Like every year, here's the time to reminisce what we have lost, gained, anticipated, toiled for and ended up with. The end of each year is a time for reflection and as 2009 winds up, here's a flashback into the yearlong scores by women. On the international scene and at home ground, women have scaled new heights and have been honoured in their respective line-of-work. You! highlights:

On the National Front

'Democracy's Hero'

In January, International Republican Institute (IRI) awarded Sherry Rehman the title - Democracy's Hero - for her decades-old struggle for the cause of democracy in the country.

First woman to present the budget

The Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar was the first woman to present Pakistan's budget in the National Assembly in June.

PIA gets first woman captain

In October, Ayesha Rabia Naveed became the first woman captain of a commercial aeroplane in Pakistan.

First Pakistani woman umpire in England

Former cricketer Shah Parveen Kausar is the first woman from Pakistan to umpire a competitive game in England.

On the International Front

Record number of women won the Nobel Prize

This year a record of five women were honoured by the Nobel committees. The 2009 winners include:

* Elinor Ostrom, 76, who made history by being the first woman to win the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.

* Ada Yonath, 70, of Israel, who shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry with Americans Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas Steitz for their atom-by-atom description of ribosomes.

* Elizabeth H. Blackburn, 60, and Carol W. Greider, 48, who shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine with Jack W. Szostak for their work in solving the mystery of how chromosomes protect themselves from degrading when cells divide.

* Herta Mueller, 56, a Romanian-born German writer who won the literature prize for her critical depiction of life behind the Iron Curtain.

Most powerful business woman

In March, Indra Nooyi of PepsiCo was declared at the top of the list that contained 50 Most Powerful women.

First Arab undercover policewoman detective

Bahrain has found its first female detective in the shape of Shaikha Noora bint Al Khalifa - member of a royal family, and head of the Criminal Investigative Directorate's Anti-Narcotics division.

First woman bishop

The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles elected the first female bishop in its 114-year history but ended voting for a second position without a victor.

Washington Post First Woman ME

Washington Post hired two women managing editors. One was Elizabeth Spayd, the newspaper's first woman managing editor that will be responsible for the hard-news sections. The other was Raju Narisetti, former Deputy Managing Editor of the Wall Street Journal, who will oversee Style and other featured sections.

German Protestants pick first woman to head church

German Protestants elected Margot Kassmann, a divorcee and the Lutheran bishop of Hanover, to lead their Church, the first woman to take the post and only the third woman to head a major Christian church.

First Woman High Representative of EU Appointed

In November 2009 the European Union chose the leaders who would represent the EU to the rest of the world. In a great feat for women, Baroness Cathy Ashton, a former UK Labour Party member in the House of Lords, was chosen as the European Union's Foreign Minister and the Vice President of the European Council.

Politically correct

First woman in Saudi cabinet

In February, King Abdullah appointed Ms. Norah al-Faiz for the first time to the Saudi cabinet.

India elects first woman speaker

In June, India's parliament elected its first woman speaker, who's also a member of the low-caste Dalit community. Meira Kumar, 64, was elected unopposed by a voice vote in Lok Sabha, India's 543-seat lower house of parliament.

US Muslim lady as advisor to Obama

President Obama is a smart man and welcome's diversity. In April Dalia Mogahed became the first Muslim woman appointed as advisor to the American President.

Iran gets first woman minister

Iran broke tradition and welcomed its first female minister as part of the parliamentary cabinet under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Marzieh Vahid Sastjerdi became a part of the ministry of health in September.

Kuwaiti women enter parliament

The Kuwaiti parliament opened its door to four female parliamentarians in the year 2009; this is the first time in the history of the Gulf Arab state.

Coakley poised to become state's first woman senator

In December, Democratic senatorial candidate, Attorney General Martha M. Coakley won the Democratic primary for the seat of the late Edward M. Kennedy and is on the verge of becoming the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts.

