Dedicated to
Leaving a Legacy
“Rest not. Life is weeping by; Go and dare before you die. Something mighty and sublime Leave behind to conquer time� - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
MOSAIC 2 01 4 PATRON
Mrs Humaira Mahmood
STAFF ADVISOR
Rehana Rasul
STAFF ASSISTANTS
Amna Pervaiz May Simon
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Khalid Soomro Hajira Naeem
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Noor Fatima Chaudhry
EDITOR
Rida Tanveer
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Momal Malik
ART EDITOR
Ifrah Tauseef
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CONTENTS Topics
Writer
Editorial Board's Picture Message from the Principal From the Chief Editor's Desk Editorial Note (English Editor) Editorial Note (English Sub-Editor) Message from Mrs Rehana Rasul Faculty and Staff Pictures Student Council Picture A level Class of 2014 A 1 Batch Picture Outgoing Classes of 2014
Life At BLL My Legacy At BLL The Good Old Days Nostalgia BLL, My Safe Haven Self Discovery The Bliss At BLL Confessions of a True BLL-ite My Days At BLL... Reminiscing Alma Mater Back to BLL Down Memory Lane
Pg. # 4 5 6-7 8 9 9 10-13 14 15-19 20 21-22
ALUMNI Afifa Zaheer Butt Ammara Hafeez Azka Aqeel Azka Azhar Ridha Tahir Meher Mehtab Minahil Tariq Saman Zahid Shifa Ahmad Tanya Khan Tanya Imran Zeelaf Butt Izza Aftab
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33-34 35 36
A Lesson for Life A Life for a Life A Travel That Had To End Be Yourself Hope Ignited Letting Go Only If... The Bleak World Outside Whatever Happend to Happily Ever After? Innocent Soul Silent Guardians Embracing Destiny
STORIES Anoosha Sajid, Sara Abbas, Shanzay Mazhar and Mariam Ali IXC-A 37-38 Fatima Syed XC-B 39 Khola Jamshed XC-B 40 Haleema Amir IXC-E 41 Alina Husnain IXC-A 42 Noor Fatima Chaudhry AI-C 43 Ushna Sajjad XIC-B 44-45 Shahbakht Ahmed AI-B 46 Sabrina Saqib AI-D 47-48 Dania Ahsan XC-F 49 Areeba Suhail XIC-A 50 Hafsa Ahmed XIC-A 51-52 Shanza Riaz XIC-A 53 Sarah Sabir AI-D 54
They Live, Who Dare Faith
POETRY Hafsa Ahsan VIII-E Khola Jamshed XC-B
1001 Boats
2
55 55
CONTENTS Topics
Writer
By the Stars Decisions Hope Shadows Of The Past Masked My Dear Lady Joker
Naqsh Fatima Naqvi XIC-A Amna Khan IXC-A Ayemma Muneer VII-H Mishaal Tariq A-II B Iman Ejaz AI-A Mahnoor Rizwan AI-C Ushna Sajjad XIC-B
56-57 58 59 60 61 62-63 64
Being Decisive Happiness How Is Peace Achievable In Pakisan? Is Capital Punishment Justified? Let Indifference Ring Life Is Precious One Man’s Weakness is Another’s Strength The Day Humanity Died The Other Side Of The Literacy Divide Determination The Stone of Base Uniqueness A Word About Bob
ARTICLES Simrum Saleem IXC-B Hudaa Yousaf AI-E Shaheerah Zafar AI-D Dua Haider AI-D Semal Farid AI-D Emaan Zubair XIC-E Nimrah Khanum VIII-D Anna Imran X-CE Mahnoor Rizwan AI-E Alyza Baig XIC-A Hafsa Ahsan VIII-E Hafsa Khizar XC-D Amenah Shabbir XIC-A
65 66 67 68 69 70 72 73 74 75 76-77 78 79-80
Irfan Ahson Maram & Aabroo Dr. Nouman Ali Khan Ammar Belal A Legacy in Words My Ideal and his Legacy A Living Legacy Those Who Wrote the Legacy... My Legacy, My Advice.... Leaving a Legacy
Memoir : Arooj Asif Fashion Anthem 2013 – My Chance to Shine! ISSI 2014 Arsenic and Old Lace-Annual Play BLKC 2014 Round the Block The Happy Page HAPPINESS IS WHEN… The Sad Page SADNESS IS WHEN… BLL is a place where... Art Gallery
LEAVING A LEGACY Interview: Compiled by the Editors Interview: Compiled by the Editors Interview: Compiled by the Editors Interview: Compiled by the Editors Simrah Ibrar Shaibzada AI-A Umul Banin AI-C Sana Zaman Butt XC-B Rihab Chaudhry Hira Tanveer Laiba Waqas Dar LIFE @ LIBERTY Compiled by the Editors Neha Fauzan AII-A Noor Fatima Chaudhry AI-C Fatima Masood AI Iman Ejaz AI-A Compiled by the Editors Compiled by the Editors Compiled by the Editors
Pg. #
82-84 85-87 88-89 90-92 93 94 95 96 97 98
99-101 102 103 104 105 106-113 114 115 116-122 123-127
LIBERTY TIMES!!! 3
The Editorial Board
Sitting Left to Right: Noor Fatima Chaudhry (Editor in Chief) Mrs Rehana Rasul (Staff Coordinator English Section) Mrs Humaira Mahmood (Principal - Patron) Mrs Nasreen Shaukat (Staff Coordinator Urdu Section) Standing Left to Right: Momal Malik (English Sub Editor) Rida Tanveer (English Editor) Perwasha Musharraf (Urdu Sub Editor) Fizza Abbas (Urdu Editor)
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Message from the Principal
“We are a continuum. Just as we reach back to our ancestors for our fundamental values, so we, as guardians of that legacy must reach ahead to our children and their children. And we do so with a sense of sacredness in that reaching”- Paul Tsongas. Every action we take, every move we make is etched in time eternally. It is indeed humbling and at the same time enthralling to know your legacy when you are alive. As parents, citizens and mostly teachers, we have a duty to our children, our nation and the world at large to leave a legacy that is based on honesty for I believe that our legacy will be defined by the accomplishment and fearless nature with which our children take on the global challenges we face. We need to foster and mentor our children to evolve into ‘good’ human beings by leaving a legacy of standing up for what is right by being fair and equitable- to put others before self and to develop an attitude that shows concern and love for humanity. We need to keep in mind : “The choices we make about the lives we live determine the kinds of legacies we leave” - Tavis Smiley, T. God Bless!
Humaira Mahmood 5
From the Chief Editor’s Desk “If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. The thing is to get the work done.� -Dale Carnegie 'Seemingly impossible'... Yes, those were my very sentiments regarding MOSAIC back in November. Collecting contributions, editing each and every piece with utmost care, getting things approved by Miss. Rehana and then finally, getting the publisher to print it the way we wanted it; getting all these tasks completed within the proposed time frame sounded inexecutable and I still think it was some kind of a miracle owing to Rida's special prayers that we managed to get the job done. Sure, I was absolutely delighted to have been chosen as the Editor-in-Chief of the school magazine (who doesn't love a fancy post), but this luxury came hand in hand with a lot of responsibility and stress. Staying after school, rushing to the computer lab between classes, wasting time and resources due to my poor printing skills and then literally, stalking Miss. Rehana all over the school had become a routine. (Secret Tip: It's more probable to find her in the Principal's office than her own) However, nothing comes without its advantages and so was the case here as heading the editorial board was an amazing learning experience, we enjoyed some memorable times together working on the MOSAIC and I got over my fear of facing Miss. Rehana every time I climbed those stairs. (Gratefully, I lost quite a few calories while I was at it) This year, we chose to dedicate the MOSAIC to 'Leaving a Legacy'. Instead of limiting ourselves to the usual cliches, we came up with a different kind of theme; one that would put our readers into deep thought, make them want to change themselves for the better. So 'Legacy' is what we initially started looking into, because I truly believe that the present is what will contribute to what we leave behind. Every little thing we do will eventually determine what we will be remembered for. Let's remind each other how important it is to DO good and to be remembered for good. Let us make a vow to leave a lasting legacy! My honest opinion is that when you take up a project, no matter how simple or insignificant it may be, it's only when you give it your 110% that you can be completely satisfied on its completion. It makes me very proud to claim that despite all the hurdles and obstacles, I was able to overcome my fears and troubles to produce this year's MOSAIC in collaboration with the best editorial board BLL has ever had. We invested in MOSAIC, not only our time but our dedication, skills, feelings, hard work and lots of love.
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I would like to express my gratitude to all those who helped make this dream a reality by contributing to the magazine. Speaking of contributions, I feel that this editorial note would be incomplete without thanking Miss Rehana for being there for us every step of the way and encouraging us to stretch ourselves to the limit. If it weren't for her , we would never have managed to accomplish this. Also, a shout-out to my editorial board for bearing with me when I pressurized them, tortured them, screamed at them and basically, made their lives a living hell. You guys know I love you! If the future editors are out there reading this, let me tell you guys, the journey is going to be a tough one. It's going to make you worry, laugh, sigh and perhaps even cry. Do not let this bring you down, because the end product, is DEFINITELY worth it! Finally, it's time for us to reap the rewards of our hard work. We present to you our very best efforts in the form of MOSAIC '13-'14 and sincerely hope you enjoy this extract of the memorable year we have had at BLL. Happy Reading! Noor Fatima Chaudhry Editor in Chief
"There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a great competition and rivalry between the two. There is a third power stronger than both, that of the women." - Muhammad Ali Jinnah
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Editorial Note I am not a cliché. No, it was not my childhood dream to be a part of the editorial board. But when the opportunity came, I grabbed it, maybe because I have an adventurous soul (and don't like peace in my life) and yes, also for the purpose of the extra-credit. I used to get irritated by the previous editors when they asked nicely (and then some) for contributions for the Mosaic. Get a life, editors. Little did I know that my best pal Karma had other plans. Initially, I was in high spirits; I expected respect from the seniors, celebrity-like protocol from the juniors and of course, getting away with bunking on the pretense of working for the magazine. But soon enough reality came crashing down; juniors referred to me as the scarf walli larki, and the seniors made me beg for their pictures and Sir Akhter didn't let me leave the class, ever (and for future reference, editorial team means “kaam kaam aur sirf kaam” so gear up for work if you intend to pursue it). However, being on the editorial board had its own perks. I got to nag the managers of the celebrities, unabashedly so. I had the outgoing A-levels students being nice to me in order to get good titles. I had Noor Fatima baking me brownies and I even got to talk to Nouman Ali Khan! (And was pretty close to meeting Goher Mumtaz, but, alas, bad timings got in the way) Also, I would like to thank all the people without whom Mosaic would not have come through. Nuri, who was, probably, no definitely, in worse position than me; Ms. Rehana for being a perfectionist and giving constant support, critique, guidance and also the ‘daant’, which got me working harder. Momal, for being well, Momal :P Despite all the reality checks, Mosaic was indeed an exhilarating experience. From relaxing to working fervently, from being scolded to doing the scolding, from coaxing to blackmailing, from stalking alumni to stalking celebrities, from Ms. Rehana's office to Ms. Humaira's office, from Noor to Momal(:P), I lived some of the best moments of my life. And this very Mosaic is dedicated to leaving a legacy. “Looks like we've made it. Look how far we've come my baby Might've took the long way, we knew we'll get there some day They said, I bet you'll never make it But just look at us holding on…” -Shania Twain. Rida Tanveer English Editor 8
Editorial Note Writing is hard. Period. I first realized this when I wrote an article for Miss Rehana (for the almost gruesome selection process) and I realize this again, while I sit here pondering what to write in my editorial note. The number of astonishing submissions we received, therefore, surprises me and on behalf of the entire editorial board I thank the brilliant young writers of Beaconhouse liberty. This year's theme is important. It may not seem like it because: 'Come on! We have bigger problems to face.', but this is exactly why 'leaving a legacy' is important. While facing the colossal number of problems we have, ranging from world hunger and terrorism to our mock exams and our annoying friends who just won't stop, we've forgotten something primary and indispensable: to be inspired by someone's legacy and to inspire to leave one ourselves. With this issue of the Mosaic (especially the dedication section) the editorial board hopes to reignite the spark to leave a legacy, at least in the youngsters in our school. We hope to inspire you, so that one day your story can inspire others. ‘'To seek greatness is the only righteous vengeance.'’ In the end I would like to thank Miss Rehana, without her guidance this issue would not have seen the light of day. And a special thank you to Rida Tanveer and Noor Fatima, they scared me more than any teacher I've had, but they managed the magazine and me (trust me, it's not as easy as it sounds).
Momal Malik Assistant Editor English
Message from Mrs. Rehana Rasul Staff Coordinator
“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones.” A legacy is etched into the minds of others and becomes palpable and alive through these individuals. The rich legacy left by each editorial board is the guiding light for every proceeding group of girls. Their enthusiasm to improve on their legacy is catching and each year I marvel at the standards they achieve. Kudos to this year’s editorial board for a job well done!
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A Level Faculty
Senior School Faculty
Middle School Faculty
10
Library Senior School
A Level Library
Food and Nutrition Lab
Science Lab
11
Staff Administrative Staff
Science Lab Staff
Custodian Staff
12
Student Council
A Level Class of 2014
14
Maham Rafique
Fatima Sheikh
Ramsha Rizwan
Zehra Sardar
Goray goray gaal.... Stillmans ka kamal
Lungi Dance
Lost and well, yeah... Lost !
Saaein log
Hajra Hamid
Ammara Iqbal
Afifa Hussain
Mukarma Sajjad
Buttercup
Designed in Pakistan, exported abroad
Honey Bunny
Myra Sohail’s better half !
Zainab Zahid
Aroob Amjad
Aleezay Asghar
Abeera Ayesha Riaz
M.I.A since 2013
Kewl !
Smart Minion
Hanso zara aur khil khila ke
A Level Class of 2014
Fizza Ali
Mahnoor Gillani
Sehar Ghafoor
Huma Rauf
Party on my mind
Aankhon mein teri
Lazy lad
Her own little princess
Shahtaj Malik
Maira Siddique
Parsa Nadeem
Nafeesa Atif
Nadaan parindey school aaja
Silence please !
Bhaiya’s little girl
Butter, cheese & company
Hira Farasat
Isra Saleem
Ayesha Sultan
Syeda Maham Bukhari
My 2k shoes ...
Cham cham
Nescafe maybe ?
Na khushi, na gham
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A Level Class of 2014
16
Fatima Kharal
Fatima Ali
Sunnia Ashfaq
Ayesha Akram
Cool ... period !
Pa... pa... poker face
How I wonder what you are ?
Pocahontas
Mishaal Tariq
Sunnia Mahmood
Meeran Bano
Ayesha Hassan
Call me a writer pliss !
Gossip girl
Fikar naa faaka, aish ker kaaka
Cutie pie !
Zahra Abbas
Misha Mehtab
Zupash Aman Khan
Fatima Khurshid
Cheeky Parrot
Clueless ...
Chikni and she knows it. =p
Miss Know-it-all
A Level Class of 2014
Namrah Fatima
Neha Fauzan
Rida Zahra
Tooba Irfan
Gol mera mun, laal meray gaal
Like a Boss !
Lost & found
Little woman
Myra Sohail
Aruba Zubair
Isra Imtiaz
Khadija Zeeshan Kirmani
Ring Master
Mahnoor Tahir’s better half
Shareef Zaadi
I’ve got the moves like Jagger
Minahil Shafique
Syeda Amaila Shafi
Noor-e-Huma
Mahnoor Tahir
Rapunzel
Common Man
Sleeping beauty... zzz
Girl power
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A Level Class of 2014
18
Unzilla Abbas
Ayesha Farooq
Aymen Khan
Noor Imran
Gori teray pyaar mein
Studies like... WHOA !
Maula jutt !
Naik parveen
Zainab Bilal
Faiqa Shah
Anum Tahir
Sundas Jawed
Happy - go - lucky
Candy cane
Gumshuda !
Mah-del ! (*MODEL*)
Mahnum Khan
Aiza Kamran
Maryam Arshad
Miral Waqar
Dynamite
Walkie talkie !
Yaara, photo meri kheench !
Girl on fire !
A Level Class of 2014
Saffa Faisal
Farina Fatima
Aimen Hussain
Maha Zafar
Queen of Hearts
Donald Duck
Silent killer
Koi tou Business parha de !
Humna Tauseef
Sharmeen Shahid
Ifrah Idrees
Noor-ul-Ain Fatima
Kitabi keera
Road runner
Computer whiz
Goody two shoes
Taima Rao
Alishba Ahmed
Mahnoor Muazzam
Qurat-ul-Ain Javed
Chup chup ho tum...
Foodie !
Bubbles
Smurf
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A1 Batch
Outgoing Classes XI CA
XI CB
XI CC
XI CD
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Outgoing Classes XI CE
XI CF
XM A
XM B
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Alumni
“Life-changing, memorable and simply beautifulthat's how I remember my days at school� - Anonymous
Life At BLL Afifa Zaheer Butt
Afifa did her Matriculation from BLL in 2010. She is currently doing her Bachelors from Kinnaird College.. As a child can never measure the love it holds for a mother similarly to delineate my days at BLL would be the hardest thing to do as the moments spent there can't actually be conveyed in words. Beaconhouse is a very dominant part of me as I am to an extent associated with it. To begin with, the day I stepped into the school I was agitated, a million faces were around me, some new and some I knew. It felt like I was drowning in a sea with sharks around me, but who would have thought those sharks were going to be my crazy friends soon enough, well I guess that's the foremost thing about “Time” you are never conscious about what might come your way. And so my journey at BLL began, life started to reroute itself and I went along with it. Within no time it felt like home and I began to feel an attachment to it, my urge not to go to school deviated to just be at school. Those warm and sweaty September mornings brought the aroma of meeting your friends after summer vacation, new class, new teachers, new books and everything else. The idea of lunch break around the corner made us even hungrier and that spicy feeling of beating your own friend in a race was amazing at that time. Pretending to be focused on the lecture and instead passing notes or talking through eyes was the coolest thing until the teacher asked you to come and solve the trickiest question on the board in front of all those laughing and naughty eyes. Sitting somewhere warm with our hands tucked in the pockets of our blazers during January mornings brought joy. The cold winds making us tremble while playing games on the field. All these little bits of life will always act like a shining star during the dark days of our lives. Imagining life without BLL is beyond the boundaries of possibility, every second that I was in BLL was something new for me, every morning felt like a new beginning because I was flourishing in the midst of all those hardships. Every teacher who entered my life just didn't teach me the lessons of life but made me vigorous enough to step into the cruel world and fight for myself. The friends that I made in school will always be my true friends because it was they who introduced me to the world of “Friendship” and no matter where we go there's a part of us that shares something which will never disappear. I can't thank Beaconhouse enough for what it has done to me and for me, what I am today or what I will be is all because of it. One never forgets one's home and so I will never let go the memory of Beaconhouse as it is my home, like a tree it bestowed upon me the shade of knowledge, love, happiness and joy. BLL runs in my blood and it will till the day I die !
“Have some fire. Be unstoppable. Be a force of nature. Be better than anyone here, and don’t give a damn what anyone thinks. There are no teams here, no buddies. You’re on your own. Be on your own”. Dr. Cristina Yang 23
My Legacy at BLL Ammara Hafeez
Ammara completed her O-levels from BLL in 2007, scoring 7A's. She is currently doing her MBBS FROM CMH Lahore. “What on Earth are you guys doing here!?” Miss Sohaila shrieked. OH-NO! We had been caught bunking class again. I knew we should've gone to the back of the other building. Hiding behind the pillar seemed like an ingenious idea at the time. But let me tell you, one should NOT underestimate Miss Sohaila's brat chasing abilities. And six years later, writing an essay titled 'My Legacy at BLL' for the Alumni section leaves me a little amused if I am being totally honest. My time in BLL has been a personal journey. A mixed bag of sorts. From being the shy little girl who got lost twice on her first day of school to being the painfully nerdy girl in 8th grade. Then along came O levels, which seemed like a doorway into a whole new world. I have met the most amazing people and had more fun than I could handle. *chuckles* Who can forget Uncle Afzal's beaming smile and the unlimited human database of each and every student's name stored in his brain. How he managed this, still baffles me. I think it should be classified as a superpower of sorts. But, oh well. It is safe to say that we have had our fair share of troubles with the teachers. But thinking about Miss Rehana's terror on the second floor, Sir Mohammad Ali's insistence on wearing the thickest (and at least a few sizes too large) labcoats, Sir Masood Ahmed's fancy hand writing and ALWAYS bailing our class out of trouble brings a smile to my face. Who can forget our very own Miss Uppal? Drilling history into our minds and making sure we felt the same kind of heartache at Bhutto's death as any other PPP jayaaala. Miss Zakia Rana's oh-soelaborate Urdu tashreeehs. Hunting Sir Sooomro on BLL functions to get our group photos taken; not to mention begging (and successfully receiving) free Math's classes. Mrs. Akbar's never ending disappointment on how 'nalaaaaaik' everyone was. Saleem always bringing bad news to the class And, Miss Asma…well, being Miss Asma. I consider myself rather ordinary to be leaving behind a legacy. I would however, like to take this opportunity to thank all my teachers. In the oddest of ways, they have inspired me to be a better student, and a better person. May Allah bless them all! Ameen!
“There's always going to be bad stuff out there. But here's the amazing thing - light trumps darkness, every time. You stick a candle into the dark, but you can't stick the dark into the light.” Jodi Picoult 24
The Good Old Days Azka Aqeel
Azka did her O'Levels in 2011 securing 8 As, and her A'Levels in 2013 securing 2 As. She is currently studying at LUMS. People say that the years spent in school are the most valuable and memorable of all. But why, I always wondered. What is so special about these moments that make them unforgettable? Today, having moved on to a new life outside school, I realize how the love and affection we get in school is nowhere else to be found. However, it is not only the love that we get but the way the school plays a part in transforming us from shy, immature kids into confident and responsible citizens of the society. BLL has been an integral part of my life. Since I first joined the school in grade 3, I have seen the many changes taking place (the cafeteria building, Gymboree) but the feeling of being home never changed. The most memorable things were the joy of sharing your lunches with friends, sports day and aerobics practices, preparing the soft boards with class teachers, the BOEP trips where you could spend the whole day with friends and teachers, and also bunking classes and finding a place to hide. Most important of all was the experience during O and A levels. The 3 years of O' Levels seemed hard and long at first but it felt as if I had just started my O'Levels the day before the last day of the exams. The friendship that we developed with the teachers was something new, yet joyful. Having completed O'Levels the next step was A'Levels and these 2 years passed by even faster. The craze of participating in events was new this time! First was GEC, then “In Juliet's Garden”, BLKC and so on… The crazy times spent with friends during the practice sessions of these events are unforgettable. The surprise birthdays (even when it was not a surprise!) and dance practices for farewell and welcome parties and what not… All these moments are very close to my heart. It is very funny to note, however, that when in school we could not stop mentioning all the bad things about the school, there's nothing good to eat at the canteen, there's too much favoritism, we always have to get gate passes to go somewhere and so on, but these things seem so stupid when I think about them now. The fact is, we didn't realize the importance of this school until now when we have stepped into the real world. And now that we do realize it, it seems that people are in fact right! School life, no doubt, is the best! So cherish the time that you have in this school and enjoy, but don't forget to study !
