The celebrations of Eid ul Azha in Karachi begins with the setup of bakra mandi. This year at least two hundred VIP tents will be installed in the upcoming Super Highway cattle market on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha and an area stretched over 4000 square feet has been earmarked for this purpose.  Read more... (161 words, 17 images, estimated 39 secs reading time)

This year, again, Karachi’s biggest mandi (market), in Sohrab Goth, has become the centre of attraction as an estimated half a million sacrificial calves, goats, camels, and sheep have been put on sale in the market. Center of attraction are some really beautiful and healthy bulls like named Toofan, Diamond etc. many farm owners has also displayed their animals in around 15 decorated tents. Social websites like facebook are flooding with comments and pictures about the cows, bulls and goats in cattle market making it easier for customers to search for animals.  Read more... (319 words, 1 image, estimated 1:17 mins reading time)

An official selection at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival and shown at the 33rd Festival des film du monde Montreal (Montreal World Film Festival), Produced with German collaboration and released in 2009, the 90-minute Chan di Chummi (Kiss the Moon) is a revealing documentary about the lives of transsexuals.  Read more... (282 words, 2 images, estimated 1:08 mins reading time)

The Ali Institute of Education has scheduled 2nd Lahore International Children’s Film Festival from 6-11 October to showcase the best of local and international cinema by and for children in Pakistan exhibiting 263 movies from 37 different countries over the course of six days. The festival proved to be a success since its inception last year, and growing as leading children’s film festival in Pakistan. The festival attracts families, children and education community from Lahore. Last year, more then 11,000 people visited the festival.  Read more... (387 words, 1 image, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

A French Dr Vincent Ioos, who specializes in critical care medicine & served for three years in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences’ Intensive Care Unit (ICU), will be accompanied in the 10,000km Islamabad-Paris trip by one of his colleagues from Pims, Dr Haroon Khan, as well as Salman Rashid, an IT expert. He will be returning home next month, driving a truck art-adorned 1974 Beetle dubbed Foxy Shahzadi to celebrate Pakistan’s artistic and cultural potential; and promoting Pak-French friendship.  Read more... (308 words, 1 image, estimated 1:14 mins reading time)

Minister for Ports and Shipping Senator Babar Khan Ghauri during his review visit to the site of the ‘Port Grand Food Court’ under Napier Mole Bridge has announced Asia’s largest and most modern food street to be built at a cost of Rs1 billion and spread over nine acres. It would be inaugurated by the end of November this year in Karachi.
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It cost just three rupees. Squashed between a doughy naan and seasoned with a splash of green chutney of dubious provenance, the ‘samosa-naan’ was sold for three bucks a pop at my college. With the triple dose of carbs – potatoes, pastry and naan – it was obviously filling. Less obvious is how satisfying the concoction was: the naan’s rubbery dough, the crushed but still crisp samosa shell, the spicy potatoes with little bursts of flavor in the form of anardana (dried pomegranate seeds) and dhaniya (coriander) seeds, the tart chutney. Is talk of textural complexity too pretentious for what is essentially a meal of necessity? I say no.  Read more... (943 words, 1 image, estimated 3:46 mins reading time)

This year shabe qadr has been followed by Jumatul wida. Lailat al-Qader, (Night of Power), commemorates the night when Holy Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) through the angel Gabriel. It falls on the 27th night of the holy month of Ramadan, which will end this week with the festival of Eid ul-Fitr. The nation will also observe Jumatul Wida, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, with traditional religious zeal and reverence today. Millions of fasting people will offer Friday prayers at mosques and prayer grounds.  Read more... (333 words, 3 images, estimated 1:20 mins reading time)

You’re up even before the cock crows and the faint light of dawn is still very distant. But in spite of the ungodly hour, the entire household is up and about, and the house is vibrating with the sounds of clattering dishes and the wafting aroma of fried eggs, oily parathas, delicious Khajla, pheeni and steaming tea. That’s sehri for you in Ramadan. During the Holy month of Ramadan confectioners were busy preparing oriental delicacies such as “Khajla” and “Pheni”, small pancakes and vermicelli soaked in milk with sugar.  Read more... (155 words, 1 image, estimated 37 secs reading time)

The instant you walk through the BVS school’s entrance gate, you realise there’s something delightfully anachronistic about the place. There are trees as aged as the stonework, towering over the boundary wall facing Abdullah Haroon Road (formerly known as Victoria Road). The building is Spartan yet eye-catching in character – like a Greek god. You lift your head to appreciate the façade and read ‘Bai Virbaiji Soparivala Parsi High School Established in 1859’. A little below it is inscribed the date of its construction, ‘1905’.  Read more... (759 words, 1 image, estimated 3:02 mins reading time)