Pakistan 2013- 2014

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I am going to try to find each and everything he mentions in this video and post it in this thread:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=979686078726036

China’s highest national award for Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman

KARACHI/BEIJING: Internationally renowned scientist, Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman has got the People’s Republic of China’s highest national award “Friendship Award of China”.

The award will be conferred on him in formal ceremony in Beijing today (29th September). The friendship award is for foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the country’s economic and social progress. The Award is being given for the tremendous and historic contributions of Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman to develop strong linkages between China and Pakistan in various fields of science and higher education.

Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman was responsible for initiating a major program of academic collaboration and linkages with Chinese Universities and other institutions as Federal Minister of Science and Technology and later as Chairman Higher Education Commission.

Under these programs some 400 students were sent to various Chinese Universities and research institutions for Ph.D. level training. Prof. Rahman has initiated strong collaborations with many Chinese Institutes. Prof. Rahman signed an Executive Protocol for Scientific Cooperation between Chinese Academy of Sciences and Pakistan Academy of Sciences under which many Workshops have been organized in Pakistan and China. These included a major international conference entitled, “IUCr South Asia Summit Meeting on “Vistas in Structural Chemistry” during April 28 – 30, 2014, Karachi, Pakistan to celebrate the International Year of Crystallography.

Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, has also initiated a nation-wide project for training students in Universities of Pakistan in Chinese language through video-conferencing. Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman’s book entitled, “The Wondrous World of Science” has been recently translated into Chinese language. Prof. Atta has recently been awarded International Cooperation Award from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

He has 976 publications in several fields of organic chemistry including 720 research publications, 37 international patents, 151 books and 68 chapters in books published largely by major U.S. and European presses. Prof. Rahman is the most decorated scientist of Pakistan, having won four civil awards. Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Hilal-i-Imtiaz, and the nation’s highest civil award, Nishan-i-Imtiaz. Vice Chancellor Karachi University (KU) Prof. Dr. Muhammad Qaiser and Director ICCBS-KU Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary have congratulated him for his great achievement.

China's highest national award for Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman | The News Tribe


ICT awards: Pakistan bags two gold, three silver at ICT awards

Meet five-year-old Ayan Qureshi: The youngest Microsoft Certified Professional in the world

Becoming a Microsoft Certified Professional is no easy task, let alone if one is only 5 years old! But that’s exactly what young Ayan Qureshi managed to accomplish.

Ayan was born to Pakistani immigrants to the UK -- his mother is a GP in training and father is an IT consultant who introduced his son to computer hardware at the mere age of 3. Ayan was apparently very receptive to how computers worked and grasped the concepts very quickly.

"I found whatever I was telling him, the next day he'd remember everything I said, so I started to feed him more information," said Mr. Qureshi.

Ayan has since spent about 2 hours every day learning about the Windows operating system, how to install programs, and what/how PC components such as motherboards and hard drives work, and has his own IT lab at home with a computer network that he built.

Despite concerns from Microsoft invigilators that Ayan was too young to take the exam, which lasts between 2 to 3 hours and features up to 90 multiple choice, drag-and-drop, hotspot, and scenario-based questions, his father reassured them that he would be alright.

"The hardest challenge was explaining the language of the test to a five-year-old. But he seemed to pick it up and has a very good memory," explained his father.

Ayan found the exam difficult, but enjoyed it, and passed, making the Coventry-based wonder kid the youngest certified computer specialist in the world.

"I'm very happy and very proud, I don't want to see him set a world record every day. But I want him to do his best whatever he does in his life," said his mother.

When he grows up, Ayan plans to launch a UK-based IT hub (think Silicon Valley) in the UK which he has already called E-Valley. He also plans to become an entrepreneur and start his own company. Is he also the first five year old in the world that doesn’t want to become Batman when he grows up?

Huge congratulations to Ayan for this epic achievement and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors.

Meet five-year-old Ayan Qureshi: The youngest Microsoft Certified Professional in the world


Pakistan 1st and ONLY Asian country to become CERN associate member: Pakistan becomes first associate member of CERN from Asia

Pakistani scientists discover a sought-after biochemical



Lahore- Scientists of Institute of Agricultural Sciences including Dr. Nasir Ahmad, Dr. Muhammad Saleem Haider and School of Biological Sciences Dr. Naeem Rashid, Dr. Muhammad Akhtar have discovered a novel thermo-acidophilic enzyme. Since the last three decades, scientists around the globe were in search of efficient enzymes that could simplify the process of starch hydrolysis for glucose and maltose production.

It is worth mentioning that there is not even a single unit of enzyme production in Pakistan. Hence there is great potential in this field. With the support of public and private organizations efficiency of this excellent enzyme may be further improved. Mass scale production of it will not only suffice our own needs but can also help to earn a lot of foreign exchange.

This novel enzyme can efficiently hydrolyze starch into glucose and maltose syrups in a single step and in a simpler way, in the absence of any other enzyme. Wonderful features of the enzyme resulted in the publication of US PATENT titled; “Single Step Liquefaction and Saccharification of Corn Starch Using an Acidophilic, Calcium Independent and Hyperthermophilic Pullulanase” (United States Patent Pub. No. US 2014/0227744 A1 published on 14/08/2014; Funded (US $ 11000) by Higher Education Commission).

Dr Nasir Ahmad, the first author of patent, is an experienced Food Technologist. This marvelous job was done by Dr. Ahmad during his PhD research (2005-2011) at School ofBiological Sciences, Punjab University. During this period, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem Haider and Prof. Dr Naeem Rashid were his supervisors. It is worth mentioning that all the work was completed within Pakistan using own resources. Even six month research training in a technologically advanced country under HEC’s International Research Support Initiative Program was also sacrificed to retain this national asset.

Dr Nasir Ahmad started his PhD in 2005 under HEC’s Indigenous 5000 PhD Fellowship Program. Previously he has served at various food industries in quality assurance/production departments. Since December 2011, he is serving as Assistant Professor Food Technology at Institute of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore. This nice effort of PU scientists will simplify the industrial process of glucose production and in turn greatly benefit our country’s economy.

The authors of patent have highly appreciated the Higher Education Commission, Pakistanfor provision of funds during research and patent publication fee.

Pakistani scientists discover a sought-after biochemical
PU scientists discover unique enzyme - Newspaper - DAWN.COM


Neurochip technology developed by Canadian team

The University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine scientists who proved it is possible to cultivate a network of brain cells that reconnect on a silicon chip—or the brain on a microchip—have developed new technology that monitors brain cell activity at a resolution never achieved before.

Developed with the National Research Council Canada (NRC), the new silicon chips are also simpler to use, which will help future understanding of how brain cells work under normal conditions and permit drug discoveries for a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

The new technology from the lab of Naweed Syed, in collaboration with the NRC, is published online this month in the journal, Biomedical Devices.

“This technical breakthrough means we can track subtle changes in brain activity at the level of ion channels and synaptic potentials, which are also the most suitable target sites for drug development in neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychological disorders,” says Syed, professor and head of the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute and advisor to the Vice President Research on Biomedical Engineering Initiative of theU of C.

The new neurochips are also automated, meaning that anyone can learn to place individual brain cells on them. Previously it took years of training to learn how to record ion channel activity from brain cells, and it was only possible to monitor one or two cells simultaneously. Now, larger networks of cells can be placed on a chip and observed in minute detail, allowing the analysis of several brain cells networking and performing automatic, large-scale drug screening for various brain dysfunctions.

This new technology has the potential to help scientists in a variety of fields and on a variety of research projects. Gerald Zamponi, professor and head of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, and member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, says, “This technology can likely be scaled up such that it will become a novel tool for medium throughput drug screening, in addition to its usefulness for basic biomedical research”.

The U of C is excited at the potential of this made in Canada technology.

"The University of Calgary is proud to be the home of this cutting edge Canadian work with a neurochip. The advances in research and healthcare made by possible by this technology are immense. The work and collaboration happening in the lab of Naweed Syed is another example demonstrating our leadership in the field of biomedical engineering," says Rose Goldstein the University of Calgary's vice-president of research.

Neurochip | News & Events | University of Calgary

 

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Two Talented Pakistani Scholars Win International Award in Germany

BERLIN – Two talented Pakistani scholars another international recognition for Pakistan by winning the Green Talent Award in Germany, PakistanTribe reported.

According to an official communique issued by the Press Information Department (PID), the Pakistani scholars Dr Saifur Rehman and Dr Asad Mehmood were awarded in the Berlin.

The 31-year-old researchers were presented with the award by German Federal Minister of Education and Research Professor Johanna Wanka.

Both scholars were invited to participate in the two-week “Green Talents – International Forum for High Potentials in Sustainable Development” program, during which they visited top locations for sustainability and research in Germany.

During the forum, the two learned about state-of-the-art technologies and exchanged ideas with the country’s leading experts in technology. In her commemoration speech, Professor Wanka welcomed this year’s ‘Green Talents’ in Germany.

Two Talented Pakistani Scholars Win International Award in Germany - PAKISTAN


THE CITIZENS FOUNDATION PAKISTAN WINS RAMON MAGSAYSAY AWARD
Honour for Pakistani foundation that runs 1000 schools for underprivileged children

Children with teacher Mehtab Begum at TCF school in Qayyumabad, Karachi

In 1995, six business leaders and executives in Pakistan decided they could no longer sit back and watch the country’s education system continue to deteriorate.

Seeing a future in which the poor stayed trapped in a cycle of poverty, they realised they could not ask for private sector financing until they had dug deep into their own pockets. So they did – and built five schools using their own money.

They launched The Citizens Foundation, a non-profit organisation, with a clear vision – to build well-designed and fully-equipped schools in poor districts with a 50-50 balance of boys and girls.

From those first five schools, the TCF network now has 1000 schools in 100 towns and cities, with more than 145,000 students and 7700 teachers – all of them women, as part of the foundation’s mission to open up employment opportunities for females.

Now the organisation has been honoured for its amazing work by becoming one of six recipients of the 2014 Ramon Magsaysay Award, often described as Asia’s Nobel Prize.

The award board said TCF had been recognised for “the social vision and high-level professionalism of its founders and those who run its schools, in successfully pursuing their conviction that, with sustained civic responsiveness, quality education made available to all – irrespective of religion, gender, or economic status – is the key to Pakistan’s brighter future.”

The foundation’s work is so important because Pakistan has the second highest number of children out of school – about 5.5million, of whom 66% are girls. Its spending on education is low and three out of every 10 children aged five to nine do not go to school.

But students at TCF schools have a 92% pass rate in the test needed for their secondary school certificate. The national average is 56%.

The foundation has tapped into the civic responsiveness of Pakistanis has corporate sponsors and tens of thousands of individual donors, many of them living abroad.

A TCF spokesperson said of the award: “It is a great testament to the important work TCF is doing in Pakistan to bring quality education to underprivileged girls and boys in Pakistan and to set a standard for reforming the education sector in Pakistan, a goal we will continue to work towards.”

THE CITIZENS FOUNDATION PAKISTAN WINS RAMON MAGSAYSAY AWARD | TCF-UK

*The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine PresidentRamon Magsaysay's example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. The prize was established in April 1957 by the trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund based in New York City with the concurrence of the Philippine government.

Magsaysay Award Foundation gives the prize to Asian individuals achieving excellence in their respective fields. The awards were given in six categories, five of which were discontinued effective 2009:

• Government Service (1958–2008)
• Public Service (1958–2008)
• Community Leadership (1958–2008)
• Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts (1958–2008)
• Peace and International Understanding (1958–2008)
• Emergent Leadership (2001– )
• Uncategorized (2009– )

Pakistan has won this 13 times


NED University Students Secured Second Position in Global UPPP Competition

KARACHI – A three member team of NED University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan has been ranked second best in a global competition organized by Multinational Oil and Gas Company, MOL Group.

Out of 972 international teams 10 teams participated at the live finals between 9th and 11th of December in Budapest, Hungary. Polish students from AGH University of Science and Technology are ranked as the top team of the E&P competition. Team Mechanical from NED University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan secured second position while third place goes to OIL UP team from University of Miskolc, Hungary.

MOL Group, a leading international oil and gas company, is looking for top geoscience and petrotechnical talents.

972 three-member teams applied for the talent acquisition program UPPP from 27 universities in 14 countries, ranging from the UK and Central Europe to the Middle East. Top ten teams from 6 countries made it to the live finals which took place from 9th until 11th of December in Budapest. During the live finals, teams had to solve challenging tasks related to the competition motto “Enter if you dare” in a base camp, which was organized exclusively for the top ten teams. In the Live Final event, the best 5 teams had to present their case to MOL Group E&P management. Based on the jury’s evaluation, top three teams won a total of 20,000 Euro and got the opportunity to join MOL Group and start their international career through the 18-month “UPPP Technical Placement Program”.

