LUMUN XI-An Unforgettable Journey

 Written by Inshirah Tahir


The Public Speaking Society of PAF Chapter prepared for LUMUN XI with all their devotion; they were expecting numerous things. A competition of enormous magnitudes that would test the very best of their speaking skills and their intellect, they expected to have a wonderful time surrounded by their teammates and enjoy much talked about winter of Lahore! However what they did not expect was that their teammates will soon turn into their closest friends, that they will make memories and share jokes that will stay with them for life! Despite the competition, they will learn more from the conference than they could have ever imagined ans that they will push their stamina and intellect to the very limit and come out adding four more awards to PAF Chapter's LUMUN legacy!

Now a little insight on what happened before the conference, so if any of you had the chance to meet any of the delegates a day or two before they left, you would have been witness to the stress they were under at the time. Was the cause of this the immensely hard competition they were soon to face? Uhhmm Not really, this was actually caused by the fact that with only a few hours remaining till the conference was scheduled to commence, they were still unsure about their personalities and committees. One of the delegates actually ended up walking into the competition only to learn that his assigned personality did not even exist! *Much wow* However despite all predicaments, on the 12^th of February a group of twelve students including, Mohammed Rohan, Najam Hassan, Usama Khawar, Inshirah Tahir, Maha Malik, Sitwat Atiq, Abdullah Zahid along with students from the O Levels Section, Shahrukh Waseem, Haysam Azhar, Sara Intikhab, Ghazal Qadri and Mohammed Ibrahim left for the train station accompanied by their team facilitator, Mr. Yelmaz Mujtaba. The train ride thereon started with some people feeling slightly claustrophobic  but then getting used to it after a while. Some of us were busy enjoying bottles of Nutella, bags of Lays and what not. We were really sleepy but at the same time too ecstatic to sleep. There were also those who were constantly trying  to escape to a quiet corner to research but would soon be consumed again in the hilarious ongoing conversations. Then before we knew it, we were in Lahore, hauling our luggage, we moved on in the city which was to be our home for the next few days.

Loading into two vans, our next stop was the Beverly Inn, the so called “three star” accommodation arranged for the delegates. However, after hours of waiting around in the lobby we were finally taken to our rooms and let me tell you that all it took was one look at the room to decide that there was no way any one of us was going to stay( read survive) there. Between the utterly unhygienic furniture to the holes in the walls (including one in the roof where sat a pigeon), to evidences of “THINGS” that would scar one for life; we were, uhmm, let's just say very uneasy. We therefore decided to haul our luggage from the rooms and escape as quick as our feet would carry us. Soon enough, thanks to Usama, three rooms were arranged for us that were in immaculate condition and were located right next to the Alama Iqbal Airport.

*sigh* 

Finally, we proceeded to the actual conference, reaching LUMS (Lahore University of Management Sciences). It was obvious that everyone was reconsidering whatever their previous University preferences had been, the main charm was of course the fact that the red bricks reminded us of the PAF Chapter itself. We took a couple of rounds around the campus and found ourselves just moments away from the commencement of the competition. Committees like, DISEC, SPECPOL, SNOWDEN COMMISION, THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, SOCHUM, LEGAL, ILO, ARCTIC COUNCIL and UNSCW ignited excitement and fear in us. What followed were three days of immense debating, bashing,  trying to get resolutions passed and sheer diplomacy. There were times when we thought we had lost it, only to realize how to get up again. Then there were those moments that made us believe that we could easily win this only to be hit with a big dose of reality!  Throughout this mayhem each member acted like a support system, some  helped others with their  research, rephrasing resolutions, while others were selflessly guiding one another at the expense of their own sleep. One person who was a priceless motivation the entire time was our mentor, Mr. Yelmaz Mujtaba. He selflessly and tirelessly backed us up no matter what. 

The competition had a total of eight sessions. Moderated caucuses were raised that divided the actual topics into subtopics for formal discussions followed by un-moderated caucuses which included completely informal discussions which tested the delegates convincing power. Towards the end a draft resolution was prepared and passing this marked the end of the competition. Thus after exhausting debates and sleepless nights infront of our laptops, we all proceeded to the closing ceremony, each of us well aware of the fact that we gave the best we could. Knowing that no matter what happens we were content because surely this was a learning experience like none other. When it was time for the announcement of the awards we held our breath and exploded with joy and cheered when four of our teammates come out winning  honourable mentions which included, Mohammad Rohan from SC, Maha Malik from ILO, Sitwat Atiq from SOCHUM and Inshirah Tahir from WEF.

This trip was barely just about the competition, it was a hub of priceless memories. Sitting around LUMS at places like the Khoka or Zakir Tikka or Jammin Java and discussing everything from strategies to gossips to every joke in the world. Some of us including myself “ate” coffee (yes, seriously) just so that we could stay awake for the remainder of the day *that was one heck of an experience*  The aimless walks around LUMS will be forever remembered! Finally after the closing ceremony we all had a meal from Hardees and then after getting some much needed rest packed up our bags and left for the station. This time the train ride was a little nostalgic as no one wanted the trip to end but was still too fun to be forgotten! There were the movies we watched on our way back while munching on pizza, with thirteen people cramped up in a room made for six and the games we played to interrogate each other and whatnot. *Wink wink I am sure those who went with us would understand the interrogation part* The afternoon of Tuesday, 17^th February saw us arrive back in Karachi and put an end to the journey we will surely never forget.