Lithuania's first female president sworn in

Lithuanians also made a move when it elected its first female president. Last year Dalia Grybauskaite was sworn into office at the Lithuanian parliament after winning a landslide election victory .

Andhra gets first woman home minister

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy appointed Sabita Indira Reddy as the state home minister. Sabita, the widow of former home minister Indira Reddy, is the first woman to hold the prestigious ministry in the state.

Fandukova is Sofia's first woman mayor

Yordanka Fandukova, from the ruling Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria, (GERB) won a clear victory in the battle to become Sofia's (Bulgaraia) mayor, winning 66.1 per cent of the vote as opposed to the Socialist Party candidate Georgi Kadiev's 26.5 per cent, according to exit polls. With her victory, she becomes the first woman mayor in Sofia's history.

Kartika Reddy Hyderabad's first woman mayor

In December, Banda Kartika Reddy of the Congress party was elected unopposed as Hyderabad's first woman mayor after the ruling party agreed to the sharing of power.

In the Showbiz Arena

Our assets...

Mona Liza

Pooja Bhatt signed actress 'Mona Liza' for the movie 'Kajraare' with Himesh Reshmiya. It's a love story of a rock star from India and a girl from Pakistan.

Meera's wedding case

The most publicised controversy of the year 2009 was Meera's wedding to Atiq-ur-Rehman which of course she denied.

Samina Ahmed honoured

Governor Salmaan Taseer presented Shaheed Mohtarmma Benazir Bhutto Achievement Award to artiste Samina Ahmed for outstanding achievements.

Pakistani film-maker wins award

Film-maker Samar Minallah won the prestigious 'International Roberto Rossellini Award 2009' and the 'Cannon Award 2009' at the International Film Festival held in Italy. For more than a decade, Samar has been highlighting various issues related to the women of Pakistan.

International celebs...

Britney voted best celeb mum

Britney Spears has been voted the most famous mother. The toxic superstar lost custody of her two sons after her public meltdown in 2008 but has now been given shared custody with ex Kevin Federline.

Rihanna glamorous woman of the year

Pop star Rihanna was awarded at the 2009 Glamour Magazine Women of The Year Awards. She was honoured at the ceremony for her philanthropic work and turning her own experiences into positive ones for young girls.

Style icon of the decade

Cheryl Cole, the Girls Aloud singer and X Factor judge, was voted the style icon of the decade and the best dressed woman of the year.

Miss Gibraltar takes World crown

In December, Gibraltar's Kaiane Aldorino claimed the title of Miss World 2009, defeating 111 other hopeful girls.

Most powerful Celebrity

Angelina Jolie was named the world's most powerful celebrity by Forbes Magazine.

India Today Award

Kareena Kapoor won the prestigious India Today Woman Award 2009 for her contribution to the world of art and cinema.

Katrina sexiest Asian woman

Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif has taken the top spot in an annual list of the world's 50 sexiest Asian women.

Stefania Fernandez wins Miss Universe title

In August, Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez won the 2009 Miss Universe pageant in the Bahamas.

Mira named UN Goodwill Ambassador

In February, Academy Award-winning American actress Mira Sorvino was named as Goodwill Ambassador to combat human trafficking for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Kate Winslet wins her first Oscar

The Best Actress Oscar for the year 2009 went to Kate Winslet for her role in 'The Reader'.

Penelope Cruz Best Supporting Actress

81st Academy Awards 2009, Supporting Actress Winner was none other than Penelope Cruz.

Miss Golden Globe 2010

Mavis Spencer, daughter of award-winning actress Alfre Woodard, was named Miss Golden Globe 2010 during a bash at L.A. hot spot Nobu.

Shilpa Shetty gets married

In November, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty exchanged wedding vows with London-based businessman Raj Kundra in a close-knit family affair in Maharashtra hill station.

