Identity Magazine April issue by Identity Magazine

IDENTITY Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about you

APRIL 2012

Glorious spring festivals Celebrating Easter Birds in relationship with spring! Any problem? Want any guidance or solution? Aromatic spring flowers

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The Easter bunny carries the egg basket as spring lurks this April on mother earth.

Event Coverage

Spring Gala As spring lurks around the corner, Political Science department of Jinnah University for Women (JUW) celebrated “Bloo ming Spring Gala” on 3rd March 2012. The event was organized under the supervision of their department’s head, Ms. Shehla Tehseen. Filled with fun and games, the event included accessories for sale, food stalls, handicrafts exh ibitions, recreation of our wedding tradit ions and much more. The festival was graced by the presence of Zubeida Tariq, Faiq Khan, Noman Habib, and Kanwar Arsalan who co mmended the organizer and students for their excellent work.

Mela Students of JUW were welco med on 24th March at annual Mela. Being organized by student advisor of Mass Commun ication department Ms. Saima Farid, it provided a great way to break away from the monotonous schedule of studies. Students gathered wearing casual dresses to enjoy the festivities filled with exciting activ ities, delicious food stalls, mehndi booths, games and entertainment. The event included stalls by prominent brands of Pakistan, showcasing and informing about their products. Minister for wo men development (Sindh) Touqeer Fatima Bhutto, Waseem Badami, Furqan Qureshi and RJ Alina made appearances at the festival.

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EDITORI

Editor Noor-ul-Ain Hanif Sub editor Kiran Ashraf

Hey readers,

Page Maker

How are you? Hope you are doing well and enjoying the festive combo as the month of April brings three glorious occasions for us, Spring Season, Easter and Earth Day. So this time Identity Magazine has tried to cover the colors of all festivals in its 5th issue. There are so many surprises lined up inside, let’s give you a quick sneak peak!

Ayesha Siddiqui Art Editor Ayesha Siddiqui Proofreader Madiha Wahid Webmaster Noor-ul-Ain Hanif Urdu Sub editor Qurat-ul-Ain Tahir Proof reader Qurat-ul-Ain Tahir Transcriber Subia Khan

Starting with the cover story, it is about the celebration of spring festivals around the world including Basant, Nowroz, Chinese spring festival, National Cherry Blossom festival, and Las Fallas festival. Easter also falls in April marking the season of rebirth, renewal and re-growth so the feature is covering multi aspects of Easter. Certain birds and flowers, associated with spring, that bloom and lay eggs only in spring, we have unveiled them for you in its articles. A friend in need is a friend indeed but trusting them blindly is a good idea or bad one? Find out the views of people on it in our discussion section. We are living on the planet Earth from ages and we celebrate Earth Day yearly but there’s a history behind it, curious to know? Read an exclusive piece by Muhammad Omar Iftikhar. Now is the turn of poets so this time Identity Magazine has featured your favorite poets. Everyone is surrounded with problems but good guidance can give them the solutions. Share your queries with Aapi in Aapi’s corner. Blog is a way of expression. Let’s find out what Sobia Rasheed is sharing with us in her blog post, Pakistan - A heaven for minorities. Do you want to see the unique aspects of Pakistan? If yes, then have a look at our photo feature photographed by the Editor herself. Moreover, this issue contains food for your tummy, birthday bumps, art corner, infotainment and poetry section. Now it’s time to break the surprise. So ladies and gentlemen fasten your seat belts. This time your beloved magazine is going to introduce an Urdu section that includes Urdu poetry, story and covering the renowned writer, Bano Qudsia.

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No matter which part of the world we are living, the festivals tie us with a knot of love and brotherhood. So spread the message of peace and save earth!

identitymag@hotmail.com Don’t forget to give your feedback,

Website: www.identitymag30.wordpress.com

Noor-ul-Ain Hanif

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/identitymag30 Issue: 5

IDENTITY MAG I 5

Contents Features

10, 11, and 12

24, 25

Cover story

Photo feature

Glorious spring festivals

Have a look on beautiful Pakistan through Noor-ul-Ain Hanifâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lens

Spring is one of the four temperate seasons. To be precise, the transition time between winter and summer. Spring and springtime refer to the season and also to idea of rebirth, renewal and re-gro wth.

27 and 28 Food Food for your tummy

14, 15 Feature

32 and 33

Flora Celebrating Easter What is Easter? How d id rabbits and painted eggs become associated with Jesus Christâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resurrection? Do you know what it means when you wish someone Happy Easter?

23 and 24

Wings Birds in relations hip with spring! With the departure of cold winter, the arrival of spring marks the entry of beautiful feathery creatures called birds.

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Aromatic spring flowe rs The arrival of spring flo wers symbolizes the departure of wintry winds and soon we can enjoy warm solar beams, bright green grass and fine aromas of b lossoming tree.

The round-up 31

Blog post

Poetry English

Featuring blogger Sobia Rasheed with her blogpost: Pakistan - A heaven for minorities

41 Poetry urdu

19 Discussion Trusting your friends blindly, now days, a good idea or bad?

43 and 44 Urdu article

44 09

Bano Qudsia

Poetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s detail Know about your favorite poets

22 and 23 Aapi Solution Any problem? Want any guidance or solution? Ask Aapi

35 Birthday and Art page

36 Infotainment

37 Game page IDENTITY MAG I 7

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Details

Poet’s Details! Daniyal Arain I believe in what Roosevelt said that, "no one can make you feel inferior without your consent." Because reading takes you to those unknown valleys of imagination that are totally unimaginable so my advice to the readers is to read such books and articles that they would love to write about. But also keep in mind that reading won't make you better if you don’t act upon it as readers are plentiful and thinkers are rare.

