1 THE PLUMS DISPATCH

2nd EDITION PRODUCED BY: ABBAS SIAL, ZAINAB SHUJA & ADIL ASHRAF FEBRUARY, SPRING 2019

IN THIS ISSUE SPORTS: Page 7 EDITORIAL: Pages 3 CURRENT AFFAIRS: Page3 ENTERTAINMENT: Page 5 1. In Focus: SLUMS A Right Denied Moving towards Af- Pakistani Cinema Revival ghan Peace EC IN PROFILE: Page 4 ART SECTION: Page 6 LETTERS TO THE 2. LSF, Chinasi Trip Syed Maaz Captain Football Team Horoscope, Sudoku & crossword EDITORS: Page 5 POETRY SECTION: Page 5 33rd International LUMS Delegation at SAESM 2019 Book Fair By: Muhammad Zain Class of 2021 By: Saad Hanif Class of 2019 Lahore has always been a center of lit- It brought together local and inter- COLOMBO: SAESM 2019 in Colombo, erary, educational and cultural activity in national academic and research insti- Sri Lanka, which took place from the 21st . It has fired the imagination of tutes, think tanks, and publishers un- of January to the 23rd of January, was writers, artists and thinkers over the ages. der one roof attracting book lovers of truly a remarkable experience for Team The city is regarded as Pakistan’s cultural all ages. The Lahore International Pakistan. capital. With a focus on ‘Literature’ as Book Fair Trust has organized this The team comprised of 10 brilliant stu- encompassing a variety of genres—from event in collaboration with Pakistan dents: 9 from LUMS and 1 (Hiba Hassan) fiction writing to history, politics, art, ar- Publishers and Booksellers Associa- from Lahore School of Economics (LSE). chitecture, and culture— Lahore Interna- tion. Amongst them, Saad Hanif had the privi- tional Book Fair Trust has done considera- As many as 262 stalls were set up lege of representing the Pakistan Team as Another category was the Panel Discussion ble efforts to reclaim and employ Lahore’s for this year’s fair, including publish- the group leader. 6 instructors which in- category in which Agha Fahad Abbas partici- rich and varied literary tradition. ers belonging to the United States of cludes 4 from LUMS and 2 from LSE pated and effectively analyzed the problems rd America, the United Kingdom, and The 33 Lahore International Book Fair India. Around 30 foreign publishers represented Pakistan as judges for the that South Asia faces. Kashaf Ali was the started on Thursday, February 1 and con- event. participant for the Seeds of Change competi- had also set up stalls at the cluded on Monday, February 5 at the La- event. (cont. on page 2) At SAESM, the 10 members of the team tion where she presented an innovative idea hore Expo Centre. were to be allocated to various categories to tackle the air quality issue in South Asia. of the competitions. Moreover, each par- From the LUMS Economics Department, Sir ticipant was required to present a research Turab Hussain, Sir Ali Hasanain, Sir Adeel paper from one of the themes provided Tariq and Sir Sanval Nasim and from LSE, and the best paper from each category was Ma'am Sadia Hussain and Ma'am Mariyam to be chosen. Hiba Hassan, Sahil Nisar Haroon represented the Pakistan Team as and Sanha Tahir won the best paper judges. awards in their respective themes and The country coordinator, Sir Ali Hasanain, made Pakistan proud! conducted a very interesting panel discussion The rest of the team also put a wonderful titled "South Asia in three decades" which fight, especially the Quiz team which lost was a discussion based on the World Bank to India in the final round after a nail bit- Project, "Pakistan@100", that Sir Ali is cur- ing contest. The quiz team comprised of rently working on. He was one of the judges Hiba Hassan, Jazib Parvez, Sajid Faiz Ma- for the Seeds of Change Competition at LUMS News in a Glimpse lik and Sanha Tahir. SAESM 2019. Sir Turab Hussain, who is one In the highly competitive and renowned of the founding members of the SAESM ven- By: Iman Agha Class of 2021 Budding Economist competition, Baneen ture, and the Head of the Economics Depart- ident Mr. Yousaf Hussain, met with the Abbas, Saad Hanif, Sahil Nisar and ment judged the Panel Discussion competi- LUMS Makes History at the World Universities’ Debating Championships LUMS team, consisting of Mr. Shahid Wajeeha Zia Tung had the privilege to tion. Moreover Sir Adeel Tariq, Ma'am Sadia 2019 Hussain, Member Management Commit- represent Pakistan. Sahil Nisar was able to Hussain, Ma'am Maryiam Haroon and Sir LUMS represented Pakistan and made tee and Board of Trustees, among others. reach the final round of the competition Sanval Nasim conducted the Quiz Competi- history at the World Universities’ Debat- The guests from Faysal Bank were given and made the team proud. tion with great rigor. ing Championships (WUDC), which is a detailed overview of recent achieve- the biggest debating competition in the ments and future plans of the University, world, including about 400 teams. Earlier and presented a donation cheque in sup- Ajoka Theatre Arrives At SDSB this month, Taha Iqbal and Talha Wani, port of the NOP. two undergraduate students who are also a Time: 7:00 pm By: Adil Ashraf Mayo Class of 2021 part of the Debating and Recitation Socie- Venue: B3 basement, SDSB CAMPUS: The first day of classes on the ty at LUMS (DRUMS), made 12th place 21st of January saw the arrival of Ajoka in the English as a Second Language Cat- Theatre at SDSB to conduct a play com- egory (ESL). They received a total of 14 points- the highest achieved by any debat- memorating the “International Day for ing team in Pakistan. This makes them the Elimination of Violence against Women” and “Human Rights Day”. 16th and 19th ‘Best Speakers of the “Barri” was a heart wrenching tale World’ respectively, for ESL. Faysal Bank Supports NOP following the lives of four women who Faysal Bank Limited is the latest addition had been incarcerated for various reasons. in the list of prestigious organizations that The story begins in a narration by Zahida support the National Outreach Program who had recently been imprisoned. A (NOP) at LUMS. This program allows rights activist, she had felt that she was talented and high achieving students from well aware of the plight of women. How- all over Pakistan to attain a world-class ever, her conversations with her other education at the University, covering the inmates show how removed she had been cost of their tuition, hostel expenses and from the common woman. living and book allowances. Faysal This realization begins with her meet- Bank’s top leadership, including the Pres- ing with an aged lady, Jannat, who was serving time in the stead of her fugitive son. It continues with Mariam, a darvesh, Khokha Natak - A Revival of Art who was imprisoned for dancing at a By: Ahmad Kamran On 24th November, sports shrine when some men termed her immor- literature and any un- Life at LUMS experienc- teams from all around the al. Her situation was made more complex conventional form of theatre. es a standstill each time country. for she had been raped by the prison staff Despite first being written in 1986, Barri He achieved this goal by Waqas Manzoor and his and had fought to avoid an abor- seems to be a timeless performance. It is paying tribute to the greats of The news of Khokha team set their stage at the tion. Zahida’s, and the audience’s, realiza- also to the actresses’ credit that the audi- Urdu literature by a series of Natak’s success reached most crowded of places on tion continues with the eccentric Jameela ence was always drawn into the story and spontaneous theatrical per- LUMS’ very own Dr. Bi- campus. Waqas, currently who had killed her aged husband. It is later was able to take home a powerful message: formances called “Khokha lal Tanweer who in re- enrolled in the MPhil Edu- revealed, however, that Jameela had been there is diversity in the experience of wom- Natak”. Their first skit was sponse encouraged Waqas cation Leadership and Man- married of as a child, denied the right of anhood and there exists a need to dispel welcomed by an overwhelm- to continue his work and agement programme at the divorce, and been the subject of domestic institutional forces geared against them. ing amount of audience some ensured support from the School of Education ob- violence. All of this led her to do what she of which ended up joining Gurmani Centre for Lan- served that the LUMS com- did. the team later on. guages and Literature. munity had little interest in (cont. on page 2) 2 THE PLUMS DISPATCH

