Zahra speaks

Last week, I went to the mall and had to stop at a children's shop. The first thing that caught my attention was this barbie box. Without any hesitation, I stopped and watched this amazing manifestation of inclusion. It is so incredible to integrate persons with disabilities into the toys because these are the first instruments of socialization for children. When a child looks at a Barbie in a wheelchair, they would normalize it when they grow up. The imprint of toys on a child's mind is unmatchable, and the promotion of inclusion through toys makes me so happy.  It is very important for the children to know that people use wheelchairs because of different reasons. I came across many children who thought my wheelchair was a car, or an object of amusement, and what disturbed me was the fact that the parents were unable to explain the normalcy of people in wheelchairs. They could not explain why I was in a wheelchair, and just skipped the topic with an apology. I did not need an ...

I n the yesteryears, Pakistani films have been iconic, and vivid. The likes of Waheed Murad, Sultan Rahi, and Madam Noor Jahan have vastly contributed to the integrity of the industry. However, things changed and we lost our essence. For many years, there was a vacuum of good films. Luckily, the scourge broke up and we got great films like Bol that made a mark globally. The state of filmmaking in Pakistan depends on the youth. Like every other field, the youth is responsible to revive the glory of the cinema. Recently, I met a young, talented filmmaker from Lahore, Mehroz Amin. We collaborated on a project and I explored so much of the undiscovered talent of the country. Apparently, we feel there is no hope and nothing good is happening, but it turns out we are wrong. Many people are tirelessly working to develop quality content and they are also making a mark. Mehroz directed a film called Tumhari Pam Pam. When I met him and discovered his incredible work, I was astonished. Especially...