Canadian Pakistani Times
Thursday
April 25, 2013
Volume 1, 55
Eight blasts rattle three provinces in less than 24 hours a blast outside a private hospital in Gailani road area of the city. Police said the bomb was planted inside a cycle parked outside the hospital. On Tuesday, four explosions left six people dead and up to 45 injured in the city. Banned extremist outfit, the Lashkari-Jhangvi (LJ), had claimed responsibility of Tuesday’s attacks. Late Tuesday, militants also attacked an election camp of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Karachi. The blast left at least five people dead and 15 others injured. A strike was being observed in the country’s commercial capital on Wednesday at the call of the MQM in protest of the killings.
File photo shows the after-effects of a bombing in Quetta. Separate attacks in Quetta, Karachi, Peshawar and DI Khan since Tuesday evening, April 23, have now claimed at least 11 lives, and left up to 75 wounded. —File Photo
QUETTA/KARACHI: At least eight separate blasts rocked three different provinces of Pakistan in the last 24 hours, raising fears for deteriorating law and order as the historic May 11 polls draw nearer. The attacks since Tuesday evening in Quetta, Karachi, Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan have now claimed 11 lives and have left up to 75 wounded. The latest attack on Wednesday targeted
a police station on the outskirts of Quetta, the second blast in the provincial capital since this morning and the sixth since yesterday. The blast raised the total death toll since yesterday in Quetta alone to six, with up to 60 injured. At least 15 have been injured since this morning. According to police, unknown attackers on motorcycles lobbed a handheld bomb on the Kechi Baig police
We must listen to Indian rape protests A senior Indian government minister said on Tuesday that a new rape outrage showed that “something terrible” was happening to society as he extended an olive branch to demonstrators.
as part of our democratic commitment. We can’t be upset that somebody is protesting… We need to be sensitive to people’s anger,” said Khurshid, who was previously the country’s law minister.
Protests have been taking place “There’s something terrible across New Delhi since last week when it happening in our society. It needs to be emerged that a five-year-old girl had been analysed, it needs to be studied, it needs to repeatedly raped over the course of nearly be uncovered.” two days after being abducted from her Khurshid’s comments followed a home in a working class suburb. weekend speech by Prime Minister The attack has reignited anger over Manmohan Singh in which he called for a the shocking levels of sexual violence in collective effort to “root out this sort of India, which flared up in December after the depravity from our society”. fatal gang-rape of a student on a bus in the The five-year-old victim is capital. recovering in a hospital after undergoing In an interview with the NDTV surgery for severe internal injuries suffered network, Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid during her ordeal. said that authorities needed to listen to what Two men have been arrested on the protesters had to say rather than simply suspicion of rape and kidnap. confront them. “We need to take protests on board
Earlier Wednesday, an explosion near the house of a local Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader injured three people in Peshawar’s Sarki Gate area.
station in Quetta Sariab area around Meanwhile, two remotel y midday. detonated roadside bombs exploded in Two policemen were injured in Dera Ismail Khan this morning when the the explosion, while the attackers convoy of election candidate from PK-68 managed to escape unhurt, police said. constituency Israrullah Khan Gandapur was passing through the area. No The blast also damaged a casualties were reported. police vehicle and the wall of the - Reporting by Syed Ali Shah in Quetta police station. and Zahir Shah Sherazi in Peshawar. Earlier this morning, 13 people including two children were injured in
02
Letter from NDP Leader Tom Mulcair to Stephen Harper on matter of Prof. Bhullar Vaheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa! Vaheguroo Jee Kee Fateh! Dear friends, Please find an attached copy of a letter that the Leader of the Official Opposition and Canada’s NDP Tom Mulcair, has delivered to Stephen Harper today. The letter asks that Prime Minister Harper look into the matter of Professor Devinderpal Singh Bhullar with great urgency. As many you may be aware, the late and great Jack Layton was quite vocal on matters of social justice and human rights, and we are proud to carry on this principled stance with Tom Mulcair. The Official of Opposition of Canada is proud to share the values of peaceful aspirations for human rights and social justice with the community. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly. Sincerely, Amneet Singh Press Secretary Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition New Democratic Party 613-296-0149
April 25, 2013
First test of Supreme Court's new face-veil rules imminent Testifying without a veil over closedcircuit TV is one option being considered in Toronto sex-abuse case B y L a u r a L yn c h C B C N e w s Posted: Apr 19, 2013 5:40 AM ET It is a long way from the grandeur of the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa to the grey, gritty neighborhood in north Toronto where a courthouse shares space with a Swiss Chalet chicken restaurant, the office of an MP and a catering company. Yet it is here, near busy highways and interchanges, that an important legal precedent may be set in the next few days in the wake of a ruling from Canada's top court. The issue: Can a Muslim woman be ordered to testify without her face veiled? This week, six years after it all began, a Toronto woman known only as N.S. was back in court with those she accuses of sexually abusing and assaulting her as a child, and with the same judge who ordered her to remove her face veil — or niqab — to testify. Justice Norris Weisman is promising a decision soon, as the case is set to start on April 29. One of the options he proposed is having the woman testify without the veil over closed-circuit television. However, her lawyer says her religious beliefs mean she must leave it on, closed-circuit TV or not, while the lawyers for the accused say they cannot get a fair trial unless they, and the court, can see her facial expressions as she testifies. Judge Weisman's 2008 order — that N.S. had to remove her niqab while on the stand — was appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court in Ottawa. In December, it delivered a split decision, handing the dilemma back to individual trial judges to determine on a case-by-case basis. The majority ruled that trial judges, in this case Judge Weisman, must conduct a four-part test in order to decide whether a Muslim woman can be allowed to wear her niqab while testifying.