All in all one thing is for sure, the few days we spent as part of LUMUN included everything from tears to laughter to missing our friends back home to making amazing friends out of  our teammates, to learning more than we could have ever thought, and lastly coming back and making everyone at the red bricks so very proud!

Edited by: Romesa Hassan

Football > Life: Girls' Edition.

Written by Shehroze Shaikh

For everyone who hasn't seen it before, picture some girls playing football. Close your eyes, and picture it. What do you see?
Something like this, maybe?

Sorry to burst your little bubble, my fellow men.

Well, no. This is what it looked like on Tuesday.

Yep, it was intense.

Blue moon was up in Chapter on Tuesday, as the girl's football team, I repeat, THE GIRL's FOOTBALL TEAM took control of the futsal court for an inter...I don't know what you call a match between the A2s and the AS. Inter-class...uh, Inter-year...Inter-racia...NO, damn, whatever, not important.

To wrap it up, here is the view of the first half, as described by a spectator, Zaryab Khan:

"It was an amazing atmosphere. For some spectators, it was the first time they were watching a live girls' futsal game. Never had such a large crowd gathered at PAF Chapter for a game. Team White kicked things off. The match started off well. For the first few minutes, it was hard to decide who was playing well. We eventually saw Team White taking down on Team Blue with their pace and attack. Injila, Romesa and Mehak, the team captain, showed an amazing game. It wasn't long before Lawaiza's goal kick error turned out to be a nightmare for Team Blue, as Mehak finished off the chance with an amazing goal. We saw Team White approaching more towards the the goal with 3 shots on target leaving team blue with no shots in the first half at all."
In the second half, both teams scored once, as the match finished 2-1 in favour of team White. THE END. Kbye.
.
.
.
.
Okay that was uncalled for, and boring, because there was sooooooo much more that happened. Here is my version of the day's game, the SBT style.

It was a one-off contest, A2s vs As, and the prize? Bragging rights. The right to be called the inaugural winners of the PAF Chapter's Girls Futsal Contest. Team Blue (As) was captained by Faiza Amir, while Mehak Saleem led Team White (A2).

Captains! All smiles.

The Blues played with Lawaiza Zahid in goal, Mahnoor Imran and Aisha Zameer gossiping in defense while Maham Zaidi and Faiza Amir played upfront. For the Whites, Mehak Saleem entrusted Maheera Batool with the gloves, and Saira Rizvi and Romesa Hassan to defend, while she partnered Injila Bilal up front. It is quite redundant to mention how the teams lined up, because as soon as Miss Shazia blew the whistle, the women were all over the place. For the first few minutes, there were ALOT of misplaced passes and wayward clearances, some of which even managed to hit the spectating boys in all the wrong places. Now you know why Zaryab thought it was hard to decide who was playing well. Gradually, Team White grew into the game. They constantly put pressure on the opponents, disturbing the Blues' defenders in their gossip on more than one occasion. Credit to them for clearing the danger every time though. It was only a matter of time before a chance was created. Romesa Hassan took advantage of a mishap and found herself in front of goal, but she couldn't control the ball. Her frustration was clearly visible in her angry stomp. Romesa was probably the only player who could actually chip the ball, and I'm still wondering how she had the presence of mind to kick the ball at the opponent and let it run out for a goal kick. HOW ROMESA? HOW?
A while later though, Lawaiza kicked the ball straight to Mehak, who was ruthless this time as she scored the first goal of the contest. It stayed 1-0 into half time.
Half time discussions were a treat to watch and hear. A close ear from Arbaz Mohammad revealed the following conversation:
"Long balls khelo." -Romesa.
"Nai nai, passing karo when we're close." -Mehak
"Mehak, tum center mein raho. Me and Romesa will pass it to you again." -Injila
"Yaar does my hair look okay?" -Saira
...BEHOLD! Saira Rizvi, Chapter's very own Cristiano Ronaldo, more worried about the hair than the match. Well, you can expect that it in a girls' game. Completely normal.

...Blues regroup and discuss their game plan at Half Time,

If there was any hope of a Blues comeback, it was killed off when Aisha Zameer handled the ball and Whites were awarded a penalty. Up stepped Mehak. What a moment! Captain, Coach, Goal Scorer, and now a chance to seal the deal in front of an amazing crowd and cement her place in Chapter history. SHE AIMS, SHE RUNS, SHE SHOOTS AAAANNNNNNDD SHE SSSSSSSSSS....SQUANDERS THE CHANCE. SHE MISSED THE PENALTY. OMG, HOW COSTLY COULD THAT PROVE TO BE?! IS THIS THE START OF A BLUES COMEBACK? No. Moments later, Injila scored to make it 2-0. What an anti-climax. If this was a Bollywood movie, Blues would have won and the angry Whites' supporters in the crowd would have broken Mehak's legs. Years later, she would have returned as a coach to regain her lost pride and would take Chapter's Girls' team to victory. Not to be, though. *sigh*

Yaaaar, Messi ki fan  hun. Wo bhi penalties miss karta hai,

There was some consolation for Blues, as they were awarded a "deserved" penalty, by Miss Shazia. Well, they did deserve it, considering how Whites were runnng circles round them. Captain Faiza Amir stepped up and put it past Maheera to make it 2-1, and that's how it remained till the final whistle. Joy for the White, despair for the Blues. (No racist pun intended)
Apart from the all the in game mistakes, it can safely be said that the match was well received, because let's face it, the boy's inter-house tournament did not attract such a big crowd. Full marks to Mehak, for being adamant in her request to organize the match. After having a great game, minus the penalty, she was all smiles at her achievement. She said:

“It was time that something interesting happened this term. Since we were deprived of playing interschool it became absolutely necessary to arrange an event that could prove to be fun and helpful for the girl's football team. I didn't expect that there actually would be such a big crowd there to watch our match, mainly the guys. I'm extremely proud of how the girls adapted to a game they weren't familiar with. I am now a happy coach, a happy captain. On the request of my team I'm trying to arrange another match with the O'levels as well. Let's see how well things turn out later on!”

