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USB Blog Islamabad

EDITION #001 ▪ SEPTEMBER 2012

HIS PERSPECTIVE KAMIAR ROKNI

IN VOGUE WITH

XOYA ABBASI

EXCLUSIVE AN INTERVIEW WITH ACCLAIMED RAPPER

ADIL OMAR NATION’S PRIDE FIXING RELATIONSHIPS HAUNTED..

SUCH IS THE RACE OF MEN PAGE16

CONTENTS

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CONTENTS 007 His Perspective - Kamran Rokini

009 In Vogue With Xoya Abbasi

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SEP 2012

018 USB Article

020 Fixing Relationships

029 We All Have Our Reasons

THE TEAM 030 One-on-One With Adil Omar

032 Nightlife

024 Egyptian Art & Culture

034 The Sadness of CR-7

014 Haunted

026 Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pride

036 The Many Kinds in Our Society

016 Such Is the Race of Men

027 Child Labour - A Social Evil

038 A Closing Message from the Team

017 Fun Facts

028 An Initiative By Ahsan Mahmood

038 A Few Words From the Executives

The Stereotypical Teenager

CEO

COO

Usama Babar

Danish Rana

Chief Editor

Director

Ahsan Mahmood

Hammad Yousaf

Assistant Editor

Head of Marketing

Abdullah Qureshi

Waqas Shabbir

Lead Designer

Managing Officer

Bilal Murtaza

Umer Khurshid

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A FEW WORDS EDITOR & DIRECTOR FROM OUR

Ahsan Mahmood - Chief Editor

Hammad Yousuf - Director

This being the First issue of the USB Blog Magazine Islamabad, I’d like to start off by introducing myself. I’m Ahsan Mahmood and I’m currently enrolled in Media Sciences program at NUST. In my past I’ve had the pleasure of working for various International/National organizations and on various other projects that include NUMUN, Noori and the Rock Musicarium.

So the much awaited magazine is finally here. I never expected I would get into something like this, but now that I am in it, I will make sure I put in all my effort in it.

Me and my team has been working on the Islamabad issue of the magazine for over six months and since then it hasn’t been a smooth ride. We have had our hard times and times where we literally came to a standstill. But as they say there always is light at the end of every tunnel so somehow or the other with the help of lots of people, we never backed out on the idea of having an Islamabad Issue for the Magazine. There are thousands of people whom I would really like to thank. The managing officers, the Assistant Editor, my friends, family all have been of great support to me and without them this would not have been possible. I would really like to thank the Almighty who has always been with me throughout my life and has gave me strength to achieve my objectives. A name that I would really like to mention here is Sarah Ansari who actually is not the part of the core team but still she has been kind enough to help me when I was out on road trips and places where I could not access the internet or in short where connecting to the team was not possible. The rest of the team has been very co-oporative but then in the end all that matters is what you produce and I think all the others have put in their utmost efforts and produced a magazine that hopefully will be a success and our hard work and determination will be displayed by the quality of the magazine.

This being the first year of the magazine, we received far more than we expected. We’ve got some big names on board with us which again has not been that easy. I’d personally like to thank all our sponsors who have helped in making this Magazine a success and reality. The marketing team has put in their share of efforts to get the sponsors and they have not disappointed. On a personal level this has not been easy at all as well. The year 2012 has been a roller coaster of a ride for me and apart from this I have been indulged in a lot of other projects, internships and exams. Taking time out for this has not been easy but then this always was my number one priority and I think with higher positions comes greater responsibility. I never wanted to disappoint myself and my team of by cutting corners. Being Director, I’ve had to interact a lot, with a lot of people. Due to the great response we got when we asked for articles and stories for the magazine I, along with Ahsan, had to do a lot of reading which was time consuming as well as tiring and I could not overlook a single article since the slightest ignorance from my side could have been a reason of losing an article that could have potentially made it to the magazine. Cutting it short we hope that the magazine fills your expectations beyond imagination and all our hard work, sleepless nights and all the efforts that have been put in by the whole Team prove to be fruitful. May God Insha’Allah give us the strength and desire to publish more of issues in the coming years.

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his perspective kamiar rokni ‘I’m very passionate about what I do and am basically living my dream... .’

These are the words which Kamiar Rokni uses to describe himself as a person. this enigmatic personality needs no introduction, he is what is seizing the volcanic fashion platform of Pakistan today all over. his works are exemplary and illustrate how he is in fact portraying his dream work in the form of his upbeat fashion line. Kamiar Rokni further explains himself as a ‘relaxed and artistic person’. Through his immense hard work he has been able to establish not only a very commercial name for himself in the market but has been able to mould the environment around himself in a way that works according to his inventive needs. Being the meticulous designer that he is, Kamiar Rokni is ever grateful to be in the place that he is right now. It is as he says’ ...lucky to be where i am..’. He has always had the dream of being a fashion designer and for the chips to fall into the exact place where he wanted them to be. Ultimately it is a dream come true for him. Coming from a background of early training in the fashion industry, in fact from childhood where he learnt how to knit and sew by hand just by looking at his mother’s doings, his passion for his work is not only substantiated by this very fact but is obvious in the way that he has established his name in the fashion world today. Kamiar talks to USB Blog about his aspirations as a designer, his achievements and hurdles which he overcame whilst ascertaining himself within the pakistani fashion industry. “Coming up to the mark of a full-time fashion designer was fortunately easy for me and my batch-mates as the Pakistani electronic media was booming. Alongside this boom, fashion was on the rise. television and magazines needed fresh and new contents and so they were chasing us designers instead of us having to chase them desperately! Ironic as it was, the time after I graduated from Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Designing, getting attention in the fashion market was simple as people were thirsting for vibrant and young talent. This very demand in turn increased the percentage of young professionals who came and established themselves as fashion designers and since acquiring this title of a ‘fashion designer’ was no longer a hurdle, the profession became one for which education could be provided for. more colleges were being established since the demand for fashion designers has been increasing ever since. furthermore, the youngsters that graduated from these colleges came out with this flare for designing and thus pursued it as a serious profession.”

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INITIATION OF KARMA AND HOUSE OF KAMIAR ROKNI “Around 2001, Karma initially started off as an exhibition that Maheen and I organized. The exhibition was an unanticipated success and that is how things started from there and this was thus formalized into a partnership.” In about 2006, Karma and I had a very professional and personal break. Perhaps I had reached a point in my life where you reach this crossroads which bends you to make certain decisions which draw a very fine line between what you want and don’t want to be doing. Thus I moved into another direction and The House of Kamiar Rokni came into being. This being my personal label deals with bridal and formal wear and essentially all aspects of women wear. The trademark of the label is that it impresses upon vibrant colors and outfits which are modern and edgy yet at the same time wearable. It can best be explained as having the balance between clothes that are creative and commercial but also comfortable to wear. The response of the Pakistani audience is positive. We have a loyal clientele but at the same time The House of Kamiyar Rokni is still pretty niche. The brand name is more massive than the kind of clothes that we do. We have a specific audience which seems to like it.

SUNSILK FASHION WEEK 2012 Fashion weeks have evolved into a platform for senior and new designers to make the fashion cycle even more official and business like. It is the perfect opportunity for one’s collection to be presented and the designers are no longer working in their own little bubble but are working in relation to each other. their own little bubble but are working in relation to each other. Fashion weeks have evolved into a platform for senior and new designers to make the fashion cycle even more official and business like. It is the perfect opportunity for one’s collection to be presented and the designers are no longer working in their own little bubble but are working in relation to each other. New ideas and themes are introduced and shared and this is all essentially what the fashion discipline dictates in the first place. Moreover, these fashion weeks have helped to boost Pakistan’s image in the fashion industry and bring it at par with the rest of the world. Sunsilk Fashion Week was good and went really well. I was lucky to get so much positive attention. The main idea was to be innovative and simple as it is always bound to be successful. Always doing what you feel is right is always going to be remembered by people. Dance to the beat of your own drum! You must have your own concepts and ideas. One has to take risks to be remembered.

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PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week

SUMMER BONANZA COLLECTION

Colorful Dresses by Kamiar Rokni

Even though the collection is finished now, it was a great collaboration for the first time ever with a textile company. It was something new and exciting and has definitely sparked off an interest for us to get into the textile industry. I would personally love to do more lawn as this field allows one to get their designs across to a wider audience, the common women of Pakistan especially who are more into wearing shalwar kameez.

In Style Just because something is trendy doesn’t mean its made for you.

EXTRACURRICLARS Other than my usual work, I was a host on ‘No Reservations’ on Dawn News for three seasons. However we parted ways when Dawn became an Urdu channel.

IN VOGUE WITH

Apart from my current job, one of the very first jobs that I acquired after graduating was as a teacher at PIFD. I enjoy doing other work than just my day job. I like to step into other worlds and interact as much as possible. I host radio shows and write columns as well alongside being a lecturer. When asked how he sees himself and his label in the future, Kamiyar states that he would look into getting his own retail space and heading our own stores and focus on attires for the teens up till 20 year olds. He says that: ‘ Life takes you where it does- as long as it is forward not backward!’

