VOL:01, ISSUE:09

MAR.15, APR.15, 2018 To rise above the tide

Educational Magazine

MAGNITUDE OF
TECHNOLOGY
IN EDUCATION COVER STORY PAGE-10

Price: 100/-
CONTENTS Editorial Note 04
Letter to Editor 05

2018
EXCLUSIVE:
Why Should I Be Hungry? 07

TRAVEL
Chaukhandi Tombs 08
COMMUNITY ROOT:
Amna’s Ordeal:
A Case of Bullying 06

COVER STORY
Magnitude of Technology
in Education 10

WISE ADVICE
Creativity in Classroom 14

WORLD
Informal International News 16

INTERVIEW
In Talk with Syed Sheharyar Ali 17

HEALTH
Tips for Healthy Eating 18

GAMING WORLD
Review on Secret of Mana 19

GADGET
Gadgets That Will Make
Your Life Easy 30

EVENT
The CPEC Cultural Caravan 23
World Press Photo Exhibition 24
Lahore Literary Festival 2018 25

ENTERTAINMENT
Review on Despicable Me 3 21

COOKING
Fruit Cocktail + Savory Muffins 22

Top 5 Pastry Chefs in Lahore 09

Invention Story of Television 20
Informal News 26
Horoscope 28

www.informal.pk 03
 MAR15 - APR15, 2018

Schools and colleges alike emphasize the importance of

extracurricular activities, but sometimes it can be difficult
for students to see just how the extra time and dedication
will benefit them. From strengthening the mind to Farooq Ahmad Malik
promoting better time management skills, extracurricular (Editor-In-Chief )
activities can help students succeed in much more than
Abdul Saboor
just their academic endeavors. Academic rigors such as
in-depth reading and complex problem-solving go far to (Sub Editor)
strengthen the mind, but extracurricular activities will take M. Adeel Hashmi
this mind strengthening even further. High-endurance
GM Marketing
sports, for example, will train students to maintain
patience and resilience in the face of intense difficulty. Muhammad Ahsan
These activities can also work to build professional skills Marketing Manager
that a classroom alone cannot always foster. A
Talal Ishfaq
leadership-oriented club, for example, will help students to
learn essential skills in management and delegation, while (Manager Sales)
a debate or speech club will provide additional public Umar Ishtiaq
speaking practice for students. Sports most often have the
International news reporter -Dubai
effect of fostering strong team-building skills and training
students in holding long-term goals. In short, Email: umar.ishtiaq@hotmail.com
extracurricular activities can arm students with many of Haider Syed
the skills future employers will be looking for.
(International news Reporter-France)
Extracurricular are not solely about imparting stronger Email: golden_spirit84@hotmail.com
professional skills and supplementing education. These
programs are also fun and offer students the opportunity M. Naeem Mughal
to spend time with others of similar interests. Students can (Sr. Graphic Designer)
meet friends from different social groups by joining a
sports team, student government or debate. Saima Yousafi
Administration Manager
Ironically enough, many students find that adding more
commitments to their already coursework-filled schedules Amjad Jamil
has the effect of improving time management. The student (Manager Printing & Distribution)
who is busy with coursework but also needs to balance
two other extracurricular activities is more likely to plan Legal Advisor: M . Arif Parvez Butt
out time dedicated to each activity and less likely to (Advocate High Court Lahore)
procrastinate during downtimes. An extracurricular activity Office: Munawar Chambers Office No-6,
might even have the effect of “recharging” the brain after a Mozang Road, lahore. Ph: 042-37350442
day of rigorous schoolwork, allowing students to return to
homework assignments with a refreshed mind. Head Office: #249, 2nd Floor Ashiana center,
78-D/1, Main Boulevard Gulberg III, Lahore.
Extracurricular allow students to pursue interests outside Ph: + 92 42 35152542
of a standardized academic context. A student with a flair Email: informal.pk@gmail.com | www.informal.pk
for mathematics, for example, might become a member of
Rawalpindi Office: N-35/40, Opp Police Station,
the school’s math honor society program. This decision
Rawalpindi. 0333-8115798
could help them decide if math will be something to
pursue in higher education. Students can also use these Printed at: Gujar Printing Press,
activities to explore interests they’ve never encountered, Davis Road Lahore. (PCPB / 174)
exposing students to a more diverse range of interests in Publisher: Waseem Ahmed Rs. 100/-
students.

04 www.informal.pk
Hello Editor, this month, which showed a true side of the
education system of Pakistan. We all know that
Through the means of your magazine, I would
education system of Pakistan is really harassed in
like to raise my voice touching the issue of lack of
between the problem of dual linguistics; English
creativity inside the classrooms. This a very
and Urdu. The government should also take-up
common issue which our students are facing day
this issue and come-up with some quick solution
to day, as some of the time they have to go with
to it, as the future of our students is at stake.
the means of cramming, which doesn’t support
much learning. Therefore, it needs to be Arslan Ali
transformed into a better one.
Usman Wajahat Hi Editor,
Your magazine has a good composition of
Hey Informal, interesting and informative content along with a
wide range of topics. I would like to make a
Your magazine is doing a tremendous job, by
request to write something interlinking the
giving useful information in one publication. The
modern day technology and education system.
thing I liked the most about this magazine is, your
As, we often hear that technology is changing the
selection of topics. I personally like the “Wise
world and it is changing the way that students are
Advice” section, which I read when I’m looking for
educated.
some serious matter to penetrate into my soul.
Farwah Ch
Umar Ijaz

Hey Editor,
Hey Editor,
It is a magnificent experience to read your
It’s been a brilliant experience to read your last
magazine; it is perfect for students particularly.
month’s magazine. You were able to highlight
Cover story and Wise Advice are my most favorite
some of the most important concerns which are
in the magazine of every month. By reading
important to be processed in the field of
these, I get to know about some outside the box
education. I think if you guys keep on doing a job
information which helps me through my
like this, then soon our society will change the
information seeking procession.
way it looks and deals the field of education.
Sohail Ahsan
Hamza Murtaza

Hi Informal,
Hey Informal,
I would like to say that your magazine is very
I really enjoy reading your magazine and the
informative and at the same time it is very
section which I liked the most was the travel
interesting. I like all of your content of all the
section, in which you wrote about the “Salt Mines
sections and your selection of matter is always
of Khewra”. It’s always good to see, you guys are
unique. I especially like the news sections, which
also promoting a good image of Pakistan along
includes the segments of National and Internal
with other academic writings.
News. This always helps me in staying up-to-date
Maira Shahid with the current happenings in the field of
Hi Informal, education.

The story I liked the most was the cover story of Haider Ali

Write us at informal.pk@gmail.com
We recived too many letters from our valued readers every month through mail and e-mail, however, due to shortage
of space we are publishing only few selected letters.