“You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life" - Steve Jobs
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Nostalgia Azka Azhar
A star-student, Azka completed her O-levels from BLL in 2011 securing 4A*'s and 6A's. She is currently doing her Bachelors from LUMS. As we grow up we encounter several new events and the older ones are gradually pushed into our unconscious mind. A book is then compiled in our brain with the name called 'memory'. Many a times, the earlier chapters of the book are never read. Perhaps, we don't want to read them, due to their disturbing nature, or maybe we are so busy with our ongoing life that we don't get time to read them. This is exactly what happened to me when I was asked to write something about my school, BLL. BLL constitutes the largest chapter in my memory book, which for two years was never read in detail until now. Just the thought of my school made me realize that time passes so quickly, that we have come so far, and have grown so old. It has been a long nine-year journey and a short nine-year journey. Long because of all the drama and bad homework, the boring readings and early-morning Pakistan Studies classes, and all the other little pitfalls that hit us in school. Short because of the lifelong friendships, the lasting memories, and the truly interesting and amazing things we learned between the occasional bits of drudgery. I still remember my first day of class 3 when I entered this huge red brick building, which I now proudly call my second home. Scared, terrified and carrying the “Barbie trolley bag� (trust me the trolley bag trend is never gonna die :P ) I stepped into my class. From that day onwards began the most beautiful journey of my life. This school has seen my paindoo phase where I fought with my friends over pencils and sharpeners, where I used to show off my new 'Barbie' pencil boxes to my friends to make them jealous, where I wore my embroidered Eid clothes on Eid Milan parties (trust me everyone used to wear them :P ). Then, this school has also seen my transformation where I was turned into a more mature and responsible human being. I have had the most embarrassing experiences, and I have had the most wonderful experiences of my life in this beautiful building. I have experienced being the most favorite student of my teachers and I have also experienced being on the haters list of my teachers. I have experienced what it feels like standing outside the classroom as punishment. I have experienced fights between my best friends over a netball game. I have also experienced what it feels like when you make your teachers proud. Above all, I have experienced the pride of being a Beaconite. The education that I received here shaped how I engage, interpret and act in the world around me. The life experiences that I underwent in BLL contributed greatly to the development of my character, spurned me onto a greater level of independence and ultimately prepared me to deal with life's twists and turns. The relationships that I developed throughout this process will forever be united by this bond of change that marks such an important period in my life. I believe that recollecting memories of school days is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you have, and the things you never want to lose. School days, are undoubtedly, the happiest days in the whole span of human existence. Most of us would agree that the days spent in school are certainly the best days of our lives. It's in school that we make our first friends, compete to excel, hope for places in the sports teams, eat lunch from lunch boxes during break, and learn our first lessons about life. In the end, I would just give you guys a little advice that this time, once gone, will never come back again, so make as many beautiful memories as you can. THIS IS THE BEST PHASE OF YOUR LIFE, ENJOY IT! 26
BLL, My Safe Haven Ridha Tahir
Ridha completed her O'Levels in 2013 securing 6 As. She is currently doing her A-Levels from LGS 1/A-1. Liberty Campus, a place where I spent nine memorable years of my life... A sanctuary where my friends and I played, laughed and learned a lot. My journey started from third grade, and reached its destination when I successfully completed my O levels with a staggering result of 6 A's. Liberty felt like a home away from home. The environment was welcoming and warmed my heart. My teachers not only taught me, but also groomed my personality! My teachers were my source of inspiration. It was my alma mater where I matured and become more confident. It helped me in building up my self-esteem and taught me how to distinguish between right and wrong. Hence, my school prepared me for the real world. In the golden words of Alexander the Great, “I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teachers for living well." Whilst in school, I hated the idea of having to wake up early every morning in order to get to school on time. Now, on the other hand, I'd give anything to have those times back. To hear the shrill peal of the bell, echoing in the corridors, forcing students into their waiting classes. A word of advice dear juniors, no matter how much you hate school, you'll always miss it when you leave. Enjoy it while it lasts. It was when I no longer belonged to this school, that I realized how greatly I miss it. It's ironic to see how we miss things when we don't have them. It's probably just human nature, but whatever it is, all I know is that school life is the easiest and the most enjoyable phase of life. You'll never get these fun filled days back so just make your ordinary moments special. 'Shugal' and 'Masti' should be the motto and we should focus on just having fun. Studying at BLL was the happiest part of my life. I had a life full of joy and happiness with no worries. BLL, my safe haven… Proud to a Beaconite !
“Laugh. Laugh as much as you can. Laugh until you cry. Cry until you laugh. Keep doing it even if people are passing you on the street saying, "I can't tell if that person is laughing or crying, but either way he seems crazy, let's walk faster." Emote. It's okay. It shows you are thinking and feeling.” - Ellen DeGeneres
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Self-Discovery Meher Mehtab
Meher did her O'Levels and A'Levels in 2011 and 2013 respectively. She is currently doing her Bachelors from LSE. I have absolutely no idea what I will write because just as about everything that happens in my life, I have sat down to write this recklessly and unlike the other times, I don't want to regret it later. So, let me narrate a short story to you, a story that taught me what self-discovery feels like and how it happens, but a bit late or maybe never. This story is about a girl, not very different from you or me. It dates back to five years, when the familiar red brick walls of BLL, despite being the same as they are now were very different, that time had something in the air that made the girl, who we will now refer to as X, feel that everything will be fine, that everything is going to be perfect like the past she had lived through. Just like all her fellow friends and batch mates, X had high hopes, dreams and a staunch will to achieve all her plans. She had been warned and told that from this day onwards, her life would change. She was supposed to grow up and face challenges, make decisions for herself (this reminds of a Barney Stinson quote I recently came across, “A few decisions are both easy and important”) to avoid procrastination. Sometimes, life is about listening to advice and learning the hard way, because at the end of the day, your life is marked by the experiences; bitter or sweet. It's marked by your mistakes and your achievements. However, at times this is misunderstood, just as X did. She breezed through these years hoping that even if pieces were falling apart they would come together eventually, assuming that time would heal all wounds; but sadly enough her digression led to nothing and at the end of her high school she learned that life will not serve itself to you, you have to get up to get it, you have to wake up to realize the dream. That ladies, was the first lesson learned by X at a tender age, something many of us haven't learned yet. Years passed with X sulking in self -pity and misery, recovering from the past blows only to fall into another abyss when eventually she recognized what had been missing in her life all along, it was the calm, the peace, the spirituality that people look for like Rumi, in The Script's songs (trust me this happens) when actually, it's in built in all of us and that it's not so hard to bring out. Discovering this peace and calm that she had just found she realized that she would only be a loser if she wouldn't get up again, that it doesn't matter how many letter grades she carries on a colourful page because if she cannot smile at the world there's absolutely no reason for the world to smile at her and with this lesson, she faced everything with the energy and the spirit that many lacked and X was human again, a happy human being. This does not mean you stop working hard. Do that, because it would have been awesome having I don't know what, 20 A's? It would have also been awesome studying at Harvard. Anyway, point being work hard and accept these little bonuses (pun intended) that life throws at you but just because you can't have everything in life does mean you can't make the most of it. Life is short but it's wonderful. Make peace with it. “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” 28
The Bliss At BLL Minahil Tariq
Minahil did her O'Levels in 2013, securing 7 As'. She is currently doing her A-Levels from LGS Defence. Unlike most of the current or past students in Beaconhouse Liberty I had not been in the school previously, I had been an outcast since the very beginning. Moving to a different school in the beginning of my O'levels was rough, as I never really wanted to move. I was just a shy quiet girl, sitting at the back of the class, barely talking, and always writing in a notebook or reading a book. From the beginning I wasn't a part of any of the groups, the rest of my fellow classmates had known each other since their early days at the Les Anges Montessori whereas I had just joined and knew no one except the girl I sat next to. My journey at Liberty has been quite a tremendous one, despite having only spent three years at the school, I grew to love everything I had originally hated and despised. Someone once told me that the friends and memories I would make in my O'levels would always stay with me, at that time I ignored her and told her I couldn't possibly enjoy this time. During my second year of O levels, I had grown fond of the school and I was learning to adjust, but even then I looked forward to the day I would leave. Most of eleventh grade is spent studying, or staying at home, but in my case, I remember eleventh grade by all the time spent singing random songs during free periods, the buzzing in the cafeteria, the sound of Afzal Uncle's voice on the loud speaker at home time, Uncle Saleem's death glare when you needed something, the overwhelming panic that overcomes you standing outside Miss Rehana's office, the panic attacks before Mid Year exams when you run from class to class to try to soak up a little extra knowledge. Liberty truly is one of a kind! I never imagined myself talking about how much I miss it, but here I am just six months later, already missing everything about the red brick building. Its not just the boredom during Monday assemblies, the enthusiasm during school elections- racing up and down the floors screaming your friend's name, the shoving and pushing during break, hanging out around Gymboree to use their free Wi-Fi, giggling and completing work during library periods, touching equipment and chemicals in the lab or even the stupid class fights that happened oh so often. It's the sight of uncle Saleem wiping clean our tables early in the morning, and sitting down on those uncomfortable blue chairs and tables that we would carve innumerable things onto, watching the class fill up and realizing that no matter what had happened the day before, Liberty offered us a clean slate, a place to make memories to last a lifetime. I now currently study in a different school, but every day when I walk into my class, I see my old classrooms flash before me and a faint smile appears on my face, because no matter how many more “Beaconites” sit in the same chairs as I did and they study the same things I once did, I know that no matter what happens I can return to Liberty and it would welcome me with open arms. I'll always remember trying to control my laughter during Mrs. Najma's Biology classes, trying desperately to stay awake during Physics, and even Ms. Nazia's Chemistry lessons. I wish I had had more time to say my goodbyes, but to be honest I don't know if I'll ever truly be able to move on from my brief time at Liberty. For anyone reading this, I'm warning you now; no amount of time will ever be enough, so spend your time in Liberty wisely. Like my friend Zeelaf once said to me when last year's Mosaic came out: “You gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like its heaven on Earth” - William W. Purkey. 29
Confessions of a True BLL-ite Saman Zahid
Saman completed her O-levels in 2007 and A-levels in 2009 from BLL. She is currently doing her Bachelors from FC College. Being in my final year of BSc, I realize now how precious those times were at school. You can never really get those back. Even as you move forward in life, the more success you achieve, you realize that that was where it all began. Those were the blissful moments in school; passed leisurely goofing around with not a care in the world. Yes, you guys might disagree with me on that…but trust me on this, you don't. Somehow, I still remember the first day I came to BLL. It was a dark, rainy August day, and I felt as lost as ever. I distinctly remember those gloomy yellow lights being on in the halls, and getting the feeling of being so small in such a big world. With this half wet white frock and a blue sash on it, I trotted towards the building, no idea whatsoever where I was headed. Honestly speaking, I was as scared as hell. Coming from a small branch to BLL was a huge change for me. We got to be the first batch of Class 3 in BLL, before that it had classes only after 5th grade. Anyways, from there began a journey; a journey that I will carry as a shadow with me for the rest of my life. I believe that it is those early years of education that frame who you are, and what person you're going to be for the rest of your life. This was the time that instilled in me values that have dug deep holes in me. It's something I cannot part with and I value it more than ever. Time passed slowly, as I moved from one grade to the next and yet it actually passed so quickly. It almost seems like a dream now. I made the best of friends and lost some. I grew up. I learned that promises aren't always kept, and friends don't actually stay with you for the rest of your life. They move on, and so do you. There were times I believed that I had lost everyone, and now I realize that it was in those times that I found the truest of friends. I passed through the stage of wanting to be in the 'in crowd', and wanting to be accepted by my peers – for which maybe I tried changing myself drastically. But that didn't make me happy at all. I kept drowning in that 'it' crowd. It was finally when I realized that I couldn't be like them that I realized that I didn't need to be. I was perfect in being who I was, and the right people would come to me. People who would accept me for who I am, and not who I pretended to be. And I think that was the most important thing I learned in school. Being comfortable with who I am, and being happy about it. After all this time, the only advice I can really give you guys is to cherish these moments as much as you can. Because believe me when I say this, there is no place like school. And most importantly, the friends you meet there frame who you are, and you'll never be able to find those kind of friends again after that. For me, BLL was this safe haven, and I'll carry it in my heart for the rest of my life.
“Come on! Think of Miandad hitting that six off Sharma. If he could do that, you can do this.” Kartography 30
My Days At BLL... Shifa Ahmad
Shifa did her Matriculation with an A+ grade in 2012. She is currently studying pre-engineering from Kinnaird College. I stepped inside the school premises on a chilly January morning and glanced up at the majestic, red brick building standing before me. I had transferred from Beaconhouse Karachi to BLL. It was a fresh start, a new beginning, the start of a wonderful and memorable journey indeed. I was taken to the principal's office and was allotted my section. They took me to class VII-E. I was very nervous and my nervousness was increasing drastically at every step I took. I was constantly thinking about my classmates, my teachers. Would they like me? Would they think I'm weird? All my answers were answered as soon as I entered the classroom. I remember my class teacher, Ms. Ambreen Arsalan, whose warm smile and motherly care made me feel as if I was at home. It took me a very short time to bond with my classmates and teachers. Going on an excursion was a delightful way of making a thousand memories on a single day. The standout field trip was the trip to Lahore Fort which was an experience filled with memorable moments. I remember how we celebrated the end of our final examination. We had water balloon fights, followed by mud fights and then a scrumptious KFC zinger burger. My friends and I have done many fun and crazy things during our time at BLL. Grade 8th was a fun-filled year with basketball and netball matches, bonfires, carnivals and much more. The end of grade VIII was depressing because nearly all my friends opted for O levels and I went for Matriculation. Matric was a totally different yet amazing experience. The devotion of Ms. Afshan and Ms. Anjum to their subjects is incomparable. The affection and care of the respectable Ms. Talat was always heartwarming. Sir Masood was the most dedicated Mathematics teacher I had ever seen. I owe him for my 100% result in Mathematics. Equivalent gratitude is owed to Miss May Simon and Miss Wizrana Rashid. The person I am today and all the success I've achieved, I owe it to all my teachers at BLL. Reaching Kinnaird had always been my dream and my teachers helped me to achieve that goal. From the tortuous examinations to the happiness of the amazing result, the farewell to the carnivals, the declamation contests to the basket ball matches, the graduation ceremony and the prize distribution ceremonies; it has been an epic journey indeed. No matter where you go, the best part of your academic life is your school life. BLL has given me many beautiful memories that I will cherish till my last breath. Friendships that will go on for a life time and the hope and confidence that will help me face any obstacle in life. BLL gives its students a strong foundation which helps them to stand out from the rest because of their values and hard work. I was very lucky to be a part of BLL. You are too! Make the best of it !
“Laughter is poison to fear.� George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones 31
Reminiscing Tanya Khan
Tanya completed her O-levels in 2007 and A-levels in 2009 from BLL. She did her Bachelors in Political Science from LSE. It seems as if it was just yesterday when I walked through the brown gates of Beaconhouse Liberty Campus and up the stairs of Akram Block, towards my first class of the day. The thought of having to walk in late while Mrs. Akbar was taking the attendance for the day was enough to wake me up at the crack of dawn and make sure I was well seated in the class room before that blue register was opened up and the thirty names were read off the roster. Given how petrified we were of our class teacher, we made sure every syllable of "Present, Miss" was enunciated with great care. As the day progressed, it became easier and easier for our minds to wander off and let us sit in a stupor while the teachers drawled on about supply and demand curves, double entries, the impossible to remember Morley Minto reforms and other important topics which for the life of me I cannot recall at the moment. One particularly hilarious incident I remember quite vividly is when my friend, Anam was sitting right at the front of the class; listening to Mrs. Akbar's lecture. For some reason, she dared to lose focus and with her chin resting on the palm of her hand, fell asleep. As I am sure you can imagine, what followed was memorable. While Anam peacefully dozed off, Mrs. Akbar pointed her out to us and changed the subject of discussion to how children had no respect for education anymore. As she finished with her little sermon, she snapped at Anam who almost fell off her chair. She was made to wash her face and read out from the text book for the entire period. That was the last time anyone dared to even blink slowly. During recess, I remember sitting on the stairs and listening to my friends and chatting about how our lives revolved only around marks and grades. The only thing we were worried about was the samosas running out in the cafeteria or the Chinese food van cancelling its trip and sucking out all the joy from the most anticipated day of the week. Today, as I sit here and reminisce about that time, I realize what big fools we were. As unbelievable as this may sound to you right now, our teachers are not out with pitchforks to get us. It is this time that will lay the foundation for your future which is why you need to make sure that whatever you put in, is the best of what you have got. Once that pale yellow report card from the British Council arrives, that is it. There's no magic ink which will fill in the grades of your liking and you will be stuck with what you have (or have not) worked for. My dearest juniors, consider yourself warned. Open your eyes and ears in class in fear of that permanent yellow paper (and Mrs. Akbar).
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” John Lennon 32
Alma Mater Tanya Imran
Tanya did her O'Levels in 2004 securing 8 A's and A levels in 2006 securing 3 A's. She went to LSE and completed Bachelors on a full scholarship. She is the owner of the Arcadian CafĂŠ. My Mother was a full time teacher at Beaconhouse Garden town, a decision she had not made lightly, having four kids to nurture. But here is the thing, she not only had to nurture us, but was also the sole breadwinner for the family. Given the way things were, she was often late in picking my sister and I from Liberty Campus. This is the universal plight of children whose mothers are teaching; being the first to come and the last to leave. One day, when I was in the fifth grade I was loitering in the school premises, it was close to 3 pm, and I didn't mind having to stay late. The school was nearly empty, it was lush and large. Given an eleven year olds imagination, there were numerous possibilities. From being Peter Pan or that nerdy kid from Ainak Wala Jin, the potential was endless! I distinctly remember this day, it was cold and I was playing a precarious balancing game on an old wooden ladder that lay horizontal in the alley way. I could peer through the windows of the basement classrooms, being sullenly impressed by the senior girls' ability to make so much better soft boards. As I maintained my fine balance, an odd, almost implausible idea struck me, that if one day, years from now I could come back here, to this exact same place as an adult, my best friends and I, what would we do? I remember playing this imaginary game for a while, made up dialogues for Annam and Sana and made a merry little time of it. I still think of that day, my friends have relocated to other cities, other countries, but we always make plans to visit Liberty Campus. The school is a part of us. Don't get me wrong, I hated school. I detested it. I abhorred it. I hated waking up in the morning, I hated eating breakfast, and I hated some of my teachers too! But the truth is, once school is over you want nothing more than to go back to that place. It's the place where you belong, it will remain a part of you long after your crisp new books have become hand me downs for younger cousins, made their way to old book shops and finally ended up as, for lack of a better word, "raddi" Although the idea of being a grown up seemed almost ridiculous all those years ago, it did happen. It's inevitable, but one thing has not changed in all these years, and for this I am eternally in debt to my school, my friends. They have stayed with me all this time. I am grateful to this school for turning out some of the best human beings I have come across, people with honesty, loyalty, integrity, and above all humility. There is a quote that's circulating as a popular status update on Facebook, “Good husbands are like inspiring teachers, hard to find." I came across this quote, found it funny. But then it got me thinking. Were we truly some kind of outliers? Were the kind of teachers we had some six sigma happening?
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I think not, you can hate them, call them by almost disturbing nicknames, but eventually you will learn to respect, love and most surprising of all, miss them. I recently went to school and saw a group of young girls sitting around playfully pushing and shoving each other, making apparently the funniest jokes- and if memory serves me well, these are probably jibes about a boy one(or more) of them have a crush on- I missed those times, almost with a painful intensity. This nostalgia is always bitter sweet because on the up side, it does end up in long sessions of reconnecting with your oldest friends over whatsapp or the likes, and making rudimentary plans for meeting up. More often than not, these plans never see the light of day, but it keeps us in touch. Last year I had the opportunity to teach at Beaconhouse Garden Town. I was thoroughly impressed with the integration of technology in the system, with biometric devices to record attendance and podcasts for teacher training sessions and what not. It was all quite fancy, however, the real reason for having a truly fulfilling experience (albeit, at times completely exhausting and exasperating) was that once again the same system gave me the chance to meet some remarkable individuals. It was then that another thing dawned upon me, although my mother did her best to shield us from the financial meltdown we were having at home, I never realized if it weren't for a teacher friendly policy at Beaconhouse, I would not have had the opportunity to study at this fine school that has taught me so many life lessons, without putting our family in long term debt. The truth is, most teachers do not come from affluent families and it gives you a peaceful night's sleep knowing that your children are getting the best education. As a product of this school, I can safely say that my life has become better. My mother's struggles did pay off. Not only was I rewarded with a hundred percent merit scholarship for my A Level's, slowly but surely, my mother climbed up the ladder too. This is a value my school has instilled in me, because I've seen it first hand, the climb to success is slow but sure, and hard work is never wasted. My school taught me a lot of things when I was a child, and years later when I went back as a teacher, I learnt that I was still a student. My students taught me so much. I relearned the beauty of "just winging it". I was reminded of my own ambition, my own indomitable spirit and unbreakable resolve. Through the years I had become cynical and somewhat unhappy, but being in contact with these boys reminded me that I too, had once thought of this world as a place of endless opportunity and wonder, why become cynical? Why learn to fear failure? I will forever be grateful to my Alma mater, BLL, for the lessons it taught me, but above all for being the place in my heart where I can always go and be reminded of what it was like to have the wonder of a child.
“Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.� Marthe Troly-Curtin, 34
Back to BLL Zeelaf Butt
Zeelaf did her O'Levels in 2013 and secured 7 As'. She is currently doing FSc pre-Medical from Lahore College for Women University. “I am an alum people! You better show some respect now.” This was the very first thing I said to my friend after I got Rida's message. I had to write an article for the last time in Mosaic. Sigh… finally. Thought you'd never ask. However, once I pick up the pen, my hand freezes. How can I write a journey of a lifetime in a few words? In a few words, describe all the memories I gathered, all the friends I made, some remembered, and some forgotten. Now writing for the alumni section, I don't know where to begin. All I know is my heart lies in BLL, treasuring each day spent with my teachers and my friends. No matter where I go, a piece of my heart stays with BLL. For me BLL is home. I have seen BLL grow and I have grown with it. Nine years spent there and I remember everything; from our very first canteen, with one cranky old uncle yelling at us to get in line, to the old, slippery court with red tiles. And of course, the evolution of our 5-star (as we have been so often reminded) canteen. I remember our music lessons with the sir whose-name-I-still-don'tknow. The times when opening Barbie.com in IT labs was an adventure on its own. Also, the petty fights and “oh-no-she-didn't” incidents. Now when I look back, I'm like, “Whoa, did I really do that? Did I really fight with another section over a throw ball match? Did we really blame the other section for stealing our brilliant idea for window decorations? Copycats!”. Thinking about all this makes me laugh and feel weirdly possessive of my childhood. But then obviously, if we hadn't been that before, we would never be us right now. We were newly born butterflies and BLL was our cocoon. I have shed the cocoon now and grown wings but the sweet nostalgia of home still tugs at my heart, like a siren call and I'm not able to resist going back; back to the ever smiling and ageless face of Afzal uncle (aka Guard Uncle), back to my evergreen teachers who molded my character, back to bahir walay washrooms, which were our favourite hangout spots, back to the tree where me and my friend carved our names, back to Miss Rehana's lair... Back to school. Back to BLL. In the end, I know my tomorrow, my future, is a college life followed by university. But my yesterday was my absolutely care-free childhood in BLL. It was me growing up. And if time could be reversed, I'd trade all my tomorrows for a single yesterday. Alas! Time never recedes, for time treads in only one direction and at the end of the day, it's just those pleasant and so nostalgic memories of the by-gone days that I'm left to cherish. BLL is my home. BLL is my Shire.
“Now that I have opened that bottle of memories they're pouring out like wine, crimson and bittersweet.” Ellen Hopkins 35
Down Memory Lane Izza Aftab
Izza did her O'Levels' and A'Levels' in 2003 and 2005 respectively. She is currently doing her Ph.D. in Economics from the New School in New York. I spent more than a decade at Liberty. Unquestioningly, it was the most formative decade of my life. That decade has made me the woman I am today. My stay at Liberty instilled in me the discipline and determination to attain almost anything I set my mind to. I always enjoyed being at Liberty but as I finished college, I began to realize the importance of Liberty. It was something beyond missing the red-bricked towering structure, the community that populated Liberty, the ever warm smile of Afzal Khan, the guard at the main gate. The importance of Liberty lay in the lessons she taught me and countless others. The importance lay in the person Liberty foresaw you could become and how she changed her approach to make you the best you could be. Liberty sowed the seeds of curiosity in my thoughts. The structured academic layout gave me the patience to work hard and accept failure as the stepping stone to success. I remember thinking I was petrified of almost all the faculty members in the Senior Section. I know now, that it wasn't fear. It was recognition of their faith in me and expectations from me. As a young girl it overwhelmed me into believing it was fear rather than what it really was. To that end, girls from Liberty are perhaps the luckiest girls in the city of Lahore, if not in the country. I believe this because they are exposed to the perfect balance that the majority of other schools aspire for. Of course academics took the center stage, but looking back now I can identify Liberty was as concerned with turning us into thoughtful and respectful citizens of the global community. I am writing this sitting not in Liberty's library or the rich grounds, as I wish, rather I am writing this sitting miles, continents and oceans away from Liberty in New York City. I am where I am today because of Liberty. This is a fact I am extremely proud of. I wouldn't want to be defined by any other school. To all the young ladies of Liberty reading this, I will leave you with this piece of unsolicited advice: Take things in a stride; abide by what Liberty asks you to, you will not regret it, although it might seem challenging today; be kind to your friends, yourself and most importantly, be kind to the junior staff; trust in your abilities; and lastly, have fun. These are the best years of your life. Groom yourself to be prepared to deal with the challenges life poses, trust me you are at the best place to do as much. “Strive to seek the light, explore and scale the heights, not afraid to try and try‌till you attain the place up high.â€? 36
Stories
There is no doubt fiction makes a better job of the truth – Doris Lessing
1001 Boats Anoosha Sajid, Sara Abbas, Shanzay Mazhar and Mariam Ali IXC-A
She was a seven year old girl when he first saw her. Wearing a dirty white dress and muddy sneakers with a bruised cheek and scratches running across her thin arms. And yet he had never seen anyone more beautiful. They spent the entire evening playing together and at that moment he knew she was special. Time passed and that promise still remained intact. That was until they turned 13 when a massacre took place. He lost everything that day. His heart died along with his family. He wiped the memory of the girl he promised himself he would marry someday but even though he lost her, she didn't lose him. Deep down even he knew that it was impossible to forget Alexis, the girl of his dreams. He saw her again but this time, he felt her press something into his hand. Aaron looked down disinterestedly to find a boat resting on his palm. Looking up he met the eyes of a tear-stained girl. She ran away before he could say anything leaving him no choice but to keep the paper-boat. He was 15 years old when he received her 168th paper-boat. She was smiling at him, hiding the pain. Just to make her stop bothering him, he took the paper-boat and shoved it into his pocket. It was December when he received her 354th paper boat. He was walking home while thinking why Alexis even gave him paper boats. Definitely, a paper boat was not something to value. But If they were something of no value, then why had he even bothered to keep them all these years? When he was 18, she gave him her 698th paper-boat. Nothing changed. He was still a cold young man. She was still a cheery young woman. They said opposites attract. But there was always an exception to that rule. That year, she was dating Elliot. She gave him the 887th boat when they turned 19. She didn't stop giving him paper-boats even though she was engaged to Elliot. The day before her wedding, he received his 999th paper-boat. "Guess this will be the last," he had said in a monotone. She left a devastated Aaron at the door, killing him inside in the process. An hour before the wedding she held something out to him. …finally. The very last. "…you know I never did ask for a 1000 paper-boats but...you never stopped" “I know I should have stopped a long time ago. But my hands…" she looked down to her hands. "I couldn't stop folding. Not until I... reached 1000." She stared up to him. His gaze met hers. "and you never told me why." She smiled weakly. "It's just…" He wished for a good reason. Something. Please, say it's for a reason. Say it meant something. Don't say— " …a hobby." His hand twitched to crush the origami. A hobby? The last paper-boat was crushed before her eyes. Her eyes widened in shock.
