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return preview Prescribed
art Bookers
and born-agains
Benazir's partymen seem confident that she will hold the reins of power once again, largely due to the support she enjoys in the power corridors of Washington By Adnan Adil Benazir Bhutto is phoenix
of Pakistani politics. Since the 1980s when Benazir Bhutto inherited her Bhutto's partymen seem confident that with the blessings of Washington, she will hold the reins of power once again. The investors are out to fund her campaign adorning the walls with posters, banners and hoardings. Her foreign education and vast network of connections in powerful capitals of the world have always given her an edge in the power politics of Pakistan. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is said to have intervened in the final phase to get Bhutto's agreement through with Gen Musharraf. At home, Bhutto seems to
have suffered a setback though, mainly due to Musharraf regime's This despite the fact that the powerful military establishment of the country harbours a distrust for Benazir Bhutto. It is considered that she has not been able to forgive those responsible for the hanging of her father and is revengeful. Until a few years ago, Gen Musharraf used to dub her a security risk for the country. Even after giving her relief through the National Reconciliation Ordinance, the government's strategy seems to be dragging the issue to her disadvantage. While she drew flak for her deal with the regime, the government is hoping that the concessions given to her would be nullified by the apex court. Notwithstanding its distrust of Benazir Bhutto, the establishment was forced to share power with her on two occasions in the past. She became prime minister in 1988 and 1993. This is largely due to the support Bhutto enjoys in the power corridors of Washington and her massive support base at home. At the moment, she gets into the power equation because the United States has high stakes in its war against anti-US militancy in the tribal region and Afghanistan and considers Musharraf alone cannot win this battle. Thus enters Bhutto who may bring some sort of public support to this otherwise unpopular war. In 2002 general elections as in all previous elections since the party was formed, PPP bagged the highest number of votes. It is the only party in the country to have a substantial following in all the four provinces. Her biggest asset is a solid and loyal vote-bank in interior Sindh, one that her party has been able to count on for the last four decades. What could be worrisome for Bhutto is the Punjab province where the party faces tough challenge from the well-entrenched ruling Muslim League in the rural areas and the PML-N led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the urban areas. The sword of apex court is also hanging on Bhutto's head as the Supreme Court may declare the National Reconciliation Ordinance illegal and the corruption cases against her may get revived. In any case, Bhutto's return to Pakistan has already unleashed a political process that would weaken Gen Musharraf. In case, Musharraf is obliged to retire from the military on the orders of the apex court, Bhutto's space for asserting herself will further expand. In Karachi, MQM decided to bury the hatchet and allowed the PPP to operate freely in its controlled areas where it has not allowed other rival parties to work in the past. This increasing PPP-MQM cooperation reduces MQM's dependence on the Musharraf regime and helps restore its image. There are chances that other parties such as the PML-N and the Jamaat-i-Islami may also open secret lines of communication with her for understanding on a minimum agenda. Bhutto's popularity, however it may have shrunk over times, cuts both ways. It makes the establishment uncomfortable for it seeks to get along with the politicians who could play second fiddle to it. Since Governor General Ghulam Muhammad's overthrow of the elected government and the dismissal of the first constituent assembly in the 1950s, it seems to be establishment's consistent policy to discredit and malign the political leadership to legitimise military regimes. This is the area where Bhutto's power-sharing agreement with Gen Pervez Musharraf would be on trial. How long are Musharraf and Bhutto able to pull along with each other would decide the future of the two leaders and the country itself. preview Rabia Anwar's forthcoming solo exhibition at Rohtas II includes mixed media collages of film actor Rani in various settings to create a world of fantasy By Quddus Mirza Isaiah Berlin described the