Farah Fayyaz I am doing Masters in Mass Communication. I had a passion of writing and always wanted to write something so thought-provoking that people would get impressed by my thoughts and remember me for my writing skills. My advice to the readers is to choose books that teach you some lesson about life, base your writing on real-life events, keep your mind clear, write with your heart and always struggle to achieve your goals.

Mehwish Fatima Doing MA in Mass Communication, I have always wanted to end up as a writer and that’s among my future goals as well. My message to the new poets is to make reading your habit and focus on the topic of your writing before putting it together.

Munib Shaikh I am a student who wants to pursue writing in the near future. My advice to the students who are passionate about writing is that first, initiate an idea in your mind and then work on it. With the readers, I would like to share a message that anybody in this world can write, the only difference is when you write what you really want to express.

Zehra Shamsi I wanted to opt for writing in the field of journalism and that became my reason for choosing Mass Communication. My message is that as we all know that no one is perfect in this world except the creator Himself; we should never lose hope and keep believing in ourselves. Write whatever you think and always hope for the best.

IDENTITY MAG I 09

Cover story

Spring is

one

the

four temperate seasons. To be precise, the transition time between winter and summer. Spring and springtime refer to the season and also to idea of rebirth, renewal and re-growth. The specific definition of the exact timing of spring varies according to local climate, cultures and customs. But mainly, majority of the consensus is been on that at the spring equinox, days are close to 12 hours long with day length increasing as the season progresses. Robin Williams rightly said that spring is nature's way of saying “Let’s party!". So, when it comes to celebrate the spring events, we desperately wait for them all the year as they would come with their beautiful colors and spread the glorious smiles on faces, giving the message that no matter what happens, there is always a shiny sparkling day to every dark night. There are several spring festivals throughout the world which are being observed with great interests and attended with huge enthusiasm. Talking about the huge commemorating sessions, we enjoy during spring season, we have few big and dominant festivals which are observed each year in different parts of the world.

The first event comes from the Asian side and especially celebrated with joy and cheers in Pakistan called, “Basant festival.” Basant, a Sanskrit word for spring is a seasonal festival of Indo-Pak sub-continent and it has no religious bearings. Basant heralds spring and is celebrated in winter on the fourth or fifth day of lunar month that is why it is called Basant Panchami. Mustard blossoms during this season that’s why yellow is considered the color of spring and accordingly yellow outfits are worn. In pre-partition days, Indian Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs celebrated Basant in unison. It was held in all major cities of

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Glorious spring festivals By Erum Inam

Punjab where men used to wear yellow turbans and women used to wear yellow dupattas and saris. Hindu, Muslim and Sikh women together sung traditional seasonal songs that reflected the liveliness and romance of Punjab’s life. Kite flying was also common but on a small scale with decency. Along with the rich aspects of its history, historians narrated that Basant has been a popular festival at the major Sufi shrines, and named as Nizam Auliya ki Basant, Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki ki Basant, Khusrau ki Basant. Khusrau, the famous Sufi poet of the thirteenth century, even composed verses on Basant. Lahore remained the heart for entertainment and other activities when it comes to celebrating Basant. In the beginning, the Basant festival was celebrated in the exterior of the city so it gained more attention and became the most important festival of the city. People wore yellow-colored dresses, prepared different dishes, arranged functions at their house roof-tops and usually invite their relatives and friends. Apart from Lahore, there are some other cities like Islamabad, Faisalabad, Jhelum, Gujranwalan, Kasur, and Sialkot where great preparations and attractions await for Basant. In Karachi, it is celebrated quiet differently as compared to Punjab. Although, it is not celebrated on a much huge scale, people do gather at different venues to enjoy kite flying along with their entire family. Another striking celebration, experienced in this beautiful season is called “Nowroz” or “Persian New Year.” Nowroz, meaning the new day is the name of the Iranian New Year. Nowroz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in Iranian calendar. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical northward equinox which usually occurs on March 21st or the following day depending on where it is observed. It is celebrated and observed by Iranian peoples and the related cultural continent but has

spread in many other parts of the world including parts of Central Asia, Caucasus, South Asia, Northwestern China, the Crimea and some groups in the Balkans. This year, a new event happened regarding this beautiful event which was like its joint celebration at Islamabad. Nowroz festival was celebrated at Lok Virsa on March 26th-27th this year which offered an opportunity for Iranian and Pakistani people to jointly celebrate the festival and re-strengthen their cultural ties. The festival was organized by the cultural consulate of Embassy of Islamic Republic of Iran in collaboration with Lok Virsa. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan inaugurated the festival and greeted the audience saying “Jashan-e-Nowroz Mubarak.” The two-day celebration featured arts, crafts, miniatures, books, photographs, paintings, feature films, group recitation of the Holy Quran, Naats and devotional folk music of Iran. Moving further towards our neighbor China, their spring festival falls on January 23rd. This year the festival is celebrated in the Year of the Dragon according to Chinese zodiac. The spring festival is regarded by the Chinese people as the grandest and most important annual festival, similar to Christmas for westerners. Originating during the Shang Dynasty, spring festival, which celebrates family reunion, is full of rich and colorful activities along with hopes because of the advent of spring and flowers blossoming. People from different regions and different ethnic groups celebrate it in their unique ways. Some of the common ways, they adopt are setting firecrackers and fireworks, eating dumplings called Jiaozi made from flour and stuffed with different fillings. Words like bad, dead, kill, ill, ache, etc are not used as bad fortune is usually been associated

