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society Theory of
devolution MOOD
STREET
Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa Chief Minister of the Punjab Chief Minister's Secretariat Lahore. Chief Minister, We, the undersigned residents of Lahore, would like to draw your attention to the proposed auction of the Birdwood Barracks property located on Waris Road. Fighting
fat RESPONSES TO LAST WEEK'S
society Baithak: A lost legacy Ustad Daman's Dera was regularly visited by the intellectuals of his time who would mix with the masses -- a culture missing these days By Ammar Ali Jan A tiny room below a
mosque in the midst of the infamous Bazaar-e-Husn. The empty room is
filled The room, which is now called 'Ustad Daman Academy' has great historical significance for the cultural scene in Lahore. Shah Hussain resided in it and wrote much of his poetry from here. In those days, it was known as Hujra-e-Shah Hussain, named after the great Sufi poet. Later, Shah Hussain left the house in pursuit of the Sufi way. However, during Ustad Daman's life, this place reached mythical popularity with artists, poets, writers and common people all of who visited this place frequently. Some of the bigwigs that have been to this place include Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Habib Jalib, Akhtar Sain, Qamar Yorash, actor Moahammad Ali, 'Queen of Melody' Noor Jahan besides many others. The culture that developed at Ustad Daman's place included not only renowned thinkers, but also common people who would come to share ideas with those who had accomplished many milestones in their respective fields. The doors of Ustad Daman's house remained open all the time for everyone and the place saw frequent visitors. This led to the evolution of one of the most legendary 'Baithaks' in Lahore's recent history known as 'Ustad Daman ki Baithak' which stands second only to the Pak Tea House that became another focal point for the inetellectuals of the city. I had heard many anecdotes about the ustad's Baithak from my elders, waiting for an opportunity to visit the baithak as such places for open and frank discussions have been limited across the length and breadth of the country. As I entered the same room, much to my dissapointment, it was almost empty and the excitement of an intellectual discussion was nowhere to be seen. I met Advocate Mohammad Iqbal Mohammad, a literary man who has been running the Ustad Daman Academy for the past two decades. A student of Ustad himself, he feels it is imperative for the young generation to understand the late Ustad's message. For this purpose, he has taught Punjabi to hundreds of young students in Lahore. However, he too misses the hustle and bustle at this baithak that was there during the Ustad's heydays. "The cultural paradigm has changed in Pakistan. Today, you do not see the same amount of public discourse that was prevalent 30 years ago. Intellectuals in today's day and age are removed from the masses. Ustad Daman, Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Habib Jalib were intellectuals who regularly intermingled with the masses. We need to bring back that culture." Mohammad Iqbal had a valid point there. Growing up in Lahore during the nineties, we as youngsters were completely engulfed in sports, video games, TV and other such activities. We did not witness any literary debate, we did not see a young poet who matched the calibre of Faiz and all those who were alive. Ahmad Faraz, Munir Niazi etc. were from the previous generation. One of the worst parts of this literary downfall has been the erosion of these small gatherings where people could discuss and debate contemporary issues. The lack of such intellectual hubs denies youngsters the opportunity to streamline their thoughts as well as provide them an opportunity to share their ideas with others. Many reasons are given for decline of such Baithaks. Some blame the emergence of corporate culture which lays more emphasis on material benefits rather than such intellectual activity. Others blame the fall of the left as a possible reason for this unfortunate situation. Some have even blamed the media for bringing sensationalism which has harmed the culture of serious analysis. "One of the major reasons for the decline of the cultural activity has been the government's attitude. Let alone patronage, the government has always condemned any material that challenges the views of the establishment." Again, I couldn't agree more with Iqbal, especially sitting in front of a historic palace and witnessing it rot as the government remains oblivious of it's condition. Remembering the misery Ustad Daman had to face, Iqbal could hardly hold back his tears. "Ustad ji was part of the Congress before partition. Nehru invited him to India in 1952 and begged him to stay there as he feared there will not be much respect for him in Pakistan. However, Ustad told Nehru that he will live in Lahore, even if he is put in