Aggregated aggression
The spiral of crimes against women goes unabated. An increased number of violent cases against women were witnessed in 2009. You! takes a look...

Crime is common. Logic is rare

- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

By R. Khan

Violence and abuse affect women irrespective of their race, culture, cast or creed... violence does not discriminate. Violence against women in any form is a crime.

Crimes against women cover a vast range of issues and in our part of the world it is usually interpreted as and only limited to physical abuse. On the contrary harassment on the streets, domestic violence, outraging a woman's modesty, kidnap, rape, marital rape, female genital mutilations, incest, gang-rapes, sexual harassment at the workplace, trafficking and forced prostitution etc. and customary so-called 'honour killings' necessarily involve mental and physical violence but are not clearly regarded by the law as crimes.

'Acid attack victim dies in hospital', 'Mother of three killed for giving birth to daughter', 'Minor girl married to a 60-year-old man', 'Husband batters wife for not giving consent for second marriage'. These are some of the common newspapers' headlines we come across everyday. And yet we claim that the women of our society are now strong enough to determine their lives independently. There are such women in our society who are able to live as they please but generally women are still by and large at the mercy of men.

This fact is clearly illustrated when the increasing rate of crimes against women is studied. This spiral of crime against women goes on unabated despite the new women-friendly laws that have been passed and other steps taken by the respective governments in recent years.

It was anticipated that after the democratic set up the struggle against domestic violence would gain momentum and there would be comparatively lesser number of such cases. Contrary to the expectations, an increased number of crimes against women in all forms have been witnessed. You! takes a look at an overview of the situation in Pakistan in the year 2009.

"Two per cent rise was recorded in violence against women in 2009 due to non-implementation of laws," says Shabina Ayaz, Director, Aurat Foundation. "927 incidents of violence against women occurred in Sindh alone during the last six months in which 1047 women were tortured in various incidents," she adds. 

The Aurat Foundation report reveals that 159 women were murdered, 45 were hurt from domestic violence, 172 (including 58 men) were the victims of honour killing, 78 raped, 29 sexually assaulted, acid thrown on 4 women, 3 were burnt, 73 attempted murder cases, 84 custodial violence, 98 attempted suicide, 46 threat to violence and 78 of vanni practices. The report also contains the FIR status of the cases as well as motives behind the incidents. According to the data collected, FIRs were registered in 508 cases while 254 cases could not be registered.

"Women face some sort of violence - sometimes physical, sometimes psychological - in every third household of Pakistan, mostly in rural areas, but it goes unreported as domestic violence is not considered a form of crime. Our women are too ingrained with notions of sacrifice and loyalty to their in-laws that they bear all the pain they receive after marriage," tells Anis Haroon, a women rights activist.

According to the report, the actual number of those victimised maybe far more than reported in newspapers, police stations or to NGOs because the majority of such crimes go unreported and thus remain unnoticed.

The culprits of domestic violence in a majority of cases were men - husbands, fathers-in-law and brothers-in-law. Besides, mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law were also in the forefront in helping the males to commit these crimes. There are several reasons why these cases are constantly on the rise and authorities are unable to put a curb on them. One of the major reasons is the jirga system rooted in the rural areas.

The report urges civil society to play an active role in preventing violence against women and register a complaint with the police or law enforcing agencies whenever they see such incidents of maltreatment. Affected women should also raise their voices against any injustice, as this is the only way one could reduce such crimes. 

The rise in such incidents is because of the non-availability of justice in our country. If culprits are punished strictly then incidents of violence against women might not occur so frequently.

Social attitudes, cultural practices and religious misconceptions have not only denied women their rights but have also paved way for the hostile activities to make a place in our society. A strict implementation and functioning of women-friendly legislations is required to put an end to such crimes and violence against women.

Karo-kari

If we glance at the year 2009 and study the statistics of different sorts of domestic violence against women, we begin with the scourge of the inhumane and gruesome practice of karo-kari, which continued to take a toll on the lives of many innocent women, girls and couples in Sindh.

Data collected from local Sindhi and Urdu newspapers showed that in many areas of Sindh including Khairpur, Sukkur, Ghotki, Shikarpur, Naushahro Feroze, Larkana and others, 468 were murdered in the pretext of karo-kari, out of which 322 were women.