www.informal.pk 05
 INTERVIEW

Amna’s Ordeal:
A Case of Bullying
y:
in
B

Dr sa
A sa d H us

W
hy are you so quiet Amna? Her
mother asked. Her mother had
gradually gotten concerned about
Amna’s behaviour, well since their
last move anyway. She was always a
sensitive girl but loved life. She was the kind of
person you could rely on and would cheer you up
when your spirits were down. But her behaviour
was changing and her mother who she was close to
picked up the subtle changes.
Amna belonged to a family of 4. She was 16yrs of
age had a younger brother, Ahmad, 14. They would
fight at times but were the best of friends as the
relationships between siblings go. Her father was an
Army man who was strict but fair. There were times
when the family had to walk on eggshells so that the
father would not get angry. Due to the nature of his
job, the family had moved a couple of times. Each
time things generally went well but this time
something was not right.
Amna had joined a new school in a new area a few
months back. When she started the school, she had
been optimistic about meeting new classmates and
teachers. Her parents had hoped as it happened in
the past, the children would adjust to the new
environment. But over the last few months, Amna
had been isolating herself and keeping quiet. She
spent most of her time at home in her room. Her
grades had steadily declined and she was losing
weight. Her mother had tried a number of times to
talk to her, why she was changing but Amna would
not talk. One day her mother entered her room,
bringing her a snack and hoping to explore what
was wrong, only to find Amna cutting herself with a
blade on her forearms. Her mother stopped dead in
her track and the plate she as carrying fell smashing
to pieces on the floor. At first she couldn’t find her
voice but finally managed to run towards Amna,
taking the blade from her. She noticed a number of
cuts, some old and some new on her forearms. On
seeing her mother’s distraught face, Amna burst into
crying and hugged her mother not wanting to let go.
After a few minutes, Amna gathered courage to tell
her mother the horrific details of her experience at
her new school. A group of girls had been targeting
her, teasing her and making hurtful remarks at her.
At first she tried to ignore them, hoping this would
stop but it didn’t. She did not want to tell anyone for
the fear that no one would understand her and
think of her as weak. She was alone with a war of
emotions going on in her brain 24/7.
Unfortunately the case of Amna is not a rare one,
rather a pattern that is increasingly becoming
common. Bullying is like a disease, spreading
through our community leaving life long scars. Many
children undergo this but are too afraid to come
forward for the fear of being judged or labelled as
weak. Parents and teachers sadly at times are also
to blame. In many cases, inspite of being aware, take
no action thus enabling this behaviour even more.
As in Amna’s case, children or young adults don’t
come forward when they are bullied for a number of
reasons, but parents can look out for warning signs.
A child could come home in damaged clothing or
items missing. He or she may decline in studies for
no apparent reason. The child may refuse to go to
school or take a different route. The child appears
constantly upset or sad.
If parents do get to know that their child is getting
bullied, the first thing is to listen to the child and let
them tell their experience. Parents can help their
child to keep a record of whom
and what is happening so
that this can be used
to talk to the school
to resolve the
situation.

06 www.informal.pk
By: Zeenat Iqbal Hakimjee EXCLUSIVE

S
Salman come and have your lunch”
shouted his mom from the door of
their hut in the Katchi abadi. He was
playing marbles with his friends of
adversary. His mother was thin, a
widow who lived in a slum of Karachi. Her husband
died when Salman was 6 years of age. He was 10
now in the adolescent phase. She worked hard as
a domestic servant in the city. Their slum was
outside the city. Salman knew that she always kept
the meat for him. If Salman asked her to have it
she would say she had eaten at Begum Saheba’s.
But Salman, although not so old, knew in his heart
of hearts that his mom was laying. He knew that
she saved as much food as she could for him, of
the little that they had. He entered his hut with his
friend; his mom looked up as if to say, there is not
enough for the both of us. But she told Rahman to
come in. So Rahman and Salman sat together and
ate the dried bread with curry.
One day Rahman told Salman that a guest to the
slum whom he called, Ustadji, had given him 5
rupees, which was a lot of money for Rahman. He
asked Salman to come with him to meet Ustadji.
Ustadji seemed to be a nice person. He gave
Salman Rs. 5; only nice persons gave money, just
like that, thought Salman. Upon enquiring Salman
found out that Ustadji lived in the city. He told
Salman that he had a big house and he, Salman
could come and stay with him. He would
receive Rs. 500 per month.
Salman convinced his mom to let him
go. He wanted to help his mom by
earning some money to give her.
They sat in a taxi, which wound
through roads that Salman had not
seen in a lifetime. After an hour or
so, the taxi stopped outside a
building. Ustadji stepped outside
and asked Salman to follow. A boy
about 14 years of age came to
Ustadji. He enquired about who
Salman was. Ustadji asked him
to take Salman to his room.
There Salman saw a quilted
robe and Kashkoll, a pair of
crutches were
of days, Salman found himself on the streets with
the boy who shared his room, begging for money.
He had to report to Ustadji in the evening,
declaring the amount of money he had collected to
him.
It is facts that a vast majority of beggars are able
bodied and have taken to this lucrative profession
as a means of making some easy money. Well,
meaning people give alms to them on Fridays in
particular and during Ramazan. But they don’t
realize that by doing so, they are not really
implementing the spirit behind the concept of
charity. No doubt, some of the destitute need our
help, but by giving alms to them we are really
encouraging them to become lazy and to harass
people.
Salman hated this job, but what could he do. He
missed his mom and Rahman very much. But what
could he do. Ustadji kept giving excuses for not
sending him home. Salman did not know how to
find his way home. At night he cried himself to
sleep. Take this money. Ustadji gave him Rs. 10 as
a bonus whenever he was in a good mood.
One day, Salman set out early. In the midst of the
crowd, he thought he saw Begum Saheba. She
lived in the city. He ran like a bullet towards her.
With wet eyes he told her his story. She said she
would take him to his mom. She gave him some
clothes to wear and made sure he had a
bath. He hugged his mom and would
not leave her. He hugged
Rahman and thanked Begum
Saheba, profoundly. He would
skip a meal, even three and live
on an empty stomach as long
as he could be with his mom
and Rahman
One wonders where the crores
of rupees which the
government annually collects
as zakat goes. Of course the
bulk of the amount should be
given as annual aid to the
poor whether they live in
slums or are beggars.

Why
propped up against
the wall. Many cases
of children being

should I Be
deliberately mutilated
and disabled by their
inhuman Ustadji’s for

Hungry?
the purpose of beggary
have been reported. A
substantial amount of
takings from these poor
and innocent child-beggars
fill the purses of their cruel
tormentors. After a couple

www.informal.pk 07
TRAVEL By: Arslan Ali

Chaukhandi Tombs
Avoiding these tombs at night will be a good advice, haunting or
otherwise, because the details and drawings on these fascinating
artifices are clearly best experienced in the broad light of day.

T
he Chaukhandi Tombs near Karachi,
Pakistan are a unique example of
such burials. Buried south to north,
unusual for the area and time
period, these tombs are constructed
out of huge sandstone slabs, which are delicately
stacked into a finessed pyramid shape. The slabs
were then clearly painstakingly carved with
intricate patterns, drawings and relatable scenes.
Built between the 15th and 18th centuries, the
Chaukhandi Tombs now form a remarkably
well-preserved necropolis that often attracts
curious visitors and archeologists alike, but the
area is not without foreboding legends.
The Chaukhandi graveyard spreads over an area
of two square miles and contains tombs of certain
warriors of Saloch families settled in this area
some time during the 17th and 18th centuries
A.D. Owing to the scarcity of dated inscriptions on
Chaukhandi tombs, it it’s difficult to assign exact
dates to them. 5i.le tombs are built on raised
platforms in a pyramids form with decorative
stone slabs covered in relief with human and
figurative designs. Most of the tombs represent
family graveyards and only a few are placed
under pillar canopies finished in Hindu style. The
carvings on some of the male graves show a
horseman with his arms; shield, sword, bow and
arrow. The carvings on women’s graves represent
ornaments such as bracelets, necklaces, rings,
anklets, etc. Also in case of male graves, a boss
shaped projection provided at the northern end
intends to hold the turban of the deceased.
The Chaukandi tombs form an early Islamic
cemetery situated 29 km (18 mi) east of Karachi,
close to the N-5 National Highway near Landhi
Town in Pakistan. The tombs are remarkable for
their elaborate sandstone carvings.
The style of architecture is typical to the region of
Sindh. Generally, the tombs are attributed to the
Jokhio (or Jokhiya) and known as the family
graveyard of the Jokhio tribe. However, other
tribes mainly Baloch have also been buried here.
The tombs were mainly built during Mughal rule
sometime in the 15th and 18th centuries when
Islam became dominant.
This type of graveyard is remarkable because of
its main north-south orientation. The more
elaborate graves are constructed with
buff-colored sandstone. Their carved decoration
displays expert craftsmanship and has often kept
remarkably well over time. Tombs were
constructed either as single graves or as groups
of up to eight graves, raised on a common
platform.
The upper box is further covered with four or five
horizontal slabs and the topmost construction is
set vertically with its northern end often carved
into a knob known as a crown or a turban. The
tombs are embellished with geometrical designs
and motifs, including figural representations such
as mounted horsemen, hunting scenes, arms, and
jewelry.
Beyond the elaborate decoration of the tombs,
another feature the tombs seem to share with
similar graveyard around the world is the
conviction locals tend to have that the area is
haunted. The tombs at Chaukhandi are renowned
for being one of the most haunted sites in the
region, and visitors are particularly warned
against entering the graveyard at night.

