The Year it was For Me, 2013.

Every year has some good and bad moments, something to feel happy about, something to regret, something to change, something to savor, something to remember.

This year was no different for me, in fact it has to be one of the most happening years in my life, for all that happened, I am sure it was for good.

I had made 5 new year resolutions and I guess out of those five I was able to fulfill almost 3.5. Not bad eh? Keeping in mind the world had to end in December 2012 so most people didn't really worry about resolution.

Great Mosque of Djenné

Djenné is a small but historical city of the African country, Mali. This city has seen a lot of meorable events as well as many historical days, but the best thing about this city is the Great Mosque of Djenné, it is the first and biggest mosque built with mud bricks.

My Journey so Far- Striving to become a Political Scientist

Written By: S S.

An unforgettable adventurous life from city's well known, expensive college to a cheap government institute for ordinary people. Or in other words for Ghareeb Awaam (Poor people). After I got done with my high school there was a BIG QUESTION MARK about 'where would I take admission'. Beyond doubts, it was one of the biggest decisions of life. Our this decision decides where we would be in future. So, this decision was some how extraordinary for me than rest of others. I wanted to study Social Sciences.

Mom, Where are You?

 Written By: Bushra Khan

One day,
When I came back from school,
Unlike always,
You weren't at the door,
I thought,
You must be playing hide and seek,
But seven days passed,
It was almost a week,
I couldn't find you,
But I remembered your words,
Keep on holding the rope,
Never lose hope,
So I kept trying,
But you were nowhere to be seen,
So I started crying,

It's been 10 years,
I'm still not able to find you,
I'm still crying,
See, your daughter ain't that strong,
It's been so long,
Why aren't you coming back,
You're doing wrong,
Again and again I have been calling out your name,
Mom! where are you?
Stop this game,
I don't need money,
I don't need fame,
I just need you,
Please come back,
I don't like this game..

This is What " Pakistan " Means to Me.

 
Written By: Saad Hafeez.

Walking or driving around the streets of my country, I can never give words to the mix of feelings and emotions that I experience. Is it the sense of belonging, which I never feel anywhere else in the world? Is it patriotism which brings tears to my eyes whenever I see a little boy running around the streets with a giant Pakistan flag?

“Why do you like Pakistan so much?”

“Why would you want to live here when everyone here wants to leave?”

Steve Waugh: Helping Kids and Changing the World.

When Waugh was named Australian of the Year in 2004, he was recognised not just for his contribution to sport, but also for what he’s done for humanitarian causes and charity. Following retirement, Waugh established the Steve Waugh Foundation, aimed at Australian children who have a disease, an illness or an affliction that does not meet the set criteria of other charitable organisations.
In 2009, he extended his philanthropic activity and launched Steve Waugh Foundation Global and Steve Waugh Foundation India.

Letter to My Father

You know I am not so good at expressing what and how I feel so writing it down for you to read will be the best possible way. I have always observed how you both have done things, how you both have gone about your life, bringing us up. How you guys have never let us feel what you do for us. Those minor things that were not significant but still were, all your love and care.

Hello Papa.

I remember the times you missed your official lunch and dinners to take us out instead because you wanted to spend time and you taught us that family is the most important thing in life.

Letter to My Mother

You know I am not so good at expressing what and how I feel so writing it down for you to read will be the best possible way. I have always observed how you both have done things, how you both have gone about your life, bringing us up. How you guys have never let us feel what you do for us. Those minor things that were not significant but still were, all your love and care.

Hello Mama.

I remember one thing especially.. that waking us up early morning, 7 sharp, never letting us sleep late and saying " Uth jao din ho gaya hai " at just 8 am. That has just become a part of my life and one of the habits of mine I love the most.

Bolt of Lightning

Written By: Maham Shahbaz.

What is it about that shining light I keep on going towards? Is it there or am I just hallucinating like the time I hallucinated about that person? The one who stood there all night, beside my bed while I lay there sick with high fever? Why did he stand there beside my bed when he had a million errands or maybe he didn’t but no one is just that free. I remember my father coming in, trying to sponge away that high fever and I remember that person holding my hand whispering in my ear that I’m not in a bad place, there is a place much more horrible and he won’t let me go there. As I lay listening to that mesmerizing voice which eased the sting of ice cold water I saw a blinding light and passed out, or so it seemed.

