ISSUE 1

Contributors Thanks to our

Mahliqa Khan An Odyssey Of Reunion pg. 114

Shah Ruba Ghufran Lets Talk About Sex Education pg. 101

Urooba Alamzeb Finland in its Scholastic Glory pg. 94

Zareen Nayyer CSS; The Clear Cut

pg. 104

Dedar Karim The Struggle For Identity pg. 20

Raniya Najam Big Question from Joe Biden pg. 116

Asad Hameed Call Of The Mountain pg. 34

Muhammad Arslan

Portrait Mode OnSmiles for Unicef pg. 136

A Fading Bequest: A Girls’ School in a Sikh Mansion pg. 60

notes from the editor

Dear Reader

Welcome to the Launch Issue! Notes Magazine is a dream come true. In this digital era, where everything is only a touch away, turning pages seems a bit of a work to do. Therefore, don’t take this book to mere read only but to praise the efforts of all the contributors and sponsors who have taken part in this project to make it a success. Each Advertisement in the NOTES magazine promises a financial support to one deserving student. One ad, one student strategy has connected the market to the education sector which fulfills my aim but the mission doesn’t end here.

The journey has only begun and with an effort for a better education system and sustainable classrooms in Pakistan. I have taken my first baby steps by reaching out to all of you. This magazine reflects my efforts to bring attention of the concerned towards the issues faced by students, teachers, researchers and head of institutes.

At NOTES, I believe that it is our social responsibility to promote the high achievers and bring in emerging talent to the spotlight, Therefore a list of 100 notable Pakistani’s have been brought into a golden frame for the first Issue. In addition, supporting the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s effort to promote tourism in Pakistan. Dedar Karim throws light on Pakistan’s struggle for identity. NOTES share Echoes of Love from across the borders meanwhile Asad Hameed narrates his unforgettable memories from his final year trip to Skardu.

Education is one thing that no one can take away from anyone. For our cover, the most admired penthouse saloon called “Rung Mehal” which is artistically decorated with frescoes, mirrors and painted stucco perfectly fits in the background for our cover girl Maryam Anjum, standing still on the cover page and completes the message of historic changes made to the mansion from residence of Kunwar Nau Nihal Singh to Government Victoria Girls Higher Secondary School. Seven teachers from the school shares Staff room diaries while Principal Mrs. Nasira Rafique also shares her vision for the brighter future of the girls.

The cure for boredom is curiosity! Urooba Alamzeb points out the differences of education systems between Pakistan and the best in the world; Finland. Talk about it or be shy, Shah Ruba Ghufran shares facts for why it is important to bring gender education in the national curriculum. Serve your country but first prove yourself to be the perfect fit. Zareen Nayyer shares the tips and tricks to get through the CSS exam.

For students interested in filmmaking, Mahliqa Khan narrates her short film based on Faiz Ahmed Faiz poetry, ‘mujhse pehli si mohabbat, mere mehboob na maang’ and in conversation with NOTES, shares the nitty-gritty’s of the production from scratch to hatch.

Congratulations to Joe Biden on the Victory! World leaders welcome the new President with open arms. Keeping in view the ties between Pak-American relations, Rania Najam have big questions from Joe Biden. Since #BlackLivesMatter to us all, a poem inspired by Mother Nature is presented titled as, ‘it’s Dark’

Most people only dream of what pilots can see! Qaswa Mubarak, Pakistan’s youngest female commercial pilot walks and talks on the Runway with NOTES. Acknowledging the contributions of UNICEF for Pakistan, Muhammad Arslan share smiles of children, playing and posing in the streets.

The two events, 021 disrupt conference and National Amateur Short Film Festival are talk of the students nowadays. These opportunities have sparked the enthusiasm in students of entrepreneurship and filmmaking.

Laconically, we have put together a mix of content. The effort is done to bring a unique style in the education magazines that catches eyes and maintains your interest in the magazine till the last page. NOTES has finally stepped into the world with this copy in your hands. The year’s long struggle and planning has finally come to an end. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I loved putting it all together for you.

NOTES

Publisher & Editor in Chief Abdul Kareem Wyne

Managing Editor: Chief Advisor: Design & Layout: Digital Marketer: Circulation Incharge: Contact (Sales): Instagram:

Sumreena Jillani Kiran Latif, Nadeem Rao Zohaib Akhtar Faisal Sohail Shehzadi Sadaf Bokhari Malik Ovais Gul +92 310- 562 6669, daniyalwyne4@gmail.com notesmagazine.pk

Take notes

Of what’s trending

TOM & JERRY ARE COMING BACK

Kid’s shows are making new comebacks each year and they just keep getting better! Our childhood’s greatest memory, the show of Tom & Jerry is returning as a liveaction movie set to release on February 26th, 2021 where Tom must play for Jerry’s mischievous tricks once again, but this time, in a hotel wedding!

2MINISTER SHAFQAT MEHMOOD ON FIRE

Recently the greates news students have received throughout the year 2020 is the closure of all educational institutes for one month, and all praises go to Shafqat Mehmood for making it happen, Since then, he has became an internet sensation where a hundred memes are of students declaring their deep love for our Minister Truly a heart warming times for all.

MEHMOOD STUDENT

SHAFQAT

HISTORY OF THE PATHANS

“I recommend the book “History of the Pathans“ by Bring (R) Haroon Rashid” - Imran Khan PTI tweets where he also mentions that he is currently reading this book and enjoys the story of his own tribe written in this skillful story. We are sure that it is definitely worth the read now!

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES

ONE NATION, ONE CURRICULUM

According to the PTI’s tenure framework, there has been an introduction to a Single National Curriculum (SNC) nationwide which focuses on the involvement of Islamic teachings and creative thinking in the student syllabus for Grade 1 to Grade 5. Additionally, this policy removes the segregation between the ‘elite’ children to the underprivileged and provides equal opportunity to all kids.

First Time Forever

100 PAKISTAN Faces of NOTEWORTHY

For our first ever edition of the Notes magazine. Abdul Kareem draws out a list of 100 Pakistani’s that had lifted and waved the green flag higher in the air. Be it in the field of sports or politics, Science or technology, call it breaking a stereotype or an international record. These are the Real Faces of Pakistan.

1 6

IMRAN KHAN

Prime Minister Imran Khan, once captain of the National Cricket Team won First Cricket World Cup for Pakistan in 1992.

ABDUL SATTAR EDHI

Pakistani philanthropist, who founded the Edhi Foundation, launched the world’s largest volunteer ambulance network across Pakistan.

ABDUS SALAM

M M ALAM

First PAF Fighter Pilot who destroyed 5 jet planes in 1 minute. Awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat and Bar for his actions during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

SHOAIB

AKHTAR

Recognized as the fastest bowler in the history of cricket, delivering a world record top speed of 161.3 km/h (100.23 mph) in a pool match against England during the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

SHOAIB

MALIK

Malik became the first Asian batsman to score 5,000 runs in T20 Format, and third overall and first player to play 100 T20’s in the world.

In 1979, Pakistani scientist Abdus Salam won the Nobel Prize for physics. His life’s work was key to defining a theory of particle

ABDUL KARIM

RANDHAWA

Pakistani student and computer prodigy became the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) in 2004. She was submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records for her achievement.

KALEEMULLAH KHAN

First Pakistani footballer ever to play against an English Premier League team (Sunderland AFC). He also holds the record of being the first Pakistani player ever to score 100 career goals in club competitions.

BENAZIR BHUTTO

First female Prime Minister in a Muslim-majority country, elected twice while being the youngest elected leader in the Islamic world.

MUHAMMAD SHAHEER NIAZI

Pakistan’s Youngest Scientist with a publication at the age of 16 only.

MISBAH UL HAQ

Misbah made into Guinness book of world record 2016 of his 100 of just 56 balls in Test.

ALI MOEEN NAWAZISH

Most notably famous for setting a record of acing 23 subjects in the Cambridge O-Level examinations.

BODHA

12 13

PROFESSOR ASIM KHAWAJA

First professor of Pakistani descent that has been hired by the prestigious Harvard University’s John F Kennedy School of Government.

AYESHA

FAROOQ

15

Pakistan’s first ever female war-ready fighter pilot, hailing from Bahawalpur, is one of the 19 women who have achieved the ranks of pilots in the Pakistan Air Force over the last decade.

MEHAK

GUL

AHMAD AMIN

Taekwondo Black Belt becomes the first Pakistani to have been officially inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of fame for his 32 achieved world records.

Gul started playing Chess at the early age of six. Becomes the youngest Pakistani to win Woman Candidate Master Title at 42nd Chess Olympiad.

NAMIRA

SALIM

First Pakistani to travel into space. She has officially been recognized as the ‘First Pakistani Astronaut’ by the government of Pakistan in 2006.

ANEELA NAZ

First Pakistani Women Traffic Police Officer in Peshawar.

DR. UMAR SAIF

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has named him one of the top 35 innovators of the world (TR35).

FAIZAN ASLAM SOOFI

He completed his 45,000-word fiction novel when he was just 10 years old, marking himself as the youngest published author in Pakistan.

ROSHEEN

KHAN

The first and the only nitrox and scuba diving instructor in Pakistan. Rosheen Khan is also known as ‘Mermaid of Churna Island’.

LARAIB

ATTA KHAN

Hailing from Isakhel, Mianwali. Laraib has worked as first visual effects artist for a myriad of Hollywood films. The Chronicles of Narnia, Prince of Persia, Godzilla and X-Men: Days of

DR. NAWEED SYED

Globally acclaimed, Syed is the first Pakistani scientist to ‘connect brain cells to a silicon chip’. Creating the world’s first

ZENITH IRFAN

Zenith Irfan rode for 3,200 kilometers from Lahore through North Pakistan up to the Khunjerab Pass which borders China. She is thought to be the first female motorcyclist to travel across Pakistan.

SHER SISTERS

Five sisters set a rare record to pass CSS exam and join bureaucracy.

MUNIBA MAZARI

HAMZA AMIN

Hamza Amin became first Pakistani golfer to play Australian Open.

YOUNIS KHAN

Khan is the only first Pakistani to score 9,000 Test Runs. Test cricketer in the history of the game to score a century in all 11 countries that have hosted Test matches.

DR. NAEEM TAJ

The only Surgeon Doctor in Pakistan who has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World twice for removing the longest gall bladder and for operating the youngest child of 4 years laparoscopically.

MISHAL HUSAIN

Mishal from Pakistan received the ‘Broadcaster of the Year Award’ at the ‘London Press Club Awards’ and the ‘Services to Media’ award at the ‘British Muslim Awards.

Pakistan’s wheelchairbound model and anchor. Muniba is First Pakistani UN Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women.

MIR IBRAHIM SAJID

First Pakistani Medical Student to win the Global Pediatric Research Investigator Award for developing inventing Painless needles.

SALMAN AHMAD

The first Pakistani bodybuilder who lifted Mr. Muscle Mania trophy in Lavages.

ALMIRA RAFEEQUE

British-born, Almira became first Pakistani woman footballer to play in UK and to have an opportunity to play for an English club.

SAAD ALI

The First and only Certified Pakistani Formula 1 Racer and Winner at the age of 18 Years

LAILA NAEEM

Little Laila Naeem has stormed onto the fashion scene, becoming the first Pakistani to model for British luxury fashion house Burberry.

SHAMIM AKHTAR

Made headlines in Pakistan as the first professional truck driver in the country. Known as ‘Shamim Bhai’ among her colleagues, uses her six-wheel truck to transport goods around the country.

ZAHIDA KAZMI

Zahida Kazmi has been hailed as Pakistan’s first female taxi driver. She has driven from the crowded markets of Islamabad to the remote tribal country in the north.

HAROON TARIQ

A Pakistani student, notable for making seven world records by getting a total of 87 A grades in O/A Levels.

FARZANA JABEEN

female mountaineer to climb

YASIR SHAH

first Pakistani bowler to take maximum against Sri Lanka with 21 preys in only 4

MUHAMMAD

HUMZA SHAHZAD

A seven-year-old British boy of Pakistani origin who has become the world’s youngest computer programmer, setting an unprecedented record.

AYAN QURESHI

Qureshi is Pakistan’s Youngest Microsoft Certified Professional in the World.

UMAIR LIAQUAT

This Pakistani student at the age of 10 attempted his Math’s GCSE higher tier exam and achieved an A in an exam which most students sit when they are 16-years-old.

SAMAN ASLAM

Pakistan’s first and youngest female Graphologist.

MAUHIB IQBAL

Mauhib Iqbal has achieved Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist Award in .Net Framework 4.0 with 98.4%. He is also awarded with the title of “Charter Member” by Microsoft Corporation.

DR. YARJAN ABDUL SAMAD

First Pakistani space scientist at the University of Cambridge wins 2020’s Young Leaders Award.

BABAR IQBAL

He came to prominence by becoming one of the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional in the world at the age of 9, also being the youngest CIWA aged 9, youngest CWNA at 10, youngest Microsoft Student Partner at 11 and youngest MCTS in .NET 3.5 at 12.

WAQAS ALI

First Pakistani to win a medal at the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship 2015 held in Dallas, Texas.

MUHAMMAD ILYAS

First Miss Pakistan World, 2003

Youngest Civil Judge of the World. Muhammad Ilyas passed the examination enabling him to become a Civil Judge in July 1952 at the age of 20 years 9 months.

ZEHRA SHERAZI

JAHANGIR KHAN

Holds the record for the longest winning streak ever in squash. He won 555 matches consecutively for a period of five years.

RAHEEL SHARIF

Pakistan’s Former Chief of Army Staff Ranked #1 In Top Ten Military Commanders of the World in 2015-

SHAZIA SADIQ

Australian Academy recognises Pakistani Scientist Shazia Sadiq for advanced STEM research

NAZIR SABIR

First ever Pakistani mountaineer to climb mountain K2 that is world’s second highest mountain. He has climbed Mount Everest and four of the five 8000 m peaks in Pakistan.

MUHAMMAD HAFEEZ

First Pakistani Cricketer to cross 1000 runs in T20 Internationals.

NATALIA

ARSLAN ASH

Pakistan’s first ever unified EVO champion and first Red Bull athlete.

KIRAN KHAN

SHUKRIYA KHANUM

Shukriya Khanum is the first female commercial pilot of Pakistan. First Pakistani woman to obtain a commercial pilot’s licence, and died of cancer in Lahore at the age of 82.

Khan is an Olympic swimmer and one of first international female swimmers to represent Pakistan.

KAKY KID

The Youngest Pakistani Rapper.

NAJAM

9-year-old, Pakistani girl sets world record in Chemistry.

WAQAS AHAMD

Pakistan’s first 3D Street Artist.

SABA GUL

Internationally renowned Entrepreneur and Change Maker, Saba Gul is the founder & CEO of BLISS and an alumnus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology working to support underprivileged in Pakistan.

ALIA ZAFAR

MUHAMMAD KHALIL AKHTAR

First Pakistani Shooter at Olympics.