IDENTITY MAG

I 11

Cover story

Spring is

one

the

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Glorious spring festivals By Erum Inam

IDENTITY MAG

I 11

This writer is a student of Jinnah University for women

with these words. The National Cherry Blossom Festival is a spring celebration in Washington. In 1912, an incredible gift of 3000 Cherry Blossom trees was bestowed on Washington by Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo City. Mayor Ozaki donated the trees in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and also to celebrate the continued close relationship between the two nations. Rooted strongly and surviving outside elements, the trees have withstood the test of time and nearly a century later; Americans started celebrating the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The epic five week spectacular event from March 20th – April 27th unifies and electrifies the city, the nation, and the world. In honor of one of their nation’s most beloved treasures and a living reminder of international friendship, this year its 100th anniversary is been celebrated. Washington and the region abuzz with excitement as creativity and innovation permeate signature festival events, elevating them to new heights including concerts, renowned artists, world-class performers, parade, comedy show and grand finale along with fireworks. Last but not the least, the southwestern part of America, more commonly known as Spain celebrates “Las Fallas festival” which takes place around March 15th-19th every year. Las Fallas was originally a Pagan ritual that celebrated the spring equinox. It's fire and craft tradition today is from the local carpenters however in the middle ages, they would celebrate the advent of spring by throwing their gas lamps at a piece of woodwork. The religious undertones associated with Saint José, the patron saint of carpenters was added later by Spain's Catholic leaders. An old lamp is placed in a vertical position in the centre, decorated with old rags and a hat giving it a human form. Later, the city is decorated with over 700 symbols and figures. Throughout the day, mass gatherings and magnificent firework displays takes place. The biggest and most spectacular event is an enormous multi-colored parade with the members of the Fallas wearing their marvelous, intricately decorated, traditional costumes and carrying bunches of flowers as an offering to their Patron Saint. At midnight, the dramatic closing act takes place where a massive bonfire is built and ornamental symbols are set ablaze and destroyed except one, saved by the votes of people and destined to be preserved forever in the Fallero Museum. Seasons are enjoyed in each and every part of the world according to their particular culture and values. It gives the message of joyous nature which is beautiful and peace loving. Festivals are for getting together, along with your loved ones and having a beautiful time with each other forgetting about all the negative things, occurred in the past. With these intentions, the culture of celebrating festivals should be continued with their sophisticated norms throughout the globe.

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Feature

Celebrating Easter! Syeda Maliha Begum

What

is Easter? How did rabbits and painted eggs become associated with Jesus Christ’s resurrection? Do you know what it means when you wish someone Happy Easter? Easter is one of the oldest and holiest celebrations in Christianity which has been around for centuries. The day and date of Easter and its correlated holidays keeps on shuffling every year as they do not fall on a specific date. They are based on the lunar calendar created by the authorities of Nicaea in 325 A D. The management of these dates is complex but Easter time is celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full celestial satellites after the spring and lies between March 22nd and April 25th , hence been termed a movable holiday.

Earlier known as Pascha or Pesach In the fourth century when Easter was not observed, Christians used to celebrate a Jewish Festival named Pascha or Pesach. Pesach was a celebration of the excruciation and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At first, many non-Jewish Christians didn't wanted to adopt the traditions lying under Judaism but with the passage of time, it became an approved holiday by all after the fourth century.

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Derivation of its name If we look up through the history, we find its Pagan origins as well. Easter used to be a celebration in praise of the Teutonic Goddess Eastre or Eostre at the full moon of the spring called Equino x. Goddess Eastre represented sun rise, spring time, fertility, and renewal of life. On the other hand, several scholars dispute this theory and say that Easter is derived from the word ‘East’ which is the direction of the rising sun. Similarly, the Germans call it ‘Ostern’, so its derivation varies fro m culture to culture.

Religious aspects of Easter During the Easter season, Christians also partake in Lent in which they fast for 40 days and spend time in reflecting upon their personalities and repentance from sins. The week before Easter is known as Holy Week. This includes days from Monday to Thursday and represents the last supper. Good Friday is the day to honor Jesus Christ for his crucifixion. Lastly, the Holy Saturday focuses on the transition between Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Hymns and organ music are reinforced with trumpets and trombones adding the spirit and motivation through music.

Rabbits are considered lucky There is no story in the Bible about an Easter bunny neither is there a passage about young children painting eggs or hunting for baskets overflowing with delicious Easter goodies. All of these were incorporated into the celebration of Easter separately from the Pagan traditions. The Easter Rabbit is a character bringing baskets filled with colored eggs, candies and sometimes toys to

the homes of children. With spring being a time of rebirth and renewal to the land, the ancient Pagans observed that the birds laid their eggs in spring and animals, such as rabbits, would reproduce in abundance. Thus, rabbits became the symbol of fertility and were thought to bring good luck.

Easter egg hunt It is believed that Christians worship Goddess Eostre by performing different kinds of rituals and telling their children stories in which Goddess Eostre granted a certain rabbit the ability to lay rainbow colored eggs and every year that specific rabbit spread those colored eggs in the field for the children to search. Later, the hats that the children piled into hidden nests for the rabbits turned into baskets. These baskets are still hidden around the house and are now used to collect the colored eggs as children go on their Easter egg hunts.