Congratulations to both the teams, and a shout out to Miss Shazia, who refereed the whole thing. Ma'am, your patience inspires me.

A football at your feet is the solution to every problem.

ISpy: Edition Five.

Written by Shehroze Shaikh

Aaj kay din...
Tanhaiyaan bhi hain, bechainiyan bhi hain,
Maasoom dil bhi hain, majbooriyan bhi hain,
Sadaayen teri kyun mujhe aati nahin
Tera intizaar hai, mujhe tujhsay pyaar hai...

Mujhe tujhse pyaar hai, tera intizaar haaaaii.. 

Oh, the wait for this baby is killing m...oh wait, you guys thought...14th Feb...Valenti...NO WAY! Valentine's Day can sit this year out 'cause, to quote Madam Tazeen, "World Cup is here!"
*Syed Bilal Rizwan Ali sent you a Who will be your valentine? request on fb*
*ignores*


I won't tell the guys to turn off their phones, because they won't be getting disturbed either. Even our women go crazy over Pakistan vs India dual. However, no matter how enthusiastic the majority of us get, there is a small fraction of people who disappoint us with the daft obsession over Valentine's Day rather than the mother of all cricket matches. They are to us what muggles were to Draco Malfoy. Like, Shahmeer Lodhi, who had a blue Friday because apparently, he was going to miss out on a hattrick this year. Nope, nothing sporty about it. "Yaaaawr, pichlay do saal say valentine thi, is saal nahi hai. Hattrick miss hogayi", he said...*Tch tch tch*
Then there was Mariam Asghar, who was telling the guys to get chocolates of 14th Feb, just for the heck of it. Madhuri much, Mariam?
From one Madhuri to the other, Mehak Saleem is threatening to beat up boys from her class who lie to their women to get out of this valentines' mumbo jumbo. *WE JUST WANT TO WATCH THE WORLD CUP, MEHAK!* *SHEESSH*

On the other end Syed Bilal Rizwan Ali and Saira Rizvi are busy sending, literally EVERYONE in their friend list a "Who will be your valentine?" request on Facebook.
*Real smooth guys..reaaaaal smooth* *shakes my head*

Khair, let's ignore the muggleness and start off with the headlines!
This week on ISpy:

1. Sakina Abbas 'sleepwalks' out of Economics. #BossWitch
2. Saira Rizvi, the embodiment of the reasons why you shouldn't bring the gossip notebook to school.

*phone rings: 1 notification*
*Syed Bilal Rizwan Ali sent you a Who will be your valentine? request on fb*
*Ignores harder*

She's smart, she's funny, she's got great reasons to kill all of mankind and now, she sleepwalks too. Boss Sakina Abbas, got bored in Economics class...again. But this time, the boredom was a struggle to ignore and she felt she had to get out. Desperate times call for desperate measures, as she stood up all of a sudden, closed her eyes, and walked towards the door, mumbling gibberish along the way. In order to not give herself away, she walked straight into the door a couple of times, before her classmate opened the door and let her out. SUCH A GENIUS. SUCH AUTHENTICITY. No wonder she calls herself the boss. She does what she wants, and with some style. She's a role model for all who are struck with boredom in class...well, that makes all of us, to be honest.

*Syed Bilal Rizwan Ali sent you a Who will be your valentine? request on fb*
*IGNORES EVEN HARDER!*

What would you do as a teacher if your student is busy scribbling in her notebook while you give out a lecture? Confiscate the notebook, and we're done, right? Well, not in Sir Raja's class. He's gonna read out that little cluster of pages you call your life, in front of the whole class. Ask Saira Rizvi, the latest victim of such tyranny. Apparently, her notebook also got taken by Sir Raja, who read out songs, gossip..and stuff.. Bottomline, never bring your journal or notebook to school. *hides the diary* *MY PRECIOUS!*

*Syed Bilal Rizwan Ali sent you a Who will be your valentine? request on fb*

*loads the Glock*

BILAL, IF WE GET ANOTHER REQUEST FROM YOU, I'M GOING TO CALL MEERA JEE AND GIVE HER YOUR ADDRESS! *Jeeee bilkulll, of course! (read in Meera jee's accent) AND I WON'T CARE IF YOUR COUSIN DID IT...TWICE..TO EVERYONE! 

Wow are like all the rest of us missing out on something HUGE? O.o

That's it folks this edition of ISpy is all wrapped up. Check in next Saturday, YES SATURDAY! ISpy on Saturdays from now on, k? k.

This is Ispy, and you're being watched!