SABIA ABBAT

Sabia became the first woman from Hazara division to win the National Cycling Championship in 2013.

MARYAM MUJTABA

PIA announces Maryam Mujtaba to be the airlines’ first woman pilot from Kashmir.

SARMAD TARIQ

Inspiration for people with physical disabilities. Sarmad Tariq, also known as “the chairman”, was Pakistan’s first ever quadriplegic athlete.

MIR ZAFAR ALI

ZIDANE HAMID

Pakistani boy becomes World’s Youngest Sports Commentator at the age of 10.

Mir Zafar Ali- Oscar winner movie visual effects curator. He is the first Pakistani to have been connected with an Academy Award-winner for Best Visual Effects.

KRISHNA KHOLI

Pakistan’s First Hindu Senator

First Female Director appointed to Pakistan Cricket Board.

71

HASSAN AHMED

Pakistan’s first deaf vlogger Hassan Ahmed is all set to host his own television show

79 SHAZIA PARVEEN

80

KHANSA MARIA

She is the first Pakistani Women with a disability to be named a Rhodes scholar-elect.

73 75

ANITA KANIZ MEHDI ZAIDI

NASRA

JABEEN

NERGIS

MAVALVALA

First Pakistani MIT Dean. She was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2010.

72 74 76

ZUBEIDA AGHA

MUHAMMAD BIN NASIR

14 years old, student at Multan published a research paper as First Author in Impact Factor Journal.

First Pakistani Modern Artist known in the world. After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, She was the first artist to hold an exhibition of her paintings and helped bring the modern idiom to Pakistan.

77 NAILA ALAM & YASMEEN DURRANI

Pakistani women have been honored by the White House for their humanitarian work.

78

YUMNA MAJEED

Nasra Jabeen- First Female VC of Punjab University Lahore

Pakistan’s First Women Firefighter

Anita Zaidi is first Pakistani physician and the Director of Vaccine Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

First National Point of Contact of Pakistan for the Space Generation Advisory Council.

NABHAN AND KENAN

Two self-taught Pakistani wonder kids developed the world’s first multi-platform game to help fight Covid-19 pandemic.

85 MUHAMMAD ABDULLAH

Pakistani student breaks global ACCA exam record.

86 DUR E AZIZ

AMNA

First Pakistani to win the 2019 Financial Time Bodley Head Essay Prize.

MAHNOOR SHAHZAD

ZONIAH AHMAD

First Pakistani Female student to get selected for International Training at CERN.

NUDRAT PIRACHA

Dr Nudrat E. Piracha has become the first female lawyer from Pakistan to earn a Doctorate of Juridical Science. the qualification is considered the most advanced degree in law.

MANISHA RAO

Manisha Rao became Pakistan’s First Transgender Lawyer. She has represented around 50 cases of marginalized community in different regional court of Karachi.

Pakistan’s First Ever Female Badminton Champion who made it to the Top 150 In the World

ASIFA AKHTAR

A Pakistan born Scientist becomes the First International Female Vice President of the Biology and Medicine section at German’s Prestigious Max Planck Society.

HAJRA KHAN

RAHUL DEV

From Tharparkar has become the first Hindu pilot to serve Pakistan Air force as General Duty Pilot.

The captain of the Pakistani football team, is a rising star as she has managed to achieve 3 football-related Guinness World Records in 2019.

91 ZULIFQAR BHUTTA

One of the world’s foremost experts in child and maternal health. He holds titles across various organizations in diverse geographies.

AYESHA AYAZ

Pakistan’s youngest player in Martial Arts competes by winning a bronze medal in three Taekwondo contests held in UAE.

RABIA SHAHZAD

Pakistani weightlifting sensation who wins gold at the Glasgow open classic weightlifting championship 2020.

NIDA DAR

98

AQSA AJAML

NUST student, selected as one of the six finalists for the Lexus Design Award from around the world - and has become the first and only Pakistani to have achieved this milestone.

93 Dr. IFFAT ZAFAR AGA

Co-founder of Sehat Kahani, Iffat becomes the first Pakistani female recipient of the ‘Elevate Foundation Prize Award 2020’

First Pakistani to join Women’s Big Bash League. 94

AQSA KAUSAR

NUST graduate becomes Pakistan’s first female Google Developer.

97 YASMEE LARI

Pakistan’s first female architect known for her involvement in the intersection of architecture and social justice is also awarded with the prestigious Fukuoka Prize in 2016.

99

IMAD ALI

95 100

Pakistan’s youngest ever Junior World Scrabble Champion.

Mallak Faisal

12 year old Mallak is the first Pakistani to win at figure skating.

TERRORISM The Struggle for Identity to

TOURISM

A journey of Pakistan

By Dedar Karim

While this is a topic for generations, not a one man show. Dedar Karim has dared to dig into the archives and pinpoint the key events that made Pakistan struggle for its true identity.

The war is only about the perspective. Pakistan is beautiful, hospitable, peaceful and amazing is all what we want to hear from everyone. Dedar, who is pursuing his Bachelors in International Relations from National Defence University is all set to take us for a walk through the past.

ithout any misgiving, I can proudly say that people of Pakistan are one of the most resilient nations in the world, which have passed the uphill journey from being labelled as a terrorist nation to a tourist welcome nation. The full throne journey from Terrorism to Tourism was neither bed of rose nor a child play. A nation with enough stomach can beat terrorism, Pakistan on the table has that bold stomach to face the menace of terrorism steadfastly and kneel it down. It would be an injustice to ignore the priceless sacrifices of armed forces, call it from three-star generals down to soldiers and other security agency personnel in this bloodied and the nasty war against terrorism. Onset of tourism in Pakistan, terrorism was not possible to be controlled without having a military power and critical thinkers in the pockets.

Joseph Nye had added the concept of ‘Soft Power’ with the conventional concept of ‘Hard power’. Intriguingly, Pakistan has fought against terrorism via ‘hard’ power and trying to catch up international tourists through ‘soft power’. Without having a hard power in the backyard, we could not have perished the terrorists from their roots and could not provide incentives for safe and sound grounds for tourism. this 21st century has marked a lesson long taught that both hard and soft power moves in a parallel direction and complements each other.

We are well adept at talking on political scenarios of Pakistan in different social circles, and we usually use a phrase that ‘we have a negative image in the International community. However, we barely bother to dig out the causes which are sucking our image to the core. Constructivist school identity says that ‘image/identy, either it is an individual or state, is constructed’. Pakistan was linked with terrorism in the international community, analyzed with the lense of Indian intelligentsia and Indian given data. Resultantly, the cross borders react toward any state according to the identity, given to it. Pakistan, after being labelled as a terrorist country, melted the tourism sector to nearly, zero. People got afraid to visit Pakistan because we were slapped with an identity, fairly we didn’t deserve. It was the construction and overly generalization, which led to create and disseminate our image as a terrorist state. Though Identity construction is subjective, it can neither be awarded overnight nor based on one event, although, it requires objective realities and ostensible actions too.

that raised fingers on Events PAKISTAN

• 9/11 and aftermaths: the vicious terror attack was conducted by Al-Quida, while Al-Qaida was in the safe havens of Taliban’s and Taliban’s government was supported by Pakistan. It was the second most fearsome event for the USA after Pearl Harbour attack in 1941 by Japan. Nonetheless, Pakistan managed to elevate its name in US ‘good book’ by helping the USA initiated ‘War on Terror’.

• Very soon, Indian Parliament attack, 2001: Lashkar-i-Taiba allegedly conducted this attack. It claimed nine deaths. Indian outrightly blamed Pakistan for this incident, and the International environment was ready to pick up any allegation on Muslims hence mostly subscribed this allegation including the USA. Subsequently, Pervaiz Musharaf (the then President of Pakistan) banned Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad in 2002.

• A major backlash, THe Attack on Sri Lankan Team in Lahore: TTP claimed the responsibility of this attack, Since then, ICC went into hysteria to schdule cricket matches in Pakistan

• Alas! The killing of Osama Bin Laden In Abbottabad,2011: A secrete U.S. security agencies based operation was conducted in Abbottabad Pakistan. Where the U.S. killed the mastermind and the most wanted person on the globe, it was a mammoth blow for Pakistan which ultimately led to further decadence of Pakistan’s image in international communities

• Small minded bigots, the religious leaders: In 2013, Munawar Hussain of Jamaat-e-Islami declared Hakimullah Mehsud as ‘Martyr’ and Maulana Sami Ul Haq (leader Jamaat Ulema Islam-S) was very fond of calling terrorists as his ‘Children’.

• 2013, Attack on tourists in Nanga Parbat Base Camp of Gilgit Baltistan which claimed 11 lives including Ukrainian, American, Lithuanian, Slovakian and Chinese citizens. TTP accepted its responsibility.

• Unknowing that it would cause such damage, The emergence of Tehrek Taliban Pakistan (TTP), 2008. TTP was an umbrella organization under which 13 sub-groups were present. It was the first time when a group of 10.000 members started to wage war against Pakistan. India named it as “Pakistani Talibans”. TTP damaged the image of Pakistan down to worst.

• Blaming it to media: when TTP has emerged, Pakistani media used soft words such as “Shar Pasand” instead of terrorists, which ultimately increased trust-deficit on Pakistan, Internationally.

• Heart breaking incident of Army Public School, The Peshawar Attack in 2016 became the most shocking terror incident in the world in general and in Pakistan. This brought attention of the whole world to Pakistan. Leaving all authorities speechless, One hundred and fifty innocent souls were gunned down cold-bloodedly by TTP.

Tourism and terrorism are two perpendicular activities and inversely proportional too. Any state with picturesque beauty can attract tourists from all over the world. Apart from natural beauty, peace and security status of any state matters the most. Naturally, Pakistan has been bestowed with scenic beauty, despite, this aesthetic edge, it could not build a fair share of tourism in the national economy due to cancerous terrorism. Morevoer, People chose to visit and explore new places, the cultural fabrics and socio-psychological behaviour of people in different regions and countries but not on the expense of their lives.

To ensure the safety for tourists, Pakistan has passed through a painful way. The scarcity of

security and peace never let Pakistan put money in its pocket from its prosperous and untapped tourist’s sector. Eventually, after 2017, when it managed to bottle up terrorism plight, then tourism sector started to breathe openly in the open air. Our facetious nation and armed forces did this at the cost of their lives. In 2019, the tourism sector of Pakistan shared 7.2% of its role in annual GDP.

Opening up with a dynamic tourism potential was a gut-testing task for Pakistan, anyhow, following significant events led us to climb up in the tourist sector. Major tourist points in Pakistan are Gilgit Baltistan, North-Western sides of KPK and Azaad Kashmir as a whole. Following events led the opening of tourism in Pakistan.

Events tourism in led the opening of

• Raised Voices brought the affect, No Sectarianism in Gilgit Baltistan: since 2013, onward, G.B. never witnessed sectarianism on its soil. Therefore, the tourism sector of G.B. moved up to fourfolds.

•

• Thanks to the Pakistan Army, Operation in Sawat Valley led to root out the cancerous cells of terrorism. Now Sawat is one of the worthy destinations for tourists opened twelve months a year for the tourists be it sunny or snowy.

• The whole world laughed at the Jokes of Jeremy McLellan, The American Comedian became so happy with the Pakistani culture that he would favor Pakistan against India in the tweet war and also labeled himself as the Ambassador of Pindi boys.

• Eva Zu Beck and her documentaries on Pakistan gave a boost to the tourism sector in Pakistan. She has filmed each and every step of her in the documentary, she has covered all the major and famous people and places of Pakistan. Her travel within the country has proved to be safe and peaceful for foreigners and has been talk of all the channels and media companies around the world.

• Prayers of the cricket lovers brought Pakistan Super League to life in September 2015. Before PSL, international cricket teams and players were in peril to visit Pakistan while PSL pulled international players to play in Pakistan.

Following the visits of aforesaid famous bloggers and famous personalities to Pakistan, British based Backpackers Magazine and CondeNast Traveller declared Pakistan as the “Most exciting destintion for tourism in 2020”. Pakistan has shifted sands from being labelled as a terrorist country to the best tourism spot. Still, we have to work out on our infrastructure, give awareness about the positivities and negativities of Tourism to local people of tourist hubs, and lastly, Pakistan must have to beef up a campaign on Social Media Networkings to catch up more tourists toward Pakistan.

Praiseworthy visit of British Duch and Duchess to Pakistan, Both Prince William and Kate Middleton in October 2019 stayed in Pakistan for five days during which they visited Islamabad, Lahore, Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral, their peaceful visit and remarks lifted our image.

Echoes of LOVE

Pakistan has been neglected when it comes to its scenic nature and beauty and it has been long overdue that it be given the attention and credit it deserves. Once a terror ridden country and a hotspot in the “War against terror”, Pakistan has endured defamation and backlash that the country nor the people of our country deserved. Now that we are very much away from our bloodied past, Pakistan has reemerged like a phoenix out of the ashes. Tourism has increased and now the limelight has shifted to Pakistan such that it is no longer a blood red blind path, rather than a hopeful horizon ahead. We have narrated and been thankful to the people who have played a major role in changing the dynamic of our country’s geopolitical narrative.

1. Jeremy McLellan

Jeremy McLellan is an American comedian. He visited different cities of Pakistan and conducted his stand-up comedy shows as well. He has been named one of the “Faces of Comedy.” Since his visit, he is greatly attracted to Pakistani culture, politics, food, the entertainment industry, in short, with each and every aspect of Pakistan. He calls himself the brand ambassador of Pindi boys. He never misses a chance of taking the side of Pakistan on international forums, while openly commenting on the biased views of India, and the United States of America as well.

2. Eva Zu Beck

Eva Zu Beck is a Polish travel vlogger. She was mesmerized by the natural beauty of the country, as well as the warmth and hospitality of its people. She promoted the true images of Pakistan through her blogs and shared the thoughts that Pakistan was not the way the western media has always portrayed it and she wanted the whole world to know the real image of Pakistan.

3. Sophee Southall

Sophee Southall, a photographer, writer and a travel blogger from Australia, explored the northern areas of Pakistan along with her husband. She fell in love with the warmth and hospitality of Pakistanis and shared the images of her trip on the social media platforms while motivating people to visit the country.

4. Alex and Sebastiaan

Alex and Sebastiaan, a traveller couple from the US, left their reputed jobs to travel across the world and Pakistan was one of their travel destinations. The couple visited Lahore, during Ramadan and could not help appreciating the culture, warmth, and hospitality of the people, which they experienced.

5. Teo Jioshvili

Teo Jioshvili is a travel photographer from Georgia, visited Lahore and took the pictures of the street life of the city. The young photographer shared that it was one of the most beautiful countries in the world and its people are very loving, kind and warm. She visited Lahore during Ramazan and was greatly impressed by the hospitality of its people. She shared that she was warned that Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world; however, she found it quite safe and adventurous.

