MARGARET THATCHER ..........our first female "role model "

Baroness Margaret Thatcher was the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century and is the only woman to have held the office .  A Soviet journalist once called her "Iron Lady", a nickname that became associated with her uncompromising leadership style, the name which became her identity and which defined her.  Iron Lady was also the name of popular Hollywood movie made about her . As Prime Minister, she implemented policies that have come to be known as "Thatcherism" . Asian countries have had many female leaders but mostly all of them belong to powerful political families , on the other hand Mrs Thatcher who was daughter of a grocer and studied chemistry did enter politics as a complete outsider . She defeated Mr Edward Heath  in the Conservative Party Leadership elections  to become leader of her party and leader of opposition . She  became prime minister in 1979 . Her wit and intellect definitely transformed Britian , she found a great friend and ally in US President Ronald Reagan . Mrs Thatcher was a key player during the " Cold War " of 1980"s . Mikhail Gorbachev of USSR and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl greatly respected her . She  served her country for 11 years and during that time she was able to resolve many social and political issues  like privatization of state owned companies and reducing the power of trade unions. Thatcher's popularity  during the 1982 Falkland Wars  helped her being re- elected as Prime Minister .

Mrs Thatcher dominated the world political stage in the 1980s , she was a role model for not only British women but for women every where , all across the world . When I look at female leaders of today like Angela Merkel and Hillary Clinton I think they may  have  borrowed few political tips from Baroness Thatcher .

GIRLS SCHOOL IN AFGHANISTAN FUNDED BY ANGELINA JOLIE 

Angelina Jolie is not only a prominent Hollywood movie star , she has dedicated a lot of her time and financial resources to create awareness about many problems like genocide, mother/ child health care  and illiteracy . Her latest humanitarian project is a school for girls she opened in Afghanistan and plans to fund with profits from retail sales of her Style by Jolie ( jewelry line).

Many Afghani girls have  to sneak out of the their homes to attend school and in most area there are simply aren't any schools for girls at all.

In extreme cases schools for girls have been burned down with the teachers threatened or even killed.

Ms Jolie opened the primary school for girls in an area outside Kabul with a large refugee population . It is the second school in Afghanistan funded by Angelina Jolie after one was set up in 2010.

This  girls-only primary school has several hundred students already and is in an area just outside of Kabul in a region known for resistance to education for girls. 

Angelina Jolie has built a great humanitarian reputation almost as prominent as her movie-star status. She's a UN Goodwill Ambassador. She has just returned from a trip to Congo and Rwanda with the British foreign minister to highlight the horrors inflicted on women and girls by the use of rape as a weapon of war in conflicts around the world.

In the past she has visited many other African countries , Afghanistan and Pakistan to highlight child education and health issues concerning women and children .

She and  fiancé Brad Pitt have adopted three children from Africa and Asia.

SUNDAY BAZAAR .............modern day flee market

Last Sunday I went to Karachi Sunday Bazaar after almost 15 years . I was greatly impressed by the paved walkways, organized car park, numbered shops, cleanliness , neat / clean bathrooms , elaborate food courts . Sunday Bazaar is a modern day flee market set up in phase 8 , DHA , Karachi . In the past it used to be a large number of shops set up under a tent on unpaved dirt land . Parking used to be a huge problem but I guess the city and DHA association have done a marvelous job of organizing this Bazaar ; a popular shopping and tourist stop in Karachi .
One can find  designer luggage pieces , watches, sun glasses ( yes second quality), beautiful jewelry , dresses , fabrics , house hold items ( from all over the world) . My favorite was the mega book store in the far corner selling books, magazines for young and old . One should be a " master of bargaining " to enter the Bazaar ......... you can easily pay 50% of the asking price after few minutes of bargaining with the vendor.

As I entered the bazar I saw beautiful rugs hanging on one side and colorful cotton fabrics hanging on the other side. Shop keepers like to attract shoppers by calling them over to their shops to get a good deal.........they call ladies "Aunty jees" and men "Sahab(Sir)"...........the #2 quality watches are sold in Sunday Bazar for Rs 500 to Rs 800 ($5)as compared to Rs 10,000($100) in the mega malls.
Teenage kids who are porters are walking around  with their baskets who can help you carry the stuff for few hundred rupees . The food courts in centre sell delicious kachorees, chat, samosas , pani puri ( Pakistani delicacies ). The fruit and vegetable markets are the "busiest areas".....full of housewives buying groceries .