„We congratulate the top three teams for winning this one of a kind competition. I would like to thank all participants for their endless efforts during the competition. The outstanding results and feedback from the participants are showing us once more that we are heading in the right direction to attract top talents for MOL Group’s challenging E&P assignments. We are delighted to have that positive response and to set a new benchmark“, said Zdravka Demeter Bubalo, HR Vice President of MOL Group.

The first prize goes to ONIONgas team (Jakub Pitera, Dawid Bydlosz, Tomasz Malachowski) from AGH University of Science and Technology, Poland. “The three—day UPPP experience was astonishing. Every part of the program from the accommodation to the Finals was organized to the highest international standard. This has been the biggest adventure of our lives. Final results were completely unexpected, and we think winning the competition is a great kick-start of our careers.” said the winning team.
NED University Students Secured Second Position in Global UPPP Competition | Pakistan Tribe
NED students secure second position in global contest
Pakistani team ranks 2nd at MOL Group global competition - thenews.com.pk
NED students secure 2nd spot in international contest - thenews.com.pk


Three Pakistani authors nominated for 2015 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature

Three Pakistani authors have been selected in the nominees for the 2015 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature announced by leading Indian writer Keki N. Daruwalla, at the Goethe-Institut, Max Mueller Bhavan.

The Pakistani writers selected are Bilal Tanweer for Scatter Here Is Too Great, Omar Shahid Hamid for The Prisoner and Kamila Shamsie for A God in Every Stone.

The long list includes 10 books by authors who hail from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan; some of whom are now based in US,UK or Canada. Shortlisted books will be further announced on November 27th.

Other nominees include: Noontide Toll by Romesh Guneskera,And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini, The Mirror of Beauty by Shamsur Rehman Faruqi, The Gypsy Goddess by Meena Kandasamy, The Lowland by Jhumpa Lehri, Helium by Jaspreet Singh and Mad Girl’s Love Song by Rukmini Bhaya Nair.

Daruwalla, who is chairing the jury, stated that the ten books were selected from over 75 entries and have been decided by the panel that includes, Daruwalla himself from India; literary critic and former Granta editor John Freeman; Maithree Wickramasinghe, a Professor of English at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka and University of Sussex; Michael Worton,emeritus professor at the University College London, and Razi Ahmed, the founding chairman of the annual Lahore Literary Festival from Pakistan.

Speaking about the selection of the books, Daruwalla said:“It has been both exhausting and rewarding going through these seventy five novels. As expected the variety is considerable. Obviously there was a tremendous mix here—of themes, landscapes, styles, issues—both political and personal.”

The winner will be announced in January 2015 at the Zee Jaipur Literature Festival, and will receive $50,000.

Now in its fifth year, the first ever DSC Prize was presented to Pakistani author H M Naqvi for his debut novel Home Boy in 2011.

Three Pakistani authors nominated for 2015 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature @ Pakistan Herald

Mohsin Hamid's novel shortlisted for International Literary Award

Moshin Hamid (R) reads from his book 'How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia' at the Lahore Literary Festival 2013 . – Photo by Sara Faruqi/Dawn.com

Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid's latest novel, "How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia", has been shortlisted for Germany's International Literature Award.

"I'm thrilled for 'How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia' to be shortlisted," Hamid told Dawn.

The International Literary Award is the biggest prize for foreign literature that has been translated into German. This year 81 participating German-language publishers submitted a total of 154 titles, whose authors hail from 64 countries and write in 27 languages.

"How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia" has been translated by German translator Eike Schönfeld.

"Germany has a vibrant literary culture. I believe translators are enormously important, and it makes me very happy to see my excellent German translator Eike Schönfeld being recognised for his work on the novel as well," said Hamid.

A jury of literature critics, translators, culture journalists, and authors reviewed the nominated books. A total of six books, including "How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia," have been shortlisted for the prize.

The criteria for the award are to select the year's best work of fiction translated into German, revealing how world literature is evolving today.

The International Literature Award is accompanied by €25,000 for the winning author and €10,000 for the winning translator.

The winner will be announced later next week and the shortlisted authors and winners will be honoured at a ceremony in Berlin on July 3.

Hamid is also the author of the novels 'Moth Smoke' and 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist'. His book, 'How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia', also won Italy's Terzani Prize for International Literature last month.


Mohsin Hamid's novel shortlisted for International Literary Award - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

He didnt win

But his was 1 of the 6 books selected out of 154!!

Innovating science education: First Pakistani to get Howard Hughes professorship

Prof Hamid Zaman to use grant to increase awareness about complex health challenges. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI:
Boston University’s Hamid Zaman and his students have developed a detector for counterfeit and defective drugs flooding poorer countries, among other technologies to improve medical care in the developing world.

Zaman is an associate professor of biomedical engineering at BU’s College of Engineering and a columnist for The Express Tribune. But now he has another feather in his cap.

He is one of the 15 professors across the United States – and the first Pakistani – to receive the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professorships, awarded to researchers to introduce innovative techniques for undergraduate science education. And for this, the professorship confers a five-year $1 million grant to each HHMI professor.

The aim of the professorship is to provide resources to research scientists who are making science more engaging for undergraduate students and empower these individuals to create new models for teaching science at research universities, according to the HHMI website.

And how will Zaman make this happen? “My goal is to use the professorship to increase awareness about complex health challenges in developing countries, including Pakistan, and develop stronger academic ties between students,” he says, while talking to The Express Tribune. “Collectively, I hope, we will be able to address high-impact health challenges of the developing countries, through innovation, context awareness and a broad-based approach.”

The goal is to go beyond the disciplinary boundaries and integrate policy, development and health research with engineering education to come up with new and more potent tools to address these challenges, he explains.

“A lot of my approaches and appreciation of global health challenges are derived from my background. I grew up in Pakistan so not only do I have a soft corner for global health challenges.”

Innovating science education: First Pakistani to get Howard Hughes professorship – The Express Tribune



Warid set to launch 4G LTE services, with PTA approval

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) accepted Warid Telecom’s plea to permit it to launch 4G services in the country.

The PTA had held auctions for 3G and 4G network licences on April 23 - a process in which Warid did not participate. The bids of four mobile operators of Pakistan qualified for the auction of 3G and 4G namely Mobilink, Telenor, Ufone and Zong.

Warid had previously already obtained a spectrum that would allow the roll-out of 4G. The company's existing licence, which was acquired in 2004, is also technology neutral but is not service neutral, which meant the company would have to share all details of its new services prior to their launch.

While Warid planned to launch 4G LTE (long-term evolution) to compete with the 3G/4G licence-holders, the PTA had insisted that the company needed permission from the regulator for the introduction of the new services.

It was earlier expected that PTA may withhold Warid's request for permission to go for the launch of 4G (LTE) considering the interests of other cellular companies who bought the (3G/4G) licences for $1.12 billion.

Zong and other cellular companies have serious reservations over this decision by the PTA, as they paid heavily during the bid and also invested their time.
Warid set to launch 4G LTE services, with PTA approval - - DAWN.COM

Zong Officially Launches its 4G LTE Network in Pakistan

Zong has officially launched its 4G LTE services in Pakistan just moments ago through a launch ceremony held in PC Hotel Karachi. With this Pakistan gets the latest wireless broadband technology to join the league of 76 countries having LTE networks.

Dr. Fan Yunjun, CEO, China Mobile Pakistan, Dr. Zhao Peng, Chief Commercial Officer of CMPak, Mr. Sajid Mehmood, Chief Network Officer and Chief Regulatory Officer, Mr. Niaz A Malik, CIO and Corporate Chief Sales and Strategy were present at the launch ceremony.

During his keynotes, Dr. Fan said that Zong’s technical and commercial teams are all prepared to launch 4G LTE services in seven cities during the first phase.

Below are seven cities where, according to Zong’s CEO, 4G services will be available immediately:

• Islamabad
• Rawalpindi
• Lahore
• Karachi
• Faisalabad
• Peshawar
• Quetta

Dr. Fan said that Zong will inject 1 billion dollars in Pakistan over the span of three to four years. He said that his company aims to add 4,000 new cell sites to the network by year end. He explained that 4G, 3G and even 2G networks will be expanded over the time.

Zong’s CEO said that his company is committed to build the strongest digital ecosystem in the country to get the best out of next-gen mobile networks.

Dr. Fan revealed that Zong has already added 866,000 3G customers on its network.

On its first day of launch, Zong’s 4G network footprint spans around seven cities in the country with strongest network in Lahore where it is likely to face tough competition from Warid, another contender that has plans to start 4G LTE services with-in two weeks from now.

Not to mention, Zong has 4G coverage maps of only five cities on the website.

Zong had bought spectrums for 3G and 4G bands earlier this year in an spectrum auction held by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.

Not to mention, ProPakistani had already published the details about Zong’s 4G packages and coverage maps of Zong’s 4G Network for five cities.

Zong Officially Launches its 4G LTE Network in Pakistan :



Go big or go home: Pakistan wins first prize at One Young World summit

KARACHI: A Pakistani, Khizr Imran Tajammul, has won the first prize at the fifth One Young World summit in Dublin at the Social Startup Competition, techjuice.pk reported.

At the competition, Tajammul shared his idea to research and manufacture affordable energy solutions for communities with low income. Further, he also wants to utilise the potential of solar energy in Pakistan and make it more accessible.

Tajammul feels that solar water heating has great potential and ‘greenhouse technology’ in Pakistan can prove to be more efficient and affordable as opposed to using evacuation tubes.

Tajammul formed an organisation with his friends by the name of Jaan Pakistan, and the organisation has received $20,000 thus far in prize money and is planning to use the money to design their first product; the solar water heater.

One Young World was founded in 2009 is a UK-based not-for-profit that gathers young individuals from around the world and gives them a platform to showcase their ideas.

Pakistani youth wins first prize at One Young World Summit - Pakistan - DAWN.COM
Go big or go home: Pakistan wins first prize at One Young World summit – The Express Tribune

This year the conference was attended by a series of established global leaders such as Kofi Annan, Mary Robinson, Sir Bob Geldof, Professor Muhammad Yunus, Paul Polman, Doug Richard, Jimmy Wales, Former Latin American Presidents, Sol Campbell, Dame Ellen MacArthur, Martin Pollock, Hans Reitz, Professor Meghan ‘O Sullivan and Meghan Markle.

Pakistan Claims First Prize at the One Young World Dublin :

Dublin: A young Pakistani innovator named Khizr Imran won the first prize at the Rwanga Social Startup Competition held at the fifth One Young World Summit in Dublin, reported Techjuice.com on Saturday.

Three Pakistani activists honoured with N-peace Award
October 30, 2014
hree activists from Pakistan have been awarded an N-peace award by N-Peace network, a multi-country network of peace advocates in Asia working on the advancement of women and peace issues.

The awardees were announced in July this year and were conferred with the honours in an ceremony held in Bangkok, Thailand from October 24 to 26...

N-Peace Network » Three Pakistani activists honoured with N-peace Award | News

Pakistani peace champions announced as N-Peace Award winners

One young man and two women peace champions have been named among the winners of the 2014 N-Peace Awards, a prestigious prize administered by the United Nations Development Programme which recognizes the leadership role of women and peace advocates from six conflict-affected countries in Asia. This year was the first year that Pakistan has participated in the awards.

Rabiah Jamil Beg was named winner of the Breaking Stereotypes – Women and Media award. Working as a correspondent and investigative reporter, Rabiah was praised by the selection panelists, one noting how she was “overcoming tremendous odds, and thereby showing enormous courage to achieve what she has done to date. No wonder she is inspiring more female journalists into the media.”

In the Youth Generation – Young Women and Men Building Peace Shah Zaman impressed judges by being a “male empowering women in a society that doesn't treat women as equal.” One panelist noted that “he is leading by example to say we are all equal.”

Over 100 nominations were received across the categories from the six participating countries – Indonesia, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Nepal, and first-time participants Myanmar and Pakistan. The winners of the four special categories were chosen by an international selection panel, themselves a celebrated group of peace advocates, for their leadership and contribution towards building peace with and for women in their respective countries. The winners of the Untold Stories – Women Transforming their Communities category (one from each of the participating countries) were decided on by the public in an open, online vote and announced last week, with Mona Parkash being announced the winner of the Untold Stories – Women Transforming their Communities category for Pakistan. Mona’s leadership and work in providing egalitarian education that promotes the values of peace, harmony and diversity garnered her the most votes from amongst the nine Pakistani women nominated in this category.