Christmas In Pakistan.

In Pakistan, December 25th is a public holiday, but it is in memory of Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. Like in India, Christians make up a very small part of the population. But as Pakistan has a population over 162 million people, there are more than 5 millions Christians! Most Christians in Pakistan live the country and are quite poor.

At Christian festivals, like Christmas and Easter, a big procession takes place, in Lahore, from St. Anthony's Church to the Cathedral. It takes hours to reach the Cathedral for the services. These are then celebrated with lots of enthusiasm! Before and during Advent, spiritual seminars take place to help people to prepare for Christmas or 'Bara Din' (which in Urdu and Punjabi means the 'Big Day'). This expression is very popular, even among Muslims in Pakistan.

Goodbye Pakistan. Hello America.

 
I asked everyone to leave the airport early because they will have to stay awake and they will be tired as it is late night (Actual reason was that I needed some time for myself, not go through the pain of goodbyes again and most importantly, just do some stuff I needed to do)

Sitting at the airport, with Jawad Ahmed's songs playing. I thought it was the perfect way to end my stay here in Pakistan.

" Meri sarzameen, teri sarzameen, mitti hai ye sab se haseen, meri jaan tu, meri shaan tu, ham sab ka Pakistan tu " the lyrics went. I rewind the song, listened to the lyrics again, then again rewind, then again and then again for the fourth time.

Christmas Traditions and Customs around the World.

Everything you need to know about Christmas. From how did Christmas start, why is it called Christmas, who when where and how do people celebrate it and what are the famous customs and traditions related to Christmas. 


Why is Christmas Day on the 25th December?

The Tradition of Advent

Christmas or Xmas?

Traditions of Christmas Bells

Boxing Day - the Day after Christmas!

Christmas Candles

Christmas Candy Canes

Chrismons and Chrismon Patterns

Christmas Carols

Christmas Cards

Christmas Eve Traditions and Customs

Christingles

Christmas Crackers

The Colors of Christmas

The Holy and the Ivy

Jesse Trees.

Mince Pies

Nativity Plays and Crib

Christmas Presents

Star of Bethlehem

St. Nicholas, Santa Claus and Father Christmas

Christmas Trees

Sports that are Mixture of other Sports.

Chess boxing is a hybrid sport that combines chess with boxing in alternating rounds. The sport was invented by French artist and filmmaker Enki Bilal in his comic book Froid Équateur in 1992.

The Tomb of Seven Virgin Sisters.

In the city of Sukkur, rising from the middle of River Indus, overshadowed by the massive steel railway bridge, lies the mound called by the local people Sat bahan jo asthan or Satbahain jo maskan, the resting or ‘living’ place of Seven Sisters.

It is also popularly called Satian jo asthaan (the home of seven virgins). If it is day time, then you will find the cave like hall, dug out of the mound, crowded with women. These distressed souls come from places, far and wide, to seek the blessings of the saintly ‘Seven Sisters’, in the hope that their problems will be solved. And judging from the number of women pilgrims daily, their prayers must be getting positive response to attract them in such large numbers.

Christmas and it's History.

Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely observed cultural holiday, celebrated generally on December 25 by millions of people around the world. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it closes the Advent season and initiates the twelve days of Christmastide, which ends after the twelfth night. Christmas is a civil holiday in many of the world's nations, is celebrated by an increasing number of non-Christians, and is an integral part of the Christmas and holiday season.

Meh! The Weird, Insane me.

Three tough years. Sigh! Those were three tough years in Pakistan, no one has any idea what I went through every single day of these three years.

Most of the things that happened feel like impossible. Some may think it isn't true, some may think I am story telling, some may think I talk nonsense, you know everyone has different way of seeing.

Some say I don't tell them stuff, some say I hide things, some say I don't consider them friends.

Amish People of America.

The Amish are a group of traditionalist Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology. The history of the Amish church began with a schism in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptists in 1693 led by Jakob Ammann.Those who followed Ammann became known as Amish.

