'Pakistan's sweetheart': Nazia Hassan's 47th birthday

Nazia forever changed the Pakistani pop music industry.

On April 3, 1965, the ‘Sweetheart of Pakistan’ Nazia Hassan was born – a soon to be iconic figure of the Pakistani pop industry. If alive today, April 3, 2012 she would be celebrating her 47thbirthday.

Nazia’s first hit was a pop song “Aap Jaisa Koi” which she sang for an Indian film titled Qurbani at the age of 15. She won a Filmfare award for this song and paved the way for her debut album, Disco Deewane.

The pop icon of the 70s soon became the striking beauty of the 80s and along with her brother produced audio and video hits, forever changing the Pakistani pop music industry.

Even during the conservative era of General Ziaul Haq, Nazia persevered, not faltering in her passion for music and became a celebrity. Among her biggest hits were “Ankhen Milane Wale” and “Dum Dum Dede”.

In 1995 she got married and had her son Arez in 1997.

Sadly, Nazia passed away in 2000 after losing a battle with cancer. She however remains a celebrity in the hearts of the 80s’ generation and lives on through her fans and all those who showered her with their love.

-Express Tribune

Teaching peace: Karachi High School principal wins UN award for work

Parveen Kassim, the principal of the Karachi High School. PHOTO: EXPRESS

KARACHI: Parveen Kassim, the principal of the Karachi High School, has won the global educators award at the 7th annual United Nations conference on Teaching Peace and Human Rights that concluded on Friday.

In particular, Kassim’s work as the chairperson of the International Schools Educational Olympiad (ISEO) was commended.

The two-day conference gathered teachers, administrators, future leaders and non-governmental organisations from across the world to acknowledge leadership in education. It served to highlight the role of educationists from Karachi, Chennai, Burnaby, Mexico City, Manila, and the US, whilst highlighting inspiring initiatives world-wide towards promoting and teaching peace within classrooms.

Kassim was nominated for her contribution over the last two decades towards bridging distances, and gathering students from Pakistan and across the world, including youth from India, the UK and Australia on a single platform to boost shared learning, competition and healthy interaction through the yearly ISEO. The award acknowledges her commitment to promote innovation in education in Pakistan by extending learning across borders and beyond the realms of the classroom.

Kassim was also acknowledged for Karachi High School’s active partnership with the British Council’s Connecting Classroom initiative aimed at forging lasting partnerships among schools in the UK with others around the world.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2012.

Australian govt makes Moosa ‘math ambassador’

PHALIA - The Government of Australia on Thursday made Moosa Feroz, a 13-year old student from Phalia, a far-flung area of Punjab, who secured the first position in an online World Mathematics Competition, held in Australia, as its math ambassador. He reserved the first spot among 1.4 million students across the world. As his voice gives a disappointing tone over indifference by the federal and Punjab governments, Moosa said that he was expecting a warm welcome on his return from Australia.

“I feel really sad as I was expecting the prime minister or Punjab chief minister to encourage me on this achievement for Pakistan.”It seems that they do not have time to motivate emerging talent in the country,” he said. Moosa was awarded gold medal in Australia recently. He secured 4405 points and got the first place while another Pakistani student Hasnain got second position in the competition with 4303 points in 11-13 years age category. In the category of age 14-18 years, the country’s another student named Osama secured second place with 3318 points. Moosa said that he has been trying to win world math competition since 2009. “I have also clinched 5th spot in 2011.” Moosa’s father Dr Khaliq Dad Tarar expressed joy over his son’s performance. “I am proud of my son who has made Pakistan’s name across the world with his untiring efforts and hard work,” he said.

-INP