jail. Such a loyal man was repeatedly put behind bars by Ayub Khan, was made to lay naked on ice by Bhutto and his poetry was banned by Zia. However, Ustad lived for the people and he lives in their hearts." I liked the rhetoric, but I didn't know exactly which people Iqbal was talking about. I could only see empty chairs inside the Baithak while outside, the corporate culture has become so deep-rooted that it seems like no one has time to honour our icons. I wished Ustad Daman was alive to say a few couplets on the shameful and self-centered state that most of us find ourselves in. Not all is gloomy. It was heartening to see that Iqbal convenes a meeting of intellectuals every Sunday to discuss literary, cultural and political issues. It may not attract 'analysts' who only prefer to be on TV but it sure gives an opportunity to people at the grassroots to share their ideas. Maybe , one day more people will become active in such endeavours so that the progressive legacy of Faiz , Habib Jalib, Abid Hasan Manto, Ustad Daman and others can be safeguarded and our new generation can grow in an environment that is stimulating. I end with a couplet from Ustad Daman himself that I recently heard and which seems perfectly relevant to the sorry state of affairs this unfortunate nation finds itself in. Loki chan te ponch gaye ne Asi pohanchi wich zameen de haithan (The
World has reached the moon We
have gone beneath the ground.)
The freeze on local governments' accounts hints at more drastic steps in times to come By Shahzada Irfan Ahmed The fate of the local
government system introduced in 2001 hangs in the balance as opponents of The coalition partners -- PPP and PML -- have identified several flaws in the system but they have slightly different views on the issue. While the former seems to be willing to continue with the system after making slight modifications/amendments in the system, latter is more in favour of scrapping the system altogether. A manifestation of PML-N's apparent desire was seen when a special audit of local governments in 35 districts of Punjab was started on the behest of the party. The current situation is that the funds of local governments have been frozen and development schemes halted till the time the audit reports are out. Similarly, there are reports that funds for schemes managed by Citizen Community Boards (CCBs) are also facing resource crunch due to this step. The decision to hold this special audit has got mixed response from different quarters. Some have welcomed the move for being 'a timely step to remove corruption from the system and bring the corrupt to book' whereas others, who are fewer in number, reject it for being a tool to victimise political opponents. The latter believe the system can be made workable after little tinkering here and there. A local government representative tells TNS on condition of anonymity that the PML-N government in Punjab wants to control all the powers and is in no way ready to give any authority to the local representatives. He says the local government system was not engineered as there are many examples of similar systems faring very well in other parts of the country. He says there are flaws in the system but only for the reason that it was not introduced in its true spirit but in bits and pieces. For example there are provisions of institutional structures like village or neighbourhood councils, public safety commissions, citizen complaint cells, ombudsman within local governments but practically these are seen nowhere. Besides amendments have been made to make local governments subservient to the provincial governments, he says, adding "The ailing system must be cured as doing away with it would hurt say of local representation in important matters." Pervaiz Malik, Secretary Finance PML-N tells TNS that it's an open secret that local governments have become embodiment of corruption, nepotism, irregularities and what not. He says the local governments are taking financial measures without adhering to any accounting principles or financial best practices. That is why he says their special audit is being done. Malik says presently the party is not very much clear as to what to do with the system -- reform it or scrap it. "Once the audit reports are received I hope we will be in a better position to reach a decision." He says the audit relates to the financial part only; a lot also needs to be done to clear the system of ambiguities like who controls the police and is responsible for controlling prices. Quite obviously the decision to hold special audit has been condemned by PML-Q leaders like Chaudhry Shujaat Husain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. They say their party will oppose the abolition of the system which has been protected by the Constitution. An interesting situation was also created when some rumours erupted soon after the announcement of special audit, suggesting that Lahore District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood