If you want affordable cars, affordable clothes, used or totally new stuff and you do not have enough time to go to the malls, then there are several wonderful online shopping sites for you to visit. The main objective of online shopping is to sell the products to the consumers without making them go through the entire tiring mall visits. Online shopping has made our lives easier than anything. In such a hectic daily life, it is very difficult to fulfill your shopping desires, taking out time for malls has become a huge problem this is why most people prefer online shopping where they can buy their desired products at the comfort of their homes. Citizens around the world can gain more information about products and services that are available abroad. The needy customers can browse online shopping catalogues without putting any effort. As the internet is becoming popular day by day, this has increased the trend of online shopping.

The most popular sites for online shopping include Amazon and ebay. In Pakistan many facebook pages are now launched that sell products online. These products include, jewellery, dresses, handbags, cosmetics, shoes and phone accessories. Some of the famour online shopping sites of Pakistan include; OLX and Daraz.pk. The famous facebook pages that sell products online include; Stylista, Glitteratti, Desire accessories, Libaas and many more. Even i prefer online shopping and i have ordered a lot of stuff from these facebook pages. The advantage with these sites is that they offer a wide range of products from different brands or titles, which makes the comparison of goods a lot easier for the consumer. The consumer can browse product categories with different brands and compare prices, features and specifications, quality and performance.

 
There have been many issues regarding online shopping since its launch in the World Wide Web. Most concerns deal with the late deliveries and poor return/exchange policy. Phishing and pharming sites are websites that pretend to be a trustworthy website that traps the consumer by acquiring their very sensitive information like usernames, passwords, and credit card details for criminal intentions. So always remember that Internet scams exists online just like in the real world. Always be cautious of the websites you intend to do Online shopping from. On the contrary, shopping online with your credit card is safe as long as you deal with a trusted retailer who maintains a verified site and apart from this you must also buy products from a place which you already know or you have heard of is trustworthy. Since 2000, businesses are becoming more and more interested with online visibility. Even bookstores and supermarkets have launched online shopping as a new medium that targets the consumers that are unavailable to visit the store and provide them the convenience of on-time deliveries and secured transactions. If you are interested to purchase items online for the first time, it is important to consider the websites reputation, the extensive product information and availability online, the speed of ordering process and shipping, discount availability, return-exchange-refund policy, and especially the payment scheme. Online shopping websites require credit card payments, but you can email them if they have other options. Other websites have other means of payment transaction like debit cards, electronic money, cash-on-delivery, cheques, wire transfer, postal money order, and PayPal/ Xoom. The biggest advantage is of the cash on delivery option, consumers have to wait for their order, see if its perfect and then pay the amount. This offer usually attracts thousands of consumers.

Everything has its pros and cons, online shopping is considered as something that is helpful but on the other hand some psychiatrists say tha increased addiction of online shopping leads to compulsive shopping disorders. In this disease the patient starts to give priority to online shopping and starts ignoring everything else. Online shopping is usually considered just a hobby but it becomes an addiction when online shopping begins taking over your daily life. The addicts when not engaged in online shopping, start thinking about it and seem to be in a whole new imaginary shopping mall. This sounds funny but it is a fact. They often start to overspend and buy useless items. They tend to neglect their jobs and families. They lie about their purchases and what they spent and as a result they accumulate massive amounts of debt which lead to depression and anxiety. Treatments for this disorder focus on learning how to manage this addictive behaviour. This type of shopper needs to find what causes him to spend, and learn how to avoid those triggers. Erasing any saved credit card information from all websites is also highly recommended. Most importantly, the addict must set his or her own money and time limits. Excess of everything is bad this is why we should know how to balance stuff in our lives, when we get to know this trick then life becomes a whole lot easier.

Written by: Moomal Hassan.

Faiza Mujahid’s music is not about numbers. Since her coming-out party, with the film Khuda Ke Liye’s soundtrack, she says her work ethic has evolved more towards relating to the music she makes. There was a time when she wanted to make music for herself, to release albums and singles. Today, however, that is not the case and she has come to terms with that.

“There was a time when I wanted to make music my bread and butter, but I realised that there is no music industry to speak of, it caters to people who have already made it,” Mujahid tells. It’s been three years since Meri Zindagi was released, which presented her as one of Pakistan’s ultimate rock chicks. The song was very personal to her and seemed to connect well with her own place in life and her search for independence.

She laughs and says that she was in her 20s and going through a time when she felt that women in our society have a set timetable. The song had the sort of success that she didn’t realise would happen.

“It was really interesting because of the type of responses I got. There were many young girls and women who emailed me about how the song had given them motivation,” says Mujahid. That’s why her latest single Uth Oye is interesting. It doesn’t necessarily move beyond the phase of her 20s but it engages with, and tries to bring about, a sense of positivity to the picture. After three years in the shadows, Mujahid is restructuring her career priorities, and is approaching music in a different manner.

“People are always so negative. My idea now is that even if you know about the negative things, you should be thinking positively and being positive,” says Mujahid. Uth Oye has a sort of anthem feel to it, and the video tries to articulate Mujahid’s positive frame of mind.

“I can say this is my anthem. I don’t think I set out to make anthems or anything, but it’s how I feel, and these are things I feel strongly about and believe in, so people do find it motivational.”

The song is written and composed by Haider Hashmi, a good friend of Mujahid’s. The singer gave Hashmi full freedom to use his words to express what she was feeling. She says the experience has been fulfilling, since she is now making music on her own terms. The video showcases the stories of three females who have touched people on many levels.

Take for instance Farah Deeba, the 26-year-old who started an initiative to educate and provide schooling to underprivileged children at the tender age of 20. Today, her institute Alam Bibi Welfare caters widely to the underprivileged. The video also shows Sabira Sultana, a former burns’ victim who is now a patient coordinator at Depilex Smileagain Foundation. Sultan has overcome trauma to provide inspiration to many other women.