08 www.informal.pk
 Top 5 Pastry
Chefs in Lahore
Being Pakistanis we have a natural sweet tooth and a constant urge to quench our desire for delicious
sweets in all its forms. And what could do justice better than a homemade cake baked to perfection
which not only dazzles your eyes but your taste buds as well. We have come up with a list of our top five
favourite cake-makers in Lahore to make your life easier next time you have to get a customized cake
made for any occasion at all!

1. Cake Monster
Cake Monster started off in 2014 and has managed to acquire quite a
market over the past 4 years, becoming one of the fastest growing names in
the baking industry of Lahore. Whether it is one of their classic favourites
loved by all or a cake designed specifically to suit your liking, Cake Monster
has impressed us with their delicious taste and beautiful cake designs.
Location: DHA K Block, Phase 1, Lahore.

2. The Cakery Bakery

A very popular bakery today that started off as a home based business
back in 2007, The Cakery Bakery has grown drastically over the past few
years, including services such as the management of small scale events
now as-well. We loved the 100 gorgeous cakes created by The Cakery
Bakery for the birth announcement for Fawad Khan’s daughter.
Location: New Garden Town, Lahore.

3. Muneeze’s Kitchen
A culinary prodigy who specializes in making gravity defying cakes that are not only incredible to
taste but also incredible to look at, Muneeze Khalid is a 24-year-old who has made quite a name for
herself in Lahore over the past few years. She also runs a small catering business by the name of Cake
Boutique where she makes cakes and other bakery items on order. Muneeze’s Kitchen is definitely
one of our go to cake boutiques for times when we aren’t willing to take any risks with our cake.
Location: DHA, Lahore
4. The Floofies
We have been drooling over the yummy cakes and decadent designs made by RehamSani, owner of The Floofies.
This particular cake bakery is known to make the most creative cakes ever including signature cakes based off of
regular savory foods such as Biryani themed cakes, burger cakes and crunchy fried chicken cakes. The idea behind
all cakes is that each cake tells a story; and what could be better than a cake that looks appealing to the eyes and
tastes like heaven along with that as well.
Location: Online Bakery – Lahore

5. Sweet Affairs
What started off as a small boutique patisserie in 2011, Sweet Affairs is now counted amongst the best cafes in
the city and they barely ever go wrong with their delicious customized cakes available in all designs, shapes and
sizes. Fresh ingredients, an eye for detail and a strong passion for perfection is what makes Sweet Affairs a truly
magical experience. If you’re not willing to take any risks in order to get the perfect birthday cake made, Sweet
Affairs is the place to go.
Location: Gulberg 2/DHA/Packages Mall, Lahore

With the busy lives that we all are living, it has become difficult to take out the time to go to a bakery
and order your cake. Yet it’s the 21st century and there’s a solution to every problem; delivery services
such as cheetay.pk have made our life easier by delivering our favourite foods right at our doorstep. So
just get your cakes delivered at home while you sit back and relax!

www.informal.pk 09
 COVER STORY By: Abdul Saboor

MAGNITUDE OF
TECHNOLOGY
IN EDUCATION
Online education is a new wave in our education
environment and it has made many educational courses
and material accessible to anyone in the world. Many
colleges and universities are blending their educational
systems with online learning tools, this helps students of
these institutions learn from anywhere.

