Karachi Blog

Improper arrangements and mismanagement dismayed a big audience at the international Mushaira, organized by the Saknan Shahar-e-Quaid Alami Mushaira Committee at the Science Campus of Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) on the night between Saturday and Sunday. Many prominent local and foreign poets could not read their poetry. Giving a lot of time to novice and little-known poets created despair among the audience. The Mushaira started two hours late on Saturday night at midnight and ended on Sunday dawn.

The proceedings of the Mushaira were interrupted many times due to mismanagement. Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan was supposed to attend the Mushaira as the chief guest, but he was unabel to due to his visit abroad.

However, Sindh Minister for Tourism Rauf Siddiqui did attend and announced a donation of Rs100,000 for the Alami Mushaira Committee. Later on, after protests from the participants, he raised it to Rs500,000. City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal was also present on the occasion.

The audience reacted negatively when Rauf Siddiqui read the poem on Majlis-e-Amal and uniform. Ten Indian poets were invited to attend the Mushaira, besides the same number of poets from other parts of the word.

The majority of the invited poets were not renowned and audience gave them a cold response. Interestingly, renowned Indian poets BaikalUtsahi, Raees Ansari and Munawar Rana, besides noted local poets Jamiluddin Aali, Sahar Ansari and others did not read their poetry, presumably due to paucity of time. Professor Inayat Ali, however, enthralled audience with hishumorous verses.

KARACHI: The 56th annual Pakistan flower show 2007 was formally opened by the Horticultural Society of Pakistan (HSP) in collaboration with Defence Housing Authority (DHA) at Sea View Park on Thursday. The chief guest was Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed of the Sindh High Court.

The flower show has been held annually by the HSP since 1950, without interruption. In his welcome speech, the HSP’s veteran chairman Lt.General Retd Jahanzeb Arbab said that nature offers a way to relax and enjoy ourselves, and in today’s society that is especially true. “It is a positive note that people prefer to have green lawns and developed gardens, and I consider the HSP to have played an important role in this” he said.

He also appreciated the efforts of the HSP President for life AK Khan ad his untiring efforts in making HSP what it is today and encouraging people to have more gardens.

Chief Guest Sabihuddin Ahmed said that gardening is not just a hobby, but that coexisting with plants and flowers can make life more meaningful. He also appreciated the efforts of the HSP in spreading interest in and enhancing a passion for gardening amongst the public.

A large number of individuals, organisations, amateur and professional gardening enthusiasts participated in the flower competition various categories where many of them won shields for their gardens. DHA Nisar Shaheed Park won in large parks category, DHA Hilal Park (medium park), DHA Kh-e-Ban Ittehad (road medium), DHA Gizri Hill Complex (hillocks), DHA nursery Ph VIII (nurseries), DHA Rahat park (small parks), DHA degree college (colleges/schools), DHA Masjid Mustafa (mosques), Sindh Club (clubs, Karachi Port Trust House (official residences), Flag Staff House (kitchen garden), Administrator DHA’s house (crenature flower competition) and Saudi Consulate (foreign mission gardens) won first prizes in various categories.

The cactus stall was the most outstanding with people exhibiting their plants, and it was highly appreciated by visitors. The orchids stall followed next with a colourful variety of orchids. The show also featured medicinal herbs and plants, which were also on sale. The flower show is open to the public until Sunday.

KARACHI: An art exhibition was held at the Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture where various members of the faculty displayed their works.

The work done in different mediums depicted social and aesthetic concerns of the present age, where ideas were based on different art styles, including expressionism, impressionism, realism, abstract art, etc.

The art exhibition, called “Faculty Art/2” has now become a permanent annual feature, where all faculty members are brought together and are provided a platform in exhibiting their work.

Artists whose works were displayed, included Abdul Jabbar Gul (Fine Art), Ahsan Qureshi (Communication and Design), Amna Mehwish (Foundation Programme), Ather Jamal (Fine Art), Noorjehan Bilgrami, foundation member, and many others.

Different artists covered different themes. The focus of Ather Jamal’s work, for instance, in water colour, was old colonial buildings, and portraits.

A different idea was manifest in the form of a video, ‘Shivers’ or ‘Kampkapi-in’, which was put on display via graphical animation of a American Indian folklore about how seasons came to be. This was done by Gauri Patwardhan, from the Communcation Design department, on Betacam format.

‘Red’ was another piece which was exhibited and elicited quite a lot of attention. Another piece that grabbed interest from visitors was ‘Body Corset Conte’ by Naiza H Khan, done on silkscreen print and inkjet print on paper.