Jesus resurrection linked with eggs and rabbits According to Christians, Goddess Eoster was worshipped by Anglo-Europeans via her earthly icon, the rabbit because it symbolizes fertilizing and growth. Similarly, in most societies, egg is an icon of revival and rebirth and was covered in precious gold metal foliage or colored with pedals and certain blossoms previously as part of the celebration. In medieval times, eggs represented Christâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resurrection. They use to say that just as Christ broke out of his tomb on Easter morning, the

yolk of egg breaks out of its shell when cracked. In the beginning, Easter was a Pagan belief but the church, overtime, began to intertwine Christianity with the Pagan traditions and now for majority of the Christians, Easter is the most religious day of the season as Jesus Christ came to existence from the deceased but with that, it's a fun vacation filled with Easter eggs, spring colors, flowers, rabbits, sale of greeting cards, and sweet.

IDENTITY MAG I 15

The writer is a student of Jinnah University for Women

Churches are decorated with banners and lilies as their white color is symbolic of holiness. Lastly, the paschal candle is allowed to shine continuously.

ith the departure of cold winter, the arrival of spring marks the entry of beautiful feathery creatures called birds. As spring begins, the birds can't afford to sit around, feeling glum and wishing the sun would come out. Perhaps the most noticeable evidence of birds getting geared up for the new breeding season is the increase in birdsong that occurs from the beginning of the spring. These inspiring creatures are related with the spring season because of their breeding and migration habit. Many bird species migrate to take benefit of global alterations in seasonal temperatures, therefore adjusting availability of food sources and breeding habitat. These migrations vary among their different groups. Many land birds, shorebirds, and water birds undertake annual long distance migrations, usually triggered by the length of daylight as well as weather conditions.

and south into Sri Lanka. It is widely known as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brain fever birdâ&#x20AC;? as it bears a close resemblance to the Shikra, a sparrow hawk. The similarity to hawks gives this group the generic name of hawk-cuckoo. It also marks the arrival of mangoes by sitting on mango tree and singing in its beautiful voice. The Scarlet Tanager is a medium-sized American songbird and an extremely rare vagrant to Western Europe. Their breeding habitat is large forested areas, especially with oaks across eastern North America. Scarlet Tanagers migrate to northwestern South America, passing through Central America around April and begin arriving on the breeding grounds in numbers by May. Tundra Swans are migratory birds and it is also the smallest of the Holarctic swans in size. In adult birds, the plumage of both sub-species are entirely white along with black feet and a beak that is mostly black

Birds in relationship with spring! By Bakhtawar Mannan The spring season is the most blossoming one and also the reason in which the melodies of birdsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; songs changes. According to a popular saying, "In the spring, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love". The similar may be said about birds. Singing is a vital part of the breeding cycle and also it is a form of communication that strengthens their relationship, publicizing it through their particular song. That's because it is the spring season, when most birds turn to family obligations as they mate, build nests, lay eggs and raise young. Pakistan is also having large number of birds list, associated with the spring season. Some of them are native and some are migrated from lands far away. In that category, we find white-winged snow finch, tundra swan, cuckoo, and many more. The common Hawk-cuckoo occurs from Pakistan, in the west to most of the Indian peninsula from about 800m in the Himalayas foothills, east to Bangladesh

with a thin salmon-pink streak running along the mouth line. Tundra Swans breed in the arctic where they inhabit shallow pools, lakes and rivers. About 15% of the adult birds die each year from various causes and thus the average lifespan in the wild is about 10 years. The White-winged Snowfinch or Snowfinch is a small passerine bird. Despite its name, it is a sparrow rather than a true finch. White-winged Snowfinch is a large stocky sparrow in length. It has brown upper parts, white under parts and a grey head. There is a long narrow white wing panel. In flight, it shows black wings with huge white wing panels and a white-edged black tail. This bird has a chattering song with many trills and variety of rolling or creaky calls. Having huge number of wild life is not enough. There is a need to save birds from extinction for our own ecosystem, to take positive measures and protect wildlife habitats where endangered birds live.

This writer is a student of Jinnah University for Women

I IDENTITY MAG

Discussion

Should friends be trusted blindly? Syeda Marahim Zaidi: Who can you trust other then friends? But yes, one shouldn’t reveal their secrets because later if that friend turns into your enemy, he can use them to hurt you. Identity Magazine: But friends are there to share your secrets and grievances with. Syed Ommer Amer: Never trust them blindly. Syeda Marahim Zaidi: Yes, but when they decide to leave you, they never think that how much importance they have in your life as it starts and ends with them. But again, we need friends to enjoy life. Identity Magazine: Trust is important in every relationship then how can we be best of friends if we don’t share our life with them? Shararti Asma: No, they shouldn’t be trusted blindly Syeda Marahim Zaidi: I didn’t mean that we should never trust friends. My point is that if they turn into your enemies then that will be a big loss. Shararti Asma: We can’t share everything with friends because blind trust is a mistake itself. Maria Iqbal: Blind trust is not good. Ali Nawaz Cheema: It depends on your skill of selecting friends. Identity Magazine: I think you have childhood friends because it can’t be done these days. Syeda Marahim Zaidi: It’s not necessary that one can only trust his childhood friends. Friends, we make at any point of life can turn out to be best friends and are gift of God. Ali Nawaz Cheema: You yourself have to develop the ability to trust people and this will surely get you good friends. Identity Magazine: @Ali Nawaz Cheema: It’s a good advice. Identity Magazine: @Syeda Marahim Zaidi: Exactly. Nowadays also, we can get good friends too but we should be careful in that. Syeda Marahim Zaidi: Alhumdullilah, I have always been lucky in this reference and got great friends. Identity Magazine: @Syeda Marahim Zaidi: Masha'Allah Sarah Kashif: Trust and understanding are the main things to recognize a good friend. Asad Qureshi: Trusting friends blindly is not right.