Does she have a sincere belief in her religion?
would be prohibited by her religion, she said.
Does wearing a veil create a serious risk to trial fairness?
Visual clues
Is there any other accommodate her?
If no, does what the court called the "salutary" effects of ordering her to remove her niqab outweigh the "deleterious" effects of doing that?
way
to
N.S. case to resume April 29 Courts in Canada have long dealt with competing rights and religious freedoms, but this particular case has led to a vivid clash of basic principles, and that clash was on display again in courtroom number 210 earlier this week. The complainant, N.S., arrived wearing her niqab and a black floorlength cloak known as an abaya. The two accused, one wearing a Muslim prayer cap and the other a black leather jacket, sat on the other side of the small courtroom, a Hindi-language interpreter between them. For this hearing, N.S. was allowed to wear her veil as she took the stand to testify about her religious beliefs. She has worn the niqab for almost 10 years, the 37 year old said, saying it is something she must do as part of Sunnah — a way of life based on the teachings of Muhammad. The judge, unfamiliar with the concept, asked N.S. to spell the word. "Islam is not a religion of extremism," she said, so she had felt comfortable removing the veil when she suffered from morning sickness or allergies. She has also removed her niqab for her driver's licence and passport photos, and for police and border guards, she added, calling it acceptable because she did not have a choice. She also allowed that she lifted it when driving, though put it back in place when she was stopped in traffic. Yet to remove the veil in court to testify about sexual abuse allegations would create a "sexual environment" that
During the hearing, defence lawyers argued that her willingness to remove the niqab in some circumstances suggested her religious belief was less than sincere and certainly not enough to warrant interference with their right to a fair trial. Her lawyer though, described her as forthright and sincere, calling her a "straight-up gal" at one point. But how can a judge or a jury assess N.S.'s credibility if no one can see her face and her expression, asked defence lawyers. With the niqab in place, "the set of a jaw, a smirk, a smile, all these visual clues are eliminated," said defence lawyer Douglas Usher. The judge asked the lawyers to consider a compromise, testifying via closed-circuit television. The defence agreed, but the lawyer for N.S., David Butt, said no as it would still lead to her "objectification and sexualization" just as much on television as in person. Now, it is up to Judge Weisman to once again decide whether the niqab stays or goes. While the stakes are high for N.S., the decision will also be studied across Canada. Some advocates for abuse victims say a ruling forcing N.S. to remove the veil will discourage other Muslim women from seeking justice, while others contend that allowing the veil will invariably damage the right to make full answer and defence against charges. As the judge adjourned to prepare his ruling, he told both the complainant and the accused that he was sensitive to the stress they were facing, given how long this case has taken. For him, this ruling will likely amount to a judicial swan song. About to turn 75, Judge Weisman is set to retire on May 1.
03
April 25, 2013
PC LEADER TIM HUDAK WELCOMES ALBERTA MINISTER MANMEET BHULLAR
(R-L) Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak greets Service Alberta Minister Manmeet Bhullar QUEEN’S PARK – Ontario PC Bhullar yesterday afternoon at the achievements within Alberta’s PC community, Hudak discussed his Leader Tim Hudak met with Legislature. While congratulating P a r t y a n d h i s n u m e r o u s party’s agenda for putting Ontario Service Alberta Minister Manmeet Bhullar on his many impressive contributions to Canada’s Sikh back on the path to prosperity.