was fleeing the country. However, without wasting any time, he cleared his position before the press that he was going to attend an international conference of mayors in Chicago, US. Development schemes run by CCBs have also been the direct victims of this accounts freeze. People are reluctant to apply for funds as the local governments are not ready to release funds for new projects. Under the devolution plan, the CCBs are voluntary associations of minimum 25 people which are mandated and funded under the local government ordinance to carry out development projects in partnership with local governments. The financial contribution ratio is 20 per cent on part of the CCB and 80 per cent on part of the respective local government. Executive District Officer (EDO), CCB, Lahore, Tanveer Ahmed Khan confirms suspension of funds for new CCBs. Talking to TNS, he says, the ongoing projects are getting the required funding whereas the new ones or the projects under revision are not being accommodated. He says hopefully things would ease out once the audit of CCB schemes is completed. Naib District Nazim, Idris Hanif complains that the local governments have literally been crippled by the freezing of their accounts. They cannot even replace fused bulbs in streets, repair roads or make any purchases related to their day to day business. He opines the audit could have been done without freezing the accounts as the step has hit the interest of the general public the most. All said and heard one reaches a conclusion that local government ordinance is no different from other administrative initiatives adopted from developed countries in the past without doing proper ground work. It's up to those at the helm of affairs nowadays to decide either to declare the system alien and unworkable in this part of the world or tailor it to meet the local needs in an effective manner. MOOD STREET Caste Schmaste By
Saeed Ur Rehman An old man, a member of the family which had come to finalise the rishta of their son with my sister, loosened his white turban, placed it carefully on his left knee, ran a hand through his greying, crew-cut hair and, almost casually, asked me: "What is your caste, beta?" "I don't really know or care" was my instant reaction. The man's face changed several shades at once. Composing his aggression, he tried again: "But we were told you are Rajputs. Just like us." I sensed the delicacy of the situation. The future of two human beings and their families was at stake. My deconstructive shots at all categories of human thought had to be checked here even though I was under the spell of Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot' and Pinter's 'The Caretaker' in the second year of MA English those days. I quickly blurted, "Oh yes. That is right." The marriage went ahead. I wonder how we come to attach ourselves with something so random and then try to make it something fixed for all eternity. As far as our choosing selves are involved, our births in our parental families are entirely accidental. We cannot choose our castes before our birth. We spend the formative years of our lives seeking our elders' help, generosity (financial and emotional) and love. Somewhere along these years of helplessness and high school, some elder tells us what we are supposed to think about ourselves. Rajputs, Araeens, Pathans, Punjabis, Sunnis, Shias, Wahabis. Suspended in a sea of fleeting images of aggressive street dogs on the way to school and bickering, menacing teachers, we cling to all and any ideas that lift us from our everyday misery and transport us into a realm of imagined glory. Then this initial clutching at any rescuing idea, randomly handed to us as our lot, gets reified, and becomes something real -- 'real' in a social sense because our ideas of 'reality' have real consequences. Over the years, we try hard to become our imagined glorified selves. We like those who help us shine our idols of ourselves and we dislike those who try to destroy our only lottery draw of greatness. This acting out, after enough rehearsals, becomes our idea of our true self, our source of being different from others, our bonanza of identity. In normal circumstances, we try to use this childhood injection of greatness every now and then and in little doses as a source of ecstasy in moments of despair at our drag of a life. But, if extended to its logical limits, the same ideas of identity can produce mass murderers like Hitler, Pinochet, or the Ku Klux Klan members. It was because of this potential of our ideas of ourselves that Michel Foucault pointed out that there is "fascism in all of us, in our heads and in our everyday behaviour, the fascism that causes us to love power." Our childhood fascination with, say, armies of our headstrong ancestors marching into the sunset has the potential to unleash genocidal violence years later. Next time someone asks me about my caste, I am going to be ready with a better