LUMS DURING WINTERS Lahore Book Fair (cont. from page 1)

Saif Imtiaz Class of 2021 The fair hosted books on a wide range of topics, in- LUMUN LSF cluding education, fiction, politics, regional and interna- The most eagerly awaited Model United Nations tional languages as well as colorful titles for children. The LSF promised the much needed break for dele- Conference in the country, LUMUN promised the gates who had been overly involved with their fair also showcased old books not easily available in the participants thrilling and intellectual debates sur- academic life. Now was the opportunity to show- market. A number of events such as a ‘Mushaira’ as well rounding the issues of both international and domes- case their sporting ability. LSF was an all- as a painting and drawing competition for children were tic significance. The event kicked off as soon as the encompassing sports gala with eager participation organised. The attendees enjoyed these events and loved winter break began, attracting over thousands of del- in almost all registered events. In the end, owner of the ambience. According to the LIBF trust, the number of egates from all over Pakistan. The conference de- Lahore Qalandar, Mr Fawad Rana delighted the manded the delegates to research thoroughly and visitors has been growing rapidly over the past few years delegates with his presence at the closing ceremo- think critically on the topics for their respective com- ny. which is a sign of the event’s success and people’s grow- mittees. In the end, Lyceum emerged as the best del- ing interest in book reading. egation at LUMUN. Psi Fi Provincial Minister for Higher Education Syed Raza YLES Ali Gillani inaugurated the book fair and visited different It was now time to dwell in the world of science stalls. He appreciated the holding of book fair every year If you had an innovative business idea in your mind and technology. Psi Fi provided the delegates a but never really knew how to execute it, then YLES and said that such events play an important role in promot- platform to exhibit their innate talent and prove was your chance to present and prove the world. their mastered skills to the judges. With over 13 ing the habit of books-reading in the public. With successful entrepreneurs welcoming the event events, Psi Fi had something for everybody. If Many publishers offered discounts on a variety of with their presence, there was more to learn than the youweren’t a Math Geek, then Tour De Mind was books which attracted people from all walks of life. Espe- sheer desire to win. YLES taught the delegates that your way out. If you happen to be a big Sherlock cially, books for kids were very inexpensive due to which success in the market dynamics is not easy as it is fan, then you had Science Crime Busters that put normally perceived to be. After all, with patience, school administrators were able to get good collections for you in somewhat similar Sherlock situation. Robo resilience and hard work, any new enterprise is Wars, in particular, became the center of attention their schools’ libraries. Apart from this, books on science bound to succeed. leaving the audience and judges in complete awe. and medicine, which are normally more expensive were available at affordable rates. The Exchange Semester Experience Events like these play a key role in keeping the book- By: Maryam Kiyani reading habit, which has been gradually fading out, alive and keep the youth in touch with Pakistan’s rich literary During your time at LUMS, you get a lot of opportu- tradition. nities to explore and discover yourself. Be it the vast range of courses, variety of university societies, numer- (cont. from page 1) ous trips, frequent seminars and talks, or batch nights Khokha Natak and raves, it is true that LUMS allows one to experience Along with appreciating this idea, Dr. Tanweer has also quite a lot. But there is also no doubt that it can get very been making an effort by promoting this project on his overwhelming as well. While everyone has their own social media accounts. coping mechanism, I think semester exchanges are With immense support by a prominent faculty mem- good modes of escapism; albeit with their own set of ber, the Khokha Natak team prepared for their next pros and cons. series of performances that was scheduled for the 31st of January. This act was an adaptation of Patras Bukha- Currently, LUMS has formal linkages with universities ri’s comic essay “Cinema Ka Ishq” which featured two in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, friends who were fond of the cinema despite the un- France, Austria, Japan, China, Sri Lanka and India. Out pleasant experiences that they had to face. The play of these, Waseda University in Tokyo and the FH Jo-