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"It would not…" his voice slightly cracked. "…hurt. After all, like you said," she searched his eyes but his long bangs hid them from view. "…it's just a hobby." She bravely held back her tears. The door was slammed shut in her face. He sat on the grass. In front of him was a round lake, sprinkled with pink petals. Across the lake were Alexis's 1000 paper-boats, floating, sailing… Those were paper-boats, They were supposed to be on water. "It's time to let go." He stood up and left. He walked with his fists inside his pockets and was joined by Niall. "Do you know why Alexis gave you a paper-boat almost every day of your life?" He stopped. Niall crossed his arms. "I asked her once." He was eyed with interest by Aaron. "She said…" It's my way of conveying my message to Aaron” His dark eyes widened. "It isn't just a hobby. Most of all, it isn't just a paper-boat…" He ran. Back to his house, back to the lake… Frowning, he crouched, reached down to the lake and picked up the nearest paper-boat. He growled. Careful not to tear it since it was already wet in the center, he undid the fold. His hands trembled. "It can't be…" … “I love you, Aaron.” …. He sat there surrounded by a puddle of his own tears for nothing could be done now. She was married. The paper flew down back into the pond and sank to the bottom of the lake just like his tears. The ink from the paper smudged because of the water leaving a stain on the piece of paper and also on his heart.
“I'm in love with you," he said quietly. "Augustus," I said. "I am," he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.” John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
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A Lesson for Life Fatima Syed XC-B
It was completely dark outside. The stillness and sorcery in the air was disconcerting. Not even a single leaf moved. The trees were motionless as if the eerie darkness had sucked the life out of them but this could not reduce the summer heat. The only good thing was the absence of the king of scorching hell-fire, the mighty sun. Instead, there was a white, milky crescent of the moon. The sky was clear but depicted a strange gloominess. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead as she struggled with her Apple IPhone 4S and a box with a crispy cheese burger in her right hand. Her most prized possession, a green, glossy and glittery Gucci bag containing all kinds of important documents slung from her shoulder as she walked along. She could barely make her way down the uneven path on her four-inch Jimmy Choo heels. The brand claimed that they were made of the finest leather and were perhaps, the most comfortable pair of heels ever made but her pinching toes suggested otherwise. Too busy wiping off the mascara or probably, the red lipstick that had smudged over her perfectly contoured cheek, she did not notice the faint laughter emerging from the alley. It was not until she turned around that she caught sight of the two men approaching her. They were followed by another group of about five queer looking men. They grinned at her and rushed forward before she could scream... Her heart pounded against her chest and she secretly cursed herself for coming alone. She was perspiring heavily and her throat had gone dry. “What have you got in the bag?” asked the man in the bright yellow cap and equally yellow teeth. Despite all her efforts, she couldn't say a word. “Damn it!” he yelled and grabbed her purse. Tears welled in her eyes and she held her breath. Suddenly mustering up courage, she yanked at the bag and started screaming. Soon, people who heard her screams began emerging from the tiny apartments along the street. She started running and the men followed her. They knew it was hopeless running after her because she was approaching the main street. She had kicked off her heels and ran even faster. Out of contempt, one of the men reached into his pockets and pulled out a gun. He aimed at her leg and took a shot. Pain shot up her leg as she fell to the ground. The men scurried away as she lay in a pool of her own blood. Sara screamed with all her might, begging for help and people rushed from nearby houses to help her. It was two years since that horrible incident. The bullet hole in her leg had long since healed but the memory of the incident was etched in her mind. Sara still hadn't retrieved full function of her right leg but that had not slowed her down. Once a spoilt brat, she had now become an active social worker. She had realized that there was more to life than just luxuries and parties. If the people in the street had not saved her that day, she could have bled to death lying there. She had realized the need of helping others, and that had been a lesson for life...
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A Life for a Life Khola Jamshed XC-B
The beeping of the phone sent vibrating chills through my body. Barely aware of the ringing object in my hand, I half-mindedly, almost as a reflex action put the phone to my ear. I was unsure whether my heart had slowed down or time sped up. One week ago, I had received a congratulatory call about the same man, Asim Waheed, the notorious criminal mastermind infamous for manipulating politicians like puppets. He had finally been captured, after a day long operation which resulted in the safe retrieval of a politician's daughter. As deputy in charge of the operation, I had considered this victory perhaps the greatest of my life, never could I have imagined that it would come back to haunt me. Now his men had taken one of our own men hostage and would release him only when we agreed to free Asim. A life for a life. Which was more important, to protect the innocent or punish the wicked? I knew that by the end of this call, a decision would have to be made. “Inform me of the situation immediately!” The ability to form words escaped me; I took a deep breath and forced the words out. I told my head about the circumstances, save an innocent or punish a deserving criminal. As I spoke, the flashing red and blue lights made my head whirl. I heard the Captain's breath stop, in that moment I was relieved I had not received the promotion. I could not have sat in a seat and made a choice which would decide the fate of a man. No one man should have the power of someone's life in his hand, somehow we are given the same power we try to prevent people having when we take the oath to protect our people. I knew that my comrades were waiting for orders, if we stalled anymore it would become a losing situation. Then, all that seemed like a hazy memory and only the words of my Captain echoed in my ears. I had memorized them in training but only now had I understood what they meant, no victory came without sacrifice. He recited the oath I had taken which testified that the sacrifice of one man is nothing in front of justice and the greater good. Right now that was all the answer I got, unfortunately it was all the answer I needed. The world zoomed in again as I stood outside the group's location and tried to comprehend that inside was a man with a gun to his head, waiting. “What is it going to be sir?” I did not need words to communicate my decision to my men, because then we all spoke the same language, a language that reflected our mutual fear and pain. “Positions….. Move in.” We stormed into the building; I will never forget the gunfire that embraced my ears, my mind's refusal to accept the consequences of my actions. It was not until I saw Javed lying in a pool of blood, his eyes becoming vacant that I felt the ground shift beneath my feet. The seconds seemed to drag on, the bang, the blood and the darkness. Lesson number: 'be alert'! A nagging sensation at the back of my mind was forcing me towards reality when I would rather be lost. By the time the gunfire died down and my eyes adjusted to the light of the torches, they were already gone but they had left their mark. I stepped out, guilt tearing at me for the family I had just watched torn apart, unhinged. I was glad it was not me, not the one with the gun to my head. Maybe I was worse because in all fairness, I had pulled the trigger that ended a life.
“Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right.” J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 40
A Travel That Had To End Haleema Amir IXC-E
“No... This cannot have happened. I cannot be dead...No!” I opened my eyes, and droplets of sweat trickled down my neck. It was just a dream. I sighed with relief. Scrunching my eyes, I got out of bed. It was late in the afternoon when I woke up. My phone was buzzing with messages from my friends all wanting to meet up for coffee. After finalizing the plan, I walked towards the bathroom. The ice-cold marble pinched my feet but I was used to it. I rubbed my eyes and looked into the mirror. Images of my dream flashed into my mind, but I repeatedly ignored them and focused on getting dressed. I changed into my Nike T-shirt, Levis jeans and slipped on my Converse. After setting my hair into a deliberate mess, I slipped on my Armani shades and the indispensable Rolex that had been my birthday present. The house was eerily silent. As I walked by the lounge, I caught sight of my mother sitting by the window in one of her custom-made designer dresses and the artfully applied make-up. She looked at me and asked, “Going somewhere?” in her typical sweet, yet sharp tone. “Lunch with friends”, I replied. She nodded in approval, as if I needed one. I walked outside and the bright sunny day greeted me. The chirping of the birds and my maid's awful songs were the only audible sounds. I took the keys and unlocked my brand new BMW. I sat in the car, inhaling the smell of the leather upholstery. Adjusting the rear view mirror, I stepped on the gas and the beats roared to life. A smirk instantly spread across my face as I drove the car and popped a Marlboro light. Listening to 'Forever Young', I thought this is life. I have it all, and everything is perfect. I took another puff of the cigarette, driving on the smooth roads, making my way to the Blue Area. Red Light. As the cars stopped around me, I could not help but pity them for not having a life as perfect as mine. Those poor people drove the average Hondas and Toyotas while I cruised in my 7 series. Oh well... As I saw the green light emerge, I drove on..... Wait What? Go back you idiot! Oh no! Blackout... I couldn't feel anything. Where was I? Was I dead? No, I could hear my mother, crying. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my thorax, after which I saw a white light which got brighter and brighter...“It's time”, I heard a strong male voice. What? Time for what? My grip started to loosen and blackness enveloped me. “Salman! No! God help” was all I heard from my mother. Later in the night, Salman was buried in the graveyard of Islamabad. The single crash had finished it all. After all, it was just a journey that had to end...
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Be Yourself Alina Husnain IXC-A
"Are you ready yet?'' Mum yelled from downstairs. "Yes!" I replied as I tied my sneakers and took a deep breath as I looked at myself in the mirror. Today was the day of the basketball tournament. I ran downstairs and sat in my car where mum was waiting for me. I had never wanted to play basketball but that was what mum had wanted me to do. She wanted me to play basketball just like she did when she was my age. I was labelled the obedient one out of all my siblings. I lived up to the title by doing whatever mum wanted me to do. I applied for a scholarship to the medical college she wanted me to attend to study dentistry. What I really wanted to do was pursue a career in arts. I wanted to study fine arts but my parents never took arts seriously, they would rather I become a dentist and that is what I would do, I did not want to damage the relationship I had with my parents and cause conflict between us, I would rather spend my life the way they wanted me to and as they say, 'Our parents know best'. Mum seemed more excited about this tournament than I was. I had been selected to participate in the intra-regional art competition being held at my school, but I did not want to disappoint my parents. I had lived my life being told what to do and I had accepted the fact that it was in my nature to listen to other people and put their wishes before mine. We reached the gymnasium on time and being the captain, I had to lead my team into the arena, I shook hands with the captain of the opposing team and the referee blew his whistle to mark the start of the game. We played very well but we tied. I had the ball in my hands and with thirty seconds remaining I looked out at the bleachers and saw my mother yelling how proud she was of me. I was reminded of how I was pushed by her and how I never wanted to play this game in the first place. I was reminded of how much I disliked this game and how I would rather participate in the art competition taking place at my school and make my mother proud by doing what I wanted, by being myself and not what everyone else wanted me to be. I was tired of being pushed around and bullied into doing things for others and being someone I was not; I looked at my coach yelling to score and at that moment I realized what I wanted most, to be myself. At that moment the whole world around me seemed clearer, I decided to drop the ball. I ran out of the gymnasium towards my school building and told my teacher I would participate in the art competition. My painting won and I went to my mother waiting for me outside with a proud smile on my face. She asked me why I had run out and told me how disappointed she was. I told her that I was tired of being someone that I was not and explained to her everything that I felt. She told me that she thought I loved basketball and that I should have told her what I wanted, she told me she would always be proud of me even if I went against her wishes and became the person I wanted to be.
“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.� George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones
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Hope Noor Fatima Chaudhry AI-C
I had never seen such genuine pleasure on the face of a person before. Happiness, in its true sense, was visible to me from the very first time. The glow on her face was perhaps, brighter than the stars themselves for an instant. The wrinkles on her aged skin seemed to soften up when her seemingly permanent frown transformed into a soft smile. Yes, Bibi Fakhira had smiled! Slowly, but steadily, tears had welled up in those empty eyes that had dried up owing to years of hardships. These tears, unlike those I would see in the eyes of these people every day, had an odd sense of hope in them. They glistened and shone as the sun struck them in the corners of her eyes and rolled down the contours of her slender face in a trail. Bibi Fakhira, a woman who had been known for being practically emotionless, had overwhelmingly, shown us all the true meaning of happiness and hope in a matter of a few seconds. Since the two years I had been working at the center for Rehabilitation and Recovery of Physical Ailments, this was the very first case I had managed to make real progress in. As a doctor and friend of every patient I dealt with daily, we had become a close-knit family. Bibi Fakhira had been accompanying her son, Karim, for his check-ups and physical therapy sessions every day for the past six years. She had gone through the difficult phase of a divorce for the sole reason that she had given birth to a disabled child and was the only care-taker of her four children. Despite going through financial crises over the years, the woman had been determined to break-through her son's ailment and had fought tooth and nail for her cause. And today, all her hard work had paid off... Karim had taken his first steps! Bibi Fakhira, Hamad- the assistant and I, all watched in awe as Karim jerkingly, extended his legs out of the wheelchair and rested his weight on his own feet. The world seemed to have come to a halt for a moment as he approached his very first, independent footstep. My senior doctors had often described the feeling of contentment they felt when they managed to make a break-through with their patients but, nothing, absolutely nothing, could have prepared me for this moment. I was still unaware as to what had been the real cause of my elated feelings; success with Karim's case, happiness for Karim, or watching Bibi Fakhira watch her life return in front of her eyes. I managed to conclude that each of these things had been significantly important to me. This single moment had given me enough hope to last me a life time. If there was anything I learnt from it, it was the fact that nobody could be happier at a child's success than a mother. At a time when her entire family struggled to find shelter, Bibi Fakhira had invested all her resources into Karim's treatment. She had seen the despair in her family's eyes as all their savings were drained. But this day, today, had paid it off!
“To all those broken or hopeless, I have learned this: Be grateful for every single person who was part of your story. The ones that hurt you. The ones that helped you. The ones that came, and the ones that left. They all taught you. Don’t think for a moment that any of it was random. There are no oversights with God. Only perfectly crafted chapters in each unique journey�. - Yasmin Mogahed 43
Ignited Ushna Sajjad XIC-B
I looked at him, not quite with contempt, not quite with adoration. His hair was a rich brown, dark yet not quite black like mine. He was adequately slim and had a toned figure. He was taller than me by no more than half a foot. His jeans were the darkest shade of blue and to my relief, straightlegged. Skinny jeans on boys screamed gay. Clad in a dark green T-shirt, he was undeniably the epitome of handsomeness. How my parents had managed to find a family of a social class much higher than ours to wed me into, was beyond me? Zaid Khan worked as the vice-president of the corporate sector in an international bank and his father was a retired army brigadier. Mrs. Khan owned a boutique, though the business was mostly handled by her niece. “Saliha, come sit down, honey.” Mrs. Khan patted the seat beside her and I seated myself on the couch as gracefully as I could. Zaid had left the room. I was asked a few questions and a polite talk ensued. I was careful with my words and made certain that my lips never rested and were etched in an ever-present smile. This was the place and one of the many moments where I was to be scrutinized as was my every action. I spoke just enough to not come off as rude but then again, I conversed according to my standards. The adults chatted amongst themselves and I was left alone. I heard a country far off from home being mentioned and I was made conscious of the fact that I would have to leave Pakistan and at least temporarily discard my goal of further education. Zaid's job required him to settle in Zurich, Switzerland. I would have to part from not only my family, which was inevitable, but my homeland as well. Acclimatization did not come to me naturally. I loathed adjusting in any way or any form. In two months' time, I would lose control over so many aspects of life. I would have to…grow up. “Your mother tells me you can play the piano.” The statement was directed towards me. “Yes, Uncle, I learned two years ago. I joined the music society at the university.” I said, my smile still intact as I looked at him. “Well, that's lovely! I hope you'll play for me someday. I used to be a lead guitarist in my university.” Mr. Khan was a man with a loud and cheerful voice. “You were the only guitarist in the university,” Mrs. Khan stated, rolling her eyes flippantly. “Puts me in the lead, doesn't it?” her husband quipped. The room was filled with laughter. I caught sight of my mother and her content expression eased the smile on mine into a genuine one. I was willing to step into a world ever so lavish and oh so distant from my own for her sake. I wanted, no needed, her to be satisfied with the decision she and my father had made for me. Zaid walked into the room then and seated himself next to my father. I noticed how erect his posture was and straightened my own.
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My body suddenly forgot how to perform the functions of inhaling and exhaling when our gazes entangled. His eyes were brown, but a nuance lighter than mine. There was nothing icy about his gaze and although he did not lower it, I did not find it disrespectful as I might have with some other guy. His lips curved and the smile he directed towards me was as close to perfection as I had ever witnessed. It was small, undoubtedly noticeable for all in the room and perhaps it was me fooling myself, but I found it to be genuine. “I looked into a few universities you could enroll into for your Masters. We could fill out the forms for any that you like, including the ones you've looked up yourself.” The 'we' made my heart thump girlishly; the evidence of which I was certain would be on my cheeks. “The deadlines are all around the end of next month.” Maybe, just maybe, I would receive more than I was being led to forsake.
“Ask most people what they want out of life and the answer is simple – to be happy. Maybe it’s this expectation, though, the wanting to be happy that just keeps us from ever getting there. Maybe the more we try and will ourselves to states of bliss, the more confused we get to the point where we don’t recognize ourselves. Instead, we just keep smiling trying like hell to be the happy people we wish we were until, eventually, it hits us. It’s been there all along. Not in our dreams or hopes, but in the known, the comfortable, the familiar”. - Meredith Grey
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Letting Go Shahbakht Ahmed AI-B
The crispy autumn leaves crunched beneath my feet as I quickly trod along the path I took to school every day. I shaded my eyes from the warming rays of the sun that peaked through the thick canopy of the trees that populated the area. People lurked around on the edges of the pavements, chatting up or waiting for someone, as I hurried along, trying my best to get to work on time. The musky scent of wood stung my nostrils, smelling nostalgically, like home. This town had been home to me ever since I had moved in with my aunt and her family. It had been precisely six years ago, that my parents lost their lives due to a gruesome train accident back in London. Being their only child, I was left to live on my own when my mother's youngest sister, a generous young woman in her late thirties decided to take me in. While my aunt was, without doubt, a loving woman who had cared for me like her own; life hadn't exactly been easy. Raising four kids already, while my aunt willingly welcomed me into her home, her children weren't exactly enthusiastic about hosting a permanent house guest. The physical impossibility of trying to fit seven people in a tiny cottage isn't hard to imagine and their misery at having to share their already confined space and financial resources was understandable. Shaken by my parents' death, I wasn't much company for them early on, which only further strained our relations. My life was strictly restricted to attending college and then shutting myself up in the tiny corner room they had managed to give me. For about four years, this was the sole outline to my life as I completed my education. While my friends talked about how their parents insisted that they attend university near home or how they were unable to afford the universities they wished to attend. I, on the other hand, secretly hoped that I would be able to join a university at all. I was jealous of my friends for having someone to care about them, someone who had time to argue with them regarding their education. Between working two jobs and housekeeping, my aunt barely had the time to keep tabs on her own children, much less be interested in my future interests in education. While all my friends buzzed off to their respective educational institutions, I started looking around for jobs that paid well without much prior experience or education. Two years, I struggled working as a temp; handling multiple jobs simultaneously. During this period, I almost lost connection with all the friends I had. My sole focus had become getting somewhere and being an independent woman. This time too, like all the other harsh ones in my life, passed by. While I had managed to rent my own small apartment and moved onto a permanent job, I had gained all this for a price. Already struggling with severe depression due to my parents' death, which I had never truly accepted, and the desolation I felt due to loneliness; I had added to my miseries by cutting off the few connections I had. Once a cheerful and much too talkative child, I had transformed into a reserved, distant and unexpressive person. People at work rarely connected with me on a personal level and my old friends had become too involved in their professional lives to keep in touch. People say that time heals all wounds, but my pain has only grown over the years. Every day, I walk to work and back along this very path, thinking about my life and all I can think about is how that one tragic event, all those years ago changed my entire life. All I know is, that if there's any hope, it's in the fact that I know my parents are up in the skies, watching over me. They are my only sanctuary in this self-absorbed world. Someday... maybe soon, things will change for me and I'll be able to claim back my life... I'll be able to let go. 46
Only If... Sabrina Saqib AI-D
Her smile. She adored it. There was something about the warmth and genuine pleasure that was depicted on her face everytime she grinned that gave her hope. Anam could sit and look at her friend's smile all day long. Even now, despite all their differences and rifts, Anam would have given anything and everything to have a chance to sit down and exchange thoughts with Shanzey. Only if... only if she hadn't said all those things, if she hadn't hurt her best friend's feelings; she would have her best friend with her today. Anam secretly cursed herself for doing what she had, even if she was right, she had paid far too huge a price for it. They had been best friends for four, solid years. Every day they spent together had strengthened their bond and they grew closer to each other. They didn't need other friends or company to keep them busy. They could sit and talk for hours at a stretch on random topics, ranging from shoes to their families. Shanzey belonged to a small town family that had moved to the city about six years ago in search of a better education for the children. This however, meant that they had undergone a financial crisis in order to make ends meet and Shanzey could not enjoy all the luxuries that Anam had lived with all her life. Despite this, both of them had formed a friendship on equal level and Anam tried her best to make things easier for her friend by taking her along on shopping sprees and sometimes, for lunch or a snack. Initially, Shanzey appreciated this gesture but soon she realized that if she let Anam do this for her any longer, she would grow indebted to her and this would eventually strain their friendship. So, she started leaving a few signs for Anam to realize that she didn't need her favours any longer. What had started out as an attempt to save their friendship, was doomed to become the spark that eventually tore them apart. While Anam decreased her attempts to help Shanzey, this did not have the desired impact. With time, Shanzey grew frustrated due to her financial strains and developed an inferiority complex. Since she herself had denied any help from Anam, she was forced to turn to wrong means. It was Anam's birthday and she had invited the entire Fourth year batch to her party at home. Being her close frined, Shanzey came over early to dress up with Anam. While Anam was in the dressing room, Shanzey was choosing jewellery for her. Out of sheer desire, Shanzey slipped a pretty ring with a diamante into her pocket, intending to wear it at her brother's wedding. Sure enough, she thought Anam wouldn't notice. Anam had a million rings and would not remember the simple piece Shanzey took. Shanzey soon proceeded downstairs to help Anam's mother with the final arrangements. She was arranging a bouquet of Gladiolas in a crystal vase when Anam came downstairs crying. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she told her mother that she had lost her birthday present, a diamond ring that her father had brought from Australia the day before. Goosebumps formed all over Shanzey's arms as she eavesdropped on the conversation between mother and daughter. A diamond ring! She thought it was an ordinary piece of jewelry... What to do? It was too risky to return the ring now. Anam came to her to ask whether she had seen the ring and she clearly denied it. Anam was depressed all through the party and when it was time for Shanzey to leave, she went upstairs to retrieve her bag. When she was coming down, she slipped and fell. Her
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handbag fell open and its contents splayed all over the floor. Anam hurried over to help when she caught sight of the ring on the last stair. She was in utter shock! Her best friend was a thief! No! Anam lost her temper and threw a tantrum in front of her guests. She humiliated Shanzey till she cried for Anam to stop. Shanzey left and didn't even dare approach Anam following this incident. Even six months down the road, Anam barely caught sight of her friend in school. Now all alone, she realized how important her relationship with Shanzey was to her. She wished to apologize to Shanzey, to get things back the way they were, but to no avail. She had lost the courage to face her. If only she had been forgiving, if she had given her friend a chance...
“Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter. It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh, green leaves can grow in their place. It pulls up the rotten roots, so that new roots hidden beneath have room to grow. Whatever sorrow shakes from your heart, far better things will take their place.�
- Rumi
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The Bleak World Outside Dania Ahsan XC-F
I woke up sobbing, drenched in sweat and paralyzed with fear due to the nightmare I had had. Dr. Ali was telling me that there was no hope left. The cancer I was suffering from was in its last stage. I opened my eyes and looked around… It looked like a hospital room. Then, I realized that it wasn't my dream; it was indeed, reality! I peered through the window and saw the town washed by sheeting rain. Looking at the streams of water trailing their way down the window pane, I realized how much I loved the rain. I imagined myself standing outside in the downpour, holding my father's hand. It was only a blurred vision. He was a well-built man with good health, but due to my illness he had aged within months. Deep eye bags and a tired looking face with a permanent frown was all that was left of his once beaming face. He was no longer the cheerful and chirpy person that we all knew so well. It was all gone… It was only a day before that Dr. Ali had told me about my illness. All through the night, I tried to muster up the courage to break the devastating news to my father, but I just couldn't imagine shattering his hopes like that. For almost two and a half years, he had been struggling to find a way to save me, his only daughter, but unfortunately all his efforts were futile. The thought of leaving dad left me in a state of melancholy and tears rolled down my cheeks. Finally I saw him entering the room, drenched in rain. He gave me a comforting smile, like the one he always used to give me. He could bear calamities with fortitude while I was the exact opposite. Even the tiniest bit of problem could bring me the greatest worry. He walked up to me and hugged me. I looked at him and took a deep breath, “Daddy… I…Umm… What I'm trying to say is that……..” He patiently waited for me to finish my sentence but I could barely get the words out of my mouth. He smiled and said “Yes, of course, what's wrong with my little princess?'' I had practiced saying it a hundred times but when the moment came, I just couldn't open my mouth. I tried but no words could express the secret agony of my soul. My father held me in his arms and then I looked at his face. He had the saddest two eyes in the world. That was when I realized that he already knew.