Homer's Speech

Winner: Hamna Fatima A1S2


"Well, kid, the day we thought would never be here has finally come.
*coughs*
I can't believe you've finally done it after repeating fourth grade, what fifteen?  No, that can't be right- twelve, thirteen.. oh yes, there was the time you burnt your exam sheet; hmm, what was I saying? Ah, Bart, I remember when you were born,  with that pasty face and that dagnabit wailing voice; I still get nightmares about your snotty, god awful cries, why you little--"

*Marge coughs*

"Right. Well, kid, a few words for your future failure of a life. I'll tell you what your grandpa old Simpson told me back when I finished school. We Simpsons, as you probably know are destined for greatness: my old man had a natural talent for being fraudulent among other vices, and me- well, I'm a great motivator. In fact, I think Smithers picked me only for my motivation skills. Everyone says they have to work a lot harder when I'm around.
I always said you'd be a wonderful radio announcer and- what? What was that? You want to be a rock star? Pfft, rock stars are losers. Although, that does remind me of my own hip hop days, Jesús I can still hear the rhythm, the beat; it was where I met your mother for the first time, you know? It was either that or the time I threw up in the grocery store, gah. I can't remember.

I want to share something with you son; the three sentences to get you through life. Number 1: Cover for me. Number 2: Oh, good idea, Boss! Number 3: It was like that when I got here.
Life is a tough old rotten donut, kid. You'll end up doing things you didn't think you would. Look at me, I expected studio tours and feisty female teenage fans when I was older, but now I'm working for awful evil Burns. Doh!

Well, it's not that bad; I have donuts.

And steaks!

Oh, and also you of course...

Eh, as your father, I love you, Bart Simpson. I'm just as proud of you as Marge was of me the day I didn't have any donuts. At all. Not even secretly at the back of the house, hiding in that dog's kennel after buying a box by stealing some of Lisa's pocket money.

Some part of me, son, is sorry about all the times I bullied you when Marge wasn't home or the time I strangled you to near-death.
My advice, to you? It's what the Hermit guy from that movie, Rushhorse or Rocketfell something, said: "Take aim on the rich boys (in college). Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy another backbone." Don't you let them forget it.

All the best in your life, kid, don't forget to give me money when I'm old and retired.

Doh! I'm hungry!"

Edited by: Rida Manzar

How It Shoud've Ended....

Second Position: Omer Atif of class A2S1

Ever feel that, that movie you've just watched isn't all that you expected it to be? You've probably wanted to close the television or leave the cinema. This was my situation with the Hobbit`s final installment: The battle of the five armies. Based on the book, the highly exaggerated series of films unfortunately went over the bar with this one.

Let me give you a very brief summary of the whole series so you don't get confused in any part of my alternate ending. You see, the story takes place in a land called Middle Earth which is exactly the same as the Earth itself except filled with everything you've dreamed or had nightmares of when you were little. Tall pointy eared elves, small greedy and furious dwarfs (well not that angry), giant walking trees who converse with each other and even talking dragons. So here it goes. In the past, under a huge mountain called Erebor, there was a mighty dwarf kingdom. The dwarves had a huge stockpile of gold, so huge that you would be flabbergasted at the unbelievable amount. That and the arkenstone (the birthright stone of the dwarves), which corrupted the mind of the king. The huge pile of gold caught the attention of the greedy dragon “Smaug” who wanted the mountain for himself and in doing so killed almost every dwarf in the kingdom and the people of a nearby city of Dale. The remaining dwarves were vulnerable and encountered the fierce race of Orcs due to which they grew even fewer in number. The remaining few fortunately had the heir to the king, Thorin. The remaining dwarves then took the guidance of Gandalf, a powerful wizard. He led them to Bilbo, a hobbit, because they wanted the burglar to steal the arkenstone and that “he had more to him than they knew”, according to Gandalf. A quest led them back to the mountain, along with two warrior elves, Legolas and Tauriel. Along the way Bilbo caught hold of a magical ring that made him invisible. The dwarves and the hobbit found a secret door to enter Erebor. Bilbo stole the arkenstone from the dragon and the dwarves. Fought the dragon but it flew away and went to burn the nearby lake town of Esgaroth, which was populated by the survivors of Dale, to demonstrate a show of power. 

Here is my vision of the ending. As the ranger of the town, Bard, prepped his bow to shoot the special long and heavy black arrow, which was apparently made only to kill dragons, from a tower, Smaug looked at him with hate. As he leaped and flew towards him, the ranger shot the arrow. Smaug saw the projectile and tried to dodge it but it gashed his flesh and did not skewer all the way through. Smaug was weakened but not defeated. He flew off into the sky and soon faded away. Smaug went to the leader of the Orcs, Azog, with whom he made a deal. Azog wanted Thorin and Smaug wanted the mountain hence, they formed a pact.

