Friday, December 31, 2010

Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Date of Birth: February 13th, 1911
Place: Sialkot (Punjab), Pakistan
Faiz's mother was Sultan Fatima. Faiz's father died in Sialkot in 1913. Faiz's father was a learned man and enjoyed the company of well-known literary persons. Wrote the biography of Amir Abdur Rehman. Faiz was therefore, born in a respectable and literary environment and was a very promising student with a religious background.Primary Education: Started memorizing the Holy Quran at the age of four and in 1916 started his formal education in the famous school of Moulvi Ibrahim Sialkoti, and learnt Urdu, Persian and Arabic. Was admitted to the Scotch Mission High School in 1921 in Class IV. Passed his Matriculation Examination in the 1st Division from Murray College, Sialkot and during this period learnt Persian and Arabic from Allama Iqbal's teacher, Shamsul Ullama Moulvi Syed Meer Hasan.
College Education: Passed his B.A. (Honours) in Arabic from the Government College, Lahore and then M.A. in English from the same College in 1932. Passed his M.A. in Arabic in the 1st Division, from Oriental College, Lahore.
Employment: Lecturer in English at M. A. O. College, Amritsar in 1935 and then at Hailey College of Commerce, Lahore. Joined the Army as Captain in 1942 and worked in the department of Public Relations in Delhi. Was promoted to the rank of Major in 1943, and Lieut. Colonel in 1944. Resigned from The Army in 1947 and returned to Lahore, where, in 1959 appointed as Secretary, Pakistan Arts Council and worked in that capacity till 1962. Returning from London in 1964 he settled down in Karachi and was appointed as Principal, Abdullah Haroon College , Karachi. Editorship of the monthly magazine Adabe-Latif from 1947 to 1958. Worked as Editor under the Progressive Papers Ltd, of the Pakistan Times, the Urdu newspaper Imroze and the weekly Lailo-Nihar. In the 1965 war between India & Pakistan he worked in an honorary capacity in the Department of Information. Acted as Editor of the magazine Lotus in Moscow, London and Beirut.
Marriage & Children: In March 9th, arrested under Safety Act and charged in the Rawalpindi Conspiracy case, and having borne the hardships of imprisonment for four years and one month in the jails of Sargodha, Montgomery (now Sahiwal) Hyderabad and Karachi, was released on April 2nd, 1955.

S.M. Zafar

Mr. S.M. Zafar is a human rights activist, noted lawyer, politician and member of the Senate of Pakistan. He has served as a judge of the high court and as Pakistan’s minister for law and parliamentary affairs. He is chancellor of Hamdard University and Chairman of Human Rights Society of Pakistan. His efforts for recognition and promotion of human rights and fair practices have attained him acclaim and acknowledgment on national and international levels. In his capacity as an attorney, Mr. Zafar has been involved in some of the most important cases of country’s legal history. He is considered an authority on legal and constitutional issues and his opinions are quoted in national and international press. He is also the chairman of Cultural Association of Pakistan.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Prof. Muhammad Umar

Prof. Muhammad Umar graduated from King Edward Medical College Lahore in 1968. He completed his orthopaedic training at Albert Einstein College of medicine in New York. He received fellowship training in joint replacement surgery at Hospital for special surgery, University of Cornell, New York. He was appointed consultant at University of Rochester affiliated hospital in 1975. He established a four-man orthopaedic group practice as a senior partner. As a member of the clinical faculty at the University of Rochester, he took active part in undergraduate education and postgraduate orthopaedic training. 
In 1990 he came back to Pakistan and joined Aga Khan University Hospital (Karachi) as a full time academic faculty member. Here he pioneered the development of arthroscopic surgery and joint replacement work. He is the founding faculty member of orthopaedic residency training program at the Aga Khan University and its director from 1995-2000. he is also a founding member of Pakistan Society for surgery of the hand and has served as its general secretary and president from 1995 – 1998. 
 He also had the honor to serve as secretary general and president of Pakistan Orthopaedic Association from 1996 – 1999. Prof. Muhammad Umar M.D. is the founder and surgeon-in-chief of Institute of Orthopaedics and Surgery and head of orthopaedic service of South City Hospital. He is recognized for his expertise in total joint replacement and revision surgery.

Dr. Saadia Virk

Dr. Saadia Virk, CEO at South City Hospital Karachi is a graduate of Fatima Jinnah Medical College, Lahore. After completing her postgraduate training at the Aga Khan University she went for further training to UK and obtained Membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. In the UK she worked in institutions of excellence and obtained special training in general Gynaecology, Urogynaecolgoy, Oncology, Assisted Reproduction and high risk Obstetrics.
On return to Pakistan, with her leadership skills, she established departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Mid East Hospital and a centre of Assisted Reproduction at Australian Concept Infertility Centre in Karachi.
In 2008 she took the lead in establishing and inaugurating South City Hospital which is a state-of-the-art facility for surgical specialties. At present she is the Chief Executive Officer and the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of this Hospital.
Clinical work is her second area of excellence. Her expertise lies in management of high risk pregnancies, infertility, assisted reproduction, oncology and laparoscopic surgery including LAVH, ovarian cystectomies, myomectomies, ectopics and endometriosis. She is also well versed with conventional general gynaecology. In recognition of her clinical work and leadership skills she has recently been awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Under Dr. Saadia Virk’s supervision, South City Hospital is now an established and recognized centre for laparoscopic surgeries in gynaecology and general surgery.

Sara Taseer Shoaib

Sara Taseer Shoaib is a trained gemologist qualified from the Gemological Institute of America GIA. She graduated at the top of her class and completed the jewellery design segment of her training with outstanding honors. She is also a graduate from the London School of Economics and has a sound background in finance. She has worked internationally at Citibank, and ABN Amro Hong Kong. Sara has spent 10 years in the diamond industry in New York and Hong Kong and established a reputation for her design and flair. Her last exhibition in Hong Kong was at the renowned Harvey Nichols store.

