Clash of ideas

The curtain has finally fallen over the saga of Jamia Hafsa. Are the girls really mourning the death of their cleric or are they happy to have survived the ordeal? You! takes a look...

  By Raza Khan

The Jamia Hafsa-Lal Masjid's episode has reached its climax and hundreds of lives may have been perished during this ordeal, including a large number of girls and women. Such incidents are unique in the history of Pakistan for a number of reasons. First, never has such a large number of females resorted to militancy and challenged the state authority. Second, it is for the first time that young girls and some teachers took up arms to fight the security forces. Third, so many girls were never used as human shields by their own male colleagues.

It is very important to explore why such a large number of girls joined Jamia Hafsa in the first place, and then how many among them got enamoured by militancy. It's common knowledge that most of the girls at Jamia Hafsa hailed from poverty stricken families and far flung areas. A senior interior ministry official on condition of anonymity revealed that most of the girls were from the Frontier, Hazara and Potohar region including Upper Dir, Battagram, Manshera, Swat and Kohistan. A significant number of girls joined Jamia Hafsa from conservative areas like North, South Waziristan and Bajaur tribal agencies. It's interesting to note that one of the militant girls, who was like a ringleader, hailed from Mal Khel tribe of Mehsud tribe in South Waziristan. All the above-mentioned areas are very backward and the majority of their inhabitants live below the poverty line. Facilities at Jamia Hafsa like boarding, food and stipends allured a large number of female students towards the seminary as most of them belonged to downtrodden families. Being indebted to the Ghazi brothers and Umme Hassan, wife of the chief cleric Ghazi Abdul Aziz, it's but natural that these girls were easily indoctrinated by the militant and extremist views of their benefactors.

The indoctrination of girls at Jamia Hafsa seemed so complete that despite the prevailing adverse situation after the siege of the seminary by security officials, the girls still seemed to be loyal to the militant and coercive agenda of Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa administration.

As an 18-year-old girl speaking in a Potohari accented Urdu told You! "Even if the madrassah is demolished, the thinking of its girl students would remain unchanged. No one can scratch from our minds the spirit of what we learnt from our teachers." Reportedly some girls coming out of Jamia Hafsa, and upon reaching their ancestral areas, warned of suicide attacks if the government did not spare the clerics of Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa. However, after the bizarre and futile effort of escape in a burqa by the chief cleric, Ghazi Abdul Aziz, covered by TV channels giving an interview in the same attire, definitely dented the ebullience of these girls. It was so shameful to see that the elder Ghazi fled for his life leaving behind hundreds of girls who had total faith in him. One may disagree on the basis of professional ethics with the presentation of Ghazi Abdul Aziz on TV but it is indeed necessary to unveil the real face of Ghazi Aziz and many like him.

It is indeed a matter of concern how these girls, after having being indoctrinated with extremist dogmas and tactics in Jamia Hafsa are going to be re-integrated into the society. Institutions like Jamia Hafsa transform the psycho-social make-up of their members completely. Therefore, bringing the Jamia Hafsa students towards a normal life would be a gargantuan task that would need full-scale psychological therapy besides providing these girls the opportunities of good education and love.

This time round it is the responsibility of the parents to reintegrate their daughters in their respective social set ups. A young girl coming out of Jamia Hafsa told You, "It was the love of my parents that compelled me to come out. Otherwise, I loved being at the madrassah and if I get the chance to return I would comeback happily." This shows if parental love could induce girls to come out of the Jamia Hafsa, then it can also help them lead a routine life provided the parents don't selfishly send them in once again for economic benefits pushing their girls back into the jaws of extremism and militancy.

However, the girls at Jamia Hafsa got themselves involved in illegal activities by kidnapping and threatening people as they had full support of the Lal Masjid-Jamia Hafsa administration. Had the girls been thinking independently and had there been any religious motivation behind their acts, they should have heeded the appeals of so highly respected people like Imam of Khana-e-Kaaba and religious scholars like Maulana Taqi Usmani, who even told Jamia Hafsa that whatever they were doing was totally uncalled for and was not at all Islamic.