 The men and women who survived honored the ranger Bard and made him their leader. In order to rebuild their livelihood they sought Thorin, who had taken back the Lonely Mountain, and wanted the gold he promised them earlier. The elven king wanted his stolen jewels back from the Lonely Mountain, which were the heirloom of his people, and so he was eager to wage war if Thorin refused. The ranger went to talk to Thorin but the thought of the arkenstone and the sight of the gold corrupted Thorin`s mind so he turned him back. Gandalf was busy thinking of a peaceful solution with his council with the king and Bard when Bilbo came after having escaped from the mountain after sneaking past the dwarves with the arkenstone. He thought an exchange would be a solution. The next morning, Gandalf stepped forward with Bilbo to the gates of the mountains where Thorin was. Behind them was the combined army of men and elves. Bilbo approached Thorin and with uneasiness, told Thorin that they had the stone and an exchange was necessary. Thorin was infuriated and almost waged war with the thought that they stole his birthright stone but then Gandalf said, “Smaug is still alive Thorin”. Thorin thought this was a joke but then he saw an army of orcs as well as goblins in the distance and a vague black spot in the sky. He knew it. It was Smaug. He widened his eyes in disbelief. He knew that they were almost dead. His companions told him to come to his senses but he just stood there confused. It was in that moment that Gandalf screamed Thorin`s name and just like waking up from a dream, Thorin came to his senses. He agreed with the exchange and offered a brief allegiance with the people of Esgaroth and the elves in fighting the orcs, goblins and Smaug. They accepted the offer and on went the elves and the people of Esgaroth to fight. The Dwarves blew their horn and then came their kin from the east. Gandalf and Bilbo stood back, for any assistance in guarding Esgaroth. Gandalf soon took sight of a butterfly close by him and chanted a weird language and sent it away.

It was a fierce battle full of gore and bloodshed. In the midst of that battle was Azog and Thorin but Thorin was losing badly. The Orcs were winning and dwarves and elves were getting fewer by the number. Smaug was setting everything ablaze so there was no room of retreat from fear of the dragon. With a swipe of the sword and a kick to the chest Azog threw Thorin to the ground. It seemed like the end of the battle when the eagles came. Giant eagles with sharp talons and huge wings flew around the battlefield and fought the enemy as well as the dragon. The eagles were standing they’re ground against the enemy. They were all flummoxed at the sight and Azog forgot about Thorin. Thorin picked up his sword and killed the Orc leader. Smaug crashed in the gates of the mountain in an attempt to retreat but got stuck under a bunch of falling rocks. The battle went on for a few more hours until the enemy was defeated. The dwarves came back to the mountain to finish off Smaug. They saw that the arrow that had gashed him was still there so all at once, they took hold of the arrow and began to further puncture in, in order to finish him off but at the last moment Smaug used his claws to grab hold of Thorin. “Finish him off! Now is your final chance to avenge our kin” is what Thorin shouted. The dwarves were confused at this sight and Smaug was beginning to regain his strength. Thorin took out his sword and flung it at Smaug`s eye. With an unsettling clamour, he let go of Thorin and the dwarves used all their strength to push the arrow and kill Smaug at last. There was dead silence which was a signal of victory.

With this the battle was over, all exchanges were made and allegiances finished and the arkenstone was given to Gandalf for keeping it safe and away from the dwarves so that their minds remain free of corruption. Bilbo bid his farewells and tried to hold in his tears but failed. Before he went home he told them, “If any of you want to visit anytime, my house is open, tea is at four and do not bother knocking”. He went back to his home, the shire, with the aid of Gandalf. Along the way Gandalf told Bilbo that he knew about the magical ring all along and that it held great significance. “You must keep the ring safe and a secret Bilbo” Gandalf said. When Bilbo reached home, everybody was selling his possessions until he showed himself and proved that he did exist. Then he finally settled himself and stayed in his little hobbit home for a very long time.

Edited by: Rida Manzar

Fall seven times, get up eighth

Third Position: Sitwat Atiq of class A1G1

'You're amazing and strong, and I'm so proud of you'

She screamed at the top of her lungs as the smoke of her burning heart infiltrated the facade of composure she had adapted. She was in undefinable pain. This was her battle against the destructive monstrous path of life. She felt like the walls were closing in on her. She did not know where she was heading or the exact moment, when the pretentious journey of this sinful life would end up abandoning her. She had been damaged and isolated one too many times before, to the point where her own trepidation overpowered her obsequious imagination. Life felt like this never ending loop of desires, hope and destruction. All she wanted was to be released, all she wanted was for the pain to end. She smashed the lamp off of the wall and stormed to the bathroom destroying everything in her path, she picked up the bottle of sleeping pills and swallowed as many as she could. She had read that it hurt less that way. She picked up the blade and put it to her wrist and right then and there, when she was about to cut herself and get it all over with, her mother rushed into the room, tears streaming down her face, and embraced her.

They curled on the floor and cried and in that moment she wished she could undo the pain that she had caused her mother. She did not understand where the selfishness had surfaced from, could she be that selfish? Hurting the one person she had sworn she would always love in the process of finding an escape to her own pain and suffering? Was she capable of committing an act so cruel? Was she capable of putting someone she loved through that kind of pain? In that moment she clearly understood that life was simply a choice, while death was a decision. She was hurt, trampled on and broken but she was not weak, and in that moment, all her ambivalence was swept away. If life was truly a battle, she would give her all. Maybe she would lose a couple fights along the way, maybe she would burn to pieces and fall apart, maybe it would leave her speechless and broken but she would not give up without a fight. She would never capitulate to the injustice. This was the moment that she realized that we should smile for a change even though we all are different and the smiles are not the same, even though deep inside we are broken we can still smile through the pain because the only thing that is constant in this life is change. Every situation you find yourself in, all the fear and the pain in the world is temporary and we should not allow it to stop us from taking chances and being happy. How could we possibly know how something might end up if we are afraid to try it in the first place? In that moment, she understood that failure and imperfections are okay, they are not curses. They are gifts that we fail to understand the values of. One must know the pain of failure to truly cherish the pleasures of success. It helps people work hard for what they want and once a person goes through something themselves, they understand what it truly feels like and are generally kinder to others and have a lot more compassion. She understood that she would never cause anyone the kind of pain that she herself was compelled to go through. She understood that it did not matter what other people said even though their words still hurt, she deserved way better and she should have known her worth all along from the very start. From that day she knew that she would always love the skin she wears, and her natural hair, the scars on her wrists and all the stretch marks that do appear because she is everything, and more. And her imperfections are parts of her that she should adore. She understood that she would never allow other people to define her capabilities and that her failures are only mild hitches to the final destination and she should learn from them. And if she does fall along the way, she will rise. And she will give it her all.