10 www.informal.pk

T
he education world has been greatly
influenced by rapidly changing
technology and the increasing
availability of information. Schools
have advanced by leaps and bounds
when it comes to incorporating technology into
the learning environment, however, many more
advances need to be made. In all areas of the
country, educators are trying to help students
keep up with technology, but there are more
changes that are essential for preparing the next
generation for the future. The use of modern
information technology in education helps
students to form a creative and productive
approach, which is sure to come in handy in their
future profession or a process of self-education.
Using the new technology in education has
become a center point of many researches and
studies. Modern education has to combine with
modern technology to come up with best results.
The teacher and the student both can use the
technology to enhance the teaching and learning
strategies. On the other hand, many people are
worried of the possible harmful effects of using
technology in the classroom or at home. In the
world that we currently live in, technology is a
very vital factor. With each passing day a new
software or gadget is being brought into the
market that serves to improve our lives in one
way or another and make it much easier and
also to advance an already existing software or
gadget. However, it is important to note that
despite the fact that technology plays a big role
in making our lives easier, it is not the only role it
has. Technology is increasingly growing its
importance in the education sector.
Technology that is made use of in the classroom
is very beneficial in helping the students
understand and absorb what they are being
taught. For instance, since there are a number of
students who are visual learners, projection
screens connected to computers could be put in
classrooms to let the students see their notes as
opposed to simply sitting down and listening to
the instructor teach. There is a number of very
good software that can be used to
supplement the class curriculum. The
programs make available to students
quizzes, tests, activities and study
questions that could help the students
COVER STORY
continue with the learning process when they
are out of the classroom. Today, technology has
been incorporated into a good number of
curriculum even those that do not belong to the
technology and computer classes. Students
make use of computers to come up with
presentations and also make use of the internet
to carry out research on a variety of topics for
their essays and papers.
The internet, which becomes the most popular
technology these days, it can be considered as
the "best" way to keep in touch with friends from
all countries over the world. In other words, the
internet makes our earth as a small village. It
actually has so many benefits; we can mention
here the use to search for information and data
for academic purposes. Students can always use
the internet to get more information for their
researches. If we take a closer look, internet is
playing an essential role in education nowadays.
Computer learning is being widely used by
teachers and studied by researchers. Teachers
use computers inside classrooms and give the
students assignments to integrate the
technology with the homework. A number of
studies have been done concerning how the use
of computer for language learning affects the
development of language learners' four skills
(listening, speaking, reading and writing). Cell
phones are having a great influence in our live
and are very convenient to keep with us. Cell
phones are a faster and more effective way to
transfer information. Indeed, it is a resource that
gives its user's great advantages. We can use our
cell phones as a dictionary if needed, while we
can also use the cell phones to access to the
internet anytime anywhere. A powerful tool to
improve their education is already in kids' hands.
Cell phone delivery of knowledge to learn could
richly supplement traditional book/print
methods obsolete very soon. The students
already have the cell phones in developed
countries and are getting them very fast even in
the least developed parts of the world.
The effective Use of Technology in Education has
changed the face of education and it has
created more educational
opportunities. Both teachers
and students have
benefited from
www.informal.pk 11
 COVER STORY
various educational technologies, teachers have
learned how to integrate technology in their
classrooms and students are getting more
interested in learning with technology. The use of
technology in education has removed
educational boundaries, both students and
teachers can collaborate in real time using
advanced educational technologies.
Technology supports Virtual or Online Learning.
Unlike physical classrooms, online learning is
flexible and students from different geographical
locations can attend the same class with no need
of traveling from those locations. Advancement
in virtual technology has supported face-to-face
communication between students and teachers
in the virtual world. In this case, students can
easily ask their remote based educators’
questions using virtual communication tools like
SKYPE. Online education is a new wave in our
education environment and it has made many
educational courses and material accessible to
anyone in the world. Many colleges and
universities are blending their educational
systems with online learning tools, this helps
students of these institutions learn from
anywhere.
Technology helps students gain access to open
educational resources. These resources are kept
under the public domain and are freely available
to anyone over the world-Wide-Web. These
educational resources include electronic books
(e-books), pod-casts, digital libraries, educational
games, educational videos and instructions,
tutorials and much more. Teachers have
12 www.informal.pk
embraced video hosting platforms like
“Youtube”, to upload recorded lectures, so that
students who missed lectures can access them
from anywhere. Also the use of cell phones for
educational purposes helps students and
teachers access educational information using
“Edtech Apps”. Teachers are also using lesson
videos and clips online to learn how other
educators are using technology in classroom and
education, these techniques and approaches
uploaded by other educators promote self
training and they help many teachers when it
comes to integrating technology in their own
classrooms. Website like “TeacherTube”,
“Youtube”, “02 Learn”, are providing free online
lessons and videos to students, these videos
have been created and uploaded by teachers
and experienced educators.
There are a number of people who are of the
opinion that technology ‘spoils’ children. For
instance as opposed to sitting down and getting
to know how to count, they will opt to get a
calculator. Despite the fact that there are people
who are making these arguments, technology
still remains to be a very vital component of the
society we live in today. By introducing it into our
schools and classrooms, we will ensure that the
students are equipped with much better tools
and knowledge to make their transition from
school to the work place a very easy one. We
need to face the truth, technology is the ‘in thing’
in the world today and it has become necessary
in each and every aspect of our lives and
education has without doubt not been left
behind.
 WISE ADVICE
Creativity in
Classroom
H
A good classroom environment
always has some elements of
creativity which makes the lessons
more interesting and interactive.
The right mix of creativity along with
curriculum helps students to be innovative and
also encourages them to learn new things.
Students can grow up as good communicators in
addition to improving their emotional and social
skills. Creative classrooms can really transform
the way students acquire education and how
they apply it in their real life. In fact, creative
expression plays a key role in a student’s
emotional development.
Learn with fun: Creative classrooms give an
opportunity for students to learn with fun. The
teaching activities such as storytelling and skits
help them to learn without the pressure of
learning. Students are always fun loving and
14 www.informal.pk
By: Amina. M
including creative activities along with curriculum
gains their interest for learning. Teachers should
encourage this quality in students from the
lower classes itself and inspire them to believe in
one’s own creativity. Fun team building activities
can be organized so as to promote creative
thinking in groups and helping them to learn
about accepting others’ ideas.
Freedom of expression: Unlike the conventional
teaching methods, the creative classrooms give
them the opportunity to express themselves.
Whether it is debate or classroom discussions or
field trips, students have the chance to come out
of their shelves and become a part of it. This
freedom of expression gives them a sense of
goodness and happiness. Making some
contributions in the learning sessions gives them
a sense of satisfaction too. A creative approach
to learning makes them more open with the
 WISE ADVICE
puzzles that come their way and gives them a and debates amidst busy curriculum schedules.
feeling of accomplishment and pride. Some teachers tactfully use these techniques to
teach tough lessons to make children learn with
Emotional development: Creative expression is
fun and ease. Activities such as puppet shows
important for a kid to trigger up their emotional
will keep the students feel interested in the
development. Importantly, this has to happen at
learning sessions and the flow of images in their
their lower classes itself so that they grow up by
mind gives them the pleasure of creativity. The
responding well to the happenings around them.
open-ended questions will open them a world of
Creativity gives them that freedom to explore the
imaginative thinking and they can come up with
surroundings and learn new things from them.
creative responses.
Students would always love a classroom setting
that helps them to explore freely without setting
them any boundaries. When they can show off
their true emotions in a creative manner in their
classrooms, they can build up good confidence
level.
Boosts problem solving skills: The brain storming
activities involving puzzles can stimulate the
skills of problem solving in children. Creativity
can really alter the way students approach a
problem and it can be impressively optimistic
once they go through creative teaching sessions.
Creative problem solving can be encouraged in
classrooms that help students to think out of the
box and be more imaginative and innovative.
With this way, the problems or opportunities are
redefined by the students and the solutions or
responses would be more innovative.
Creative communicators: A classroom
environment that promotes creativity opens
them a world of communication. Students can
make better conversation and stimulate
innovative thinking and talking sessions in their
free time. This also triggers group problem
solving and shared learning that gives them a
feeling of togetherness. Classroom debates not
only help them to think creatively but also
understand and welcome others’ views. This kind
of shared creative experience helps them to
open up to one another and grow up as better
communicators.
Innovative mindset: Open ended questions and
classroom discussions are two popular creative
teaching strategies that help students to develop
an innovative mindset. Students get opportunity
to think more critically about the question or
subject and come up with innovative ideas. The
friendly classroom discussions also aid them to
think decisively about others’ ideas and
contributions while thinking critically to produce
something innovative. A stimulating classroom
setting which is colorful rather than black and
white can do the trick to lower class students
and teachers can make some effort to bring in
some humor between the lessons.
Creativity initiates imaginative thinking in
students, which is why teachers promote
activities such as; open ended questions, creative
team building activities, brainstorming sessions

www.informal.pk 15
 WORLD By: Arslan Ali

Quality English and JAOS sign MoU

Quality English and the Japanese Association of Overseas
Studies have signed a memorandum of understanding which
bosses say will support, strengthen and promote co-operation
and build collaboration between their members and licensees.
President of JAOS, Yasuo Sone, said that the QE brand has the
potential to do well in the country. Jonathan Swindell, chief
executive of QE, sees the agreement as an efficient way for its
schools to build up relationships in Japan.

Germany ranks first for students in Europe

Germany has held on to the top spot as the most attractive
European country for international students, the 2018 edition
of the Study.EU Country Ranking has revealed. Germany’s
combination of world-class higher education institutions and a
tuition-free public university system made it the first choice for
many students ahead of the UK and France. Drawing from
university ranking data, governmental and university
organisation statistics, Study.EU ranked 30 European countries
across three dimensions: Education (45%), measuring the
quality of education; Cost (30%), and Life & Career (25%).

Cambridge Education partner with IIT

Cambridge Education Group has announced a new partnership with
Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, US. CEG will work with the
Institute on a recruitment basis, which the organizations say is aimed at
widening the institution’s “global reach, diversity and international
population”. Illinois Tech, which is based in central Chicago, is a private
college specializing in “technology-focused research”. The international
recruitment drive will start immediately, and the first cohort of this new
initiative will begin studying in the autumn of 2018. President of Illinois
Tech, Alan Cramb, says the university already has a global footprint.

Ireland strengthens education links with Middle East

Students from the United Arab Emirates are able to travel to Ireland
without a visa following the easing of travel restrictions to boost trade,
tourism and business relationships between the two countries. At the end
of January 2018, the minister for justice and equality in Ireland, Charlie
Flanagan, signed an order lifting the visa requirement for Emiratis travelling
to the country. Flanagan said the removal of visa requirements is a very
significant step which will facilitate Ireland’s growing trade, tourism and
business relationships with the UAE.

Universities in UK receive partnership funding

Seventeen universities across the UK will receive funding to build on and
enhance their global strategic partnerships as part of the UUKi Rutherford
Fund Strategic Partner Grants scheme. The scheme will see 88 fellows from
13 partner countries join research teams at 17 UK institutions. Some 85
institutions entered bids to offer short-term fellowships, and HEIs could
choose the combination of partner institutions, length of fellowship and
number of fellows to host as part of their bid. The fellowships are funded by
the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy through
the £118m Rutherford Fund.

