Ten years of chaos

[mehru]

The past ten years have been a quick pace of political turmoil, social unrest and economic stagnation. With the inception of the decade falling over with the Twin Towers in New York and the plague of terrorism darkening the clouds the world over, 2010 marks an encompassing end to a chaotic ten years.

On the other hand, 2010 wraps ten years where we can rejoice at the thought of celebrating indigenous fashion, resounding music, engaging entertainment and technological breakthroughs.

While international avenues pushed barriers and made the world a religious devotee of the social networking site, Facebook, Pakistan conquered the music front with Noori and Atif Aslam’s hits.

Pakistan’s entertainment and progressive life style has been commendable over the last ten years. From Lux Style Awards to Blackfish, local grounds have become a platform of pride.

Despite this year’s floods and 2005’s devastating earthquake, the country has become an ensemble to showcase with the Kara Film Festival, the launch of a national food channel, the revolutionary take on fusion music under the Coke Studio umbrella and the epitome of intellect with the spread of theatre, improvisational comedy and the on house coffee culture-2010 is definitely enfolding a wrap.

2001

KaraFilm Festival

With KaraFilm, filmmakers from Karachi hosted an international film festival of its kind and its success has turned it into an annual event held every fall.

Sunday Daily Times Magazine

Sunday is Pakistan’s free, premier weekly fashion magazine which brought with it the rise of paparazzi in the country. The magazine has over 450 editions and covers editorial content and fashion photography.

2002

Lux Style Awards

Lux Style Awards localised the Oscar phenomenon in Pakistan and is now held annually.

Geo Television

Known for promoting freedom of speech and freedom of expression in Pakistan, the channel has been involved in numerous conflicts with the government

Blackfish

Pakistan’s first improvisation comedy troupe was created by Saad Haroon and was chosen to represent Pakistan in an international Theatre Project in England.

2003

‘Aadat’

The song took Pakistan’s music scene by storm. Officially released in December, “Aadat” had already become an overnight hit online

Noori

Pakistani band Noori launched their first album, Suno Ke Main Hun Jawan, in 2003 and created a whirlwind across the internal Urdu speaking community. It introduced pop rock music to Pakistani mainstream and focused on inspiring the youth.

2004

Radio

Though FM radio station had started in 1995 in Pakistan, 2004 marked a time when radio brought the mainstream entertainment back to the once ignored media tool.

Espresso

Launched in Karachi, this coffee shop started the cafe trend in the city and has never been more popular

2005

Revo

Revo might have failed to catch due attention but this indigenously designed car provided a technological leap to the country with its prices lower than any other car produced in Pakistan.

2006

MTV Pakistan

Television Networks Pakistan (MTV Pakistan) has been set-up in collaboration with local Pakistani channel, Indus Music, and was launched with the vision to promote the up-and-coming Pakistani music industry.

Masala Television

This channel was the world’s first Urdu 24-hour food television channel. It has become a household name and is recognised all across the country and is even available in America via the Dish Network.

2007

Khuda Kay Liye

This film was written, directed and produced by Shoaib Mansoor and grossed over $10 million worldwide and was a huge commercial and critical success in Pakistan and India. The film received some criticism and some called for it to be banned in Pakistan.

2008

Coke Studio

Bringing together Pakistan’s music talent in a fusion of diverse influences, Coke Studio provides a musical platform aiming to bridge barriers and celebrate diversity. The series features live performances and has been produced by Rohail Hyatt.

2009

Fashion week(s)

Pakistan’s first ever fashion week took off in November 2009 and launched the beginning of fashion weeks in the country.

T20 Cricket

Led by Younus Khan, Pakistan won the T20 Cricket World Cup by beating Sri Lanka by eight wickets.

2010

Aisamul Haq Qureshi

The Pakistani tennis player was runner up in both the mixed doubles and doubles category and won his way into the hearts of his countrymen after his touching speech at the US Open.

Women’s cricket

The Pakistan women’s cricket team created history when they won the first ever Asian Games cricket final.

Ten years of chaos – The Express Tribune

 

[mehru]

Pakistan’s got talent

New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate, be thankful, party with friends, make resolutions and of course, what 2011 has in store for us.

2010 has come and gone, leaving behind a whirlwind of expectations for the upcoming year. Every Pakistani has gone through ups and intense downs this year, from the floods to match fixing, from Aisamul Haq Qureshi to fashion, one can only hope that 2011 holds more promise and less slumps.

Who are the names which pop into your mind when thinking of 2010? In fashion was it the old or the new that made a lasting impression at the Fashion Weeks? A new name was debutante Akif Mahmood, a graduate of the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design who showcased at the first day of the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week in Karachi. Other well known names like The House of Kamiar Rokni and Hasan Sheheryar Yasin got our stamp of approval and proved why they’re some of the biggest names in Pakistani fashion.