Madadgar Database

It is also worth mentioning here that the Database Centre of Madadgaar Helpline for Children & Women (a project of Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid-LHRLA) has also reported an upward trend in crimes against women.

According to the last year's statistics:

Sindh takes the lead:

Around 19,547 cases of women abuse have been reported in Sindh alone in 2009, the highest number of cases registered in any province according to the data compiled by the Madadgar Helpline. In Punjab, 2812 cases have been reported, 896 in the NWFP, and some 321 cases in Balochistan.

In Karachi alone, Madadgar reported 1,065 cases of violence against women in the first 10 months of 2009.

Till November, around 900 women were murdered, 3240 were raped, 241 were gang raped, 66 were raped than murdered, 1145 were kidnapped, 127 were married off forcibly and 110 were trafficked.

 "The statistics make it evident that the law-enforcement agencies, policy-makers, relevant powerful institutions, the judiciary and the State have either failed to control the increasing menace or they just do not seem interested in taking appropriate measures to improve the situation," states advocate Zia Ahmad Awan, the chief of Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid (LHRLA).

"There should be partnership between the government and private institutions so that the two could work in unison to provide justice to children. Ninety per cent cases of violence against women in Pakistan were not reported by the media," shares Awan.

"As many as 67,706 cases of women abuse were reported in the country during the last nine years. Very few of them, however, made it to reports in the mainstream media.

There is no political will to eliminate violence against women. Violence against women is increasing but it is not yet clear whether violence as such is on the rise or more reporting is done due to an alert media. We need re-structuring of the police and administration because they have totally failed to deliver," he suggests.

To re-adopt the Bill on Violence:

Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister, Sharmila Faruqui has called for re-adopting Domestic Violence Bill-2009 from National Assembly which lapsed because it could not be passed from the Senate within the required 90 days. According to the Constitution, it is mandatory to get the bill passed from the Upper House to make it a law within 90 days. She has pointed out that since the bill could not be debated in the Senate, it should again be tabled in the National Assembly for fresh approval.

Sharmila has further said that women in Pakistan, particularly in rural areas, are subjected to violence, discrimination, exploitation and harassment, therefore, it is the need of the hour to have a strong law to provide them security and ensure all basic rights of life to them.

"National Assembly passed 'The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2009' to provide protection to women, children and families vulnerable to domestic violence. The bill is very important as the perpetrators can be subjected to punishment under criminal code."

 
beauty
For the love of shoes
Every season fashion keeps varying and to appear chic it's essential to stay in touch with the current trends. This week You! brings the latest shoe trends...

By Fatima Shaheen

Everything included in your attire is important and even though shoes are on your feet, they are as important as the clothes you wear. Yes, shoes are one of those accessories that add style and class to your appearance.

The best part about them is that they look good on everyone and you don't have to be a size zero just to buy a pair of shoes. But if you want to get noticed, you'll have to wear shoes that will grab everyone's attention. However, it's always confusing to decide what to buy and there are so many styles and colours available that it's quite possible to lose your mind while in a shoe store. This is where You! steps in and will enlighten all of you out there about the styles and colours that are 'in' so that you can take your pick from the best of the lot. Remember, your preference is what matters the most, nonetheless what you prefer should always be in style. Read on to find out the biggest women's shoe trends for this year.

The colours of today!

With the changing trends in shoe fashion, the colours in demand also vary from season to season. Like last year, light and mid-tone neutral shoes are still the rage. However, the frontrunners for now are shades of blues and greens, while the most popular is the colour purple. A whole range of tones of purple including blue violet, claret and burgundy tones have been spotted on the ramps. Purple, plum and violet are particularly fashionable colours in 2010. One of the most chic shades of purple consists of berry tones and pastel tints. The range of berry tones is great, but within the family of purple the tints and tones such as magenta, aubergine, blueberry and lilac are quite amazing. And of course colours like black, white and brown will always be in demand as they can go with any colour of clothing being worn.

The perfect complement to the season's hottest shoe colours are heels that are light-coloured. Many of the shoes seen have natural wood heels or rope-covered heels.

Walking in style

Nowadays a variety of shoes are available from casual wear to sexy party wear. The collection available comprises wedges, boots, pumps, platform heels, stilettos, sandals and flat ballerina shoes.

Wedges

After a couple of years of completely disappearing from the world of fashion, wedges started making their comeback last spring and this year they are in total demand. They are officially the hot heel trend of today and are being worn with all sorts of clothes from jeans, tights and dresses to kurtis and long shirts with flappers.