16 www.informal.pk
By: Abdul Saboor
In Talk with
Syed Sheharyar Ali
Mr. Syed Sheharyar Ali (Son of Syed Shahid Ali
IOC Member in Pakistan) is serving as the
President of Punjab Baseball Association (PBA).
After returning from Saint Louis University,
USA in 2001, Syed Sheharyar Ali became one of
the youngest directors of Treet Corporation
Limited. He had been linked with various
reputed organizations and associations.
Q. Do you think we have a break down in our
Education System?
Ans. If I am not wrong, Pakistan is having one of the
biggest educational setup in the world that includes
from district level to regional level, from rural to
urban even from private to government level but it is
in a very complex shape. We have a complex network
of schools, colleges and universities. But at the same
time, this setup is also under-developed, on one side
we have “Danish School” on the other hand, we have
schools in privileged areas that are in worn-out
condition. So, yes, we do have a break down in our
educational system which is mostly because of some
wrong policies of government.
Q. What do you think might be the solution for
this break down in the field of Education?
Ans. Government should not establish few Danish
schools rather than that with the same money they
should renovate the existing schools. In short they
should start from grass-route level. They should
revive the schools that are already constructed but
just needs a little of refurbishing. Similarly,
government rather than giving a single laptop to a
single student, should build computer labs, where
one system might be used by a huge number of
students.
Q. How do you interpret the highly funded
“Road-Infrastructure” and our “Education
Expenditure” for our students and concerned
citizens?
Ans. In my view, the way government is spending a
huge amount on the infrastructure of the state’s
roads and highways, will all be wasted if we would not
have educated citizens. The same huge budget that is
been spent on the construction of roads, underpasses
should also be used for our education sector as well,
which would benefit more than these bridges etc.
Q. How well does the China Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC) sounds for Pakistan?
Ans. I personally think this project won’t be that much
over-whelming as it sounds. At one side Gwadar
would be a new deep port like Dubai but on the other
hand we will be having a huge debt on our country in
INTERVIEW
the form of loans. We will have to pay interest for
China’s project, as this project is mainly built for China
or the Chinese people not Pakistan.
Q. Being associated are Punjab Baseball
Federation (PBF), what your views on the
emergence of young sports talent in Pakistan?
Ans. If I am going to get a chance to coach the
National Sports Team of Pakistan my first priority
would be, selecting a team or people on the bases of
merit which will be done on strong and fair grounds
of talent. Apart from this, I believe women should also
come up in this sport and in other sports as well and
represent Pakistan on both National and International
level. So, special steps would be taken to encourage
women teams and proper provision based on
organised pattern would be adopted for their training.
Q. According to you what should be done to
increase the success ratio of our country?
Answer. I believe, now it’s the time when we have to
give our 100% in every field to bring stability in our
country and to increase the success ration of both;
our people and our country. We should play a role as
a true Pakistani and bring a desired change. Bring
your passion to work, as it is not the time to think, but
to act upon your aims and that can only be possible if
you are raising brilliant students and concerned
citizens.
Q. What would be your message for youth and
for our readers?
Ans. I would say youth and especially students,
though of any age - should have a firm believe on
themselves. They should never mislay hope and
secondly never give-up to failure and don’t fear of the
failure. Make as many mistakes as you can, because
the best way of learning is through the element of
mistakes. Even when I was in my teenage, I use to get
dishearten if I fail to gain any achievement but I never
lost hope or gave up at any point. This is the key
factor of success, to note your mistakes each time you
fail and keep trying again and again till you succeed.
www.informal.pk 17
 HEALTH

TIPS FOR
HEALTHY EATING
G
We all need some fat in our diet, but it's
ood nutrition is one of the keys to a
important to pay attention to the amount and
healthy life. You can improve your
type of fat we're eating. There are two main
health by keeping a balanced diet.
types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Too
You should eat foods that contain
much saturated fat can increase the amount of
vitamins and minerals. This includes
cholesterol in the blood, which increases your
fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and a
risk of developing heart disease. The average
source of protein. It is recommended that men
man should have no more than 30g saturated fat
have around 2,500 calories a day (10,500
a day. The average woman should have no more
kilojoules). Women should have around 2,000
than 20g saturated fat a day, and children should
calories a day (8,400 kilojoules). Most adults are
have less than adults.
eating more calories than they need, and should
eat fewer calories. Try to cut down on your saturated fat intake, and
choose foods that contain unsaturated fats
Base your meals on starchy carbohydrates
instead, such as vegetable oils, oily fish and
Choose wholegrain varieties (or eat potatoes avocados. For a healthier choice, use just a small
with their skins on) when you can: they contain amount of vegetable oil or reduced-fat spread
more fiber, and can help you feel full for longer. instead of butter, lard or ghee. When you're
Most of us should eat more starchy foods: try to having meat, choose lean cuts and cut off any
include at least one starchy food with each main visible fat.
meal. Some people think starchy foods are
Eat less salt – no more than 6g a day for adults
fattening, but gram for gram the carbohydrate
they contain provides fewer than half the Eating too much salt can raise your blood
calories of fat. pressure. People with high blood pressure are
more likely to develop heart disease or have a
Keep an eye on the fats you add when you're
stroke. Even if you don’t add salt to your food,
cooking or serving these types of foods because
you may still be eating too much. About
that's what increases the calorie content, for
three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in the
example oil on chips, butter on bread and
food we buy, such as breakfast cereals, soups,
creamy sauces on pasta.
breads and sauces.
Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
Use food labels to help you cut down. More than
It's recommended that we eat at least five 1.5g of salt per 100g means the food is high in
portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every salt. Adults and children over 11 should eat no
day. It's easier than it sounds. Unsweetened more than 6g of salt (about a teaspoonful) a day.
100% fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies Younger children should have even less.
can only ever count as a maximum of one
Get active and attain a healthy weight
portion of your 5, A DAY. For example, if you
have two glasses of fruit juice and a smoothie in Eating a healthy, balanced diet plays an essential
one day, that still only count as one portion. role in maintaining a healthy weight, which is an
important part of overall good health. Check
Eat more fish
whether you're a healthy weight by using our
Fish is a good source of protein and contains Healthy weight calculator.
many vitamins and minerals. Aim to eat at least
Most adults need to lose weight, and need to eat
two portions of fish a week, including at least
fewer calories to do this. If you're trying to lose
one portion of oily fish. Oily fish contains
weight, aim to eat less and be more active.
omega-3 fats, which may help to prevent heart
Eating a healthy, balanced diet will help: aim to
disease. If you regularly eat a lot of fish, try to
cut down on foods that are high in saturated fat
choose as wide a variety as possible. You can
and sugar, and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.
choose from fresh, frozen and canned: but
remember that canned and smoked fish can be
high in salt.
Cut down on saturated fat and sugar