6. Cynthia Ritchie

Cynthia Ritchie, an American traveler and a documentary filmmaker, visited the northern areas of Pakistan and fell in love with its serene landscapes and vibrant energy of its residents. She motivated people to visit Pakistan. She also utilized her fame and influences to depict the true image of Pakistan and shared that it is beautiful and safe to travel.

7. Henrik Jeppesen

Henrik Jeppesen, a traveller, and blogger from Denmark visited Pakistan and was greatly impressed by the natural beauty of the country. He is a famous globetrotter, who has visited every country in the world. He said that the people of Pakistan are very friendly and lovely and he had great experience in Pakistan. The kindness and warm treatment of the public made his experience even more memorable and he could not resist appreciating it on the international forums.

8. Nora

Nora, a Dutch biker visited Pakistan. She was greatly impressed by the faith, kindness, and warmth of the people and advocated for the positivity, beauty, and safety of Pakistan at the international level. She is actively promoting Pakistan through blogs and YouTube channel by sharing that Pakistan has some aweinspiring tourist attractions, which are not crowded at all.

9. David Kaszlikowski

David Kaszlikowski is a Polish photographer, depicted the true image of Pakistan and his love for the country through his photos. He was attracted to Pakistan due to one of the longest glaciers of the world, Baltoro glacier. He used the drone and Canon 5D Mark III to take some breathtaking photos of Baltoro glacier and K2. He not only admired the beauty of the regions of northern Pakistan but also shared it with the whole world.

10. Mike Horn

Mike Horn, the biker and brand ambassador of Mercedes Benz, visited the northern areas of Pakistan and could not resist appreciating the positivity, beauty, and hospitality of the country. He shared that he got motivated to visit Pakistan because he wanted to climb the breathtaking Karakoram mountains range. He said that Pakistan is a young, adventurous and educational country, which has great potential for making progress.

11. Cassie De Pecol

Cassie De Pecol is a tourist from U.S.A who visited Karachi, Pakistan. She has visited 196 countries of the world and declared Pakistan among the 5 most beautiful countries of the world. The mayor of Karachi, Mr. Waseem Akhtar accompanied her on the tour of Karachi. She shared that Pakistan is a beautiful and safe country and its people are very loving.

12. Rosie Gabrielle

In her Instagram bio, she has clearly tagged Pakistan and mentioned, ‘a Trip that changed my life’. Hailing from Canada, Rosie is a blogger, vlogger and a social media influencer. Through her pictures and videos, she has expressed her love for Pakistan. Inspired by the beauty and people. She had also converted to Islam and Pakistan is now her second home. Rosie has helped a lot in boosting tourism and in eradication of the wrong perceptions about Pakistan and its people

Call of the Mountains

By Asad Hameed

Asad Hameed is a senior-year student at Bahria University and a travel enthusiast. Following his passion for traveling, he has started his own travel company which keep him in a dynamic state at all times. Asad pens a long awaited, Seven days trip to Skardu, with his class fellows. While jotting down his NOTES, the quiet and keen observer, finally opens up about his thoughts on how the mountains changed his perspective and how this became the best trip of his life.

Ihad heard that a bachelor’s degree without a final year trip is not worth it and now I completely believe it. We as a class never went on any trip outside the city not even once but we finally had our final year trip planned to Skardu for seven days. We were fourteen people in total out of the 28 classmates. The day that we had to leave for our trip was the day we had our first online class for the last semester. But of course, nobody cared for the classes.

On September 21, we all gathered at the medina market F8, Islamabad. Almost all of us have been planning this trip since our first semester and after almost four years, it was finally happening. We were all happy and excited but the fact that it could be our last trip together made it more connected to our heart. We all wanted to enjoy every bit of it. Nobody wanted to sleep, we all wanted to sing, scream, laugh, dance and do what we couldn’t. Luckily our driver was very friendly, full of information and kept boosting our excitement about visiting Skardu. His energy, jokes and stories remained part of our journey.

We had so much to talk about that within no time, we had reached Babusar top. Those green hills and gushing streams became our constant companion as the road began to curve more and more for the rest of our journey. Just like a tongue twister for us city souls, we finally made it to the grounds of Chilas. Not use to such long drives, but hypnotized by the mother nature, we made it to the hotel after 12 hours. Our phone batteries needed a charger and so did we need food, a hot shower and a cozy bed. The night was young but instructions were given that we have to leave early morning, so we did rest.

Next Day, the girls took their time getting ready and we ended up getting an hour late. We started our journey towards Skardu via the Karakoram Highway and we took the Deosai Plains route instead of Skardu road, as it was full of dust. The greenery had vanished and it was all brown. The bumpy road was a bone jammer and the sun became too harsh. At around 3pm, when half of us were sleeping, someone shouted and with our half open eyes, we looked outside the window and that beautiful thing left our eyes and mouth wide open, watching our astonished faces from the rear-view mirror, the driver then told us that it is called Sheosar Lake.

It was like nothing we had ever seen before. the lake felt like a velvet blue sapphire stone set in a light brown dusty ring centered by the mountains giving it a cover. It was no less than a jewel. And with the lake in their view, everyone admitted that it deserves to be hard to get, in sight. My eyes had seen the bluest water. We got off the bus to go near the lake the weather was windy and water was freezing cold. Some sat alone by the side and listened to the music while some took deep breaths, trying to absorb it all quietly while the chatterboxes kept praising and adoring it loudly, the waves kept coming and the lake kept blushing but we couldn’t get enough of it. We took a whole lot of pictures, clambered in the bus and waved back to the lake.

Finally! We reached our destination. This isn’t how we thought to enter Skardu. Fully tired, hungry and overwhelmed with everything we had seen. Unexpectedly, there happened to have some misunderstanding with the hotel reception and we had to switch to another hotel, God, we were dying but dragged each other to the other hotel. we checked in the hotel half an hour later with our alien faces, glumly attitudes, all tired and did what we could. Eat, sleep and survive.

The rise of the new morning sun had brought freshness, excitement and a good mood to life. The third day came out to be the best day of our trip and this goes for everyone. We checked out of the hotel like models ruling a runway and started our journey like a pro. We had a stop at Manthokka Waterfall on our way. 180 feet tall, an ideal place for camping and fishing. This place was absolutely amazing. I saw almost every kind of pose one could do to get a good picture with it. And I assume that people are funnier than they look like. Enjoying our moment, we couldn’t stay there for long and then continued our journey towards Khaplu.

Thanks to the driver chacha. He let us sit on the roof of the bus and it was a whole new experience. I held myself tight on the rod, it felt like exposing myself to the nature. Dancing trees, humming birds, winter breeze, curvy roads, huge stones, colorful fields and smiling faces. Life felt different and I realized that the eyes get a different and better view with each inch upwards to the sky and that is why God knows the Best. This was everyone’s first experience and everyone was just enjoying the beauty of those snow peaked mountains turned golden with the sunlight.

We reached Saling under the twinkling stars, the place where we had to camp for the night. It was a fish farm and there were many pounds filled with Trout, a special fish of the area. We had a delicious Bar B Q for dinner. On an open ground, we saw our camps and everyone was excited as many of us were camping for the first time in our lives. We all gathered around a bonfire, open to sky, gazing at the stars, counting to infinity, touched by the winds, tea in hands, singing songs, cracking jokes, one round over another. Mars did locate us although we couldn’t, it was a moment to fall in love with and a night that has been punched into everyone’s memoir for life.

The hotel management had also given us a room to put our baggage in it and to use the bathroom. It was in the morning that we came to know a few of our beloved friends had sneaked in the room and slept in there because they were afraid of beetles.

The owner of the fish farm who went by the name of Hatim. We got to chat with him and he told us that he had trekked almost every peak of Pakistan alone that earned him the title of The Mountain Man. He told us about his struggles and his achievements in the community that he was doing to promote tourism and education in Skardu. His enthusiasm and passion gave us an idea of how decent, hardworking, helping and loyal they are. He was a very humble and inspiring guy. Cheering his efforts, we exchanged good byes and continued our journey towards Sarfaranga Desert.

On our way, we listened to a call of prayer from the mosque, the driver chacha pushed the brakes and left to offer the prayer, the girls waited in the bus while the boys stepped out. Not in our knowledge, it was the famous Chaqchan Mosque. Dating from 1370, according to Wikipedia, the mosque is one of the oldest in the region, and dates from the time when the area’s populace converted in masses from Buddhism to Islam. Walking from one quarter of the mosque to another, a keen observer can only notice the art engraved to it, inch by inch. The room inside blends its diversity seamlessly with Mughal, Tibetan and Persian style of art. The mosque was miraculously astonishing. We left the place in no time.

A few miles ahead, we stopped at Khaplu Palace to see how the royals of this princely state used to live here in the past. Also known as the Yabgo Khar to the locals, the palace proved itself to be an architectural heritage and a must visit place for tourists. Keeping in view the cobbled alleys and hand-crafted wood work, the Raja of Khaplu seemed to have a very good taste. Thanks to the Aga Khan Foundation for its restoration, the palace signifies its true essence. Though it is now turned into a hotel and is one of the most expensive one in Skardu but Adding a bit more to their sophistication, they were following SOPs instructed for the COVID-19 and asked us to follow it too. Sticking to the idea of doing things that were cheaper on pocket, we kept an eye on the free items and got served with the hand sanitizer while going inside, and on our way, out of the Palace.

We reached Sarfaranga Desert under the harsh sun; our bus could not go all the way up to the desert so we waited for our jeep to arrive. Posed for a few pictures till then and when the jeep arrived, took our turns to the destined spot. it also turns out to be a first ever experience for all. the driver even let us drive his jeep in the desert. Walking up the dunes, we recorded messages for all those classmates who couldn’t make it to the best trip ever. Played like children, and finally settled with sadness. It was our final year trip. We talked about everything ang anything that we had done in the past years. I never wanted to leave that place. Though we all got coated in sand and also took it as a souvenir in our pockets. The sunset worked out as meditation for us. We were all quite until we reached back to our hotel and then the regular drill. clean, eat and sleep.

©mehmood_vzyree

An early wakeup call to catch the sun rise in Skardu had set us all for the visit to Upper Kachura. It was a small walk from where we landed. The signs on the stones navigated the way for us. Green trees, long and short, blue sky, up and reflecting on the lake down. It felt like paradise. Boat rides and tea were just a call away. I preferred trekking around the lake and just be an explorer because I am afraid of boats and I don’t take tea. Getting on and off the boat itself is an art of balancing and fun watching. Everyone seemed fresh on their way back, which meant they had fun. Time was up and without any delay, the driver chacha led our way back to the vehicle.

Next up was the Shangrilla Lake, the most awaited and admirable spot. Skardu is famous because of the heart shaped Shangrilla lake and the resorts facing around it. Though it is more suited for the honeymoon couples, it turned out be a very quiet place for us and since we are all used to the urban hustle and bustle, by this time, we had started missing Islamabad. Taking advantage of the beautiful scenery. Everyone brought out their cameras and captured everything they could. I had seen Shangrilla on social media or on the post cards but they don’t do justice to how beautiful it really is, the azure blue sky, pristine clear water and a soothing clear silence can nowhere be found but at the heart of Skardu.

Time travelled fast as it was our last night in Skardu and the final year trip had almost come to an end. The heart was sad but the mind reminded of those who were waiting for us back in the real world. We changed, ate and walked to the main market. Some of us had collected stones but some wanted to take proper souvenirs for their family. The day ended on a very good note.

The next day we had to leave early and to my surprise everyone was ready in time, even the ladies. We had to reach Naran or else we would have to stay at Chilas, and as per the votes, majority wanted to explore a new place. So Naran it was. To our knowledge, the whole day was to be spent on the way, so nobody cared sleeping the last night in skardu and made up their mind to sleep in the bus.

We started our journey at 4 in the morning and made to the Babusar Pass right after sunset. It was freezing cold outside the bus door but still everyone wanted to step out. We shivered for almost an hour and couldn’t even talk. Driver chacha jokes on the burger eating youth came one after another. The whole trip was fun and filled with lots of new experiences but adventure had yet to come. it was a steep road and with constant driving, the brakes of our bus got a little messy, after continuous struggle to keep the matters in favor, the suspense broke, the brakes had actually failed. The driver chacha kept bolstering our morale and to keep the situation out of control, he kept joking until almost everyone fell asleep. To our knowledge, we had to lower our speed and stick to the first gear only. So, it took extra two hours to get to our destination. We reached Naran at the dinner time, checked into the hotel, had dinner in Naran bazaar and everyone went on their little shopping spree. The day was saved, thanks to the brave, Driver chacha.

Day 07

The last day begun with a mix of emotions. Nobody wanted to go back and the tantrums started to begin as soon as everybody woke up. Some of us had planned to visit Lake Saif Al Malook before sunrise, the jeeps were booked, we clambered in. The night before, it had snowed near the lake, and never had I ever experienced this lake in snow, the peaks surrounding the lake were like white cream drizzled on top and it gave a beautiful view.

After returning from the lake, we went to the same hotel in the Bazaar to have breakfast and ate the traditional Halwa Puri. It started raining, and our hearts started melting too with the fact that the dream is going to end. We continued our journey back to Islamabad with a complete silence in the bus. At 8pm, our bus stopped at the same spot where we had begun. It felt strange for a moment but this is life. We hugged, shook hands, thanked, greeted eachother and went our ways.

This trip was not how I had pictured it because we had never been to a trip together as a class except with a few close friends. There was this adventurous side of everyone that I never knew about and would never have known if it wasn’t for this trip. The people that I had a few differences with were the ones that I bonded with the most. They were the most fun part on this trip and made it once in a lifetime experience. I can safely say that this has been the best trip of my life till date. These 7 days are engraved in my memory.

Nobody wanted to leave Skardu, everyone’s heart still remains there, till next time….

wantedNobody to leave Skardu, everyone’s heart still remains there, till next time….

Finding Signals

The museum of ancient artefacts is in a Hidden Sailing Fish Farm in Skardu. It tells the story of those enigmatic people we may never fully know about. The whole room is occupied with the artefacts, some displayed on shelves and tables while some hanged to the nails. Surprisingly, a few artefacts date back to 1822. ‘Hatim’ who owns the farm now, got its responsibility in the heirloom and also contributed in the collection. According to him, He and his grandparents loved travelling and to their luck, they kept all these household items saved which they never thought would become so old in time that it would fascinate people so much. All the visitors get a free visit to this self-made museum. This room is a witness to thousands of visitors and to their astonishing comments, which has made it to survive so far. Anyone from any corner of the world is welcome here.

A Secret Room to The Hidden Treasure

BEQUEST FADING A

A Girls’ School in a SIKH MANSION

From Kunwar Nau Nihal Singh’s royal residence to the Government

Victoria Girls Higher Secondary School. The fancy estate is a feat of remarkable architecture and an eye candy for the art lovers. NOTES paid a visit to the school and wants to bring attention of UNESCO to the marvelous heritage site, ignored and neglected from a very long time. The site is in need of an intensive repair and maintenance to remain in its true colors. Have a look at it.