Wedges are fun to wear and when the warm weather hits they become nearly irresistible. Women who don't normally wear heels can finally go for the desired height by wearing wedges. This is mainly because wedge heels are easier to wear compared to stilettos and they are also great for showcasing some of the season's other top trends like rope and cork accents. The heels of the wedges can go up to five to six inches and the best part is that you will hardly feel any difficulty walking in them.

Platforms

Platform sandals have been 'in' since the past two years and those of you who assumed they were going the wayside this year are surely in for a surprise. Luckily, platforms are still here to stay with soles thicker than before, and yes you can still stick to the existing collection of platforms that you already have. Whether you love them or hate them, settle in for the ride because they're going to be with us for at least one more season.

Sandals

The style for this season is woven sandals, wide collared sandals, and bootie sandals as they are all making the fashion pages. Another subtle difference in this year's sandal styles is that instead of all-over heaviness, the shoes more desired are those that combine a hefty element with other thinner ones. For example, a thick ankle collar with a skimpy vamp strap, or a wide t-strap with lots of skinny woven straps attached to it.

Yes, gladiator sandals are here to stay with more bells and whistles than ever. This year's gladiators seem to be moving up the ankle with straps. But ladies, be sure not to wear gladiators with shalwaar kameez as they will completely kill your look and will surely welcome a bundle of laughs. They can however be worn with capris and flappers. Match them with the pattern of your clothes or you might just end up committing a fashion crime.

Flat sandals

With all the hype about sky-high heels and platform shoes this season, it's easy to forget that many of us like spending time in flats and flip flops. But just because a shoe is low on heel, doesn't mean it can't be high on style. They are available in several fabulous colours such as black, brown and light green styles. They are wearable and stylish and they are ideal for pairing with jeans, casual skirts or dresses. Last but not least, yes, flat sandals are certainly the best option to be worn under shalwaar kameez.

Stilettos

These might be painful to wear all the time but stiletto heels are here to stay. These shoes will always be popular for those who feel that only a very high heel gives them a sense of 'being' ready to hit the town'. And they certainly are a strong feature to make your appearance look classy. Stilettos can gel in with any sort of attire.

Ballerina pumps

Ballerina pumps are ultra feminine and always look stylish. They are a popular choice of dressing up without adding height or killing your feet. These choices in ballet flats offer style options from casual to dressy. These shoes also come in loads of colours. Ballerina pumps can be worn with capris, leggings, jeans and all styles of shalwaar kameez.

skin care
Signs of ageing
Women always worry about wrinkles. This week You! talks to Dr. Fazeela Abbasi, a leading dermatologist who tells us how to slow down the process of wrinkles...

By Fatima Niazi

Wrinkles are a part of life and they are an indication of old age. With this comes the fact that we all want to remain wrinkle free all our lives and for that we turn to many creams and medical procedures including surgery and botox. The usage of anti-ageing creams is a necessity as it can do wonders to the skin. Unfortunately, we are still unaware of many aspects on how we can stay beautiful and young hence, we turn to cosmetic creams after the occurrence of wrinkles and various skin pigmentations, especially women, can go to any heights to achieve that smooth flawless skin.

Scientists have long been exploring the myth 'fountain of youth," trying to uncover the secret to anti-ageing and some years ago their diligent search yielded a major discovery Retinol; a highly effective form of Vitamin A. It plays an important role in anti-ageing skin care and is the purest and most active form of Vitamin A, as it aids in the resurfacing and rejuvenating of the skin and helps to impart a clearer, more vibrant complexion for all ages and skin types.

As one gets older, the skin gradually worsens as stratum corneum (the layer of dead skin cells on the outermost layer of the skin that helps protect the deeper layers of the skin) begin to rub away. Also, the basal layer filled with collagen to protect the skin and elastin starts to fade. Retinol works by penetrating deep into the skin where collagen and elastin reside, as it stimulates more collagen production allowing the skin to repair and renew itself at a much faster rate. With this fact we also need to be aware that just because a cream contains retinol doesn't mean it will get rid of your wrinkles. You need a high level of retinol and a good delivery system so the retinol stays effective in the bottle and penetrates deep into your skin when you use it.