National Muslim advocacy group condemns Boston attacks Friday, April 19, 2013 2:34 pm - For Immediate Release -
(Ottawa, Canada – April 19, 2013) - The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) unequivocally condemns all violence and any attempts to justify violence against innocent people. The latest reports from Boston indicate that two individuals of Chechen background are suspected to have been involved in the deadly attacks on the Boston Marathon earlier this week. Some reports indicate that the two individuals may have been
influenced by Al-Qaeda ideology which wrongfully justifies violence in the name of Islam. Canadian Muslims join fellow global citizens to clearly denounce the killing of innocent people and to state that terrorism is antithetical to our faith and has no basis in authentic Islamic teachings. “Canadian Muslims categorically denounce and repudiate these attacks on our American neighbours and friends by individuals who have distorted and perverted our faith to further their own political goals or personal agendas. We emphasize the sacredness of life, and reject any express statement or
Ontario Proposes Investments in Home and Community Care Community Care Access Centre Government Sets Target of Five assessment. Days April 23, 2013
The new Ontario government wants more people to receive timely access to home and community care.
Helping seniors and others receive treatment and care at home and in their communities will benefit the entire health care system by freeing up hospital beds, reducing pressure on emergency rooms and creating jobs.
An additional investment in the community care sector of $260 Improving access to home million in 2013-2014 would reduce and community care is part of the wait times for patients. government's plan to build a fair, This would also help set a prosperous Ontario for the benefit target for patients who require of all. nursing services and those with complex needs to receive home care within five days of their
tacit insinuation that anyone should harm innocent people," says CAIRCAN Executive Director Ihsaan Gardee. “Our message to anyone who espouses this ideology of violence is that you have nothing to do with our faith.” In July 2005, CAIR-CAN coordinated a national statement by Canadian Imams which condemned terrorism and religious extremism. In August 2010, the Canadian Council of Imams issued another declaration echoing the same message.
CAIR-CAN is a national, nonprofit, grassroots organization striving to be a leading voice that enriches Canadian society through Muslim civic engagement and the promotion of human rights.
CONTACT: Ihsaan Gardee, CAIR-CAN Executive Director, 613.254.9704; 613.853.4111 Amira Elghawaby, CAIR-CAN Human Rights Coordinator, 613.254.9704
04
April 25, 2013
Building collapse in Bangladesh kills 82
SAVAR: An eight-storey building on the outskirts of Dhaka containing several garment factories and thousands of workers collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least 82 people with many more feared dead. Only the ground floor of the Rana Plaza in the town of Savar outside the Bangladesh capital remained intact when the block, which one minister said was illegally constructed, imploded at about 9:00 am (local time).
Hiralal Roy, a senior emergency ward doctor at the nearby Enam hospital where victims are being taken, told AFP that the death toll was 82 and at least 700 injured people had been treated at the hospital.
“I am injured. But I’ve not found my husband who was working on the fourth floor,” she told AFP, estimating that 5,000 people worked inside the building, which also housed apartments, a bank and shops.
Armed with concrete cutters and cranes, hundreds of fire service and army rescue workers struggled to find survivors in the mountain of concrete and mangled steel which resembled the aftermath of an earthquake.
“The toll will rise as conditions of some injured were critical “ he told AFP.
Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan told reporters that the building was illegal and violated the country’s building code. The huge death toll was likely to raise further questions about safety in the garment industry.
Corpses and the injured were evacuated from the higher reaches of the pile of flattened floors with makeshift slides made from cloth which just hours earlier was being cut into shirts and trousers for export to Western markets.
Some workers complained that the building had developed cracks on Tuesday evening, triggering an evacuation, but they had been forced back to the production lines by their managers. “The managers forced us to rejoin and just one hour after we entered the factory the building collapsed with a huge noise,” said a 24-year-old worker who gave her first name as Mousumi.
Bangladesh has the secondbiggest clothing industry in the world, supplying to major Western brands, but it is plagued by regular accidents and demonstrations from workers demanding better wages and working conditions.
In November, a fire at a garment factory on the outskirts of Dhaka killed 111 workers in the industry’s worst accident. One of the factories housed in the collapsed building in Savar was New Wave Style, which on its website lists Mango of Spain and Italian brand Benetton as among its top buyers. Building collapses are common in Bangladesh as developers often flout the official construction code when erecting multi-storey structures. More than 70 people were killed after a multi-storey garment factory collapsed in the Savar area in 2005. In November at least 13 people were killed after an under-construction flyover fell down in the port city of Chittagong.