To provide evidence to how these girls are brainwashed by their clerics, we got the innocent comments of a young girl coming out of Jamia Hafsa, "We gathered in Jamia Hafsa to put an end to un-Islamic practices." But was it the right way of doing so? The girl had no answer.

The girls at Jamia Hafsa conducted raids on private homes and businesses since February 2007, with the support of their teachers at the seminary without knowing the consequences of their acts which were illegal. This is quite understandable because considering their backgrounds, one should not expect these girls to be mentally mature or have independent thinking when they have no exposure. Or at least their learned teachers could have guided them properly teaching them right from wrong, instead of supporting criminal behaviour.

These girls were used to furnish vested interests of a few. It was evident from Ghazi Abdul Aziz's selfish act when in a bid to save his own skin he took a number of girl hostages, even his own mother, sister-in-law and niece, and used them as human shields. As a result of which many got killed. Abdul Rasheed Ghazi while repeatedly denying of taking girls hostage argued that the girls never wanted to go out of the mosque.

Amidst the corpses, blood and continuous fighting, can we actually believe that the young girls didn't want to get away from it?

Many girls of Jamia Hafsa were momentarily swayed by the demagogic Ghazi brothers' but maybe after going through the traumatic experience at the madrassah from July 3-9, it is hoped that a large number of girls are happy to survive the ordeal. However, the memories of Jamia Hafsa will no doubt stay with these girls for the rest of their lives and may adversely affect their lives in the future. And for this the authorities and their parents need to provide them with outlets and nurturing environments.

For a variety of reasons the attendants of Jamia Hafsa could fall prey to the extremist and militant groups again since the seed has already been sown in their minds. This is the biggest challenge for their parents, relatives, philanthropists and above all the government.

For the sake of duty!

Sit back in your cosy homes, watch news on TV and criticise the government and army for every incident of our country. Life is so convenient! You have to get out of your secure shelves and step into the pool to understand the ordeal our army men goes through in the name of duty...

Lubna Jerar Naqvi

For most of us July 9's headline 'Army commander killed on duty as Lal Masjid Operation continues" was just another link to the six days siege of the Lal Masjid and security personnel. This was another death in this saga, and nothing more; he was just doing his duty. Yes, Special Services Group's Lt Colonel Haroon-ul-Islam did his job and laid his life in the line of duty for his country. And, now many will comment that so what if he laid his life down, that was part of his job description. Sounds callous, but don't we all have that indifferent attitude, for political and other reasons, against the armed forces. We generally say that these men knew what they were getting into, and well they get enough salary and perks- a complete misconception.

The life of Lt Colonel Islam's two young daughters and his wife changed dramatically forever on that fateful day. For these beautiful children, like all army children, the enemy which their father was fighting against was across the border. Like the rest of the army children, they were extremely proud that their father was eliminating the enemies of their beloved country. But that is not what Lt Colonel and the two rangers' personnel (whose lives or families have not been highlighted by the media) laid down their lives for. They were snubbed out in their prime because a stubborn religious faction was holding the authority at bay by holding women and children as hostages inside the Lal Masjid. The episode was needlessly prolonged because there was pressure that force should not be used as there were innocent lives inside the mosque and that the authority should not spill the blood of 'our children' inside. It seemed that those responsible inside the mosque were high on the authority they commanded in this situation against the president and his troops and were enjoying the media attention they got in return. Killing a couple or more security personnel was part of the battle between the two sides, and rightly so, as far as the bigger picture was concerned.

How come no one laments the loss that Lt Colonel Islam's daughters had to endure? Aren't these two daughters' are of our country and are our own children? Can't we, the civilians, feel their loss, hold them against our bosoms and wipe away their tears? Can't we do something to make their lives less daunting when they realise that they have lost their dear father?