Since 2011, the N-Peace Awards have recognized the tireless efforts of women peace activists in Asia as well as male partners who progress gender equality and the inclusion of women in peace processes in their own countries. The 2014 Awardees will join other peace advocates from the region and the Awards selection panelists – a celebrated group of peace advocates themselves – for an Awards Ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, in October.

N-Peace (Engage for Peace, Equality, Access, Community and Empowerment) is a multi-country initiative managed by UNDP Asia-Pacific Regional Centre.

Pakistani peace champions announced as N-Peace Award winners | UNDP in Pakistan

PAMIR TIMES | Voices of the Mountain Communities – Meet the N-Peace Award Winner, Mr.Shah Zaman

 

[Dubious]

Green shirts' 2014 in field

LAHORE (Web Desk) –

Happy New Year 2014
Everyone’s expectations from the national team were extremely high as they finished the last year on a high note. But it was very unfortunate for the Pakistani cricket fans as only three bilateral series was scheduled in 2014 along with T20 World Cup and Asia Cup.
Although Pakistan lost all three series and failed to win both events i.e. T20 World Cup and Asia Cup but there are few events that will be remembered in Cricket history for long time to come.

300+ chase in Sharjah Test
Pakistan is considered to be one of the weaker sides when it comes to chasing targets but the record of fastest 300+ chase in Test history belongs to Pakistan. This record was made on 20 January 2014 when Pakistan was playing against Sri Lanka in Sharjah Test. Sri Lanka set the daunted target of 302 and Pakistan had to chase the target in just two sessions (A minimum of 59 overs) to square the Test series 1-1. Timely century from Azhar Ali and equally effective half century from skipper Misbah ul Haq helped Pakistan pull of a sensational victory. Pakistan won with 1.3 overs to spare, reached the target by scoring at a run rate of 5.25 runs per over which was the fastest ever 300+ run chase in the Test cricket history.

Pakistan’s Victory against India in Asia Cup
When we talk about historic moments then how can someone forget Green Team’s victory against India in Asia Cup 2014? Match was played at Mirpur, Dhaka in Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. It was the must win match for both teams as both teams had been defeated by Sri Lanka. Pakistan restricted India to 245-8 despite couple of wrong decisions from umpire on a pretty flat track. Pakistan started the innings quite well and in the middle of the game Pakistan got the things under its control. But a mini-collapse in batting made things difficult for Pakistan as run rate hit the 10 runs/over mark.
This situation was ideal for Shahid Afridi but the support from the other end was zero as wickets kept falling at regular interval.
Pakistan needed 10 runs in the last over with two wickets in hand. Indian Captain Virat Kohli handed the ball to Ashwin but it was an Afridi’s day. He finished the game in style. Pakistan won the match with two balls to spare thanks to Afridi’s two huge sixes.
While commenting, Ramiz Raja quoted on the last shot
He goes again, goes big, IT GOES UP IN THE AIR…. AND IT’S SIX… SHAHID AFRIDI YOU BEAUTY!!

Pakistan’s highest run chase in ODIs
Although Pakistan did not win the Asia Cup 2014 but will remember this tournament for long time as Green Team gathered couple of records. Asia Cup was obviously Afridi’s tournament thanks to his blistering and aggressive batting.
While chasing Bangladesh’s 326 runs target, Afridi came to bat and scored 59 runs off just 25 balls and took the game away from Bengalis. It was first time in Pakistan’s cricket history when Pakistan chased down such a huge total.

Ahmed Shehzad’s T20i Century
Ahmed Shehzad became the first batsman in the Pakistan’s cricket history to score century in all three formats of the game. He achieved this milestone in the match against Bangladesh featured in ICC T20 World Cup 2014. Ahmed Shehzad was the 12th batsman who scored a T20 ton.

Fawad-Maqsood record partnership
Pakistan toured Sri Lanka in August 2014. In the first ODI, played on 23 August 2014, Pakistan made another record. While chasing 276 runs target, Pakistani young guns piled up 147 runs off 117 balls and made a record stand for the sixth wicket. It was Pakistan’s highest ever sixth wicket partnership. The young batting pair constructed a rebound for their team from a struggling position of 5-106. Pakistan won that match by four wickets with two balls to spare.

Pakistan’s record-breaking Test series against Australia
Pakistan hosted Australia in UAE. Tour started from October 5 with one T20 match. 3-match ODI series and two-match Test series were scheduled after a T20 match. Unfortunately Pakistan had lost T20 and ODI series. Test series was Pakistan’s shot at redemption along with some senior players.

Pakistan on record-breaking spree
Series against Australia was the most memorable Test series of Pakistan as scores of records were broken by the team.

Younis Khan’s successful comeback

Younis was criticized badly before the series against Australia. It seemed that his career was over as selectors had not selected him in the Test squad but somehow Younis made his place in the team and played the series of a lifetime.
Pakistani team was struggling at 7-2 in the first innings of the first Test and then Younis came to the crease and scored a brilliant ton that helped Pakistan reach a comfortable total. It was Younis’s 25th Test century that placed him with Inzamam ul Haq in the list of most Test centuries scored by Pakistani batsmen, the threshold that he surpassed only in the next innings.
Younis Khan’s show was not limited to first innings. He showed his class in the second innings as well and scored another ton that made him the first ever Pakistani to score 26 Test centuries.
Younis’s redemption was not over yet in the first match. With his amazing form, Younis notched a memorable 213 for what was his fifth double hundred to steer Pakistan to a massive 570-6 (declared) in their first innings of the second Test.

Sarfaraz Ahmed’s aggressive comeback
Wicket keeping is a very crucial department especially in Test cricket and Pakistan had been struggling in this department from a long time. Sarfaraz’s aggressive comeback with both bat and behind the wickets made things better for the team. Sarfaraz piled up 109 runs off just 105 balls. That century was the 2nd fastest century by a wicket-keeper.

Misbah’s fastest century
Misbah ul Haq is considered as one of the slowest batsman among Pakistani team. 40-year-old Pakistan skipper had been criticized badly for his slow batting but Misbah responded to his critics by scoring fastest ton in the Test cricket history. Misbah achieved this milestone off just 56 balls and equaled West Indian legend Sir Viv Richards’s record.

Centuries, Centuries and Centuries …
Nine centuries along with a double century were registered in Pakistan’s scorecard against Australia. 8 centuries and a double century were scored by Pakistani team while David Warner was the man to hit a ton from Australian side.
Younis Khan: 2 centuries and a double century
Azhar Ali: 2 consecutive tons
Misbah ul Haq: 2 consecutive tons
Ahmed Shehzad: 1 Century
Sarfaraz Ahmed: 1 Century

Pakistan whitewashed Australia
Pakistan has always proved a tough contender in the UAE. In February 2012, Pakistan whitewashed number 1 Test side of that time, England. In October-November, 2014, Pakistan unexpectedly whitewashed Aussies. It was the most pleasant sight of the year for the Pakistani fans.

Revival of International Cricket in Pakistan
It was heartening to see an international team visiting Pakistan after more than five years. Thanks to Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shahryar Khan’s efforts, Pakistan was able to host Kenya cricket team at home soil. Kenyan team played 5-match One Day series against Pakistan A team.
The last team that visited Pakistan was Sri Lanka in March, 2009. The Sri Lankan national team had to leave the tour unfinished in the wake of a terrorist attack that it faced in Lahore on March 2, 2009.


Shahid Afridi retirement
Pakistani star all-rounder Shahid Afridi announced his retirement from ODI cricket after World Cup 2015. With a number of records already under his belt, he is now eyeing the feat of completing 8,000 runs and 400 wickets during the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand before bidding farewell to the 50-over format.

Green shirts' 2014 in field | Cricket | Dunya News


Pakistan win silver medal in Champions Trophy

PESHAWAR, December 15: Pakistan has won a silver medal in the Hockey Champions Trophy.

The team of Germany defeated Pakistan by securing 2-0 goals in a final match played last night in India. Germany have won the champions trophy for the 10th time.

The Pakistani team defeated India and Germany beat Australia in the semi-finals of hockey championship.

Pakistan win silver medal in Champions Trophy | RadioTNN.com




Pakistan kabaddi squads return home, unhappy over umpiring

LAHORE: Pakistan’s men kabaddi team captain Shafiq Chisti holds the World Cup runners-up trophy as the team pose with their women counterparts, who finished third, on their arrival at the Wagah Border on Monday.—Online

LAHORE: Pakistan men and women squads returned home on Monday via the Wagah border after winning silver and bronze medal respectively at the Kabaddi World Cup.

The Punjab Sports Board made special arrangements at the Wagah Border to receive the squads.

Pakistan skipper Shafiq Ahmed Chishti, while talking with the media after arriving from India, alleged that India won the final through biased umpiring and he considered his team a winner.

“We are the winners by all means and the discrimination we faced is no secret. Kabaddi lovers all over the world must have witnessed how the final was played and who the true winners are,” Chishti said.

“We were harshly treated by umpires, as they also closed the final before the stipulated time, soon after India took the lead,” he said.

“The umpires, following instructions of authorities, also threatened our players that if they make any objection then they (the umpires) would give points against Pakistan,” he alleged.

Chishti reiterated that Pakistan would not take part in the next World Cup in India if Indian officials did not change their behaviour.

“If India wants to hold such a mega tournament in future then they will have to appoint neutral referees and officials,” the captain stressed.

Chishti dedicated Pakistan’s silver medal to the victims of Peshawar school tragedy.

He said Pakistan team was in deep sorrow but even then they demonstrated great patience and managed to control their emotions during the semi-final and final.

Head coach Ghulam Abbas Butt also lamented that all match officials, including umpires and referees, were Indians.

“There should be neutral match officials in a major event like the World Cup. No Pakistani kabaddi umpire was issued visa by Indian authorities,” he disclosed.

Team manager Waqas Akbar said Indian authorities deliberately refused visa to Pakistani players for recently held World Kabaddi League and Kabaddi World Cup which was injustice.

“We have lodged a written protest before an investigative committee which has assured us of complete justice after thorough investigation,” he continued.

Overall, Pakistan won six matches on the trot on their way to the final.

In the semi-final, Pakistan toppled Iran 56-28 while in the group stage Pakistan thrashed Denmark, England, Canada, Sweden and Argentina to emerge as group leaders with ten points.

Chishti’s men continued their top performance in the final and kept the Indian team under pressure for 35 minutes out of 40-minute game, before losing the final 42-45 in a controversial way.

The event was staged at the Guru Gobind Singh Stadium, Jalandhar.

Punjab Sports director general Usman Anwar, while talking with the media, said excellent performance of Pakistan kabaddi team was being discussed everywhere which was a big success.

“Our team got this status in a short period. Our players did great work and emerged as a leading team of the world,” he said.

Our Sports Reporter from Islamabad adds: The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) has decided to approach the World Kabaddi Federation (WKF) against the alleged biased umpiring by India in the final.

PKF secretary Mohammad Sarwar said on Monday that the Indian umpires did whatever they could for ensuring win for their team.

“We have decided to approach the WKF against the worst kind of biased umpiring,” Sarwar told Dawn.

“Even, they (umpires) ended the match before the stipulated time while Indian players played with oiled bodies, which is strictly prohibited under the rules,” he said.

The secretary further said the PKF will plead the case before the world body and request it for neutral umpires in all international matches.

When asked that there are some media reports that the Indian authorities have constituted an inquiry committee to review the final, he said: “I can’t say anything about a local inquiry committee, I would just say that this matter should be taken up by WKF.”
Pakistan kabaddi squads return home, unhappy over umpiring - Newspaper - DAWN.COM

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Amir Khan beats Devon Alexander by unanimous decision

Britain's Amir Khan produced a dominant performance to secure a unanimous points victory over American Devon Alexander in Las Vegas.

After Khan, 28, controlled the early rounds, 27-year-old Alexander offered little until the eighth, when he managed to land a series of hooks.

But the clinical Bolton fighter remained in charge, and all three judges scored heavily in his favour.

Afterwards, Khan reiterated his desire to fight American Floyd Mayweather.

"I really believe I've earned my shot against the best boxer in the world and that's Mayweather," said Khan.

"He is the ideal fight for me. It would be a game of chess, but I would be too skilful. I have the skill and movement to beat him. He will not be able to hurt me.

"I feel better now than I did when I was 25. I'm dedicated to the sport and I know there's a few years left in me. I'm going to try and force that fight with Mayweather."
On a roll
Amir Khan has won all four of his fights since he was stopped by Danny Garcia in July 2012

Khan, who has now won 30 of his 33 professional contests, was in complete control as the three judges scored it 119-109, 118-110 and 120-108 in his favour at the MGM Grand.

