PLAN AHEAD - MARK YOUR CALENDERS!

FOREIGNERS: NOC REQUIRED WELL IN TIME!

Step back in time as we trace the story of one of the Subcontinent’s oldest public companies — Murree Brewery Company Ltd.

Established in 1860 at Ghora Gali, Murree, the brewery was among Asia’s earliest modern enterprises. Its products became popular with British troops stationed in the hills, and over the years, the company expanded to Rawalpindi, Quetta, South India, and Ceylon, winning its first international medal for product excellence at the Philadelphia Exhibition in 1876.

Originally managed by the family of General Reginald Dyer, the company later came under the stewardship of the late Mr. Peshton Bhandara, and is now led by his grandson, Mr. Isphanyar Bhandara.

🏛️ The Gothic-style Ghora Gali Brewery building remained active until the 1940s. Though destroyed during the partition riots of 1947/48, its striking ruins are still visible today as you drive towards Murree, often serving as a backdrop for local films.

The Asian Study Group celebrates 1973- 2025!

Mark your calendars- an opportunity not to be missed!

Guests Welcome!

"The presentation is a photographic tribute to the Persian Empire as it existed... one of the world’s oldest civilizations that once stretched from the Aegean Sea to the shores of the River Indus.To begin the story of Persia, I went back 2,500 years to the 6th century before the Common Era, tracing the history of the region from the Achaemenid Empire onward.I spent some time in Iran and Uzbekistan to sift through the veneer of modernity and uncover the romance and the ethos of the era….”

Join us on a fascinating journey through ancient Persia with Dr. Iftikhar Salahuddin, who first familiarises himself by becoming a native and then an articulate Ambassador of similarities and commonalties of lives and cultures. Through historical insights, anecdotes- and his faithful camera- he captures and introduces us to the magnificence of this ancient kingdom- sites in Iran, Turkey and Central Asia- countries that depicted the lasting historical and cultural influence of the Persian Empire...

• Equally skilled as a photographer and a brilliant writer- Iftikhar Salahuddin’s survey of Persian history, culture and civilizations is a feat of strength. There may be others inspired to follow in his footsteps but they should be prepared to have his tenacity because as an old Persian proverb says… “There are no shortcuts to any place worth seeing”: Fakir S. Aijazuddin: Art Historian /Author
• Salahuddin carries inside his soul restlessness of a traveler and depth of a researcher.He doesn’t just take pictures, he talks to stones. They on their part tell him that they enjoy silence. So he captures them along with their silence with his camera. Our own art, architecture, culture and literature already carry the Persian stamp. Modern Iran and Central Asia is rooted in the Persian chronicle’ : Zehra Nigah- Poet/ Author

Awards:

· ‘Persia: the Land of Emperors and Kings’: The International Festival of Cultural Research, Iran.

· ‘Jerusalem – A Journey Back in Time’:The Karachi Literature Festival Peace Prize.

Guest Presenter Dr. Iftikhar Salahuddin is a renowned ENT Specialist in his professional capacity. Based on his frequent travels to far-flung corners of the world, he has delivered lectures both in Pakistan and abroad on diverse topics related to his favourite domain: Ancient Religions, Persian civilisation, Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire, Muslim Spain, China, and many more. He has authored ‘If Stones Could Speak,’ based on his photography of 60 destinations in countries throughout the world and ‘Jerusalem – A Journey Back in Time,’ which was also presented by the ASG in Islamabad ,some years ago.

• In collaboration with Serena Hotel, Islamabad

MARK YOUR CALENDARS…JOIN US FOR THE ASG END OF YEAR: 2024-2025 CELEBRATIONS!

A TRULY MEMORABLE EVENING!

· DANCE PERFORMANCE

· IN CONCERT: ROCKLITE-THE BAND

· SUMPTUOUS DINNER, PRIZES AND MORE!

DETAILS TO FOLLOW!

