Bienvenue au bazar Français!

The French Bazaar at Alliance Française was enjoyed by expats and locals alike.

KARACHI:

It was an event where one ran into diplomats from various consulates, along with locals, freely moving around and enjoying their time at the Alliance Française on Saturday evening.

The French Bazaar, which takes place annually, is in its third consecutive year now. The event allows one to interact with many interesting people and to witness the handiwork of Pakistan on display — from quilts, to pottery of aboriginal ethnic art, and even a collection of silver jewellery from Uzma Javeri and Manizeh Zehra Ali.

The French bazaar brings together all sorts of people in an effort to raise funds for those less fortunate. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

What really stood out, however, were the French delights prepared by Irene Akbar, a French speaker of Swiss origin. From the chocolate and carrot cakes and chocolate brownies to apple pie and raisin and oatmeal bars! It felt like being in France itself, marvelling all these delectable items on a cool January evening.

Irene Akbar married a Pakistani diplomat based abroad in 1966, and is now a Cultural Attaché for the Karachi Accueil Society, the organisers of the bazaar. “Karachi Accueil Society (Welcome Karachi Society), was founded way back in 1981, and was primarily meant for the expatriates speaking French,” says Akbar about the society. “There came a time when there were 35 to 40 women, all French speakers, who were party to this group.”

However, after 9/11 and the Sheraton blast, the few remaining members didn’t stay for long, except for Akbar. There came a slope down the road. “Earlier we used to have fashion shows. Excursions in the past, cultural exchanges between France and Pakistan would often continue,” says Akbar.

The French bazaar brings together all sorts of people in an effort to raise funds for those less fortunate. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

Arranging and organising this bazaar on an annual basis for the past three years is Semeen Wajahat Khan, President of the Karachi Accueil Society, whose current members are primarily French-speaking women of Pakistani origin. These women have been organising this bazaar with the intention of “raising funds, mostly for the education of underprivileged children living in our society, and for special children, as well. We have also been able to provide for flood and blast victims through this bazaar,” says Khan.

According to her, not many people within the city get to enjoy Chicken Kiev and apple pie. “It is certainly here that we offer a unique snack experience to our visitors, which is usually Continental, and also at a good price.”

Also for Khan, this is meant to promote French culture, and she asserts, “It’s a nice mix of all kinds of people. We always wanted to do something French, gave away a taste of France to the locals, and the money earned was supposed to meet the needs of the people and worthwhile causes, residing in our society.”

This was local customer Sana Anjum’s first visit to the French Bazaar with her family, who was feasting on a dark chocolate brownie away from “the regular hustle and bustle of the city.”

Yet for Mike Tlenn, a Canadian teacher based here in the city, it was “certainly fun bringing my three little boys here.” For Tlenn, “This was surely a learning experience and an awesome gathering of a cultured lot.” He bought “lots of chocolates from the Bazaar” and on the same note found “Pakistanis a friendly people”.

Akbar says, she has found, over the years, that  Pakistanis are “a very hospitable people of Pakistan, but today I end up having lots of questions on the politico-socio grounds of intolerance taking roots in the country”.

The French bazaar brings together all sorts of people in an effort to raise funds for those less fortunate. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

She says, “When I arrived here it was very different in 1981, there weren’t material luxuries, but we managed with sheer happiness. Now there is this constant hit, between the haves and the have-nots of society, which have grown massively. I wonder how people can survive, in these times.”

However ending on a thought-provoking note, Irene Akbar says, “Though we are too often desperate at the news, we must hope, that Pakistan will emerge anew from a heavy past and too many catastrophes. This will be possible because of the richness of its land and abundance of its talent of its people. It is simply a unique country.”

A final word, from Khan, “We really want people to see the culture of France and Alliance Francaise, as well.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2014.

Like Life & Style on Facebook, follow @ETLifeandStyle on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.