Statement by Mayor Fennell on National Volunteer Week “On behalf of the people of Brampton, I want to recognize the admirable efforts of our City’s local volunteers. “Everyday thousands of Bramptonians invest back in our City as hardworking volunteers. Their efforts elevate Brampton’s quality of life and make our community an even better place to live, raise a family and call home. “Whether as sports coaches, school tutors or helping caregivers, all of Brampton is further enriched because of volunteering. Volunteers further serve as inspiring mentors and local leaders. “Right now the 2013 Spring Cleanup Campaign is currently underway. It’s an opportunity for residents to make a difference in our community by doing something good for the environment, and by volunteering time to help keep Brampton beautiful. I encourage everyone to participate. “In closing, I want to once again thank all those Bramptonians who give back to our City through volunteerism.” National Volunteer Week takes place April 21 to 27, 2013. For more information about the 2013 Spring Cleanup Campaign, please visit: www.brampton.ca.
05
April 25, 2013
SPORTS
PCB to send expert with team to prevent match-fixing
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board is working on a plan to send a ”vigilance expert” with the team to England for The Champions Trophy to help ward off
Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir and former captain Salman Butt are serving lengthy bans after being implicated in spot-fixing scandal during Pakistan’s last tour of England in 2010.
A PCB official told The Associated Press on Wednesday there is a proposal to send a vigilance expert along with a security official to ”monitor the presence of any unwanted men around the team in England.”
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity as he is not authorized to comment on the subject.
Security manager Waseem Ahmed has been travelling with the team since being appointed soon after the spot-fixing scandal.
Reluctant Westfield to appear at Kaneria case
Danish Kaneria. -File photo last until Thursday, with Kaneria hoping to
said in a statement.
overturn a life ban imposed by the England and
time decided to take the hostile route in seeking
Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last year for inducing
the help of a High Court judge, who has signed a
Westfield to under-perform in a 2009 county
court summons in order to secure my attendance.
match. The 32-year-old Kaneria is effectively banned from all cricket worldwide, as all boards under the jurisdiction of the International Cricket Council (ICC) governing body have agreed to uphold punishments made by member countries in such cases.
LONDON: Disgraced pace bowler Mervyn Westfield on Monday said that he had been forced to attend the appeal hearing of Pakistani spinner Danish Kaneria or face arrest.
“As I understand, by not attending today, the ECB would return to the High Court and a warrant for my arrest would be requested.” Both Westfield and Kaneria were arrested in 2010 but while no action was taken against the Pakistan leg
spinner,
the
former Essex quick
was
On the eve of the hearing, though, it was
prosecuted and found guilty of taking 6,000
unclear whether Westfield would attend but the 24
pounds off a bookmaker he had been introduced
-year-old said he had only reluctantly agreed.
to by Kaneria to bowl below par.
“I have made it abundantly clear to the ECB that I have no desire to participate in this hearing or to provide any further evidence to that
The case in London began on Monday and is due to
“The ECB has this
which I had previously done in June 2012,” he
He served two months of a four-month prison sentence and was also banned from firstclass cricket for five years.
06
April 25, 2013
Shahrukh, Akshay shelved in Pakistan
(Clockwise) Screen shots from upcoming local productions : Shan in “Waar”, Aamina Sheikh in “Josh” and Ahsan Khan and Meera in Ishq Khuda. Distributors and exhibitors in Pakistan have abandoned Shah Rukh Khan-starrer ‘Chennai Express’ and Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai – 2′. Both were slated to release on the day of Eid, August 8, in the country. The reason being cited is that Pakistani filmmakers want four of their films‘Josh’, ‘Ishq Khuda’, ‘Waar’ and ‘Mein Huun Shahid Afridi’ - to get more visibility than the Indian films.
Leading distributor Abdul Rashid, who controls a large section of the distribution chain across the border, and has been in touch with the producers of Chennai Express and Once Upon…, UTV and Balaji, respectively, communicated the decision to the two production houses. Expressing disappointment with the developments, a source said, “Theatres in Pakistan generate maximum revenue from Hindi films. So it is really sad that
this time, they did a volteface. UTV and Balaji tried reasoning with the filmmakers, but to no avail.” According to trade sources, Pakistan’s blackout of these two films will lead to an estimated loss to the tune of Rs 20 crore. When contacted, Abdul Rashid told TOI, “Yes, we are not releasing Chennai Express and Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai – 2 in Pakistan. Our
government wants to protect the interests of the Pakistan film fraternity.” He also added, “We don’t mind rescheduling the two films to August 15. But piracy would have reduced the business prospects of the two films by then.” Admitting that exhibitors would stand to gain by accommodating the two big-ticket films, Rashid however said, “We cannot overrule our government’s decision.”