Alexander, from St Louis, had won world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight but was outclassed by his fast and more accurate opponent, who retained the lightly-regarded WBC 'silver' welterweight belt.

Under the guidance of trainer Virgil Hunter, Khan consistently beat his opponent to the punch with the American taking a large amount of punishment from the jab as he suffered only his third professional defeat in a 29-fight career.

Before the fight, Mayweather said he wanted Philippine great Manny Pacquiao to be his next opponent, although that fight has been talked about for many years without it happening.

Nevertheless, Mayweather, unbeaten in 47 bouts and the current holder of the WBC and WBA welterweight and WBC light-middleweight titles, would have been impressed by Khan's near faultless showing.

"I trained very hard for this fight," added Khan. "I knew I had to make a statement. It was against a tough, very skilful guy, but it was one of my best performances.

"I'm the best boxer and have the quickest hands in the world. I've just turned 28 and I'm getting better and getting quicker, I just had to become smarter. I've got the best jab in the business."

BBC Sport - Amir Khan beats Devon Alexander by unanimous decision


First Gold Medal for Pakistan!

It was a nice day for cricket in Incheon. A number of spectators made sure to come to support their teams in person. Pakistan was expected to reign as the victor of the tournament, since they were the gold medal winners at the 16th Asian Games in Gaungzhou, China. Pakistan team captain, Sana Mir, won the toss and elected to bat first. Marina Iqbal and Javeria Khan started their game on a strong note. Jahanara was successful with a breakthrough on a magic delivery to Javeria Khan who gave a simple catch to Salma Khaton. Marina Iqbal and Bisma Maroof played incredibly well to provide a strong base for a good target.

Pakistan’s score was 35 when Marina Iqbal got stumped by the electrified Bangladesh keeper. However, the Pakistan team was successful in regaining foothold and increasing their score. Bimsa left in 13th over when Pakistan had 55 on score board, followed by the skipper Sana Mir at 77. Bangladesh bowlers presented a good comeback by restricting the Pakistan team from scoring and taking consecutive wickets. At the end of 20 overs, the Pakistan team was able to stabilize a respectable score of 97/6. Team Bangladesh was incredible with their bowling by hampering the Pakistan team to 7.

Just after the Pakistan bating was over, the weather took a turn for the worst and huge clouds covered the sun, followed by heavy rain. The Bangladesh batsmen were unable to open their accounts in the final match for gold medal at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. The unexpected rain led to an uneasy situation for both the teams. The rain stopped after an hour of heavy fall. Match officials restricted the target to 43 runs in 7 over for Bangladesh according to the Duckworth LewisMethod. It seemed an easy target for Bangladesh and their opening batsmen Ayasha Rehman and Rumana Ahamd proved it by providing a good start for their team. Bangladesh lost their first wicket at 13 when Ayasha Rehman was run out, followed by another run out of Rumana Ahamd.

The Pakistan team was very good to defend themselves on the field. Faranga Hoque tried to resist the Pakistan bowling attack, but she failed aftera long struggle, as she was clean bowled by Sadia Yousaf. After Fargana, no Bangladeshi player entered into the double figure. The last two overs were themost crucial to the match, as well as the tournament. Bangladesh required just 10 runs in 18 balls while they had 4 wickets in hands. Nida Dar and Sana Mir shared the rest of the wickets, rounding off an unbelievable victory for Pakistan. Bangladesh was 38/9 at the end of 7thover and lost to Pakistan by 5 runs.

The green shirts were able to defend their status of being Asian champions of cricket since their win at the 2010 Gaungzhou Asian Games. Congratulations!

First Gold Medal for Pakistan! - Incheon Asian Games 2014


Women’s cricket team proves as good as gold – The Express Tribune

Pakistan football shows glimpses of improvement

LAHORE - Football game is at its peak in 2014 due to World Cup which charged the soccer lovers around the globe including Pakistan, so the expectations of local football fans were also sky-high with their national team.
Pakistan football proved improvement this year on the back of successful holding of SAFF Women’s Championship in Islamabad, signing of Pakistan players’ contract with international clubs, Pakistan street children footballers wonderful performance in the Street Children Football World Cup while many other events still left to bring the Pakistan soccer to top level especially in Asia.
Pakistan football is flourishing under its dynamic leadership in current year as Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) took some significant steps. Resultantly, it is likely that Pakistan would be rated among the top few football teams of Asia in near future. However, soccer lovers in Pakistan are expecting more from this level.
The year 2014 proved to be very beneficial and prosperous for Pakistan football players as four of them signed contract with international clubs. They would not only get international recognition by performing exceptionally for their respective clubs but would also earn million of rupees in cash.
Pakistan’s top striker Kaleemullah signed a two-year contract worth million of rupees with Kyrgyzstan’s FC Dordoi and the same club also signed other Pakistanis including M Adil and Saddam Hussain while M Ahmad of Pakistan signed his contract with Essa Town FC Bahrain. The Pakistan players’ contracts with international clubs have opened the floodgates for others to avail opportunities in these clubs and earn even more than their expectations.
Besides, football fever in the country increased because of impressive and remarkable performance showed by Pakistan street children football team which finished third in the Street Child World Cup held in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
Competing for the first time in the mega event, Pakistan street children crushed title-holder India 13-0 in their first match before beating Kenya and Mauritius and holding the US team to top their group. They beat Philippines 3-2 in the quarter-final before losing to Burundi 3-4 in the semi-final. They managed to beat the US 3-2 on penalties in the third-place playoff to cap a remarkable tournament for the rookies.
On their return to home, they had been given rousing welcome by soccer crazy fans and later, not only the Parliament of Pakistan applauded their achievement and honoured them with some handy amounts but PFF president Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat also assured his all-out support to them and offered to train the prominent players of the team under the supervision of the PFF youth development coaches. Not only this, a UK-based charity announced to send a few among them to England for further training and grooming under the watchful eyes of English coaches.
The successful hosting of the recent international event ‘3rd SAFF Women Championship 2014’ is the most appropriate example of flourishing football game in the country. The mega event indulged top eight nations of the South Asian region including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and hosts Pakistan. The success of this mega event must be gauged from the facts that at a time when not even the male international teams of any major sports discipline are ready to visit and play in Pakistan, the entire eight SAFF countries’ female football teams gathered in Pakistan and participated in the championship, just because of efforts made by the PFF leadership.
Another bright aspect of this international activity was the arrival of top leadership of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) including AFC president Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa along with AFC vice president Prince Abdullah and Football Association of Malaysia president, who is also president of the Asian Hockey Association, AFC secretary Dato Alex Soosay, FIFA Executive Committee member and Thailand Football Association president Datu Woravi Makudi and SAFF president Qazi Salahuddin. During their visit to the country, they endorsed the positive developments being occurred in Pakistan football game.
AFC president Salman Al Khalifa, who was the chief guest at the final match, also delivered a historic speech to the PFF congress. It was for the first time in the history of Pakistan football that an AFC president had participated and addressed the PFF congress. In the 3rd SAFF Women Football Championship held at Islamabad, India thrashed Nepal 6–0 to retain the title.
Reviewing the overall performance of the PFF, there are a lot of mentionable achievements, which show the federation’s keenness towards promotion of the game in the country. The national football team partook in various international competitions where they produced mixed results which were better than compared to previous ones. The national team appeared in 3rd Al Naqba International Tournament in Palestine from May 8 to 21 and out of three matches, they won one against Sri Lanka and lost two against Jordan and Palestine.
The great feat of the year which the national team achieved was triumph in friendly football series against India at Bangalore, India. They defeated the arch-rival at their own backyard. Pakistan though lost the first match 1–0 yet they bounced back in style in second winning it 2–0, and this victory helped the green shirts to clinch the series by better goal average. In their Bahrain visit for friendly matches against Riffa Club, Champion Club of A League, in August, they drew the opponents 1–1 and in the second match, and drew against Al Hid Champion Club of A Division 2–2.
The U-23 football team took part in the 17th Asian Games at Incheon, South Korea from September 11 to 25. The performance of green shirts remained pretty poor as they lost both the matches they played against DPR Korea and China. The top club of the country KRL Football Club featured in the AFC President Cup at Colombo, Sri Lanka in May. KRL won only one against Bhutan FC, drew one against Bangladesh while lost one against Sri Lanka FC.
The national level competitions were also at their peak and were organised in a trend setting manners. The country’s premier event known as Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) kept the players engaged in healthy soccer activity and provided them the opportunity to excel at national level. KRL was defending champion of the event while Army is on top in the 2014-15 ongoing PPFL season with 36 points. The teams competing in this highest event of the country are KRL, PAF, K-Electric, Wapda, Army, Railways, Afghan FC (Chamman), Muslim FC, Baloch FC (Quetta), PIA, KPT and NBP. The other events such as National Challenge Cup, A and B Division League and other useful competitions were also organised by PFF in a befitting manner.
In 2014, PFF president Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat along secretary Col (Retd) Ahmad Yar Khan Lodhi and supporting staff did their best to make the year outstanding for Pakistan football and all the above-mentioned achievements are the fruits of their sincere efforts. The close relations of the PFF chief with other Asian and non-Asian football nations also made the difference for Pakistan soccer.
Again in 2015, the PFF leadership is committed to develop youth football as it is the department which has started bearing fruit and the young players started entering the main team and performing exceptionally. The federation is dedicated to make its leagues professional so that their outcomes may be healthier and fertile.
Due to phenomenal success of 2014 Football World Cup, the FIFA and AFC are enthusiastic about prompting soccer in its 209 member countries and will distribute fruits of mega events among them for soccer uplift, so Pakistan will also get its lime share and it is expected the country will get more goal projects and international soccer assistance. It is expected the game, which is the most favourite and followed game of the world, will strengthen its root in the country and will get further boost in the year to come.

Pakistan football shows glimpses of improvement

Brazucas made in Pakistan 'ready to be kicked'

10 June 2014 Last updated at 18:10 BST

With less than a week to go until the football world cup in Brazil, all eyes are on the national teams taking part.

Pakistan may not be one of them, but the country is getting in on the action, by making the footballs due to be used in the matches.

Pakistan used to be the main supplier of footballs around the world for a number of tournaments, including the Fifa World Cup. But for the last 10 years it lost business to China, because of a lack of advanced technology in its factories.

Now, a factory in Pakistan's north-east region of Sialkot is back in the business, making world class footballs.

BBC Urdu's Shumaila Jaffery went to visit the factory.
BBC News - Brazucas made in Pakistan 'ready to be kicked'

Brazilian world cup football 'Brazuca' is made in Pakistan


Sajjad makes it to IBSF World Snooker final
APP
Updated Nov 29, 2014 12:41am

KARACHI: Pakistan's ace cueist Mohammad Sajjad entered the final of IBSF World Snooker Championship when he defeated Zhao Xin Tong of China 7-3 in the semi final in Bangalore on Friday evening.

Sajjad defeated Manan Chandra of India 6-1 before the home audience in the last eight round earlier in the day.

Playing quality tactical snooker and displaying masterly cue control Sajjad just lost fifth frame before racing to a commanding victory.

“I know I am so close and I am eyeing to win the title for Pakistan,” Sajjad from Sargodha said in his comments after his triumph.

Sajjad got off to sterling start by forging 4-0 ahead with strong potting and safety play to put Manan Chandra under pressure.

Indian took the fifth frame 77-44. But Sajjad without showing any leniency grabbed the next two frames in comfortable fashion to register 80-20, 68-39, 85-19, 59-18, 44-77, 80-32, 70-27 victory.

Earlier in the pre quarter-finals, Sajjad shocked reigning Asian champion Thor Chuanleong of Malaysia 5-2 with splendid breaks of 116, 62, 52 and 51 in the match.

Former Asian number two Sajjad staged a superb fight after dropping the opening frame to stun Chuanleong with spectacular cue control, tactical play and smart break-building.

Sajjad defeated Chuanleong 27-74, 62-69, 76-22, 63-23, 61-24, 133-0 and 80-16.

Other two Pakistani players, Muhammad Asif Toba and Hamza Akbar had crashed out of the championship in the last 64-round.

Sajjad makes it to IBSF World Snooker final - Sport - DAWN.COM

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2014

FASTEST TIME TO COMPLETE AN ULTRA MARATHON ON EACH CONTINENT

FASTEST AGGREGATE TIME TO COMPLETE AN ULTRA MARATHON ON EACH CONTINENT

FASTEST TIME TO COMPLETE A MARATHON AND AN ULTRA MARATHON ON EACH CONTINENT

FASTEST AGGREGATE TIME TO COMPLETE A MARATHON AND AN ULTRA MARATHON ON EACH CONTINENT

MARATHON MAN
By Umer Nangiana - Mar 23, 2014

More than a hundred races across seven continents and counting. For him, running has more to it than just physical fitness and personal glory. It keeps hope alive, he says. Every time he runs, someone somewhere in the world, suffering from disease or poverty, gets a fresh lease. He runs to the help of the world’s destitute.