Miscellaneous

World's Most Pierced Woman set New Guinness Record

Elaine Davidson of UK currently has 6005 piercings and 1500 of them are internal.

Woman breaks world record for eating chillies

Anandita Dutta Tamuly, a 26-year-old woman from Assam, India, set a Guinness world record by consuming 51 of the world's hottest chilli peppers in two minutes.

Octuplets born in S California

In January, a woman (name not disclosed), gave birth to octuplets in Southern California. A medical team of 46 people were involved in the delivery at a Kaiser Permanente hospital in Bellflower, Calif. The babies, six boys and two girls, were delivered between 10:43 a.m. and 10:48 a.m.

Leggy lady: Guinness World Record 2009

Ms. Pankratova, 36, is in the Guinness Book of Records for having the longest legs - they measure a whopping 4 feet 4 inches.

World's richest woman

Christy Walton, 54 years old with $20 billion is the world's richest woman.

The sporty ones

Maria nominated for 'Young Player of the Year'

Top Pakistani squash player Maria Toor Pakay was nominated for 'WISPA Young Player of the Year' by the World Squash Federation.

Sharapova top sports earner

Maria Sharapova defended her title as Russia's best-paid athlete, earning an estimated $24 million in a year.

Riffat leading scorer in football

Balochistan United's fast-moving front-runner Riffat Mehdi once again proved her repute as the best player in Pakistan women's soccer when she became the leading scorer of the 2nd National Women's Football Club Championship in July. Her 21 goals put her on top of all other players of 14 competing teams.

Sana in line for ICC awards

In September, Pakistan woman team captain Sana Mir was nominated for the Women's Cricketer of the Year award.

Sailor of the Year Award

Anna Tunnicliffe has emerged as the undisputed top woman sailor for the year 2009. She won from among the list of nominees that included talented woman sailors like Sam Davies (GBR), Hilary Lister (GBR) and Blanca Manchon (ESP).

'World's Fastest Woman' Record

Shelly-Ann Fraser captured the World Athletics Championships gold medal in the women's 100 metres to claim the title of "World's Fastest Woman".

The ones we lost

Jade Goody dies of cancer

In March, Jade Goody, a one-time dental assistant whose final days were as closely chronicled in the media as her controversial appearances on reality television, died of cervical cancer.

Legend Madam Iqbal Bano passed away!

One of our most loved ghazal and classic singer of Indo-Pak, Madam Iqbal Bano passed away on April 21, 2009 in a local hospital of Lahore at the age of 74.

The world's oldest mother dies

Maria Carmen del Bousada, who lived in Puerto de Santa Maria near Cadiz, gave birth to twins in 2006 at the age of 67. Bousada passed away due to breast cancer.

World's Tallest Woman Passes Away

Sandy Allen, 7 feet 7 inches, the tallest woman in the world passed away at an age of 53.

Farrah Fawcett dies at 62

US Actress Farrah Fawcett, best known for her role in television series 'Charlie's Angels', died at the age of 62 after a long battle with cancer.

Oscar winner Jennifer Jones dies

Jennifer Jones, an Oscar-winning Hollywood leading lady in the 1940s and 1950s, passed away at the age of 90, of natural causes at her home in California.

Brittany Murphy dies

In December Brittany Murphy, the actress who got her start in the hit 'Clueless' and rose to stardom in '8 Mile' died in Los Angeles of what appeared to be natural causes at the age of 32.

Well, here we are welcoming yet another new year! The great thing about fashion is that it changes every year and every season. Talking about make up trends - they change too but subtly from season-to-season and yearly too. Every season verbalises its own rules and fashion trends. And with winter here, of course, we all have to keep up with these changing trends. So, this week You! brings the latest style statements from our top beauticians. The best part is that every beautician has her own unique opinion as to what's in and what's not, so you can all choose the look that suits you best... Make up is something that characterises our nature and preferences. But if one wants to follow vogue tendencies every season, here they are!