was executed brilliantly by the team. The effort put in anneum University of Applied Sciences in Austria are Haleema Hasan went for her semester exchange at was evident from their coordination during the skit and fully funded as per the OSA, and so are the more popu- the FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences in the skilled acting by Syed Muhammad Murtaza and lar ones amongst students. Austria in Fall 2017. Jawad Ghulam who stole the show right at the begin- The selection process is executed by the Office of Stu- Recollecting her time, she writes “Karachi is beauti- dent Affairs. ful in its possession of passion and fury. Graz is beauti- All applications are assessed on the basis of a written ful in its possession of peace and acceptance. And my statement of purpose and one-on-one discussions with beautiful Lahore, in both”. students shortlisted for interviews by an assigned panel Apart from the exchange being a “remarkable op- that usually consists of Prof. Yasser Hashmi, Dr. Sultan portunity to travel Europe, interact and study with peo- Sial (Faculty, SBASSE), Dr Imran Rashid (Faculty, ple from around the world and gain valuable exposure”, MGHSS) and Mazhar Mohsin Chinoy (Director, OSA). Haleema believes that it added to her personal growth Although every student experiences the exchange in and learning in ways that she cannot condense into a their own unique way and there is no set checklist of few sentences. things that will guarantee an acceptance followed by a Similar to Fatima Laraib’s advice about the selec- lovely time at the exchange, however, listening to expe- tion process, Haleema Hasan also told us that the key riences of past students is always a great idea. In an was to “be honest about your interest and excitement interview with PLUMS, Fatima Laraib shared that her and think of how you can represent Pakistan and Waseda University exchange during Fall 2018 not only LUMS at Austria”. allowed her to “expand the relevance of her political When in Austria, she made lots of friends and mem- science degree from theory to practice” but also ories, all of which broadened her horizons of thinking “understand from the vintage point of East Asia”. and living. Haleema dedicates a part of her learning and Contrasting the two educational institutions, Fatima growth to the “downs” of the experience as well in said that “although the quality of class discussions and which she felt a cultural gap due to lack of awareness talent of students at LUMS is no less, or perhaps better, amongst the people about her “personal and cultural however, Waseda students conduct themselves with habits or way of being”. But she wants all students who ning. A performance rehearsed to perfection with the greater educational integrity, discipline and communal take on this journey to know that “it all really depends actors doing justice to their roles might be a rare sight harmony.” She also felt that as result of the exchange, on your outlook of the experience” and to not forget but when it happens, it sure is a delight to watch! she is able to “empathize more with the top down ap- that patience is key. While talking to a member of our editorial board, Seeing semester exchange students light up when Waqas Manzoor emphasized on the need to revive Ur- proach and take pride in LUMS as an institution”. du literature at LUMS that is considered one of the top When asked about the application process, she told us reminiscing their times, one not only feels tempted institutions of the country. He is confident that the ef- that she went by her mother’s advice which was to to live the experience for oneself but the concept of fort put in by the Gurmani centre and the Khokha Na- “conduct yourself as a well-informed global citizen growth through experiences outside of the formal tak team will be matched with a much larger response with a lot of pakistaniyat”. From her job at a chat café setting of education also reaffirms itself. With stu- by the LUMS community that can not only understand where she worked as a translator or mediator while dents such as Fatima Laraib and Haleema Hasan, or but also empathize with the plays being performed. The “conversing with Japanese adults who were learning Sarim Jamal and Awais Khalid who are always will- team will now prepare for their next show that will be English, about culture, religion, and politics” to her ing to help the incoming batch of interested students performed this Valentine’s Day. Waqas and his team- invitation to be “a guest speaker for ‘Ethnic Harmony in mates are hopeful that their project will be carried on Pakistan’ at a series of Campus Asia”, Fatima felt the during the entire procedure, applying for semester by many talented batches that LUMS is waiting to wel- exchange is definitely worth a shot. come. five months fly by with incredible memories.