“I got air in my lungs, a few blank sheets of paper. I mean, I love waking up in the morning not knowing what's gonna happen or, who I'm gonna meet, where I'm gonna wind up. Just the other night I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am on the grandest ship in the world with you fine people. I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. You don't know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you... to make each day count”. - Jack Dawson - Titanic
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Whatever Happened to Happily Ever After? Areeba Suhail XIC-A
Recalling my wedding day, I realized how foolish I was to have agreed to marry Andrew. My greatest regret was saying those three words, ''Yes! I do!''. I met Andrew in New Jersey two years ago, at the diner where I worked and he seemed like a perfect gentleman. After a year of dating and getting to know him, I finally married him. After our marriage, we were quite happy for a short period of time; however, the recession had led to a lot of job cuts in New York and Andrew was an unfortunate victim of this financial crisis. He tried his best to look for jobs and soon became depressed when he was unable to find employment. His frustration grew and eventually led to the dreaded phase of domestic violence. He abused me both, verbally and physically over petty issues. I clearly remember the first time he hit me. He came back from work one evening and said to me calmly, ''Natasha dear, did you go out somewhere today?''. ''Oh yeah, I went out to get some groceries. Why do you ask?'', I replied, completely unaware of his intentions. Before I knew it, I felt a slap right across my left cheek, his fingers leaving a burning sensation where they struck my face. I fell to the floor and tears brimmed in my eyes. He was upset that I had left the house without his consent. He had never expected me to ask for permission before, I was shocked! This was not the man I had known as my husband. Whatever switch had flipped inside him; it had a lasting impact on his thinking. I became a source of relieving his frustrations, anger and complexes. The worst part of it was not being able to do anything about it. Through it all, I still loved him too deeply and could understand that the man I loved was still somewhere inside there, under all those layers of misery due to constant failure and rejections. Our life had been shattered and gone were the days when we functioned like a normal couple. I persevered with patience and tried to break through his anger with my love and understanding. A few months down the road, Andrew got employed as an assistant marketing manager at a small firm and began spending long hours at work, struggling to fight his way to a better position. We had minimal time together and I took it as a positive sign; however, I was clearly mistaken. Only four months later, he brought home a beautiful blonde haired woman, Cara, and declared that he had married her. He offered that I live with him or get a divorce. All through his pain, I had been with him, financially supported him with the meager savings I had, and this is what I got in return? Needless to say, I divorced him, accepting a measly share of our mutual assets. With nowhere to go, I had to start from scratch, rooming with a friend, working long hours as a PA. I had lost my entire life to my own love. I still cry whenever I think of him, of how he conveniently got rid of me when life got better. Hurt like hell‌ God, I wonder, whatever happened to happily ever after? “Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.â€? - Mary Anne Radmacher 50
Innocent Soul Hafsa Ahmed XIC-A
The sun rose one dull, cold winter morning. In a small house, at the base of 'Kati Pahari' in Karachi, a man named Kashif had just woken up to the sound of his pet rooster’s crowing. Getting up quickly and fixing his thin, wrinkled bed sheet, he made his way to a tiny bathroom in his veranda. Using as little water as possible, he washed up and put on some fresh clothes. Water, to him, was a scarce resource; a commodity he had to use with utmost care in order to avoid the trouble of having to deal with angry neighbours for using more than his share of it. Despite the bitter wind that bit at his ears, stubborn as always, Kashif stepped out without the added comfort of a muffler. Trying to be as silent as he could, he flitted about the small space to make some breakfast. Having completed the task at hand, he then went back to his room to wake up his five year-old son, Yousaf. This little boy was the light of his father's eyes and meant more than the world to him. 'He looks so peaceful when he sleeps.' Kashif marvelled to himself silently. Smiling softly, he stroked Yousaf's head and gently prodded him in the ribs to wake him up. "Rise and shine dear boy, the night's long gone. It's a fresh, new day." Yawning and giggling simultaneously at being tickled,Yousaf opened his eyes and rubbed them slowly. "Salam Abu! What time is it?", inquired the young boy. Kashif answered his son's question and then bent down to pull him out from under the covers. He carried him to the bathroom where Yousaf washed up as his dad proceeded to bring him his breakfast. The pair shared a meal of warm bread and tea as they chit-chatted discussing the chillness of the weather. Although Kashif worked as an Auto Rickshaw driver, income was not always steady. Certain compromises needed to be made when it came to spending money but Kashif tried to make the best of what he had and wanted his son to escape the wretched lifestyle he himself was used to. One thing, however, was not up for debate, Yousaf's education. He had been enrolled in a local primary school last year. A bright chap with an intelligent mind, Yousaf did not have much trouble catching up and he soon made up for lost time by excelling in academics and sports at school. Yousaf's winter holidays had begun, as of that day. This meant that Yousaf was free for the next ten days. Kashif, on the contrary, still needed to go out for the entire day, to drive passengers in his rickshaw. This upset Yousaf since the boy hated nothing more than being alone. "Abu jee, please don't go today. I would love it if you could spend a day with me.', implored Yousaf, looking at his father with pleading eyes Kashif's heart melted at the sight of his son but his hands were tied. He explained to Yousaf that it was imperative for him to go to work but he promised to return after noon with Mithai for him. At this proposition, Yousaf sounded satisfied and hugged his father affectionately. Kashif kissed him on the head and waved him goodbye, warning him not to be naughty. As arranged by his dad, Yousaf spent the rest of the day at the neighbour's house, playing with their children. So engrossed was he in his playful activities that he did not seem to register the distant explosion that had the entire town on its feet. After eating lunch, he politely excused himself,insisting that his Abu would be back soon. 51
Hesitant to send the child home alone under the current circumstances, the neighbours sent their maid with him to accompany him until his father returned. The clock ticked by; seconds changed into minutes and minutes into hours. Dusk began to fall and darkness embraced each and every nook of the house. Save for the dim glow of a bulb that hung from the ceiling, everything else had become dark. Asma, the maid who was in charge of Yousaf began to worry for his father's safety considering the blast and insisted that he come back to the neighbour’s house. When Yousaf did not budge, she got frantic and in a moment of weakness, bluttered out that his father might have been a victim in the bomb blast. Tears rolled down the widening eyes of the boy as he looked at her in disbelief. What bomb blast? Yousaf declared the woman was a liar and got upset. " Abu is coming! He is just a little late. I am sure he got stuck in the rush as he needed to go to the market to buy mithai for me. If you want to go, you are more than welcome. Don't you dare imply that my father got hurt!" screamed Yousaf. Hearing that Kashif might have stopped by at the delicatessen only worried Asma further. The bomb blast had been near the market. She shook her head as she wondered what to do. Yousaf grew extremely quiet as he refused to utter any words other than 'He is coming. I know it'. Asma's mistress soon came over to call them next door for dinner. She promised that she would bring Yousaf back home as soon as his father returned but Yousaf refused her offer. Helpless, she sent over food for the maid and child praying that Kashif would appear. She repeatedly tried calling his mobile but to no avail. Yousaf sat in a corner and barely touched his food, intending to share it with his father. The maid soon fell asleep lying on the battered,old couch near him. Yousaf's eyes grew wet and his heart became heavier with each passing moment but his conviction was solid.'HE IS COMING BACK' he would tell himself over and over again. It was almost twelve when the wooden gates creaked and awakened Yousaf from his slumber. What he saw with his groggy eyes was the most amazing sight. Kashif stumbled in with a bandaged forehead. Under his arm, he clutched a squashed box of mithai for his son. He was back! Both of them rushed to greet each other and fell into a tight embrace as tears welled in their eyes. He was alive! Kashif was alive... Yousaf had saved Kashif's life that day. He had gone to drop of a passenger at the market when he remembered his promise to Yousaf. He had just stepped into the nearby delicatessen when the bomb blast occured. If it hadn't been for the shelter he had taken under a table in there just after he had gotten the bill, Kashif would have never made it. It was Yousaf who had saved him; his son, his life!
“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree�. - Martin Luther 52
Silent Guardians Shanza Riaz XIC-A
The stench of blood and charred flesh hung in the air. Each deafening noise was followed by relentless shouts of pain and agony. It took every last bit of strength in my body to fight the urge to belch at the sickening smell that infested the air. Every drifting cloud of smoke marked a grave yard of fallen men. All my vision beheld was death. Misery and gloom stretched out in front of me. There was no sign of anything but disaster as far as the eye could see. All I had was a large boulder that shielded me from the war and distanced me from the gruesome sight. In the vast desert, my only comfort was my fellow comrade, Rashid, whom I had known since I was barely four years old. However, one bullet fired at his heart had shattered that beacon of hope. I had lost my friend, and resultantly, my conviction and comfort. The blood splatter created by the bullet shot was still fresh and its vision imprinted permanently on my mind. I tried in vain to create a make shift clot over his bullet wound by applying pressure over it like we had been taught. Nothing seemed to stop the streams of warm blood emerging from the tiny crater on his chest. In desperation, I wrapped measly strips of ripped clothing from my flannel jacket over it but we both knew there was no use trying to save him now. The blood loss was imminent. All I wanted was to extract all that pain from Rashid's eyes as tears rolled down the sides of his eyes. Panic and denial clawed at my heart as I shouted for help but his face had become calm now. Right before my eyes his agony ceased and with a lingering look of peace on his face, he succumbed to oblivion. “No!” I cried as Rashid's body became limp and his eyes grew distant. I felt my entrie world crumble as the intense pain of loss became overwhelming. “Why couldn't it be me?” , I thought hopelessly. Rashid's family... His daughter. What would I tell them? How would I face them? I had failed to protect my best friend. Rashid was the only earner for his family. A daughter to raise and be a role model to. He had been the perfect father to Saira and the most loving husband. I considered his family very lucky to be blessed with an angel in his form, but if I had known how soon God would strip them of this blessing, I would've thought otherwise. Rashid was no less than a hero to Saira and quite frankly, to me as well. After losing my parents, the next person I looked upto was Rashid. I had shared every joy, sorrow, secret, worry and joke with him. It was like a part of me had died with him, my friend, my family... Seconds flew by and turned to minutes as I held Rashid's lifeless corpse in my arms. The pain that etched my heart gave way to an immense anger towards those who had taken his life. I vowed to avenge the death of my fallen brother and my fellow country men. This was the last thought in my mind as I led my company into battle and fought with glory in Rashid’s name. That day went down in history as a victory only because of the sacrifices made by brave men like Rashid, who had laid down their lives to save their country. These men had become the sole reason why we were so determined to win. They had become our prayers, our chants and our conviction as we went into battle each day for the next 43 days. Sweat, blood and tears; they seemed to wash away as we emerged triumphant and wiped out the enemy army. Nothing or no one can ever make us forget the days we spent fighting to save our country as our befallen men still stood true to the promise of defending their country and watched over us. When nothing else seemed to help, our miracle did. Our miracle, our men... our Guardian Angels! 53
Embracing Destiny Sarah Sabir AI-D
The hallway was deserted as streaks of glistening moonlight fell through the curtains. Bleakness was the sole companion of the quietude. The clock struck 2:00 am as the cloaked stranger crept past the hallway, slowly approaching room 201. Hadia was startled at the sound of footsteps approaching. Her hazel brown eyes took a moment to properly focus on the stranger's face. The person dressed entirely in black, wore a hood that concealed most of his features. Hadia sat up on the bench near the bed. A man lay motionless, resembling the young girl, breathing deeply. Hadia looked keenly at the stranger who stood blankly, but as though looking at her. She thought of it as an odd uniform for a doctor so she inquired “Are you a doctor?”. The stranger slowly shook his head. “Are you one of dad's friends?” asked the puzzled young girl. The stranger shook his head again. “Well the doctor said no one can visit today” quivered the girl. The stranger said in a low husky tone “I came to visit you”. “Me? What for?” replied Hadia. “Ask yourself and you will find the answer” said the stranger. Hadia thought to herself for a moment and the cried out excitedly “Did God send you to save my father!?! I knew it!”. The stranger nodded acknowledgment. “Are you an angel? Because I imagined angels having wings, a crown or a wand” questioned the studious girl. The stranger replied “No, we cannot carry that around now can we, people will notice”. Hadia lit up with laughter and said “Yeah, I forgot about that”. Suddenly the laughter vanished as sadness swept across her face. “I miss having dad around. He doesn't talk to me anymore and just lies there all day long. But somehow I know he is listening to me. I heard the doctor tell mom that he is in a coma. I want to go there too and bring him back. He has been far away for too long. Please take me to him”. The stranger said in an assuring voice “One day you will see him in a distant place with eternal joy and happiness. One day I am going to take you to meet him. I promise. But to do so, I might have to take your dad first”. “No! No! I won't let you take him away. Never!” cried Hadia. “Come I want to show you something” said the stranger softly. Hadia let her attention waver from the cloaked stranger as he came forth towards her father. The stranger motioned towards her father and said “What do you see?” The girl stared blankly and said “Nothing”.“Exactly, nothing”. Now I want you to remember something. Give me your hand” said the stranger and he held out his hand. Hadia looked at him for a minute but something about him made her want to trust him. Owning to her gut feeling she laid her hand in the strangers. She felt a wave of cool air blow hard against her face which made her shiver. The girl opened her eyes to find herself in her front yard. Almost immediately her eyes met a familiar apparition. A man held a young girl on her bike as she rode on. The young girl screamed “Don't let go!” The man, presumably her father, moved a little away and held out his arms. “I can't. I will fall” cried the young girl. “No you won't. Trust me!” said the father. The young girl cycled a little further then, as soon as she was about to fall, her father closed in and caught her in time. “Got you! I told you I won't let you fall!” said her father reassuringly. “That's me?” said Hadia to the stranger and the stranger nodded. “Thank you, I really missed him” said the girl. The stranger said “This is how he would want you to remember him. Is it not better to look back on all the moments of happiness rather than looking into nothing?” “Yes. But promise me you will take me to him someday” quavered Hadia, as tears streamed down her eyes. “I promise” said the stranger. “Mom!”said the voice of her startled daughter. “Oh, what happened?” said Hadia. “Are you okay? You kept murmuring in your sleep” said the worried individual. “No I am fine, just met an old friend” smiled the old woman. “Whom?” asked the frantic daughter. “Like I said an old friend” said Hadia joyfully. “What about him?” said her daughter. “Just that I think he is going to fulfill his promise soon” replied the old woman. “Mom, you are really scaring me. I won't let anything happen to you.” said the girl looking quite terrified. “No matter what happens, remember, I will always be by your side. For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity of memories” said Hadia softly, and with that she closed her eyes, peacefully embracing destiny. 54
Poetry
Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen – Leonardo Da Vinci.
They Live, Who Dare Hafsa Ahsan VIII-E
So many dreams you’ll have to break So many risks you'll have to take The heart of stone, in the long run In hailing storm, in sweating sun So many promises that lie; So many wishes that will have to die, The hardships in life never end; The strength of firmness never bends Life looks as the river flows Flowing past, as the wind blows; So many are the rolling tears, So many are the shaking fears. So "aspire for excellence" is what you shall believe Never for another day, shall you grieve Promise all dark days you will bear Saying this, "they live who dare"
Faith Khola Jamshed XC-B
Faith has led me here Where all the wanderers stare Struggle through this journey cold As the cards of destiny unfold My perception resurrects the flame In reality, burnt out before the game A tip, a toe, hush of a ghastly home A fading voice echoes through its dome Find them waiting, courtesy of death Look to my soul, the final breath Submit myself to a power unknown No science, no reason can stop me mourn
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By the Stars Naqsh Fatima Naqvi XIC-A
Not a wound, not a cut; nor a tiny bruise But a sea of blood, on sail's a cruise It's numb, but it's still of use It helps me breathe, it does amuse.
Neither words nor silence; Can get past all these walls, Or get enough of the day, Before the night falls.
Captive; they echo in the empty halls, Mindless of the freedom that in Heaven; sprawls. And all that was left was a bottle of ink, And pages filled with words she'd drink.
They'd set one free or trap and kill, Or soothe and Love; all at her will. And maybe that's just not the Truth, And she lived a lie, all her youth.
She lead it not and never could, Behind her Heart, had her Pen stood And each moment as she'd behold, Brings forth a verdict to be told.
Elixir, for some; toxic it might be, But a mixture of both, were those words to me. And such was Love that flew on; Firm, Bashed and trashed, past every term.
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Yet like a flood on a thirsty plain, It bred some Roses midst her pain. And may those Flowers ever bloom, Free of death and free of doom.
You may water them no more, They still stand tall in every war. That single Rose growing on her soul, Was Love and Mercy; all in all,
But in it's tinge and fragrance; faint, Was a Longing for the Unrestraint Like a whirlpool lurking in the calm, still Sea, Like boils rock within rock; silently,
Like a crescent grows; all secretly, Like the eye of a Lover; where passions be. She'd stand in the Storm... Dreaming Wishing she'd part from parts of her... Dreaming.
To turn into that violent wind, dreaming; And say goodbye to the World at last, beaming. She would race about in the Skies above, Past the trees and hills; she'd sing of Love.
And by the Stars, she would reside, And flow All will, in a single tide... One Day‌
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Decisions Amna Khan IXC-A
Waiter : Single-dip, double-dip, what'll it be? We've seventeen flavors, perhaps you'd like three There's chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, too, Butter, pecan and rich caramel chew. Raspberry sherbet or pralines in cream, smooth banana and fudge mocha dream. We've chocolate chip and peppermint delight. With a choice of chips being black or white. There's cocunut crunch and sweet purple plum, and even exotic pink bubble gum. Tart lemon ice is especially nice. Now let me think…have I said any twice? " Flavor of the month," I almost forgot, is delicious, delectable pink polka dot. The perfect choice, there's no doubt about it, will tingle your tongue and tempt your palate.
Customer : Thank you, sir, you're a most helpful fella. But just make mine one scoop of vanilla!
“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” - Albert Camus
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Hope Ayemma Muneer VII-H
Just believe in yourself, Stay wherever you are. Wait for someone to come; They'll soon come to your call But this is what you must know: Everything you get isn't for sure, Sometimes, you gotta do a little more. Pay every little price that you owe. Forget the past. Forget the ways, You got hurt and cried, But stayed awake Praying for some hope, Praying for those dreams, Remember, you'll be blessed soon. You just gotta dance to their tune. You'll hear them before too long, Calling out your name. They'll say you're really strong, They 're bound to say you ain't Mr. Wrong. Some may even say You aren't the right one; But you're definitely close And this is a fact everybody knows Just don't lose hope, Hang on; it's a thin rope You shan't lose grace You aren't going to turn down your face Hope is your hero, You will get there. Hope is your strength, Remember, victory's at arm’s length!
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Shadows Of The Past Mishaal Tariq A-II B
As time passes by memories fade The world forgets but something remains Left there to haunt us for endless nights Something undefined, something unknown Importance of the past that's unheard of Tries to makes its way through our hearts The miseries that have made us fall apart Those torturous spells of unbearable pain Still hang around in my mind Tears stream down as I recall Those painful moments, that still haunt me Nothing’s left of this soul, just a wreck A voice unheard, that cries in the dark Endless tears, feelings that are a ferment of desire Piece of flesh that treads those shadowy paths alone Chased by sentiments of distress, sighs of anguish Musing through the hell that was unleashed upon it Recalling those horrible days still makes me restless Wrought and weak, no longer strong Thoughts that were once there are now lost in the abyss All that remains is something I run from Something I try to hide from Miserable reminiscences, shadows of the past.
“The past is a ghost, the future a dream. All we ever have is now” - Bill Cosby 60
Masked Iman Ejaz AI-A
At the surface, where the flowers bloom, One wonders and envies, What one remains unaware of are The cracks beneath, so deep, Those roots, those stems, Struck, wounded, paralyzed When the rain drops patter And glisten on petals, Again he envies, But those aren't what they seem Freshening, nay, They deceive, They are cries unheard, cries choked That in isolation make their way, pour As they cannot remain inside, For there are expectations too high Unreachable, Demanding everything What shall I provide? When there remains nothing left Except the ability To not disclose, to not pour, but only rejoice Even when there is no reason to To bloom only, because I was supposed to And when I wilt, thou do not pour Because its never the way it seems And everyone keeps on hiding behind the veils, Wearing masks, that have managed Managed, to feed on lies beneath.
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My Dear Lady Mahnoor Rizwan AI-C
You feel the beginning of it; Of new life and of adventure. You feel it in your breast, Swelling like a bubble; filling up your lungs And leaving you devoid of air. Yet with something infinitely more precious.
You think you know this is it, The irrevocable and irreversible change; of person, mind, attitude nay; of your entire being. You think you know of the elevation; And the mere pure passion of it. You think you know what has befallen you…
But what do you know of love, my dear lady? What indeed do you make of it? Of the passion, lust, power and beauty That combines to form the sensation they call love? The feeling that has helped to destroy more nations, Than it has helped in building?
You have heard of love, listened to tales of love, But what of the tale of your heart? Ah, your heart! Something you barely know you have. Easily touched it is, but with mere vanity; Easily broken it is, but with pure agony, But hardly restrained it is, from pure ecstasy…
Yet restraint should be in order; Propriety, decorum and conduct condemn you to it. Flutter it will, rebel you must, but repress; the world will. Society puts a cage around it, yet it escapes, But you must discipline it yourself. Harden it, and make it untouchable… 62
Yet love and reason barely keep company, The heart has its own battle to fight against the mind. Reason and prudence forbid it, but your heart whispers; Reaches into the utmost depth of you that reason never could. It breaks all boundaries of insanity, Has selfishness as its comrade; jealousy as its guardian.
But control you must, dear lady, For some day you may unleash it, But only after it has been tamed. Wild and rebellious as it is, it must be done And the act of doing so makes you who you are. For your respect will always be like china; Soiled and forever broken by the slightest touch.
So live you can, but love you cannot. Walk you can, but fly you cannot. See you can, but experience you cannot. Feel you can, but embrace you cannot The greatest punishment to a creature so powerful: From oneself, another self is to turn.
“Happiness comes in many forms — in the company of good friends, in the feeling you get when you make someone else’s dream come true, or in the promise of hope renewed. It’s okay to let yourself be happy because you never know how fleeting that happiness might be.”
- Lucas Scott, One Tree Hill
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Joker Ushna Sajjad XIC-B
May every child, have a place to hide, This world is too cold, too bitter, too old, Hide in your blanket; I'll keep the lights on, I'll hold your hand when the misery is shown, Don't try to make the world spin, Each to their own, that's the secret to success, Compromise is lost, just keep to yourself, Do not spread out what you have to offer, Every person's starving and not afraid to chase, If there is a fire inside, keep it hidden for days, May every woman, get her rights if she fights, May every man, respect every soul, Just pray that you'll be all right when you're on your own, The earth revolves around the sun, I don't want you to ever say you are done, Pull up the curtains and learn to live in the darkness, Keep your tears at bay when everything has been said, Flowers die and water cannot bring them back, You're one step ahead when you realize what you lack, You're at your destination when you recognize the ways of the world, This life is fast and the pain that it hurls, Walk away when you can, I hope you'll never be alone, Trust your words because everything else is a lie, The people at your funeral will never care that you die, Another stone in its place is all that you are to this world, Darling, don't you chase the clouds, Mark my words; no one hears your shouts, Take the path that you know and understand, Take another path when something disrupts your plan, May every soul, find peace that our ancestors have looked for, Close the windows and shut the door, Don't you play any game you didn't when you were a child, I am trying to withdraw, trying to make this mild, May every man, respect every soul, May every woman, get her rights if she fights, May every child, have a place to hide. 64
Articles
There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit at a typewriter and bleed - Ernest Hemingway.
Being Decisive Simrun Saleem IXC-B
As a child, I remember how my parents always stressed on the importance of making the right decision in everything that one does. My brother and I would sit and hear them go on and on about how we needed to be very careful and ensure that we chose the right path. As children, it sounded like music to the deaf, but now, as we have grown older, we both realize the significance of those words. For indeed, there comes a time in every individual's life when he has to choose his life's course. It is then that we understand the importance of making the right decision. At this stage we are told to make a choice, a choice that will have an ever lasting impact on our life. We see there is so much to choose from, we have been given a variety of paths, but are left on our own to decide the one we will travel on. The intensity of this very decision I believe is incomparable. Choices always have consequences, but some of us fail to realize that until it's too late. Many of us choose the common path, one which has been travelled by so many, just because we feel it is safer to do so. But sometimes choosing the one less travelled by has a hand in our success. There is always room for trying out something new. It's just that some people lack the courage to do so. Some people fear the consequences, and yes, this is something very natural. But I believe, every new era has started when an individual like us chose to spend his life differently. Every revolution has started with one leading, one who just supposed he could change the world just by changing his very own decision. Every decision has importance. But some seem to cling with us forever. These decisions are the more important ones. They effect every single day of our life, every other decision of our life and thus our whole life is framed according to that very decision. Here, I would like to quote the Indian writer, Deepak Chopra, “If you obsess over whether you are making the right decision, you are basically assuming that the universe will reward you for one thing and punish you for another. The universe has no fixed agenda. Once you make any decision, it works around that decision. There is no right or wrong, only a series of possibilities that shift with each thought, feeling, and action that you experience”. If this sounds too mystical, refer again to the body. Every significant vital sign- body temperature, heart rate, oxygen consumption, hormone level, brain activity, and so on- alters the moment you decide to do anything… decisions are signals telling your body, mind, and environment to move in a certain direction.” What I'm trying to tell you is that it is our responsibility to choose the path that we think is the best. Not just for us, but for those around us. We need to focus on the greater good that lies ahead. The rest lies in the hands of our fate. When we show God that we made our best effort to do what was right. He is bound to make the decision easier for us. So don't stress it out and hope for the best. You'll make it!