For this particular cause and to raise awareness of how the skin can be nourished one of Pakistan's leading dermatologists Dr. Fazeela Abbasi, conducted a beauty workshop recently where the topic of wrinkles was discussed in detail. Dr. Fazeela is an icon in the field of skin care and cosmetic procedures and is also an advisor/consultant in the Federal Ministry of Health. According to her the problem of ageing is solvable and the ingredient retinol is an important element. You! talks to her to find out more information on the cause of wrinkles and how they can be prevented:

You! How wrinkles are formed?

Dr Fazeela: Our skin resurfaces the basal layer of skin making new cells and sends them to the upper layers from where the skin cells get sloughed off in about 3 to 5 weeks. As we age the skin resurfacing process slows down, piling up the dead skin surface causing dullness and slowing the skin renewal mechanism, giving rise to wrinkles.

You! How to slow down ageing and keep a younger looking skin?

Dr F: Ageing is an inevitable process but could certainly be delayed. The first thing to do is to change your lifestyle to a healthy pattern. A healthy lifestyle focuses on a balanced diet including giving up bad habits like smoking, attaining proper sleep, appropriate workouts and a skin compatible regimen where strong sun exposures are avoided and proper anti-ageing creams are used in the right way.

You! What is a proper anti-ageing cream?

Dr F: The best anti-ageing ingredient is vitamin A derivative commonly known as retinol. So any cream having retinol is a proper anti-ageing cream.

You! How long retinol needs to be used to get a significant impact?

Dr F: You can see visible results in 4-6 weeks.

You! If retinol is that good, is there anything we should be aware of?

Dr F: The truth is that the quantities needed for retinol to exert a significant impact are very high i.e. 0.7%. It hence gets very expensive plus requires a dermatologist's prescription as potent content levels as skin irritation could be a side effect. Though products with higher concentrations do exist but many do not deliver the purported benefits for a number of reasons. Furthermore, conversion rates of various forms of vitamin A to retinoic acid vary among individuals - the same concentration may yield visible benefits in some people and little or none in others.

Letters

Dear Nadine,

I am a 35-year-old woman and I live with my parents and brothers, and of course their families. I have two married sisters who are settled abroad. My brothers do not want me to marry. I used to receive proposals when I was younger, but somehow or the other my sisters-in-law always would find faults with them, and they would be rejected.

I overheard my sisters-in-law talking once. Both of them were of the view that I was indispensable as a maid for their children. They also discussed that as long as I remained single my parents would be looked after me.

My sisters could have helped had they been in Pakistan, but they come once a year for a month and in that time they have to visit their own in-laws, too. The thing is that my parents are now old and have become very frail. My sisters-in-law control my brothers, and they at times even forget that I exist. I am not even allowed to work, although I have a Master's degree in Mathematics. I feel very frustrated when I see every one enjoying life. I don't like living as a drudge, but short of rebelling and being labeled shameless I don't think I have an option.

Although my parents are totally dependent on me for their needs like serving them meals, pressing their clothes and ensuring they have their medicine on time, they want me to marry in their lifetime. Recently, my maternal aunt's son lost his wife. He has two small kids. My aunt is also very old and cannot look after her grandchildren. She asked my mother for my hand in marriage for my cousin. My brothers and sisters-in-law created a scene. They said that my aunt had insulted me and the family by proposing for her son.

But Nadine, this time I want to say yes. The problem is how to convince my brothers. What can I do to make them understand that this might as well be my last chance? Please suggest a way for me to achieve this end without being termed 'shameless'.

DM

Dear Nadine,

I am 22 years old. I am in the 1st year of M.B.B.S. I love a girl from the core of my heart, but I don't know whether she loves me or not. I can't express my feelings before her because I don't have the courage to do so. I want to marry her but can't tell my parents about her because they are not in the position to afford my marriage. I am scared because her parents are in hurry to marry her off somewhere.

Please advise me what to do.

Hussein

Dear Hussein,

The first thing is that since you don't even know the girl's feelings you don't have a case. If you are too scared to talk to her and let her know how you feel about her, then how can you expect to get anywhere? Do you, perhaps think, that a miracle will happen and the girl will declare her love for you and your parents will come into money left by some dead relative?

I will not sermonise about you being too young and the fact that it is too early for you to marry. You should yourself understand that you are on the first rung of the ladder right now and have a long way to go before you can be in a position to think of matrimony.