But as always, soon the Lal Masjid episode will be over and people will forget all about it. Lt Colonel Islam and the eight security personnel, including two ranger personnel will be awarded with medals for bravery by the armed forces and then everyone will forget about them, only to be probably remembered on national days. The military government will not allow anyone to dwindle on the loss of one of their men, brave as they were, due to their stringent training. And since the civilian and army, people and governments, of Pakistan have never seen eye to eye, considering it politically incorrect, men such as Lt Colonel Islam will be forgotten. And Lt Colonel Islam's daughters will have to live the rest of their lives with the vacuum that is created with their father's martyr leaving the memorable times they had with him in their childhood.

People scoff our men in uniform when they go on dangerous missions, because it is part of their 'high paying jobs' plus perks. On the contrary, these government servants are just as highly paid as any other government servants; although many government servants e.g. ministers, secretaries etc get more 'perks and privileges' than the ordinary man in uniform. They have cushy positions in the safe haven of their home city within the family's heart. While the army personnel life in reality, is in difficult conditions, away from family, on dangerous missions and not paid a cent more than their monthly salaries with travelling/ dearness allowance (TA/DA) where it applies. Sometimes these men, like Lt Colonel Islam, don't get to see their families for days or even weeks, because they are on a 'mission', which is so covert that even their families are not aware of it. They are the ones who lay their lives for their country giving their best till the very end.

The common notion is that they earn millions during the service, and after their death their families get millions and billions of rupees. But that is not true, the army personnel, as is true about all uniformed jobs, is a truly white-collared profession. The family learns to sacrifice as the soldiers do, without much fuss. They compromise on family life and understand that it is part of the job, so that the country remains safe. The benefits offered to a person belonging to the armed forces are nothing compared to what the job demands - physically, emotionally and mentally. This is not a corporate job which includes a huge bonus, two days off per week, relaxing trips to beautiful places, stay in five star hotels, with the best food and comfort, flashy cars, with extra bonuses and annual evaluations. The army job means work, work and work along with no vacations if an emergency, natural or manmade, hits the country. There is no room for 'ifs' and 'buts', it is understood as the families of the armed forces adjust to build their lives accordingly.

So next time we criticise the armed forces for whittling the country of its riches through the huge defence budget (something that can also be laid on the shoulders of our politicians and leaders, past and present), it is advised to get the facts straight. Maybe whatever you begrudge the men in uniform for, may not be what you think it is.

Of Shades & Shadows

This week You! teams up with makeup artist Aliya Tipu who has creatively done eye make up of our model Naila

If you look at fashion trends and cosmetic changes through the years, and the fashion or glamour models of a certain decade, you may realise that it's not just about the clothes the models are wearing in pictures and fashion shows. You can sometimes date a photo by just looking at the eye shadow. Beautiful eyes frame the face, add drama and sum up all that is glamorous with -makeup!

The eye makeup alone has the potential to project your desired look. The eye shadow used as eyeliner will give a soft, sensual look, while the liquid liner gives a more intense and dramatic look. Charcoal, dark brown or other dark shades of the eye shadow are for a glamorous look.

When you have so many colour options, choosing an eye shadow can be a very long process. Because there are so many choices out there, some women are unsure of what colours will work best for them. Women choose their eye makeup colours for a variety of reasons. Some women choose their eye makeup to complement their skin tone. Others attempt to match their eye makeup to their outfit or accessories, while some religiously follow the latest eye makeup trends seen on the runway and in the pages of fashion magazines. Some women treat their eyes like a mood ring and use it to express however they are feeling that day.

This week You! teams up with renowned beautician Aliya Tipu who, with her creative hands, has given versatility to eye makeup.

"If the eye shadow is your dress, then your liner or mascara is your accessory," says Aliya. She suggests you start with a darker or steelier green, applying it sparingly along your lash line or in the rim of your eye. The result: a subtle, sophisticated and confident pop of colour. "She shouldn't be wearing the green as a liner or a wash," warns Aliya. Same rules apply for blue-eyed women, says Aliya. Example: Why not pair your usual black liner or brown shadow with an electric blue mascara? There are colours of eye shadow that will do this for every eye colour out there, though you may have to experiment until you find the one that works best for you. Put on your eye shadow, close your eyes while standing in front of your mirror, then open them suddenly. Do you see pop or flop? You be the judge.  Mix and match, and have fun!" suggests Aliya.