About the fancy estate

Victoria School is one of the most interesting buildings in the walled city of Lahore. It used to be a mansion of the notorious grandson of Maharajah Ranjit Singh called Kunwar Naunihal Singh Haveli. What really fascinates about it is how a 19th century masterpiece of Sikh era was converted to a girl’s school by the British. The building has a rectangular formation with more than 40 rooms arranged around a central courtyard. The main structure has two floors but a tower on one side goes two floor higher. A jaw dropping woodwork and surface embellishment work is done on the facade. The penthouse saloon called “Rung Mehal” which is artistically decorated with frescoes, mirrors and painted stucco is an eye opener. This room has retained its majesty because it is believed that this room is haunted by the ghost of Nau Nihal Singh, who died under mysterious circumstances after getting hurt under the Roshnai Gate.

Principal’s Note

by Mrs. Nasira Rafique of Govt. Victoria Girls Higher Secondary School

I am deeply honored and appreciate the efforts of NOTES Magazine for covering Govt. Victoria Girls Higher Secondary School as their main feature. This building holds a historic identity and a beautiful interior which has made it an attraction for everyone. I receive requests from photographers, filmmakers, news channels, tourists and now from magazines as well for a visit, even the locals can’t resist its sight.

I was appointed as principal of Victoria School sixteen years ago and since then I am trying to control the external engagements within the premises but this building becomes everyone’s favorite in no time. Also the whole walled city of Lahore comprises of narrow alleys and in our particular area, only this school has open grounds, the neighborhood want to use it for their personal events such as weddings and funerals but it leaves the building with loads of mess and damage only. The building is already in need of an intense repair.

I have a staff of almost 700, both teaching and non-teaching and around 2400 girls are taking education from this school. The students come here from a very poor background. Some of the students can’t afford the fee which is only 20 rupees. It makes things quite tough for me sometimes to manage the whole system with such less finances. We have to organize small indoor events for girls every few months to keep them engaged in extracurricular activities. For that, we have to collect funds from students and mostly teachers put in big chunks from their salaries to make the event successful.

I am glad to have a very supporting staff. At least, this gives me a relief from all the headache I take home every day. We Pakistani’s have a habit of ranting about our problems but Thanking God at the same time. I tell this to my colleagues that time doesn’t stop and survival of the fittest in our case is to keep things on the track and keep it moving. I have tried to maintain the decorum and managed things with best to my knowledge. I dream of this school to be the best in town and the students here to be the best in the world.

STAFF ROOM Diaries

Join us in staff room conversation with seven teachers from Government Victoria Girls Higher Secondary School as they speak on their daily experiences from the classrooms. It’s not only the students who get to learn new things everyday but the teachers get their lessons too. A classroom contains future engineers, doctors, artists, leaders, politicians and more and to deal with each individual requires an essence of each field in a teacher. Girls are loaded with emotions and that needs to be addressed on a daily basis.

NOTES gave these ladies an open forum to bellow, rant, express and speak out all that has brimmed them from inside. The interview turned into a gossip session brought laughter to the room. Meet Tasleem Qausar, Shazia Razzaq, Fauzia Yunus, Muzhat, Anum, Rakhshanda Fatima and the senior most Farida Bano.

OTES:

It’s a girls’ school, and especially in this area of Lahore, the girls here mostly belong to underprivileged backgrounds. The biggest thing missing within these girls is confidence. Something that I have noticed intensely, and have been noticing since my previous visits is that most teachers here are void of confidence as well, despite being so mature and grown. In my understanding, children are educated more through visual means than how they are being educated otherwise. What in your opinion your students learn from you?

Tasleem Qausar: The teacher is definitely a role model and the child will obviously observe her and learn from her as well. But here, most of the staff has workexperience and sometimes the new staff comes in too, but this is a senior SS college area; the teachers are senior and experienced too. There is no such problem here of teachers hesitating or being in the category of under confident people. In my view, this is not possible.

Shazia Razzaq: We can separate your question into two parts. One, you have asked of what they learn from us. You haven’t elaborated on this. Regarding the teaching, we have a few things; one is our new subject. We are teaching the subject and the children are definitely learning. If the child is not learning, it is entirely dependent on their mental capacity. Secondly, in learning, there are etiquettes. We have a religion, Islam, and we have been teaching them many things of this religion which they are certainly able to learn. Although, there are some who do not learn, but the majority certainly does.

Fauzia Yunus: Yes, I would like to elaborate on what you have said that this is a girls’ school. Maybe or maybe not, you are aware of the fact that this is the first all-girls school in Lahore. We have established a school here and an entire community here. So, for your statement about low confidence, in my opinion, there is a lot of confidence in the students as well as the teachers. Considering that, we provide a platform to channelize these girls in a little more positive way, for their conversation and behavior, which we certainly make efforts for. By giving them speech opportunities and competing against others, we receive such great ideas, which you may not be able to find in high-educated people. And since these teachers belong to different districts and different cities, the environment is certainly different.

Muzhat: If someone takes a picture and uploads it on the internet or social media, and one of us teachers see that picture, we’ll say “look at what she’s done”. There are some rumors which spread too, as to why her picture got viral. So according to the area and the background, the thoughts of everyone are different. If you go to another area and conduct an interview, you will receive different answers. If you conduct an interview in this area, you will receive different answers. Here, you will see strictness in the case of pictures, but if you go to a developed area then there is no problem there.

NOTES: I see a hesitation among the teachers for giving an interview. Are there such instances of certain people entering this school, who are nonverified?

Shazia Razzaq: What are your verifications? Whatever you tell us is what we will believe. Look, there have been a million instances of people entering houses and claiming themselves to come from such and such department, and saying that this is our card. Now what can we say to these people?

Tasleem Qausar

Rakshanda Fatima

Muzhat: There is an electronic device which is why everyone is afraid here. You can see the things being said in media. Their issue is due to the environment, otherwise, they do not have an issue with you. If you go to other schools such as Beacon house, they would have no problem.

NOTES: What is the reason behind that?

Muzhat: They have a different culture.

Shazia Razzaq: They have a different home environment.

NOTES: Are you saying that the girls here have a different home environment or do the teachers?

Shazia Razzaq: We, along with the children, all do.

Fauzia Yunus: Normally, teachers are created according to the traditional and culture environment. As a result, the liberal and modern culture is not something they move towards. They don’t do that. I myself belong to these nearby areas. Krishan Nagar is where I belong to and this is where my background comes from as well. Just as this, there are many girls here, and we put in our best efforts to motivate them and extract new ideas from them and if not me, then the Principal certainly tries. So, according to that, our institute is working completely fine in itself.

Tasleem Qausar: The real reason for this is actually your mobile phone. With one click, you can do what-not, which is what scares them. They could land in the hands of a stranger, they can be misused and they can get lost. Things like these are the reason why parents are more afraid. And this is the reality as well.

NOTES: The culture of this era that we have, a progressive culture, it allows you to take a picture. The girls of this school do not like taking pictures because they consider it haram that it is against Islam. Yesterday, when I went into Class 6, I tried taking pictures of the students. They were very young girls. When I brought the camera up close to their faces, they pulled down their headscarves to hide their hair and faces. Have these girls of Class 6 become the girls of Class 10? What have you been practicing in order to

broaden and improve the girl’s mind, and to make them more open-minded and bold enough to face the world?

Shazia Razzaq: Yes, that is how it is, but this is our culture and environment. If the girls have been doing that, then Alhamdulilah, that is a good thing. The girls come here from muhallas. And muhallas have a certain culture, in which, the girls who leave their houses on their own have several eyes on them, and due to that environment, they have to impose these restrictions on themselves considering that the girls have to cross their uncles on the path to school, and each thing about them is being noted. These girls sense and understand these things by themselves, which is why they cover themselves as well. They learn to adapt to their environment, considering that this is muhalla. And the other forms of environment such as mine; I come from Defence every day and they have an environment where no person bothers about anyone else, whereas in our muhallas, they have values. We must take care of each other and move on.

We can’t tell these kids to be bold, to dress bold. On the other hand, speaking boldly is different. Then if these children tell their parents, “our teacher advised us to do this”, their response would be that we do not need such teachers, and that there is no need to go to school anymore.

Fauzia Yunus: I teach Pakistan Studies. I teach them about the Two Nation Theory, about India and Pakistan and how our family migrated here. These children do not realize the importance of freedom. We always, always ask the students after the class lessons; did you learn anything from us today or not? They say that before we came here, we had a different mindset, but after gaining this knowledge about Pakistan, we have been instilled with something greater.

Certainly, we all try here. All the teachers who educate students about Pakistan advise them to learn about their country, that this is their identity and we must learn about it. What do these Indian dramas have to offer? And all these events that you hold in your houses, please abandon them. End them entirely. Our greatest efforts are put in promoting our culture, to teach something to our girls. And then we ask them to speak in class, giving 5 minutes,

but they hesitate. If you do not give the correct answer, we are here. We are here to provide the right answer. This is what everyone here puts their greatest efforts in.

Muzhat: We teach the kids of their dressing. We certainly teach them this. No teacher of any subject would do something like this. Bold does not mean that your dressing would be like that. Tell us your views that is what boldness truly is. You can talk about any topic, you are able to converse. We are here to correct you.

Students want to study and the children who have financial issues, we pay their fees as well. The times are changing. And we need to change ourselves too. But we need to consider where we come from, our religion, our culture, our environment, that is what we must care for when moving forward.

Our institute, or any governmental institute that I talk about, whether it is a school or college, they have a proper checking system such as for nails and the student gets their nails checked. Students must not even have long nails. This is something we must check ourselves. Now, how can we allow them to grow their nails, to put on nail polish, to wear short clothes? This is not something we can do.

Tasleem Qausar: You’re right about that. Here, we had to do a promotion and increase the admissions of the school. You said that every house has cable. Even if they do not have money to buy food, cable is definitely at their houses. Now the world of media and what it has to display, is something the children are definitely influenced by. Secondly, where there are congested houses with one room attached to the other and then another, the girls find ways to create their own time as well. Obviously, whatever the media has to offer now will keep the parents alert. If there is any problem, we can solve it. Some students also have personal attachments to us which is why they discuss their familial issues with us as well. Some issues can be financial too. Like I said, congested houses are a factor; each relative is living with another, all together. Everyone is attached to one another and living together.

NOTES: The thing you just talked about, in the context of modernism, about their dresses, polish on their hands, earrings on their nails, the girls of this school are doing the same.

Shazia Razzaq: Yes, they do. But we still restrict them towards doing this. If it comes in a notice, we certainly do restrict them. Do it, go ahead and do it, we tell them to, such as in the functions that you go to and in your houses, just as their parents allow them to do. But here, there is discipline. We abide by discipline. What does a uniform mean? Every one is the same.

NOTES: If all the students of Class 6 are supposed to be in the same uniforms, then are they all in the same uniforms? Who takes the responsibility to assure this is always the case?

Muzhat: The class teacher. She checks the uniforms and other details of the appearance for students. Just as the students enter the gate, different people begin to check these things. We have a day mistress, who is always present and instantly gets to work for these checking’s. Before when had Principal Ms. Sami, often she used to be present there as well. We have also appointed girls

for this responsibility, from different societies in the school as well. The school where I last taught, I bought 55 sweaters for the students myself. Just for the sake of the uniform being one.

Fauzia Yunus: I think you’re trying to say that the uniform is not always the same. For instance, in the morning, a student was not wearing a sweater. Miss Firdous asked her the reason for not wearing it to which she responded, “We planned to buy it.

My father had to buy it, but since the holidays had been appointed, we didn’t”. You see, these are the types of financial issues, which is why we do not

Anum

impose such great strictness on the students. Maybe you had seen different colors of sweaters, or dupattas. The students knew that the holidays will be starting soon, which is why they stopped following the correct uniform.

Tasleem Qausar: Just to protect themself from the cold, they sometimes overlook their dressing. Last term, we had changed the uniform into a grey one; the sweater was grey and the shawl was grey too. In the assembly, we had noticed the ones who did not have it. So, the next day, we purchased them by ourselves and distributed to those students who did not have it.

NOTES: All of these contributions, you carry them out on your own, with your personal salary?

NOTES: What is modernism? I am sure that you teach at least 100 students or maybe more than that. To be specific, I want to know about your perspective on who is a modern girl?

Muzhat: I can give you two meanings of that. One is the mind’s capability, the limit of what the mind lets you accept, and secondly, for religious people, modernism does not mean that you involve vulgarity and openness in your dresses, or that your dress up becomes bold. You are calling the dress up bold, which is wrong. You must have a broad mind. Yes, you are accepting everything, but this vulgarity is not modernism. People taking

Shazia Razzaq: Certainly, if it is needed. We also give the fees, and purchase the books as well.

Farida Bano

pictures, opening themselves up, this is not modernism. Instead, new innovations have arrived, and accepting them is modernism.

I’ll tell you. For instance, her daughter (pointing at Mrs Fauzia Yunus) MashaAllah, she is studying in Punjab University, she is studying with boys. There is no issue in that. She remains in her dress code. By remaining in her dress code, she can go ahead and receive her higher education, achieve her goals and do whatever that she wants to do.

Tasleem Qausar: People should just be aware of their own limits, according to what I think. The child, whatever level they are on in life, they are still a child. They have no idea of what is going on, they are just enjoying their lives, they need necessary

guidance. It must not be like an uncultivated plant, which grows in whichever direction it wants to. Wherever it is needed, the teacher will correct the student, guide her and bring her towards a point where she is truly a beautiful being. This is something that we all believe. Whether it is about their speech, their dress or their behavior, meaning that we always teach the students about limitations.

In concerns to dressing, you must be veiled. Meaning that you must be covered and it can be done in multiple styles, there is no issue in that. There is no issue in such things, but one must be covered. Whatever the limit of coverage you are indebted to, you must be aware of it, as to what level of coverage it is. They are in a girls’ environment, and obviously since it is summers, even if you want to get comfortable, there is no issue in that. But when you go outside, obviously other people are also looking at you. So you can take a chadar over yourself in this situation, and have a better coverage, or maybe wear loose clothing. This is all there is to it.

Fauzia Yunus: I personally guide my students regarding our religion; we are Muslims and God creation is everywhere. Even if we are present or not, some person, some camera eye is always watching, and being aware of this is highly necessary. You can do things in a hidden manner from us but in front of Him, you are answerable. So always remember this thing. We guide them once about everything, and in the second time, they have a fear of their parents and of their teachers as well. They can have a fear of anyone, but if they form some sort of attachment to their God, they will be aware of the fact that He is always watching. This is the basic knowledge which we provide to our students and He is the one you are answerable to. If you have made any mistakes, then He is the one to forgive. The next time, you shouldn’t be doing this. This is what we tell our students.