IDENTITY MAG I 19

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Exclusive

Earth Day

The writer is an editor of Element Prime magazine, Assistant Editor in a marketing advertising magazine and contributor in English dailies of Pakistan

Muhammad Omar Iftikhar

Every year on April 22, Earth Day is celebrated across the globe to increase consciousness regarding Earth’s natural resources and to vow for their protection. The initiative which began in 1970 is now celebrated in nearly 175 countries. In 2009, the United Nation officially recognized the importance of this day by declaring April 22 as Mother Earth Day. The history of Earth Day dates back to 1969. John McConnell was the first to introduce the idea of Earth Day at the 1969 UNESCO conference on environment. On March 21, 1970, the official announcement to celebrate Earth Day was issued by the Mayor of San Francisco, Joseph Alioto. Across the United States, various events were held to mark the announcement of celebrating Earth Day. However, the first Earth Day was not celebrated until 1972, as the decision was still in the pipeline. On February 26, 1971, a proclamation was signed by McConnell which stated: “May there be only peaceful and cheerful Earth Days to come for our beautiful spaceship earth as it continues to spin and circle in frigid space with its warm and fragile cargo of animate life.” Since April 22, 1972, Earth Day is an annual celebration where countries make a promise with themselves and their Mother Earth to restore natural environment in the best possible way. In the recent

past year, Earth Day across the world brought various events to stage which included: talk-shows and other programs in which the importance of our environment was stressed to the masses. Many countries have been following Earth Hour where lights are switched off across the globe to signify the importance of saving resources. Although Earth Day 2012 was celebrated on April 22, 2012 and Earth Hour was celebrated on March 31, 2012, the two events are interlinked in more than one way. Earth Day heralds a view to defend our planet against chemical and biological threats which have risen since the emergence of industrial landscape, as industrial waste is one of the worst factors affecting our planet and its environment. To bring all countries celebrating Earth Day on one single platform, the Earth Day Network was founded in 1970 by Denis Hayes. The main purpose was to encourage environmental activism in any form to create a path towards saving the resources and limiting the reasons which are destroying the planet. Earth Day Network members are comprised of NGOs, quasi-governmental agencies, local governments, activists, and other institutions and individuals who are always up to the task of making a difference.

Only 11% of the earth's surface is used to grow food. Turning off the water tap after using it saves up-to 20 gallons of water. Newspaper recycling could save about 250,000,000 trees each year. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to watch a TV for three hours Walking instead of driving can reduce greenhouse gases emissions by an average of 1,590 pounds per year. Recycling waste for a year would be equivalent to taking almost 400 cars off the road. Using fluorescent bulbs having the energy of an incandescent bulb can generate the same amount of light. Don’t leave the car running for less than a minute. Set the water-heater to130 to 140 degrees. Washers use more than 50 gallons of water per load, so avoid washing a lot of small loads whenever possible. Freezer temperatures between 0 and 5 degrees are just right as colder settings waste energy. Snip apart each ring from softplasting holders before throwing it in the trash. Never throw spent batteries in the trash as they contain hazardous substance that will leak into groundwater.

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Aapi Corner Problems complied by Laraib Ahmed Ansari and Maria Iqbal

My brother loved a girl and asked her hand to marry. That girl had a brother too. So in return; her family asked my hand to marry for that guy. Things went smooth at first but now it has been four months of our marriage and since then they have been treating me like a stray dog. I get treated thrice as worse as my brother treats my sister-inlaw. I fear that I may end up in divorcing my husband. In need your guidance. Dear Depressed, Divorce is not the solution of everything sweetie. The best you can do is to get the elders of both the families to have a discussion together. As they know your marital circumstances, they will suggest a solution accordingly. Try to have a heart-to-heart talk with your hubby when he is in a good mood and make him understand how you feel. He is your better half and if he can’t understand you, no one can. My name is X and I am a religious girl from a family of broad-minded background. They don't let me follow hijab or modest clothing which I really want to adopt. I don't see any way to convince them. Do help me please. Dear X, Isn’t your family moderate enough to accept your choices in life? You really don’t have to prove anything to them because Islam is the most moderate religion on the face of this earth. Start implementing the Islamic values in your daily lifestyle which will make your family witness the positivity in you and God willing, they will accept you for who you are. I am 23 and the girl I like is 28 but I am not sure if she likes me back and I can't really talk to her because I am not so sure of my confidence. How do I know if she likes me or not and how do I approach her?

Be a man dude, You aren’t planning to approach her on her wedding day, aren’t you? Life is too short to wait for the right moment instead, take a chance and express your feelings. If you are too afraid to do that face-to-face, then text or inbox her on social media. She can return you a straight ‘No’ but nevertheless, it is worth a try. My best friend threatens to harm herself every now and then because of her family and relationship related issues. She gets cynical and judgmental about me when I try to avoid her. I tried talking to her about this in person but she seems unaffected. Does she get some kind of pleasure out of this all or she's an attention seeker? Dear worried friend, A friend in need is a friend indeed and now is the time when she really needs you. It’s alarming that she threatens to harm herself and can lead to suicidal thoughts. A talk with her didn’t worked so try contacting her parents and tell them about her situation before it’s too late. I look horrendous with ugly pimples all over my face. My friends and the people I know make fun of me all the time. I have consulted dermatologist, have applied recommended creams etc but nothing seems to work. I am in the state of inferiority complex because of my poor skin texture. What do I do to vanish from my face permanently? Dear pretty, Don’t throw your confidence in waste just because you don’t look appealing. Yes, face does matter, but not more than your self-confidence. Consult a different dermatologist, set your eating pattern, drink a lot of water and try to use herbal products like aloe vera etc as they don’t have any side effects.