1. What are going to be the new hair trends this year?

2. What do you think would be the make up trend?

3. What are the hip nail colours of the season?

Angie Marshall

1The basic fashion all over the world this year is to have short hair, we Pakistani women cherish our long hair! It all depends on everyone's preference. Straight hair is officially out and curls are in but I personally feel that whatever makes you feel confident and looks good on you is your fashion statement. Always style your hair in a way that it complements you. As for parties and family gatherings, updos are the latest look being sported. But one should keep in mind that the updo must have a natural look with soft curls and waves. As far as streaks and hair dyes are concerned burgundy is the colour to go for.

2 The eyes should be heavy with shimmer as the 'bling bling look' is in. The fashion is turning towards a very prominent '80s style so the liner under the eye should be extended and should be applied in a long stroke. Sparkly make-up is the look of the season and glitter on the eyes has become essential for now. Glitter can basically be considered as exquisite jewellery for the face. Liquid glitter liners are also easily available in the markets. Eye shadows in dark and light shades of green and purple are very much in vogue as well.

For lips any shade of purple can be used complemented with a layer of glitter. But be sure to keep the lips light if the eyes are done heavily. If the eyes are light then keep the lips dark and shimmery. As far as the rest of the face is concerned the cheeks need to be kept subtle yet glossy.

3The nail shades for the season are matte black, matte velvet and various shades of purple. And always remember that shimmer and glitter is a must.

Huma

1In the west hairstyle are mostly short and curly; whereas in Pakistan, it depends on the taste of women. The best look would be to sport shoulder length hair. I feel straightening and rebonding is completely out and the look for now is curly and wavy hair. For formal outings and parties you can scrunch up your hair with a few curls and waves coming out of the updo. The hair should look sleek and should be decent and nicely done to give you a chic appearance. The 'in' hair colour according to me is beige and brown.

2I feel the eyes should be bare with a little liner but your over all face should basically carry a nude look. The lips should be plain and glossy with a slight touch of pink. The foundation and the blush-on completely depends on the skin texture and the skin tone. Darker people can use a shade which is a little lighter than their skin, while fairer people can opt for the bronze look.

3 Any nail colour can be used as long as it is dark.

Aliya Tipu

1This year the trend can be either very short hair or hair of mid-length, but whatever the length, the hair style definitely demands a lot of layers. Many women are going for hair extensions so now you can also chop your hair short and then get hair extensions when you are bored of the same old look.

Curls are in but it all basically depends on your face cut. The sort of curls most desired nowadays is the inner ones or the curls by rollers or benders. For hair dyes and streaks mahogany and burgundy are the 'it' colours. Whatever colour you opt for should be blended with the natural hair colour and not appear too striking.

2For the eyes earthy tones and warm colours are in but the shades you choose depends on the clothes and of course your mood. The eye shades should also complement your skin tone. Nowadays for eyes dark blues, aqua, black, copper and metallic colours are in fashion. Long lashes achieved through eye lash extensions are also a must. The lip colours as seen on television and fashion shows are red and other dark shades. But be careful to lighten the eyes if the lips are dark.

For the rest of the face I suggest the usage of mousse as foundation since its lighter. For winters of course women should use creamy and glossy foundation so that the skin doesn't look too dry. For oily skin I would suggest a matte finish foundation. The blush-on can be a mix of shimmery peach and pink shades.

3I feel the nail colour depends on a woman's personality, but warmer and darker shades as well as French colours are the trend for now.

Mona J

1The length according to me won't be very long but till the shoulders and yes straightening is completely out. Curls are the in thing for now but the hair cut should have lots of layers and the hair should be bouncy with a lot of body. And the hair shades being preferred for now are subtle light shades all from the family of coppers and browns.

2I recently attended a Matte make up workshop according to which there are three types of different looks that can be adapted this year.