answer: "I was not consulted before I was assigned a label therefore I am not responsible for my maintaining it. And if it makes you happy, you can stick any label on me. But if a label is going to have personal and social consequences, keep it as benign as possible." healthThe fitness wave People manage to fit physical conditioning regimes into their busy schedules By Jazib Zahir After an eight hour working day comprising of pouring over sales data and attending to an inexorable stream of telephone calls, Akram could be excused for opting to spend the evening hibernating on his couch. But once he walks out of his office door, he chooses to make a bee-line for the Shapes facility in Gulberg. Over the course of the next hour, he judiciously allocates time between the treadmill, elliptical machine and weight rack. "Busy students and
working people assume that devoting daily time to physical exercise will
just Some employers seem to agree. Techlogix offers its employees a Rs. 500 monthly subsidy on participation in a physical activity of their choice as a 'health allowance'. The management has even taken the initiative to set up a mini-gym in the company basement. After a day of staring at their computers, employees roll up the sleeves of their dress shirts and skip rope or pump iron without the inconvenience of needing to make an additional detour on their way home. Atif takes advantage of gym facilities at his university campus. "In addition to the basic health benefits, I see it as a social activity," he says. "After a few hours of hitting the books, my study group heads over to the gym and it's a way for us to unwind and relax as friends." Mahmood, a marketing manager, sees similar social benefits to the experience. His gym offers 'family time' where spouses and children are all welcome simultaneously. He manages to catch up with several friends while taking a towel break between stretching and bicycling. "Not everyone can develop the skill level to regularly commit to a sporting activity like tennis," he says. "Gym is probably the ideal destination for all those people who are willing to exert themselves without worrying about honing their skills." Recreational hubs like the Sukh Chan facilities boast state of the art gyms with sophisticated electronic gizmos attached to the equipment that allow the monitoring of performance. Dedicated gym instructors get visitors to fill out a form stating the particulars of their medical history and the objectives of their gym routine. The instructors then attempt to establish a work-out regime that facilitates the fulfillment of said objectives without straining the avid gym visitor more than necessary. At the other end of the spectrum, some opt for more modest facilities closer to their residences. These are often affiliated with public institutions. Waqas works out at a gym affiliated with the Divisional Public School in Model Town at walking distance from his house. While the treadmills do not come equipped with variable speed settings nor is he spoiled by the luxury of choice in selecting exercise equipment, he thinks the proximity to his home makes the sacrifices worth it. "Since I don't waste time in commuting, I have an incentive to take advantage of the gym very regularly. It doesn't make sense for me to spend over Rs. 1,000 a month at a fancy gym that I may only manage to visit a few days in the month," he insists. "I can go to my local gym more regularly at a much cheaper price." Others believe that the best way to ensure that you exercise regularly is to have the facilities available on hand at home whenever you desire them. Some invest in exercise cycles and lifting weights to be stored at home. This means that the inconvenience of traveling to a gym is eliminated from the equation and one can conceivably work out several times a day. Whatever their modus operandi, fitness aficionados universally recognise the need for some form of professional guidance. "I think everyone who is serious about benefitting from a gym routine needs to take advantage of an instructor at least in the initial stages of his training," says Akram. "You can pick up some tips just by observing people. But a qualified instructor ensures that you pace your progress and that you don't engage in awkward positions that could result in injuries." The rigorous lifestyle of the gym is not for everyone. Samina, a housewife, prefers to channel her exertions into a few hours of weekly yoga and pilates classes. They provide exercise, soothe her nerves and have the standard benefits of a social activity. The key to taking advantage of any of these opportunities is consistency. People who are committed to the activities and continue to engage in them week after week are thrilled to discover their improved stamina and endurance. "Ultimately your health is strongly correlated to your happiness," says Akram. "A little time each day devoted to pursuing health translates into sustained satisfaction."