Sara has opened her flag ship store in Lahore, in February 2009. Despite hailing from Pakistan’s premier business and political families, Sara has always charted her own course and become an internationally recognized name in elegant jewellery design. Sara has chosen to open in Pakistan, during one of the most trying periods in the history of Pakistan. This is a reflection of her ever strong love for her country and a belief in its viability and potential.

Sara manufactures in Hong Kong where she resides with her husband and three children. Her focus is keenly on quality. Unable to detach herself from her subcontinental roots, and a staunch patriot Sara is committed to the marriage of western modern straight line design with eastern color and motif. Sara produces pieces of insurmountable quality and presents them within the relevance of Pakistani culture. Sara shows through exhibitions in New York, Hong Kong, London, Singapore and Tokyo.
Sara is a true grass roots designer of our time and her passion and creativity brings a new standard of jewellery to Pakistan .

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Jimmy Engineer

Jimmy Engineer was born in 1954 in Balochistan (Loralai), Pakistan. His Parsi family could not have known then that he would grow up to break all barriers of caste and creed and truly define multi-ethnicity through his art and altruism.

Jimmy completed his schooling from St. Anthony’s High school, Lahore, and after a brief interlude at the Forman Christian College, he spent the next three years at the National College of Arts (NCA), expanding his creative prowess. It was in 1976 that he turned into a professional painter but his achievements went much beyond his artist’s creativity when he discovered a deep love for all his fellow beings, specially for the downtrodden. His art pieces soon became expressions of truth and his images began to speak of his compassion for the people he saw.

Although an artist by profession, Jimmy Engineer’s life has revolved around supporting troubled individuals as well as social work institutions, though he himself prefers to remain undocumented and unsung. His artistic performance has been acclaimed internationally particularly his series on canvas which depicts the Muslim toil in the wake of Pakistan’s Independence in 1947. The minute details, the layered imagery and the fine lines illustrating the transition of humans into tragic victims equal the skill applied by the Great Masters. His works have never failed to captivate successive generations of art lovers in Pakistan and abroad. Jimmy’s speaking impressions which have the power to move young minds and imbue them with a renewed sense of dedication for the country, have been exhibited extensively in Pakistan as well as abroad. The fortu! ! nes that he has earned have been generously spent on charitable work, which is what gives him satisfaction and he is content in leading a simple life.

A peace-loving man, he is widely known as Pakistan’s indefatigable crusader for the oppressed, disabled, mentally handicapped, impoverished and generally for all who need him as he has the ability to communicate with people from all walks of life. Jimmy’s many ‘walk-a-cause’ have earned him a special standing amongst Pakistan’s philanthropists as he has undertaken long, arduous journeys on foot to create awareness for many human rights issues.

As for his paintings, he has mastered many mediums and from realism (landscape, still life, abstract et all) to calligraphy, in water, oil, pastels etc, be it on canvas, wood or ceramics, he has explored and introduced numerous textures in his works and the amazing versatility is more than evident in his creations. His collection also includes miniatures and self-portraits, many of which are in private collections in Italy, France, Switzerland, Russia, India, China, England, USA in fact almost in every part of the world, validating his status as an International artist. But for Jimmy Engineer, Pakistan is the only identity he wishes for as he continues to work towards merging all cultures for the common good of his soil. Though he already has over 2000 paintings and more than 1000 calligraphies to his name besides the 20,000 or so prints in! ! private collection, selling his work is not why he paints. Like his art he simply aspires to spread his love for people wherever he goes and is ceaselessly pursuing the course of charity as his heart is sold to humanity for the rest of his life

Monday, December 27, 2010

Prof Anna Molka Ahmed

Prof Anna Molka Ahmed (1917 - 1994) was a famous Pakistani artist and pioneer of fine arts in the newly born Pakistan in 1947. She was a professor of fine arts at the University of the Punjab in Lahore. She was among the pioneers of women artists in Pakistan and had been a long-time director and moving spirit behind the Fine Arts Department of the Punjab University, Lahore - the first institution that was opened to the women artists in Pakistan. "In fact she has been the facilitator of a movement that made the proactive role of women artists a possibility". writes Nilofur Farrukh (president of International Art Critics Association, Pakistan Section). It is because of trendsetters like her that the feminist art in Pakistan is gaining strength away from traditional gender discriminatory dominance. In fact these days we are witnessing a gradual dismantling of social and gender classifications. Well this has not been easy, since a lot of women had to struggle hard to bring women atop many a prestigious positions - above men, Ana Molka Ahmed is one such women. She started evening art classes at Lahore Arts Council (Alhamra) and later in a village near Lahore. Her untiring efforts gradually upgraded art education beyond B.A to M.A. in fine art at the Punjab University. She was Head of fine art department from 1940-1978. Her contribution to art education and its promotion heas been most influential. Her paintings and sculpture are found in many public and private collections in Pakistan and abroad.
She was born to Jewish parents, in London, UK in 1917. Her mother was Polish and father was a Russian. She studied painting, sculpture and design at St. Martin School of Arts, London. She converted to Islam at the age of 18 in 1935, before marrying Sheikh Ahmed, a would be Pakistani in October 1939. The couple moved to the Indian subcontinent in 1940-41 and settled in Lahore. Although, her marriage was over in 1951, but yet she lived in Pakistan with her two daughters. She was awarded Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, for her services in the field of fine arts education in the country. Professor Emeritus Anna Molka Ahmed set up a department, which has now become a center of excellence for Fine Arts in Pakistan. At the time of independence, there were only five or six Muslim students in the art department, and Anna Molka Ahmed went from one college to another seeking students for the arts department and thus was able to introduce art courses in the Punjab University. Her students became famous artists in the country and many of them are playing their role globally.