Photography has seen a new brand of photographers such as Kohi Marri, Ali Khurshid, Zeeshan Haider and Kashif Rashid. These photographers offer something different for “younger couples who want a fresh, new look to their pictures,” said Rashid.

The Pakistan film industry has slumped dramatically and faced numerous issues that have still not been resolved. But on a positive note, Pakistani actors such Mona Liza and Ali Zafar have starred in Indian films with Zafar’s Tere Bin Laden being a hit.

Pakistani musician Atif Aslam has been around for many years but this year has been exceptional for him. Aslam has completed nearly three international tours and in total has done more than 40 shows around the world.

Wondering who will be famous in 2011? The Express Tribune speaks to members of the fraternity to give you a list of who to watch out for.

Fashion Designers

* Feeha Jamshed (The designer ties with The House of Kamiar Rokni)

“I’d have to say Feeha Jamshed. Her designs are on the mark and unlike others, she has risen above the Chutney- Mary, Chocolate – Charlie Aesthetic” - Maheen Khan (Designer)

Theatre

* Musicals (Second in popularity comes standup comedy)

“I think musical and comedy theatre will rise, primarily judging by what happened in 2010″ - Selina Rashid (Publicist)

Films

* Mahira Khan (Coming in second are Humaima Malik and Atif Aslam. All three actors are starring in Shoaib Mansoor’s Bol which has not yet been released)

“I would bank on Ali Zafar to be the star of the year but in Indian film and Humaima Malik and Mahirah Khan for Pakistani film” - Vasay Chouhdry (Actor and writer)

Musicians

* Jaffar Zaidi (This musician ties with the Opus band)

“The singing talent of Zara Madani, Tara Mahmood and the Opus band will certainly rise to fame, if given a better platform to perform” Shallum Xavier (Musician)

Food

* Chairman Mao (Coming in second is the trend of coffee houses in Pakistan)

“Pompei Station, that’s the only place I’ve recently visited and the food was really good” - Marina Khan (Director)

Singers

* Meesha Shafi (The singer cum model has won fans over with her powerful vocals and soulful singing)

“Meesha Shafi, we’ve been waiting for her forever. Her voice, her style — she’s a complete package” - Nomi Ansari (Designer)

Radio

* Khalid Malik (Coming in second are Beenish and Ali)

“Khalid Malik, he makes an effort and is entertaining at possibly the most difficult time of day” - Nariman Ansari (Photographer)

Photographers

* Ayaz Anis Khan (This photographer had no one who was of his caliber)

“Ayaz Anis Khan, he is an ex-chartered accountant, has started from scratch and come a long way” Sanam Chaudhry (Designer)

Beauty

* Raana Khan (It’s a toss up between Khan and Asmaa Mumtaz)

“Raana Khan, she is fun, funky and fresh and is not sticking to formulas” – Ayesha Omar (Model and actor)

Actors

* Samiya Mumtaz (Second in this category is Aamina Sheikh)

“Samia Mumtaz, her natural and realistic acting make her roles credible” - Sahira Kazmi (Actor)

Models

* Ayaan (This category is a tie between Ayaan and Raabiya Butt)

“It’s a toss between Raabiya Butt and Ayaan. They’re both equally lovely” - Khadija Shah (Designer)

Pakistan?s got talent – The Express Tribune

 

[somebozo]

I dont see anything on the technological front mentioned there..there are many to count though! Achievements are not all about nach gana and fashion

 

[DesiGuy]

"Achievements are not all about nach gana and fashion "



lol, i agree!!!

 

[mehru]

I dont see anything on the technological front mentioned there..there are many to count though! Achievements are not all about nach gana and fashion

True but let's give some credit to our media and showbiz industry who have come a long way. As for the technical front, why don't you share something?

 

[mehru]

Can this count as an achievement?

E-Commerce News: Software: Pakistan's Software Industry Celebrates Achievements

 

[mehru]

Success Stories
Naseem Hamid breaks all speed barriers to become the fastest woman in South Asia
Feb 08, 2010

Naseem Hamid, the 22-year old female athlete from Pakistan wins the 100-metre sprint gold medal at the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Naseem is the first female athlete from Pakistan to have won the sprint in the competition’s 26-year history. The South Asian region comprises one-fifth of humanity.

Source: France 24: International News 24/7
Dawn.com

Ali Nawazish stuns the world with record breaking A-Levels
Jan 31, 2009

Ali Moeen Nawazish, an 18-year old Pakistani student, shatters the world record by passing 23 A-Levels in a single year with 21As. The feat earned him a place at Cambridge, realizing one of his dreams and passions.

Ali was a student at Roots High School, Rawalpindi, and is now studying computer science at Trinity Hall College, Cambridge.

