The Pakistani-American Association (PAA) has scheduled its traditional annual dinner and Iftaar for December 11, 1999 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Glen Eden Community Center in Raleigh. Also, at the dinner elections will be held for the year 2000 Executive Committee (EC).

PAA takes this election seriously and to an outsider the voting process might resemble the actual elections of a city or county. The term of office for EC is one year from January 1 to December 31 of each calendar year.  The five positions elected are: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Social Affairs Coordinator. The election is conducted by a secret ballot. Any adult member over 16 years of age is eligible to vote and no proxy is allowed.  An Election Commissioner who is appointed by the EC, but who cannot be the candidate in the election, conducts the process. This year Nadeem Iqbal is the Chief Election Commissioner. 

The general trend among the PAA members has been apathetic and they generally do not come forward to serve in the EC. To be a member of EC is a challenging task that takes a lot of time and hard work. The result is a lack of takers. Some have refused nominations on the plea that they have no time. Assuming others would be less busy.  In the past, same members have repeatedly been rotated as EC officers because they were able to volunteer their personal time and efforts for the PAA. 

The general feeling now is that PAA should truly become a community organization and several improvements are needed to achieve this goal. New people who have not served in the EC before are being encouraged to participate in the election. There is a need to induct people in next year’s EC and bring fresh ideas and new insights towards improving things. Candidates from Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh are highly being encouraged to come forward and take part.

Nominations from some candidates were received at a recent EC meeting held on November 5, 1999. These names were Mujahid Hussain for President, Ahsen Salim for Vice president and Asif Rasheed for Secretary. This does not by any means imply that the nominations are closed. More nominations are anticipated on the actual Election Day of December 11th. Nominations can also be faxed to Nadeem Iqbal at 919-468-6856 or mailed to PO Box 5612, Cary, NC 27512. No nominations for the post of Social Coordinator and Treasurer have yet been received. It is hoped that the female members who are full of talents but often shy away from being an EC officer will fill these two positions. The new EC need not have the label of being all male oriented and should be ready to face the challenge of the new millenium.

Sham-e-Ghazal with Munni Begum, Ghulam Abbas and Shahzad Raja
by Nauman Faridi

We have recently moved from Mobile, Alabama where the closest we ever got to a Pakistani artist show was watching a video.  So, getting ready for Munni Begum’s concert on Friday, November 12, 1999 was very exciting for us. The turnout at the Double Tree Club Hotel was impressive and the hall was jam packed with about 250 people. The bar at the back really helped some to get in the mood. The show started with Ghulam Abbas accompanied on tabla by Shahzad Raja singing the well-known song, “Ek baar milo hamse sau baar melen ge ham,” from his recordings. Ghulam Abbas has a great voice and this was my first time listening to him. The way he rendered ghazals that evening proved him to be a true Mehdi Hasan student. Later in the evening, Munni Begum made her appearance on the stage. She was a great hit and her performance was simply smashing which included some well-known ghazals : “awargee mein had se guzar jana chahiye” and “tumhare shehr ka mausam bara suhaana lagey  Mein ek shaam chura lun agar bura na lagey.”  After the interval, Shehzad Raja performed solo on the tabla for several minutes without taking a break. The public went crazy and everyone clapped with the “taal.” Last song by Munni Begum, “jhoom barabar jhoom sharabee,” was applauded with continuous clapping from the audience. The show ended after midnight and everyone seemed pleased with the performance. Even my eleven-week-old son listened to every song and ghazal quietly and attentively that evening.

A Talk with Ghulam Abbas: Pakistani Singer
by Asif Rashid 

It was exciting to meet and talk with the Pakistani artist Ghulam Abbas when he came to Raleigh to perform on November 12. He told me that he arrived in the US on November 7th and his performances were also scheduled in Canada, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Washington, DC and Detroit. Ghulam Abbas was born in Jhang, Pakistan. In addition to his sensitive and versatile renderings of ghazals, he has also recorded hundreds of film songs. He is renowned not only in Pakistan, but also in Europe, USA, Canada, Africa and the Middle East.

He completed his schooling in Multan and studied for his Master’s degree in Urdu from Lahore. His favorite poet is Meer Taqi Meer. Ghulam Abbas started his musical career in 1971 singing songs for the Pakistani movie Ajnabi. He had received 158 various awards for his singing. His music teacher was Ustad Ismail Khan who interestingly enough also tutored Mehdi Hasan. Ghulam Abbas learned to compose music from Nasir Bazmi and harmonium from Tassaduq Shahid. He does not appear happy with the current music scene in Pakistan because most young artists there lack dedication and do not work hard enough to excel. Lastly, Ghulam Abbas commented that he likes the audience in the US because they appreciate his singing style.