Haider Hashmi, who is best known for his cornerstone role in the band Aaroh, which is also making a slow comeback, said “I felt that the feeling had to be one of hope or umeed, since I had wanted to write for women who have to struggle so much on a daily-basis, so the idea was to portray the feeling that you cannot let anything bring you down,”. He also disclosed that he would be working on more projects with Mujahid, and that they had already penned a number of other songs.

Do you think she is right when she says “There is no music industry to speak of”

Drop your comments and feedback

S. Rasool

You have watched in bewilderment as he melted women’s hearts with his charm and wit on live television, and even on the radio, but it is now time to witness Sahir Lodhi’s flamboyance on the silver screen. The talk show host has recently completed scripting his first feature film, titled Mausam, and will be officially launching it by month’s end.

Lodhi has always had a penchant for acting and was offered a number of opportunities outside of Lahore, but his business commitments restricted him take up any project. “I always wanted to do films. In fact, television was more or less an accident. Nevertheless it was a blessing; it came at a time when I became a trendsetter and everybody then followed. Eventually, I got tired of all of that and wanted to do something bigger,” says Lodhi.

Lodhi has since then taken a break from the small screen and focused completely on his film. “If you do a show for five to six months regularly, who would want to come and watch you in cinemas? So, I wanted to take this break,” says Lodhi, who spends most of his time at the Lahore Hockey Stadium, where he works as the youth ambassador and media organiser for the Punjab Youth Festival.

Lodhi is not only acting in the project, but also producing it, under his and partner Irfan Rafique’s banner called Red Ocean. Rafique, who has worked closely with the delightful host, says that Lodhi has a great sense of creativity and is business-savvy. Hence, film-making seems logical for him to pursue and the originality of this script was apt.

“We thought the story is very powerful and he had been trying to work on the story for two to three years. When we discussed the idea with potential sponsors, even their response was positive because they found the subject to be very interesting and original,” says Rafique. “That’s why, when we formed the company, we decided to put everything else on the backburner and work on the feature film as our first major production.”

With Mausam, Lodhi hopes to add to the diversity of film-making, now prevalent in Pakistani cinema. The film which is about a father-son relationship will be directed by veteran screenwriter and director Pervaiz Kaleem. The project also includes new talents like fresh art directors from the National College of Arts in Lahore and an undisclosed London-trained film-maker who has the experience of working with Indian directors.

Lodhi emphasises he is serious about quality film-making and therefore, he is maintained a balance of experienced and fresh people on his production team. “This isn’t a run-of-the-mill, typical Lollywood or even Bollywood project. Instead its aesthetics can be related to Hollywood films because while it is a romantic film, the emotional concept behind it is very different from usual,” asserts Lodhi.

It is apparent that with this film, Lodhi has been able to follow his life-long dream of entering commercial cinema. “People don’t know this but even when I was doing television, I was trying really hard to do films, but it just never happened. Now I feel it’s the right time, and hopefully it will pay off,” he says.

The team is currently looking for a female lead, which will likely be from India. However, there have been rumours that they have signed British model Puja Panchkoty. The film will go on the floors in the coming few months, while the official press announcement will be made by the end of this month.

S. Rasool

First of all, I am writing this piece just to share my experience about the certain series that I came across on the internet. This is by no means intended to hurt anyone or impose my beliefs on, nor I am writing it to judge anyone or their choices. I am always prone to learning & I love researching about things that interest me. So, here’s my list of a few series that I watched – not for the sake of entertainment but to actually understand things better.

The Arrivals:

I got to watch this 50 episodes based documentary in 2009. It was produced by Egyptian students Noreagaaa & Achenahr who took this as a project & tried to unveil the secret societies that aren’t so secret. We are indeed surrounded by people who are working in order to please whom they worship. The Arrivals, as the name suggests spoke about the arrival of the false messiah, the antichrist Dajjal & also about the most anticipated arrival of Imam Mahdi (Alayhe Salam) & Prophet Essa (Alayhe Salam). I must say the information they shared in each one of the 10-minute episode was eye-opening. All our lives, being Muslims Allhamdullilah we have heard about the ‘fitnah of Dajjal’ & about the ‘one-eyed Dajjal’ but to actually understand how things rolled & who worshipped him, this series helped me a lot. Their planning doesn’t date back to some years or decade, but it dates back to the time when Pharaohs ruled the world. The main secret societies or rather cults that were exposed are Illuminati & Freemasons.

Illuminati & Freemasonry dates back to the time before Islam. They have always communicated to each other through symbols & certain shapes – clearly their favorite is the triangle or in fact Pyramid would be the appropriate term for it. I never thought I would ever see their symbolism because I thought they were discreet but I was sadly mistaken & fortunately awaken to actually see how we have been surrounded by their agendas throughout our lives. Media is their best chosen mode of communication. Hollywood & it’s celebrities are another one of their stooges which promote what they want them to. It was upsetting to see Disney being involved in conveying the subliminal messages as well in all the cartoons too.

There are certainly a few symbolisms that they use which are a hand gesture that depict Satan, one-eye or rather all-seeing eye, pyramids in each one of their movies or videos in the background, 5 pointed star of David or pentagram, skull & bones, lightning bolt, black & white checkered patterns, numbers 3, 33, 13, 31, hand gesture of number 666 & also America’s helpline number 911 has a significant meaning to them.

I am glad I got a chance to come across this documentary because it always made sense & what I loved the most about it that they didn’t speak about anything without proofs. The didn’t speak about the conspiracy theories in fact they added weight to their research by exposing people with the help of those who are working or have worked for their agenda. The whole series was filled with different interviews, different images that made it easy to understand where they were coming from. Illuminati’s main agenda is to form a One World Government known as New World Order (NWO) which is free of all the religions (Astaghfirullah) & to have people surrendering to their king i-e Dajjal. The series are uploaded on YouTube & also can be downloaded through the torrents. Those who really want to understand & are in search for the truth, I humbly recommend these series to them.

