Listening to Pakistani Sufi singer Abida Parveen has often been described as a divine experience, but the singer says she often hopes that rulers in India and Pakistan would listen more carefully to her message of peace.

“In Sufism, there is only peace,” Parveen said. “I have always believed that music and the arts is the best way to achieve peace.

“When I sing, I sing of peace, of harmony and culture.” Often called the heir to the legendary Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Parveen is today perhaps the world’s most renowned Sufi singer.

She is the undisputed Queen Bee of Lollywood. Armed with talent , grace and charm, Reema has come a long way from the shy lass who made her debut in Bulandi more then 10 years ago. Today she is not only going places but has hit an all-time high with her mega film project, KOI TUJH SA KAHAN , which is currently in the making , and her debut appearance on Geo Television in the Drama serial Yaad Toh Ayaen Gay which was aired recently. Here Reema talks about her life , work and the controversies which somehow always seem to surround her.

It appears as if the floodgates have been opened for foreign entertainment and news channels. The last couple of years have seen an invasion by cable channels, which can be seen wherever you go, from restaurants and homes to shops. This is all part of the phenomenon called ‘globalisation’. Pakistani viewers, noticeably, are losing interest in local channels because of the glitz and glamor of the foreign media. It is easy to see that the majority of images beaming out of television sets are of foreign films and shows. Viewers countrywide prefer Indian music, films and Hollywood flicks and this has resulted in the local channels being relegated to the background.

Karachi is famous for food, sandy beaches, bustling lifestyle and Kara Film festival. Kara film festival is an event organized by KaraFilm society a group of young committed filmmakers.

Last year’s festival “Dekh magar Pyar se” (”watch but do it with love” is probably the right translation for the phrase) was a blast. Among many other attractions of this festival there were movies such as “Khamosh Pani aka silent waters” winner of Grand Prize at Locarno Film Festival, world premier of “Paap” a Mahesh Bhatt production directed by Pooja Bhatt and “Ghar ki Talash”. The festival was a smash hit thousands of people visited and watched movies with great enthusiasm. There were movies from USA, UK, Europe, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

Film star Resham has recently declared that she is going to marry Mahmood Bhatti, a Pakistani designer in France. Mahmood Bhatti who had proposed to her couple of times before said he is deeply in love with Resham and has been completely overwhelmed by her love. Regarding their relationship Resham stated that they have liked each other for the past ‘ten years’.