3 THE PLUMS DISPATCH

Moving Towards Afghan A right, denied. Peace Tot Batot By Zainab Shuja Class of 2021 The right to equal opportunity is universally re- asked, a few had one or two credits short, others garded as being critical to ensure fairness and equity were lacking close to five credits - which is equiv- within a society. Consequently, it follows that any United States has taken a major step towards reconciling alent to being an entire course short. This was not the seventeen-year long war against the Taliban. While the society or institution that believes in this right must because they chose to enroll in a few credits. This Afghan government has found itself uninvited from the endeavor to ensure that this right is not infringed and is because the constraints put on them by zambeel talks, American and Taliban officials have found common that effective mechanisms are developed which guar- forced them to limit themselves to less credits than ground in the peace framework- the insurgent group agrees antee its sanctity. to guarantee that transnational terrorists are given no access they wanted. Forced may seem like too strong a to Afghan territory tied with the withdrawal of US troops at It is this right which is embedded within the word, but it is the most apt. They were outright the cost of larger concessions from the Taliban. LUMS ethos in a significant manner. Promotional denied the opportunity to pursue their academic The issues facing the peace process are several. For one, interests, and to try for an achievement as august as the Taliban refuse to acknowledge the government’s legiti- videos about the LUMS undergraduate program all macy denouncing it as a “puppet regime” and have ruled revolve around the idea that success, particularly aca- being placed on the Dean’s Honour List because out any negotiation process or power-sharing arrangement. demic success, in LUMS is dependent on no other the digital infrastructure of LUMS was unable to In recent developments however there is hope that the Tali- consideration except an individual's hard work and cope with the stress of the entire student body en- ban will consider opening up to talking to the government rolling at the same time. once all foreign troops withdraw. merit. LUMS promises a space where all students are provided the same academic opportunity to excel and Boiled down, this means that students were Trump has been incessant on bringing an end to military wherein exists no systemic prejudice which discrimi- excluded from certain academic opportunities that involvement in the Middle East and has recently expressed nates against anyone. It is the personal view of this were available to others due to an enrolling system desire to “reduce … troop presence and focus on counter- that seems to rely primarily on luck. More simply terrorism” and has hopes of reaching a political settlement. author that this promise of an egalitarian environ- ment, strictly in the academic sense of the word, goes put, students wanting to study were barred from beyond simple promotional videos and admissions doing so because a system created by LUMS for brochures; it may well be described as one of the the express purpose of facilitating this desire to founding principles of any university and LUMS is study is ineffective in its operation. Is this not a no exception. Simply put, should this right not have flagrant infringement of the right to equal oppor- been guaranteed, many of us would not have chosen tunity? Can this not be classified as the breaking of to come here. the LUMS promise not due to malicious intent but Given how critical it is that everyone at LUMS be due to incompetence? provided the same academic opportunity, the conse- This is a grave issue, one that strikes at one of quences of a poorly conducted enrollment are appal- the foundational ethics upon which LUMS stands. ling. By a poorly conducted enrollment, I do not To be unfair in a matter as central as the provision However, Afghani domestic views voice the concerns of of equal academic opportunity is to err seriously. a vacuum of security enforcement in Afghanistan in the mean an enrollment which results in some people not case that foreign troops withdraw in a haste. Afghan wom- getting the courses and/or the instructors of their Given that there is no malicious intent behind this, en who were severely underrepresented fear the infringe- choice. By a poorly conducted enrollment, I refer to it can also be readily forgiven and forgotten given ment of their freedom in the case that US troops leave and an enrollment process that results in students having that it is rectified. However, instead of rectification Taliban form government. However, the Taliban have the matter has only moved towards further degra- guaranteed the protection of their rights in accordance to insufficient credits due to sheer arbitrariness. Islam which has been met with skepticism and rightly so. Take for example the current freshman batch. Many dation. One can only imagine what the situation of them have insufficient credits to qualify for their will be like for the batches that are yet to come. The most recent development following the talks was respective Dean’s Honour Lists. Of the freshmen the meeting held in Moscow between Afghan politicians, including Hamid Karzai, and Taliban leaders in the absence of the Afghan government which dismissed this as insignif- icant and the Taliban representatives stated that the meeting was not for negotiating, as Zalmay Khalilzad would have To Karachi With Love hoped, but merely a discussion of finding a peaceful solu- tion to the Afghan situation. However, the talks could be By Marium Zaidi Class of 2022 seen to be the first impactful step in the intra-Afghan pro- cess towards a peace settlement in Afghanistan. I often wonder, can you fall in love with a city the You just carelessly walk along the streets know- The situation in Afghanistan is passing through the most way you fall in love with a person? Because I think I ing that there is a world stranger than the one out- formidable period. People of Afghanistan have suffered have. Exploring a city’s lanes and secluded corners, side it – a world where anything can happen and immensely, and they desperately hope for sustainable like you would of a lover as you would lay with that anything has the capacity of increasing the peace. Amongst multitudes of challenges that Afghanistan them, on sunny afternoons, etching new words upon value of your life exponentially. faces perhaps the most formidable that will sure-footedly their skin with your fingers. You would stare your set Afghanistan to a path of sustainable peace and progress lover, noticing all their quirks and building fantasies Out of all the metaphors I could use on you, I is successful political reconciliation amongst all parties. around them. Imaging the winters and the summers, choose a tortured one. I want to call you a neglect- Although historically Afghanistan had a loose federation and the autumns, while lying down next to them up- ed mother, who open heartedly welcomes her chil- and has always abhorred the concept of strong central au- on the grass during spring. You would talk to it, like dren regardless of who they are as people or what thority, it has always remained united as a country. It can you tell all your secrets to your lover and designate a they do. Every day you have millions of people only be hoped that the next round of talks expected in the few hours just to them, as if they belong to no one coming in to you, learning how to survive and get- end of February will contribute towards the peace process. except you. You feel an inexplicable safety in know- ting a bit closer to their dreams while growing up a (last updated February 12, 2019) ing that this is the only city that would hold you and little in the process. your secrets safe in its soul and would never reveal them to anyone, thus forging a bond that could never Some mover further away, some choose to stay, be breached by anyone else no matter what. but you stand where you are – welcoming every- I struggle every time I plan to write about Kara- one with open arms even though the space keeps chi. It is so oxymoronic, so juxtaposing; like it infuri- getting smaller and your buses may accommodate ates and amazes at the same time. It continues to three passengers per seat. Karachi, I hate to admit blow my mind with its mesmerizing sights. but you are on the verge of dying, but there is val- ue in your dying breath. The recording of each I cannot help but stand on different vantage points breath is worthy and hopeful and not opportunistic and just continue gracing my eyes with its architec- at all. I surely know that you will rise against all tural excellence realizing how this structure along your challenges and will dance to the beat of your with the others around, have seen several instances own drum because that is how it has always been, of love, hate, naivety, success and failure between mad and crazy. And for someone like me, yours is people of all ages. Its streets always lead me to a the only understandable madness. The only chaos I world crazier than the one I have come from, and one can love unfathomably. can never know what adventure awaits them in the moments to come. 4 THE PLUMS DISPATCH

In Conversation with the LUMS Football Captain By Abbas Sial Class of 2020

We had the pleasure of speaking to Captain of the LUMS football team, Syed Muhammad Maaz. In a candid discussion we talked to him about his LUMS journey and his passion for football.

