Another step towards innovative ideas

According to the official press release issued by Telenor, it as one of the project sponsors, has provided financial assistance to Pak Wheelers, a group of 11 engineering students of EME College, NUST, Islamabad to build Prodigy, Pakistan’s first hybrid car. The vehicle will represent Pakistan in the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2010 to be held in Malaysia in July. Telenor Pakistan will provide Team Leader Syed Hassaan Ali with international communication facilities during the competition to enable him to share live updates.

The single-seater Prodigy has a gasoline-run combustion engine that works in conjunction with electric motors that makes it run more efficiently. It harvests energy lost during breaking and reuses it for moving. Energy is stored in super capacitor banks through a micro controller based Energy Management Unit. Prodigy has a fiber glass body and can go up to 250 km in just one liter of fuel.

Affan Haider, Head of Corporate Communications & Responsibility, Telenor Pakistan while commenting on the project said: “Telenor Pakistan appreciates Pak Wheelers commitment behind Prodigy. We have always encouraged innovative ideas, especially those that are environmentally responsible. With projects ranging from low energy lighting solutions for our offices to establishing cellular sites that run on solar energy, Telenor continue to promote a greener, healthier and eco-friendly Pakistan.”

When Pak Wheelers began their senior year project, they had a commitment to an environment friendly cause but little financial resources. Their goal was to hoist Pakistan’s flag in the Shell Eco- Marathon Asia 2010. Helping them in their aim are sponsors from the corporate sector that have provided financial support for Prodigy.

Coke Studio Season 3 : Rohail Hayaat definitely knows what he’s doing !

When we first heard Meesha Shafi, currently Overload’s lead vocal, the throw of her voice was so big that all that came to mind was “Rock star Alert” and seeing her later along side Arif Lohar, a Pakistani folk legend, seemed to be a unique idea but it remained to be heard. “Alif Allah” is by no means an easy project as it’s a very well preserved folk melody, many have tried their luck with this melody prior to the coke studio sessions, but hats off to Meesha, she rose to the occasion. Their were moments in the performance when she actually overlapped Arif Lohar. It was not an easy transition and she showed a lot of promise. Meesha has a lot to offer to the Pakistani music scene.

Zeb & Haniya seem to have found a nice comfort zone with Rohail. Their own versatility gives Rohail a good ground for some really melodic experiments. The Pashto-Persian songs by Zeb and Haniya were definitely targeting the pashto speaking audiences but Rohail created such catchy fusions of the traditional Afghani folk with the main stream pop that although we don’t understand most of “Bibi Sanam Janem” but the funky rhythm with the traditional Rubab gets us moving.

Arieb Azhar fits in very well to the sufi theme of the coke studio but his first performance for this season was a bit unfitting. “Na Raindee hay” has very strong lyrics but it couldn’t fit well in to the episode.

Its so good to see Karavan after such a long time and to no surprise Tanseer Daar has still got it. A mellow song, well arranged but it would have been great to hear Gumby at the drums with Karavan though Sikandar also did a good job. Looking forward to hear more of Karavan in coke studio sessions and waiting for their upcoming album. Yaadein is no doubt a great comeback song for Karavan.

Abida Parveen is always a treat to the ears. Over the ears she has established herself as a Sufi music icon and has earned the recognition and fan following of global audiences. She is no doubt the queen of Sufi music. Her appearance at the coke studio sessions is itself a proof of the recognition and fan following it has earned. It would not have been easy for anyone playing alongside an icon but it was an awesome performance. The ambience Ramooz-e-Ishq created was sublime, especially Gumby keeping up with the Sufi style of music. Rohail’s maturity at his work is reflected especially in this performance.

There’s more to come and we’re waiting anxiously !

Common Man Vs Hurricane Budget & Hurricane Phet

The second time in 2 days the courageous Pakistani nation is struck by a hurricane, it was hurricane Phet this evening that hit Pakistan’s coastal areas and is still having its toll on the coastal population. But hey ! that’s something we can’t control, that’s something which we refer to as nature’s fury, something that’s all about post-damage control… but Hurricane Phet is not as devastating as Hurricane Budget, that hit us all on June 5… something that we could control, something that we brought upon us ourselves, something that’s all about pre-damage control… Hurricane Phet is sure to leave behind a trail of destruction but Hurricane Budget has not only left trails of disappointment but it has paved the way for a series of itsy bitsy hurricanes to follow for at least next three months. Hurricane Phet claimed precious lives today but they will eventually find peace. Hurricane Budget will kill the poor masses everyday and still not let them find peace. Its a few more hours and than Hurricane Phet will be history but Hurricane Budget will continue to haunt.

Hurricane Phet is a hurricane inside and a hurricane outside but Hurricane Budget is two faced. Without going in to the intense and highly misleading salient points of the budget and so called relief with which the nation was gifted let us all observe a One Minute Silence for the poor, innocent masses and Yes, A Round of Applauds for the respected IMF for packing a punch in to a already broken jaw. Thanks to the Government for entertaining us with their display of mastery in manipulation and not to forget Us, ourselves, We the People, who never let go of false hope and don’t make matters right.