Meet Ziyad Rahim, a Pakistani based in Qatar, who is a world record holder in long-distance running.

Rahim ran his — along with his country’s — name into the Guinness Book of World Records last year for completing a marathon on each continent and the North Pole, the Marathon Grand Slam, in 41 days. The previous record was 324 days.

In the process, he raised awareness for CARE Pakistan, a non-profit organisation providing free education to underprivileged children in Pakistan.

Starting January this year, Rahim embarked on another world record breaking challenge, running an ultra-marathon on each continent in fastest time, 41 days and three hours, in an attempt to beat the previous record of 267 days (1999). He accomplished it this month (March 8) by completing the last leg in South Africa.

In the process, he has set four more Guinness World Records (officially confirmed by Guinness) in different ultra-marathon categories.

Once again, he did not run without a cause. The Pakistani marathoner was raising awareness for Maria Cristina Foundation, Dubai and Pakistan Welfare Forum, Qatar, the two charities based in GCC region with an established profile for their work on children’s education.

“When you are running a marathon, you are running besides the most optimistic and the fittest people in the world. It is probably the only sport in which you take part and you raise money for charities,” Rahim told me. It was difficult to catch up with him as he is always ‘on the run’ but I did manage to sit him down for a chat.

We met at a restaurant where, over a quick meal, he told me stories from his ‘running life’ and his keenness in raising awareness particularly about underprivileged children. At the age of 40, Rahim, a father of two, is so agile that it is difficult to keep up with even the pace at which he walks. He moves fast and he even talks fast, always conscious of his time.

By profession, Rahim is a banking executive. He is head of Market Risk at Barwa Bank, Doha. Originally from Lahore, Pakistan, Rahim also holds a Canadian passport which makes possible his visa-free travel, and he has been living in Qatar for five years.

He is clearly one of the select few daring men and women who are not afraid of taking on our planet’s toughest terrains. Running a marathon, which is 26.2 miles, on any surface is a difficult undertaking but picture this; Arctic ocean in North Pole, minus 40 degrees temperature and ‘frozen water’ for the running track.

Here, you are tasked to run a marathon on a six-foot thick active ice floe, separating you from 12,000 feet deep Arctic Ocean. Rahim has completed this challenge once in his life and it was here that he accomplished his world record also.

He is a member of the elite North Pole Marathon Grand Slam Club, the only Pakistani to make it to the select 78 members from different countries of the world. It is also his personal favourite marathon.

“It is an amazing experience. It is very nice just for the sheer fact that you are running near the North Pole,” Rahim recalled his experience of the ‘coolest race.’

He narrated how the marathon is done. There is no land, just the frozen Arctic Ocean. The sun comes out at the North Pole by the end of March. There is a special logistics company that flies over the ocean and finds a suitable place for landing where they drop logistics and manpower. The engineers and specialists asses the track and create a run way.

“They do a test landing on the runway and only after ensuring that everything is fine, they come and pick us (the athletes) from Svalbard which is 78 degrees north, right at the top of Norway,” said Rahim, rejoicing at the memories of his experience.

It takes strong nerves and a very fit body to even think of participating in such marathons. He has trained his nerves over a period of time through his experience with different types of marathons; however, he has to follow a regular exercise and diet regime to stay on top of his physical fitness.

“Every week I play squash for two days, perform spinning exercises for another two and do the running exercise for two days. I run 20-25 kilometres every day,” said Rahim. He avoids fatty food, stays away from carbonated drinks and eats at regular intervals.

He plans his day in such a way that he gives proper time to work, his family and passion, the marathons. Rahim believes there is no excuse for an unhealthy life as everyone can easily find time for exercise.

“You have 24 hours in a day. Even if you sleep for 8 hours and work for 10, you are still left with 6 hours from which you can easily find an hour or so for exercise after spending time with your family,” said the marathoner.

Running marathons also provides him and his family opportunities to roam the world. He finds his marathon destinations for the year and then the family plans their vacation around it for that year. His two children, daughter Zara, 7, and son Mekaal, 6, have so far been to 45 countries, said Rahim. They also take part in kiddies’ marathons, he added.

Rahim, son of cricket commentator Tariq Rahim, found his passion for adventure and running marathons whilst in Aitcheson College Lahore where he used to participate in cross country races. He moved to Canada in 2000 where his house was near the start of Toronto Marathon. Taking inspiration from there, he started running. He ran his first marathon in 2003.

Rahim is no stranger to long-distance marathons and raising awareness about charities. In 2010, he ran marathons for three consecutive weeks in UK and raised money for Pakistan’s flood victims.

In 2012, he participated in the Marathon des Sables (MdS), the toughest foot-race on earth and this time he joined hands with ‘Facing Africa’, a charity to create awareness and raise money for NOMA disease patients in Western Africa.

Noma is a gangrenous disease leading to tissue destruction of the face especially those in the mouth and cheek. Noma has affected over half a million people, with 140,000 new cases reported each year according to estimates by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Mostly children below the age of 12, in the poorest countries of Africa and some parts of Asia and South America are its victims. According to WHO, about 80-90 percent of Noma victims die.

And Rahim had taken on an equally dangerous race to raise awareness about the Noma victims. The MdS is held annually in Southern Morocco, is the toughest ultra-marathon in the world where the lives of at least two competitors have been lost in the past. An Italian runner had lost his way during a sandstorm in 1994 and wandered for nine days, losing 13kg.

The risks were high but he emerged successful. “Wherever I see children in problem I try to raise awareness about it and help them,” said the Pakistani athlete. Once again, he was trying to help children by creating awareness about PWF and MCF’s work.

The latter, he said, was very active and it had managed to raise about US$100, 000 so far — the target is to raise a million dollars. His race was still underway and Rahim hopes people would donate for the charities as they have always been forthcoming in the past as well.

Since January 24 this year, Rahim has successfully completed 50km ultra-marathons in Antarctica, South America, Asia, Europe, Australia and Africa in consecutive weeks as part of his record-breaking effort.

All his races have been different. In Antarctica, he ran a hilly course in -20 degree. In Chile, it was running against winds of over 60 km/hr. In UK for instance, he ran during the worst floods in Southern England and was one of the only 23 runners out of 65 starters to complete a night ultra-marathon in the most unforgiving of conditions.

The past few weeks, he has been flying hundreds of miles to his marathon destinations and back home.

During his latest record attempt, he flew every weekend to different continents, ran the utramarathon and immediately flew back to get to work the next day.

However, both his family and his Bank, Rahim said, have been very supportive. He plans to take part in Boston and London marathon in April this year.

“After this, I have promised my wife that I would taper down,” said Rahim, smiling.

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

Ziyad Rahim breaks Guinness World Record | DESIblitz

Awesome year for Pakistan Tennis
ISLAMABAD - The year 2014 proved very fruitful and better one as compared to the previous for Pakistan tennis which touched the new heights and flourished more than the expectations.
The achievements of Pakistan Tennis Federations (PTF) are clear indication of commitments and sincere efforts made by the federation to bring the game to new heights. Pakistan team managed to play the final of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group-II after a gap of almost eight years, but remained unlucky not to win the final against Thailand. Pakistan managed to beat mighty Philippines at their own backyard, a feat which was never achieved. Pakistan took giant strides in international tennis rankings, as they were sitting at 56 previous year, but took 10 steps forward to finish the year at 46.
It was due to the tireless efforts of outgoing PTF president Dr Syed Kaleem Imam that top player of the country Aqeel Khan was awarded ‘Pride of Performance’ finally after 17 years. Pakistan didn’t miss even a single international event. Pakistan tennis juniors were given such a exposure that they not only played at Asian circuit and Junior Davis Cup but also played in back-to-back ITF Juniors in India, as Pakistan was given the rights to host this event at neutral venue, participating in those two events resulted in 7 to 8 junior Pakistani players managed to get international seeding. Pakistan’s shining star girl Rida Khalid won the ITF Junior Doubles title in India, while Nofil Kaleem Imam became the first Pakistani to reach No 1 rankings in U-14 in Asia.
Pakistan participated in Asian Games and Aqeel Khan set new record of representing the country in five Asian Games. Females were also given maximum exposure as Ushna Suhail continued to shine on world horizon and she became the first Pakistan woman tennis player who reached the International Tennis Federation (ITF) ranking (229). The girls participated in the Asian Games, Fed Cup and other international events, despite severe criticism from various circles, who were against sending girls for international events and termed it wastage of time and money. Kaleem Imam took stand and advocated the girls’ rights, which resulted in Rida finally managing to win the title.
The PTF remained the one and only most active body, which, despite limited finances, managed to conduct a record number of ranking events. Non-functional affiliated units were up in numbers to derail matchless activities, but despite their efforts, Kaleem Imam used his personal contacts and generated a record number of funds and for the first time in the history of Pakistan tennis, he led body left behind a whopping Rs 4.3 million in the federation kitty.
PTF remained the only federation which submitted expenditures/income details, duly approved by the house and before leaving the office, Kaleem offered the newly-elected president, others to audit PTF accounts through the firm of their liking. Kaleem decided not to contest for the second term, a unique example set by an outgoing president. He also congratulated newly-elected president Salim Saifullah Khan and offered his full-fledge cooperation to him to take Pakistan tennis to new heights and presented shield to him. Such trends were set, which needed to be followed by all the federations.
Kaleem continued to focus on not only players’ uplift but also for the very first time in the history of Pakistan tennis, the PTF employees were given hefty and substantial raises in their salaries. An employee Zameer Ahmed’s family was given a very reasonable amount on behalf of PTF and players also set new example by personally donating for the noble cause.
The era of Kaleem Imam as PTF president saw a record number of ranking tournaments in 2014. There was not a single month when at least two ranking events were not conducted, junior tennis got huge boost as main and top most focus was given to juniors. Kaleem had to face worst criticism for paying special attention towards juniors as his son Nofil Kaleem was also playing in U-18 circuit, but none of the critics could prove Nofil used the federation money or Kaleem influenced to include Nofil in international events. The matter of the fact is that Nofil had to suffer just because of his relation with Kaleem and was dropped from the team just because of that particular reason.
M Abid, Ahmed Chaudhry, Talha Zubair, Mudassar, Muzammil, Nofil, Ilham Khan, Imran Shoukat and other players came into to limelight. Aqeel Khan suffered his first defeat at the hands of Ahmed Chaudhry in almost a decade and that too at quarterfinals stage, while Aqeel's younger brother Yasir Khan suffered major upset defeats and was dethroned from national No 2 ranking by M Abid. It was not a good year as far as female tennis was concern as PTF found it really difficult to complete even simple draw for the female players as majority of female players have either left the country or focusing on international circuit. Ushna hardly plays tennis at home, while Alina and Mahin Aftab sisters also broke into top 4 in the national female rankings. Both the sisters went to Spain for four-month training and returned with more confidence and are now Pakistan's future hope of winning laurels at international level.
Aqeel Khan set new record of winning most matches in Davis Cup for Pakistan in 2014. He remained No 1 player for the 14th year in running despite shock loss in the national ranking tournament quarterfinals.
The PTF also witnessed new president in shape of Salim Saifullah Khan, who promised to bring revolutionary changes in tennis and the lives of the players as he is well known businessman and has a very powerful political and family background. The players have pinned high hopes in his leadership and ready for the fresh challenges in the coming year.
Salim Saifullah won the elections unopposed and managed to muster support of some of the big guns, who were at loggerheads in the past, but a number of challenges are waiting for him. He has to give top priority to revive international tennis in Pakistan, ensuring/pursuing International Tennis Federation (ITF) to let Pakistan hosts Davis Cup home ties, conduct maximum number of events, raise prize money to minimum Rs 500,000 and pay special attention towards grooming more and more male players who may replace fast aging Aisam and Aqeel in Davis Cup and other major international events. Finding and attracting females towards tennis is another huge mountain to climb for Salim. Up-gradation and renovation of existing clay courts, laying down of new synthetic courts and construction of indoor tennis courts at PTF Complex will be the major challenges Salim has to face, which he has promised during his election campaign.
Now all eyes will be on Salim to deliver, and if he fails to do so, he will soon land into trouble, as hopes are sky high. He is more than capable of doing wonders for Pakistan tennis due to his reputation and tremendous respect at international level which he can use to get Pakistan tennis back on track.