Beside painting, she was an avid gardener. She would wear her trade mark while tending the garden, cutting hedges in new and artistic pattern, and went on painting and gardening till the very last time until she was ordered by the doctors to stop because it was straining her health badly. Anna Molka also took to writing poetry in later part of her life. She breathed her last in 1994.

Huma Mulji

Huma Mulji's work has moved more and more towards looking at the absurdities of a post-colonial society in transition, taking on board the visual and cultural overlaps of language, image and taste, that create the most fantastic collisions. She describes the time we live in as moving at a remarkable speed and in regard to Pakistan Mulji refers to the experience of 'living 200 years in the past and 30 years in the future all at once'. She is interested in looking at this phenomenon with humor, to recognize the irony of it, formally and conceptually. Rather than dwell on and follow existing theoretical issues of living and working in a post-colonial nation, and applying those stagnant studies to a lived existence she examines the pace of cultural change through her art work.

Mulji's sculptural works respond to the possibilities of making things in Pakistan, and embrace low-tech methods of “making”, together with materials and forms that come from another time, and that are “imported”, “newly discovered” or “re-appropriated”. For example the work Arabian Delight is a low-tech taxidermy camel, stuffed in a suitcase. It plays with ideas of travel, transition, and of mental and physical movement, combined with an old world symbol of the camel, forced into the suitcase, looking formally uncomfortable, but nonetheless happy. This particular work also examines the relationship between Pakistan and the Gulf States and the manipulation of the Governments of Pakistan, the “Arabisation” of the country, for years, towards all but wiping out a “south Asian” identity, to replace it with a “Muslim” identity. For Mulji, this in itself, is forced, unnatural, and disagreeable. However, she also approaches this problem from the angle of someone living within it: therefore looking at it with humor, and recognizing the absurd results of the situation, in daily life, and through interactions with each other, and the world.

The photographic series Sirf Tum (only you) from 2004 and from 2008, similarly address such absurd collisions. Sirf Tum deals with issues related to intimacy in public spaces. Surveying the frame through the lens, the camera zooms in, becoming the voyeur, awkwardly, confidently, watching and disapproving at once. The protagonists are second hand dolls bought from piles of toys sold around Lunda Bazaar in Lahore, incidentally brought into Pakistan with salvation army clothing from another world, leftover from some child’s summer holiday. Already on the Periphery of society, the naked couple is placed in locales that challenge and are challenged by their scale, creating a hyper-real space, a hyper-real narrative, a “plastic” story, convincing and disturbing at the same time. In the 2008 series, the two seemingly interactive narratives engage with each other visually, but don’t really converse. Which of the narratives is real? This also brings into question contemporary media images, and the phenomenon of “photoshop”, where the fine line between truth and untruth becomes a matter of belief.

The newer work, with the taxidermic buffaloes, and the photographs of buffaloes in the landscape, continue to be informed by the absurd and incongruous visual confrontations in a country desiring to be at once the most forward-looking, and unable and unwilling to negotiate its traditional values with this idea of progress.

Heavenly Heights and Her Suburban Dream both attempt to juxtapose these colliding metaphors, to envision this surreal reality. The work avoids easy taking of sides, or didactics, in imagining a future urban landscape of Pakistan. Sculpturally too, the work underscores the conflict. The suspension of volume and weight, and the pushing of anatomical possibilities to emphasize the tension.

Shahzia Sikander

Shahzia Sikander (b. 1969, Lahore, Pakistan) is a painter, living in New York City. She earned a BFA in 1992 at the National College of Arts in Lahore, Pakistan; and an MFA in 1995 at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island.

She has had solo exhibitions at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (1999/2000) and at the Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago (1998). Her work has been shown in group exhibitions at the Whitney Museum (1999/2000 and 1999), at the Third Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Brisbane, Australia (1999), and at the Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Germany (1999).

Sikander has been schooled in the miniature painting tradition of Pakistan, and combines the historic iconography and technique with her own aesthetics resulting in a hybrid of traditional and contemporary styles. The imagery in her work references the tensions that exist in Islam, Hinduism and Christianity as well as her personal history, politics, and sexuality. Religion is a significant element in her art as well as her personal life, as she is a practicing Muslim. Sikander explores in particular, the role of Muslim women and challenges the view Westerners have of associating Islam only with terrorism and oppression of women.

She has been granted the "genius grant" for 2006 by the MacArthur Foundation.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Imtiaz Safder Warraich

Choudhry Imtiaz Safder Warraich, Minister of State for Communications is a seasoned politician and remained a prominent practicing lawyer. Mr. Imtiaz remained MPA from Punjab during 1993-1996,MNA during 2002-2007 and presently is also a Member of the National Assembly since 2008 and with the portfolio of Minister of State for Communications. Her emained Joint Secretary and then General Secretary of the Gujranwala Bar during 1977 and 1983 respectively. Mr. Warraich was elected twice as Member Zilla Council, Guranwala while as elected for four terms as Director, Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank, Gujranwala. In 1996, he remained as Advisor to the Chief Minister Punjab. Mr. Warraich enjoys huge popularity among the masses and is still the Vice President of the PPPP Punjab and Divisional President of the PPPP Gujranwala Division.
Mr.Warraich has a Masters degree and LLB from Punjab University.
Mr. Imtiaz Safdar Warraich was born on 15thof November, 1952 in Gujranwala, He has traveled widely to many countries and his hobbies include Reading and Trekking.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Dr Saeed Elahi

Dr Saeed Elahi son of Sh Hameed Elahi was born on October 18, 1959 in Lahore. He obtained the degree of MBBS in 1985 from Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore. A medical doctor, who has been elected as Member, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab in general elections 2008 and is functioning as Parliamentary Secretary for Health. He has travelled to UK, USA, KSA, UAE, India and Nepal.