Moin Akhtar: The star still shines Moin Akhtar left us two years ago yet the heart still refuses to accept his untimely demise. He was one of those few actors whose legacy extends beyond their physical presence; highlightened every time a glimpse of his mimicry or his indelible impressions flash in front of our eyes.
His introduction with Syed Ameer Imam of PTV was another dramatic event.
were something that he was eternally grateful for. The Zia Mohyeddin Show was also his major recognition where
About his relationship with Anwer Maqsood, he once said: “He and I share a rare chemistry. I gauge exactly what he is saying beneath the lines and he in turn is at comfort with entrusting me fully with his writings.”
Moin Akhtar was among the very first few artists who laid the foundations of mimicry complimented with a measured course of satire.
Although he is much credited to be a comedian, he had many skills of a true performer on his fingertips. He was not only fond of penning his thoughts but also loved to sing. Born of a God-fearing nature, he was a sound citizen who believed that to improve the structure of society efforts had to be initiated from within.
According to Akhter, “I was quite a character; imitating teachers in school. My friends and family were in awe of this talent and I soon found myself catering requests to mimic just about anyone and everybody.” His first breakthrough that earned him praise was at Dow Medical College where the realisation hit him that he could actually earn a living out of his art. Akhter hailed from that very humble age where simplicity and strength of character were the much valued merits in people. He couldn’t finish off his education (much to his own dismay) and entered practical life to share the family burden at a very early age.
Loose Talk was extraordinary for the duo was able to come up with four hundred ghettos in all and had the audience hooked to it for many years.
In one of his interviews with Dawn, Akhtar recalled: “I kept impersonating Muhammad Ali, Lehri and Waheed Murad, after all that’s what I had been doing in all this time. Imam sahib kept rebuking me to be nothing but myself. Qazi Wajid was a live witness to all this and I was pretty convinced that I was to never step in PTV ever again.” For Akhter, Zia Mohyeddin was a living inspiration and his mentoring services
his take off on the host had the audience roaring with laughter. Among the many memorable performances by the hard to forget Pakistani icon, include Studio 2.5, Studio 2.75, Aangan Terha, Chaar Bees, Fifty-Fifty, Such Much and the muchacclaimed persona of Rozy. In addition to this, his collaboration with Anwer Maqsood in
What Moin Akhter gave to our society or perhaps to the whole world can be seconded by none. Such gems are born in centuries only to leave a presence that is to surpass beyond many years to come. In lieu of his contributions to art and the Pakistani society as a whole, he was awarded the Pride of Performance Award in 2003, Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 2004 and Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.
07
April 25, 2013
Legendary Indian singer Shamshad Begum dies
Photo (FILE) AP MUMBAI: Indian singing legend Shamshad Begum, who was one of the first playback singers in the Hindi film industry and the voice behind some of the most famous songs in Bollywood musicals , has died in hospital in Mumbai, her family said on Wednesday. She was 94. Begum made her singing debut in 1947 when she began working on national radio and later became one of
the most in-demand playback singers who supply the pre-recorded vocals that are then mimed by Bollywood’s leading ladies. One of her most famous performances came in the blockbuster movie “Mughal-e-Azam”, considered a milestone in Indian cinema. She was the voice behind hit songs like ‘Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon’, ‘Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar’ and ‘Kajra Mohabbat Wala, ‘Kahin Pe
Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana’, ‘Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re’, ‘Saiyan Dil Mein Aana Re’, ‘Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar’ and ‘Chod Babul Ka Ghar’ and etc
Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said Begum’s singing style had set new benchmarks and described her death as an “irreparable loss” to the world of music.
“She passed away last night (Tuesday),” Begum’s daughter Usha Ratra told the Press Trust of India news agency, adding that her mother had been unwell for several months.
Born in 1919 in the northern Indian city of Amristar, Begum hailed from a conservative family and promised her father to never appear on-screen.
‘First political film made in Pakistan’ introduced are led by circumstances and incidents to find themselves at the crossroads of fate’. Some of the actors starring in the film include Salman Peerzada, Khalid Ahmed, Maira Khan, Shafqat Cheema, Omair Rana, Sadia Hayat, Saiqa Khayyam, Ali Tahir, Ehtisham, Khalid Qureshi, Fatima, Ali Fateh, Humayun Bin Rathor and Shahzad Nawaz with a special guest appearance by Ghulam Mohiuddin.