Brasstacks – Economic Terrorism by Zaid Hamid:

I know Zaid Hamid has been in a limelight for certain controversies but I am speaking about his documentary only in which he spoke exactly on the lines of The Arrivals. For me brasstacks was an Urdu version of The Arrivals which was made to convey the message to the people of Pakistan about what was happening around. I appreciate Zaid Hamid’s efforts because he not only spoke about Illuminati & Freemasonry but also about the economic conditions of the world. He made a lot more sense & what appealed to me was the way he started resting the facts from such a grassroot level to make it easier for the people to understand.

(Persian) Yousuf-e-Payambar Alayhe Salam / (Urdu) Hazrat Yousuf Alayhe Salam:

This the by far THE BEST series I have watched ever in my life. It is an Iranian series based on total 45 episodes each of 40 minutes duration, that showcased the life of Prophet Yousuf (Alayhe Salam) in such a detail. Produced in 2008 & acted by the Iranis, the actual series is in Persian but it has been dubbed in Urdu for Pakistani audience as well. I feel the way they have actually showcased the life of Nabi Yousuf (Alayhe Salam) is commendable. Nothing controversial & nothing to put anyone’s beliefs to question, the way they have picturized it, it shows the chronological events that have been discussed in The Chapter # 12 of Holy Qur’an – Surah Yousuf. For me it was an amazing experience to have watched it because the simplicity with which they have portrayed the life & the hardships that our beloved Prophet had to endure, it just gives a breathing to our Imaan & we are left with the feeling of starting afresh. I absolutely loved the series & recommend it to everyone. The series is uploaded on both YouTube & Dailymotion with the title – ‘Hazrat Yousuf (Alayhe Salam)’.

Once again, my only intention was to share something interesting that I have come across till now in my life. These series have left a greater impact on me & I just wanted to share what I have experienced. If you have ever seen a series worth mentioning, please share your choices & if you have seen any of the three that I have spoken of, feel free to pour in your say about them too! :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Umair Jaswal is the leading vocalist of the rock band Qayaas, which has brought progressive rock music in Pakistan. The band Qayaas started when in 2008, lead guitarist and songwriter, Khurram Waqar first saw Umair Jaswal performing at a jam with his band SilverSmoke at his studio in Islamabad.  Khurram has been searching for a lead vocalist back then, and Umair caught his attention immediately. He had enough material for an album and asked Umair to become the lead vocalist. Next person to join them was the guitarist Sarmad Abdul Ghafoor followed by bassist Shaheryar Ghayas, and drummer Salman Rafique. And thus, the hit band Qayaas came into being!

Qayaas achieved fame with the release of the single ‘Tanha’ in 2009, followed by the success of the song ‘Umeed’ which became one of the most requested songs on City FM 89 when released in an audio CD with ‘Tanha’. The release of the single began to create a cult following for the band, the following year the song ‘Mera Wana’ by the band featured on the compilation album, Metal Asia Compilation in 2010 which was composed of metal music from throughout Asia. Soon after wards, the band released their second music video ‘Pukaar’ which was dedicated to the 2010 Pakistan flood victims, and then went on recording and releasing their debut studio album Uss Paar in 2011. Qayaas has become one of the most popular Pakistani band from then on!

Umair Jaswal, the lead vocalist, is known for his power-packed live performances and enthralls the audiences with his voice. You would be quite surprised to know that he is the son of a renowned scientist and have a degree in geology! However, he was determined to pursue his dream of a musical career and he has definitely been lucky to have gained fame in such a short span of time. His brother, Uzair Jaswal also happens to be a singer and is termed as the youngest Coke Studio sensation. He is known for his hit number ‘Tere Bin’ featured in Coke Studio Season 5.

Jaswal came into the limelight with his band’s performance alongside Atif Aslam for the song Charkha Nolakha in Coke Studio season 5. The singer then decided to perform solo in the season 6. The song Khayal which was launched in this season on Coke Studio in its very first episode has already been featured in the film Waar.

And yes folks, Umair Jaiswal is the man behind three of the most engaging and spectacular songs in the biggest blockbuster movie of the year, Waar. Two of his songs, Halaak and Inquilaab, from his album Uss Paar has been featured in Waar along with the song Khayaal.

Jaswal apparently wrote the song Khayal eight years ago but never found the right time to release it. “When I was approached by Coke Studio producer Rohail Hyatt last year, I felt that the time was right,” says Umair. But because of the unanticipated delay in the season, the song got released in Waar first. Khayaal is a mesmerizing song with different versions available.

Umair Jaswal surprised everyone when he got selected as Pakistan’s Youth Ambassador by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC). The initiative includes providing education to internally displaced children from Waziristan and Kashmir.

The program aims to engage a young, enthusiastic and energetic music icon like Jaswal to campaign for education through concerts and other activities across Pakistan. With this project, a number of internally displaced children will be selected and enrolled in schools in Islamabad. A great initiative indeed!

Apart from Coke Studio, Jaswal has collaborated with renowned Sufi singer Abida Perveen. “We were in awe of Madam Abida Perveen when she came and performed at our studio. We didn’t realize how fast time passed. It was unreal and mesmerizing,” Jaswal stated. “Collaborating with her is an experience beyond words,” he added.

His band Qayaas has also won many awards, including the ‘Best Rock Band’ award at the Rolling Stones-Jack Daniels awards in 2010.The band’s song “Inquilaab” also made it to the Semi Finals of International Songwriting Competition (ISC) out of 15,000 entries from all over the globe.

I hope we get to see some more of the spectacular work of this band that got the opportunity to be recognized worldwide and gain international fame by getting a chance to feature their songs in the film Waar!