“The trademark of

His message to the newcomers in this industry?

outfits which are

Dance to the beat of your own drum.’ Having a personal and original vision that differentiates one from other people is very important in fashion- perhaps more than any other field. Having your own unique selling point is vital.

modern and edgy

All in all, Kamiyar Rokni, upon comparing the fashion industry of Pakistan from that of the past years to that of today, believes that it has tremendously evolved. It has grown for the better and has changed from a ‘made-to-order’ business to a ‘ready-to-wear’ trend. It is catching up with the rest of the world- which is great! *Thumbs up* Kamiyar ends with an obliging message to this magazine: I am very excited to see a magazine being run by such young people and wish you all the best! I hope you sell lots! Make sure if you are a quarterly magazine you keep that going and not make appearances after one or two years. Try NOT to do that, that’s my message to you!

the label is that it impresses upon vibrant colors and

yet at the same time wearable” Kamiar rokiani

XOYA ABBASI “I am not a big fashion buff and I don’t want to sound silly talking about something I don’t know much about. To me it’s all about balancing between whatever is pleasing to the eye and trending worldwide.” The thing is that fashion is comprised of a range of different trends. The idea is to provide a platform for a variety of people from various different places with various different jobs and roles in life to choose from. When we dress ourselves the way we do, we are projecting our personalities. When you are dressing all loud and proud you are asking for extra attention. The trick is to merge in with the crowd and yet maintain your personal style and not just be another brick in the wall. Unless, you want to stand out. But standing out could go two ways. You could look like downright fantastic or you could look like a freak. Granted that the big fashion icons and trend setters are always experimenting and taking risks but then again, they have a team of stylists and designers and what not working behind them. And then they ‘hawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwve’ a fan base following too. My perspective is more for us common-everyday-life people. You have to know your body, own it and accept it. That applies to both males and females. Once you have accepted and made peace with what you’ve got you will naturally know how to dress yourself best. For both girls and boys, good fashion sense is about not trying too hard and yet managing to look contemporary and decent. Just because something is trending doesn’t mean it is made for you. For instance, skinny jeans and slim fit trousers for men are great. I always admire people who can pull them off. But then there are some people who would look ridiculous if they go out trying to rock a pair of those. The guys who can identify the difference between what is in and what looks good on them are the ones with good fashion sense, in my opinion. Similarly, some girls can pull of loose fitted tops and jeans, the whole laid back look, while some only look good if their clothes are the figure hugging type. It’s all about the kind of shape they’ve got. Some can pull of flowery skirts and some shouldn’t dare to deviate from the pencil skirt looks.

Then there is the concept of dressing according to which part of the world you are in. For example, what is considered fashionable in Paris is considered a bit over the top in New York City and absolutely outrageous in London. And what is considered smart in London is considered bland in most other places. The overall climate of a place is the strongest factor that drives the fashion trends. You wouldn’t want to show up in a black cardigan or a scarf wrapped around your neck in Honolulu just like you wouldn’t wear big floral printed sun dress or shirt in London or NYC in winter. So as far as us Pakistanis are concerned, we need to keep in mind that we are lucky enough to enjoy all four seasons every year which gives us an opportunity to play around with different ways of dressing. So save the corals and fluorescents and pastels for spring and summer and clad up in the more modest shades in winter. Enjoy all kinds of fabrics, thick and the thin ones. All the while keeping in mind what time of the year it is and what the occasion you are dressing yourself is really about. It’s as simple as that. Just don’t try too hard and trust your natural instinct. If your natural instinct lets you down, subscribing to a couple of fashion magazines never will. Then there is the concept of dressing according to which part of the world you are in. For example, what is considered fashionable in Paris is considered a bit over the top in New York City and absolutely outrageous in London. And what is considered smart in London is considered bland in most other places. The overall climate of a place is the strongest factor that drives the fashion trends. You wouldn’t want to show up in a black cardigan or a scarf wrapped around your neck in Honolulu just like you wouldn’t wear big floral printed sun dress or shirt in London or NYC in winter. So as far as us Pakistanis are concerned, we need to keep in mind that we are lucky enough to enjoy all four seasons every year which gives us an opportunity to play around with different ways of dressing.

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So save the corals and fluorescents and pastels for spring and summer and clad up in the more modest shades in winter. Enjoy all kinds of fabrics, thick and the thin ones. All the while keeping in mind what time of the year it is and what the occasion you are dressing yourself is really about. It’s as simple as that. Just don’t try too hard and trust your natural instinct. If your natural instinct lets you down, subscribing to a couple of fashion magazines never will. Q.How did you get into the Fashion industry?

“I try to keep it simple and classy and accessorize just very subtly. I try not wearing to much make up and going too fancy with my hair.

“

A: Well I never fathomed myself to ever model. I was always more into acting and writing. But after I did a theatre play this past November, a Salon owned by a designer wanted to do a bridal shoot with me and I had to agree to it as I knew the makeup artist and he didn’t take no for an answer. So I thought I might as well just do it for kicks. And since then, I decided to kill time by doing a shoot here and a shoot there a little more regularly. Q. What is your idea about fashion? A: I’m not sure about that. But I sure as hell don’t believe that people can get away with wearing ridiculous things under the banner of “fashion”. I think fashion should be pleasing to the eyes. There’s a not so fine line between a fashion statement and a gimmick. Q. How do you define your personal style statement? A: I try to keep it simple and classy and accessorize just very subtly. I try not wearing to much make up and going too fancy with my hair. It’s not the easiest for me to find things to wear because not everything looks good on me as I’m not exactly stick thin and neither am I very tall. Less is more. By that I don’t mean minimal and exposing. I just hate layers. They are uncomfortable. I would do anything to avoid wearing jeans. Most uncomfortable article of clothing I’ve ever known. Q. What do you think about the fashion industry in Pakistan? A: It’s one of the only things going for Pakistan at the moment. I love it. I would never get bored of watching Pakistani fashion shows and scrolling through the magazines. I also believe that the Pakistani models are one of the most beautiful women in the world in every sense of the word. (No, I do not count myself as one of them.)

Q. What do you think about local fashion trends in Pakistan? A: Local fashion trends are great. I love everything from the patiala shalwars and short shirts from back in the day to the long flowy kameeze trending across country currently. Pakistani dresses are my single most favorite things to wear at any formal/festive events. However, I’m not a big fan of the way people work the western trends here. Firstly, they take forever to catch up with the new fashions and let go of the last seasons and even when they do they never carry it off perfectly, especially in Islamabad. The females here are all such great lookers, they can add wonders to how they carry themselves with minimum effort. I’ve only really been impressed by someone’s outfit a select few times here. Q. What would you advice them? A: Ditch the shrugs. No, really. Be very careful with the animal prints. Read more magazines and try to keep up with trends around the world. Become the trendsetters yourself. You are all great with the shalwar kameezes but don’t wait a year for things to start trending here before you dare to wear something new when it comes to western wear. And brands really aren’t everything. Wear what compliments your built. Tight enough to show you’re a woman and loose enough to show you’re a lady.

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THE STEREOTYPICAL

TEENAGER By: Farah Mahmood

“We change, we grow up, we fuck up, we love, we hurt…We’re teenagers. We’re still learning.” Teenagers. We’re quite a handful and we know it. We all feel like our biggest problem is that the girl/guy we like doesn’t like us back or that our parents are too strict about grades and curfews. We all have that inferiority complex because of that perfect friend we have who is hotter than us and gets everything they want. Including that cute guy/girl you had an eye on. But after all, you can’t blame them. If they really are your friend they wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. That is what mostly teen life is about. You like someone today, then get over them tomorrow i.e. the random crushes, you realize who your true friends are in difficult times, get hurt a lot, have fights with parents and get caught doing stuff you should not have been doing *hehe*. It all starts with that one friend you have in eighth grade that is quite popular in school. You want to be them. And so does everyone else. They’re your friend and as you spend more time with them you two get close and start sharing stuff. As time passes you learn new things that you never knew before and your perspective completely changes. You start worrying about how the opposite sex looks at you, how you would look totally sexy in those black skinny pants and that studying is a complete waste of time. Before you know it you’re begging to grow up before you’re even 14. Your whole world starts revolving around things like how to look good all the time and how to get the opposite gender to notice you. You spend most of your time on Facebook chatting with a person you barely know while your parents beg you to get your homework done. As embarrassing as it is to admit it, we all have been through this phase. The typical school life. We all remember our first crush. For girls, it’s usually the jock with the spiky hair, playing football that looks at them and smiles while fixing his beautiful hair, and for guys it’s usually the one with the straightened hair that has too much Kajal on her eyes and the tight-fitted school shirt who is always roaming around the ‘guy area’. They add you up *squeals* and before you know it you are the best of friends. You share all your problems and emotions with them and they tell you “no one understands me like you do”. Skip a few days and then: the ask-out, which mostly starts with “I have never felt like this about anyone before” and then you enter the stage of ‘puppy love’. At that age, almost everyone falls for it. If there are some 14-year olds reading this, listen here: DO NOT FALL FOR IT. That’s the best advice I can give you. Because sooner or later that person WILL break your heart and you’re going to hurt like hell. You will feel like the worst and unluckiest person in the whole world. You’re only 14. You have got your whole life ahead of you. Somehow everyone forgets this. And then go into the depression state, writing emo statuses on Facebook and stop eating. Enter the awesome best friend who always cheers you up and with their help you’re perfectly fine again! The power of friendship should not be underestimated. That is when you realized you can count on your friends and can trust them completely. But that guy/girl, your first crush/love? We all will always remember them because they taught us something. Some of us reminisce about the grouping in our class or the whole section. You have your nerds, who do nothing else but study all the time and, yes, it would actually kill them to have some fun once in a while. You have the pranksters who are always looking for a laugh or the weirdoes who are just…weird. Then there are your blondes who are dumber than a pig on a bicycle. We see the hotties that look perfect everyday, perfect hair, and perfect skin, perfect everything. You also have those ‘holier than thou’ kids. No offense to them but dudes, chill. Not everything we do is bad, you know.