Awesome year for Pakistan Tennis

Nofil wins Asian Jr Tennis title

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan No 1 U-14 tennis player Syed Nofil Kaleem Friday clinched the Asian Tennis Federation Junior Circuit Championship title at Khalifa Tennis Centre in Doha, Qatar. Niofil thrashed his opponent Mujahid of UAE 6-1, 6-1 in straight sets. He started the first set at a high pace and didn't allow Mujahid any chance to show his natural aggressive game. He won the first set in 25 minutes, conceding single game while in the second set, he got a bit relaxed and played long rallies from the baseline. He finally took the second set with the same margin of 6-1, thus completing the victory in 1 hour and 10 minutes. Talking to The Nation, Nofil said: “I have delivered what I promised and I think it was my best performance. I was not performing well recently, but the appointment of new coach Imran Shaukat paid off immediately. He has completely transformed my game and I am really thankful to my coach and my father Syed Kaleem Imam, who is a great inspiration for me and taking good care of my future assignments.” It is pertinent to mention here that Nofil has not lost a single set throughout the championship. “I want to compete in International Tennis Federation (ITF) events by the end of the current year,” he concluded.

Nofil wins Asian Jr Tennis title

Musclemania® Universe 2nd Place Salman Ahmad says his super lean condition came from a 6 month diet, solid nutrition, 2x day training and a serious, year round focus on conditioning. “I knew MM bodybuilders are always in shape,” he explains. “Here in Pakistan, diet doesn’t matter as much – its all about size on stage. But at MM, its the complete body and super lean. Illusion shadows sheer size!” At 5’8″, 172 lbs., Salman says he was shape 2 months before the show. His next competition will be MM World in Las Vegas
Pakistan - Musclemania

Physically challenged Pakistani bodybuilder wins gold medal in US

Physically challenged Pakistani bodybuilder wins gold medal in US

Mission accomplished: Samina becomes first Pakistani woman to scale 7 highest peaks on 7 continents

KARACHI: Samina Baig on Thursday became the first Pakistani woman to summit the highest mountains on each of the seven continents of the world.

Baig, who hails from Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan, was on a mission to raise the Pakistanis flag on the highest peaks of the seven continents.

She achieved her target with her brother Mirza Ali on July 24.

Mirza Ali on their Twitter and Facebook accounts announced that the brother and sister duo had reached the summit of Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus mountains.

Mirza Ali @Mirza_climb
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Last of the 7Summits,#saminabaig 1st pakistani & first muslim woman to complete the 7highest Mtains in 7Continents

3:54 PM - 24 Jul 2014

The summit means that Samina Baig has summitted all the highest peaks on the seven continents.

Mirza Ali @Mirza_climb
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7summits in 7continets.#adventurediplomacy #womenempowerment, #genderequality,i am sure this is not news for pakistan

7:27 AM - 25 Jul 2014

Mirza added that they had managed to reach the summit at 9am local time.

Previously Samina Baig and her brother Mirza Ali had climbed Mount Everest on May 19, 2013. Samina had become the first Pakistani woman to climb Everest.

Prior to climbing Mt Elbrus, the duo had climbed Mount McKinley in Alaska in June 2014, and Mount Puncak Jaya in Indonesia in March 2014.

Last year, they climbed to the summits of Mt Aconcagua in South America in December 2013, Mount Vinson in Antartica in January 2013 and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in February 2013.

Baig added that since Everest was closed this year due to an avalanche, he would attempt it again next year, which would then make him and Samina the first siblings to complete the seven summits on seven continents.

Mission accomplished: Samina becomes first Pakistani woman to scale 7 highest peaks on 7 continents – The Express Tribune

Pakistani film industry witnessing rebirth: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (IANS Interview)

Pakistan's first Oscar winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chenoy hopes that her efforts to make animation mainstream in her home country herald a new era in the country's film industry, which is witnessing a "rebirth" with "bold and socially conscious cinema".

"Saving Face", a film about the horrors of acid attacks, brought her the prestigious Academy Award and global acclaim in 2012.

Now the documentary filmmaker has put her creative forces behind Urdu entertainer "3 Bahadur", said to be the country's first animated feature. She says the film, which took two years to make, is "filling a gap in Pakistani cinema".

"In a country of (over) 180 million people, the resurgence of cinema is occurring at a rapid rate. An unprecedented amount of multiplexes are springing up all over the country to cater to growing demands for quality entertainment," Obaid-Chinoy told IANS in an e-mail interview from Karachi.

"Pakistan has one of the youngest populations in the world with about 42 percent of people under the age of 14; yet there is virtually no original children's programming in theatres or television in the country," she added.

Waadi Animations - a joint venture of ARY Films and SOC Films - spearheaded by Obaid-Chinoy, will produce animated content including feature films, short films, animated TV series and commercials to cater to the demands of the evolving audience.

"3 Bahadur", a "quintessentially Pakistani story", is its first offering, and Obaid-Chinoy hopes the movie "will play its own small role in expanding the industry and getting more people interested in what animation has to offer".

"Unlike Indian cinema, which has solidified its place in the global arena, Pakistan is now witnessing the rebirth of its film industry. I have no doubt that this new wave of bold and socially conscious cinema will carve out a unique place for itself in the international sphere," she said.

The filmmaker, who has even won an Emmy Award for her documentary "Children of the Taliban" on recruitment of child terrorists, said her homeland has several talented illustrators, writers, animators and visual effect artists.

"Unfortunately, we haven't done justice to them. We've not given them the space and resources required to show off just how talented they are. We have all the ingredients to one day be a nation that produces multiple animated films every year," she said, adding that the country is replete with many colleges and universities offering quality training in animation.

"The problem arises after these talented animators graduate and find themselves in a market that offers very limited opportunities for them to showcase their talent. The talent and skill is there, but this industry had never been given the resources that it requires to live up to its full potential."

This, coupled with the lack of content for kids, is what caught Obaid-Chinoy's interest in making "3 Bahadur".

"Pakistan has a very young population and a booming media industry, but we have stopped producing quality content for children. All of our content is imported - from animation to variety shows, and thus our youth grows up with mentors and heroes that are far removed from what they see around them in real life.

"I felt that it was about time we produced light-hearted, quality content for children locally so that our children can finally see characters who look and speak like them on the big screen," Obaid-Chinoy added.
Pakistani film industry witnessing rebirth: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (IANS Interview) | Business Standard News

 

[Dubious]

Burka Avenger nominated for Emmy Kids Awards
Entertainment Desk
Published Oct 11, 2014 08:54am

Pakistan's first animated television series, Burka Avenger has been nominated by the International Emmy Kids Awards.

The nominations were unveiled yesterday and the creator and director of the series, Aaron Haroon Rashid made the announcement via his official Twitter account.

Haroon @TheRealHaroon
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Wow! Burka Avenger has been nominated for an International Emmy! Congratulations to Pakistan & congratulations to the UnicornBlack team

12:54 PM - 8 Oct 2014 Punjab, Pakistan, Pakistan

The multi-award winning series has been nominated in the animation category and this is the first time any Pakistani animated series has been recognised in the Kids Awards.

Produced by Unicorn Black Studios, the 13 episode series aired on Geo Tez of Geo Network TV in 2013.

Burka Avenger’s story revolves around an animated superheroine, Jiya who wears a burqa as a disguise to conceal her identity while fighting villains for justice, peace and education for all.

The series stars the talented Ainy Jaffri and Hamza Ali Abbasi as the voice of Burka Avenger and Baba Bandook respectively, and features songs from some of the biggest musical acts from across South Asia, including Ali Zafar, Haroon, Ali Azmat and Josh among many others.

Burka Avenger has previously won several awards including ‘Peabody Award 2013’, ‘Gender Equity Prize’ and the ‘Rising Star Award’ in the animation category at Canada International Film Festival.

The international Emmy Kids Awards ceremony will be held in New York on February 20, 2015.
Burka Avenger nominated for Emmy Kids Awards - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

SAAD HAROON BIOGRAPHY

Saad Haroon is a standup comedian, improviser, director, scriptwriter and producer who created Pakistan’s first improvisational comedy troupe, named Blackfish. Blackfish was hugely successful and performed for many years, also participating and representing Pakistan in Contacting the World, an international theatre festival in Manchester, England.

Saad then went on to create Pakistan’s first English language comedy show on television by the name of The Real News. The show was a mix of Political and Social satire and was one of the first comedy shows in Pakistan to be shot in front of a live studio audience.

Side by side his successful television show, Saad produced his country’s first standup comedy tour named Saad Haroon: Very live! The tour was also filmed and made into a television show, which included interviews with Pakistan’s top comedians including Anwer Maqsood, Behroz Sabzwari, Faisal Qureshi and Bushra Ansari.

Saad then trained a new improvisational comedy troupe by the name of Shark, which went on to perform long form improvisational comedy for the first time in Pakistan, also touring the country to great reviews.

In 2009, Saad released his second standup comedy show entitled This is Standup comedy and for the following two years he performed the show locally and internationally. He filmed this tour as well, interviewing international comedians such as Aasif Mandvi, Dean Obeidallah, Shazia Mirza and Azhar Usman, making a new weekly comedy show which is also was released as a weekly web show.

Saad now frequently travels across the world, performing and collaborating with other artists. He has represented Pakistan in various events and festivals including ‘Contacting the World’ Professional Development Program, the ‘International Festival of Emerging Artists’ and was featured in ‘Centre Stage’ touring the United States of America in 2012.

Saad Haroon finished a stand-up and improvisational comedy tour of 16 universities in Pakistan under the banner of Sprite’s ‘University of Freshology’. At the moment, he is working on a brand new standup comedy show and regularly teaches the art of improvisational comedy, does corporate shows, produces television and web content and has no idea what is around the corner.

Funniest Person in the World - Semi-Finals | Laugh Factory


came 3rd due to lack of votes

Karachi to Hollywood: Pakistani visual effects artist wins third Oscar

KARACHI:
Richard Parker swims in the Life of Pi ocean. Afterwards, the 10 million hair on the Bengal tiger’s body are wiped down, his fur gradually morphing from dripping wet to dry. In Frozen, we watch the little girl Elsa create snowfall and her enchanting ice world emerge. The line between fantasy and reality blurs, so real are the images. But this much is clear; the artist behind this graphic wizardry deserves the three Oscar awards he has received in six years.

The recognition from the industry for Pakistani visual effects artist, 38-year-old Mir Zafar Ali, has been nothing short of a dream come true. His latest Academy Award, for Frozen, was the first in the animation category for the Walt Disney Animation Studios. The 3D musical fantasy-comedy film is now the highest-grossing animated film in history, beating the Lion King and Toy Story 3. It has also made it to the top 10 biggest films, leaving far behind the likes of Star Wars and the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

Ali’s first Oscar came for The Golden Compass in 2008. He recalls the moment as being “very, very surreal.” “My wife Tamanna Shah was working at Paramount Studios at the time and we were invited to one of their Oscar parties. So we’re talking to people, having a good time and then the nomination for the best visual effects category came up and I almost dropped my drink when they announced The Golden Compass as the winner,” he said in a telephone interview with The Express Tribune.

It was a tough competition. They had been up against Transformers and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. “It took a good few seconds to sink in,” he recalled.

Ali’s forte is to mainly recreate natural phenomena such as water, fire, destruction and snow as well as visually recreate fantasy. This takes hundreds of hours of reference research, watching footage of natural phenomena such as tsunamis and storms and poring over science papers.

His second Academy Award came last year for the Life of Pi, a movie based on Yann Martel’s acclaimed novel. The Bengal tiger named Richard Parker stars in most sequences, although the real 300-pound tiger was only used when Pi and Richard are not in the same shot. The rest of the scenes consist of computer-generated images that give life to an extremely challenging script. It was in Life of Pi that a real animal and a digital one were used interchangeably for the first time. A team of 15 people were dedicated to creating just the fur by placing and combing all 10 million hair on his body.

But in the United States, even Oscar wins don’t promise job security. After the successes of Life of Pi and The Golden Compass, Ali found himself unemployed for some weeks. “After being in business for well over a decade, the company I worked for, Rhythm & Hues, filed for bankruptcy in 2013,” he said. “That was right after we won the Oscar for Life of Pi. There were major layoffs and I ended up on the chopping block after I wrapped up Percy Jackson 2 in April.”

The layoff came as a near blessing though and a couple of weeks later he was offered a job at Disney where he was assigned Frozen, leading to his second consecutive Oscar win. “The timing worked out perfectly for me.”

Ali grew up in Karachi watching a wide range of films and was particularly interested in science-fiction and fantasy movies. Jurassic Park was his first main inspiration. “It completely blew me away!” he said.

