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Annie

She came, she swayed, she conquered. Annie is the latest teen sensation to hit the local music scene. Mag4you.com chats with the 'Mahiya' girl who is ready to take the music scene by storm

Most songs aired these days are as easily forgotten as they are heard. However, when 'Mahiya' began making its rounds on music channels some six months back, you just had to stop and take notice. The bilingual song that was musically mediocre and lyrically simplistic was grabbing attention and the cute girl who had her moves right, if nothing else, was a splendidly refreshing sight in a male dominated medium. She got us curious and even those who claimed to hate the song, relished talking about it. Before no time, voila! 'Mahiya' was a hit and Ainee became a star. The 19€"year old has successfully managed to shake open the Pakistani music scene for girls.

Ali Zafar's Video Sajania Review
You Must Work the System

Written by Rabians




Ali Zafar's second video from his album Masty was guaranteed to garner much attention just like any product attached to Ali's name. Opinions about this video Sajania are varied - in this article I present mine:

The video is in the mould of heist movies. The opening sequence shows the Indian model who plays Ali's love interest driving up to a bank and performing a robbery in which Ali participates. However, when it is time to make their escape, the girl deliberately leaves Ali behind to be arrested and thrown into jail. Languishing there, he seemingly strikes a deal with his investigating officer to implicate the girl who appears the mastermind of the heist. Setting his plan in motion, Ali meets the girl in a masquerade ball and wins her heart. Catching her off guard, he slips drugs into her purse and the authorities arrest her, thus sealing Ali's revenge.

The video is directed by Ahsan Raheem and it has many of the features one associates with the well-known director: a tight well-executed storyline, a focus on fun and frolic, lots of color, some cool gun-play and a big finish.

My first reaction on seeing the video was man! Why so much skin! On reading other people's views about it, I found it interesting that this opinion was expressed again and again. In their quest to project a hip image Pakistani musicians sometimes confuse modernity with Westernization or Indianization. It would be a lot more productive to define modernity in a Pakistani idiom. This would not necessarily mean losing an international audience - after all artistic beauty is not equivalent with loads of skin.

The lyrics of the song are very traditional and Ali's signature style of singing again takes one back to the 70's. However, the song fuses this very sub-continental style with a hip-hop sensibility with English lyrics about the "love for money". The thug look that Ali has been given can be jarring in the light of the traditional song but it has to be remembered that the video takes its cue from the English lyrics. The glamorization of the flashy car / girl on the arm lifestyle is a radical departure from Chal Dil Meray which made a strong denunciation of a materialist ethic. But in an alternative reading, even Sajania can be seen as a critique of money-hungry behavior which destroys love and leaves behind nothing but a lust for revenge. Ahsan Raheem has a long fascination with masquerades - one such ball appeared in Shehzad Roy's Teri Soorat video many years ago. The metaphor of masquerades is appropriate in the context of Sajania, depicting a world of deceit where people hide behind their masks.


Since Sajania is an Ali Zafar video, a few comments about him: firstly, he looks great. Sitting pretty with the two female dancers flanking him on both sides, he gestures and moves to the rhythm with such obvious good enjoyment that his energy is infectious and of course when he flashes those pearly whites, his smile is irresistible. However, in the Masquerade sequence, Ali dons a horrendous purple jacket with blue lapels and his make-up is too thick. I would also request Ali to stop tweezing his eye-brows so much - only Reema has more arched eyebrows than him and Ali is giving her a run for her money there. There is no denying Mr Zafar's star power though - he exudes confidence and charisma.


In conclusion, I would say that the video showcases Ali as a performer capable of pulling off many different incarnations and styles. However, being a former model, Ali probably understands that the growth of the music scene is linked to the overall growth of the media industry in Pakistan. If a Pakistani model had been selected to star in Sajania, I imagine that she could have delivered just as effectively as the Indian model in the video. The Indian entertainment machine is massive - Pakistan's media industry on the other hand needs to be nurtured with tender loving care.

The video is likely to appeal strongly to younger audiences and will add more to Ali Zafar's popularity.

Written by Rabian's of PakMusic.Net

ATIFS INDIAN ALBUM |INTERVIEW

From The Interview :

Your debut composition 'Tere Bin' is making waves all over. What's the story behind the song? Music of 'Bas Ek Pal' was in fact ready before Onir [director of 'Bas Ek Pal'] got an idea to create a song around a situation when Sanjay Suri and Urmila Matondkar separate in the film. He wanted a 'judaai' song with a difference unlike the conventional sad separation numbers we have been used to hearing. Onir didn't mention directly what he had in mind but explained his vision. Basically he wanted a slow number to compliment the situation and this is when I threw an idea about 'Tere Bin'. Now this was a song that I had made for an album on TIPS where Atif and I are working together as a singer and composer. On hearing it, Onir said that he wanted the song by all means. He and Shailesh [producer of 'Bas Ek Pal'] approached TIPS and this is how we got the rights of the song.