So everyone has their own group of friends. You’re in that group because you fit in; you share interests with those people. And when you fit in, it’s an awesome ride ahead. We all also remember (and this still happens to us now) about our mother comparing us to various other kids you have never even heard of but make you feel like you will never accomplish anything in life. Oh yes, when mom says “Uncle Jamshed ke baitay ne 6 A* liyay hain, kuch karlo warna fail hojao gai!” the phrase does stir a panic in us. But it’s gone in less than a second and we scoff and then try to escape our mothers’ glares the whole day. Who can forget the traumatizing teacher at school who hates only you because you put too much Kajal on or, in a guy’s case, because your pants are too low? You may have even been issued a warning letter just because he/she doesn’t like you. *scoffs* whatever. You have those fights with your parents over this and many other similar issues like when your phone got caught or you were seen cutting class. *sigh* Those fights…you will definitely miss them. The year keeps on going and all you care about is having fun with your peeps, gossiping, checking out the new hot guy/girl, making fun of the teachers, bunking, spending too much time in the bathroom fixing your hair and getting sent to the Head’s office until you don’t even realize that the year is almost up. You didn’t give a crap about homework and studies? Well, too bad. You’re in a deep pit of cow poop now, aren’t you? Because the finals are ruthless sons of bitches. Gather all the notes from the nerdy people and start memorizing them because your future depends on it. The feeling of relief is only temporary. As soon as the exams finish you go out and party hard. But then you start getting tensed. And then you kind of lose your mind. Exams are always there. And these feelings of tension and anxiety will never really leave you. But the teenage experience isn’t just about having crushes or worrying about pimples; it’s also the best, most carefree time of your life. It’s these few years that will give you the most amazing memories, lifelong friends, not to mention your most embarrassing moments *wince*. Someday, when you’re old and wrinkly, you’ll look back upon these days and wonder how the heck you managed to get out of all those crazy situations. These memories will make you laugh. You’ll miss these times, such as the time you and eight other friends of yours crammed into one tiny Alto and drove to the nearest khokha, then realized that you all had only 200 rupees in cash. Or the time you and your friends skipped school and went to the park and made maniacal videos. Or the times you all grabbed one rich friend and made him or her treat you to sheesha for no particular reason. And the list goes on and on. These times make you realize that you don’t always need a lot of money, or a lot of fancy cars, or a lot of beautiful clothes to start a party. You just need your awesome friends and a bottle of Pepsi, of course. After three to four years you see a definite change in yourself and actually laugh at the person that you were. Of course the hangouts with your friends don’t change. But in those few years you have experienced so much. You have had your first relationship, you found out who your real friends are and which ones are fake and not loyal to you. You have gone through a lot of hurt, may it be because your crush liked your best friend and he/she totally went for it (this happens a lot, doesn’t it?) or because your ex got over you so fast. You have gotten over (or are still in) the stage of “the pimples”, the cruel thingies which torture us our whole teenage life. You have gotten over the fact that you’re popular among everyone (and you’re no longer excited about it) may it be in a negative way or a positive one. You have been the subject of many rumors that have flown around the school and you have learned not to give a rat’s ass about what they say. You have achieved self-actualization or are still stuck somewhere between but that’s okay.

The point is you have learned a lot over the past few years. You have made mistakes and have learned to correct them. You may have also done some things you’re not proud of. But now’s the time to keep the past in the past. You have realized what kind of person you are or what kind of person you want to be. I am pretty sure many of you get a kick out of bullying or being a bitch, letting the world know you can get what you want. But the important thing is to not give in to peer pressure. You don’t have to prove to others who you are. You have to prove it to only yourself. Being a teenager is the equivalent to having more mood swings than Paris Hilton. Some days you feel so low that you don’t even want to get of bed, but the thought of your scary math teacher and his wrath makes you get up and haul yourself to school. And sometimes you feel depressed for no particular reason, you feel like you’re all alone and nobody gets you. But, trust me, millions of teenagers all over the world feel like you do. And you are definitely not alone. Don’t lower your self-esteem because that one ass cheated on you or because you were betrayed by a friend. Backstabbers are everywhere. You can’t stop those bitches. You are an amazing person and you can do anything if you put your mind to it, devote yourself to it. Nothing and no one can stop you. Don’t depend on other people. Make your own future. Be unique, be original. And live your life the way you want to live it. But you gotta listen to your folks. After all, they always know what’s best for you. Just remember to never let anyone get you down. If you do fall, however, then get back up again. Muster up all the strength you got and just do it. “There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don’t. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living.” - José N. Harris

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HAUNTED

Being alone at home is one of the small treats cherished by everyone. Lying on the couch with a bag of chips in hands watching television and suddenly among the low advertisements buzz and crunch of the chips you hear a ‘creak’ that makes you jump. The mini heart attack experienced at such a time is, I am sure, one of the commonest phenomenons on earth. The first thought to cross your mind is ghosts, preparing you to take flight to your room and cower under the blankets. This might be a slight bit of exaggeration but you get the point. Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside “the range of normal experience or scientific explanation” or that indicates phenomenon understood to be outside of science’s current ability to explain or measure. Belief in ghosts and other paranormal beings is not at all extraordinary. People from all over the world educated and uneducated, simple and sophisticated and from all walks of life and cultures unite in their belief that there are creatures that are unknown and unseen by the normal human eye which co-exist with us. Living in the twenty first century, however, does not necessarily means that one is free from all the paranormal beliefs. If anything if you observe the general public interest they seem to be getting stronger. Black cats and broken mirrors may not evoke the same anxiety in people that it used to decades ago but the increasing enthusiasm for the mystics in present media ensure an unaccepted and unconscious belief in supernatural activities. People (read that females) are being attracted to vampires though not the contemporary blood drinking monsters they were shown to be in the medieval times but rather sparkling lover boys. Tame werewolves seem to be an emerging concept changing the whole notion of standard heroes. Trends in youngsters show a sudden attraction towards shows such as ‘Supernatural’ and ‘Vampire Diaries’ . Generally ghosts are taken as a source of adrenaline rush by many people who do not believe in such beings but still watch horror movies and shows for the sake of entertainment. A group of friends can be seen around a bonfire swapping ghost stories. Likewise every one of us, once in life, have sat down together to call upon spirits under a bottle cap. On a much serious level there are people who claim to have links with the ‘other side’. This is where psychology intervenes. Such people are diagnosed of a personality disorder known as schizotypal personality disorder. They believe they have super powers and magical abilities. Some are subject to recurrent illusions such as connections with the dead. Although many religions including Islam support the whole mystic concept science is not so sure about it. Psychologists worldwide are researching the phenomenon which we so boldly are calling ghosts. “People do have consistent experiences in consistent places, but I think that this is driven by visual factors mainly, and perhaps some other environmental cues,” Dr Wiseman a UK Psychologist claims. In much simpler terms he means that ghosts or paranormal beings are basically figments of peoples’ imaginations stimulated by our surroundings such as a dark room. A person is more likely to believe in mystic existence if they are surrounded by aged trees on a full moon than in a comfortably lit up room among friends. Paradoxically Dr Wisemen in his research say that haunting exists but they are not so sure about the existence of ghosts. It is just a feeling you become aware of when surrounded by the right atmosphere. Other psychologists on the other hand, have analyzed this feeling to be much graver than a mere effect of the environment. After studying the case of a young man who claimed to see a ghostly apparition on his bed and a teenage girl who feels a presence in her uterus and senses the outline of a baby over her left shoulder, Michael Persinger, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Laurentian University in Ontario, Canada demonstrated that a sensitive temporal lobe, the area that is responsible for regulation of emotions and motivated behaviors in the brain, together with naturally occurring magnetic fields, can trigger a ghostly encounter. For instance the girl who thought she was pregnant had suffered a brain injury as a child. In addition, her bed was surrounded by a pulsed magnetic field, the result of a clock just a few inches from her pillow. “Individuals prone to paranormal experiences are sensitive to weak electromagnetic fields and to man-made electrical fields, which are becoming more prominent in the communication age,” explains Persinger, who has studied the link between magnetic fields and paranormal experience for 15 years. Thus it might be possible that the shadow on the wall which has been messing up with your sleep for ages is merely a clock or a cell phone rather than an apparition or as we like to call it, ‘Ghosts’.

Though the notion that ghosts exists is being continuously condemned byscience and psychology it is being channeled through generations by the sheer argument that religion supports the conviction. Psychology calls this phenomenon as ‘Belief’ or to be more specific an existential claim. It is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true. The believer claims a belief in the existence of an entity or phenomenon with the oblique need to justify its claim to existence. These beliefs are formed in a variety of ways. They may have been enforced in us during childhood. If a parent scares a child off a dark room or is themselves scared of being alone this behavior may involuntarily be adopted by the child. Belief may also be generated after a physical trauma. An accident or loss may trigger your mind to believe in a non-existent being.