Gharara Party in Raleigh
by Julita Malikasim

Rashda Faridi and Seema Faruqi had invited me to a Pakistani Gharara Party on October 31, 1999 at East Gate Park in Raleigh.  Being from Malaysia and new to this area, I found this party to be lots of fun and very enjoyable. I found the Pakistani traditional outfit “gharara” to be truly beautiful, delicate and attractive. I could tell that Pakistani women were proud of their clothes. At this party people were clustered in-groups and many didn’t know each other. Very few stepped forward to acquaint themselves with new faces.  There was a game played, but I wished “getting-to-know-each-other” type of game could have taken its place.  I found the dances to be pleasing, and a skit hilarious even though I did not understand most of it. There was also a fashion competition between ladies and children. Overall, this party was very interesting for me. I was able to learn about the Pakistani culture: dances, poets, religion and people. I think it is a very good idea for Pakistani women to have such Ladies’ night, where everyone can express themselves without worrying about men.

It was Maleeha’s Day

On November 6th Maleeha celeberated her first birthday and Aqeeqa with all the dash and gusto. Her parents Farah and Farooq Agha had invited more than 200 guests to celebrate this wonderful occasion at the Glen Eden Community Center in Raleigh. The delicious food for all these 200 people was single handedly cooked in large quantities by Farah Agha. After the dinner, Maliha who looked beautiful dressed in pretty clothes cut the birthday cake for everyone. The party ended at 10 p.m.

Chughtai: A Pakistani Scholar-Artist
by Rashda Faridi

Abdur Rehman Chughtai was born on September 21, 1889 at Mohalla Chabuk Sawaran, in the old city of Lahore. He started his education at Chimney-Wali mosque and then went on to study art in Lahore and abroad. He achieved much fame and acclaim during his lifetime. He died at his birthplace in Lahore on January 17, 1975.

Chughtai was a great scholar-artist steeped in Mughal traditions and at the same time reached out curiously towards the sources of Western inspiration. Chughtai may be viewed as a sensitive mediator between the past and the present. One can see Mughal architecture displayed in his works: arches and splendid courtyards skillfully decorated with geometric and floral designs. He was the master of the delicate art of “naqqashi.” In his figures are smooth movements and controlled gestures to half-closed oriental eyes, beautiful long fingers, and slender figures wearing royal dresses. 

Chughtai grew up during the time of British cultural and political domination. He was able to recreate personages of arid atmosphere that reflected the refinement and grandeur of Mughal India. The miniature format was done away with and a whole cosmos of elegant and sublime figures were created, narrating implicit episodes. One of his paintings, “Jehangir and Nur Jehan,” shows not only elevated figures in marvelous costumes, composed in carefully balanced soothing harmonies; but also Chughtai’s great gifts in creating soft and mellow colorist compositions which reflect the politeness and cultural distinctions of the figures portrayed. Chughtai said, that he wanted to create a “classical” art in his homeland. He was the lover of the earth tones. Mellow oriental colors were laid down in broad decorative washes. He commented in his book: “The Lahore School of Painting”, that his paintings are related to his ancestors and also to the historic Islamic, Iranian and Mughal traditions.

Chughtai has enlivened the selected poetry of Mirza Ghalib by tracing his skilful, delicate and elegant art works in an exceptional way. Since Ghalib himself was an unparalleled Urdu poet, the task, which Chughtai has highlighted on the paper in colors, was challenging. It is not easy to trace Ghalib’s highly composed Urdu language; figuratively linguistic traces into picture forms with attained intelligence and gifted diligence. This great artwork is known as “Muraqqa-e-Chughtai” with full text of  Diwan-e-Ghalib and it also has a foreword by Allama Iqbal.

Sotheby’s of London and New York recently sold many of his paintings this last year alone. Chughtai’s paintings are highly desirable today in the artworld and is one of the most sought after artist. His painting of Radha and Krishna was sold in June of 1998 at Sotheby’s for $56,400 setting a new world record for Chughtai’s paintings. Pakistan has produced some great artists, but indeed Chughtai is “something else”, and his rarefied vision and universal appeal, merits as his son Arif Rehman Chughtai has been emphatically espousing for a number of years – the realization of the Chughtai Museum. The Museum trust already exists but is in need of more support.

Forthcoming Programs 

Annual Dinner and Iftaar Party followed by Elections for Next Executive Committee
On Saturday, December 11, 1999
At Glen Eden Community Center from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Details of the event are posted on the Forthcoming Events page