Filmmaker Shahzad Nawaz speaks at the South Asian Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences –Photo by White Star
KARACHI: “Sheer belief has pushed me to make this film, which is the first political movie made in Pakistan over the past 65 years,” said filmmaker Shahzad Nawaz about his upcoming film, “Chambaili”, while speaking at the South Asian Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Tuesday. Mr Nawaz’s previous films include an adaptation of Mohsin Hamid’s book, “Mothsmoke”, into a feature called “Daira” (2003) and “Botal Gali” (2005), a film set against the backdrop of a conflict between bootleggers and bonded warehouses, resulting in a dearth of alcohol in Karachi.
Responding to the suggestion that “Botal Gali” couldn’t find a cinematic release due to a lack of avenues, Mr Nawaz said, “You open avenues yourself. I decided not to. You have to demand your right — especially in a country where your rights are taken away every day. I will release it the day I feel like it. And it will find a release.” Fully titled, “Chambaili”: the fragrance of freedom, the film has been written and co-produced by Shahzad Nawaz and directed by Ismail Jilani. Set against a political backdrop, the film purports itself to be a ‘saga of courage, romance and sacrifice of a group of friends who
“This is a 100 per cent Pakistani film and we take great pride in saying that,” said the director while introducing the film. “The revival of cinema doesn’t take place with one film or by corporate-sponsored projects on TV. How is the corporate sector going to bring about a revival? They’re here to sell products.” “What does a film have anything to do with TV?” he questioned, “There will be a revival of cinema when we start treating films like films.” “When I made this film I only had Rs7,000 with me,” the filmmaker said hinting at the struggle involved in making the film. “Yet I believe it’s the biggest film ever produced in the country,” he said. “Every intelligent person told me that this would sink. But when you connect with your soul, you lose the fear of losing. Every
time the film ran out of money, it came in from somewhere,” he provided. Asked about his decision to cast relative newcomers in the film, Mr Nawaz responded, “What’s the point of picking up established stars to ensure the success of the film? Where is my input then? I haven’t cast actors – I have cast characters. And the characters need to be bigger than the film.” During the talk, he showed videos of two songs from a film, Bahar, which showed the making of the film and is dedicated to his cast and crew, and Azadi — a song inspired by the freedom fighter, Bhagat Singh. Talking about the potential impact of films as a medium through which to communicate ideas and educate audiences, he said, “There is always hope. I realised I have a bigger platform than that of our President, Prime Minister, Army chief and a two-hour press conference put together. This will become a part of our cultural archive and people will give references to it 50 years from now.” He related that a roundabout in Lahore where a part of the film had been shot was now officially called Chambeli Chowk. As a word of advice to the film students, he said, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart. Even if the world tells you you’re wrong. We weren’t born to spend the rest of our lives trying to prove to people that we’re right.”
08
April 25, 2013
First Pakistani woman to serve in Australia’s parliament
Australian Parliament House.—File Photo SYDNEY: A Pakistani-born migrant is set to become the first Muslim woman to serve in Australia’s parliament, Voice of America reported. Mehreen Faruqi, an environmental engineer, was selected by the New South Wales
Greens to fill a vacancy in the upper house of the state legislature. Faruqi migrated from Pakistan with her family in 1992. Her Twitter page describes her as an “environmental engineer, climate change activist, proud union member and feminist.”
She has been chosen to represent the Greens, a center left party, in Australia’s first and oldest parliament in New South Wales. The university academic was selected by a postal ballot of party members, from a field of
seven in a contest in which only women could run. Faruqi will take up her position in July, when she will become the first female Muslim in any of Australia’s state, territory or federal parliaments.
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April 25, 2013
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April 25, 2013
April 25, 2013
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There’s a new voter group in town – Pakistan’s transgender community. With newly granted voting rights, members of the Khawaja Sarra community can now vote and contest elections not as males, but rather as recognised members of a third gender.
