Raza Rumi

Mahboob Ali, is perhaps the only artist who has devoted his entire career to woodcut – an ancient technique of printmaking.A native Lahore-ite, and a graduate of the National College of Arts, he has not gained immense recognition at home and abroad. In his own words,

“this medium is very difficult, laborious and requires patience.”

However, Mahboob Ali has given new dimensions to his craft by increasing the number of colours used in printmaking to over 50 now. He carves and paints without the use of machines.

His labour of love has popularised this medium in Pakistan now. But his real forte, in my opinion is recording the rich heritage of Lahore’s walled city, otherwise a dying space of cultural history. Old Lahore lives within his work and interacts with modernity creating a dreamy ambience.

Bilal Zuberi

The bureaucracy and agencies of the government, as slow and tedious as they may be, should still get credit when they attempt to do something to make lives easier for the citizens. For example, we have praised PTCL in the past for providing an online service to pay phone/electric/gas utility bills online.

Now it is reported in The Daily Times that Pakistan Railways is attempting an outsourced process of selling train tickets. As per the report train tickets will now be available for purchase at post-offices, at least in a few parts of Pakistan. I have myself stood in long lines to buy tickets, and have dealt with black-market re-sellers that scalp tickets on festive occasions such as Eid on key train routes.

ATP has written often about delightful train journeys and stations across Pakistan (see here, here, here, here, here, here and here). I myself have wonderful memories of train travel with my family through Sindh, Punjab and to India via the Samjhota Express – despite all the hassles involved in the process. Maybe this step towards modernization of the system will encourage more people, especially the youth, to see more of Pakistan by taking the train.

Joint Post by Syed Ahsan Ali and Owais Mughal

Oops! The blue-eyed boy of Pakistan’s cricket team has done it again. This time hitting his team-mate by a cricket bat. Who said that we are an intolerant nation. It is utterly wrong. Look how oblivious we are of Mr. Shoaib Akhtar‘s failings. He misbehaved; we said he is a match-winner. He accused former greats for overshadowing his success; we said he is a match-winner. He tried to disrupt Inzamam‘s discipline over the team; we said he is a match-winner. He was caught using performance-enhancing drugs while whole world was saying him cheat and druggie; we said he is a match-winner. And now he hit his colleague on the thigh with a bat, disgracing the game, name of the country and fellow-colleagues, what would we do now? We hope this incident would get us out of our slumber and decide whether he is a menace or necessity for the team.