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There is no doubt that a spiritual world exist but the question that arise is does the human world have any connections with it or not. It is one of the most widely debated topics and has many perspectives both religious and cultural. Many religions support the presence of paranormal experiences but the matter of the fact is that humans are just not ready to accept something which has no scientific background in this materialistic world. The all knowing human mind does not concur to the belief that there are forces outside the human intellect and reason and unquestionably out of its power

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SUCH IS THE RACE OF She keeps her neck high and her bare shoulders are drawn back with the fur scarf draped over them. Her hair tied up elaborately in a neat bun and her glamorous jewelry with the dazzling emerald green dress, she’s dressed to perfection making others feel the feminity about her, her priceless weapon. She flaunts the low neck cut dress and her half bare back as she walks, every inch of her voluptuous body moves inches forward just to the point where her body loses the stiff (still buoyant position) and falls a prey to the rhythmic movements of her words. Her every step is marked by the ‘lub’ and ‘dub’ of her heart so whenever she takes a step forward, the hearts of those broken in love, skip many beatsshe’s ought to be with some men, she’s too powerful- too seductive now. At the first sight of this figure, rather diabolic for many lose track of world, they want to possess her, even worse, her heart. For none knows that she’s been the victor to her own quarries and the vamp in the drinks she’s lead many rich drink. As treacherous as the storm, she stands out in the room she’s standing in. The wooden walls against the Persian carpeting with the expensive marbled fireplace, the family portraits hung up on the wall, the ancestors looking at what these two conceited souls have to do tonight. With the lamps lightly lighten up, the vivacious woman in an elaborate green dress, the house bar filled with bottles of scotch, wine and champagne, the man in tuxedo with Beegie Adair playing in the background, it’s everything but romantic. Rages like that of blue flame, with no emotion, no work, just pointless rage is modeled into this man who wears Italian and in court is rhetoric of nature. Valiant in words and eloquent in speech, possessed by vanity and the victim of defying beauty, he’s just like the woman that stands in front of him. Gently she pats the piano keys into a musical note and leans forward as she inhales looking at the smile on that inhumane face, she straightens her distinguishable neck and exhales all the smoke from her cigar to the big moon she can see through the open window. Smiling back at that man, who’s been dazzled into her magic by a simple whiff and a note, she doesn’t doubt herself of her capabilities. Even the moon can’t deny her abilities and smiles back at her with a ray of moonlight for the moon wants to orbit round the ‘star’ of a creature she is.

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MEN! The man, moved by her charms, as always turns to look at the treacherous creature leaning against his age old piano. It’s only her besides him who’s allowed to touch it for he knows her gentle touch. She lifts her eyes and fixes them on the man before him. From her lips, marked by red lipstick she says, “Isn’t the presence of a woman on a night like this really soothing for you men? “ She’s so sure of herself, gaining from experience she’s had. She doesn’t any more puts her dress over her head when she’s ought to be with some men, she’s too powerful- too seductive now. Her customer looks up from his glass filled with the Scottish scotch,” Soothing is music and drink, you’re a woman”, he exclaims. “Vile, viciously vain monsters you are, neither the drink nor the music possess that. “ Taking this as an objection to her existence she replies, “The drink causes the crimes of vanity but not the vanity itself! “ She’s too careful not to let her tempers lose. He looks at her, surprised that she didn’t attempt to influence him. “It’s all about the crimes around”. “On the other hand music causes passion, the feel for the feel and women possess that.” Ferocious for the blame she replies with a little anger now, “Had the things been known by crimes, the very world of men would’ve disappeared!”It’s all for the feel, the cost, the greed that man causes, that births vanity. The greed of men has either exploited women or hastened their want for Vanity...the very word a woman is very well acquainted with.” With that he slaps her to the ground, ill wishing her, cursing her as she falls. She still smiles and laughs a diabolic laugh for she knows and now him too that it’s been women all along for his wars, his rage, and his need for passion. He stands gallantly at his descent into another of his wars and salutes the conceited figure with extra money for the lesson learnt…Such is the race of Men!

FUN FACTS! celebrity facts #1 Oprah Winfrey makes $10 per second. #2 When Britney Spears books into hotels she uses the name ‘Allota Warmheart’ so that nobody will recognize her.

weird facts #1 If you put two straws in your mouth, one inside a drink and one outside it, you won’t be able to drink through either straw. #2 There is a poisonous plant that leaves the victim with a smile on their face at the time of death

#3 Steve Jobs was half Arab. #3 Cher phobia is a fear of fun.

#4 Elvis had a twin. #4 Larry Walters tied 45 balloons to his lawn chair and rose to 15,000 feet. #5 Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team his sophomore year.

#6 Justin Timberlake’s half-eaten french toast sold for over $3,000 on eBay!

#7 Harrison Ford has a species of spider named after him!

#5 If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days, you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

#6 Whispering is more wearing on your voice than a normal speaking tone.

#7 The inventor of Vaseline ate a spoonful of the stuff every morning!

#8 Elvis Presley got a ‘C’ in his eighth grade music class.

#9 Brad Pitt has been smoking since the sixth grade!

#10 Bill Gates designed a traffic control system for Seattle when he was only 15! #11 Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel in 1952, but he declined. #12 Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft was a college drop out.

#8 The chances of you dying on the way to get your lottery tickets are greater than your chances of winning.

#9 Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

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USB

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The much anticipated year of 2012 is almost half-way through and one thinks, what exactly have I done in order to make myself a healthier and even more beautiful individual than the past years? The sudden and unexpected shifts in the fashion industry leave us forever confused as to what exactly must be done and not be done in order for a person to stand out and look drop dead gorgeous. Here are a few tips and facts for all you teens out there and they will certainly make your 2012 revolutionary for you!

• Obsessed with foundation? SKIP IT! If you have acne don’t bother lathering your face with endless layers of foundation. Stick to a simple concealer and follow up with powder or tinted moisturizer. Retain your natural beauty. You definitely do not want to look way over your age! • Have fun with playing around with either your lips or eyes. NEVER both! If you’re giving yourself a heavy dose of eye-makeup then keep your lip color a nice, nude shade. Also if you prefer wearing a dramatic lip color keep your eye makeup simple with a nice mascara and simple blush. Always maintain that balance while deciding your eye-makeup and lip color. • Natural hair is the way to go this year. Long gone are the days when you would keep going on and on with that straightener. A simple blowdry is adequate enough.

• Want to know which Fragrance is the one for you? Different perfumes have different effects on people, so before you plan on getting that perfume you’ve got your eye on for so long try it on your best friend and see how it works there. Also do shop for your perfume during the afternoon when your sense of smell happens to be at its peak and keep changing them according to the changes in the seasons. For instance, during the winter you might need to invest a slightly stronger perfume as the cold may reduce the scents power. NEVER overdo the amount of perfume that you put up. Too much of perfume may even make people around you nauseous and even irritable. •

Want to have that lean built that you’ve always yearned for? Not only should you grab your pair of sneakers and hit the gym but also invest in a healthy diet where you preferably eat after every two hours to keep that metabolism going. Get on a high-protein fiber diet and pave your way through to fitness!

• Want to have a new hairdo? Stick with long layers; you can never go wrong with them. However refrain from getting too many layers since that style is way dated.

• Happen to have oily hair? Invest in a good shampoo for dry hair. • Know your best feature and play it up. What feature do people mostly comment on? Play it up. If you’re told you have Angelina Jolie lips, make sure to wear gloss and play with bold lipstick colors. If it’s your eye color people love, find eye shadow colors that complement them and make sure to wear mascara. Also, know what color shirts look best on you and go shopping.

“Different perfumes have different effects on people, so before you plan on getting that perfume you’ve got your eye on for so long try it on your best friend and see how it works there.” USB BLOG

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Emotional Intelligence We have forgotten the value of people..

fixing

relationships By: Hannia Masood Awan

DON’T BE AFRAID TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE ‘Relationship’ as we know, is a very strong word itself. It holds a very significant place in our lives. Yes, as our mood is decided with a single morning call or text message, and apparently our luck is based on whether your gf/bf has wished us best of luck or not. I feel very upset when I seevtoday’s relationships falling apart. One moment we actually claim to love someone and the next, we don’t even want to look at them.

‘Relationship’ as we know, is a very strong word itself. It holds a very significant place in our lives. Yes, as our mood is decided with a single morning call or text message, and apparently our luck is based on whether your gf/bf has wished us best of luck or not. I feel very upset when I see today’s relationships falling apart. One moment we actually claim to love someone and the next, we don’t even want to look at them.