Enter President of the Sindh chapter of the Gender Interactive Alliance (Gia) Bindiya Rana, a transgender social worker and rights activist who decided to take the plunge and contest elections from provincial assembly seat PS114. The constituency, also home to electables such as MQM’s Rauf Siddiqui and PML-N’s Irfanullah Marwat, includes several working -class localities of Karachi like Azam Basti, Baloch Colony and Akhtar Colony. “I looked at what all the o th e r p a r ti e s sa i d a bo ut transgenders (TGs) in their manifestos. They referred to women and children’s rights, but there was no mention of TGs at all,” explains Rana. This is the platform that the activist is running on – the idea that someone needs to give a voice to her community. “They say they want a ‘naya’ (new) Pakistan’ – I don’t understand, where did the old Pakistan go? That’s the one we need to fix,” she adds, grinning. It was in 2012 that transgenders were given the right to list themselves as a third gender on their CNICs. They were also promised much more. Rana, while praising the chief justice, points out that much else is left to be done. “We were promised a community centre, we were promised medical benefits. These are still to come”. Riffee Khan, an AIDS health worker by profession, who is also the treasurer of Gia and holds two MA degrees, chimes in and says that people often ask why members of the Khawaja Sarra community resort to begging on the streets. “There’s only so much we can do,” she explains. “We are nothing in f ront of the government. If the government provides a vocational training centre for members of our community, then our people wouldn’t have to beg or indulge in other questionable activities.” According to the Gia representatives, the Supreme Court order included directives for the Khawaja Sarra community to be provided free education, free health care and a community centre. As a community, since
they now had CNICs, they also had access to welfare schemes like the Benazir Income Support Programme. But despite the rights they’ve won, they say the provincial welfare departments never implemented the decision which could have been a radical boost for them.
registration is open for all without any discrimination of class, cre ed or gender throughout Pakistan.” When asked what she thought her chances of winning were, Bindiya calmly said: “I already won the day I was able to file nomination papers.
So what the transgender community wants now is the execution of promises made to them a year ago. When people like Bindiya, and Sanam (another TG candidate from Sukkur) saw that they didn’t figure in the electoral calculus of different parties who would have the power to implement, they decided to give TG voters a chance to select one of their own.
That was my victory.” She adds that in September and October, Nadra in collaboration with the Election Commission of Pakistan set up special registration centres for eunuchs at the offices of the provincial and district election commissioners but that there was a need for mobilisation through media and civil society to encourage voter enrollment. Candidates like Bindiya, however, represent the interests of people far beyond the Khwaja Sarras.
Zehrish, another transgender activist and health worker who is currently completing her MA from Karachi University, emphasises how it’s not just about general apathy on the part of political parties, but also about the systematic discrimination faced within the education system by Khwaja Sarras. “If Bindiya wins, she must focus on the education system,” she says, adding, “because of our appearance, we face discrimination and can’t survive in the education system … Even now; sometimes my teachers say get out of class.” One change that Zehrish seriously requests is that on forms for entry into educational institutions, an option for a third gender be provided so she is not forced to choose between ticking either male or female. Who’s voting for whom? But the unfortunate reality is that of the approximate 500,000 TGs in Pakistan, official National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) documents state that there are a mere 687 people registered as transgender voters in the final electoral rolls. It isn’t clear why voter registration has turned out to be significantly low – Gia says many transgenders are still waiting on CNICs and are still registered as males. Nadra spokesperson Naz Sh o eb , ho wever, s ays “Considering eunuchs an equal citizen of Pakistan, No medical proof is required for their registration as is in the case of men and women. Facility of
“The people in my constituency who approached me – I’m running for them and their struggles,” she declares. Significantly, she says, this includes a large number of people who are not transgenders and who asked her personally to stand in the elections. “When people have had issues with scarcity of water, electricity, and sub-standard medicines, or when they have an issue with the local police, for example if their child gets picked up, they come to us because we know how to get things done and we are always in contact with local government officials.” The election hopeful also clarifies that her community could also vote in previous elections, but only as male voters. That is what’s different this time around. Dawn.com asked her and other Gia representatives who their community voted for previously. Laughing, Bindiya says, “I shouldn’t be saying this b e c a u s e I ’ m c o n t e s t i ng elections. But I would say the vote was divided, 50-50, between Mohtarma (the late Benazir Bhutto) and MQM. We voted for Mohtarma because she too had the same respect for ‘peeri fakeeri’ like us. As for MQM, they are strong here. If you go to their local offices here, your problems get solved.”