However, she advises softer shades for small eyes and darker shades for big eyes. "Eye liner is still in as it helps define your eyes and makes them appear larger. Long and dramatic eyelash look is back again."

These days, heavily made-up eyes paired with nude lips seem to be the trend. "While I prefer a more natural look, I do put most of the focus on eyes when I apply makeup, because they are my favourite facial feature."

Most women have what they consider a 'day look' and a 'night look'. "I have a variety of different shadows and liners in my makeup bag that I use for different seasons and occasions. I tend to stick with a more natural look during the day, using more matte neutral tones, especially during the sticky summer months. At night, I am more open to experimentation. I might wear something that has more sparkle and sheen to it, experiment with fun, bright colours, or go for a dark and smoky look. The possibilities are endless."

"You really don't have to spend a fortune on your eye shadows, but the ones that cost a little more do tend to stay in place on your eyelids a little longer," advises Aliya. "Mac and Loreal cosmetics have a great product line of shadows, liners and mascaras that are designed to enhance your natural eye colour. Each shadow comes with three colours, one for your brown bone, your lid and the crease," she adds. So gals, just grab the products that go with your own eye colour and your entire look is put together for you!

Credits:

Compilation:           

Farisa J. Naqvi

Co-ordination:       

Umer Mushtaq

Model:     Naila

Make-up:                

Aliya Tipu @ Alle' Nora

(021-5864239)

Photography:         

Abid Ali

Designer:                

Karma

Better safe than sorry!

Women folk get so busy taking care of their families that they hardly pay heed to any signs of their own deteriorating health. Generally, only when engulfed with sickness, they endure dose after dose of medication. Isn't it better to simply take precautions? Recently, a summit took place in Dubai focusing on the treatment and advantages of early healthcare...

  By  Syeda  Talat

In developing countries, a new trend on the rise is of early healthcare. The purpose of healthcare providers is to predict, diagnose, inform and treat disease earlier - better safe than sorry. The whole concept revolves around pre-symptomatic disease detection and disease prevention. This helps the patient suffer less both physically and financially. Today 70 to 80 per cent of the resources in healthcare are devoted in managing symptom based diseases.

Recently, a media summit took place in Dubai that put the spotlight on regional healthcare needs and lifestyle diseases. Over 50 delegates comprising leading medical luminaries, patient associations and media representatives were present to discuss the evolving practice of medicine and patient care from treating symptomatic late-stage disease to  pre-symptomatic detection and intervention. The summit was hosted by General Electric Company.

With developing countries experiencing a period of significant demographic change, including massive population growth and increasing urbanisation, there is an unprecedented demand on its healthcare infrastructure, technology and expertise.

The programme highlighted advances in prevention, treatment and diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, cancer and foetal defects along with how molecular imaging has transformed the way chronic diseases are being diagnosed.

"The manageable disease conditions such as obesity, diabetes and stress are constantly on the rise and 'Healthcare Re-imagined Vision' promotes the 'early health' mode of care - helping clinicians to predict, diagnose, monitor and treat the disease in their early stages. In this way there will be many more treatment options available for the patients," said Reinaldo Garcia, president and CEO of the company.

Transformational medical technologies and services are shaping a new age of patient care. Medical expertise and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, performance improvement, drug discovery and biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies are helping clinicians round the world. 

Monetarily too, early health is estimated to cost $ 10,000 for a heart patient compared to detection in the later stages which usually costs $ 30,000 to $ 50,000. In the same way early breast cancer treatment is far cheaper than the treatment for advanced breast cancer. Dr. Zeynep Albayrak from Turkey emphasised on the fact that breast cancer was the second biggest killer after lung cancer and family history along with genetic mutations were the main factors behind it.

"Tests through blood, saliva and image are important in determining the disease before its onset. Gene patterns predict disease progression and influence the choice of treatment. Molecular imaging in Alzheimer, Parkinson's disease, dementia and cardiovascular disease informs about the severity of the disease," informs Dr Alan Davies while talking about the advantages of molecular medicine.