If you are very serious about the girl, gather your courage and tell her about your feelings. If she is interested in you, ask her to talk to her parents to stave off her marriage till you are in a position to marry her. You too should speak to your parents, and explain to them that you would like to marry her after settling down once your education is completed.

If you really want something, you must also be ready to struggle for it. No pain and no gain is a maxim that will always hold true. So face your problems squarely like a man, and do your best to get what you want. Good luck!

Dear DM,

There are all sorts of mean people one comes across in life, but your brothers take the cake. The thing is that when your own folks are looking out for their own convenience and ease, you should take the initiative in your own hand while the time is still on your side. It seems that your parents, too, are under the influence of your brothers, otherwise they would have taken a stand for you. However, it is their duty to see that you are married suitably, and as such they should be made to realize that in giving in to your brothers they are doing an injustice to you. Good intentions are not enough; they should practically do something to ensure your future.

You can start by calling your sisters and explaining your dilemma. Tell them to lend their moral support to your parents, and talk to your brothers, too. They could also speak to your aunt and explain that she should bolster up their courage and assure her support.

My dear, with or without your brothers' support and consent you are old enough to make your own decisions. Getting married is your right and there is no shame in telling your brothers that you don't have any objection to your cousin's proposal. Act with courage now, or you will regret not doing so later.

However, first try to get your parents do all the talking. In case they and your sisters fail, you must take the matter in your own hand and tell your brothers firmly that you don't want to be exploited any further.

As far as looking after your parents is concerned, you can continue ensuring that they take their medicine on time as mobile phones have made communication very easy. Being in the same city also means that you would be able to visit them frequently and look after them. Besides, since you are there your bothers are not worried about your parents but once you are married they will do their duty. So don't let go of this opportunity and marry your cousin. Best of luck!

Dear Professor,

I am a 23-year-old girl and I live with my parents and siblings. Two years back, I got engaged to my cousin who then went to the US for higher studies. In the beginning he used to call me regularly, but all of a sudden his calls stopped. Then we got a call from another relative in America who informed us that my fiance has married a Pakistani origin American national. This news shattered my family, and was later confirmed by his parents, who were also very upset about it. Due to this I have developed an inferiority complex. I was not good enough for him or for anyone else, and that is why I was jilted. I feel depressed all the time. What should I do?

Jilted

Dear Jilted,

You can start by coming out of this self-pity mode. It was actually the guy who was not good enough for you, so good riddance. You are only 23! Why do you sound as if you are already on the shelf? I am sure God has a better alternative for you, and, in the meantime, keep yourself busy. If you are a student, concentrate on your studies. If you have completed your studies, get a job. Good luck!

Problems that need a solution?

You can e mail Prof. Nadine Khan at nadinekhan_34@yahoo.com

Note: If you feel you need someone to talk to when you are alone,

to share a problem with, or just to get something that has upset or disturbed you off your chest, share it with us.  Write to Prof. Nadine Khan,

c/o Editor 'You!' magazine, The News, Al-Rehman Building (4th Floor) 

I.I Chundrigar Road, Karachi.

you & me
Sheraz Sikander
Read on as You! shares this week a bit from its own slam book with a twist - the one-liners are from up-coming model Sheraz Sikander...

Photography: Khawar Riaz
By Asif Khan

Admit it girls, we all fancy our celebs. The glitz of their glamorous world attracts us - what they wear, where they shop, where they hangout, what they dream of, their love-interests, their favourite things - we love to get the scoop. Keeping this in mind, from time to time You! is going to share some interesting tete-a-tete with popular celebrities.

Lahore-based-model Sheraz Sikandar met Khawar Riaz and from there his career started off. His first shoot was for Amir Adnan and the first campaign was for Levis Jeans. An engineering student of UET, Sheraz is fond of playing football and going to the gym.

This week You! takes a look at Sheraz Sikander's likes and dislikes... 

My biggest assets:

My family especially my mother

I wish I could:

Fly!

One person I would love to dine out with:

Ria Sen

My definition of love is:

Love is when my mother wakes up in the middle of the night to give me my dinner

One thing I hate about myself:

My sweetness to everybody

Something I would like to forget:

Some bad memories

Something I would like to remember:

My backbencher friends

My strength:

My mother's prayers

I regret:

Refusing someone's proposal

I feel over the cloud nine when:

I am on the ramp

I get dejected when:

I hear about the terrorism in my country

Something that I am strongly possessive about:

My wardrobe

I get turned on by:

Intelligence

When feeling low I prefer:

To get some sleep

The most unforgettable moment of my life was:

My first photo shoot

What touches me the most?