Requesting the Chief Minister of the Punjab to take action and reclaim the Birdwood Barracks Property
Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa We, the undersigned residents of Lahore, would like to draw your attention to the proposed auction of the Birdwood Barracks property located on Waris Road. The Ministry of Defence has placed this property on auction to be used for commercial purposes (a copy of the Invitation for Expressions of Interest for the property is attached). Your Excellency, the property upon which the Barracks stand belongs to the Government of the Punjab and the people of Lahore. Since before Partition, this property has been in the use of the military. At the time, it was given so that the armed forces could carry out their public purpose of defence. By putting this 22 acres of open land on auction, and that too for commercial purposes, the Ministry of Defence has made it clear that our armed forces no longer need or require it for any further military use or defence purpose. It stands to reason, therefore, that this property -- regardless of its monetary worth or development potential -- must now revert to its original owners: the Province and people of Punjab. The great city of Lahore has grown exponentially in the recent past, but this development has not been for the benefit of the common man. On the other hand, public open spaces -- the very lungs of our city and the recreational space of millions -- are constantly sacrificed in the name of progress. The fact that the 22 spacious acres of the Birdwood Barracks property is available to the government is a unique opportunity to redefine Lahore's urban experience and frame your government's policy and strategy towards the challenges posed by our urban development. We humbly request you to exercise your Constitutional power and advise the Governor of Punjab to make a formal application requesting the Government of Pakistan to return the Birdwood Barracks property to its rightful owners. We would also request you to take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and declare that this property will be used for no other purpose save public recreation, and that it is open to all. Lahore, once the city of gardens, now has precious few left. Your actions may result in the gift to this city of its last great park and garden. History will keep record of your decision. Respectfully, Mrs. Najm Abid Ms. Sadaffe Abid Mr. Farhaan Abid Rao Mrs. Aiza Rao Brig Rao Abid Hamid Beena Sarwar
Weight-watching is important because obesity creates many complications in one's life, not just medical By Asad Rana Modernisation brought
many comforts to our lives and changed the lifestyle completely. We
started Pakistan, a nation in developing stage, is also facing this problem since last decade. More and more children are getting fat. Burgers and junk foods are quite popular with children so they are more likely to get overweight, thanks to the modern lifestyles. Medical science defines obesity as an excessively high amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass also known as BMI, generally from calorie intake exceeding the body requirement. This is the most commonly explained reasons by the doctors and in most cases it is right. Obesity is also related to hormonal and metabolic disorders. Dr Abdul Salaam Sheikh, a homeopath in Lahore, well know for his knowledge and very cheap medicines, explains obesity to be the result of fast anabolism. In this case the catabolic process works slower than the anabolic process and results in weight gain. He believes 90 per cent people in the metropolitan are eating extra and exercise less, which is resulting in excess weight. He says the staple food in our society are wheat and rice. Both add to the problem, also sugar is readily available in the form of soft and energy drink which is another factor that contributes to obesity in his opinion. "The troika of carbohydrates, proteins and fat needs to be understood. The work of liver is vital. Fatty liver will not be able to perform normally and that will add to the problems of an overweight individual," says Dr Abdus Salam Sheikh. Dr Sheikh says that there is cure for obesity but that is possible only with change of lifestyle and little bit help from homeopathy. Regular exercise, a controlled diet designed by a nutritionist, is a must. Dr Sheikh claims that allopathic medicine has no cure of obesity. It only slows down the process but does not cure it completely. Next I visited Dr. Saeed Qureshi of Countours, the only clinic of this type in Pakistan. He specialises in Barriatric surgery also known as stomach banding. Contours also offers abdominoplasty more commonly known as tummy tuck and liposuction. Dr Saeed strongly recommends stomach banding which he says, is a very safe and simple procedure. This surgery is not as complicated as other surgical treatments. Five key holes are made in the belly and the silicon band is put on the stomach. Tightness of that band varies according to the desired body weight. He says until now he has faced no surgery related complications. Among other types of surgeries available, gastric bypass is the most popular. It is also known as stomach bypass. According to Dr Qureshi popular singer Adnan Sami Khan lost more than 100 kgs or 220 pounds in less then one year after the surgery. Dr