I opened my eyes and stared at my reflection in the mirror.

'You are amazing and strong, and I am so proud of you',

Edited by: Rida Manzar

Everybody's Favourite Pokemon

Written by: Sakina Abbas

 

Life’s funny, people are funnier, their existence is the funniest. It’s just downright amusing how most of you don’t seem remember the dates in school but you DO remember two to three highly important days of the week: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. I would have linked that to 'the hackneyed non-existent force', but the reality is that while some of you desperately wait for the aforementioned days to arrive because you want to laugh at people who will be given a chance to embrace their momentary popularity, some of you dread these days because you fear that people might get to know of your secret existence. Remember, it’s perfectly alright to exist. Don’t feel inferior. *inserts those sincere smiles of Chucky and Annabelle*

Well, now that I’m done with expressing my thought of the day, let us get down and let us get straight. Ladies and not-so-gentle-men, I extend a not-so-warm welcome to you. We are back with Humans of PAF Chapter and today’s Human is none other than..

 

“You heard that I was trouble but you couldn’t resist, I make them good girls go bad..”

Tsk tsk, why! It’s our very own Alishboy! *WOOT WOOOOT*

Yes, folks, be surprised. Her real name is Alishboy while she’s sometimes called by Alishba Wamiq. Speaking of her name, I, on a very personal note, find her name ... playful. Oh, yes. Christian Grey style. *inserts hearts. Human. Hearts. Yes.* Anyway, it’s a nice, creative name. It could be ‘Alishbro’, ‘Alishbabe’, ‘Alishba’aaaa’, ‘Alishbhai’, ‘Alishbaba’, ‘Alishbano’ and so on and so forth. And coincidentally, her multifarious personalities exactly pair with the aforementioned could-have-been names!

For beginners, Alishba is a normal human being; she eats, sleeps and breathes. See? Perfectly normal here, nothing to be suspicious about.

For amateurs, Alishba evolves into an Alishbro. As the name suggests, she will always be your ‘bro’. Bros before foes, that’s right. If you’re a guy, you can comfortably talk to her about WWE, breaking bones and necks and what not. On the other hand, if you’re a girl, you can easily tell her who you like and who you don’t, and all the weird girl-gossips. You can be her sister and she will be your brother. But if you watch Game of Thrones, ummm, don’t expect this Jaime to treat you like his Cersei. Wallahi bro, al-haraam! Albeit, the brotherliness within her is SO much that it literally oozes out of her in a way that she would bro-zone you if you ever made a move.

The much needed evidence.

Now, for trainees, Alishbro then evolves into an Alishbhai. Okay, grammar fetishists, don’t get thinking of the juxtaposition of the two evolved forms. Pokedex, defines Alishbhai as, “The evolved form of Alishbro, Alishbhai is the mean version of a normal bro. She may appear to be sweet while actually exercising all her sarcasm over you.” If you’re a trainee, you’re talking to her and she’s innocently smiling at you, if not giving you a good shower of sarcastic words, she’s plotting to poke you with a machete, repeatedly. *sighs* Okay, okay! I confess! Alishbhai used to bully me! *cries inconsolably* Well, she still does. *sniffs*

Then, as you become a food lover, Alishbhai will evolve into Alishba’aaaa. Not only will you love to have food-gossips with her, but you will also want to have food with her. “You’re my hunny-bun, sugarplum, pumpy-umpy-umpkin, you’re my sweety pie..” OHMYGOD, SHE’S SO ADORABLE. SHE’S THE MOST DELICIOUS POTATO I HAVE NOT DEVOURED AS YET. *holds up the fork and the knife*

 

*burrrp* Moving on, as you finally become the master, Alishba’aaa will evolve into either an Alishbabe, Alishbano or Alishbaba. It all depends on the kind of experiences you’ve had with her. Alishbabe will be your personal homey with whom you can have all sorts of talk, ranging from hatred to gossips and love. Alishbano, on the other hand, will be your grandma, offering you food and psychiatric talks.

Individual: I hate her for being so fake. Sometimes I wish I could kill her.

Alishbano: Itni si baat ki tension kioun leti ho? Kafan-dafan ka mein intezaam karloungi.

Someone: Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful?
Alishbano: Of course, honey-boo-boo. Grandma will love you, unconditionally, to infinity and beyond.

Whereas, Alishbaba will be your .. Baba Fooka. She will predict obvious things for you and will only make you somewhat hopeful and happier about your ‘unquestionable’ existence.