10 Most Unbelievable and Unusual Underground Places.

Thousands of unbelievable places to see with the best of all that is weird, amazing and bizarre in the world today. Open up a wonderland of curiosities you never knew existed and amaze your friends, your family, and yourself. Seeing is believing!

The Catacombs of Paris - Paris, France

Overcrowding in medieval cemeteries in the centre of Paris at the end of the 18th century led the government to the creation of subterranean mass graves. Over the course of 18 months, from 1785, the bones and rotting corpses of 6 million people were moved in large carts across the city at night to a new resting place. Here they are arranged in huge piles at the ‘Empire of Death', as it is commonly known. This network of about 200 miles of underground galleries contains millions of bones and the small part that is open to the public is certain to shock.

Lawrence of Arabia.

Thomas Edward Lawrence, CB, DSO (16 August 1888 – 19 May 1935), known professionally as T. E. Lawrence, was a British Army officer renowned especially for his liaison role during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign and the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkish rule of 1916–18. The breadth and variety of his activities and associations, and his ability to describe them vividly in writing, earned him international fame as Lawrence of Arabia.

El Dorado: The Lost City of Gold.

Known as the legendary lost city of gold, El Dorado legend originated in the Muisca territory from Spaniards who were told of a ritual at Lake Guatavita where treasures were thrown into the lake as offerings for the new king. Attempts to drain the lake for unimaginable wealth took place until finally abandoned after many of the workers died and, no treasure was ever discovered. Stories then developed over the ages transforming the idea of discarded wealth at the bottom of a lake into an entire lost city of gold according to some theorists. El Dorado became a fixation for many explorers, some who lost their own lives in pursuit of an epic treasure.

Soosan Firooz: Afghanistan's First Female Rapper.

Soosan Firooz is an Afghan actress and rapper. She has been described as Afghanistan's first female rapper. She is a controversial figure, challenging societal norms and the traditional role of Afghan women.

Firooz was born in Afghanistan. Her family fled the country and lived in an Iranian refugee camp for seven years during the Afghanistan's civil war in the 1990s.The 23 year old grew up in Iran in the 1990s and spent time as a refugee with her family in Pakistan as well. They returned to their native country seven years ago.

James Bond Series.

Dr. No

“Bond. James Bond.” was first uttered by Sean Connery in the opening scene of Dr. No in which he introduced the world to 007. Bond is sent to Jamaica to investigate the death of a fellow British agent, where he discovers the underground base of Dr. Julius No and his plot to end the US space program. Shot for a relatively low $1m, Dr. No was an international success and went on to gross over 60 times its budget.

From Russia with Love

In Connery’s second turn as Bond, we see evil crime cartel SPECTRE use a Soviet encryption machine to lure 007 to his death. With a pre-title sequence, a theme song with lyrics, a secret weapon gadget for Bond, a helicopter sequence and the line “James Bond will return/be back” in the credits – From Russia With Love established the iconic formula for a Bond film that we’re familiar with today.

GoldFinger (1964)

“James Bond is back in action! Everything he touches turns to excitement!” declared the poster of the franchise’s quintessential instalment. Whilst investigating smuggler Auric Goldfinger, Bond dodges the hat-spinning henchman, Oddjob, and uncovers a sinister plot to contaminate Fort Knox gold reserve. The first Bond blockbuster, Goldfinger’s stellar cast (including Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore) led to the film becoming a huge success both critically and commercially. “Do you expect me to talk?” “No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!”

Thunderball

Thunderball sees James head to the Bahamas to recover two nuclear warheads stolen by SPECTRE agent Emilio Largo, who attempts to hold the world ransom for $100 million.Thunderball is, to date, the most financially successful movie of the series when adjusted for inflation, having grossed over $140 million worldwide.

You only Live Twice

Roald Dahl’s screenplay saw 007 travel to Japan to investigate the disappearance of a manned spaceship. It is here that we first meet Blofeld – the scar-faced, Nehru-suit wearing, cat-lover who heads SPECTRE – as he tries to instigate nuclear war between the East and West. You Only Live Twice saw a dip in the franchise’s critical reception but also introduced martial arts and ninja sequences to mainstream Western audiences, effectively beginning the Kung Fu explosion of the 1970s.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

George Lazenby’s first and last outing as Bond saw 007 go undercover to investigate Blofeld’s plot to sterilise the world’s food supply using a group of beautiful, brainwashed women from around the globe. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service also sought to tie Bond down, introducing links to previous films in the title sequence, and seeing Bond marry Tracy di Vicenzo (played by Diana Rigg).