While, Dr Maha Barakat, renowned diabetologist and endocrinologist startled her audience by revealing that diabetes had reached epidemic proportions. There are 246 million diabetic worldwide with India and China topping the list. Diabetes in children is increasing mostly due to obesity highlighting the fact that 58 per cent diabetes was related to weight gain. Obesity is predicted to go up in the future leading to diseases like blood pressure, hypertension and gall stones. So, it should be controlled during the early stages when your weight becomes more than your body mass index, preventing it to take any serious form. Dr. Mohammad Mumtaz emphasised that even the obstetrics future was ultrasound as everything could be imaged through it.

With technology advancement taking leaps and bounds, it is the right of every individual on this earth - irrespective of his colour, caste or creed- to have the best healthcare opportunities available. Governments, individuals and multinationals should contribute in making life easy for those who are suffering various illnesses through early healthcare. This could be done through creating independent healthcare regulators and enforcing the same standards for both public and private sector.

 
Letters

CONFIDENTIAL

Dear Lonely Girl,

You had a bad experience, but you managed to get out of it unscathed, which shows that you are a brave person. I don't understand your feelings of guilt; you did not commit any sin. You can get married like any other girl and have a normal life. Try to forget what happened and don't trust strangers again. You have not become unclean because you were not at fault. You just made the mistake of trusting that person, and God saved you from that guy. Just say a prayer of thanks and resume your normal activities. My dear, cousins are not brothers, and our religion makes a clear distinction between mahrams and namahrams. So, you can say 'yes' to the proposal and start your life afresh. To your last question, I would say that when God has not divulged this incident, why do you think you need to tell your cousin about it? Just bury this thing and get on with your life. Stop taking the sleeping pills, because they won't solve your problem. They are not good for you, and if you find it difficult to sleep try to pray or meditate. An alternative would be to make yourself so busy during the day that you would automatically go to sleep at bedtime. In any case, stop this practice of self-medication. You are simply tensed because you feel you have committed a sin. That is why you are experiencing difficulty in falling asleep at your usual time. It would have been better for you had your sister been here. Since you feel you have to confide in someone, why don't you ring her up and tell her everything? Ask her to come and stay with you for some time if she can. Just maintain a positive frame of mind and all will be well. Good luck!

Dear Nadine,

I am a 21-year-old married woman, and I have some problems regarding my married life; I really need your help. You had also helped me sometime ago, and I would appreciate it if you would reply me soon. First, I would like to tell you that my family is settled in Montreal and I had sponsored my husband.

My elder sister is married, and although we live in the same city, we seldom visit each other as we usually get together at our parent's place. Now the problem is that some months ago my husband got mad at me. He has started suspecting the relationship between my brother-in-law and me. When my brother-in-law comes to my place, I never even say salam to him or talk to him because he is a very quiet person. But if I even look at him, my husband gets mad and taunts a lot. When my brother-in-law and I happen to come across each other at my mother's place, I try to hide myself somewhere so that my husband doesn't get a chance to complain. He says he loves me, but what is love without trust? He says that I need to watch out because I am 99 per cent good, and he is worried about the remaining one per cent! Now, I avoid going to my sister's place, so she is also mad at me and it's affecting our relationship. Could you please tell me what I should do? Should I ignore my husband's taunts? I cannot talk to my mother about this because it will affect my husband's reputation in my family. Should I continue having a good relation with my sister? What should I do? On the other hand my husband is very frank with my other sisters. Sometimes I feel that I should stop talking to my daivar too because if I can't talk to my sister's husband, then why should I talk to my husband's brother?

My second problem is that I do not know how to cope with my husband's taunts. When he says something nasty, my mood automatically turns off. Overall, these are small issues that make life ugly. I want to live happily. How should a girl handle the fights and arguments; I really need to know.