The first look is the 'Classic diva red lips'. This look includes wearing lipstick of dark shades of red as seen in the Grammy awards or the Oscar's and the showstopper look for the eyes is flick out liner with the liner coming out from the edges of the eyes.

The second look is the 'Bronze diva'. This is more like the gothic look where the make up is blended. This look includes bronze eyes with white highlights, bronze face and nude glossy lips with heavy kajal. The liner should be applied on top of the eyelid as well as under the eye but the trick is to keep it all blended.

The third look is the 'Extravagant look' and this requires the eyes to be very heavy and smoky with dark maroon lipstick. This look is one of the latest trends being used all over and it basically gives off a very dramatic effect.

Dear Nadine Khan,

I am a 29-year-old working girl. I have a prestigious job and as such I am quite well paid. I live with my brother and sister-in-law as my parents died five years ago in an accident. I was a student then and was engaged to be married to the son of my maternal aunt. My fiance Wasim and I loved each other and did not encounter any opposition when we disclosed our intentions to our parents. My sister-in-law had opposed the engagement as she wanted me to marry her brother. My parents had declined his proposal as education wise he was way behind me and did not have a stable job. Due to this reason my sister-in-law developed ill will towards me. At my parents' soyem, she insulted my aunt in front of all our relatives purposely. After that she brainwashed my brother and he broke my engagement. My khala asked me to marry Wasim without the blessings of my brother but my courage failed me. Disappointed with my decision, my khala arranged another match for Wasim. I persuaded him to marry that girl, although he wanted to wait for things to improve. After that, many good proposals came for me, but due to the machinations of my sister-in-law nothing happened. About six months back, Wasim's wife died in childbirth. He has a son who is just three years in addition to his infant daughter. My khala has once more brought Wasim's proposal for me. She is prepared to play my mother's role in this marriage by holding the wedding ceremony at her house. I want to marry Wasim, but once more my sister-in-law is trying to foil this chance that I have. If I marry without my brother's permission, will it be very wicked on my part? I am confused and afraid because I am sure that my brother will cut me off if I marry Wasim. On the other hand I know I will die an old maid because my sister-in-law is more interested in my salary than anything else. What shall I do?

Troubled GH

Dear Troubled GH,

When your parents died you were a lot younger and were easily overawed by your sister-in-law and brother, so your sister-in-law was able to manipulate things. However, now you are older and a lot more sensible. You should fight for your right instead of submitting to your sister-in-law decrees. In this whole scenario, your brother has played a very bad role. As your older brother he should have seen safeguarded your interest, but he went along with his wife. This time don't let them steal your chance of happiness. Tell your brother that you have decided to accept the proposal. Tell him firmly that you are old enough to think about your own good and bad. Don't worry about the reaction of your mean brother and sister-in-law. When you'll tell them about your aunt's offer they will come around to prevent any scandal. If he refuses, then tell your khala that she must make all arrangements for your marriage ceremony. Best of luck!

