Pakistan’s Oscar-winning director launches artist residency program, bringing together international talent

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy attends the "Ms. Marvel" New York Gold House Event at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on June 08, 2022 in New York City, US. (AFP/File)
Short Url
Updated 11 June 2023
Follow

Pakistan’s Oscar-winning director launches artist residency program, bringing together international talent

  • The program will take place in the picturesque Shigar Valley located in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region
  • The artists will receive mentorship to pursue their dreams and get a chance to work in a shared studio

KARACHI: Four artists from Pakistan and the United States have been selected for an international artist residency program launched by Oscar-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy which is due to begin today, Sunday, in the country’s northern areas, raising hopes that its participants will bring “diverse perspectives” to the table.

The residency program, called Neela Asmaan (Blue Sky), was announced in February 2023 by Obaid-Chinoy’s film company. Its aim is to offer artists an opportunity to draw inspiration from the picturesque Shigar Valley in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Writers, photographers, philosophers, architects, and design practitioners, among others, were invited to apply to the program, which promised to provide private accommodations and shared studio spaces. Additionally, mentorship and a stipend of up to Rs100,000 ($348) were offered to cover travel expenses.

“Neela Asmaan is thrilled to announce the talented individuals selected for our prestigious Artist Residency Program! Join us in congratulating Amber Eswani, Ayesha Husain, Javaria Waseem, and Sania Maskatiya,” the program announced on its Instagram page on Friday.

“Over the next few months, these exceptional artists will immerse themselves in our creative haven, fostering inspiration and artistic growth. Stay tuned as we witness their journeys unfold and the magic they create.”

During a press conference on June 8, Obaid-Chinoy expressed her excitement about the diverse perspectives of the artists and their overall talents, stating they would undoubtedly make the experience dynamic and enriching for everyone involved.

“We can’t wait to witness the awe-inspiring journeys and incredible artworks that will emerge from this residency,” she said.

Each resident artist will be paired with a mentor who will provide meaningful feedback and help them hone their creative skills.

Among the creatives, Husain has a background in English literature and educational leadership. She recently published her first novel, “What More Could She Possibly Want?,” and applied for the program on her daughter’s suggestion to continue working on her writing and put together another work of fiction.

“My aim is to be able to put at least a plot and some characters, and the first chapter for my second novel during the residency program,” she told Arab News on Saturday.

Husain plans to set the novel in the 1800s, based on her mother’s ancestors who owned much of the fabled Qissa Khwani Bazaar (Storytellers’ Market) in Peshawar.

“This space to be away and cut off from society is just what I need to focus while reading, writing, and planning,” she added. “I will be paired with a writer [mentor] who will guide me. A platform like this is encouraging for artists because we tend to forget how important the arts are.”

Waseem, on the other hand, is a director and screenwriter who recently completed her postgraduate studies in filmmaking from École Internationale de Création Audiovisuelle et de Réalization (EICAR), an international television and film school in Paris. Although she made multiple documentaries during her undergraduate program, the script she plans to work on during the residency will be her first fiction film.

“I applied for the residency as a filmmaker to work on a project that is more focused on the screenwriting part, so I hope to develop the script by the end of the residency,” she told Arab News.

It’s a short film based on a “personal story,” she said, adding it would revolve around Pakistan’s social and cultural values and their impact on women.

“After spending two years abroad, I saw a lot of these opportunities for people in Europe and all around the world, but there was a void in Pakistan,” Waseem said. “We need more initiatives like these in Pakistan where we not just explore diverse cultures and voices from different creative mediums but also support them. Because, as an artist, it is not easy to kick off your career in Pakistan.”

Asked about the application process, she said it was very “easy” and led to an interview.

Waseem said she had not applied for anything like this in Pakistan before, making her a bit hesitant at first, though she added that she would like to recommend the program to others for future residency cycles.

Eswani, another selected artist, has found expression in creating content that delicately fuses Eastern and Western cultures. She plans to develop a web series that blends storytelling and cultural influences during the residency program.

Maskatiya, an acclaimed fashion designer in Pakistan, will be venturing into a new medium of expression by delving into the realm of painting during the residency.


Israel’s unchecked nuclear capability will have ‘catastrophic consequences,’ Pakistan warns West

Updated 7 sec ago
Follow

Israel’s unchecked nuclear capability will have ‘catastrophic consequences,’ Pakistan warns West

  • Analysts warn Israel’s unacknowledged nuclear weapons could encourage it to take more aggressive steps
  • Tensions have surged in the Middle East following Israel’s June 13 “Operation Rising Lion” aerial offensive on Iran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja M. Asif on Sunday warned Western governments that their support for Israel risked unleashing “catastrophic consequences,” citing concerns over Israel’s nuclear capabilities and regional aggression.