Choudhry Shahbaz Ahmed

Ch Shahbaz Ahmed son of Ch Muhammad Sharif was born on December 14, 1973 in Lahore and is a graduate from Government Dyal Singh College, Lahore. He started his political carrier as student leader on MSF platform at Dyal Singh College, Lahore. He served as President MSF Dyal Sing College, Lahore during 1993 and General Secretary Punjab MSF during 1995. He has served as Councillor, MCL during 1998-99, as Naib Nazim, Union Council during 2001-02 and as Nazim, Union Council during 2005. He has served as Additional General Secretary Lahore of his party during 2005-09. A businessman who has been elected as Member, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab in general elections 2008.

Rana Sanaullah Khan

Rana Sanaullah Khan, an Advocate, Supreme Court of Pakistan, who has to his credit a long and hard struggle against the dictatorship for the restoration of democracy, revival of the Constitution and a strong voice for human rights. He was many a time tormented and was also put behind the bars for his struggle but he always stood firm against all odds and never compromised on his principles. He was first elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab in 1990 and served as Deputy Opposition Leader during 1990-93. He also remained Member of Punjab Assembly during 1997-99. He reached Punjab Assembly for the third term in 2002 and functioned as Deputy Opposition Leader and as Parliamentary Leader of Pakistan Muslim League (N) during 2002-07. He has returned to Punjab Assembly for the fourth term and is functioning as Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs.

Mian Shafqat Ali

Mian Shafqat Ali, former chairman of Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front, graduated in 1980. He did LLB 1983. He also holds Master Degrees in Philosophy (1985) and Political Science(1987). Attended executive courses of AOTS in Japan (1993). Mian Shafqat Ali is Director of Ramna Pipe & General Mills (Pvt) Ltd, Ramna Fitting and Pipe Industries (Pvt) Ltd and Ramna Steel (Pvt) Ltd. He is one of the founding members of LTIA from 1987 to 1997. He was team leader which organized PIAF and was elected first Chairman of PIAF. Mian Shafqat Ali served the business community as President of Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Nahid Akhtar

In the early 1970s, a cultural program, 'Loak Mela', used to be telecast from Islamabad television station.

The show was hosted by Aksi Mufti, son of the popular writer-cum-thinker, Mumtaz Mufti.

Tufail Niazi presented his items in that musical program and composed songs, as well.

Apart from numerous artists who made their appearances, two real sisters from Multan are worth mentioning.

They were Hamida Akhtar (elder sister) and her younger sister, Nahid Akhtar.
Both these sisters sang songs and received applause from music lovers.

Shortly afterwards, Aksi Mufti married Hamida Akhtar and the latter quit singing.
On the other hand, Nahid Akhtar continued her fabulous journey to the world of music. She proved her versatility as a singer at an early age.

It seems that nature intended her for the tranquil pursuit of music, by rendering it her supreme delight.

Within no time, she had grown into her name.

Nahid lent her harmonious voice to the ghazal of Shan-Ul-Haq Haqqi, and became a celebrity overnight:

'Tum say ulfat kay taqazay na nibha ye jaatay, warna hum ko bhi tamanna thi keh chahay jaatay'.

Offers started pouring in from Pakistani film composers.

Moreover, Runa Laila, who was well known for jolly songs, had moved to Bangladesh.

Hence, musicians looked forward to record merry songs in Nahid's voice, hoping that Nahid will fill in the void, left by Runa's departure.

That trust was well placed.

Nahid's admirers need to understand that she was a television singer before working her way up to films.

She hit it big in 1974 and successfully recorded this song:

'Dil dee wana dil' (The film 'Nanha Farishta', film director, Khursheed).

In the same year, 1974, Nahid became the cynosure of all eyes and lenses.

The following song was recorded in her strongly appealing voice:

'Kisi meherbaan nay Aa kay meri zindigi saja dee, meray dil ki dharkano mein nai Aarzu jaga dee.' (The film 'Shama', 1974, directed by Nazar Shabab)
The song 'Meherbaan' was a huge plus in her singing career.

Her stylistic mastery and trade marked television appearances continued through the 1970s.

Increasingly, though, her attention was turned to the cinema. Films became the topmost priority to Nahid, while television went down to the next level.

Interestingly enough, every aspect of her life had changed.

Her face, her dressing, her etiquettes had dramatically altered.

From the little known Nahid Akhtar, (with no make up) she elevated herself to the glittering world of movies.

Most importantly, she reveled in a glorious new lifestyle.

Further, her admirers were certain that Nahid's next logical step would be to work in the movies, in the lead roles.

In fact, she received quite a few offers from the film producers. However, she regretted all such offers and invested all her efforts towards singing.

Nahid believed that if she could envision it, she can be it. The secret of her highly successful life is that she never stopped envisioning.

Her voice in the film 'Teray, meray sapnay', is a breathtaking story of achievement:

'Mein ho gaye dildar ki '(The first film of actress Sangeeta as a producer)
The film 'Dekha jaaye gaa', is a shining instance of one artist making a big difference. In Nahid's case, through the power of her voice:

'Pyar kabhi karna na kum, mar jaa ye gee teri Aashi'. (Film director: Jan Mohammad Jaman, pictured on Barbara Sharif).

Nahid, widely acclaimed for her song in the film 'Mohabbat zindigi hay' (Director: Iqbal Akhtar), won the hearts of the Pakistani public: 'Tu tu tu Tara Tara'.

The characteristic vibrato in her voice had always mesmerized the moviegoers.

The lasting impact of this graceful lady, and her tragic voice really hit home.

What's more, she could speak the tragic sense of the story:

'Allah he Allah kiya karo, dukh na kisi ko diya karo, jo duniya ka Malik hai, naam usi ka liya karo'.

The lyrics of the above mentioned song are exemplary for its timeliness.

Admittedly, it was a song and a voice that took Nahid much higher on the cliff climb (The film 'Pehchaan', director, Pervez Malik, marvelously pictured on Nayyar Sultana It was a vision that still shimmers in our mind).