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Happiness Hudaa Yousaf AI-E
Happiness, they say, is a state of mind. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” The world is definitely not a piece of cake, every moment of every day. It throws you curveballs and challenges and takes delight as you stumble and tumble. You, however, must fight nail and tooth to stand straight and keep yourself together. You must stand up and smile. A smile, the simplest gesture of goodness, holds infinite power; the strength to fix the most irksome situations. The question is how to find that smile? Thinking of happiness on a personal level, I bring myself to think about the moment in my life that brought me heart-warming pleasure and thinking of that, the summer of 2010 pops into my mind. While my friends and peers chose to join fancy internship programmes, I was forced to spend the summers all alone with my grandparents in Karachi. With nothing to do all day, frustration grew and missing all the fun my friends were having turned me into an aggressive kid. Understanding my misery, my grandfather decided to do something about it. Being a literature fanatic, he quoted the words of the world-famous author and orater, Booker T. Washington, “Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.” Going through a phase of summer boredom, I was in search of a good time and at his insistence, I agreed to volunteer at the orphanage at the Social Welfare center, hoping to spread some happiness in the lives of those who are less fortunate. I began spending an hour or two each day at the center. I met children of all ages and they loved my short visits. We would sing poems, write the alphabet, play games, tell each other stories,draw pictures and colour them together. I grew so fond of them in a few days that I became visibly happier. Those few hours I spent with them miraculously had an impact on my mood for the entire day. I felt more cheerful and genuinely happy. Time flew and before I knew it, it was time to go home. Though my heart felt saddened at the thought of leaving all my new friends, I was at peace, knowing that I had a bucketload of memories and happy moments spent together to take home with me. The summer I spent with those kids turned out to be one of the best summers of my life. What started out to be an article, may sound more like a story to you. The truth is, happiness can not be defined in words. Everybody has their own definition to what makes them happy. The special thing in their life that makes them giddy. Think of happiness, and trust me, your source of pleasure will pop into your mind instantly. Family, friends, a hobby, a pet or even a good book can bring us contentment. For those who feel a sense of misery or find themselves lost in a cloud of melancholy, step out of your daily life and tell yourself that you won't let your depressive state of mind keep you down. Look around, join a crowd or even better, surround yourself with the love of family. Something somewhere is bound to click and you'll find your happy place. Coming from a hopeless pessimist, it may sound hard to believe, but it stands true that a person who is happy on the inside manages to find the good things, even in the lows of life. This in itself, is a clear declaration of the significance of a happy mind in our lives. Contentment and happiness are two things everybody looks to achieve. Good luck finding yours! Happy hunting!
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How Is Peace Achievable In Pakistan? Shaheerah Zafar AI-D
'You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom' - Malcolm X I completely agree with Malcolm X. In my point of view, just as peace is achievable in every other nation it is also very much achievable in Pakistan. I know the present situation does not depict this picture. However, by using our futuristic vision positively, we can lead to many pathways towards peace. I believe that even a single person can make a difference. That is, if the person knows about the path he is choosing and where it will lead him. In the current situation, Pakistan's stands at the 180th number in literacy rate at world level. This shows that Pakistan needs to progress for a better future. Literacy is one of the means which can lead us to peace. At the moment, many people belong to villages and rural areas. This means that most of them are illiterate. But a great complication arises when the majority, illiterate and poor people of this democratic country, is given a small sum of money and some temporary facilities in return for a five year government. And these years pass by in vain. In other words, we are spoon-feeding a na誰ve and innocent person on the wrong dose. Even though these people are given the right to vote, they are unable to differentiate between the appropriate and the improper candidate. The only way through which they can distinguish between them is education. They will not only gain knowledge, but will be able to choose more wisely in the future. This knowledge will bring awareness to our citizens and they will become capable of using it for the preservation of their own rights. Peace can also be achieved by supervising law and order in the country. Law and order can secure the rights of many citizens, especially women and children. Many organizations are working for the preservation of women's rights, some prominent ones are: All Pakistan Women's Association, Pakistan Foreign Office Women's Association, Aurat Foundation, Tehrik-e-Niswan and Women Action Forum. These organizations have been working for a long time in order to provide women with their basic rights. UNICEF plays a major role in helping foward the betterment of Pakistan. It works with the government of Pakistan, national NGOs and other UN agencies to protect children from abuse, exploitation, violence, child labour and discrimination. Sahil is another organization in Pakistan which works exclusively on the issue of child sexual abuse and exploitation. Such organizations need to be promoted and the government should provide support and help for the establishment of such organizations. These organizations can help remove inequality in our society, which has been caused by the decline in our economy, social setup, terrorism and corruption by the government. These factors are also a major hindrance in the way of peace. Many factors contribute to it, but these are the major ones. They should be highlighted by the government in order to get rid of them and to start taking steps towards peace. The government is required to cooperate with the citizens and to provide them with their freedom and facilities. The citizens on the other hand are to use their freedom in the right direction and work towards a better country. Peace is not unapproachable but requires effort by the government and the citizens, so that one day we can reach our destination, our legacy that we have inherited from our ancestors: a prosperous and peaceful Pakistan! 67
Is Capital Punishment Justified? Dua Haider AI-D
Someone wise once said, “I believe that more people would be alive today if there were a death penalty.” Capital Punishment, more commonly referred to as the Death Penalty, is perhaps one of the most controversial forms of legal sentence that exists today. Some may argue that it is barbaric and others rule over it as unjust. But have we ever looked closely at the crimes that are committed by those who are sentenced to death? How is it inhumane to kill someone who is, himself, a cold blooded murderer? I happen to believe that Capital Punishment is a justified and completely reasonable sentence. It is the fear of death that prevents many from committing the most heinous crimes. It discourages violence and promotes peace. Even the boldest of criminals would actually think twice if their own lives were at stake. Isn't the entire motive of punishment to prevent crime in the future and discourage others from committing it? If you believe so, there is no reason that Capital Punishment should be objected to. Those who feel that Capital Punishment may victimize innocent people need to first look towards those who are the real victims of these alleged “innocent criminals”. Capital Punishment is the only way that the victim can seek retribution from the criminal. What good is the life imprisonment of the criminal to the family of the victim who know that even life behind bars is bound to be comfortable and peaceful where meals are available cost-free and so are other facilities? What guarantee is there that a criminal who is once forgiven won't indulge in the same crime again? Is it reasonable to let off a murderer only with the fear that Death Penalty may be too harsh a punishment to realize that he has killed again? A person who has murdered once will definitely not hesitate doing it again if he is to know that such weak are the consequences. In order to protect our society from further harm and to prevent victimization, it is essential that Capital Punishment should be legalized. The former US President, George Bush once said in his speech: “ I think the reason to support the death penalty is because it saves other people's lives.” Holy Books, including the Quran and the Bible have advocated for the justification of Capital Punishment. They state that death is indeed the only penalty for death unless a victim's family chooses to forgive the murderer. Also they declare that crime and evil can only be wiped out with the aid of the severest of punishment for offenses, including Capital Punishment. The death penalty is in fact society's way of expressing its hatred for a certain act and declaring that the act is deserving of the death of the individual who is found to have indulged in it. It does not, in any way, target any specific person or community; hence all statements that Capital Punishment promotes racism are untrue. Many people believe that Capital Punishment should not be practised but rather life imprisonment is the solution. It is they that I would like to address. Do you feel that it is justified that the taxes a common man pays with the intention of the betterment of society should be used to bear the expenses of the criminals who are imprisoned? And what do you think is better, a slow impending death owing to isolation and grief or Capital Punishment that rids a man of such miseries? “If Capital Punishment is state sponsored murder, then any lesser punishment is a state sponsored murder of Justice... It is Justice, not laws that cures the society. And Capital Punishment is the only Justice that suits a murderer.” -Saqib Ali 68
Let Indifference Ring Semal Farid AI-D
Someone very wise once said, “The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” 'Indifference'... a small word, yet it has such a huge impact on the community. If it weren't for the lack of concern we show for others, we would without doubt, be in a better state today. It is our careless attitude that has become our undoing as a nation. Remember the time you hired an 'agent' at the Passport office to get rid of the waiting in line’ part? Ever thought how the people waiting in those lines felt as you conveniently drifted from one booth to the other without having to wait for your turn? Why expect others to follow traffic rules when you yourself have broken these laws in the past? Why expect others to respect your family when you bad-mouthed theirs in your heart the last time you had a row? Think about it, it's injustice in its true form. The question I wish to raise is that can you imagine a world where every person stands for himself, where no one cares for the other? Can you imagine how difficult life could be if we lived in a world like that? A world where no mother, brother, friend, peer or perhaps even a kind stranger exists, a world where there is no one to look up to... Think about it, I'm sure none of us can imagine our lives like that. While some people believe that our world has already become a land of the dead, where no compassion or kindness exists, I happen to disagree. If it weren't for the goodness of our world, this world would cease to exist. There is no doubt that indeed, with time, the hearts of the people have grown smaller and selfishness has taken over selflessness, there is still hope. We can change for the better. What we need to remind ourselves is that if we show genuine concern for others, only then can we expect similar gestures in return. Whenever we compare our country with the Western world, why is it that we always view them with envy? Why are we not proud of the advantages that our country has to offer? Come to think of it, it is a well-known fact that Pakistanis are popular for their love and compassion while people abroad are considered to be too self-absorbed to be concerned with the needs of others. We need to appreciate the fact that while we may have our faults, our hearts still have the purest of intentions. We just need to dig a little deeper and find our lost roots, the purity within. I wish to go back to the days where all one needed to hear was that someone was in trouble and the entire town would gather to offer their help, regardless of whether or not they were related. The days when all it took was a cry for help and hundreds would appear at your service, no questions asked. I wish to see a world where one is, in the truest of words, a brother to fellow Muslims. Where we all stand united in celebrations and sorrows alike. That indeed, is a world worth living in; for it is the world where love shall encompass all. Compassion is what keeps the heart alive and we need to live our lives to the fullest. Ending in the words of the famous Lebanese writer, Kahlil Gibran: “Desire is half of life, indifference is half of death.” 69
Life Is Precious Emaan Zubair XIC-E
We all sometimes wonder, “Why does life have to be so hard?” When we were young, this question circulated in our minds often and now that we have grown up, it still remains. There's no doubt, that life Is hard. It's just that sometimes, we make life harder for ourselves. Someone once told me that 'life ain't easy'. There will be moments of glee and there will be moments of sorrow. You'll laugh and cry just as hard and you're going to love and hate just as much but at the end of the day, before going to sleep, you are going to smile, thinking that you have made it. The older I get, the more I realize that life has a lot of ups and downs but the important thing I remember is that I have a life. And today I'm going to make you realize this too. You need to stop being unhappy with yourself. You're perfect the way you are. Many say that no one is perfect. Well you need to see yourself because you are. Stop despising yourself for the kind of hair and figure you have. Stop hating your personality, your attributes and your laughter. Without all these, you would not have been able to stand on the platform you are on right now. Without all these, you won't be yourself. Would you want that? I guess not. Be confident in yourself. Stop making comparisons with others and envying others for who they are or for how much wealth they possess. Be your own person. Stand out in the crowd and remind yourself that there is no one else out there, like you. By comparing yourself to others, you are undermining yourself and becoming a replica. And we all know that a replica lacks originality. A great writer once wrote, “Always be a first hand version of yourself rather than being a second hand version of anyone else”. Stop wasting your time with those who hurt you. Keep those away who bring you down. This way you'll remove negativity from your life. By surrounding yourself with positive people and people who care about you, the light at the end of your tunnel will forever shine bright for you. So smile, be happy, and be satisfied. Your smile is a glowing candle that can warm the coldest heart. Here's a little exercise. Repeat after me. “I refuse to allow my happiness and joy to depend on others. I love the way I am and I'm not going to change myself for anything or anyone. I love my hair, my face, my laughter, and my personality. They make me who I am. They make me, me. And let me tell you something, 'me' is awesome. “Four thousand years ago, we, the people of the Indus River basin, had cities that were laid out on grids and boasted underground sewers, while the ancestors of those who would invade and colonize America were illiterate barbarians.” - Mohsin Hamid 70
Nature's Beauty Mahnoor Nadeem IX-CD
We are all living in a world full of surprises and get one every day. Beauty is hard to define but easy to recognize; there is beauty in the variety of flowers, birds, animals, plants, in mountains, valleys, hills and in the skies. The freshness of the dew drops on the flowers, the soft and feathery textured tail of a bird, the sweet smelling grass in a garden, the bright yellow petals of a sunflower; all of these are depictions of the beautiful environment around us. Thus, beauty can be found in all the creations of God and that is Nature. Nature is what inspires you, impresses you. It is present everywhere. Nature is found in the glitter of the dewdrops, in the whistling of the wind, in the fall of the dry leaves, on the blade of a grass, in the hue of the sunset, in the blossoming of a flower, in the humming of a bee, in the bursting of the bubble, in the depth of the valley, in the roar of the waves and in the depth of the sea. Even seasons change in a miraculous way. If we look at the sky at night, we can see the sight of countless stars and the silvery moon. Nature has a way of affecting our moods and it can force us to change our plans. When it is sunny and bright outside, we feel cheerful and may even make up our minds to enjoy a picnic. On the other hand, when it is cloudy and rainy, we feel gloomy and sometimes experience an aura of melancholy. These are the colours of nature. This is nothing but proof that our environment, our nature, has a very deep impact on our lives and our emotions. We should be thankful to the Lord for giving us all these wonderful and miraculous things. Have you ever imagined how life would have been if it were not for the countless blessings of our Creator, our Lord, Allah? Sure enough, the planet would still have functioned without the beauty of Nature to please us, but it is true that a life like this would have been desolate and monotonous. It is human nature to try and make the best of whatever we are given and we all try to decorate our homes to the best of our ability. Similarly, we should consider the Earth as our home too. We need to remind each other that no other planet in the universe is fit to support human life and we need to protect the planet that provides us with these ideal conditions. Allah has granted us all these blessings once, but we should not expect Him to bless us with them again once we drain those resources and blessings. The responsibility is our hands and we need to protect the beauty of Nature. William Shakespeare once said “I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it.” I would like to end by mentioning a quote: “There is beauty, heartbreaking beauty and that is Nature.”
“The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed.” - Ernest Hemingway
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One Man's Weakness is Another's Strength Nimrah Khanum VIII-D
A man, who used to earn billions just for moving his body in his own distinct way gained the world's admiration by tapping his feet, Michael Jackson. A man who used to hit a ball with a piece of wood became a legend and won every cricket lover’s heart, Sachin Tendulkar. A woman who had a heart as big as ours but gave most of its love and care to the poor, Mother Teresa. A lady who could have lived an exceptional life having every luxury one can think of instead she helped the poor along with her husband who aimed for the same, Mr and Mrs. Abdul Sattar Edhi. Did Mother Teresa have a heart unlike ours that developed feelings for every single human being? I believe, no. Did Einstein have a mind that could solve all the questions that he never knew just by looking at them? Were all these people blessed with brilliance right from the first blink of an eye? No, they only did what was right. They only did what they believed in and that was self-esteem, selfimportance, integrity, freedom of thought and suggestion but above all, they believed in being righteous, they believed in doing what's supposed to be done even if it meant crossing a river of molten lava. They knew the heights they aimed to reach, to relishing the taste of accomplishment as they limited themselves to nothing but the sky. To be honest, I've been going through a lot in my life and even then I've come out to be a brave girl who believes in the aesthetics of aiming deeper than the oceans but before, I was just someone who used to lurk in the shadows of her own mistakes. I was no more than a laughing stock for my friends and family. People picked on me beacuse they knew I would never stand up to them. This happened because my so called friends used to hurt me by focusing on my flaws rather than my achievements. Their words used to tear me apart and then came a point when I gave in. I accepted the fact that I was a failure, I believed it and always thought about my family, how on earth would I face them? But then I understood the 'crème dele crème' of having a family! My mum noticed this issue after some time and talked to me in detail. It was then that I found faith in my abilities, that single hour set everything right. I was back, as bright as new. Every time those girls came to me and made fun of me, I stood there boldly with no sweat or shiver of fear, just as I do today…… I might not get good grades in Urdu or Islamiat but I like to remind myself that I have my own strength, sports. I've got something so precious that no one in the world can ever imagine having, I have myself, I'm one in a billion and so are you! Never let anyone's judgement make you feel worthless. Always remember my words, aim high, do big and see the world applaud you! See them realize that they picked on someone bigger than their own size. Show the world you'll accomplish what you started your journey for. Einstein said “The one, who doesn't make mistakes in life, never achieves anything.” And my dad always says “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, naturally it will fail. Focus on what you're good at and that is your STRENGTH”
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” - Eleanor Roosevelt 72
The Day Humanity Died Anna Imran X-CE
On 15th August 2010 the most petrifying, inhuman massacre befell as an insult on the history of Pakistan. It blood-stained the merry streets of Sialkot. The day marked the official end of humanity in a country built for peace and freedom. Hafiz Mugheez aged 17 and Muneeb aged 15 came from a well-respected family of Hajipura. Their father Sajjad Butt ran a pharmaceutical dispensary at his residence which provided medical aid to the locals. Both his sons lent him a helping hand. The neighbours were full of praise for both the boys. Mugheez was a first year student while the younger one, Muneeb, studied in class 9. They were brilliant in academics and had a passion for cricket. They often went to Botara village to play cricket with their comrades. Earlier the brothers had had a quarrel with some people of that village regarding cricket. In the holy month of Ramadan, the two siblings had sehri, following which Mugheez, who had learnt the Koran by heart, recited some verses to his mother and while their mother slept they left the house for a game. Around the same time there had been a robbery in the Botara area. There had been robberies in that place before but the police were unable to trace the thieves and so frustration was at its peak and the police were fed up. The recent robbery had led to a firing incident in which two people had been shot and injured and unfortunately one of them died. The robbers had fled the area and the two brothers were in the wrong place at the wrong time… As the brothers happened to cross by, they stopped to see the commotion to find out why the crowd had gathered near a house. And then, all of a sudden, someone from the crowd shouted and accused the brothers of committing the shameful sin. He wrongly blamed them for being partners in the theft and in helping the robbers escape. A group of men standing there declared them guilty and chose the death penalty as their punishment. The crowd went berserk and started beating the boys mercilessly with bricks, stones, bamboos, literally anything that came within their grasp. The boys were being brutally beaten in the presence of the heartless police officers who just stood there idly. They curled on the road and shielded themselves with their hands, trying to bring some reduction in the immense showers of bamboos and bricks, stones and lashes. The onlookers stood watching the dreadful scenario with their very eyes and without making a single effort to stand up for them. After receiving uncountable rounds of harsh beating Muneeb's body became motionless and he no longer resisted his assassins. No one acknowledged their terrified screams and howls. A police officer stepped in from the crowd, checked Mugheez's pulse and said: “Finish him off”. The black hearted soldiers of the devil's force beat them to death. Their corpses were hanged on the crossroad. They were so badly beaten that their faces became distorted and beyond recognition, their bodies smeared with crimson blood. Both the boys were humble in nature and were never involved in any illegal activity. They had been falsely accused of a crime they had not committed. That day humanity was murdered on the open road and two unfortunate souls had to bear the wrath of a violent mob.
“The loneliest moment in someone’s life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald 73
The Other Side Of The Literacy Divide Mahnoor Rizwan AI-E
The French leader Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Give me the best mothers, and I will give you the best nation.”…A testament to the importance of education of women. The fact that the 51%of our country's population remains neglected in the area of education-a basic human right seems to bother few people. The situation of education in Pakistan is quite grim-while that of females is even worse, and yet there has been no great improvement in that sector. Only 18% of the women in Pakistan get 10 years of schooling while 3\4th of young girls are not enrolled in any school. Clearly, education for women has taken a backseat in our country while we focus our efforts towards eradication of terrorism and violence that has gripped our country. This is simply attributed to the fact that, urban areas aside, education is not considered important enough for women who have to grow up to get married and thus, fulfill the “roles they have been born to fill”. This being so, girls are married off at an early age. Education being relatively expensive and the larger population of Pakistan being poor, sending their child to school is not high on the list of priorities of most parents. And when given the opportunity most parents prefer their son's education over their daughter’s as sons are the future earning hands of the family while daughters will be provided for by their husbands. The conservative thinking of the rural society poses a major hurdle in the progress of female education, as people think that educating a female would make her too independent and she would not be a suitable wife for her future husband. Moreover, according to most people Islam (the religion followed by 96%of our population) does not allow women to be as educated as a man. This is a gross misinterpretation of Islam which actually attributes equal rights to education for both sexes. Such is the firmness of this belief, however, that the fanatic Taliban and militant groups have blown up 81 schools in KPK and FATA. And when a determined young activist raises her voice from among the oppressed and through commendable efforts expresses her concerns and beliefs to bring about a change in the morose situation of women in KPK and Swat, Malala Yousafzai is mercilessly shot in the head. Our largest province suffers a great deal but the situation of education is, undoubtedly, forlorn. In Baluchistan, only 25% of women have ever enrolled in schools, while 98% of the females in rural Baluchistan are illiterate. Women have, by far, proven themselves capable of enduring hardships and facing difficulties that mark everyday of their lives. This places their mental strength, as opposed to the preconceived notion, firmly equal to, and in many cases, more than the men who believe their superior status is the law. Education is termed as a basic human right in article 25A of our constitution which states “Education to be provided equally to people as determined by law”. So why is 51% of Pakistan's population neglected in this case? The illiteracy rate of women remains 75% and as women remain illiterate they cannot contribute to the growth and development of the country which inevitably remains stunted. We do feel proud of brilliant minds like Arfa Karim but instead of forging coins and issuing stamps, we would do greater justice to her memory by spreading education in underdeveloped and rural areas where more Arfa Karims are waiting to be discovered. The power and the strength of a woman is underestimated. In the end I would like to quote Diane Mariechild “A woman is the full circle. She has the power to create, nurture and transform.” 74
Determination Alyza Baig XIC-A
“Desire is the key to motivation, but it's all determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal-a commitment to excellence- that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” These wise words were spoken by Mario Andretti, the retired Italian racing driver who held the coveted title of 'World Champion'. The deep underlying significance of these words is to never let go your will-power to get a certain job done, for determination never bids us despair, always shines aloft like a bright fixed star of promise through every trial and woe, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in want. There are times in life when people discourage you and try to weigh you down, but what life really requires is for you to turn a deaf ear to them and put in your best efforts and hope for the best. Once they see you make a triumphant return as a result of all your hard work, it is YOU who will set the example for them. Your strong will and optimistic approach might even become an inspiration to them by the end of the ordeal. Goals and dreams can only be turned into reality when you are determined to make them come true. It is only when true passion and belief is built deep within the heart that you can strain yourself to give it your 110% and this very combination of belief and efforts is the secret to success. You can spend thousands of rupees on buying books based on the 'recipe to success' or perhaps the 'tips to make it big in life', but unless you have the will in your heart to actually sit back and read through them carefully from cover to cover and then invest some time to ponder over the lessons these books contain, you might as well consider your money drained. Even a small task like reading through a self-help book cannot be achieved without conviction. There is no shortcut to success and even the easiest of methods require you to work hard. So, eventually it all boils down to the fact that unless you have the true drive or determination to do it, you'll get nowhere. One simply cannot wake up one morning with the desire to do something extraordinary and then set out to do it. If only it was all that easy... No, you must initiate the task with this question to yourself, “Why do I want to do this? Do I have what it takes to get it done? Do I have the conviction to do it till the very end?” Only when the answers to all these questions are clear-cut and affirmative that you can successfully achieve your goal. So, tell yourself this, you may not be able to wake up and get the job done, but you might as well get started and begin each day with the resolve to utilize your time properly and inch closer to your goal with each passing moment. One indispensable quote I came across recently that seems to blend perfectly with my topic is as follows: “Nothing in this world can take place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” It is true though, that to every man his own vocation. Talent is the call. Find your field of excellence and you will ultimately find the determination to do better than the rest. Once you know what your true calling is, your ride is bound to be as smooth as a stream along the flow of the river. You'll even manage to sail past the tiny obstructions in your path with the fast flowing water, in this case, your determination. Your life is yours to steer and you are free to do whatever your heart desires. Pursue this virtue and you are opening the doors for a life time of success and contentment. What more can we ask for? “ Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then, we shall find the way.” – Abraham Lincoln 75
The Stone of Base Hafsa Ahsan VIII-E
A person's insult, the crushed bones of his ego and the shattering of his self-respect like a glass are very important. It is this very base on which the greatest personalities of the world are born. We get one such example from Poland, where a poor girl lived. Her name was Manya Sklodolwska. She was born in Warsaw on November 7, 1867; the daughter of a secondary-school teacher. She received general education in local schools and some scientific training from her father. She earned money for herself by giving tuition. At the age of nineteen, she taught a ten year-old girl of a rich family. The elder brother of this girl got interested in Manya; she also got enticed by him. They both decided to get married. But when his mother came to know about this incident, she became furious. She took the girl by hand to the house's porch and said, "The one who has a single frock, the one who gets a single meal a day and that too from our house, she wants to be my daughter-in-law!â€? That day Manya felt as if somebody had thrown acid on her face. She got stuck in an extreme feeling of insult. There, standing in the porch, she vowed that she will earn as much respect and fame that the entire Poland will recognize her by name. Because she knew that the greatest glory is not in never falling‌but rising with such a power that no one would ever imagine that this is the person who had once fallen! In her later life, when her word had become a rule and her name a seal of authenticity, she remembered this incident in words, “First principle: never let one's self be beaten down by persons or by events" This was 1891. She came from Poland to Paris. She got admission in Sorbonne University and started studying Physics. Here, she obtained Licentiateships in Physics and the Mathematical Sciences. The University had recently invested a lot of money in modernizing the laboratory rooms, and they also built a giant, new amphitheatre for demonstrations and public lectures. Manya's timing was impeccable. She was in the right place at the right time. A revolution was about to take place in Physics, and she would be on the cutting edge. She used to study long hours every day. She was in the pursuit of her life-dream and fully knew that a dream is not something which you have when you are asleep, instead it is something which does not allow you to sleep until you have reached your goals. She did not have much money; whatever she had fulfilled her bare neccessities. She used to spend just one zloty (polish currency) a day. She didn't even have access to electricity, gas or a coal heater in her room. She spent the icy cold nights shivering. When the cold became unbearable, she took out all her clothes and put half of them on her bed and half over herself. For five years, she ate nothing but dried pieces of bread with butter. At the university in 1894, she met Pierre, a Professor in the School of Physics, and the following year they got married. The total assets of this couple at the time of marriage were merely two bicycles. She did her PhD in this misery. She immersed herself in research on the radiations emitted from Uranium. During her research, she discovered an element which radiated twenty times more radiation than Uranium and its radiation penetrated everything. This was an incredible discovery. Early researches, together with her husband, were often performed under difficult conditions, laboratory arrangements were poor and both had to undertake much teaching to earn a livelihood. They kept on melting iron in it for four years. They alone melted eight tons of iron and got from it, Radium the size of a 'pea'. Manya kept a glass vial of radium salts on the stand next to her bed at home. She was enchanted by the soft, blue glow it produced in the dark. Today, just because of Manya many people escape from the jaws of death. Radium became a message of life for millions and millions of people suffering from cancer. During her work, Manya discovered radiation could kill human cells. She reasoned that if it could kill healthy human cells, it could kill diseased human cells and went on to isolate Radium for use in killing tumors. During the First World War, Manya went to work for the building and 76
designing of French X-ray machines. Knowing that moving soldiers to a hospital before they needed surgery was not always possible, she designed the first mobile X-ray machine and travelled with it along the front lines during the war. This is why Manya is the only scientist who received a Nobel Prize twice in her life. Together with her husband, she was awarded half of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903, for their study into the spontaneous radiation and discovery of Polonium and Radium. In 1911, she received a second Nobel Prize, this time in Chemistry, in recognition of her work in pure separation of Radium. Thirty films have been made on her life and hundreds of books have been written on her. Today we remember Manya by the name of MARIE CURIE. She received many honorary science, medicine and law degrees and honorary memberships of learned societies throughout the world. She also received, jointly with her husband, the Davy Medal of the Royal Society in 1903 and, in 1921, President Harding of the United States, on behalf of the women of America, presented her with one gram of Radium in recognition of her service to science. Marie Curie travelled a great distance during her 67 years; from a teenage girl to a wife and then a mother; from a science student to a college professor; from an anonymous student idealist to a world famous celebrity. From a healthy, robust gibson girl in her youth to a woman in constant pain with cataracts, tendinitis, and finally leukemia. In 1995, Marie's travels ended. The woman who was never at rest found a final resting place when her ashes were buried in a crypt in the Pantheon, France's great monument to its heroes and now, heroines. The lives of great people always carry a message for us, so does the life of Manya. Even today there is potential in our younger generation to perform even a greater task than Manyas but they lack only “spirit”. One must not be afraid of the hurdles which one faces in the path of struggle because on a branch full of blossoms, “The thorns come before the flowers”. If only we make criticism the stone of base, then many a Newton and Einstein will be created in us.