Mariam Shafiq

Aslam Dar is a man on a mission. With his long sideburns and leather jacket, he seems to have walked straight off the sets of a Martin Scorcese film. Regardless of the fact that age has caught up with him (he must be at least 82 or 83 years of age), he is committed to the cause of restricting Indian content in order to allow the Pakistani film industry to flourish.

Dar has been leading the case from the side of local filmmakers in Lahore, who have vociferously opposed the idea of Indian films and content since Partition in 1947. “The state has never supported the industry, it actually ruined it, but that’s another story.

Everything was led on private initiative,” recalls Dar, who entered the industry as an assistant in 1951 while he was still in his early twenties and eventually went on to become a leading director. He says that the issue of Indian films had initially started out as a question of getting equal access to larger markets. But today, it is a question of patriotism. “This is about seeing this out to the end. So until we [get an] answer what exactly the state’s position is on this; the court’s ruling in our favour or not is not the issue. This is not just a matter of concern for the film industry, it is connected to the broader idea of the nation,” he says.

Over the last few months, the debate surrounding the role of Indian content has heated up following the ruling of the Lahore High Court. Last month, the law regulating the import of Indian content was suspended in hopes to clarify the position on the import of Indian films. The build-up in recent weeks even included Bilawal Bhutto asking whether the country has become ‘Banistan’ due to the tendency of banning things we cannot deal with.

In 2006, Shaukhat Aziz decided to ease the regulations that had banned Indian films from being screened in Pakistan after the 1965 war. Since then, local directors and producers such as Syed Noor, Aslam Dar, and Chaudhry Kamran have been at the forefront of the struggle to ban Indian films in the interest of the local film industry. To understand why the opposition to Indian films has lasted so long, it is critical to know the context in which the film industry from Lahore would shape itself from the earlier years.

Roughly 144 films were released on this side of the border the year before Partition. The new industry always shared an uneasy tension with the cinema houses that were demanding more content. It is well known that importing Indian films had kept the cinema houses alive, while new filmmakers, who generally had migrated from the old industry, were struggling find a firm footing in this smaller new setting. “When Partition occurred, the [filmmakers] felt they should probably go to Pakistan where there will be the advantage of citizenship, would be treated like first-class citizens and would be able to make good films. So almost all of the leading people came to Pakistan,” says Ahmed Sibtain Fazli, a lawyer and son of Syed Sibtain Fazli, one of the pioneer filmmakers during the early 1950s. The prominent filmmakers and actors who had moved to Pakistan included Shaukhat Hussain Rizvi, Madame Noor Jehan, WZ Ahmed, AR Kardar, and Mehboob Khan.

“When they arrived they realised that the infrastructure was still very nascent in Pakistan. Mehboob saheb would say, ‘ I wonder how films can be made in a country where there is a shortage of electricity,’” recalls Fazli. Mehboob Khan and AR Kardar ended up returning to India after seeing the dire circumstances, but local filmmakers, who had been alienated by the elite class’s negative opinion of artists and lacked state support, were keen to carve out a new identity for themselves.

The tension between distributors and filmmakers was prevalent from the very beginning. In his book on Pakistani cinema, Mushtaq Gazdar quotes the legendary filmmaker WZ Ahmed implying that the struggle was imminent. According to Ahmed, three local producers and twelve distributors of Indian films met government officials in the first of the meetings. The producers had pushed for a five-year ban so that local cinema could grow. Ahmed also claims that the distributor lobby, seeing fears about Indian films being banned, approached the then federal minister of industry, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, telling him that thousands of jobs would be lost. As a result, the government refused to ban the Indian films.

When Nishtar became the minister, the government issued a notification saying that Muslims should not get involved with filmmaking and that it was best for the infidels to be left with the job. Regardless, the undertone surrounding the ‘new Muslim’ filmmakers was that they had no genuine place in society.

By 1952, an important agreement was put in place that would allow for the exchange of films between India and Pakistan. The producers generally viewed it as a loophole that had encouraged Indian content, since it was rare for Pakistani films to be screened in India. Sibtain Fazli produced Dupatta, which allegedly sparked sectarian riots in India the same year. The event would have an important impact on local filmmakers, whose own view was becoming increasingly driven by the idea that India wanted Pakistani films to fail in both local and international markets.

The film’s controversy further intensified the movement against Indian films, which was primarily based in Lahore. The position as explained by Sibtain Fazli’s other son, Ali Sibtain Fazli, was against the quota system allowing 10 films from both sides. In fact, the position of the producers given to the government at the time was that they should either open the border completely for equal access to both markets or completely ban Indian films.

“Let it be open trade for both sides because then we get the Indian market. This is essentially the basis of what became to be known as the Jaal movement,” remarks Ali. Producers, studio-owners, actors and technicians joined in the protest to stop the Indian film Jaal from screening, which had been given permission to be screened only in East Pakistan but was brought to West Pakistan by Bari Malik. The protest ended in an agreement to allow Indian films to come to Pakistan on a film-to-film basis for both East and West Pakistan.

The protest, one of the major agitations by the industry, was led by WZ Ahmed, then head of the producers association, actor Santosh Kumar, director Shaukhat Hussain Rizvi and Sibtain Fazli. It also included several screen stars, such as Madame Noor Jahan, Naina, Sudhir and others. “I have this picture of Santosh Kumar, my father, and Shaukhat Rizvi, all in handcuffs. They were arrested and put behind bars during the protest. Before nationalism, it was economics that was driving the movement,” recalls Ali.

The state before the Ayub Khan era never brought forth a firm policy on Indian films and cinema. There was an understanding that film could be used as a political tool, but until then the state had relied specifically on the censor board, which was more vigilant against the communist threat than the question of Indian films. The Jaal movement managed to consolidate the local filmmakers association into a broader collective identity. After that there was a boom and the industry saw a massive increase in production. But the stigma surrounding Indian films and its influence was never out of the shadows.