Wow, the song has really traveled a lot. And how about the lyrics of the song?
Well, Sayeed Quadri saab had done the lyrics for the private album I was talking about. Looking at the film's situation and overall look and feel, he reworked on the lyrics, changed the lyrics and made 'Tere Bin' a fresh track that would suit the film's narrative. Also, I changed the arrangements a little.


Going a little off tangent, an album by you, Atif and Sayeed Quadri sounds really exciting. When is it coming?
The album comes in December and it has in total 8 songs. The album isn't focused on any particular genre and in fact even Atif has sung differently with compliments coming in that he has never sounded anything like that before. He has sung in husky tone for a ballad song which is quite held back. We had earlier composed two songs but now 'Tere Bin' has gone to 'Bas Ek Pal'. We would be recording the remaining tracks once Atif is back in September end.


Coming back to your work, how did you enter the Bollywood music scene?
'Bas Ek Pal' is my first original album for which I have composed two songs. Before this I had recreated the original versions [and not remixes] of 'Woh Lamhe' [Zeher] and 'Aadat' [Kalyug]. Mukesh Bhatt had introduced me and Atif and I really liked his voice, diction, tone and rendition. It was just a matter of some time before a strong rapport was built between both of us.

And how did the private album with him happen?
When this TIPS album was being planned, Atif wanted to create his own music apart from singing. On the other hand I wanted to create something of my own rather than rearranging songs. I said that I just wanted him to listen to my compositions once and if he got interested we would take it forward. He heard them and there has been no looking back since!


Talking about a different topic altogether, what do you have to say about music piracy? You must be aware that 'Tere Bin' is freely available for download and is being easily played in offices, colleges etc.!
At this point of time in my career when I have just started, it doesn't disturb me much as a creative person. That's because it gives me satisfaction from the fact that the song is being downloaded and listened since it is being liked. It gives you a high when people all over the world hear a song and compliment you for your work or someone up there in London calls from a chat show and says that 'Tere Bin' is the best song he/she has ever heard. Yes, agreed that business wise it doesn't make sense for those who have invested in the creation of the song. Today I am happy looking at the positive side of things rather than seeing anything in a negative light!

Written by Asad Raza

"Breaking news: Akhtar has been left out of the squad selected for the South African tour." As perilously astonishing as that statement might seem, with the recent catastrophes that have ascended upon the already heavily battered PCB ship; such statements no longer bring about the panic in the hearts of the Pakistani fans as they used to in the past.

Nearly everyone will unanimously agree that the whole 'doping scandal' was handled poorly by the PCB to say the least, placing the futures of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif in limbo. Mohammad Asif is quite young, and because of his ignorance in regards to doping laws, he may be able to get away without much heat. It seems as though some elements within the PCB have a certain disliking for Akhtar, which is evident from a remark made by one of the initial three-member panel formed to review Asif and Akhtar's case. Alam said (about Akhtar): "He drinks alcohol, has an active sex life and he's been part of anti-doping awareness programmes."

It is against my understanding as to what consumption of alcohol and having an active sex life have anything to do with a drug investigation. It is obvious from statements like these that there is opposition to Akhtar's inclusion in the Pakistani side within the PCB at the highest level. Akhtar had claimed earlier that he is fit and ready for selection, however, that decision is made by the selection committee. It is imperative that the selection committee is comprised of unbiased, level-headed representatives who do not hold personal grudges against the players, nor favor nepotism.

My personal speculation is that if Akhtar had been selected for the tour, WADA might have been aggravated further. Despite the fact that Asif was responsible for the consumption of drugs, there is enough evidence of his ignorance and lack of understanding of such laws and regulations to escape the axe. Akhtar on the other hand, has been playing international cricket for over 10 years, and a strong case exists to legally indite him on all charges.

Personally, I am not a big fan of Akhtar, mostly because I believe that although he has the pace, charm and attitude of a fast bowler, he is no Wasim or Waqar. However, I do believe that the way PCB has treated him over the last few years is less than respectful. Although it may sound like a conspiracy theory, I believe that PCB is hoping that by dropping Akhtar, WADA's focus may shift towards Akhtar's case, which may result in his ban, while the charges against Asif may be abdicated. Hence, PCB's long standing opposition against Akhtar may work out favorably, while the new talent remains intact.

