DAWN.COM | International | The mysterious case of the grey lady of Bagram

DAWN.COM | International | The mysterious case of the grey lady of Bagram

SSC's Back in Town!

The outstanding journey of the SZABIST Student Council

A year ago, some students sat down and decided to take matters into their own hands and make themselves a part of their university. They wanted to bring a change, to create history, to revolutionize. So for the first time since SZABIST has been born, we had our own student’s council. It was all set. The plan, the goal, the methods…and finally we achieved.

All year round we saw how the steadfast team of Salman Rashid, Hiba Ali Raza and Sameer Mirjat worked to bring out the best in the students. It was through their zeal that we created abilities and excelled. The formation of the student’s council teams from marketing, entertainment and media to logistics, editorial and HR covered all sides of SZABIST, taking the 14 societies along with them and leaving nothing behind. In the end we made it happen!

As 2010 folded in we had to say goodbye, (though gloomily) to our old panel and prepare for the new ones to step in their shoes. After one whole year of exceptional talent, dedicated hard work and a lot of fun, the tenure of our always remembered had ended. However, this is certainly not the final ending folks! Leaving behind a set constitution and a chalked out path for others to walk on, they stepped down from their seats for the next to take over.

And now SSC’s back with a bang! The time has come for it to start all over again as the new year is in. The students are now all set and ready to go. But before we proceed to our next step, we had to have our elections first. So let me at this point, introduce you to our new warriors entering the arena this year. SZABIST has for now been divided into two parts. On one side we have orange: the eccentric trio of the animated and ever loving Bemisal Iqbal, the talented Ahmed Shah and the dedicated Ibaad Abbasi standing as President, Vice President and General Secretary respectively. And on the other we have yellow: the genius of the passionate Saadullah Khan, the dynamic Gulzaib Shakeel and the hard working Mohsin Arsalan. So the battle has begun!

Walking around SZABIST these days, all one sees are the enthusiastic students working tirelessly for the elections, campaigning for a difference and supporting their panel. Banners and posters are set up everywhere honoring the ones who have decided to take on the challenge to give SZABIST a whole new meaning. Preparations are on for the biggest event at SZABIST this year.

As I talked to the supporters of the orange panel, they told me that they were sure it would be their panel that won this year. “We will not fall short of any effort it takes to achieve our aim; we will take the big step forward”. Likewise the yellow are leaving no stone unturned and have put in their maximum strength to go beyond the next step. It is something to see how transformed SZABIST is at this time of the year and how new beginnings are being welcomed by all.

So it is with clammy hands and nervous backaches that all wait for the results to be announced soon. To see who it would be creating a new history for the SZABISTians this time. As I sign out until next time I advise you to be aware…because a storm is coming!

When i met rain..

I have always been fascinated by rain..sometimes it brings joy coz it reminds me of him and sometimes it reminds me of something thats not worth remembering- pain. Yesterday I watched the rain for a long time..thought of a lot of things. Well for more than 2 months i was hiding from almost everyone i know with the exception of my family coz I would've turned into a psycho if i had avoided them as well.It started out coz i was busy then i realised after a while that it was an excuse i was making to myself.I just didn't want to talk to anyone especially people i knew.The worst part was i didnt know y. Noone had hurt me. noone had done anything to cause me pain. Then Y? Then i thought maybe I was runnig aay from someone- myself. people i knew reminded me of myself and that was what i was running away from.It was raining still..while i tried figuring out why i was running away from myself my thoughts shifted to us..maybe it was coz our relation was going through that testing phase where we were made to go through a hell lot and put at our breaking points that was causing this.

Its always difficult when you have to put yourself in the other person's shoes to understand what they are going through and whats worse is when you jus cant understand their justifications in spite of walking in their shoes for a while...it is so damn difficult and then you just give up..and end up saying "its going to be like this" or "you will never understand...if only you could"

It was raining still..

And then I thought about what was happening around.there were a lot of things i never understood..like y certain people were like that or y certain people had everything while some had nothing.the philosophies that i never understood..was it that was upsetting me?!

It was pouring heavily...

I thought again of my friends..wonderful people as they are did they do anything? nope they hadnt..i guess i was irritated with a few coz they had become busy building their worlds..but then again i forgave them long back coz i was becoming busy myself and i could fit into their shoes perfectly!

It kept raining....

