Raniya Hussain, Winner of Common Wealth Essay Senior Category Competition

A student from Lahore named Senior Winner of 2014 Commonwealth Essay Competition Fifteen year old Raniya Hosain has been named the Senior Winner in the Royal Commonwealth Society’s 2014 Commonwealth Essay Competition. Her winning entry was chosen by a panel of Commonwealth judges from more than 3,500 senior entries. Writing on the essay topic: ‘Describe what your country has to offer other members of the [Commonwealth] team’, Raniya’s entry to the competition – which is sponsored by Cambridge University Press – is the heart-warming tale of an elderly and impoverished Pakistani fruit seller who inspires generosity and laughter in those he meets. 

This, Raniya writes, is the embodiment of Pakistan. An excerpt from Raniya’s winning entry: “The reason that this man’s story stood out was that his life and the people who were a part of it ARE Pakistan. So if anyone ever asked me what Pakistan had to give to the Commonwealth, I would tell them this story: The story of dried up apples, toothless smiles, stupid toys, juvenile stories, raucous laughter and crystal tears. The story of our people, the story of our country.” 

Listen to Full Essay by Raniya Herself.

 

The judging panel said: “The judges applauded this courageous, sensitive and powerful story which has as its focus the complex spirit of Pakistan.” Raniya said: “When I found out about my success I was numb with shock, and then the elation set in.” 

Currently studying at Lahore College of Arts and Sciences in Pakistan, Raniya attributes her success to the support and encouragement of her family and teachers: “I have a twin sister, a younger brother and countless cousins. My love of writing has been encouraged by every one of them. My parents, my grandparents, my sister, my brother have all helped me learn how to write like I do today.

Eram Abid, Raniya's teacher, said that Raniya had worked hard to win this distinction. Eram added that Raniya's victory would help improve Pakistan image.

It is also worth mentioning that the Commonwealth Essay Writing Competition had started back in 1883.

Shandur Top: A Beautiful Place That Owns The Highest Polo Ground On The Planet Earth

Shandur Top is situated at a height of 12,500 feet (3800 metres) above the sea level. This place is famous for its highest Polo ground of the world, Besides the Polo ground it has a beautiful lake known as Shandur Lake and it is located in Gilgit Baltistan. The top is a flat plateau known as 'Roof of the World'. It is located at a distance of about 150 KM from Chitral and 200 KM from Gilgit. 

As this place has the highest Polo ground so the passion of Polo in the youngsters is also highest. Polo is also famous in Gilgit, Chitral, Skardu, Hunza, Shigar, Laspore and all other valleys around which have at least one polo ground which shows the importance of the game in the region. The best thing about it is that it is a naturally designed Polo ground. Small hills accompanying the ground on all the four sides of the ground enable the spectators to sit and enjoy the match by having a great view from the small hills.

The famous Shandur Polo Festival is held every year between 7 to 9 July and a large number of people including tourists from the entire world. In this festival, matches are held between the teams of Gilgit and Chitral. Both Gilgit and Chitral have four teams named alphabetically with 6 players a side. During the intervals, the locals entertain the visitors by cultural performances.The game is decided on 9 July and the team that scores nine goals becomes the winner of the festival. Obviously there are technicalities of the game which every person cannot understand but it is one of the best places for tourists.

Polo is King of Games here and tourists visit Shandur not only to enjoy Polo Festival but also to understand and interact with the culture. 

History of this Polo Ground dates back to 1935 when an English Administrator of the region ordered Niat Qabool Hayat Kakakhail to make a huge Polo ground.

To conclude, it is a great place to visit especially during Polo Festival and you will be amazed by the beauty, hospitality and culture of the region.

Saad Haroon: The Second Funniest Person in the world

Saad Haroon is one of the most precious comedians Pakistan would ever have. He went on to be voted as the runner up funniest person in the world in the Finals of Laugh Factory's Funniest Person in the World Competition. 

Saad is Pakistan's first English stand up comedian besides he is an improviser, director, scriptwriter and producer who was behind country's first improve comedy troupe named "Blackfish". Blackfish was hugely successful and performed for many years also representing Pakistan in Contacting the World, an International Theatre Festival based in Manchester, England. He also created Pakistan's first English language comedy show named "Real News" which was a mix of political and social satire.

Saad created the country's first standup comedy tour named "Saad Haroon:Very Live". This comedy tour also involved interviews with Pakistan's top comedians. This was followed an improvisational comedy troupe by the name of Shark. 

In 2009, Saad released his second stand up comedy show known as This is Stand Up comedy but this time he chose to travel locally and internationally interviewing some famous international comedians. 

Saad has represented the country on various platforms and events and he was featured 'Centre Stage' while touring U.S. He also toured 16 universities in Pakistan which was a stand up comedy tour and worked for Sprite's "University of Freshology". Currently he is working on a new comedy show and he also teaches the art of improvisational comedy.
Saad is a unique comedian and for a pakistani to be a stand up comedian in English working for over a decade and being recognized at the international level is a matter of great pride for Pakistan. Pakistani nation is proud of him and we wish him best of luck for his career which is already full of brightness and achievements.
Saad Haroon is an example of sheer hard work and success. He is a humble guy always having a smile on his face which you can notice in every picture. He thanked the whole nation and the celebrities for supporting him. He proved that Pakistanis can achieve milestones even belonging from a country which has unstable political, economical and security conditions..