The build up to the 1965 decision of banning Indian cinema, was accompanied by a series of attempts by the state to encroach on the space of local industry, in terms of artistic autonomy, whether through censorship or government incentives. The government first decertified the screening of Indian films under the ambit of the Censorship of Films Act enacted in 1963 for the betterment of the local industry and then eventually banned them as a part of state policy in 1965. The producers had gained their objective and, due to national furor, it was difficult for the exhibitors and distributors to contest the ban.

On the other hand, the 1965 curbs opened the door to a thriving black-market and the trend of copying gained momentum. Local filmmakers, pinched with the requirements of producing more films, were compelled to plagiarise and copy the big-budget films that were being made in India.

“It was a lottery for the Pakistani film industry at the time. We had some real talent like Shaukhat Hussain Rizvi and his father, but it also gave opportunities to new assistant directors who were not so focused on producing original work,” says Mehfooz Chaudhry, owner of the now closed Ratan cinema and leading exhibitor and filmmaker. His father, Chaudhry Eid Muhammed, who had received the cinema through land-allocation, was also a leading distributor and exhibitor who imported Indian films until the 1965 ban. Mehfooz fought a related case in 2008, asking the government to clarify its position on Indian films, since his father’s imported films Jhansi Ki Rani, Awara, Barsat and Bharat, had been suspended following the government ban in 1965. However, there was little conclusion to the debate surrounding Indian films.

“It was impossible for the public to go to India at the time, but those with the right connections would go there and copy these films on tape. It wasn’t a question of who was doing it but of who wasn’t doing it,” adds Chaudhry. He implied that the famed film Armaanstarring Waheed Murad, was also a copy of the Indian film Dil Tera Deewana.

During the 1960s, Kabul became a frequently visited spot where many filmmakers would spend their weekends watching Indian films playing in cinemas and taking notes. The local screenwriters would then forge scripts for their Pakistani version. The situation became even more interesting as the signal from the television station in Amritsar, which screened Indian films, exposed the plagiarism of the Pakistani film industry in 1973.

Dar recalls that by then the industry had developed a battered reputation due to the plagiarism and another battle had sprung up regarding banning of pirated tapes. In 1977, the producers pushed the government to stop the influx of Indian tapes, but the movement had little impact on the new government. The piracy question would never be addressed by the state.

However, during the Zia regime, the regulations on Indian cinema increased significantly with the ensuing Motion Pictures Act of 1979 and then the Film Rules Act of 1980. The latter would explicitly refer to control of Indian content for the first time. The Islamisation era that promoted the idea of an Islamic culture also intensified the nationalist parameters of the debate for the public. For local filmmakers, on the other hand, the issue remained the same — that the industry must be protected.

A game without rules

The tug of war ensued for the next two decades until the decision by Shaukat Aziz to ease the regulations on Indian films in 2006. The decision had less to do with the India-Pakistan relationship and more with economic viability, and the added fact that the government could not regulate piracy in the country.

Last year, the Pakistan Peoples Party government also attempted to form a national framework for Pakistani cinema, which was ironically based on the BJP’s Shining Indian model. To make matters worse, the initiative tried to use the half-baked plan of implementing it through the censor board, rather than developing a concrete apparatus to deal with the industry.

So far, the current government has not laid out a concrete strategy to help the industry either, but is generally believed to accept the import of Indian films.

Filmmaker Shahzad Nawaz feels that this attitude of apathy towards the industry is changing with a building consensus that film should be used as a form of soft power for the country. Hence, some form of clarity regarding the overall status of the industry is extremely important.

“We are at a critical period in which a film renaissance is taking place, but the issue is that we have nowhere to go to address our complaints. I think that we are reaching the point, like in private media, where it can all unravel if we don’t make the necessary balanced changes,” says Nawaz.

The memorandum of understanding between the Pakistani Film Producers Association and Pakistan Film Exhibitors Association showed that in the absence of a clear stance by the state regarding Indian films, the local industry would have to find solutions on its own. But somehow that never was to be, since the original petition filed by Mubashir Lucman was taken back a few weeks ago. Dar re-filed the petition to ban illegal Indian films under the Film Directors Association banner.

The tension between producers and exhibitors is an important one, which has evolved through the years, but the fundamentals remain the same — in the absence of viable Pakistani cinema, Indian films will always be a looming threat. The one thing that is certain is that the legal case will provide some sort of conclusion to an issue that has shadowed the country’s cinema since its existence.

Today, local cinema gaining momentum with new filmmakers and films emerging. Indian films remain an integral part of the distribution set-up and the idea of global cinema seems to be changing.

S. Rasool

 The world has now become a global village and this is the reason why long distance relationships are becoming popular. This is the age of Facebook, Skype and thousands of apps like these and now contacting people is a piece of cake. Getting into a long distance relationship is very easy but making it work and last long is a big challenge. In this article I will focus on some of the ways to make your long distance relationship work and last long. After reading this article keeping and making a long distance relationship will become more and more easier for all the worried long distant couples out there.

 It is very important to ask yourself the question that are you both clear on the parameters of the relationship. This means that you should name your relationship and define it as dating, seeing each other, commited, engaged or married. These questions are in some cases very difficult to ask but they save you from awkward confusions and misunderstandings. By doing this you can set a road map for yourself that what do you need to do. After clearly locating that where do you stand in the spectrum of relationships, it is very important to do things other than just a random phone call. Interaction over the phone can become boring and usual in the relationships so try other forms of interactions such as watching a TV show simultaneously or interacting through the video call. This will increase your interest towards the relationship as well as your partner’s.