Depressed Aquarian

Dear Depressed Aquarian,                             

There can be a number of reasons for your husband's strange behaviour, but two things could account for it. One, your brother-in-law is all that your husband isn't and that makes him feel inferior, which in turn accounts for his jealous behaviour. The second reason could be that you have given - unconsciously, of course - your husband the reason to think that you like or respect your brother-in-law. So, first of all you need to find out what makes your husband jealous of your brother-in-law. Could it be that your brother-in-law is a reserved sort of a person and your husband ascribes his natural behaviour to rudeness? My dear, I can only speculate about the reason for your husband's unnatural behaviour because I don't have all the facts. But the situation is serious because your husband thinks you are prone to unfaithfulness, even though the chances are non-existent. So, you need to make your husband believe that you love him, but need respect from him too. Tell him to trust you, as you trust him. You need to talk over this matter in detail, because this situation can affect your interaction with your family. It is good that you want to solve this problem without involving your family, and it shows that you love and respect your husband. But you won't be able to keep the matters under the wrap if you don't get cooperation from your husband. A happy marriage is built on solid trust from both sides. So, to make your marriage successful, start working on building confidence. Your husband seems to be in constant need of reassurance that you love him and are not interested in anyone else. Keep reaffirming your love to him. Tell him that for you he is the perfect man, and he does not need to compare himself with anyone.

You cannot treat your brother-in-law so shabbily! Do greet him normally in front of your husband, but avoid talking to him. I believe even your husband does not want the situation to become evident to the rest of your family. Tell him that if you continue to behave so rudely towards your brother-in-law, you would have to make an explanation to your sister and the other family members. I hope that your husband starts acting sensibly, but if he persists with this behaviour despite your efforts, consider moving away from Montreal if possible. If worse comes to worse, tell him that you are fed up of the constant tension and would disclose everything to your parents. Not talking to your daivar would only widen the rift; and would be counter productive. Your best bet would be to find out the cause for this jealousy; only then would you be able to dispel his wrong impression.

As for losing your cool temper and showing it, well we are all human and at times cannot control our temper. However, when he taunts you, instead of acting mad, ask him seriously to explain himself, and also give you the chance to explain yourself. You could, at times, return a light answer to diffuse the situation. After all, you love him and he loves you, too. So, it's worth making an effort to build your relationship. Best of luck!

Dining the Irish way!

Like every other thing, food evolves with time too. This week    You! brings the process of modification of Irish food which helped it gain the worldwide acclaim...

Geology, glaciers, the North Atlantic, the Gulf Stream, ancient forests and ancient civilisations have worked to create landscapes and ecosystems known for their haunting beauty, unusual wildlife and distinctive foods - welcome to Ireland. For thousands of years, the unique and extraordinary natural history of Ireland has been a source of influence and inspiration for Irish culture.

The culture of Ireland is marked by its traditions, literature, music, folk dances and most importantly - its food. Irish cuisine has traditionally been about meat (in particular, beef and lamb chops) and potatoes, cooked well, with few spices and sauces. Traditional Irish breads and scones are also delicious. On the true Irish menu, you'll find abundant vegetables; delicious homemade soups, farmhouse cheeses and some of the best seafood in the world.

Galway Salmon, Dublin Coddle, Ulster Fry and the Irish stew are some of the delicacies of the Emerald Isle and boxty, barm brack, champ, cruibins, colcannon are the exotic names for the basic dishes which have nourished Ireland for generations. The secret of their success is in their ingredients, which are nurtured in a warm, damp climate on lush hills that bring out its real flavour.

Earlier, there was no tradition of eating outside the home in Ireland other than at weddings or other special occasions. Restaurants of any kind were uncommon until the late 1960s or early 1970s and only existed in cities. Even in Dublin they usually closed down their eat outs at about 6 pm. Even the fare on offer was dull. Meat, vegetables (invariably overcooked) and potatoes, stodgy flour based sauces and the ever popular 'mixed grill', a bland item of food on a plate in the form of grilled lamb chops, sausages, bacon, sometimes fried kidney, fried onions, fried mushrooms, fried egg, fried potato or chips, fried tomato and a token lettuce leaf or two. Anything that wasn't fried to death was boiled to tastelessness. The vegetarians were just offered an omelette.