18 www.informal.pk

Game Review on
Secret of Mana
Where Secrets Go, Trouble Follows
T
he new Secret of Mana is billed as a
remake, but "reconstruction" is
probably more accurate. If not for
the updated graphics, it could
almost be considered a port of the
SNES game. Combat, magic, and movement are
much the same. The new mini-map one of the
scant few quality of life tweaks is the original SNES
bitmap of each stage. It also ports over every
mechanical flaw and obtuse element from the
1993 original.
Secret of Mana tells the tale of a spiky-haired boy
named Randi who frees a mystical sword stuck in a
stone. Instead of his home village giving him the
King Arthur treatment, Randi is admonished for
accidentally undoing the balance of the magical
forces in the world. Monsters, an evil empire, and
a world-ending dragon threaten to ruin the world
as they know it, unless Randi can find the mystical
Mana seeds and use his sword to restore order.
The biggest change, of course, is the complete
graphical overhaul, putting it on par with “I Am
Setsuna” and some of the better Final Fantasy
mobile ports. It maintains the original game's
striking color palette, bathing the world in vibrant
greens, blues and pinks. Most environments look
delightful, but particularly dazzling locales like the
Sprite Forest and Ice Country are breathtaking.
Character models are a step up from Square Enix's
previous remakes as well, though the decision to
introduce voice actors yet not let characters' lips
move is a jarring one. The fact that the voice acting
is played so campy and cheesy in both English and
Japanese doesn't help.
The remixed score is the same two steps forward
one step back situation. For the most part, the
expanded instrumentation works well. Some
areas, like Matango and its '70s prog-rock theme,
introduce surprisingly catchy tunes. The score
keeps the original freewheeling approach as the
world design, with no limits on what a particular
dungeon or area might be accompanied by. But
this occasionally leads to one too many strange,
dissonant moments, with many of the village
GAMING WORLD
themes defined by the heavy use of bagpipes and
accordions.
Secret of Mana's "anything goes" approach
extends to gameplay as well. You can swap control
between the three characters at any time, and
they are each capable of wielding any of the
game's eight weapon types. Each strike during
combat initiates a recharge time where the
chances of actually landing your next attack or
doing decent damage improve as your character
re-gathers their energy. This system forces you to
move around the playing field as much as possible
to avoid getting hit by enemies while you wait.
Magic attacks can hit from anywhere, as long as
your enemy is in range, but magic points are
limited, and items that refill the meter are
expensive. There aren't many console RPGs from
the early '90s that forced you to consider so many
things at once, but in 2018, it actually feels right at
home.
It's also still extremely easy for your crew to get
surrounded by lesser enemies during combat,
getting smacked around from all directions with
nowhere to go. Yet if you walk into another room
where huge, dangerous enemies are lurking, you
can often stroll right past them without raising
alarm. Sometimes, the NPC A.I. being oblivious is a
good thing. When that same obliviousness applies
to the CPU controlled characters in your crew
during a major battle, and your offensive spell
caster is stuck behind a doorway, it's an
unforgivable annoyance.
The original game's Grid System, where you could
adjust how aggressive/passive you wanted your
A.I. characters to be, is gone. In its place is a much
more simplified system of dictating basic behavior,
but there's not an effective way to instruct your
allies to favor self preservation. Granted, that's a
problem easily solved with the game's local
multiplayer, where two friends can jump in at any
point and control the other two characters in your
crew--another area where Secret of Mana was way
ahead of its time--but it's still no excuse for the
issues experienced while playing solo.
www.informal.pk 19
 To-THINK
INVENTION
STORY OF
TELEVISION
T
elevision was not invented by a
single inventor; rather it was
through the efforts of many people
working together and alone over the
years that contributed to the
evolution of the technology. Here now is a brief
overview of the major names and milestones
behind one of the most important inventions of
the 20th century.
Paul Gottlieb Nipkow (Mechanical Television
Pioneer)
German inventor Paul Nipkow developed a
rotating disc technology to transmit pictures over
wire in 1884 called the Nipkow disk. Nipkow is
credited with discovering television's scanning
principle, in which the light intensities of small
portions of an image are successively analyzed
and transmitted.
John Logie Baird (Mechanical)
In the 1920's, John Logie Baird patented the idea
of using arrays of transparent rods to transmit
images for television. Baird's 30 line images were
the first demonstrations of television by reflected
light rather than back-lit silhouettes. Baird based
his technology on Paul Nipkow's scanning disc
idea and other later developments in electronics.
Vladimir Kosma Zworykin - Electronic
Russian inventor Vladimir Zworykin invented an
improved cathode-ray tube called the kinescope
in 1929. At the time, the kinescope tube was
sorely needed for television and Zworykin was
one of the first to demonstrate a television
system with all the features of modern picture
tubes.
Louis Parker - Television Receiver
Louis Parker invented the modern changeable
20 www.informal.pk
By: Bilal Ahmed
television receiver. The patent was issued to Louis
Parker in 1948. Parker's "intercarrier sound
system" is now used in all television receivers in
the world.
Rabbit Ears Antennae
Marvin Middlemark invented "rabbit ears," the "V"
shaped TV antennae in 1953. Among
Middlemark's other inventions were a
water-powered potato peeler and rejuvenating
tennis ball machine.
Color Television
One of the earliest proposals for a color TV
system was filed in 1880. And in 1925, Russian TV
pioneer Vladimir Zworykin filed a patent
disclosure for an all-electronic color television
system. A successful color television system
began commercial broadcasting, first authorized
by the FCC on December 17, 1953, based on a
system invented by RCA.
History of Cable TV
Cable television, formerly known as Community
Antenna Television or CATV, was born in the
mountains of Pennsylvania in the late 1940's.
Remote Controls
It was in June of 1956 that the TV remote
controller first entered the American home. The
first TV remote control, called "Lazy Bones," was
developed in 1950 by Zenith Electronics
Corporation (then known as Zenith Radio
Corporation).
Origins of Children's Programming
While children's programming was first aired
during the early days of television, Saturday
morning TV shows for children started around the
50's. The American Broadcasting Company first

STORY LINE
IAfter he is fired from the Anti-Villain League for
failing to take down the latest bad guy to threaten
humanity, Gru finds himself in the midst of a major
identity crisis. But when a mysterious stranger
shows up to inform Gru that he has a long-lost twin
brother, a brother who desperately wishes to follow
in his twin's despicable footsteps-one former
super-villain will rediscover just how good it feels to
be bad.
At one time, he was a '80s reality show star, a TV
bad boy who fancied himself a troublemaking
mastermind in the body of a 12-year-old. Of course,
that was then. His pimple-sprouting puberty put an
end to all the television fame.
Now the nefarious Bratt is an angry 40-something
who's given up stardom for a life of crime. He's a
heyday-obsessed, balding has-been who sets about
stealing things of great value while playing
awesome mix tapes. He's a baddie who sits atop
the Anti-Villain League's most-wanted list. He's also
the guy who got Gru and his beloved Lucy fired
from that villain-foiling league.
Although the formerly felonious super villain Gru
and his honey have made a great baddie-busting
team even foiling Bratt's latest diamond-stealing
plot they keep letting the annoying shoulder
pad-wearing crook moonwalk right through their
fingers. And that kind of slip-shod work just won't
do.
ENTERTAINMENT
By: Amina Munir
(Animation, Action, Adventure)
Directed by:
Kyle Balda...(directed by)
Pierre Coffin...(directed by)
Eric Guillon...(co-director) (co-directed by)
On top of his job loss, Gru also has to deal with the
disappointment of having most of his Minions
march off in a huff. These little yellow banana-loving
subordinates are fed up with Gru's behavior, too.
Only in their case they're simply tired of his
reformed nice-guy ways. They don't want a boss
who just looks mean and evil, they want someone
who's really rotten to the core that they can follow
and look up to.
Then, out of nowhere, Gru discovers he has a
long-lost twin brother named Dru. But while the
reunited bros get along famously, and Gru's
adopted girls all love their new uncle, there's yet
another problem. It appears that brother Dru only
has one goal in mind: He wants Gru to teach him all
he knows about being a super-duper bad guy. And
that's a very uncomfortable temptation for Gru to
turn back to the dark side.
CONCLUSION
If you watched the first few seconds of this movie
with its little mischievous mascot Minions bopping
each other and tooting out a couple
flatulence-focused giggles before the Illumination
logo has even faded from view you'd be forgiven for
wanting to roll your eyes. And indeed, those
opening moments presage a movie powered with a
certain childish, sugar-addled energy. The truth is,
this whole cinematic shebang sometimes feels like
an over-packed clown car of a thing as it rolls quickly
forward, trumpeting and exploding and trying to
deal with four or five story threads at a time.
www.informal.pk 21
 COOKING

AR
E EJ G R A Y A
O FRUIT COCKTAIL
A marvellous, colorful, attractive bowl of fruit cocktail awaits to go in
your tummy. And its yummy ;)
There are 5 reasons why its important for humans to have
fresh fruits on daily bases.
1. It is a rich source of vitamins and minerals.
2. It contains fibre.
3. It refreshes skin.
4. It contains water.
5. It helps fight many diseases.
No age is targeted, its a full doze which refreshes mind and soul.
Light, healthy and juicy to have any time of the day.

FRUIT COCKTAIL
Serves- 3
2 Apples
4 Bananas
1 Oranges
2 oz Sugar
1 tbsp Lemon juice
5 oz Water
5 strawberries
Tinned Cherries
Dissolve sugar on water on low heat.
Add orange juice and lemon juice in the bowl.

Savory Muffins
These delicious savory muffins are a great meal on the run and go well in kids'
and adults' lunch boxes.