P.S: We would really appreciate if the concerned give us feedback on our given suggestions. Thank you

22 I IDENTITY MAG

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Eating out! By Tehmina Asim

Ingredients: Butter Vanilla Cheese cream Confectionersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sugar Peanut butter Coconut Cocoa Powder Chocolate chips

1/2 cup, softened 1 tsp 8 ounce, softened 2 1/2 pound 1 cup 1 cup, flaked 1 cup, unsweetened 2 cups

Directions: Mix butter, vanilla, cheese cream together and stir in confectioners' sugar to make dough. Divide the dough into four parts leaving one of the parts plain. Mix peanut butter in second, coconut in third and cocoa powder in last part. Roll each dough into egg shape and place it on a waxed paper. Refrigerate for at-least one hour until hard. Melt chocolate chips over a pan of simmering water stirring occasionally until smooth. Dip the chilled eggs in chocolate and place again on waxed paper to set. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour to harden.

Fish honey glaze fry Ingredients: Fish Baking powder Flour Black pepper Egg Honey Soya sauce Red chili Salt Oil Water Garlic Lemon skin

500gm, skinless 1tbsp 1cup 1tsp 1 4tsp 3tsp 1tsp, crushed As per taste few drops for mixing to taste, chopped as per requirement

Directions: Mix baking powder, flour, few drops of oil, black pepper, salt, water and egg together. Dip fish in it and then fry it. In another pan, add garlic, soya sauce, red chili, lemon skin, honey, pinch of salt. Cook until bubbles are visible.

IDENTITY MAG I 26

Chicken wings Ingredients: Chicken wings Lemon juice Paprika powder Red chilies Soya sauce Garlic paste Hot chili sauce Flour Salt

6 pieces 3 tbsp 2 tbsp 2 tsp, crushed 2 tbsp 1 tbsp 1 tsp 4tbsp As per taste

Directions: Mix lemon juice, paprika powder, red chilies, soya sauce, garlic, flour, and salt. Marinate chicken wings in it for 3 hours. Deep fry them until golden brown texture. Heat the coal, smoke chicken wings for 5 min while covering it. Serve chicken wings with chili sauce.

Cherry cookie frosting Ingredients: Milk Butter Chocolate Salt Vanilla extract Confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup 1/4 cup 1 ounce, unsweetened chocolate 1/8 tsp 1tsp 2 1/4

Directions: Cook milk, butter, chocolate and salt over boiling water until thick. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar. Spread the frosting on chocolate -covered cherry cookies.

27 I IDENTITY MAG

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log post

Journalism I started it off as an assignment but later, took it as an opportunity to voice myself. As the title of my blog suggests, I write about things from a journalistic aspect. My aim is to be among the favorite writers of my audience, aware citizens about issues, and express my views.

Pakistan - A heaven for minorities ▼ 2012 (4)

By Sobia Rasheed

▼ April (2) Pakistan- a heaven for minorities EXTORTION IS ON FIRE IN KARACHI ▼ March (2) Awareness about Social Me dia Goddess of Love ▼ 2011 (18) ▼ December (2) Women-specific bills passed: Fourteen-year jail te... WOMEN HARASSMENT ▼ November (2) "YOUTHNESIA" Dastoor, by Habib Jalib Mein nein manta main nie... ▼ October (2) Image Of A Women In Media UNESCO Report 2009 All karachi Debate Contest 2011 ► July (2) ► May (2) ► April (3) ► March (2) ► February (2) ► January (1)

Pakistan…..as we know, is a diverse society with various ethnic and religious minorities living together…in a peaceful manner. You don’t believe me..!!! I will tell you how. Our state religion being Islam makes us Muslims the majority while the left 3% of people are from different ethnic and religious groups and are counted as minorities. Now in this regard, Afghani's, Christians, Ahmadis’, Hindus and Sikhs are much prominent to be precise. ‘Ahmadis’, according to 1973 constitution, were declared Non-Muslims but still, they are a major minority living among us and yeah…we do hear slogans of killing each and everyone of them but still, we see them living, breathing and going to their day to day chores which defies the idea that all Muslims are hate-mongers and want them dead. Observing carefully, we can see that Ahmadis have been holding important positions in our legislature, executive sector, bureaucracy and military since the establishment of Pakistan, who can forget the great Dr. Abdus Salaam who brought home the Nobel Prize. Nobody till now has beaten this record in Pakistan yet. I do agree that yes, we have people who promote hate against minorities but we can’t blame Pakistan alone for this. Minorities in almost all regions of the world face serious threats, discrimination and racism. Plus, they are frequently excluded from taking part in economic, political, social and cultural life available to the majorities in the country and society where they live. We don’t have to go much far for an example. The country we termed as “Our most favorite” has various example of injustice to minorities irrespective of their religion. The treatment of Dalit Hindus is not hidden from anybody. In comparison to that, Pakistani minorities are working with us in different walks of life. They are getting education too. In fact, they are free to move wherever they want to but there are few terms and conditions which are applied on them, like any other state minorities. For example the constitution of Pakistan and our religion do not allow them to be the head of state or prime minister but other than that, as Quaid- e-Azam Mohmmad Ali Jinnah said, "You are free to go to your temples; you're free to go to your mosques and to any other place," our minorities are free to celebrate their Holi, Easter, Besakhi etc. The good part is that the government also provides them security and privileges, especially on their religious events and festivals. But if we compare the minorities living in Pakistan with our neighboring country India, we can see the big difference. Indian minorities are facing lots of problems in different aspects of life. They are not free to celebrate their customs and traditional things according to their demands. They face different kinds of threats just because they follow a certain religion. Ironically India still terms itself a “Secular State”…too bad even for a joke. Similarly, European thinking is also partial for their minorities. Muslim girls can't follow Hijab; no Namaz on the streets, no beard and the list goes on. And if somebody is found convicted of this “crime” they have to pay fine. Robbins Leonard said, "How a minority, reaching majority, seizing authority, hates a minority?” And man he is so right. But still, apart from the issues faced, we can say Pakistan is like a heaven for minorities as compared to different regions of the world.

