...from my desk
My favorite part of the year, summers are over. I have always loved the laziness and the relaxed mood of this season; I love listening to my friends telling me what they have been up to; mothers are always trying to keep kids busy for the vacations and every year, I try to fly off to discover a brand new destination; it’s all so wonderful.
Talking about wonderful things, I must mention that one of the best things I did this summer was to discover and read some great new-age Pakistani writers. This new breed of authors (Mohammed Hanif, Daniyal Mohiyuddin, Kamila Shamsie and Moni Mohsin) is a far away cry from the typical sub-continental writers who have, for years been only writing about identity crisis of living abroad!
One of my favorite reads though has to be ‘The Diary of a Social Butterfly’ by Moni Mohsin.
Moni Mohsin's use of the ‘Social Butterfly’ to make innocent ‘by-the-way-remarks’ about the socio-political situation and occurrences, while coyly fitting in her own obsession with the must-haves of her elitist life, are simply divine.
Our butterfly may be convent educated, bubbly airhead, but her observations are so on the mark, that they reduce the more journalistic analysis to just intellectual mumbo jumbo! This book is a must-read for every Pakistani who loves this country but also likes having a good laugh about the society around us! And by the way, did I mention I can now quote from this book at the drop of a hat!
Talking about what we did this last summer, XPOZÉ on page 16 also spoke to some of its friends (Aaminah Haq, Sara Shahid, Rohail Hyatt, Kamiar Rokni and many more!) to find out what they have been up to, what they splurged on, their vacations and what they are looking forward to! It’s a fun read!
I still very clearly remember 8th October, 2005 when we all woke up to the news of the earthquake that hit Islamabad and the many northern areas of Pakistan. After scanning news channels for hours and not getting any kind of information, we all desperately started calling friends and family to find out the reality. That’s when musician Fakhr Alam made a television plea to the nation and gave us all the ground realities of the nation’s largest natural disaster. A very tired looking and exhausted Fakhr Alam urged TV viewers to send whatever supplies they could (cash was not allowed) to PAF Museum Karachi that very same night. I remember calling a few friends to meet up outside the location with whatever they could bring. We reached there and saw history changing. On the fourth anniversary of this disaster, we speak to Fakhr Alam on page 12 about his motivation and drive behind this charity move; recounts of incidents that broke his heart and many unforgettable memories attached to this event. This interview will surely make you believe that it is the citizens of a nation that make a difference.
Talking about charities, the glamorous balls season is upon us! On page 39, Marriana Karim who is a part of many charity organizations and responsible for doing numerous charity events, talks about her experiences, life and many celebrities who have helped her along the way. On a lighter note, she also gives out the DOs and DON’Ts of attending these fun events. If you are planning to attend any of them, make sure you read her advice!
Next month is XPOZÉ’s second anniversary!!! Don’t forget to look out for what we have in store for you!
-ANDLEEB RANA FARHAN
Write to me at: editor@epochcreatives.com
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