Arjumand Arjumand is a talented TV and stage artist, with equal dedication to on and off screen work. She is a film maker as well as actor, with a passion for creating imaginative and original works that viewers and critics alike can enjoy. Having trained in Kathak (Northern Indian Classical Dance) for several years in Karachi, she later underwent a dance specialization course in Delhi under the tutelage of Pandit Birju Maharaj.

Rumana Hussain Rumana Husain lives in Karachi. She is trained in graphic design. She is Head of Activism and Outreach at the Human Rights Education Programme (HREP) - a not-for-profit organisation working in the education sector. She is also the founder-partner and Senior Editor of a magazine on the arts, NuktaArt, published biannually. She has authored or illustrated over forty books for children and several teachers’ guides for various publishers, including The Book Group, which she co-founded in 1988. She has been regularly contributing articles, mainly on visual and performing arts, to daily Dawn newspaper for over one decade.

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Sadia Khan Sadia Khan began learning classical dance in 1992. In 2000 she went to the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Delhi for advanced training under the world renowned Guru and dancer Srimati Madhavi Mudgal. Returning to Karachi in 2004 Sadia has since performed for numerous prestigious organizations such as SAARC, APMC, NAPA, the Kara Film Festival, ISEO, LRBT and Pak-India Forum for Peace and Democracy. She has performed in all major cities in Pakistan as well as in Indonesia and Germany. At present Sadia is a member of the Dance and Theatre Arts faculties at NAPA and also teaches both Classical Dance and Drama at The C.A.S. School.

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Tapu Javeri Tapu Javeri started photography at a young age first working for the prestigious DAWN newspaper, then for magazines like Teenager, Libas, Fashion Collection and Herald. He became Photo-editor for the ground breaking magazine Xtra, which in its short life span created waves in Pakistani fashion and beyond. His book of portraits "I, Voyeur" is the first of its kind to be printed in Pakistan; a collection of black & white portraits of Pakistani notables and newsmakers. In the late 90's he broke into the art scene by creating mixed media photo paintings. By fusing his two favourite passions he has created a new form of photographic expression. His works have been auctioned by Christie's of London and in great demand by art collectors the world over.

Sana Habib Ghayas Sana graduated from Bates College, Maine(USA). She has been teaching History of Art at the Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture (http://www.ivsaa.edu) for the past few years. Prior to teaching History of Art, she has also taught English and Economics. If teaching wasn't enough, she freelanced for newsline and is currently doing so for Herald.

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Riffat Aliani Trained in Fine Arts, Riffat Aliani is an award-winning graphic designer and illustrator. She has a ten-year experience of developing communication material for children around human rights and social issues.

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Niilofur Farrukh The many dimensions of Niilofur Farrukh's career in the visual arts include art criticism, art history, curatorial work, art education and art activism. Her book 'Pioneering Perspectives' was published in 1998. Presently she is compiling a book that documents the clay continuum of Pakistan. Since 1976 Niilofur has contributed art writings to publications like Newsline, Dawn Gallery, Zameen, Art and The Islamic World, Humsafar, ArtIndia (India), Jamini ( Bangladesh) and dailies like Dawn and News among others. She is the editor of NUKTA, Pakistan’s recently launch art magazine. Niilofur heads AICA Pakistan, the national section of the Paris based International Organization of Art Critics.

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Maheen Zia Maheen Zia is a Karachi-based filmmaker. Besides having directed several documentaries and short films, she was editor for Pakistan's first digital feature film, "The Long Night" (2000). She has served as an international jury member for the Tehran International Short Film Festival 2005 and the Tampere Film Festival 2006. She is also a founder and organizer of the KaraFilm Festival.

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Marina Khan Marina's career in acting started with the long play, Rashid Minhas. Soon after came the hit serial, Tanhaiyan, which gave her instant recognition and the nickname, "Pink Panther". Since then, Khan has worked in a number of plays that include: Ehsas; Dhoop Kinaray; Nijaat; Farar; Tum se kahna tha; Khali haath and Tanha, a serial in India written by Haseena Mom and was recently aired again on Star Plus. She has also been involved in theatre with Yasmin Ismail and Rahat Kazmi. Now Marina has ventured into Direction and debuted with, Tum hi to ho. Khan also runs the production company, 'FAT CAT' Production."