The selection widened in early 1970s, but not drastically and the fares were much the same wherever you went. A starter of pate or prawn cocktail, a main course of steak, chicken or scampi followed by apple tart or, for the more adventurous, black forest gateaux would have been a typical restaurant meal.

Towards the late '70s and into the '80s, change was fairly rapid. At one end of the market the multinational food chains arrived and at the other end, good restaurants began to appear. The food was now prepared in new and interesting ways which comprised of lightly cooked vegetables, fish and meat properly cooked, sauces that tasted of something other than flour.

In the '90s the usual modern selection of foods common to western cultures were adopted in Ireland. Both US fast-food culture and continental European dishes influenced the country. Common meals that emerged on the scene were pizza, curry, chinese food, and some west African dishes.

Irish people, who were now travelling more, experienced new tastes and became aware of their food's blandness. This gave rise to their interest in food preparation. The biggest revolution in the history of restaurants start in the early 1990s for which two women must be accredited - Myrtle Allen of Ballymaloe House in Cork and her daughter-in-law, Darina.

What they tried sounds simple but what they accomplished was a great change. They took the freshest and best of Irish ingredients and prepared them using classic European, mainly Mediterranean, cooking methods. The quality and the freshness of the ingredients was the key - vegetables eaten the day they were picked and fish direct from the sea.

Once the cookery school was established at Ballymaloe, this style of cooking spread throughout the country and is still a major influence on how Irish people eat today, both in restaurants and at home. Young chefs went abroad for training and brought home the things they learned and added them to the repertoire.

With excellent food available in all price ranges and in all parts of the country, eating out is common now. There is no village left in Ireland where you will not find a decent restaurant. A huge change is seen in pubs, which now serve food of a very high standard; something that would have been unimaginable in the mid 20th century.

Ireland is no longer a culinary desert and visitors who still think of it as a place where corned beef and cabbage is a delicious meal are in for a very pleasant surprise. Are you ready for it?The good news is that Etihad Airways has started its non-stop flights to Dublin. So enjoy your vacations and relish the typical Irish food.

Chatter Matter
Fashion flies high...

Isn't it interesting that this year in the annual International Fashion Festival- the most important fashion event of the world - one of our designers is also participating. Yes, Sheikh Amer Hassan has been invited by the Government of Montenegro to represent Pakistan amongst other prominent names of the international fashion circuit. This hi profile event will continue for three days showcasing the work of names such as Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Armani, Rocco Borroco, Versace etc. Couturier Renato Balestra will open the event on 20 of July which will be followed by Sheikh Amer Hassan of SAH-London couture. The Prime Minister will also attend the show along with other world celebrities like Tom Cruise, David Beckham and Sophia Lauren etc. It's good to know that slowly and gradually our designers are also making their presence felt in the international arena.

Sana, the next in line...

The Indian movie Awarapan, despite the expected heavy rush that it attracted on its opening, has failed to woo the local cine-goers in a big way. Sad huh! Anyway, now all eyes and hopes, especially of the distributors, are pinned on another offering from across the great divide, Kafila which is to be released on July 27 and stars our very own Lollywood star Sana. Incidentally, Sana hardly features in the promos of the movie that are being on air from different Indian channels and if you are not a keen observer so you might just miss her. So much for her claims of being the film's leading lady, let's hope that the movie does well just for the sake of our lass.

Noor on screen... again!

Treading on the comeback with her sprightly feet is our radiant lass Noor. After a long absence from the silver screen, during which she got married and settled down in Dubai, Noor has decided to come out of her self-imposed hiatus. And the credit of roping her back to the world of bright lights and dark alleys goes to none other than our Shan who incidentally was also Noor's leading man in her debut movie. Anyway, Noor's comeback flick is called Zille Shah which is being directed by Shan himself. But while Noor is said to be playing a powerful role, the main lead of the movie is Saima -- as usual.

Food for Thought

A lot of talk is done about Irish food and tang, so in order to make you feel its true essence,   You! got the traditional Irish stew for all the ladies in kitchen. It is very easy to prepare and does not require any fancy ingredients.