Now, the aforesaid is bound to happen. But you all have your own stories buried in the back of your heads and so does she:

 

I: What sets you apart from the crowd?
Alishba: Alishbro, yar? Naam he kaafi hai. Oh! And I also secretly make videos of my friends while they're engrossed in their stupid acts, and later, I blackmail them with my precious evidence. Yamna calls me Express News. Teehee.
I: You’re always seen having a good laugh. What's your secret to happiness?
Alishba: John Cena! *giggles* Albeit, happiness is a mood, not a destination. People believe there are ways to 'achieve' happiness. I think happiness is everywhere. My secret to happiness is being grateful for the tiniest of blessings in life, making someone laugh, creating stupid memories and above all, helping someone through their tough time(s) and plastering a smile on their face.
I: What is your wildest imagination?
Alishba: I want to be an agent. Those cool ones you see in TV shows like Castle and all the action movies. I also wanted to be a wrestler before, though. *drools over John Cena* I like fighting .. So what?
I: Are there any misconceptions about you?
Alishba: Well, according to my ask.fm account, the greatest misconception about me is that I ‘ACT’ like a boy to get attention, which I find really stupid. I mean why would I act like a guy to get guys' attention? That's plain creepy. I am the way you see me walking around, there is nothing to pretending. Like I didn’t even start calling myself a boy on my own in the first place ..
I: Who is Alishba Wamiq?
Alishba: Alishba Wamiq is a girl people love to refer to as a boy. When her father passed away 5 years ago, she learned how to keep her head up even when everything comes crashing down. She learned there's more to people than what they really show. At times the people you think are your own, leave you hanging while people outside the family circle become your strongest support. She is one of those people who would make you laugh even if she herself had no reason to smile. She's been told so many times that she is strong and someone her father would be proud of and that means the world to her. Her goal in life is to be a role model for her younger brothers. And even though she can't really replace a personality like that, she wants to inspire her family like her father once did.

On a personal note though, Alishba is indeed one of the strongest girls I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and simply writing a page or two on her would not suffice. In fact, NO possible combination of the 26 English alphabets will be sufficient to define Alishba. You’re bound to love her for who she is and if you don’t, then I’m happy to inform you that you’re mentally unstable and you belong behind the bars, in a zoo. Yes.

This was Alishba’s story. What’s yours?

Until next Wednesday, au revoir.

CIMA BUSINESS QUIZ 2015

Written by: Inshirah Tahir

Edited by: Romesa Hassan

While the  lazy morning of this Sunday saw most of us fast asleep in our cozy little beds or procrastinating in front of the television; it also saw some devoted individuals from among us who were wide awake and completely busy pondering over their books and notes (well, they did have to complete the entire accounting syllabus *sigh*) with the primary ambition, to once again use the best of their abilities and make each and every one of us who is connected to the red bricks proud of their intellect and their victory.
 Thus these determined individuals of The City School PAF Chapter once again headed out to prove, as they have done many times before, that when it comes to business they are ready to take on and conquer any challenge that comes their way!  Fortunately it turns out they had the perfect platform to portray their skills and knowledge in a brilliantly productive manner.
The students participating comprised of eleven teams: Yamna Naeem, Sufyan Ehsan, Mahzaib Usman, Saud Siddiqui, Yumna Sohail, Moneeb Moin, Sohaib Yousaf, Ali, Abdul Rafay, Sakina Abbas, Sumayya Hanif, Sami Saeed, Anosha Aftab, Usna Tariq, Nawal, Almas Zafar, Iman Sohail, Shahayar Zaidi, Madiha Amjad, Shahzad Ibrahim, Dua Hamid, Muhammed Usman, Yasal Shariq Siddiqui, Hamzauddin Siddiqui, Kiran Shahid, Yousha bin Khalid and Isha Mustafa.
 Determined as always the AS participants set out to this year’s CIMA Business Quiz at the Dawood Public School only to be met by an unfortunate misunderstanding as Yousha bin Khalid had somehow been included in more than one team thus at 8 am the participants were faced with the predicament of finding a suitable replacement for Yousha and also with the almost impossible challenge of convincing another suitable teenager to leave the comfort of his or her bed and be prepared to bring his/her best skills to the table! Luckily after about a hundred calls, the participants were rescued by their knight in the shining armor  (or in the shining school uniform) in the form of *TADAAAAA* Shahayar Ziadi! 
The AS students firstly went forward to the first round of the Quiz that comprised of a test which  incorporated various multiple choice questions. Once these tests were marked only the top ten scoring teams from this round were to qualify to the second round. One of our AS teams comprising of students from A1C3 soared through this round and managed to make it straight through to the final!
Then as 1:00 pm drew closer  the AS participants, after hours of a demanding competition, set to proceed home, our tenacious A2 students were reporting to the Dawood Public School at 12: 15 pm. Eventhough the A2s did not have any trouble with the registrations, they too were faced with pressing challenges to put their best abilities and business minds to test. The A2, also managed to score auspiciously in the first round and thus the final round of the competition saw our triumphant team comprising of Sakina Abbas, Summaya Hanif and Sami Saeed competing against some of the most cut-throat schools of the city, once again ready to make us proud by securing the fifth position. Our AS did not let us down either, one team secured the second postion and the other fifth!! *woohoo*

But wait, let us not lose sight of the fact that what these young business minds earned at the Business quiz was a day not just full of challenges to test their business knowledge but some events that had been arranged for them to make certain that no one leaves the competition without some memories to cherish! These included a very informative and engaging lecture by Sir Ahmed Saya on stress management; during which he asked a rhetorical question as to how many of the people in the audience did not face stress problems. Among the only three people who did not feel stress in their daily routine; while the rest of us struggle under the pressure, were all Pafians!! (yes, we must hunt them down and make them share their secret with us) Lastly, there was the arrival of Mr. Faraz Farooqi, whose popularity was evident by the fact that he could not have left until he took selfies with all his fans (evidence on Instagram…). As you will notice by the smiles on our fellows faces in all pictures, the day was an ultimate success for them as they also got the much awaited chance to meet some old friends and what is better than these sudden reunions!