“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.” - Nelson Mandela
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Uniqueness Hafsa Khizar XC-D
Have you ever noticed that even if as much as a tiny piece in a jigsaw puzzle is missing, the picture feels so incomplete? Or, even if one single colour of jellybeans is missing from a pack, they look so mundane? It is the same thing with life. Every little thing and person has their very own significance in our life. It is said that it is human nature to take our blessings for granted. We do not seem to realize the importance of things in our lives unless we are deprived of them. Similarly, we do not give due credit to all the people in our lives unless they are away and we feel their absence. Let me give you a simple example. Imagine a garden; a garden full of beautiful and bright flowers, fresh trees, chirping birds, green shrubs, mossy blades of grass, tiny caterpillars and creepy-crawlies. Now think about each of these elements individually. Sure enough, the garden would look boring without the flowers right? Hmm... What about the caterpillars? We can do without them right? Think again. They are equally important because they add their own little touch of originality to the garden. God made all His creations with special care and interest. Nothing in the world is without purpose, it is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. All things in the world are unique, all different from each other. Look around your classroom. No child is exactly like another. You will find different types of students around you; all with different appearances, abilities and personalities. Think about when you graduate and move on to college. Won't you miss the Nerd, the Math-Whiz, the Class Clown, the Teacher's Pet, the Shy Loner, the Miss Attitude, the Writer, the Artist and the Drama Queen? If all students were alike, each of them would lose their personal significance. If everyone knew how to to draw well, who'd appreciate the artist? If everyone had a killer sense of humour, who'd pay attention to the jokes cracked by that funny kid? If everybody aced all their exams, who'd run after the high achievers begging them for help? The point I'm trying to make is simple: Don't lose touch with your uniqueness. If you were suddenly good at everything, life wouldn't be all that interesting, trust me. Allah Almighty has hidden great messages for us in all things of nature. A magnificent rainbow can only be formed when all seven bands of colours diffuse together and form the perfect arch. Without any one of these colours, the rainbow would be incomplete. Likewise, every single rain drop counts when barren, arid land is suddenly moistened by drops of rain. Each drop contributes to the softness of the soil and helps it to loosen and allow vegetation to grow. Without these seemingly insignificant rain drops, the soil would go dry and all nutrients would go to waste since no plantation would be capable of thriving in the arid conditions. All these examples eventually bring me back to the same point. Nobody can deprive you of your role in the world unless you willingly hand it over. Your exclusive set of abilities is something only you possess. Remember this: Allah created you with special abilities and you are a force to reckon with! He has hidden our talents within us but it is entirely up to us to dig deep within and find them. So what if you're not the next Einstein or Newton? It's not the end of the world. Tell yourself this: I'm a person with my own set of capabilities and have the knack to excel in my own capacity. I am unique and there is none other like me. I have my own place in this world and no one can take that away from me. I can do something great with my life and I will! Believe in yourself and nothing can stop you!
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A Word About Bob Amenah Shabbir, XIC-A
You there! Yes you! You innocent, unsuspecting prey who's unknowingly stumbled upon this page! Now that I've trapped you with this dark, seductive ink on smooth paper; beware. The following words your eyes are to witness can be your conduct to surviving O-levels! I kid you not. Just tackle the top floor of the Senior School building and the weary, burdened faces of my fellow 11th graders will speak for themselves. You see if you have the absurd notion that O-levels is only slightly more difficult than Middle School-you're wrong. The only hope of getting out of there alive; reading this (albeit one page long) guide. In no way do I mean that O-levels (I'm getting rather very tired of making all these hyphens. I'll be referring to O-levels as 'Bob' from now on as it's shorter and non-hyphenated) is impossible. As our parents, teachers and quote books have drilled it into us; nothing is impossible. However, Bob does require some intense uphill struggle. You know the advice that flies regularly from your teachers mouths? The one you turn deaf to? Study from Day One if you want straight A*'s! It's actually indispensible, as I discover now, when it may be too late to go back to that exhilarating first day of 9th grade to start over. For those of you who are like me; study when the exams are two weeks away, we both know we're never going to change. But what we can promise ourselves to do is start at least three weeks before. After all-you guys are human and I can't expect us, ahem, you to change all at once. Next up; develop an inexplicable loathing towards your iPhone, MacBook, iPad, iPod, TV etc during revision days. Think of it as the Apple (get it?) in the Garden of Eden; tempting, forbidden, evil. It is exceptionally challenging to fight the addiction that is Technology so just shut down your electronic temptress and ask your respective parent to hide it and not give it back till the last paper ends. Be firm with yourself and whenever you yearn for a game of Candy Crush or Minion Rush, just think of that A*, waiting to embrace you at the other end of the rainbow. Let's see, what else? Ah! I have another one. Don't just rely on one assigned course book. Gather material from wherever you can get your hands on. Keep good connections, i.e. alumni. They can give you good advice, helpful tips (and their past papers). While taking school examinations, focus on past papers because most of the questions are taken from there (this instruction is a big bonus!) Remember; it's better to study with full concentration for one hour rather than half a mind for four hours. Pretend you are the only person on Earth and there's no one (alive) to disturb you. Don't turn the complex chapters into Boogey-Men; difficult to overcome and just plain scary. Think of them as Pusheens; soft, cuddly and generally adorable. Read good books; devour unabridged classics and Khaled Hosseini. Try and string in B's and above right from the start. Avoid E's at all costs. Don't rely too heavily on tuitions. Try and study yourself-it'll mould you for college where there's a 20% chance of finding tutors. Discover the best pattern for yourself; for some this can be studying at day while for others it can be working at night. If your friend gets an A* and you get a C; try not to get too jealous. In the end, when it counts the most, you'll end up surprising yourself at how far you can strive. If you're hoping to get into esteemed schools (for Bob or Bob Senior a.k.a A-levels), an excellent result is important and so is a spectrum of extra-curricular activities. Try and participate in quizzes-there's enough to go around. Don't let that Spelling Bee, that Literature Fest, that Science Fair go to waste. A prestigious internship at WWF or Shaukat Khanum doesn't hurt either. If you don't understand a concept; ask the teacher 79
immediately. Don't you dare be shy like I was! It is imperative to build a strong base of the concepts or else you'll still be scratching your head at Kinematics way into 11th grade like I (unfortunately) do. I hope your eyes haven't glazed over by now, or worse you never bothered to read this far. For those who preferred to skip my witty analysis of Bob and fraught humour; here's a quick recap (you can just thank me later). Study frequently. Disown technology (I know this will be perceived dubiously but try and fight the craving). Have good connections. Attempt past papers habitually. Read. Drag in acceptable grades till the first two years. Consider tutors as last resorts. Get out of your comfort zone to undertake a project. Participate in internships! Plague your teacher until the concept is genuinely clear. Perhaps the most important advice for when the times seem dark and the grades seem stark; have F.U.N! School days are your golden days. And as always, never forget Allah. I'll end this semi-tirade with a lovely quote: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela And another lovely one (I swear this is the last): “Don't let Bob get to you!”
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover." - Mark Twain
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Leaving A Legacy
Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
INTERVIEWS While Legacies are commonly associated with death and the end of traditions, we believe that each day we live through is a part of our legacy. We live our legacies every second and every moment of each day. Each little act has its own impact and eventually contributes to what one leaves behind. Their legacies may not have ended here, but they have indeed, left their names imprinted in history. We present to you special interviews compiled by our Editorial Board. All the personalities featured in this section are a trademark in their own respective field and have indeed lived their legacy well. They have and will continue to contribute to our country and the wider world to the best of their abilities. “Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.� ~ Shannon L. Alder
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Irfan Ahson One of the best photojournalists in town, Irfan Ahson has become one of the most sought after trend-setting wedding photographer in Pakistan, covering the grandest events from coast to coast within a short span of two years. An engineer by training, he holds a Masters in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas, USA but decided to pursue his passion, photography as his field of profession. He has covered many spectacular events, including the oath ceremony of the Governor of Texas in USA. Personal Life/ Miscellaneous 1. Were you actually inspired to become an engineer or was it under family pressure? As you might have guessed, it was what my father wanted. A friend of my father's was a Civil Engineer and at a good Govt. post, so apparently that was the route he wanted me to follow. 2.
Irfan Ahson: The family guy or the introvert? Though I try hard to be the family guy, my wife thinks otherwise. I was always the one to shy away from limelight…so yes you can say I am more of an introvert than an extrovert. If at a party, I would rather sit back and observe others instead of mixing and mingling.
3.
Tell us one less-known fact about yourself. I went to UT Austin on full funding as Research Assistant. I didn't spend a dime out of my pocket. Most people are not aware of this fact.
4.
Would you consider yourself as a celebrity owing to all the popularity you have achieved in recent years? I won't consider myself as a celeb. A popular photographer is a more appropriate term.
5.
What kind of a student were you back in school days? I think I answered the question in the earlier question. I was always the high achiever throughout Aitchison, UET and UT. My GPA was 3.9 in the grad program, top 5% of the class. My English percentile score in the GRE was 98%.
6.
The one decision you regret making is... Not taking up photography earlier. Only picked up the camera at the ripe old age of 33.
7.
Your idea of a perfect day? Good weather, good food and quality time with family.
8.
How amusing do you find the DSLR culture among the youth today? Quite interesting to be honest. I wish I was part of this generation; would have picked up photography much sooner.
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9.
The last book you read/ movie you watched? 100 years of solitude…and the Tree of life
10. Your inspiration/ role model? Muhammad Ali Jinnah. 11. Your favorite quote? To dream is happiness; to wait is life but Alhamdolillah the wait has ended! 12. Your most irritating client would be… Who asks for discounts and then sucks the most blood out of you later on! Professional Life 1. Your first paycheck? Was at Aitchison working as college squash team coach after I graduated as College captain. 2.
What was your first real capture that made everybody think you should pursue a career in photography? It was a girl in the park with her mom. The setting sun threw beautiful light and the capture was widely appreciated by colleagues.
3.
Who bought you your first ever camera? When? Of course, I had to do it myself…After I got married in 2003 I bought a 3 mega pixel Sony cyber point shoot.
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The last big bash you covered? Chief Justice of Pakistan and Eden Developer's wedding.
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What do you wish to achieve in the next five years? To establish a successful studio that deals in fashion, corporate and commercial photography as well.
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Your greatest competition in the field is... Myself, and my ambitions.
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The one event that you wish you never covered is... I would rather not name those clients.
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8.
How hard was it to transition from a qualified engineer to a professional photographer? It wasn't too hard. It came naturally as far as skills are concerned but to overcome the taboos and stigma took longer. I wasn't comfortable in my skin initially but now I feel confident and proud holding a camera knowing that I have a standing now as well besides good photographic skills.
9.
Do you ever feel that you would have been better off if you hadn't switched fields? No…not now!
10. Were your parents always supportive of your career option? Nope…dad wasn't too comfortable, mom was totally against it and my wife fully supported me in US but in Pakistan not at all. 11. The one celebrity wedding you wish you could have covered... I prefer not to do such weddings; they tend to become a media circus. Ending Note 1. Your advice to people looking for change in their lives? You cannot cross a chasm in two small steps…take one giant leap of faith! The risks can turn out to be worth it at the end of the day. 2.
Are you proud of the way you have served your country? Is there anything else you wish to achieve in this concern? Alhamdolillah, I have a great feeling of contentment now.
3.
Your work motto. Work hard, play hard…but unfortunately I don't get any time to play hard!
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What kind of legacy do you wish to leave behind for your country? I want to be remembered as 'Someone who brought a refreshing change, broke the stereotypes, changed mindsets and reinstated the dignity of labour and hard work!'
“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” - Karl Lagerfeld
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Maram & Aabroo 'Maram and Aabroo' is a makeup and photography studio and salon run by the very talented duo Maram Azmat and Aabroo Hashimi. They are known not only for their creativity and professionalism, but also because they are the only female-team in their respective industry in Pakistan. They are also avidly involved in live media and videography. Moreover, we are very proud of the fact that Maram Azmat is alum of BLL. Background: 1. How long have you known each other? Where did you meet? We've known each other for 18 years now. We met at Kinnaird College, Lahore in our first year there. 2.
When did you become the team of Maram & Aabroo? What made you decide to work together? At K.C, we would observe students show off their 'modeling portfolios' shot by Khawar Riaz and Ather Shahzad , photo albums circulating the cafeteria was a norm at Kinnaird College in those years. Already we both were interested in makeup and photography, and hence our entrepreneurial instincts just kicked in and we took our cue from the trend at college and Maram & Aabroo came into existence.
3.
What have each of you specialized in before entering the industry? Education? Trial and error in photography and makeup was our course for the six years we were completing our non-arts studies in college and university. Once we completed our Masters in Public Administration we decided to run a salon and photography studio. We did a six month beautician's course to finally learn the salon trade. After that, we had the opportunity to take courses in Dubai for makeup and skin treatments.
4.
What was M&A's first big break when you were recognized and critically appreciated by the industry? Our first cover for Sunday Daily Times propelled our careers exponentially. We started getting inquiries for doing editorials and campaigns for clothing retail brands soon after.
The Work: 1. Have industrywallahs ever tried to discourage you or pull you down? Any untoward experiences? Yes. There are many incidents ever so often where we find out how competition is bad mouthing us so that we don't get a certain project. They take 'All is fair in love and war' to heart. 2.
Maram, how would you describe your hair and make-up style? I feel my style is about making anyone look beautiful. Doing hardcore creative and edgy makeover is never something I have been comfortable with.
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3.
Aabroo, which camera do you use? I use a Canon 5D Mark II.
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What are some of the most memorable shoots ? Our truck art shoot for Fahad Hussayn in 2009 was much fun and appreciated. We shot a steampunk themed shoot with customized accessories for Ali Fateh in 2010. We loved how it came together and it ended up not only being on the cover of The Sunday Times but also featured in a book on Steampunk Fashion history in October 2013.
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Which designers do you enjoy working with? Our personal favorites are Kamiar Rokni and ofcourse, Fahad Hussayn. We've recently done a lot of fashion film and some editorial work for HSY and he's a pleasure to work for.
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What are some of the projects Maram & Aabroo Films has completed? We've shot quite a few fashion films. Recently we shot HSY with Reema, Mehreen and Vaneeza. Then we've shot PFDC video intros and two L'Oreal fashion week presentations.
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Have you been nominated for the LUX Style Awards? If so, how many times and in which categories? We are continually being nominated for LSA since 2007. Twice, we've been nominated only in the best makeup category. The remaining four times we were nominated for best makeup and best photographer.
8.
You both recently got married. Are your husbands' supportive of your career? Tell us something about your spouses and your family life. Yes, both our husbands are extremely supportive of our careers. Maram's husband, Omair Khan is a CSP officer and Aabroo's husband, Jaffer Kazim is a Software Engineer. We all reside in Lahore now.
9.
What is the best thing you like about each other, both personally and professionally? We love how synchronized we have become over these years. We have developed such a level of friendship, trust and good work ethic with each other that we can disagree professionally on something very strongly and not let it affect our friendship.
10. What is the worst pet peeve you have with the other? Maram: We spend so much time together; I feel we are practically the same, so nothing really comes to my mind abou Aabroo. Aabroo: I can't think of any for Maram.
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Personal Style 1. Who are some of your favorite local designers to wear? Fahad Hussayn, HSY, Kamiar Rokni. 2.
And local brands? Crossroads, Breakout, Khaadi , Generations.
3.
What are the five hair and make-up items you can't be without? Hair rubber band, hair serum, blush, mascara and lip balm.
The Future 1. Where would you like to see yourselves in 5 to 10 years? As feature film directors. 2.
Do you think you will always work together for a long time? Or do you see each other eventually going solo? It is always going to be M&A.
3.
What are some exciting new projects lined up? A short film hopefully soon.
“God made man stronger but not necessarily more intelligent. He gave women intuition and femininity. And, used properly, that combination easily jumbles the brain of any man I’ve ever met.” - Farrah Fawcett
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Dr. Nouman Ali Khan An Islamic religious scholar and instructor by profession as well as passion, Dr. Nouman Ali Khan is extremely popular due to his comprehensive Islamic lectures and religious videos that have taken the Muslim community by storm. He is the founder and CEO of the Bayinnah Institute in the USA, a center for Islamic and Arabic Studies. His idealistic approach is a refreshing change from all the harsh realities of life and he has had the honour to enlighten over 10,000 students with Islamic teachings and the fundamental aspects of Islam. 1. What advice would you give the students regarding Islam? My first bit of advice is that because you are at the age of learning, take the opportunity to learn and understand Arabic so that you have a direct relation with the Quran. The Quran is Allah's word, and when you translate it you get some idea, but not the same impact. My second advice is that this is the time to find good company; the people around you determine what sort of a person you will end up being, so be with people who are just better human beings. 2. We, the students have such a tough schedule that we can't find time for religion. So how do we incorporate Islam with our studies? Religion does not want you to stop living your life; you should continue to study and be a professional and succeed. Incorporation means: observing prayers, staying away from major prohibitions and refining yourself as human beings. Invest in yourself as a person. We have reduced our religion to this much zikar and that much nafl prayer, that's all good stuff but more than that, Islam is about morals. Even before the Prophet (PBUH) was given the Quran, he was given honesty. 3. What are your thoughts on teenage love? The only solution to this situation is a reform in education. We don't teach our young men how to behave around women, and vice versa. I think it's the parents' responsibility to talk to their children and tell them what you are feeling is not love, its hormones. But in our houses it's considered 'badtamizi' to talk to elders about this topic. Also, in our society, the girl almost has no choice in marriage, so more and more daughters lose confidence in their parents and they are looking for love themselves. 4. What sort of legacy do you wish to leave? (chuckles) I am too young to leave a legacy; I still play basketball with college students. On a serious note, if I were to look back at my life and say that I contributed towards helping the ummah understand Allah's word better, and helped more and more Muslims appreciate Allah's book better, then my mission's accomplished. If I can help Muslims attain the appreciation of the Qur'an, and make it accessible in a beautiful and deep way for all the Muslims, if I can just leave that legacy, I have accomplished more than I can hope for. In shaa Allah. 88
5. Advice to the youth of Pakistan. The youth of Pakistan can change the entire landscape of Pakistan, but it all depends on them aiming high and having high objectives. You guys are going to have to carry your country and if you don't, this country is done, it's finished. And if you do it, then In shaa Allah, it has an amazing future. Excel in college, get the highest degrees, start your own ethical and moral businesses, and stop consuming garbage. 6. One type of people you can't tolerate. I don't happen to have that attitude. Look, never categorize people. People are always good but sometimes they have bad qualities, and it's the qualities that we don't like, not the people themselves. Musa (a.s) was sent to the worst human being on the Earth, Pharaoh, but even he was told to talk nicely to him and not to judge. If talking about traits, then I absolutely abhor pessimism; Islam is all about optimism. The first verse of the Qur'an is 'Alhamdulillah', which means bad or good, whatever happens, is by the will of Allah, and either way we, still have to have a positive attitude. 7. What type of a student were you? The terrible type, since I didn't do any work! 8. Were you ever pressurized to become either a doctor or an engineer? Yes. My parents wanted me to be a doctor, but thank God I didn't pursue medicine. When I started teaching Arabic, my dad said, why don't you get a real job. It's a standard Pakistani struggle; you can't do anything about that. 9. The most irritating question. “Can I take a picture with you?” 10. Favorite Pakistani song(s) before you became religious? I was a huge 'Vital Signs' fan. Still am a huge Junaid Jamshed fan. Once Junaid bhai and I were sitting at the Texas airport and I said to him, “Junaid bhai your naats are good but your old songs were amazing.”
Our religion doesn't demand perfection but instead a manageable strive to better ourselves. - Nouman Ali Khan
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Ammar Belal The eldest son of the renowned textile industrialist, Khwaja Belal, and one of the most popular Pakistani designers, Ammar Belal has quickly built quite a reputation for himself within the country and abroad. His eccentric and unique designs are widely appreciated and following its huge success in Pakistan, Ammar's label was launched in New York, USA recently. The brand focuses on bringing affordable luxury to a quality conscious clientele and Ammar has won quite a few awards for his work, including the title of Best Menswear Designer 2013 at the LUX Style Awards. Personal Life/ Miscellaneous 1. NY or PK: Your comfort zone. Like they say, the grass always seems greener on the other side. You know what, being Pakistani in NY is fun! 2. One thing you absolutely miss about PK? There are so many things I miss about home. I miss my family dearly. 3. Ammar Belal: The family guy or the introvert? I guess I'm more of an introvert. I could be a better family guy. 4. Tell us one less-known fact about yourself. Hmm... Something personal. If we talk about my routine, you should know that I'm an exercise fanatic. Trust me, I tend to get really cranky if I don't exercise. 5. Your opinion on all the fangirls you have based on your good looks? (including us ) Wow, I'm flattered! Thankyou, I suppose. 6. And your fans generally? Once again, Thankyou! It's amazing to see that so many people believe in me and my label. The fact that they trust me with what I think Pakistanis should dress like without imposing too much of myself is an honour and I thank them for not giving up on me even when they might not like every article that the label has to offer. I hope I don't let them down. 7. Tell us about your education. I started schooling in Lahore but we moved to Geneva for a year so I schooled there too. After my O-levels, I completed my high school from Boston, where I was born, followed by four years at university studying business. So, I never actually studied fashion design uptil now. 8. What made you want to pursue a career in fashion design? After I completed my university, I came back to Pakistan to join my father's textile business. However, I wasn't happy there because I couldn't find much creativity in my work. I told him that I was interested in fashion design and he rejected the idea because it's not financially lucrative. My mother offered to let me design a few articles and put them up for sale at her brand's outlet. That's how it all started.
