Reasons to be proud of Pakistan

By
Web Desk
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Entering into 2018, Pakistanis were on the edge praying that the year proves to be good for the country. 

While there were some incidents which remained the main topic of discussion including Zainab rape and murder case, Naqeebullah's extra-judicial killing, and rise in terror activities before the General Election 2018, Pakistan also achieved many milestones which made the entire nation beam with pride.  

Here is a pleasant reminder of all the things which will make you proud of Pakistan, as we look back at 2018: 


World's best adventure travel destination 

Samuel Joynson and Adam Sloper of the British Backpacker Society, both belonging to southern England, visited Pakistan in the summer of 2016. They spent a few days in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad, from where they travelled through the Kaghan valley to Naran, later heading to Babusar Top to Gilgit. They completed their journey in the tranquil Hunza Valley, where they climbed to the top of the Hon Pass (4,257m) from Karimabad.

Having ranked Pakistan at number one in list of “the world’s top 20 adventure travel destinations for 2018”, British Backpacker Society said that Pakistan is “one of the friendliest countries on earth, with mountain scenery that is beyond anyone’s wildest imagination”.

Pakistan tops annual ICC T20 rankings 

After a stellar performance in the T20 matches in the past year, Pakistan’s Cricket team maintained its highest spot on the ICC T20 rankings, while Fakhar Zaman also climbed up to the second spot on the players’ rankings. His string of good scores allowed him to jump 44 places to claim the second position in the latest ICC player rankings after the finish of tri-series in Harare, in the past month.

Fakhar totalled 278 runs in the series, including a match-winning 91 runs against Australia after Pakistan had slumped to 2/2 after being set a victory target of 184. No one has forgotten his 118-run opening partnership with Azhar Ali in 2017 as Pakistan thrash England to reach the Champions Trophy final.

Country's first visually impaired judge 

Yousaf became the first visually impaired judge in Pakistan on June 26 this year. While he was dropped earlier for his disability, he was reconsidered and recommended for the position of the civil judge after intervention by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar.

A gold medalist of the Punjab University in LLB (Honors), Yousaf had topped the written judiciary exam among 6,500 candidates. He was amongst 21 candidates, who qualified for interview.

On May 12, Saleem received a letter from the LHC stating, “You are hereby informed that the Hon’ble Examination Committee for Recruitment of District Judiciary and Lahore High Court Establishment has recommended you for appointment as Civil Judge-cum-Magistrate.”

Stepping on to the pitch of a World Cup match 

A 15-year-old Pakistani teenager, Ahmed Raza, conducted the coin toss for the match between Brazil and Costa Rica to Russia to conduct the coin-toss at the FIFA World Cup 2018.

This was the first time a Pakistani was present on the pitch of a FIFA World Cup Match in an official capacity. This is of course, in addition to the Sialkot’s footballs being used in the matches.

Pakistani students bring classmates home

Mohammad Zohair Javed and Shan Ahmed — attempted to change Pakistan’s image in foreign lands when they organised a trip for their peers to come to Pakistan.

The trip involved around 18 students from Cornell who hailed from different backgrounds and came with different aims. Govinda Hancock, an Australian-American, came to Pakistan to “better understand this important Muslim majority Nation.”

Zohair and Shan indeed managed to change the opinions of their fellows, as Arturo Castellanos, a Mexican student studying law at Cornell, said after his trip, that while he held the kind of view of Pakistan that the Western media disseminates, after visiting here he said that Pakistan was the “most stimulating and magical country” he has ever visited.