Shazia Razzaq: There is no problem if these girls wear jeans or shirts, if you are speaking in the context of dressing. There is no problem, if they do all of this while staying in the limits. It is not as if they will be rejected by God.

NOTES: Yesterday, I asked the girls whether they are ‘modern’ and all of them, unluckily, said no. Because in their perspective, just as the perspective of many others’, short clothes, being friendly, shaking the hand, sitting too closely, using the mobile, going out and taking pictures, using TikTok, were the qualities of someone who is ‘modern’, someone who they could not be. These girls do not know what ‘modern’ truly means. Who is responsible for this? Have you never conversed about this with your students before?

Tasleem Qausar: This is something we do quite often. We tell them that it is necessary for people to know that you are educated and to recognize the prominent difference between you and other people, to be more confident than other people, and to be able to handle your personal issues, in a much better way. To be able to solve them efficiently. And obviously, there are some familial issues of people as well. People face different issues on a daily basis and there are many girls here who face financial issues too.

Muzhat: When girls come here, they bring their home environment along with them. In reality, their parents are not educated and whatever they have seen as they grow up, is what they adopt in the future as well. The students of 1st and 2nd year, coming here are smart students. We ask them to try things in different ways, since there is no harm in that. Their response is that they have been doing this from the start and their parents would prefer that. Our education tells us to do certain things this way. Then the students realize it on their own that this is wrong and stop. The students who come here are ready made by their home environments. In front of the other underprivileged children you should be able to outstand them by seeming educated.

Shazia Razzaq: Their concepts must be refreshed. Their parents, their teachers, media, society, and everyone around them, will work towards achieving that.

NOTES: These girls use social media, without any doubt, they must have an idea of making friends through the platforms. Are you aware of any senior girls from your school having an affair? And do the girls receive any awareness regarding this situation?

Fauzia Yunus: This is something very funny, in our times, boys would wait outside the girls’ schools and colleges and would peek inside the gates to get a glimpse of the girls. But I never looked back. (A laughter in the room). Cases like these keep coming and going. The girls who come here out of age as well. Just like I said before due to congested houses, they know a lot than they should. This isn’t the case with everyone but this is the case with some people. Teachers can identify which girl is going through this through her actions and behavior.

Tasleem Qausar: The girls obviously get attracted in this age, just as the boys, who come on bikes and show them dreams of gifts etc. They have minor demands and whoever is able to fulfil them, they say don’t interfere within this matter, which is also why they choose to make wrong decisions.

Shazia Razzaq: We do give them information but generally, because they can identify what context were talking in and then they understand, but we

don’t point it out. However we do call their parents and talk about it if we find anything fishy.

Muzhat: Sometimes they bring their phones as well and we catch it because it’s not allowed. Recently the principle has put up cameras as well, even though not all of the areas are covered. Often the girl is standing in the corner and talking on the phone secretly which is something the camera notices and we can see which girl it is then.

NOTES: All girls reach a point of maturity between the ages of 10 to 16 and they often get confused about what’s happening, there is a need for such girls to have an understanding of the changes they have to go through so do any of you discuss these matters with your students?

Fauzia Yunus: Yes certainly I understand the changes you are talking about. The teacher that

we have for home economics, on the side she gives them lectures about their body changes as well. There are some relations in a family such as an older sister or an aunt and through those people, the mothers used to have those conversations. Some children, who come from certain houses, are unaware of anything and we sense this and then realize that there is something missing which is why we, in turn, educate them about this and have a discussion with them.

Tasleem Qausar: Actually the girls who come in college are older and they certainly have their issues as well. 16 and 17 are the ages when these problems are more apparent. By this age they are aware of how to deal with it.

Muzhat: I don’t know if this is relevant or not but since the very beginning I had educated my daughter regarding everything about this stuff.

In earlier times, mothers did not used to have these conversations. Our mothers never had such conversations with us, but we had made sure to have these conversations with our children.

Shazia Razzaq: If someone picks up a book from the 9th and 10th grade biology book, they will see everything present there. But in reality, not everyone studies biology. People ask around in their homes. Boys ask around in their homes. Actually this is a very sensitive topic and parents get afraid of their fragile minds being corrupted.

(Three more teachers enters the staff room and joins in the conversation)

NOTES: At girl’s school there should be a discussion which can be talked about in most of the family and I think that you have the same opinion about this. Things such as physical harassment. Since this is a place with narrow streets and muhallas, there are boys at every street and they will be hooting, teasing them and asking for their numbers as well. Personally I have witnessed this as I was on my way back to Islamabad on Monday. In my way, there was a chingchi, with three seats in the front and three seats in the back. There were two boys on a motorbike. Just as the girl’s in the back looked in their direction, they dropped a note right between them. I was watching what was happening and realizing that this is something that is happening commonly around us. And also about how to protect the girls from this.

Anum: This is something we do talk about. We tell them that if something like this happens you have to make a lot of noise and not be scared at all. This is something that happens all around us, and the thing that you witnessed, it also happens inside homes. We remind them of how their parents sent them while trusting them, and we remind them of how they shouldn’t break their trust. Because if you do, it will create problems for more people. You have to maintain this trust and move forward. Let them do what they want to do, but you yourself must follow the right path. I had a case from a junior class and that she told me that how his uncle was harassing her. I instantly took the matter to the principal’s office and called out their parents.

Rakshanda Fatima: For this, a lot of training is required and if the girl doesn’t want it, it can be prevented to a large extent, but if the girl cannot develop that in herself, then there is nothing one can do about this. This is what we give them a lecture about, that this is the making and breaking age of yours and whatever you do depends on this stage. Marriage will happen in the end and hopefully it will be a good one. But if the child is involved in this on their own then God is their Guardian and we cannot do anything about it. Some kids who come to us and tell us that this and this is happening with us, we certainly guard them on how to take precautions against it.

NOTES: What is the difference between the work of a man and a woman? Who is an empowered women? And these marches that happened around Pakistan. What is your opinion about that?

Muzhat: Feminism, if you’re talking about it. Doesn’t mean that the woman becomes a man, and I don’t want to go into the definition of feminism, for instance in the Aurat march, they were asking for things that are not meant for them. A woman should enjoy being a woman. She shouldn’t try to be like a man. Being a woman is a beautiful thing. She should enjoy her responsibilities and let the man do his responsibilities. Women empowerment is a different thing.

Shazia Razzaq: There’s a huge difference. If we look at it from a societal standard over here, there’s a lot

of difference. According to Pakistan, there’s a lot of difference. The responsibilities of the home are the responsibilities of a woman and the outside work are the responsibilities of a man. The man has more freedom than the woman does. The women in the aurat march want freedom as much as the man has it. I am certainly not in favor of this.

Farida Bano: Yes I’m aware of this and according to me, the freedom given to us by our religion is enough. For instance, in the earlier times girls used to be buried alive. Look at how they got us out of that situation. They give us rights on every level, as a mother, as a woman, as a daughter, we have a lot of rights. Now they’re asking for control over the men’s life as well, but it would just wreck the whole system and it would not work properly.

Fauzia Yunus

Fauzia Yunus: You see, this is actually division of Labor for instance, in a house there must be a division between the husband’s and wife’s work. Wherever there is domination required, go ahead and be dominant but only do it if it is required. As a mother, you also have to consider how to treat your children as well, if you don’t receive respect, you won’t give respect as well. A mother has a great role and these women out there want there to be no difference between men and women. we need to someone to consider superior and It is a known fact that God has given man superiority, and there is no doubt in that. The man has been given is one degree of importance above us. There must be someone who can be a manager in our world. Women are a master in their own field, but this march has made woman into a play toy. In me,

there is no respect left and there is only insult for them. Whatever her role is supposed to be, it is absent now.

Rakshanda Fatima: In every era, there have been fights to be the most superior one but, in the end, it all came to blame about someone having done wrong with them. That is not how it should be. Although, Islam has given it a lot of freedom as well; we are told to do everything. For instance, in the era of Prophet Muhammad, there was a woman who used to make rounds in the market to check if the money and the product was as it should be. She was a woman as well. But the concept that the women of this society are expanding, we do not comply with it.

Anum: For information regarding hadiths, people used to come to Hazrat Aisha (R.A), and She is the reason why civilization is at its peak. There is dignity and respect in doing this. By staying in her field, the woman can excel as well, she can do anything. For instance, there are female pilots but they cover themselves on the job. See, so, there are women in every field. But regarding to the march, all of us are not in agreement with their motivation. What I believe is women asking for control over everything, women wanting superiority over everything is wrong.

Tasleem Qausar: When you compare the two in an argument, one person’s side has more weight, and the case shouldn’t be that if someone is right. Then the other shuts them up by saying that you’re still wrong. This is not how it’s supposed to be. Sometimes the woman is right, sometimes the man is right. Each should have the ability to accept that the other person is capable of being right as well. But the thing that the woman’s brain is small and that she will always be wrong, that is not a right concept. Both sides of the argument should have equal importance.

NOTES: Parents today take their children’s side in all matters and keep the teachers in the culprit’s position. Have any of you had to face any sort of an incident like that?

Rakshanda Fatima: I had to go through this once. I remember two girls had a fist fight before my class, While I was looking for a girl to read the chapter, I noticed this girl had a fresh bruise right under her eye. She got confused, I think when I inquired about it and started crying loudly that another teacher from the next class came in. The matter was taken up to the Principal’s office. That day after school, I received a call from that girl’s father. I kept on resisting to their blame but that man kept raising his tone, so I had to cut his call. Next day, I went straight to the Principal’s office and she had already called upon to his parents. The girl, when pressurized took the name of the other girl. Her mother apologized on behalf of her husband for their behavior and the matter got closed.

NOTES: Tell your name, qualifications, how long you have been here, and all the contributions you have made in your time at this school, apart from the teaching.

Tasleem Qausar: I am MSC mathematics. M Meds Sciences. I came here in 2005 as a Senior SS. I have been in government service since ‘89. Im interested in debates and have been organizing functions like these at the school as well. I like comparing. Regarding field, it is more into Islam. I like to study and I want the kids to be the same way. Whatever I learn, I want to teach that to the kids and try my best to convey the lesson.

Shazia Razzaq: I am SS Physics. M.Phil in Physics. Masters in Physics from Punjab University, and M.Phil from Refine University during the job. Worked 15 years in another school as SST. I used to teach physics and maths both. I won multiple model competitions there as well. I created a safety alarm in UET and won 2nd prize. Won 2nd prize at an Intel competition as well. Created biograss at Children’s Library Complex along with the children. My work was mostly regarding researches. 5 years at this school. Creating new things like tabloids and inventing things is my hobby. I have a keen interest in inventing things. This is my work.

Fauzia Yunus: I’ve done Masters and BA in political science. I’ve also worked with Punjab authority as a master trainer, and have also written the primary school level science book. Here, my job began from Centrum Model School for boys. I taught them for 18 years. After that I got promoted, and went to sheikhupura as an SS. Then I got transferred and came here. Recently, I got 18th Grade and I have been here for about 7 years. Our principal has assigned portions to all us, and mine is the ground. So sometimes, I bring plants with my own money and once asked for a school day-off to get the area painted. Other than this, whatever portion we have been assigned is what we take care of, and keep completing the tasks, with our keen interest as well. Taking care of the plants, bringing feed and soil for the plants are some things I do too. The stands on the gate are something I specially got made. Me and my husband both hold interest in this, and have a plan to keep the ground decorated. Otherwise, I keep doing other schoolwork as well. Whatever portions we are assigned, we personally do the work for it.

Muzhat: I am M.Phil in Urdu. I have only spent 1 year here. I’ve worked a little for the magazine named Sadaf which is of this school, and nothing

else which is special. I am stuck on making the girls confident. I heard this somewhere, I don’t remember where, that if you work hard at this age, you will rejoice in comfort all your life. And if you don’t work now, you’ll work forever

Anum: I am new to Victoria girl’s school and currently teaching Pakistan Studies to class 8. I am glad to be part of such an old and historic school, the staff here is very cooperative and the senior teachers are always there to guide and help. Principal of the school is also very supporting. There is always a margin of leniency for young teachers. I want to build students interest in extracurricular activities because students learn more from playing and doing practical things.

Rakshanda Fatima: I have done Masters in English Literature and I have been working in this school since 2012. I have been made incharge of the 8th class a few years ago. During my tenure, I have encouraged students to actively participate in debates, Also, I also organize such activities in my class. Because this refreshes the students mind and shows them new paths to excel. I keep on motivating the girls to participate in debates specifically because that gives the students an ability to properly communicate in an argument. Be more factual, loud and clear and that ultimately builds confidence in them.

Farida Bano: I am the senior most here. It’s been 20 years, I have served in this school as a subject specialist of Chemistry. It’s a very technical subject and girls don’t take much interest in technical subjects than boys do. Also, I am tired of teaching the same syllabus. It’s been 20 years and there hasn’t been a change of a single line in the chemistry book. I am retiring in a few days. My application has been accepted today. I have a lot of memories attached with this school. I can’t remember, what I have contributed but 20 years of life to this school. I wish a very good luck to the teachers and a brighter future ahead to all the girls.

Good teachers are reason why ordinary students dream to do extraordinary things. And with that, I concluded the meeting. It was wonderful meeting all the teachers and to listen to their experiences. We have always idealized the teachers to be the perfect ones. Like if they are not humans or they cannot make a mistake. But for sure this meeting cleared a lot to me. I am grateful to all the teachers and thank them for their time and wish Mrs. Farida Bano a wonderful life ahead.

Shazia Razzaq

Scholastic Glory in its FINLAND

A short review on the comparison between Pakistani and Finnish Education system.

By Urooba Alamzeb

A microbiologist by profession, and a writer at heart, Urooba Alamzeb has an inquisitive soul that never sleeps. She must ask questions, she must dig deep into everything as she fears living shallow. The question of how a girl spending her day among the microorganisms, writes about the complexities of the most advanced beings at night, leaves a lot to the imagination.

nd what, Socrates, is the food of the soul? Surely, I said, knowledge is the food of the soul - Plato”.

We begin our education when we cry for the first time and end it when our breath disappears. From the moment a child is born, parents start buying books and poems for their children to read, and as a result, we encounter books long before we can hold or understand them. Finland follows a different philosophy. Due to its unique education system, it has been attracting quite a bit of attention and buzz lately! It has developed an exemplary educational system over the past few decades, outperforming all other countries in reading, science, and mathematics. Why is it so great? When it comes to education, how did it become a superpower? All of these questions have a simple answer: strengthening Finland at its very roots. In order for it to work, it must adhere to some core principles..

us have a glance

•The cherry on top is that it provides free meals to all the children plus proper counseling. In addition, guidance platforms are a part of curriculum.

•Finland’s early education conceptualizes learning through play. The children do not have to attend school unless they reach 6 years old, How ever, the Finnish system provides Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) program for the students that cannot afford to pay. There is a highly subsidized fee, which depends entirely on the income and number of children.