Good music

If I could be another person I would like to be:

Me all over again

What bores me the most?

A boring person

My message:

Live happily and let others live happily too!

recipe
Cherry ice cream cake

Here's another sweet treat for all you sweet lovers out there. This week You! along with Mrs. Batool has brought yet another exciting dessert recipe 'Cherry ice cream cake'. It is a yummy delight and is quite easy to make. Bon appetite...

Photos by Mustafa

Ingredients:

Eggs       6

Flour       6 oz

Castor sugar         6 oz

Vanilla essence     few drops

Baking powder     1 1/2 tsp                

Cherry ice cream   1/2 litre

METHOD:

- Separate the eggs placing the whites in a bowl and yolks in another bowl.

- First beat egg whites for a few minutes until fluffy then add the egg yolks and beat.

- Add castor sugar slowly. After adding the baking powder and vanilla essence beat for 1 minute.

- Now add the flour and fold it with a wooden spoon.

- Preheat the oven at 180 degree c and take a 9x9 circle mould and grease it with oil.

- Pour the batter in the mould and bake for about 30 minutes.

ICING:

Fresh Cream          200gms

Icing Sugar            3 tbsps

Vanilla essence     few drops

Beat the cream, icing sugar and vanilla essence till it becomes fluffy.

TO ASSEMBLE TEHE CAKE:

- Now slice the cake in two horizontally.

- Pour pineapple juice 2 to 3 tablespoons on one side of the cake and layer it with whipped cream in the centre.

- Then put a layer of cherry ice cream and cover it with the other piece of the cake.

- Again add pineapple juice and cover the cake with whipped cream and decorate it with cherries and cherry syrup.

 
interiors
Seek the light!
Creating pieces of art that appeal to a large audience is not an easy task, let alone gaining clients who are there to purchase one's creations. You! takes a look at a student whose originality has created a blast of craft...

By Tazeen Hussain

Lamps are the most desired piece of decoration as they are available in various styles as well as dazzling colours and have the ability to brighten up a room once placed in it. With thousands of lamps available everywhere, you have literally found a pot of gold if you find someone who has a talent of creating unique yet stylish lamps. Yes, we have another addition to the lamp market! You! takes a look at a student whose originality has created a blast of craft...

Owais Haji, a final year student at Indus valley school of art and architecture in the discipline of textile design has now started making lamps for a selective clientele. His creations are hand made and have already created hype for the interested buyers as he can be seen at the gates of his institution delivering the many orders of lamps to the excited clients.

The start of his journey of creating lamps was just a coincidence and before that he was unaware that he would do wonders when involved in the art of lamp making.

"A friend happened to return from Thailand and couldn't figure out how to assemble a lamp she had purchased, so I tried to help her and was quite intrigued," said Owais. "Then as another friend's birthday was approaching I thought I would give her something, which I made myself. So, I started looking for references on the net and books. I came across prototypes and tried to figure out how to work them and put them together. That was how I produced my first lamp."

Then the journey continued as a teacher spotted the lamp and liked it enough to request one for herself. "Our Dean saw that piece and asked me to make some for an upcoming 14th August mela which is quite an event at our institute. That was my initial launch as the people present in the mela loved the lamps and I got a lot of orders," he explained.

The appreciation of his creations continued as the IVs Alumni at Indus asked him to light up the opening ceremony of the show for them. The ethereal lamps in the wonderfully romantic setting of the Nusserwanji courtyard, on a chilly December evening of 2009 literally charmed everybody present there. Owais was bombarded with offers. He rose to meet his client's demands by the support of his faculty, friends and of course his parents. "My parents are very supportive of me and encourage me in every step of the way. The best part is that my father enjoys assembling lamps for me, however, my mother is quite concerned about the condition of my room which is littered with lamps," he shared.

Owais originally started off with plastic in solid colours to create his lamps. Later on, he started experimenting with screen-prints on the paper lamps and recently he has forayed into experimenting with piercing techniques on plastic. He was all set to participate in the Rebuild Rebound show, for the help of Joria Bazaar blast affectees which was held last month.

