Quack! Online

By Kargas TMM-4

People like Ercelawn, Zaidi and Ahmed come unstuck when they try to persuade the ones with feudal mindset. Be it the heinous practice of Karo Kari or the pros and cons of the infamous KBD, this ill-minded clique sticks to its guns anyways. It is no joke that just after two months; Eqbal Ahmad's TIP will turn out some graduates who deem Karo Kari a sacred and a holy tradition and defend its observance on Islamic basis. One wonders if it has any truck with Islam. A comrade confused Karo Kari with the Hudood imposed in the holy Book, being ignorant of the fact that those Hudood were to be executed by the State Judiciary in compliance with the law of the land, and not by the subjects of the State on their own.

Similarly an "acclaimed-chauvinist" of TIP had words with Aly Ercelawn as he, allegedly, declared himself a nationalist first and then anything like Muslim. This comment really annoyed the self-styled defender of the land & belief. He blew up at the Professor at full blast right there and then. Afterwards, he emailed Aly and "abused" him on his non-conformist views. It should be noted that this chap attended neither of the held lectures. He would come only in the last five minutes of the Q/A session and feel free to pass judgments on the issue as well as the speaker. When asked by this scribe if he knew either MAF capacity or MW power generation of the much debated KBD, an expressionless face narrated his tall story.

Such ill-literate, brain-washed and know-it-all type graduates are a slap in the face of our civil society.

Posted by Kazim Alam at 08:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The philosophy behind the inception of The Book Club is to attract those who love to read and those who don't, so that both groups could get to know what is unknown to them. This will require active participation on all the members' part. Here are a few guidelines that will help you stay up-to-date with activities.

• Discussions/polls for selection of forthcoming movies/books will be done online at quack.offroadpakistan.com after the lists of have been uploaded.

• The book that earns the highest ratings in the polls will be declared the book of the month and reading schedules will be announced to facilitate the readers.

• All the movies played by the Book Club will be strictly novel based. Members will be requested to cast their votes online.

• All the members are requested to visit the website quack.offroadpakistan.com/book_club frequently so that they could participate in the activities.

• Suggestions regarding any of the activities can be posted online or contact us.

Posted by mohammedalihakeem at 07:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

The Date has been Set & The Fun Is About To Begin!

Posted by mohammedalihakeem at 07:04 PM | Permalink

By Mohsin Ali Sadiq, TS2B

Yes, human sacrifice was made on Saturday, 18th March when the TIP basket-ball team went up against Mehran University in the 1st game of the HEC basket-ball tournament and lost by a score of 23 - 06 or to quote an Urdu saying, "bakre ki balli char gayi".

Friday started with a lot of confusion when our captain Shayan had to drop out of the squad due to a family emergency. The lineup was short of two regular players as it is and with Shayan gone, the team was left with Aasim Ahmed and yours truly. There was a point in the day, when it was decided that the team wouldn't go as the players hadn't had enough practice and we didn't have a complete starting lineup. The players, all packed up to leave for home, suddenly received the breaking news at the end of the day that TIP is required to participate as we had been given the grand honour of the opening game of the tournament and playing before the chief guests.

Accompanied by tension and drama, our team left for Hyderabad on Friday evening at around 6. The squad was lead by our newly appointed coach Sir Yousuf Khan and consisted of Aasim Ahmed and myself, Amar Ata (TMM-2), Adnan Dohadwala and Saad Siddique (TS-3B), Dara Amir Khan and Haziq of AMM-1 and our beloved cheerleader/photographer Schallim Reuben.

The expectations were low and since we were going just for the sake of participation, we tried to chill out once we got to Hyderabad. Our coach tried to make sure we had a good time and kept our spirits high. I met a few old friends and ex-team mates, which is always good. Friday night was well spent considering the day and the journey we had been through.

Saturday started in similar fashion and we tried to make the best of the breakfast we had and tried not to think about what lay ahead. I knew that we were in an uphill battle but I didn't know it would be this bad. When we got to the court, I was shocked to find that I had been nominated as the captain of the team. Now I have done a lot to promote this sport in TIP but I never expected it would put such a big responsibility on my shoulders. The match started at around 11 and we had lost it from the beginning. The opposition was an average team and their efforts were ordinary but we were the team that appeared to have no sense of the game whatsoever. We tried playing as a team; rotating the ball, being un-selfish, but we were dis-functional and dis-oriented and made a complete mockery of the sport. Aasim and I tried to make things happen at our end but our attacks were too monotonous for the opposition and we failed to score anything. The 1st quarter ended with the score: Mehran University 6 and TIP nothing.