How would you describe your LUMS experi- How would you describe your experience in How can Pakistan improve domestic ence and how did football become a main- the football team and how would you mentor football? stay in it? your juniors? The PFF needs to get its act together. With the If I am to encapsulate my college experience in one Although, there are times when I’m swamped by new government it needs to depoliticize its vari- word, it would be ‘football’. In my Freshman Year I work, I ensure I don’t compromise on my football. ous federations. New academies need to be cre- tried my hand at a few societies, left them prema- Its always about prioritizing things in life. In the ated, there are hardly any outside of Lahore turely but football has been a constant in my life. I football team we share a very beautiful bond. I have and Karachi. It needs to appoint the right tech- joined the team in my freshman year and haven’t always tried my best to help my juniors not just in nical staff at the right positions. Contrary to the left since. football but also in their studies and other aspects belief of some Pakistan has great coaching and I had been playing football regularly since high of life. Its always interesting to bring together dif- technical staff that just needs to be supported. I school, being a part of the school team and later ferent individuals and make a solid team out of am very optimistic about the future. I have ex- captaining it. After coming to Lums I made sure them. For me its very important that I keep my boys perienced firsthand in Karachi how these vari- that football stayed an integral part of my lifestyle. motivated. We have a number of talented players in ous leagues have helped many talented players I was only able to become a regular part of the play- the junior batches and I am hopeful that they will make their mark and they can be a good start- ing 11 in my sophomore year. It was a testing time take LUMS football to new heights. ing point for football to flourish. for me but I believed that I will get a chance. And Football is a sport passionately followed and when I got it, I made the most out of it and there played in Pakistan, yet Pakistan hasn’t been has been no looking back ever since. Football squad: able to produce anything of substance on the S. Muhammad Maaz (C) , Ali Shayan (VC), Ha- What does the football team mean to you? international stage. Your thoughts? ris Saleemi , Oneeb Afzal Arbash Malik , Ham- Any members of the team you want to men- First of all football’s mas ,Talha Minhas ,Umar Arshad, Moeez tion especially? popularity in Paki- Masood , Ayan Raheel (GK),Emad Mir, stan has mush- Probably the best thing about the Football team is Ammad, Uzair Butt, Ibrahim Basit, Roshaan Ali roomed only recently this culture of a being a very close knit community. Khan, Taha Nadeem,Waqas Majeed, Hamza since the advent of I share a great off the field repertoire with my team- Younus, MuazAlvi, Hassan(GK), Fahad (GK), the Digital Age. But mates; we help each other out in courses, hang out Wajahat, Velani, Emaan Yousaf, Mustafa in many cases it is together, dine out collectively, etc. Waqar. restricted to being a Some of my best friends have been from the Foot- leisure activity. As ball team. I believe that to create a good team and far as footballing to perform well on the field you have to be good infrastructure in Pakistan is concerned, its level is friends off the field. Every member of the squad is abysmal even compared to other South Asian coun- very talented and worth mentioning in his own tries. To be competitive on the international level we right but I especially want to mention Ali Shayan need to have proper infrastructure that provides ad- the Vice Captain, Ayan Raheel our goalkeeper and equate coaching to the talent at grassroots and Emad in the defence. brings it to the top.

PSL Fever Hits LUMS The country is in a festive mood matches taking place across the campus “Multan Sultans and Lahore Qalandars favorites to lift the PSL right now as its premier sporting event is with the cricket ground seeing its high- returning for its fourth installment. And est attendances. trophy, according to PLUMS survey” the atmosphere among the LUMS commu- To play our part in this frenzy, nity is no different. With up to eight we conducted a survey across the cam- matches now being played in Pakistan and pus asking students their favorite team the arrival of many blockbuster stars, the for the PSL 4 title. And the results have event hopes to be a bonanza for viewers been surprising to say the least. Of the and players alike. 300 people surveyed, more than one The LUMS community has a third voted for the latest inductee Mul- unique tradition of celebrating and cherish- tan Sultan which till a few months back ing the PSL in its own unique, distinctive was without an owner (surprising?) La- and vibrant flavor. Having seen the previ- hore Qalandars just edged out Karachi ous three editions play itself out, rest as- Kings, owing not only to their following sured there can be hardly any doubt that of these franchises but also to a large last night’s match would certainly eclipse number of students from these cities. the daunting quiz or the hated PDC food Here’s the shocking part, the two most as the news of the day. The meme wars are successful franchises in PSL history, about to begin and people are eager to let Islamabad and Peshawar ended up with the Weapons of Mass Destruction loose. just 8% votes. Turns out success is not Trolling has become a favorite pastime for always the paramount to popularity Pakistan’s youth but in LUMS it is all the here. more fascinating since here for two weeks According to our survey most people in the opponents happen to be your best campus believe that Multan, Lahore friends. and Karachi have the healthiest chance Another interesting sight in these to win the tournament. days are the various tape ball 5 THE PLUMS DISPATCH