Diamonds are Forever

In an attempt to recreate the success of Goldfinger, director Guy Hamilton and star Sean Connery returned to the Bond franchise for Diamonds Are Forever. This instalment saw Bond attempt to defeat Blofeld and SPECTRE for the last time, whilst preventing the master criminal from building a giant laser with the potential to destroy Washington D.C. Diamonds Are Forever was a return to critical form for the Bond franchise, though received criticism for its camp tone.

Live and Let Die

Roger Moore’s debut appearance saw Bond reinvented for a more progressive audience. Released during the height of the blaxploitation era, 007 is less concerned with international super-villains of the Cold War, and instead investigates the origins of heroin that is hitting the streets of Harlem. Live And Let Die featured the first African American Bond girl, and Paul McCartney’s opening theme was recently voted by fans as the best of the franchise.

The Man with the Golden Gun

In Moore’s second outing Bond again travels to the Far East, this time to recover a device that can harness the power of the sun. Here he must face off with an assassin dubbed the “Man With The Golden Gun” and his dwarf henchman, Nick Nack. The movie’s overall comedic feel led the BFI to describe it as “the most disappointing of the 1970s Bond films.”

The Spy who Loved Me

The first Bond film produced by Albert Broccoli alone (without co-producer Harry Altzman), The Spy Who Loved Me follows 007 as he investigates the hijacking of British and Russian submarines carrying nuclear warheads, before discovering that a reclusive megalomaniac named Stromberg plans to destroy the world and create a new civilisation under the sea. The metal-toothed henchman ‘Jaws’ also made his first appearance in this film, which saw the franchise return to critical form.

Moonranker

In order to exploit the growing interest in sci-fi after the release of Star Wars, Moonrakerbecame the most expensive film the franchise had seen at the time. Bond investigates the theft of a space shuttle, which leads 007 into outer space to prevent Hugo Dax’s plot to re-populate the world with a master race. Despite receiving praise for its impressive visual effects, Moonraker’s sci-fi focus and ill-judged humour leaves it generally regarded by audiences as the most outlandish Bond film.

For Your Eyes Only

After the over-the-top aesthetic of Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only represented a return to the more gritty and realistic style of the early Bond films and the works of Ian Fleming. Bond, along with a woman seeking revenge for the murder of her parents, it attempts to locate a missile command system while becoming tangled in a web of deception spun by a Greek businessmen.

Octopussy

Bond is tasked with uncovering an international jewel smuggling operation. This leads him to India where the wealthy prince, Kamal Khan, and his associate, Octopussy, are plotting to force disarmament in Europe with the use of a nuclear weapon. Octopussy did relatively poorly at the box office, possibly due to Bond’s goofy undercover costumes, yet still managed to gross more than independent competitor Never Say Never Again.

Never Say Never Again

Often discounted as an ‘official’ Bond film, as it wasn’t produced by Eon, Never Say Never Again was the result of a lengthy legal battle amongst the writers of Thunderball. Essentially a remake of the 1962 hit, the movie saw Connery reprise the role of Bond after a 12-year hiatus. The film was warmly received by critics, mainly due to its classier script, but also because of the public perception that Connery was the quintessential James Bond.

A View to a Kill

Roger Moore’s seventh and final outing as Bond is generally regarded by critics as the weakest episode in the franchise. A View To A Kill sees 007 investigate a horse racing scam, which leads him to the mad industrialist Max Zorin, who plans to create a worldwide microchip monopoly by destroying California’s Silicon Valley. Critics took umbrage with director John Glen’s disassociated treatment of the violence on screen, as well as Bond’s age (57-year-old Roger Moore was now older than his female co-star’s mother).

The Living Daylights

After years of turning down the role of Bond, Timothy Dalton stepped into the tux for the first of two films in The Living Daylights. This instalment saw 007 organise the defection of a Soviet general, before having to cross all seven continents in order to prevent an evil arms dealer from starting World War III. Dalton’s debut brought considerably warmer critical praise than its preceding instalments, with many commending on the closeness of Dalton’s performance with the Bond of Fleming’s original novels.

