Spring Break
Pakistan student group uses fashion, skits to depict culture
Amber Sheldon, Daily Staff Writer
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The performers scurried about backstage trying to get ready as the minutes ticked past the 6 p.m. start time.
The steadily growing audience sat in their seats, patiently awaiting the start of "Sham-E-Hangama," a medley of entertainment put on by the Pakistan Student Association.
The program featured songs, dance, music and fashion.
Co-presidents of the association, Sarah Naqvi and Sher Bais, co-hosted the show, which took place Sunday in the Morris Dailey Auditorium.
Naqvi said it took a month and a half to prepare for the event.
"We're a small organization, so it was hard to get the people together," Naqvi said.
When Bais became co-president of the organization, he wanted to put on a show so people could find out more about the Pakistan Student Association and what they stood for.
"The show is generally a cultural show. It's about dances, a couple of skits and songs with music from our country," Bais said.
Yasir Rao, a management information systems major, opened the night's festivities with a prayer.
"It's a praise to God. It's like a short prayer. I'll sing it slightly, without any music," Rao said.
Later in the show, Ahmar Zaman and Suhail Tayab participated in a short comical skit about a Pakistani family.
"It's about a typical Pakistani family in the Bay Area. We haven't performed this skit before, but we have performed before on stage," Zaman said.
Zaman was also a part of the fashion show, which began soon after the intermission.
The crowd whooped and hollered as the ladies first took to the stage in long flowing gowns that sparkled in the spotlights. They walked towards the front of the stage before doing a quick twirl and exiting.
The men followed next, strutting and posing as people cheered them on.
Eveningwear rounded out the fashion part of the show, as the men escorted the elaborately dressed women to the front of the stage.
Besides being in the fashion show and the skit, Zaman later participated in a dance.
"The dance is a mix between Latin and traditional Pakistani dance," Zaman said.
Management information systems major Nauman Bandey was in charge of public relations for the event.
He said the song Zaman and others danced to is called "Dil ke batein."
"The song is played while three couples are dancing," Bandey said.
Naqvi performed Pakistani Punjabi dancing with three University of California Berkeley students.
They danced to a song called "Khudi ko ker" by Junoon.
Bandey said it is a popular song in their country.
"It's about freedom," Bandey said.
Two musicians performed Flamenco and Eastern music near the end of the show before the final dance performance.
"We want our organization to grow. We wanted to do something good so people can come together," Naqvi said.
The money made from the show will be donated to two charity groups; the Pakistan Relief Fund and the Developments in Literacy, which helps children living in rural, underdeveloped areas of Pakistan.
