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    YOULIN'S EVENTS OF 2013 THAT IMPACTED PAKISTAN

    Written by: Dr. Dushka H. Saiyid
    Posted on: December 31, 2013 |

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    14TH AUGUST SERIES
    The 14th August series of theatre plays took political satire to new levels of popularity. Anwar Maqsood’s sharp script, young Dawar’s direction and a galaxy of talented actors led by Yasir Hussain, resulted in packed halls and long queues.

    14TH AUGUST SERIES
    AYESHA FAROOQ

    AYESHA FAROOQ
    Ayesha Farooq became the first woman war ready fighter pilot in South Asia, striking a blow to stereotyping of Pakistani women as cloistered creatures.

    WAAR
    This was the highest grossing Pakistani movie ever made. The young Bilal Lashari has produced a polished, fast moving, action-packed thriller with outstanding performances by Shaan and Shamoun Abbasi.

    WAAR
    INTIZAAR HUSSAIN

    INTIZAAR HUSSAIN
    Intizar Hussain was the first Pakistani writer to be nominated for the Man Booker International Award. A novelist and short story writer who migrated to Pakistan from UP, he chronicles the trials and tribulations of this land of hope.

    IMRAN QURESHI
    Deutsch Bank Global Art Advisory Council declared Imran Qureshi “Artist of the Year” for 2013. Based in Lahore, where he teaches at the National College of Arts, he has been pushing the boundaries of miniature painting.

    IMRAN QURESHI
    SAMINA BEG

    SAMINA BEG
    Samina Beg was the first Pakistani woman to scale Mount Everest in May 2013. Her brother Ali, and twin sisters accompanied her from India. It was another mountaineering achievement for the Shimshal village in Hunza.

    IFRA AND AMINA WALI
    Ifrah and Amina Wali, hailing from Gilgit and Baltistan, were the first Pakistani women to win the gold and silver medals respectively, in the Giant Slalom event of skiing in the South Asian Winter Games.

    IFRA AND AMINA WALI
    KAMILA SHAMSIE

    KAMILA SHAMSIE
    Kamila Shamsie’s accolades as a novelist piled up as she made it to Granta’s list of 20 best young writers of 2013.

    WOMEN’S BRIDGE COMPETITION
    Women’s bridge team consisting of one family, Fatima Riaz, her mother Rubina Hai and maternal grandmother Qudsia Dosa, won the women’s team event of Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle East Zonal Championship. The beat their hosts and defending champion India.

    WOMEN’S BRIDGE COMPETITION
    PAKISTAN IDOL

    PAKISTAN IDOL
    Pakistan Idol arrived in Pakistan in 2013, and will be a big boost to young talent.

    ZINDA BHAAG
    Zinda Bhaag was the first Pakistani film nominated to compete for Oscars in the foreign film category in 2013. With dialogue in Punjabi, it is based on the theme of Pakistanis wanting to escape to foreign shores in search of Elysium, and at what cost.

    ZINDA BHAAG
    CRICKET REVIVAL

    CRICKET REVIVAL
    Cricket revived in Pakistan after a long spell in the doldrums, and with it the nation’s spirits, for it is no less than a national obsession. Pakistan beat South Africa on its home ground, and a win over Sri Lanka followed.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021