Nahid's resonant voice shines through in Pervez Malik's movie, 'Talaash', pictured on Barbara Sharif:

'Dekha jo mera jalwa, to dil thaam logay, kahan tak jafaon say kaam logay'
'Pyar ki Aag nigahoan mein chupaye rakhna'.

Songs are part of the fabric of Pakistani life.

As for Nahid, her reputation among her fans was so solid that the singer and the real person became one.

She recorded the following songs with rare passion and feeling:

'ye duniya rahay na rahay meray hum dum, kahani mohabbat ki zinda rahay gee'(The film 'Mera naam hai mohabbat', directed by Shabab Kiranvi).

'Tujhay pyar kartay kartay, meri umar beet jaaye, mujhay mauth bhi jo Aaye, teray bazu on mein Aaye'.

'Hum na hoan gey to tumhay jaan-e-wafa, yaad Aayein gee hamari baatain'.

The not-so-distance past could evoke so many memories, examples:

'Sub kuch khuda say maang liya tujh ko maang kar'( The film 'Teray meray sapnay', Duet: Nahid Akhtar-Mehdi Hasan).

'Tarasta hai ye dil tujhay pyar kar loon'.
.
'Kabhi bindiya hansay'.

In her entire musical career, Nahid took keen interest in her profession. She always strived to attain a first class level of performance, examples:

'Aankhon mein pyar tera' (The film 'Faisla', directed by Javed Fazil, Duet: Nahid Akhtar-Akhlaq Ahmed).

'Touch me if you can'.

'O my love'.

'Mehendi rachay gee meray haath'.

'Meray ruthay sanam'.

Following her breakthrough performances in various movies, she won immense popularity after recording the following romantic scores:

'Kehti hai raat bhigi , bhigi' (The film 'Dulhan ik raat ki', directed by Mumtaz Ali Khan, Duet: Nahid Akhtar-Ahmed Rushdi).

'Sajna ray dikha day hans kay' (The film 'Aawaz', directed by Zafar Shabab)
'O jait jee Aaj mein' (The film 'Shabana').

'Barsaat ka mausum hai' (The film 'Waqt', directed by Zafar Shabab).

'Mujh ko manzil bhi tum batao gey' (The film 'Waqt').

Nahid joined forces with another cinematic legend, A.Nayyar, recording this perennial party-hearty score. What brings this to mind are the birthdays:

'Jungle mein mungle, teray he dum say, sub nay ye shore macha ya hai, saalgira ka din Aaya hai' (The film 'Zindigi', directed by Nazrul Dada).

The following two songs describes the powerful role she has played in the lives of her myriad of fans:

'Apno, bay gano say naraaz hoon mein'(The film 'Naraaz', directed by Javed Fazil, Duet: Nahid Akhtar-Mohammad Ali Sheyki).

'Pyar karain hum Aaja, Aaja' (The film 'Andaata', directed by Iqbal Yusuf)
She achieved fame beyond her wildest dreams, shortly after this romantic song was first played over the radio:

'Tha yaqeen Aa ain gee ye rataan kabhi, unsay ho way gee mulaqatan kabhi (The film 'Surraiya Bhopali',directed by Hasan Tariq).

Equally impressive was her singing voice in the film 'Begum Jaan', also directed by Hasan Tariq).

'Begum jaan bhala kya janay'.

Her leading male singers over the years included Ahmed Rushdi, Mehdi Hasan, A.Nayyar and Akhlaq Ahmed.

Nahid also sang for Punjabi movies. Prominent among them are the following two songs:

'Nith chamkay tay charyaan da dil dharkay' (The film 'Amar, Akbar, Anthony', directed by Haider Chaudhry).

'Lahore deyaan sarkaan tay'.

Besides, she also rendered her voice for the following movies:

'Kharidaar', 'Anokhi', 'Uf ye beweyaan', 'Koshish', 'Hum say hai zamana'.

While still at the pinnacle of her singing career, she rendered her exceptional voice to record national songs for Pakistan television:

'Hamara percham, ye pyara percham, Azeem millat, Azeem percham'.

'Hum maayain, hum behnay, hum baytiyaan, qaumoan ki izzat hum say hai'.

'Jug jug jeeye mera pyara watan'.

Nahid Akhtar, a well-established singer of the silver screen and television did complete justice to her craft when recording the following songs:

'Aati hai pawan, jaati hai pawan'.

'Jahan tera naqshay qadam dekhtay hain'.

The following songs made her more famous than ever:

'Tera mera pyar jo zara bhi hua kum'.

'Dil sambhala na jaye'.

'Aray logo pakro'.

The simplicity and innocence of her voice, combined with lucid poetry, resulted in the following scores:

'Ayesi chalo na chaal'.

'Socha tha mainay dil'.

'Main bhi sharabi, mera yaar bhi'.

'Andaaz wohi apnaya hai, teray dil ko jo pasand Aaye'.

Nahid sang the following numbers in her profoundly effective voice. They are still fresh in our imagination:

'Ye Aalam shauq ka'.

'Tamaam umar tujhay zindigi ka pyar milay'.

'Aisay mausum may chup kyon ho'.

'Tera mera aisa naata hai'.

'Dekhay manay na dilbar mera'.

The songs mentioned below are those ,which gave Nahid a legendary stature as a singer:

'Main to na boli, meray boal uthay kankna'.

'Baant raha tha jab khuda, saray jahan ki naimatain'.

'Teray siva duniya mein kuchh bhi nahi'.

Nahid earned the Nigar Award for best singer for the film 'Shama' in 1974.

Nahid earned the Nigar Award for best singer for the film 'Pehchaan' in 1975.

Nahid earned the Nigar Award for best singer for the film 'Hum say hai zamana' in 1985.

Nahid made singing her profession. She called it quits after she got married. But not before seeing her songs win generation after generation of new admirers.