The 2nd quarter started with a bang: I got hit pretty bad in the groin while trying to block a shot. I was substituted and Amar come into the game. This time around, they weren't as forgiving as 1st quarter. Yet they were unable to convert many open chances. TIP got possession in bits and pieces but the turnover rate was too high. Amar and Aasim got a couple of free throws but neither of them was able to put points on the board. The half ended with the score: Mehran University 15, TIP 0.
The start of the 3rd quarter was the same: Mehran University had most of the possession but they were continually missing their shots. Atleast they were taking chances unlike us. The only sense of life was coming from our coach Sir Yousuf Khan, who was yelling his heart out to his players, telling them what to do. Then lightening struck and Dara scored for TIP finally breaking the knot. TIP started to get some support from my friends in the crowd when I was sent back in the dying seconds of the quarter. The quarter ended with the score: Mehran University 21, TIP 2.

The last quarter is probably was undoubtedly the most dramatic. Personally speaking, I was tired of being the defensive play-making guard. I hadn't tried to score once in the game but that was about to change. It took a kick in the groin to tell me it was time the tables turned. And they did, as we somehow clicked as a team out of the blue and suddenly Mehran University started turning over the ball. Amar penetrated the defense like a real pro, Haziq and Aasim stole the ball a few times, Dara got some rebounds and I chipped in with a few steals and a rebound. Still, we were unable to put more points on the board. Thanks to my ex-team mates, the crowd seemed to chant my name every time I got the ball and I thank God I didn't disappoint them. I got the chance to score late in the 4th quarter. I took two shots and sunk them both down the rim. I roared to the crowd and they responded with a loud cheer. We let Mehran University score only once in the quarter and the match ended with the score: Mehran University 23, TIP 6.

I caught up with my old friends when we went for refreshments and they said I shook the crowd out of their sleep. One of them said that I was the winner in the last quarter. Although what my friend said about me being the winner was actually an attempt to mock me but I hate to admit; the moment felt real nice and I felt good about myself. But it doesn't undo the fact that the "Capo di tutti capi" failed to deliver. For all those who don't hang out with Schallim, capo di tutti capi means "the boss of all bosses".

There were a few setbacks in the match: Aasim penetrated beautifully but was unable to convert the opportunities he got, I got kicked in my nuts before I started producing any results, we were unable to get into the zone with the ball in our hands, there was a lot of confusion among the newly drafted players etc.

In spite of what happened, I will say this: If victory belonged to the spirited, then we were unbeatable that day. But I'm afraid there's more to a win than just being in high spirits.

PS. Schallim, you'll always be the real "Capo di tutti capi" ;)

Posted by Mohsin Ali Sadiq at 01:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Water; water everywhere? Think and drink.

"We plan our cities near water; we bathe in water; we play in water; we work with water. Our economies are built on the strength of water transportation - and the products we buy and sell are all partly water, in one way or another. Our daily lives are built on water, and shaped by it. Without the water that surrounds us - the humidity of the air, the roughness of the river's current, the flow from the kitchen tap - our lives would be impossible. In recent decades, water has fallen in our esteem. No longer an element to be revered and protected, it is a consumer product that we have shamefully neglected. Eighty percent of our bodies are formed of water, and two thirds of the planet's surface is covered by water: water is our culture, our life."

For further information, read World Water Day 2006 and how to get involved.

Posted by Kamran Mohsin at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The TIP Basketball Team played their first basketball game against Greenwich University on Wednesday, March 15 as a practice match for the upcoming HEC tournament. TIP lost 30-50, not bad for their first game against last years HEC zonal champs.

Pictures of the match are by Schallim Reuben.

In other news, the TIP Basketball Team was to participate in the HEC Inter-University Basketball Match in Jamshoro this Saturday, March 18, 2006. However, this trip has been cancelled.