Asia Game Changers

Two renowned names from Pakistan Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and Malala Yousafzai have been awarded with Asia Game Changer Award recently for their endless struggles for the awareness of people especially women toward education and abusive behaviors they face from society. Work of these two wonderful ladies brought the world's attention towards different problems of common people from Pakistan and many other countries via different modes of communication from many platforms.

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy may be best known for winning an Oscar — Pakistan’s first — for her 2012 documentary Saving Face, a gripping look at the survivors of acid violence. But the journalist and filmmaker has been telling the stories of marginalized communities since the age of 14.
A star of Asia Society’s Asia 21 young leaders network, Obaid-Chinoy’s work often centers on human rights and women’s issues. She has worked with refugees and the disenfranchised from Saudi Arabia to Syria to Timor Leste to the Philippines. By bringing typically unheard voices to the forefront, she has often helped bring critical change to these communities. Obaid-Chinoy has made award-winning films in more than 10 countries around the world, winning several Emmys and other awards along the way.
“By bringing the voices of the ordinary people faced with extraordinary challenges to television screens around the world, I hope to affect change in one community at a time,” Obaid-Chinoy once said.
Never was this more true than with Saving Face, which brought Pakistan’s acid violence against women problem to the world stage. Said fellow Oscar winner Angelina Jolie, “I dare anyone to watch this film and not be moved to tears and inspired into action.”

Malala Yousafzai

When Malala Yousafzai was asked what she wanted to do for her 17th birthday earlier this year, she did not hesitate with her answer. The Pakistan native wanted to go to Nigeria and campaign for the release of more than 200 missing schoolgirls who had been kidnapped by the militant Islamist movement Boko Haram. The girls’ supposed offense? Simply wanting to go to school.
Malala, a strong advocate of education herself was just 11 when she started speaking out against the Taliban and for her right to go to school. She was only 15 when a Taliban gunman boarded a school bus and shot her in the head. The assassination attempt failed. While the Taliban intended to kill an innocent girl who simply wanted to right to an education, they instead gave birth to an extraordinary global movement.
The 2012 shooting resulted in a massive outpouring of support for Malala, which continues to this day. Wise beyond her years, Malala has been able to channel her celebrity into advocacy for the education of girls worldwide. Unfortunately, the Taliban still considers Yousafzai a target. Despite the threats, Yousafzai remains a staunch advocate for the power of education. The Malala Fund, named in her honor, now offers girl-centric approaches to education that support the goal of creating a world where every girl reaches her true potential. On October 10, 2014, Malala was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
“The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions,” Malala has said, “but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear, and hopelessness died. Strength, power, and courage were born.”

Malala Yousafzai, The Girl with a Book & a Vision

"One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen, can change the world."

 Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai the name whole world and especially Pakistani nation is proud off. When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful. Malala said during a speech at Harvard in September 2013 and that’s exactly what she did. Malala is a source of inspiration and motivation for people around the globe.

Last year Malala became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner in the history. While many people are debating that this award has been given considering the future perspective and perks of Malala’s work, you are right but we should consider the fact that Malala Yousafzai has won the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17 for her courageous, and near fatal, campaign to secure education for girls. As a young girl, Malala Yousafzai defied the Taliban in Pakistan and demanded that girls be allowed to receive an education. She was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in October 2012, but survived.

Malala Yousafzai was born in Mingora on July 12, 1997, Pakistan, located in the country's Swat Valley. For the first few years of her life, her hometown remained a popular tourist spot that was known for its summer festivals. However, the area began to change as the Taliban tried to take control.

After the Taliban began attacking girls' schools in Swat, Malala gave a speech in Peshawar, Pakistan, in September 2008. The title of her talk was, "How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education?"

In early 2009, Yousafzai began blogging for the BBC about living under the Taliban's threats to deny her an education. In order to hide her identity, she used the name Gul Makai. However, she was revealed to be the BBC blogger in December of that year. With a growing public platform, Yousafzai continued to speak out about her right, and the right of all women, to an education. Her activism resulted in a nomination for the International Children's Peace Prize in 2011. That same year, she was awarded Pakistan's National Youth Peace Prize.

Even after the coward attack by Taliban to kill her, they couldn’t stop her because she knows she is destined to do this job for the greater good of society, future of Pakistan and education for girls. This struggle has brought her the recognition and fame she deserves and for the same reason she was awarded Nobel Peace Prize.

  

When the announcement was made, Malala was in Chemistry class at her school in Birmingham. After being told that she had made history as the first Pakistani peace laureate and the youngest person to win any of the Nobel prizes, she moved on to Physics class and remained in school until classes let out that afternoon.

After school, Malala described her emotions when a teacher came into class to share the news: “I felt more powerful and more courageous,” she said. “Because this award is not just a piece of metal or a medal you wear or an award you keep in your room. This is encouragement for me to go forward.”

In congratulating Yousafzai, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said: “She is (the) pride of Pakistan, she has made her countrymen proud. Her achievement is unparalleled and unequaled. Girls and boys of the world should take lead from her struggle and commitment." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described her as "a brave and gentle advocate of peace who through the simple act of going to school became a global teacher.”

As a nation we should support Malala’s mission and share her vision to establish a society where everyone is educated and have the freedom of expression.