I suddenly remembered someone i met a few months ago..a woman who was typically middle class.had a medium income, loving husband and 2 amazing kids. She went on to tell me that after 20 yrs of marriage bliss she was in love with another man. She kept repeating that her husband was not at fault at all. But she just couldn't help falling in love. And i argued a lot with her saying that she was being totally absurd and impractical..but she jus said one thing,"u will understand when u fall in love..some people find their true love before they get married to someone else n some unlucky ones find true love after years of marriage.." was it this that was keeping me uncomfortable?

it was pouring now....

I kept thinking..looked at the clock it was 3:00 am in the morning..i was having a great life..family, education, job then wat??? Suddenly it struck me...maybe it wasnt at all about other people..it wasnt about him, my family or friends..it was ME. i was worried about getting hurt again..it might sound silly but i was genuinely scared and that was what was putting me away from everyone i knew. I was purposely around my family coz i knew they couldn hurt me in any way n they wouldnt..everyone around me were having heartbreaks, problems everywhere..guess hiding from people was my way of taking a precaution against pain in my life..i knew it was hrting people who loved me..but i refused to think of them..i couldnt believe i was being selfish.. i realised i had to gear up..do something to get out of this cocoon i had built for myself...i sat up..gave myself a nice hug and looked outside...

I stepped outside while it was still raining...and stood there for a long time..decided to just start taking things as they come instead of thinking of the possiblities of if it happened...i realised i owed em al an apology..and i just had to hold on and fight things as they come...Believe it or not it stopped raining abruptly...it was like a sign that was telling me that I was right and had made the correct choice...

Am happy now..very happy..and come wat may..sunshine or rainfall i am going to love my life and live it in the fullest manner possible...

I guess this is one of the reasons i love rain so much....

words cant speak all...

I may not talk to you at first sight
Take not my timidity for arrogance.
I may keep a ‘distance’ between us
Know that I too like my privacy.
I may not speak much
Understand that it’s not my strength.
I might ask you a million questions
Have patience to listen to them,
I may have only you to ask that to.

I may appear too confused and too muddled
Take it as a part of me
I may flare up soon
Know that I cool down faster
I may seem stupid
Know that I still have some brains left in me

I may seem jealous if you keep talking about another girl
Understand that it’s just my possessiveness
My eyes water soon
Please try not to be the cause
I have my mood swings
Know that I like you with me in those times

I may not tell you often how much you mean to me
But know that I still care for you from the depths of my heart
I may not hold hands in public
I wouldn’t want you to be embarrassed
I may sing aloud often
Tell me if I am bad…
But I may not stop

I will never judge you whatever come
Try not to judge me too
I might appear lost
Know that I would need you to show me the way
I may not live up to your expectations
Know that I too have my limits

I might end up forgetting how you look
But I’ll never forget how you made me feel
I may be timid
Know that I am not weak
I might try my hand at everything
But I need you to spur me on
Coz you help me be strong

I might ask you again and again
What I mean to you
Know that it’s not my doubt
But my love to hear you tell me what I am to you
That I ask you often
Remember in your honesty my pride.
If you don't want to see me, please don't hide
The truth, yet tell it with some art.

MY LOSS...HIS GAIN

Everyday someone somewhere argues about things being predictable. Nobody like anything being predictable coz its considered boring. But i feel it would have been a little better if some things could be predicted.
Someone i knew got up yesterday morning, did his usual chores in the morning, had a tiff with his wife and left for work after giving her a smile. He stepped out into the sun and found it like just another day, so predictable. He got on his bike and left to work, cursing everyone on the road for being reckless drivers. Got to work at the usual time, took breaks for fags and work went on as usual. 

The same evening his wife got a call on her phone and life was never the same again. A fire in one of the office buildings had taken a toll of 9 lives and he was one of them.
Everything else that day could be predicted then why couldnt this be predicted. One sign, just a single sign would have saved their lives. And people talk about predictablity being boring.

Earlier,our ancestors could leave peaceful and happy lives and be happy and not complain. These days everyone lives unpredictable lives and are unhapppy. I don't know about the rest of the world but I feel scared when I step out of my house every morning. Don't know which building might collapse or catch fire, which place might be bombed, which vehicle may hit and so much more. I really wish I could predict the misfortunes.

People die everyday I know. Everyone takes their lives for granted thinking all this cannot happen to their dear and near ones. And then one day reality strikes,but by then its too late.....

Until next time lets just pray for all the unfortunate souls and pray that we get the strength to move on...

Will miss you.