For further information contact: ASG Office : (11 am-2 pm only)Tues &Wed: 0343 5127861, Thurs to Sat: 051 2802343, e-mail: asianstudyg@gmail.com

A multi- media presentation

From the late 19th century, postcards became a popular - even fashionable - form of communication. Traditional letter writing, while it had the advantage of confidentiality, gradually gave way to the shorter, pithy message which could be scribbled on a postcard. In time, postal services universally standardized the format and by reducing rates made the use of postcards affordable. Initially, Germany led the field in the manufacture of postcards, until the First World War of 1914-18, after which British and local presses filled the vacuum. The introduction of images on the reverse of postcards enhanced their appeal and, in a sense, supplemented visually the content of the message. Topographical views, buildings of interest, topical events, ethnic types, and social subjects became increasingly popular…

Overtaken today by instant electronic communications, postcards have lost their appeal. However, they have become of increasing interest to collectors and historians as a pictorial record of the recent past. The postcards presented in this volume illustrate provincial capitals – Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta – as well as prominent cities and areas in each province of pre-Pakistan, as they existed before 1947. They provide a second life to largely forgotten images of a pre-Pakistan past.

Guest Presenter: Fakir Syed Aijazuddin, OBE, FCA, is one of Pakistan’s leading art-historians. His earlier works have focused on paintings, watercolours, lithographs, and early photographs.

He has published 23 titles on such diverse subjects as Pahari miniature painting, Sikh portraiture, lithographs by British artists, the work of the 19th c. Hungarian painter August Schoefft, the travels of Charlotte, Lady Canning from Kolkata to the Khyber Pass between 1858-61, U.S.-Pakistan relations 1969-74, cartography, and on Henry Kissinger’s secret visit to China in July 1971.His latest book Forgotten Images: Postcards of Pre-Pakistan, 1890-1947 has been released recently.

In Conversation...

By harnessing the power of culture and art, countries can build bridges, foster cooperation and promote peace and understanding in an increasingly interconnected world. These intangible ambassadors of national identity have long been recognized as essential components, playing a vital role in shaping international relations and diplomacy...

Drawing on her own vast experience, Dr. Maliha Lodhi -in conversation with Dr. Dushka Saiyid- will discuss the role of soft power in diplomacy and how a country can use culture, art and other sources of persuasive attraction to further foreign policy goals.

• Dr Maleeha Lodhi has served as Pakistan’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. She twice served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US (1993 – 1996, 1999 – 2002) and as High Commissioner to Britain (2003 – 2008). She also served as a member of the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Affairs from 2001 to 2005. In 1994 Time magazine nominated her as one of a hundred people in the world who will help shape the 21st century. She is the recipient of the President’s award of Hilal-e-Imtiaz for Public Service in Pakistan. The author of two books: ‘Pakistan’s Encounter with Democracy’ and ‘The External Challenge’ she has also edited two books ‘Pakistan: Beyond the Crisis State’ and 'Pakistan's Search for Stability’. An Urdu translation of a collection of her columns was also published as a book recently titled ' Pakistan: Between crisis and hope’.
• Dr. Dushka H. Saiyid received her Doctorate degree from Columbia University New York in South Asian History. She has served as Professor and Chairperson, Department of History, Quaid-i-Azam University, The author of two books ‘Muslim Women of the British Punjab: From Seclusion to Politics’ and ‘Exporting Communism to India, Why Moscow Failed’, she has published numerous research articles in national and international academic journals . She is the editor of Youlin/Good Neighbours (a monthly cultural magazine) and www.youlinmagazine.com (a bilingual Chinese/English website).
• In collaboration with Serena Hotel, Islamabad

Subtitled: English

Looking for an escape, a clown dances outside a fast- food restaurant on the streets of Lahore, that is until the claws of reality threaten to pull it's mask off...‘The Clown’ (2024) a Pakistani Short Film won the Satyajit Ray Award for Best Short Film at the London Indian Film Festival 2024.

Written and directed by Kamil Chima, the film is a pacy exploration of the life of a clown on the streets of Lahore, and an ode to those that remain hidden in plain sight. He has previously produced ‘Laal Kabootar' (2019)- Pakistan's official selection for the Academy Awards 2020- and 'The Queen of My Dreams' in (2023). The film is the acting debut for Coke Studio starrer Farheen Raza Jaffry. The cast includes debutant Muhammad Saeed Cheema, Sheherzade Peerzada and Adeel Afzal. It is produced by Mahnoor Zaidi and Jaber Hussain.

This will also be an opportunity to meet the Director and some of the cast members!