Update: Our team did participate in Jamshoro! Details soon.

Posted by Abid Omar at 05:32 PM | Permalink

Basant 2006, pictures by Schallim Reuben, mainly of the TMM4 class.

Posted by Abid Omar at 05:23 PM | Permalink

Street Basketball, pictures by Ali Hakeem and Haris Hanif.

Click here for the pictures.

Posted by Abid Omar at 05:12 PM | Permalink

Valentine's Day and Talking Textures Magazine Launch Ceremony, pictures by Atif Hussain, for your viewing pleasure.

Click here for the pictures.

Posted by Abid Omar at 05:07 PM | Permalink

We regret to inform you that Abu Asar Ghazali Iman passed away on March 15 2006.

He was a final year Textile Science student, and passed away because of an unpredictable brain hemorrhage. May his soul rest in peace and may the bereaved family find the strength to bear this loss with fortitude.

Quran Khawani will be held on March 17 2006 at the Hostel after Namaz-e-Juma.

Posted by Abid Omar at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Two weeks ago we had a guest speaker Dr. Akber Zaidi a renowned economist who came to TIP to speak about development. As good as the talk may have been, for many of us it was like someone had flipped open the top of one's head and filled it with rushes of factual data.

A report on world development report published by the World Bank in 1991 stated:

"The challenge of development is to improve the quality of life. Especially in the world's poor countries, a better quality of life generally calls for higher income s- but it involves much more. It encompasses as ends in themselves better education, higher standards of health and nutrition, less poverty, a cleaner environment, more equality of opportunity, greater individual freedom, and a richer cultural life."

In another report by M.P. Todaro on world economic development in 1995:

"Development must represent the whole gamut of change by which an entire social system, tuned to the diverse basic needs and desires of individuals and social groups within that system, moves away from a condition of life widely perceived as unsatisfactory towards a situation or condition of life regarded as materially and spiritually better."

Unless if you read the above very carfully, you will be confused. Very confused, as am I. This was what Dr. Akber wanted us to get out of his talk.

Well lets not get more confused and come down to talking about it in our own words.. Who doesn't want the military rule to end? Most of us here do, but I simply don't because, frankly, is there another option? Ok lets not even go there (democracy is our choice, robbing us is theirs...).

The data sheet provided to us was at least 5 years old if I'm not mistaken. And in 5 years a whole political system changes and were blaming Mr. Musharraf? Only 7 years ago Mr. Musharraf had just come into power and the effect of the military coup was still fresh.

While we were partying our very own president was behind bars hopefully singing "Invisible Sun" by The Police (quoted at the beginning of this column) - the point is that while we are far behind our very neighbor for basic reasons such as India is at least 7 times larger and isn't developed, but its also that their government is much more stronger than ours.

Where our speaker said that we are spending a little too much on defense and that is what we have for the past god-knows-how-many years it is cause of our sub-continental pride we somehow have and have been at war with them since eternity and as they say China and India are the next super powers hopefully by 2025, hmn I'm feeling a lil' bit vulnerable (aren't you?). I'm seeing us as the next South America by 2030.

I agree it is a bit too much and wrong to spend our parents' money on arms and ammunitions (sounds scary remember the government campaign "say no to guns"?) if it would have been given to us we could have at least bought a pair of designer jeans or 2 decent meals for a whole semester man I hate taxes the opportunity cost to it is so high.

Enough digression. What Mr. Musharraf has to foster is coming to peace with India in someway to reduce conflicts regarding Kashmir issue and others so that he may divert public spending to other sectors. Time is what it needs my friend everything cannot just happen over night after all Rome wasn't built in a day and it will take Pakistan some time to get there. So don't loose hope its us who will and can make a change so don't think of packing your bags up and being on the next flight to foreign lands seeking a better life cause then you'll be no different than our politicians.

I must say the report was very confusing as it showed percentage spending on health, education and defense, just think 10% of Pakistan's budget spending on defense and 10% of India's budget how different would the amounts be? We are a developing nation and so is India the only difference is that India is developing faster and Bangladesh is too and it has been at peace with India since for a long time.