Pakistani Cinema– Road to Revival Poetry Section By Sohaib Zafar To the years in LUMS Amber Juman Class of 2022 It’s been more than a decade since the release of Shoaib Man- It further spooked shaky investors. Addition- soor’s Khuda Kay Liye (In the Name of God), a film credited to ally, ’s directorial Verna was also I came as a toddler: having just learned to be the harbinger of the new-age Pakistani Cinema. Many have banned, although later lifted but the damage had been seen the last decade to be the decade of revival of Pakistani Cin- done. In all these cases, the decision making was crawl ema. Films like , Jawani Phir Naheen Ani, and Teefa in opaque without any clearly demarcated policy stand- But I planned to fly here Trouble have set new benchmarks of commercial success at the ing. Censorship is further complicated by the devolu- Each step I took was fragile and filled with box office. Besides, there were serious films like , Moor, tion of censorship to provincial level. Each film has to hope Mah-i-Mir and more recently Cake, which garnered significant go multiple censorship ‘trials’, making it a cumber- The building loomed over me and seemed critical acclaim. But is the ‘revival’ stage really over? The an- some process for the producers. A centralized censor- mightier than ever swer to this is not a simple a yes or no. ship policy and professionally constituted censor In my innocence all I could see were the For many people, Pakistani Cinema, in its relative com- boards are the need of the hour to save the nascent wings that I wanted mercial strength, is yet to reach its former glory. The ‘Golden cinema revival from setbacks. I was unaware of the stones that I would Years’ of this platform were the 1960’s Is that all that the film industry suf- fall onto and 1970’s when legends like Waheed fers from? Not really. In fact, with the That would scrape my wings and tear them Murad, Muhammad Ali, Ali, given size of the film productions and and Sabiha Khanum absence of cinemas, one is forced to apart dominated the stage. Slow progress in question the very notion of calling it That would bleed even after four years the commercial success of Pakistani an industry. There are issues with the Cinema is largely due to the small content of the films as well. With the I came as a teenager: rebellious in my number of cinema screens in Pakistan. limited budgets available it’s the sto- dreams As of September 2018, Pakistan had ry and plots that can garner Pakistani I had the energy to speak the loudest, to put only 161 cinema screens, with 59 of films a space globally. Iranian cinema in all that I had them being in Lahore alone. This has is a prime example of the fact. Take I longed for inspiration as I ventured deeper hampered the prospects of attracting for instance the understandably huge in my journey investments which in turn limits the criticism over Syed Noor’s Chain I knew I had to make most of this time scope of production budgets for pulling Aye Na. The film depicted a retro- So I compromised on sleep, on health and out films consistently. More screens gressive mindset regarding women essentially mean more avenues of reve- where the heroine falls in love with on life nue generation for filmmakers. Strong- the hero despite his violent behavior I gave all that in hopes that this would fill er cinema business is a requisite essential for an effective and in the beginning of the relationship. Similarly, the film me up durable revival of the cinema. Only in the success of cinema lies Punjab Nahi Jaungi, although a record breaker at the This would teach me to fly the hope and prompt for investors to recover their investments box office, faced serious criticism from activists, film This would make something out of me and sustain production cycles in the face of a highly competitive critics and even academics in the country. This was, Bollywood in the region and globally. At the initial stages it is unfortunately, due to similar tendency of depicting the I came as an adult: mature in my wants important to sustain Cinema Houses even on foreign content and lead woman (Mehwish Hayat) as a docile and mallea- This was the year where life planned to the zealots of the so called ‘culture protection’ should see the ble character. teach me the worst it could commercial equation as well. Instead of banning Indian films on However, the brave and defiant character of a Where the true colors of friends are seen Pakistani screens, there is a need to increase the number of rape survivor in Verna, played by Mahira Khan came screens so that business flourishes and by association so does our as a breath of fresh air. The film got praise from the Where loneliness is tackled industry. film critics and women rights activist for touching the Where every moment is the hardest to get Apart from that, the censorship conundrum is hurting oft-tabooed topic with clarity. This gives a ray of hope through the growth of Pakistan’s film industry. There’s a sheer lack of that all is not bad and a critical process will eventually Where after every fall, I would dust myself concern on the part of the Information and Culture Ministry to bring better films in the future. and try again delineate a logical and clearly chartered censorship policy. There All is not doom and gloom, yet the revival of As I squeezed the last bit of energy in me have been huge losses to film importers as well as local produc- Pakistani film industry is far from over. Much is need- ers due to the censor boards’ complications and unfathomable ed still. In the given circumstances, Pakistani cinema I came as old: weak and tired to my bones decisions. For instance, Mahira Khan’s Raees was banned from is in need of a sound financial roadmap to establish the I sat and gathered the few that I had left in Pakistani screens despite the outcry of the film fraternity. This commercial equation of the film industry on sustaina- my life denied Pakistani Cinema owners a much-needed opportunity to ble and robust foundations. It also needs to work on its I wore different colors and danced in the revive profits after the losses sustained owing to the self- content and most importantly, it needs the support of a imposed ban on Indian films in 2016 (over Uri attacks). critical audience - you! rain I laughed till tears rolled down my cheeks I painted my room till the white of previous years had disappeared I sat alone till the loneliness had vanished Letters to the Editor people from smoking and would be very I grew the wings when I least expected to hard to implement. It would rather force I had become much more than what I had From competition to cooperation the smokers to smoke inside dorms to expected to. I think it is time to bring an end to a phe- avoid fines . Perhaps the administration nomenon associated with LUMS: a rat should find a middle groud and not deal race. Maybe we can try to help each other “immersed” out instead of bringing each other down. in black and whilte by Zainab Shuja Class of 2021 Even a cutthroat corporate world that you Epitome of the freedoms and liberty Usman Ali, Class of 2021 our community prides itself, yet it step into through the doors of SDSB, can I plunge into it all deep, use a little cooperation and warmth in- makes you think how LUMS truly is a stead of the incessant “friendly” competi- bubble and things are very different Gym Waves and all. tion. Maybe it's time to work together outside this beautiful 100 acre. Why is the gym above the aquatic center instead of working against. To ask ques- Maha Kamal, Class of 2022 not for students? Students train harder tions without the fear of judgment and get The weight of the water climbs over, than the faculty. Most of the faculty help without the underlying selfish mo- Student Council Elections members just do light training to main- tive. We should start taking steps in the In a few months we will be bombard- Lulls me into sleep. tain their physical fitness, which is a right direction so that we may dissipate ed with candidates who will promise great thing. But for students, this is the stress and bring relief to our batch mates . to change the world in return for our The silence underwater deafens, time to build their structures and, hence, Zainab Reza. votes. The SC elections have become they have to put in a lot more effort. So a more of a popularity show. It im- The noise and chaos silenced, Smoking policy better gym would bring more benefits to portant that accountably measures for the student community rather than the Last semester saw an overriding focus of the SC members are set on the mani- faculty. And it all slows down suddenly, the administration to turn Lums into a festos that they contest their elections Adas Farooq, Class of 2021 on. Maybe the people running this smoking free campus. While I agree with year can include instruments of ac- I ask myself if this is heaven. the demerits of passive smoking and all Khoka Raves countability for themselves in their the criticism that is being bolstered in We are witnessing a remarkable era in manifestos and stay true to the promis- My limbs give away in surrender, favor of the policy’s implementation, I LUMS’s history, my alumni friends tell es they make during their campaigns. also feel that an outright ban would simp- me that Khoka raves never took place Ahmed Raza, Class of 2020 I let myself fall to the bottom, during their time. The Khoka rave cul- ly make life miserable for the student’s ture is beautiful because it stands as an Write to the Editor by sending in your Not scared for the first time, that smoke. This policy will not stop entries to [email protected]. 6 THE PLUMS DISPATCH