Tanya Shafi

How would you react if I call you a diva?
Well, I€™d be amused because I don€™t consider myself as one. But people call others all kinds of things; I have no issues with that. Being a diva depends on how everyone perceives the definition of it. Frankly, I don€™t see myself as a diva at all. I am very realistic and practical person.

So, what€™s your definition of a €˜diva€™?
When I think of a diva, I think of a larger than life personality.

Who do you see as a diva in showbiz fraternity?
I don€™t see any diva here. (Pause) I do see a lot of aspiring divas though (Laughs). But I think a real diva is Sherry Rehman. I don€™t look a diva as a fashion or a beauty icon; I look at them as women who really have it in their hands to make a difference in the world. There is an aunt of mine in particular, Beena Munir, who, I think, is a queen of all divas. In fact, most of the people in my aunt€™s side of the family are very amazing and larger than life personalities and can absolutely hold the attention of an entire room of 100 people. They have wit, they are educated, they are entertainers of the first order et al. Even my cousins are divas in the making. I am bit of a slob and have never wanted to be a glamorous person. I am really not into this whole €˜thing€™. I should not be saying this here because I am the spokesperson for Pond€™s and they want me to come across as a glamorous person, but I think they have chosen me because of the kind of work that I have done up till and that€™s why many people like you would initially perceive me as a diva.

At what age a female model in Pakistan should technically quit?
Well, whenever people stop using her. I mean I don€™t think that anybody should decide when a girl should retire when they are still being hired. I recently saw the shoot of Seemi Pasha somewhere and I think she looked great. I feel so happy for her because when I entered the industry she was not only my senior but also took me so personally like I was her child. I just love that woman from all my heart and soul. Now, every time I see her on print or billboard I feel nothing but happy for her. As far as I am concerned, if she is still making good money and there is a market for her then why should she quit?

You are giving an impression that you are not going to quit modeling in near future?
Yes, as long as older models are in the mix, I can slap on as many years as I am younger than them. I am just 31, if a 36 year old is still getting shoots and other assignments, you can easily add up to at least 5 more years in my modeling career.
Quite frankly, I haven€™t really enjoyed any of this work. I never enjoyed acting either. But it was a business decision after a while. I may not have really enjoyed doing my job, it was good money. Honestly, this was the only thing that I could do at that moment. I have interests but they are not solid interest that one can stick a career path on. As for continuing modeling now, I mean when I am being paid really well then why not? I have always tried really hard to look after myself and not take anything from anybody, so that gives me an ultimate sense of high.

ZQ told me in an interview that €œthere are only two words to describe the new girls in the fashion industry: Cocky and Over Confident€, to what extent would you agree to her?
I don€™t entirely agree. She might be referring to a couple of girls. I have said this thing to death and I am saying this again, in every job description you have to allow for a full spectrum of personalities. You will find cocky and overconfident girls in banking, medicine, education et al. I also feel that ZQ is kind of person who welcomes everybody she meets, so if someone doesn€™t respond to her in a similar fashion than this is going to upset her. That€™s why she must have shared such views about the new girls with you. As far as I am concerned, I am generally very distant person. I will smile and be there if there is any genuine issue but I am not big on finding out other€™s entire life histories. I have come across some new talents myself and I have found some great kids that I love madly. I am very excited about the new crop. I don€™t think at all that when ZQ said that she was referring to people Zhalay, Rabia, Faiza etc. They are brilliant all rounder girls and a powerhouse of talent. I just personally really want them to get ahead. I take it very personally when anyone tries to get them for less money or be nasty about them. I think these are your next generation of very chilled out, solid and good girls.