Licence to Kill

Licence To Kill was undoubtedly the darkest Bond film. After 007’s long-time associate Felix is maimed by a shark, and his wife raped and murdered, Bond leaves Her Majesty’s Secret Service on a quest to avenge the newlyweds, which leads him to drug lord Franz Sanchez.Licence To Kill delivered the lowest box office return of the franchise (when adjusted for inflation) most probably due to it being the only Bond film to receive a “15” rating.

Goldeneye

A six-year hiatus, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, gave Brosnan’s debut Bond film a chance to move into modernity. GoldenEye sees Bond tasked by M, played for the first time by Judi Dench, to investigate the destruction of a Russian research centre and prevent the hijacking of a nuclear space weapon. The movie’s modern aesthetic, particularly its use of CGI effects, led to Goldeneye becoming the most financially successful Bond film since Moonraker.

Tomorrow Never Dies

The first Bond film made after the death of producer Albert Broccoli, Tomorrow Never Diessaw 007 tasked with stopping a psychopathic media mogul from inducing war between China and the UK in order to obtain exclusive global media coverage. The film was met with a mixed critical reception, though many highlighted the interesting satirical parallels between the characterisation of the villain, Elliot Carver, and Rupert Murdoch.

The World is not Enough

Bond is tasked with protecting an oil heiress from her former kidnapper, an international terrorist who can’t feel pain, when he uncovers Renard’s scheme to increase petroleum prices by triggering a nuclear meltdown. The last film to feature Desmond Llewelyn as Q, The World Is Not Enough was a commercial success, but received criticism for the characterisation of Dr. Christmas Jones, who was labelled the worst Bond girl of all time.

Die Another Day

The final film of Pierce Bosnan’s tenure, and of the original Bond timeline, saw 007 investigating the connection between a North Korean terrorist and a diamond mogul responsible for developing an international space weapon. Die Another Day is regarded by fans as one of the weaker Bond films, and drew criticism for its excessive product placement (the most in any movie at the time), and over-reliance on CGI.

Casino Royale

Casino Royale rebooted the narrative framework of Bond, following his first mission after earning his licence to kill in which 007 is sent to stop a banker for the world’s terrorist organizations from winning a high-stakes poker tournament in Montenegro. Craig’s brooding and realistic performance was a departure from the gadget and innuendo heavy films that preceded it, and resulted in Casino Royale receiving the best critical reception for a Bond film since the Connery era and the highest box office return for the series so far.

Quantum of Solace

A direct sequel to Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace sees Bond seeking vengeance from a wealthy environmentalist attempting to organise a coup d’état and seize control of Bolivia’s water supply. Whilst met with mixed reviews from critics, Craig’s angsty performance was again praised, as were the film’s impressive action sequences. Multiple product placement deals also made Quantum Of Solace a great commercial success, and contributed to the highest budget of the series so far.

Skyfall

Released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, Skyfall will see 007’s loyalty to M tested after MI6 is attacked by a cyberterrorist and former agent. Directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes, early critical reception of Skyfall has been extremely positive, with Sir Roger Moore calling it “the biggest Bond film there has ever been”, and tipping Craig to becoming the best Bond in history.

Interview with Blogger Raafay Awan

The original interview sent to the Pakistani Spectator. 

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?

My name is Raafay Awan and I’m a Pakistani living in the United States. My blog is named Finding Neverland and its tagline is ‘In search of all the good things in life ‘, it aims to enhance the softer image of Pakistan and there are currently more than 100 writers from all over the world writing for it.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

My most memorable experience has to be the day when my blog was added in the list of World’s top 100 blogs by young bloggers. It has to be the most fruitful thing ever in my life as a blogger. Also whenever people appreciate your hard work and want to be a part of what we are trying to achieve, it feels good.

If you had to describe life as a blogger in a Twitter message (140 characters) what would you say?

Something that has made me learn a lot of new stuff by exploring, researching and studying. Making me more responsible knowing that I have to convey the right stuff in the correct way to the people who read and have expectations.

What do you think sets your site apart from others?