20th century as the age of reason, but if the philosopher had lived In this age of entertainment, all our activities are both guided and disguised for the sake of a show. No matter if it's political matters being discussed in talk shows or live coverage of an event (explosion, demonstration, accident) each activity is converted into a broadcasting segment for public consumption -- with both visual and verbal appeal. Due to the 'channelisation' of this society, our public representatives discuss and even disclose state matters in talk shows rather than in the parliament. Similarly the legal issues seem to be sorted out more in the media rather than in the courts. This power of media was observed during the Lal Masjid crisis when besides performing its stated role the media started to participate in negotiations and tried to steer the situation to a certain direction. With the increasing presence of media overpowering our psyche, one scarcely thinks of the initial providers of entertainment -- the actors. Since the politicians, lawyers and journalists provide 'live' entertainment in prime time discussions (along with live coverage of cricket matches), the public hardly needs an extra entertainment in the form of family soaps and formula films. That is why today's actors do not attract as much attention as the politicians, analysts and cricketers (both within the boundary of cricket and in the bigger game of politics). When one compares the
present with the past, it seems that the former actors were lucky in that But the admirers of these actors are not only the older people. Lately the number of admirers has multiplied through a new phenomenon called remixing. Old songs and film sequences are being recreated and reused in recent years by a growing number of young professionals. Thus one can witness a double life or life after death of actors and singers. Rani was one of those actors who were fortunate enough to be in the field before the media hype, but almost forgotten after her era. She performed in Urdu and Punjabi movies and was a popular heroine, with some memorable movies to her credit. But once she was gone, she was consigned to oblivion -- like several other actors from those years. It is only now that Rani is resurrected. Not through any miracle of some sort, but by her own daughter Rabia Anwar. Rabia studied art at NCA and is having her first solo exhibition (from October 24 to November 3, 2007) at Rohtas II, Lahore after a gap of many years. In her works, mostly mixed media collages and pastels, pictures of film actor Rani are used in various settings to create a world of fantasy. Even though the artist expresses her concerns about the gender and the position of women in society, her work appears to be more like landscapes of an imaginary realm. One can trace a few links to the feminist content (particularly with the picture of heroine placed on the chocolate packet, implying the treatment of women as an object of glamour and delight); by and large her collages have some funny and interesting narratives. Often the heroine from the past is cast into new exotic and exuberant locations. Yet in some way her new 'picturesque' roles are not much different from the fantastic atmosphere of the films. A few works show her amid weird creatures, turned into a Greek statue, a folk singer in the company of jazz musicians and a fairy standing on the globe -- all situated in a strange landscape. In these works, two separate schemes are employed to represent the character of Rani. In some pieces, she emerges as the two-dimensional image, like the posters on the wall, scene from the TV screen and a photograph in the frame; and in other works, the actor is shown being part of the background. In some works, the juxtaposition of odd elements, leads to an element of surprise and fun. For example, Rani peeping out of window of a wooden structure, erected against a backdrop that resembles the jungle scene of Henri Rousseau, the French painter. Interestingly, the imaginative atmospheres fabricated by the daughter for her celebrated mother are closely linked to the bizarre world of our films. In our movies, the reality takes a magical tour over a fantasy land to convey the emotional substance. Likewise the works of Rabia offer that phantasmagorical feeling with the help of unusual combinations -- such as a monk and the heroine at a swimming pool, the sculpture of Buddha watching her on TV, the winged actor inside a Roman arcadia. In this way, the works on paper complement the sensitivities of celluloid. Especially the late practice of our directors to shoot the hero and heroine at exotic locations (preferably in Europe, Australia or Mauritius) while the main story takes place in some slums of Sahiwal. Besides finding a new role and relevance for Rani, her daughter Rabia affirms that the world of art and film is populated by immortals. Individuals, who once ceased to live on this earth; are bound to make a second coming (or third coming if the person happens to be a political leader), either resurrected in a remix album, or recreated as a new character in the works of visual art: Means to make them immortal. Reflecting a wish shared by everyone who loves his/her parents, Rabia tried the same, except that she made her famous mother even more celebrated. Something that can be illustrated through a common ad line: the best got better! There has always been a contradiction where the arts are concerned --more muted in literature but stark in painting, music, dance and drama By Sarwat Ali It is quite common for us