http://sobiaarasheed.blogspot.com/ IDENTITY MAG

I 31

Flora

The arrival of spring season marks the

In fact, the era during which the Ottoman Empire was termed wealthiest is often called the ‘Tulip era’. Tulip was a topic for Persian poets as far back as the thirteenth century. Today, Tulip festivals are held around the world.

blooming period of funky and attractive flowers which symbolizes the departure of wintry winds and soon we can enjoy warm solar beams, bright green grass and fine aromas of blossoming tree. Spring flowers are perhaps one of the most gentle and beautiful of all flowers. They personify beauty, pleasure and perfection of nature and are beautiful and unusual in their own way. They may seem delicate, enticing and beauteous, but each of them also serves as an excellent source of benefit for us.

Hibiscus: Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family. Being quiet large, it is trumpet-shaped with five or more petals, ranging from white to yellow in color. Beverages, both hot and cold, can be made from it which are well known for their color, tanginess and flavor. Moreover, dried Hibiscus is edible and can also be used as a garnish.

Hollyhock: Anemone: Anemone belongs to the buttercup family and is exceptionally useful as a medicine and herb. Their fruits often bear long hairy styles which aid their distribution by the wind and produce cup-shaped yellowish, white, purple, violet, or red Anemone flowers. The juice from their roots is taken in the treatment of dysentery, applied to aching teeth, and to the forehead for relieving headaches. The leaves are powdered and rubbed into the scalp to treat head lice.

Cherry blossom: A Cherry blossom, called Sakura in Japanese is richly symbolic. Some cultures even compare their dead soldiers to cherry blossoms. The flower is also represented on all consumer goods in Japan including: kimono, stationery, and dishware. Cherry blossoms are edible and used as food ingredients. The blossoms are pickled in salt and vinegar and are used in making a kind of sweet bun, mostcommonly filled with red bean paste. Salt-pickled blossoms, along with hot water is widely drank beverage at festive events like weddings. However, it is not recommended to consume Cherry blossom leaves in great quantities due to its toxicity.

Tulip: Tulip grows from bulbs, blooms in spring providing early-season garden color. In art and culture, Tulip is seen as a symbol of abundance and indulgence.

Aromatic spring flowers By Nida Yousuf

Hollyhock, blooms in pink, purple or white, and is very attractive. Various parts of the plant like flowers, leaves, roots and stems boast health benefits. Their medicinal uses involve application to the skin for treatment of skin ulcers; soothe burns and irritation that comes with eczema.

Lavender: It’s a fine element for cookery and lends a slightly sweet flavor to most dishes, mostly paired with sheep's milk and goat's-milk cheese. This beautiful flower can be candied and is sometimes used for cake decorations. Lavender flowers are occasionally blended with black, green, or herbal tea adding a fresh, relaxing scent and flavor. The essential oil from Lavender was used in hospitals during World War I to disinfect floors and walls.

Now we can surely call these spring flowers as bold, effective and beautiful. They are among the greatest creations of God which feed insects, birds, animals and humans, provide natural medicines and aid in a plant's reproduction by enticing outside pollinators. So this spring, decorate your gardens with these gifts of nature.

Flora

The arrival of spring season marks the

Tulip:

Aromatic spring flowers By Nida Yousuf

Tulip grows from bulbs, blooms in spring providing early-season garden color. In art and culture, Tulip is seen as a symbol of abundance and indulgence.

32I IDENTITY MAG

IDENTITY MAG I 33

Birthday and events Women-holding up half the sky Date: April 20th – May 10 th Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00PM At: Serena Hotel, Islamabad About: Group exhibition of paintings and sculpture

Lahore Beat Poets Vol. 1 5th March = Afshan Hussain

2nd April = Nadeem Taufique Qureshi

Date: May 4th

6th March = Bushra Musheer

4th April = Hira Khan

Time: 7:00 PM

7th March = Marium Atif, Roman Ahmed

6th April = Zahra Jabeen

At: Beaconhouse National University (BNU), Lahore

9 March = Qasim Shah Zadeh

8th April = Maiez Dawood , Syeda Zarlaish Hassan

15th March = Aisha Sabreen, Mehwish Rizvi, Mehwish Nazir,

11th April = Rubia Fatima, Fatima Nadeem, Ayesha Nadeem,

27 March = Ayesha Tahir

12 April = Arouj Sabreen,

28th March = Mursaleen Waseem

13th April = Ayesha Siddiqui

About: Poets and musicians gala

Theatre Play: ART Date: May 4th – May 13 th At: Karachi Arts Council

15 April = Sidra Irshad

About: Comedy play by NAPA Repertory Theatre Company

17th April = Laila Hayat 18th April = Hafsa Naik Bakht 19th April = Tasbeha Siddiqui, Cathy st