Is it really necessary to reply to a phone call or a text the moment one receives it? Do you really think that those fishy texting hours and disappearing from late night family time won’t be taken under notice? I know we are all professional handlers of such situations, but we should always be very careful because we know that there is at least one ‘daaku daddy’ in every relationship. So if your girl is busy with her family, just wait, and if you really can’t, then reschedule your talking time. So you see, it shouldn’t be that much of an issue. All the girls out there, if something like this happens then please give him a call back as soon as you get free, or atleast text him the reason of not being responsive. Secondly, we know that all of us hide stuff from our parents. It makes us feel so guilty sometimes that it gets really hard to handle. I know we are scared that they will not understand! But listen there, do you? Whether we like it or not, we are not good at judging people, and are not more experienced than our elders, and if they really aren’t stereotypes, then it’s a blessing. So in that case, atleast tell one of your parents, and if in any case you can’t, then please stay within your limits. Don’t cross the line. Sorry boys, but here, you are mainly the ones who trick girls, and seriously if you don’t want to mess things up, then draw a fine line between your do’s and don’ts.

Where did the promises go? All the commitments you made to each other? Where does that love go then? Hey, where is your patience? Why are we all in such a hurry? It is just so easy to fall in and out of love these days. Why has leaving someone become so casual that it doesn’t hurt any more? Why to create hype out of something we don’t mean? And then our actions go as far as can be, from our lovey dovey words. We have forgotten to value things these days, and then we are the ones who complain that life is not a fairy tale. Dude, you are the one who made it a nightmare. I believe there is a solution to every problem, so act a little mature and be rational. (Just so you know, I am not some maiden aunty who has nothing else left than fixing other’s lives. I am amongst you. I am a teenager.)

“I wanted something elegant without falling into the trap of looking cliched , like so many other youth magazine designs” BILAL MURTAZA LEAD DESIGNER

A FEW WORDS FROM OUR DESIGNER Time flies. Another year has begun. May it be a vintage year, and bring you both health and success! Welcome to the first issue for 2012. The layout of this magazine was an especially tough rock to climb since I had to work solo on this project and I didn’t have experience designing any magazines prior to this venture. I fidgeted a lot as far as the design was concerned but in the end I decided on a clean, classy and most importantly elegant layout. Hoping you’re enjoying the experience.

022 It gives me a great surprise when I see people ditching their old friendships for the new relationships- how could you do that? After all, they are the ones who have always been there through thick and thin, and surely will offer us their shoulder when our special someone is found cheating on us, or has left for any reason whatsoever! Never let your friends ever say “bhaabhi agaie tou too bhaayoon ko bhool gaya.” Make your gf/bf meet your close friends so that he/she doesn’t dislike them, and doesn’t get comfortable around them. That really increases confidence in a relationship, and he/she will also start respecting you more because you aren’t afraid of owning him/her in front of the world. Friends! It’s just introducing your person to your friends, don’t take them along every time you meet your gf/bf. Spending some alone time with each other is a MUST. I have been a fixy once, with my friend and his gf. Believe me, I still regret going out with him that day. They couldn’t talk properly, and we were just passing smiles to each other. It was just bizarre and seriously, I was embarrassed. It was their time together, and it really didn’t go the way it was supposed to because of me! I will be on the boys’ side this time, because mostly, girls do that. And your banda, being the gentleman, pays for everyone. Try to understand, he might not be earning or he might have saved it or borrowed it from friends for you- not for your friends. And it will make him more upset. So be clear, by doing this, you’re only chasing him away. So stop bringing all the junk with you, because that is the time you should be spending with each other. After all, it’s not a casual hangout. Dear boys, please don’t spoil your girl’s mood by anything when you meet her, because being a girl, I can tell that she must have fantasized a lot about that day. Of course you cannot read her imagination, but the least you could do is make her feel happy. Even if you have nothing special planned, just make it so amazing for her that she doesn’t feel like saying goodbye, and if this happens then trust me, you have so nailed it properly! If you aren’t looking for anything serious, just clear things out at the beginning. Seriously, there is nothing to feel proud about being in multiple relationships at the same time, or being called the “bachi master”. I feel really sorry for such people. Spare the sincere ones, because it will save heartbreaks. Be a player with the ones who are interested in playing. Be in a relationship when you are actually in love, not when you have the urge to act all cool. If something unfortunate has happened in your past, and you still aren’t over it and all you need is a shoulder to cry, and someone to sympathize with to get over it by some sort of distraction then kindly DONOT get into a relationship! It won’t help. Mark my words, it really won’t! You will be guilty all the time, neither recovered from the first relationship, nor into the second one. It’ll just be a pretense; do you really feel like fitting into the song lyric “I told myself that you were right for me, but felt so lonely in your company”(Somebody That I Used to Know)? Get over with all the mess in your past, and take a new start. Once you start believing in a new beginning, you eventually will have one! The secret of having a perfect relationship is still a secret. I can be me while handling a situation, but I can’t be you. There are hundreds of ways to tackle a single situation, and everyone has their own way of dealing with it. Just remember always try to talk as soon as any misunderstanding comes up, do not leave it for tomorrow, do not avoid it! Because you never know whether tomorrow will bring you the chance of clearing things up, or not. Today is the day... live it to the fullest, and live it with the one you love. Trust me nothing is more painful than having regrets, and all you’re left thinking is “what if?” If you feel that he/ she is not the one, then just leave. Please, do not cheat, because no matter how painful moving on really is, it is the only thing that makes you grow!

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EGYPTIAN ART & CULTURE By: Farah Mahmood Photos: Courtesy Google and www.ask-aladdin.com Ancient Egypt was one of the earliest civilizations and has thousands of years of recorded history. Their art culture is well-known and recognized throughout the globe and the country is considered the center of art in the whole world. Their traditions date from the time of the Pharaohs to the present. Egypt probably is the only country in the world to have so many amazing landmarks.

Every town in ancient Rome had an amphitheatre, which means, â&#x20AC;&#x153;double theatreâ&#x20AC;?. They were grand and impressive, shaped in a half circle, open to the sky, and might have held 100.000 people.

Mosque of Amr Ibn Al-As is the first mosque built in Egypt and Africa and it was constructed in 642 AD.

The Temple of Luxor is the most beautiful temple in Egypt.

The Mosque of Ahmed Ibn Tulun is the oldest intact functioning Islamic monument in Cairo. It is a rare preserved example of the art and the architecture of the classical period of Islam. It is one of the biggest mosques in Egypt. The mosque occupies an area of 6.5 acres.

We all know about the Pyramids, which are the oldest known manmade structures on our planet. They have been an enigma ever since they were first constructed.

Mohamed Ali Mosque is amongst the most interesting Mosques in Egypt.

The Temple of Deir El-Bahri is one of the most characteristic temples in the whole of Egypt, due to its design and decorations. It was built of limestone, not sandstone like most of the other funerary temples of the New Kingdom period.

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact. The Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years.

The church of St. Barbara is one of the oldest and the most remarkable churches in Cairo. It was rebuilt around the 11th Century.

There are countless temples, monuments, mosques, churches and other great infrastructures all over Egypt. Here are a few:

The Temple of Medinat Habu is one of the largest memorial Temples in Egypt. This is one of the extraordinarily wonderful Islamic Monuments In the Islamic World. If Ancient Egypt is proud of the Pyramids of Giza, Islamic Egypt has to be proud of the Sultan Hassan Madrassa. The Temple of Karnak which is the largest temple the world!

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NATION’S PRIDE

Nation’s pride is in it’s heroes that bring home to its citizens something to be proud of, look f Nation’s pride is in it’s heroes that bring home to its citizens something to be proud of, look forward to and the acts of these heroes inculcate in all of us a feeling of nationalism.

Today, we’re going to talk about such a hero of our country in whom we all take full pride. Had it been not his sacrifice in resisting the Talibaan’s much of which has been achieved by The Pakistan Navy in the years would have been lost completely. Yes, I’m talking about the Martyred Lieutenant Syed Yaser Abbas who was a naval aeronautical engineer. On 22nd May 2010 PNS Mehran was attacked by the terrorists. On hearing the blast, Lieutenant Yaser, who was in his dutyroom 2 km away,having only his personal pistol reached the spot within 3 min. When he obsereved that all the duty staff is vanished,Lt Yaser rushed forward to save the remaining P3 Oriens, most sofisticated aircrafts which were his ultimate goal. In the twelve minutes that followed, Lt Yaser Abbas headed the Rapid Response Squad, resisted the terrorists and backed for reinforcements. Since Lt. Yaser and his Squad was not trained enough as well as ill equipped to figth against any terrorist activity. In these twelve minutes of resistance, the terrosrists’ plans of destroying the naval assets and taking the Chinese engineers hostages were averted with the brave Lieutenant as their main impediment. In the battle that followed, Lieutenant Yaser received three bullets on his chest directly on the heart but his sacrifice is notable in saving national integrity and the Pakistan Navy from greater losses.

We interviewed the family of Lieutenant Yaser Abbas (who will always stay in our hearts) to pay a tribute to the magnificent being who once stood amongst us. We came to know exactly how great he was. Col Jaffar his father told us that even at a very young age, Yaser admired the forces, the medals, the uniforms and the sacrifices that came within. Since the fifth grade he wanted to be an aero nautical engineer and being a studious student (his friends used to call him the Father of Chemistry) his dream became his flying reality on 18th November 2009. Being very active physically, he was called a Tornado by his fellow mates and his eager participation in basketball, tennis and swimming awarded him rightly a place in the Rapid Reaction Force at PNS Mehran Base. s something to be proud of, look forward to and the acts of these heroes inculcate in all of us a feeling of nationalism.

