacts, driven by an
insatiable greed and progressing in life by outwitting others. The play
sheds light on the theme of greed, which is rampant in society today and
provides considerable food for thought. The performance was a delight to watch. The actors,
despite their young age, truly did justice to the play. Although some were
a little nervous and hesitant at the start, they quickly warmed to the
audience and it was heartwarming to watch their passionate performances,
with the girls playing male characters making a special effort to make
their naturally high-pitched voices deep and heavy. There was a lot of
impressive mime involved as well. A special mention must be given to the
rat and the bride, both of whom stole the show with their spot-on gestures
and facial expressions. The set, which depicted a scene in nature, was
beautifully designed, with attention to the smallest details. There was
innovative use of lighting, with several stark colours of light flickering
on and off according to the mood and action of the play. Another laudable
aspect was the use of space no part of the stage was left empty, the
actors exercised full physical freedom. Their gestures were unrestrained
and fully expressed. Furthermore, the use of sound in the play contributed
to the overall aesthetic appeal not only did the girls sang a plethora of
songs with the tabla and harmonium accompanying them, the background
sounds complimented the actors’ movement. Pertaining to the significance of performing plays in
Punjabi, the director said, “It is very important for us to speak the
language that is such an integral part of our environment and spoken by
our fellow people. The educated classes must improve society.” So what
did the young girls, many of whom have grown up watching cartoons in
English on Cartoon Network and Disney Channel and probably did not have
any experience with Punjabi prior to this play, have to say? Of particular
interest to me was whether or not they actually understood all their
complex Punjabi dialogues, many of which I myself, an 18-year-old, had had
difficulty with. It was uplifting to hear that they did. They admitted
that learning the language had been difficult but after four months of
rehearsals they had finally accomplished it. — Noorzadeh
Salman Raja
Moen
Jo Daro of modern times The country’s music
listeners have historically been immune to music genres varying from the
traditional, pop rock and film. The transition of alternate bands into
mainstream celebrities is usually a melancholic tale; apart from the likes
of Co-Ven who have cornered some territory into known lands, the majority
of such bands are stereotyped as too experimental for mainstream success. Moen Jo Daro, one such
band from Lahore, is getting noticed for its uplifting live acts,
meaningful lyrics and social backdrops. Radio and television airtime as
well as positive feedback on the band’s latest tracks has created a stir
in the local music scenario. The band prides itself in music which
doesn’t necessarily get divided into three stanzas, where you don’t
really have to be able to hum the riff all day long to consider the song a
good one. “The target audience
is just not mature enough to digest anything apart from the generally
accepted formula music because they only implicate on surviving the
current circumstances rather than moving forward,” articulates Usman Bin
Sohail, the mustache-laden architect of the band since its inception. We recently sat down
with Usman, the band’s manager Mukarram Jamil and the rest of the band
to get a quick account of their recent rise in popular recognition: The News on Sunday: What
is the band’s USP? Moen Jo Daro: We are
recognised for our live performances more so than our studio products.
However, ‘Garmi On!’ and ‘Inqilab’ have been released on the radio
and internet and both have had good air time on the radio. We didn’t
make any money initially but now things have gotten a lot better. TNS: Your new tracks
‘Jaag’ and ‘Hum mein se ek’ carry socio-revolutionary undertones.
What is the motivating factor for this? Moen Jo Daro: Most of
our tracks are carrying social and political messages. To make songs like
these, you don’t need special arrangements to get inspired, all you have
to do is look outside your window. Particularly speaking, ‘Jaag’ urges
the listener to recognise the flaws around him and tackle them as a whole
along with others as a unit. ‘Hum mein se ek,’ on
the other hand, points out the fact that the consequent surrounding
‘environment’ is just a product of the individuals within it and vice
versa. TNS: Has there been any
creative difference and ego clash which has accounted in the past with
members leaving and new members arriving? Moen Jo Daro: The best
thing is everybody knows their place in the band; that is the most
important thing. Some of us have jobs now and some are still studying but
the band goes on without many problems. Things were always this smooth
with the previous ensemble of members, but it seems just about perfect
right now. TNS: The band’s most
memorable moment yet. Moen Jo Daro: Performing
at Superior University in front of 10,000 people was a big high. There was
also a recent gig in Gujranwala where we were the main act and people were
brawling, head-banging and ‘crazy dancing’ at the same time. By
‘crazy dancing’ we mean dance which cannot be described in words. TNS: As love is the
subject for the majority of songs released in the subcontinent, it is
interesting to note that you haven’t really gone to this side. Moen Jo Daro: We
haven’t refrained from it purposefully. We usually write songs based on
our experiences, and none of us has really gone too much onto this side. This might change in the
near future. TNS: Why haven’t we
seen music videos to supplement the recent tracks? Moen Jo Daro: To be
perfectly honest we don’t have any videos in the pipeline; the reason
being the cost/benefit analysis falling on the wrong side. A good music
video usually costs much more than it is worth; especially for an audience
like the one in our country.
|
|