Tensions have surged in the Middle East following Israel’s June 13 “Operation Rising Lion” aerial offensive targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities, reportedly killing more than 130 people, including senior military commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran has retaliated with missile and drone barrages on Israeli cities, sparking concerns of a wider conflict. 

Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons but maintains a policy of ambiguity and is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The 1970 accord is aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, promoting disarmament, and ensuring peaceful use of nuclear technology. Pakistan is also not a signatory to the NPT but frequently underscores its commitment to nuclear safety and non-proliferation principles through other international frameworks.

Analysts warn that in the current volatile situation, Israel’s unacknowledged nuclear weapons could encourage it to take more aggressive steps, increasing the risk that the conflict could spread across the region or even spark a wider international crisis.

“World should be wary and apprehensive about Israel’s nuclear prowess, a country not bound by any international nuclear discipline,” Asif said in a post on social media platform X. “It is not signatory to NPT or any other binding arrangement.”

The minister contrasted Israel’s position with Pakistan’s, stating that Islamabad was a signatory to “all international nuclear disciplines” and maintained a nuclear program solely for “the benefit of our people and defense of our country against hostile designs.”

“We do not pursue hegemonic policies against our neighbors,” Asif added, accusing Israel of doing just that through its military actions. 

“Western world must worry about conflicts being generated by Israel. It will engulf the whole region and beyond. Their patronage of Israel, a rogue state, can have catastrophic consequences.”

The Pakistani minister’s comments come amid growing international concern over the humanitarian toll of Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza, as well as fears that the conflict could expand regionally following tensions with Iran and Hezbollah.

There was no immediate response from Israeli or Western officials to Asif’s remarks.


Pakistan hikes petrol, diesel prices in fortnightly review

Updated 13 min 18 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan hikes petrol, diesel prices in fortnightly review

  • Government sets petrol at Rs258.43 per liter, up from Rs253.63
  • High-speed diesel will cost Rs262.59 per liter, up from Rs254.64

KARACHI: Pakistan’s government has increased fuel prices, raising the rate of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs7.95 per liter and petrol by Rs4.80 per liter effective from today, Monday, an official notification from the finance division said. 

The notification set the price of petrol at Rs258.43 per liter, up from Rs253.63, while high-speed diesel will cost Rs262.59 per liter, up from Rs254.64.

The revision is based on “recommendations from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority and relevant ministries,” the finance division saiad. 

The government did not provide a specific explanation for the hike.

Fuel prices in Pakistan are generally influenced by global oil market trends, currency fluctuations, and changes in domestic taxes.

Fuel costs are revised every two weeks and have a direct impact on inflation. Rising fuel prices increase production and transportation costs, leading to higher prices for goods and services across the board in Pakistan, including food and other essential items. This direct relationship is further amplified by the country’s dependence on imported fuel. 


Pakistan closes pedestrian traffic at key Iran border crossings as Israel strikes escalate

Updated 15 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan closes pedestrian traffic at key Iran border crossings as Israel strikes escalate

  • The closures affect the Taftan crossing in Chaghi district and the Gabd-Rimdan crossing in Gwadar district
  • Both are key rotes for cross-border movement, local trade in Pakistan’s Balochistan province

QUETTA: Pakistani authorities have closed two major border crossings with Iran for pedestrian traffic amid escalating cross-border strikes between Iran and Israel, officials in the southwestern Balochistan province said on Sunday.

The closures affect the Taftan crossing in Chaghi district and the Gabd-Rimdan crossing in Gwadar district, both key routes for cross-border movement and local trade between Balochistan and Iran. 

The Gabd-Rimdan border crossing is a point on the Iran-Pakistan border, specifically at “BP-250,” the second crossing along the 900-kilometer border between the two countries. The crossing facilitates trade and people-to-people contact between Iran and Pakistan.

“All kinds of pedestrian movement at the Gabd-Rimdan-250 border have been suspended due to the Iran-Israel conflict,” Jawad Ahmed Zehri, assistant commissioner for Gwadar, told Arab News.

Trade activity at the crossing would remain open and Pakistani citizens stranded in Iran would be allowed to return, he said, but no new entries into Iran would be permitted through this point until further notice.

In a separate order, authorities also closed the Taftan border crossing in Chaghi district for pedestrian traffic.

“We have closed pedestrian movements at the Taftan border until further notice,” said Naveed Ahmed, assistant commissioner for Taftan, adding that trade and customs operations from the crossing were continuing as usual.