Lieutenant Umair, his friend, recalls that Yaser Abbas was a gem of a person. Even as a child, Yaser was never a very demanding person. He would seldom show his outstanding grades to his parents because he didn’t want them to give him any presents for his results. What was exceptional about him was his love for his country. A true patriot and now our savior, his views on the youth today were very intriguing. His father quotes that his son always thought that the Pakistani youth is on the right path and completely focused all they need is just a right direction and a good nationalistic approach. During his last days, he started talking to his friends more and more about Shahadat. His friend recalls that Yaser at times regretted joining the Special Operations because he said that this way he would never truly die saving his country. Saved in his laptop were the speeches of Ayub Khan and of many other leaders, videos, anthems and articles all of which had a dominant Nationalistic theme. A family person, Yaser Abbas was very close to his sisters and mother. With his father he adopted a well-within-the-limits kind of a relationship, but still very close. He was always very concerned that once he got married, he might not have time for friends, but you can tell that he must’ve sorted it all out. An amazing person, Lieutenant Yaser’s life is for us an example today. He balanced out his activities and duties so well that today he achieved the rank of our country’s martyrs. Lt Yaser’s last status on facebook on 20 May 2011 just two days before his shahadat,which he proved ‘’IT IS HARD TO BE UNBEATABLE AND IT NEEDS GUTS’’ In the recognition of bravry,valour ,act beyond call of duty,leader ship of Lt Yaser Abbas he was awarded Sitara-e-Basalat on 14 Aug 2011 by the Pakistan government.

CHILD LABOUR

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A SOCIAL EVIL Lollipops, rides in your school bus, trips to the zoo, wheeing down the slide in the neighbourhood park, playing your favourite games in the much awaited break time in school, whining at the amount of homework (negligible) that you’re given, and so on. These are the things that most of us think of when asked to recall our childhood days. Go ahead, close your eyes for just a minute and think about the merry days of your childhood, and these are the things, along with many others, I am sure, that will rush through your mind, making you smile as you remember those tension-free, lively days of your life. But have you ever thought that some people, no, a lot of people, have memories very different from those mentioned above. When you were given a pen in your hand to learn how to write, a kid was handed a tool, to learn a particular skill and then work. While you were swinging back and fro on a swing, oblivious of the world around you, a child was moving up and down lanes, begging people to buy something from him so that he could buy himself a pitiful dinner that night. While you were crying because someone knocked your ice cream out of your hand and onto the floor, a child your age had tears streaming down his face because he’d just seen some kids in uniform walking to school, while he was serving customers at a restaurant. One may think this a story of the past but child labor is a major issue, even in today’s age. The victims obviously are kids in the developing countries who have to work to support themselves and their families due to a very high poverty rate. People talk about the problem and come up with solutions such as formulating laws against child labor; fixing minimum wages; educating poor children free of cost, making them honorable citizens of the society; and so on. But does anyone ever do anything? Do we ever take a concrete step towards helping these children? Why are we too busy in our own lives to notice the hunger in the eyes of he child begging us to let him clean your windscreen at the signal for a tiny amount, when he or she looks at the child in our passenger seat, munching on a burger, books in lap, school bag on the back seat? When will we realize that people have to stop talking and start ‘doing’ something? Who will realize that they are that someone who can bring a change? For all anyone knows, you, reading this, may be the person who can do something so outstanding for these kids that they would wish well for you always, because you would be the reason behind they’re success when they grow up to be respected citizens of the society. And honestly, who wouldn’t want that?

There are millions of children in the world who would give anything to have the food we so thoughtlessly throw away, use the pencil that we hold in our hands, take the place in school that we cant stop complaining about. There are many little angels who want to study instead of work; use their tiny hands to write instead of lifting heavy bricks; use their eyes to read instead of straining them to weave a carpet; to learn.

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AN INITIATIVE BY

WE ALL HAVE AHSAN MAHMOOD OUR REASONS.. Q. Have you collaborated with the other ‘Humans of…’ projects in Pakistan like Karachi and Lahore? Well I tried collaborating with them. I sent them a proposal about a video which would be a joint venture type thing, but Karachi never took any interest in it, and Lahore soon backed out. Q. Which one of your pictures have been the most popular among viewers yet? I think the pictures in our project ‘’Celebrating today’s youth and positive use of Social Media’’ were the most viewed and most popular. We had a cumulative 400 likes on 5 photographs which was big for us because at that time HOISBRWP was in its embryonic stages.

Q. ‘Humans of…’ is becoming quite a trend all over the world and Humans of New York is everyone’s inspiration. What is it about HONY that motivated you to come up with HOIR? HONY and Brandon Stanton has always been my inspiration. It’s amazing how HONY brings its audience close to life in NY. One can relate to NY and the life there just by looking at the photographs and specially the simplicity with which they are captures. Its just Amazing. Q. When you started HOIR, what was your plan and has it changed with time? Well, actually nothing has changed, but we’ve added more things into our schedule. The projects we usually start were never a part of our basic plan but then after understanding what the audience wants, we started projects relating to photography. We’re soon going to incorporate cinematography as well. Q. Are you focusing on a certain side if Islamabad and Rawalpindi? We aren’t focusing on anything specific, but anything to which people can relate and delivers a message about Isb/Rwp is what we have been focusing on. Q. What according to you will be an ideal picture to be put up on the page? The ideal picture would be anything worth a smile, thought or which arouses ones feelings. For us it’s not about expensive DSLR’s or pictures with the most expensive lenses, all we want and aim is to capture the life in a way that people can relate to it. Q. Who is your target audience and what kind of contributions are you looking for? Our targeted audience is everyone who is interested in Pakistan. Who would love to see what Pakistan actually is, and how we live and what great society and culture we have. As far as the contributions are related, we look for truthful photographs and as I said earlier, one should be able to relate to them. Q. What has been the audience response till now? Honestly, the overall response hasn’t been that good. But the response on our projects has been amazing and way beyond expectations. This is the reason why we plan on working on more projects in the following year.

Q. Which is your personal favorite submission on the page by your viewers? The best submission would be by Ahmed Waqas, who submitted a photograph of a boy in Raja Bazaar. Brilliant!

Q. Which is your personal favorite picture taken by your team? I think the best of the photographs would be of Naseem Khan Achakzai during the South Asian Youth Conference.

Q. Where would you like to see HOIR in a few years’ time? I would love to see HOIR as a self sustainable entity, which not only would capture life at ISB/RWP and bring it to people via social media, but would love to see HOIR donating and helping people in whatever it can.

There is a small hypocrite in all of us, but then again, it’s all relative. The idea of doing things together is appealing on different levels to different people. To some it is merely the act of not having disputes and for some it’s the act of not having to breathe without the other, but in the end we all have our reasons. Small things make us angry, our idea of growing up is not growing up, we have fail concepts of reality and yes these three years do make a difference. When we are moved away from our routine we scream, squirm, get annoyed but we have the equal guts to complain about how monotonous we are. We all want to teach the teacher in the end. Whenever faced with changes we debate how we are not ready ‘now’ and how ‘now’ is not the time. ‘Now’ is like ‘tomorrow’. Our strength which we are proud of, which others envy is very fragile. You can have fun with everyone but you can truly cherish your time with a few. It sucks when you are neutral, you want to be in different places at the same time. But then again we all have our reasons. You shout to be with the majority but what you don’t understand is that the minority has restraints of their own. We all are very happy to be doing something ‘together’ as long as all odds are in our favor, we just don’t realize that’s not called being ‘together’. These three years make a difference, I will repeat my words. You still have a lot of growing up to do, the fantasies you live in your songs, the ideals you find in your movies, the praises you find in absurdity will go away one day and you will see what I am seeing now, then you will try break out of what I have already broken out of, maybe then finally you will cut the drama out of your life. The only difference is that by then I will be more of a kid or a great actress. After all in the end we all make-up, break-up, wake-up.

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ONE-ON-ONE WITH

ADIL OMAR USB: When did you start music? Writing at 9 to recording at 13 to making actual songs at 14. USB: In 2008, you were invited by B-Real of Cypress Hill to recorda song in Los Angeles for an album titled The Harvest for a songcalled “Takeover” that was your first international experience. Tell usa little about it? It was a dream come true for me back then. I’m not a fan of the song at all. I was young and dumb and it wasn’t as organic as it should have been, but B-Real still killed it and it was a privilege to watch a master at work. I also met Fredwreck in that same recording session, he came through to hang out. B-Real and Fredwreck have both opened a lot of doors for me. USB: How would you credit the collaborations in the rise of your popularity? I won’t lie, they’ve certainly helped a lot. This is a day and an age where being a hip-hop artist is like being a teardrop in an ocean, no matter how unique you are or how you much you stand out. The market is huge. A co-sign from a legend can take you a long way and that’s what its done from me. However, I’m not totally dependent on collaborations. I do hold my own as a solo artist most of the time but I also see the importance of building bridges and working with other people. USB: In 2012 you were nominated in the Lux Style Awards for Best Emerging Talent as a solo artist, as well as Shahbaz Shigri and Aisha Linnea in Best Music Video Director for “Paki Rambo”. As a young artist how do you take this achievement? I appreciate the nod but my driving force is the art itself. USB: What is the source of your inspiration, for the songs that you write? Depends on which song you’re talking about. USB: What is the worst thing you’ve ever had anyone say to you? That’s a long list. Everybody has their own reservations about who I am and what a Pakistani rapper should and should not be. It doesn’t matter. Most of it is bullshit. I’ve stayed true to an identity which not too many people have bothered to get to know. They’d rather stick with their prior judgement.