•Finland does not have separate elementary and junior high, rather they are tagged as the Basic Education/Single Structure Education which spread over 9 years.

•Moreover, the Finnish National Agency for Education promotes self-evaluation and improvement for the students as well as for teachers.

•It does not implement standardized testing system but rather, has an evaluation system of learning outcomes.

•Upper Secondary bifurcates into General and Vocational, where general includes the course work and students have a free hand in choosing the subjects according to their aptitude. The students must first go through the national matriculation exam, which is Finland’s only standardized test;

-Vocational includes: apprenticeships as well as school learning. It is focused more on the job and involves competence-based qualifications after the student completes an individual study plan.

•Students just have to pay for books, transportation, and other school supplies — and the student financial aid is easily accessible.

•Higher education and beyond, the colleges are divided into Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences, the latter of which emphasizes on the importance of practical applications.

•Finland also supports Robust adult education, It reflects their importance on social equity and competent labor force. It is not only completely free but also highly subsized, depending on the circumstances.

Let

at Finland’s extraordinary policies which make it outstanding:

Learning a thing or two about Finland has stirred up all the bitter-sweet memories I have of my school and college years, oh! Those were the days!

I remember waking up at the break of dawn to start cramming for the examination I had to give the same day. One thing I can say is that it was never a test of intelligence or knowledge, but rather a test of one’s memory.

I recall stuffing my brain up with all the lines that were written on my textbook; I had to make sure that I could write it as it was written on my textbook, which was a feat next to impossible as I didn’t have an eidetic memory *Sigh!*

Had there been an evaluation system like Finland, my memories of the yesteryears would have been nothing but sweet!

In addition, the intense amount of peer pressure, the I-have-to-be-at-the-top attitude which was spread everywhere, put a lot of students under a great deal of stress and pressure.

I remember hearing all kinds of crazy ideas which were suggested for pulling an all-nighter during the exam seasons. (Hey there caffeine, my sweet old friend).

If only there had been proper counseling and guidance platforms as a part of our curriculum, our toil would have been voile!

The struggle and hurdles I had to face didn’t start when I had to swot, but they started when my parents decided to put me in kindergarten. They had to choose the best for me, so they had to put me in a private institution, where the monthly expenditure on my tuition fee and other necessities did not let them save. They could either live lavishly or could give me the best of what they could possibly offer. The rest speaks for itself, since as I grew up, the expenses on my education grew and they are still a lump!

If only there had been a subsidized fee system like Finland, my parents would have been able to enjoy a more comfortable life!

• According to Article 25 A of, Pakistan’s constitution guarantees free education to children between the ages of 5-16 just as Finland does, however it is yet to be ensured and applied in the country.

•There are not enough government schools and expenses to cut the cause therefore which is why private institutions come forth to fill the void.

•In Pakistan little to no importance is given to Vocational education, which is of great significance.

•In Finland, the students after completing their polytechnic education, are free to opt for any form of work that they find suitable, whereas in Pakistan, many jobs are looked down upon and only a person who lands a job in an office is

Some traditions we can adopt from Finland:

•Nearly 7 million children under 10 cannot attend school. It is the government’s prerogative to follow the constitution’s provisions, such as eliminating illiteracy and providing free and compulsory secondary education in the shortest possible time. According to this, strong action must be taken to pressure the government into fulfilling its constitutional promises.

•Education is underfunded in Pakistan. Only 2.8% of its GDP is spent on education, which is underperforming relative to the 4% that the United Nations recommends. Enough educational resources and support must be provided, and to gauge the allocation of funds, a thorough and transparent plan needs to be designed

•Equal opportunities must be given to both the genders i.e. boys and girls. Considering the recent census of 2017, 51% female and 49 %, it is important to build more schools for female population in the country.

•It is vital that teachers undergo proper training in order to elevate the overall standard of education. A teacher training session can help to accomplish this goal. Additionally, the selection of teachers must be held to a high standard as they form the future of a country.

•Proper awareness programs and seminars must be organized in order to disseminate mindfulness regarding various fields and their applications to the laymen.

However, to achieve any greatness, we do not necessarily need to copy our inspiration from head to toe. We just need to put a dollop of Finland’s zest and gusto into our blood… the rest is easy as Pakistan is and always will be a nation of Ambition!

Let’s have a little one on one between the education systems of Pakistan and Finland with the sole aim of bettering ours.

Let’s talk about ‘Sex Education’

By Shah Ruba Ghufran

Cool, Calm and Composed, Shah Ruba Ghufran is currently doing her thesis on gender education, which lies in the aspect of understanding the depth and direness of the topic, of its’ complexities and possibilities, combined with the relation to Pakistan’s controversial and narrow-minded audience.

She has high expectations from her goals which are aimed towards joining an array of academies, artists and creative practitioners throughout the world, in a chapter of events which has been made for the compromise between parents and the students. In addition to these efforts, Ruba has been indulged in the process of developing a set of course designs which she plans to pitch towards HEC for the aim of making it a part of the National curriculum, but there is yet another year you must wait for in order to see that! So, let us get to what Ruba has to say in the following pages.

The word “Gender” is a major taboo in our “modern” society which ensures my belief in the fact that you had been shocked at my very audacity to even mention the word in the title, and are currently searching for the answer in these lines. Well, I would hate to disappoint you but in reality, this article largely revolves around the second word, which I am hoping you didn’t miss.

Firstly, let’s get down to the basics; there is a violent burst of misunderstanding throughout our society when the words “sex education” are mentioned, and the majority [including my own parents] believes that this is simply educating on how to have intercourse, whilst in reality, Sex Education is the formal education of biological anatomy of both the sexes and multiple contexts related to it. Changes which are linked to biochemical, physiological, psychological and emotional aspects of the body are countered during each human’s life and are often dismissed, increasingly due to the ignorance and lack of education. However, these issues are much more intense and lethal to a large lot of us, even so that calling them merely issues does not offer the situation any justice.

According to the UNAID report in 2018

‘There has been a 369% increase in the number of AIDS-related deaths since 2010, from 1400 deaths to 6400 deaths. Out of which; 14% of people living with HIV knew their status. 10% of people living with HIV were on treatment. Of all adults aged 15 years and over living with HIV, 10% were on treatment and 11% of children aged 0–14 years living with HIV were on treatment.’

‘By 2019 there were 210,000 adults and children living with HIV. Out of which approximately 200,000 were adults aged 15 and above and 6900 children aged 0-14.’

These statistics are barely the tip of the iceberg considering that are the only ones which were reported. Although, the thing which is the least and most shocking is the fact that a large majority of our population (regardless of their marital status) avoids getting checked, reported or treated regarding STDs. Once I viewed these horrid figures, they were enough to rob me of sleep. Let’s go back to the second year of my university life; I carried out a minor but qualitative research with three other classmates regarding the ‘perception towards sex education’ within both the private and the public educational groups of high school students. These findings gave a realization that this is not enough for any conclusion or progressive work and dedicated myself to dig deeper into this research (which is currently in progress).

The confusion, frustration and a stream load of questions regarding bodily changes of these teenagers forced them to turn to only two sources they know: internet and friends, although friends themself take information from internet, which means that there is one primary source. The statistics regarding this is that, on the internet 95% users must look towards porn as a learning platform which would certainly lead them towards a greater frustration, massive confusion and a bag of questions with each video. The result of this is that a great percentage of young adults are forced to resort to harmful defense mechanisms such as sexual experimentation, harassment, aggression, bullying, assault, smoking, drug abuse and develop multiple mental health illnesses. For this case, the numbers are only increasing.

A thing which must not be ignored and put to light is that they are simply children, who look towards their elders to educate them and guide them through life. These children are the beacon of hope and innovation for our future generation as well as the present and must be dealt with delicately, but instead, they face extreme fear and confusion in their growing stages, which literally and mentally shape the person they become. What these young adults truly need is accurate and honest guidance through life by those who know better, who can teach them the right ways to handle life and understand right and wrong. In our hopes, this change can only begin from a home as well as involving the education in educational institutes as well.

The goal of my final year thesis revolves around this aspect and to bring comprehensive formal sex education into the curriculum on multiple stages. In the thesis, I will be developing a draft curriculum with the help of my supervisor Dr. Shaber Hussain of the levels of Beginner, Basic, Intermediate, Advance and Expert. These drafts are compatible and respectful towards our cultures, norms, and religion in order to reach as far as it can. Soon, these five levels of education will be uploaded on a website where anyone and everyone can access it and educate themselves. This will be a comparative study which would measure confusion and frustration of teenagers before and after formal sex education for more effective research material and study.

Hypothetically, all of this must feel as a perfect pony ride whereas the reality is that the greatest potential threat to this new involvement in Pakistan would be countered by religious extremists. Although, ironically our religion, Islam, teaches sex education and insists on educating our children accordingly throughout their growth stages. Our religion talks of the do’s and don’ts regarding various martial statuses, body hygiene, and the emotional and psychological stress which comes along with it. Men and women of the Islamic era would bring all sorts of personal questions to the Messenger of God, and none were ever barren of an answer,

God is the Creator of this human body and He truly knows the anatomy and purpose of each of our features, which is why He has also addressed each and every humanly issue thoroughly in Islam. I believe that the time has come for our society to stop turning a blind eye towards the genuinely dire issues of our world as it has suffered enough in the past, and yet still, in the present, and this opinion is led by the statistics, rather than my personal opinion.

After the completion of my thesis, I have a dedicated and carefully planned goal to present it to the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, simply because a HUGE percentage of problems can be overcome by tackling lack of awareness by addressing it appropriately and seriously, in the hopes of creating a real change for this miserable society.

The results of Focus Group Discussions suggested that:

1) 98% of children from ages 14- 17 have faced sexual harassment with the average intensity of the incident to be 7.5/10.

2) 100% of the children population would prefer their parents informing them of puberty and its’ effects on their body and emotions, but sadly, only 1% of the parents have actually done so.

By Zareen Nayyar

The diligent and dynamic, Zareen Nayyar, is a PRO at the National Officers Academy where she has received the privilege of interviewing and guiding the lucky students who, in turn, pass the examinations of CSS. In her career, Zareen aims to target the misconceptions about CSS and interviews the students which leads to a larger population to follow the same footsteps of those who have managed to pass, and motivate numerous of others who are hesitant to appear. In the article, Zareen thoroughly elaborates how the CSS examinations work and the key to winning it all.

The popular opinion is that the Civil Superior Services (CSS) examinations are the most difficult exams in this nation. Others would argue that CSS exams are a huge gamble and the results are based on luck rather than hard work. If you ask me, well… I would argue that they are a combination of both; to pass an exam, a combination of hard work and luck is required. If you are lacking one or the other, then failure can certainly be expected.

My job is at a CSS preparatory academy which is known to be one of the best in the nation. My role requires me to work with students directly, who plan to appear in the exams, and the faculty which is comprised of nearly all of CSS qualified Civil Servants. This has given me the opportunity to perceive hundreds of stories of those who have appeared in the exams and alongside, I am able to understand for myself, what the exam is truly about and to assess the type of person who survives the process.

As history tells, I have presided in the States for about a decade where I completed my under-graduate studies and earned work experience. Upon moving back to Pakistan from the States, I became affiliated with this aspect of Pakistan; here, I planned to take a job and further my career, but, however, my mother and a friend of mine encouraged me to give a go for CSS examinations. Nearly two months after moving to Pakistan, I joined the National Officers Academy which led to a drastic culture shock for me. Regardless of this stage in my life, I came across some of the few great teachers I had heard of only in stories, and was bestowed the opportunity to be educated by them. In the States, I had received my education from the University of California Davis which, when compared to the teachers in Islamabad, Pakistan, could not hold the similar standard as they had an immense amount of knowledge and were able to share that knowledge in a charismatic and appropriate manner.

Although the question I would like to discuss here today is, “What exactly is CSS?” and provide you with a thorough description for the entire process; CSS is an annual exam conducted by the Federal Public Service Commission of Pakistan (FPSC), regarding the recruitment procedure, held in February and nationwide. This is for the purpose of recruiting the “crème de la crème”

for the Civil Services. The eligibility criteria requires the students to be of ages 21 to 30, along with the possession of a bachelor’s degree, in order to appear for the examination. Furthermore, one must, by all means, be a legal citizen of Pakistan and have record of it. Each person can attempt the exams 3 times if

The chances of thepassing CSS exams for written candidates varies

3%.

these age limits.

First, the aspirants must enroll in the written part of the examinations, for which they must attempt 12 papers for a total of 1200 units: a combination of 600 compulsory units and 600 optional units. Compulsory subjects include English Essay,

between 1% to

English Precis and Composition, Islamic Studies or Religious Studies (for minorities), General Science and Abilities, Current Affairs and Pakistan Affairs, each weighted at 100 units. The other 600 are divided between a selection of 45 subjects that are further divided into 7 groups. One must score a minimum of 40% to pass in the compulsory subjects, a minimum of 33% in the optional subjects and an overall score of 50%. If even one subject scores below the minimum requirement, the aspirant is failed altogether. The applications are closed by the end of October.

The chances of passing the CSS exams for written candidates varies between 1% to 3%. For the 2020 examinations, Pakistan experienced a record number of applications within which a total 39,630 aspirants applied, and yet, only 18,553 appeared for the examinations. A fact about the CSS exams is that this drop in the appearance numbers occurs every year and is attributed to several factors, including fear; thousands of people decide that they rather not appear in the exam out of fear that they will fail. In certain cases, it makes sense as one can only avail 3 chances to appear, although rarely you will see people applying nonchalantly and the reason for this is that upon the time of examination, they crack under pressure.

Another interesting phenomenon which adds to the number of applicants is that CSS has nearly become a culture in Pakistan and simply preparing for the exam puts you in this elite category of the population. Thousands of people across the nation move to hostels near CSS preparatory academies from underprivileged and rural areas, telling their families that they are going to study for one of the most prestigious exams in the nations. In result, what ends up happening is that they are distracted by the glamour of big cities and forget about their true priority. In fact, numerous people use CSS as an excuse, simply to move away from their families.

The struggle does not end for the 2-3% of the lucky individuals who have managed to pass. Next, they must pass the physical and medical evaluations which are carried out in order to check their fitness for service. Afterwards, there is a security clearance, followed by psychological evaluations and a final panel interview. This process holds a total of 300 marks and is much more terrifying than it sounds as the evaluations are not as straightforward as one would expect. Candidates must participate in all forms which are aimed at gauging their personalities and aptitude. These activities range from public speaking to picture story telling. To conclude the exam with, the high score and the recommendations from this part of the recruitment determine which group the candidate is allocated to and if they are allocated at all.

There are 13 groups from which seats are available for possession by those who win. This occurs every year and is done for the recruitment process. Candidates compete in order to be allocated in the most attractive and popular groups which are generally considered to be the Pakistan Administrative Services (PAS), Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) and the Foreign Services of Pakistan (FSP). Of course, this means that seats are limited and even after passing all of these procedures, they might be allocated simply because they could not beat the competition. Of

In fact, numerous people use CSS as an excuse, simply to move away from their families.

those who remain unallocated must start the process from the beginning, once again in hopes of scoring better.

