Lawn craze

It does not make sense to buy a lawn suit worth an average Pakistani family’s monthly income I believe we need to step back, resist the temptation and cut back on this lawn craze. As we bid adieu to our beloved warm winter clothes, the biggest hype of the year (every year) begins: lawn mania. And no, I'm not referring to the beautiful flowers that have started to bloom or the grass that has finally started to paint the city green. I'm referring to the most overrated and fussed-about part of spring/summer: designer lawn. There was once a time, some years back, when the light cotton fabric called lawn in Pakistan did not cost you a kidney (exaggeration intended). However, with the advent of designer lawn and the sudden upsurge of designers in every nook and corner of the country, selling lawn has transformed into a rat race. This has not only caused the fabric to become ridiculously expensive, but also the marketing activities employed to win the rat race are becoming increasingly frustrating. Anyone who follows Pakistani magazine accounts on Instagram would know what I'm talking about. The new addition to huge billboards is lawn collection launches, campaigns, exhibitions and the possibilities are endless. These events are attended by the handful elitist of the country who attend every such event and exclaim how wonderful and out of this world this year’s new collection of every mainstream designer is. This is irksome, because personally I see nothing extraordinary in the prints that was absent the preceding year. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a massive fan of pretty lawn prints and a loyal advocate of the notion "dress to impress", but the amount of hype these over-priced pieces of clothing is creating thanks to the numerous designer options available now is worrisome and hard to keep up with. Furthermore, the lavish marketing efforts come with a hefty cost, which is passed on to us consumers in the form of ‘premium prices’, which is rather funny as well as hypocritical, because many of these designers deny that they are an elitist brand while their prices convey a different message. Also, in a country where a considerable portion of the population tries to make ends meet in a PKR 15,000 salary, is that amount justified for a lawn suit that won't even last two seasons? What value would I get from spending that amount on a lawn suit that I can’t get from a less expensive lawn suit with an equally appealing print? I believe we need to step back, resist the temptation and cut back on this lawn craze. As for our very talented designers, you all need to calm down and stop sensationalizing a simple and classic piece of fabric that is worn for the longest period of time in the year, and has a special place in all Pakistani women’s hearts.

Writer: Ayesha Usman

Mocking "The Legend"

Mocking is wrong but the issue is something else...

A friend on Facebook updated his status on wall starting with "What a shame....." and he was concerned about the mocking of "Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan" on a private television show. He also stated that he consider it a crime.

I was thinking What has happened to the Muslim nation. Some joke against a slain singer make us angry enough to raise our voice against it in our limits, but disrespect of religious clerics, scholars and leaders failed to create such restlessness and anger in their hearts.

I agree that just to increase they TRP television channels have gone beyond the limits, and it should be checked by the responsible authorities. Because making fun of a person is forbidden in Islam - the perfect religion in this world. Media has become a mafia now-a-days and accountability is necessary.

But I am concerned about the fact that people take singers and actors as national heroes, more disturbing is that they don't know anything about the real heroes, who are actually doing the hard work so that the singers continue to please their ears in freedom. 

Children of the nations need heroes to know and grow their own personality and potential, and if youth of nation will consider artiste - the hero, what will be the next generation be like??????