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9. Any funny childhood stories? My birthday happens to be day before Halloween. So, I would dress up as some character and go to school all in costume. My parents tell me that they used to have a really hard time making me take off those clothes by the end of the day. That was pretty funny. I guess I always loved dressing up, hence the career. 10. The one decision you regret making is... I wish I could be all clichĂŠ and say I never regret my decisions but, the truth is that I've made quite a few mistakes in life and I've been lucky enough to learn from them. Like they say, a mistake you learn from was one worth making. 11. Your idea of a perfect Sunday? On Sundays, I like waking up in a place that makes me happy, in the right mindset, with the people I'm fond of and just enjoying my happy place. Ideally, I'd listen to music and laze around if I've gotten sufficient exercise during the week. Sundays can be cheat days! 12. Speaking of music, your favourite song is? That's easy. Imagine by John Lennon. I love that song. 13. You spoke about people you're fond of. The one family member you absolutely adore is? That would be my mother, there's nobody like her. I'm pretty close to my brother too though. 14. A must ask: Your favourite model? There's not one model who's the best at everything. In print, I have to say, I have never seen anybody as good as Aamina Haq. She was just so natural at it. On the ramp, it would probably be Faiza Ansari. 15. Children: Your take? I happen to have a three-year old niece and my relationship with her has helped me realize that I can be actually very good with kids... They're good as long as they're not mine. (chuckles) Professional Life 1. Your first paycheck? I'll tell you this, back in 2004, Aaminah and I made this kung-fu inspired fashion film. Perhaps it was a bit too eccentric so the media trashed us for it.They hated it. Eventually, GEO TV wrote us both a joint cheque that barely covered our production losses. That was significant. I'm afraid I'm too embarrassed to tell you how much that cheque was for. 2. How hard is it to keep up with your father's standards of work? Being the eldest son, it's hard to please him. His standards of work are a class apart. I'm more of my mother's son, it's her standards of work I've been keeping up with. 3. The latest project you've taken up is? I'm currently working on my thesis for my Masters degree. It'll be displayed at NY fashion week in September. 91
4. The best collection you have come up with so far? As a designer, all my collections have been very close to me because I happen to have a sentimental attachment to them. They represent a part of me and what my life was at that stage. As for the best collection, my clients would be the better judge of that. 5. The best moment of your career is? In 2010, I did a 'Michael Jackson: King of Pop' inspired collection at the first fashion week. It was a ripper success. The next day, I got a call from my father to appreciate me since he read about it in the papers. The headline said: The night belonged to Ammar Belal. It was a pretty special moment. 6. What do you wish to achieve in the next five years? What I'm hoping to do is to make my brand available to the local public. I want the common man to be able to afford designer clothing and I'm working on that to make my label more affordable and accessible. I want Pakistani fashion to stand on the same threshold as the rest of the world. 7. When it comes to work, the person you look upto for advice is... Both my parents have influenced me in many ways. I've learnt so much from them and I think my work is a mixture of their ways. 8. The person behind all your fame/success? My mom and my wife (Aaminah) Ending Note 1. Your advice to people looking to make it big is? Choose something that you love. Work hard at it and you're bound to do well. 2. Your greatest achievement is? Being able to do what I love everyday and being able to make a living out of that. 3. Your work motto. The way I work is, I get embodied into what I'm doing. I go into a zone where I live, eat and breathe my collections 24 hours a day until I'm done. I create this world of fiction in my mind where the characters are what I'm representing, So, that's how I work. 4. What kind of legacy do you wish to leave behind in the industry? I want to be remembered as someone who tried to do something (not being necessarily successful at it) and paved the way for others to do it better than me. I want people to be able to use my experiences to make their journey easier. Yeah, I'd like that.
“You, you may say I'm a dreamer, I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one; I hope some day you'll join us, And the world will be as one.� - John Lennon Imagine 92
A Legacy in Words Simrah Ibrar Sahibzada AI-A
Jibran had never given us much reason to trust him since the very first day he had set foot in our house. Despite being adopted, he was showered with endless love and affection by my parents. For them, he was the son they had always desired. Nothing he said or did seemed to bother my mother and Dad was never home to keep a check on him. Misusing the liberty and respect he was granted, he got affiliated with the bully gang of his school. Initially a prey to them, he soon managed to befriend them, the charming guy he was. It started with harmless acts of bullying but it eventually transitioned into a much serious problem. Drugs, violence and minor criminal activities had become his greatest hobbies. By the time Mom realized how critical the issue was, the matter had already gotten out of hand. Jibran had learnt the art of deception and conveniently honey-trapped my parents into easing up on him by feeding them the emotional hard-life story. Fearful of being too harsh on their adopted son, they silenced themselves and prayed that he would mend his ways. We were absolutely shaken the day we learnt of Jibran's tumor. His excessive use of tobacco and other drugs had brought him to this point. He had been aware of his deteriorating condition since quite some time but did not inform us about this for inexplicable reasons. By the time we could get him some proper treatment, the cancerous tumor had already grown to a size that had become inoperable. We were devastated. My parents went into severe depression and blamed themselves for his condition. There is something about the reality of seeing death close by that shakes up a person to his very depth. I saw more goodness and tenderness in my brother in the following few months than I had seen in our entire time together. He transformed from a violent natured person to a very soft hearted one. He accepted the mistakes he had made and tried to right the wrongs he had done. The guy who had never shared as much as a personal conversation with his family had now grown closer to Mom than I was. His presence in the house, though a constant reminder of the impending fate, was also a force of good. He had stabilized Mom in her depressed state and reassured her of any worries in her mind. When he was permanently hospitalized, my charming brother brought smiles to the faces of all; doctors, patients and the staff alike. It was like he had managed to encompass years of joy within the short span of a few months. We were both eating lunch in his hospital room one day and he was especially quiet. I asked him the question that had haunted my mind for so long, demanding to know what had brought the complete transformation in him. The words he said in response will be imprinted in my mind forever. “Lord knows I have made many mistakes in my life. I can't change the past or what I have done. What I can do, however, is shape the future. When I die, I don't want people to remember me for the wrongs I did, but rather, for the little good I left behind. That's the legacy I want...� It wasn't long after that day that I lost my brother forever. I was upset to lose him but at the same time I was so proud of him. His last wish had come true. Everybody at the funeral and burial remembered him with kind words and mentioned how he had changed for the better. Tears of joy and sorrow welled up in my eyes that day. Jibran may be gone, but in the hearts of those who loved him, he shall continue to live forever...and THAT is his legacy.
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My Ideal and his Legacy Umul Banin AI-C
They say, the person you look upto in your life, your ideal; is the one person who has a lasting effect on your personality. I do not know how true this stands for others, what I do know is that the statement is completely correct when it comes to my life. My role model would have to be the person who I grew up near, the person who cherished me, loved me, nurtured me, groomed me and helped shape my life in the best form possible through his words of wisdom; My Grandfather. I was no more than a little child when he came to live with us for good. Being a new experience for me, I was positively enthusiastic to have his company since my siblings could barely make time for me. While my family made fun of me for spending so much time with my Grandfather despite such a vast age difference, I continued to spend quality time with him, considering him as one of my best friends. Months flew by like seconds and years like minutes, tea time had become more of a ritual where Grandpa and I would sit and bond over a cup of tea and I would tell him all about my day at school. He would patiently sit and listen to my overwhelming stories and give me his golden insight into all the problems I ever faced as a child, no matter how ordinary or insignificant my issues seemed. I grew so fond of his company that even a day without chatting with him felt incomplete. Needless to say, I grew more dependent on him than most children are on their own parents. As I grew older, our conversations changed course and there came a point where he needed my company more than I needed his. He would sit and tell me about old times, share some light moments of his life and more often than not, he would repeat the same stories until I knew them word for word. There were times when he would fall silent in the midst of a tale and I would have to remind him where he had left off. Before I knew it, he was barely able to remember names and events. It was heart wrenching to learn of his dementia. The pest of memory loss was eating away at his brain faster than we could try to stop it. Every day, I would sit by his side and look into his empty eyes. I would remind him that I was his best friend and his favourite grandchild and for few minutes, I would see genuine pleasure on his face only to see it fade away to my dismay. Losing him gradually, watching him grow distant was the hardest thing I ever had to do. The day I lost him still sits heavy in my heart. His presence was a source of inspiration, pleasure, motivation and happiness for me. He left me with beautiful memories, his wisdom, his thoughts and his truly remarkable life story. My grandfather had the dignity to keep his head high and fight off his disease till his last breath. Legacies are not made with material possessions, it is the deeds and words that leave behind a lasting impression. What good does an old trophy lying on your mantle piece do? A positive action, good advice or the treasure of insight is what truly serves the purpose of a bequest. My grandfather, my idol; left me with a golden legacy. He remains my true hero, a man who will continue to live in the hearts of his loved ones forever. In the words of James Earl Jones, “More and more, when I single out the person who inspired me most, I go back to my grandfather.”
“Your story is the greatest legacy that you will leave to your friends.It's the longest-lasting legacy you will leave to your heirs.” - Steve Saint 94
A Living Legacy Sana Zaman Butt XC-B
The Earth throbs with the racing vibes of life as new hearts beat everyday. Another sun rises in a blaze of fiery gold; yet another sun sets in an august splay of orange glow. Grass shoots lush to a sprightly green; somewhere, it withers in the brittle cold. Youth paints avant garde castles in the air; youth crumbles amidst delusional hope. A baby gulps in its first draught anew, as an old man shudders his last to oblivion. It does not stop the world from gyrating, though. Every fiber of your body could be screaming “Stop!”, but time is adamant. The planet spins away, dusk tickles past dawn and people move on. Change is eternal. You learn it along the way, because you change and you make change with every inspired breath, but there is a crossroad to it: does the change live? People leave their marks left and right pretty much from the word go, and each is one's own legacy, because every split-second, indecent thought to the trivial, little goodness from the heart goes into making you what you are today. Ipso facto, that is you shall be remembered tomorrow. But is a legacy all really just that? “Legacy is not what's left tomorrow when you're gone. It's what you give, create, impact and contribute today while you're here that then happens to live on. “-Rasheed Ogunlaru Clearly, everyone leaves a legacy, whether they like it or not. You shall perish in material, but your soul will linger on in everything your hand ever touched, your eyes ever shed tears over, your lips ever smiled for. It is a heart you broke, a person you healed, a seed you planted and dreams you evoked. Your legacy, you see, is your posthumous change. Nevertheless, not all legacies outstrip the test of time. People die everyday. They make memories and they fade. Of all the guesstimated 154,889 deaths that suppossedly occurred yesterday (as is the diurnal rate), feel free to take the liberty of racking your brains for a single name from those dead people. No? Go easy on yourself. Give it the past week. Maybe this druggiest celebrity whose suicide emblazoned the headlines props up in a sluggish haze. That is a small step. But of the remaining 154,899x7 demises? You do not know. Perhaps their families may mourn them for years. Perhaps they had none to mourn them. Their impacts are short-lived. Scarcely anybody cares. What, then, was the purpose of their life? Were they meant to teeter and wallow in burials under the tempestuous sands of time? Where shall your name live? Where shall now mine? It frightens me to think I can be blighted so easily once I cease to exist. Etching your name onto a tombstone is no feat- I want to immortalize it in the hearts of people. I do not want to be a nihilistic footnote in history. I want to make impacts and be remembered for it. I do not want to flicker out in evanescent glimmers and dying embers. I want to infernally blaze and coruscate the world with my flaming aura. I do not want to seethe with foam like the silently lolling waves. I want to toss the universe in roaring waters of monolith. I want my inked words to enthrall, my orated dynamism to galvanize, my feelings to be felt and my dreams to be dreamt. I want to show who I am and show that I am worth remembering. “I mean, they say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time.” -Banksy So I think big, and I want you to. But let us not stop at day-dreaming, and bona fide strive to act and achieve. If you look up to see the shooting star, you might just miss the silver dollar on the sidewalk. I do not apprehend you to fuse any bombs anywhere in this lifetime. But you are human, and by axiom, bound to make wrong decisions. Learn once, live right and live a legacy. Blatantly put, to leave a legacy eternally lauded is to have lived one. It is no use walking anywhere unless your preaching is your walking, after all. In a nutshell, believe in living a legacy to leave a living one. So you will leave a legacy. The question is, what kind? 95
Those Who Wrote the Legacy... Rihab Chaudhry
ALUM Writing for BLL as an alum... WOW! Time has certainly flown by.While most alum writers choose to write about how BLL has been a home to them or how the place has had a lasting impact on their lives, I would like to take a moment to appreciate those who have played an integral role in making BLL what it has become, the unsung heroes, our seniors! The inspirational or sometimes lesson-teaching tales left behind by each batch to their juniors is their legacy. Their achievements and performances are what the juniors look upto as the benchmark in whatever they do. Each student strives to do a little better than his predecessors and this is what raises the bar annually in everything we BLL-ites do, whether it be academics or extracurriculars! This is what has brought us from an ordinary school to the status of one of the best schools for girls in Lahore. Each and every student who walks through those corridors is perhaps, most inspired by, not the teachers, but the standout students of the senior batch. For me, the transition phase from O-levels to A-levels was quite a hard one. After all, according to Sir Saad, “There's a good reason they call it the ADVANCED level!” My transition was aided by my seniors, who were oh-so-willing to help us and jumped at the opportunity to have someone cherish their advice. They lent us their notes, past papers and even some inpromptu outlooks on the teachers and gave us a few tips to stay out of trouble. ( You never heard this from me, but NEVER try to use your mobile in Sir. Akhtar's class.) Come to think of it, I could not even try to imagine how hard it would have been to fit in if it weren't for the seniors who treated us like we were their age-old friends. While there were times they made us run for our lives and bullied us (Think: Ragging!), all that I remember about my seniors is that they were my saviours and my secret weapon against the rest of the world. I watched them play spectacular basketball and slowly developed the passion for it myself and went on to become the General Secretary of the Sports Society and a key player in the school's basketball team. I saw them win various science competitions and participate in the likes of LUMS PSIFI and GIKI Science Fair and went on to do the same. Looking at the hardwork they had to put in for their final year of A-Levels, I mentally prepared myself for the tough journey and was awarded well for my efforts with 3 A's in ALevels. From telling us juniors the “secret” password to the school's Wi-fi and telling us what computer the internet worked on, to consolling us when we received the results of our first assessments in A-Levels, they were a significant part of our journey of A-Levels, one that is often neglected when we think of the people we owe our success to. I am positive that the sentiments I hold in my heart for my seniors, are very similar to those that they have for their senior batch. It is only fitting that we take a moment to recognize the essential role they have played in making BLL a place that we hold so close to our hearts. Their legacy lies in their words, advice, experiences and countless memories that they left us with. To those of you who are the senior-most batch of the school, I hope this reminds you of the huge responsibility you are shouldering, and I hope you manage it well. To the juniors, exploit your seniors to their full potential and accept them for their true worth. They deserve your respect, don't forget that! Concluding with the words of an amazing senior: “The wise ones will learn from our mistakes, the others... Well, they're on their own!” 96
My Legacy, My Advice... Hira Tanveer
ALUM Here I come home from a tiring exam after being awake almost the whole night, and I get asked or rather threatened to finish the alumni article for the Mosaic. Well, when you've been put through the kind of wringer that I had been namely THE PROF, wouldn't somebody sane take this opportunity to warn the younger generation away from the same kind of mistake I made. Yes kiddos, in this article I am going to warn all those pure science pre-med major people to reconsider. When I think about what I want to leave behind for my juniors, yes, it is some unsolicited advice. You don't get much of it from your seniors so cherish whatever you're blessed with. Act on it. The first year starts with three subjects: anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. It may sound ohso- interesting to learn about the human body and all, until you see that anatomy is further divided into: gross anatomy, general anatomy, histology, embryology and later neuro-anatomy. Yes people yes, the entire syllabus of O-levels and A-levels combined would not equate with this thing. Biochemistry is a world of its own. Like an alien planet, it's so dull and dry. And of course it's all so volatile that you wouldn't even remember it a day after your exam. Seriously people, medical has even more rote learning than a lead character in a soap opera. (Okay so maybe a few people find these three subjects very interesting, but I found them pretty nerve wrecking, especially anatomy, which had so many relations that it would put a Mughal king to shame). Moving on to the third year, which is the king of bad subjects and rote learning, has also the clinical side. You go to different wards and have a rotation of two weeks in each ward. It's primarily history taking in the third year. So you go to the patient and take the history of his disease. Ask questions like, ahem, “What brought you to the hospital? Oh vomit? Ok tell me what colour was it? What was the amount, a cup, a teaspoon, a table spoon, more?� (Now don't forget to ask him if his bowel habits are fine or not.) Then there is forensics. A drawback of watching American medicine and hospitals has made us imagine a very, ummm, awesome life for doctors while that is so not the case. I mean you imagine neat and clean wards with cool gadgets and paging services at the disposal of the patient and automatic beds and what not. A defibrillating in a show would have thumping music in the background with a good looking doctor holding the paddles and shouting 'clear' before shocking the heart of the patient. Here? Not so much. Here they say "Yaar is ko 5 volt day do" and then, shock. Now fourth year might come as a relief what with ENT and Eye the easy-pizzie subjects, cute and small, but the gigantic pathology and the indescribable, good-for-nothing, we-don't-know-why-westudy-it sheer-torture community medicine. As interesting as pathology is, it's so lengthy, that once you start, you never finish it. And when you do finish it, you forget what was there in the beginning. The last year is, obviously, the worst of all. Now you study medicine, surgery, gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics. The first time people go to the gynecology ward, they come out all green and pale. I have class fellows who swore never to have kids. However, the purpose of my article was not to discourage students from choosing medicine [although it may seem like that] but to actually make them see what they are opting for. It requires commitment, and if you are choosing medicine because your mom or your dad wants you to be a doctor then for the love of God, DONOT do it. And, enter the medical college keeping in mind that it is going to be tough and you should do this because you want to not because somebody made you do it, because medicine is the kind of profession in which you volunteer and hence learn not by standing behind, but by devotion. It is a very noble and rewarding profession no doubt about it, but people it's not a piece of cake. So, know thyself. All I can say is, nothing in the world comes easy, however, I truly believe that unless you pursue your own passion, you can never truly enjoy your work/education. Still want to be a doctor? Sure, go ahead...but consider yourself warned! 97
Leaving a Legacy Laiba Waqas Dar
ALUM We all want to feel that we've contributed something to the world. For some, this can be a driving force leading to great accomplishments and extraordinary contributions to mankind. But for most of us with more modest goals, what pushes us is the desire to leave a legacy. The literal meaning of the word Legacy is a gift or a bequest that is handed down, endowed or conveyed from one person to another. Most of the people around us confine legacy to transfer of material things from generation to generation. Whereas legacy is more about leaving behind what you have learned, not what you have earned and bequeathing values over valuables, as material wealth is only a small fraction of your legacy. A more holistic definition of legacy is when you are genuinely grounded in offering yourself and making a meaningful, lasting and energizing contribution to humanity by serving a cause greater than your own. The requirements of a legacy are that you embrace your uniqueness, passionately immersing your whole self into life so that your gift will be to all and that you take responsibility to ensure that it will have a life beyond that of yours, its creator, outliving and outlasting your time on earth. At first instance it's hard to think of a legacy to leave behind, but as Og Mandino says: "I am convinced that the greatest legacy we can leave our children are happy memories: those precious moments so much like pebbles on the beach that are plucked from the white sand and placed in tiny boxes that lay undisturbed on tall shelves until one day they spill out and time repeats itself, with joy and sweet sadness, in the child now an adult." So even the happy moments of your life, if they tend to bring a smile on someone's face, they are a part of your legacy. When you encourage someone for their slightest effort and if your word of appreciation seeds even a small amount of confidence in that person's heart, you leave behind a legacy, in the form of confidence in that person which enables him to accept challenges in life. Now it would be wrong to consider leaving a legacy to get famous because you leave a legacy for the well-being of the next generation and not for fame. As we age, and death becomes more of a reality, we begin to focus on making a will. Deciding what material things we will leave behind and to whom. Having things in order when we die is love for our loved ones. But do we give it much thought as to what legacy, character or good memory we will leave behind? Material things fade away, but the legacy that is left behind in the form of good memories and inspirational/motivational thoughts is something that will transfer on to generations. If I am to be asked what legacy I would like to leave, it will definitely be kindness, hope and respect. For being kind to your youngsters and giving respect to your elders is something that is also taught in our religion, Islam. Yet the hope of a better future, with better people in the future, with success in the future is what makes us strive harder towards a better future. And no matter someone knows you or not, if your idea or thought influences their life in a positive way, you have successfully managed to leave a legacy. 98
Life @ Liberty
Count your age by friends, not years; Count your life by smiles, not tears – John Lennon.
Memoir If tears could build a stairway, And memories were a lane. I'd walk right upto heaven, And bring you home again. BLL lost one of its star students, Arooj Asif on 10th August, 2013. This bright, young girl was no less than an angel; a source of pride for her family, friends and teachers. It was greatly shocking and heart breaking to have to say goodbye to Arooj so soon. Here, we present to you a short memoir in memory of Arooj Asif.
MAHWISH ASIF I think of you in silence I often say your name All I have are memories and Your picture in a frame Your memory is a keepsake From which I will never part God has you in His arms I have you in my heart Arooj was not only my baby sister, but also my friend, my sporty brother, my protective father and my caring mother. She was not only beautiful, but had a kind heart too. She was humble, sweet, loving, compassionate, funny, modest and generous. Her sparkling eyes reflected how full of life she was. She was confident in her speech and determined towards her work. Arooj was the most loving child of our family. The doors of Heaven opened on the 10th of August and my darling baby sister was embraced by God. Despite our deep affection for her, we could not make her stay. Her heart, full of love, stopped beating and her soft little hands became still. God broke our hearts to prove to us that He only takes the best. He bestowed our family with an angel, Arooj. She was and always will be the pride of our family. She may be gone and I may not see her or hear her, but I can always feel her, just like the wind. I will always love her, till the end of my days and beyond. Dear Ujju, you chose to live forever and I choose to live forever for you. May you rest in peace. (Ameen) 99
MAHEEN ASIM The moment that you died My heart was torn into two, One side filled with heartache, The other died with you. I often lie awake at night, When the world is fast asleep, and Take a walk down memory lane, With tears upon my cheeks. Remembering you is easy, I do it everyday, But missing you is a heartache, That never goes away. I hold you tightly within my heart, And there you will remain, Until the joyous day arrives, When we will meet again.
UNIZA NAVEED 10th August- The day that changed our lives forever! Our Ujju was gone...I still find it so hard to believe that she's not with us any longer... and I know that even years after from now, I won't be able to accept the fact that Arooj Asif has passed away. I never knew what pain was until I lost you Ujju. One of the most lively people I've ever known, you were my baby and will always be my youngest baby . No one can ever replace you. I have had the best times of my life with you. I often end up thinking that “May be... may be it was too early!” or “How did this happen...Why?” If I had known I would lose my best friend so soon, I would've hugged her, kissed her and told her how much she meant to me. However, I guess this is how it was meant to be. Fate can not be changed by anyone and unfortunately, it was YOU this time, who had to go. It tears my heart to think that I won't see your beaming face again and you won't ever speak to me Arooj. You may not be here with us, but you will continue to live in my heart for the rest of eternity. How lucky I am to have known someone who's so hard to say goodbye to. I hope you're happy wherever you are and I know you're watching over us. May your soul rest in peace. Ameen
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SHIZA MALIK Paying tribute to Arooj Asif. We all know her. She wasn't a person you could ignore,ever ready to take a risk. She was true to herself like no one ever was. We both wanted to be in the same university but I was an art student. Now, I have to walk through this part of life alone. The best part of our life was about to start, but this horrible accident took her away. Everything changed in that moment we lost Arooj. She was a great person; full of life. She may not have had the best grades, but she was definitely a high scorer when it came to being happy and keeping those around her happy. Always chilling... She was my best friend, one who can not be replaced. She is missed more than anything... My better half, my Ujju.
AZKA AQEEL It has been said that time heals all wounds. I happen to disagree with this statement. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain decreases. As I'm trying to gather words to write about a dear friend, no word seems to be fitting enough to express my emotions. When I think about her, I remember her beauty. She was a beautiful person inside and out. The time I spent with her was priceless; moments that I will never forget. The pain of losing a dear one is tremendous and it's not easy to see her pictures and accept that we won't see her again. Ujju, you are the most wonderful thing that happened to all of us. You may not be with us in perosn but you're alive in our hearts. If I could turn back the clock, I'd do anything to have you back. A moment to hold you, cherish you, hug you... and tell you that I've missed you.