USB: Heard you are quite the ladies man, any truth to that statement?

USB: Paki Rambo or Daddy’s Eyes- the song you’re more proud of?

No comment.

Paki Rambo.

USB: Who has been the best support for you throughout your career, and before that?

USB: Your favorite super-hero?

My wonderful Mom

The Punisher.

USB: What would you like to say about your debut album The Mushroom Cloud Effect?

USB: What do you think is the price of success?

Its something you wouldn’t expect. I’m very proud of it. It’s more than just a hip-hop album.

Pressure, responsibility, living up to the expectations of strangers, and a lack of privacy.

USB: What is your favorite song, considering your own songs? From The Mushroom Cloud Effect, look out for: The Mushroom Cloud Effect, 50 Feet Tall, Broken Man, Star Power, Carry Me Home, Sugar Low, Heart of Darkness, Summertime, Hand Over Your Guns. USB: You dropped out of school, you don’t find that happening around very often. How did your mother react to it? It was expected. I don’t really recommend it though.

USB: Your favorite football team? I don’t watch football or any sport. USB: Who is your idol, in the international music industry? Trent Reznor. USB: What genre would you classify your music as? I don’t watch football or any sport. USB: Favorite clothing brand? I don’t watch football or any sport. USB: Favorite clothing brand? I’m not too big on brands but I’m a Diesel fan. I also like Absolute Rebellion and a few other similar brands. Out of local Pakistani designers, I like Ismail Farid.

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NIGHTLIFE As the sun goes down, another source of entertainment engrosses the globe. Concerts, live music, bars, discotheques and night clubs roar into life, and the night owls leave their houses and apartments and indulge in the magical and intriguing life of the night. The nightlife is edgier, and definitely more intriguing. Bed ridden insomniacs or adventurers and risk takers are the majority of the nightlife, and they believe in partying hard, because you never know what night is your last night.

All around the world, the nightlife is getting more interesting day by day, but some places sell the nightlife with so much more intense partying, and hard core rock ‘n roll. The heat of Miami is nothing compared to the hot scene of its nightlife. A Spanish flair for all-night fun, warm weather, big beaches, skimpy clothing, perfect mojitos. The people going into these night clubs look like they have been freshly pampered for a magazine shoot. Miami’s got kick-ass rock bars, hipsters-gone-wild lounges and the best Latin music scene in America. If you want to bump and grind and look for celebrities who aren’t there, you can have it. But Miami will love you just as much if you want to rock out with a Budweiser on a hot south Florida evening. If you want to dance and meet celebrities, you may want to head to South Beach, and if you have good look, money in your wallet, or promoter connection, the world is your oyster. And even if you don’t, you can still party, but be prepared for some ego-crushing experiences. The South Beach club scene plays on the appeal of celebrities. More famous customers equal more regular customers. However, in the Miami clubs, you have to be aggressive or you will end up in your motel room, order a pizza, watching Jersey Shore. Push your way through the front, or order bottle service, which usually guarantees a pass to the front.

There is a surprising glut of dives in South Beach, the perfect yin to the flash yang of the club scene. And both dives and hot bars abound in Miami proper. But the best place for a simple drink in this city may well be your hotel lobby. For years now, hotel lounges have been the clubs of the season, and on almost any given night, front desks hire DJs for their lobbies and pool areas. Plenty of people use their hotel lobby as a jumping-off point to bigger things, but for many, the lobby is the be-all, end-all destination for the evening out. Restaurant bars have started to build on the same cachet, and the most popular hotels blend all of the genres, keeping a hot eatery on site that happens to have a hotter attached bar. There is not a concept of an early night in the city. Most clubs open at 9 pm and the closing time is at 5 am.

With a skyline that’s recognizable worldwide, the New York City is famous as the city that never sleeps and it earned the title. As the night approaches this city of Dreams, the sight is exhilarating.

To lead things off, no city has a wider variety of nightlife option than NYC. If hitting the town, checking out the clubs, seeing the lights in Time Square, or just hanging out at a great lounge or bar is your thing, then NYC can deliver. There are hundreds of restaurants that have bars and lounges for early evening entertainment and hundred more pubs and bars in the New York, especially Manhattan, that are open deep into the night. New York’s club scene is vast and varied and is led by Webster Hall in the East Village – one of New York’s most popular night clubs, featuring five dance floors, live music, famous DJs, and an iconic history of entertainers. New York City is the “hub” of the Jazz World. All the greats made their names here, and the young up-and-comers flock to the city for a chance to prove themselves. Since its beginnings, jazz music has had a strong connection with the culture and people of New York City. As the time jazz moved from New Orleans to the cities of the West and the Northeast, arguably some of the most important evolutions occurred in New York City, the jazz capital of the world. If you want to dance the night away, head out to one of New York’s many clubs, as so some of the best nightclubs in the world can be found in NYC. New York is the home to the hottest dance clubs. There’s no better city in the world for a night at a dance club than New York, with a generous collection of offerings that range from hip-hop to house to punk. Many bars in New York City feature happy hour, a time period when drinks are sold at a discounted price. Some places offer two-for one drinks for a period of time. Others might invite the ladies in for discount drinks on a particular evening. The establishments on our list also make a point of emphasizing their happy hour specials, hoping that bar patrons will come early and rev things up sooner rather than later at their particular locales. In New York City, some bars are so exclusive that only a branded passkey will get you past the bouncer. But with other bars, the only difficult part of getting in is finding the hidden or underground bar in the first place.

Anyone who has partied in the Las Vegas knows there isn’t another place like it in the world. Las Vegas has earned a reputation as a giant playground for adults for good reason. Some of the world’s most ambitious nightclubs reside in the city’s palatial casinos. Whatever your vice may be, you can find it here. Vegas is the home to the biggest and fanciest clubs, the best DJs and wildest parties you can find anywhere. And what makes Vegas so unique is that there’s not just one or two places that host these parties in a once-ayear setting, there are dozens of them going on every night all within four miles of each other. Anyone who has partied in the Las Vegas knows there isn’t another place like it in the world. Las Vegas has earned a reputation as a giant playground for adults for good reason. Some of the world’s most ambitious nightclubs reside in the city’s palatial casinos. Whatever your vice may be, you can find it here. Vegas is the home to the biggest and fanciest clubs, the best DJs and wildest parties you can find anywhere. And what makes Vegas so unique is that there’s not just one or two places that host these parties in a once-ayear setting, there are dozens of them going on every night all within four miles of each other.

Nightclubs are everywhere in Vegas. Whether it’s a boutique club, a megaclub or a restaurant-by-day-club-by-night, for those boisterous travelers who venture to this desert oasis in search of an experience that will forever hold a spot in their memories, there is nothing like a Vegas club.

Pools in Sin City are more than water and a few deck chairs -- they’re a whole scene unto themselves. While just about every hotel has a pool for guests, some properties up the ante by operating pool clubs -- a concept that’s exactly what it sounds like, a nightclub scene during the day, poolside.

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The Sadness OF CR-7 By: Nusrat Ullah Roomi

The Portuguese superstar is unhappy but transfer talk is premature ‘If Cristiano is sad, people should go into the streets and cry’ - sarcastically said former Barca coach Carlos Rexach. Few people expected Real Madrid to make this shaky a start to the campaign - even fewer expected the €94 million man to drop an unhappiness bombshell on the Madrid fans & hierarchy.

On 12th September, Ronaldo reaffirmed, ‘without being concerned about contracts’’, his desire to win every trophy with Madrid, on his official Face book page. Before that, teammate Alvaro Arbeloa said ‘Cristiano ha the same smile as always’. Similar opinions were voiced by Casillas, Benzema & Higuain. In my opinion, it’s all got to do with him feeling a lack of support at the institutional level. Expect all the boo-hoo to die down once he sits down and realises that Real Madrid F.C. is the best place for him to achieve his goals and as Cesc Fabregas put it - expect him to ‘push forward’.

Cristiano ronaldo refused to celebrate his 2 goals against Granada on September 2 € revealed to reporters afterwards that he is unhappy due to a professional issue. ‘I’m sad. That’s why I didn’t celebrate. & the club knows why’. Immediately a fire erupted in the worldwide & especially the Spanish media. Afterwards, with the likes of Punto Pelota & El Larguero claiming that CR7 wants to leave Madrid, Goal. com claimed to have learned that Madrid will start considering offers for the wing wizard in the region of €200 million. Some said that he’s disgruntled at the club’s treatment of close friends Kaka, Ricardo Carvalho & Fabio Coentrao. Others speculated that the reason for his ‘sadness’ lies in losing out to Andres Iniesta for the European player of the year prize. Some associated his sadness with him not getting a new, lucrative contract. The reality, look a little different. It seems like he feels he isn’t pampered enough at Madrid like Barca mollycoddle Messi has always been at his club, & that he’s the one who’s hung out to dry when things don’t go well .

