“FILMMAKING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE”

SCREENING EVENT HELD BY LONDON INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL (LIDF)

AVARI TOWERS KARACHI, 28 February 2011

LONDON INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL (LIDF) held a screening event for 16 documentaries at the Avari Towers, Karachi on 28^th February 2011. Director LIDF, Mr. Patrick Hazard opened the event with a key note speech, highlighting the need of dialogue on social issues globally.

The event showcased the work of local students trained through the LIDF MEDIA FORUM in KARACHI. The event also featured discussions under a distinguished panel of judges and an awards ceremony that celebrated the very best.

Among the speakers at the event were Patrick Hazard (Director, London International Documentary Festival), Babar Sheikh (Filmmaker) and Aisha Arif Khan (Faculty, Department of Visual Studies, University of Karachi and Indus Valley), Abrar Hassan (Morango Films) and Masood Hamid (Dawn).

Speaking after the event, Mr. Patrick Hazard said, “The event aimed to bring forth issues considered important by young Pakistani Directors and Screenwriters who feel that key issues should be projected on a platform like ‘film’ that universally connects audiences. It is LIDF’s belief that the first 16 documentaries from this platform will pave the way for healthy debate within local and international audiences.”

This event will launch the Filmmaking for Social Change roadshow that will screen the same documentaries across Pakistan and engage people in discussions regarding issues covered through the documentaries and then moving onto pertinent topics like the day-to-day lives of Pakistanis, the challenges they face and their aspirations.

Photography By: Abrar ul Hassan

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First Telemedicine Solution for Pakistan

Implementing First Telemedicine Solution for Pakistan

Implementing First Telemedicine Solution for Pakistan

Dear readers, it gives us an immense pleasure and pride to write a few words on how we as a team of Sybrid (Managed Services Company), Pragmedic Solutions (Health Care Applications Providers, Cybernet (Internet Service Provider) and Abrar ul Hassan (Social Media Enterpreneaur) are contributing to the Flood Victim of Pakistan.

Together we (Sybrid + Pragmedic + Cybernet) are implementing our first Telemedicine Solution for Pakistan. We did a successful test project in the District of Khairpur. The project was conceived on Saturday 21^st August, 2010 and after passing Quality Assurance on Wednesday 25^th August, 2010, the test was conducted on 27^th and 28^th of August, 2010 in the Khairpur District, Sindh.

We were located at Faiz Secondary School in Kotdigi, District Khairpur where the government has allowed some 500+ IDPs to be stationed. Most of them were women and children. The team of Physicians and Paramedics provided health care to 167 patients - day 1 and 349 Patients on day two.

The solution provided local general physicians (GP) along with paramedical staff located on site and the specialized Physicians including Dermatology, Pediatrics, Gynecology and Psychiatry located in Karachi to be connected through Telemedicine. . The health care providers shared patient and medical information by using Electronic Medical Record, and placed orders like prescription by using e-prescription modules of the application through the means of Internet.

The remote internet connectivity was provided by Cybernet through Satellite. All the on ground managed services including logistics, medicines, finance and management were given by Sybrid. Finally Pragmedic Solutions were responsible for providing the health care applications including electronic health record and electronic medical record solution. Through the assistance of local NGO, “Khairpur heritage and welfare” announcement were also made to the nearby IDP camps and pick up services through Ambulances were provided to the Patients of these camps to be seen by Health Care Providers at the school premises.

The challenges faced on day 1 like connecting the satellite device and managing the variation of Drug Inventory was managed appropriately in short period of time. After which the project went well and the Telemedicine clinic was conducted both the days.

A total of 516 patients were provided health care in these two days out of which 104 required urgent care. The case mixes were: 51% Dermatology, 28% Gastroenterology and 21% others. Medicines were given out to all the patients.

Follow up on the high risk patients will be provided through the assistance of local GP to whom patient information which was given on paper, through print outs from the EMR. Some of the patients were also transferred to the close by hospital with the assistance of District Coordination Officer (DCO).

Our next step is to re-adjust the planning, improvise patient care processes and present information to the donor for funding to create a sustainable base.

We would again like to thank the Cybernet, Sybrid, Pragmedic teams and Abrar Ul Hassan for making this homegrown Telemedicine project take off, the model has worked, we need to mature it and create sustenance.

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My fear is the increasing tolerance to violence in Pakistan

The brutal Sialkot incident is just another glimpse of what we are capable of tolerating new heights of gruesome violence. Congratulations my fellow countrymen that once again, the Pakistani society has reflected its “Jackal and Hyde” personality for the amusement of the global audience.

On one hand, the brothers met their violent end in front of a large mob including a few representatives of the law enforcing authorities. And, on the other, the significant stern reaction of the incident -- in both traditional and new media -- appears to be as significant as the incident it self.

Two days ago, despite warnings from friends and family, I finally watched the footage. The visuals proved to be beyond all the warnings that I had received. Needless to say that there was nothing in the world that could have prepared me for those images. The level of violence and the crowd’s indifference towards it seemed to be more fiction than reality.

It is hard to comprehend the state of mind of those who witnessed the actual act, who rather than intervene or even walking away from it, not only remained there but some of them also recorded the details on to their smart phones perhaps for the amusement of their friends! It seemed that the gravity of the moment passed them by like a detached viewer of a violent Hollywood film or a teenager player of a gruesome video game.

Most of us would agree that although it’s hard to see a positive aspect in the incident, the huge condemnation afterwards, from every walk of life, proves that we are not completely numb. However, the way the mob behaved at the spot represents the other more macabre side of our nation and bags the answer of the most fundamental question: Do we qualify to be considered “civilized” human beings?

I would rather leave this debate to eminent sociologists and mob psychologist, who, I am certain, would be writing volumes on direct and indirect consequences behind the incident and how to change the collective attitudes. For me, the images triggered a feeling of utter haplessness and pain for the bereaved family of the brothers. I cannot find any reason why they had to die in such a brutal manner. In addition to that, why the mob behaved the way it did.

I am, in a way, considering my self as part of the circus audience around those boys who were not moved by their cries for help. And, I think this is the guilt that is keeping me awake since I watched the images on my computer screen a couple of days ago.

My nightmares include my family too; the most recurrent one features my family crying for help and a mob around them is not responding to them at all.

Isn’t it time for us to stop blaming others and asking ourselves difficult questions? Haven’t we all reached the ultimate threshold of pain from where we cannot go any further?

As a nation, why can’t we call a spade a spade?

Abrar ul Hassan

Date:23^rd August

92 300 8439185

abr.hassan@gmail.com

abrar.hassan@morangofilms.com

Schmap London Eleventh Edition: Photo Inclusion

Hi abrarulhassan,

I am delighted to let you know that your submitted photo has been selected for inclusion in the newly released eleventh edition of our Schmap London Guide:

Big Ben
www.schmap.com/london/activities_westminster/p=587/i=587_375.jpg

If you use an iPhone or iPod touch, then this same link will take you directly to your photo in the iPhone version of our guide. On a desktop computer, you can still see exactly how your photo is displayed and credited in the iPhone version of our guide at:

Big Ben
www.schmap.com/?m=iphone#uid=london&sid=activities_westminster&p=587&i=587_375

Thanks so much for letting us include your photo - please enjoy the guide!

Best regards,

Amanda Brooks
Editor, Schmap Guides

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