In the end, those who are allocated to these seats become part of the elite few in the Pakistani society who have access and power, a combination that people dream of. Although, salaries are hardly sustainable and there are some flaws as they are with every system, being a Civil Servant in Pakistan means that one’s future is secure, and that they do not have much to worry about. Many Civil Servants become celebrities as well; as soon as they pass, their social media is flooded with followers and inboxes are filled with messages. We have the Sher Sisters as an example of how far the fame can lead you. These five sisters all passed the CSS examinations and have been allocated in different groups across the board.

The Sher Sisters became famous for several reasons; to begin with, 1) they are five, which is not a small number of siblings to succeed upon together. 2) All of them are women in a nation which has an embarrassing level of gender discrimination. 3) All of them have a perfect combination of beauty and brains. 5 beautiful sisters, together, passed CSS and now appear on talk shows and sponsor brands on their social media. Aspirants looks up to them as inspiration and hope to be like their role models one day. One might expect for all the fame and power to have gotten to their heads, but despite that, they have managed to remain humble and polite, which definitely earns them some credit.

passing is not even visible when talking to passers or reading their work, which begs for the question, “why do so many people fail?” rather than the famous “why do so many brilliant people fail?”. For the sake of this question, let us ignore all of those who are truly not capable, and focus on those who have brilliant minds, talent and charisma.

CivilManyServants

The reason of failure for such people is that their misjudgment of the exam; they assume it to be a thing which requires critical analysis, creative thinking, unique opinions and alternative approaches. However in reality, what the exam truly requires is someone who can do all the above but within the parameters of CSS. This means that one should conduct a critical analysis in a way which supports the state narrative, one should exhibit creative thinking, but in a method which supports the state narrative, one should have unique opinions and alternative approaches but, then again, in a method which supports the state narrative. The more you think of it, the more it makes sense to you. Certainly, the state would prefer an individual who supports their thinking patterns and procedural system. Any administrative setup would suffer if any member of theirs’ diverges from the norm.

Returning to my statement as to how this is a recruitment process for the crème de la crème of Pakistan, I would not entirely agree with the “crème de le crème” part of it, although that is what society considers of those who pass in these exams. In fact, my observation has noted that 90% of those who pass are quite ordinary, which debunks the myth that one must be extremely intelligent with a privileged educational background in order to succeed and often, those who pass the written exams are barely impressive. Furthermore, the big scary “English” needed for

That said, CSS has delivered some impressive individuals, and I have had the privilege of meeting few of them. Many of these have overcome unimaginable struggles to reach where they stand now. I have met a battered wife who did not wish to stay in a toxic relationship any longer because of where she is now. I have met the son of a daily-wage worker who is now able to give his family the comfort they longed for, and I have even met a person who is blind, and now changing the world as I write this. All my time affiliated with this institution as a student, and then gradually as a staff member has kept me tightly bound with the world of CSS. Not a single day goes which fails to fascinate me. In my opinion, every single person should attempt the exams at least once in their life, and this goes especially for women. Those who have become part of the Civil Services manage to secure a life of stability, protection and respect, for women, which is more than anyone could ask.

become celebrities as well; as soon as they pass, their social media is flooded with followers and inboxes are filled with messages.

ODYSSEY ofReunion An

by Mahliqa Khan

Life revolves around struggles and sacrifices, happiness and sadness. Life is so unpredictable that one does not know, what’s next. Mahliqa Khan, Director of Safar-eHayat narrates her short film and puts all her emotions inside. The story is about a beautiful girl and a charming boy, who fall in love. but were torn apart by families and surviving the greatest migration, the two landed up in an old house, and there they meet again.

The story of true love is a story which will move even the strongest of hearts, and that is why so many of these have managed to prevail even after the longest of times, considering Romeo and Juliet, Heer and Ranja and many more. What these striking stories have in common is that the lovers lose one another, which aches their soul to death, only to end up reuniting in one way or another. But, what is it that the world truly needs from one another? Compassion, love and generosity. This is how one can survive even the coldest of nights, when it is known that there is a person who has ripped open their heart for us.

What happens when a part of your body is dislocated and made to survive on its own? Does this body part, though bleeding and aching, learns to survive independently? Or does it spend the rest of its life longing for a reunion which will heal it? All these questions will make sense to those who survived the partition of India. Once upon a time, occurred one of the greatest migrations in human

history, as millions of Muslims trekked to West and East Pakistan while millions of Hindus and Sikhs headed the opposite direction. Millions of people were forced to wind up their childhood, belongings and their future just to travel to an unknown land now to be called their Home. There is a story within the even smallest corners of our world, but more than half of them go unheard. The Partition of India caused a great deal of heartbreak to not only families, but lovers too.

In my life, I have always been interested in prepartition incidents that my grandma used to tell us of as bedtime stories. The stories of compassion expressed towards strangers, of violence that they endured on their journey to Pakistan and tales of love across the borders. I grew up listening to these stories, and just like that, one day I came up with the idea to execute a story of two young people in love, who perished by their families’ hands, and meanwhile, the violence of 1947 broke out. This story was led by my keen interest for the story of those people, along with my desire to reinvent one of the deepest loves I had always envisioned in my mind as a child. In this short film, my emotions took control over the entire film and it is presented in the exact manner of which I felt regarding the screen written story.

The first scene of the film begins with an old, tanskinned man, wearing thick frames and a brown shawl, a cigarette in one hand and a book in the other. He is sitting legs crossed, he can see his son having a conversation with his wife knowing what is going to come next but he is completely ignoring and focusing on his book. While tuning the radio, he seems sad and heartbroken before the situation could arrive. In the meanwhile, his son breaks in with a briefcase in hand, which is clearly a message for him to leave the house. He does not speak a word, but suffers the pain of betrayal in silence and prepares himself for the future that awaits him. He takes the briefcase and asks his son to go away. The expressionless and depressed leaves his chair and walks up to the bookshelf where he finds his old diary. This diary is a reminiscent for him, leading back to the days of his youth, which made him feel warm-hearted in the moment.

His younger self had this diary as his most valuable possession when he fled his home to escape death in India. As he turns the pages, it takes him into the flashback. Reminds him of the alleys of the majestic buildings, the conversations from the balconies, the kids running in the streets and of the time when he first fell in love.

He chases the girl in the sunlight and dreams about her in the moonlight. While the beautiful soul of the girl prays, he would stare at her and wait for her to make an eye contact. The boy smiles at her as an indirect message, and then his eyes had said it all. Under the twinkling stars, both carrying a lantern,

meet at a station. The boy smiles and the girl is blushing. They both have a lot to say, but prefer to remain in the silence. The presence of each other is more than enough. They fear, the moment would pass but they want the time to be still.

Following the love in the air, the girl walks to the balcony, dressed in purple and a red scarf, wearing a mascara and a dark lipstick, shining from top to toe looks down the window and finds him waiting for her. His light beard, straight hair, black pressed sherwani and the spark in his eyes were caught by the girl’s brother, which brings the love story to a very edgy turn. The boy writes down his thoughts and feelings in a notebook. His life blurred with the smoke, hurt inside out, disappointed and lost, his sad heart knows that he will never see her again.

The next scene brings the old, tanskinned man closer to his destiny. His infelicitous son drops him at an old house, takes out his suitcase and hands it over to his father. The man himself carrying a Faiz poetry book, his diary and a radio in the other hand, tells his son to go away. As his son leaves, with tears in his eyes and grief in his heart, he sits on a bench in the dark. Evaluating on where he did go wrong. The old man, takes a deep breath and walks in search for his room and to his surprise, the love of his life was waiting right infront of him. The both look at each other and the scene ends with a note. Oh my dear, Don’t ask me for the love, I once gave you.

Oh my dear, Don’t ask me for the love, I once gave you.

MAHLIQA KHAN Limelight in the

ow do you see the partition of India and Pakistan?

Well, right here is my favorite question, I see the partition of India and Pakistan as an historic event and the biggest, most heart-breaking migration of the history. The horrific events show the bloody legacy of Indian partition. Up to two million people lost their lives in the most horrific of manners. The darkened landscape bore silent witness to trains laden with the dead, decapitated bodies, limbs strewn along the sides of roads, and wanton rape and pillaging. There was nothing that could have prepared the 14 million refugees for this nightmare. The 1947 Partition of the Indian subcontinent into the independent nations of Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan was accompanied by one of the largest mass migrations in human history and violence on a scale that had seldom been seen before. As the provinces of the Punjab and Bengal were effectively split in half approximately seven million Hindus and Sikhs and seven million Muslims found themselves in the wrong country. Believing they would return “home,” many families left their valuables behind before they packed up their essential belongings and began the trek to India or West or East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Many never made it.

What fascinates you so much about the partition stories?

I am fascinated with the tales of partition, some of them are really tragic and some of them have a tragic beginning but a beautiful end. I grew up listening my grandma’s stories about partition and I developed a sense of sympathy for the survivors as my family is also migrated so maybe it makes more sense to you now as to why I am so fascinated with the tales of partition.

How good are you in history?

I love history, back in the school days Pakistan studies was my favorite subject and I used to score highest marks in the class. Indo-Pak partition, Nazis and Mughals are the topics I grew up

Rooted in the past, Mahliqa Khan is the girl next door, who loves to imagine, construct and recreate the longforgotten tales from history. The trailblazer in her ideas, take influences from the prepartition untold stories. Her opulent aesthetics in her short film pays ode to the pure romance of two souls separated by families but reunited by the love. With her NOTES in mind, the debut director talks about her short film ‘SAFAR e HAYAT’, from scratch to the hatch, and we are all ears.

listening as bedtime stories. can you imagine my father and grandmother never read us fairy tales. This has brought my interest in history.

How did you come up with the idea of Safar e Hayat?

I was at a friend’s house, where I found a Faiz poetry book in the library and my admiration for him pushed me to go through it. While I was reading it, I got a call from a very old friend, I couldn’t recognize her at first but after a while, I screamed out her name. We talked, laughed and God knows what we didn’t do. Just as the call ended, the book was still in my hand. I opened and these lines were in front of me, “Mujhse pehli si mohabbat, mere mehboob na maang”. The idea just clicked in my mind and I knew what I wanted to do. A musical short film featuring an Indo-Pak love story. One thing led to another and boom!

What kind of characters your film involves and how did you find the perfect fits?

Basically, my film revolves around two main characters. I had to choose my close friends, Asad and Aisha, for this as I could easily mold them in to anything and they would also be happy to do it for me. For the scenes before partition. Asad had to clean shave, and a minor change with the haircut was required which would give him an old-school look.

For Aisha, makeup did everything and the hair styling worked much better than I had thought. The extras did their part and everything turned out to be well.

Is this an indirect message for the two states?

Haha! I don’t know about the indirect message, but I know for sure that it has a precisely direct message of love and peace. And let’s just leave the state matters to them. I simply wish that the people of both states develop a sense of harmony with each other.

Are you interested in poetry?

Oh yes! I love poetry. It gives me the ability to touch the intangible. Takes me to another state of mind. Gives me the wisdom to express myself better than ever. My favorite poets are Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Mirza Ghalib, Momin Khan Momin, Mir Taqi Mir, Iqbal and the list goes on and on.

Tell us about Love?

Hahaha, hmmm!! Love is a beautiful feeling and for me, it is all about accepting each other while keeping all differences aside. There is no such existence of perfect love but no one is perfect in this world to do it. Love is all about imperfections and differences and in the end, making peace with them.

How did you find the perfect locations?

It was a consecutive two-day struggle. We had to walk miles and take rickshaws, face the traffic and numerous questions. Rawalpindi is an amazing place. The community is supportive, although, a lot curious in their nature. This film has been churning up in my mind continuously. Everything I saw, I wanted to put it in my film. I wanted it to be the best.

Who helped you?

Everyone. Honestly, every single person who heard the story loved the concept and narration, and helped me with all they could. Though obviously, my teammates and the leads of my film, Asad and Aisha, helped me with every bit of it. Special thanks goes to Sir Nadeem, who was always just a call away. He had a solution for everything. And to the very talented Mahin Feroz for shooting and editing the film, and moreover, bearing all my tantrums.

How did the shooting go?

It went well although it was quiet exhausting. We had decided two days for the shoot but at the second day we couldn’t find the perfect light, so we had to plan for another day… but we made it. There was a lot of pressure since the deadline was approaching. We had to plan things according to the sunset and with the sun down, we had no choice but to pack up.

How do you see Lollywood?

I think Lollywood needs more films and good films, that is. We better stop copying the Bollywood masala and do something at our own.

Is it only direction you want to stick to?

No, I don’t think so. Right now, I want to explore more about myself and where my interest lies.

Who in your opinion is a good director?

Someone who is successful in portraying what he has thought in mind and for their audience to

perceive the exact message, just the way they want to deliver.

What do you expect from your audience?

To connect emotionally, mentally and physically with the movie. I want their presence of mind and attention. In fact, I want them to notice each aspect of the film.

What message would you give to the upcoming filmmakers?

I am an amateur to give them a message but I just want to suggest what I have learned from my experience. Do your homework first and by homework, I mean, preproduction planning, work hard and stay focused. There is nothing that you can’t beat.

QUESTIONS

BIG Joe Biden from

By Raniya Najam

Raniya Najam is an 18-year-old writer looking for ways to pave into her imagination through her complex writings and showcase them to the world. So far, she has provided 3 years of service in the content writing world and considers it one of her biggest passions. In her career, she expects to explore more of what the world has to offer and continue writing willfully throughout life.

The United States has seen a magnificent victory in their recent presidential election of 2020 which has been celebrated by several world leaders; the Pakistan’s Prime Minster Imran Khan who congratulated the win of Joseph Biden through Twitter, quoted:

‘Congratulations @JoeBiden & @KamalaHarris. Look forward to President Elect Biden’s Global Summit on Democracy & working with him to end illegal tax havens & stealth of nation’s wealth by corrupt ldrs. We will also continue to work with US for peace in Afghanistan & in the region.’ - Imran Khan PTI, Prime Minister of Pakistan

Having had a rollercoaster of bitter-sweet alliances over the past 75 years, the two countries are looking forward to a rejuvenated relationship. A coalition was formed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan with the United States of America to establish a bilateral relationship that has primarily been based on trade and economics. America has been a source of military aid, economic aid and debt relief to Pakistan and expects to continue this due to their geopolitical, trade and military benefits. To Pakistan, the States has remained the largest exporter in the last two decades and aims to provide solid steps for improving their bilateral commercial ties, and on the other hand, the States aimed at fulfilling their diplomatic relationship through their civilian assistance It was targeted for the name of national security, economic, governmental stability and the countries self-reliance.