Qureshi is not performing stomach by pass in Pakistan as he believes in safety first. Dr Qureshi says after losing desired weight one may find him/her with a lot of loose skin and that skin can only be removed through abdominoplasty or tummy tuck. Dr Saeed confirms that there is no specific medicine to cure obesity but there is prevention and mostly it is based upon personal effort, not medicine. Nutrition control, calorie watch and regular exercise is a must to avoid obesity. Both the doctors expressed that lack of awareness in public is one big issue. People are unaware of the body needs and there is a huge gap in our food intake and calories required. Government of Pakistan is not helping in any way to address the problem in our education system and courses. We do not find any courses or classes based upon nutrition or dangers of unhealthy eating habits. Governments in the modern world are taking quick steps to fight this growing problem. Health department of United Kingdom believes that preventive measures need to be taken very quickly other wise 40 per cent of their population will be obese in a generation's time. The US health department claims that one out of every three children are overweight. Dr Qureshi wants the government of Pakistan and Punjab to open up departments in medical schools and hospitals to fight this growing health problem. In another continent, people have a very different approach to weight. In African nations Mauritania, Nigeria and Burkina Faso people send their daughters to fat farms so they could get fat and plump in order to get in good physical shape before their marriage. Burkina Faso once held a Miss Large Lady contest at the same time when Miss World contest was being held in China. The organiser of the event told AFP news agency contestants weighing between 75kg and 130kg turned out to be slender figures at a time when in other parts of the world more and more fat reducing boot camps are being set up to make people lose weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle. Success stories and popular diets: Mrs. Abida Shamshad spent one year under the treatment of Dr Bernstein in Canada and lost over hundred and fifty pounds but remains on a very strict diet. Presently, she is in Pakistan and finding it very hard to maintain the body weight. Bilal Sheikh, a businessman from Lahore lost almost 40 pounds in three months by using Atkins diet but once he started a routine food he gained it all back in almost the same time. Dr Qureshi believes there is a yoyo factor to all types of weight losses through diet. He claims the only solution is stomach banding or gastric bypass and recommends banding to be safer and least complicated than other surgical procedures. Liposuction is getting very popular in Pakistan but is not an effective method for weight loss and it is unfair to treat any obese person with this method as it may be life threatening, says Dr. Qureshi. Obesity is considered a crime in Pakistan and fat people are treated very badly by almost all sections of society. They are discriminated socially and at workplace. They have difficulty finding a spouse, finding a job, have problems using public transport, are not allowed most joy rides in playland and in mini golf ground. Airlines refuse to adjust fat people in economy class and force them to either take two seats or fly business or first class. Obesity is an individual clinical condition but society should act positively towards it and the authorities and the government must take it as a serious and growing health concern. Fat people must take weight loss seriously so that diabetes, high blood pressure and the other diseases stay away from them and they do not end up becoming a victim of kidney or heart failure. They need to be confident and must understand that they only have control on half or less then half of the problem and must live life normally but should do something before it is too late as they say, "it is never too late to start". RESPONSES
TO LAST WEEK'S TOP 10 1. Electricity bills 2. Prickly heat 3.
Sweat & stink 4. Itching 5. Servants running away 6. Duststorm 7. Traffic jams 8. Water shortage 9. Heatstroke/migraine/nosebleed 10. No socialising To
enlist by popular vote for next week, send in your emails on top ten 'top
ten books on Lahore' Please
email at shehrtns@gmail.com
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with only two chairs and a bed with spider webs visible all around. No
sign or tribute on the entire street for those who lived and visited this
room-cum-house. Yet, it is this house that witnessed one of the giants of
Sufi tradition, Shah Hussain, as well as the legendary Punjabi poet of the
20th century Ustad Daman.
President Musharraf term it a system engineered to watch his personal
interests. Several allegations of corruption and nepotism in granting of
contracts in to people of choice have also surfaced.
exacerbate their fatigue," he says. "The truth is that regular
exercise actually prepares you better for the grind of your daily work
day."
replacing human and animal muscles with machines. Machines made us lazy
and we are spending more time indoors than outdoors. This change in
lifestyle brought obesity in humans and presently it is reaching alarming
levels in the most modern countries like the USA, Canada, UK, Europe,
China and Japan.
