Written By: Rukham Khan
Normally such pieces start by mentioning the worst things that happened in a year, then asking the audience to focus on the brighter side of things. And that’s where they plug their angle. For example ‘Azaab hai, mehangai hai aur sab chor hain, magar yar at least we had Chai in 2018. Here are top 10 Chai moments of 2018’ is the general, run-of-the-mill progression.
We don’t need to bait you in such a manner. If you think about it, 2018 was a pretty sweet year for Pakistan.
We finally had international (league) cricket return to Pakistan, we had a peaceful transfer of government power, and the new guy in charge might not turn out too bad. Tourism is on the rise, youth are more informed and the music scene is overflowing with talented artists. The atmosphere is brimming with a progressive, hopeful aura.
Pakistanis have always had a festive spirit but it is only now beginning to surface again after a few decades of turmoil and intolerance.
You can plainly witness this by observing the rise in events taking across all Pakistan and the increase in the number of people opting to go out and celebrate their love for food, music, fashion, cricket and anything that brings joy.
In the spirit of our festive nature, we are showcasing the top 6 events that took place across Pakistan and made 2018 a year to remember.
1. Face Music Mela, Hunza
There are two things that stir the spirit like no other, great music and scenic landscapes. Combine them both and you get Face Music Mela.
Held in Hunza in August, against the grand backdrop of Passu Cones, the music festival and workshop offered a comprehensive mix of filmmakers, musicians, and local artists.
The first day included workshops for musicians and filmmakers from the local community, with lessons ranging from culture and history to the music itself.
The second day saw stellar performances from a line-up that included Salman Paras, Brushaski Fusion Zia Karim, Wild Mangoes, Saakin, Cosmic Fluid Psychedelic, Zoe Viccaji, Khumariyan, and Umair Jaswal.
The performers managed to attract locals from nearby places as well as foreign tourists who were delighted with the set-up.
2. Junoon Concert, Karachi
Junoon’s reunion and return to stage was a great way to cap off 2018. A generation apart, Junoon took to the stage to play for a totally new generation. They played for a people who grew up under bomb threats, intolerant attitudes and almost no musical events. Junoon being Junoon, they still managed to entrance the crowd with their energy and brought back the nostalgic fervor of the nineties.
The reunion itself was a pretty big deal. Salman Ahmed had been hinting for years, trying to get Junoon to play together but Ali Azmat would mostly shoot down the idea. Even when they tried to band for Coke Studio, they couldn’t work together because of creative differences.
Whatever they did to put those differences aside, we were blessed to see legends of Pakistani music back in harmony again. Those who attended the concert managed to glimpse a unicorn. We can only hope the unicorn reveals itself again in the future.
3. 021Disrupt, Karachi
‘021Disrupt’ was an entrepreneurship conference hosted by Nest I/O, held in Karachi on the 10th and 11th of November. The event boasted the presence of 25 internationally renowned investors, 200 startups, and big brands like Careem, Udemy, and Canva.
What made the event truly special was that it allowed students, visionaries, and startup owners to directly interact with brands and investors. The exchange was marked by rich information sharing, and a chance to learn about ground realities and the opportunities they presented in terms of entrepreneurship.
Tribune learned that one of the investors, Charles Ludwig from Oman Technology Fund said ‘021 Disrupt’ marks the beginning of a new era of openness and innovation for Pakistan.
The spirit of entrepreneurship was well and alive in the attendees as well. Husband and wife duo Areeba Zeeshan and Zeeshan Sheikh had this to say about their business machinesells.com:
“We want to revolutionize the way machines are traded.”
Such a sentiment did not only belong to this couple but could be witnessed in the energy of most of the attendees, who really seemed to emphasize the notion of positive change through disruption.
4. Pakistan Super League Final, Karachi
There are few things that unite Pakistanis like cricket. And the PSL brand has done an excellent job at that since its first edition in 2016. The 2018 version was grander, louder and attracted the biggest viewership to date. Performers and celebrities were present and the stadium felt alive thanks to the presence of ecstatic supporters from both sides who didn’t leave a single ball uncheered.
I think most of us can agree that the real highlight of the super league season was the final being held in Karachi. Of course, everyone wanted to see an intense battle between the in-form Islamabad United and the formidable Peshawar Zalmis, but the match’s real significance was in its political implications. The fact that Karachi was securely able to host a grand final with foreign players indicated this is not the same Pakistan in which the Sri-Lankan team was attacked 9 years ago. The event proved to the world that Pakistan would not cower in the face of terror, and would strive to continue to move forward despite its challenges.
The final instilled confidence in local authorities and foreign players. Now PCB has announced that the last 8 matches of PSL 2019 will be held in Pakistan. The announcement speaks volumes to how far we’ve come since international cricket was banned in Pakistan in 2009. Such events will hopefully pave the way for international cricket to fully return back to Pakistan.
5. Lahore Literary Festival
The sixth edition of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) was held at the Alhamra Arts Center, Mall Road, on Saturday, Feb. 24. The two-day event was open and free to the public.
Literary giants graced the event with names such as novelist David Ignatius, historian Audrey Truschke, Booker-winner Ben Okri, activist and urban theorist Arif Hasan; British-Pakistani food writer Sumayya Usmani, Iranian artist and curator Vali Malhouji, Urdu poet and scholar Iftikhar Husain, feminist poet Kishwar Naheed, Somali-British novelist Nadifa Mohamed, short-story writer and critic Aamer Hussein, and award-winning Iraqi poet and novelist Sinan Antoon.
Lahore Literary Festival is one of the last bastions of culture that strives to preserve and promote the best of Pakistan through literature. Over the course of two days, big ideas are shared and scrutinized in a civilized manner. Such discussions cannot take place without an emphasis on an open exchange of ideas and a platform of tolerance. LFF does a fantastic job of collective consciousness raising and the promotion of valuable discourse that is the foundation of societal progress.
6. Dew Moto Extreme, Islamabad
Mountain Dew has established its reputation as an adventurous, edgy brand in Pakistan. To really connect with its consumers and deliver their promise of adventure and excitement, Mountain Dew hosted a motocross event in Islamabad called Dew Moto Extreme.
True to their brand promise, the event was spectacular and offered eye-popping stunts from professional stuntmen like Dallan Goodman, Fredrick Frog Bergren and Nick De Witt on FMX bikes.
The arena really came to life when Feroze Khan opened the show on his own decked up bike. He led an action-packed procession of 20 heavy bikers around the stadium and the audience went wild. Four expert Dew athletes performed unbelievable stunts throughout the night.
As if the stunning feats of skill weren’t enough, Josh, Somewhat Super also produced stellar performances that kept the crowd truly brimming with excitement.
There you have it. The best of the best when it came to activities held across Pakistan. By showcasing these events we hope you were elated to learn about all the cool things happening in Pakistan.
Let us know what you thought about these events or if we missed an event you think should have been on the list?