to see on our media a song sung in Arabic with the accompaniment of the We should be obliged to the media which has brought the distant cultures near and also has a finger on the pulse of changing trends and attitudes. These two or three trends in music that are becoming noticeable by the day may give an insight into our attitude towards the arts in general and the performing arts in particular. We all know that music has had an uneasy relationship with our cultural norms. It would not be unjust to say that the arts have existed in spite of all the strictures that have been clamped down from time to time. And obviously this is not a new trend or tendency, nor can it be attributed to the policies of one recent government, or for that matter the policies pursued by various governments since independence; for it has less to do with the policies of governments and more to do with the cultural moorings ingrained in us. Whatever the more liberal sections of our population might say, or those who have assessed our culture in accordance with the post renaissance European critical canons, the fact remains that there has been a contradiction where the arts are concerned -- more muted in literature but stark in painting, music, dance and drama. This ruling contradiction has been so deep rooted that most of the time it goes unnoticed and is supposed to be one of those primal paradoxes that man had been born with and destined to endure. Though there have been attempts from time to time to do something about these contradictions, to narrow the gap if not to bridge it, and to make it less offensive and obviously sinful. It was Hasan Askari who said that only two art forms are imminently legitimate in our faith. One is architecture which derives its legitimacy from the mosque and the other is calligraphy which draws upon the fact that the word of God is sanctioned to be written. The other art forms have to stretch themselves for prescribed legitimate definition. If there has to be painting then it should be calligraphy or at best non figurative work, if it has to be a play then it should be a straight battle between good and evil with good triumphing at the end - it should be the prescribed good and not any other good. If it has to be dance then -- we are now on slippery grounds and probably dance when a man is the performer has an outside chance of acceptance -- qualified acceptance, or acceptance with a grudge. And so when music is approached the easiest way that it can be quantified and made tangible is through words. If the lyrics are prescribed or within prescribed limits then it is considered to be legit otherwise it is not acceptable. And this too is in reference to those who do not consider music at the outset to be outside the pale of religion. Historically speaking, the other forms have depended for its patronage on the likes, dislikes and whims of rulers or the elite of the time. There has been no uniform policy regarding other forms of arts, the initiative of individual rulers being responsible for spurts of creative activity in various parts of the Muslim World. Perhaps influencing the whims and preferences of the ruling classes was the indelible mark of tradition, as certain areas and territories that became part of the Muslim world had their own strong local traditions which could not be totally obliterated in the name of fashioning a society on the strict principles of faith, or an order derived from that faith. The question obviously hinged on the interpretation of the text. And there have been so many of them, that any one interpretation in a world without a central authority was not considered binding enough. Every society or polity was free to add its own interpretation to a list, quite long and unending, with a wide range of interpretations, at times elaborating on one another, or contradicting each other. One wonders, in all this, as to what is the role of the English language. The various nuances of our languages developed within the pressures that were exerted on them and developed a richness that it embodies. English language, too, has developed under the set of circumstances quite different from us and has the capacity to deflect pointed references. How does it respond to our peculiarities can be an interesting aspect to probe into. Where Arabic is concerned, the language is hardly known in the country and the little that is understood is when a name, an honorific or a phrase is mentioned. But it should not be mistaken that in both cases it is music that appeals and is being responded to.