ZQ also said that these girls try to undercut and outdo each other by charging rock bottom prices. It€™s not only denting the market of the senior models, but also their own in the long term. How much would you agree to this one?
If your senior girls are still doing billboards and shoots and all for free then what do you expect from the newcomers. Do you think anybody got paid for the

FTV billboard?
However, there is a barter system and a concept that if I give the impression of being really popular in the press and be on the covers and every other pages of fashion magazine bla bla bla that will attract the real heavy paying work; the big ads, the big serials etc. That€™s the business mould that has now been set and was actually imported from Lahore. I think that as much I am going to piss people of by saying this there will be a lot of people who will be supporting me on this point. Call us lazy or whatever, we, the Karachi girls, were not that happy with this whole concept of doing a lot of free work. But now, that virus has been transmitted to this city as well because what do you do? How do you combat it? You are an up and coming model and you are seeing the same three girls on every flipping cover day in and day out and you are charging and now one is hiring you then you are soon going to figure it out that okay I better need to start working for free a little bit more. Everybody has dropped their standard to a certain degree. I don€™t say that I haven€™t got paid for most of the work I have done. If I am working with someone that I know is going to make me look drop dead gorgeous and give me a cover I am ready to discount my price or I do that one for free for you but you catch another shoot for me that pays me an arm and a leg to compensate me for that. But that€™s not really professional you see and it make it near impossible for the new ones to make it in the industry.

Talking of Lahore, what€™s your take on this whole Karachi-Lahore rivalry and the Fashion Council controversy?
I would strictly want to steer myself far away from this whole politics.

You seem to be having many issues with professionalism in fashion industry.
For this you have to first look at the country as a whole. No one understands the meaning of the professionalism darling from top to bottom so who the hell are we?
How did you land in your show, €˜Silver Screen€™?
Well, it was Khalid Surti€™s brain child and Khalid and Khusro Mumtaz, who has been writing for DAWN as a movie critic for a long time, are good friends. He wanted him to anchor this show but as Khusro had never been in front of the camera before, he was looking for a co host who would be familiar with the camera. One day he was just flitting through TV channels and he happened to catch somebody taking an interview of me and asking me about my favorite movie and I was talking about €˜Gladiator€™ as usual and how the movies starts and ends with pretty much the same shot and music, and he was like okay this is my co-host. Then he called me and as far as I am concerned a person€™s dynamic on a phone and how professional they sound on a phone can make or break a situation. Either I have hated you on a first sentence and I am not giving you anytime or you have handled me right and I will go with it.

His whole approach to this show is very professional; I have never had an issue with payments, timing etc. It has gone so smoothly and we are about to start our fourth season and I have enjoyed it thoroughly because it€™s me talking about a topic that is generally intriguing to me. I come from a very opinionated family, God bless us, and with this show I have got a very solid platform to express my opinions.

Where do you yourself in next 5 years?
It seems that everybody just loves this question. I have absolutely no clue. I am working with AAJ TV and helping them launch a new channel which is a youth oriented channel targeting to FM89 type of market. I am very comfortable with doing the channel work that I am doing with this channel. It is the most sought after media group out of all the media conglomerates, barring only the DAWN group. I have been dealt with the right people from day one. Not only they are paying me well but making me learn on their time and money. So for next few years, I am all set.

You seem to be pretty much done with acting?
Yea I am pretty much done with it. Only if I get a damn good telefilm with a kick ass script and it is coming from people I respect and wouldn€™t mind working with then I will be excited about it. But I am done with the soap operas and serials because I am not ready to spend two three months of my life with horrific make up, terrifying clothes, boiling locations, inane characters and asinine scripts.

Ather Shahzad or Khawar Riaz? And Why?
I think both Ather Shahzad and Khawar are like at the top, they are the best. I think they do amazing work, I think they are unbelievably sound in the technical departments. They can make a bull terrier look like Cindy Crawford. I have had a lot more interaction with Ather Shahzad and I am very comfortable in Ather Shahzad€™s salon because the people there are very sweet. I am madly fond of Ather. I really think that if there is something as heaven, wings and hallows, Ather is going to be definitely donning those wings and hallows and going to heaven. He is an angel. I have never heard that man saying anything negative about anything or anyone, which in this industry is HUGE; you have to do it because you are driven to do it. It€™s just natural to this man to be an angel.

Nabila or Tariq Amin? And Why?
Ooh! You cannot possibly ask me this question. I have known Tariq all my life. My family€™s relationship with his family goes back to four or three generations. My God! I love him madly. Any issue that I have had in my life, from ridiculous to sublime, he, Faiza, kids and all the paltan have been there for me.

As for Nabila, the day I had started working with her, we just hit off. I met her on my second assignment and since then there have been no fallout between me and her, both professionally and personally. I think she is really aesthetically sound in many ways and now I have come to the point where I have such a long strong personal relationship with both of them that it€™s impossible for me to choose among them.

Sushmita Sen or Ashwarya Rai? And Why?
Sush anyway. Ashwarya really annoys me. I find her very fake. God knows may be in real life it may be the other way round but she comes across as very plastic in interviews. On the other hand, Sushmita is very spontaneous in her interviews. Not only that, I just love her. I am just crazy about her. She is elegant, she is cool. As for Ash, I am really not into that look and not into that prototype personality.