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Salima Hashmi Professor Salima Hashmi, recipient of the President's Award for Pride of Performance, is a painter, art educationist, writer and curator. She taught for thirty years at NCA, Pakistan's premier art institution, recently retiring as its Principal. She has exhibited her own work, traveled and lectured extensively all over the world, and curated international art shows in Europe, the U.S., Australia, Japan and India. Daughter of the great Urdu poet Faiz, Salima Hashmi was also, along with her husband Shoaib Hashmi, one of the pioneers in the '60s and '70s, of television, theatre and puppet theatre in Lahore.
Hashmi is currently Dean of the School of Visual Arts at the newly-established Beaconhouse National University, and has recently published a book on Pakistani Women artists entitled Unveiling the Visible: Lives and Works of Women Artists of Pakistan.

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Shoaib Hashmi Recipient of President's Award for Pride of Performance and Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, a teacher through and through, Professor Shoaib Hashmi is famous for his prolific work on Pakistan Television (remember Haqar Bakar, Sach Gup and Taal Matol) and now (almost) permanent column titled Tall Matol in the News on Sunday and another regular column in the Gulf News. After doing his MA in Economics from Government College and Msc from London School of Economics, Shoaib Hashmi also studied theater from Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, London. He has been teaching economics along with all other things ever since.

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Fatima Suraiya Bajia Fatima Suraiya Bajia is a famous playwright who has written many endearing television serials. Her plays are as popular as she is throughout the country and people from all generations love, admire and respect her equally. Besides being a household name she is an educator, a social worker and a person with a treasure of wisdom, indigenous knowledge and a wit to match. She has never attended a formal school, all her education took place at home. She graced the EDucate! team in person and narrated her lifestory, her long association with Pakistan Television as a playwright and her powerful views on education and culture, society and role of family in the upbringing of children.

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Arshad Mehmood Arshad Mahmud began his career with EMI as a talent hunter. Today he is one of our leading composer. He has studied extensively, both Eastern and Western music. He has been composing music and handling orchestras for nearly thirty years.

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Tina Sani Tina is a skillful ghazal singer in the traditional Punjabi style. Her debut rendition of a Punjabi song, "Akhiaan Chham Cham Waseeyaan," became an instant hit. Later, she tried singing pop selections and traditional naghmas, eventually graduating to ghazals. Tina Sani was lucky enough to achieve nearly instant acclaim and is very popular among younger music buffs.

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Shallum Shallum is fortunate to have music running in his family. Having started to play the piano from the age of nine, he shifted tracks and began `worshipping' the guitar, by practicing for eight hours a day for three whole days. Playing for quite a few local pop acts has brought him to the limelight, and he is now getting recognition for his talent. Shallum, the guitar guru harbours the kind of passion that sets him apart from guitar gods pack. His six-string work encompasses tones in the direction of blues, rock, jazz, classical and everything in between. All his influences are focused towards creation of exhilarating, infectious but most of all moving slipstream music. Shallum is undoubtedly a studio artist of first water. His art on the debut album dazzles in sonic inventiveness.

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Ali Azmat Ali Azmat is one of the most famous rock vocalists in Pakistan. Azmat's major popularity comes from his band, Junoon. After Junoon's 7th studio album "Dewaar", Azmat released a solo album called Social Circus in late 2005. It was considered a success and has won some major music awards in Pakistan. Ali Azmat's song Na Re Na was a big hit , its video is considered as the most creative and mind blowing work done in Pakistan. Ali Azmat hosts a show "Pappu Yar Tang Na Kar" for Agg television. Ali Azmat also starred in a telefilm "ChaalBaz" in 2006 which was aired on ARY Digital.

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Noor Jehan Bilgrami Noorjehan Bilgrami is many things- a painter, a designer, an entrepreneur, an educator, to name just a few of her professional attributes, but undeniably, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

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