Dear
all, Alas, our local (Lahori)
boy Mohsin Hamid, despite making it to the short list of the literary award The winner announced last Tuesday was an Irish author Anne Enright for her family saga 'The Gathering'. My husband was doleful and told me "It would have been good if Mohsin Hamid had won." Since I am of the opinion that actually making it to the shortlist of such a prestigious award IS winning, I merely asked what he meant by 'good'. His reply was along the lines that it would have highlighted the dilemma of individuals like the book's central character who faces a bit of an identity crisis after the 9/11 attacks. Hmm I am still having difficulty in understanding the born-again mentality myself. I admit after losing quite a lot of weight this year I have become a born-again non fat person, but I still like to think I am not as baffling and annoying as the born-again Muslims I come across nearly every other day. The ones from Pakistan seem to have seen the light thanks to a combination of the legacy of Zia ul Haq and the likes of preachers like Farhat Hashmi. But the most regressive brand of the born-again seems to hail from Britain. This is a bunch that is part of modern life but is subscribing without question to unquestioned set of values. Part of their motivation is to create a strong and aggressive identity for themselves in a society where they or their parents' generation may have been looked down upon as 'inferior foreigners'. Well, whatever their reasons, their version of Islam seems to include all sorts of petty dogma and interpretation. For me the greatest manifestation of this is the inability of Muslims in Britain to agree upon a single date for Eid. And if we can't agree on such an important issue, why do we go on about the 'Muslim Ummah' and so on? Any discussion on this issue with fellow Muslims generally turns out to be futile, as they rant on about 'the importance of the sighting of the moon'. For God's sake, this is the 20th Century, we have moved on astronomically and we don't need some geriatric Maulvis peering at the sky from the rooftop! My view is that since we all acknowledge and celebrate Haj on one date, we should all go by the calendar that is linked to the venue of Haj that is the calendar originating from Saudi Arabia. Turkey does this and they have a fixed date for Eid which coincides with the Saudi date. They are also sensible enough to have a one week holiday for Eid. Anyhow, enough of the Eid rant, let's get back to books. I am in the midst of reading a book called The Islamist by Ed Husain, which recounts his radicalisation as a youngster in East London mosques, his subsequent jehadi training and involvement with extremist organisations. It is an interesting account of how these organisations recruit and radicalise youngsters. I have also just finished reading a book I have been meaning to read since its publication almost ten years ago: Ahdaf Souheif's The Map of Love which was a wonderful read and also highlighted all sorts of issues related to colonialism, nationalism and Muslim identity. But I have to say my most delightful recent discovery has been the book nominated a couple of years ago for the Booker prize: A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka. This book was great reading from beginning to end, a funny but also sad family account. Highly recommended! Apart from all the book and Eid talk, I should also mention that I recently saw Sabiha Sumar's new documentary film on BBC Four. The film Dinner with the President is part of a series called Why Democracy? which looks at this concept in the Musharraf and Pakistan/Islam concept. It contains some interviews, photography and shows poignantly the limbo that Pakistanis without access to education and opportunity are confined to, as well as the elites who are happy to maintain this status quo. It is recommended viewing and the questions it raises are worth discussing. Best Wishes Umber
Khairi
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late father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's legacy, this is the third comeback for her.
After more than eight years of self-exile and tainted by allegations of
corruption and hobnobbing with a military ruler, Bhutto has returned home --
with much fanfare. Her People's Party mobilised its workers and resources
across the country to accord her a warm welcome. However, as opposed to the
1986 voluntary turnout of hundreds of thousands of people on Lahore's
streets, this time round it looked more like a stage-managed show. The party
workers were made to come to Karachi herded in hired buses.
legislation to provide her immunity from the corruption cases and her party's
efforts to lend credibility to Musharraf's controversial presidential
election by fielding a candidate. But Benazir seems to be relying more on her
hobnobbing with foreign players and the military generals than public
opinion. The newly appointed Vice Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Pervez Kiani was
one of Musharraf's mediators to iron out terms of compromise between her and
the regime.
longer, he would probably have named the present times, the age of
entertainment. Actually human beings have always had the craving for
entertainment of one or the other kind, but it has become the dominating
feature of our epoch. Obviously then television -- a major source of
entertainment -- has overshadowed all other inventions to become the idol of
our times.
they enjoyed an unchallenged fame. Long before the politician, the journalist
and the cricketer, they were the only entertainers and the most recognised
faces.
daff, or to hear a song sung in English but in praise of some holy personage
or extolling some religious virtue. These two variations can be said to be
new to our culture, for no such example exists of music being sung in
different languages and different intonations. As far as one remembers it was
either the Arabic tunes that were employed in the rendition of a song while
the language remained local, Urdu or some regional inflexion of it, and there
is hardly any precedence of songs in English performing an Islamic liturgical
function.
the Booker Prize, did not actually win.