He studied at the BeaconHouse School Systems and always wanted to go to art school. “But back in the day, going to art school wasn’t thought of as a good career move — hell, it’s still not thought of as a good career move,” he admitted. As a result, it took him a while to figure out what he wanted to do.

In A’ Levels, the visual effects artist studied what many students do out of a lack of a better choice – science. After that he enrolled at FAST, Karachi to study computer science. “Studying computer science seemed like the most logical step because I was best at Math and Sciences,” he said. “But in my last year at FAST, I realised I wasn’t fit for regular software engineering.”

Ali veered off into AutoCAD and 3d studio max classes, which “pretty much sealed the deal.” He didn’t bother looking for a regular software engineering job after graduating and instead took a short course in sculpture at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and started looking for jobs in 3d animation. “I was lucky enough to land at Sharp Image — one of the best visual fx and post production houses in Pakistan.”

In the two years that Ali worked in Karachi, he took up countless commercials, from Safeguard to pesticides in farm lands. “I hated spring because most of the commercials we had were for these damn pesticides!”

It was in July 1999 that he took the courage to start again and enrolled in a BFA programme at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). This one step went a long, long way — from Karachi to Hollywood. “My family was very supportive of my decision and that was a huge thing considering that most of my relatives thought this was just a hobby and a waste of time.”

In the last quarter at SCAD, one of his professors, Garman Harigstad, who he says he owes much of his success to, told him about an entry-level visual fx artist position at Digital Domain.

Ali compiled a demo reel of his best work on projects at SCAD and sent it over. Two weeks after, he was on his way to Los Angeles to work on The Day After Tomorrow.

Since he brought a tsunami to New York in The Day After Tomorrow, Ali has given X-men’s Banshee his sonic scream and made monsters rise from the sea in Percy Jackson.

Now when he comes to Karachi he is not known as the crazy kid who wanted to study art but as the crazier man who created fantasy worlds that people back home love to lose themselves in.

Movies Mir Zafar Ali has worked on

2013 Frozen

2013 Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

2012 Life of Pi

2012 The Cabin in the Woods

2011 Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked

2011 X-Men: First Class

2011 Hop

2010 Yogi Bear

2009 Aliens in the Attic

2009 Land of the Lost

2008 The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

2008 The Incredible Hulk

2007 The Golden Compass

2007 Surf’s Up

2007 Spider-Man 3

2007 Ghost Rider

2006 Open Season

2006 Monster House

2005 Stealth

2004 The Day After Tomorrow

Source: IMDB

Karachi to Hollywood: Pakistani visual effects artist wins third Oscar – The Express Tribune

FAST-NU - News

Oscar Winner Mir Zafar Ali – Magician Behind Numerous Hollywood Hits Making Pakistan Proud - BlogoGist


When ‘Gulabo’ met ‘Cinderella’

When you watch the upcoming Disney movie Cinderella, you may notice the intricately embroidered coats worn by the male leads. That’s Maheen Khan’s handiwork, the designer we best know for her insouciant high-street brand ‘Gulabo’ and elegant luxury prêt a la the ‘House of Maheen’ but who also dabbles into Hollywood on the side.

This, as many may know, is hardly Maheen’s first tryst with embellishing apparel for the West. It all started in 1997, when she assisted BAFTA award-winning costume designer Diane Holmes in creating Ratti Jinnah and Fatima Jinnah’s wardrobes for the movie Jinnah. This lead to the creation of the ‘Embroidery House’, a collaboration where Diane would commission the embellishments of costumes and set-designs to Maheen.

Their first job was for the BBC serial The Artistocats, followed by embroideries for the Catherine Walker & Co design atelier’s seasonal collections. Recent projects include embellishing costumes for the movies Alexander, Snow White and the Huntsmen and Maleficient, as well as a regal coat and waistcoat set for King Louis the XIth’s wax sculpture at London’s Madame Tussaud’s.

“The coats for Cinderella are all hand-crafted,” says Maheen, “although there are some jobs that have required machine embroideries. In Alexander, for instance, a lot of the sets had to be extensively machine embroidered.”

Hand-crafted work for coats to be shown in Cinderella. PHOTO: PUBLICITY


And while Maheen enjoys the process of creating these predominantly period embroideries, she admits that it’s also a tough learning experience.

“Very detailed instructions, along with the marked fabric, come with the final order,” she explains. “The sampling is where all my skills come into play as I have to interpret the designs in at least three to six ways, if not more. There are strict quality controls and even stricter timelines.”

A glimpse of the finished product in the trailer in the movie. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

Even so, Maheen’s collaborations with the West emphasise on an avenue that is ripe for other local designers to also explore. While our nascent designing fraternity may still need to get a grasp over the standardisation of sizes and the fine finishings that are an absolute necessity for retailing ready-to-wear internationally, there is one thing that Pakistan has long nailed when it comes to design: our craft. From rilli to kanta, machine embroideries to tediously worked kamdani and marori, block-prints to dip-dyed bases, Pakistan’s inherent craftsmanship is indelibly stand-out and unique. And while the Western world may already be commissioning leather creations and basic denim and cotton apparel from our textile industries, it is yet to wake up completely to the possibilities that our embroideries have to offer.

Trade Development Authority of Pakistan’s Secretary Rabiya Javeri Agha observed once that craftsmanship in the Western world is dying.

“Their workforce is gravitating towards design houses rather than the creation of the actual embellishments,” she said. “This is where countries like ours stand to gain, with our authentic handiwork.”

Regal coat and waistcoat set for King Louis the XIth’s wax sculpture at London’s Madame Tussaud’s. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

Whenever Pakistani craftsmanship has come to the fore internationally, it’s been a hit. Handbag label ‘Polly&me’ made waves with its traditional Chitrali handiwork. Earlier this year, Amal Alamuddin (aka, Mrs George Clooney) randomly picked up local label Inaaya’s traditional necklace and was spotted wearing it. And Maheen Khan, even as she puts the finishing touches to her Karachi-centric finale for the upcoming Fashion Pakistan Week, continues to provide her embroidering services for bona fide Hollywood. This may be a sign of bigger, better things to come.
When ‘Gulabo’ met ‘Cinderella’ – The Express Tribune



A South Asia Nobel Peace Prize Concert
Published on Thursday, 11th December, 2014 at 19:04 under the news category, by Manisha Choudhari.
Last Updated on 11th December 2014 at 19:29.

Pakistan’s Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan from India will be performing to honour the Indian and Pakistani winners of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

Amjad Ali Khan gave his first recital of the sarod – a lute like stringed instrument from India – at the young age of seven, and has not turned back since.

He was born to the illustrious Bangash lineage rooted in the Senia Bangash School of music. Today, he is part of the sixth generation of inheritance in this legendary lineage.

At the age of 69, Ali Khan is a highly regarded Sarod player, who has won many awards including the UNESCO Award, Padma Vibhushan (Second highest Indian civilian award), and UNICEF's National Ambassadorship.

He was also named broadcaster New Delhi Television Limited’s (NDTV) Indian of the Year in April this year.

Pakistani Rahat Fateh Ali Khan started his formal training in classical music and qawwali – a form of Sufi devotional music – at the age of seven with his uncle Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Sufism is a concept in Islam defined by scholars as Islam’s inner, mystical dimension.

Eight years later, he became an important part of Nusrat’s qawwali group, which was famous internationally.

The Pakistani musician has performed at London’s Wembley Arena and the Manchester Arena. Ali Khan has also contributed to many Hollywood soundtracks, including that of Apocalypto.

Nobel Laureates Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai are, of course, the guests of honour at this prestigious event. They made poignant speeches at yesterday’s ceremony.

Both Satyarthi and Malala talked about how their respective countries had come together in this quest for children’s rights.

“I’m also glad that we can stand together and show the world that an Indian and a Pakistani can be united in peace and together work for children's rights, Malala said.

In his speech, Satyarthi was quick to point out that “a young and courageous Pakistani girl has met an Indian father and the Indian father met the Pakistani daughter” on the day of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.

The Laureates called upon everyone to come together and build a beautiful future for the children of the world.

“The award is not just for me, but those frightened children who want peace,” declared Malala.

“I refuse to accept that the temples of the world have no place for the dreams of our children. […] Today beyond the darkness I see the smile of children in blinking stars. […] Put your hand to your heart, close your eyes, and feel the child inside you. Listen to that child,” Kailash Satyarthi said.

A South Asia Nobel Peace Prize Concert / News / The Foreigner — Norwegian News in English.

Pakistani musicians to play in ‘the largest music festival on earth’ SXSW will taken place in Texas in March 2015
South by Southwest (SXSW) has announced its band line-up for its March 2015 edition, and it’s a proud moment for all Pakistanis to learn that not one, not two, but four bands from Pakistan will be participating in it!


So far, the festival management has announced the first batch of selected

musicians who will play in the initial rounds of the six-day festival. We know the following bands have made the cut: Mekaal Hassan Band, Peshawar-based Khumariyan, Lahore’s Poor Rich Boy and Mai Dhai Band featuring beautiful vocals from Thar. More bands will be announced later who will play in the proceeding rounds.

SXSW is one of the biggest music festivals in the world, showcasing bands from countries ranging from Spain to South Korea. This annual music, film and interactive festival, which is annually held in Austin, Texas, promotes different genres and indigenous music that is unique to various countries. This is the first time Pakistani bands have been selected to perform at SXSW.

When SXSW producer Todd Puckhaber toured Pakistan in the summer in search of potential SXSW starrers, he was all praise for the artistes he heard: “There is amazing talent here, and musicians need to be supported.” It’s great to see our musicians earning such prestigious honours as invitations to perform at SXSW. We wish them all the best!

- See more at: Pakistani musicians to play in ‘the largest music festival on earth’

Haroon (Islamabad PAKISTAN)
Mekaal Hasan Band (Lahore PAKISTAN)
Khumariyaan (Peshawar PAKISTAN)
Mai Dhai (Thar Parker PAKISTAN)
Poor Rich Boy (Lahore PAKISTAN)
Sain Tanveer Brothers (Sialkot PAKISTAN)

The 2015 SXSW Music Festival Artist Announcement - Round One | SXSW 2015

 

[Dubious]

Stars and royalty watch Malala become youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner – and now she wants to be Pakistan prime minister

Read more: Malala Yousafzai becomes youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner | Daily Mail Online

Malala Yousafzai awarded Liberty Medal

By Michael Matza, Inquirer Staff Writer
POSTED: October 23, 2014
Honoring the bravery of a girl who refused to be denied an education - and nearly paid for it with her life - 1,400 guests gathered Tuesday night under a white tent and tight security at the National Constitution Center to bestow the 2014 Liberty Medal on Malala Yousafzai, 17, the youngest recipient of the quarter-century-old prize.

Draped in a traditional Pashtun shawl of her native Pakistan, Yousafzai took the stage to wild applause.

"I thank the people, and especially the children of Philadelphia, for their warm welcome and their love and support," she said, draping the red, white, and blue ribbon of the gold medal around her neck.

Touching a hand to her heart, she smiled appreciatively on a stage that included Susan Corbett, wife of the governor; Mayor Nutter and his daughter, Olivia; Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania; and Jeffrey Rosen, Constitution Center chief executive.

Also in the audience was Pakistan's ambassador to the United Nations, Masood Khan.

Yousafzai called for spending money on books, not guns, and said she was speaking up for children caught in crises in such places as India, Syria, Nigeria, and Gaza. "We cannot become a generation lost," she said.

"I ask all countries all around the world: Let us say no to wars. Let us say no to conflicts."

She said she would donate the award's $100,000 prize to improving education and support for Pakistani children.

"Together we are stronger than fear, oppression, and terrorism," she said. "History does not descend from the sky; it is we who make history. One book, one pen, one child can change the world."

Waiting for the presentation to begin, Katie Malone of Landenberg said she was "absolutely elated" at the choice of Yousafzai and hoped that her own 17-year-old daughter, Fiona, an Avon Grove High School senior, would be inspired by the Pakistani teen's best-selling memoir, I Am Malala, which Malone carried.

Marie Killian of East Falls, a human resources company vice president, said she had never attended a Liberty Medal presentation but got tickets this year so that her granddaughter Ava Killian, 13, a Philadelphia eighth grader, could hear Yousafzai's remarks.

In her opening remarks, Gutmann turned to Yousafzai and said, "Thank you for reminding us that education is the hand that rocks the cradle of liberty."

Born in 1997, Yousafzai attended the Khushal School, which her father had founded, in the remote Swat Valley of northern Pakistan. She was 10 when Taliban mullahs took control of her region and banned higher education for girls, insisting they stay at home, dress modestly, and not go out without a male relative to escort them.