Vinny, Iraj or ZQ?
ZQ. ZQ. ZQ all the way. She is like a sister to me; she comes and stays with me whenever she can.

On a final note
Both fashion publications and journalists have a long way to go. I think what everybody needs to get their heads around is identity. Magazines should follow a certain theme, which is a basic element for any fashion magazine and that€™s why I say that both fashion journalists and magazines have a long way to go. But in general, we all have a long way to go in the fashion industry.

annie



Ainee was fifteen when she realized that music was her true calling. In Pakistan for summer break, like most Non Resident Pakistani children, she was in Sarghoda when she attended a fund raising concert for Abrar€"ul€"Haq's charity. At that time she confesses to have never heard of him before. Bearing the heat she went to meet the Pakistani celebrity and a brief chat with Abrar had her declaring her love for music. In a wild stroke of luck, Abrar invited her to open one of his shows.

"I was like a bachi!" she exclaims in a cute cockney accent. "I just turned 19 this month so this was like four years ago. I was like a little baby!" she exclaims. "So I was standing there in my pink shalwar kameez singing Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On' and it was awesome. There were almost ten, twenty thousand people there and I had never done it before. To be honest, I had never sung live. And that's when I was like, 'Yeah! I love this. I wanna do this for the rest of my life.' That was the turning point. Even though I was a nobody, to get that kind of applause was like a natural high. I can't explain it. It was just like a buzz, an adrenalin rush, I was buzzing for a whole week after that."

After experiencing the intoxicating rush of performing live, this adamant 15€"year old decided that singing was what she wanted. Her parents were very supportive and got her an ustaad with whom she started vocal exercises, with the harmonium. Noor€"ul€"Ain was born in Lahore, but her family moved to England when she was six months old. Growing up in East London ("I'm a local Eastender") she was in her own words, a drama queen. "I was the one that had the loudest voice, and I was always the one who wanted the most attention in the family. I was really loud. I was singing, dancing and acting since I was this much," she points to the floor. Realizing her passion, her parents enrolled her into acting and dance classes.

That was four years ago and Ainee has grown up since. Back in Pakistan, she's dressed ethnically in a khaddi kurta and khussas. She could be your average teenager, brought up on a healthy dose of Britney Spears and rebellious body piercing. "It's real, you know" she exclaims pulling at her facial stud. "Most people think it's a stick€"on, but it's real." And with all the western garb going on, Ainee likes to call herself a 'Made in Pakistan' product. "I'm proud of that," she says with an energetic smile. And four years after her first encounter with a Pakistani pop artist, Ainee now claims to have her finger on the pulse; she now knows her music industry so well. "I make sure I know," she says with a spark of interest. "I've done my homework."

Ainee has formally moved to Lahore, while her family is back home in England. She needs to be here as her album has hit the market and she's getting a lot of shows. "Slowly but surely I met the right people," she comments, giving credit to the people who gave her a boost. My dad introduced me to Sohail Abbas." Sohail Abbas is the man who came up with the composition, arrangement and music to 'Mahiya', the song that has undoubtedly made Ainee big. "He is a real musical genius," she says. "I owe a lot to him and my lyricists Shahzad Khokar, Raju Raheel and the whole team at sound station studios in Gulberg Lahore. We just clicked straight away and I started making songs."

Up for a racy debut, the only difficulty Ainee really faced was getting comfortable with the Urdu language. And raised in England, that didn't come easily to her. What it did manage to do, however, was pitch her amidst a genre of 21st century pop music that was bilingual. It started with Abrar-ul-Haq's 'Sanu Terey Naal' in Pakistan and the trend is spreading like wild fire with hits like Omar Inayat's 'Tenu Le Ke Jana' and Abbas Ali Khan's 'Teri Yaad'. Then of course there are international successes like Raghav and Bombay Rockers.

Ainee did manage to put a lot of Urdu in her album, she says, but she works in English as she's targeting a broader market. However she agrees that without being a success among the masses of Pakistan, you are not really a success. "Of course, I can't forget the masses. The masses are most important." And in an eruption of excitement she squeals that it's wonderful when she finds wagon€"wallas playing 'Mahiya'. "All classes like my songs" she says. "So I'm not targeting a specific audience. Everybody is my target audience." And to target this audience Ainee has kept the lyrics simple. In fact, they jump from simple to cheesy. She sheepishly agrees. "They're really cheesy in a way but it's ok to be cheesy, you know. Cheesy is always good. Cheesy sells, cheesy always sells!" she laughs heartily. And despite being that, it has managed to sell her album.