Even with his hectic university schedule he still takes out time in the night just to play with the modules and try to evolve new shapes and experiments with different materials. In addition to the beautiful circular ones he has also evolved his designs into oval and cylindrical shapes and is now working on creating a heart shaped lamp. Seems like Owais Haji is all set to make correct moves and in the correct directions.

off the beaten track
Con-Companies
By Yasir Pirzada

There was a time when swindlers, cheaters, tricksters and crooks used to make money by befooling innocent people through fraud and deceit. These highly intelligent thugs would rob people by using different tricks of fraudulent trade and used to deprive the poor citizens of their hard earned money and life long savings. Now times have changed. Today this 'noble' task has been taken over by some national and multinational companies. These companies are ripping off our money in such a swift manner that we don't even take note of it.

Last year, I thought of changing my car and decided to get a bigger one through some bank on lease. Filled with joy, I called a banker and expressed my desire. The banker immediately responded with full zeal and fervor which was quite understandable because the mark up rates at that time were sky high touching almost 19%. So if a person like me was still interested in getting a leased car on these high interest rates, any banker would have responded with the same passion. To cut the long story short, I checked the rates of several banks, calculated the monthly installment including the insurance premium and other charges and then finally selected one of the largest banks whose installment came out to be the lowest. The sales guy who was dealing with me was really sharp and convincing. He got all the documentation done in quite an efficient manner. So far, so good. However, the next day, I received a call from his assistant saying that there was some mismatch in my signatures so I was required to sign a few papers again. Surprised though, I asked the guy to come to my office straight away and get my signatures. The guy came in an hour and when I was about to sign the papers, which I had already signed just a day earlier, my eyes caught the figure of monthly installment which had gone up almost by one thousand rupees a month. When I inquired about this, the guy said he had no idea and I should better talk to his boss. Immediately I called that ever jolly sales manager to sort out this issue. He told me in his typical flattering voice that the bank had 'incidentally revised' the mark up rates and that's why there was a 'slight change' in the monthly installment. He said, "Don't worry sir, that 'minor change' won't bother you much, please sign it for me personally."

I replied, "You tried to get my signatures fraudulently by saying that they don't match; whereas actually it was due to the increase in installment that you wanted me to sign the papers again! Now, I am not interested in getting the car from your bank unless you offer me the earlier decided rate." With this I disconnected the phone without waiting for his reply. Next day, I was told that the bank approved the same old rate.

Sorry for narrating this whole episode but before deliberating on this multinational swindling but I want to state one more example. You must have gone to that multinational chain well known for its burgers. Their famous meal which makes our kids happy is listed there at a price of Rs. 130 but surprisingly when you order the meal, you are billed at Rs. 170 instead of 130! If you dare to ask the reason, you will be told that price of Rs. 130 is for beef whereas you were served with chicken meal for Rs. 170. That, in plain language, would mean "next customer please!" Here you will find yourself a victim of misleading advertisement and fraudulent services but you won't be able to do much about because these 'con-companies' are cleverer than our traditional South Asian con man.

There can be dozens of such examples which may include exploitation tactics at the hands of mobile phone companies, town developers, national companies owned by some 'seth' giving false warranty cards and even public organisations with the sole aim of deceiving innocent people. Now the question is, what should be done of these 'con-companies'? There can be two possible answers:

One, we can't do anything against these corporate giants.

Two, there are some legal forums where we can lodge complaints but it will be a great hassle that would eventually result in nothing but waste of our own time and energy.

However, there is a third option also. As far as I know, Consumer Protection Courts have been established under the law in Punjab and probably in Sindh too. So the right way to deal with these 'con-companies' is to seek legal remedy under the law through the Consumer Protection Act. Apart from these courts, there are also offices of Provincial and Federal Ombudsman, Banking Ombudsman, Tax Ombudsman and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority etc which deals with complaints of respective public and private organisations.

Another tip to avoid being a victim of corporate swindling is to carefully read the labels, instructions, warranty cards, price lists (including what is written under that asterisk sign in world's smallest font), specifications and refund policy etc. before buying any product or entering into any service agreement. This practice will definitely help you in dealing with these 'con-companies' in a much smarter way. I usually follow this practice and one day that is what I found written on a child's Superman costume: "Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly." Hats off to these 'con-companies'!

yasirpirzada1@gmail.com