Dear Nadine Khan,

I am a 54-year-old married woman. I have two daughters and a son. My relationship with my husband has always been bad. He has been influenced by his married sisters throughout his life, and this creates a lot of problems for me and my children. Three of his sisters were married off by him as my father-in-law died shortly after the wedding of my eldest sister-in-law. Then my bad luck made my parents accept his proposal. I never received any warmth from him even in the early days of my marriage. My mother-in-law had the knack of becoming sick whenever we planned to go on an outing. As a result, my husband would refuse to go and we would sit quietly with her like morons. I think it was a deliberate ploy, because she did not want us to develop understanding. Then my remaining sisters-in-law got married one after the other. I contributed not only physically by doing all the work, but also financially. My unstitched clothes, unpacked electronic items and jewellery went to their dowries, with my husband promising to reimburse me later on. Nothing like that happened. After they all got married I thought I would have peace, but no such luck. They started coming to my husband with their financial problems. As a result we could not have any savings for our own children. My husband always took care of the needs of his nieces and nephews before our own children, who were often deprived of their rights. It would have been understandable had they been poor, but two of them are actually rich, and only one is not well off, but even she is comfortably off. Yet they burden my husband unnecessarily. I have been putting up with this behaviour for quite some time, but now I have reached the breaking point. A very good proposal came for my eldest daughter, but my husband wants to refuse on the ground that those people are not on good terms with the in-laws of his eldest sister. His sister has voiced very strong opposition to this match. Now the boy is very qualified, well placed and of sound character. Everyone praises his nature and temperament. I am afraid that if we reject this proposal, we will not get another proposal for my daughter like this. My sister-in-law has eligible sons but she has not shown any interest in my daughter. Do you think I should take a stand for her? What I am afraid is that if, God forbid, I insist on accepting this proposal and something goes wrong I will be blamed. I want the best for my daughter, but I cannot see the future. Another thing is that due to incessant demands of his sisters, my husband has not managed to save money although he is at a good post. This guy's family has told us very firmly that they do not want anything except our daughter, but I have other children who are studying and soon we will be needing money for their higher education. I want to tell my husband to stop catering to his sisters' demands but I am afraid to do that. My mother-in-law says that they are fatherless girls and if their brother stops helping them God will not forgive him. I am confused and frustrated. Please advise me on both these issues.

A mother in need of advice

Dear mother in need of advice,

You have had a tough time so far, but I must commend you on your fortitude. You have borne everything with dignity, and have been generous beyond call. However, you owe it to your daughter to take a very firm stand for her future happiness. Tell your husband to explain to his sister why the proposal should not be rejected. Suggest to him also to take that opportunity to ask his sister if she was interested in proposing for her niece. If the answer is affirmative, you should consider her son's proposal. However, if she makes excuses, then your husband can politely tell her that he would do what is best for your daughter. In case your husband refuses to talk to his sister, then you must do it. No one can foresee the future, and you cannot guarantee that they boy would be good for your daughter. You can only take into account what is apparent for everyone to judge. If you want to be on the safe side, go for istikhara. Don't keep mum for the fear that if something goes wrong you would be blamed.

Recently, a new cafe opened at Zamzama, Karachi, for all you chocolate lovers out there. The cafe and the food items sold here are truly exquisite as this is the fist franchise of a cafe from Ireland. We have all had Swiss chocolates and our very own local chocolates but now it's time to give our taste buds something new to munch on. Yes, everything served here has its own unique taste which is sure to be a delight for everyone obsessed with chocolates. The launch of the cafe was organised by Catalyst and all the top-notch businessmen and fashionistas were present to taste the tasty treats being offered. Chocolates and lattes were being served to everyone present so they could get a taste of the best chocolate of Ireland.

The best part about the goods being served here is that they are all exported from Ireland and the chocolate tit bits are delicious enough to make you fall in love with them. Seriously! But you can't say much till you have tried it yourself so go ahead and taste the Irish flavour.

Butlers Chocolate Cafe is one of Ireland's leading chocolate producers, with Mairead Sorenson and her two brothers as the owners of the company. The company exports to seventeen different countries and has now finally opened up in Pakistan, aren't we all lucky?! The cafe is dedicated to chocolate indulgence with a vast array of luxury chocolates, chocolate beverages, desserts, pastries and other snacks. The franchise here is being handled by Shehzi and Mustafa Chagla who are family friends of Mairead and they seem to be doing a pretty good job to keep the Irish taste alive in all the delicacies being served.

You! got a chance to talk to Mairead Sorenson (who was on a short visit to Pakistan)

about the Butlers Chocolate Cafe:

You! : What kind of chocolates do you offer?

We offer a variety of chocolates such as milk chocolates, white chocolates, mint chocolates, caramels, truffles and many more. We also have a continental style array of chocolate.

You! : Have you made any new varieties catering to the Pakistani palate?