The song was made this time last year, and the video in July. It's been six months since it's been airing and it's increasing everyday. She marvels at her success, "Someone told me once that it's going to spread like a bush fire, it will take time but slowly and surely it'll spread and it'll become an epidemic."

Spot on prediction. "He was actually right. In the beginning it wasn't all that but slowly people started to accept it and it started to spread. And it's still spreading. It's more popular now than it was when it was first released!" she gushes.

Very few new artists are lucky to have their first single to be such a hit. Based on that one song, she's had a pretty chill entry into the music industry. Record companies have approached her, Indian record companies are calling her, asking for demos and she's getting a lot of television and international shows. "It's just one song, just one and I am getting so much recognition," she marvels at her own success.

A success no doubt, but doesn't she think it's because it's an annoying song that just sticks to your head? She laughs heartily at the question, "It is annoying," she admits, "That's a good sign you know. If the song is annoying it's always good." Yup, good enough to sell albums. This one song is good enough for her album to sell like hot cakes.

From the phenomenal success of the song we come to its bad video. "It was shot in Thailand even though people say that it was showing Dubai, some even say that it was shot in Canada," she laughs, "No, Canada is freezing and Thailand is great. Unfortunately we weren't able to capture the beauty of Thailand which was a shame but still you know, it got the airplay that it needed so that's all that matters." The "to be continued..." that's shown at the end of the video was just put there, there is no follow€"up video. Clever marketing move because people are now actually looking forward to the next video.

The next video will be a performance based one, directed by Sohail Javed and shot on 35mm. It was a part of her record deal and is of the title song, 'Princess', the only song of the album which was worked on by Mekaal Hasan, on Khalid Sadaf's insistence. It's a glamourised performance based video "It's just glamorous clothes and glamorous backdrops, it's completely performance based and it's really good," she says. "I know because he played me a two minute clip, even though its against his rule. He bend them for me," she adds happily. Even though high on glamour, the dance is a little toned down because she prefers to play it safe adding that people here tend to look down upon that kind of stuff.

It is high time Pakistani girls have fun while singing and not worry about 'what people will say'. Ainee is definitely breaking ground here for upcoming female pop artistes as she is being accepted for her groovy style which is definitely a break from heavy ladies garishly dressed singing about their 'Mahiyas'. There is still some time before she can do a Britney Spear€"ish video, but it's not that far. And as far as all the slack regarding 'Mahiya' is concerned, "People who don't like it don't have to watch it. I'm not trying to be provocative. I'm just a girl who likes to sing and dance. That's it. I'm not trying to be anything. I'm just being myself." Even though she's had people come up to me her and say bad things to her face, she's put that all behind. "I use to cry in the beginning but not anymore, because it's part of the game. I hope to change this concept now. I'm trying, but I can't do it alone I need more help from other females."

Even though she hasn't been approached to sign up for the Association of Music professionals of Pakistan (AMPP) that is in the making, she is very excited about the idea. It is obvious she feels strongly about this, "We can unite together and fight!" She says enthusiastically in true teen spirit. Mostly she is enthusiastic about royalties; as far as money goes she doesn't find the field too lucrative. "I got a really good video out of my deal, but that's just about it. I haven't got anything else, and my album cost me about five lakhs. I haven't really gotten anything back in return as far as cash goes but I did get a good video, so I am happy with that. But at the same time, we should not be begging our record labels to give us stuff; they should be able to respect us enough to know what we deserve."

Pakistani musicians have gotten on to the international bandwagon and are making inroads into the Pakistani and Indian communities living all over the world. And Ainee, is one savvy teenager who knows where it's at. If you're big in Pakistan, you're big among Pakistanis all over the world, and being an expat Ainee's realizing how that cookie crumbles. 'Mahiya' is quite big in the international circuit especially in her local East End as her friends are promoting it and college guys and girls are downloading it off the internet. The album will be released in May in England and she'll be doing a video there shortly. Her genre of Pakistani pop will definitely work for Pakistanis abroad, but not in the mainstream. But you never know, she says, maybe one day.

India is so far unchartered territory, though negotiations are on for a possible summer release. She plays it down though, "For me India is not like, oh my God India, it's like any other country. I'm willing to go anywhere to promote my music whether that'd be India or Africa so it's not that I'm gonna follow in other people's footsteps and leave Pakistan behind. Pakistan is always number one."

