Adil Najam

I should confess that one of the posts that I had most fun writing for ATP – and one that I myself go back to often – was our original homage to the movie Maula Jatt.

The title I had used then was ‘Nawa aaya hai, soonia’ which, of course, is the hallmark line from the movie. At that time I had not been able to find a clip where this wonderful line is so wonderfully delivered by Mustafa Qureshi (Noori Natt in the movie). I have found that clip now and wanted to share it with you.

The clip that I had included in the earlier post was, I think, a very good exemplar of the ‘juGGat’ style of dialogue and ‘baRak’ style of delivering dialogue, but it is this current clip that demonstrates the art-form at its best.

By Darwaish

If you are living in Lahore, Karachi or any big city of Pakistan, you must have seen the beggar children with a broken arm or amputated legs or a bleeding organ at every traffic signal. During last 3-4 years, the number of such children and adults in every big city has increased alarmingly. They knock at the car windows and people generally give them money immediately just to avoid looking at them because they are in such a bad shape.

I have seen people just lying on a side of roads with both their legs and arms amputated and somehow they drag themselves around and we, the people from passing by cars, throw some coins at them. There are variety of cases, from severe burns to bleeding organs. I have even seen one young guy near Barkat Market, Lahore (near that famous fresh juice shop) with part of his skull fractured and I could actually see some part of his brain.

By Bilal Zuberi

A marathon is more than just another race. For history buffs, the name “marathon” supposedly comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek soldier who, according to legend, was sent from the town of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been miraculously defeated in the Battle of Marathon. It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping, but moments after proclaiming his message to the city, he collapsed dead tired.

But more importantly, those who train and then run in a marathon develop a mindset that truly distinguishes them from others: its about patience, discipline, strength, and stamina. Marathon runners develop a laser sharp focus, and by training for a single long distance (42.2 kms) race, they develop an apreciation for long hard struggles that one often faces.

No, I am not a marathon runner, but I seriously admire those who participate in this endurance sport. My partner in business does run the Boston marathon, and I admire his discipline in training. He trains rigorously and steadfastly for months, watches his weight, his heart beat, and his timing, leading up to the event itself which lasts more than 4-5 hours even for some of the best non-professional runners. Truth be told, I am yet to come across a marathon runner who has not felt a positive impact of the sport on their life, and if I had any additional energy left for a physical sport, I would certainly consider taking it on.