 
 It is necessary to communicate more than once in a day if possible. This is because you obviously wont be able to meet each other so talking to each other must be increased accordingly. Tell each other about your day, your plans or any problems. Ask for advice to show that the partner’s advice really matters. Be creative, writing letters, sending flowers or small gifts and emailing each other can also refresh the feelings in one’s heart. Remember that quality is better than quantity and small special gifts matter alot so dont be miser and try using ways to relax your partner. It is also necessary for both of the partners to enjoy the advantages of a long distance relationship. The advantages include more time to spend with friends, the pleasure of seeing your partner after a span of time, no arguments and much more.

Moreover it is necessary to pursue common interests. As if there is a movie that you both enjoyed seeing together then watch it individually and call each other to talk about it and how you felt seeing it alone. Apart from movies read the book you loved reading together, star gaze while talking and synchronize stuff together. Find ways to show the strong bonding you have for your partners. Small little things can show your love and make your partner happy so do not stop doing it. Another important thing is to know that people have their free will and no one can or should control another person. As long as you are both interested in being in the relationship you will stick with it and the distance will not matter. It does not make any difference whether you live 3000 miles apart, two streets over, or share the same bed with your wedding picture on the wall. You are going to have to trust each other completely if this relationship is going to work. Otherwise it will end with just the blink of an eye. Just because you are in a long-distance relationship doesn’t mean your lives will pause. So always give your partner enough space to breath freely.

 Ultimately you would want to live together so discussing how you’re going to get to that point will help you prove to each other that the relationship is going somewhere and that your efforts and frustrations are not in vain. Talk about your goals. Support and encourage each other. Try to make the time to visit each other as often as possible. A relationship cannot last if the only thing you have is the phone call. You need to see each other up close and personal everytime you get a chance. Consistency can help a long-distance relationship survive. Give your partner a personal object of yours so, when they miss you, they will be able to hold on to something that belonged to you. This will provide the feeling of being with you. Remember that you’re still in a relationship. You have to be there for your partner if your partner is ever in trouble, or hurt. If they end up dealing with everything alone, they will not need you. Lastly, when you see each other, try spending as much time together as you can. Do not hesitate and keep those feelings of excitement and attraction alive. This is how your long distance relationship can become a successful one.

Written by: Moomal Hassan

Are you weight conscious? Do you notice when our female celebrities see, to have put on same extra weight? If yes, then congratulations, we have so much in common. Though talent has nothing to do with body weight at all, the overall persona of a celebrity is a combined judgment which includes every reflection of her personality. I have been thinking for quite a long to write on this and finally here is a list of 5 female celebrities who should reduce a little of fat to look even better on screen.

1)      Sanam Jang!

Wonders! She looked extremely slim in Dil-e-Muzter which is not an old story too. However, Sanam has recently put on some KGs which are becoming quite noticeable too.

2)      Nadia Afghan

Drama industry needs such characters equally, isn’t it? Despite of all the negativities Nadia has had been reflecting by now, I still feel that she has got a lot of potential. Nadia comes on number 2 in my list. Reducing some weight might bring her some better roles too. What do you think?

3)      Jasmeen Manzoor

She really doesn’t need an introduction. Does she? Jasmeen is one of the most prominent anchors who are followed by a huge audience for their flawless work. There can be seen an obvious change in her as she has put on a lot of weight now which is reflecting her dressing too now. For me, Jasmeen should also give some time to herself and should reduce a bit!

4)      Sonia Rehman

Sonia, though not seen on screen these days, has always proved herself as an actress with a lot of talent. With some hit dramas on her credit like Doraha, Sonia is a good choice for directors. She can still make a comeback on screen with a little working on her weight, as it is, her  fans are more than excited to see her in dramas again!.

5)      Maya Khan

The morning show host Maya Khan can be considered as one of the most controversial celebrities of Pakistan who are always into limelight for different reasons. Her hosting career has had been at risk initially but things now seem to have settled to their best. The host is always ready to arrange mayuns and Mehndis on her show where she is found dancing on the stage. Reducing some KGs might help her in looking at least bearable in all the heavy makeup and tight costumes that she often wears.

So these were 5 female celebrities on my list who, according to me should give this idea a thought. How far do you agree?

Share your views,

Nida Zaidi

Ismat Tahira is a veteran artist, who had worked on television and radio, since 70’s and 80’s. Ismat Tahira is a brave lady, she raised her children single handedly by working on television, radio and also in advertisement agency. Even when married and after breakup, she had worked hard to run her house. Though Ismat has never much talked publicly about her husband, once in a radio interview she told his husband was a highly educated person, but he never took responsibility of home and earned, due to which Ismat became a career woman.

On radio Ismat has worked in multiple fields, as a compare, news caster, and actor. On television, she has played numerous roles in dramas of PTV Lahore center. She mainly appeared in supportive/ character roles. Neelay Haath is one of her famous dramas, which was aired in 1989. In the field of advertisement, she worked in an advertisement agency, to raise ads for different newspapers and in doing so, she also drive motorcycle, as she cannot afford a car then.

Ismat Tahira, gradually stopped acting and not appeared on screen from mid 1990’s as she moved to Canada with her family. Ismat has five daughters and one son, three of whom also joined the field of showbiz and are famous.

Irsa Ghazal is daughter of Ismat Tahira, and a famous TV actress too. She started her career in mid 1980’s from PTV Lahore center. Her famous dramas are ‘Mirat ul Uroos’ , ‘Pyaasi’ and Catwalk.  In Mirat ul Uroos, she played the role of Akbari. Irsa Ghazal took a break from television in mid 1990’s and made a comeback in 2008-2009, and now she is regularly appearing in dramas in character roles like ‘Rishtay Kucch Adhoray se’ and ‘Kahi Unkahi’.