After giving the Pakistani audience a fresh new approach to singing and dancing Ainee wants to host a non glamorous TV show at some point. She has hosted shows for a TV network a couple of years ago but wants to host her own show that represents youngsters in Pakistan. "Not youngsters like you and me but I'm talking about the masses. Kids in villages, they have fun, they have activities, they sing. So it'll be how they have fun, what they do, I want to get into that. Everyone has glamorous shows. I wanna talk about the other side of life."

Not just a pretty face, which is good enough anyway, Ainee's got a good head on her shoulders. Yes, and all those curls help too. Her album just released and is doing well, touring USA with RDB and Atif, and RDB remixing one of her songs, things are looking up for Noor-ul-Ain. Hopefully, this also means that things look up for the dreadful female pop scene, which after Hadiqa has been on a downward with almost all female artistes managing to look and sound like each other. Whatever Ainee's style is, at least she has some and as far Pakistani pop goes, it is definitely original.

Pakistani Man Loses Ears & Nose For Love Marriage

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Multan, Pakistan- Armed men cut off the ears and nose of a Pakistani man who married one of their tribe for love after he and his family refused to hand over his wife, police said on Wednesday.
The attackers also chopped the ears off the man's brother and severed his mother's hand in the latest "honour" crime to hit Pakistan's conservative rural areas.

Such crimes, including killings, are common in areas where marriages without the consent of girls' families are still taboo under centuries-old tribal and feudal traditions.

Mohammad Iqbal's wife, Shehnaz, was not at home when about 15 armed members of her clan attacked in the central city of Multan on Tuesday, demanding she be turned over.

"The assailants, who were armed with small arms, daggers and axes, tortured Iqbal and cut off his ears and nose when he refused to produce Shenhaz," Naeem-ul-Hassan, a deputy superintendent of police, told Reuters.

"They dragged us on the floor and thrashed us before cutting our limbs," Mohammad Yasin, Iqbal's brother told Reuters from Nishtar hospital, where he was being treated along with his brother and mother.

Shehnaz married Iqbal out of choice last year and the couple left Multan along with Iqbal's family apparently for fear of reprisals from Shehnaz's relatives.

The family returned to Multan recently to celebrate the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, marked on Monday.

Police have arrested five suspects, Hassan said.

Human rights groups say about 1,000 people are killed in honour-related crimes every year in Pakistan. In some cases, women who marry against their families' will and their in-laws are disfigured as punishment.

First Sikh officer in Pakistan Army

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, 19, of the Nankana Sahib, is the first Pakistani Sikh in the country's 58-year history who has been commissioned in the Pakistan Army as an officer.

The minorities in Pakistan are allowed to sit in all examinations, including the one conducted by Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB), but neither a Hindu nor a Sikh could get selected for the army service since the country's inception. However, many Christians served in the army.

Harcharan was skeptical this year while appearing in the ISSB's preliminary tests, thinking that such examinations were not meant for them (Sikhs) as he could not get through the initial phase last year.

"This year, I got through the preliminary phase and appeared in the ISSB examination. However, I was mentally prepared to take admission in BA (Architecture) in the National College of Arts".

"It was the happiest moment of my life when I came to know about my selection in the army. I am privileged to have this honour which none of my predecessors could ever achieve," Harcharan told Dawn.

Harcharan, who passed his FSc (pre-engineering) in 2004 with 726 marks, wants the government to open the doors for his community to the law enforcing agencies as well.

Harcharan passed his matriculation from the Government Gurunank High School, Nankana Sahib, with 677 marks. He says that his school should be equipped with modern laboratory and competent teaching staff.

He says when his fellow Sikhs in Nankana Sahib learnt about his selection in the army they really felt proud of him. It has also changed their perception. Now they believe that young Sikhs have a fair chance to join the country's most prestigious institutions.

Having a younger brother and three elder sisters, he wants his brother to follow suit. He says after the death of his father, a shopkeeper, some seven years ago, the credit of their education goes to his mother. "My mother wants me to earn a good name for the country."

He says that his family migrated to the Northern Areas at the time of partition and in 1970s shifted to Nankana.

irmran Abbas€œl think I made the transition from a model to an actor at the right time. Male models who have stuck to modelling are now gradually fading away. I don€™t know what other alternatives they have because it€™s too late for them to start acting now,€ says Imran Abbas candidly while stretching his legs comfortably on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon in Karachi.

