A warm send-off

Islamabad: Kishwar Nahid, the renowned women rights activist, poetess and writer, hosted a warm ‘send-off’ party for Ms Cathy Ganon, the so very well known AP (Associated Press) Reporter globally and a highly respected member of journalists’ fraternity in Pakistan, who is leaving for the US tomorrow.

Cathy is going to the US for surgery on her hand which was mutilated in an attack by the Taliban in Kabul, Afghanistan, where she had gone for the coverage of an event. She barely survived and still needs reconstructive surgery to bring her hand and arm back to as normal as possible. Taliban might have hurt her physically but had failed to break her resolve!

It was the predictable crowed at Kishwar’s den! Prominent being Ms Indo Mitha, the legendary kathak dancer, well known writer Hameed Shahid, and Mr Qasim Bhugio, the Chairman of the Academy of Letters from the literary circles.

Mariana Babar, Arifa Noor and Haris Khaleeq were from the media along with Fauzia Minallah and Samar Minallah the artists and the human rights activists. With the presence of Mr Akhleesh from the Indian High Commission, the party was indeed livelier!

 This time Kishwar has done something that she has seldom in the past. Or probably on an occasion or two over the last couple of decades. This time she invited the renowned violinist, Uastad Raees and the famous table player, Ustad Ejaz Jajji! Both the artistes turned on one call from Kishwar and refused to accept anything for their time and performance.

Cathy and Naeem Pasha were warmly greeted on their arrival and it didn’t took Ustad Raees and Ustad Jajji to entrap the audience in the spell they cast with lilting tunes flowing out of violin as the bow glided over the strings and complimenting thumps from tabla as Ustad Jajji’s fingers fluttered.

And when young Kanwal Iftikhar joined the duo of Ustad Raees and Ustad Jajji, it was yet another fabulous performance. Kanwal sang two of Kishwar Nahid’s famous poems, including ‘Yeh Ham Gunahgar Aurtain’ and it was simply amazing.

Yet another side of Kishwar Nahid’s was revealed on the day as we came to know that she is a cricket fan! Or, probably it was the ‘homecoming of cricket’ which inspired her as well as it has gripped the whole nation. Even she was busy with the guests, she kept asking the score! And praised Najam Sethi too! Needless to say that the food was sumptuous and was devoured with gusto by the guests. Salad was prepared by Fauzia Minallah!