The closures are expected to affect daily wage laborers, small-scale traders and local residents who depend on frequent cross-border movement for commerce, supplies and family visits.

Small items such as fruit, vegetables and household goods are commonly traded by hand or in small vehicles along these routes.

The closures come amid heightened tensions following Israeli strikes on Iranian cities since Friday with scores killed, including senior Iranian military commanders.

The bilateral trade volume between Pakistan and Iran reached $2.8 billion in the last fiscal year, which ended in June. Both countries have signed a memorandum of understanding with the aim of increasing this volume to $10 billion.

Iran also supplies about 100 megawatts of electricity to border towns in Balochistan.


Trump says can broker Iran‑Israel peace using trade as he did with India‑Pakistan

Updated 15 June 2025
Follow

Trump says can broker Iran‑Israel peace using trade as he did with India‑Pakistan

  • Trump’s reference to India and Pakistan pertains to military confrontation which ended with US-facilitated ceasefire on May 10
  • Iranian officials report at least 138 people have been killed in Israel’s military onslaught since Friday, including 60 on Saturday

ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he could use American trade leverage to broker a peace deal between Iran and Israel, drawing a parallel to his administration’s role in facilitating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan last month.

The renewed conflict saw Iran and Israel exchanging missile and drone strikes over the past three days.

Iranian officials report at least 138 people have been killed in Israel’s onslaught since Friday, including 60 on Saturday, half of them children, when a missile brought down a 14-story apartment block in Tehran. Israel has reported at least 13 deaths.

“Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal, just like I got India and Pakistan to make,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “In that case by using TRADE with the United States to bring reason, cohesion, and sanity into the talks with two excellent leaders who were able to quickly make a decision and STOP!”

Trump’s reference to India and Pakistan pertains to a brief military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May, which ended with a US-facilitated ceasefire on May 10. Washington said trade and security assurances were key to the de-escalation.

He also cited other conflicts, between Serbia and Kosovo, and disputes over the Nile dam involving Egypt and Ethiopia, saying his interventions helped maintain peace “at least for now.”

“Likewise, we will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran!” Trump added. “Many calls and meetings now taking place.”

Since Friday, Pakistan’s government has repeatedly pledged solidarity with Iran but urged its citizens to postpone travel to Iran and Iraq until the security situation improves. 

On Saturday, Islamabad issued a formal travel advisory asking Pakistanis to avoid travel to Iran “for a limited period” due to the Israeli attacks.

Pakistan has also condemned the Israeli strikes, calling them an unjustified violation of Iranian sovereignty, and has urged the international community to help de-escalate tensions through dialogue.


Two police officers killed, two wounded in ambush in Pakistan’s Balochistan province

Updated 15 June 2025
Follow

Two police officers killed, two wounded in ambush in Pakistan’s Balochistan province

  • Attack, claimed by BRA separatists, took place late on Saturday in Sui, mountain town about 50km from Dera Bugti city
  • Police were ambushed after they had rushed to the area in two vehicles to respond to reports of a grenade explosion

QUETTA: Two police officers were killed and two others injured when gunmen ambushed a police patrol in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, officials said on Sunday. 

The attack took place late on Saturday in Sui, a mountainous town about 50km from Dera Bugti city where police had rushed to respond to reports of a grenade explosion.

Jalab Khan, station house officer at Sui Police, said officers were traveling in two vehicles when they were ambushed.

“Nearly a dozen armed men were hiding behind a large rock and attacked our vehicles with heavy gunfire, hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenades,” Khan told Arab News.

“Two policemen were killed on the spot and two sustained bullet wounds,” he said, adding that the attackers fled under the cover of darkness.

The Baloch Republican Army (BRA), an ethnic Baloch separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. The BRA has been involved in multiple attacks on security forces and gas infrastructure in Dera Bugti, one of Pakistan’s key natural gas-producing districts.

The group emerged after the killing of veteran Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti during a military operation in 2006.

Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is a mineral-rich region that is home to Beijing’s investment in the Gwadar deep water port and other projects. It is Pakistan’s largest province by size but smallest by population and the most impoverished. It has long been the site of a separatist insurgency by groups like the BRA, who are fighting for independence.

Pakistan accuses neighboring India and Afghanistan of supporting Baloch separatist militants, a claim they deny. Islamabad also says neighboring Iran does not do enough against militants operating on their shared border. 

“The slain policemen were local residents of Dera Bugti and their bodies have been handed over to families for burial,” said Atta Tareen, the district police officer for Dera Bugti.

A first information police report hasd been registered and Balochistan’s Counter Terrorism Department was leading the investigation, Tareen added.