Imran was the proverbial boy-next-door who had no idea that his first shoot with Khawar Riaz would catapult him to fame and popularity within a very short span of time. Everything fell in place perfectly and with it some bankable acting assignments also started coming his way, bringing him the opportunity to display his capabilities as an actor.

So was it a lack of scope in modelling that led him to change careers? €œIf a model has to make a transition into acting then why wait? It is risky when people typecast you as only a model. I never wanted that to happen to me. Even some of our most sought after model-turn-actresses like Vinnie and ZQ, after acting for so long, are still looked upon as models and not actresses,€ he says.

Contrary to common belief, Imran feels that there is no need for new entrants to get admission in any of the fashion camps to make it big in the industry. €œMany models have been launched in style this way and have quickly disappeared from the scene. I don€™t want to take any names here but it€™s not important for a model to look like a Greek god or to be on the cover of every other magazine. What counts in the end is the overall personality and the ability to communicate effectively in public, have an attitude and above all, brains.

€œBeing launched by Khawar Riaz did help me initially, but I don€™t owe my entire success to him. One€™s mentor has a limited role in one€™s success and I think he can just take you to the starting point of the race. You have to run the rest of the marathon entirely by yourself and I was no exception,€ he says.

Referring to the new crop of models, Imran makes a point to say that they have no clue where they are going. They try to outdo each other by lowering their fees to rock-bottom level in exchange for C-grade work. €œMale models have always been taken for granted in Pakistan and the newcomers are spoiling the market for the senior lot who have worked so hard to defy this trend.€

€˜Being launched by Khawar Riaz did help me initially, but I don€™t owe my entire success to him. One€™s mentor has a limited role in one€™s success and I think he can just take you to the starting point of the race. You have to run the rest of the marathon entirely by yourself and I was no exception,€™ says Imran Abbas

Can he picture himself playing typical roles in the new breed of Indian soap opera-inspired Pakistani dramas? €œI think it is very sad that our dramas are getting Indianised. But I think our characters are almost the same so I personally have no issues with playing such characters, as long as it gives me an ample margin to perform.

Our television dramas are still better than those aired on Indian TV. I am strictly against directors and writers who copy the Indian style of writing and presentation in order to market their products, regardless of the intricate details and aesthetics of drama which happened to be our forte.€

After a brief pause, he adds: €œOne thing that I would like to mention here is that our private TV channels have contributed significantly to this trend €" they only want dramas that are structured along the lines of Indian soaps. Also, they make sure that only Indian faces dominate the promotion campaigns of co-produced dramas whereas our actors are relegated to the backseat.

I have just finished one such co-production and one private TV channel strictly demanded that the promo shall only show the well-known Indian pair of Kashish and Sujhal, and none of the Pakistani actors. I think that€™s not fair as I strongly feel that our own TV channels are letting us down just because with Indian faces they can attract a better number of ads. The worst part is that instead of building up the image of our stars the same channel also airs a show based on baseless gossip about us, and finds it humorous and interesting to run down Pakistani artistes and tarnish their image,€ says Imran.

So how does he react to gossip about him and his work? €œI hear many baseless rumors about me but I realize that if I am talked about it means I am not an ordinary person.

€œI have always tried to strike a balance between acting and modelling. When I was nominated for an LSA I was not an ideal contender because I had not done anything big in that particular year. Besides, I don€™t really care about such things. For me, awards and recognition are superficial things and the LSA is more of an event or ad campaign, giving everyone a chance to get dressed up and chill out. I don€™t need to comment on the credibility of these awards because everyone already knows about it.€

Steering the conversation towards a more optimistic note, I ask Imran about his upcoming projects. He says that he is doing Haider Imam Rizvi€™s next serial opposite Indian actress Dia Mirza, a serial by Evernew Pictures, a musical serial written by Bushra Ansari, and shooting for Faheem Burney€™s next serial with some other Indian co-stars. He has also completed Haseena Moin€™s Tere Aajane Se and a serial, Kinara, which will be aired soon.

€œI won€™t be here for long since I believe in constant exploration of one€™s inner self. For me, inner peace and self-fulfillment is my first priority, something which showbiz cannot provide me with.

I plan to say farewell to showbiz in the next couple of years and pursue a career in architecture. These days I am planning to go abroad for a degree in architecture and leave Karachi and move to Islamabad. My temperament has some direct conflicts with this ultra fast city, where people literally work like restless juggernauts,€ says Imran Abbas, springing a surprise at the end of the conversation.

In Retrospect: Top 10 best Pakistani music videos of 2006 [Jang Article]