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cups (300g) self-rising flour
• 3/4 cup (55g) grated tasty cheese
• 1/2 cup finely diced ham
• 1 capsicum, de-ribbed and diced
• 1/4 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
• 150g butter, melted
• 1 cup (250ml) milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped

METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a 12 cup muffin tray with
muffin sized patty pans.
2. In a bowl, place the flour, cheese, capsicum, mushrooms and ham.
3. In a jug, combine the egg, milk and butter.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
5. Pour into patty pans and bake for 15-20 minutes.

22 www.informal.pk
 EVENT

The CPEC Cultural Caravan Festival

The CPEC Cultural Caravan Festival took off at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA). The event was inaugurated
by Minister of State for Information, Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb, and Ambassador of People’s Republic of China, H.E. Mr. Yao
Jing. The festival showcased the artworks, documentaries, photography, music and clothing, which was created as part of the
caravan. The caravan travelled from Xi’an, China to Gawadar, Pakistan along the Silk Route. As part of the caravan, Chinese
writers, photographers, anthropologists, film makers, musicians and artists interacted with the locals, in order to study and
create art, as well as reflect upon the culture of both countries.
The evening concluded with live performances by Qurban Niazi, Niazi Brothers, Gulab Begum and Saeen Khawar Hussain, all
of whom were accompanied by an orchestra. Songs such as ‘Naina de Akhay’ and ‘Kheriyaan de Naal’ evoked nostalgia for
the golden period of Pakistani folk music. Several other activities spanned across the two days of the festival. Various stalls
were set up of Chinese and Pakistani food while local craftsmen were given the chance to display their wares. A fashion
showcase was arranged by students of Hunerkada, who had created clothing combining Pakistani and Chinese cultural
influences. In the CPEC Youth Contest short films were screened, along with documentaries by CPEC Cultural Caravan
participants. The photography component of the caravan was also screened, and the images have been compiled in the form
of a coffee table book.
The host for the evening was renowned TV actor Saman Ansari. The program began with an energetic dance titled
‘Mehrgarh,’ which was choreographed by classical dancer Amna Mawaz Khan, and performed by the PNCA troupe. The
Chinese host Ms. Wang Shan took to the stage, to introduce a fashion show of traditional Chinese clothing. These included
dresses from the Han, Tang, Song and Ming dynasty, as well as the Three Kingdoms period. As the performances came to an
end, Mr. Jamal Shah, DG PNCA, addressed the audience. He explained the concept behind the ‘Mehrgarh’ dance.

www.informal.pk 23
EVENT

World Press Photo Exhibition, Islamabad

The World Press Photo Exhibition was launched in the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), Islamabad on 5th March,
2018. The exhibition was inaugurated by Ambassador of the Netherlands, H.E. Mrs. Ardi Stoios-Braken, while the curator,
Ms. Babette Warendorf, took the visitors on a tour. The pictures had been printed on panaflexes, and arranged in the PNCA
grounds.
The exhibition has been organized by the World Press Photo Foundation, which was formed in 1955 in Amsterdam. It
showcases the results of the most prestigious annual photography competition in the world. This year, these images were
selected from a pool of 80,408 images, by 5,034 photographers, from 126 different countries. The selected photographs,
divided into eight categories and three prizes, are considered the best in international visual journalism.
Students of journalism and mass communication were seen at the exhibition, learning about the stories behind the images.
The photographs convey tales of great loss and human suffering, alongside tales of unparalleled courage and compassion,
and prove the importance of photography, both as an artistic expression and a medium of information.

24 www.informal.pk
 EVENT

Lahore Literary Festival 2018

The Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) has become one of the most awaited events of
the city. This time around the organizers outdid themselves by bringing together
national and international stars, along with authors, activists, and enthusiasts.
With a wide variety of topics in the panel discussions, almost every hall was full to
capacity. Some of the most awaited speakers included Zia Mohyeddin, Riz Ahmed,
Reza Aslan, Mohsin Hamid, Ben Okri and Iftikhar Arif.
As the moderator F.S Aijazuddin said, it is very interesting to be discussing the
longest ruling Mughal emperor exactly 400 years after his birth in 1618. The
conversation progressed according to the four phases of Aurangzeb’s life, from
his time as a prince to his time at Deccan. Truschke talked about aspects of his life
which are often overlooked, such as the women in his life, and his less highlighted
policies. She urged the audience to assess Aurangzeb's leadership according to
the standards of his times, as opposed to this day and age.
The session began with a slideshow; Chiu took the audience through an exhibit of
selected art works from the last 40 years. The presentation displayed different art
forms such as sculptures and paintings. Some artists included Geng Jianyi, Lin
Tianmiao, Yin Xiuzhen and Hai Bo. An interesting piece was Zhang Xiaogang’s A
Big Family (1995), showing a family portrait along with a red line representative of
blood relations and ancestry. Chiu talked about the many changes China is
undergoing.
The second day began with the book launch of ‘Islamic Enlightenment: The
Modern Struggle between Faith and Reason’ by Christopher de Bellaigue. The
session was moderated by Gaith Abdul Ahad, an Iraqi journalist. The sessions
including Gaith Abdul-Ahad, stood out throughout the day, on account of their
exceptionally engaging content. The panel was supposed to comprise of the
writer, and an American journalist Robert Worth.
Reza Aslan, the renowned Iranian-American writer and Riz Ahmed, the
Pakistani-British rapper and actor, were the highlights of day one. The keynote
address by Dr. Azra Raza marked the end of day one, followed by a brilliantly witty
session on Dastangoii (13thcentury story-telling). Gaith generally discussed the
recent developments that have been taking place in the broader Muslim world,
and how this has set in motion a paradigm shift in the same. Robert Worth further
explained that the reason Muslims are stereotyped in the West is, because Saudi
Arabia has distorted the idea of diversity amongst Muslims.
Dr. Azra Raza insisted that the younger generation can and should utilize their
phones and the power of social media to raise their voice and disseminate their
opinions to the world. The second day ended with a session by the ever green Zia
Mohyeddin on ‘Why Shakespeare is Shakespeare?’ The hall was packed, with even
the hall stairs teeming with people hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

www.informal.pk 25
 INFORMAL NEWS

College students must have 50% marks is pre-board examinations

The order has been given to stop the admission of students taking less than 50
percent marks in pre-board exams in government colleges. College principal will
not be allowed to send admission students less than 50% marks. According to
details, pre-boards examinations have been conducted in the public schools of
Punjab including Lahore in the month of January. The High Education Department
has directed the Principal of government colleges to prevent admission of
candidates taking less than 50 percent marks in the pre-board exams.

Drug test to enter schools in Sindh

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday issued commands to jump
start the process for making drug tests mandatory among students of
government and private educational institutions. The purpose of meeting was to
examine the menace of drug abuse in schools of Sindh and to draft a law that
would make it mandatory for all students to go through a drug test. According to
the statement, the chief minister during the meeting observed that alarming
reports have emerged from some leading universities of the country where a
number of students were using drugs.

Pakistani Students bagged top positions in Cambridge Exam

A minimum of thirty eight Pakistani candidates’ flat-top completely different
subjects everywhere the globe and won ‘Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award’
in Cambridge Assessment International Education exams command in
Gregorian calendar month 2017. Of them, twenty students are from Punjab. The
Cambridge Assessment International Education expressed the awards were
presented for outstanding educational achievements of middle school learners
in Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Overall, eighty learners in Sindh and Balochistan
can receive awards for exceptional performance in Cambridge examinations.

Pakistan's ranking has increased in Times Higher Education

Pakistan has expanded portrayal in the Asia University Rankings 2018,
with Quaid-I-Azam University and COMSATS Institute of Information
Technology two of its driving foundations making enormous additions.
Pakistan has performed well in the most recent Times Higher
Education (THE) Asia University Rankings, expanding its portrayal
general as 10 Pakistani instructive establishments have made it to the
best table. Times Higher Education expressed that while the extension
is uplifting news for Pakistan's general portrayal, the expanded rivalry
implies that four of the nation's colleges have tumbled down the table.

