Cover star: VANEEZA AHMAD

In this issue, Libas presents a special report based on the activities of Turquoise Mountain, a non-profit, non-governmental organization, established by Rory Stewart in 2006 to revive Afghanistan’s artistic legacy after three decades of conflict. Prince Charles is a patron of this charity.

In the same spirit, Libas highlights the Honeybee project run by the Hashoo Foundation to enable women from Gilgit (north Pakistan) to earn their livlihood. A documentary on the subject won first prize in the BBC World Challenge 2008.

Also, under the theme of giving back to society, Libas covers two dynamic young women, Cathy Braid and Rolla Khaduri. The duo run the Gupshup project in Chitral (Pakistan), using the women’s embroidery skills to produce a line of exclusive handbags retailed in boutiques in Australia and England.

In fashion, Libas presents catwalk fashion from a number of fashion weeks as well as the first fashion show organized by the Pakistan Fashion Design Council.

Famed astrologer, Bejan Daruwalla presents his extensive annual forecast for the year 2009. This issue also covers the London Film Festival, an interview with Indian director Karan Johar, as well as several major art and photography exhibitions around the world, besides authors Nadeem Aslam and Basharat Peer, and New York-based model turned entrepreneur Hamid Johannes Mahmood.