Passionate about learning, Yousafzai refused to be cowed. She attended school in defiance of the mullahs' edicts.

In 2009, under the pseudonym Gul Makai, she wrote a blog for the BBC about the growing educational crisis in Swat. It didn't take long for her identity to be revealed. Then the New York Times produced a short documentary that featured her struggle to sustain girls' education under oppressive conditions.

In 2012, her story became a worldwide cause célèbre after Taliban gunmen, irked by her refusal to come to heel, boarded a school bus and demanded, "Who is Malala?"

Her friends kept mum, but some looked in her direction. The gunmen fired three shots, hitting Yousafzai in the head and neck. She was evacuated to Birmingham, England, for medical treatment. Looking into a mirror at her partially paralyzed face after an initial surgery, she saw also that her doctor had positioned a box of tissues between them, expecting Yousafzai to cry.

"Maybe the old Malala would have cried," she wrote in her memoir. "But when you've nearly lost your life, a funny face in the mirror is simply proof that you are still here on Earth."

The bullets that shattered Yousafzai's skull seem only to have intensified her commitment, a resolve that echoed in the Pennsylvania Girlchoir's performance of Sara Bareilles' hit song, "Brave."

"Say what you wanna say, and let the words fall out," the 35 Pennsylvania girls sang. "Show me how big your brave is!"

Among the speakers was Minnijean Brown Trickey of the so-called Little Rock Nine, African American students who fought for the right to attend the racially segregated Little Rock Central High School in 1957. While all of them experienced verbal and physical harassment, only Trickey was suspended and later expelled for fighting back against the daily torment. She went on to become a deputy assistant secretary for workforce diversity in the Clinton administration. She said Yousafzai epitomized the saying often attributed to Mohandas K. Gandhi: Be the change you want to see in the world.

The ceremony included excerpts from Yousafzai's blog, read by local students: Nikki Adeli, 17, a junior at the Science Leadership Academy; Little League star Mo'ne Davis, 13, an eighth grader at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy; Niayla Dia-Murray, 17, a junior at Constitution High School; Colleen McBride, 17, senior class president at Mount St. Joseph Academy in Flourtown; and Melissa Shang, 12, a sixth grader at Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School in Berwyn.

The Liberty Medal, established in 1988, commemorates the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. Given annually, it honors "men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe." Recipients are chosen by a committee of the National Constitution Center board. Among past winners are human-rights crusaders and heads of state.

Earlier this month, Yousafzai was named a corecipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. She is the seventh Liberty Medal honoree to also win or share a Nobel.

In her remarks, Yousafzai recalled telling a teacher that she was a bit distracted and unable to complete a homework assignment after the Nobel was announced.

"That excuse didn't work," she said, eliciting chuckles.

Malala awarded 'Children's Nobel' prize in Sweden
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Children's rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai on Wednesday received the World's Children's Prize 2014 in Sweden, after winning a global vote involving millions of children.

The awards organization cited the 17-year-old Pakistani girl for "her courageous and dangerous fight for girls' right to education."

Yousafzai, who became the world's youngest Nobel laureate earlier this month when she was awarded the peace prize, said she was honored to win this prize, known also as the "Children's Nobel."



Read more: Malala awarded 'Children's Nobel' prize in Sweden | Daily Mail Online
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Malala awarded 'Children's Nobel' prize in Sweden | Daily Mail Online

Pakistani journalist wins Rajiv Gandhi award
The Newspaper's Correspondent
Updated Sep 01, 2014 07:29pm

NEW DELHI: Pakistani journalist and author of the recently launched book, ‘Historic Temples in Pakistan: A Call to Conscience’, Reema Abbasi, has been honoured as the best literary personality of the year at the Fifth Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Awards held in New Delhi.

The largely attended event was organised by Pehchaan, an NGO focused on nurturing the girl child that is led by prominent media professionals, activists and policymakers, who recognised the tome as a valuable chronicle of shared history.

7 Pakistanis Make it to the BBC 100 Women 2014 List
BBC’s 100 Women is an annually-published list that honors women who are striving to change the world as we know it using their art, activism, profession, knowledge, and talent for the betterment of society. The list compiled by BBC in the second consecutive year of publishing has more women associated with science and art than the earlier edition, and it also brings good tidings for homeland as 7 Pakistani women have also been featured on the list.

The 7 Pakistani ladies who made it to the BBC 100 Women 2014 list are Nigar Nazar, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Ayesha Mustafa, Sana Saleem, Sarah Khan, Tehmina Kazi, and Saadia Zahidi.

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is an acclaimed journalist and film-maker who, apart from winning 3 Emmys, a Livingston Award, and Hilal-e-Imtiaz accolades, gained fame for bringing home the country’s first Oscar for her documentary, Saving Face.

Ms. Nigar Nazar, often credited as the first Pakistani female cartoonist, is an acclaimed artist and the CEO of Gogi Studios. Recognized specially for the creation of the female comic character Gogi, Ms. Nazar is also an educational reforms activist and occasional chief guest/speaker at art-related events. With her Polka dot dress-clad comic-strip character Gogi, she has been striving to highlight the problems faced by Pakistani women in the modern era, no doubt a refreshing take on women’s rights, gender gap and feminism.

Ayesha Mustafa,who grew up through education and experience at different parts of the world including Karachi, Lahore, Cairo, New York, and Dubai is a social entrepreneur who now resides in London. She interned at Grameen Bank in Bangladesh where she gained insight into the positive impact that sustainable intervention could have on underprivileged societies. She later went on to found Fashion ComPassion, an online retail platform for fashion brands, that takes social responsibility just as seriously as style, with an aim to “create positive change through fashion by bringing ethical independent brands to a global audience.”

Sana Saleem, the fourth Pakistani to be featured on BBC’s 100 Women list this year, is a social media activist particularly known for her campaign against Internet censorship in Pakistan. She is the director of Bolo Bhi, a not-for-profit organization which advocates human rights, government transparency, digital security and privacy. Ms. Saleem is also the co-founder of Stories Beyond Borders, and occasionally writes for local and international media publications.

Saadia Zahidi is a renowned economist and author. Apart from her presence at the helm of World Economic Forum as a Senior Director, she is working with businesses and governments to address the gender gap issue. She is also the founder and author of Global Gender Gap & Human Capital Reports.

Tehmina Kazi is the director of the organization British Muslims for Secular Democracy. Founded in 2006, BMSD aims to ‘bring together a diverse group of Muslim democrats from a variety of ethnic and social backgrounds,’ and ‘to challenge perceptions, ideas and current thinking about British Muslims as a collectivity and the issues that affect the wider society‘.

Finally, the seventh Pakistani superwoman is Sarah Khan who, at the young age of 16, is one of the youngest achievers on the list. Sarah is a film-maker and activist. She founded Jugnoo, a project to highlight the complications faced by women due to environmental issues. Her film ‘Harvesting Hope’, which addresses the issue of adverse effects of pesticides on the health of women cotton-pickers, won acclaim from different national and international art & film festivals like the one held at Harvard University where it claimed second prize.

7 Pakistanis Make it to the BBC 100 Women 2014 List

Upholding the law: First woman DSP takes on traffic mess, violators

GILGIT:
After just two months in the job, Tahira Yasub, Gilgit-Baltistan’s (G-B) first DSP traffic has already made her mark in Gilgit, trying to streamline traffic in a congested city, where violations are the norm.

A graduate in International Relations from Karakoram International University, she adopted the profession fully aware of the challenges associated with it, especially for women and as promoted to the rank of DSP in December 2011.

Immediately after taking charge, she ordered the removal of tainted windows and screens, which the traffic sergeants ensured, much to the annoyance of many influential persons in town. Nearly 100 cars were fined for not complying with the order and over a 100 drivers have received tickets for traffic violations in the city.

“It doesn’t matter if people are unhappy with me because I’m here to uphold the rule of law,” Yasub told The Express Tribune. She has been simultaneously compared to a powerful figure of the underworld by a senior politician and called an angel by a delegation of traders’ union.

Yasub said she launched an awareness-raising campaign for two weeks to educate the public about traffic rules after she assumed charge. A couple of days back, two senior police officials’ personal cars were also fined for violating traffic rules.

“I believe removing tainted glasses is the first step towards ensuring the supremacy of law,” she said. Yasub has also enforced parking on only one side of the road to ease blockages. There are many who applaud her for introducing traffic reforms in the city, “Tahira is doing a great job,” said a businessman.

She was selected twice for UN peacekeeping missions to represent Pakistan.

She trained the local police as well as the UN police for 14 months in Sudan and has recently returned to the country. Yusab has the added distinction of being the first lady inspector in G-B’s history.

The traffic police are plagued by a shortage of manpower and resources, the two factors affecting their performance. At present, Gilgit’s traffic police has only one vehicle, two motorcycles and hardly 50 officials, including gunmen and drivers to cover the whole city.

A sergeant said that it was a stupendous task to enforce rule of law all the time all over town due to lack of motorbikes and patrolling cars. By the time we reach the site, the violators have already left, he said.

Upholding the law: First woman DSP takes on traffic mess, violators – The Express Tribune

France awards Mrs. Tehmina Durrani with the Order of Arts and Letters
(Islamabad, 24 July 2014)

H.E. Mr. Philippe Thiébaud, Ambassador of France to Pakistan, conferred the prestigious French Award of the “Order of Arts and Letters” (Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) on Mrs. Tehmina Durrani on 24th July at the French Residence in Islamabad.

This award was established by President Charles de Gaulle. Its purpose is the recognition of significant meritorious contributions to the arts, literature, or the propagation of these fields. The recipients of this award are French nationals as well as prestigious foreign writers, artists, musicians…

Mrs. Tehmina Durrani’s first book “My Feudal Lord” has been translated into 39 languages and received many awards and recognition in the country and abroad. Her second book “A Mirror to the Blind”, a biography of Abdul Sattar Edhi, narrates Pakistan’s renowned and highly decorated social worker. Her third book “Blasphemy” was another success. This book also made it into Pakistan’s bestseller. She has been engaged in highlighting gender-based violence in Pakistan’s rural and urban society. The 2012 book launch of “Happy Things in Sorrow Times” is a novel with 35 water color illustrations done in Kandahar at Afghan refugee camp.

Before conferring the Award, Ambassador Philippe Thiébaud highlighted the literary and social work done by Mrs. Durrani, a famous writer, an activist and an artist and said that this award was a recognition of her achievements. The Ambassador quoted the famous French writer, André Malraux: “Culture is the soul of democracy and freedom”.

Mrs. Durrani thanked the French Government for bestowing this award upon her. She also thanked Ambassador Thiébaud for hosting the award-conferring ceremony. Mrs. Durrani highlighted her passion for social work particularly relating to women empowerment. At the end she signed her book “Happy Things in Sorrow Times” for her friends and well-wishers present on this occasion.

The reception was attended by diplomats, representatives of media and particularly by many friends of Mrs. Tehmina Durrani.



Pakistani journalist Asma Shirazi wins 2014 Peter Mackler award

Asma Shirazi, Pakistan's first female war correspondent and host of popular TV talk shows, was named 2014 Winner of Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism on Friday.

Shirazi reported on conflicts that include the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war, Taliban violence on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in 2009 and General Pervez Musharraf's 2007 state of emergency.

She also hosted two popular television talk shows, including one on parliamentary affairs that Musharraf banned when he clamped down on independent news coverage.

"We are thrilled to recognize the courage and dedication to journalistic ethics that Ms. Shirazi has displayed every day of her career," said Camille Mackler, Project Director for the Peter Mackler Award.

At great personal risk and defying death threats, Shirazi ensures "that unbiased, free information is available throughout Pakistan," Mackler said.

Shirazi is the second woman to win the award since its creation in 2008, after Honduran radio news editor Karla Rivas won in 2011.

Shirazi's award pays "tribute to the courage of those who fight for freedom of information in Pakistan, where seven journalists were murdered in connection with their work in 2013," said Delphine Halgand, US director of media watchdog Reporters Without Borders.

"AFP is happy to be associated with this recognition of Asma Shirazi's great courage and perseverance in reporting on conflict and politics in Pakistan despite the personal dangers she faced," said David Millikin, AFP's director for North America.

The award, named for the late Agence France-Presse journalist Peter Mackler, will be presented at a ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington on October 23.

The Award is administered by Global Media Forum in partnership with AFP and Reporters Without Borders.

Pakistan is currently ranked 158th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/med...a-Shirazi-wins-2014-Peter-Mackler-award-.html


The Peter Mackler Award honors reporters and editors who have demonstrated a commitment to fairness, accuracy and speaking truth to power, and a matching commitment to asserting the right to publish or air that story in countries where independent media is under threat.