The main thing about the blog is that it is not restricted to just one topic or person, there are variety of topics ranging from Pakistan, Cricket and Sports in general, Science, History, Poetry, People, Events and even politics. Also anyone who wants to be a part of it, whatever they write we make sure that their work is published.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

That characteristic has to be noticing the positive and good things about people more than the negative things. My life has been tough on me so I try taking the positives in life forward and leave all the negatives behind.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

Thankfully there have been many happy moments but if I had to choose one it will be when I took the responsibility of educating a child recently it has always been my aim, the gloomiest moment for sure has to be the Peshawar Incident which has changed me a lot as a person.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for – what would your top 3 choices be?

That’s an interesting question because I get to travel a lot due to different reasons, if I had to pick three places they will be Barcelona, Rome and London for sure.

What is your favorite book and why?

Honestly speaking all the books written by Dan Brown are my favorite because of the mixture of history and suspense. Otherwise there are several books by several writers that I like and I read everything and anything.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

Although I’m not a big fan of earning from a blog, but it’s not a problem in the modern days. There are many companies and websites who are always in search of content writers and freelance writers; you also have the advertisements option, and google Addwords facility has made things even simpler.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?

Bloggers of the world can play an important role just because of the social media and also because people are spending more time online. Reading content online has become one of the most done thing in the whole world. A message given in a good way is always helpful especially the condition through which our country is going through it’s the duty of us bloggers to enhance the softer image of everything and be careful in what message they are trying to convey.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

I don’t really have any favorite bloggers. For me everything written by anyone is good if it has a message in it and there are many bloggers out there who are good enough and trying their best to bring a change.

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?

My one of the most viewed post was about Imran Khan’s book. As we the youth of Pakistan are strongly supporting him so it was a pleasant surprise to see thousands of views for that post in just a couple of months. One other was a column on Cricket for Express Tribune which opened a lot for opportunities for me to convey my message and got really good views about it.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

I’m still looking for that one exceptional blogger. But there are many good ones out there as I said so taking the name of just one will not be a good idea.

What is the future of blogging?

The future of blogging is very bright. Most of, if not all the people on social networks write something in some form and have a blog or page anything of their own. Gone are the days of keeping a diary so people like conveying message and telling about themselves to wider range of people on the internet so blogging will always prosper.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

As I said earlier it has provided me the opportunity to learn and explore more which has helped me to be a better person. I always keep in mind if I’m conveying a message or preaching something good, I must have that characteristic in myself first only then will I be able to feel good at heart. My professional life has become more interesting.

What are your future plans?

Future plans are to achieve all the goals that I have set for myself as a person and a blogger as well. I am currently working with 6-7 organizations in Pakistan, but one day I would want to come up with something of my own and contribute towards education in Pakistan.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

My message to the readers is simple. Try noticing the good things in people more than the bad things, we have become extremely negative as a nation, there are so many good and positive things that we can do which will make us and the people around us, happy. 

The Duckworth-Lewis Method.

Cricket World Cup 1992 was the best World Cup ever played according to most of the cricketers, it was also the most controversial ever thanks to the Semi Final between South Africa and England. After the first Innings England made 252 in 45 overs for the loss of  6 wickets. In reply South Africa were 231/6 in 42.5 overs when rain interrupted. Match was resumed after 12 minutes and two overs of South Africa were discarded and they required 21 runs of 1 ball when the match began according to the Highest Overs Scoring Method.

Tridev Roy: The Raja who gave away his Kingdom for Pakistan.

This is the story of Raja Tridiv Roy, who was minister-for-life, former government adviser, envoy and chief of the Chakma Tribals and will always be remembered as the man who gave away his kingdom so that he could be with Pakistan during one of the country’s most turbulent periods.

Raja Tridev Roy was a former 50th Raja of the Chakma tribe in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region of present-day Bangladesh from May 2, 1953, until his abdication in 1971 following the Bangladesh Liberation War. He chose to remain a Pakistani when Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971. He became known as a writer, diplomat, Buddhist religious leader and politician in Pakistan. Between 1981 and 1995, he served as Ambassador of Pakistan to Argentina with concurrent accreditation in Chile, Uruguay, Peru and Ecuador. He was also a Minister-For-Life within the Pakistani government.