We have brought here the Irish taste and I am sure everyone will love it. But the difference here is that people prefer getting out at night while in Ireland coffee houses are visited either in the morning or in the evening. So, we have decided to open up till late as to match the lifestyle of the people here. People can have meetings here or just drop by whenever they are in the mood to devour chocolates.

You! : Who is your targeted clientele?

We are catering to anyone and everyone who loves chocolates and other hot and cold beverages. This place is for people of all ages and all classes and everyone is welcome to be a part of Butlers.

You! : Are the prices affordable?

I don't want people to be frightened thinking Butlers is a place for the rich only. We offer luxury but at an affordable price and I am sure everyone will be comfortable with the prices matched with the quality we are offering.

You! : With the New Year just starting do you have any special offers for the customers?

Since we just opened up we don't have any special offers in particular but our gift to the customers now is Butlers itself. Hopefully by next year we will have many offers set up especially for Christmas and the New Year.

You! : Do you have any plans to open a new outlet?

Yes certainly, we plan on launching another cafe in Lahore and other cities soon.

You! : Do you offer snacks or just chocolates and desserts?

We offer snacks such as sandwiches and potato wedges. We also have a breakfast menu with croissants different from any other and our hot chocolate beverage is our speciality and a must try.

You! : What inspired you to open an outlet here in Pakistan?

Shehzi and her family used to live in Ireland and we have all been close friends. Since they shifted back to Pakistan they had a desire to bring something from Ireland so here we are with one of the best cafe's of Ireland.

You! : What is special about your manufactured chocolates?

They are all made by hand and produced with a lot of love and care. We use the best chocolate with fine ingredients to develop the unique taste we are known for.

You! : How would you differentiate Butlers from the other brands of chocolates?

Well you will have to taste it to know.

You! : Is this your first visit to Pakistan? How was your experience here?

This is my first visit here and I came especially for the launch of the cafe. Well, Pakistan is a lovely place and I am glad that I opened a franchise here.

You! : What are your expectations from the local market?

METHOD:

- Desiccated coconut 2 cups

- Sugar 11/2 to 2 cups

- Ghee 1/2 cup

- Eggs 4

- Saffron (pinch) optional

Ingredients:

- Pour ghee in a pan and fry the desiccated coconut till it becomes light brown.

- Separately beat the egg whites and yolks.

- In a separate pan take some water. Add sugar into it and prepare the sheera.

- Once the sheera is ready add the fried coconut and beaten egg. Cook on slow heat till the sheera disappears.

- In the end add a pinch of saffron if you like. The halwa is ready to serve.

You! takes a look...

Here we are folks! The end of decade number one for the 21st century; there have been ups, there have been downs and as we enter 2010 we can safely say that the 2000s have been extremely eventful. We've come a long way since the media was allowed more room to grow. The early 2000s saw the Pakistani industry move out of its state of perpetual infancy into something more. That's not to say that we are now titans, but we've come a long way in just 10 short years.

Music Unlimited

One of my favourite developments in the local industry has a lot to do with playing the right kinds of beats. There was a time where we had three bands to listen to, and most of the time people would rather switch on an Indian cassette or pretend they were into English music. The last decade changed all that, however, now more and more people -especially the youth - are hooked onto a more Pakistani sound. Xulfi, member of Call the Band says, "I think after Junoon we needed a much diverse industry. For instance here was no other rock band at that time. In the last ten years there has been a revolution when it comes to music. EP and Noori came out and they were both dominantly rock bands, with lyrics that became symbols of angst, motivation and they moved away from the romantic side of things. They did this in a very rock way and not a pop way and by specifically targeting the youth they made a mark. That was the advent of something bigger and better for the music industry in Pakistan. That was the time when heavy Pakistani rock began to emerge." That wasn't it though; the last decade has seen more genre and diversity come out of the music scene than anything else.