Recently Biden’s win has gained massive influence in the political area dating back from his first involvement in the New Castle County Council, 1970. World has witnessed his contributions in the legal and political circles by his untiring efforts of passing two Acts against Violence and Crime. This was a ideal image for any civilized and rational politician who can make prudent decison when time comes. Moreover, the events he supported in the past portrays an ideal candidate for the American leadership since Trumps’ win in 2016. All mouths are clamoring as to whether he can withstand his campaign promises to the world, in desperate hopes of achieving a new and better America; Biden promises to reverse certain policies of President Trump while focusing on foreign and immigration policies that have caused a great deal of outrage around the world for their outrageousness concerning human rights

In his political career, he has shown a decent amount of responsibility, respe ct, and rationality, which gives us an indication of the kind of President he will present. In his campaign, Biden has made some of the most crucial promises for reforming the American healthcare system, racial injustice, educational systems, and, most importantly, the COVID-19 vaccine, which the United States of America was in dire need of at that time.

We are witnessing unprecedented instability throughout America, such as school-shootings, a growing racism epidemic and an overpriced, substandard healthcare system combined with student loan pressure across the board. A reasonable world leader who is ready to take action instead of creating false hopes for his citizens is the only way to address these issues that have been prevalent for decades.

Can Joe Biden be the true president we have been searching for? People across the globe, whether they are educated or not, are aware of America’s subsequent power that extends beyond their borders. This internationally known fact spills out the fact that America held the largest and most prominent position in the modern and revolutionary era as a superpower. It has found a method of influencing societies that joyfully adopt these inventions and establish a path for American dominance through traditions, precedents, and trends. The simple questions towards the greatest change in our world are of the competence of world leaders; are they powerful enough to stand by their promises? Do they have ulterior motives after electoral victory which may lead to increased hindrances in the country? Do they possess the ability to re-invent ‘a better tomorrow?’.

In order to get the answers, we as citizens at stake simply have to hold our breaths and wait for the results. In some way or another, world leaders are forced to look to America for supplies for their stumbled grounds, which is why the superpower is respected and followed by everyone.

For America to maintain its world influence, it must appoint a leader who is capable of maintaining decorum and a balance between reform and sustainability in it’s country, which will inspire the world to do the same, since this is an important position of power requiring honesty and tenacity, led by good intentions.

So how much can we expect from the new Presidentelect? Clearly, Joe Biden has an open forum to make things better than the past. In In his 2020 campaign, Joe Biden promises to reverse his policies and improve the American healthcare system significantly. In his first 100 days in office, he will provide free, effective, and equitably distributed COVID-19 vaccines. Global leaders are looking for a President who can combine rationality, persistence, and most importantly, empathy, to achieve a better America. We wish him all the luck he needs to ensure a safe and improved United States of America. The stakes are high, and the time is short for Biden to act.

IT’S

It’s Dark inside the womb, but it is the safest place for life to grow.

It’s Dark when you close eyes, but you do it to relax yourself.

It’s Dark while you sleep, but you make your dreams.

It’s Dark in deep water, where you find astonishing life.

It’s Dark in space, where only you could survive.

It’s Dark at night, so stars could shine.

It’s Dark in grave, so you could be judged for you and not what you look like.

It’s Dark inside of you.

Don’t be afraid of a skin color, just because it’s Dark

QASWA MUBARAK On the Runway

Sky is the limit, when we talk to Qaswa Mubarak. A public figure on Instagram who sees herself as a short haired Certified Commercial Pilot. NOTES talks to the enigma about how she got here, where is she headed next and why there’s no stopping her.

aturday, Monday, Sorry, Wednesday, Confirm on Friday. Two weeks of continuous struggle and finally I received a location at my WhatsApp. Friday it was, but what time, I will get back to you. Tapping my shoe furiously on the ground, I could even notice a tick on the clock. The time passed very slowly and an air of malaise tend to spread around, at around 3pm, I got a confirmation call and taking notice of my age, I controlled my emotions of happiness and satisfaction or I would have jumped in the air. This had become an achievement of my life to finally meet the fine lady in person. I recalled Charles Stanley’s quote ‘Our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object we’re waiting for’ and it perfectly fits.

Half an hour early, I booked the Careem and to be specific, I told him to take me to the Walton Airport. Cherry on top, he got confused, took the wrong route and I got late for the interview. For my inner peace, a thought in mind to keep her waiting for a few minutes, actually put me at peace. But the struggle has levelled up and now to take this interview as a success. It was to reach their in the sunlight. Days are small in winter and that gave me a hard time too. I had been advised, not to bring

any cameras, or a notebook even because it wasn’t allowed. Ride ended, Security checked and now I am all good to go into the ball room.

Mini planes in a row, tagged with numbers, open to the sky, bowing to the oldest in Pakistan’s history, Lahore Flying Club. It was a privilege to witness such a marvellous place. And there, I saw the young lady in the fancy goggles, black pants and a white shirt with gold badges all over, tucked in and off course, a black tie which went pretty well with it. The sight she has when she is flying has definitely changed something in her personality. One sees her walking from far, she is bold. Come a little closer, she passes by you and she is confident. Luckily, if you get a chance to talk to her, she is very much straight forward which is very rare to find in girls.

I was wearing a mask, so I had to make her recognise me. We exchanged greetings with smiles, No shake hands. Though I had met her once back in the years but it was as formal as I thought, it was going to be today. Her friend had also accompanied her and as per my experience, she was going to stay with us during this whole interview, nothing secret that I had to ask but I tried to make myself comfortable around two women now. First things first, she asked me to take the pictures, very supportive of her by the way because the sun

wasn’t going to wait for us anyway and that was the only light in my life at the moment. I won’t hesitate in saying that she is a very good poser. She knows, how to make the face and which side looks better on her. Well, she has done it many times and to her quick moves, she saved us time.

Thanking her again, she gave me a round of the club, introduced me to lovely planes and there I saw the runway divided in three A, B and C. We walked on to the least occupied one. As we walked to it. I shuffled all the questions in my head.

Keeping in mind her parents first choice for her to become a doctor and her passion towards flying, she has proved herself to be a very good manipulator but also a good decision maker. And that’s how she feels about it. “Well, I come from a family where work and study is no joke. Engineering and medical being the most secure fields in Pakistan, my parents wanted me to opt for medical on the same basis. All I had to do was show my parents how I could build a path in aviation with my passion and how I would put in my hundred percent while working, as I’d be living my dream every day.

Your wings already exist, all you have to do is fly

As she talked about her dream, awake up call from her mother just interrupted the conversation and she excused us; meanwhile I asked her friend about what she likes the most about Qaswa and she said, “We are always together and Her Company to be very specific is all that I want from her”. Not that Qaswa knew about our conversation, I asked her that many people would want to become friends with her because of the fame she got, what kind of a friend she is herself and what qualities she looks for in a friend? Silent for while and then she responds, “I’d at least like to believe that I’m true to my friends and that I’m there for them when they need me. While looking for qualities in a friend I think we only know once we’ve been in difficult circumstances with them. Honesty and loyalty are the two most important traits I keep an eye for.”

The runway was quite a place to walk and photograph. Qaswa, always ready for a picture, posed like a pro. Right after the photo session, she had to pick up her car keys from the main entrance, as we headed to the main gate, I saw some teens celebrating a birthday and joking about

how old they have become. I pitched their laughter into a question and asked Qaswa, if she had ever thought of someone younger than her, coming into flying and breaking her record, taking away the title of her being the Youngest Pilot of Pakistan?

“Being the youngest was a coincidence even in the first place, it could have been anyone. I don’t find any pride in being at a younger age than others, I do find pride in being a competent growing aviator with active airmanship skills. I would be more than happy for anyone who takes the title, it isn’t meant to be permanent, but I do hope we all can help each other grow positively.”

The world wouldn’t know about Positive thinker Qaswa, if it wasn’t on Media. Your life has completely changed and you know it. It must feel good to be in the spotlight and your parents must be really proud of you, But the question is, how did this miracle happen?

I wouldn’t call it a miracle, again, it could’ve been anyone, and it’s a mere coincidence. I would call myself lucky definitely because I’ve been blessed.

Making my parents proud has been the best part about recognition in all honesty.

As I was planning to wrap up. Only I knew that it is going to be the last question, I took a deep breathe with a farewell kind of smile to give an impression that we are ending it here, just in time, a plane made its perfect landing and stopped next to us. Two people came out in casual, through the tone, I assumed one to be someone senior and other was definitely a trainee. He turns out to be Qaswa’s coach. After a small conversation between the two, Qaswa invited me and her friend for a ride. It felt like a dream come true though never in my conscious, I had thought about it. It was fun to even think about flying. Once again, I controlled my emotions and jumped in. Meanwhile Qaswa checked the plane throughout. Once she settled, she said, “I hope, this will give you a good story”. Now I know, what this is all about, the evil laughter in my head brought a fishy smile on the face.

Qaswa checks in the plane and from the other side her coach enters and sits next to her. The plane was no less than a rickshaw. Be it the doors, or the seats, everything craunched. Luckily I had Qaswa’s best friend to accompany me on the back seat and there we joked about our last wishes. The plane moved to the runway like a remote controlled car and from there we took off. Luckily we were in the air at the best time of the day as the sun has set in Lahore. I had seen Lahore in traffic, crowded with people,

always in the hustle and bustle. But this ride had changed my mind. It was so relaxing that I couldn’t take my eyes off. I stared at everything and called out names of whatever I saw, like a child. The more I could figure out the building, the more it cheered me up.

I observed Qaswa, she was very confident and focused. I asked her rapid questions to see how pro she is, but it seems like she has mastered it all in multitasking. Her coach who got bored from my rapid fire warned us to wear seatbelts and twisted the plane up and down, left and right which gave a feel of a roller coaster. The little fear, somewhere in the brain had totally vanished and both of us backbenchers were floating on the backseats, laughing out loudly. And both the pilots enjoyed watching us happy. Life is more than just making mistakes, it gives us chances again and again until we lose hope. Qaswa couldn’t make it a proper landing to which his coach, using his gears, took off again. Hurrah! Another round, I wanted to absorb the scenery, it was quite, I was happy and it was all beautiful. Thanks to the Qaswa Mubarak For everything. We landed safely and here I am, praising her. Once we stepped out of the plane, I could feel a difference and there I asked her the last question. What’s next? To which she replied, “I see myself with an APTL license in the next 5 years and 10 years later, I hope to have my licenses converted to international licences”

‘Thank you so much for the ride, see you soon’, I said. To which she responded, “No problem”, gave a farewell smile, I shook hands with both ladies and we went our ways. I booked a ride again and walked to the main gate. One thing that I learnt about myself was that I had a very different perception about Qaswa while I was entering the gate but I came out with a very different one and good mood also. Maybe it was the flying that changed my mind but as I dig deep, it was the adventure that we all did together the laughter and the sight we all shared together.

Qaswa, in my opinion has a coconut personality. Very strong from the outside but very soft from inside. I see her as an inspiration for many girls who fear the society, of being alone, of trying something new, of making a decision. It’s just about realising that your wings already exist, all you have to do is fly.

Flying High

with QASWA MUBARAK

What’s your favourite place on earth? Wherever my mom is

What do you love to eat? I like fries a lot.

How do you like to travel? Depends on the travelling hours. I prefer road trips if with good company

What keeps you awake at night? Netflix keeps me awake. What makes you go to sleep? Good music and scent help me sleep

This year of yours in three words… Growth, self-love and nature

Books or Movies? Both, no comparison

You dream about? Making a change for a good cause How old are you?

What’s the best thing about being your age? I’m not my age. I feel like 26, but I guess this is the most comfortable I’ve been in my skin.

What’s the worst thing about being your age? The stress of adulthood

Tell us about Love. An agenda for the capitalism to feed upon What’s something you believe but other people think is insane? You attract the energies you’re seeking

Would you rather be predictable of Spontaneous? I enjoy both, being organised most of the time more than not. Spontaneity makes sense to me only when rare.

If you could travel back in time, when would it be? And who would you hang out with? I’d travel back to school and be with my friends enjoying recess, one last time.

Describe your living space to us. I keep travelling, but my living space always got a side lamp, my gadgets, my books and curtains with low opacity for some ambient light.

What’s a perfect day for you?

Waking up on time, making my bed, early exercise and healthy breakfast sums up my perfect day. Rest of the day is just routine work. First few hours are for myself

What’s the most embarrassing thing you have ever done?

Well it’s too embarrassing for me to mention. The second most embarrassing thing I’ve done is probably

How long does it take for you to decide what to wear?

It used to take me 30 mins easy. Knowing my own self better I think I’ve now mastered this skill. Now I take no more than 5 mins

Who do you love the most, Mom or Dad?

I love my mom the most. Don’t tell my dad I said that.

How important are friends?

My inner circle of friends is more than a family to me. Number one on priority, always

Where in the world do you wish to fly?

I wish to fly overhead Switzerland and beaches in Miami

What do you dream about?

I dream about Oreos when I’m sleeping. But when I’m awake I dream about being the captain of a 787.

If you were a super hero, what super power would you like to have?

I’d like to read people’s minds if I could have a superpower. Because then nobody else would have one

What’s on your playlist right now?

Lez zepplin and moody blues is what I’m listening to these days

Other than flying, what’s the coolest thing you have ever done?

Well I’ve camped at very tough sites in and outside Pakistan

How does it feel to share your story of success with everyone?

Success isn’t black or white, its grey. I don’t consider myself successful yet. Sharing my stories, I do hope I am helping people out there and inspiring them to join aviation

Sum up your personality in one quote.

It isn’t as easy as it looks, it’s a constant struggle.

Portrait Mode ON

Meet the passionate, cheerful and crazy boy of his town, Hailing from HassanAbdal, Muhmammad Arslan is a countryman at heart who with the speed of his shutter and the lens of his camera, creates magic out of otherwise mostly mundane moments. His charismatic energy doesn’t let him stop. Speaking of himself, He had spent the most creative time of his life during the lockdown and thus shares the sparkling eyes and giggling smiles of the street kids. Good as one’s word, Arslan aims to improve the quality of the schooling system in his town and want to highlight the diversity of Hassan Abdal simply through his lens.

Notes Magazine collaborates with @tasveerkashibyarsl to pay homage to UNICEF for its generous efforts which has put smiles on Pakistan’s Children faces.

021 Disrupt Conference

021 Disrupt has made a big difference in turning the Pakistani youth for mere employee mentality to innovators and creators. . Currently, in its fourth year, the conference was held virtually which ensured increased accessibility to everyone across Pakistan. Despite the challenges due to COVID-19, 021 Disrupt witnessed a digital footprint of 7300+ entrepreneurs, investors, influencers, professionals and student attending from all across nation. Thumbs up for The Nest IO.

NASFF

The National Amateur Short Film Festival is an opportunity for the filmmakers to step into the spotlight. This venture has been initiated by ISPR and is primely focused to give newcomers a platform to showcase their skills.