Shah Sharabeel is son of Ismat Tahira, he is a director and producer in theatre mainly serious theatre. He has produced and directed many theatre plays like ‘Tom, Dick and Harry’, ‘You only marry twice’

Ushna Shah, is daughter of Ismat Tahira, she was brought up in Canada. Like her elder sister and mother, she has also joined the field of acting. She has appeared in lead roles, in dramas like Shehar Yaaran on ARY and Meray Khawabon Ka Diya on Geo TV

Do share your views, on the contributions of Family of Ismat Tahira.

Rashid Nazir Ali

As the winter season is at its peak, people are trying to carry out different colors that make them look good and comfortable at the same time. People usually go for dark colors as black, grey, navy and brown. The color that usually people forget is white. White is basically the color of the winters. This monochromatic winter white is very tricky to wear but if you know the perfect trick then it is the perfect color for the winter season. In this article i am going to highlight some tips that will help you to wear a wonderful monochromatic winter white outfit. Usually people do not wear white because of their own consciousness. They get conscious about their looks and their dress getting dirty this is why wearing the color white becomes a problem. It necessary to play around with textures. If you are wearing a full white outfit then try mixing up the texture of your dress. You can pair your white cotton and polyester sweater with a furry textured jacket or you can pair up your white tweed pants with a white silk shirt. This will make your outfit trendy and interesting at the same time. The thing that you need to keep in mind while doing so is that the color must not be different because this will give an odd look. As there are many shades in white so you should always use same shades while playing with the textures otherwise the awe factor will be lost.

If you are not ready to wear a completely white outfit and if you want to look a bit different then you can try the color blocking technique. Most of you must not be familiar with this technique, so I will tell you what it is. Let us suppose if you want to wear a green monochromatic outfit then you can establish a color palate and find three to four pieces that are all of the color green but the shade of the green is different. You can wear a pair of emerald green pants, mint green shirt and a lime green jacket. The outfit will still be monochromatic but it will have a whole new look. The same is for the winter white dressing. The most commonly used monochromatic outfit is the winter white. It is a versatile color. Any vivid print scarf, jacket or tights can go along with it. A white blouse is a life saver, whenever you have nothing to wear with any of your colorful tights or pants, you can grab a white blouse and make yourself look like a diva. Do make sure that the print on your tights is very simple because white goes along with simpler stuff. Apart from this also pay full attention on your shoes, because when you wear a colorful tight then nude colored shoes work best.

So when you have your monochromatic winter white dressing available and you think that it is boring then try adding up some colorful accessories along with it. Get a statement piece for example a green scarf, a red hat, lots of blue bangles, yellow pumps and much more. Literally any color can be used along with it. A monochromatic winter white outfit is itself very chic, trendy and clean. You can make a style statement by simple trying a bold lip color to go along the clean white look. Moreover grabbing a coat can also be a way to break the boredom. White goes very well with neon colors so you can choose a neon pink, yellow or orange colored coat to go along with your white dress. It will give your look a refreshing pop. Winter white is crisp, clean, and chic. While a pair of white pants are amazing I would not recommend wearing them in the winter time because it can easily get stained. We have a lot of dust in Pakistan that is why white pants are not recommended by me for rough use.  Monochromatic winter white dressing is daring, modern and “cutting-edge”. Work your way up to a monochromatic colored outfit  if you can pull it off. Do not be afraid to wear white, they make bleach for a reason! Just be extra careful! Your suggestions are valued and i hope that you will also be in favor of this increasing trend of monochromatic winter white dressing.

Written by: Moomal Hassan.

Hamza Ali Abbasi is a rare man among today’s breed of actors. Driven by passion, his latest directorial venture, Kambakht, is Abbasi’s own Joseph Gordon-Levitt Don Jon moment. While he has already established a burgeoning career for himself as a leading man, he is looking to make his mark on cinema from the director’s chair.

“I am better known for my acting, so a lot of people told me ‘focus on that’ or ‘wait before you make a film’, but I felt I had to do it. It’s kind of like getting married, you can wait five years or do it now,” Abbasi tells

Abbasi has paid no heed to these suggestions and is currently in the process of directing what is being hyped as a vitriol comedy that should be released by mid-2014.There are many positive things about Abbasi, but one thing is certain, he is always talking about bringing people together and supporting each other for the betterment of the industry. The actor-director has kept his indie-film roots intact with this endeavour by casting and running the production through people he feels comfortable with.

“The passion aspect has overshadowed professionalism. We’re all people who are doing this for the first time, so I think that’s what made the project so interesting,” says Abbasi.

His production team is a cultivation of minds he has brought together or scouted over the years. More importantly, they are people he trusts. For instance, the script is a collaborative effort between Abbasi and two theatre veterans, Atif Siddiqui and Jawad Rana. His production team includes two relatively new figures — Shayan Latif, who was his DOP in Mudhouse and newcomer Sharmeen Khan.

“My first priority was to work with people I already knew and thought I had a comfort level with, so we would stay together at work, so that helped me,” says Abbasi. The hype surrounding the film has been apparent since its inception due to the originality of the piece, and the star ensemble assembled by Abbasi. Ahsan Khan was initially going to star in the lead role, which is now being played by Abbasi himself.

Kambakht has quite the all-star cast, including Abbasi, Shafqat Cheema, Humayun Saeed, Shehryar Munawar, Sohai Ali Aabru, Fizza Zehra and Gohar Rasheed, amongst others. A comedy with an original storyline, Kambakht is about two people, one middle-aged man from the backward areas of the frontier, played by Shafqat Cheema, and a young urban city-slicker played by Abbasi himself, who strike an unlikely and accidental friendship.

“I think it’s going to feel like a combination of both “Hera Pheri” and “The Hangover” mixed together. It’s pure comedy and entertainment, in which I think the film’s strength is going to be the story and the characters,” says Abbasi.

Gohar Rasheed, who helped with production and is playing the role of a policeman, is quite excited about Kambakht, due to the hilarity surrounding its characters. He says that the out-of-the-box and non-conventional approach has provided something really different.