The following immortal lyrics will live in the hearts and minds of every adorer.
While recording them, she looked more than a singer. Hers was the voice of truth:

'Sheesha toot kay jur sakta hai, dil na juray jo tutay,
kitna hai bay dard wo insaan, pyar ka ghar jo lutay,
Aisa zulm na kya karo, dukh na kisi ko diya karo,
Jo duniya ka Malik hai, naam usi ka liya karo,
Allah he Allah, Allah he Allah, Allah he Allah'.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Shahzad Ali Malik

Shahzad Ali Malik, President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) belongs to a prominent business family of Pakistan. He is director of the Guard Group of companies, which was founded in 1949 by his late father Mr. Muhammad Shafi Malik (Sitara-e-Imtiaz). The group had a humble beginning with an auto spare parts store but now has a diversified interest in manufacturing automobile spare parts, lubricants, food and agriculture.

Born in Lahore, Shahzad Ali Malik got his education from St Anthony’s High School and Forman Christian College Lahore. After joining the family’s business he ventured into research led food and agriculture business as C.E.O. of Guard Agricultural Research & Services (Pvt) Ltd. His research team headed by Late Dr. Abdul Majeed (Pride of Performance) introduced extra long grain Super Basmati Rice which was demand of the International market, bringing quantum jump in country’s export. He became the founder member and is former Chairman of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP).

His pioneering research and introduction of high yielding hybrid rice has ensured further food security for Pakistan thereby making a contribution towards uplifting of socio-economic standards in rice growing areas of rural Sindh and Balochistan Hybrid rice has double the yield of conventional rice. This has helped in poverty alleviation where rice hybridization took place.

Furthering his objective he has led the way with he joined venture with China – firstly, with Yuan Longping High Tech Agriculture Co. - World’s No.1 technology provider and inventor of hybrid rice. Secondly with Biocentury Transgene Technology Co. Ltd. China’s leading technology provider for genetically modified cotton hybrids and other major crops. He is also the founder member and Chairman of Seed Association of Pakistan (SAP)

Shahzad Malik has an abiding interest in sports, particularly Motor and Polo. Himself winner of Pakistan’s first Motor Rally (1978) driving a Toyota Corolla. He is founder Chairman of the Punjab Motor Racing Club (PMRC).

He also served as Vice President, Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry in 2004. Former Chairman of the Bank of Punjab. Shahzad Ali Malik is recipient of the Businessman of the year Award 1997 in recognition of his services rendered to the rice industry.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Sohaib Khan

Sohaib Khan did his PhD in Computer Science from University of Central Florida and his BS in Electronic Engineering from GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi. He is currently Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science, Lahore University of Management Sciences. His research interests lie in the fields of computer vision, image processing and pattern recognition. In particular he has done recent work on tracking and surveillance, video segmentation, face processing and video geo-registration. He has received more than Rs. 3.5 million as a research grant from a public sector organization for work on image registration. He is also providing consulting in the computer vision area to local public and private organizations. He has published more than ten journal and conference publications and has two book chapters to his credit. Dr. Khan was the recipient of Hillman Fellowship for excellence in graduate research, UCF (2001) and also received the merit-based Graduate Enhancement Fellowship, UCF (2000 and 2001).

Shoa Malik

Shoa Malik, currently providing consultancy services in graphic design under the name SHOAWORKS, is an NCA (National College of Arts) graduate with graphic designing and photography as major and minor subjects respectively. She has been a Scholarship holder throughout the course and received the ‘Chughtai award’ for excellence spanning four academic years. Prior to venturing into private consultancy, she was heading the Multimedia department at Techlogix (Pvt.) Ltd., and was part of their setup for four years. Earlier, she gained experience in the world of advertising by working with one of the leading advertising agencies of Pakistan, Evernew Concepts (Pvt.) Ltd.

Her predilection towards art makes poetry, classical music, painting, sketching her cherished interests.

Faisal Haroon

Faisal Haroon has eight years experience as an architect and runs his own private practice in Lahore which he combines with a Lectureship in Architecture at the National College of Arts. Faisal has a B.A. in Architecture from National College of Arts and an M.A. in Architecture from McGill University.

Recently, Faisal's Firm has been commissioned to design the new Science School at Aitchison College. Faisal has traveled to the best schools in USA, UK and Far East collecting valuable information about best practices for design making him the country's only architect with an expert grounding in design of labs and institutes with science facilities.

Mahe Zehra Husain

Mahe Zehra Husain has recently completed her Masters in Mathematics from Punjab University, Lahore. Before that she did her Bachelors in Double Maths and Physics from the same institution. Aside from battling with numbers she is also editor of a national children's magazine, GUSTO, which is a publication of the Alif Laila Book Bus Society in partnership with UniLever Pakistan. Mahe Zehra is also actively interested in science teaching methodologies and has conducted workshops for science teachers in Lahore Grammar School.

Dr. Salman Ahsan

Dr. Salman Ahsan did his PhD and MA in Electronic Materials and Devices at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Princeton University and his BS in Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. His interests during graduate studies centered upon the study of surface and interface properties of compound semiconductors, particularly the ZnSe/GaAs interface due to its importance in the development of a blue laser. He built Princeton’s first scanning tunneling microscope, a new technique at the time, as the primary analysis tool for this work. At Princeton, he also acquired several semesters of teaching experience as a preceptor working with Prof. Daniel C. Tsui (Nobel laureate Physics, 1998). 
His work experience includes brief stints at Drexelbrook Engineering (as a summer intern), Philips Research Laboratories (part of doctoral dissertation), the Center for Sensor Technologies (as an NSF fellow) and Nova R&D, Inc. Prior to joining LUMS as the Associate Project Director of the School of Science and Engineering, he was with Linear Technology Corporation for ten years, a semiconductor company specializing in analog integrated circuits, as a process development, device and integration engineer and then as a manager of yields and electrical test.