Life at LUMS in ink Comic designed by Shafaq Saeed Class of 2021

By Haris Ahmed Qureshi

Aries – March 21 to April 19 You will realize very soon that the Libra – Sept 23 to Oct 22 song “Body by Loud Luxury” is not You will be faced with shock and des- the only song that you can dance to. pair when you realize no one cares Consider focusing on your playlist a about how many midterms and quizzes little more. This is a good month to you had in one day. Try not to cry. stop listening to Cardi B. For good.

Scorpio – Oct 23 to Nov 21 Taurus – April 20 to May 20 Your problems will come to an end as Your ideas about how feminism is soon as you realize that partying twice a cancer are irrelevant. Do not make a week (Thursdays and Fridays) can keep fool of yourself. The #NotAllMen your liver healthy and your morale movement should only be about how boosted as you look forward to the next full of yourself you are. week! Happy hours can be 24/7. Gemini – May 21 to June 20 Sagittarius – Nov 22 to Dec 21 Every dog has its day. Some day in Avoid going to the gym this month as this month might be yours. Emphasis embarrassment awaits you when you on the ‘might’. learn that working out and brownies from the Khoka do not go together. Cancer – June 21 to July 22 Take a moment to appreciate all the A disappointing month awaits you as pizzas and burgers that you have been your prospects of finding love go consoling yourself with! down the drain. Even the rishta aunt- ies on LDF these days can’t hook Capricorn – Dec 22 to Jan 19 you up. Raise your morale by calling Your GPA prospects improve signifi- out all the couples in the student cantly as you find out that the person lounge. you copied off from in the last exam

turned out to be a CS major. Rejoice! Leo – July 23 to Aug 22 It is okay to cringe occasionally, or Aquarius – Jan 20 to Feb 18 maybe all the time because of the If your life isn’t going the way you sheer stupidity around you. If you want, have another go at blaming some- don’t cringe at all then your only re- one else for it. You might get it right sponsibility is to know you’re the this time. stupidest person around.

Pisces – Feb 19 to March 20 Virgo – Aug 23 to Sept 22 Avoid calling your parents this weekend This will just be another month of because they’re finally starting to get not remembering names and referring over the trauma you put them through to everyone as Buddy, Hero or Boss. by not calling them since the semester Nothing to worry about, though. started. Most of them don’t know your name either.