Kamil cheema is a producer, writer and director. An alum of the IFFR Producers Lab 2023 and the Producers Network at the Marche Du Film de Cannes 2023, he has set up Nehr Ghar films, a film production company based out of Pakistan. 'The Clown' (2024) is Kamils directorial debut short film.

• In collaboration with Alliance Francais d' Islamabad

Generations of Mughal women played a crucial role, alongside the Great Mughal emperors, in transforming South Asia into the superpower of its time, the epitome of cultural refinement and a beacon of pluralism- their record has few parallels in world history...Join us for this fascinating presentation that explores the lives of the magnificent women of the Mughal dynasty!

Debunking old colonial narratives, recent scholarship has begun to uncover the multifaceted contributions of these highly educated, powerful women. These extraordinary women served as governors, diplomats, chief advisors, and Sufi guides; they were scholars and masters of martial arts, while also excelling as connoisseurs and patrons of the arts, including architecture, poetry, calligraphy, culinary arts, and haute couture fashion.

Guest Presenter: Zeenut Ziad-by profession- is a mathematician and an economist from the London School of Economics; and a specialist of Mughal history by passion. Amazingly, she has built two high-profile careers. Her first career saw her teaching economics at the University of Karachi, becoming the first woman executive in Pakistani banking, and serving as a consultant for the World Bank. Her passion for South Asian history, especially the Mughal period, led her to a second professional path. She organized a highly successful lecture series at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, on the Mughal Empire, which led to her first book, The Magnificent Mughals (2003). In 2011, she co-edited Tablet & Pen: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East in collaboration with Dr. Reza Aslan.

Ms. Ziad has taught courses on Mughal history at George Mason University and American University, Washington DC and lectured at many educational institutions. She was actively involved in Muslim advocacy and interfaith work and cultural projects in the US for more than two decades.

An unforgettable evening- not to be missed!

'He weaves his voice with the pure, crystalline sounds of the Santur strings, to develop a repertoire both traditional and spiritual, gleaned during his years around the Mediterranean, as well as personal compositions and improvisations with influences ranging from Anatolian to Celtic or Persian music...'

French/ Morrocan Zakaria Haffar has played several string instruments, from the guitar to the Arabic ‘Oud’, before fully devoting himself to the ‘Santur’- a Persian ancient instrument with 72 metal strings, played with delicate wooden hammers. He has practiced on the 'Santur' for more than 10 years- as a solo artist and in bands, in Egypt, Turkey, Mali, and France.

• In collaboration with Alliance Francaise d’Islamabad & Serena Hotel

Celebrating the season of joy, peace, and goodwill!

Highlighting interfaith harmony and unity the Islamabad Christian Fellowship (ICF) invites you to a special heartwarming Christmas carol and tableau event to celebrate the community's invaluable contributions in areas like music, art, education, and medicine!

For music lovers, a rare opportunity...join us at this very special event !

The exceptionally talented Sheeza Maqsood's piano journey started when she was about 8 years old! She received her initial piano education and ear training from her father, Mr. Maqsood and went on to learn music reading from Ms. Ri Sook Lee, and then higher classical training from Ms. Sarah Torbay.

Currently she runs a very popular piano studio and has trained over 100 foreign and Pakistani students.

In a highly competitive online piano competition:' Golden Piano Talents'-North Macedonia, she has been awarded:

1. First Prize - Piano lovers category

2. Third Prize - Classical Piano Category

This special presentation for the Asian Study Group- her second solo piano concert in Islamabad- will include:

1. Fantaise Impromptu- F.Chopin

2. Sonata in F minor - D.Scarlatti

3. Liebstraume No.3 - F.Liszt

4. Moonlight Sonata 3rd movement - Mozart

5. God Father Theme

6. Nocturne in E flat major - Chopin

7. Pasoori - Ali Sethi and Xulfi

8. Jardin Secret - Paul de Senneville

9. Waltz No. 2 - Dimtri Shostakovich

10. Jab Koi Bat Bigar Jaye

11. Echoes of Hope - Sheeza Maqsood

12. Tukish March -

W.A Mozart

• In collaboration with Serena Hotel. (In case of change of venue: IFWA Hall . You will be informed)