Senate Committee approves bill to establish National Skills University

The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has proposed
budgetary proposals amounting to around Rs 11.8 billion for 16 development
projects under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for the upcoming
budget-2018-19. The Prime Minister had directed that Ministry of Federal
Education and Professional Training should immediately consider the feasibility
of setting up a National Skills University in Islamabad to address the shortage of
skilled human resource at all levels. The concept was to establish the first ever
National Skills University, Islamabad through upgrading the National Institute of
Science & Technical Education (NISTE).

26 www.informal.pk
 INFORMAL NEWS

Jazz Smart School program launched to impart quality education

In support of the government’s Vision 2025, Jazz Foundation is set to use
innovation in imparting education to 75 schools in the Federal Capital under
its ‘Jazz Smart School’ program. Launched in partnership with the Capital
Administration and Development Division (CADD) and the Federal
Directorate of Education (FDE), the ‘Jazz Smart School’ program introduces a
smart learning solution to the traditional schooling system through a digital
learning platform. To implement this digital learning solution, the Telco has
teamed up with Knowledge Platform; a Singapore based learning solutions
company.

Prime Minister’s Youth Program beneficiaries cross 1.1 Million

Expressing satisfaction on overall progress of various components of
Prime Minister’s Youth Program, Prime Minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
has said that the youth program, initiated in 2013, helped the youth in
becoming the most productive asset of the society and thus enabling
them to contribute towards overall socio-economic development of the
country. Leila Khan explained that under PM’s Youth Business Loan
Scheme, the government has disbursed around 22,000 loans worth Rs.
22 Billion among educated and skilled youth, both men and women, for
the promotion of entrepreneurship culture in the country.

Pakistan, Mauritius agree to enhance cooperation on literary fronts

Pakistan and Mauritius agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of
literature, arts and culture and conduct translations of each other's litera-
ture. This was agreed by Advisor to Prime Minister on National History
and Literary Heritage (NH&LH), Irfan Siddiqui and High Commissioner of
Mauritius in Pakistan, Rashidally Soobadar in a meeting held at the
division to discuss the matters of mutual interests. Speaking during the
meeting, Irfan Siddiqui said Pakistan and Mauritius have great potential
and can explore vast opportunities to conduct joint ventures on literary
and cultural fronts.

300,000 laptops distributed to improve students' learning

The Chairperson of Prime Minister Youth Program Leila Khan revealed
that total some 300,000 talented students were given laptops along with
broadband internet devices across the country to improve their learning
through technology. The federal government's initiative taken in 2014,
under Prime Minister's Scheme for Provision of laptops, was aimed at
encouraging and supporting deserving students to digitalize the mode
of studies in public sector universities. The scheme's primary objective
was to assist middle and lower middle class's vulnerable talented
students to use latest qualitative tools for their research in studies.

BISE Abbottabad starts installation of CCTV cameras in Examination Hubs

Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Abbottabad
Wednesday has started installation of Close Circuit Television (CCTV)
Cameras in various examination centers of Haripur city to monitor
examination process live from BISE Abbottabad office. According to Board
officials, the Abbottabad was the first that installed CCTV cameras for
examination monitoring in the country, last year cameras were installed in
more than 40 examination centers of three cities of Hazara division to
discourage cheating and stop interruption of outsiders during the
examination process.

www.informal.pk 27
 HOROSCOPE By: Abd-ur-Rehman

Pisces and Aries

Strengths: Compassionate, artistic, intuitive, gentle, wise,
musical
Weaknesses: Fearful, overly trusting, sad, desire to escape
reality, can be a victim or a martyr
Favorite Things: Being alone, sleeping, music, romance, visual
media, swimming, spiritual

T
he two zodiac signs
associated with March are
Pisces and Aries. Those born
from March 1st to March
20th are members of the
Pisces sign. One born under
the Pisces sign can be recognized for their
optimistic ambition and determination. For
Muhammad Sohail
those who were born from March 21st to Birthday: 30 March
March 31st, they are members of the Aries
sign.
Know-it-all, being criticized, the past
coming back to haunt, cruelty of any kind
Pisces are very friendly, so they often find
themselves in a company of very different
people. Pisces is a Water sign and as such
this zodiac sign is characterized by
Abdul Qayyoum
empathy and expressed emotional
capacity. They are tolerant of people they Birthday: 8 March
come in contact with, respectful of
different personalities and the openness
they can provoke with simple presence.
PISCES & ARIES TRUST
With Aries holding their head high, their
attractive, straightforward attitude and
their libido, it is not easy for sensitive Adnan Amjad
Pisces not to pick up those signals emitted Birthday: 12 March
all around. This will immediately give effect
to the degree of their confidence.
PISCES & ARIES COMMUNICATION AND
INTELLECT
Aries and Pisces could find many things to
talk about if they open up for each other’s
support and advice. Although they are
interested in entirely different things most
of the time, they are still connected as Rizwan Rana
neighboring signs and have a way of
leaning on each other. Birthday: 19 March

M. Wahab Waleed Aftab

Birthday: 25 March Birthday: 30 March

Send your date of birth with your complete name and picture so
28 www.informal.pk we will publish it in this section at: informal.pk@gmail.com
 “If you want to be a writer
you must do two things
above all others: read a lot’
and writea lot.”

Stephen King

Write us your views and reviews to be publish in Informal magazine.

Send us your events and latest happening to be publish in Informal
magazine.

Your Positive response will be highly obliged.

All Right! I want to subscribe to

Name
Price per Issue: 100
1 Year Package Address
12 issues Rs @ 1200
After Discount Rs @ 1000 Informal Group Post Code
Tel No. Cell No.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Email
* Courier charges are included.
* Check should be in the name of " Informal Group."
* Orders are accepted against PKR only. New Subscription
* Please allow 1-2 week for processing of subscription
* For further details mail us at: informal.pk@gmail.com Renewal
Send This form Along with cheque at Following address I am paying by Cheque/Draft/Cash
Office#249, 2nd Floor Ashiana Center, 78-D/1, Main Boulevard,
Gulberg III, LAHORE. Cell: 0331-921 1111 | email: informal.pk@gmail.com For Rs. Dated:
 GADGETS By: Amina Munir

Gadgets That Will

Make Your Life Easy
The days of simply planting security cameras in front of your
house are over. SkyBell's Wi-Fi Video Doorbell replaces your
existing doorbell with a video camera, microphone and
speaker. When someone rings the bell, you receive an instant
notification and can view them in real time when using the
SkyBell SkyBell app. With the mic on your phone, you can ask the
mailman to leave your package by the flowerbed, tell your
guests to come on in, or order a suspicious figure to go away.
If knock on wood some sort of property crime does occur,
you’ll have a sharp image of the perpetrator right on your
smart phone.

The Amazon Echo is on a lot of must-have tech lists, and for

good reason. This smart home device, addressed as “Alexa,”
follows a wide range of helpful commands and incorporates a
Amazon Echo surround-sound speaker. Using just your voice, you can have
Alexa order you a pizza, provide a daily news briefing, play
your favorite Spotify playlist, and add items to your shopping
list.

The Echo isn’t the only helpful device Amazon makes. Amazon
Amazon Dash Dash devices are a super inexpensive way to order your
favorite household items with (literally) the push of a button.
There is Dash buttons for Tide laundry detergent, Goldfish
crackers, Gatorade, Ziploc bags, Brawny paper towels and
many more. Just stick them to your laundry room wall or the
door of your pantry; when you run out of a necessity, push the
button. It’ll save you from spending time on Amazon orders
when you have more important stuff to take care of.

Fujifilm The SP-3 is the first to use the new Instax Square film, but it
Instax SP-3 otherwise works much like its predecessor, the SP-2. It prints
fast (about 10 seconds), is easy to use with all sorts of
Mobile different phones and services (like Facebook or Instagram),
and the print quality is pretty good.
Printer

Fitbit Charge 2
Track steps, distance, calories burned, floors climbed and
more. It also helps you find some calm with personalized
guided breathing sessions based on your heart rate, which
enables you to monitor your overall health in your busy daily
routine.

30 www.informal.pk