What started as a rock revolution ended up with many people coming forward and trying out different things that they liked to do. There was more experimentation and as the years passed by our talent grew in numbers and in confidence. Bands started out in basements and then moved forward to actual audiences. People hungered for the local sound and they got exactly what they needed at the time.

The developments with the radio have a lot to do with this phenomenon. RJ, Sara Memon informs, "I've been around for more than four years and what I've seen is a lot of passion coming in from youngsters. A lot of people are doing a lot of independent work these days with no involvement of any big names, sponsors or record labels. At the local radio stations we try and give everyone a chance and these independent songs and albums are promoted without cost or anything of the sort. I love being a part of this because we help put talent on the map."

Once again diversity is becoming a large factor in the industry. There isn't just one type of listener out there but several different kinds, Sara says, "A lot of creativity has also entered during the past years; there are people like Zeb and Haniya who exist on the same playing field as people like EP. And I have listeners calling in who have a real gift and want to sing in their own languages which is such a great thing because we are now bringing out the cultural value as well. It would be great if sponsors and record labels would come forward and represent these singers." With support like that, there's no telling what might happen next. Our songs have already crossed over into international boundaries. Talking about the popularity with our neighbouring country Xulfi says, "What actually happened is that music became more popular and crossed the borders. Bollywood asking for Pakistani music started to become more frequent; Najam was one of the first few who gave in their songs, Atif was there and Call the Band has itself been involved with that industry. This was a huge deal for us as a country because they want our music. Our industry is not anywhere as large as theirs but the fact still remains that they depend on us for some good beats. We have created an edge over them in some way. We don't have a Sonu Nigam or any trained voices; all we have is raw talent which makes us unique and what they want."

Of course the radio and support from other industries is not the only thing that helped the music industry grow. Ali Saleem says, "I would say for sure that in the last decade popular music and all the pop stars today have become products of television. There was a time when music was heard just for music, but these days all the pop stars that are famous and have hits owe their success because of VJs and TV channels. Ali Zafar and Atif Aslam, all the pop stars that we have in Pakistan definitely owe their popularity to the media boom."

Birth of T.V channels

There was a time where all people watched on TV was the 500th rebirth of a woman who had her 600th divorce or affair. Yes, Indian Saas Bahu sagas reigned supreme. 2001 was the year Pakistan saw its first private channel and also that people actually wanted a break from typical Indian soaps. That was the first step to the gigantic leap television industry has taken since then. With the growing channels, our actors, directors and producers didn't just find more work after PTV, they found an audience that needed something more. All private channels are now on satellite, the boom made Pakistani talent known not just nationally but internationally. It put Pakistan on the map.

Channel after channel came out with their own brand of the Pakistani image.

Talking about the developments in programming Ali Saleem says, "The trend for political satires grew only after the private channels had come out and that's only one example of how local television entertainment changed; we have shows like 'hum sab umeed se hain', and many other programmes that helped satire grow and these are great developments. We got all these amazing mimic artists and actors who came through TV. In a certain sense if we look at it our private channels actually started up and brought Pakistan onto the silver screen. This was the avenue where our culture was now being represented and our values were being shown on TV," he asserts.

Regression of Pakistani Cinema

With all the progress we've seen in the last decade, it would have been great if our film industry had been able to push itself forward like every other part of the entertainment industry did. We did have some milestones i.e. movies like 'Ramchand Pakistani', 'Khuda Ke Liye', 'Ziba Khana' which showed that our industry was moving towards something more. But it still has a long way to go. Ali Saleem has a different take on the situation and asserts, "I'm still sad about the fact that the film industry hasn't really picked itself up. If you look at the Indian media, they have a reciprocal relationship between the silver screen and the big screen. Their dramas, TV shows and everything in general supports their movies. There is no such support system for the Pakistani film industry and it should be there as well. Vice versa the television industry gets support from the film industry too in the shape of programming. If we think intelligently then we must use our television industry to push out film industry back into the playing field."