One evening after putting her two children, then still young, to bed, she sat at her computer and opened an e-mail from the Association of Logic Programming. Would she accept the honour of being recognized as one of the "founding fathers" of the field? the international association wondered.

Alone in her home office, she burst out laughing. "I would be very honoured," she wrote back, "unless it implies a change of sex operation."Pakistani cinema made us proud once again as Mehreen Jabbar's short film Lala Begum bags the award for best screenplay at the 6th Annual Washington DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF).

Hosted by the not-for-profit DC South Asian Arts Council, DCSAFF is one of the most celebrated screen events on the Washington, D.C. cultural calendar. The festival takes place annually in the heart of America's capitol, showcasing the best in alternative cinema from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Syed Mohammad Ahmed, known for writing contemporary screenplays, is the name behind the 40-minute-long short film Lala Begum, garnering it much success. Ahmed is a respected name in the film and TV industry, most famed for writing the hit drama serial Tum Se Kehna Tha in the mid 1990s.