MTV musical awards 2012 Date: May 16th Time: 8:00 PM

21 April = Erum Asif

At: Karachi expo center

27th April = Ammara Asif

About: Honouring the country's best talents in music

Connect 2012 Date: May 22nd – May 24 th At: Karachi Expo Centre About: 7th information and communications technology exhibition and conference

Screen my shorts Date: May 25th Time: 6:30 PM At: Kuch Khaas - The Centre for Arts and Culture, Islamabad About: Featuring short films based on Pakistan

IDENTITY MAG I 35

Infotainment

April is believed to take its name from the Latin word Aperire, means “to open.” It is often used to symbolize the season spring. During Roman Empire, April was second month of the year. It is one of four months with a length of 30 days. The birthstone of April is diamond. Its birth flower is daisy or sweet pea. April is a feminine name also. It is never used as a surname.

Aries and Taurus are the zodiac signs for this month. April is the only month to begin with a day of fun and jokes, called the April Fool’s Day. In Poland, all serious activities are completely avoided on April Fool’s Day.

A C

The arrival of Cuckoo in April signifies the arrival of spring. Events of various religions are celebrated in April. Titanic struck an iceberg and sank in this month.

April is planting or harvesting time in different parts of the world. This year in April, Friday falls on 13th which is considered unlucky. Television was first publicly broadcasted from the Empire State Building in April.

April is national poetry month in United States.

Take the necessary stationary and documents. Compiled by Nida Iqbal Save yourself from thirst by carrying a water bottle. Source internet An airline captain was breaking in a new blonde stewardess. The route they were flying had a layover in another city. Upon their arrival, the captain showed the stewardess the best place for airline personnel to eat , shop and stay overnight. The next morning, as the pilot was preparing the crew for the day's route, he noticed the new stewardess was missing. He knew which room she was in at the hotel and called her up wondering what happened. She answered the phone, crying, and said she couldn't get out of her room. "You can't get out of your room?" the captain asked, "Why not?" The stewardess replied: "There are only three doors in here," she sobbed, "one is the bathroom, one is the closet, and one has a sign on it that says 'Do Not Disturb'!"

36 I IDENTITY MAG

Take some tissue papers along, will avoid exam sheets getting messy. Avoid using the ink- remover as it might fade off the written work after few days. Check your surroundings for any cheating material before settling down. Report to the teacher, if you notice anyone throwing cheating related material close to you. Ask your teacher for help, if you don’t understand something. It’s better to write your best guess then to leave an empty space on the sheet. Manage your writing speed so that you have time left for revision.

For Caption

Previous Captions

Omar Iftikhar Growing Green Pakistan

Bakhtawar Mannan Quaid's Pakistan

Sarah Kashif Greenery, beauty and serenity

What is social media?

Learn to make flower wand

IDENTITY MAG I 37

Poetry

Frayed Beauty

Spring

By Daniyal Arain

By Rubia Fatima

The heat, unbearable deceit, The sun awoke, time has come, The moon rose with dignity.

Happy happy morning starts, Sun shines as a day starts. Beautiful flowers blossom out, Magnificent colors alert the town.

Lost travelers, deserted hearts, All of them forgotten, one by one, Everyone speaking in a different dialect, Stranger to the happiness of lost sorrow. Salient features of rhymes, The sorrow & woes, lost in times, The tears of autumn, there are none, For the time of spring has come. And so that's the era of a new spring, Cursed, versed into a new beginning, That bleeding edge of a summer sun, The rivals of past left in desolation. The heat, severely underestimated. The sun awoke with a burning crime, Like it has never been before stuck in time

Who I am? By Bakhtawar Mannan I am love of a sweet lover, Spreads love in the nature.

Children playing in the ground, Birds are also singing around.

The magic of rose By Zehra Shamsi Rose, rose, rose, You strike such a good pose. A rose is a special flower, That has its own unique power.

Fresh breeze touches my soul, Takes my mind to something old. When we were together, And everything was as gold, But still I am happy, Though we are alone. As spring tells I am not alone, And spring has come to console.

It is one of God’s most beautiful creations, That fills the heart with sensation.

Beautiful flowers peeps around, Lovely breeze all around.

A rose that attracts so much, One may get pricked if touch.

Who is the one and only one, The one who is all around.

Having sharp thorns, Which saves it from human suborns.

There is one and only one, And that is the creator, God.

Just one rose, not a pile, Can make anybody smile.

Daffodils

Full of joy and enjoyment, Full of hope, passion and faith. I hate blues and loves fun, I make the people cheer up. I am sign of nature’s party, Dance of daffodils and daisies.

When the fragrance of a rose, Reaches to your nose. It fills one’s heart with delight, By giving a thought that all is right. It’s among the favorite kind, That soothes the mind. Rose is a precious gift to mankind, And is beautifully designed.

Breeze jazz and birds sing, On my spirited melody they cling. I bring life for everyone, Gifted greenery to the gardens. That’s the beauty of my presence, I am here to please everyone. Yes! I am the season, Yes! I am spring.

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It gives the feeling of pleasure, As it is a blessing of nature.

By William Wordsworth I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced, but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not be but gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.

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