GHANIA SHUAIB Hopeless, helpless and hollow... That's how I felt when I heard about Arooj's death. Arooj, our shining angel, our baby girl was gone and there was nothing we could do to bring her back. I've never felt lonelier in my life, knowing that she isn't there for me anymore. It hurts to think about it. The memories we have together are countless and can still make me crack up despite the pain of her loss. Everyday spent without her is agonizing and all I want is for her to be happy. If bearing with this pain means that my Ujju is in a better place, then so be it. I wonder what I would've said to her if I'd known I was going to lose her so soon. Nothing I could say would fill the void in my heart. She's gone and I miss her every day... That's all I know...
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Fashion Anthem 2013 – My Chance to Shine! Neha Fauzan AII-A
It started off as an idea put forward by a group of friends and ended up in an event one cannot easily forget. Fashion Anthem 2013 was initially a plan that involved too many complications for it to be taken to the systematic administration of Beaconhouse Liberty Campus. However, with constant help from friends and wise, motivational words from peers, we were able to organize the event. Considering the huge success of the event at its debut last year, we were determined to make this year's event more spectacular and glitzier than the last. That in itself, was a huge challenge for us but it was one we were willing to accept. After a week of brainstorming, running away from contract-thirsty event organizers, consistently pestering our kind Events Coordinator, Miss Asma Ehtesham for petty things, we were finally in a position to bring our dreams to reality. Yes, we fought and had issues but we stuck to what we signed up for and promised to put forth an amazing event which was made easier thanks to our supportive Principal, Mrs. Humaira Mahmood who was always there for us no matter how many times we showed up at her office with new requests. Our amazing committee heads did their part in making the event possible by putting in extra hours after school which I can never thank them enough for. Selected teams from all over Lahore showcased their designs across 4 pre-set categories via ramp walk. They were judged on their creativity, design, interpretation of themes, catwalk and choreography by a panel of well known personalities in the Pakistan Media and Fashion industry, namely, Miss Mehreen Syed, Mr. Meekal Zulfiqar and Mr. Mehdi The show as expected, turned out to be a great success. An audience of over 500 enjoyed the show and left behind memories that are a major part of my life at BLL. The newly introduced theme, 'Neon' was highly appreciated as contestants brought new ideas to the ramp including the use of fluorescent paints and neon flashlights. Exceptionally bright ideas were put forward and the talent amongst our youth was clearly showcased at the event. This event, being my last at a place I now call home, gave me a chance to prove myself and I think we managed to pull it off pretty well. A special thank you to the school administration for supporting us and encouraging us to step out of our comfort zones, because without them, Fashion Anthem 2013 could not have been a success. Ending in the words of Coco Chanel: “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.”
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ISSI 2014 Noor Fatima Chaudhry AI-C
Held on the 18th and 19th of January 2014, ISSI 2014 was one of the most awaited events of the year at BLL. Innovation, modernization and cutting-edge technology were the concepts behind this year's ISSI. Delegates were encouraged to use their scientific knowledge and analytical skills to try and come up with innovative solutions to existing problems. Ranging from tasks like constructing a model windmill with limited resources and cracking codes to find hidden messages, ISSI had it all. What we aim to do is create innovative and strong minds that can quickly come up with solutions to any problem they are faced with. 'Thinking outside the box' is a concept often heard of but rarely used. We promoted this idea and designed many puzzles for our delegates where the solutions were not that simple, they needed to put in their best efforts to come up with solutions; and that they did. Minds were put to test and creative abilities were sought out in the race to find the ultimate winners. Be it Biology or Physics, Maths or Chemistry, no subject was neglected and carefully planned events covered all these fields. With events like Trespass Bustos, the Scavenger Hunt, the Quiz, Battle of Ideas, Guess Who, Model Making, Doctor D and Le Engineers, ISSI 2014 was the ideal platform for the scientists of tomorrow to prepare themselves for the future and prove their mettle in their respective fields. Don't start yawning just yet. While we dedicated ourselves to making ISSI the best Science Olympiad of the year, we didn't miss out on an essential feature of our signature event: the Entertainment! From making our delegates perform dares or run around the buildings in search of clues, we kept our guests busy and entertained. A Scavenger Hunt was also planned to lighten the mood and help our delegates become more comfortable with the atmosphere. Making delegates dance to “Eye to Eye' and do 20 pushups in a row were perhaps the highlights of the entertainment we experienced. After a day full of mind boggling quizzes, presentations and challenges, we treated our guests to a Gig Night and finally, a Formal Dinner the next day. With delegations from LGS 1-A/1, BSS ALGC, BSS ALJT, Aitchison College, FC College, BSS Newlands, LGS Defence and BSS Defence, ISSI had a huge response from educational institutions all over Lahore and the competition was a tough one. Each delegate was smarter than the other and each team better than the next. It only made the event more interesting and successful as everyone seemed to be on the edge of their seats till the results were announced. The trophy for ISSI 2014 was lifted by BSS ALGC with BSS ALJT and LGS 1-A/1 close runners-up. A big thank you to all our Event Heads and the dedicated President of the Science Society, Myra Sohail who worked day and night to make ISSI possible. The forces behind the success of ISSI would have to be the very supportive Principal, A-levels staff and our hard-working teachers who kindly sat with us for hours to plan out each aspect of the various events and then graced the occasion as our distinguished guests and judges. 103
Arsenic and Old Lace-Annual Play Fatima Masood AI
“Drama is very important in life: You have to come on with a bang. You never want to go out with a whimper. Everything can have drama if it's done right.” – Julia Child Coming from a world-famous chef, these words sound odd. But then, they're only proof that people from every walk of life have admitted to the significance of drama in our lives. Usually, the society would be expected to focus on participating in various drama moots all year round but we decided to take a different approach this time. We decided to invest all our time and resources into our very own Annual Play, vowing to make it better than ever, a show that people would never forget. Naturally, we started working towards our goal but it sounded easier said than done. From long discussions over the chosen costumes to tiring rehearsals and run-throughs, it was a long journey. If there was someone who managed to keep hold of his sanity midst all the craziness, it was our beloved director, Sir Hashim Ali, who was there for us every step of the way. If it weren't for his amazing sense of humour and kind words, this journey would not have been a memorable one. Trust me when I tell you there were huge hurdles in the way. There were dresses that didn't fit at the last moment and buttons on shirts that popped. There were characters who had to race to the stage to get there in time for their appearances and flustered people backstage. There was stage fright and then there was the fear of getting the lighting/sounds wrong. The entire point I'm trying to make is that it wasn't easy. Needless to say, when the final day came, we all were frightened. Nervousness, feeling the jitters; yep, it was all there! However, once we actually got going, we managed to surprise ourselves. Where we had expected ourselves to forget our lines or say them at the wrong moment, it was almost as if we had performed the play a hundred times before. There was not a single error and the cheering crowd and the smiling faces of proud friends and parents by the end of it were only a proof to the fact that the play was indeed a huge success. A completely full house and not a disappointed soul: it couldn't have been better! Team 'Arsenic and Old Lace' takes a bow! “Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened.”- Dr. Seuss
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BLKC 2014 Iman Ejaz AI-A
“Eloquence is surely nothing short of magic.” Debates, well, have become a matter of life and death within the debating circle and beyond. So, organizing a successful event may sound easy, but trust me when I tell you, all that glitters is not gold. Getting the ideal date, contacting judges, selecting students for the management and coordinating between the two coaches and the administration was not an easy job, to say the least. Endless hours of hard work, over-dosing on caffeine and constant headaches; that was my journey to making BLKC a success. But like they say, all's well that ends well, I am proud to say that the effort was well worth it. On 28th February, we started with the third edition of Beaconhouse Liberty Kasuri Cup. It began with the fourteenth Annual Bilingual Declamation Contest, with around 15 teams participating. All the participants spoke extremely well on the assigned topics and the winner was hard to pick amongst all the talented orators. While it went on successfully, we were joined later by around twenty teams for the parliamentary competition. After three days of heated debate and constant battle to outshine the rest, King Edward Medical University and Sicas made it to the Final round. The chief guest for the occasion was Mr. Saad Rasool, who is a famous lawyer and currently teaches at Lahore University of Management Sciences. Also, before the Final round, a Master's round was arranged, to entertain all with an interesting debate, in which our coaches, Sir Ali Hannan Malik and Sir Usman Tanveer Malik gave their speeches along with several other renowned debaters of Pakistan. This perhaps, was the most light-hearted and inspiring part of the competition. At the end of the three-day extravaganza, King Edward Medical University won the prestigious title of being the winners of BLKC 2014 whilst Sicas lifted the Runners' Up Trophy. It was good to see that all the hard work and training of the management by our beloved coaches paid off well and the event was a huge success. However, being BLL-ites, we constantly strive to achieve betterment in the future and hope to make BLKC 2015 a greater success.
“It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.” - Joseph Joubert 105
Round The Block Compiled by the Editors Best Quote You’ve Heard on-Campus? Amna Iqbal: Ye BLL hai, KC nahi. Yahan students parhnay atay hain, shugal lagnay nahi - Miss Rabia (A1, first day) Momal Malik: Beta clear bolain, ye bulbulay nahi chal raha- Sir Asim to a flustered student Iman Ejaz: Larkay paoon ke jooti hotay hain- Anonymous Sarah Naseer: It's not the grades you take; it's the hands you shake. Hajira Naeem: Kainat rocks- Sir Saad (Chemistry class) :'D Saffa Faisal: Ye dunya isi liye kharab hai kyun ke humnay buray ko bura kehna chor dia hai... Deep, no? Best faculty member? Hira Naeem: Miss Asma Ehtesham Sarah Naseer: Sir Hamood (You don't get anywhere without a savvy accountant on your side) Shahtaj Malik: Miss Rabia Iman Ejaz: Sir Ali Hannan Maham Aqeel: Miss Rabia Nabia Khawar: Miss Najira- She's the coolest one! Saffa Faisal: Miss Rabia. Period. Amna Iqbal: Sir Kashif Aziz - Most devoted teacher. Dua Haider: Sir Saad Hameed Kainat Yousaf/ Faqia Iqbal: Sir Saad Hameed Umul Banin: Sir Akhtar. It's so cute to watch him smile and say 'mottu’ Hajira Naeem: Sir Saad Zindabad!!! Sarima Baig: Sir Kashif Aziz Momal Malik: Sir Saad :3 (Biased Decision: Only because he treats his students to pizza) Any upgrades you've noticed for this academic session? Nabia Khawar: Apparently we've been blessed with several new facilities, like lockers and the 'new' common room; but as they say: It's not necessary you get beauty along with brains. So let's just say they only contribute as words. Sarah Naseer: More courses to cover in lesser time. Kainat Yousaf/ Faqia Iqbal: Bless thy Lord, we finally have ACs. Something really needs to be done about Waqas uncle's remote controlling skills though... Dua Haider: Addition of judgmental weirdos. (You never said the upgrades had to be pleasant, did you?) Hajira Naeem: Ehh... common room is a beauty. Iman Ejaz: Well, we get permission for going places, so all's good. 106
Your take on the Head girl? Kainat Yousaf/ Faqia Iqbal:She is cool! B-) Sarah Naseer: I happen to like people who treat me to chocolates during the election campaign! ^_^ Iman Ejaz: EXACTLY like Hirra. I liked Hirra! Hira Naeem: Best! Shuggliest bandi ever. Maham Aqeel: Saffa best hai! Chilling! Noor Fatima: Two words: Lifesaver! Respect! Sarima Baig: Helpful, good natured bandi. Your take on the newest HM? Hira Naeem: Sigh... Dua Haider: Yup, she's turning us into Aitchison girls. Iman Ejaz: She loves me. :3 Momal Malik: She hates me. :'( Maham Aqeel: She's pretty awesome. Sarah Naseer: She's sweet... yeah, sweet! Nabia Khawar: Elle est tres... (She is very)... Oh wait, they offer French as a subject now. Next question please. Anonymous: Only if I were an Aitchi boy... sigh! Saffa Faisal: She is extremely lucky because she has the best head girl at her service. :D Umul Banin: I happen to admire her driving skills.*_* One thing that BLL could do without is... Kainat Yousaf/ Faqia Iqbal: Alevel's uniform designed by Deepak Parvani. Sarah Naseer: The makeup. Iman Ejaz: Gymboree. Hira Naeem: GYMBOREEE...this is our territory! Dua Haider: One Direction fans. Maham Aqeel: Desperate girls. Saffa Faisal: All those flirty girls who can't help themselves when they participate in events in which there are OMG boys!
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Momal Malik: Girls .-. Hajira Naeem: Gymboree -.Any ragging stories? Hira Naeem: Rameen Masood got handprints everywhere! Literally. Epic! Shahtaj Malik: Puri tarha revenge nae lia humnain pichlay saal ka. Dua Haider: My face got smothered with acne causing paint by a bunch of hyper seniors, good day. Sarah Naseer: One of the A2 girls tried putting lipstick inside my mouth. Needless to say, it didn't end well for either of us! Hajira Naeem: You might find many, next year. ;) Hottest teacher? Nabia Khawar: The one who has the highest attendance in his class during subject selection week. He shall not be named! Dua Haider: Sir Akhtar and his cheeni eyes. Hira Naeem: WORLD HISTORY KI MISS AUR UNKI HEELS!!!! Maham Aqeel: Sir Omer Tauseef. Sarah Naseer: Ma'am Asma. Anonymous: Only if we had one... *sighs* Hajira Naeem: The World History teacher. ^_^ Saffa Faisal: Sir Mumtaz Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Nabia Khawar: Owner of a 'French' 'Food' place and working in a 'Law' firm where I teach 'Economics'. Yes people, my subjects are next level just like my position in 10 years. Iman Ejaz: Maybe back in BLL to teach or in a renowned company at a good post. IA Hira Naeem: Marketing executive at Nestle. *sigh* Dua Haider: Probably selling samosas on Liberty Chowk. Saffa Faisal: Probably sitting on a couch, eating. Sarah Naseer: Administrative job at BLL. Heck yeah! Hajira Naeem: I'm gonna be Nolan Ross the second...the best hacker in the world! Wait, that's the backup plan. Otherwise, it's the usual; dentist, three kids, nice home maybe? Sarima Baig: I see myself... hmm... in Spain Rida Tanveer: A librarian at LUMS! Oh, the dream! 108
Something you learnt this year? Rameen Masood: That everything we do is 'ridiculous' (Courtesy: Miss Mariam Zaidi) Rashmeen Khan: Sir Saad jo kehtay hain, wohi sahi hota hai. 8) Anon: Never become a Chemistry class representative! Ayesha Amjad: Sir Asim kay section main na jana. Kainat Yousaf: Never underestimate Sir Akhtar k kaan. A-levels' debater: An addition to my vocabulary. (Courtesy: new debating coach) Faqia Iqbal: Sir Hashim is actually sweet. Fatima Masood: How to bunk classes for two weeks consecutively. (Inspiration: Hudaa Yousaf) Momal Malik: Class two k bachon ko quadratic equations aati hain- Sir Asim's logic. Jane Doe: The canteen is never a reliable source for cookies. :'( Hira Khalid: How to use a mobile phone in class. Your take on the following people: a) Khan Uncle? Kainat Yousaf/ Faqia Iqbal: BLL's Hagrid! Shahtaj Malik: The best! Dua Haider: ^ Same Maham Aqeel: ^ that sums it up nicely. Iman Ejaz: Completes BLL Hira Naeem: Protector Sarima Baig: Indiana Jones Hajira Naeem: BLL ki Jaan. Noor Fatima: Salute! Saffa Faisal: Youthful b)Canteen wali aunty? Dua Haider: Slow Sarima Baig: Radha chashmey wali Nabia Khawar: Udhaar!! Sarah Naseer: Model! 109
Kainat Yousaf/ Faqia Iqbal: Burger Aunty Amna Iqbal: Not a good cashier Hajira Naeem: Snail c)Photocopier? Dua Haider: Mean Anonymous: Way too much attitude. Maham Aqeel: Sarial Sarah Naseer: Serious Iman Ejaz: Baad main ana Amna Iqbal: Generous in discounts Sarima Baig: Mast kalander Hajira Naeem: Tarakiyaaan ;) Saffa Faisal: Busy d)Ahmed uncle? Iman Ejaz: Very helpful Anonymous: He looks cute carrying Miss Maliha's purse. Hajira Naeem: Best invigilator :D Hira Naeem: Helpful Sarah Naseer: Moody Anonymous: Miss Rehana's minion e)Waqas Uncle? Nabia Khawar: Workaholic Dua Haider: Weird Maham Aqeel: Shareef Sarah Naseer: Boot-y-full! Hira Naeem: Stationery Hajira Naeem: Shikayatain kam lagaya karain.
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Saffa Faisal: Helpful People falling under the following labels are: a)Hitler? Sarima Baig: HM Iman Ejaz: Sir Asim. (I'm scared of writing this) Hira Naeem: Shahbakht Ahmed (zor ki chapair) Shahtaj Malik: Saffa Faisal Dua Haider: Haleema Kamila Maham Aqeel: Momal. :D :P Noor Fatima: Hands down Umar. (Lab attendant) Saffa Faisal: Even though she isn't in BLL anymore, but still ULVEENA AITZAZ! b)If looks could kill Hira Naeem: Unzilla Abbas Dua Haider: Rameen Masood Sarah Naseer: Canteen staff girls Momal Malik: Neha Fazun Hajira Naeem: Sir Akhtar :D Saffa Faisal: Parsa Nadeem c)Teacher's pet? Hira Naeem: Iman Ejaz Dua Haider: Faqia Iqbal Sarah Naseer: Javeria Rizwan Hajira Naeem: You really think I'd answer this and face their wrath? Saffa Faisal: Mahnoor Tahir d)Miss. Know-it-All Hira Naeem: Rida Tanveer Saffa Faisal: Shahtaj Malik Iman Ejaz: Romeesa Tariq 111
Amna Iqbal: Fizza Abbas Dua Haider: Ayesha Amjad Sarah Naseer: Sehr Khalid Noor Fatima: Faqia Iqbal Hajira Naeem: A handful in the science batch. Sarima Baig: Miss Maryam Raza Zaidi! Genius! e)Dream-girl Hira Naeem: Miral Waqar Dua Haider: Fatima Sheikh Maham Aqeel: Zahra Abbas Sarah Naseer: Shehr Bano Noor Fatima: Fatima Masood Saffa Faisal: Khadija Zeeshan Hajira Naeem: Meh :3 f)Dress to kill Hira Naeem: Banin Fatima Iman Ejaz: Semal Farid Dua Haider: Iza Shamaz Maham Aqeel: Miss Farwah Saffa Faisal: Ammarah Qadir g)Living on the edge Hira Naeem: Umaima Saud Dua Haider: Hajira Naeem Sarah Naseer: Hira Naeem Saffa Faisal: Zupash Khan Noor Fatima: Hudaa Yousaf Momal Malik: Meeran Bano 112
BLL ki Emily Dickinsons Dabay main daba Dabay main cake Fatima Sheikh hain sab se naik Dabay main daba Dabay main khajoor Aglay saal yahan ana hai zaroor (wise words for O3 students) Dabay main daba Dabay main nest Fatima Masood hai sab se best Dabay main daba Dabay main coal Unzilla ki picture lagi dil pe with fevicol Dabay main daba Dabay main langoor Dua Haider meray ghar kashboo laga k anna zaroor Dabay main daba Dabay main panadol Fatima Waheed is a baby doll Dabay main daba Dabay main racket Saffa hai entertainment ka packet Dabay main daba Dabay main comb Miral Waqar hai A2 ki bomb Dabay main daba Dabay main heater Semal Farid hai future Ivy Leaguer Dabay main daba Dabay main threads Sab se awesome hain literary society k heads (A special thank you to Fatima Masood for her amazing poetic talents)
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The Happy Page HAPPINESS IS WHEN… Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
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The teacher is late for the class National holidays are on weekdays The heads are in a good mood You find the allu ka samosa in the canteen before 9 a.m. Sir Hashim gives you a day off Some 'changa munda' comes in school. There are COOKIES for the editor :P When Umer the lab-attendant is absent. Sir Saad treats you to pizza. Ms. Asma ignores you, and moves on to scold someone else. You catch SGO'S Wi-Fi signals. You get a birthday surprise by your besties, (and all the random people/ muft khorras) S.A.T.U.R.D.A.Y!! The common room's heater works You can catch come zzzs because the teacher is absent SELFIES!! You get sassta food ISSI treat by the school at the Forest Café You stream movies in the computer lab You check your old class rooms, now inhabited by dorky kids :P Everybody follows the colour code on Fridays Sir Asim insults some other random bachi Rameen calls LSE 'London School Of Economics, jo Lahore mei hai' The winter break is 18 days long. You scare the kiddies with 'chaar bajay walli churail' Welcome parties!! The society head gets owned by event heads. You mock the models of the poor participants at ISSI. There are events in school…so many free classes! Sir Zafar gives his examples: 3 Idiots mei Kareena Kapoor apnay father ko apnay bhai ki death ka blame karti thi, but us nay tou suicide commit kia tha however the father was the driving force, the similar case is in Secondary Active Transport'...(won't be forgetting the lesson any time soon, now that's smart :P) You watch reruns of 'One Tree Hill' Miss Maliha bulldozes some poor girl's puff. You flunk Physics along with your besties You get to interview Ammar Belal (Y) Dholki of the senior school teacher, followed by Luddi Singing shaadi walay songs in the common room Areesha's 'Tu sohniye, sachi' Khan Afzal's 'Aslamoalikum'
The Sad Page SADNESS IS WHEN… Ÿ
Chemistry class at 7:40 in the morning
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ISSI kay boards, rather, boards in general
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Having to wear black pumps, especially when you have the cutest flip-flops
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Sir Akhter cancelling the class, and then showing up
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The canteen with no cookies for the editor
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EXAMS(that goes without saying, no?)
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When Hira Naeem's roll is not crispy enough
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Looking at people like Damon, and not getting them
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The not-cancelled Maths ki class
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Bunking the class, and getting caught by Ms. Farwah, who drags you to the class, as if getting caught was not embarrassing enough
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You flunk the test, but your friends ace it…(whatever happened to yeh dosti)
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When Hajira doesn't bring her camera, and you were dressed up like it's phuphoo's Valima(good d.ps' just don't happen you know, they require planning)
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Baisti session by Ms. Asma in front of gazillion other people…seriously you can hear the daant three blocks down :'(
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Begging people to write their society round ups'
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Waking up early in the morning when it's ice cold outside-school's such a sadist
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Reading 'The Fault In Our Stars', and the hero(blooper alert) um, dies
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Looking at the juniors when they are messin' and having fun in their arts class with plaster of Paris- wishing I could go back to the middle school( the curious case of Benjamin Button, anyone?)
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Pakistan loses the cricket match
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Does the Gig at ISSI count?
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Parhai. Bus.
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The sucky playlist in the common room-logon enough with Wrecking Ball
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The trip to Turkey gets cancelled(and here we were thinking we could catch Mera Sultan)
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Chemistry Practicals, pointless, and painstaking
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BLL is a place where... Art comes in various forms._. (Yep, we call that art)
Every moment we spend together is LEGEN-wait for it-DARY!!!
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We manage to find the best of everything (even inanimate objects)
Indeed, MOSAIC does have its spoils
It's hard to tell the teachers apart from the students
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Its hard to tell whether we're working hard or hardly working!
The juniors are cooler than you ever were!
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Birthdays become more memorable each year
Where hooting is finally legalized in A-levels
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Ugly ducklings turn into beautiful swans more often than not! ( Idea Credits Dua Haider)
Peek-A Boo, Meekal I see you!
Even the editorial board can be left at a loss for words at times
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Posing face-forward is just too mainstream
We try to fill into Khan Afzal's shoes
You just cant get enough of selfies
You're gonna get some tough love; like it or not
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We're all made to feel like princesses!
You'll find all kinds of stars
why so serious
We solemnly swear we're upto no good
Art Gallery
Haleema Hamid XIC-D
Javeria XIC-E
Anamta XIC-D
Wafa Zaheer VII-B
Fatima Irfan VIII-D
Aneeza Tauseef VIII-D
Nabia Khawar AI
Maheen Shahzad VIII-F
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Art Gallery
Amna Feroz 9C-E
Zoya Sajjad 8-C
Bisma Tahir 8-G
Urooj Qureshi AI
Urooj Qureshi AI
Mahnoor Syed 11C-E
Sarah Sabir AI 124
Nabia Khawar AI
Art Gallery
Zahwa Ansar IX C-B
Haleema Hamid XIC-D
Anamta XIC-D
Umsa Riaz VII-B
Fatima Rafiq XC-G
Wafa Zaheer VII-B
Sana Zahra AI
Sana Zahra AI
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Art Gallery
Halimah Hamid XIC-D
Anamta XIC-D
Javeria Siddique X C-E
Fatima Riaz XI
Fatima Ijaz 8-B
Mahnoor Syed
Masooma Hussain VIII-F 126
Sana Zahra AI
Art Gallery
Amina Haq 8-G
Sana Zahra AI
Zahwa Ansar IX C-B
Sana Zahra AI
Sana Zahra AI
Sarah Sabir AI
Nabia Khawar AI
Masooma Hussain VIII-F
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