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The MANY KINDS IN OUR SOCIETY By: Farah Mahmood, Wajeeha Malik & Heena Tariq

Pakistan is a land with much variety. Take the people for instance. You have your sayaasi loug, your snobbish elites, your pindi-bwaiyz, your maasis, your begums, your mazdoor loug, your skinny little skinny-jeans wearing 12-14 year olds who seem to be clones of each other, our “up and coming” Pakistani fashion designers- some of whom are making us proud all over the world- while the others have started their own fan clubs in every nook and cranny of Pakistan....and the list goes on and on. And since we all love to stereotype, let us explore the lives and habits of these stereotypical specimens found in our society. However, a few words of caution: this article is not intended to be offensive, but if you DO find it offensive, we apologize in advance. The Maasis We’ll begin with our beloved maasis, that come and clean our humble abodes everyday, because we would be nowhere without these jharroo-brandishing blessings. So these maasis honor us by their presence everyday. Punctuality isn’t their thing; because heaven forbid that any work in our country be done on time, whether it is cleaning the bathrooms or announcing a death sentence for a nototrious criminal. (Also, it has been observed by our correspondents that the good mood of your mother is directly proportional to how punctual your maasi is.). Furthermore, your maasi will always assume that you are deaf. For some unknown reason, they are so sure that unless they don’t shout at you at the top of their lungs, you will NOT comprehend them. So they shout, and you shout back, and before you know it the whole thing has turned into a shouting match between your maasi and your mother while you’re in bed, with your pillow covering your head to block out the noise and trying to fall back to sleep; and chances are, while you’re trying to go back to sleep, the maasi will swoop into your room, armed with a jhaaroo, and turn on every single tube-light and light-bulb, turn off the fans, and swoop out without pausing to turn the lights off and turn the fan back on, and you’re left lying on your bed, trying to muster the strength to get up and do it yourself. The whole thing is, to you, more irritating than the latest advertisement for Harpic toilet cleaner or Omung lassi, and in your mind maasis remain an enigma that the greatest minds in our society cannot unravel.

The Begums a.k.a Aunties One of the most fascinating (read: frustrating) people to ever walk on the soil of our land are our very own “begums” a.k.a the aunties. These aunties can be found almost everywhere. They might speak different languages, but on the inside, they’re all the same. And they all are on the same wavelength, a wavelength that is familiar to only their own kind. Now these aunties, as complex as they may seem, usually have just three main problems which plague them throughout their lives: the latest Lawn collections, the marriages of everyone they know and don’t know, and the latest Drama serials. These aunties are often found sitting on your drawing-room sofas with your moms, a cup of tea in their hands, discussing the drama they saw the night before, or fretting about the marital state of every single girl they know, as if the very existence of humankind depended on whether or not their neighbor’s daughter’s best friend’s brother’s class fellow’s sister got married before she was 23 (GASP!) or not. These aunties are also extremely skilled in the art of bargaining, and don’t underestimate their abilities when you see them in a Lawn sale, because they can and will get violent if you even look at the print they already had their eye on. These aunties are also very socially active. Groups of them can be found in clubs and hotels, having their kitty parties where they diss every woman who isn’t among them. Yes, curiosity and gossiping is also a part of their genetic makeup. But despite all their annoying habits, these aunties hold our society together, providing entertainment in these troubled times. Pindi Boys The next in line are our very own Pindi boys; an intriguing race that evolved with the creation of Rawalpindi. But what we should actually be scared of is the fact that now, this ‘different breed’ is no more confined to Pindi. They have seeped into every major city of our country. These influential creatures have taken over our hangout spots, from our local khokhas to the nearest sheesha-selling cafe. And as a member of the gender which is usually the target of the lecherous gazes of these pindi-bwaaiziz, we assure you that this intrusion is NOT welcome. In a world where the population of ‘manly’ men is dwindling away day by day, these Pindi boys have made it their duty to make sure that no gentleman remains on the face of the earth. Their contribution to the slang vocabulary used on the streets has been enormous and one’s mind wonder what these people were thinking when uttering words like ‘scene awn’, ‘chaddi baddi’, ‘chikna’ and ‘fraandship’, and calling each other words like ‘jani’ and ‘cheetay’.

Well obviously “unka scene awf tha us waqt”. This eventually resulted in the regeneration of the English and Urdu languages as we knew them. Where they have redefined modern language, their contribution to today’s dressing styles has been enormous as well. The dress code for all pindibwaaiz is any shirt in any neon colour (preferably bright pink, neon green or orange) and pants that are either skinnier than an anorexic fashion model or baggier than an empty potato sack. Bling-bling (or the usage of golden accessories usually found around the necks of rappers with names like Pusha-T or Lil John or Big Willy-Bo) is an optional part of the outfit. At the end, the politest thing you can say about the dress sense of Pindibwoy is that it’s hard to miss. The 12-15 year old skinny-jeans-wearing-and-too-muchmakeup-on Girls Somebody issue a warning to all mankind: we have been over-run by clones. These clones are usually in the form of 12 to 14 year old girls. Their common characteristics include: hair cut in the same way, usually covering the whole of at least one eye; eyes lathered in so much Kajal and mascara and eye-liner that they seem to be the only feature on the face; a walk that seems to be the combination of a model’s catwalk and the walk of Bambi the baby deer when he first learned to walk; a D.P on Facebook that usually consists of one or more faces turned towards the camera and pouting in a fashion that reminds you of a duck (the most popular location for these kind of photos is, mysteriously, a bathroom); and the use of expressions such as “OMG HE TOTALLY LOOKED AT ME!! (or words to that effect)”, “EEP I totally got new shoes!!”, “OMG He took a whole five minutes to reply to my text! Ugh!”, “OMG I’m so effing fat!!I hate you, you’re so skinny!”, “I love you, babes. You’re sho cutee”, “Muahx sweetheart”, “OH GOD, why does she have to be such a bitch?” and “FML.” So you get the general idea. These clones should be avoided at all costs because they give the word “blonde” a whole new meaning. Thankfully, they usually have their male counter-parts, guys who usually spike up their hair higher than the Minar-e-Pakistan and have the latest gadgets because “it’s like so cool.”, so we humans are kept safe from their attentions. Usually. Well there you are, ladies and gentlemen, some of our most stereotypical views presented to you without the least intention to offend you. The world has changed indeed, and people are changing with it. But we think that this breed of stereotypical people will, fortunately or unfortunately, outlive us all. Cheers.

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A CLOSING MESSAGE FROM

THE TEAM

Bilal Murtaza- Lead Designer Well, here we are at last. Launch Day. This was probably one of the most hectic and toughest projects I’ve taken on. But none of it would’ve been possible without the combined efforts of my team. Hopefully today we get to enjoy the fruits of our labours. Oh! and if you noticed any flaws in the layout, feel free to point them out so that we can address them in the coming issue. It’s our debut issue after all and we’re still in the learning process. :)

Abdullah Qureshi- Assistant Editor Because I personally believe that change comes in through small acts, with the conditions prevailing in Pakistan we, the future of this country, need to know our responsibilities and stand true to them. Of course the shughal goes with it as well. So live life to the fullest and give your all. Hope you enjoyed reading. :)

Umer Khurshid - Managing Officer Working for this magazine was a very wonderful experience, I have learned a lot through this journey. I would specially like to thank my team for being so supportive. Cheers!

Waqas Shabbir - Head of Marketing I still can’t believe that we’re on the verge of launching our own magazine. All the hardwork and those late night efforts really payed dividends. We’ll get bigger and better with time, Inshallah. Stay tuned.

A FEW FINAL WORDS FROM

THE EXECUTIVES Usama Babar - C.E.O. We in recent times have evolved into a nation, that possesses the self-inflicted malady of amnesia; forgetting our forlorn after a customary period of time. We point fingers at devils of foreign origins, intentionally unbeknownst to the sneering Satans inside. As a nation, we fancy drowning in denial, rather than facing the scorching truth. A populace that rushes to hold vigils for Amy Winehouse, but never for those slain everyday, from whose blood this soil has been drenched red. So, when a nation that itself is audaciously inglorious, speaks on the tragedy of the lack of ‘Liberty’ in Pakistan, it is nothing but a joke cloaked in hypocrisy. USB has been working since five years to encourage tolerance in youth and promote a liberal image of our nation from supporting causes like Aman Ki Asha and Christmas Eve events to spending Ramadan in orphanages, with the basic purpose being spreading awareness. I firmly believe that every adult has a right to differentiate between right and wrong and no one has any right of inflicting what he or she assumes to be correct on someone’s wrongdoing. It is better to learn from your mistakes rather than to follow a previously set route. Since we all have a rebel somewhere in our atria, its now time to set it free. Hope we were able to entertain you in a positive way in our debut issue. Stay Blessed.

Danish Rana - C.O.O. So its too good to be true, eh? At last the most awaited magazine of the season is right here in your hands. I remember when it all started - me in the back of a car seat, day dreaming about introducing a magazine. I would start off with my home city Lahore, publishing the first copy of USB Blog and then BAM! On my way back from the launch party the idea of an Islamabad chapter strikes me and I start all over again! And today, I together with my team, brought to you islooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut issue. Full of excitement, insipration, glamour, gossip and a bit of this & that. Hope you enjoyed reading the magazine and yes I bet youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll wait for the next issue.Till then, ciao!