7 THE PLUMS DISPATCH

Up Close with SLUMS The case for Novak Djokovic

Nadeem Ahmad, President By Fahd Ahmed Class of 2019 SLUMS for me is a place of unlimited opportunities, which one can use to explore his/her potential. Slums has provided me exposure on Game. Set. Match. Championship. national and international fronts that I wouldn’t have dreamt of oth- It was a familiar tale for Novak Djokovic as he romped his th erwise. It is a fraternity, a brotherhood, a family; which makes you way to seal a 7 Australian Open Title- the most by any man smile, laugh, cry but above all sticks by you throughout your four in tennis history. The astonishing ease through which Djokovic demolished the great Rafael Nadal at the 2019 years and beyond. Presiding a society of over 100 people isn’t easy Australian Open final- hitting a mesmerizing 34 winners in but its every bit worth it. the process- was frightening to watch. It was the most one- sided victory I had ever seen in any sport. If you take SLUMS out of the equation, my four years at LUMS Taimur Mujeeb, VP Mktg To put the dominance in perspective: Nadal only seem incomplete. The culture, the people and the bonds that you got one chance to break the Djokovic serve all the way in the 3rd set, when the tie was well and truly over. This was the end up making, make it more than just a society. It's a family where same Nadal who flawlessly reached the final without losing everyone has each other's back and you know you can count on others. a single set. As for Djokovic, his god-like performance was It hasn't been an easy ride but if I could go back in time I'd still make truly a spectacle to behold. the decision of joining SLUMS because it has clearly been one of my I’ve said it time and time again and the recent Australian most fulfilling decisions Open win only reaffirms that claim: Novak Djokovic is the greatest tennis player of all time. At his best, he is truly un- conquerable. Aqsa Khalid, VP Training Speaking of his career: Career Grand Slam? Check. It has been a constant struggle of learning new things since Sophomore year. Holding all four Grand Slams at the same time? Check. Win- Being in the Executive Council, I have had the pleasure to be around some ning all Master 1000s? Check. Ranked number one in the hardworking and passionate juniors who have conducted back to back sporting world? Check. Over a $100 million in prize money? Con- quering all surfaces? Check. activities. I am more than honored to be part of the success of SLUMS this Djokovic is the only player in tennis history to have achieved year all of these in his or her career. His current level of dominance sharply reminds me SLUMS is not just a hectic work place but also a Zaid, VP Admin of 2011 and 2015. In 2011, he won 10 titles which included platform that transforms you through exposure to 3 Grand Slams, had an incredible 41 match winning streak many new people, cultures and nations by arranging sports events at na- and had a staggering 10-1 winning record against his foes tional and international level. I strongly believe that nothing is impossible Nadal and Federer. It enabled the legendary Pete Sampras to describe Djokovic’s season as the “best achievement in all of till you have a pulse and that's what Slums teaches you and makes you sports”. He was insuperable. believe in. In 2015, he was even better. Djokovic won an astonishing 11 Abdul Moeed, VP Events titles which also included three Grand Slams and 6 Master 1000 tournaments. Additionally, he broke the record for I am a strong believer of strengthening a body from inside, so my prize money in a year by making $21 Million and ended the main focus this year has been to integrate the SLUMS general year with the number 1 ranking by some distance. Defeating body through events which has proven to show results. What I him was impossible. have learned from my 4 years at LUMS is to not rely on the end In 2011, Nadal called Djokovic’s performances as one at the goal for being happy but finding happiness in the process. “highest level.” 8 years on and little has changed. I wonder what Nadal thinks of his performances after the Serb’s phe- nomenal one-man show at the 2019 Australian Open. 2011 and 2015 were both golden years and Upcoming Sports Events at LUMS Djokovic is recreating that at the present. We are truly wit- nessing a resurgence of his best. The recent flourish all be- SLUMS has planned alot of events targetted for the wellness and recreation of LUMS communi- gan after his injury comeback. ty this semester. First event for only Lums community are the mixed handball and volleyball Speaking of Cincinnati- Djokovic’s victory there enabled him to become the first player in tennis history to win all tournaments. The purpose of these events is to integrate the community and relieve academic nine Master 1000 tournaments (Indian Wells, Miami, Rome, stress. A futsal league and badminton open are also lined up in the month of march. Other than Monte Carlo, Madrid, Canada, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and these, to test the raw strength and athletic abilities of our athletes, a marathon, power weekend Paris). It is a staggering achievement and one which Federer and Mr. LUMS are also planned in April. (with Monte Carlo and Rome missing) and Nadal (with Mi- ami and Paris missing) struggle to replicate. So is Djokovic the best? LUMS SPORTS FEST ’19 His head to head record against the present elite certainly support his claim. Djokovic currently leads Federer by 24-22 and Nadal by 28-25, which includes a career- The annual LUMS International Sports Fest is defining win against Nadal at the French Open – a tourna- one of the biggest sports events hosted by the ment where the Spaniard is considered ‘immortal’. Djokovic LUMS Office of Sports, Wellness and Recreation enjoys the best head to head record amongst the three, and is and student society, SLUMS (Sports at LUMS). th th the only player to have defeated Federer and Nadal in all This year, LSF’19 was held from January 4 to 7 four Grand Slam events. He has consistently defeated them 2019 and was attended by over 160 schools and in all surfaces, and thus has proven himself to be king of all institutions, with more than 1200 delegates from surfaces. To be the best you have to beat the best and around the country. The event included Futsal, Djokovic has consistently shown that by now. Cricket, Tennis, Squash, Volleyball, Badminton, The Australian Open win has shortened the gap Basketball, Throw ball, Table tennis and Swimming between Federer and Djokovic to five Grand Slam trophies. among others. It may seem like a lot, but he does have time on his side Under the Social Responsibility Program, the LSF host team arranged for the second time, a (Djokovic is six years younger than Federer). Keeping in blind cricket tournament. A closing ceremony was held at the end to honor all participants, the mind the lack of challenge from the next generation stars guests included prominent members of the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council. such as Zvevev, Thiem and Khachanov along with Nadal’s consistent injury woes and Federer’s poor form, if Djokovic Popular upcoming Pakistani singers, Asim Azhar and Arsalan Hasan performed for the dele- maintains his current level of dominance, he will easily close gates on the third day. The social events ended with an awards ceremony and a closing dinner the gap on Nadal and Federer. You wouldn’t want to bet with Lahore Qalandar players and Farhan Ayub as the chief guests. Lahore School of Economics against him overtaking Federer’s supposedly unstoppable 20 and Iqra University Peshawar shared the title for the best delegation in the over-19 category Grand Slam wins- starting with the French Open next. As a while Nixor was declared the best delegation in the under-19 category. matter of fact, if he wins that, he will be the first man to hold The purpose of this mega event was to promote sports at grassroots level, to provide a plat- all four Grand Slam trophies simultaneously twice, which is form to the athletes and to promote an environment of healthy competition among the youth of another stunning achievement. Pakistan. It will take something special to topple the legend- ary Serb.

8

PLUMS EXECUTIVE COUNCIL President: Ali Bin Rizwan Vice President: Muhammad Affan Ahmed Treasurer: Tehreem Mahboob Alam Editor In Chief: Mustafa Humayun General Secretary: Samar Nawaz Khan

PLUMS EDITORIAL BOARD Abbas Ali Khan Sial, Nida Hassan, Ahmed Kamran, Hasan Amin, Zainab Shuja, Maryam Nasir, Maryam Ahmed Ki- yani, Muhammad Bilal, Adil Ashraf Mayo, Sana Khalid, Taufeeq Haider Khan, Muhammad Zain

Email your contribution at: [email protected] Visit our website: www.plums.lums.edu..pk