Muhammad Ishaq Dar

Muhammad Ishaq Dar is the former Finance Minister of Pakistan and Minister for Economic Affairs and Statistics in the PM Yousaf Raza Gillani cabinet. He also served as the Commerce and Finance Minister in the Nawaz Sharif cabinet of 1997-1999. Ishaq Dar was assigned the finance ministry when Sartaj Aziz was posted as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan in 1998. Dar continued on the post till the Sharif government''s overthrow by the military coup of General Pervez Musharraf. Ishaq Dar is also a central leader of PML-N and the parliamentary leader of PML-N in the current Senate session of 2006-2009. He was elected for the only time in the National Assembly in the 1997 general elections, when he won the NA-97 Lahore-VI general seat.

Dars economic policy achievement in the Sharif government was export-led growth as a cornerstone of economic strategy. Being made the finance minister in November 1998, he negotiated an IMF rescue package to meet an economic crisis triggered by sanctions over nuclear tests in May that year. The head of a state-run bank later proclaimed that Whether you call it voodoo economics or Darnomics, he has moved things,referring Darnomics as the unique working of Ishaq Dar when he refused to accept a devaluation or a rise in utility charges or tax rates.

For the 2008 government formation and search for the post of Finance Minister, the coalition partners PML-N and PPP are mulling over PML-N''s Ishaq Dar or PPP''s Naveed Qamar to be the new head of Finance Ministry. But whoever gets the job will have to deal with widening budget and trade deficits in an economy pressured by rising international oil prices and chronic shortages of energy and staples.

He finally won over Naveed Qamar when he was slated to become the Finance Minister in the coalition government of PPP, PML-N, ANP and JUI-F formed after 2008 elections. Naveed Qamar, on the other hand, will be the new Minister for Privatization and Investment, with additional portfolio of Minister for Ports and Shipping.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Anwar Masood

Anwar Masood is a well known Pakistani comic poet but he has also done other genres works. He writes poetry in Urdu, Punjabi and Persian. He was born in Gujrat on 8th November 1935 and migrated to Lahore in 1941. He also got early education form Lahore. Later on in 1947 he went backed to Gujrat and done matriculation from “Public School”. He studies at “Zamindara College Gujrat” and achieved degree of B.A Honor. He taught in Government Islamia High School, Kunjah. He got masters degree in Persian from “Oriental College, Lahore in 1961 and attain gold medal. He started his career as a lecturer in 1962 and taught in different colleges. He got retirement in 1996. Anwar Masood is a multilingual poet. He teaches Persian language and also a poet of Persian, Urdu and Punjabi. His poetry provides message and reflection of original and true culture of Punjab.

He is the only poet who is popular among a lot of people. He describes different aspects of real life in his poetry that has never been described before. His some poems has become so popular in people that when ever he read out his poetry people requested him to recite their poetry again and again before them. His most popular poetry includes “Anar Kali Diyan Shana, Juma Bazaar Jehlam Da Pul, Aj Ke Pakaeay, Umree” and many more.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Rubab Raza

Rubab Raza is a Pakistani swimmer .Rubab Was born on January 15, 1991 at Lahore. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece she became first Pakistani female swimmer to compete at the event when she contested the 50 meter freestyle.
She has won two silver medals and one bronze in the ninth South Asian games held in Islamabad the year 2004 .
Rubab has won a wild card entry for the 2004 Olympics due to her performances in swimming championships around the world. She also became the youngest sportswoman to represent Pakistan in any Olympics event when she took part in the 2004 Olympics at the age of 13.She has won a number of national titles, and has seen success at Asian swimming tournaments.

Amjad Islam Amjad

Amjad Islam Amjad - a great name in Pakistan's literary history. Amjad was born in Sialkot but had his higher education from Lahore. He started his practical life as a lecturer in the Islamia College and thereafter worked as a director in Pakistan Television Centre Lahore from 1975-1979. In 1997, he was appointed as the director general of the Urdu Science Board. At present he is the project director of the Children Library Complex.
Amjad is specially known for his drama writing - but equally captivating are his countless poems that reflect his thoughts about the beautifulness of life and its true face. He is author of more than 40 books, beside many critical works, columns and literary analyses. Amjad Islam Amjad is basically a sensitive poet who through the careful use of similes, metaphors and symbols has become one of the representative voices of his age. He is amongst the most popular poets of today and is known as the house-hold poet of Pakistan, since he is known and recognized everywhere one goes. This is mainly because of his captivating poetry and God-gifted qualities that a personality should possess.
Amjad Islam Amjad has written many a drama series for PTV with "Waaris" being the jewel in the crown. He may or may not write another serial so popular but his poetic talents have been abounding by day and night. His other famous TV dramas include Dehleez, Smandar, Raat, Waqt and Apnay Loug. The collection of his poetry includes: Fishar, Barzakh, Us par, Satwan dar, Zara phir say kehna, Seher aasar, Barish ke aawaz, Itnay khwab kahan rakhoon, Mairay bhe hain kuch khwab and Hum us kay hain.

Qateel Shifai

Qateel Shifai was born on 24th December, 1919. His actual name is Aurangzeb Khan. Qateel Shifai is his nom de plume, the pen-name under which he is known in the world of Urdu poetry. "Qateel" is his "takhallus" and "Shifai" is in honour of his ustaad Hakim Mohammed 'Shifa' whom he considered his mentor.
His father's death at an early age, forced Qateel to quit his education and start his own sporting goods shop. Success eluded him and he moved to Rawalpindi, where he worked at a transport company for a monthly salary of Rs.60. Finally in 1946, Nazir Ahmed called him to Lahore and made him the assistant editor of the monthly 'Adab-e-Latif'.

