Sky game

If our feathered friends had a news network of their own, this is what one of the top headlines would have read like last night: "Innocent bird killed in hit-and-land accident".


"Aaj shaam chhe baje Amdavaad airport ke nikat ek pakshi ki Spicejet ke hawaai jahaaz se takra kar achaanak maut ho gayi... "

But was it a mere accident or was it a jehadi parinda which decided to propel itself - suicide bomber style - into the engine? The idea being to ground these man-made flying machines marauding the once-peaceful blue skies?

Either way, Spicejet was grounded at Ahmedabad airport. And with no certainty of when the plane would take off - if at all - passengers ended up playing 'musical flights'. Most chose to take the full refund offered and get on to alternate airlines.

Eventually both tempers and temperatures cooled. And Spicejet did manage to take off.

But it got me thinking - flying the friendly skies was never so easy - or so complicated! And not just for us humans...

It's a bird! It's a plane!!! Thank God there is no Superman.

Pride of Pakistan

 Recently while watching the 80's superhit Qurbaani, i was reminded of Nazia Hassan. Personally speaking, i was a great fan of her as well as her voice during my college days. Here's a detailed trivia about her which will infotain all of you. Felt like visiting her on the net and this is what i came across.

She was a breath of fresh air on the music scene of Pakistan. She set a new trend which revolutionized the music industry of Indo Pak. She shot to fame with her very first song “Aap Jaisa Koi” for an Indian movie. The song literally took over the entire sub continent and earned her the first real pop singer title. Though a teenager, she had a certain grace and sang that provocative song without sounding vulgar. Her first album “Disco Deewane” featuring her brother Zoheb Hassan sold like hot cakes. The music of the album was composed by Biddu a UK based Indian composer. The same team produced “Boom Boom” the second album which made her the undisputed queen of the pop scene. Young Tarang and Hotline were two more record breaking albums produced by the same team. Nazia’s last album Camera Camera did not do well on the charts. Nazia also did some playback singing for Indian movies. In Pakistan Nazia hosted music shows; Music 89 hosted by the brother sister duo provided a platform for bands such as Jupiters and Vital Signs who later became a big name both locally and internationally. Music was just a hobby for Nazia, she spent the money earned from singing in helping the under privileged. She acquired a law degree from a University in UK and took a job in the United Nation’s Security Council.

Nazia worked for a number of charities; in India she was associated with the “Inner Wheel Club”. “BAN” a charitable organization fighting against drugs was established by the siblings. She also worked alongside her mother and other social workers. She not only established charities but also lectured in schools emphasizing the need for social awareness.

Nazia got married in 1995 to Mirza Ishtiaq Baig. Unfortunately the marriage did not work out well and the couple divorced in August 2004. Nazia was earlier diagnosed with lung cancer which eventually took her life in 2004.


Nazia had class, beauty and a heart of gold; things which etch a person’s name in the minds and hearts of many. Nazia was posthumously awarded Pride of Performance Award by the Government of Pakistan.

Nazia Hassan (April 3, 1965 – August 13, 2000). Her song "Aap Jaisa Koi" from the film Qurbani made her a legend and pop icon in Pakistan and all of South Asia in the 1980s where she is admired and loved even today, several years after her death. She was best known with the titles of The Queen of Pop Singing and Sweetheart of Pakistan. She was the most influential and popular female singer and probably the only real pop singer of the 1980s and the 1990s in both India and Pakistan.

Nazia Hassan was born in Karachi, Pakistan and from an early age showed interest in music. Nazia's professional career started at the age of fifteen when she provided the lead vocals for the song Aap Jaisa Koi from a Bollywood film titled Qurbani (1980), by Indian producer-director Feroz Khan. Nazia was introduced to Feroz by his friend in the United Kingdom. The song was a huge success in India and despite Nazia being a Pakistani, she gained overnight fame there.

She then collaborated with Biddu, a UK-based Indian music producer who was also the composer of Aap Jaisa Koi, on numerous other projects. Biddu had previously made several hit-songs for various singers like Tina Charles and Carl Douglas. In 1981, Biddu released Nazia's first mega-hit, Disco Deewane. The album broke record sales in Pakistan and India and even topped the charts in the West Indies, Latin America and Russia. Her later albums also had vocals of her brother, Zoheb Hassan. These included Star/Boom Boom (1982), Young Tarang (1984), Hotline (1987), and Camera Camera (1992). Nazia and Zoheb appeared with music maestro Sohail Rana's Pakistani television program for children, "Sung Sung". In 1988, Nazia and Zoheb also hosted the groundbreaking show Music '89 produced by Shoaib Mansoor.

After the huge success of their music, selling millions of albums worldwide, EMI Music International also Nazia and Zoheb, making them as the first South Asian artists to be signed by an international music label.
Nazia and Zoheb's television interviews were shown on TV in India, Pakistan, Dubai, UK (big names like David Soul, David Essex, Zia Mohiuddin conducted the interviews on BBC, ITV, Channel 4 etc) and many other countries.

Nazia Hassan died in August 13, 2000 in London after a prolonged battle with lung cancer at the young age of 35. She was admitted to North Finchley Hospice three days earlier when her condition suddenly deteriorated. She showed signs of mild recovery on Saturday and it was thought that doctors would allow her to go home. But early Sunday morning, her mother, Muneeza Hasan, was called to the hospital where her daughter had started coughing heavily and she died within minutes.

Nazia Hassan's son Arez, who was born on April 7 1997 and was only three when his mother succumbed to cancer, was taken into the care of Nazia's parents. He like his late mother is a talented performer. He is continuing the charitable work that his mother initiated via the Nazia Hassan Charitable Foundation.

The Government of Pakistan has conferred upon Nazia Hassan the highest civilian award Pride of Performance. The award was presented to Mrs. Muniza Basir, mother of Nazia Hassan, by the President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf in an official ceremony held at Islamabad on 23 March 2002.