Our awesome team making us proud! :')

We Mistook Him for Being Innocent

Written by: Sakina Abbas

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, humans and/or animals, and anyone else who has been left out, WE ARE BACK WITH HUMANS OF PAF CHAPTER. *inserts fan-girl screams*

Honestly, I am clueless whether you guys were anxiously waiting for this Issue or just nervously biting your whatever-little-remains-of-your-nails in the slightest of hope that you did not get stalked overnight and you did not get the privilege of bathing in the spotlight of your own little amusements. Ha! Talk about being an embarrassing person and then getting laughed at. *slow claps*

Anyhow, I shall not keep you waiting any longer. Tonight’s Human of PAF Chapter is none other than ..

“kho na jaye yeh taarey zameen par..”

Yes, that’s right. We’re talking about Ishaant Nandkishore Awasti, people!

Naturally, all of you should know who Ishaant is. For those dimwits who are entirely clueless about the mere existence of this ‘highly-imaginative’ kid, I shall present you with his nickname. His real name is Ishaant blahblahblah and he’s SOMETIMES referred to as Affan Ather. Or should I say, Aaaaaffan Ather? -Courtesy of our AS Economics’ teacher, Sir Osman. *salutes*

I know, the former is easier to remember.

So let us get down and let us get straight. You see, Ishaant is not like you or me; he is a special kid with special inborn talents. Okay, I KNOW I just got your attention when you read that Ishaant has some 'talents' too and you’re definitely eager to find out about his capabilities because you’re overwhelmed with the very thought of the aforesaid but, let us keep that in store for later..

Anyway, Ishaant is the second most popular person I’ve had the pleasure of crossing paths with. I mean, you should totally see how every single person in the world turns out to be somehow related to him and I’m not even kidding. Moreover, he looks innocent and studious, but he is not. I repeat, HE IS NOT INNOCENT AT ALL. Looks are deceiving, yes..
But, seriously. What else would you make of a person who literally follows you everywhere in PAFMUN to take your photos just because you told him to? Though, honestly speaking, *hushed whisper* he never even took good photos of me. Talk about betrayal! I disown you, Ishaant! I’m kidding, who will take my candid shots in the school?!

Moreover, he is always lost in his little bubble of utopia. You give him numbers, he will just stare at you like a dumbfounded creature. You give him words, he will ask you why he’s studying with YOU in the first place. You give him an opportunity to take photos of you, he will say, “kia faaida? Bandey ki jab shakal he achi nai hai tou tasveer keisey achi aasakti hai?” But if you give him food, he will be your obsequious pet who will follow you everywhere. Literally. Everywhere. *organ piano plays in the distance*

Nonetheless, despite all of his naturally amusing inborn talents, one can simply not fail to have some sympathy for him. His name is not Ishaant for no reason, after all..

So why Ishaant? Why choose to write about him? Well, everyone has a story to tell and so does he. This is how our investigation 'happened':

I: What’s so unique about you that distinguishes you from the rest of the imbeciles?
Ishaant: Baba Kayhaan once told me, “zindagi mein jis cheez ke peechey bhaagogey, woh cheez tumsey dur bhaagey gi.” That’s why I don’t run after girls.

I: Okay, aside from the aforesaid, what sets you apart from the crowd?

Ishaant: Bilal kehta hai..

I: Yar tum khud bhe kuch kehtey ho apney baarey mein?!

Ishaant: Ummm, no.

I: Anyway, are there any misconceptions about you that you would like to clear?

Ishaant: Yes! People think that I’m always free just because I’m sitting in front of the washroom most of the time. The fact that a teacher does not permit me to sit in a class is another thing but, washroom is a place where anyone can come, irrespective of his decision to go inside or not. Plus, I don’t know why people often call me by the first three alphabets of the English language. I don’t even know what they mean when they call me that because I’m just too naive and innocent. Don’t you think so?

I: Oh, totally.. Alright, one final question. What’s your story, Affan?
Ishaant: I used to be an introvert and I would always be buried in the books. I had almost no social life. Then, after I entered this phase of A Levels, I found myself in a group that transformed me in the best of the ways. My friends took me to places and had me socializing to a great degree; I finally felt a sense of belonging. I would always be studying before, but then one of my friends told me that a piece of paper cannot determine my future or my capabilities. That’s when I became confident and content with my perfect imperfections. What people say or do to me does not move me now. I know who I am and I know what I’m made of. No one can build my future for me because I believe that the best way to predict one's future is to build one. For once, I want to be pragmatic. I want everyone to know that I haven't been lost in my reveries for no reason.. I’m Affan Ather, after all. Naam tou suna hoga?

This was Affan’s story. What’s yours?
Until next Wednesday, au revoir!