Long road ahead The biggest hurdle for people like Bindiya and Sanam in being elected is that as representatives of a c o m mu n i t y t h a t ’s o n l y approximately 500,000 strong, they can’t bring in the numbers from one constituency alone. Riffee explains that she can’t vote for Bindiya because she is not registered in the same constituency, as per Pakistan’s election system. “If only we had the right to vote from any constituency for our candidate … we would be able to have someone represent us in Parliament.” In this unfortunate scenario, the Gia treasurer adds that she would vote for whoever she thinks will work for her community. She points out that b e s i d e s ma k i n g e d u c a t i o n accessible for Khwaja Sarras, there needs to be a conscious attempt to spread awareness about her community through the school curriculum. “Khwaja Sarras have participated in, and won, wars. There must be a lesson in history books which should help people understand that we too contribute to society. Although, much of the discrimination (in society) has been reduced, a whole lot more needs to be done.” She says that the government could create a vocational training institute that would allow for transgenders to be beauticians, tailors or chefs. This would provide them with a profession and take them off the streets. Saima Farhan, another member of the transgender community, adds shyly: “We can do a lot if given the chance.” But Bindiya’s concluding message is a more universal one. She is a passionate defender of transgender rights, but the message she has is for everyone, irrespective of gender: “Give your vote, but not because someone gave you biryani, or money, or made a lengthy speech. Your one vote can decide whether a good person wins or loses.” When asked what she thought her chances of winning were, she calmly said: “I already won the day I was able to file nomination papers. That was my victory.”
12
April 25, 2013
Myanmar authorities ‘complicit’ in killings of Muslims: HRW
— Myanmar has waged “a campaign of ethnic cleansing” against Rohingya Muslims, the leading rights watchdog said on April 22, 2013, citing evidence of mass graves and forced displacement. — Reuters Photo
MYANMAR: Human Rights Watch on Monday accused authorities in Myanmar’s western Rakhine State of crimes against humanity in the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims last year, charges the government dismissed as onesided and “unacceptable”. Security forces were complicit in disarming Rohingya Muslims of makeshift weapons and standing by, or even joining in, as Rakhine Buddhist mobs killed men, women and children in June and October 2012, New York-based HRW said.
PIFF 2012 started in full swing with a note towards the self respect and dignity of indian woman in the society. Noted Director Jeet Matharu brought his master piece in Toronto with his direction in Kudessan-Woman from the East. Not forgetting other production like Khushiyaan, Anney Ghore da daan, and so many.
The human rights abuses took place in Myanmar despite widespread political, social and economic reforms by a quasicivilian government that took power in March 2011 and convinced the West to suspend most sanctions to allow aid and investment into one of Asia’s poorest countries. “While the state security forces in some instances intervened to prevent violence and protect fleeing Muslims, more frequently they stood aside during attacks or directly supported the assailants, committing killings and other abuses,” the report said of
Film festival not only successful but in making sure that it reached each and every Punjabi family who is settled here and whose lives were being portrayed in all those films screened during those golden 5 days of PIFF 2012. The team is big now. Efforts are tenfold. Toronto is all set now for 2013. PIFF so far what I have observed is not only a film festival, it is a cultural festival, a MELA…what we call in Punjabi which literally means the meetings, the unions and the reunions.
PIFF was in its embryonic stage in the year 2012 with its first venture. Despite that PIFF made Toronto proud of its passionate entrepreneurs like Sunny Gill and Mr Inder Arora. They invested a It’s a wonderful way to unite lot of their hard work, brains and time people with the cinema they have always towards making Punjabi International loved and cherished and personified with.
the unrest, in which at least 110 people died. The failure to investigate properly or punish state officials had emboldened those behind campaigns against Muslims elsewhere, said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at HRW, referring to violence in central Myanmar that killed more than 43 people in March and displaced at least 12,000.
Reuters. “What happened in Arakan (Rakhine) has helped spark radical antiMuslim activity.”
“People are allowed to incite and instigate in a coordinated campaign – this is the lesson taken in by others,” Robertson told
Ye Htut, a presidential spokesman and Myanmar’s deputy Minister of Information, dismissed the report for only taking news from “one side” in a statement on his Facebook page. “Its words are unacceptable. The government of Myanmar is not going to give any special consideration to a one-sided report,” he wrote, adding that the government would only pay heed to its own investigative commission set up after the initial violence in June.
It is undoubtedly a bigger means for all the directors, producers and actors of the films who turn peoples’ dreams into reality on a big screen and on a bigger platform that we call PIFF.
we also brought the wealth of our culture, language and endless abilities which have come of age and flexing their muscles to show the world what we are, where we belong to and what our ambitions are.
It is an article by Komal Popli and a HEART-icle tribute to those who have devoted their lives towards Punjabi Cinema and to those who offer their unsurpassed When we migrated to this determinations to keep it alive, blooming country called Canada, we didn’t only and buzzing. bring our wealth in dollars to survive; M y sincere greetings go to the entire crew of PIFF for carrying their decade old dream and turning it into reality.