“It’s really a roller-coaster ride; it has one turn after another, one twist after another, and one event after another. Personally I am against comparisons, because I feel it’s just that original. This film will leave its own mark,” says Rasheed.

Comedy aside, he says there is a broader change coming, in light of the fact that type-casted actors such as Shafqat Cheema, who has only been known for his roles as a villain, will be seen in a completely different light. Another person to look out for will be Humayun Saeed, also known for dark-harrowing characters, playing against his type.

S. Rasool

Well if we recall, Pakistani television gave us a lot of great comedy dramas where a few had no meaning & the others had some sort of a message to convey but in a light hearted way. I think in the time of distress people really love tuning into comic dramas I mean I would love to because at times it does get tedious to watch all the rona dhona.

For me the definition of entertainment also means to watch something away from the reality (at times) because everyone is so real in their own lives, so at times tuning into the harsh portrayal of realities doesn’t sound like a good idea. It is definitely a loss of ours to be lacking in the sitcoms or light hearted comedies because no matter what, if you do watch something hilarious, it does leave you with a good taste.

The amazing sitcoms or comic dramas I have seen & recall clearly are:

Teen Batta Teen:
Who doesn’t remember it? A 1990’s comedy directed by Jawad Bashir of 3 guys & 3 girls, neighbouring in two building blocks & trying to make ways into each others hearts but all they were capable of was committing blunders. It was aired in the PTV times where we only had one channel & it definitely was my favorite time of the week to watch it. I remember people anxiously waiting for the day it used to be aired because it definitely redefined comedy. No doubt their characterization was perfect making it a huge success because all the actors gave their 100%.

Family Front:
‘Azam app a gaye?’. It was another one of those dramas which I am sure people still remember. Again airing in 1990’s it was directed by Azam (Waseem Abbas) himself for PTV. It was actually an episode based drama & focused more on the museebatain the Azam family had to endure. It was like a new day everyday for that family & it was still amazing to see Azam maintaining his sanity while living with a bunch of smartly insane people. ‘Main bobby to nahi hoon’ showed the honesty of Bobby – Azam & Sumbal’s son who took his brains after his mother. I am glad it ran for a decent period of time, making people fall in love with the family.

Kollege Jeans:
It was a production of the students of National College of Arts – Lahore (NCA). Somewhere in the early 2000’s it was definitely something new back then because it focused more on how the college students are & how hilariously bizarre they can get. It also starred Ali Zafar because back in those days he was a model & being a student of NCA, he was also a part of the group. Ayesha Omar also made an appearance in some of the episodes because of her affiliation with the institute. I remember people raving about it because no doubt their one-liners & their situations were cleverly projected making it all comical because it for sure was one of it’s kind & being the first one to actually bring in the limelight the life of the university students. It was again an episode based drama showcased on PTV.

Shashlik:
Production & direction of Surmed Khoosat where he played the role of Cheeku. It was aired in the mid 2000’s again for PTV where it was all about a bunch of friends who developed certain love triangles. Starring Nadia Afghan, they did do wonders & it ran for quite some time too. I remember it was again one of the funniest dramas of that time because during that period we saw a different sitcoms but this one clearly stood out.

Sab Set Hai:
Direction of Ali Azfar which starred his ex-wife Salma & his friend Mani along with some other actors, it was more or less based on the lines of Teen Bata Teen where they had 3 guys & some girls who always tried to began a relationship with their mohallay ki larkiyan. I remember it being aired on Indus Tv because back then Indus Tv just started & to get the viewership, they did suceed by airing Sab Set Hai.

Bulbulay:
Who doesn’t know about it? It is an amazing amazing attempt by Nabeel & his team to keep us all happy & luckily they all are succeeding. No doubt despite the time it has been running, it still has a viewership because all that we come across these days are dramas based on miseries of life, so yes Bulbulay is a breath of fresh air, surprisingly even though it is an episode based drama too, they are not running out of ideas, be it Ramadan or Eid, they always bring in some really interesting subjects.

Ulta Seedha:
This was aired on GEO back when it started. Produced & directed by Faisal Qureshi (funny wala), it wasn’t a drama but it was a compilation of funny skits – more like a comedy program which was extremely funny. It starred Mani along with Amna Khan & Ahsan Khan two amazing video directors who picturized some amazing songs perfectly. I remember they had a unique taste of comedy & it was always hilarious to tune into Ulta Seedha It had 2 seasons that aired on both GEO & AAG . It is still uploaded on YouTube under the channel name of GameOverProduction10.

Aunn Zara:
Who doesn’t know about it either? A perfect blend of Punjabi loudness & Urdu speaking tameez o tamaddun. Airing in 2013 & making it probably the most memorable drama of the year, Aunn Zara had it both high & lows but I am placing it in the comical shows because even though it had a few lessons & few heart wrenching moments of it’s own, the main wow factor was the Punjabi family’s wawela on each & every thing. No doubt Nasreen Qureshi was the star of the show & the drama was directed by Haissam Hussain.

So, this was my list. If we look at the past, back in those PTV days they had certain centres from which the dramas used to be produced & aired. PTV Karachi Center, Lahore Center, Peshawar Center etc but if we look at it, Lahore Center has produced some amazing & most memorable sitcoms of all times starting from Teen Bata Teen till Shashlik, all these were the production of Lahore Center whereas the other three like Sab Set Hai, Bulbulay & Aunn Zara are obviously Karachi based because the main industry is in Karachi these days. I also found Akbari Asghari funny too & I think it should have a mention where we’re talking about comedy as well. With this list where I pay tribute to these masterpieces, I am also hopeful that we revive those amazing days of comedy dramas again that can be remembered for a long time!

Do share about which were your favorite sitcoms or comedy dramas & which ones did you enjoy the most! :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.