Qayeel Shifai's first ghazal was printed in the Lahore weekly 'Star', whose editor was Qamar Jalalabadi. In January 1947, a Lahore based film producer asked Qateel to pen the songs for his forthcoming film. His first film as a lyricist was "Teri Yaad". Since then he has won numerous awards as a lyricist. He has had quite a few of his poem collections published, one of which being "Mutriba" which was awarded the highest literature award in Pakistan.

Qateel's primary contribution to Urdu poetry has been to raise the standards of ghazals in films. Though this work was started by Tanvir Alvi and Sahir Ludhianvi,it has been brought to its natural conclusion by Qateel Shifai. His work brought a certain standard to ghazals in films and gave it a certain respectability. His work also brought Urdu poetry closer to the masses by using simple words, quite often words taken from Hindi.

Qateel Shifai has also been known for his collaborations with Jagjit and Chitra Singh on numerous ghazal albums.

Kishwar Naheed

Born in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1940, Kishwar Naheed is one of the best- known feminist poets of Pakistan. In a field dominated by traditional male voices, Naheed, writing in Urdu, was a pioneer of a new, distinctively feminine voice and has produced over the span of thirty years a body of work that is innovative, defiant, political, and self-aware.
Her poetry dared to go beyond the prescribed accepted 'feminine' realms to include hitherto unmined fields of female sexuality, politics, and social issues. In an interview with Rakhshanda Jalil for the Indian daily The Hindu (11/4/2001), Kishwar Naheed explained her writing as an attempt to redefine the man-woman relationship. Rejecting being branded as a radical or a bohemian, she declared herself "a realist" who "never let herself get pushed around by men or by circumstances."

Born into a traditional family that moved to Lahore, Pakistan during the 1947 Partition of the sub-continent, Naheed had to fight to pursue an education in a milieu where women did not go to school and "were not allowed to speak to boys." She studied at home and obtained a high school diploma through correspondence courses, but went on to receive a masters degree in Economics from Punjab University.

Naheed's first collection of poetry, Lab-i goya, published in 1968, won the prestigious Adamjee Prize of Literature. This collection of traditional ghazals was followed by a collection of nazms, by translations of foreign poetry, and by many works in free verse. She also wrote for children and for the daily Jang, published her autobiography in 1994 (it appeared the following year in India), and in 2001 saw her collected poetic work released in a 1312 page volume entitled Dasht-i qais men Lail'a. Her daily columns in Jang were also collected and published in 1999. Her poetry has been translated into English and Spanish and her famous poem "We, sinful women" gave its title to a path-breaking anthology of contemporary Urdu feminist poetry translated and edited by Rukhsana Ahmad, published in London by The Women's Press in 1991.

Kishwar Naheed has held the position of Director General of Pakistan National Council of the Arts before her retirement, has edited a prestigious literary magazine Mah-i naw, and has founded an organization named Hawwa (Eve) whose goal is to help homebound women become financially independent through cottage industries and the marketing of handicrafts.

The Library of Congress has twenty-five works by Naheed in its collection. She read for the Library in Lahore on December 13, 1977.

Bano Qudsia

Bano Qudsia is a writer, intellectual and playwright who is regarded among the best Urdu novelists and short story writers of modern times. She is best known for her novel Raja Gidh. She writes for television and stage in both Urdu and Punjabi languages. The Graduate Award for Best Playwright was conferred on Bano in 1986, followed by the same award for three consecutive years from 1988 to 1990. In 1986, she was also given the Taj Award for Best Playwright.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Umer Mujib Shami

Umer Mujib Shami is among the breed of young newspaper entrepreneurs who have recently joined the ranks of A.P.N.S. He holds Masters Degree in Business Administration from Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS). He had a distinguished educational career and also let the LUMS team to victory in World Business Games held in Georgia USA. He got his initial journalistic training in The News International and worked there as Commerce Reporter for one year before joining LUMS. He remained an avid reader and a regular contributor to different newspapers and periodicals on issue of national importance. 
He also worked in Jardine Fleming, a renowned Honk Kong based investment group for some time. He also briefly worked as editor of weekly “Zindagi” an influential political weekly after his graduation. Mr. Umer Mujib Shami assumed the responsibility of publisher and Managing Editor of Daily Pakistan on January 01, 1999. one of the largest national urdu newspaper. The Newspaper at that time was facing financial difficulties and was confronted by declining revenues in the face of ever increasing competition. However in the last seven years, the newspaper is put back on the road to growth and progress under his management. At present the newspaper is being published from five stations simultaneously and is among the most respected and trusted names in the Pakistani Journalism. He served as the Finance Secretary of APNS from April 2007 to March 2009. The Pakistan group of Publication is at present participating in a number of new venture in media and IT sector, under his management.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Nasreen Mahmud Kasuri

Mrs. Nasreen Mahmud Kasuri, comes from a business family. She did her Bachelor’s in Applied Psychology and History from Kinnaird College – Lahore. She studied Child Psychology at the postgraduate level at the Punjab University. She has also done her Master in Business Administration (MBA) and holds a joint degree issued by the Universities of NYU (USA), LSE (UK), and HEC (France). Mrs. Kasuri founded the Beaconhouse School System in 1975 which is today the largest and oldest private school system in Pakistan, perhaps even in South Asia. It is spread over 30 Cities throughout the country and overseas and has a student body nearing 181,958 and a staff exceeding 15,613. Beaconhouse prepares its student for the Cambridge ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels as well as the local Matriculation examinations.

Seema Aziz


Seema Aziz is an industrialist, a social worker, and an educationist. She founded CARE Foundation in 1988 to educate those children who would otherwise not have gone to school. The CARE concept has blossomed and today CARE manages and runs 200 schools for 135,000 children. CARE receives no funding from any foreign donor agencies or from the Government of Pakistan.
As an industrialist she set up Sefam (Pvt.) Ltd., which manufactures and retails quality embroidered fabrics under the brand name of Bareeze. Seema is also the Managing Director of Sarena Industries and Embroidery Mills (Pvt.) Ltd.