Happy meal!
Irish Stew

Ingredients:

-  Lamb meat                1kg                                                                            

-  Potatoes                1g

-  Large onions                 4

-  Peeled and quartered large carrots     6

-  Garlic chives       1 tablespoon

-  Parsley                 1 tablespoon

-  Cold water                400ml

-  Salt and pepper                  to taste

METHOD:

-  Wash the meat and cut into bite-size chunks. Heat it at a high temperature until all sides turn brown.

-  Slice two potatoes and skinned onions into thin slices. Place sliced potatoes at the base of greased saucepan and place a layer of the meat on top of them. Sprinkle salt and pepper over it.

-  Then add a layer of the other vegetables onto that of the meat and repeat the meat layers finishing off with the herbs.

-  Now, add the water, bring to boil and simmer for one hour approx. (It is very important to cook the Irish stew in simmering water not boiling water as the meat will get tough otherwise).

-  After that add the remaining potatoes and continue simmering for about 20 minutes.

-  Serve in a large dish and garnish with parsley.

The Mediterranean
ESSENCE

Mediterranean themes are exciting but it's difficult to build up a house on these lines. Mrs. Habibur Rahman along with her son has managed to give her house a truly Mediterranean feel.

You! takes a look

By Tazeen Hussain
Photography by
Zahid Rehman

Money and interiors hardly seem to have any link. Well, it does when it comes to buy pricey yet striking things for the house (that of course makes money important) but in the sense that money makers are hardly interested in house decor as they are very calculative about life, they usually leave the interiors to renowned designers. Don't we all somehow believe that? But, Mr. Habibur Rehman, head of Atlas Funds, and his son Salman, a chartered accountant, has completely washed off this misconception. Their house is an amalgamation of good design, solid structure and innovation.

As you enter, a lovely covered veranda leads you to the interior of the house. The veranda, done in a Mediterranean style, with wooden deck floors, fountains, exotic plants and wooden shades generate vibes of peace and tranquillity. The fountains made of copper and steel are embellished with speckled pebbles and big shells. Strategically placed cane and wicker furniture and a swing make it a wonderful place to enjoy evening tea.

As you step into the house, a pristine white TV lounge warmly welcomes you with a stained-glass designed door. The aqua blue colour of the stained glass is used to keep the Mediterranean feel alive. A lovely jhoola and upholstery in soft hues make this room a pleasant reprieve from an exhaustive day. The walls are ornamented with exquisite paintings. The skylight in the room has been covered with white fibreglass - giving a lovely aura to the whole house. A beautiful Afghan carpet with an astounding flower arrangement brightens up the place. The most interesting feature of the room is a lovely aquarium. "This used to be a fire place but my son came up with the idea of converting it into an aquarium," informs Mrs. Habibur Rehman. Again the beach element is brought in with very subtle style.

An open kitchen follows the lounge. It carries the white theme and is immaculately clean. Paintings from the college days of Mrs. Habibur Rehman are hung in the kitchen - cherishing the old memories. 

The artistically designed study with an extensive woodwork is simply beautiful. The bookshelves are all recessed into the walls with camouflaged lighting. A plasma TV is brought into focus by mounting it on a wooden pane. The drapes are simple and in soft tones so that one can enjoy reading in a calm environment. A white glass table over a white rug complements the rest of the wooden furniture.

The drawing room has been furnished in peach and ochre. The cosy sofa in dark and light shade of brown and the lovely ochre lamps enhances the beauty of the room. The walls are adorned by Mansur Rahi's exotic paintings.

"The garden is all set by my father," says Salman, who is responsible for the Mediterranean touches in the entire house. It has been perfectly landscaped and one can easily notice that keen interest has been taken in its embellishment. Lovely creepers and bonsai bougainvilleas are part of the garden. Other plants include kangi palms and sadabahars. The patio is a wooden hut with a stream of lovely shells and pebbles around it. The ceiling is interestingly done with a wooden structure camouflaging the whole space and the light fixtures. "This has entirely been put together from the wasted wood of the furniture," says Salman.

This highlights the fact that creativity is important while furnishing one's home - of course with a handsome bank account!