My aim was just to facilitate your knowledge on what was presented in front of us, as good as it was it shouldn't rob us of our ability to think and assess (and that was what I think Dr. Akber want us to do). Indeed development has a very individualistic approach and economists themselves have been on very shaky grounds with each other where each individual has a different opinion. Dr. Akber's being more of an unpromising future well that is how most of ours is. So if you think they're only going to change this place by killing everybody in the human race and they would kill me for a cigarette well I don't want to die just yet. Until next time Auf Wiedersehen.

I don't want to spend the rest of my life Looking at the barrel of an armalite I don't want to spend the rest of my days Keeping out of trouble like the soldiers say I don't want to spend my time in hell Looking at the walls of a prison cell I don't ever want to play the part Of a statistic on a government chart

Invisible Sun, The Police

Posted by Z-squared! at 02:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

By Abdul Quddus from Bhains Colony

Dark, dark night. The full moon flitting through dark clouds, giving vague light every now and then. Low branches, wilderness, the leaves crushing under your feet, each sound scaring you. The howling of the wolf or is it the hooting of a harmless owl? Your heart beating wildly, pounding in your ears. Each step feels like hundred, every second an eternity. The wind rustling the leaves, whispering secrets of the woods, eerily comforting you. Every sound magnified like a whiplash in the stillness, causing your heart to pound more which you didn't think it was possible. You start running to go faster but the wind makes it sound as if some one is chasing you. You run faster, look behind, nothing but the trees rushing in as if following you, mocking you, telling you, no matter how fast u run you can't run away. You see a light shining ahead, your heart fills with hope, you leave the track in your haste to reach it, the moons hidden again, but you know that all you have to do is follow the light.

The dark shape of trees and the flickering light ahead, a sign of hope of company. It starts to rain slowly at first but steadily increasing its pace. The rhythmic sound of falling water. Water dripping off your hair, you are soaked through, it must be raining faster than you thought, your senses are numbed with... is it fear? But fear of what, there is nothing around. But yes, that's what you are afraid of the nothingness, the helplessness. The rain is clouding your vision, the light seems further away, you thrash through the branches obstructing your way. You try to go faster, but its harder in the woods, something or the other impedes your way. If possible, its raining faster. Lightning! You can see ahead. The trees look like huge monsters bending down to grab you. You are grateful for the dark again. You are prepared for the sound of thunder but it doesn't. The light ahead seems fainter, you are not even sure if it actually exists or whether you are just hoping that it is, you start to lose hope, what little you had left. The fear is spreading, tingling through your veins, goose bumps up your flesh. Another flash of lightning, you stop dead in your tracks. The wind is howling now, no more whispering secrets, but howling like banshees. You cover your ears, you notice something warm, you must be crying, the tears mingling with the rain. You sit down, exhausted, crying louder. A crash, thunder? You put your head between your knees. Something is on your arm, crawling? slithering? Towards your shoulder. Your breath is caught, the movement stops your hearts in your mouth. Should you lift your head... Do you even want to know what touched you? You tell yourself it was a falling leaf. Your hearts beating again. Thunder. Your tears come faster but no sound. The crushing sense of despair. Alone, helpless, lost. You close your eyes. You lie down, rolled up in a ball. And you give up. No point trying further, it's too scary to face. The wind howls, water sliding down your body, the soft mud under you, and you give up, thinking that it'll end.

But it doesn't. It doesn't get better. It doesn't get worse. You can't see or hear a thing except feel the rain crushing down your body. The movement reaching for your throat, you start choking. You let out a faint murmur and the movement stops, it disappears. You feel relieved for a moment suddenly remembering the woods. The rain subsides. You feel something crawling all over you. You frantically try to get it off you, scratching and bruising yourself in the twigs around you. You look at yourself and there's nothing there except for the bruises you've inflicted. You suddenly realize that it is no longer dark. You look in the direction of the light to check if it's still there and you realize that you are where the light was. You look around to check if you're still alone in the gloom. You try talking to those around you and soon become conscious of talking to the trees. You turn around and walk away to the laughter in the background. It gets darker. It starts to rain again. You close your eyes and spiral on.

Posted by Aasim Ahmed at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Coming soon to an auditorium near you! Vote by posting a comment in favour of your choice!

Keep watching this space for more!

Posted by Aasim Ahmed at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (20)