Source: The Sun
The Independent
The Herald

Wateen Telecom Pakistan awards Motorola one of the world’s largest WiMAX device orders
Jan 28, 2008

Motorola has announced a contract with Wateen Telecom Pakistan for the supply of 198,000 end-user WiMAX customer premises equipment (CPE) devices which is being marked as one of the Largest WiMAX Device Orders in the world. Pakistan is currently viewed as one of the fastest developing telecoms markets in the world. The CPE units will provide subscribers in Pakistan with unprecedented wireless access to agile and affordable data and Voice over IP (VoIP) services.

Source: Motorola Media Center

Pakistani entrepreneur is ranked #8 in Forbes Midas List of Global Venture Capitalists
Jan 24, 2008

Asad Jamal, the Founder, Chairman and CEO of ePlanet Ventures, is ranked #8 at the prestigious Forbes Midas List of the Top 100 Global Venture Capitalists. Forbes' annual Midas 100 list surveys the top tech deal makers in the world.

ePlanet Ventures is a Silicon Valley headquartered technology venture capital firm, with US$ 640 million under management. ePlanet has business presence throughout the world's major innovation centers in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Asad led investment in Chinese search engine Baidu, which has more than doubled since its IPO in 2005.

Source: Forbes Midas List - Asad Jamal
About.com: Markets
Forbes - Asad Jamal profile

Pakistani woman explorer lands in Antarctica after being to North Pole
Jan 08, 2008

A Pakistani artist, astronaut and adventurer Namira Saleem has reached Antarctica. Earlier last year, she became the first Pakistani woman to reach the North Pole. Namira is also the first lady member of the first Astronomy Society of Pakistan, Amastropak

Source: Gulf News

The Harvard Law School to award its highest honour to the Chief Justice of Pakistan
November 13, 2007

The Harvard Law School has announced to award its highest honour, the Harvard Law School Medal of Freedom to Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The defiant Chief Justice had been replaced and detained along with 60 other judges by the military dictator, Pervez Musharaf as part of his proclamation of emergency in Pakistan. Chaudhry Iftikhar had earlier declared the proclamation of emergency null and void and had refused to take oath of loyalty to Musharaf under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO).

The Medal of Freedom reflects commitment to freedom, justice, equality and the past recipients of the award include former South African President, Nelson Mandela.

Source: Harvard Law School News

Pakistani environmentalist shares the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore and other scientists
October 12, 2007

The Nobel Committee announced that the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize would be split equally between Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for their efforts to disseminate knowledge about man-made climate change and lay the foundations to counteract it.

Adil Najam, an environmentalist of Pakistani origin was a lead author in two of the IPCC reports that contributed to the award of the prize. Adil holds a PhD in International Environmental Policy, MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering and MS in Technology and Policy from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Source: The Boston Globe
MIT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Boston University
The Fletcher School, Tufts University

Pakistan win second Blind World Cup Title
December 22, 2006

Pakistan beat India by six wickets in third Blind Cricket World Cup, winning the title twice in a row.

Source: Cricket World

LUMS students win the best SPAM Filtering Performance Award at Discovery Challenge
June 2006

LUMS Computer Science students, Khurram Nazir Junejo and Mirza Muhammad Yousaf (supervised by Dr Asim Karim) received top ranking for SPAM Filtering Performance Award at the Discovery Challenge, organized by 17th European Conference on Machine Learning. 57 teams from 19 different countries participated in the challenge including participants from Germany, India, China, Greece, Canada, New Zealand, and Russia.

Source: Discovery Challenge 2006
LUMS, CS Department Highlights

Pakistani female astronaut signs up for space travel
April 2006

Namira Salim, a Pakistani artist has signed up as an astronaut to go into space in the Virgin Galactic Space Ship in 2008, to fulfill her childhood passion. Namira is also the first lady member of the first Astronomy Society of Pakistan, Amastropak.

Namira's art work has been exhibited during various summits at the United Nations, UNESCO and SAARC. She also plans to publish her first book of English poetry this year.

Source: MSNBC
The News
Khaleej Times

Pakistani student wins world wide writing competition
2006

Waleed Amjad Malik, a Pakistani student from Beacon House, Islamabad, won a UN world wide writing competition on "Human Rights and poverty" in connection with the Human Rights Day, 2006.

The competition was organized by the UN Department of Public Information in co-ordination with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Social Policy and Development, on Human Rights Day, 10 December 2006. Over 700 entries in five UN official languages from all regions of the world were received for the competition.

Source: United Nations in Pakistan

Pakistan emerge Blind World Cup champions at Chennai, India
December 14, 2002

Pakistan beat South Africa by five wickets, to win the Blind Cricket World Cup, 2002. The team that was initially doubtful even to make it to the World Cup, put up a surprising performance in the tournament, finally clinching the cup.

Source: Cricinfo

 

[PoKeMon]

I love Nusrat fateh ali khan.
Is his song which he did in indian movies loved by pakistanis also??

 

[somebozo]

There is one thing i have seen Pakistani's are very quality conscious and what ever they do has a very high quality finishing touch be it handi crafts or software and tech.